Authors: Kathleen Brooks
Katelyn couldn't be more exhausted. She had stayed up all night fighting with her father before he left on his private jet in the morning. She had never been so embarrassed. As she got dressed in her scrubs for work she was, for the first time, not looking forward to going. Her father had come in and disrupted the only place she knew as home and now she had to go face everyone. She had to face the fact that everyone would whisper about her father as they gave her pitying looks, or worse, judged her based on his actions.
"Katelyn!" She jumped as she heard her grandmother scream, in the most lady-like fashion as possible of course.
The tone of her grandmother's voice surprised her and she bolted down the stairs. She spotted her grandmother's hat first and then her laced gloves waving in the air. As she got farther down the stairs she saw that the person she was attacking with lace was the farm manager, Joey Heath.
Joey had his hat in his hand and was tapping it against his jean-clad leg as he and her grandmother stared out the door towards the front pasture. They talked quickly and Joey kept shaking his head. When he heard her near, he looked pleadingly at her for help.
"What's going on Nana?"
"Joey found something! Come on, you’ve got to see it." Nana adjusted her red wide-brimmed hat that matched her lipstick and headed out the door.
Her grandmother was in the lead and Joey followed dutifully behind toward a new section of fencing. Her grandmother stopped and looked down the hole where she guessed a fence post was supposed to go. Katelyn looked down and saw something black.
"What is it?" she asked.
"I don't know. It clanked when I hit it and that's when I came and got your grandmother. I didn't know what I should do," Joey told her.
"I think it’s buried treasure." She hadn't seen her grandmother this excited in a long time. She couldn't stand still as she circled the hole.
"Nana, not everyone buries the family silver in the back yard like your family did."
"Does... it never stopped. It's kind of a family tradition ever since the war. Besides, it gives me an excuse to buy new flatware. All the women in the family do it when we're ready to redecorate. Joey, give me that shovel."
"Ma'am?"
"Well, you're not digging, so give it to me and I'll get it." She grabbed the shovel leaning against a newly planted fence post and shoved it into the ground near the black object.
Katelyn and Joey crowded around and watched as little by little more was revealed of the object.
Clank, Clank
. The noise filled the air and with a gasp Joey leapt forward and grabbed the shovel.
"Stop! That's not buried treasure, that's a freaking cannonball!"
"What?" Katelyn leaned forward and looked in the hole.
"I'm telling you, that's a cannonball." Joey stepped back and brought her grandmother with him.
"Well, you can't just leave it there. Dig it up and bring it into the house. Then I'll call Beauford and see what to do."
"Are you sure, ma'am?" Joey eyed the hole cautiously as if the cannonball may climb out on its own.
"I'm sure. If you don't want to do it, then just hand me that shovel back and I'll do it myself."
Katelyn stopped the snicker that was threatening to come out while she watched the wide brim of her grandmother's hat bounce as Nana placed her lace-gloved hands on her hips.
"Okay, Mrs. W, whatever you say."
Joey crept forward with the shovel and started to dig. Within a couple of minutes she watched as he carried the thick black ball into the house and put it on the kitchen table. Ruffles and her new best friend, Alice, came bounding over to check it out.
Ruffles had taken it upon herself to help nurse Alice back to health. The two had become almost inseparable this past week. Now the two of them were staring at the cannonball with the same look that Joey had.
"Beauford! Pick up the phone," her grandmother yelled into the phone.
"I don't think he can hear you, Nana."
"Well. I guess he'll be no help. Of course he chose today to go hunting with his buddies. Katelyn, dear, wasn't that nice young sheriff in the army? Give him a call and maybe he'll know what to do."
With a grimace Katelyn went to the phone. She had a decision to make. Well, who was she kidding, she was a coward. She called Annie and had her call Marshall.
Katelyn paced back and forth in front of the cannonball as she waited for the inevitable knock on the door. After yesterday and the way her father acted she didn't want to see Marshall. It was just one more reason he’d hate her.
At the sound of the doorbell she prepared herself for the worst. She straightened her back and put on the mask she wore to cover her insecurity. She could do this. But, when she saw him walk in, she felt a pain in her heart. Why was she so torn? She couldn't stand him, but longed for him at the same time. It was life's cruel joke on her.
