Copper (18 page)

“I guess not,” Marla stated the obvious. “Of course, we don’t know how much of the barbecue fiasco was a result of her being manipulated by Rob, and how much was due to her own spitefulness and jealousy.  She was always causing trouble when we were in school together.  Her favorite pastime was spreading gossip about other girls at school. Many a rumor could be traced back to Tina.”

“I kind of thought she might be the troublemaker type when the Metal Cowboys hired her, but since she was closer to you in age, I didn’t know enough about her at the time to openly object to her employment.”

  “Malicious troublemaker would be an accurate label for Tina,” Marla agreed.  “This time, hopefully it will play to our advantage.  I’m so ready for this to be over so that Copper and I can settle into a normal routine together.  I’m crazy about him, but I need to see how things are between us when the danger’s over and the adrenaline rush is gone.”

“I don’t think it’s going to change a thing.  I’ve seen several women come and go in the four years I’ve been working for Copper.  The way he looks at you...” Natalie stopped talking for several seconds. “Well, let’s just say I’d give almost anything to have a man look at me like that,” she confessed.

Marla was about to say she thought Chrome already looked at Natalie that way, but before she could add her two cents worth, her sister quickly changed the subject.

“Look at those beautiful pale pink roses in the window.  Momma would have loved them.”  She unbuckled her seatbelt and jumped out of the car. 

Marla saw her sister wiping her eyes and hastily followed her inside the flower shop.  She put an arm around Natalie’s shoulder and guided her to a deserted corner.  “Don’t forget, we have to take our time.  Copper said not to show up at the cemetery for at least an hour.  He’s confident that Rob won’t try anything in town, because there are too many witnesses.  Also, remember that Copper and the other men need time to get in position.  Word of my disagreement with Copper has to have time to filter down to Rob, and then he has to have time to act on what he hears,” Marla reminded her sister.

“Sorry, I’m just antsy and more than ready for all this crap to be over. I can’t imagine how you must feel about it.”

“I’m just as anxious to be done as you are, but I keep reminding myself to slow down and be cautious. I don’t want all of the Metal Cowboys’ planning to go to waste. And I don’t want the stress and pressure of being bait again if this doesn’t work,” she admitted. “It has to work!”

Natalie offered Marla silent support with a sisterly hug. “The cemetery is only twenty minutes away.  We can’t kill that much time looking at flowers no matter how beautiful they are.  The coffee shop is right next door, and it’s fairly busy.”

“So it is,” Marla said with a smile. Her sister loved coffee, at least some things never changed, no matter how stressful life got.

“I’m pretty sure Rob won’t approach us in there, and if he did, we can just yell our heads off for help.  Let’s go get an iced coffee and chat in the café for a while. We can come back here to pick out flowers afterwards.” 

“That sounds like a wonderful idea,” Marla agreed.  “Today is a major stressor.  My nerves are about stretched to the limit. I could definitely use a little bit of a breather.” She linked arms with her sister, and they changed direction.  “We’ll be back in about fifteen minutes,” she called to Lexi, the owner of the shop, on their way out the door.

When their beverages were ready, Natalie guided Marla to a table in the back that didn’t have anyone else seated or standing nearby.  Once they were seated she grabbed both of Marla’s hands and squeezed tight.  “There’s something important I want to discuss with you,” she told her sister.

“Sounds serious,” Marla said with a worried frown. 

Natalie shrugged.  “It kind of is, but it’s nothing bad,” she promised.  “I guess I shouldn’t burden you with this now, but we haven’t had much time alone lately for sisterly chitchat.”

“It’s not like you to beat around the bush.  You’re starting to worry me, what’s going on?” 

Natalie took a deep breath. “Everything in your life seems to be falling into place.  You’re teaching just like you always wanted to do, and now you have Copper too.  It’s finally my turn to live life to the fullest, spread my wings, and chase my dreams.”

“I thought you loved your job and the life you have here. I hate to think I’ve been holding you back.”

“No, you haven’t!” Natalie exclaimed. “I’m doing this all wrong! I don’t regret anything about the life I’ve lived so far, but I’m ready for more.  The time finally seems right.”

“Have you made any major decisions?”

“No, but you know how much I love animals.”

