Heart of a Hero (New Beginnings Book 4) Read online

  “What’s wrong?” she asked when she came up beside Andy.

  Inside Dr. Roman Devlin and Peter Stone, who had started the refuge years ago, hovered over an exhausted, wet foal lying near its mother on blood-covered hay. The mare’s shallow, hard breathing sounded loud in the quiet, sending shivers of dread down Lisa. Sweat had dried white on the horse’s neck, face and flanks.

  Roman glanced toward Lisa, gesturing toward the mare. “She may not make it.”

  Her son paled. “Is the foal gonna be okay?”

  “He is if I have anything to say about it.” Roman returned his attention to the colt.

  First Roman cleared the fluid from the newborn’s nostrils, then he cut the cord and doctored the navel with an ointment while Peter moved to the mother. Kneeling beside her, he leaned close and spoke in soothing tones, stroking the mare’s neck.

  Lisa clasped her hands on her son’s shoulders, the stiffness beneath her palms transmitting his tension. “Hon, I think we should leave and let them take care of everything.”

  “What if Roman or Peter need my help?” Andy asked, his voice thick with emotions. His lower lip trembled while he struggled not to shed the tears in his eyes.

  Peter looked toward her son. “Andy, can you feed the goats and sheep for me? I was on my way to do that when she went into labor. You know where everything is.”

  Andy straightened. “Sure. Are there any other animals I need to see to?”

  “Nope.”

  Andy hurried away.

  “Thanks, Peter,” Lisa whispered, her throat tight.

  “When I saw the labor wasn’t going well, I sent the other children back to the cottages. Thankfully Roman was there early and came to help, or I’m not sure the foal would have made it.”

  “It’s a good thing I live close by for just such emergencies.” Roman cleaned the foal’s wet body.

  Lisa stuffed her hands in her jacket pockets, the autumn air beginning to chill. “Is there anything I can do?”

  “The labor was long and hard. She’s old and worn out. You probably should keep Andy away just in case she dies. He used to ride Belle.” Peter brushed his hand down the horse’s neck.

  “He’ll give me a hard time about leaving, but you’re right.” Although Andy had his heart set on being a vet, she didn’t know if he could take the death that came with the job.

  The mare groaned. The sound brought Lisa’s own tears to her eyes. Belle’s body shuddered with each exhausted breath. The children at the refuge loved to ride the mare. Roman backed away from the colt and turned his attentions to Belle.

  “Roman, what should I tell Andy?” Lisa asked as he gave the mare a shot.

  “It’s out of our hands. I’ll know more in a few hours. If she makes it through the night, she should be all right.”

  Lisa’s gaze swept to the foal struggling to get to its feet, determined to live. That same determination marked Lisa’s life. She was going to make something of herself and prove to everyone she had been worth the second chance she’d been given all those years ago.

  * * *

  “Sorry I’m late. I had to drop Andy off at Stone’s Refuge. He wants to help with the new foal. Belle had a hard labor and then her milk didn’t come in.” Lisa slid into the café booth where she met Whitney McCoy for their usual Saturday morning get-together.

  A smile lit Whitney’s eyes. “The kids were all talking about Belle and the colt when I went to the refuge yesterday. They’ve decided to have a little party today because Belle is alive and doing so much better now. A celebration of life, they’re calling it.”

  “They are? I could use a celebration right now.” The underlying tension at her house made Lisa want to scream in frustration. What was she doing wrong with her son?

  “We should easily be finished by three. I’m going. You should come, too.” Whitney took a sip of her coffee.

  “You know, I think I will. It’ll take my mind off…” She didn’t want to think about her problems right now. They had kept her up all night, tossing and turning.

  “That’s twice you’ve alluded to something being wrong. I’m not letting the last one go.” Whitney fixed her gaze on Lisa as though assessing what was wrong. “What’s going on? Work? Andy?”

