Broken Trust (4 page)

Toni stared at the monstrous canine
with skepticism. The dog sidled up against her, sniffing her bare feet and
legs. He licked her ankles and she gave a short laugh, her voice hoarse. Fury
filled Mac when he thought of someone chasing her down, trying to kill her.
What if he and Dad hadn’t found her in time?

She bent at the waist and hugged
his dog. “You saved my life, but you sure smell.”

Mac hid a smile as Grunt gave her
another slobbery kiss across the face.

“My purse.” A brown leather handbag
lay in the dirt close by and Toni snatched it up, then clasped it against her
chest. Her gaze scanned the trees, her eyes wide. It might be some time before
she felt safe again.

“Hey, you two!” Dad called. “You
gonna’ bring me up or leave me down here all night?”

Mac chuckled. While he pulled up
Dad, a battery of questions crowded his mind. As soon as they returned to his
cabin, he and Toni needed to have a long talk. He had to know what had brought
her all the way out here to see him.

Chapter Four

Toni took a shallow breath,
grateful to be leaving the forest. Her attacker might still be here, hiding,
waiting for the opportunity to shoot them. Then again, he’d probably left by
now. Surely road rage wouldn’t linger this long.

A sliver of smoke rose from the
treetops as they approached Mac’s cabin. Pine needles crunched beneath her
feet. Mac had given her a pair of old tennis shoes he had stuffed in the bottom
of his backpack. Several sizes too large, they flopped around on her feet and
she picked her way carefully over the uneven ground. She worried about her car,
but couldn’t do anything about it right now. Hopefully her assailant wouldn’t
bother it.

Hank led the way down the narrow
trail. Mac brought up the rear with Grunt. The dog panted, trotting along the
thin path, his presence somehow comforting as Toni stared into the shadows.

The snap of a twig made her whirl
about and stare blindly into the thick stand of timber. A sudden chill embraced
her and she shivered. The hair stood up on the back of her neck. The gunman
with the ponytail could be following them. She couldn’t shake a feeling of
danger and wished they were indoors. Out here in the open, she felt too
vulnerable.

“It’s okay. You’re safe, now.” Mac
squeezed her shoulder from behind, his strong, gentle fingers offering
reassurance. Doubt still plagued her mind. How could Mac protect her? Even he
wasn’t impervious to bullets, evidenced by the wound in his leg.

At Eric’s funeral, Mac had been in
a wheelchair, fresh out of surgery to repair torn muscles and tendons from the
bullet wound he’d received in Afghanistan. He’d looked pale and gaunt and she
knew he must have disobeyed his doctor’s orders and jeopardized his own health
to attend.

Her dad had once told her God let
His children be tested in order to strengthen their faith. Lately, her family
seemed to be tested more than their fair share.

Determined to trust in God, she
trudged up the hill. Her side ached with every breath she took and she
struggled not to inhale deeply. When they reached the cabin, a wave of relief
swept her and she hurried toward the door.

The large structure sat in the
middle of the copse, built of red timbers. It puffed a stream of smoke from its
chimney. The tangy scent of wood smoke and cooking meat filled the air. Toni’s
stomach rumbled like a starving hound. Golden lanterns lit up the yard, hanging
on tall wooden poles. The two men clicked off their flashlights.

Comfy wicker chairs with flowered
cushions and footstools sat around waiting for guests to enjoy the stunning
view of the lake below. Memories swamped Toni of the numerous times she’d sat
with Mac and Eric in front of the cabin, planning excursions into the
mountains, Dutch oven cooking, or threading new lines on their fishing poles.
Eric had loved it here. So did she. Before they’d broken off their engagement,
Toni and Mac had planned to come here for their honeymoon.

“That’s a beautiful deck. It’s
new.” She nodded at the spacious redwood structure extending outward from the
door of the cabin into the front yard.

“Dad and I built it last week. It
gave me something to do while I’ve been laid up,” Mac said.

She eyed his bandaged leg. “It
doesn’t sound like you’ve been convalescing much.”

“That’s what I said. But he
wouldn’t quit, so I had to help him build the thing.” Hank grumbled as he
brushed past her and walked to the wood pile. He picked up several sticks of
firewood, then followed Toni toward the cabin.

“Inez!” Hank called. “We’re home.”

