“And then it burned out?” Angela queried.
Dranko paused before answering and then he swallowed hard, “I wish. That would have been easier. No, she died.”
Angela’s eyes flew wide, her mouth fell open, and her hand went to Dranko’s arm, “Oh my God, Paul! I had no idea.” Cooper had heard the story, but he lowered his gaze. Jake also knew, but his eyes were transfixed on Dranko as he talked.
Dranko’s eyes searched the distance, “It was a freak situation really. I was deployed in Iraq and she was caught at home in a blizzard. This was when I lived in Minnesota, out in the sticks. Some neighbors found her body two weeks later. Heater had quit and she ran out of things to burn in the fireplace. The house was threadbare of things to burn. Her body was found a few hundred yards from the house; an axe frozen to her hand. I think she’d gone out to try and cut something down. I think hypothermia had already messed up her ability to think clearly.”
Angela gasped, “That’s horrible!”
Dranko slowly nodded, “If I’d put in the woodstove we’d talked about and laid in the wood before I left home, she woulda made it. A fireplace alone just doesn’t cut it to keep a house warm.” He looked away as his eyes filled with tears.
“You can’t blame yourself! You said it was a freak thing,” Angela countered.
He returned his gaze to look her directly in the eyes, “I know what part I played. But, I learned something good from it all. Don’t get caught with your pants down.” He snorted, as the tears welling in his eyes was making his nose run. He jerked the door handle, left the car, and slammed the door shut.
Angela looked back at Cooper, “Is this why he’s so cynical?”
Cooper shook his head, “Maybe. I didn’t know him before.” His mind drifted to the time Dranko had first told him the story of how his wife died. He closed his eyes, picturing the summer night sitting in Dranko’s backyard. He could still smell the pungent mix of burned lighter fluid and charcoal from the earlier barbeque. Elena had taken Jake back home as night fell, and the two men had stayed behind drinking. Hours later and slurring his words throughout, Dranko had told Cooper how his wife, Jennifer, had died. By the time he’d finished, he was sobbing uncontrollably. Cooper had embraced his neighbor who, in that moment, became his best friend. After that night, Dranko had never mentioned it again, until today.
“I guess we know why he’s so into getting prepared for things,” Angela reflected, pulling Cooper back from his musings.
He let loose a bellowing laugh. Angela looked at him, confused. Her hands splayed out, asking ‘what’?
He shook his head in deprecation, “I never made that connection!”
“Really,” she asked, with a cocked eyebrow.
“No. I never did. But, it’s obvious!”
Outside the vehicle, the Stotts had finished their reunion greetings and were staring at them, surprised they were still sitting in the car. Galvanized, Cooper and Angela cranked their doors open and stepped out. Jake followed their example.
Cooper approached Miles Stott and shook his hand. Firm grip. Miles was of average height and weight, but muscled from farm work. His hair was blonde and lay raggedly cut by an unsteady hand. Supercuts or his wife, Cooper thought. Squinty eyes were deep set in a square face that looked friendly and welcoming.
“I’m Cooper Adams, great to meet you.”
“Likewise. I’m Miles Stott. My mother just told me who you were, while we were waiting for you to finish talking.”
Cooper offered a smile, “Yeah. Sorry about that. Your mother is quite the character!”
Miles flushed red, “That’s not what I call it.”
Lily poked him in the back with her cane, “Watch your tongue, boy!”
“You see? Try living with that when you’re thirteen years old.”
“I feel your pain, brother,” Dranko added, apparently already introduced.
Cooper allowed the easy smiles to linger for a long pause before continuing, “More importantly than her personality, I trust her judgment and she has spoken highly of you as someone we can trust.”
Miles cocked his head and he met his eyes firmly, “I like to think that’s true.” He pivoted and indicated his wife, “This is Bethany, my wife.” She smiled at them in turn. She was tall for a woman, just an inch or so shorter than her husband, but heavyset. Stylishly cut, long, highlighted, blonde hair fell to her shoulders. Her clothing was fashionable, yet functional, a mix of catalogue collections.
She extended her hand, “Nice to meet you.”
Her skin was softer than Cooper would have expected from a woman on a farm, even a small one, “Pleasure is mine.” Miles and Bethany introduced themselves to the rest of the group. Lily was beaming as she watched the affair. When they were done, Bethany spoke again, “Let me introduce you to our kids.” She called into the house.
“Come on out, kids!” Her words were met with silence and Bethany looked alarmed. Miles looked at her and started laughing.
“You got it backwards!”
She flushed and slapped her knee, “That’s right!” She turned once more to cast her voice into the house, “Come on out, Baxter!” Cooper immediately heard the faint clatter of footsteps coming up from a basement.
“It’s our simple code when strangers approach. Call for the kids, they don’t come. Call for the dog, they come out,” Miles explained. “Only problem is, our kids remember it better than my wife!” He poked her in the ribs when he finished. Cooper caught a brief glimpse of anger flash across her face before she stifled it with a mock smile and slapped his hand away.
A young boy and a girl came bounding through the door.
“This here is Aidan,” he said, patting the boy on his head. The boy was probably seven or eight, blonde hair just like his father. His face was all teeth and sparkling blue eyes, beaming happiness. “And, this is Chloe.” Miles wrapped his other arm around the girl. She was a couple years younger, very thin, and brown curls fell to her shoulders. Green eyes shined up at them from behind shy long eyelashes. She positioned herself to half-hide behind her father.
The adults exchanged greetings with the children.
“Where’s Miles Junior?” Lily asked the question before realizing that the answer was evident. Miles eyes fell to the ground.
She closed with her son and embraced him, “I’m so sorry, son.” Miles’ eyes welled up as he accepted his mother’s hug. Bethany snuggled her children, while Cooper and the others stepped back and averted their eyes, offering space as the only sympathy they could provide.
After a few minutes passed, Miles broke the awkward silence by clearing his throat and stepping back from his mother, “Where were we?”
Cooper looked at Miles, eyes full of sympathy, “We were hoping you can help us get the lay of the land around here.”
“Sure. But, you know it’s bad news?”
His face tightened, “Really?”
“Yup. We have our very own tin pot dictator here in Estacada.”
“The Man?” Dranko asked.
“You learn quickly. You want to know the joke of it all? Sheriff Hodges was a staunch no-tax Republican before all this started. Now, he’s demanding a very high ‘levy’—just taxes in disguise—to pay for security and such. Worse part, we can’t pay them in dollar bills, only goods.”
“Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, no matter the party line,” intoned Lily with an even voice. The others nodded.
“Let me guess, the goods are the hardest things to come by?” Angela asked.
He put his wide-brimmed hat back on and nodded, “Food, guns. And, of course, gasoline.”
“What about gold or silver?” All heads turned to Dranko, who had asked.