Valerie Hansen - Out of the Depths

“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.

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.”