She hoped her mother would hurry home from the vet’s. They needed to discuss what they were going to do now that Drew knew about Nicole.
Chapter Eight
Drew returned to the compound and used his cell phone to let his brother know he wouldn’t return to help with the float. Leaving his father’s car in front of the main house, he walked back to his cottage.
Several times he reached for the telephone to call Brie, but each time, he set the instrument down without dialing. What he needed to say couldn’t be said over the phone. He wasn’t sure yet exactly what it was he wanted to say. His mind vacillated between shock, outrage and incredible excitement.
He was a father! He couldn’t seem to stop thinking about Nicole. One thing was perfectly clear in his mind, he intended to be part of her life from now on. And he couldn’t stop wondering if his grandfather had known about Brie’s pregnancy. There was only one way to find out.
As Drew opened the door to the main house, he was surprised to discover Carey and Nancy huddled together in the open foyer.
“Drew! There you are. We need to talk to you for a minute.”
“I don’t have a minute right now, Carey.”
“Make one.”
Drew paused.
“Maybe we’d better do this in private,” Nancy suggested.
Drew looked from one face to another, anxious to go and confront his grandfather. “Just spit it out.”
“Fine,” Carey said. “Nancy told me that Brianna Dudley has a little girl.”
Drew gave Nancy a hard look, angry that she shared that information after he’d asked her not to say anything.
“I know. She’s my daughter, Carey.”
“What the devil are you talking about?”
Drew swung around. Maureen and William Pierce were descending the open staircase. His mother’s shocked expression said they had heard every word. And his brother came inside behind him.
“Let’s move this discussion to the office,” Drew suggested.
“What discussion?” Zach asked.
“Never mind,” his father snapped.
Zach’s body tightened. Drew saw the hurt behind his shuttered expression. “On the contrary,” Drew told his father. “Zach isn’t a kid anymore. This affects all of us, one way or another.”
“Do you mean to say it’s true?” his mother asked.
“Yes. I’m going to ask Brie to marry me.”
His mother gasped. Hastily, she clamped a hand over her lips. Nancy inhaled sharply. Carey, his father and Zach all gaped at him with identical expressions.
Then the hall exploded in raised voices, bringing Anton Pierce from the library. Drew’s father wasted no time in telling him the news.
Drew was finally able to move everyone to the office, where he waited for the uproar to die down—only it never did. His father paced the floor angrily. His mother sank into a chair in the corner twisting her opal ring around and around. Zach leaned against the bookcase. Carey plopped unhappily into a chair next to the credenza and stared at the heavy gilt frame on the opposite wall. Only Nancy stood apart, frowning.
“You cannot mean to marry a waitress,” his grandfather decreed for the third time in as many minutes.
“Andrew, marriage is totally unnecessary. Even Nancy’s investigator says there is no father listed on the birth certificate. We can pay her—”
“Enough!” Drew stared his father down until the senator’s words sputtered into silence and the pacing stopped. Next, his gaze went to his grandfather. The fierce light of battle faded more slowly from those canny, tired eyes, but the once-powerful man sitting in the padded leather chair leaned back, looking oddly defeated.
Nancy Bell’s expression held regret, disappointment and acceptance. Carey stared vacantly, rubbing his chin as if it were a talisman. Only Zach offered a wink, a smile and a thumbs-up of encouragement. Drew felt closer to his brother in that moment than ever before. But it was his mother who stunned them all. Always prim and excessively reserved, she stood regally and glided forward, laying a hand on his arm.
“Very well. If we’re going to have a wedding we’d best get started with the arrangements. I’ll need to get her properly attired,” his mother stated calmly. “There isn’t time to take her into Boston and have it done right, but I can call in a few favors to get things started. I think it would be best to have a quiet wedding, don’t you? Perhaps here in the garden if that meets with your approval. It’s quite lovely right now thanks to all the rain this year.”
