The Hollow Hills - 17. Chapter 17

Liam

I watched Alannah as she saddled the big bay horse. He was a relatively new addition to her show string. He had been sent to the farm for training because he refused to jump, but it turned out that he wasn’t jumping because he was being abused. A groom who worked for the horse’s ‘trainer’ had contacted Alannah after the horse arrived at the farm. He showed her video of the horse being beaten after refusing to jump, and being poled when he knocked a rail down. Poling is a technique used by unscrupulous trainers to encourage horses to jump higher. It involves two people raising a pole as the horse jumps, rapping him on his legs so he thinks he hit the fence. That makes the horse try even harder the next time he jumps the fence, avoiding knocking down a pole which could cause them to lose a competition. This particular trainer had used a very heavy, sharp-edged piece of wood, causing pain to the horse when it hit his sensitive legs. An investigation ensued, and the trainer was banned from competing in sanctioned events.

Alannah and Josh bought the poor horse, and now he was going like a dream. She was planning on trying him in competitions when they left for the Florida winter circuit in a couple of months. Today would be his first time out on the trails. Pal would be a good, steady companion for Dragon, so I agreed to accompany her. Not that I needed my arm twisted.

She smiled at me as she finished adjusting the bridle. “What?”

I started. “Huh?”

She laughed. “Ye’re looking rather intent. Something on yer mind?”

Her light Irish lilt never failed to send a shiver down my spine. Of course something was on my mind. The same thing that was always on my mind—her.

“I was just thinking.”

“About what?”

“How beautiful you look.”

She laughed. “Flatterer. The barn look is the new trend. Very chic and sexy.”

“Eau de horse is very popular I hear. At least it doesn’t break the wallet.” I winked. I wanted nothing more than to go over and take her in my arms, but Dragon was afraid of men, and I didn’t want to scare him.

We headed outside and mounted our horses, heading down the thickly forested trail to the left of the barn. I think it was fate that the bay horse had been sent to the farm. His registered name was Arthur Pendragon – King Arthur’s name. Like his namesake, I hoped that the Hollow Hills would be his final home. I didn’t think he’d seen much outside of the ring, which wasn’t that uncommon with show horses of his caliber. He watched the forest in wide-eyed wonder, snorting and shying every time the tree and shrub branches moved from the light breeze. Pal proved himself every bit the stabilizing influence we thought he’d be, and it didn’t take long before Dragon stopped living up to his name.

We didn’t talk much while Alannah was concentrating on keeping Dragon calm. That was ok, though. One thing I adored about her was that we didn’t need to fill every silence with conversation. We were comfortable enough with each other that we could simply enjoy each other’s presence. In some ways, we were like an old married couple, even though we had only just starting dating.

I fully admit to being a fool when it came to my relationship with her. Galen never hesitated to remind me of that fact. I never admitted to my cousin the reason why it took so long to ask her out; I felt too idiotic to do so. The truth was, that when we first met I thought she was dating Josh. By the time I learned he was gay, we had become good friends, and I was scared of losing that. Like I said—stupid.

Galen gave me the kick in the ass I needed to finally admit my feelings to her. The night of Caroline and James’ wedding proved to be a turning point in a lot of peoples’ lives, setting in motion a chain of events that left everyone I knew reeling.

I smiled and patted Pal’s neck as my thoughts turned toward that night two weeks ago.

Alannah had put me in charge of videotaping the wedding. I’m not sure how much I believe in coincidence, but I happened to be recording the well-wishes of Josh and a woman sitting next to him—a rider on the show jumping circuit—when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw my cousin approach.

It made my heart happy to witness the look on Josh’s face when Galen asked him to dance and the obvious connection they shared while in each other’s arms. I knew how crazy my cousin was for my friend, and I suspected that Josh felt the same but was just too stubborn to admit it. I hoped that they were about to find the happiness they deserved.

I felt a light touch on my arm as the music faded into the next song. My heart skipped a beat when I saw the beautiful blonde next to me. “I think we may have a bit of trouble.”

