by Becky Harmon
“Greg stays at a friend’s in town most nights, so only Chase is here. It’s been so perfect I have to believe it was meant to be.”
“Just keep telling yourself that,” Steph joked, making sure her quip sounded light this time and ignoring the twinge of loneliness she felt at the thought of returning to her own empty house.
Cassie smiled. “So, we’ll see you Friday night then.”
Handing her empty mug to Cassie, Steph rolled her eyes. “I’ll call you.”
* * *
Cassie watched Steph’s cruiser disappear down the driveway before stepping inside and turning out the lights. She locked the front door and climbed the stairs. In the glow from the hallway nightlight she gently pushed open Chase’s bedroom door and stepped inside. His thin frame was barely visible under the covers. He had grown so much in the last nine months, it was impossible to keep any weight on him. She brushed the hair out of his eyes and kissed his forehead. She gave a whispered thanks for his health and happiness before closing his door enough to block out most of the light from the hallway.
She stepped into the bedroom she shared with Kathleen and smiled as Kathleen glanced up from her book.
“Steph okay?” Kathleen asked.
“I guess. She’s in for a rough couple of days though.”
“Things weren’t rough already?”
She pulled her shirt over her head and tossed her remaining clothes into the laundry basket. Lifting the covers, she slid naked into the bed. Kathleen closed her book and laid it on the nightstand before switching off the lamp.
“What’s going on?” Kathleen asked as she rolled on her side, resting her hand in the middle of Cassie’s chest.
“Jemini is Dorothy’s granddaughter.”
“Why did she come now? Doesn’t she know she missed the funeral?”
“Steph asked but didn’t get an answer. It’s probably been twenty years or more since they’ve had any contact.” She sighed and kissed the top of Kathleen’s head. “Jemini’s mother took her away when she was a kid and she hasn’t been back since.”
“Do you know why?”
“No. Steph never knew. Dorothy wouldn’t talk about it. Every year Dorothy would send Jemini an invitation to visit and Steph would wait with her, but Jemini never showed. It broke Steph’s heart, but Dorothy wouldn’t stop sending the invitations or waiting. She believed one day Jemini would come home to Riverview.”
“That’s so sad.”
“It is, but Steph isn’t sad anymore. Now she’s angry. At the funeral, she said she would throw Jemini in jail if she ever showed up in Riverview.”
“Well, that didn’t happen.”
“Not yet.”
Kathleen snuggled closer into Cassie’s body. “Chase wants to go horseback riding tomorrow.”
“Chase wants to go horseback riding every day.”
“Yes, but tomorrow is your day to take him.”
“Okay, but I’m going to need pancakes for breakfast.”
Kathleen laughed. “Why are you telling me? You can make pancakes on your own.”
She tightened her arms around Kathleen, her hands sliding across the smooth, familiar skin. “I’ll make them, but you have to eat with us too.”
“I’ll have some eggs, but I can’t eat the way you guys do or I’ll gain forty pounds overnight.”
She groaned. “Let’s stop talking about food. I could eat a pancake right now, and for the record you’re beautiful with or without forty pounds of pancakes.”
Kathleen slid her hand across Cassie’s breast. “I can distract you from food.”
She pushed the covers away, giving Kathleen space to straddle her stomach. “Yes, please do.” She lifted her head and met her lips.
Chapter Two
Jemini pulled her only clean suit from the hanger. She hadn’t packed for more than an overnight stay and she hoped her broken-down car wouldn’t ruin that plan. Thankfully, the steam from the shower had helped to disperse the few remaining wrinkles in her beige pants and jacket. Her shirt was a different story, though. She located an iron in the closet and plugged it in.
