Travis's Gift, page 18
“Feel threatened?” Travis asked.
“No. Not at all. But, Lucas said he feels stalked. I told him whatever it is don’t like Bears, and he said whatever it is only likes Bears.”
Travis chuckled. “Well, either way, since we’re not Bears, we’re good,” Travis said.
“Ya’ll good for the night, or you feel like you need me to stay on?” Roman asked.
“No, we’re good. Nothing out there is sending out any kind of threat. Whatever it is wants to be left alone. Won’t be the first to move through seemingly undetected,” Travis said.
“Alright, then. I’ll head on home and be back tomorrow. What time ya’ll setting up?”
“About 8:00 A.M. We open for business at 10:30 A.M.,” Travis answered.
“I’ll see ya’ll then,” Roman said. “Okay if I bring Lucas back?”
“Of course,” Travis said. “Tell him I appreciate his help.”
“I will. See ya’ll in the morning,” Roman answered.
Travis closed the door and locked it as Roman turned and walked away.
Roman stood on the porch for only a few minutes before he saw Lucas striding toward the front gate. “They got it,” Roman called out. “I’m coming with you.”
“Alright,” Lucas said, turning at the sound of Roman’s voice and waiting for him to catch up.
“They’re going to set up about eight in the morning. Travis said he really appreciates your help,” Roman said as they let themselves out of the gate and headed toward the truck.
“I enjoyed being here tonight. I’ll come back tomorrow if he doesn’t mind,” Lucas said.
“Naw, he don’t mind. He’d appreciate it.”
“I’ll tag along, then,” Lucas said. He glanced into the bed of the truck as he walked around to get in the passenger side. “Damn, how many trees we got in here?”
“Yours, mine, Maia’s, Lazarus’s, and one for the diner,” Roman said.
Lucas shook his head. “That’s a lot of trees.”
“Yep,” Roman said.
“You gonna decorate yours?” Lucas asked.
Roman shrugged. “May as well. If I don’t, Maia’s just going to come over and do it anyway. She’s gonna force me to enjoy Christmas whether I like it or not,” Roman said with a grin on his face.
“She will do that,” Lucas said, as they sat with the engine started, waiting for it to warm up a bit before they drove away. “Last Christmas was nice. It’ll be nice again.”
“It will. It’ll be okay,” Roman said.
“I know it’s tough on you. But you’re not alone, Roman. We all care about you. You’re one of us,” Lucas said.
“I know. That’s what will make it okay.” Roman put the truck in gear and backed out before pointing it down the highway in the direction of home. “Think I’ll go shopping next week. Pick up a few things. You want to come?”
“Sure,” Lucas said. “You gonna buy me some caramel corn?”
“Caramel corn?” Roman asked.
“Yeah. The feed store started giving away caramel corn for the holidays. They have the machine right by the front counter and offer you a bag when you walk in.”
“Hell, yeah. We’re all getting caramel corn. I’ll get you two bags if it’s free. That in itself is enough reason to go shopping.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
~~~
Travis and Scotty finished their dinner. Scotty headed off to bed while Travis washed their few dishes, then went into the bedroom to see what was keeping Libby. He found her stretched out across the bed, still dressed in the clothes she’d worn that day. She’d never made it into the shower.
“Hey, wake up, hon. Let me get you undressed and tucked into bed,” he said, taking her boots off and then her socks.
“Hmm?” she asked, trying to sit up.
“You fell asleep,” he said, pulling her thermal shirt off over her head.
“Sorry. Guess I’m more tired than I thought,” she answered, reaching down to unsnap her jeans.
“I got that,” he said, brushing her fingers away so he could finish undressing her. He pulled her jeans off and switched positions so he could take her bra off her.
“Did you eat?” Libby asked.
“Yeah, me and Scotty both did. Are you hungry?”
“No. Just want a hot shower,” she answered.
“You could take one in the morning,” he suggested, intent on putting her in bed.
