Dark Moon Crossing (4 page)

“That bad, huh?‌”

“Not fancy at all,” she said with a little shrug.

“Well, I’ll bring my sleeping bag in case I have to rough it for a
couple of nights.”

She thanked me again and I headed to the restaurant nursing my own
pangs of guilt. Crap! Just as I feared. There were only a few cars remaining
in the parking lot when I arrived and Tally’s truck was not among them. I
groaned aloud and goosed the car down the road towards Ginger’s place, dread
pooling inside me as I imagined the impending confrontation—one provoked by my
own impulsive actions.

When I approached her driveway and saw Tally’s truck parked beneath the
streetlight, my heart did a nervous little dance. He was leaning against the
door twirling his hat in his hands. Not a good sign. Gravel crunched under
the wheels as I braked, jumped from the car and started walking towards him.
Might as well get it over with.

I was filled with regret. It should have been a night for romance.
The soft breeze caressing my face carried the dusky-sweet scent of desert
plants and felt surprisingly cool. Was this the weather change I’d been
waiting for, the one that would herald an end to the sweltering summer heat?‌

Silvery moonlight, more brilliant than any I had seen before in my
life, beamed down on me like a spotlight, exposing all my weaknesses. I flashed
Tally a sheepish grin designed to diffuse the situation, but his response sent
my spirits plummeting. The mosaic of light and shadow playing across his
rugged features revealed the tight set of his jaw and the agitation smoldering
in his hooded gaze. Why did he have to look so tall, so imposing and so damned
sexy?‌ Before I could utter one word in my defense, he said coolly, “It’s
really comforting to realize that on your list of important things, I rank
somewhere below Ginger’s dirty dishes and Lupe’s personal problems.”

“You know that’s not true.”

“Really?‌ You could have fooled me.” He made an exaggerated point of
staring at his watch then lifted his gaze to me. “All I know is that it’s past
ten o’clock and I’ve spent exactly five minutes with you all evening.”

“I’m sorry. I had every intention of coming to Angelina’s after…”

Tersely, he interjected, “After cooking up your little scheme with
Ginger. Shame on both of you. We waited at the restaurant until poor old Nona
finally fell asleep in her chair.”

I sighed heavily, pressing one hand against my forehead. “I’m sorry.
I don’t know what else to say. But, I was right. Lupe does have a serious
problem and I, unfortunately, am going to have to deal with it.”

He seemed unimpressed by my explanation and his lips flattened into a
hard line. “Sorry is not going to cut it. I know you’re accustomed to using
deception to wheedle information from other people, but I don’t appreciate you
using it on me and I sure as hell don’t like being put on the spot.”

Although I probably deserved his wrath, I stuck my chin out and shot
back, “Before you get your shorts all in a knot, I did try to call you, but the
battery on my cell phone died so...” I winced inwardly as the words left my
mouth. Even I knew how lame it sounded and my face flamed with embarrassment.

He arched one dark brow. “I see. And apparently Lupe’s phone wires
were also cut?‌”

I squirmed under his accusing glare for a moment before saying,
“That’s a little bit overly-dramatic, don’t you think?‌”

“You’re the one who gets off on drama and duplicity.”

“That’s not fair. Besides, you forced me to do it that way.”

“
I
forced you?‌”

“Yes! You made it very clear you didn’t want me going over there
tonight and I’m not accustomed to asking anyone’s permission to do my job. I
didn’t want to have an argument with you in front of everyone, so…”

His gaze softened marginally. “What kind of trouble is she in?‌”

“Well…I can’t say.”

Grimacing, he squeezed his eyes shut. “Why does this sound familiar?‌”

I knew he was referring to my first assignment when I’d arrived in
Arizona last spring. On Tugg’s request, I’d had to work undercover and been
unable to tell him why. “This is nothing for you to have a freckled cow over.
I agreed to go with Lupe down to the southern part of the state for just a
couple of days to check some things out.”

He quit twirling his hat and jammed it on his head. “I see.”

“No, you don’t see. Lupe’s gotten herself involved in…well, something
pretty awful and she begged me to help her. She also swore me to secrecy.”

“This is exactly why I didn’t want you to get yourself involved. Can’t
this wait until after our trip?‌”

“I don’t think so.”

