Miranda nodded as she pushed Scrapss nose out of her face. L.A. My friends and I have been on the road awhile. Were tired and hungry. She extended the creased flyer. So, are you open or not? I wasnt purposely eavesdropping, but I couldnt help overhearing part of your conversation.
Not! Linc snapped. Open, he added with less force as he saw the defeated slump of her slim shoulders. Shaking his head, he dropped his gaze to the toes of her battered army boots. I just got here myself. Not only did I expect to have time to fix things up before any teens arrived, but the previous owner threw me a curve by leaving behind three former tenants.
Lincoln pinched the bridge of his nose between thumb and forefinger. He didnt know why he was confiding so much in this stranger who clearly expected a haven for herself and the friends shed left at the side of the road.
Look, whats your name?
Randi, she supplied. And this is Scraps. She jerked a thumb toward the road. Out there are Jenny, Shawn, Greg and Eric.
Jenny? Eric? Linc spun around and strained to see through the waning light. Even now, hearing the names of Felicitys so-called friends, whod dumped her at the hospital and then taken off, made his stomach churn.
Do you know them?
Uhthose were the names of two of my kid sisters friends. Police said they Linc broke off suddenly. Theyre common enough names. Merely coincidence, Im sure. Look, I can offer a place to crash for tonight. Ithink, he added, frowning at the two units flanking the house. To be truthful, Ive got no idea how many beds are in those bunkhouses. Nor their condition. As you might have gathered from my phone conversation, I didnt get a positive impression of the houseparents the Oasis Foundation had in charge here.
I dont understand any of what youre saying, Miranda said. But the gang and I can make do. Sleeping under a roof will be a bonus. But wed sure like a hot meal. We last ate yesterday when some hikers gave us a leftover pack of hot dogs and a few buns. Again she waved a hand toward the four hunkered some yards away.
Food? Damn! WaitMrs. Tucker mentioned meat in a freezer.
That sounds encouraging. If theres a microwave, we can thaw it out. So, if you dont mind my asking, why are you conducting business out here in the wind and cold? Why arent you inside fixing supper for those poor kids?
Well, I Linc stopped, panic swamping him. For one, I cant cook. Ive lived and worked in the city all my life. I either order in or eat out.
Miranda waved the flyer in his face. Did you think street kids dont eat?
For your information, I intended to hire a cook and a housekeeper before any kids showed up. Linc glared. Not that I owe you any explanation. And let me guess, your smart mouth has landed you in trouble before.
Miranda ground her teeth to keep from lashing back. Here she was again, responding like a twenty-six-year-old, instead of the way someone like Jenny would. Sorry, she mumbled, biting her lip.
Forget it. Linc shook back a lock of dark hair and offered a tentative smile as he glanced at his watch. Well, its too late to rectify the cook-housekeeper issue today. Whistle up your friends. For now, well all have to make the best of a situation none of us invited.
The smile altered his stern features, and Miranda responded accordingly. Hey, great! Jennys worn a hole in her shoe, and the guys stayed behind to try and fix it, in case we had more walking to do.
Do any of you have injuries?
No, were just tired. Ill go fetch them. Then maybe Jenny and I can check whats in your freezer. Ill bet we can toss together a meal of some sort.
Really? Linc felt more grateful for that one simple statement than she could know. His life lately had been hectic. Hed been involved in selling his house and storing the furnishings, as well as studying ranching techniques. He probably shouldve asked John to make a cursory inventory of what was needed here. Under no circumstances, however, would it have occurred to him to take a crash course in cooking. Damn Johnand Gunderson, he muttered, swinging his fierce gaze back to the three young children he had yet to deal with.
Dont swear at them, Miranda said testily, again forgetting herself. Cant you see theyre scared? She didnt care if this jerk took his anger out on her, as long as he left those poor kids alone.
Im not swearing at them. My angers directed at the guy who got me into this mess, and at the Oasis rep who sold me a pig in a poke. What makes you even imagine Id swear at children?
Oh, I dont know, probably the way youre glowering. Miranda stopped and slapped a hand over her mouth. Excuse me. Ill just go get my friends. She hugged Scraps to her chest and sidled around Linc. Once past him, she broke into a run.
Staring after the young woman, he noticed her shapely backside and quickly controlled a punch to his gut that he shouldnt be feeling. He turned his attention to the problems on the porch.
John Montoya thought he was crazy to leave his old job. But in the past few years, Linc found himself growing more short-tempered and less tolerant of people. No doubt the dogs owner had glimpsed and had wrongly assumed hed swear at little kids. Well, the red-haired boy wasnt so little. He must be the one George Tucker had said was the biter.
Linc approached the trio slowly. Hi. My name is Lincoln Parker. Call me Linc. He mustered a smile. Sorry about the phone call and the time I spent talking to the lady with the dog, he added for good measure, as hed seen the kids interest in the dog. Lets go inside and you can give me your names. Hey, hey, relax. I dont know when Ill be able to reach your social workerthisMrs. Bishop. Lincoln unfolded the paper and read the womans name. What Im saying he spoke through a thinning smile is that we may as well be on a first-name basis because it looks as if were stuck with each other for a while.
Screw you, sneered the boy. Linc stiffened when the kid barreled off the porch straight at him. He didnt relish getting bitten; Tucker hadnt warned about kicking, though. The little monster landed a bone-breaking blow to Lincs left shin. Damn, damn, damn! He swore and hopped around holding his ankle as the kid disappeared in the thickening dusk.
Wolfie! The girl not confined to the wheelchair cried out and stumbled on one of the wheelchair foot plates. She fell flat at Lincs feet, sobbing too hard to get up right away and follow the boy.
Easy, easy. Linc reached for her gingerly.
Wolfie is Hanas brother, said the round-eyed girl in the chair. His real names Wolfgang, but he hates it, so everybody calls him Wolfie.
Bending, Linc gently lifted the hysterical child. He was amazed by how fragile her bones felt under his hands and was reminded of a frightened bird hed rescued from a cat once when he couldnt have been much older than Wolfie. Its okay, he murmured softly. You girls go in out of this wind. Ill find your brother, I promise, he told the child who shook violently and watched him in abject fear.
Linc set her down and at once limped off. He could no longer see the boy, but hed heard a door slam in the distance, in the direction of an outbuilding. Linc supposed hed find Wolfgang in the bunkhouse. At least, he assumed the low structure was one of the two bunkhouses John said came with the ranch.