The door burst open and Inez
MacKenzie rushed out, wiping her hands on a checkered dish towel. “There you
are. I was getting worried.”

Dressed in faded jeans and a red
flannel shirt, Inez whipped the towel over her shoulder and patted her short,
brown hair. When she saw Toni, she pulled up with surprise. “Toni! I didn’t
know you were here.”

Toni smiled lamely. She wasn’t
quite sure of Hank and Inez’s reaction to her coming here unannounced. They’d
been more than kind at Eric’s funeral, but maybe they’d resent her. After all,
she was supposed to have been their daughter-in-law and they’d naturally feel
protective of their son. “I’m sorry. It was a last minute trip. I need to speak
with Mac.”

Mac explained Toni’s condition.
Inez’s rosy cheeks creased with concern as she hurried over and took Toni’s
arm. “Are you okay, dear? You could have been killed.”

Toni gave a faint smile, trying to
be brave. Her gaze constantly searched the forest for signs of an intruder. She
tried to tell herself the gunman wouldn’t be back. That this was a one-time
offense. But her fear stayed with her. “Yes, I’m fine, thank you. Could
we…could we go inside? Please!”

“Of course, dear. You poor thing.”
Inez hugged Toni, who cringed at the pain it caused her side.

“Not too tight, Mom,” Mac
cautioned. “I think she’s got a cracked rib.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? Poor
dear.” Inez’s voice softened with sympathy.

“It’s not that bad,” Toni reassured
her. Truthfully, it hurt so much that she wanted to lie down and bawl like a
baby. Instead, she grit her teeth and tried to be brave.

Inez’s gaze swept her from head to
toe as she led her to the door. “Obviously you haven’t seen yourself, young
lady.”

Glancing down, Toni grimaced at her
filthy, tattered clothes. Her hair hung across her face, matted with dirt and
blood. Cuts and abrasions covered her arms and legs. She winced, remembering
every detail of her fight for life. She must look a sight.

“I wish we had a radio or some kind
of phone reception here in the mountains. The sheriff should know about this
right away.” Inez bustled Toni up the steps to the deck.

“I’ll go into town and report
Toni’s assault to Sheriff Parsons tomorrow morning,” Mac promised.

“Come inside and let me take a look
at that cut on your head.” Still slim and surprisingly spry for a woman her
age, Inez pushed the door open. “We’ll get you a bath and some ointment and
you’ll feel a whole lot better.”

Toni glanced at Mac from over her
shoulder. Lantern light illuminated his rugged good looks and dark, short hair
as he hobbled along on his crutch. In spite of their broken relationship, his
presence comforted her and helped her feel closer to Eric.

Inside the cabin, Inez pressed Toni
down into a chair. “Hank, stir up that fire and haul in some water. I’ll need
the first aid kit, too.”

Hank headed into one of the back
rooms while Mac leaned his crutch against the wall. On one leg, Mac hopped over
to the kitchen and balanced himself against the counter while he lifted two
heavy pans to heat on the black cook stove.

“Mac, sit down right now, young
man,” Inez commanded without looking at him. “I want you to rest your leg. Your
father can heat up the stove in a few minutes.”

Mac politely ignored his mother and
continued to pour water into the pans. As he stoked the fire and added fuel,
the scent of wood smoke teased Toni’s nostrils.

“You hungry?” Mac asked Toni as he
hopped over to a beat-up recliner and lowered himself into the chair.

“Ravenous.”

He showed a slight smile. “We’ll
get you fed as soon as Mom has you cleaned up. It smells like we’re having
homemade stew and biscuits.”

“And cherry cobbler,” Inez chimed.

Toni’s mouth watered at the thought
of food. Now they were inside, she felt calm and secure.

Hank crouched before the rock
fireplace, stirring up the coals. He laid another piece of wood on the fire.
Armed with a hot pad and long, wooden spoon, he lifted the lid of a black Dutch
oven. Steam and a tantalizing aroma rose from the contents and Toni’s stomach
growled again.

Grunt padded across the room and
plopped down close at her feet, a gentle giant. He rested his head between his
paws and closed his eyes. Soon, he snored loudly.

Toni looked about, her gaze taking
in the rustic furnishings of the spacious four-room cabin. Carved oak trim
graced two sofas, chairs and footstools. Their plump cushions were made for
curling up on cold winter evenings, or lounging on a warm summer day.