“Rather have one tonight,” she said after he’d removed her bra. Libby slid to the edge of the bed. When she put her feet on the floor to stand up, Travis helped her by holding her hands and pulling.
“Thanks,” she said, stepping into him and allowing him to hold her against him.
“I’ll never get tired of this,” he said, laying little kisses on her hair and face.
“Me either,” Libby agreed.
“You want help?” Travis offered, waggling his eyebrows.
“I could use a little help,” Libby said, raising up to press her lips to his before sashaying into the bathroom clad only in her panties.
Travis’s Tiger rumbled in his chest as Travis started after her.
Twenty minutes later the bathroom door opened, and a very naked, very proud Tiger with a very satisfied smirk on his face made his way to the bed. He propped his prosthetic against the night table as he always did, then got settled, settling down into the mountain of pillows he liked to recline on.
Wasn’t that much longer before Travis opened his eyes at the feel of warm hands on his knee. He smiled when he saw his Libby sitting on the bed, completely nude, with her hands on what remained of his right leg. “You don’t have to do that tonight. I know we’re all tired, and I kept you in the shower longer than you anticipated.”
Libby grinned at Travis. “You satisfied me and helped me relax, now I’ll help you relax.”
“You already did. Wasn’t a one way street, you know,” Travis teased.
“Will you stop fighting me and just lie back and let me do what I do,” she said, raising her eyebrows to dare him to tell her no.
“Fine. But, if the nurses want to massage my knee in the future, I’ll have to insist they be completely naked when they do, otherwise it won’t work,” he quipped, before closing his eyes and letting her do what she wanted to.
“Yeah, we’ll see how that works out for you,” Libby answered as she began the process she’d used the night before of light pressure all over the extremity, before going back with a stronger pressure. By the time she was done, Travis was snoring again. She stood beside the bed and covered him. She couldn’t help but smile at his sleeping face. He looked so peaceful. The strain of having to keep up the pretense that he was just fine wasn’t there. Somehow, she’d managed to know what to do to relieve his pain so that he could sleep, and she vowed to do it every single night for the rest of his life.
Libby walked around the bed and slid between the sheets on her side. She turned to her left and backed up until her back was pressed against Travis. She grinned when he turned toward her and gathered her in his arms, pulling her in tightly to him without ever stopping snoring.
She didn’t mind the soft snores. They told her he rested well, and let her know he was completely at ease with her beside him. That’s all she ever really wanted.
~~~
Early the next morning Libby woke with Travis wrapped around her again. She could tell from the way he rubbed his face into her hair that he wasn’t sleeping. “Morning,” she said sleepily.
“Morning,” Travis answered. “Think they’d mind if we stayed in bed all day?” he asked. “They can just get their trees tomorrow.”
Libby chuckled. “I think they’d mind.”
“Fine,” Travis said, releasing Libby and rolling over onto his back to stretch.
“You sleep good?” Libby asked, pushing the covers back and getting out of bed.
“I did. It’s amazing how much getting enough rest will change your outlook. I’ve slept three nights in a row, and I feel like a new male.”
“Well, you do have reason to have a new outlook. You’ve got a new mate, and I am pretty sexy, you know,” she said, teasing him.
“Yes, I certainly do know,” he said, looking at her as he rubbed the heel of his hand down toward his cock.
Libby giggled and blushed watching him. “We cannot do that right now. We have things to do today!”
“We have things to do every day. Come back here,” Travis said, sitting up and snarling softly at her.
“No! If I do, we’ll never get out of this bed,” Libby said.
“I’ll catch you,” Travis said, suddenly crawling across the comforter toward her.
Libby shrieked, laughing, and ran into the bathroom. “No! Get dressed!”
Travis smiled to himself. “If I get dressed you have to make it up to me later,” he insisted.
“I will! I promise!” Libby answered through the door, before she started laughing again.
Travis grinned to himself. He loved the sound of her laughing. That was the whole point of teasing her this morning. He promised himself in that moment that he’d make her laugh every single day.
