“I will. But not Mary.” He asked why not. “She’s too young, Daniel. What do you think it would do to her to hear about how badly I was hurt, and that I want to die every single day because of it?”
“She knows more than you think she does about you and what you want, Mel. I think Mary has noticed things that I’ve not. You have to understand that when her mother left her with me, you became the mother figure that she needed. Mary knows nothing but her love for you. She has no feelings, I don’t think, for her mother.” Mel told him that was sad. “Not for us. Not for Mary. It is very sad that Vicky has lost out on their love. She left them with me, and I couldn’t have been happier if she’d—well, we won’t go into that. You know that Vicky and I only ever fought. That was why I was so sure that Mary wasn’t mine. Now I know that none of them are.”
“You’ve never once treated them like they weren’t yours, Daniel. I’ve never been so proud of you as when you told me that it didn’t matter one bit that they weren’t, that you loved them even more because you were picked to be their father. You’re the best father in the world.” He told her that he didn’t think he’d go that far. “Oh, Daniel. I just realized something. Holly’s dress. It was in the house. She lost her dress.”
“I know. I think of things that were there that I can’t ever get back. Not just the dress, but there was Mary’s pumpkin that she carried around with her when she learned to walk. Dan’s sports trophies that were in his room. You getting out the pictures was wonderful. I mean, those would have been impossible to have tried to get back.” He looked around, thinking of the wealth that they were working with. “I had insurance on the house and barn, but I don’t think it’s going to be nearly enough for us to get a home and set it up again. The housing around us was changing, and now…. Well, I don’t think we stand a chance of getting a home near the school district that we were in. Much less a home that has three bedrooms.”
“I thought of that too when the barn caught fire. All that equipment is trash now. I got a lot of it really cheap because it was old and needed to be fixed. I did all the repairs and hodge podging it together so that I could save some money rather than having to buy new. Or even second hand. We’re out of business, it seems. At least my end of it is.” He asked her if she was serious. “Yes. I mean, I can still design things, I guess. But I won’t know if it will actually work without being able to put something together to test it. I don’t have the money to get anything that will help with that.”
“I’m so sorry, Mel. I mean, with me, it was just things. Furniture and clothing. All of that can and will be easily replaced. But with you, it was, as you said, too expensive to do anything with. I’ll give you the part of the money that was—”
“You most certainly will not give me a dime of that money. You have three children that are going to need everything to begin again. I at least have my apartment with my furniture and things in it.” She had an idea that seemed to take a piece of her heart and make it better. “In fact, Daniel, I have my dress. The one that I was going to wear to the dance that year. Maybe Holly could sell it or trade it for something that she’d want to wear. I’ll have it sent here for her so that she can have plenty of time to have whatever she gets cleaned and pressed.”
Daniel hadn’t realized that she’d kept the dress. But he could see her being thrifty, and it not occur to her that the dress was more than likely out of date. Daniel had to smile, though. He’d bet anything that she could still wear it. His sister hadn’t gained a single ounce since she’d been a teenager. She was a tiny little thing that didn’t show anyone how strong she was. Physically, at least.
They were landing not ten minutes later. He loved the little airport that they had landed at. He’d taken note of it when they’d arrived. It seemed like it had been months ago rather than just this morning. Disembarking, he wondered if there was affordable housing around this area. But then he didn’t know if he could move here without his sister. Mel was the only family that they had.
They were all there waiting on them. His children were waving like he’d been gone for months rather than a few hours. Putting out his arms to them, he wasn’t the least bit upset that they all three ran for his sister rather than him. Mel had that effect on them when she was around. He wasn’t that important.
Daniel knew that he was very important to his kids. Mel was too. He’d always thought that she could charm the rattle off a snake if she wanted. Even after the incident at the school, she’d been the one that could get them better deals on contracts without ever leaving her deep cover of a home. She was that good.
But they had missed her. And he was sure after finding out that she’d been at the fire when it happened, they were glad to see that she was all right, except for the burns on her hands. He noticed that the McCrays were standing back too. Daniel wondered about that.
Hello. This is Meadow. He looked at the woman when she spoke in his head. Good, you’re not freaked out by this. They are worried more than you about her ending her life. Kids, I’m finding out, are so much smarter than we are when it comes to emotions. They have no idea, as you don’t, why she’d want to leave them. However, they are aware that she has continuous nightmares, as well as her fear of leaving her home. You’ve done well by them, Daniel. In letting them understand her and not coloring their opinion by what you think about her.
How is it you know so much about her? Meadow told him that she had this unusual ability that let her go deeper into someone’s mind than anyone could before. She saw and felt it all. So you know—exactly, I’m assuming—what happened to her that day.
I do. I think I might, after many searches, know who the person is. So you know, he’s as good as dead when we find him. And we will. Daniel asked her if the man had done this before. Yes.
When nothing more was forthcoming, he assumed it was more than likely because she didn’t think he wanted to know what else the man had been up to. As soon as the kids hugged him, he knew that things weren’t as clear cut as he had hoped they would be for any of them.
