not educated, you know. Not well traveled. Mostly self-taught.”
“I think you’re amazing.” She told him, gazing into his face with all sincerity. “The measure of a man is much more than where he received his education or where he’s traveled to. Besides, you’ve been someplace very, very few have been – the future.”
“This is true.” He gave her a wink, loving how she loved him.
Once the helicopter ride was over, she slipped a promotional flyer the pilot gave her into her pocket for a souvenir. “Ready to go?”
“It’s been fun, but I think it’s time we go home.”
“I agree.” She set the Subaru on cruise control and headed west to Enchanted Rock. Once they were through the worst part of the traffic, she pulled over and let him have the wheel. “Be good now. We don’t want to both end up in jail.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He fastened his seatbelt, rolled down the window, and turned on the radio. Setting his course for home, he pointed his finger toward the afternoon sun. “Go West, young man, go west.”
Journey loved the feeling of the wind in her hair. “I’ve heard that saying in an old western, I think. Where did you first hear it?”
“I read it in an editorial in 1865. The New York Tribune was the name of the newspaper, I think. There was a copy of it at the Captain’s plantation. Once his fiancé, Caroline, betrayed him, Kingston didn’t want to stay in Tennessee. The rest of us had either lost our home or our family to the war, so we all went with him. The article I read seemed to be an omen.”
“Fortuitous.” She marveled at all the things that had to fall into place for them to be together. “And then you came to Texas and made a home. King’s Ransom. You met Saul and Ela – and then, you came to me.”
“Seems impossible, doesn’t it?”
“Yea, it does. But it happened. And you’re here.” She placed her hand on his arm as if to anchor him in place. “When we get home, if you’ll find that business card, I’ll start a search to see if the lawyer left any papers behind.”
“Yea, we’ve been concentrating so hard on how I got here, I’ve neglected to try and locate information to help Cole once I return. I can’t rely on the chance there’ll be ample time to search for the drummer boy when I get back – I need to do it now.”
“I understand and I’ll help,” Journey assured him.
* * *
Once they were home, they changed into comfortable clothes. Reno went to check on Traveler and the other horses and Journey pacified the dogs who acted as if they’d been abandoned for weeks. “Oh, you two are so spoiled. I left both of you plenty of food and water.” She played with the rambunctious pair for a bit, then took them for a walk. When she returned, Journey took the roast from the refrigerator and popped it into the crock pot. It wouldn’t be done today, but tomorrow they’d be glad to have it. Journey also checked on the plants, taking note that one of the orchids had put on a few buds. Next, she checked the answering machine and found a call from Myra. The message was very succinct. “Call me.”
“Okay.” She grabbed the phone to dial her great-aunt who answered after the second ring.
“Where have you been?”
“Austin, but just for the night. Everything’s fine. What’s wrong?”
“Well, I talked to Kota and he said you’d been accosted.”
“You talked to Kota?” She had no idea they were that close. Journey assumed the older gentleman did his job and Myra cut him a paycheck. “Why did he call you?”
“He didn’t. I called him. Because you wouldn’t answer.”
“Why didn’t you call my cell phone?”
There was a period of silence before Myra answered. “I don’t know. Because you were supposed to be at my house. Now, tell me about those men who hurt you. Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. They were red-neck bullies who just wanted to scare me.” At least that was the version she was going to tell her aunt. “They harassed me, wouldn’t let me leave the grocery store. They followed me home and…chased me through the park.”