Those eyes, those green eyes he remembered well, rolled in her head, flicked from point to point like a frightened animal’s. “I have to be punished.”
“You have been, more than enough. You’re just going to rest awhile, and get strong again. I bet you’re hungry.”
“I—I— Sir provides. I eat what Sir provides.”
“The doctor here is going to tell them to bring you what you can eat. It’s going to make you feel better.”
“I need to go back home. I don’t know how to get home. I got lost under the moon, in the snow. Can you tell me how to get back to my house?”
“We’ll talk about that, maybe after you eat some. The doctor here, he’s been taking good care of you. He’s working on getting you better. He’s going to talk to the nurse about bringing you some food. Are you hungry?”
She started to shake her head, fiercely, but her swimming eyes stayed on his. She gnawed her bottom lip, then nodded. “I can have tea whenever I want. From the herbs.”
“I bet we can rustle up some herbal tea. Maybe some soup. I’m going to sit here with you and help you eat. I’ll sit right here. I’m just going to step over there for a minute, and talk to your doctor.”
“I shouldn’t be here, I shouldn’t be here, I shouldn’t—”
“Alice.” He interrupted her with that same quiet tone. He didn’t touch her, though he wanted to take her hand. “You’re safe.”
As he stepped back, she clasped her wounded hands together, closed her eyes, and muttered what he took as prayers.
“Alice Bodine?” the doctor asked. “The Bodine family—who is she to them?”
“She’s Cora Bodine’s daughter. Maureen Longbow’s younger sister. She’s been missing for twenty-five years or more. I need you to keep that information right here in this room. I don’t want word getting out on this.” The burn in his gut heaved up to scorch his throat. “God, my sweet God, what’s been done to her? Can she eat?”
“I’ll have tea and broth sent in. We’ll go slow there. You did very well with her, Sheriff. You knew what to say, how to say it.”
“I’ve been a cop almost as long as she’s been gone. You learn.” Out of his pocket, Tate pulled a bandanna, used it to wipe his face, wipe away the sweat. “I have to call her mother.”
“Yes. But I need to speak with her, with any family members before I can let them see her. She’s fragile, on every level. It may take time.”
Tate nodded, watched Alice pray as he took out his phone.
*
Cora primped for Sunday dinner. She dearly loved these family meals at the ranch, appreciated so much the way Maureen made certain they happened once a month no matter what. She appreciated, too, the way her girl fussed a bit over these monthly Sundays in her own easygoing way.
Nothing much rattled her Reenie. Cora could remember like it was yesterday the Sunday dinner where Cora served a pretty summer picnic with potato salad and fresh-from-the-garden green beans and tomatoes with Sam and Cora’s own father grilling steaks and chicken.
Little Chase running around with the dogs like his pants were on fire, and Bodine trying so hard to keep up on her toddling legs.
How they’d sat and talked and laughed at the big picnic table right through the strawberry shortcake and huckleberry parfaits before Maureen announced, calm as you please, they’d better call the midwife because the baby was coming.
That girl, Cora thought as she tried out a new rosy lipstick. Downright determined to have her third baby at home. Timing her contractions for more than three hours without telling a soul—or batting an eye.
And hadn’t she brought Rory into the world barely two hours later, in the big old bed, with the whole family right there?
Easygoing determination, Cora thought, approving the new lip color with a smile. That was her Maureen down to the ground.
When she counted her blessings there, there was no cup could hold them. Maybe there were moments she missed living on the ranch, even moments still she waked in the morning telling herself to get going, get to work, stock needed tending.
But she never regretted, not for an instant, turning the ranch over to Maureen and Sam and moving into Bodine House with her parents.
Torches should be passed while they still burned bright. Her girl and her girl’s man, they carried that torch in strong, steady hands.
She glanced down at the pictures Bodine had had fancied up and framed for her. How handsome her Rory had been, how proud he’d be of what they’d made together. Their two girls.
She touched a finger to her lips, then to the face of the love of her life, then to her first baby girl, then to her last.
If she had a wish to spare, it would be for her oldest daughter to understand that her mother had enough love for her, enough pride in her to light the world—and could still long so deeply for a lost child.
Cora put the wish away, as blessings always outweighed wishes. She still needed to box up the pound cake she and her mother had made.
She took a last look at herself in the mirror.
“Still holding the line, Cora. It’s a tougher battle, God only knows, but you’re still holding the line.”
Laughing at herself, she grabbed her purse, jolting a little as her phone rang at the same instant. An odd little shiver ran down her spine, had her rolling her eyes at her own reaction.
She answered the phone.
*
Miss Fancy sat on the side of the bed studying her boots. She liked their style just fine with the red lightning bolts flashing down the sides. She’d always been one for pretty footwear. But, Lord, she missed wearing a sexy pair of high heels.
“Those days are over,” she said with a sigh, then repeated it when she heard Cora’s footsteps. “I’m just reminding myself my days of prancing about in high heels are done and gone.”
“Ma.”
“Was a time I could dance all night and into the morning in a pair of high red shoes. I had this pair—red, with peep-out toes—I saved up nearly six months to—”
“Ma. Ma. Mama.”
The tone got through, had Miss Fancy looking up. The pale, stricken expression on her daughter’s face shot an arrow into her heart.
“My baby, what’s wrong? What happened?”
“It’s Alice,” Cora managed as her mother pushed to her feet. “It’s Alice. They found Alice.”
She broke, crumbling to her knees as her mother rushed to her.
*
As Jessica pulled up to the ranch, Bodine turned to her. “You really ought to change your mind about Sunday dinner. It’s epic around here. And you’d have a chance to flirt some with Chase.”
“Tempting, believe me. But I need a nap,” Jessica insisted. “And I think I shouldn’t push the flirting too hard right this minute.”
“Strategic game.” Approving, Bodine tapped a fingertip on Jessica’s shoulder. “Next move’s Chase’s.”
“You could say that.”
“Well, thanks for the ride.”
“Anytime. Say hi to everybody.”
“I will.”
Since Jessica had pulled up to the front of the house, Bodine went in the same way. She’d just run upstairs, she thought, change her dress, then see what help her mother might need for dinner.