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Robert McCall stood on the small balcony of his hotel room. The afternoon breeze wafted hot and dry, typical for the summer. He watched the small sedan pull out of the driveway, blending into the flow of traffic on the main street, and wondered again if he'd made the right decision.
"Having second thoughts?"
McCall felt a wry smile pull at his mouth as he turned to see Rose standing beside him. "Can you blame me?" he asked with a chuckle. "Neither one of us is exactly a welcome presence."
"You know as well as I do no one else in the family feels that way," Rose reminded him, her voice slightly reproving. "And he'll never know we're here... Skip promised."
McCall raised his eyebrows slightly and Rose slapped his arm playfully. "You can count on Skip. Under all that clowning around, he's a very caring and capable man."
McCall squeezed Rose's hand. "I'm aware of Skip's abilities. It's Jake who makes me nervous."
Rose's face took on an expression of mock-amazement. "Why, Robert McCall... do you mean to say that the same man who's fought dictators and drug lords is afraid of one pig-headed horse rancher from New Mexico?"
He glared at her until she broke out into understanding laughter. "I don't think afraid is quite the right term," McCall hedged. He knew Rose was teasing him, but he still felt slightly defensive. "Let's just say the thought of an encounter with our mutual father-in-law leaves me distinctively... uncomfortable."
"Is that what you call it?" Rose regarded him speculatively. "I always thought it was closer to boiling mad."
McCall finally gave in and joined in her laughter. "I suppose that's a bit more accurate."
Rose grew suddenly serious and slipped her hand into the crook of McCall's arm. He felt a slight thrill at the contact, but quickly squelched it. They were good friends and he didn't care to ruin that relationship. He focused instead on Rose's words.
"I'm afraid that's true for both of us."
She shifted her gaze to some far off point and it didn't take McCall much effort to figure out where her thoughts were traveling. Even after all these years, her heart belonged to J.J. Being here in New Mexico could only bring those memories -- both beautiful and painful -- close to the surface. He placed his free hand over hers and she glanced up to meet his eyes. She gave a small sigh, pulling herself back from wherever she'd gone.
"I guess we can take some comfort in the fact that he's not really our father-in-law anymore," Rose offered.
"A feeling that is in all probability mutual," McCall observed with such matter-of-factness that Rose laughed again.
"Robert, you're impossible," she accused affectionately.
His mouth quirked at the corner. "So Kay never ceased to remind me."
Rose regarded him curiously, then apparently decided he wasn't trying to be cynical. She moved into the hotel room. McCall followed her lead.
"I'm pretty beat from the trip," Rose told him. "Think I'll take a shower. I want to be ready when the boys call."
McCall watched her disappear through the connecting door to her room. He sighed once, not really from weariness, and returned to the balcony. It would take Scott and Nicky about a half an hour to get from the hotel here in Santa Fe to the ranch in Glorieta. They were going to call when they found out exactly what the plans were for meeting up with everyone.
He shook his head at the elaborate deception the whole family was willing to play on his and Rose's behalf. Personally, he felt they were all a little too eager to play cloak and dagger. He chuckled to himself. It couldn't really be helped, he supposed. After the last few years of very real danger during the reunions, a little melodrama probably appealed to them. Hopefully Jake would be none the wiser.
He walked back into his room and could hear the shower running next door. He sighed again. Another reason why he felt slightly tense about this trip. He found it simple enough to pretend his feelings for Rose were merely friendship with the entire country between them. This close proximity would make it difficult to keep up that charade. Rose was a very perceptive woman. It wouldn't be easy to fool her.
He chided himself for his own childishness. He was too old for her anyway, even if she ever allowed her heart to open up to anyone besides Jake Michaels. No, better he buried those thoughts deep inside where they couldn't hurt her, and concentrate instead on making this visit a pleasant time together.
As the spacious jetliner soared effortless through the clear summer sky, Amanda Stetson peered out the window to the landscape far below. Somewhere down there lay the western part of Texas, though it was hard to tell much from this altitude. She'd have to take the pilot's word for it. It wouldn't be too much longer before they reached Albuquerque.
It had been an unremarkable flight -- something Amanda was only too glad of. She leaned back from the window and glanced at Lee beside her. His seat reclined as far as it would go, his long legs stretched slightly into the aisle. He was asleep -- a telling factor in how relaxed this trip was. One of his arms hung limp over the side of his seat -- the other lay loose in her grasp. Amanda knew he wore no shoulder harness under his light jacket. He hadn't even brought a gun this year -- one more thing Amanda felt grateful for.
Across the aisle, Phillip and Jamie were seated together. Phillip wore headphones and stared intently at the movie screen. Jamie sat engrossed in the chess book he'd gotten for his birthday last month. He was fourteen now -- and Phillip had just turned sixteen a few days ago. They were growing so fast Amanda could hardly keep up with them.
Amanda smiled to herself, happy in the fact that they were all here -- and safe. It was certainly different than the first time she'd made this trip -- so much different.
She remembered how awkward it used to be. She and Lee danced around their feelings for several years, much to the amusement of Lee's family. She supposed they had acted rather silly, but she really wouldn't have had it any other way. The time it had taken for them to finally admit -- first to themselves and then to one another -- how much they loved each other, had given them a solid foundation on which to build. It would provide an anchor for whatever the future held.
The future. Amanda bit her lower lip thoughtfully and looked at Lee again. Though they'd been married for a year and a half, there were still times when it she found it hard to be completely open. Not that she held any deep dark secrets, or that she suspected he did either. But marriage wasn't like waving a magic wand and making all the ghosts disappear. Amanda was realistic enough to know her husband's insecurities about relationships wouldn't go away over night. He was relaxing into domestic life, but there were still areas he felt uncomfortable with and she had no desire to push him into anything he wasn't ready for.