I raised an eyebrow. “What kind of trouble?”

Galen stood next to a worried-looking Jody, guzzling a glass of wine. Jody looked towards the exit, frowning.

“Ethan picked the worst time to show up. Poor lad. The look on his face when he saw Galen and Josh dancing together was heartbreaking.”

“Shit. Did Galen see him?”

She shook her head. “I don’t think so. Ethan ran into Jody on his way out, but Josh and Galen were still dancing.”

I took a deep breath and set the video recorder down. “What do you say we forget about everyone else’s drama for a few minutes…may I have this dance?”

She grinned and took my hand. “It’s about bloody time.”

After the reception was over, I drove her back to my house. We spent the night talking and making love. She agreed with me about my being a fool.

“Let’s take the eastern trail and see how he does at the creek,” Alannah’s voice brought me back to the present.

“Ok. Let me know if you want us to go first.”

The trail was wide enough for us to walk abreast, but Dragon had a faster stride than Pal and was about a half-length ahead of us. The trail narrowed as we turned east, and I settled in behind Dragon. We headed downhill toward the creek. This time of year it didn’t flow too heavily and would be easy to cross. Dragon hesitated at the water and wheeled around. It was clear he wasn’t too fond of the running stream.

I nudged Pal forward, and he plodded steadily into the water and up the bank on the other side. He was a seasoned trail horse, so there was very little that rattled him. Dragon fidgeted and danced on the other side, torn between his fear of the water and desire to be with Pal. Alannah patiently redirected him to the water and encouraged him forward. He cleared the entire creek in one mighty leap and bounded up the bank to stand next to Pal. Alannah was a good enough rider that the unexpected leap didn’t throw her, and she gave the big bay a pat for his effort. I held out my hand and drew her in for a kiss as the two horses snuffled noses. We continued on our way, side by side.

After a little while, we came to a clearing where we let the horses into a hand gallop to burn off some energy. Dragon settled right down after that and was a gentleman during the rest of our ride. When we returned to the barn, we hosed the mud off their legs and took them for a short walk so they could dry off in the sun and eat some grass. The two horses grazed side by side. It seemed like they had forged a bond on the trail.

Alannah smiled at me, and my heart melted. “So I wonder what drama we can expect tonight.”

“Yeah.”

“Does Galen know about Josh’s trip?”

“I doubt it. He’s been so wrapped up in work the past couple of weeks that I’ve barely spoken to him.”

“I don’t understand Josh sometimes. It’s obvious to everyone who meets him and Galen how crazy they are about each other. Funny how that happens, isn’t it?”

I blushed and looked at the ground. “Yeah. Funny.”

“I’ve never seen Josh respond to anyone like he has to your cousin. Galen learned more about him in months than I have in ten years.”

“Galen has something about him that draws people to him. He’s easy to talk to.”

“Yeah, but it’s more than that. I’ve never seen Josh look at Roger the way he does Galen.”

“I know. We can’t rush them, though. Look what happens if we just mention Roger’s name.”

She nodded. “Aye. Some people need a swift kick in the arse to see the light.”

I chanced a look at her, and she was smirking at me. I had a feeling we weren’t talking about Josh and Galen anymore.

Josh had dinner just about done by the time we finished with the horses and entered the farmhouse. Alannah headed upstairs to change while I washed my hands in the kitchen sink. My phone buzzed in my pocket, indicating I had a text. I read it before sitting down at the table. “Galen’s on his way. Should be here in about twenty minutes.”

I wondered if Josh was aware of the smile that crept across his face at the mention of my cousin.

“Perfect timing. The roast will be done then. All I have to do is put the biscuits in the oven and assemble the salads.”

“Everything smells great. I’m starving. I know Galen’s looking forward to getting out of his apartment. He’s been working non-stop on that big case. He needs a break.”

Josh nodded. “Yeah, I haven’t seen him since— “

“Since the wedding?”

“Yeah.”

“He tends to take on a bit too much sometimes. I guess that’s why he’s such a good lawyer. I think he’s taking a few days off after the trial, though.”

