Barbara told her new partner about No Face and how he seemed to follow her wherever she went.

"I don't know who he is, unless maybe he's someone my father used to know. But that was a long time ago. I was just a baby then, so it's about twenty-four years ago. But maybe he's someone else.

"I've thought about it a lot... I've thought Chet Armstrong might have paid him to start the fire at my airport at Mohave and at my friend's lumber yard. I call him 'No Face.' I hope he doesn't show up here again. But if you see him, let me know."

None of it made Barbara feel very happy or safe. She had never wanted to see Chet again, but now thought she had to. She might never be able to prove he was responsible for Gail's death, or Paul's, but she would have to confront him about both tragedies.

Nor did she need to wonder again who No Face was, or why he was stalking her.

And that's what he's doing, Barbara decided. He's stalking me. But why? What did I ever do to him?

Within a week, Barbara knew to whom the court had appointed temporary custody of her godson. Her lawyer informed her that a Family Court judge had ruled in favor of a recommendation from the social worker. Since neither Barbara nor the Eatons would back down on wanting custody of Tim, and because of the will, the court would take temporary custody of him.

"In the best interests of the boy, so as not to disrupt his life any further," status quo would be maintained. Tim would remain at Glenview Military Academy until permanent custody would be decided at a trial to be held at a later date.

The decision was not what Barbara hoped for. But she could live with it, for now.

Before the week ended, Barbara had her Mohave friends with her again. Except Buck and Edna who were still running their chicken farm, as Leila reported upon arrival at the airport.

"That's mainly Edna's work, since Buck's more withdrawn into himself than ever."

"Boxing," Barbara remembered. "If I ever see my Timmy even watching a boxing match, I'll box his ears!"

Meanwhile, as Barbara and Olafson got the airport up and running, with the help of two retired mechanics who knew how to fly a plane, depositions and legalese gobble-de-gook about the custody battle kept her otherwise occupied.

When she visited Timmy at Glenview in Wisconsin, Barbara tried to do two things: remember to call her godson "Tim," and to be as polite to Stephen Collier as she could, but not to fall in love with him. If he thought she should give up the boy she loved without a fight, he could not be the husband she wanted for herself, or who Gail said she had to have as Tim's father. That made her laugh, because she was putting too many carts before too many horses.




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