“That’s new.” She pointed at a long
table sitting near the kitchen for taking meals. It included twelve chairs, the
high wooden backs carved with soaring eagles, growling bears and roaring
mountain lions.

Inez inclined her head toward the
chairs. “You like them?”

Toni nodded with admiration.
“They’re beautiful.”

“Mac carved them. He has the
steadiest hands I’ve ever seen. I always told him he should go to medical
school and become a surgeon.”

Toni studied Mac. His ears reddened
a bit and he looked away. No doubt he was thinking of their breakup. Their
separate goals had ultimately caused the end of their romance, but she couldn’t
help wishing they’d found a way to make it work.

Inez went into the kitchen area for
a wash cloth. The room contained a large pantry and Inez pointed at the carved
oak cupboards, indicating Mac created them also. Thick cutting boards supplied
an area for food preparation. Two steel wash basins installed in the cupboard
provided a drain and faucet. Jugs of store-bought drinking water sat on one
shelf. In this rustic kitchen, Inez prepared some of the best meals Toni had
ever eaten.

Through the open doorways, Toni saw
bunk beds and several small knotty pine dressers and trunks resting against the
walls. One room for women, the other for men. In the summer, the MacKenzie’s
often had guests. Backpackers, film crews, geologists, tourists, and military
personnel.

Hank headed for the front door and
Toni popped out of her chair. “Where are you going?”

“I’ll be right back.”

“Don’t go out there.”

Hank hesitated, his eyes crinkled
as he looked at her. “Don’t worry, Toni. I’ll be fine.”

“But that man might still be out
there.”

“Grunt would have sensed him and
warned us by now.” Hank went outside.

Toni sank back into her chair,
trying to convince herself that he was right. The gunman was gone. She fidgeted
nervously until Hank returned carrying two buckets of water, which he placed
beside the stove. Over the next few minutes, he hauled hot water into the
women’s bunk room, filling a tub for her bath.

“Come on, let’s get you cleaned
up.” Inez led Toni into the room and closed the door.

The woman helped Toni get cleaned
up and tended her wounds. They didn’t speak much, but Toni sensed Inez wanted
to say something. After Toni and Mac had broken off their engagement, it had
made things rather difficult in light of the fact that Eric and Mac were best
friends. It didn’t help that Toni adored Hank and Inez. Toni’s parents had felt
the same about Mac. They’d been killed two months before the breakup and Toni
hadn’t spoken to Mac again, until Eric’s funeral. How she wished they had
something joyous to celebrate instead of all this sadness.

When Inez left Toni alone for a few
minutes, she slouched in the warm, sudsy water, her mind weighted with unease.
Now she was here, she had so many things she must tell Mac, but where to begin?
How could she ask for his help without dredging up the past and hurting him
even more?

She curled her aching fingers
against her bruised palms. Urgency coiled inside her when she thought of Eric’s
last letter and the possible ramifications it might have on all of their lives.
Somehow she knew nothing would ever be the same.

* * *

If Mac could walk decently, he’d
pace the floor. Instead, he shifted his weight in the recliner, the throbbing
of his leg a constant reminder that he had to face Toni sooner or later.

Thirty long minutes passed while
Mom tended her wounds. When Inez came out carrying a basin of bloodied water,
Mac gripped the armrests of the recliner.

“Is she gonna be okay?” he asked.

Inez nodded. “She’s mighty lucky.
She’ll join us in a few minutes.”

Hank took the basin of water
outside and dumped it far away so it wouldn’t draw animals to the cabin. When
he returned, he helped Inez set the table. Mac felt useless as he watched them
lay out tin plates and utensils, but his leg throbbed and he doubted he should
stand on it again tonight.

Minutes later, Toni appeared
dressed in a clean pair of Mom’s old blue jeans, a warm sweatshirt, and a pair
of pink fuzzy slippers. Her pale face glowed in the firelight, her long blond
hair brushed back in soft, curling waves. The sight of her brought a shot of
warmth to Mac’s heart. He still loved her, and that hurt most of all. He looked
away, remembering this was Eric’s sister. The woman Mac had wanted to marry.
When he tried to stand, his stiff leg wouldn’t hold him and he fell back in the
chair.

“Feeling better?” he asked Toni,
trying to smile.