He’s not coming after Mel, if that soothes your mind, Daniel. But he will do this again if we don’t catch him. You should be more worried about Vicky. She is coming. And she will die as well if she doesn’t straighten up her ass and back off. Daniel asked if she’d burnt their house down. She did. I don’t think it was her intention to do that. She only wanted to scare you into giving her what she wanted. She is one sick fucker. I’m sure that you’re aware of that.
I’m not, actually. She risked killing her own children? Do you know why that is? They’re great kids. They’ve done nothing to harm her. What does she think is going to happen if she kills us? Meadow asked him if he’d be prepared for the answer. When you put it like that, I’m not sure.
Good answer. We’ll talk tomorrow, after lunch, if you don’t mind. The kids are going to go to my parents-in-law to spend the day, and we’ll talk then. If you’re worried about the kids being hurt at their home, you don’t have to be. The McCrays are the best there is and will protect them with their lives. I promise you that they’ll be safe with them.
He didn’t think that it was a request for him to allow his children to go to the other home. Not that he minded, but he did care that they needed to have the children away when they spoke. Whatever was going on, it was something that he’d eventually have to tell them. Perhaps he’d have a better handle on it after the meeting. He might need them to hold him afterward. Things around his family were worse than he thought.
They rode to the house in limos. Again he wondered at the amount of money it would take to have such things just sitting around waiting to be used. When he’d been there the first time, just before the call came in about his sister, all he’d gotten to see was the house that they’d be living in. That was much larger than he’d thought it would have been. Not to mention, something of a staff was working with them as well.
When they pulled up in
front of the home of Lucian and Demi, he knew then that the money these people had was something that few ever achieved. They were secure, he figured, for not just their lifetimes, but those of next generations as well. Looking at his sister as she took in the expanse of the house, he wondered what she’d do if her mate was equally wealthy. It wouldn’t be something that she’d want. However, it would be everything she needed for her life.
Chapter 4
Gannon begged off from meeting at Lucian’s home. He was not just exhausted physically but mentally, as well. He’d been beating himself up over what he’d done to Mel and didn’t think that he could form a single sentence without it coming back around to how he’d frightened her. When he opened his front door, he groaned when Lucian and Demi were sitting in his living room, waiting for him.
“I don’t want to talk about anything. I’m tired, and I want to go to bed.” Demi patted the seat next to her and told him to come sit down. “Please. I beg of you. Let it go until tomorrow. I’m really whipped, and if you don’t mind, I think I’ve beaten myself up enough for one night.”
“She’s better.” He asked her who was and why he would care. “Don’t be like that. And you know perfectly well who I’m talking about. Mel is working hard on trying to make herself talk about what happened that day. But Lucian and I still think that she is holding something back that she needs you to know firsthand.”
“I don’t think you’re right on that. You usually are, Demi, but not this time. She pretty much has no trouble telling me the way she feels about me, nor does she hold back when she’s saying it.” He went into the living room, but he didn’t sit next to her on the couch. He sat in the recliner that had been delivered earlier this morning. “She’s terrified of me. Not just a little either. If you could have seen her when I tried to prove a point that us riding in the limo together was a bad idea, you’d know that too. Melody is never going to be able to be next to me without flinching or backing away in terror.”
“We found him. His name is Harley Wendel. He recently moved to this area, and I have a meeting with his sleuth master sometime in the next week or so. I’d very much like it if you went with me and Mel.” Gannon asked her if she’d been listening to him. “I have. But Mel is willing to go, only if you go too. I didn’t tell her that was the way that it was going to work. It’s what she told Lucian when she spoke to him.”
Gannon looked at his brother, who looked concerned, a look that he’d not seen on him since he’d gotten with Demi. Gannon did worry about it, wondering if Lucian thought this was as bad of an idea as he did. Lucian told him that he didn’t when Gannon asked him about it.
“No. I think this might be just what she needs to have some sort of closure on this. I did speak to Meadow about it, wondering if she could figure out if it was a good idea or not, and she said that Mel wanted you to hear from her what she was willing to tell the sleuth master about.” Gannon asked him what Meadow had said the reason was for him being there. “She is having doubts about how she treated you.”
“She didn’t do anything to me other than be afraid. I was…. I’ve put a lot of thought into this, but I was aggressive toward her at the fire. I took her hands into mine and was willing right there to heal her. The fact that I scared her badly enough for her to want to die rather than me touch her, that’s all on me, not her.” Lucian told him that she didn’t think that way. “I do. And I don’t want to see that look on her face again.”
“I don’t blame you there. But, as I said, she’s working through what happened to her at the high school, as well as things that have come to light here.” Gannon asked him what had come along now. “Nothing terrible. But we did have a long talk with Daniel and her. She’s going to be pissed off that we’ve taken care that she won’t be unable to work. Thanks to Meadow being able to see what the equipment was that she lost in the fire, we’ve been able to make sure that it’s been replaced. Also, we’re going to permanently offer them the house that we’re letting Daniel use to live here. It’s going to be better for all of us, including him, to be close enough that we don’t have to keep going back and forth to get the school safety program going.”