  “When you see him today, you’ll notice a black eye. Several boys jumped him after basketball practice. Andy won’t say what’s going on. How do you protect your child when he’s not cooperating?”

  Whitney leaned forward. “What happened with the boys who were fighting with Andy?”

  “The coach talked to them and then their parents about what they did. And if anything else happens, they’ll be removed from the team.” Lisa fingered the menu she knew by heart. “I wanted to go to the principal, but Andy doesn’t want me to do a thing. He says he’ll take care of everything.” Her son had always felt he should protect her and take care of things as though he was the man of the house. That hadn’t changed over the years.

  “Andy’s a smart kid. Give him a chance but keep an eye on him.”

  Lisa drew in a deep breath. “This is a case where I wish my child wasn’t so independent. Anyway, I’d rather talk about something else.”

  Whitney waved her hand to get the waitress’s attention. “We haven’t ordered yet and I’m starved.”

  “Where’s Kelli? I thought she was going to eat with us.” Lisa asked, remembering the surprise when David had revealed he was her brother.

  “She couldn’t make it. She still needed to run to the store for some supplies for our project at the shelter.” Whitney took the carafe of coffee and poured some more into her mug.

  “I met Kelli’s brother the other night.” Lisa thought about their last encounter at the practice the day after the fight. The bond she’d felt with the man totally took her by surprise. Yes, he was concerned about her son, as she was, but there was more to it than that. She just couldn’t pursue it—not with her background.

  “Didn’t she call him Dave or something like that? Other than that, she hasn’t said too much.” Whitney dumped some more sugar into her coffee.

  “His name is David Russell, and he’s an officer for the Cimarron City Police Department. He’s coaching Andy’s basketball team.” A picture of the man popped into Lisa’s mind. Tall, commanding, handsome in a rugged way. And off limits.

  “So, is he single? Kelli never mentioned him having a wife or children.”

  “Yes. I didn’t even realize who he was until he mentioned Kelli’s name.”

  “So, what do you think of him?” Whitney’s probing gaze fastened onto Lisa.

  “Interesting.”

  “Interesting how?”

  “I see those wheels turning in your mind, Whitney McCoy.” Lisa shook her head. “But you can quit thinking there’s anything between us.” Yes, one day she would love to find a good man, but with her past, that possibility certainly wouldn’t include a police officer. But for the present, she didn’t want a romantic relationship. She had so many other things to focus on, especially raising her son.

  A waitress appeared at the booth with her pad and pen to take their orders.

  Lisa quickly perused the breakfast dishes and decided on her usual.

  Whitney laughed. “We aren’t going to change our orders, are we? I’ve ordered the same thing ever since we started meeting here on Saturday. I didn’t even change what I ate for breakfast when I was pregnant with Courtney, and believe me, I had some strange food preferences then.”

  “How’s your adorable little girl?” Lisa took the hot water the waitress brought her and poured it into her mug, then dunked her tea bag into it.

  “She went for her two-month checkup yesterday and is doing great.” Whitney’s face glowed with happiness.

  Lisa wished she could have another child, one she could do right by from the very beginning, but that didn’t appear to be in her future—at least not her immediate future. And truthfully, she had all she could handle right now with Andy and the added responsibilities
at work. But the image of David Russell lingered in her thoughts as Lisa enjoyed her breakfast.

  * * *

  Lisa stood in the center of one of the renovated rooms at the women’s shelter. Over the years the place had grown from utilizing the first floor of a two-story building to recently expanding to the second floor when a tenant moved out, which would allow more women and their children to be served in the community. All of this had started with one woman’s vision, dedicated to Kelli’s sister-in-law who had died at the hands of her husband.

  “I’m finally here,” Kelli said as she rushed through the doorway with her arms loaded with supplies.

  Behind Kelli, her brother entered, carrying a stepladder and a toolbox. His look immediately swept to Lisa. She dragged her gaze from his, focusing on her friend who ran the shelter. She had already thought too much about him today!