His sigh of exasperation filled the space between us. “I know you’re
not that excited about the horse show….”

I cut in, “Don’t assume things. Lupe said that if she can’t resolve
this problem, she’s not coming back to work.”

He cocked his head to one side. “At all?‌”

“At all. And since Tugg and I agreed that we wouldn’t leave each other
in a bind, if Lupe takes off I won’t be able to go with you anyway because
we’ll be short-staffed.” I explained the bargain I’d made with Lupe, concluding
with, “You’re going to have to trust my judgement on this one.”

He shot me an incredulous look. “You mean like your last two
assignments?‌ In case you’ve forgotten, I had to save your beautiful butt the
first time, and the second time I was the last one to know that you’d almost
gotten yourself killed.”

“So that’s it. I thought we weren’t going to have this discussion
again. Admit it, you’re not really upset about tonight. You’re still pissed
at me over that Morgan’s Folly story. How many times do you want me to
apologize?‌ I was wrong. I should have told you sooner. This time I’m telling
you right up front. Lupe’s in big trouble and I’m going to do my best to help
her if I can.”

He shook his head slowly. “Do you have any idea how aggravating you
can be?‌”

“Me?‌” I hoped my beguiling grin would thaw his anger. “I don’t mean to
worry you but this is…this is what I do.”

His eyes were luminous with disappointment. “I guess I was hoping that
things would settle down, and that maybe you’d develop a little appreciation
for what
I
like to do, but I guess ranching doesn’t hit your hot
button.”

“Tally, I love you, but please don’t try to corral me like one of your
wild horses. I’m not ready to be put out to pasture just yet.” Oops! His
face closed up and I regretted the words the moment they left my lips. Why,
oh, why couldn’t I stop and think things out before saying them?‌ I rushed to
slide my arms around him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”
I laid my cheek against his neck. “You know you’re the most important thing in
my life.” I cherished the feel of his strong arms around me and I thought
again how we seemed a testimony to the opposites attract theory. The fact
that he appeared to have a clear vision of who he was and where he intended to
go in life had a steadying influence on me. And compared to my impetuous ways,
his dependable disposition was like a buoy in the rough uncharted waters of our
still evolving relationship.

He
stiffened and held me away from him, his eyes searching mine. “Kendall, I know
I can’t change you any more than you can change me, but I hope you’ll think
this through before you go running off chasing UFOs or some nonsensical thing.”

I
blinked my innocence. “Who said anything about UFOs?‌”

He
dropped his hands from my shoulders and jerked the truck door open. “I’m not
stupid.”

“I
never said you were.”

“You
think I haven’t figured out that this must have something to do with Walter’s
crazy story?‌ I have eyes. I saw how Lupe reacted. Why in the hell you have
to insinuate yourself into this I don’t know but if you insist, I hope you’ll
watch that pretty ass of yours this time.”

“I’m
glad you like it.” Much to my dismay, he did not respond to my coquettish
grin. “Please don’t worry. I’ll be careful.” I held up two fingers.
“Scout’s honor.”

He
looked unconvinced. “Where did you say you were going?‌”

“Sasabe.
Isn’t that near the…what ranch was it you were telling me about?‌”

“The
Sundog. Champ Beaumont’s spread.” A thoughtful expression softened his
features. “Actually, I have some unfinished business there. Maybe I’d better
come along to protect you from yourself.”

“Tally,
you can’t. I promised Lupe I wouldn’t tell anyone about this.”

He
clamped his mouth shut, wheeled around and climbed into the driver’s seat.
Simultaneously, he slammed the door shut and started the engine.

“Wait
a minute,” I shouted, running towards the open window. “Aren’t you coming over
to the house?‌”

Staring
straight ahead, his jaw line resembled granite. “Not tonight. But while we’re
on the subject of promises, I hope you’ll remember yours.” He shoved the truck
into gear, then turned and leveled me a look of warning. “I’m leaving for
California at five o’clock Tuesday morning with or without you.”

