Out of the Depths

That thought made her want to smile. She would have surrendered to the urge if she hadn’t been worried about giving Cody the wrong impression. The last thing the poor guy needed was to think she was laughing at his plight.

The most entertaining element of their situation was her own reactions to everything about him. It had been a long time since anyone had flustered her enough to bring out her klutzy side, nor had she been this personally interested in any man for ages. She wasn’t a prude. She was simply fed up with exaggerated male egos, thanks mainly to her recent disappointment in the one person she’d thought she could trust to be faithful. Ned’s disloyalty had taken her completely by surprise. Thus, she no longer trusted her instincts the way she used to.

Cody had been staring at her ever since he’d dropped his bombshell. “Well? Aren’t you going to say anything?”

“About what?” Trudy Lynn huffed. “If you think I’m going to stick my nose into something that’s none of my business, you have another think coming.” One eyebrow arched and she gave him a cursory glance. “However, if you want to tell me what happened, I’ll be happy to listen.”

“Never mind.”

“Okay.” She shrugged and concentrated on the curving road ahead.

“You really aren’t curious? I mean, suppose I’m dangerous?”

That brought a soft chuckle. “If I thought you were, I wouldn’t be here with you.”

Cody agreed. “If I had my choice, I wouldn’t be here with me, either.”

“That might be a little hard to accomplish.”

“No lie.” He was slowly shaking his head. “You know, as many times as I’ve gone over that day in my mind, I still haven’t figured out what I could have done to avert the accident.”

“Maybe it was meant to be.” Trudy Lynn saw his fists clench, so she elaborated. “What I mean is, maybe there wasn’t anything that could have been done, at least not on your part. Most disasters are the result of a combination of errors. You can’t hold yourself totally responsible.”

Cody snorted in disgust. “Maybe not, but the dead man’s relatives sure blame me plenty.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Have they been giving you a lot of grief?”

“Not as much as they’ve said they’re going to give me. I’ve been warned I’ll be sued. And so will the tour company I used to work for.”

“What did happen, exactly?”

He gave her a swift, telling glance. “I thought you weren’t interested.”

“Hey, I never said that. I just told you I wasn’t going to pry. You’re the one who kept talking about it.”

“True. I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to get your take on it. You are in sort of the same business.”

Trudy Lynn listened patiently, stifling any urge to interrupt his story by asking for details. By the time he was through, she’d heard enough to clarify the main points and make sensible comments.

“Surely, your clients signed a waiver of responsibility. Even I require that, and my trips aren’t nearly as hazardous as whitewater rafting.”

“Of course they did. The victim signed one just like everybody else. Only he lied about his age. He was big enough to be every bit as old as he claimed.”

“But he wasn’t eighteen?”

“Bingo. Just seventeen.”

“Do you have a lawyer?”

“If I need one. I’m still hoping his family will cool off and not file suit.” He unconsciously rubbed the knotted muscles in his thigh as he spoke. “I did all I could. If my knee hadn’t snapped when he flipped me onto those rocks, I might have been able to save him.”

“You did your best, in spite of being hurt, right?”

“Of course.”

“Well, then…” Trudy Lynn shrugged. “What more do you want from yourself?”

The look of disdain Cody shot at her was a clear rebuke. Trudy Lynn took her hands off the wheel long enough to hold them up in a gesture of surrender. “Okay, okay. No more unsolicited advice. But I’m right, and you know it.”

“Do you always have to have the last word?”

She laughed softly. “I try to.”

Fireflies were blinking a pale, luminescent green welcome when Trudy Lynn pulled through the double gates of her Spring River Campground. Thanks to the lateness of the hour and scarcity of overnight campers this early in the season, the place was unusually quiet.

The dirt drive meandered in a lazy, back-and-forth pattern toward the flats beside the river. “I’ll put you in a cabin near the canoe storage to give you a better view of the area where we’ve had most of our trouble,” she told Cody.

“You were serious?”

“Very. I really do need someone to watch for vandals.” She smiled over at him. “And, yes, I actually do have that problem, in spite of your doubts.”

“Okay by me. Sailor and I will be delighted to stand guard. Figuratively speaking, in my case.”

“Don’t sell yourself short,” Trudy Lynn said.

Pulling up in front of a darkened cabin she killed the engine, set the parking brake and climbed out. Sailor had been patient till they’d stopped. Now, he was straining at the safety tether that held him in place in the truck bed.