  “If we can get the rooms painted today, the carpet can be laid Monday and the donated furniture moved in Tuesday—” Kelli smiled, placing the bags of supplies on the unfinished floor, “we’ll be able to use them by Tuesday afternoon. I have families sharing rooms right now. As you know, they need some privacy. So much has been disturbed in these women’s lives. This is so needed, and the Lord answered my prayers when the tenant left and this floor became available for our use.”

  “Where do you want us to start?” Lisa’s neck tingled as though someone was staring at her. But she kept her attention on her friend who distributed the brushes and cans of paint, then directed the volunteers to their room.

  “Lisa, you can work in the one next to this one. David, will help you.” Kelli gave her the supplies needed, then turned to her brother. “David, you can leave the ladder and toolbox in here in case anyone needs them. I already have a stepladder next door.”

  Great. So much for not thinking about him. Without looking toward David, Lisa hurried from the room and into the one next door.

  At a much more sedate pace, David came through the entrance with a brush and his own can. One corner of his mouth lifted in a grin, his eyes gleaming. “Nice to see you under different circumstances.”

  The last time she’d seen him had been at Thursday night’s practice, but she’d made it a point to stay back. The whole practice she’d discovered his keen regard straying to her as though trying to delve into the secrets she kept hidden. Now she would be trapped in a fourteen-by-fourteen-foot room with him for a good part of the day.

  “Which end?” he asked, his voice flat.

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “Your body language is screaming you want to keep your distance, so I figure you can take one end of the room and I’ll take the other. That’s about as far away as we can get in here.” He gestured to the small enclosed space. “I suggest you take the end closest to the door in case you need to escape.”

  Her mouth dropped open. “I—I…” She glanced down at her rigid stance and forced herself to uncurl her hands at her sides. “I’m sorry.”

  Both of his eyebrows shot up. “Sorry, for what?”

  “Isn’t it obvious? I didn’t mean for you…” She couldn’t finish her sentence because she would be admitting she didn’t want to have anything to do with him, that a man like him—a cynical police officer who had seen the bad side of the life she’d lived for years—made her feel uncomfortable, almost scared of the emotions he brought to the surface along with the memories. If only she could forget where she’d come from. But she knew she couldn’t.

  “Didn’t mean to make it so obvious you don’t want to be around me?”

  “Yes,” she finally said when she knew she couldn’t avoid the truth.

  “Why, Lisa? Does this have to do with your son and what I said to you or something else?”

  Anger surged through her. “Ah, the suspicions. Do you have any peace always suspecting someone is up to no good?”

  He frowned. “I didn’t exactly say that.”

  “Yes, you did.” She breathed deep inhalations to calm herself down. She wasn’t going to spend the whole day riled up because of this man. “Yes, I was affected by what you said concerning Andy. You think he’s lying. You think he’s caught up in something bad. You think…” Her words spluttered to a stop as David advanced the few feet separating them, his glare drilling into her.

  “I never said he was caught up in something bad. Is that what you think? That Andy is in some kind of trouble the police would be interested in?”

  “No!” His nearness set her heart beating rapidly. She took a step back. “What I’m afraid of is that Andy is being bullied like I was. I don’t want my son living in fear like that.”

  The intensity in David vanished. “Neither do I. I want to help him.”

  “Why?”

  His eyebrows crunched together. “Now you’re the one who sounds suspicious.” He shook his head and moved back a few paces. “He’s on the team I’m coaching. I think he’s a good kid. I don’t want to see him come to harm. I’ve seen what bullies can do, too. Are those enough reasons for you?”

  Her anger deflated with each reason he gave her. Her son was leery of the police, and she realized she was, as well. Old habits die hard. For years while taking drugs she’d avoided police officers. Now she faced one who wanted to help her son. “I’m sorry.” She quickly held up her palm to stop him saying anything. “And don’t ask me why. I’m sorry because we’ve gotten off on the wrong foot. Can we start over?” She covered the space between them and held out her hand. “Hi, I’m Lisa Morgan, Andy’s mother.”