Everything about the cabin had been perfect, and staying here was certainly more private than the room she had booked at The Riverview Inn would have been. Lake View Resort was definitely more pleasant than Dorothy’s empty house could possibly have been as well. Not that she had even considered staying there, though the attorney had offered that option when he called to tell her about the reading of the will. She didn’t need a crystal ball to understand what that invitation meant, but she couldn’t figure out why Dorothy would leave anything to a granddaughter she had cast away. Apparently Dorothy hadn’t been aware that Jemini had followed in her mother’s footsteps, choosing an openly lesbian lifestyle instead of living a lie. No doubt she would have been banned from Dorothy’s house forever just as her mother had been. Now that she knew Stephanie was still in town and, for all Jemini knew, that she still lived in the caretaker’s cottage next door, she had no intention of setting foot in or near Dorothy’s house.
For the last twenty years, she had avoided any reminiscing, cursing anything that reminded her of happier times in Riverview. But last night she had laid awake for hours thinking about Stephanie. The breathtaking deputy who had stepped out of the car was nothing like the angry woman Stephanie had morphed into seconds later. She had trouble even connecting the two images. Stephanie was beautiful, but that flash of hatred was not what Jemini had expected. Was Stephanie angry because she left Riverview or because she never returned? Did that mean she didn’t know why Jemini’s mother had been banned from Dorothy’s house? Maybe she did know and, now as an adult, she agreed with Dorothy’s cruel words.
As she pressed the hot iron to the wrinkles in her shirt, she remembered the day her mother told her they were leaving Riverview. She had been playing outside with Stephanie, who had returned to her own house to get lunch. When she came inside for her own lunch, her mother had their bags packed and her grandmother was nowhere in sight. As she helped her mother carry their suitcases to the car, she fired nonstop questions that only a child would be brave enough to ask. Why couldn’t she say good-bye to her grandmother and Stephanie? When would she see them again? Where were they going? How long would they be gone? Why were they leaving? The years had not lessened the pain she had felt at losing her grandmother, but learning why it had happened had made it easier to never return.
She finished dressing and packed her few belongings. She didn’t plan on checking out of the cabin yet, but she could always do it over the phone as long as she didn’t leave anything behind. She stepped onto the porch and closed the door behind her. The coolness of the air-conditioned room faded quickly in the morning humidity. One more reason to dislike being back in Florida. The woman who had checked her in the night before stopped as she passed the cabin.
“Good morning, Ms. Rivers.”
“Good morning. Kathleen, right?” She was thankful the name had come quickly to her mind.
“Right.” Kathleen smiled. “I’m taking my morning walk. Would you like to join me? Greg just called to say it’ll be about fifteen minutes before he gets here with your rental car.”
Jemini had never been a fan of one-on-one conversations. Small social interactions made her palms sweat. She preferred to speak in courtrooms where her script was already written, like an actor performing in front of her audience. She was unable to think of a reason not to walk with Kathleen, however, and she didn’t want to be rude. She left her bags on the porch and joined her in the driveway. They crossed to the sidewalk that circled the lake and immediately fell into a relaxed pace.
The lake and surrounding pastures were quiet and peaceful. The only sounds were the chirping of birds and the splashing of water on the lake. The large fountain in its center pushed the water away, causing ripples to cascade to the shoreline on all sides. The path around the water was wide enough for the two of them to walk side by side. Park benches and old-fashioned light posts l
ined the walkway and she wondered why she hadn’t noticed them last night. She could imagine how pretty it was in the dark. As they passed the empty swimming area, she could see the floating dock anchored not too far from the sandy beach.
“It’s so peaceful here,” she said, breaking the comfortable silence that had developed between them.
Kathleen chuckled. “I thought that too when I first visited. Wait until everyone wakes up and things pick up. No large families, though, this week, so you won’t have the screaming of children to enjoy. Are you visiting or passing through?”
This was what Jemini hated most about one-on-one conversations. She resisted the urge to be short with her answer. “I have business in Riverview.”
“What business are you in?”
“I’m an attorney, but my business here is personal not professional.”
She braced herself for the normal follow-up question but was pleasantly surprised when Kathleen veered in another direction.
“Will you be staying until Friday?”