“You think that they’re going to be all right with that?” Lucian told him that was where he came in. “You’re going to have me talk them into it. I don’t know why you’re having such a difficult time in realizing what I’m telling you, but Mel wants nothing to do with me. Having Daniel living so close to me, that’s not going to fly well with him either when his own sister won’t come around because he’s here.”
Lucian stood up, and so did Demi. Gannon was just too tired to be polite and stayed where he was. His brother told him that Mel was coming to see him tomorrow at work. He looked at Demi, then at him, before speaking.
“I have a place to go to work? I thought that I just worked with Demi on things, and then she sent me out when there was other work to be done.” Demi told him that he had an office in the downtown area. “Since when do I need an office? I’m just your camera guy.”
“You’re more than that, and you know it. Mel is going to go down there in the morning to speak to you. You look like she still hasn’t forgiven you, but I’m sure that she will after you talk to her. You’ll have to sort out what you want and don’t want with the building, and it will be a perfect time for the two of you to talk. The pack has let us use some of their men to come and help you clean the place out.” He asked her what the building had held. “It used to be a bakery shop. The real equipment, the ovens and such, are in the building next to it. A long time ago, when business was booming, the buildings were made into one. I’m having them separate the buildings again. Then see about having someone put in the shop.”
“You’re putting me next to a bakery. A place where I will be smelling homemade breads and such? Are you that cruel? Damn it; there is nothing I love more than—you’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?” Demi nodded. “All right, but if I put on fifty pounds, I’m placing the blame right on your head. A fat bear is a dead one if he can’t run and hide when someone sees him.”
“I’ll have to suffer through that then. By the way, there will be some extra equipment coming to you on Friday. This is only Tuesday. You should be able to get the building ready before then and be ready for the supplies.” He asked her three times what sort of supplies he was going to be getting. Of course, she didn’t tell him. Not even Lucian would. They both sucked, as far as he was concerned. “Also, before I forget, you should check your bank account.”
He didn’t even bother with getting his phone out of his pocket when he heard the front door close behind them. Instead, he contemplated getting up and finding a blanket that he could cover himself with. Then he remembered that he’d put the remote to the fireplace in this chair. Pulling it out, he turned the fire on.
“Who would have thought that a man that grew up as poor as I did would be enjoying a remote controlled fireplace in his own huge house?” Smiling to himself, he was just able to snag the blanket on the back of the couch that was near him. Covering himself up, he closed his eyes. “Just a few minutes, and I’ll go up to bed. Just a minute or two.”
At four in the morning, he woke up so hot that he could barely breathe around it. The room he was in was warmer than the hottest day he’d spent out in the sun this past summer. Getting up, he turned off the fireplace and put the remote on the mantel so he’d not ever do this again, and staggered his way up to his bed.
Before he was able to crawl into the bed and finally get some sleep, he realized that he’d have to be up in an hour or so, and the extra little bit of sleep he’d be able to get wouldn’t do shit for him. Instead, he stripped down and stepped into the shower in his bathroom. Another thing that he was loving about this house—he had his own bathroom and bedroom that he didn’t have to share with any of his brothers.
By the time he was dressed after getting out of the shower, he made his way to his off
ice that he’d yet to put together to find the computer that Demi had sent him to use. He’d only just realized what a state of the art machine it was. Breakfast was brought to him after the third time he’d said he was coming to eat. Patrick, the butler that Meadow had hired for him, only grinned when he thanked him.
“There are a few things that I’d like to go over with you before you leave.” Gannon told him to go for it. “The cook, Miss Handy, would like to know if she could order the foodstuffs for here and have it delivered. She said that there are no staples in the pantry, and she would like to have it well-stocked in the event that your family comes for a meal.”
“That’s a great idea. I think when I was told about the kitchen area, that there is a walk-in cold storage, as well as a walk-in freezer. Is that right?” Patrick said that they were both empty but running. “I don’t have a problem having some extras put in there as well. She might want to get with my parents about buying beef. They would, when they could afford it, have a couple of cows butchered so that they’d have fresh. That’s not necessary if she doesn’t want to go that route, but there is that option.”
“I’ll tell her. I’d be surprised if she didn’t want that as well. She grew up around here, having bought meat the same way when she was in charge of her own home.” Gannon knew that Miss Handy had been as poor as they had when he was a child. “Then there are the needs of the new mate that we have heard you’ve found. Ms. Demi seems to think that she’ll be moving in with you very soon. I was surprised by that since you’ve never mentioned her.”
“I do have a mate. I only just found her yesterday. I’m supposed to meet her downtown in about….” He looked at the clock and realized he’d been up for several hours. “I’m to meet her in an hour. But she’s terrified of me because she was injured by a bear herself. I don’t know what she has plans for. She’s a pretty woman, Patrick. Just what an ugly man like me needs to have hanging on my arm. That way, no one will notice me with my tongue hanging out looking at her.”
Gannon: McCray Bruin Bear Shifter Romance Page 5