Tally’s abrupt departure left me standing in the moonlit road choking
on a pearly cloud of dust. Indignation tightened my chest. I hadn’t suffered
from an asthma attack for weeks, since that last time we’d had words. “Damn
it, Tally!” As the taillights on his truck winked out and the roar of the
engine faded, hot tears stung my eyes. No matter how I tried I couldn’t seem
to stay in his good graces. Leave it to me to damage his masculine
sensibilities again by mouthing off without thinking. Ruefully, I decided that
perhaps I should think about registering my tongue as a lethal weapon. But at
the same instant a shadow of remorse wrapped around my heart, another part of
me rebelled. Was this my future with him?‌ Was I going to have to sacrifice my
dreams to make this relationship work?‌

A slight thumping sound from behind startled me and I whirled around to
find Ginger standing near the trash dumpster shaking her head sadly. “I told
you he was gonna be madder than a cornered badger.”

I fisted my hands on my hips and glared at her. “Ginger King! You
were eavesdropping.”

She wrinkled her pug nose and waved away my protest. “Oh, Flapdoodle.
I just happened to be taking out the garbage. How could I help but overhear
y’all yapping at each other like a couple of angry coyotes?‌”

She was right, we’d hardly been whispering. I kicked up a puff of dust
and blew out a weary sigh. “Just once, I wish he’d stay put and finish a
conversation like a mature adult. But no, he always quits right in the middle
and drives off in that damn truck!”

“Men don’t like confrontation.”

“I don’t know what to do with him. We just can’t seem to see eye to
eye on some things. You know he hasn’t come right out and said it yet, but I’m
getting the sense that he’d be happier if I never took another assignment. Out
of town, anyway.”

Ginger leaned back against the fence post and studied me for a second
before saying, “Well, my stars and garters! How’d you expect him to react?‌ It
ain’t like you been taking a walk in the park. You’ve gone and gotten yourself
into some pretty tough scrapes these past few months.”

I hitched my shoulders defensively. “Maybe, but I didn’t plan it that
way. Things…just happened.” I stared up at the moon as if the answer to my
dilemma lay hidden somewhere in the dark craters. “I can’t win. I adore
Tally, but I don’t want to sit around the Starfire knitting potholders all day
like Ruth. It’s hard to explain, but it really gets my blood running to chase
down an interesting story.” In my mind, I was already projecting ahead to the
possible intrigue awaiting me. Strong intuition convinced me that this feeling
of cold excitement in my gut could not be wrong.

Ginger’s unusual silence drew my attention back to her. Our eyes
locked and I was surprised by the expression of suppressed anticipation in her
honey-colored eyes. “What?‌ Why are you staring at me like that?‌”

“I’m not staring. I was just thinking that…well, I know you two’ve got
some big-time differences to overcome, and I’m sure you ain’t in the mood for
another lecture, but dang it, girl, wake up and smell the coffee! Guys like
Tally don’t come down the pike everyday.”

“You think I don’t know that?‌”

She flicked me a doubt-laden look. “Sometimes you don’t act like it.
Look, Doug and me don’t always see eye to eye, but nine times out of ten I can
get him to come around to my way of thinking.”

“I don’t think compromise is part of Tally’s nature.”

She mulled that over a few seconds and then tipped her head sideways.
“You suppose it might be the fact that he’s so much older than you?‌”

I gawked at her. “He’s only thirty-four! You make him sound
ancient.”

“You know what I mean. He just seems so much more…settled, more set in
his ways.”

“Is that a euphemism for saying that I’m immature and flaky?‌”

“Of course not.”

She looked hurt, so I reached out and touched her shoulder. “I know
you mean well, but cut me some slack, would you?‌ I think he’s still got some
serious issues to work out about his first wife, and I went through this same drill
with my ex-husband ragging on me to quit my job and raise a bunch of kids.”

Ginger stared at me as if I’d lost my mind. “So?‌ If Doug popped the
question tonight, I’d be ready to get hitched in the morning.”

“Well, that’s you.”

“I think you’re missing the big picture here, sugar.”

I glanced sharply at her. Not only was she unusually serious, her
inexplicable expression of feigned innocence indicated something was up.
“Okay, Ginger, out with it. What are you not telling me?‌”

She bit her lower lip and jammed her hands into the food-splattered
apron. “Nothin’.”

“Are you sure?‌”

“It’s just that…well, you should’ve been with us at dinner tonight
instead of gallivanting around town after Lupe. I was watching Tally’s face
real careful when he was playing around with Harry’s kids. He looked happier
than a frog on a lily pad, if you get my drift.”