“I’m not sure. It depends on what happens at my meeting this afternoon.” She cringed as she remembered the dead battery on her phone. “And if I can find a charger for my phone. It’s bad enough being away from my office, but I can’t be unreachable.”
Kathleen nodded. “You’re welcome to use our phone in the office, and if you decide to stay until Friday, you’ll have to come to our cookout. Most of our other guests will attend and sometimes a few friends wander by. In fact, Cassie said she invited Steph. She’s the deputy you met last night.”
Jemini could feel Kathleen’s eyes on her and she fought to keep the heat from her face. Stephanie again. After last night’s reception, she was fairly sure a friend of Stephanie’s was not going to be friend of hers. She had really enjoyed the walk and conversation, but she should probably leave before her real reason for being in Riverview was revealed.
“I don’t think I’ll still be here on Friday, but thank you for the invitation.”
She was glad Kathleen didn’t force conversation to fill the silence between them. With only the occasional sounds from the awakening guests, she was able to appreciate the beauty of the lake and the tree-lined pasture. She considered for a moment the idea that she might want to stay another night. Disappearing into the forest on one of the many trails seemed like a great way to spend the day. The low heels she wore rubbed her feet, reminding her she wasn’t really dressed for a day of relaxation.
As they rounded the end of the lake again and headed back toward the office, a black Toyota Camry pulled to a stop in front of them. A tall, lanky teenager climbed from behind the wheel. His jeans were faded and marked with a few permanent grease stains as was the T-shirt that hung from his shoulders. The smile on his face was huge as he stepped toward them.
“Hey, Greg.” Kathleen gave him a quick hug before turning to Jemini. “This is Ms. Rivers.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am.” Greg shook her hand and then handed her the key to the Camry.
“Likewise,” she said, passing him the key to her Mercedes.
“Jo thinks it might be the fuel pump, which would be an easy fix, but we’ll know more when we get it back to the shop.”
“I have a meeting at three, but I’ll come by after that.”
“Great. We’ll see you then.” He turned to Kathleen. “I better catch up with Jo before she leaves me. She’ll have the car loaded on the truck by now.” He gave a wave and took off at a jog.
Jemini looked at Greg’s disappearing form and back to Kathleen. “I can give him a ride.”
Kathleen laughed. “He’s fine.”
The office door opened and Cassie stepped out flanked by two black, curly-haired dogs. “Was that Greg?”
“Yes, and he’s already gone.”
Cassie smiled. “I swear he never stops moving.”
A small boy dressed in jeans and cowboy boots stepped out of the office behind Cassie. “Did I miss Greg?”
Cassie ruffled his hair. “I’m sorry, Chase. I missed him too. Maybe after our ride we can swing into town and visit him for a minute.”
“Cool and then we can get ice cream.” He didn’t wait for a response but called both dogs and headed for the barn. “Dillon and I will get the horses ready,” he called over his shoulder.
Jemini felt like the outsider she was as she watched the two women share a look and then begin to laugh.
“I guess I better join him or he might leave without me. It was nice meeting you, Ms. Rivers.”
Kathleen turned to Jemini. “I’m sorry if we were distracted by Chase. Cassie just bought him new boots and they seem to have a built-in swagger.”
Jemini chuckled. “How old is he?”
“He just turned ten.”
“He acts older and much more confident than most ten-year-olds.”
“Thank you.” Kathleen’s face flushed with pride. “He was forced to grow up faster than most kids, but now he gets to be a kid again.”
She wanted to ask Kathleen to explain what she meant, but she was reminded of the day she had in front of her. She wasn’t here to make friends, even if she did find these two women intriguing. They were locals and she already knew they were Stephanie’s friends. What was she thinking anyway? She was leaving today. “I guess I should try to find a phone charger.”
“There’s an electronics store beside the diner on Main Street. You can’t miss it.”
“Great! I’m sure I’ll find it then. Thanks.”