“Thank you, Mother, but—”
She gazed at him with eyes the same intense shade as his own. The same blue as his daughter’s.
“Tell me one thing, Drew. Does she look like Tasha?”
The very room seemed to inhale. Drew felt as if unseen generations were waiting expectantly for his pronouncement.
“No, mother,” he said gently. “Nicole looks like Brie. Except for her eyes. She has our eyes.”
His mother inclined her head. “Very well. How soon do you plan to hold the wedding, Andrew?”
“Maureen!” William Pierce protested sharply. “All this talk of weddings is nonsense. Drew isn’t thinking straight. The bottom line is that he can’t possibly marry the girl. She works in a diner. She lives down by the wharf!”
“So did I, once,” Maureen said with quiet dignity.
His prim, cultured mother had once lived in Brie’s neighborhood?
“While we would all prefer to forget that fact, it’s the simple truth.” She turned to Anton Pierce. “And I didn’t turn out so badly, did I?”
The old man rose slowly, walked to the humidor and removed a cigar. “No,” he agreed quietly. “You didn’t. I objected to your marriage. Strongly, as I recall. But it was because I’d hoped William would forge a stronger political alliance for the sake of his career. Just as I had hoped Andrew might.” He sighed and regarded Nancy with obvious regret. “We’ll need to come up with a plan to put the best spin on this situation that we can,” he stated, some of his natural arrogance returning. “That will be your job, Nancy.”
“Excuse me,” Drew interrupted before they could get carried away planning his life again. “We’re being a bit premature here. I haven’t asked Brie to marry me yet.”
“A formality.” His grandfather declared. He snipped off the end of his chosen cigar.
“Not if she says no.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” his father sputtered. “How could she say no?”
Drew stared at his father without really seeing him. “What worries me,” he said softly, “is why she’d say yes.”
PAMELA DUDLEY went upstairs to read shortly after nine. She’d taken the news about Leland Manning’s procedure with little enthusiasm.
“We can’t afford it.”
“I’ll find a way, Mom.”
“You’ve done enough. Some things are meant to be.”
“You can’t give up. I won’t let you. Nicole and I need you. We have to try everything. You know we do. Monday morning I’ll talk with the bank. I’ll see what we can arrange.”
Her mother’s sudden tears nearly broke her heart.
Brie had spent hours since then simply staring out the window at the empty darkness. “If only we really were witches with powers.” She and her mother could stop worrying about what Drew would do about Nicole. And Brie could cast a spell that would heal her mother once and for all. But wishing wouldn’t make it so.
As if sensing her despair, Max jumped onto her lap. She stroked his soft fur in gratitude. “You wouldn’t happen to know any spells, would you, boy?”
There had to be a way to get the money Manning wanted. She would do anything. Anything at all. Closing her eyes, she tried not to wonder for the millionth time what Drew was going to do.
The telephone rang, startling her. She hastened to lift the receiver before it woke her mother. “Hello?”
“Brie? It’s Drew. Did I wake you?”
Brie stiffened. Max jumped down wit
h a mew of disgust.
“I didn’t mean to call so late.”
She gripped the telephone, determined not to let any trace of emotion show in her voice. “I have to be at work at six,” she told him. “We’ll be busy because of the parade.”
“The diner always closes right afterward, doesn’t it?”
“Yes,” she admitted reluctantly.
“Would you meet me in the park after the parade?”
Brie wondered if she was imagining the note of uncertainty in Drew’s tone.
“I could send a car.”
“I’d rather walk,” she said quickly.
“I know.”
She pictured him running a hand through his hair.
“I’m sorry I walked off like that this afternoon. I needed some time to think.”
She gripped the phone more tightly. “And now you’ve come to a decision?”
“I know what I want,” he said firmly, “But any decisions need to be mutual from now on. Look, it’s late. We’ll talk tomorrow. I’ll let you go back to sleep now. Good night.”
