Page 12 of Deacon (Men of Clifton, Montana #52)

“I agree,” Deke replied, a hint of irritation in his voice.

“Let’s see what we find in Winchester’s office, then we’ll look around town, though I doubt that’s where they are.

” With a heavy sigh, he turned and walked to Derrick’s room, knocking gently on the door.

It creaked open to reveal the boy, his expression a mix of curiosity and defiance.

“What?” Derrick asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.

“Do you know where your older brothers would be?” Deke inquired, trying to gauge the boy’s reaction.

“No, they don’t tell me anything,” Derrick responded, his voice flat with the indifference of someone who was used to being left out.

Deke nodded, sensing the truth in the boy’s words. “Would Tommy know?”

“Probably, but he won’t tell you.” Derrick shrugged, a resigned acceptance in his posture.

“It’s a waste of time to ask him, Deke,” Rawley interjected, his voice low and certain.

“For now, but once I haul his ass in, I think he’ll talk,” Deke replied, with a tired nod. “Let’s go downstairs, then head out after looking through the office.”

The men looked through the rest of the house but only found a laptop that belonged to Chet Winchester.

They also took the maid’s phone, explaining it was necessary and if there was nothing incriminating on it, it would be returned to her.

They drove through town, but didn’t see the other two young men.

Going by their photos, they wouldn’t be hard to spot.

To Deke, they looked like thugs, and he knew they were hiding for now.

****

The following day, Ava sat on the sofa, watching Ellie play with her dolls, when her phone vibrated on the coffee table. She picked it up to see Deacon’s number and just like that, her stomach was in knots.

“Deacon?”

“Ava, I’d like to see Ellie before she goes to bed.”

“Okay. When?” Ava replied, glancing at Ellie who was still engrossed in her play.

“I have a little free time now.”

“Oh, okay. That’s fine,” she said, nodding to herself.

“I can’t stay long, but I do want to come by.”

“Sure,” Ava replied.

“I’d like to bring her something, if you don’t mind. What could I get her?” Deacon asked, his voice gentle and considerate.

Ava hesitated, chewing on her bottom lip. Should she mention the doll? It was a pricey item, and she wasn’t sure how he would take the news.

“Uh, she saw a doll in town that she wanted, but Deacon, it’s expensive. It’s why I didn’t buy it for her,” she explained.

“Where is it and what does it look like?” he inquired.

“It’s at Toys for All. I’ll look for a photo of it and send it to you, but if it’s too much, just any doll will do. She loves them,” Ava assured him.

“Alright. Do you want me to bring dinner?”

“That would be nice. We haven’t eaten yet. The burger place has good food,” she suggested, her mouth watering at the thought.

“I know. I had a burger from there. Can Ellie eat that?” he asked.

“Yes, she only likes ketchup on her burger and an order of fries. I break it all up for her into smaller pieces,” Ava replied, picturing Ellie’s delighted face.

“Okay, and what do you want?”

After detailing her preferences, they ended the call. Ava set her phone aside and joined Ellie on the floor, gently caressing her daughter’s soft curls.

“Mama,” Ellie said, her face lighting up with a smile. Forgiveness was granted, at least for now.

“Ellie, a man is coming to see us, and he’s bringing us burgers and fries,” Ava announced, pausing as Ellie’s eyes widened with excitement. Burgers and fries were indeed a favorite. “He’ll be here soon and I want you to meet him. He’s… he’s your daddy. Can you say, daddy?”

“Dad-dy,” Ellie repeated, her young mind processing the word.

“Yes, baby. He’s your daddy,” Ava confirmed, watching Ellie’s expression closely. Even if Ellie didn’t fully grasp the concept, joy sparkled in her eyes. Of course, some of that might be attributed to the promise of delicious burgers and fries.

Ava stood and stared at her daughter. Maybe the true solution was to move to Clifton.

She could still see her family. It was only five hours.

They could visit any weekend or she could make a trip here.

Once in a while wouldn’t be hard, but she did understand where Deacon was coming from.

Going back and forth would get strenuous after a while and one of them wouldn’t be able to make it one weekend, it would probably get to where Ellie hated going too, and she knew that would cause problems. Problems she certainly didn’t need.

She’d talk to her father before making any decisions about moving, because the thought of joint custody didn’t sit well with her.

She’d hate not having Ellie around at times.

****

Deke pulled his truck to a stop in front of the quaint toy store, its colorful window display beckoning passersby with a cheerful array of stuffed animals and model trains.

