Son of Texas

“When was the last time you saw Josie, Mrs. Peabody?” Caleb’s soothing voice brought her back to the conversation. For a long time now, she thought of his voice like a glass of warm milk. When she was small and she’d have nightmares, her mother would give her a glass of warm milk and it would calm her and make her feel safe. That’s what his voice did—made her feel safe and secure. As a child, she needed the warm milk. As an adult, she needed Caleb. But soon that dependency would fade. She had to stop leaning on him and accept her life. Accept Eric.

“I saw her that morning before she left for work. She was happy, energetic and excited about finding a girl who was missing. She went to work and I never saw her again.” She reached out and touched Josie’s face. “Oh, child, I thought I’d lost you like I’d lost your mother.”

Even though Marie had never returned to Beckett, Lencha visited often and she’d been one of the reasons Josie had come to Beckett. She was the only link to her mother’s family and she wanted to be around someone who’d loved her parents, who had understood what she was going through.

“That old buzzard had something to do with this. I know he did.” Lencha’s voice turned cold and accusing.

After Boone had pressured Brett into a loveless marriage and Marie had left Beckett, Lencha and Boone had become bitter enemies. Lencha had put several curses on him, but her curses never fazed the indomitable Boone Beckett.

“Mrs. Peabody…”

Lencha held up a hand. “Please call me Lencha. Mrs. Peabody died when my husband did. I’m just Lencha now.”

“Lencha.” Caleb inclined his head. “You said Josie was excited about finding a missing girl. Do you remember the girl’s name?”

Lencha shook her head. “No. Josie never talked about her cases and she’s not one to gossip.”

Josie listened with a surreal feeling, as if they were talking about someone else. Nothing was ringing any bells. Except Eric.

She swallowed. “I was going to see my grandfather. What happened after that?”

“Eric said you had a big argument with Lorna and was very upset. You called him and said you were leaving Beckett and never coming back and that you’d call as soon as you reached Corpus. He tried to talk you out of it and asked you to wait until he was off duty, but you wouldn’t listen. You even called Dennis Fry, the police chief, and told him you couldn’t stay in Beckett any longer.”

Complete silence followed those words. Caleb looked at Josie and her olive skin was a sickly white. He wanted to stop the questions, but he couldn’t. It was time to keep the answers coming.

“I called your parents’ house in Corpus every day, sometimes three times a day, and there was never an answer. Finally the phone was disconnected and I knew something was wrong. You always kept up with the bills.”

“Did you do anything?” Caleb asked.

“You better believe I did.” Lencha snorted. “Eric and I went out to Silver Spur and confronted the biggest, meanest buzzard around. The type of buzzard who’ll pick your bones before you’re dead. Big Boone said Josie got a little upset with Lorna and in a few days she’d calm down and come back. When she didn’t, I filed a missing person’s report with Dennis, but never heard a damn word. I didn’t give up, though. Kept bugging the hell out of him.”

“And nothing happened?”

“Not until a few minutes ago when Josie walked in. All those potions and spells I’ve been weaving kept you alive and my precious child is back.” Lencha grabbed Josie and they hugged again.

Caleb stood, knowing nothing was adding up. If a missing person’s report had been filed, then it should have been in the system. They would have known who Belle was months ago. There were some shady dealings going on and he intended to get some honest answers.

“Do you remember the date Josie left?”

“Sure do. February twentieth.” Lencha pulled an old calendar out of a drawer and opened it. “See, I wrote it down.”

He stared at the date circled in red. They had the timeline almost correct. Belle had said it was very cold when she’d been taken to the cult’s compound. The area had experienced a freezing winter last January and February. She’d been with the cult until mid-April when Eli and the FBI had infiltrated the group. The time from the twentieth until the cult had found her was still a mystery. It couldn’t have been long, though—days at the most. It had been almost fourteen months since she’d been missing.

Time to find more answers.

While Lencha was fixing something to drink, Caleb pulled Josie aside. “I’m going over to the police station to see what I can find out, then I’ll head out to the Silver Spur Ranch.”

“No,” she said in a strong voice. “It’s time for you to go. I can sort out my life now and I have to stop depending on you.”

He saw that determined expression, the stubborn set of her jaw, but he wasn’t leaving. “No way.” He shook his head. “I said I’d stay until your full memory returned and it hasn’t. You know me well enough to know that I always keep my word.”

“Yes.” She bit her lip.

“I’m not leaving you until we know who tried to kill you. It’s not safe until then. Your memory is returning so that shouldn’t be too much longer.” He touched the frown on her forehead. “Besides Gertie’d have my hide if I left without knowing you were completely safe.”

“Okay.” She gave in with a slight smile. “I wish I could go with you, but I know it’s best if no one sees me for now.” She looked down at herself. “And I really need to get cleaned up. I’m beginning to smell.”

Caleb grinned. “I thought Gertie was eccentric.”

She met his grin with one of her own. “Lencha’s a colorful person. Some people call her a witch, but she’s not. She just knows how to cure a lot of ailments with remedies from her grandmother. I’m not sure about the evil stuff, and my mother wasn’t, either. My mom loved her dearly, but said Lencha liked to put on a show.”

Unable to resist, he tucked a stray tendril behind her ear. “Get reacquainted with Lencha and try not to worry.”

A pained expression came over her face. “I don’t remember Eric and I should. Why…”

“Belle…Josie, please, don’t stress over it. It’s all going to come back to you.” He had the hardest time calling her Josie, but he was trying.

“I suppose.”

“See you in a little while.” He walked out the door, turning into an investigating ranger, instead of a man whose heart was dangerously close to breaking.

THE POLICE BUILDING was easy to find, a redbrick structure on the end of Main Street with two police cars parked in the side lot. He went in through the front door into a reception room. A green-eyed blonde, somewhere in her thirties, sat at a small desk, answering phone calls.

She hung up. “May I help you?”

“Caleb McCain, Texas Ranger. I’m here to see Chief Fry.”

“Oh, oh.” She pointed to a door. “He’s the first door on the right.”

“Thank you.”

He walked into a larger room with several more desks. Two police officers dressed in traditional blue were working there. One was blond and Caleb knew he had to be Eric. A hard knot formed in his stomach as he knocked on the appointed door. When he heard an answer, he went in.

A balding man in a starched white shirt was writing in a file at his desk. He raised his head as Caleb entered.

“What can I do for you?” The chief laid down his pen.

Caleb walked forward with his hand outstretched. “Caleb McCain, Texas Ranger. I’m working a case and could use some help.”

Dennis stood and shook his hand. In his forties, medium height with a slight pouch, Dennis had a friendly smile.

“Chadwick is the ranger in this county so you must be from another area. Have a seat.”

Caleb settled his frame into a vinyl chair. “Yes, I am. I’ve notified Chadwick that I’m in the area.” Rangers were respectful of each other’s territory and they worked well together. There was nothing stronger than the ranger bond and brotherhood. Caleb had had a long talk with Chadwick before leaving Austin and if he needed any help all he had to do was call him.

Dennis eased into his chair, the springs creaking from the weight. “What can I help you with?”

Caleb pulled a small photo of Josie from his pocket, one that Gertie had taken. He pushed it across the desk, watching the man’s face. “Do you know this woman?”