Numb with apprehension, Brie held the phone long after Drew hung up.
What had he decided? They could hardly hold a private conversation in the middle of the park. What was Drew thinking? Brie set down the phone and turned back to the window with an aching heart.
Max startled her by leaping onto the back of her chair and uttering a low growl as he stared out the window. His tail swished angrily.
Brie strained to see through the screen. The street was dark. Several of the old trees had overrun the streetlight and the mayor hadn’t responded to calls asking for them to be pruned back.
Nothing moved, but Max was right. She sensed a presence hiding in the shadows.
Max flattened his ears and rumbled a low feline sound of anger. Brie reached for the telephone. She couldn’t force her eyes from the window.
“Nine-one-one. What is the nature of your emergency?”
“There may be a prowler outside my mother’s house.”
MINUTES CREPT PAST BEFORE a car sped down the street, stopping out front. Not a police car, but a vehicle Brie recognized. Cullen Ryan stepped from the sedan and started for her front porch. Abruptly, he stopped.
“Hold it right there. Police,” he yelled. Brianna’s heart leaped to her throat as Cullen took off running, disappearing between the houses.
The passenger door opened and his wife, Elizabeth, ran up the sidewalk. Incredibly relieved at the sight of her friend, Brie rushed to open the front door.
“Elizabeth!”
“Are you okay, Brie?”
“I’m fine.” But as they hugged, she realized she was shaking. “It’s so good to see you.”
“Same here.”
Elizabeth gave a startled exclamation. Max was stropping her legs in greeting.
“Max, you beautiful devil, you scared me. How are you doing, fellow?”
She bent to lift the cat when a form suddenly appeared at the edge of the porch. Both women jumped and Max skittered back inside. Cullen mounted the steps in twos.
“I thought I told you to wait in the car,” he chided his new bride.
“I know, but when you took off, I knew Brie would be upset. Did he get away?”
“Afraid so,” he said ruefully. “I’d like to have a look around the house, if you don’t mind, Brie.”
“I’d like that, too. I was just about to lock up for the night.”
“You didn’t get a good view of him?”
“No. Actually, it was Max who warned me someone was out there.”
“Good boy, Max. A real watch-cat, huh?”
“Max is a very smart cat. Come in, both of you.”
Brie was grateful for her friend’s presence as Cullen walked around, checking doors and locking windows for her.
“I’ve missed you,” Elizabeth said. “We’ve barely seen each other since the wedding.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I’ve been busy.”
“Me, too. Are you doing okay?”
“Sure.” Her life was about to explode into a possible public scandal, her mother was dying and she had people taking her picture and shooting at her—not to mention prowlers outside her window. Otherwise, Brie decided, she was doing just fine.
“How’s Nicole?”
Fitzwiggy let out a squawk of disgruntled protest as Cullen moved around the kitchen, disturbing him.
“Nicole’s fine.”
“Oh, good.”
“We really need to catch up. Why don’t you bring her over one evening? I’ll invite my little brother, Brandon, and the kids can play.”
“I’d like that,” Brie agreed. Elizabeth spent as much of her time as possible with her four-year-old brother. Brandon was a genius like his sister, but Elizabeth was determined to see to it that her brother grew up feeling loved for who he was, and not just how intelligent he was.
“All set, Brie,” Cullen said. “Everything’s locked down. I checked around outside, as well. Whatever the creep was planning, he didn’t have a chance to do anything.”
“Thanks, Cullen. Would you like something to drink?”
“No, thanks. We need to get home. Tomorrow’s going to be a long day with the parade and all the festivities.”
“You’re working?”
“Everyone’s working tomorrow. Elizabeth and I were on our way home from the store when I heard the call go out. As soon as I recognized your address I offered to come. I only wish I’d caught the guy. I’d really like to get my hands on the ones responsible for all the mischief around here lately.”
