Page 14 of No Bed Of Roses

Asking where to buy shovels and plows was a good excuse to text him again, wasn’t it? While she hoped the barn held some goodies for her, a bit of her hoped she’d need to text Levi about something.

The barn was locked with padlocks, but Tansy had left those keys with the house keys. Sam had suggested she replace those locks soon, so that she had the only keys. It was a good idea, and she added it to the mental list she was making. Putting it on paper might be smarter, but she knew that probably wouldn’t happen.

“One day, I’ll be an organized list-maker, Hopper, but today is not the day. Tomorrow probably won’t be it either.”

She knew part of her reluctance to use lists was because her father had been obsessed with them. Not that she’d seen him in over a decade, but she knew he wouldn’t have changed. She didn’t know if she’d ever met anyone as inflexible as Reginald Duggan.

His way was the only way that mattered. And his way was all about making money and keeping up appearances. To hell with the planet and other people’s feelings. They didn’t matter.

Isla closed her eyes and drew in a few deliberate breaths to toss thoughts of her father out of her brain. She was looking forward to a new start here, and he didn’t deserve to have even a moment of her attention.

Although part of her wanted to call him. To find out if he still had no use for her. Or if they could somehow find their way back to being a family. She wasn’t quite brave enough, so today wouldn’t be the day for that either.

The interior of the barn was dark, and the air was musty. She took a few steps inside and waited for her eyes to adjust. Some sunlight peeked through gaps in the boards, but not enough to provide much light. “I guess I should’ve thought to look for a flashlight in the cottage. My phone will have to do for now.”

The app was brighter than she’d expected. A quick sweep around showed the barn was far more full than she’d anticipated. Another thrill of excitement shot through her. Maybe she wouldn’t be starting from scratch.

“I can’t see the floor clearly, Hopper. I don’t want you to hurt your paws. Stay by the door.” She realized immediately that she’d probably used too many words, so she turned to the dog. “Stay.”

Hopper sat on his butt and tilted his head at her as if to ask if she was sure. “Stay. I’ll see if I can open the large doors for some light. We don’t want you to get hurt.”

There’d been no lock on the outside of the door, so she wasn’t surprised to find the padlock on the inside. It didn’t take long to unlock it, but the doors were too heavy for her to move far.

“Levi could probably move them with his pinky, but I’d have to work out for a year or two to get them all the way open.” She shoved a bit more until there was enough room to get in and out through the door.

She leaned against it and gulped in some air. “I’d add a workout to my routine, but I think just getting the garden started is enough to half-kill me. And who am I kidding? I’m not exactly a workout kind of person.”

When her breathing was more regulated, she moved back into the barn. The sun that angled in lit up some of the gloom. Tarps and sheets covered large lumps. Maybe farm machinery?

Boxes, barrels, and crates filled up much of the space that she could see. Rakes, shovels, and hoes stood inside some barrels, so at least she could get a few things started in her garden without outside help. Mechanized help would be even better.

A ladder led up to a hayloft and made her squeal a little. She’d always wanted a hayloft. It was silly and romantic and wonderful. If there was a window, she’d be able to see her land and feel like the queen of her world. She could feel important up there. Like she was doing something important.

She swallowed the emotion and headed to the ladder. “I’m just going to have a peek, Hopper. Stay.”

Isla gave the ladder a quick shake, but it seemed sturdy. With her wellies on, she’d have to be careful not to slip on the wood. She turned off the flashlight app and slid the phone into her pocket. Just a quick peek, and then she’d do something sensible like check under the tarps, pull out a hoe, and get to work.

Halfway up, she turned to look around the barn and check on the dog. Grinning, she realized one shape under the tarp looked like a small tractor. If it had the right attachment, she could use it to aerate the garden. Much better than using a hoe.

She climbed a few more steps to peek into the loft. No windows were open, so it was extremely dim. She reached into her pocket to grab her phone when the rung she was standing on disappeared from under her feet.

She tried to grab the ladder with her other hand, but it slipped out of her reach and, with a scream, Isla dropped into the black.

Levi leaped over the fence before Isla’s scream faded. He’d been working on his tractor since early morning and figured he’d earned a break. Checking on the dog was a great excuse to see Isla.

He’d only been a few yards from the fence when he’d heard her brief cry. His body and his mind shifted immediately into warrior mode. Military training ran deep and stayed in your instincts long after you’d retired.

He shouted her name, trying to pin down her location. Hopper’s bark brought his attention to the barn. The small door was open and one of the big barn doors was also ajar.

It didn’t take more than five seconds to cross the field, but those seconds could cost Isla her life. Wishing he had his gun, he moved to the smaller door and crouched low. He closed his eyes to start the adjustment to the dimness inside. He gave himself five seconds to adjust and to listen. The dog licked his hand and barked again, but Levi didn’t hear any additional sounds.

He stayed in his crouch as he moved inside and opened his eyes. Equipment and machinery filled the space. Similar to his own barn, but much of this was covered in tarps. Isla was nowhere to be seen.

“Isla?” He didn’t bother whispering. If someone was hurting Isla, Levi was confident in his ability to gain the upper hand.

He put his hand on Hopper’s head. “Find Isla.”

The dog bounced immediately into the middle of the barn and Levi followed on his heels. Nothing looked disturbed until he reached a ladder that had toppled onto a pile of something hidden under a tarp. Had she fallen?

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