Cold Heart (10 page)

11

“Hello,” Lexi said. No response. “Hello?” There was nothing, but Lexi was sure someone was there. She hung up the phone, her stomach in knots. She looked to see who the caller was but no number was displayed. It could have just been a wrong number but she was afraid that it wasn’t. Were they going to start harassing her by phone now as well? Was it Michael? Had he called to try to convince her to take him back and then changed his mind. Or was it Mitch or Montgomery? Maybe, but if it was, she mustn’t let it get to her. That was what they wanted.

Lexi took the phone with her and headed downstairs determined to get on with her day and not let this deter her. She made some breakfast and then went into the office to continue with her plans for getting it set up. She had made good progress last night and she finished emptying the cupboards at the bottom of the built-in then moved on to a closet in the office. She needed a couple more boxes so she went upstairs to Max’s room and put a box together up there and then filled it with some of the photos and carried it downstairs.

She could hear a phone ringing as soon as she hit the bottom step. Putting the box down quickly she ran for the office. It was the land line that was ringing. She grabbed it but got only the dial tone. It was too late. Lexi had not even realized the phone was hooked up. She hadn’t tried it as she assumed it had been cut off when Max died. Perhaps the lawyer had contacted the phone company to reconnect.

No number was displayed and she wondered if it was the same mystery caller as before. She decided she would call the vet herself and check on Tucker and then she might know once and for all if and when she could go and get him. That way she wouldn’t have to worry about missing a call. Lexi dialed the vet and the same receptionist answered. She asked about Tucker and the receptionist asked her to hold. Dr. Walters came on the line.

“Hi Lexi,” he said.

“Hi Dr, Walters,” she said. “Sorry to bother you but I have been having some issues with my phone and I just wanted to be sure I hadn’t missed a call.”

“No problem,” he said. “I was going to call you shortly anyway. I think if you come about four o’clock Tucker should be ready to go home.”

“Oh that would be great,” Lexi said.”Carter is going to drive me so we will be along about four then.”

“See you then,” the vet said and hung up.

Lexi hung up and dialed Carter’s number. He answered right away.

“Hi Lexi,” he said. “Did you hear from Doc Walters?”

“I just spoke with him,” Lexi said. She didn’t mention the mystery caller. She would tell him about that later. “He said that we could come about four, does that work for you?”

“You bet,” Carter said.

“I was wondering if afterwards you would like to stay and have dinner with us?” she asked. She had bought a roast with the intention of asking him but had only just made up her mind that she would actually do it. Then just so he didn’t get the wrong idea, she said “It’s the least I can do after all the help you have given me.”

“Thanks Lexi,” he said. “That would be nice. I’ll pick you up about three forty-five.”

“Great, I’ll see you then.”

Lexi decided she would do some work towards dinner as she knew she would be busy with Tucker once she got him home. It would be great having Carter there during the first few hours to help keep an eye on him. Lexi prepped an apple crumble to bake later and some vegetables to roast with the meat. She was glad she had decided not to freeze the roast she had bought yesterday. She mixed up the batter for Yorkshire pudding and then hunted through her boxes for her special pan. It was a well seasoned muffin pan, totally black from the smoking hot fat that had to be heated first before the cold batter was poured into it. That was the secret to a really tall and hollow pudding.

Next Lexi set two place settings at one end of the big table. She set out wine glasses and selected a couple of wines from the case she had received from Montgomery. She laughed at the thought that maybe one of them had been poisoned and then she wasn’t laughing. She wondered if she really should be drinking this wine.

Finally, satisfied that she was somewhat organized she went back to work in the office until about two pm when she went upstairs to freshen up. By the time she had come back downstairs Carter had pulled into the driveway and stopped. Lexi went out.

“Hi,” she said. “Thanks for doing this.”

“I’m happy to,” he said. “I like that big brown mutt.”

“Yeah, me too,” Lexi said.

It took only a few minutes to reach the clinic and they parked and went inside. Carter greeted the reception who clearly was quite smitten with him. She let Dr. Walters know that Lexi and Carter were there and in no time he appeared with Tucker by his side. Tucker hurried to Lexi which pleased her no end. He was wagging his tail and whimpering and it just melted her heart.

“Hi Tucker,” she crooned. “Hi boy I missed you buddy. Are you feeling better?”

After quite a bit of cuddling she stood and asked the Vet.

“Special instructions?”

“Yes, get him out and moving, but keep him leashed I don’t want him doing anything too strenuous for about a week. He can have his normal diet but maybe about half the amount tonight as he has been on fluids only since he’s been here, so we don’t want to overwhelm his system. I’d like to see him in about three days just to have a listen to his chest. My concern is pneumonia. Activity should prevent that and he has had antibiotics by IV and I am sending some home with you. His feet are doing okay but I want to keep them bandaged a little longer. These boots can come off if you like when he is inside. He’s been good about keeping them on since he’s been more alert. He’s a smart dog. ”

“Thank you for everything,” Lexi said.

“I’m just pleased he’s okay,” Dr. Walters said. “Nancy has the pills and your invoice and I’ll say good-bye for now.”

Lexi gave the leash to Carter and went over to the desk to settle up. As anticipated the bill was a hefty one but she didn’t care. She could manage it and she was happier than she could ever have imagined that she had this big brown dog back with her. Tucker followed them happily to the truck and Carter lifted him in rather than letting him jump. He rode between them on the way home and laid down resting his head in Lexi’s lap. She stroked his fur and he seemed totally contented.