Stepping inside, he was greeted by a symphony of playful sounds, a mechanical dog barking, a music box tinkling a whimsical tune.

The air smelled faintly of plastic and fresh paint.

His eyes roamed the store until they landed on a sign indicating the doll section.

Navigating through aisles filled with board games and puzzles, he finally reached his destination.

He retrieved his phone from his pocket and glanced at the picture Ava had sent him, a doll with red curls in bibbed overalls and boots.

His eyes scanned the shelves, rows of dolls staring back at him.

He sighed in frustration when he couldn’t spot the one he needed.

“Hi, could I help you find something?” a voice interrupted his thoughts. Deke turned to see an attractive woman standing beside him, her smile warm and inviting.

“I look lost, don’t I?” he replied, offering her a grin.

She chuckled softly. “Just a little.”

“I’m looking for this,” he said, showing her the image on his phone.

“Oh, I think we still have some in the back. They sell out very quickly. Let me check. I’ll be right back,” she assured him, her voice filled with optimism.

“Yes, ma’am,” Deke nodded, watching her disappear into the storeroom. He casually touched the brim of his cowboy hat when two women passing by smiled at him.

“Here we go,” the saleswoman announced as she returned, holding the sought-after doll in its box.

Deke accepted the box, examining the doll that, to him, was just a larger version of the others. His eyes widened slightly when he caught sight of the price tag.

“Damn,” he muttered under his breath.

“Yes, they’re a little expensive,” she acknowledged with a sympathetic nod.

He sighed, resigned. “I’ll take it.”

Her smile broadened. “Great. Let me ring this up for you.” Deke followed her to the cash register, extracting his wallet from his pocket and fishing out his credit card.

“Is this for your daughter?” she inquired as she wrapped up the purchase.

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied, his voice steady.

“Oh, so you’re married?” she asked, her gaze flickering briefly to his unadorned left hand.

“No, ma’am,” he answered, his tone polite but firm.

“I’m not either. Maybe we could have lunch or dinner sometime,” she suggested, her voice laced with a hint of hope.

“I’m sorry. I’m not from here. I’m here for a case, then I head back to Clifton,” he explained.

“A case? Are you a cop?” she inquired; curiosity piqued.

“Livestock agent,” he clarified.

“I see.” She nodded, giving him the total. He swiped his card and signed the receipt.

Deke picked up the bag containing the doll, nodded politely, and exited the store. He placed the bag carefully on the back seat of his truck.

“You’d better be worth every damn penny,” he muttered, catching a glimpse of it in the rearview mirror before starting the engine and driving off toward the local diner to get dinner for them. Once he got the food, he drove to Ava’s place.

He parked his truck at the bottom of the wooden steps leading to her porch.

Though the sun was setting, it was still hot enough to make sweat bead at his temples.

He cut the engine, climbed out, and lifted the brown bag of food in one hand, then he opened the back door, and removed the bag that held the doll.

With cautious steps he climbed the stairs and rapped gently on the door.

His heart pounded. He’d never been a father before. He shook his head, reminding himself that a lot of man probably felt this way at some point.

The door swung open and Ava stood there, haloed by the golden light of the setting sun. Her welcoming smile caught his breath. The woman he’d longed to see again, always thought he never would, was right here.

“Hi,” she said softly. “Come in, out of this heat.”

After handing her the bag of food, he removed his hat, brushed his boots on the doormat, and stepped into the cooler house. His gaze dropped to the floor where Ellie sat, legs splayed, eyes wide as she stared up at him. Then she beamed and waved, and he couldn’t suppress his own grin.

“Please, have a seat,” Ava said, guiding him into the living room. “What would you like to drink, Deacon?” She set the bag of food on the counter that separated the kitchen from the living room.

“Water is fine,” he answered, shaking his head and trying not to grin.

She cocked her head. “What?”

“You always call me Deacon.”

“I told you I liked it.”

“I remember.” His voice dropped to a hush.

Ava scooped Ellie into her arms and crossed the room to where he stood. Each step she took felt like a drumbeat in his chest.

“Ellie, this is your daddy,” she said. “Deacon, this is your daughter, Ella Jo Parsons. We call her, Ellie.”

He glanced at Ava. “I want my name on the birth certificate.”

She blinked, then nodded. “Alright.”

Ellie turned her bright eyes from him to her mother. “Dad-dy? Mama?”

“Yes, baby. Daddy.”

“Hello, Ellie.”