~~~
Scotty sat at the table with a huge bowl of Frosted Flakes. He heard Libby and Travis laughing and smiled. This was how it should have been all along.
The bedroom door opened and they walked out, holding hands.
“Mornin’,” Scotty said.
“Morning! How are you today?” Libby asked.
“I’m great. How about the two of you?” he asked, grinning at them as he shoveled more cereal into his mouth.
“Never better,” Travis said.
“So, we setting everything up like last night?” Scotty asked.
“Yes, but, we’re going to move the baskets with the scarves and hats outside, too, today,” Travis said.
“Really?!” Libby asked, looking like a kid at Christmas as she waited for confirmation of what she thought that meant.
“Yes. Weatherman says it’s gonna snow today. So, we’re going to have snowman building contests!”
“Yaaaayyy!” Libby said, dancing in a little circle.
Scotty laughed, while he nodded, and got up from the table to put his now empty bowl into the sink. “That’s awesome. What are we giving out as prizes?”
Libby stopped dancing, and she and Travis looked at each other dumbfounded.
“Forgot about prizes, didn’t you? And if you have two kids competing, both should get something, don’t you think?” Scotty asked.
“Agreed,” Libby said.
“Ya’ll run into town and get some little gifts and prizes. I can set up the tables and plug in all the lights. That’s all that really needs to be done. It’s 7:45 A.M. Stores will be opening before ya’ll even get there. And if you’re running a little late, it’s not a problem, because Roman and Lucas should be here about 8:00 A.M. anyway.”
“When did you get so organized and efficient?” Travis asked.
“Had to. Everybody’s gotta grow up sometime,” Scotty answered.
“Hey, why don’t we see if we can get the heater looked at in town since we’ll be there anyway?” Libby said.
“We can do that. Just for an estimate, though. I think it needs more work than can be done in a couple of hours. We need to be back for 10:30 A.M.,” Travis said.
“Okay,” Libby said. “Let’s go ahead and go. We can grab something to eat while we’re out and about.”
“See ya in a little while,” Libby said, hugging Scotty before she grabbed her coat from the hook by the door and slipped it on.
“Ya’ll be careful,” Scotty said, watching them go out of the front door together.
Travis followed Libby to his truck, and waited while she scooted in across the seat, before getting in beside her. “So, I was thinking,” he said.
“Yeah?” Libby asked.
“With Christmas coming, I’d like to get Scotty something special for Christmas,” Travis said.
“Me, too!” Libby agreed.
“Was thinking I’d like to get him his own truck,” Travis said.
Libby’s eyes went wide. “Yes! That’s perfect! He’s such a good kid. He really deserves it,” she said, hugging Travis as he tried to put the truck in gear and back out of their driveway.
Travis laughed at her exuberance. It’d been a long time since he, or anyone else had seen this side of her. “And,” he said.
“There’s more?” Libby asked.
“There is. I was wondering what you’d like Satan Clause to bring you,” he said.
Libby looked at him with surprise, then fell apart laughing. “Other than the mug in your cabinet the other day, I haven’t thought about Satan Clause in a long time,” she finally said, still chuckling.
“Our cabinet. And I’ve thought about him often,” Travis admitted.
Libby sat so close to Travis that their thighs touched. She waited until he pulled out on the highway, and got the old truck up to speed, and laid his hand on her leg until he’d need to shift gears again. She took his hand in hers and laid her head on his shoulder. “I don’t need anything at all, Travis. Everything I want, I already have,” she said, bringing his hand to her lips to press a kiss to it.
Travis looked down at her head resting on his shoulder. “I love you, Libby.”
“Love you, too,” she answered.
Chapter 22
The clanging sound of a buzzer releasing the door jolted Talie out of her distracted state. She turned to watch the door, to see who walked through it.