“Just a minute, boy. Settle down,” she said, pausing to give him a pat and ruffle his ears. “Daddy first. Then you.”

She circled in time to meet Cody face-to-face as he braced himself on his crutches and slid off the seat. “I could have helped you do that,” she said.

“I may be crippled but I’m not helpless,” he replied stiffly.

“Good. Then I suppose you can get your own bags?” Her eyebrows arched.

“Gladly.” Cody groped behind the front seat and pulled out both his canvas duffel-type bags, letting them drop to the ground at his feet.

Trudy Lynn reached for one of them. He stopped her with an outstretched hand. “I said, I can handle it.”

“I know what you said. But this is my camp and you’re my guest. I’m not pampering you. I’d offer to help carry anybody’s bags, whether they were able to or not.”

“That’s nice. Tell you what. Why don’t you let Sailor loose before he goes nuts? He gets really agitated if he thinks I’m going to wander off and leave him.”

“I can see that.” Trudy Lynn ordered the Newfoundland to sit before she unfastened the tether and lowered the tailgate. His exuberance in scrambling out almost bowled her over.

The dog had made two galloping circuits of the pickup and had come to a stop at Cody’s feet before Trudy Lynn rejoined him. “Looks like he’s happy now.”

“It doesn’t take much to please Sailor. Food, water and my company. They definitely are a family breed, just not suited to my sister’s fancy new carpet and furniture.”

“Well, we fixed that.”

She was about to reach for his bags again when Cody waved her off. “Wait. Watch this.” He pointed to the strap of the largest one. “Sailor. Bring it.”

The enormous dog took the handle in his mouth gently, as if it were as fragile as a kitten, and, with his bushy tail waving, proudly bore it along while his master headed for the cabin.

“What about the other one?” Trudy Lynn asked.

“He’ll go get that, too.”

She hurried ahead to open the door and flip on the lights. Any worries she’d had that Sailor might get excited and knock his master down were dispelled when she noted how cautiously the lumbering dog proceeded. When the first bag was safely delivered, Cody sent him back for the second.

“Wow. I’m impressed,” Trudy Lynn said. “How did you teach him that?”

“I can’t take credit. He was a natural. From the time he was a pup he carried things around. Loved my socks. I used to leave them on the floor just so he’d have something to pick up and bring to me.”

“A furry valet?”

“Something like that. He added more to the mess than he cleaned up, but his heart was in the right place so I encouraged him.” Cody’s smile widened as Sailor returned with the second bag, mission accomplished, and placed it at his feet. “It would have been a lot nicer if he hadn’t drooled, though.”

“So what? You were going to wash the socks anyway.”

“Right.” He surveyed the one-room cabin approvingly. “Looks cozy. Any special instructions?”

“Not that I can think of. If I’d known anyone was going to be staying here I’d have made up the bed ahead of time.” She was already moving across the room. “It’ll only take me a second.”

“Don’t bother.”

Trudy Lynn sent him a grin over her shoulder as she whipped the plaid bedspread aside, unfurled a clean sheet and bent to her task. “Why? Does your dog make beds, too?”

“Not yet, but I’m working on it.”

“Should be an interesting trick. Especially if you can teach him to stop slobbering while he works.”

Cody made a face. “Yeah. There is that problem.”

“This cabin has its own private bathroom,” Trudy Lynn explained while smoothing out the last wrinkle in the bedding. “Towels are in the cabinet over there. So are more clean sheets if you decide Sailor needs to practice his tucking skills.”

“Thanks. I think I’ll wait on that till we get home.”

“In that case, I’ll say good-night and leave you in peace.”

She was almost to the door when Cody said, “Thank you.”

There was so much true relief in his tone she turned and smiled. “You’re quite welcome. Both of you. I’ll get Sailor’s food and dishes out of the back of the truck before I go. Sleep as late as you want in the morning. When you’re up and about, I’ll introduce you to my staff. There aren’t many of us. Will and I stay overnight. The rest come to work when I need them.”

Cody’s eyebrow arched. “Will? Your boyfriend? Husband?”

“Will’s old enough to be my grandpa,” she said with a subdued chuckle. “There’ve been lots of times when I’ve wished we were kin. I guess old friend describes him best. He takes a real proprietary interest in this place. I don’t know what I’d do without him.”

“I hope he doesn’t mind my staying here.”

