Picnic in Someday Valley (Honey Creek #2)(68)

When she came close to pick it up, he grabbed her arm and pulled her back in bed. He rolled on top of her and braced her head with his hands. “Do you have any idea how beautiful you are right now? Cuss and scream at me all you want, but I won’t stop loving you. You’re worth the loving, and I’m not going anywhere. I’ve been saving love up most of my life, and I’m afraid you’re the one who has to take it.”

Tears bubbled out of her eyes. “Promise,” she whispered.

“I promise. I’ve loved you since that first time I listened to you play. I don’t care how many men you’ve slept with. I’m not too good for you. You’re the only woman I want to sleep with and drink cocoa on the porch in every season with.”

She wiggled her arms free and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I thought I’d never say this, but Brand, shut up and make love to me.”

Brand whispered that he couldn’t turn away from her if bombs were going off in the yard.

“Say it again,” she whispered.

“About the bombs?” He laughed.

“No, about loving me and drinking cocoa on the porch.”

He whispered that and much more as his hands learned her body.

She did sleep in his arms with nothing between them. Twice during the night he made love to her as if she were the most cherished woman in the world. When they settled back into sleep, he kissed her gently and she’d sigh and say, “Thank you,” as if he’d given her a gift.





Chapter 42


Colby


The afternoon sun was already starting to dip before Colby pulled into town. Honey Creek always reminded him of a postcard paradise. He wondered if every traveler passing through thought of living here.

But all was not calm; the day had gone downhill since he’d talked to Brand, and he’d promised he wouldn’t find Piper until he had news.

The agent had suggested Colby drive over to Someday Valley before he headed to Honey Creek.

He needed to get to know the lay of the land. Brand’s suggestion made sense. Which told Colby that Brand thought, or maybe feared, it might figure into their investigation. If the thin man Piper had seen with Marcie was planning something, Colby needed to know how to move in his world.

Neither man mentioned what “just in case” might be. Colby simply took Brand’s advice, knowing he’d be lucky to see Piper tonight.

As he pulled into Someday Valley, the first thing he saw was an old gas station junked up with broken car parts and used tires. A sign on the glass read, WE’RE OUT OF ICE. DON’T PET THE DOG. An OUT OF ORDER sign had been taken off one of the pumps but left on the ground.

An old man came out when Colby pulled up. He sat down in a metal lawn chair so old he’d worn off the paint.

Colby bought a few gallons of gas and looked around. The town had been built midway up a hill. Beautiful trees behind the place, and rolling grassland spread out all the way to the river below. A mix of houses spotted the landscape to the river. A few two-stories that could be beautiful if painted, and several small cabins that looked like a fisherman’s retirement home.

From this angle the valley looked peaceful and calm.

Off to the side, behind the bar, was a cluster of shacks laid out in no particular order, like someone built the homes but forgot about putting in a road. Colby remembered seeing something like them before. His dad called it Pigtown, where wooden houses had been cleared to make room for a mall. They’d been set out on an acre of land and left to rot. Only the rats and druggies moved in.

Some of the houses in the valley below made the trailer park across the street look desirable by comparison.

Less than half of the mobile homes looked occupied. The rest looked like they’d been left to rot.

Colby looked at the old man. “You know who owns the trailer park?”

“I do,” the old guy said. “You looking for a cheap place? I got a few empty trailers and one cabin near the water.” He pointed one arthritic finger toward the park. “It used to be nice over there, before the drugs and the bums moved in.”

Colby put the cap on his tank and handed over money for the gas. “I might go take a look, if you don’t mind?”

“Nope.”

Colby saw he could pass through the Bandit’s Bar parking lot. From there, if he didn’t turn in the main entrance but circled around, was a road that looked like it went above the trees that banked the back of the park. A back entrance to the trailer lot that few would notice.

“What about that spot beyond the park?” He saw a grassy area that looked perfect for a house. Beautiful view in every direction. The river in front and the hills in back. “Any chance you’d sell that land?”

“I own it, but it’s not available.”

“Why not? All it’s got on it is an old picnic table. You could name your price on those acres.”

“I told you it ain’t open for discussion. Private property.”

Colby kept picking on the old guy. “You saving it for yourself, old man?”

“No. I’m saving it for a little girl I once saw playing there. She planted wildflowers all around that old picnic table and they still bloom. You should see it in spring. I’m keeping it like it is now so she can come back whenever she wants to. Her special place will be there when she needs it. She don’t know it but it will be hers when I’m gone.”