He had the confidence she envied and the looks to back it up. His hazel eyes were sharp and his swagger was that of a real man, not some cocky wanna be. His eyes locked on hers and she tried to stare past him so she wouldn't see the pity or the hate. Hold on, he looked different. She actually looked at him now and saw that his eyes were soft and full of worry, not full of pity or cockiness.
"Are you alright? Is it your father?" He asked quietly.
"Oh, um, no. He left early this morning to see about a hotel in Hong Kong." She saw his brows crease as he looked around to make sure everyone was okay.
"Then, what is it?"
"Annie didn't tell you?"
"I guess she thought it would be more fun as a surprise," he said dryly with a wry smile coming across his face, emphasizing a small thin scar on his chin.
Katelyn couldn't help but return the smile. She stepped away from the kitchen table and held out her hands as if modeling a necklace on television. "Ta-da!"
"Is that a cannonball?"
"No, it's Nana's new hat. Isn't it lovely?" Katelyn deadpanned.
"It's lovely Mrs. Wyatt. Would you care to tell me about it?"
"Joey found it while digging a new fence post. We didn't know what to do with it. Where do you think it came from?" She watched as Marshall went over and put his arm around her grandmother.
"Too bad, it would’ve made you a lovely hat. Then again, everything looks lovely on you." He gave her a squeeze and a wink before heading over to the table to look at the cannonball.
She watched as he picked it up and turned it over. His eyes got big and he moved very slowly to put the old dented ball on the kitchen table. As soon as the ball was settled on the table he leapt backward. He grabbed Katelyn’s arm with one hand and Mrs. Wyatt's hand with the other and simultaneously pulled them back to the doorway.
"Marshall, what are you doing?" Katelyn asked. She looked down where he was holding her hand and stared. His grip was strong, sure, and felt so warm.
"That cannonball is live. It's also very old and I don't know how stable it is."
"Live?" Katelyn took another step back.
"Yup. See that plug there? That means it's intact and live. The size, shape and condition make me think it's from the Civil War."
"There were no battles around here. Even I know that," Joey put in.
"True. But there were battles in Perryville and Richmond, which are pretty close to us. It's very possible there was a little skirmish and while the troops were moving this got left behind. That would explain why it's still live," Marshall told them.
"What do we do about it?" She wasn't too excited about the prospect of an almost 150-year-old cannonball being too near.
"We need to call Army Munitions." Marshall pulled out his cell phone and started searching for a phone number.
"What's the number? We can use the speaker phone." Her grandmother dialed the phone and everyone gathered around the phone to hear who answered.
"Army Munitions," an unidentified woman said.
"This is Captain Marshall Davies, Rangers, retired. I have a munitions question on a cannonball."
"One second Captain. I'll transfer you."
Katelyn looked around and tried not to laugh. Everyone was huddled around the phone staring at it eagerly. She had to admit, she had never seen Joey so worried before. She guessed the thought of her grandmother with a live cannonball was enough to finally get the normally unflappable manager completely flapped. Her grandmother on the other hand looked joyful. This was unexpected action and she loved every second of it.
Marshall though, was leaning against the wall next to the phone and looking completely bored. It was as if he was used to dealing with live ammunitions over a hundred years old on a daily basis. But, boy, did he look good being bored. She used the time to study his profile. He looked chiseled, like the statues she saw when she was modeling in Italy. His body was long and muscular. His uniform clung to those muscles, covering the nicest six-pack a girl had ever seen, and showed his tapered waist. His face had a strong jaw and sharp angles, but it was his eyes that had always fascinated her. She never knew which color they would be. Sometimes they were hazel, sometimes green, and sometimes brown. She also knew when he was in bed they turned a deep shade of brown and were filled with desire.
"This is Lieutenant Bell."
"Lieutenant, this is Captain Davies, retired. I'm the Sheriff in Keeneston, Kentucky. I have an interesting situation on my hands here and need your help."
"Sure thing Captain, what can I do for you?" he drawled. It appeared Lieutenant Bell was a good ol' southern boy.