She gave a small sigh and fixed her gaze out at the clouds. She could be patient, but she didn't want to wait too much longer. She would be forty in a few more years. If she and Lee were going to have any children of their own, they needed to make some decisions -- and soon.
They talked a few times about the vague possibility of having their own family, but nothing had ever been definite -- not until a couple of months ago. They'd gone to visit Andy and Caitlin in Cincinnati. The newlyweds were expecting and ecstatically happy about the whole experience. Their enthusiasm was contagious, and Amanda found herself caught up in all their excited planning. Lee, however, had seemed unusually quiet.
She could recall vividly the incident in the half-finished nursery. She'd been looking for Lee and found him standing alone in the small room, his hand running absently along the crib rail. He seemed absorbed by his surroundings and she'd slipped away, hesitant about intruding. But she couldn't help wondering what might be going through his mind. Was he envious of his cousin... or fearful of finding himself in the same situation? She'd wanted to talk to him about it, but for some reason had held back.
After they'd come home, the boys railed them with questions and the prospect of their own child had naturally come up. Lee had fielded their queries deftly, with very non-committal answers, but Amanda had gotten the distinct impression that the notion of having a baby appealed to Lee. If he'd pursued it any further she would have willingly gone along with whatever plans they made. However, he hadn't brought the subject up once in the two months since and Amanda felt keenly disappointed.
She sighed again, this time to dispel her introspective mood. They were going to New Mexico to enjoy themselves. She planned on doing just that. She would be happy with their little family just the way it was. She still had the boys... and Lee. Contentedly, she settled back for the rest of the flight.
Lee stood and stretched. It felt good to get the kinks out of his longs legs. After nearly four hours of being on airplanes and spending the last hour and a half behind the wheel of their rental car, he was more than a bit tired and stiff. He took a deep breath of the mountain air and smiled appreciatively.
"Nice to be back, isn't it?"
Lee wrapped his arm around Amanda and pulled her close. "You bet." He gave her a wink. "And for the first time, we're official."
Amanda laughed. Though they'd been legally married last year, she was glad to finally have everything out in the open. The ceremony Aunt Katie planned for them was a wonderful memory they would always cherish.
At that moment the door to the house burst open, interrupting any further conversation. The welcoming committee consisted of Murphy, Skip and Andy, hugging them affectionately. They were all talking at once, making it hard to focus on what any of them were saying. Slightly behind their husbands, Sherry, Mel and Cait stood by a bit more calmly, waiting their turn to greet the newcomers. To add to the confusion, Peter and Tommy were jumping up and down in excitement, while one year old Benjie merely clung to his mother in wide-eyed fascination.
Lee gave himself to the welcoming round of hugs and greetings, feeling only a bit of the awkwardness that used to come with such displays of affection. He hadn't seen Murphy or Skip since the beginning of the year and it was nice to be with his cousins again.
"Why don't you at least let them get in the door," someone admonished and Lee noticed Aunt Katie standing on the porch, clucking at the scene.
Amanda rushed to greet the older woman and starting another round of welcomes, a little more dignified this time. When it got to be Lee's turn, he gathered his aunt up in a fierce embrace.
"It's so good to see you," Katie greeted warmly, her smile growing bigger at Lee's outward demonstration.
"It's good to be here again," Lee told her with a grin. "Four years in a row now for me. That's a record isn't it?"
Katie chuckled. "Let's hope you keep breaking it, my boy."
"Oh, he will," Amanda spoke up. "That's a promise."
They were ushered inside, where they were pounced upon by the rest of the family. While Lee made the rounds of his aunts, uncles and cousins, he couldn't help but notice Skip sticking to his side, trying to be unobtrusive -- well, as unobtrusive as Skip knew how to be -- but definitely attempting to get Lee's full attention. But each time Lee thought he was free to see what his cousin wanted, someone else came up to greet him.
Finally, obviously out of patience, Skip grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the crowd of family.
"Skipper... whaddya doing?" Lee sputtered.
"Geeze, Lee... you're worse than an old lady. When did you get to be such a chatterbox?"
Lee regarded his cousin curiously, not quite cross, but definitely wondering what was going on. "We just got here. What's the problem?"
The twinkle returned to Skip's eyes, his pique forgotten. "No problem." His voice lowered conspiratorially. "Just needed to let you know... meet me behind the barn tonight... midnight. Bring Amanda."
"What?" Lee protested, obviously too loud for Skip's liking.
"Shhh!" he hushed and peered around furtively. "Just be there," he intoned, then grinned widely before he slipped away.
Lee stared after his cousin, both confused and amused. He checked his watch. It was just coming up on 6 p.m. Still several more hours before he got the answer to this little puzzle.
"You okay?" Amanda had come up beside him and taken his arm.
"What? Oh, yeah," he assured her. "Skip's just being... Skip, I guess." He sniffed once and caught the mouth-watering aroma of frying chicken. "Smells like dinner's about ready. I'm starved."
For the next hour or so the family spent gathered for the evening meal. The oversized table was full and card tables spilled out of the dinning room, where the older children sat. They were too many now to all fit around one place, and the teenagers really didn't mind not sitting with their parents.
Lee smiled as he watched Phillip and Jamie. They'd come to the reunions often enough now that they felt right at home. They had no trouble fitting in with Murphy's and Skip's nephews. All the boys ranged in the same age group -- from somewhere around 12 to 16. Michelle was the only girl among them, but that didn't seem to bother her. She acted as boisterous as the rest of them.
His gaze wandered to the main table, taking in the sights of his family -- his cousins in particular. Murphy sat next to Sherry, holding Tommy in his lap. The two year old was helping himself to his father's dinner, but Murphy didn't seem to mind. In fact, Lee could see no trace of the unhappiness that used to haunt his cousin's features. Murphy had come into his own and it agreed with him.