Brie wanted to tell Cullen she didn’t think the watcher had mischief in mind. There had been something brooding and evil outside tonight. But she held her tongue, afraid he’d think she was being imaginative.
“Brie, are you sure you’re okay?” Elizabeth asked again.
“Just a little edgy.”
Cullen frowned. “Why don’t you pack up Nicole and your mom and come and stay at our place tonight?”
“That’s nice of you, Cullen, but no. Thank you.”
“Are you sure, Brie?” Elizabeth asked. “We wouldn’t mind.”
“You’re good friends, but I’m sure we’ll be fine now that Cullen scared him off.”
Cullen smiled as he gazed around the room. Abruptly the smiled vanished. A hard look came over his features. He strode to the end table where Brie’s purse was sitting.
“Oh!” Elizabeth gasped as he held up the broken necklace Brie had set beside her purse so she’d remember to take it with her in the morning.
Cullen went from friend to cop in an instant. “Where did you get this, Brie?”
“It fell out of Drew’s car when Carey dropped me off. Why?”
Cullen cursed.
“Leland Manning claims his wife was wearing a necklace exactly like this one when she was kidnapped.”
DREW CLIMBED ABOARD the float, his eyes gritty from lack of sleep. Nerves played havoc with his stomach. He’d had second and third thoughts about this plan of his, but there was no turning back now.
He adjusted his hat as the tractor started up. Dressed as his forefather, Drew took his position as the float lurched forward. And the tractor stuttered to a sudden, jarring halt.
Drew watched the commotion for several minutes before climbing down. “What’s wrong?”
“Sorry, Drew,” the driver said. “I think someone put sand or sugar in the gas tank. This baby isn’t going anywhere.”
Faces fell all around him. His crew had worked hard and the float looked fantastic. “Okay, guys, let’s get the lines unhooked.”
“What are you going to do?” Zach asked. “There isn’t time to bring in another tractor. Do you know someone with a truck and a trailer hitch?”
“Nope. We’re going to do it the hard way.”
THE LOCALS ESTABLISHED their territory early at the diner, staking out the best booths for a comfortable view of the parade. Brie was running on adrenaline this morning aft
er pacing the house most of the night. She hadn’t called the police again, but the sense that something still lurked in the darkness out of sight never left her. Added to her other worries, sleep had been impossible.
Maybe the storytellers were right. Maybe McFarland Leary’s ghost did rise from his grave every five years, wreaking vengeance on the town. After all, during the height of the witch trials they had hung him in a public assembly right there on the village green for associating with a known “witch.” The tale claimed he faced his accusers with his head high, his eyes blazing in fury. In a quiet voice that carried clearly to every man, woman and child, he pronounced his curse, vowing retribution on Moriah’s Landing and its heirs. And the sky began to darken. History claims that at the moment of his death, a cloud swallowed the sun and a terrible storm swept inland, sending everyone running for shelter. Thus his legend was insured and for many locals, McFarland Leary’s name became synonymous with the bogeyman.
Brie wasn’t sure how much of the legend was true, but she’d begun to wonder. The night of their hazing in the cemetery five years ago, it had seemed like she and her friends had unleashed something terrible. Certainly none of their lives had ever been the same afterward. And now, five years later, dramatic changes were happening once more.
“Will you look at that?” someone exclaimed.
“Is that Andrew Pierce?”
“I think so,” another voice agreed. “It’s the Pierce family float.”
Brie glimpsed the float causing all the comment. Dressed in full Pilgrim costume, Drew led a group of similarly attired people who were pushing and pulling the vibrantly decorated flatbed wagon housing their float. The theme depicted the first landing amid a storm-tossed sea. Obviously, Drew represented the founding father.
Not a bad strategy for someone running for mayor. Brie wondered if they were pulling the float as a subtle message to remind people of the struggle the founding fathers had met in their attempt to build the town, or if they wanted to establish how the town had to pull together to accomplish a goal. Either way, they were making a huge—and favorable—impact.
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