The Promise of Forgiveness (25 page)

“What happened to her belongings?”

“Put them in storage.” He narrowed his eyes. “What do you want with Cora?”

“She's my birth mother.”

“We've got a roomful of personal possessions from former residents.” He came out from behind the counter with a set of keys. “It'll cost you fifty bucks to have a look.”

“On top of the twenty I gave you?”

“I'm losing rent money off the room I store everyone's crap in.”

“This is all I have.” She held out another twenty-dollar bill, and he snatched it from her fingertips. They went outside, and he opened the door to room one, next to the office, and flipped on the light switch.

Mounds of clothes covered the king-size bed. Suitcases lined the walls. Two cardboard boxes overflowed with mismatched shoes. A plastic tote filled with kitchenware had been shoved beneath the bathroom sink. “I'm guessing you don't remember which things were Cora's,” Ruby said.

“The yellow suitcase was in her room, but the rest of this junk . . .” He shook his head. “Let me know when you're done, so I can lock up.” He left the door open.

Ruby passed over the piles of clothing, boxes of shoes, and kitchen gadgets and went straight for the luggage. If suitcases could talk, she'd love to ask about all the places this one had been. Scuff marks and scratches marred the leather. No tag. She set the yellow bag on the bathroom vanity, then opened it.

Empty
. Unless . . . She unzipped the side pocket. Bingo! A faded Polaroid snapshot of a bald-headed baby sleeping in a hospital bassinet. Only the word
March
was discernible from the smudge of blue ink along the white border. She turned the photo over.
Faith
.

Ruby's first baby picture.

Cora must have borrowed a camera from a nurse or maybe a new father hanging out on the maternity floor. Ruby put the Polaroid in her purse, then carried the suitcase to the door. She had no idea why she was taking the bag—she just knew she couldn't leave it behind. She stopped at the office, but the manager was gone. He'd probably left the property to buy booze or more hair dye with the forty bucks he'd swindled from her.

When she returned to the nursing home, she found Hank right where she'd left him—snoozing in the chair by Cora's side. He'd aged twenty years since he'd entered the hospice wing, his complexion as gray as the ash from his beloved cigarettes. He'd hung on all these years because he hadn't known Cora's fate, and now that he'd found her, the woman was draining the life out of him right before Ruby's eyes.

As much as she hated Cora for hurting Hank, she wished the woman would gain consciousness and answer for her actions. But answers didn't seem to matter to Hank. Cora had put him through hell, but all he cared about was getting one more chance to tell her that he loved her.

Careful not to wake Hank, Ruby moved to the opposite side of Cora's bed and reached for her hand—soft as silk. Cold as ice.

You must have missed me a little if you kept my baby picture all these years
.

Ruby needed to speak her piece, even if it was only in her head.

I didn't know you tried to see me when I was sixteen
.
I wish we could have met, but my mother was afraid you'd be a bad influence on me.

Hank shifted in his chair, and Ruby held her breath, willing him not to wake up.

You know, it's pretty shitty of you to die without telling Hank why you left him
.
Why you left me
.

Cora's fingers moved in her hand.

Hank's got a bad heart, but I'm going to take care of him.
A tear escaped Ruby's eye, and she brushed it away.

I wish his lawyer had never found you
.

It was the honest truth.

You broke his heart, Cora, but he never stopped loving you
.

The tears kept coming.
I know you can't take back all the pain you caused Hank, but you can make amends for it by convincing God or whoever's in charge up there not to call him home too soon
.
My daughter and I need him
.

Cora's white lashes fluttered.

I haven't been a perfect mother, either
.
Like you, I've made mistakes
.
Big mistakes
.
But because of Hank, Mia's giving me a chance to make it up to her
.

Ruby pressed her lips together to prevent the sob in her chest from breaking free.
It's too late for you to make it up to me, but I'll forgive you anyway
.

Cora's fingers moved again.

And when the time comes that you and Hank are together, you'd better treat him right and not run off on him again.
Ruby squeezed the frail hand one final time, then stepped away from the bed. When she glanced up, Hank was staring at her. “I'm hungry,” she said. “Let's grab a bite to eat.”

“I'll stay here.” Hank wasn't going to let Cora die alone.

“I'll bring you something back.” When she got into the truck, she called Mia's cell. No answer, so she left a detailed message and a promise to phone again later.

Then Ruby sat and stared at the guardian angel's broken wing and bawled her head off.

I
t took Cora three days to die.

After thirty-one years, the love of Hank's life was finally coming home. The cardboard box rested in his lap, his hand absently caressing the lid. He seemed at peace with Cora's passing, reassuring Ruby that his spirit was a lot stronger than his frail body. He'd sat with her until the end, holding her hand as she'd drawn her last breath. Then he'd kissed her cheek and left the room.