"I'm going to let you talk to the person who found the cannonball, Mrs. Ruth Wyatt." Marshall stepped back and let her grandmother speak.
"Lieutenant Bell, you sound like you're from the great state of Georgia."
"Yes, ma'am. From Macon."
"I'm from Roswell, just outside of Atlanta myself."
"Well, you're from just up the road. Now, tell me about this cannonball."
Katelyn had a great time watching her grandmother retell the story. You’d think she was on stage instead of telling the story over the phone. Her hands flew, her face was animated and she moved around demonstrating how she used the shovel.
"What does the cannonball look like?"
"It's black. Smaller than a basketball," her grandmother answered.
"It's a nine pounder and the plug is still in it. I think it's from the Civil War," Marshall filled in.
"The plug is in it? Geez almighty. That thing is live! You need to talk to our historic munitions expert. Let me get his number. He's the only person in the Army who specializes in live munitions from that long ago. Here it is. I'll transfer you now."
"Thank you Lieutenant Bell." The line went quiet as the transfer was put through. "What a nice young man," her grandmother smiled and tapped her fingers against the table as she waited to be connected.
"Hello? Ma'am? Lieutenant Bell said you think you may have a live cannonball from the Civil War?" a voice said from over the phone.
"That's right," her grandma answered.
"Well, you don't see that every day. I will need to come to you to collect it and possibly detonate it if I have to."
"Really? Is it that big of a deal Mr…"
"Oh, I am sorry ma’am. It's Sargent Sherman, ma'am."
"I’m sorry, dear, did you say Sherman?"
Uh-oh. Katelyn knew that tone. Her grandmother rarely got angry, but this was her warning voice.
"Yes ma'am."
"Is there anyone else that can help me?"
"Um, no ma'am. I'm the only expert we have in Civil War munitions."
"I am so sorry Sergeant, but there has only ever been one Sherman on my property and there's never going to be another. Good day."
And with that, Katelyn watched as her grandmother hung up the phone and wiped her hands together before turning around and facing the open-mouthed group.
"Well then, I do believe this will make a lovely door stop. If it hasn’t blown up in 150 years I doubt it’ll blow up now." Mrs. Wyatt's lace-gloved hands picked up the cannonball and carried it away.
"Sherman? Really?" Marshall asked. His eyebrow shot up while his lips twitched.
"Well, he did burn her family farm."
"True. I should’ve known family honor never dies in the South. Even after 150 years," he snickered.
Marshall's radio buzzed and Annie's voice came over it, "Sheriff?"
"Excuse me for a minute." Marshall walked out to the sunroom behind the kitchen and talked into his radio for a minute. His head hung for a minute before he came back in to the kitchen.
"Your boyfriend found another dog on Mo's farm."
"Oh no. Is the dog alive?"
"I don't know. I'm sure Ahmed will call you soon." His voice was so tight now.
"I doubt it. While Ahmed is my friend, he's not my boyfriend."
"He's not? But everyone in town…"
"Is wrong. He's my friend, nothing more."
"Well, this is a first. I had never known the Keeneston gossip grapevine to be wrong. Do you want to grab your bag and come out to the farm with me?"
"Sure, I'll meet you at your car."
Katelyn ran up the stairs to her room and let the battle wage inside her head. He had seemed happy when he found out she wasn't dating Ahmed anymore. But, should she care? Probably not. It was probably just some macho mentality of his.
Marshall waited by the passenger door of the cruiser and wanted to do a happy dance. It made him feel foolish, so he just pumped his fist real fast when he was sure no one was watching him. He might still have a chance with her.
He turned when he heard the front door open and watched her come down the steps in her blue scrubs. He had never thought of scrubs as sexy, but he sure did now. He had to admit, she was beautiful when she was modeling, but she was amazing now. She has curves in all the right places. When he saw her, all he could think about was running his hands down those curves.
"You ready?" she asked.
"Yup. Here you go." He took her bag and opened the door for her. He needed to do things right this time.
Marshall parked the car and knew it wasn't a good outcome when he saw Dani crying in Mo's arms. He moved around the car and helped Katelyn over the uneven ground when he spotted Ahmed placing a blanket over a form on the ground.