  He shook her hand, his long fingers engulfing her much smaller ones. “I’m David Russell. It’s nice to meet you.” He grinned. “Where do you want to start painting?”

  Still feeling the lingering warmth form his touch, she purposely pointed toward the end of the room away from the door. “Let’s start there and work our way toward the escape route.”

  He chuckled. “I like that plan.”

  After opening the only window to allow fresh, cool air inside, she picked up her can and brush and took it to the far end while David grabbed his paint and some other supplies they would need. “I’m glad there isn’t any carpet. The few times I’ve painted I’m not sure I improved the room when I was through. It spattered everywhere!”

  “In that case, why don’t you tape, and I’ll use the roller on the walls, then we can both go back and fill in with our brushes.”

  “Sounds like a game plan to me.”

  For the first thirty minutes Lisa worked in silence, but soon the quiet got to her. She began humming to break the silence.

  “I’m gathering you like to talk while you work?” On the stepladder, David paused in rolling the wall and glanced down at her.

  “And you don’t?” Lisa asked from her position on the floor under the window where she was taping off the wood.

  “I was a patrol officer for years and worked alone, driving around in my car. I got used to the quiet.”

  “I work in a busy restaurant where there is constant noise. I’m used to that.”

  “Where do you work?”

  “I manage one of The Ultimate Pizzeria Restaurants, the main one where there are games and a few rides.” She stood and stretched. “Of course, adults have been known to do the go-carts, too.”

  “Sorta like an indoor theme park?”

  “Yeah, a small one. Have you been there yet?”

  “No, but my nephew is begging me to take him.”

  “You should bring him. It’s a fun place for the whole family. This restaurant in the chain has a different feel from the others. Noah told me the other day he’s adding the games and rides to the ones he has in Dallas, Tulsa and Oklahoma City. He wants to emphasize families having fun together.” She grasped her can and brush so she could start filling in the gaps. “Did you ever go to the one in Dallas? That’s where you lived before coming here, right?”

  A scowl descended on his face. He turned back to working.

  Silence, like a high wall, filled every corner of the
room.

  Chapter Three

  “Kelli said something about her brother coming to help her with the kids. Is that why you moved?” Lisa asked behind David, standing on the stepladder.

  He tried to push away the image of a child, similar in age to Andy, who wouldn’t leave his mind. But the boy’s blank stare dominated David’s thoughts. It taunted him, daring him to tell Lisa the real reason he’d left his home of sixteen years to come to Cimarron City. Because if he was truthful with himself, it wasn’t because of his sister and her family, but the fact he couldn’t stay another day in Dallas, a constant reminder of what had happened on the streets.

  “Wait. You don’t have to say anything. It’s none of my business. I tend sometimes to get too chatty and want to know everything about a person right away.”

  His fingers about the roller ached from his tight grip. Like a strobe light, the picture of the thirteen-year-old flashed in and out of his mind as it had at odd moments for the past two years.

  “David, I shouldn’t have pried. I’m sorry. I just remembered Kelli saying once how hard it is to raise two children by herself. She does so much for others. I was glad to hear she would get some help.”

  Lisa’s words felt like they came from far away. In his thoughts the scent of blood mingled with the real odor of the paint. His chest tightened. Dead. Because of me. How do I live with that?

  Fingers grazed his elbow. He blinked, slowly seeing the beige wall in front of him.

  “David, are you all right?”

  He drew oxygen into his lungs to ease the constriction about his upper torso, then heaved a deep sigh. “Yes.” Again, silence hung between them, and he realized he had to say something about Dallas. “I needed a change of scenery. When this detective job opened up in the town Kelli lived, I made the move. She never said anything to me, but from our conversations on the phone I could tell she needed help with the kids.” Which was all true. But he hadn’t told anyone, even his sister whom he was close to, the anguish he fought every day when he allowed himself to remember.