“Good. I’m sure he deserves it. Buck misses him.” Josh’s skills in the kitchen always amazed me. He chopped the vegetables for the salad with such precision. He loved cooking so much, I found it surprising that he didn’t still work in a restaurant. I wasn’t complaining though, since it meant that his culinary skills were reserved for his friends.

Galen arrived as Josh finished the salads and removed the roast from the oven. He was a chatterbox throughout dinner, dominating the conversation with mainly talk about the trial. He was almost giddy, bouncing in his seat and stealing glances at Josh with a perma-smile on his face. A lovesick teenager was less obvious than my enamored cousin.

I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. Galen knew nothing of Josh’s annual vacation with Roger. I hadn’t had a chance to warn him.

Alannah and I retreated to the living room after dinner—her with a cup of tea, and me with a cup of coffee. It didn’t take long to drain my first cup, so I headed into the kitchen for a refill. What I heard confirmed my fears.

“…would you like to go see a movie with me this weekend?” My cousin’s voice was full of hope.

“Oh, boy,” I muttered, then moved back to the living room.

“What’s wrong, love?” Alannah asked as I sat next to her.

“We’re about to have a big blow-up on our hands. Galen just asked Josh to the movies this weekend.”

“Oh boy…He obviously doesn’t know about his trip, then.”

I shook my head. “We’ve both been too busy to talk much over the past couple of weeks. I was going to tell him, but never had the chance.”

Our conversation was interrupted by a distraught Galen running into the nearby bathroom and slamming the door.

Alannah and I exchanged worried looks, unsure of how to react. After a couple of minutes I said, “What should we do?”

She shrugged. “I don’t think this is over. We’ll just have to pick up the pieces as best we can.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” I took her hand and squeezed it.

Galen emerged from the bathroom with a determined look on his face and strode back into the kitchen. It didn’t take long before we heard raised voices. I stood up.

“C’mon. Let’s see if we can calm them down a bit.”

We walked to the kitchen entrance. Josh stood by the sink, looking at the floor, while Galen glared at him.

“I love you, Josh. That has to count for something.” Galen wiped the tears from his eyes. “I would never treat you the way he does. I would cherish you.”

Josh met his gaze, then said, “I can’t just walk away…”

“Yes you can, you coward!”

“I can’t…” he whispered.

Galen yelled and spun in a circle, dragging his hands through his hair. He stopped and faced Josh. I had never seen my cousin look more furious in my life.

“If you want to spend the rest of your life being treated like shit, then go right ahead. I’m done with you.” Galen turned and started for the door, tears streaming down his face.

“Galen…”

He wheeled around and shot him a look filled with venom. “Fuck you!” he yelled, then ran out the door.

I ran after him, but by the time I got outside he was already peeling down the driveway in Betsey. “Shit,” I muttered, then headed into the house.

Josh was slumped on the floor with his face in his hands. Alannah stood over him, her face bright red with barely-restrained anger. “Ye’re a bloody fool. Ye just let the best thing that’s ever happened to ye walk out that door.”

Josh scowled. “Mind your own damn business. You know nothing about this!”

“Base to Sheriff MacLeod.” My radio crackled to life. I pressed the button in annoyance.

“What?”

“We have a 10-16 reported at the Donaldson place. What’s your ETA?”

“Get someone else to do it.”

“Sir, there is no one else.”

Alannah had pulled Josh to his feet, and they were now seated at the kitchen table.

“I will not mind my own bloody business! It’s about time someone told you to get your head out of your arse and see what’s right in front of you!”

“You think I don’t know?” Josh yelled. “You think it’s easy for me to hurt him? I lo…“ He put his head in his hands and sighed. “How do I fix this?”

“I’m not sure you can,” she replied.

“Maybe I should go after him.”

Alannah put her hand on his arm and shook her head. “I think you need to let things settle down. Going after him now would be a mistake.”

“Liam? I need your ETA. Jake says it’s bad this time.”

“Son of a bitch,” I swore before responding. “I’ll be there in ten.”