Down the table a ways, Andy sat beside a very pregnant Caitlin. Just married in January, those two hadn't wasted a moment and Andy seemed inordinately proud of their achievement. The expected baby wasn't quite the only thing he talked about, but it certainly seemed that way. Caitlin herself, though a little more reserved than her husband, seemed no less happy and excited. Lee could see the joy radiating from her face, even when she was sitting quietly. And he'd always thought all that talk about pregnant women glowing was just a bunch of nonsense. Cait had certainly proven him wrong on that score.
Next to Amanda, Skip and Melanie were both trying to cajole some vegetables into a very resistant Peter. Why it took both of them, Lee wasn't sure, but it involved some very elaborate facial expressions from Skip, who was obviously going for the light-hearted approach. His efforts were lost on the three year old, who stubbornly refused to open his mouth.
During this confrontation, Amanda ended up with little Benjie on her lap. Lee studied his wife as she bounced the baby, making him giggle. Lee felt a smile begin on his own face and a warm rush of love filled him up at the sight. Amanda was such a natural with children. It didn't take much imagination for him to picture her doing this with their own child.
He shifted his gaze abruptly to his dinner, his thoughts troubled. For the last few months the thought of he and Amanda starting their own family had never been far from his mind. He couldn't think of anything more wonderful than having a baby he could call his own -- a baby who would have Amanda for its mother and a loving, secure home with a family who wanted him. All the things he'd missed in his early childhood. He entertained some natural doubts about his own abilities as a father, but he still wanted to attempt it. He was confident that with Amanda there to make up for his faults, their child would have plenty of love and support.
The only problem was Amanda. Lee wasn't entirely sure she wanted to have more children. Not that he blamed her at all. She'd already done diaper duty, midnight feedings, and all the rest that went with it. Phillip and Jamie were nearly grown. What woman would want to start all over again at this late date? Did he even have the right to ask it of her? Sure they'd skirted the issue a few times, talked about it in generalities... as a vague possibility. But nothing more definite had ever been decided. Then, there was that conversation with the boys. Lee had made his own feelings pretty clear. He figured if Amanda wanted to pursue it, he'd given her the opening.
But she hadn't. She'd never brought the issue up again. In deference to her feelings, Lee squelched his own disappointment and tried to let the matter drop. He hadn't broached the subject with Amanda since then. He certainly didn't want her to feel pressured into anything she didn't really want. And who was he kidding? She would be the one to endure the brunt of the experience. He wasn't going to push her.
He gave a small sigh, and returned to his meal. He cared for the boys. He would content himself with being the best step-father he knew how to be. He loved Amanda far too much to allow her to do something out of guilt or a sense of obligation.
The moon had set, but the stars still shone brilliantly enough to give light to the pasture. Lee gripped Amanda's hand tightly as they quietly made their way to the back of the barn. He still had no idea what Skip was up to, but he hoped it turned out to be merely some screwy scheme and not anything dangerous. They'd dealt with more than their share of peril the last few years. He was looking forward to actually enjoying himself at the ranch this time.
As they rounded the corner of the old building, Lee's eyes widened in surprise. They obviously weren't the only ones Skip had passed his mysterious message to.
"I guess the gang's all here," Murphy greeted with a chuckle. He stood with his arm around Sherry, leaning up against the white railing.
"Not quite everybody," Andy pointed out. "We're still waiting for Mr. Bond himself."
"Andy," Cait reproved. "Be nice."
Lee and Amanda drew closer and settled beside Murphy.
"Did Skip tell you anything?" Amanda wondered curiously.
All three men shook their heads.
"Nope," Andy added. "Just told us to be here at midnight."
"Maybe he's playing a joke," Sherry suggested. "You know, like a snipe hunt. He's probably in bed snoozing away."
"If he is, he won't be for long," Lee grumbled. He felt Amanda poke his ribs and he relented enough to smile.
A noise hushed them and they all turned expectantly to the south side of the barn. In a moment, Skip appeared, his face wearing an ear-splitting grin. Melanie walked slightly behind him, her expression more of exasperation than anything else. At least they didn't appear worried, Lee consoled himself. Which meant this had to be just a case of Skip being melodramatic and not anything potentially harmful. He relaxed slightly and waited to hear what was going on.
"Good, good, you're all here." Skip rubbed his hands together gleefully as he approached.
"So what's the scoop?" Andy piped up immediately.
"Something that couldn't wait 'til morning," Murphy added sarcastically.
Skip ignored the tone. His eyes were dancing with amusement.
"Come on, Skipper," Lee pleaded. "We're all tired."
"Aw, you guys are no fun," Skip complained. "Honestly though, this is a secret. I didn't want a certain... uh, ol' crank to find out."
"Find out what?" Amanda pressed.
Skip puffed up, close to bursting, until Melanie put a stop to his dramatics. She stepped up beside her husband and grabbed the scruff of his neck. Skip's smile faded as his face screwed up in exaggerated pain.
"Spill it, Addison," Melanie advised sweetly.
"Me-el!" Skip whined petulantly. She let him go and he made a great show of straightening his shirt. "Okay, okay," he pouted. "Geeze, you guys are no fun anymore."
"Skip!" Lee prompted harshly.
"All right, all right." He laughed, still having fun. "We've got a couple of unexpected visitors to the reunion this year."
"Who?" Lee demanded, instantly alert for trouble.
"Relax," Skip chuckled. "You all know 'em. They're family. They're just kinda... well..." Skip scratched his head. "I wouldn't exactly say black sheep, but..."
Lee suddenly relaxed, all his nervous fears vanished. "McCall," he exclaimed softly.
"And Rose," Skip added, with a vigorous nod of his head. "McCall flew out to L.A. with Scott so he and Nicky could come here together. Once Rose and McCall started talking, I guess they got a notion to come and visit. They're staying at a hotel in Santa Fe," Skip finished.