“Good morning, Talie. How are you doing this morning?” Ms. Autry asked, as she set her briefcase and purse on the table beside her. She looked around the bare, gray walls, the single barred window, the plain steel desk bolted to the floor in the middle of the room and Talie handcuffed to a chain leading up and through a hole in the desk itself.
“I’m okay. How is Darcie? Have you seen her?” Talie asked.
“I have. She’s doing as well as can be expected. Asking about you,” Ms. Autry answered.
“Please. You have to get her out of there. I grew up in a place like that. I know what it’s like,” Talie begged.
“Unfortunately, there are too many kids that need fostering right now. There’s nowhere else to send her. But she’s managing. She’s clean, and she’s being fed, and she’s going to school and learning to adapt.”
“She doesn’t belong there,” Talie said. She looked from her hands, handcuffed and resting on the table in front of her. “I don’t belong here. I should be out there working my butt off and taking care of Darcie.”
“I know. I believe you. But no one else does. The evidence is compelling.”
“I didn’t rob anybody. And I certainly didn’t kill anyone!” Talie insisted, her voice rising in her alarm at the situation.
“Like I already said, I believe you. But the prosecutor doesn’t. Your fingerprints were on everything we recovered. Your prints were on the murder weapon. You were even covered in blood when the paramedics arrived.”
“Of course I was! I tried to do CPR. And my fingerprints were on everything because I lived there. Only for a month, but I lived there. My prints are also on most places in the house. I lived in it. I cleaned it. I moved all the electronics from the living room to the shed in the backyard. The knife was one I used almost daily when I cooked.”
“How can I prove that? Tell me and I’ll pursue whatever lead you give me. But I need your help to help you. As it stands, it looks like you’re guilty. There are no prints other than yours on the recovered property.”
“I don’t know. Maybe Frederick cleaned his prints off everything in preparation of selling it. Then just left it in the living room. If you check the rest of the house, you’ll find his prints and the prints of whoever else he had there while I was working.”
“Okay, assuming you’re right. Why did you decide to move everything to the shed?”
“Because it was all over the sofa, the chairs. It was clear to me that laptops, expensive smart phones, jewelry, all without boxes, was not gained legally. I didn’t want it around Darcie. And even more, I didn’t want Darcie to fool with any of it and break it. My ex’s anger issues are not a new thing. I didn’t want her to bear the brunt of any of it.”
“Then why didn’t you just leave?” Ms. Autry asked.
“I was working on it. I’d begun to make arrangements. I was planning to move far away from here before he was ever released. But then Frederick got out of prison. No one warned me. He showed up at the motel one day. I never got a chance to be away from him.”
“If what you say is true, when he and his friends were out taking all these things that now have your prints on them, you could have left then.”
“I thought about it. But, I was afraid to. He said if I ever left him, he’d take Darcie away. He said he’d come after me, he’d find me, and he’d take Darcie from me and I’d never find her,” Talie said.
“And you believed him?” Ms. Autry asked.
Talie nodded. “He took my cell phone from me. It’s only a cheap prepaid phone, but he took it. He checked every number in it. There are only a few. But he knew the calls I was making and receiving were from Missouri. He knew the numbers, he knew where to start searching if I went missing. I could have gone there, but he’d have followed, and then I’d have brought trouble to their doors, too. I couldn’t take that chance, and I couldn’t risk him having Darcie without me. I thought that if I just held on long enough, he’d slip up again, and end up back in jail. Then I could continue with my plan to leave,” Talie explained.
Ms. Autry sat back in her chair. She took a good, hard look at Talie. The woman had no prior record of any type. By all accounts, she did nothing but work and try to keep herself and her daughter fed. Even the arrogant manager at the truck stop she’d worked at mentioned that her child was always with her when she wasn’t in school. She displayed all the classic signs of an abused woman. And, Ms. Autry should know. She’d had close up personal experience in trying to save a woman from an abusive relationship. She’d failed that time. This time, if she could manage to prove that Talie was as innocent as she believed she was, maybe she’d be successful.