“Yes, and we haven’t been able to have pets since we sold our childhood home and moved into the apartment seven years ago.”

Natalie nodded.  “Anyway, I love working with the Metal Cowboys, but custom bikes are their passion, not mine.  I want to work with animals.  I was checking into possibilities even before Rob came back to town causing all kinds of trouble.  One of the local colleges has a two year veterinary tech program. I’ve already filled out the paperwork to enroll in the program.”

Marla got up, walked around the table, and hugged her sister before sitting back down.  “I think that’s fantastic.  You always brought home every stray dog and cat that came within a ten mile radius of our neighborhood,” Marla fondly recalled. 

“I was accepted into the program the day you got shot.  I was going to tell you about it that night when you got home, but then everything went to hell.”

“You got in! That’s great!”

“Yeah, but it’s a big step. It’s a fulltime program, so I’ll have to quit my job.  Being unemployed makes me nervous, but I’ve been putting back money ever since you started teaching and I took the better paying job with the Metal Cowboys.”

“This sounds like something you really want to do, and I’m so happy and excited for you. You’ve always been there for me. I’ll do whatever I can to help,” Mala promised.

“I’ll take all the moral support I can get,” Natalie said with a laugh. “I’ve been cruising along for several years. I feel like I’m stuck in a rut.  I definitely need this change. It’s for the best,” she insisted.

Marla wasn’t sure whom Natalie was trying to convince with the little pep talk. She was smart enough to keep silent so that her sister could continue to vent. That way, maybe Natalie would be able to work through her jumbled feelings. 

“I hope you don’t think I’m a lousy sister for dumping this on you with everything else that’s going down today.”

“Not at all, truth be known, I needed a distraction. Having this conversation helped take my mind off of my problems, and I’m grateful for that.”  She glanced at her watch.  “It has been over fifteen minutes though, so we should walk back over to the flower shop and make our purchases.”

She rubbed damp hands down the denim material covering her thighs. “I don’t want to act hurried and anxious, because that might tip off Rob,” she whispered to her sister. “I’ll sure be glad when this is over.  I’m far more confident of Copper and the Metal Cowboys’ ability to contain the situation and keep us safe than I am in Rob’s ability to get to me.  I’m still scared to death something bad will happen to you or Copper.”

“Possible but not likely,” Natalie said.  She reached over and patted her sister’s hand.  “Copper and I are willing to take the chance, because we both love you.  Besides, you’re Rob’s main target. You should be more worried about yourself.”

Marla grimaced. “Sure, you love me, but Copper hasn’t admitted to any such thing.  It’s hard to be worried about myself when all my thoughts are centered on you and Copper.  I wish he would let me go to the cemetery alone so that you would be safe at home,” she admitted with a long and drawn out sigh.

“I’m pretty certain Copper loves you.  Besides, do you honestly think I’d be okay sitting inside the Metal Cowboys’ compound while you are being used as bait?  No way, we’re in this together!  Through thick and thin, to the bitter end,” Natalie recited an old saying from their childhood.

“Through thick and thin, to the bitter end,” Marla repeated with a sniff.  “We haven’t needed to say that in a long time, about eight years, if I remember correctly.  It’s a bit ironic, really.”

“Yes it is,” Natalie agreed.  “Try not to worry too much.  Copper and the others won’t let us down.”  She got up and pushed her chair under the table. “The whole nightmare that is Rob Storey is about to come full circle.”

Marla nodded.  “It ends today, one way or the other,” she agreed.  Joining her sister, they walked out the door and back to the flower shop.  They were one more step closer to ending Rob’s reign of terror. 

Once they were surrounded by the sight and scent of all kinds of colorful and good smelling blooms, Marla closed her eyes and breathed deeply. Her heart was hammering, and her hands were shaking, but she wanted to be optimistic.  “Let’s pick out five bouquets of the most beautiful flowers we can find.”

Natalie gave her a confused look. “Why so many?”

“Well, I want one each for Mom, Dad, Baby Taylor, you, and me. 

“Make it four then, I don’t need flowers,” Natalie insisted.

“Yes you do!  I’m trying to be optimistic. I need to convince myself that we’re going to come out on the other side of this nightmare alive and in one piece.  When we do, we’re going to celebrate the next chapters in our lives.  For me, we are going to celebrate a life that is free from the nightmare that is Rob Storey. And for you, we’re celebrating the first step toward chasing your dream of working with animals.”    