After an instant of amazed silence, everyone started talking at once. The last time either Rose or McCall were at the ranch had been three years ago, when they came as invited guests to Murphy and Sherry's wedding. The family all considered them good friends, but Jake's open hostility kept the pair from feeling very comfortable attending the reunions.
"Okay, okay." Skip held up his hand for quiet. When he had their attention, he started again. "Here's the deal. McCall's birthday is in a week. When I talked to Rose, I kinda got the impression she'd like to throw him a party... a surprise party."
"Whose idea was the surprise?" Mel asked.
Skip grinned. "Well, that part was my idea. Anyway... here's what we're gonna do."
He launched excitedly into his plans. By the time he finished, they'd all been caught up in his enthusiasm and their voices picked up in volume more than any of them realized. Only his years of training allowed Lee's ears to catch the sound of the rifle being cocked. He shoved Amanda behind him and whirled around an instant before a voice boomed at them from the end of the barn.
"What in hell's goin' on?" Uncle Jake demanded hotly. He stood there in his pajama bottoms and T-shirt, his rifle held menacingly in both hands. His silver hair stood out wildly. Obviously he'd just gotten out of bed.
Lee's heart still thumped loudly but he held up his hands placatingly. "It's okay, Uncle Jake. It's just us. Put the gun down."
After an agonizing few seconds, Jake finally lowered his weapon. He ran a hand through his hair and his face held a scowl. "What in the Sam Hill are you doin' out here?" he asked again. "I heard a ruckus and thought we had more of those terrorists."
"Not this year," Skip quipped lightly and Lee saw Andy nudge him in the side.
"We're so sorry, Jake," Cait apologized contritely. She walked over to take the older man's arm. "We didn't mean to frighten anybody."
To Lee's surprise, his uncle's face actually softened and he patted Cait's hand awkwardly. "That's okay, little lady. You just gave me a start is all."
"Yeah... well, why don't we break this little party up and get to bed," Sherry suggested helpfully. "It's pretty late."
They all started towards the house. Cait still held Jake's arm, leading the way, with Andy a few paces behind.
Lee took Amanda's hand and walked her across the yard. As they reached the kitchen door and everyone bade their wives goodnight, Lee felt suddenly reluctant to let Amanda go. This was the one aspect of coming to the reunion he didn't like. He'd grown so used to sleeping beside her, the thought of spending the night alone in the bunkhouse was not very appealing.
"Goodnight, Lee," Amanda whispered and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek.
"'Night, Amanda," he replied softly, feeling like a teenager on a date. As she pulled away, he held onto her hand as long as he could, slowly letting it slip from his grasp. He stood watching after her until the door closed.
A hand suddenly came down on his shoulder. Lee turned to see Skip's smirking face.
"C'mon, Romeo. She'll still be there in the morning."
"Aw, cut it out, Skipper," Murphy spoke up on Lee's behalf. "They're still newlyweds."
Lee was glad the night covered up his flush of embarrassment, but he also knew his cousins' ribbing was all done in good-natured affection. He fell into step with them on their way to the bunkhouse, but couldn't help casting one more glance over his shoulder. He was positive he saw Amanda waving to him from her upstairs window.
The next day dawned bright and clear, promising a hot afternoon, but for now Rose enjoyed the pleasant hint of a breeze that kept the morning cool. The windows were down in the car, letting she and Robert both take advantage of the fresh air now, before the day's heat would force them to use the air conditioner.
Rose glanced at Robert. He had absolutely no idea what was up and she would have to work to keep him from finding out. When Nicky finally called to relay Skip's plan, Rose knew it wasn't going to be easy keeping Robert occupied all day. There were only so many errands she could make up and Robert was extremely observant. It wouldn't take much for him to figure out he was being purposefully kept away from the hotel.
It would all be worth it, though. Robert needed something to cheer him up. Rose had noticed the last little while he'd seemed rather down and she wasn't sure why. At first she'd chalked it up to her own imagination. After all, they mostly talked on the phone and it wasn't easy to read a person from long distances. But when he'd shown up with Scott, she knew immediately that he had something on his mind. He'd also made more than a few off-hand remarks about how old he was getting. That's when the idea for having a party first began to form in Rose's mind. Of course, she'd had quite a job convincing him to make the trip out here, but he'd finally relented. Now all she had to do was to keep him out of the way for a few hours to give the family time to get set up.
"The bank's next," Rose reminded as they turned onto the main highway.
If Robert thought it unusual for her to have to do banking while in Santa Fe, he didn't say anything. He merely nodded once, then headed for downtown.
"First wave... move out," Skip commanded, beckoning them on as McCall's car disappeared out of the parking lot.
"Who put him in charge?" Lee grumbled as they followed in Skip's wake.
"Oh, he's just having fun," Amanda defended.
"I know, I know," Lee conceded. He snaked an arm around Amanda's waist and held her back, letting the rest of the group pass in front of them. He then leaned down and kissed her soundly.
When she finally pulled away breathlessly, he grinned wickedly. "I've been waiting all night to do that."
"You're incorrigible," Amanda scolded, but her heart wasn't in it. She leaned in for more and Lee willingly obliged.
"I missed you," he whispered.
"Me too."
"Hey, you two!" Skip shouted from the open hotel door. "The party's in here!"
Lee rolled his eyes in exasperation. Amanda giggled and kissed Lee once more before she grabbed his hand and led him to the lobby.
The lobby was full when Rose and McCall entered the bank. Resigned to a long wait, McCall took Rose's arm and led her to the end of the line. He hadn't pressed her when she'd asked to come here, though it seemed strange that someone as well off as she would need to suddenly go to the bank... in another state. It was enough that she'd asked, and since it didn't seem they were going to be able to get together with anyone until later this evening, it gave them something to do with their day.
