Chapter Twenty-Seven
Making his way through the underbrush beside the new road to the metal building was no easy task. Sterling’s shins felt like pin cushions from the brambles and stickers, but he didn’t want to risk being seen. Once he reached his destination, another hurdle presented itself. There were no windows that he could see on the ground floor. A gnarled apple tree’s top branches brushed one upper window at the middle of the south side of the building. Sterling wrestled his way up the tree, hooking a leg over each branch and slipping as much as climbing in his business shoes.
At last, hugging the branch with all four limbs, he peered into the window. The goats were grazing off a thick layer of scattered hay and held in pens of chicken wire with metal posts stuck straight through the dirt floor. The entire building was a single room except for what looked to be an office to the rear. The back door opened, and Sterling had two realizations. First, that he had overlooked a window on the main floor at the back of the building that led right into the office and would have allowed him to accomplish what he wanted without climbing a tree, and second, that it looked as though Ryan, the guy suing Paige, was the only person around. Though he could easily take him, Sterling had a better idea.
It would be at least five hours before the goats needed to be milked again, and by then, they would be in a place where no one would think to find them. He lowered his head against the rough branch, wondering if he could go through with it. Standing up to Elaine was nothing. Committing what may well be a felony didn’t bother him. Trying to help Paige was awesome. But facing his father after all this time made him sweat. If his dad kicked him out of the house for doing something completely legal, what made Sterling think his dad would accept him with stolen goods?
Sterling began his descent from the tree. It didn’t matter what his father said. After getting up before the sun and working late into the night from the time he was old enough to read until the day he left home, he deserved to be there. His dad could bend for five days, and if he had a problem with that, it would be the last five days they would ever see each other.
After his feet hit solid ground again, Sterling ran to the farmhouse. There was no way he was going through the underbrush again. He was done hiding. It was time to face both his past and his future. He’d fix what Elaine was destroying and perhaps mend himself in the process. Once he got to the main road, he whipped out his cell phone. The best way to get a mule to do what you wanted was with a carrot, and Sterling had one specific carrot in mind that should keep Ryan under control. He dialed in the numbers and waited.
“Dotty? What are you doing for the next hour or so?”
His secretary paused before replying. “Are we still on speaking terms?”
Sterling laughed. “We will be if you come out to the Lindon goat farm. I’ve got a little job I need you to do for me.”
After finishing his conversation with Dotty, Sterling headed straight for his Lexus and was driving away at break neck speed. He scanned the sleek dashboard and leather seats, wondering if he’d ever own such a nice car again. After this stunt, he may be blackballed for life, but Paige was worth it. He’d have no regrets.
In the farmhouse the shower had been running so long that steam had seeped out of the bathroom and was fogging Paige’s bedroom window. She wondered if Austin was scalding his skin because of that overgrown slug. How many times would she traumatize that poor boy when it was entirely her own fault she was in this predicament? And what about Sterling? He could lose everything for her. Paige lifted the receiver to call the police and file a report whether they believed her or not.
The sound of a diesel engine and grinding gears ignited righteous vengeance. What more could these people take from her? Slamming the phone in its cradle, Paige rushed to the front door and threw it open, expecting another white full-sized van. Instead, it was a large orange and silver U-haul truck with Sterling in the driver’s seat.
As she walked toward the window of his vehicle, a little red Miata pulled up right next to Sterling and would have hit her if she’d been moving at a quicker pace. Sterling’s red-headed secretary got out of her car. She had a long white riding scarf draped around her neck. “Out of my way, baby girl. I’m on a mission.”
Sterling opened his door and came up to both of them with a smile. “Actually, Dotty, the mission is for Paige. I need you to distract your friend while we do something you might not approve of.”
Glaring from Paige to Sterling, Dotty folded her arms across her ample chest. “There are very few things I don’t approve of.”
“True.” Sterling chuckled. Then he got serious. “You should know that there’s a good possibility neither of us will have a job by tomorrow, but I’ll get a good severance package I’ll split with you.”
Dotty’s expression didn’t change. “And I’ve got some beachfront property in Arizona to sell ya.”
“You’ve always suggested I should cut ties with Elaine and move on to better things.” He put an arm around Paige.
“But she’s got nothing.” Dotty’s nostrils flared. “Look around you.”