They'd remained in Amarillo two additional days while Cora's body had been cremated. This morning they woke early, ate breakfast at Denny's with the Tuesday regulars, then sat in the parking lot of the Angel of Mercy Care Center until the crematory delivered the ashes. Ruby tried to keep the conversation going when they hit the road, but Hank wasn't in the mood to talk, so they made the drive home in silence.

“Where do you want to spread her ashes?” Ruby turned onto the ranch road.

“Beneath the rosebushes. You can put my ashes there, too, before you get rid of the place.”

“What makes you think I'll sell the property? Your granddaughter won't want to leave the horses.” Ruby wasn't keen on spending the rest of her life caring for old nags, but she admired her daughter for devoting herself to a good cause. Mia must have inherited that quality from Hank, because Ruby had never gone out of her way to help animals in need.

“Mia's a good girl,” he said. “She's got a big heart.”

“Joe thinks you should run more cattle.”

“Then you two will have to dig a second well.”

“Would you please stop talking as if you won't be here tomorrow?”

“Might not.”

“Just because Cora's gone doesn't mean you have to follow in her footsteps. You've lived without her this long. You can hold out a few more birthdays before you see her again.”

Hank's lips twitched.

She squinted out the windshield. “Do you see that dark cloud?”

“Smoke.”

“The barn's on fire.” She pressed on the gas pedal.

Hank set Cora's ashes aside and leaned forward, straining the seat belt.

When they drew closer, Ruby said, “The horses are in the corral and Friend's barking in the driveway.” The dog paced in front of the barn doors. A shiver raced down her spine. “I don't see Mia or Joe.” She parked in front of the house, then sprinted toward the barn.

Flames shot through the roof at the back of the structure, and smoke poured from the open door and windows. She hit a wall of heat fifteen feet from the barn and stopped. “Mia! Joe!”

Joe staggered out of the barn, carrying Mia in his arms, both coughing and covered in soot.

Heart banging against her rib cage, Ruby held her daughter's hand as Joe carried her into the backyard. He set Mia on the porch steps, and Ruby stared into her watering eyes. “Are you hurt?”

“No,” Mia wheezed.

“Joe?” Ruby tugged his shirtsleeve.

“I'm okay.” He bent over at the knees and coughed.

Ruby went into the house and grabbed bottles of water for Mia and Joe, then returned outside.

“Everyone okay?” Hank came around the corner of the house. As soon as he saw Mia, he went over and sat next to her. Ruby pressed her palm against his chest, as if the pressure would prevent his pacemaker from short-circuiting. “Don't get riled up, Dad. Everyone's okay.”

“I couldn't get down from the hayloft because the ladder was on fire,” Mia said before guzzling her water.

“I called the fire department, and the sheriff's on his way, too.” Joe stared in a trancelike state at the burning structure. “I shouldn't have left Mia alone.”

“What do you mean, alone?” Ruby asked, but Joe ignored her and walked over to the tree, where he stood by himself and watched the barn burn.

“I saw him do it, Grandpa.” Mia rested her head on Hank's shoulder.

“Who?” Ruby asked. “Who did you see?”

“The man who set the fire.”

Dear God
. If Joe hadn't rescued Mia . . . Ruby couldn't finish the thought. Twice now someone had tried to harm her daughter. Joe had risked his life when he'd carried Mia out of the barn. “I'm glad you're both okay.”

The whine of sirens grew louder as the sheriff's patrol car escorted a fire truck and a water tanker onto the property. A section of the roof collapsed as the emergency vehicles pulled up to the property. A fireman hooked up the hose to the water tanker, and then two others carried the line to the back of the barn and attacked the flames there.

“Looks like no one was hurt.” Sheriff Carlyle glanced between Joe and Mia. “What happened to you two?”

“My daughter was in the barn,” Ruby said. “Joe saved her.”

The lawman narrowed his gaze on Mia. “What were you doing in the barn when it caught fire?”

The suspicious tone in his voice rubbed Ruby the wrong way. “You better not be accusing my daughter of setting—”

“Don't get your tinsel in a tangle, Ruby. Just asking a question.”

“Did all the livestock get out?” A fireman walked into the yard.

“We only have the four horses.” Joe nodded to Friend, sitting at Mia's feet. “And the dog.”

“I was asking if they knew how the blaze started,” the sheriff said.

“Arson.” The fireman pointed to the rear of the structure. “The smell of gasoline is pretty strong in that corner. We should have this out in a few minutes.” He returned to his crew.

Ruby planted her fists on her hips and glared at the sheriff. “Don't tell me that arson is just another prank against Hank's ranch.”