“Subtle you’re not. Why don’t you just come right out and say it?‌ I
know what the score is.”

“I don’t think you do,” she muttered.

“Hey, why should I rush things?‌ One divorce and a broken engagement in
the span of three years is not a track record I’m proud of. I intend to
proceed at my own pace, thank you very much.”

She looked positively pained. “I still don’t think you ought to go
running off like a spring filly when the stallion’s in the barn. Excuse me for
living, but I thought he really rang your bell.”

Ginger was priceless. “He rings my bell just fine,” I said with a wide
grin. “But I think you’re both overreacting. I’m not going to jump the Grand
Canyon on a motorcycle for Christ’s sake! I’m just going to help out a friend
and maybe get a good story while I’m at it. And we weren’t going to get to see
much of each other until Tuesday anyway. He’s driving up to Prescott to get
that new horse and I’d planned to run a thousand errands and clean my filthy
house. But, as it turns out, I’m going to have to deal with something rather
important that’s come up.”

Her eyes turned crafty. “I heard. So, what’s all this about Lupe
being abducted by space aliens?‌ Come on, I promise I won’t tell anybody.”

“Of course you won’t, because I’m not going to tell you.”

“Girl, you’re making a big mistake if you ask me,” she said, her voice
rising shrilly. “You’re going to fool around and spoil things with Tally if you
ain’t careful.”

Her urgent tone made my heart skid to a stop, then restart with erratic
thumps. “What makes you say that?‌”

She reflected on her fingertips a few maddening seconds before blurting
out, “If you weren’t so danged pigheaded you’d see things real clear like me.
Instead, you’re so all fired busy thinking up ways to provoke the poor guy you
ain’t seein’ what’s right in front of you.”

“Ginger, what the
hell
are you talking about?‌”

She said nothing, just stared at me wide-eyed with her lips pinched
shut. Her chest heaved as if she were about to burst. “Are you going to tell
me what’s going on with Lupe?‌”

“Nope.”

Pouting, she looked away, folding her arms. “Then I ain’t tellin’
either.”

Waves of exasperation pounded at my temples. Mindful of my short
temper, I bit back the host of barbed retorts that leaped to my tongue, saying
instead, “Well then, I guess it’s a draw. I won’t know your secret and you
won’t know mine.” Even though I was burning to know what she was concealing, I
stomped to my car and flung the door open. “I have to pack and get up early.
I don’t have time for games.” I broke a fingernail jamming the key into the
ignition and the engine purred to life as she rushed up to the open window
wailing, “Sugar, please don’t be mad at me.”

Keeping my own bruised feelings at bay, I surveyed her anxious
expression. “I don’t get it. I’ve known you for six months and I love you
dearly, but never once during that time have you ever been able to keep a
secret. Why are you starting now?‌”

She shrank under my incriminating glare. “I’ve already said more’n I’m
supposed to. You know I’d tell you if I could, but this time I just can’t. I
promised her….”

“You promised who?‌”

In pure Ginger fashion, she dramatically clapped both hands over her mouth
and backed away shaking her head. Then she turned and ran into the house,
slamming the door behind her. For a minute, I just sat there in a trance-like
state with the engine idling, trying to make some sense of this whole
disastrous evening. I toyed with the idea of pounding on her front door and
demanding that she explain her cryptic statement, but one glance at the clock
on the dashboard made my decision. I was leaving town in eight short hours.

I don’t even remember driving through the downtown area and I was, as
my grandma used to say, ‘riding the pity train’, as I turned onto Lost Canyon
Road for the second time that day. The giddy elation I'd felt this afternoon
was a distant memory in the wake of the unsettling confrontations with my two
favorite people. Under normal circumstances, I would have savored the vinegary
creosote-scented breeze blowing in the open window and been transfixed by the
splendor of the moon-splashed landscape. But not tonight. What a difference a
few hours can make. I eased into the carport and trudged up the brick
walkway. Inside, I listlessly flipped on lights and then made a beeline for
the answering machine, energized with anticipation. Would there be a message from
Tally assuring me that he wasn’t angry and that everything would be all right?‌
Nope. My already low spirits nose-dived. How on earth had I managed to
complicate my life in such a short period of time?‌ Strange. We were all
prisoners of our promises.