She pulled the door of the Camry shut, relieved to finally be alone. She liked Kathleen and Cassie but was a little intimidated by their friendliness and their relationship. She didn’t know a lot of couples that were making it work. Most women she knew were focused on their professions and any women in their life took a backseat. Swinging by the porch of her cabin, she grabbed her overnight bag and the briefcase holding her laptop and headed into Riverview.
* * *
Steph rolled over and groaned as she caught a glimpse of the alarm clock on her nightstand. It wasn’t even nine a.m. She had barely gotten three hours of sleep. When her shift ended at three, she had come straight home, but she hadn’t been able to get Jemini out of her mind long enough to fall asleep. She was too awake to fall back to sleep now, and she knew there was no chance she would be able to catch a nap before her shift at five.
Tomorrow was her last day on this rotation, thank goodness. She would return then to her regular shift. That meant working whenever there was a case, but at least she could take a day off if she needed it.
She poured herself some coffee and stepped outside on the back deck. She couldn’t stop herself from glancing toward the main house even though she knew Dorothy wouldn’t be waiting. Dorothy had always seemed to know when she would be stepping outside with her coffee. That was one more thing Dorothy would never be able to explain now. That and the full story on why Jemini left. She always regretted not pushing her for that, but in the back of her mind, she realized, she had always thought Jemini would come back and explain everything.
Maybe she should give Jemini a chance to tell her side of the story. Her stomach churned at the thought. It was too late for Jemini to make things right. Dorothy was dead and that could not be undone no matter what she had to say.
She dumped her remaining coffee down the sink and changed into her running clothes. As had been her practice for the last week, she stopped at the main house and checked on Ms. Agnes before following the trail into the woods. Agnes Boone was in her seventies and spent most days in her rocking chair on the porch. Still vibrant enough to care for herself, she and Dorothy had shared their meals every day for over ten years. Dorothy had happily remodeled her home, making space downstairs for Agnes and upstairs for Kim and her son Brandon. Money or maybe loneliness had driven Agnes from her home and the same with Kim and Brandon. Kim was working hard to provide for her son when she lost her second job. Like Dorothy, Steph had enjoyed having a kid around again. One that wasn’t her
responsibility, that is. At ten, he was a handful of questions and energy, but he brought a youthful vibrancy back into the house. She would check on them this evening after they returned from work and school.
She tried to settle into the rhythmic sound of her shoes hitting the soft ground. Normally running was her key to relax, but today her mind wouldn’t clear. Jemini Rivers was back in town and more beautiful than she could have imagined. She couldn’t remember much about Jemini’s appearance as a kid other than her eyes. She remembered, though, that Jemini didn’t mind touching bugs or relocating spiders from their clubhouse and that she was always the one to put the bait on their hooks when they went fishing. Granted there weren’t any fish in the small stream so neither had had to touch a fish, but she knew if there had been it would have been Jemini who did so.
She slowed her pace as she approached the portion of the trail that crossed the main road. Hearing the hum of a slow-moving vehicle, she stopped, jogging in place. The trail wasn’t visible from the road and she didn’t want to surprise the passing driver. A mid-sized black sedan passed. She didn’t get a good look at it, but she thought it might have turned onto Rivers Pass. Since she and Dorothy were the only ones who owned property on that road, she considered turning around. She wasn’t even halfway to her usual turnaround point, though, and she really needed to burn off her extra energy, so she decided to continue her run. Anyone who needed to see her would have to wait or come back.
* * *
Jemini hit the brakes hard as she turned the Toyota onto Rivers Pass. She hadn’t bothered to get directions to Dorothy’s house before leaving Chattanooga. She had been sure she wasn’t going to come here, but when she left Lake View earlier, she had felt a strange pull to see her childhood home. She didn’t know if she could find it by memory or if she would even be disappointed if she couldn’t. As she remembered her earlier conviction to never step in or near Dorothy’s house, the sick feeling that had plagued her since the attorney’s call about the will returned. The feeling she hated more than anything else in her life. The one that told her she might be making a mistake.