let you know when I get the reports back from the lab. But from what I’ve seen so far, it looks like there is a connection.”
Darcy came to her feet. “Let me show you the foal.”
“I can find my way to the barn if you’re busy.”
“That’s okay. I need to check on the mares we stabled in that barn. Make sure they’re settled into their new home.”
Out on the front veranda Darcy paused and took a deep breath. There was still a hint of burned wood in the air, but mostly the scent of grass, flowers and earth laced the breeze. She looked toward the horizon and noticed the sun beginning its descent. A few streaks of orange and pink threaded through the blue sky like pieces of ribbon carelessly tossed about.
“It’s getting close to dinnertime, Mr. Markham. Would you like to stay and eat with us?”
“Please, call me Joshua, and yes, I would like that. I don’t particularly care for my own cooking.”
“Neither do I.” Chuckling, Darcy blushed. “I mean my cooking, not yours.”
“You wouldn’t care for mine, either.”
“I think we have established we’re both lousy cooks.” Darcy led the way toward the broodmare barn set off to the left and farthest from the house. “I promised myself when I came this summer to have Lizzy teach me some of her dishes. Of course, now I’m wondering when I’ll find the time, what with the fire and all.”
“Maybe I should throw myself on Lizzy’s mercy, too.”
“You know Lizzy?”
“Oh, yes. She’s a mainstay at Sweetwater Community Church.”
“That’s right. I’d forgotten that’s where my mother found her and asked her to be our housekeeper.”
“How long has she been working for your family?” Joshua opened a gate and stepped to the side to allow Darcy to go first into a pasture that shortened the trip to the farthest barn.
“Fourteen years. Mom died not too long after Lizzy came to work for us.” One of the mares in the paddock trotted over to Darcy and nudged her. She laughed and dug into the pocket of her black jeans for a few sugar cubes, holding her palm out flat. “Bluebell won’t let me leave without getting some sweets from me. She’s spoiled rotten.” She ran her hand over the horse’s dark brown flank. “She knows she’s my favorite and uses that to her advantage.”
Joshua walked around the mare, making sure the horse knew where he was at all times. “She’s a beauty. When is she due?”
“Not for another month. I can’t wait. She always has a beautiful foal.” Darcy patted Bluebell on the rump before continuing toward the far end of the field where the broodmare barn was located.
“I wish I had more time to ride.”
“You’re in horse country. How can you not ride?”
Again Joshua opened the gate and waited for Darcy to go first. “I know. Life gets in the way.”
When Darcy entered the barn, the scents of hay and horses permeated the air. They made her feel as though she had come home. For the past ten years, since her marriage to Clay, she had spent all of her time other places—many other places—while her husband pursued his fighter-pilot career in the Navy. With his death the year before, everything had changed…and yet it hadn’t. She wasn’t sure what she should do with her life.
“Mom! Joshua! Come have a look. She’s feeding.” At the other end of the barn Sean danced in front of a stall with the biggest grin on his face. As they neared, he darted inside.
“I can see your son loves the farm,” Joshua said with a laugh.
“Definitely.” Darcy went into the stall with Joshua following, pushing away the guilty feeling she suddenly experienced. But it still niggled. She hadn’t wanted to come home; she hadn’t brought her son to see his grandfather until now.
“See. Isn’t she neat?” Sean pointed to the foal nursing. “She lets me touch her. She almost fell once but she didn’t.”
Darcy inspected the foal who was all legs and still wobbly. The chestnut-colored coat reminded Darcy of the foal’s mother. She hoped she was as good a jumper as her mother. Despite the fire, seeing the filly caused Darcy’s hopes to rise. Life continued even amid problems.
“Grandpa said I could name her.” Sean continued to stroke the foal.
“Have you come up with one yet?” Darcy asked, remembering the first time her father had let her name a horse—a lifetime ago. So much had happened to her in the last twenty-four years, and yet her relationship with her father was the same—strained, at best.
“I was thinking of Big Red, but that sounds like a boy. What do you think, Joshua?”
Joshua cocked his head and thought for a moment. “You’re probably right. The correct name will come to you. After spending some time with her, I’m sure you’ll come up with something that fits. Naming something is important.”
Sean straightened, his shoulders thrown back, his big grin spreading even more. “I think so. I can’t just give her any ol’ name. Something real special.” He peered around Joshua. “Where’s Arnold? I was hoping to see him again.”
“He’s at home. He worked hard today so I gave him a treat and he’s resting up. I’ll bring him back some other time.”
“I never met a fire dog before.”
“There aren’t a lot of them around.”
“How did you come up with the name Arnold?”
“My first fire captain was named Arnold. He showed me the ropes. I wanted to honor him so I named Arnold after him.”
Sean placed his forefinger on his chin. “Hmm. That’s a thought.”
“Well, young man, right now you need to get up to the house and wash up before dinner. You know how Lizzy is about clean hands.”
“But, Mom, you and Joshua just got here.”
“Joshua’s coming to dinner, so you can talk to him at the table. That is, if you pass Lizzy’s inspection.”
“I will.” He raced from the stall.
Joshua chuckled. “I don’t think I’ve ever been used as a bribe to get someone to wash up.”
“As a parent you learn to use any trick you can.”
“I’m flattered.”
“My son was quite taken with you and Arnold.”
His smile reached deep into his blue eyes. “Maybe I can bring Arnold out here one day.”
“You’ll make my son’s day.” Darcy left the stall, and after closing its door, led the way into the barn to check each of the newly arrived mares to make sure they were settled. Joshua’s quiet study of her heightened her awareness of him.
Outside, a line of oaks and maples hid the sun, dusk beginning to settle over the yard. “What made you become an arson investigator?” she asked, relishing the breeze caressing her face, cooling her cheeks.
“I decided it was the best of both worlds.”
“What worlds?”
“When I was growing up, I would fluctuate between wanting to be a firefighter and a police officer. I fight fires, but I also investigate any that are suspicious in nature.”
“Do you have many in Sweetwater?” Darcy thought of her hometown and the people she knew and couldn’t imagine too many arsonists in the bunch.
“No, not usually, but with Arnold I cover more than just this area of Kentucky.”
“But