Page 39 of Special Agent Raven
Gratified that Raven spoke the truth about her safety and didn’t try to downplay the situation, Winona’s voice hardened.“I’ll keep my rifle ready just in case. He shows himself around here, and he’ll be very sorry.”
“Just be careful. Don’t forget you have the children.”
A male voice interrupted as Cane stepped into the room. “Wouldn’t you feel safer in town, Winona?” He pulled the chair out across from Raven, keeping his gaze on the older woman. “I’d feel a hell of a lot better if you went to the schoolhouse with the others from the flood.”
Winona looked at him and smiled. “And I’d argue with you if not for those two angels outside. What do you think, Raven?”
“I agree with Cane. Let us bring you into town. There’s so much you can do for those folks. Bring your medicines and whatever you can spare in the way of food and clothing. Their needs are great.”
“Right. Okay, I’ll go and pack my ointments, salves, and special teas while you make breakfast for Cane and yourself. The kids need some different clothes, and I have a few bags for the thrift store I’ve been gathering that I can bring with me.” Talking out loud, Winona bustled from the room, leaving behind a vacuum filled with discomfort.
Shyness attacking, Raven sauntered to the stove where the breakfast batter waited. She stirred it while the cast iron frying pan heated and then poured four nice sized pancakes into the sizzling butter. As the silence grew, tension built until they both began talking at once.
“I’m sor—” Cane got cut off.
Words erupting, Raven didn’t turn around, just spoke over her shoulder. “Hope you’re hungry. Nana’s pancakes are to die for.” She flipped them, pretending to be so occupied by her chore that she couldn’t face him.
He cleared his throat and began again. “I’m starved and they smell wonderful. Have you eaten already?”
“No. Just got out here and told Nana about Palmer. She already knew.”
“Excuse me? How did she find out so quickly?”
“He visited her last night. She said he felt at peace. If you like orange juice, there’s lots in the fridge. We have a couple of trees growing in the main greenhouse and they thrive under Nana’s care.”
“Don’t change the subject. You say Palmer visited her. How?”
“Yes. Well, his spirit came to say goodbye before leaving for the afterlife. She loved him, and he always knew he had a home with her. In fact, I grew up with him in and out of my life. One of my fondest memories after I first arrived was Palmer showing up like he owned the place. Of course, in those days I was still acting out, but one day during a particularly bad time, he shoved me up against the fridge and stuttered his disgust at my atrocious behavior. Said my gramma was the best thing could ever happen to me, and I should k-kiss the g-ground she w-walked on.” Raven spoke like Palmer and chuckled at the memory. “Still don’t know why I didn’t knee him in the family jewels like I would have done to any other boy who touched me like that back then.”
“Because he was harmless?”
“No. Because of his sincerity. He meant every word… he loved her and needed me to see her goodness.”
“Did you back off after that?”
“Hell, no. Gave her a hard time for another few weeks before she issued the final warning. Her place and her rules or a foster home.”
“Winona acted that harsh?”
“Oh, yeah. You can only push my Nana so far before she turns to ice. After that, what she says… she means.”
“So, you chose her.”
“God, no. I took the foster home. Spent a week in the city with a dysfunctional family from hell and then begged her to takeme back.” Raven chuckled. “She must have drove like a demon. Showed up a few hours later and asked me, “Why did it take you this long, you stubborn girl?” Then she hugged me so hard, I thought my back would break, and I found myself hugging her too.”
Cane nodded, his face wreathed in smiles while he ate the last piece of food and looked for more. “I’m glad you saw the light. And you were right. These are the best flapjacks I’ve ever tasted.”
Thank God, sharing a meal had helped the discomfort both experienced, if their shying away from looking at each other was any indication. Raven felt herself relax, and they eventually drifted back into their old relationship of working partners.
As soon as they had everyone packed and ready to go, Raven headed outside to bring the jeep closer. And the shock of what she found filled her with dread. As if he sensed her reaction, Cane stepped out behind her to hear her whisper, “Son of a bitch, the jeep’s missing.”
Chapter Thirty-one
After dropping Winona and the kids at the school, they parked her van. Then Cane shadowed Raven to the cop shop and wasn’t surprised to see Noah in the middle of a group of townsfolk looking disgruntled. The poor sheriff had a lot on his plate at the moment… folks were demanding answers and not in a nice, calm way either.
“Sheriff, what are the government’s plans for getting us back to our homes. With the mayor at the city hospital getting over his operation, it’s your responsibility to step up. Have they called any kind of meeting?”
“All I know is with the roads closed, and the strong winds making it impossible to fly, we have to be patient before we can depend on much help from the outside.”