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Authors: Valerie Hansen
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senior Payne estate, on Lake Norfork, outside of Mountain Home. Are you familiar with the location?”
Stacy pressed her lips into a thin line. Unfortunately, she was well acquainted with the luxurious mansion and grounds. Mark had taken her there several times, trying to impress her. All he’d succeeded in doing was making her feel totally out of place.
“I know where it is,” she said. “What else?”
“There’s nothing else to tell. When Mr. Payne instructed me to hire you to find the child, he said you’d take care of the details.”
That figured. “All right. Tell him I’m on my way.”
“And your fee?”
Words Stacy hadn’t used since her rebellious teenage years bubbled to the surface of her consciousness. She refused to give in, voice them, and disappoint her Heavenly Father. “Six million, give or take a mil,” she retorted. “Tell him I’ll take it out in Gummi Bears.”
Rather than go all the way up to Ash Flat, Stacy cut across on Highways 58 and 69 to Melbourne, then dropped down to Calico Rock on the White River and picked up Highway 5. None of the roads were easy driving. The only good thing was that it was bright daylight. Closer to dusk, she’d have had to slow way down to be ready to dodge whitetail deer crossing the roads.
By the time Stacy started across the four-lane bridge at the south end of Lake Norfork she could feel the tightness in her arm muscles from fighting the old truck on the twisting mountain roads. Her palms were sweaty. Her back was tied in knots of tension. And, like it or not, the closer she got to Mountain Home, the more uptight she was.
She hadn’t taken the time to load Lewis’s traveling crate in the back of her pickup truck, so he was perched on the seat next to her, panting.
“Yeah, I’m too warm, too,” she muttered. “But that’s just because I’m rushed. What’s your excuse?”
Lewis seemed to smile back at her.
Rolling down the driver’s side window, she felt the wind caress her cheek, lifting wisps of her hair.She glanced down at herself. She’d managed to find a clean pair of nice jeans and a blouse to match, but she hadn’t taken the time to fix her damp, flyaway hair or put on any makeup, either.
Oh, well. Who cares? she thought. Instantly, her mind conjured up images of the stiff, conservative Payne family. They’d care how she was dressed even if she were only stopping by to pick up their trash!
Stacy chuckled. “We’re going to be about as welcome as a skunk at a Sunday School picnic,” she told the dog. “Only this time, I don’t care what they think of me.”
Fully attentive, Lewis licked his nose, his expressive, chocolate-colored eyes watching her every movement.
She reached over and patted him. “That’s what I like about you, kiddo. You’re easygoing, friendly, loyal, smart and you never give me any trouble.” Unlike the man she was on her way to help, she added.
The silly comparison made her chuckle. “Know what? If Graydon Payne was a dog I’d sell him to the lowest bidder and get a good one like you in his place.” She ruffled Lewis’s ears as he stretched out on the seat beside her.
Contemplating the classified ad she’d place, her high humor intensified. “I can see it now. ‘Good-looking but unteachable man for sale. Will trade for decent dog.’”
That did it. Stacy began to laugh hysterically.Tears of uncontrolled hilarity filled her eyes and ran down her cheeks. Rather than chance a wreck, she pulled onto the shoulder at the far end of the bridge to wait until she could catch her breath and regain the necessary faculties to continue safely.
Gasping, she wiped her eyes then blew her nose. This was ridiculous. She was tired, yes, but not tired enough to trigger such an absurd reaction. Thoughts of Gray, however, had apparently pushed her over the limits of her ability to cope with the present crisis. Proud of her normal resilience in tense situations, she was astonished to have experienced
Stacy pressed her lips into a thin line. Unfortunately, she was well acquainted with the luxurious mansion and grounds. Mark had taken her there several times, trying to impress her. All he’d succeeded in doing was making her feel totally out of place.
“I know where it is,” she said. “What else?”
“There’s nothing else to tell. When Mr. Payne instructed me to hire you to find the child, he said you’d take care of the details.”
That figured. “All right. Tell him I’m on my way.”
“And your fee?”
Words Stacy hadn’t used since her rebellious teenage years bubbled to the surface of her consciousness. She refused to give in, voice them, and disappoint her Heavenly Father. “Six million, give or take a mil,” she retorted. “Tell him I’ll take it out in Gummi Bears.”
Rather than go all the way up to Ash Flat, Stacy cut across on Highways 58 and 69 to Melbourne, then dropped down to Calico Rock on the White River and picked up Highway 5. None of the roads were easy driving. The only good thing was that it was bright daylight. Closer to dusk, she’d have had to slow way down to be ready to dodge whitetail deer crossing the roads.
By the time Stacy started across the four-lane bridge at the south end of Lake Norfork she could feel the tightness in her arm muscles from fighting the old truck on the twisting mountain roads. Her palms were sweaty. Her back was tied in knots of tension. And, like it or not, the closer she got to Mountain Home, the more uptight she was.
She hadn’t taken the time to load Lewis’s traveling crate in the back of her pickup truck, so he was perched on the seat next to her, panting.
“Yeah, I’m too warm, too,” she muttered. “But that’s just because I’m rushed. What’s your excuse?”
Lewis seemed to smile back at her.
Rolling down the driver’s side window, she felt the wind caress her cheek, lifting wisps of her hair.She glanced down at herself. She’d managed to find a clean pair of nice jeans and a blouse to match, but she hadn’t taken the time to fix her damp, flyaway hair or put on any makeup, either.
Oh, well. Who cares? she thought. Instantly, her mind conjured up images of the stiff, conservative Payne family. They’d care how she was dressed even if she were only stopping by to pick up their trash!
Stacy chuckled. “We’re going to be about as welcome as a skunk at a Sunday School picnic,” she told the dog. “Only this time, I don’t care what they think of me.”
Fully attentive, Lewis licked his nose, his expressive, chocolate-colored eyes watching her every movement.
She reached over and patted him. “That’s what I like about you, kiddo. You’re easygoing, friendly, loyal, smart and you never give me any trouble.” Unlike the man she was on her way to help, she added.
The silly comparison made her chuckle. “Know what? If Graydon Payne was a dog I’d sell him to the lowest bidder and get a good one like you in his place.” She ruffled Lewis’s ears as he stretched out on the seat beside her.
Contemplating the classified ad she’d place, her high humor intensified. “I can see it now. ‘Good-looking but unteachable man for sale. Will trade for decent dog.’”
That did it. Stacy began to laugh hysterically.Tears of uncontrolled hilarity filled her eyes and ran down her cheeks. Rather than chance a wreck, she pulled onto the shoulder at the far end of the bridge to wait until she could catch her breath and regain the necessary faculties to continue safely.
Gasping, she wiped her eyes then blew her nose. This was ridiculous. She was tired, yes, but not tired enough to trigger such an absurd reaction. Thoughts of Gray, however, had apparently pushed her over the limits of her ability to cope with the present crisis. Proud of her normal resilience in tense situations, she was astonished to have experienced
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