“Ten-four sheriff.”

I shot Alannah an apologetic look.

“Go…it’ll be ok,” she said.

I nodded. “He probably went to Jody’s. I’ll call him and make sure he made it ok.”

“Let me know, love.”

“Will do.” I ran out of the house and headed to the Donaldson place. I called Jody on the way, and Sally confirmed that Galen had arrived, upset, but in one piece.

That night began four of the busiest days I had ever experienced as sheriff. Three of my deputies were either off sick or away on vacation, leaving only Keith and me on duty.

During a rare break from traffic accidents and domestic disputes, I talked to Galen right after the trial ended. He sounded relieved that they had settled, but also tired and subdued. He was on the road and still a few hours away.

“I think I’ll stop in a little bit and grab a bite to eat and some coffee. I should be home around eleven.”

“Sounds like a good idea. Call me when you get in. I have a feeling I’ll still be here with the way things have been going today.”

“Sure. I’ll call or text you when I get in.”

“How are you holding up, little bro?”

He sighed into the phone. “Not so good, but I’ll be ok. Right now the only thing I want to do is crawl into bed and sleep for a week.”

“I’m sorry. I wish things had turned out differently.”

He snorted. “You and me both.”

My radio crackled to life, informing me of yet another call. “Gotta go. Save travels, cuz.”

“Thanks, bye.”

*****

I didn’t receive any relief until Tuesday morning when Kevin and Dave finally recovered enough to return to duty. I was exhausted, but too keyed up to sleep, so I headed to the farm to have lunch with Alannah. She made her specialty—shepherd’s pie—and we ate mostly in silence.

“How’d yer cousin’s trial go?” she asked.

“The case settled, and he was happy with the outcome.”

“How’s he doing otherwise?”

“He sounded pretty down when I talked to him on Friday. Can’t say I blame him.”

Alannah frowned. “Me neither. He never showed up for his lesson on Sunday. I texted him Friday to let him know that I would teach him since Josh was gone. He said he’d be there, but maybe he decided it was too hard on him to be here.”

I sat up in alarm. “Shit. He was supposed to call me when he got in on Friday night. I just realized he never did.” I pulled my phone out of my pocket and scrolled to Galen’s number. His cell phone went right to voicemail. I then called his home phone and the machine picked up after four rings.

“What’s wrong, love?” Alannah asked.

“It’s not like him to not be in touch. He’s not answering his cell or his home phone.”

“Maybe he just needs some space.”

I scrolled to Jody’s number. “Maybe Jo has heard from him.”

A feeling of cold dread settled in my stomach when Jody informed me that he hadn’t heard from my cousin, either. He’d left several messages and was planning on stopping by his apartment later that day to check on him.

I stood and placed my phone in my pocket. “I gotta go check on him.”

Alannah stood and drew me into an embrace. “Keep me informed, love. Hopefully he just needed some time alone.”

“I will. This is really not like him.” I kissed her quickly before heading out the door.

The first thing I noticed when I arrived at Galen’s apartment complex was Betsey parked in her usual spot. The Kia was nowhere to be found. The bad feeling in the pit of my stomach intensified. There was no response to my knock on Galen’s door. I could hear Tigger meowing pitifully on the other side. I dug out my key and entered the apartment. The ginger cat wove around my legs, practically leaping into my arms. He purred and meowed loudly, trotting into the kitchen.

I followed him and he put his paws on the cupboard where his food was kept. His dishes were empty. I’d never heard him make such a racket about being fed. I opened the cupboard and filled his food and water dishes. He gulped his food down like he hadn’t eaten in days.

I looked in Galen’s bedroom and the bed was undisturbed. A quick glance in the bathroom showed a litterbox in dire need of cleaning. My cousin was a freak about keeping the litter clean. The message light on his answering machine was flashing, so I pressed it and listened to the messages.

My blood ran cold when I heard the most recent ones from his boss at the law firm, telling him he no longer had a job if he didn’t respond to their messages by the next day. I couldn’t deny what all the evidence was pointing to.

Galen was missing.