Jenny Cussler's Last Stand (7 page)

As if he’d conjured her up, Jenny stepped into his view, walking beside a woman with short dark hair. He watched them stroll down to the community area and join their companions from Boise...Brad, and another thin fellow he didn’t recognize, who wore a T-shirt, dark running shorts, and sneakers, an outfit suitable for jogging in the city but probably impractical up here in the mountains.

Clint shook his head. They got all kinds of folks up here, many who’d never been to the mountains before, most who’d never spent any appreciable time around Native Americans. He hoped it would be a good camp this year. His eyes strayed to Jenny once again, dressed in a blue sweatshirt and jeans. Things looked promising, he thought with a smile. Camp most certainly was going to be interesting this year, if nothing else. If he could behave and stop saying hokey things like he’d left her with earlier.
We don’t have time to fight.
It made sense at the time, but in the clear light of day and out of the sphere of her presence, it sounded corny as heck.

He checked his watch and rose. Time for the meet and greet. And time to find out if Jenny was going to be in his group. Man, he hoped not. He wouldn’t be able to concentrate. Still...if she was, he’d definitely see more of her. He opened his door, stepped outside, and hoped for the best, though he wondered briefly what that was.

****

Jenny’s heart, which had already been thumping in anticipation of seeing Clint once again, began to race as she watched him walk down the hill toward the community area...toward her.

“Well, look at him, will ya?” Kate gave a low appreciative whistle.

“Stop!” Jenny elbowed Kate playfully in the ribs and swung away from the approaching Clint.

“Is that the guy you rode up here with, Jenny?” Tim, along with the rest of her group, stared open-mouthed. Jenny could only hope Clint hadn’t yet seen her motley group of Indian groupies.

“Will you guys turn around and stop staring, for goodness’ sake?” She was desperate to see where Clint was at the moment but dared not turn around. The gathering area buzzed with the excited voices of campers.

“Now, Jenny, don’t hog him all to yourself. He certainly is handsome,” Kate sighed.

Out of the corner of her eye, Jenny saw Clint walk past on the grassy knoll above the community area. He shot a look and a quick smile in her direction before he worked his way around the picnic tables and over to the left, where several Native American men had gathered in a large open graveled area next to some smaller wooden buildings. She watched him with a barely suppressed sigh of admiration as he moved to stand beside the shorter Indian man she’d seen him with at the tribal headquarters, Gary something or another.

Gary held a hand up in greeting and began to speak.

“Welcome to Camp Chaparral. I hope you have found your cabins. Come on over here and gather around. It’s time to introduce you to some of our elders and camp leaders.”

Kate nudged a transfixed Jenny forward, and the foursome moved out of the shade of the patio enclosure and into the graveled area. With so many people around, Jenny was free to keep her eye on Clint—an enjoyable pastime.

“As I mentioned before, my name is Gary Ward, and I’m the veterans’ representative for the Yakama Nation.” The small man projected his voice clearly and succinctly. “I’m a veteran myself. I was in the Army in Desert Storm along with my pal Clint Hastings here.” He nodded his head toward Clint, who raised his hand in a brief wave.

“To my right is John Glover, a fellow Yakama and a veteran of Vietnam.” The short, stout man to Gary’s left, his short hair all but hidden by his cowboy hat, nodded but kept his hands folded together in front of his round belly as Jenny had seen many of the men do already.

“And that’s Robert Hall there, also Yakama, and a veteran of Vietnam.” The tall, slim man wore a bright green baseball cap, and he tipped it before returning to his position of clasped hands in front of him also.

“That’s Sam Two Dogs. He’s Lakota, out of South Dakota, but we let him come here as well.” Gary grinned. “He’s a Vietnam veteran.” A dark-skinned man in vest and baggy blue jeans, with long and distinctive thick gray braids, grinned and waved a hand.

Gary moved down the line.

“This is Auntie Sis. Auntie is Yakama, and she is the elder here. You’ll be lucky if you’re in her family.” Auntie Sis flashed a toothy grin, her gray hair covered by a bright red scarf tied under her chin. She wore a loose, flowing, blue print dress under a baggy gray sweater and sported beaded moccasins on her feet.

