One Summer Evening - One Summer Evening Part 51
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One Summer Evening Part 51

"Whatever you say."

Austin half smiled.

"When I left the hotel, I had the feeling that someone was watching me."

"Huh?"

"I know it sounds crazy, but it was so real that I kept looking over my

shoulder even after I was in the car. Today's not the first time I've had that feeling, either."

"Any idea who would do such a thing?"

"Maybe," Austin hedged, thinking of Randall and Lester and the hatred that had shone from their eyes following his encounter with each of them.

If that feeling wasn't a figment of his imagination, he doubted the

culprit was Randall. He had his friend pegged as a gutless wonder.

Still, Austin wasn't counting him out, since Randall had yet to come through with the papers concerning the money.

Lester and his cohorts, however, remained the most likely suspects. That ex-con was up to no good; Austin was convinced of that, despite Lester's boasting to the contrary. Those words had been bullshit sackedin silk. Austin didn't believe for a second that Lester wanted Cassie and Tyler back because he cared about them. No siree. That bastard had an ulterior motive, and he wouldn't rest until he found out what it was. "Are you in any danger?" Robb asked after he finished straightening arow of bridles.

Austin scoffed.

"Hell, no."

"I hope you're right. But you gotta know, people are nutzo these days."

Austin's face hardened.

"Tell me about it."

"Anything I can do?"

"Just keep on taking care of the farm and horses."

Robb removed his hat and wiped the sweat off his forehead.

"You can count on that, providing I don't drop dead from heatstroke,

that is."

Austin mopped his own brow.

"You and me both. This is one hot-ass summer."

"And it ain't over yet."

Austin looked out of the barn into the distance, where he spotted

several of his mares running in the pasture. What a pleasurable sight,he thought. One of these days he hoped to make some big bucks with them.But more than the idea of making money with his stock, he was simplythankful he had this place to come to when he needed to unwind and tothink.

"How're the two colts we got from Mannard?" Aus- tin asked, forcing hisattention back to Robb, who was watching him closely. He hadn't fooledhis friend. Robb knew he was distracted and out of sorts.

Austin wished he could confide in him, but he couldn't.

"Doing just great," Robb said.

"In fact, I've almost come around to your way of thinking. One of 'emjust might win you some big money."

"And old man Mannard let him go? That's hard to believe."

"Well, the verdict's still out on whether we have a winner or not," Robbcautioned, "but we'll see." He paused.

"If we're through here, I'm off to the south pasture. There's anotherbreak in the fence."

"Man, you don't have to fool with stuff like that. Hell, hire someone."

Robb replaced his hat.

"Nah, no need. I'm hoping a little manual labor will take some of thisgut off."

"Just be sure to drink plenty of water. You could very easily have thatheatstroke."

Robb shook his head.

"Don't worry about me. I'm outta here."

Austin watched as Robb mounted his horse and rode toward the pasture.

Deciding to take a shower before he returned to town, Austin made hisway toward the house.

Once in the shower, his thoughts turned to Cassie and the scene that hadtaken place at the Wortham house yesterday. It had been all he could doto keep his mouth shut. But his brain hadn't stopped boiling.

Poor kid.

Tyler didn't deserve having a jailbird for a dad. Worse, that jailbirdwas now an ex-jailbird, one who didn't give a damn about anyone oranything but himself and his evil cause.

When that deadbeat had blurted out his identity to Tyler Austin hadwanted to smash his fist into Lester's self-righteous face. But then,he'd wanted to flatten James, as well. God was going to get him forharboring such ill feelings toward his best friend, but he couldn't helpit.

James was too naive for his own good, and certainly for Cassie's.

The idea that Lester and Cassie should get back together was ludicrous.

Although he didn't know the sordid details of their relationship, heknew something god-awful must have happened for Cassie to take her sonand disappear. It was obvious Lester frightened her, and that was whathad him upset.

Austin had tried not to let her continuing hands-off policy get to him.That was why he had left the room in search of Tyler not only to keephis promise to play a game but to check on his frame of mind.

After all, the kid had been mentally manhandled by that creep of afather.

But despite their plan to play a game, Tyler hadn't been around, havinggone to his room and shut the door. Austin hurt for the boy and forCassie, when all he wanted was for her to be happy.

More to the point and totally selfishly, he wanted Cassie to be happywith him. He wished she were with him right now, under this steamywater, their naked bodies rubbing together, creating that eroticfriction. Don't!

He had to stop torturing himself. She had reinforced her claim that shedidn't want him to touch her anymore or to interfere in her life.

Maybe he wouldn't have to worry about the constant ache in his groinmuch longer. With Lester back in the picture, he felt certain thatnothing short of a miracle would keep Cassie here.

Cold goose bumps covered Austin's skin despite the hot water poundingit. He didn't want her to leave; that hadn't changed. And he aimed to doeverything in his power to see that she didn't.

Lester and his cronies might think they were in control. He had news forthem. If anyone messed with Cas- she , Lester would live to regret it.With that thought uppermost in his mind, he dried off, dressed andheaded into town.

Foolish or not, he had to make sure Cassie was all right.

Cassie had been expecting the question, though it had come later thanshe thought. Moments after Austin and Lester had left yesterday, she hadgone to Tyler's room.

He had been on the floor, playing with his train. He'd looked up at herwith rounded, sad eyes, and her heart had twisted. She had knelt andtouched him on the cheek. But he'd pulled his head back and stuck outhis lip.

"We should talk," she said in a low, calm tone, though her heart wasbreaking.

He shook his head.

"No."

She had waited a minute to see if he would change his mind. He hadn't.

Fighting off her own depression and tears, she had left him and gone to

her own room, where she'd taken a sleeping pill and crawled into bed.

Decisions had to be made, hard ones, but she'd been too bone weary to think.

She had told herself instead that tomorrow things would look brighter.

They hadn't.

She had gotten up early this morning, with a hangover from the pill.

Still, she intended to confront her daddy about Lester. When she had

gone downstairs, however, James had already left for the church, as if

he'd sensed a showdown was imminent.

Cassie had drunk her coffee alone, checked on her mother and Tyler then headed for work herself.

Now, as she sat behind her desk in the late afternoon, the door opened and a subdued Tyler walked in.

"Hi, sweetheart," she said, getting up.

"What a nice surprise."

He didn't answer. Instead, he sat on the edge of a chair and slid his backpack off his shoulders. She ached to hold him and kiss him, but she dared not. She had to let him make the moves.

"How was your day?" she asked.

He shrugged.

"Okay."

He was now enrolled in the second session of day camp sponsored by the

city and had been having a ball until yesterday, when Lester showed up.

Damn Lester, she thought again, her insides crawling with hate and fear.