Many years of training kept his eyes constantly moving, even though he knew there was little need here. It was a habit he'd never broken, and while he tried not to be obvious about it, especially in front of Rose, he still prided himself on rarely being taken unaware. At the very least it became an exercise in vigilance. Fortunately, he was seldom required to act upon what he saw.
The tellers were busy this morning. An old lady at one window loudly explained something to the woman handling her account. A frazzled young mother with three rambunctious children was hurriedly trying to conduct her business, while her youngsters swung on the ropes that formed the line. Further down, the merchant window was busy as well. All in a day's work for a bank.
He caught the door opening out of the corner of his eye and frowned slightly at the three sloppily dressed men who entered. They came over to stand at the end of the line, but something about them bothered McCall. A sixth sense pricked the back of his neck and he instinctively grabbed hold of Rose's arm.
She looked up at him curiously, then her face grew serious as she saw the concern in his eyes. He shook his head slightly, trying to reassure her. He then peered around, looking for the lone guard he'd spotted earlier.
The man was chatting with someone, probably a regular customer, and wasn't paying the slightest attention to anything else. Wondering if he was worried for nothing, McCall shifted his glance briefly to the trio behind him, spotting a bulge under the ratty coat.
Keeping his actions completely normal, McCall leaned down slightly to catch Rose's ear.
"Go outside, Rose. Walk normally, but go now."
"Robert..."
"Just do it, Rose," he insisted in an urgent whisper. "Now."
She held his gaze for an intense moment and McCall feared she would refuse, but finally she turned and left the line, walking casually toward the door.
She almost made it. The mother with the kids was in front of her and slowed up the action of the sliding doors. As Rose naturally held back, letting the woman gather her brood and get out the door, McCall saw the man make his move.
"Get down!" he shouted. He lunged for the gun as it came out of the coat.
Chaos erupted. Amid shouts and screams and gunfire, McCall saw Rose dive to the floor, still inside the bank, as the doors swung shut, sealed by the automatic security system. He had his hands full. He grappled with one gunman and managed to subdue him, only to encounter another.
He saw the guard go down -- wounded or dead, he didn't know. The alarms rang shrilly in his ears, blocking out everything else until the blast of a gun nearly deafened him and the flash of a pain so familiar shot through his body. He felt himself falling, the world spinning crazily.
"Robert!"
Rose's panicked voice was the last thing he remembered hearing.
The small banquet room overflowed with balloons, streamers and confetti. Plenty of punch, cookies, cake, chip, dip and other assorted goodies lined the tables, waiting for the festivities to begin. All they needed now was the guest of honor.
Sitting off to the side, at one of the less festooned tables, Lee watched with amusement as Skip and Murphy repeatedly chased their sons away from the food, only to have them attack the decorations. Their wives had gone to the ranch on another covert run for guests. He chuckled to himself thinking how Uncle Jake would soon be just about the only one left at the ranch.
Tommy raced by their table, only to have Amanda scoop him up in her arms and tickle him. She leaned over, plucked a balloon from the centerpiece and gave it to the toddler, who trotted away happily. Murphy gave her a wave of thanks.
Amanda sat back against Lee. As he slipped his arm around her he could've sworn she heaved a little sigh. He glanced down and saw her gazing at the little ones, her expression wistful.
Lee pondered that for a few moments, wondering if perhaps he'd read the situation wrong. He'd been so certain Amanda didn't want any more children, but ever since they'd arrived, he'd gotten just the opposite reaction from her. Maybe he'd been wrong from the very beginning.
"Amanda?" he began impulsively, before he could talk himself out of it.
She looked up at him, then straightened up when she noticed the expression on his face. "What's the matter, Lee?"
He smiled softly to reassure her. "Nothing's wrong. I just..." He paused, trying to find the right words. "I... I was just thinking about stuff is all..." Damn, but he could sound like a moron sometimes.
"What stuff?" Amanda pressed, taking his hand between her own.
Lee knew his face must be red as a beet by now, but he'd started this, he had to blunder his way through it. "Well... I was just wondering... I know the boys are practically all grown up and I wouldn't blame you for not wanting to, but..."
Amanda suddenly smiled lovingly. She held her hand to lips, sparing him any further discomfort. "Are you talking about having a baby, Lee?" she whispered.
Lee nodded. "Of course, only if you want to. I mean, you're the one who..."
Amanda silenced his babbling by pressing her lips to his. Lee responded gladly, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. When she finally drew back, he could see tears welling in her eyes, but her face radiated joy.
"Oh, Lee," she breathed. "Of course, I do. I thought all this time that you didn't want to start a family."
"Me?" Lee gazed at her in wonder. "But I thought I made it pretty clear how I felt."
"You did," Amanda answered, then they both laughed.
"I guess we were on different wavelengths," Lee concluded.
"Which is both our faults for not talking to each other," Amanda added.
Lee hugged her tightly again. He pressed his lips to her ear. "So when do we get to start?" he whispered passionately.
Amanda pulled away and gave him an incredulous look. "Well, unless you can find some place private around here, we'll have to wait 'til we get home."
Lee felt a new determination growing inside. "I'll consider that a challenge, Mrs. Stetson," he informed her with a wink. "I'm not about to wait two more weeks. I'll find the right place."
Amanda touched his cheek, then let her hand trail down his chest with the promise of things to come. She returned his wink. "I'm countin' on you, big fella."
Silence weighed heavily over the bank, replacing the tumult of only an hour ago. The would-be robbers, their heist thwarted, paced the lobby restlessly. The hostages sat along the walls silently, waiting fearfully for the outcome.
In the initial confusion, Rose managed to work her way to McCall, relieved to find him still alive. He was bleeding badly though, from a wound in the upper right quadrant. His breathing wasn't labored, so she felt fairly confident his lung was all right. She used strips of his shirt for compresses and did her best to control the bleeding. His head rested in her lap and so far he hadn't awakened.