“Don’t worry. First thing in the morning, I’ll explain everything to him.”

“While you’re at it, would you mind explaining it to me, too? I’m still not sure how I wound up here.”

“Providence,” Trudy Lynn said with a wide, satisfied grin. “I needed more security and God sent you.”

That brought a wry chuckle from her guest. “If I’m the best God can do, I think you’d better start questioning His wisdom. I have.”

“What an awful thing to say.”

“Maybe. But I meant every word.”

She sobered, eyes wide, and nodded. “I know you did. That’s what makes it a lot worse than it would be if you were joking.”

Cody was so exhausted he didn’t bother to unpack. He sent Sailor outside, briefly, then lay across the bed, fully clothed except for his shoes. The Newf made himself comfortable on the floor and quickly fell asleep.

Sailor snored, as usual, while Cody stared at the rustic pine ceiling and wondered why his dog had so much more peace than he did.

Because he doesn’t think of the future, Cody decided. No worries meant no stress. Too bad he couldn’t share the dog’s easy ability to drop off to sleep anywhere, anytime.

Relating the details of the fatal accident to Trudy Lynn had brought the tragedy vividly to mind for the second time that night. Not that the young man’s death was ever far from his thoughts. That moment would never leave him, never let him rest the way he once had.

Why kept nagging at him, refusing to be rationalized away. Too bad it wasn’t a question that could be solved like a riddle that had an actual solution. There was no answer to his conundrum—at least not one that included the benevolent, loving God he’d sought and believed in as a lonely, motherless child.

In that respect, his sister, Becky, had more faith than he’d ever possessed. He wasn’t about to pretend he still had a strong belief in the Lord, even if that meant he didn’t fit her idea of the perfect brother. As far as Cody was concerned, God had deserted him. Twice. No, make that three times. First when his mother had been killed, second when he’d prayed for the safety of his clients on the raft while fighting for his own life, and third, when Stephanie had walked away from the love she’d once sworn would last forever.

He looked down at his injured knee. It was throbbing in time with his heartbeats. Must be time for another pain pill, which meant he’d also need a glass of water. Well, so what? Why baby himself? He was going to ache all night anyway, just as he always did. At least the cabin was small enough to hop to the sink without crutches.

He swung his feet over the side of the bed and spoke to Sailor so the dog wouldn’t be startled, leap up and topple him. “That’s it, old boy. Scoot over. I’ll be right back.” The thick, black tail thumped on the bare floor.

Cody pulled himself upright by grabbing the headboard and stood quietly for a second to make sure he had his balance. The brace on his knee would keep it from giving out on him but there was always the chance of a sharp pain causing him to falter. He switched on the bedside lamp and started across the room. Seconds later, he heard a throaty growl behind him.

Grabbing the edge of the sink for support he stared at Sailor. The usually amiable, laid-back dog was fully alert. Had the vandals returned? Now that he’d switched on the cabin light, they’d know someone was close by. Would that be enough to scare them away? Cody hoped so.

Leaning against the kitchenette counter, he listened. Other than Sailor’s rumbling, silence reigned. Whip-poor-wills had stopped calling to their mates, frogs had ceased their rhythmic chirping, and even the noisy cicadas were still.

He tensed. The first thing he needed to do was grab his crutches so he’d be more mobile. Second, he had to keep Sailor from going on the defensive and getting into trouble.

“Sailor, come,” Cody whispered, giving a hand signal as well. Hackles up, the dog had risen and was facing the closed door, clearly standing guard.

“Sailor,” he hissed, “get over here.”

The protective canine reluctantly obeyed, edging closer until Cody was able to grab his collar.

The door creaked on rusty hinges. The first thing that poked through was the long barrel of a shotgun! Cody tightened his grip on Sailor, braced himself and waited.

A weathered old codger stepped into the room and took shaky aim. The man was clad only in boxer shorts and a sleeveless undershirt. At the ends of his spindly legs, his unlaced hiking boots looked as though they were at least as old as he was. Maybe older.

Before Cody could decide whether to yell at him, surrender, or burst out laughing, the old man commanded, “Freeze, mister. And call off your dog.”

“I’ve been trying to,” Cody said. “Don’t shoot. We’re unarmed.” He raised his free hand. “You must be Will.”

“What if I am?”

“Trudy Lynn, Ms. Brown, told me about you. She was planning to introduce us in the morning.”