“And here’s Auntie Martha. She’s Nez Perce, from over in Idaho.” Auntie Martha, a fair-skinned woman with a sweet smile, held up a dainty hand and nodded shyly. Her lavender scarf covered shoulder-length brown hair, and beaded necklaces decorated a loose-fitting white dress.

Auntie Sara stood next to her and waved to the crowd on her introduction. Then Gary introduced a white man named George, who he said was part Cherokee. Several other folks were introduced, but Jenny found it hard to keep her eyes off Clint, who continued the tradition of clasping his hands in front while he listened to Gary, who soon finished introducing the rest of the elders and leaders of the camp.

“Okay, we’re going to break you out into families now. I’ve got the list here. So when I call out your name, I’ll give you a leader’s name, and you can go stand by that leader.”

Jenny clutched Kate’s hand nervously. “I hope we’re in the same family.” She fervently hoped she was in Clint’s group...at least she thought she did.

Kate grinned. “Yeah, me, too.”

Jenny strained to hear the names as they were called out. She heard Tim’s name, and he gave them a brief wave before he headed off to his leader, Robert Hall. Brad’s name came up, and he was assigned to John Glover’s family.

“Okay, let’s go see what’s going on. I’ll see you guys at dinner. Save me a spot, okay?” Brad grinned and moved away.

Jenny heard a name called out and watched Celia dash over to Clint’s family. Clint looked down at the blonde at his side and nodded with an expression of resignation. Jenny dropped her eyes when he looked in her direction. Celia!

Kate squeezed Jenny’s hand as her name was called out.

“Kate Wilson! You’re with Clint Hastings and Auntie Martha.”

Kate gasped and turned to Jenny with a grin. “Oh, I am so going to cut you out of the action. I’ll let you know all about him.” She waggled her eyebrows.

“Don’t you dare,” Jenny warned her, horribly aware that she was only slightly kidding. It was bad enough Celia was by his side.

“Watch me! We’ll be eating supper tonight together, he and I!” Kate grinned mischievously and walked off. Jenny watched her walk up to the group and thrust a bold hand out toward Clint who returned her smile and shook her hand. Jenny turned and surveyed the now dwindling group of people not yet assigned to a family. She hoped she hadn’t been forgotten. It would be so embarrassing to be standing there without a family.

Several other names were called out, until there were only two or three people unassigned. Jenny knew a moment of panic as she felt once again like the little girl who stunk at sports and was always the last to be called to a team. Her face burned, and she dropped her head to study the tips of her hiking boots. She doubted anyone stared at her. The large crowd milling about their leaders seemed intent on introducing themselves to each other.

“Jenny Cussler. You’re with John Glover and Auntie Sara!”

Jenny’s eyes involuntarily flew up toward Clint, who gave her a stricken look.

“Custer?” someone shouted. She heard a titter of laughter.

“No, not Custer. Cussler.” Gary voiced loudly. He called out the last three names as the laughter died down. “Okay, that’s it. Everyone should have a family. See me if your name hasn’t been called.”

Kate turned and gave Jenny a pout and a shrug. Jenny took a leaden step in the direction of the man introduced as John Glover, who appeared to be counting his flock. She kept her eyes averted from Clint lest he see something in her face she couldn’t hide—the intense feeling of disappointment that took her by surprise. She found it hard to believe that only three hours ago she’d never even known of Clint’s existence, and now here she was about to wallow in some sort of funky despair because she wouldn’t be in his presence eight hours a day. She plastered a smile on her face and pressed forward.

“Wait,” Clint appeared at her side and grabbed her arm. “Just wait here.”

Chapter Six

Jenny froze in place while Clint moved away through the crowd and approached John Glover and Auntie Sara. He leaned down to talk to the elders for a moment. When both brown and weathered faces turned eyes on her, Jenny knew she was the topic of a discussion, and she wished herself safely under one of the large boulders surrounding the fire pit. She dropped her eyes and kicked the dusty ground at her feet.

When she raised her eyes again, the elders were nodding and smiling at her. She smiled back and took another step forward toward the group. What had Clint said?

Clint returned to her side and blocked her forward motion.

“No, not there. You’re in my group now.”

“What!” she squeaked. She looked past his tall form to see John Glover and Auntie Sara had returned to the business of meeting their family members. Jenny tilted her head and eyed him suspiciously.

“What did you do that for? What did you say to them?”