"Robert," she whispered for the countless time, not wanting to draw attention. "Robert, are you with me?" This time his eyes fluttered open as consciousness gradually returned.
"Rose?"
"Shhh, it's okay," she soothed, trying to keep him quiet. "We're still in the bank."
He tried to lift his head, but Rose's hand on his forehead kept him down. "Damn," he croaked softly. "Guess I am getting too old for this. Too damn slow."
Rose shook her head reprovingly. "There were three of them," she reminded him gently.
McCall attempted to chuckle, but ended up wincing in pain. Rose took hold of his hand and he clasped it gratefully.
"Are you telling me I'm not Superman?" he managed after a moment.
Rose knew he was trying to make light of the situation, but she didn't smile. Instead, she ran a hand lovingly through his white hair, feeling tears welling up in her eyes. "I think you're pretty super," she admitted.
Robert's eyes locked on hers and the intensity she saw there shook her. Something warm filled her soul -- something she hadn't felt in a long, long time, and it took her breath away. The strength of her own feelings frightened her and she started to turn away. She felt Robert's hand grip her's tighter and she slowly met his gaze again.
"It's all right," he whispered hoarsely. "You don't have to be afraid."
And suddenly she wasn't. In spite of the armed men pacing a few feet in front of them, she was no longer frightened -- and knew she no longer had to be alone. She bent down and placed a tender kiss on his forehead.
Lee checked his watch, his fingers drumming on the table. It was already three hours past the time Rose was supposed to have McCall back for the party and they hadn't heard anything yet. Most of the family were milling around, talking quietly among themselves. Skip had relented and let everyone start in on the snacks and sodas, but it had become apparent to everyone that the plan hadn't come off as expected. They were only waiting now for someone to state the obvious and bring their worry out into the open. Lee figured that person would probably be him.
He walked over to the main desk where Murphy was busy on the phone. His cousin hung up and exhaled noisily.
"That's every place on the list... unless they went somewhere Rose hadn't planned on." He studied his notes and frowned. "'Course, I couldn't get through to the bank. Operator said the line's out of order for some reason."
Lee's sense of trouble picked up at that. "Out of order? I don't like that."
Murphy frowned. "What kind of trouble could they get into at a bank?"
Lee's eyebrows raised. "Should I start a list?"
"This isn't D.C., Lee... or even Denver. This is Santa Fe, for crying out loud."
Lee's jaw set determinedly. "Where they still have bad guys, like it or not." He glanced over to where Scott and Nick were keeping a watch for their parents, then turned back to Murphy. "Call the locals, Murph. See if there's been any action at the bank."
Murphy picked up the phone. He spent a few minutes being passed from one person to the next, until he finally got fed up and started demanding some answers. At last connected with someone who could tell him something, Murphy's face told Lee everything before his cousin ever hung up.
"A hold up?" Lee questioned.
Murphy nodded grimly. "A bad one. Hostages and everything. It's still going down."
Lee took a deep breath and shot another glance into the banquet room. "Guess we have to tell them."
"So much for a peaceful reunion," Murphy muttered as he followed Lee.
The police had the bank surrounded, but so far no attempts had been made rush the place. Lee found the captain in charge in a strategy session with several of his officers. The man was in no mood to listen to a civilian and wasn't even impressed when Lee showed him his I.D.
"I don't need a damned secret agent," the man growled. "I need a S.W.A.T. team... which I ain't got right now."
"What about the hostages?" Lee pressed. "I may have family in there."
The scowl left the man's face for a moment. "Sorry. Nothing yet. You'll have to wait with everybody else." He turned back to his men in a dismissing gesture.
Lee ground his teeth, but refrained from saying anything. He made his way to where Murphy, Skip, Andy, Nick, Scott and Amanda were waiting for him. He shook his head negatively.
"Nothing. He's up to his neck in problems already. Last thing he wants is some stranger walking in and giving him advice."
"What can we do?" Nick asked worriedly.
"If Dad's in there, maybe we won't have to do anything," Scott suggested hopefully.
Lee mouth was taut, reluctant to put a damper on the younger man's hopes. "If McCall could do anything, he'd would've done it already."
He studied the building, sizing it up. It was a stand-alone bank, with ample parking on three sides. Squad cars filled that lot, with armed officers covering both the street entrance and the rear exit.
"What do you think?" Murphy asked.
Lee shrugged. "The roof... maybe?" Looks like an A/C unit up there. Has to be some ducts in the ceiling."
"Yeah, but how you gonna get up there?" Andy wondered.
Lee squinted to see better. "There's that tree... see how it bends over the asphalt? I could drop down from there."
"You mean we," Amanda reminded him sharply.
"Amanda..." Lee hedged, but the look on her face stopped him. They didn't have time to argue and he knew he wouldn't win anyway. He sighed in resignation. "We can drop down from there."
"What about the rest of us?" Murphy wanted to know. "We just sit around on our thumbs?" He didn't sound very happy.
Lee shook his head. "We can't have an army thundering around up there." He gave his cousins a smile. "Besides, I need a diversion out here."
It proved easier to get on the roof than Lee expected. The police were so intent on who might be coming out of the bank, they paid little attention to who might want to get in. The old oak sprang from a neighboring yard, enabling Lee and Amanda to climb the main trunk unobserved. Once above the action, it was fairly simple to make their way through the treetops, over the head of the officers, and slip down onto the roof undetected.
Getting the air conditioner off was a little harder, mostly because they had to be so quiet about it. It took Lee nearly fifteen minutes to finally lift the metal casing away, revealing the main duct below. Amanda peered into the dimly lit crawlway apprehensively.
"It looks like it goes straight down," she observed cautiously.
Lee stared down, trying to see better. "It can't go far," he told her. "The building isn't that tall." He finished securing the rope. "Besides, that's what we brought this for." He gave her a reassuring wink before he started lowering himself down. "Follow me down."