The sheriff frowned. “I understand this is serious.”

Dumb-ass
. The other incidents were serious, too.

“I saw who started the fire,” Mia said.

The sheriff removed a pen and notepad from his shirt pocket.

“I was in the hayloft, listening to my iPod. It got too hot, so I was going to leave; that's when a man in a black ski mask walked into the barn with two gas cans. I couldn't see what he was doing, but I heard him open and close the stall doors before he ran out.”

“Why didn't you leave the barn?” Ruby asked.

“I was scared he might be waiting outside. Then it got all smoky and the ladder caught fire.”

“Can you describe the man?” the sheriff asked.

“He wore a dark hoodie that covered his head.”

“How tall was he?”

Mia glanced at Joe, then Ruby. “Shorter than Joe but taller than my mom.”

The sheriff walked over to Joe. “Where were you when Mia was in the barn?”

“Checking the windmill I'd repaired the other day.” Joe looked at Ruby, his gaze beseeching her. “I was gone less than an hour.”

The firemen shut off the water, then stowed the hoses and waited for their boss to report in to the sheriff. “Fire's out, but everyone should steer clear of the debris for a few days until the timber cools.”

“Thank you,” Ruby said.

After the two trucks drove off, the sheriff put away his notepad. “If you remember anything else, Mia, have your mother give me a call.” He got into his vehicle and left.

“I better have some hay delivered.” Hank went into the house.

“I'll drive into Guymon to buy feed for the horses.”

“What about your clothes?” Ruby called after Joe. All his personal possessions had been in the storage room where he'd slept.

He waved off her concern. “I'll pick up a pair of jeans and a couple of T-shirts in town.” Then he hopped into his truck and sped off.

They were all upset about the fire, but there was something else bothering Joe. She'd have to wait until he returned to talk with him. Ruby hugged Mia. “I'm glad you're safe, honey.” And grateful that the jerk who'd set the fire hadn't seen her daughter in the hayloft. If he had, who knows what he might have done.

“Is Grandpa sad, Mom?”

“About the barn?”

“No, Cora dying.”

“Yes, he's sad.”

“Did he cry?”

“Your grandpa's a strong man. He'll be okay.”

Mia's arms squeezed tighter, and Ruby buried her face in her daughter's smoky hair. “Are you upset that you couldn't talk to your birth mom?”

“A little.” Ruby wished she'd been able to ask why she'd been left behind, but discovering that Cora had kept her baby photo—proof that she'd loved
Faith
as best she could—was enough for Ruby to forgive her.

“While you take a shower, I've got an errand to run.”

“Where are you going?”

“To pay Hank's neighbor a visit.” No one believed Sandoval was behind the pranks against the Devil's Wind, but Ruby wasn't convinced.

Ten minutes later she pulled up to the Bar T. Sandoval's home looked more like a fancy bed-and-breakfast than a ranch house. She parked next to the fountain in the circular drive. The stupid water statue looked out of place in the bleak landscape.

She climbed the porch steps and rang the bell. Expecting a maid to answer, she was surprised when Sandoval opened the door. If he was shocked to see her, he didn't show it. Even at home the man was impeccably dressed—Western shirt, pressed slacks, brown cowboy boots, and a spit-shined belt buckle.

“What do you want?” he asked.

“Did you send one of your men to burn down Hank's barn?”

“His barn caught fire?”

“Like you don't know.”

Sandoval stepped outside, forcing Ruby to retreat or get knocked over. “I had nothing to do with any fire.”

“Maybe you didn't pour the gasoline or light the match, but one of your ranch hands did.”

He pointed his finger. “My father should never have given Hank that parcel of land and I'd like nothing better than to take it back, but I'm not a swindler like Hank. I don't steal from others.”

“Maybe you don't cheat at cards, but you're pissed at him for winning the girl.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Cora. You're angry that she had Hank's baby, then took off and left you both behind.”

His shoulders slumped and the anger seeped out of him, leaving a tired old man standing before her. “Cora and I had an affair. A very short affair.”

“How short?”

He lifted one hand and spread his fingers apart, then folded two digits. “That's how many times we slept together.”

“So you didn't love her?”

“No. And I never wished her or Hank any ill will.” The truth shone in his eyes.

Damn it
. “Do you have any idea who's sabotaging the Devil's Wind?”

“I do not. Now get off my property.”

Before he shut the door in her face, she blurted, “Hank found Cora.”

“Where?”

“A nursing home in Amarillo.”

“How is she?”

“Cora had suffered a stroke a while back, but pneumonia took her. Hank brought her ashes home.”

“I'm sorry to hear that,” he whispered, then closed the door in Ruby's face.