Once back at Wildwood they took him for a short walk to relieve himself. He seemed to understand that the barn was gone and didn’t even try to go in that direction. They went inside and got him settled on his mat in the great room. He lay down and seemed very contented. Lexi left the boots on and he didn’t seem to mind. She was pleased. She went into the kitchen to put her roast in the oven and when she came back out she sat on one of the couches next to his bed. She could put her hand down periodically and give him a pat. Carter had gone back out to the truck and appeared with a bottle of wine and some flowers.

“Where on earth did you have those hidden?” Lexi asked.

“Oh I have my secret hiding places,” Carter said.

“Well that was lovely of you, quite unnecessary, but lovely,” she said. “I’ll just put these in some water and they will be perfect for the table.”

When Lexi returned she had brought a corkscrew and she opened the wine to let it breathe.

“I scared myself a little while ago thinking maybe the case of wine that Montgomery gave me contained a bottle that was poisoned and that was how he planned to get rid of me.”

“I don’t think he’s that clever,” Carter said. “Besides, I don’t really think he is dangerous.”

“Maybe not, but I think Mitch could be,” she said. “I do think that Tucker was deliberately locked in the barn and anyone that could kill a beautiful animal like this, could probably kill a person too.”

“Not a pleasant thought,” he said.

“Well let’s move on to more pleasant topics,” she said. “I think that wine has breathed enough.”

Lexi poured them each a glass and sat down.

“Tell me Carter, before you moved back here to look after your mom where were you living and what were you doing? You said it turned out to be the best thing for you. Enquiring minds want to know,” she laughed, then, “Unless of course I’m being way too nosey.”

“Well maybe I should start at the beginning,” Carter said. “I played football in high school and was lucky enough to get a College scholarship to play with the UCLA Bruins football team. I played for three years while I was doing a combination fine arts and journalism degree. In my fourth year, I got married and then I had what they call a career ending injury; broke my leg in three places. I finished my degree and went to work for an advertising company in L.A. I was lucky. I didn’t have to do a million other jobs first. I started almost at the top. I knew someone. I was going to live happily ever after. I was making lots and lots of money and I was miserable.”

“Oh no,” Lexi said. “That’s not good.”

“My marriage was on the rocks and then my dad got cancer,” Carter said. “I was only thirty-three but suddenly I had options.”

“How so?” Lexi asked.

“Well my dad was dying and needed me on the farm, which I would soon inherit as my mom had early onset Alzheimer’s, well it’s actually a form of Lewy Body Dementia but most people have never heard of that.”

“No, I can’t say that I have,” Lexi said.

“Well it’s almost like a combination of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. It’s a bloody awful disease and when you get it young like my mom did, it can take you quickly. I wanted to come back to the farm, needed to help them and Carolyn wouldn’t come. We split up. Truth is it wasn’t much of a marriage. I haven’t regretted coming back. I do some contracts for the company I worked for, to help with the bills sometimes but mostly I paint and rescue horses and live away from all the chaos.”

“Wow. That is so brave, to just say no to the money and the life style and opt for something simpler, doing something you love.”

“Well, I don’t know about brave, it kind of landed in my lap,” Carter said. “And I feel bad sometimes that it took my parents demise for me to be doing it.”

“Well I still think it’s brave and kind and loving. You could have said sorry mom, sorry dad I can’t help you, I have this nice life and I’m not giving it up. That is, if you were a different sort of person, which clearly you are not.”

Carter smiled at her. “Well it’s not unlike what you are trying to do.”

“I suppose, but my efforts are somewhat less noble I think,” she said. “I started my first business with my parent’s money when they died so kind of the same thing.

“A little bit, I suppose,” Carter said.

“I had better check on that meat and get some things finished for dinner. Do you want to come join me in the kitchen?”

“Sure, give me your glass and I’ll fill them,” he said.

Tucker was snoring softly so they tiptoed past him and Lexi headed to the kitchen. Carter filled the glasses and followed her in. She got Tucker’s dinner ready first and set it aside to give to him when he awoke. She checked the temperature of the roast and determined it still needed a few minutes. She got out the salad she had made and turned on one of the other ovens to a high temperature for her Yorkshire puddings.

“You seem so comfortable in the kitchen,” Carter said.

“I am and don’t get me wrong I love to cook but when I opened the deli it was all the other training you get at the Culinary Institute that came into play and that is what will help me with setting up the restaurant portion of Wildwood.”

“It sounds like a huge undertaking,” Carter said.

“It is, but every day I learn something new,” she said. She was pouring batter into a smoking hot muffin pan. “Like today, for example, I just found someone who can help me with my advertising campaign and maybe even an artist who can help me with art for Wildwood.”

Carter laughed, “Well, the advertising for sure but you might have to see whether you even like my paintings first.”

“I have a feeling they are good,” she said. “And I hope I get to see them soon and meet some of your horses. Would any of these horses be able to be ridden by children or adults who are novice riders?”

“Definitely,” Carter said. “Did you want to go for a ride?”

“Yes I would like to ride, but I was thinking more about having activities in close proximity to Wildwood, that would interest families. I really want this place to appeal to families. I remember when Uncle Max had a couple of horses and I loved going for rides with him, when I was here. So I want to offer things for kids and adults to do together but maybe also offer some child minding so that moms and dads can go off and do a wine tour, while the kids are entertained with horseback riding and fishing in the pond, that sort of thing. I haven’t got it all worked out yet but I am thinking about it.”

“Well if I can help, let me know,” Carter said.

Lexi pulled the roast out of the oven and set it on a cutting board and covered it with foil, to rest. They had left the door open and Tucker had made his way into the kitchen and was wagging his tail.

“Well, look who’s up,” Carter said. “Nothing wrong with his nose.”

Lexi got his bowl from the counter.

“Want some dinner Tucker?” she said, putting the bowl down for him and giving him a pet. He dove into the food and was finished quickly.