Amanda held fast to her own rope. As soon as Lee's head disappeared into the dark, she started down herself. The aluminum echoed loudly to Amanda's ears as she and Lee both knocked into it now and then. It couldn't be helped. She only hoped no one else could hear them coming.
They didn't have far to climb. Before Amanda had much chance to grow claustrophobic, the duct bent and leveled out. She let go of her rope and was soon crawling on hands and knees behind Lee. Shortly, she could see light coming in from a vent ahead.
"Stop," Lee whispered suddenly, his voice so low she barely heard it. Ever so slowly, he shifted his position so that his feet were planted against the opening. He pulled one of the guns they'd borrowed from McCall's suitcase and held it in his left hand. "Brace my back," he instructed.
Amanda lowered her shoulder into Lee's back, planting her feet firmly on the wall of the duct. "Ready," she told him. "Can you see anything?"
"Not much," he reported. "Some of the hostages... maybe one of the gunmen." He leaned forward. "There's another one. Once their attention is somewhere else, I can get the drop on them. Now we just have to wait for Skip's diversion. It should be right about now."
A tremendous roar, followed by the shattering of glass provided more than enough of a cue. Amanda felt Lee tense against her as he kicked with all his might. He sent the vent clattering to the floor, following it down. He landed on his feet, his gun ready.
"Hold it!" Amanda heard him shout, then two shots sounded.
By the time she jumped out of the duct, her own gun poised, she could see one of the robbers lying on the ground. The other two held their hands over their heads and uniformed police were pouring in past the patrol car that sat halfway inside the lobby.
"Lee, are you okay?" She rushed to his side and he put a reassuring arm around her.
"I'm fine." He gestured to where Skip had "assumed the position" against the car he'd used in his diversion. "I think Skip might have some explaining to do, though."
McCall blew out the candles on his cake with some help from Rose. He hurt too badly to make a very good effort. That done, he lay back in his bed as everyone cheered. He knew how much work they'd done planning his party, only to have it spoiled. This smaller version -- all the hospital would allow -- was an attempt to make up for that.
They were all in attendance, everyone he cared about. Scott sat on his right, with Nicky beside him. All the boys and their wives were here as well. And Rose... Rose had the seat on his left, her hand never letting go of his.
"I still haven't figured out how you talked that cop into letting you borrow his car," Lee marveled as the cake got passed around to everyone.
Skip merely shrugged, his eyes dancing. "We all have our secrets."
"Yeah... and that little secret nearly landed you in jail," Melanie reminded him, hugging him tightly. "If Lee hadn't been able to convince the captain you were on our side..."
"I wasn't sure he wanted to listen to me either," Lee chuckled. "He was pretty ticked at us for taking things into our own hands."
"Well, I'm rather glad you did," McCall told them. "The police mean well, but sometimes they can be a little... rigid."
"I'm just thankful Robert didn't have to wait any longer to get treatment," Rose added. "He was losing a lot of blood."
"Then I'm glad we didn't wait," Amanda stated emphatically. "Is that guard going to be okay?"
Lee nodded. "I heard he's doing all right. Good thing those boys didn't have better aim."
"And after all that, Uncle Jake still never found out what was going on," Andy laughed. "I would've loved to see the look on his face when he realized nobody was at the ranch."
The conversation continued, but McCall felt content to lie quietly. He supposed he should be upset with himself that he'd botched his attempt to take care of matters. But for some reason, he felt happier than he had in a long time. It might have been the pain killers, but he didn't think so. He squeezed Rose's hand. She turned to meet his eyes and what he saw there sent a warmth through him that had nothing to do with medication.
The evening air was warm, but the night breeze kept it from being miserable. Lee walked with Amanda from the hospital to the car, their arms linked. On a sudden impulse, Lee stopped and took both Amanda's hands in his.
"I've really been thinking," he began, then halted, his eyes moving from her face to gaze up at the myriad of stars.
"Dangerous habit," Amanda quipped, bringing his focus back to her.
Lee wrapped both arms around his wife. "It's just that life can be pretty dicey, no matter what you do for a living. I wouldn't want to ever lose you."
Amanda tightened her hold, then relaxed. She brought her hands up to hold his face. "I'm not going anywhere, Lee Stetson," she assured him. "And neither are you. We've got some unfinished business, remember?"
Lee pretended to think, then grinned mischievously. "I guess we do at that." He draped his arm around her shoulders and they started walking again. "I still don't want to wait 'til we get home," he persisted.
"I don't know how you're going to manage that," Amanda teased. "You know we won't have a moment alone the whole time we're here."
"We have our ways," Lee intoned in a bad German accent, then grew a little more serious. "Trust me, Amanda. I'll figure something out."
As Lee led Amanda along the old trail, he knew she must have thought he'd lost his mind. After all, a rugged hike up a mountain probably wasn't what she'd pictured when he told her he'd found the perfect spot for a romantic evening alone. She hadn't complained -- even though the going proved rough and there were spots that had become densely overgrown from so little use. Lee was actually surprised he'd still been able to find it after all these years. But instinct and long-stored up memories took over, and he'd found himself more and more confident the further they went.
"Not too far now." He flashed Amanda an encouraging smile.
To her credit, she returned it, willing to trust Lee in this. He gripped her hand tighter and pushed on. It had to be just up ahead. They were near the top of the hill.
He felt the rush of anticipation as he reached the familiar clearing. He stopped and felt Amanda come up to stand beside him. He knew he must be grinning like an idiot, but the sight of the boarded up entrance to the old mine shaft brought back all the emotions of his childhood summers.
"Where... do we go... from here?" Amanda panted, peering around for a likely-looking spot.
"Nowhere. We're here," Lee pronounced excitedly.
"Right here?" Amanda's voice told Lee loud and clear that she was about to put her foot down.