“Says who?”

“It’s the truth. I’m Becky Malloy’s brother, Cody Keringhoven.”

“I s’pose you can prove it.”

“I have my ID right here.” Cody produced his wallet and held it out.

Will motioned with a jerk of his head. “Bring it over here. Real slow.”

“That’s about the only way I can move.” He pointed to the crutches propped at the foot of the bed. “I’ll do better if you’ll hand me those first.”

“You don’t look crippled.”

“Well, I sure feel it,” Cody replied. “I just got up to take a pain pill. Mind if I do?”

“Guess not.” He lowered the muzzle toward the floor so it wasn’t pointing directly at Cody or the dog. “Miz Brown didn’t say nothin’ about puttin’ nobody in this cabin.” He scowled. “We hardly ever rent it, ’specially not this time of year.”

“So she told me. I’m supposed to be watching out for vandals while I’m here. I guess you know all about that.”

“Sure do. That’s what I figured you was when I saw the light.” Bushy gray eyebrows knit. “I tried sittin’ by that there window all night. Couldn’t keep my eyes open. That what you’re plannin’ to do?”

“Not tonight,” Cody said, drawing water and downing his medication. “Dad and I just drove all the way from Chicago. I’m beat. Maybe tomorrow.”

Thumbing the shotgun open to extract the shells, the old man nodded. “Suits me. Sorry if I scared ya. I’m goin’ back to bed. You be all right?”

“Fine. Thanks. See you in the morning?”

“You betcha,” Will said. “In case you’re wonderin’, I’m gonna go talk to Miz Brown before I turn in, see if your story checks.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Cody said with a grin. “She’s lucky to have you.”

“Sure is.” He eyed the now complacent-looking, panting dog. “Big fella, ain’t he? What’s his name?”

“Sailor.”

Will chuckled. “Well, well. Me, too. Spent many a happy year as a merchant seaman before I finally decided to settle down. I take it he loves the water.”

“I think he’d rather swim than eat,” Cody said. “Newfoundlands are related to Labrador retrievers, just bigger and a lot more hairy.”

“That’s the truth. Sure glad he’s yours to feed and not mine. What all does he eat?”

Cody immediately thought of Trudy Lynn’s messy introduction to Sailor’s fondness for beef gravy. Rather than mention it, he laughed then quipped, “Anything that doesn’t eat him first.”

“You’d best watch him around Miz Brown’s little mutt, then. That Widget’s got a nasty attitude.”

“Uh-oh. She never mentioned having a dog.”

“He’s more like family to her. ’Specially since that fiancé of hers, Ned What’s-his-name, took off.” Will grimaced and blushed. “Forget I said anything about that, will you? Don’t want her to think I’m carryin’ tales.”

“We won’t mention it again,” Cody vowed. “I had wondered why she was so fixated on this business. Guess she put all her energies into it after Ned left, huh?”

“Nope,” Will said. “Always was nuts about canoes and camping. This place was perfect for her, right from the start. I think that’s one of the things Ned didn’t take to. Miss Trudy liked the outdoors a lot more’n he did.” He lowered his voice to add, “You ask me, she loved the Ozarks every bit as much as she loved him, maybe more, and he knew it. Didn’t surprise me when their wedding didn’t pan out.”

Cody nodded sagely. “Thanks for telling me. It’ll keep me from putting my foot in my mouth.” He managed another chuckle in spite of the growing discomfort radiating from his sore knee. “Good thing, too. These days, it’s about all I can do to make my feet work together to hold me up. I can’t afford to be chewing on one of them.”

“And I’m standin’ here keepin’ you up and makin’ it worse. Sorry, mister…what’d you say the name was?”

“Just call me Cody. Keringhoven’s too hard to remember.”

“Cody, it is. I’ll look in on you in the mornin’, ’fore I start my chores, case you need anything.”

“Thanks. I’d appreciate that.”

“Glad to do it. Any friend of Miz Brown’s is a friend of mine.”

Nodding, Cody bid him a polite good-night and waited till the door had closed before gritting his teeth. The pain tonight was worse than it had ever been, except perhaps for the hours immediately following the physical therapy sessions he had submitted to while hospitalized.

Seeming to sense his master’s need for solace, Sailor licked his hand.

“Yeah, it hurts something awful,” Cody admitted. “You know that, don’t you?”