I wouldn’t have thought I’d be able to eat, considering my morose
disposition. However, since I’d never had dinner, I raided the refrigerator.
Three pieces of cold pizza and an entire pint of chunky chocolate chip ice
cream later, I was if not satisfied, at least replete.

In my bedroom, as I stuffed clothing into my bag, the phrase ‘shit
list’ came to mind and it drew a wry smile. How ironic. I was most certainly
on Tally’s, Ginger was on mine, temporarily anyway, and if I backed out on Lupe
I’d be on hers. But if I did nothing at all I’d be on my own.

It was a long mostly sleepless night spent listening to the far-off
hoot of owls and the mournful wail of coyotes as my thoughts meandered from one
puzzling issue to the next. Why was Ginger, of all people, being so obtuse?‌
How was it that she and some other unnamed woman were privy to information
affecting me and Tally?‌ Why wouldn’t she tell me?‌

That thought dovetailed into my impending journey and his reaction to
it. Okay, I’d be the first to admit that I’d gotten myself into a few jams in
the past. Remembering my smug assurance that this time would be different sent
a little ripple of doubt through me. How could I know that?‌ Would the day
ever come when I would react to a situation with cool detachment using my head
instead of leaping blindly into the unknown?‌ The outcome of my two previous
assignments had been nothing less than astounding, but the premise of this one
was downright spooky. UFO abductions?‌ It seemed preposterous, but logic dictated
that there might be some connection between the bizarre story relayed by the
Mexican national in Walter’s story and this young boy. Wasn’t it too much of a
coincidence to think otherwise?‌

I thumped my pillow and turned over, my mind swimming with last minute
details. I must not forget to take my notebook computer and the charger for my
cellular phone. Should I bother packing a jacket?‌ And what if Sister
Goldenrod had no room for us?‌ What then?‌ I really
was
flying by the
seat of my pants and I might have to suffer the consequences of my rash
decision. I sat up and clasped my knees, watching the scarlet numbers on the
digital clock turn over 5 a.m.—ridiculous. I threw off the covers, showered,
and then dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, brewed coffee in the kitchen. After
the second cup, it occurred to me that the person I really should talk to
before embarking on this trip was Walter Zipp. He had personal knowledge of
the area and could clue me in on the data he’d gathered for his UFO story. The
hour hand on the clock nudged six. It was too early to call him now, so I’d
contact him later from the road.

I finished the laundry, washed the dishes, swept the floor and then
lugged the bags to the front door. The moment I stepped outside, a rash of
goose bumps chased up my arms. Wow. For the first time since I’d been in
Arizona, I felt a definite chill in the air. The jacket was a good decision.
After I’d loaded the trunk, I paused for a moment, savoring the supreme
serenity of dawn, my favorite time of day. Not that I didn’t relish the drama
of the brilliant sunsets too, who wouldn’t?‌ Perhaps it was because all the
day’s events were behind me whereas there was something exhilarating about
starting fresh each morning, waiting for new adventures to unfold.

The autumn sun had taken on a different character from the fiery
beginnings of a summer day when it rose harsh and bold to claim skies of
flawless blue. Now it was more subtle, softer, the opaque light slowly
transforming the horizon to pale turquoise. Above the towering spires of
Castle Rock, feathery jet contrails shocked a brilliant white by the eminent
sunrise, fanned out like silvery bicycle spokes.

Reluctantly, I pulled my gaze away and returned to lock the front door,
mindful that the sounds of the desert had also changed—the subdued, repetitious
cooing of the mourning doves having been replaced by the cheerful racket of the
incoming winter birds.

As I backed the car out and headed down the road, mentally primed for a
new challenge, there was only one thing wrong. The familiar burn of excited
anticipation in my stomach was tempered by the heaviness in my heart. As much
as I wanted to ignore it, I really hated to allow the cavernous rift between
Tally and me to stand unresolved for three days. I reached for the cell phone
and then pulled my hand away, setting my jaw. Why should I be the one to give
in?‌ For once, I’d wait until he called first. I battled with myself for
another five miles or so before I felt my resistance crumbling. I grabbed the
phone. “O’Dell, you’re a wuss!”