"Well, no... not right here," Lee laughed. He gestured to the top of the hill. "Up there."
Amanda's gaze followed his direction and her eyes widened in surprise. "Oh... up there. That's much better."
"Ha, ha," Lee drawled. "You'll see, Mrs. Stetson." He grabbed her hand again and together they climbed the last few feet to the entrance. Lee turned to Amanda. "You wait right here a minute. I have a few things to set up."
"I'm sure you do," Amanda chuckled.
Lee ignored her jest and went to work prying off the old boards. It didn't take long to make a large enough entry. Most of the wood was rotted. It either broke in half or the nails pulled loose effortlessly. Lee took his flashlight off his belt and clicked it on to illuminate the pitch black tunnel, then took a step inside. He turned once to lean out and kiss Amanda quickly.
"Don't go anywhere," he advised with a wink, then ducked inside.
He found the hideout easily and slipped off his backpack. In a few moments he had the lantern lit, illuminating the little den.
It amazed him how much smaller this place seemed than when he was a kid. He tried hard to remember the last time he'd been here. They'd come regularly the first few years after he'd started staying the summers here. But as they got older and more involved in other things, the hideout held less and less appeal as a place to spend their time. He couldn't recall exactly the very last occasion they'd all been here together.
Conscious of Amanda waiting by herself outside, Lee got busy. He had a bit of work to do before he brought her inside.
Amanda sat perched on a small bolder just outside the old mine entrance. She wasn't losing patience so much as curiosity was beginning to get the best of her. After all their frustration in trying to find some private time together during the reunion, she'd begun to lose hope of getting Lee alone for one minute, let alone enough time for what she considered a romantic evening. Just when she'd resigned herself to having to wait until they got home, Lee had informed her he'd remembered the perfect place.
She regarded the dark, cobwebbed entrance. It looked more like the perfect place for a spook alley. But she could hear faint sounds from inside as Lee worked on his surprise. He'd been so excited about it -- like a little kid at Christmas bursting to tell you what's in the biggest present under the tree.
She smiled to herself. She loved it when Lee got like that. She knew there'd been few childish adventures and secrets when he was young. Whatever memories he cherished all stemmed from his summers here in New Mexico. She would give him this moment. Whatever was inside this place obviously meant a great deal to Lee. She peered once more into the darkness. She only hoped it got a little better than this.
She saw the beam from his flashlight only a moment before Lee appeared at the entrance. He wore a few smudges of dirt along with the grin on his face.
"All ready," he announced and reached for Amanda's hand.
She stood and took his hand, following trustingly as he led her into the mine. The bobbing light didn't do much to bolster her confidence in the safety of this place.
"You sure these walls won't come down on us?" she asked, trying hard not to sound as nervous as she felt.
"Don't worry," Lee assured her. "It only gets dangerous farther back. We're not going there."
Amanda wondered how exactly Lee knew where the shaft got dangerous, but she refrained from asking. She just made sure she kept close beside him.
He was right. They didn't go very far before he turned her towards what looked like a natural opening in the rock. There seemed to be plenty of light pouring out from the place and Lee clicked off his flashlight as he gestured dramatically for Amanda to proceed him.
"After you, m'lady," he invited.
Amanda took a deep breath and stepped into the cave, then stopped as she gazed in wonder at what she found.
It was a boys' place -- that was obvious -- from the dartboard and the small basketball hoop nailed to the wall, to the model airplanes that hung from strings attached to the ceiling. There were posters of spaceships, both real and imaginary, covering a good portion of one wall and Amanda knew without question they belonged to Skip. There were crates filled with kids books and magazines, and a small table stood in a corner, littered with odds and ends of electronic equipment.
"I know it's not exactly Club Med," Lee spoke quietly. He'd come in to stand beside Amanda. "Hell, it's not even Motel 6," he laughed self-consciously. "But it's about the most private place we'll find around here." He shrugged and gestured to one side of the small cavern. "I tried to make it a little more comfortable."
Amanda saw where he had laid out an open sleeping bag and made a bed of sorts on the ground. Beside it, on a short, wooden stool, sat an unopened bottle of champagne with two crystal flutes. A small candle sat beside it, it's tiny flame lost in the brighter glare of the lantern.
"Amanda..." Lee began hesitantly, "I know this probably isn't what you had in mind, but... well, this is where my life really began. I realize the odds on things happening the first time we try..." He cleared his throat -- a sign that he was, as always, uncomfortable talking about such deeply personal things -- and started again. "I just want to be able to look back and remember that here is where we started our own family." He shrugged self-consciously. "Pretty dumb, huh?"
Amanda reached out to take both of Lee's hands. She found it hard to talk around the lump of emotion in her throat, but somehow she managed.
"Lee, this is absolutely perfect. I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be."
His face broke into a warm, grateful smile as he pulled her into his arms.
"I love you, Amanda Stetson."
"I love you too, Lee," she whispered, luxuriating in the feel of his hands roaming up her back and over her shoulders.
No other words were necessary between them. Lee walked to the table and put out the lantern, leaving them in the candlelight. He then took Amanda by the hand and led her over to the sleeping bag. They sat down and Amanda watched as Lee opened the wine and poured it deftly. He handed her one of the glasses then raised his in a toast.
"To starting over," he whispered softly, his blue eyes reflecting the candle's flame.
"To new beginnings," Amanda replied, her gaze never leaving his, losing herself in the depths of the love and passion she saw there.
They drank their toast, then Lee gently took the glass from her hand and set them both on the stool. He reached out to brush his fingers over her cheek, letting them travel lightly down her neck. Amanda closed her eyes, thrilled as always by his touch. Though they'd been married for more than a year, every time seemed as exhilarating as the first. And this was a first in its own way. This time would be more than just the physical manifestation of their love for each other. This time they would be starting a new chapter in their lives -- the beginning of the future.