Clint rubbed the back of his neck with a rueful expression. He shrugged lightly. “I’m not sure why I did that. You looked...” He appeared to search for words.

“What?” she demanded as she dropped her eyes and kicked more dirt.

“I don’t know,” he answered in a harried tone. “Lost?”

She raised her eyes at that. “Lost? I wasn’t
lost!
I would have been happy to go with Mr. Glover and Auntie Sara. Really! You don’t need to babysit me here.”

“I’m not trying to babysit you. I just thought...” He trailed off helplessly. “I’m not sure what I was thinking.” He stuffed his hands in his jeans pockets, and his angular chin took on that mulish look she’d already seen. “I guess I wasn’t thinking at all.”

Jenny chided herself for her surly behavior. He’d read her right. She
had
wanted to be in his group. It was unfair to lie to him...or to herself.

She touched his arm for a brief instant before dropping her hand.

“I’m sorry, Clint. I’m being dishonest. I did want to be in your group. Thank you.”

Clint pulled his hands from his pockets and grinned. His jaw relaxed, and his eyes softened.

“Good, I’m glad. I thought I’d blown it for a minute.”

Jenny returned his smile and cocked her head. “So, what
did
you say to them?” she nodded in the direction of John Glover and Auntie Sara.

Clint dropped his eyes and shuffled his feet.

“Ummm...I told them you were extremely shy and had to be with your best friend...Kate, is it? I know that’s not true, but there was a look in your eyes when she walked off...”

Jenny crossed her arms and shook her head. She wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry. One thing was certain. He didn’t miss much, this man. A thrill ran up her spine at the thought that he’d watched her that closely.

“You’re actually not far off the mark, Clint. I know Kate only briefly from the VA, but believe it or not, I am shy.”

He searched her face with his dark, velvety, almond-shaped eyes. Jenny’s heart skipped a beat.

“I wouldn’t have guessed,” he said. “I’ll keep that in mind when I call on you to tell your life story in family.” He nodded toward the group where Auntie Martha chatted. “I’d better get back. Come on.” He led the way toward the group, where Kate fixed her with a narrow-eyed stare.

“Well, it took you long enough. You sure are in slow motion.” Kate grabbed her hand. “I’m not sure what happened over there, but I think I see what’s going on.” She grinned, bent near, and whispered in Jenny’s ear. “I’m still going to fight you for him.”

Jenny tried to keep from beaming. “Don’t you already have a husband or something, Kate?”

Kate grinned, tossed her hair, and affected a mock sigh. “Yes, I do, as a matter of fact. The love of my heart. I was just trying to get your goat.”

“Twit,” Jenny responded with a half smile. She huddled near Kate at the edge of the crowd and diverted her eyes from Clint while she tried to imagine the implications of being in his group. Her life story? In front of the group? He was kidding, right?

“Come on, let’s go meet Auntie Martha. She looks like a sweetie!” Kate pulled Jenny from the rear of the group and made her way forward with several businesslike and insincere
excuse me’
s. They came to a halt in front of the tiny, plump woman, who nodded pleasantly. Clint stood next to her in a somewhat protective stance. Kate stuck out her hand, and Auntie Martha looked at it for a moment, as Auntie Sara had done earlier with Jenny, and took the tips in her fingers.

“Hi, I’m Kate, and this is Jenny. It’s nice to meet you.”

Acutely aware of Clint’s eyes on her, Jenny nodded but did not extend her hand. She already had the distinct impression that the women at camp did not normally shake hands, and she made herself a mental note to ask Clint about that at some point.

“Hello, Kate and Jenny. Welcome to Camp Chaparral.”

“We’re from the Boise VA. So are you from Idaho? I mean, do you live on the reservation there?”

Auntie Martha beamed and nodded. “Yes, I teach at the elementary school in Lapwai.”

“I’ve driven through Lapwai on my way to northern Idaho. Beautiful country. Nice and green,” Kate said.

“It is, isn’t it?”

“Clint, what time do we start group in the morning?”

Jenny heard Celia’s sultry voice for the first time and turned her attention toward the beauty on Clint’s left. She studied the tall, slim blonde who most definitely had a crush on Clint. Jenny recognized the signs. She was suffering from the same ailment herself, but she hoped her eyelids weren’t twitching half as badly as Celia’s eyelashes were.