Sterling seemed surprised by Dotty’s reluctance. “Some things are more important than money.”
“Not in your line of work.” The older woman snapped back.
Paige backed away a little as Dotty got more heated. Wedging herself between them, Dotty shoved a finger at Sterling. “You want to give up everything you’ve built over the last ten years for a pretty face.” She peered at Paige. “And she isn’t even that pretty. Is that what’s going through your head?”
Sterling rubbed his forehead. “Dotty, can we discuss this alone?”
Dotty bristled and stepped to the side, so she could address both of them. “No, I think little Heidi here should know what she’s doing. She’s just like her uncle. He tried to stand up to Elaine, and look where it got him. He never got another contract job. Now you’re going to poison Sterling, too? Not on my watch. Sterling is the only upright part of Erickson Holdings. While I sit around playing Spider Solitaire all day, he works his buns off to make this world a better place. The companies he funds hire people at a time when there’s not enough jobs to go around. You want to kill all that for a few laughs?”
“You don’t understand,” Sterling practically shouted. Paige had never heard him so angry. “Elaine has targeted Paige for no good reason. This time she’s has gone too far.”
“Elaine always goes too far. That’s why she’s rich.” Dotty’s tone rose with each word. “Why suddenly the conscience now? Don’t think this is anything more than hormones. Sterling, you’ll regret it in the morning. I know. I almost did the same thing at your age and regretted it my whole life.”
Sterling’s chest heaved. “Dotty, I’m not you. I’m your boss. Either do what I ask, or you’re fired. That’s your choice.”
Riddled with guilt, Paige couldn’t let them lose everything because of her. The cost was too high. She had to stop this. “Sterling, she’s right. It’s too much to ask of you. We’ll let the authorities take care of it. I’ll call Deputy Dunn, and what happens, happens.”
Dotty whipped her head Paige’s direction with such force it seemed as if she’d been slapped. “Are you insane? Elaine will crush you like a bug on a windshield if you let the system get a hold of this. Sterling is your only chance. You should be willing to do whatever he asks and then some, not wimp out.” Then she faced Sterling. “See what I mean? This girl is not good enough for you.”
Sterling slammed his fist against the hood of the truck. The loud bang quieted Dotty enough for him to get a word in edgewise. “What do you think? I’m going to marry her tomorrow? This is the right thing to do. That’s all. If you’re not with me, then drive away. That will be the end of it.”
Paige had a bad taste in her mouth. At this point, she wouldn’t mind if they both drove away. She’d take her chances with Elaine. Paige turned toward the front door to go call the sheriff after all.
She was mid-stride when Dotty said, “W
ell, I might as well stay since I’m here anyway.”
“That’s more like it.” Sterling said.
The front door opened and a very pink Austin, his hair still wet, stood on the threshold. “So what’s the plan, boss?” he asked Sterling.
“It’s a go.” His voice sounded excited.
Still feeling unsure and a little abused, Paige didn’t turn toward Sterling or Dotty. Paige could still call this off and was tempted to. Then she felt Sterling’s strong hands around her.
He touched her chin and lifted it to meet his. “Are you okay with this?” His voice was so tender it melted her. “It’s up to you.”
Paige glanced at Dotty, who obviously did not find the embrace amusing, and then over to Austin, who evidently found it clearly uncomfortable. Returning her focus to Sterling, she said, “Let’s give it a try.”
In that instant, Sterling let go of her. “Can you prepare the truck for transporting the goats while I give Austin and Dotty their assignments?”
“Wait. We’re moving goats in the U-haul?” Paige had to admit the size looked about right, but it would be a bear to clean out when the job was done. While Sterling went off a little way and was whispering with Dotty, Paige turned to Austin. “Do you think we can really get away with stealing the goats?”
He gave a curt nod. “If anyone can do it, Sterling can.”
There was that confidence again. It was Austin’s admiration of Sterling that had gotten her in this mess in the first place. Dotty felt the same way though. Fine, she’d trust him with her business and let him clean up this mess with Elaine, but that was it. After what he’d said to Dotty, it was clear his intentions were only short-term. She wondered if they had stayed in those adjoining rooms the entire week, what might have happened. No, she had to be careful. Though her feelings for him were strong, she also was quite certain he’d break her heart if she let him.
***