Natalie gave her a weird look. “I’m the older sister. I’m the one that’s supposed to be full of wise words and advice.”

“Normally you are, but today it’s my turn,” Marla insisted.  “You’re the kind of woman I always wanted to be, I hope you know that.”  She glanced at her watch.  “We better get going.  If Rob is watching, we don’t want him to think we’ve changed our minds, and aren’t going to show, because I’m so ready to be done with this whole fiasco.”

Thirty minutes later Marla flipped on the turn signal and slowed the car.  She made a right turn onto the narrow paved drive that led to the main entrance of the cemetery.  Her fingers gripped the steering wheel so tightly she’d probably have to pry them loose once she parked the car. 

Next to her, Natalie’s eyes scanned left then right, trying to take in everything all at once.  “Nothing looks out of place.  There’s no sign of the Metal Cowboys. They’re well hidden.”

“That’s the plan. With their military training, they should be more than capable of staying out of sight.  If Rob got even a whiff of the Metal Cowboys, he’d take off running with his tail tucked between his legs like the coward he is.”

The sound of rumbling thunder made both women swing their gazes upward.  The normally bright blue Texas sky had darkened over the past twenty minutes and was now an ominous mixture of gray and black.  “That doesn’t look too good.  I hope it doesn’t keep Rob at home.”

“I doubt it,” Marla replied.  “That man is crazy.  He isn’t going to let something as trivial as a good ole thunderstorm stop him from carrying out his plans.  He’s too narcissistic for that, I’m pretty sure.”

“You’re probably right,” Natalie agreed giving the sky one more worried look. “It wouldn’t slow down the Metal Cowboys either.”

“No, they know we’re depending on them.”  She took a deep breath and reached for the phone that was charging in the console. “I’m supposed to text Copper as soon as we arrive to make sure everything is still a go.” She tightly gripped the phone. “This is our last contact with the Metal Cowboys until it’s over.”

She took a deep breath and started typing a message.  She hit send and waited.  A soft ping several seconds later allowed her to take another deep breath.  She glanced at the message.  “Game on,” she read to Natalie before shoving the phone into her purse. 

“Copper and the rest of the Metal Cowboys are in position, hiding in the deep brush between the cemetery and the woods surrounding it.  It’s now or never,” she said, gripping the handle and opening the door.  “I’m as ready as I’m ever going to be.  Let’s go before I chicken out and drive off,” she said in a rush of words.  Her frayed nerves were making her jittery.  That was very bad, because she couldn’t afford to make any mistakes.

She didn’t wait for Natalie’s reply. She jumped out of the car and leaned back in to retrieve the bundle of white daisies resting inside a yellow metal watering can.  She hugged the arrangement to her heart.  Marla fell in love with it as soon as she saw it.  The daisies spoke of innocence, love, and summer all in one breath.  The yellow watering can was sturdy and would survive the outdoor elements.  Marla already decided that if she made it through this mess, she was going to bring fresh daisies to the graveside every week, until the bitter cold of winter intruded.

The soft thud of a closing car door snapped Marla out of her deep thoughts.  Natalie quickly joined her, carrying the two lovely bouquets for their parents.  They’d agreed on the soft pink roses that Natalie first spotted for their mom. The lovely and feminine flowers reminded both women of the soft-spoken ladylike woman they’d been privileged enough to know simply as Mom.  

Lexi helped them pick a bouquet of orange, white, and purple gladioluses with bright yellow daffodils mixed in to accentuate the bunch.  The florist assured them that the gladiolus represented strength of character, and the daffodil stood for chivalry. Both of those wonderful traits described their dad.  He was a terrific father and an even better husband.  He’d set the bar high, too bad Marla was too grief-stricken to realize that when she first hooked up with Rob Storey. 

The sisters linked arms and slowly strolled toward the family plots.  “Luckily, I only see a few people scattered around the cemetery, less chance of an innocent bystander being hurt,” Natalie remarked.

“Yeah, the impending storm probably has something to do with that.  Nobody factored severe weather into the equation, although I’m glad.  If it was up to me, I’d warn everybody and send them on their way, but we can’t.”