Sailor wagged his tail so vigorously his entire rear half swayed.

“Just be sure to keep it to yourself, okay? I don’t want my sister and her church ladies fussing over me.”

That much was true. Still, he’d agreed to come to Serenity for a recuperation period, knowing Becky would undoubtedly try to meddle and insist she was doing it for his own good.

“I must have been taking way too much pain medication when Dad recommended this trip,” Cody muttered. “I can’t believe I agreed.”

In the back of his mind, however, another idea was jumping up and down and screeching like a squad of teenage cheerleaders at a pep rally. Could Trudy Lynn have been on the right track when she’d mentioned the possibility of divine intervention?

Cody immediately rejected that notion. If God had wanted to intercede on his behalf, He was too late. About two months too late.

He snorted derisively. Make that a whole lifetime too late. Considering all that had happened, there was no way he could ever go back to the unquestioning faith he’d leaned on as a lonely, confused child.

Of all the losses he’d experienced, that loss of faith left him feeling the emptiest.

FOUR

Trudy Lynn made sure she was the first person to knock on Cody’s door the following morning. Her arrival was heralded by a chorus of deep woofing and a call of, “Hang on. I’m coming.”

Fidgeting, she waited. When Cody opened the door she greeted him with a wide smile and a cheery, “Good morning.” His clothes were wrinkled. His day’s growth of beard was nearly invisible due to his light coloring but his tousled hair showed he hadn’t expected such an early visit.

Nevertheless, he smiled. “I thought you said I could sleep in?”

“I know I did. I’m sorry. I just wanted to apologize for Will. His mistake was my fault. I should have stopped by his cabin last night and told him you were staying here.”

“At least he didn’t shoot me. Or my dog.”

“Thank God—literally.” She pointed to Sailor who was sitting behind Cody and panting so heartily he looked as if he was smiling. “Want me to walk him for you?”

“Not a good idea. He hates leashes. He’d probably wind up walking you. Besides, he’s already been out once this morning. You’re not the only one who’s an early riser. My furry friend got me up at dawn.”

“Did you rest okay? Is the bed soft enough?”

Cody nodded. “Actually, it’s almost too soft. The less I accidentally move while I’m sleeping, the better.”

“How about now? How are you feeling?”

“Fine.”

Trudy Lynn could tell he was far from fine but she figured, if he wanted to deny his pain, that was okay with her. Dwelling on it was probably worse for him, anyway.

“Glad to hear it. Have you eaten?”

“No. To tell you the truth, I haven’t even brushed my teeth yet.” He rubbed his palm over his cheek. “Feels like I need a shave, too.”

“And a change of clothes. Did you sleep in those? They look like it.”

“Sure did. After your friend Will scared us silly, I didn’t have enough energy left to get ready for bed.” He glanced at his dog with affection. “Sailor was a great watchdog. Stood right in front of me and kept the dangerous old codger at bay.”

“Poor Will,” Trudy Lynn said. “He was really disappointed when he discovered you weren’t the bad guys, come to ransack a cabin.”

“I hope he put on more clothes before he went to your place to tell you about it. When he showed up here he was dressed in boxers and hiking boots. If he hadn’t been pointing a gun at me I’d have laughed out loud. He has the skinniest, ugliest legs I’ve ever seen, except maybe on a scrawny chicken.”

“That’s because you haven’t seen mine.” Trudy Lynn was instantly sorry she’d been so glib. Cody was now looking her up and down as if he’d just discovered she was a woman, and she didn’t like the awareness his assessing blue eyes revealed.

“You look nice in those jeans,” he finally said.

Flustered, she averted her gaze and unnecessarily smoothed the denim. “Thanks. Now, about breakfast. How soon do you think you can be ready?”

“Ready? Ready for what?”

“The best biscuits and gravy in Fulton County.”

“Are you asking me to go out to breakfast?”

“No.” Her brow wrinkled. “I’m cooking. Actually, it’s all made. I took the biscuits out of the oven before I came down here.” She brightened. “Oh, I get it. You’re thinking of your sister’s cooking. Don’t worry. Mine has won prizes at the county fair.”

“That’s a relief. But really, you don’t have to coddle me. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”

“I know that.” She rolled her eyes. “Look, Cody. You might as well get used to folks being nice to you for no particular reason. Around here, people are friendly, period. It’s not because you have a problem or because we feel sorry for you. Okay?”