Jonathan snickered. “I’ll take care of it, Rachel.” His gaze settled on her for a moment. “It’s good to have you back.”
Rachel was certain his perusal had stripped her of any privacy. Surely he would guess what had transpired between her and Garrett. If he couldn’t tell just by looking, no doubt the blush that heated her features and did a slow burn clear to her ears would give him the rest of the details.
“Are Sally and Jen still here?”
Jonathan nodded. “Luke talked them into staying till the end of the week, just in case.”
“Good. That was thoughtful of Luke. Remind me to thank him when this is over.”
“I don’t think he did it for you, Rach.”
Jonathan’s amused grin confused her. It wasn’t until he and Jase veered off to head toward the back patio that Rachel got the meaning behind his words. Huh! Luke interested in Sally? Evidently a lot had happened in the day she’d been gone.
Outside the lobby, Alan Taylor stood talking with another familiar guest of the lodge. Hugh Findley had made it here for every early black bear hunt Rachel could remember. It was customary for two or three of his friends to also descend on the resort, and a good time would be had by all for the better part of a week.
The way Alan and Hugh were gesturing at the helicopter and the men in the field, it was obvious what they were discussing, but they both smiled as she approached. “There you are, Rachel. We missed you at dinner last night.” Alan’s greeting was friendly, but she got the feeling he was waiting for her to explain where she’d been, and that wasn’t happening.
She forced a cheery smile, glancing around for Mrs. Taylor, but didn’t see her. “Rest assured I’ll be there tonight, Alan, and Peg probably won’t let me escape again until the summer season is over.” She turned toward Hugh and offered her hand. “Welcome back. It’s so good to see you again. I’m just going into a meeting, but we’ll have time to catch up this evening. Have either of you seen Peg?”
Alan and Hugh eventually agreed that she’d been heading for the kitchen the last time they’d seen her, so Rachel excused herself and strode down the long hallway that led to the cooking and laundry facilities. Peg was alone in the kitchen, sitting at a long side table, her face buried in her hands, shoulders shaking with sobs.
“Peg?” Rachel hurried to her side. “What’s wrong?”
Peg’s head jerked up, and she hastily wiped her tears. She rose and wrapped Rachel in her arms. “Thank God you’re home. You mustn’t ever leave like that again, dear. My heart couldn’t take it.”
A blanket of guilt dropped over Rachel’s shoulders. “I’m so sorry, Peg. I’ll explain everything when we have more time. I had a good reason . . . or at least I thought I did, but no, I won’t ever leave again without saying good-bye.”
Peg’s struggle to control her emotions was obvious. About halfway successful, she turned her red-rimmed eyes toward Rachel. “He’s still here, isn’t he?”
“If you mean Senator Harding—yes. But Garrett is here, too, and he won’t let his father be disrespectful to you.” Rachel wiped away a stray tear that rolled down Peg’s cheek.
“I’m afraid—” She hiccupped and turned her face away.
Rachel sat in the chair next to her and pulled her into a tight embrace. “You don’t have to be afraid. Jonathan, Garrett, and I are here for you, and the minute Harding says something out of line, he’s out of here.”
Peg smiled through her tears. “I know, dear. I’m not afraid of Douglas.” She pulled a Kleenex from her pocket and wiped her nose. “Amanda told me the drugs affected her judgment—made her irresponsible. She slept a lot. She wasn’t there for the boys sometimes when they needed her. I’ve never told anyone, but I’ve always had a gut feeling there was more. In all the years we had together, Amanda never told me what really happened—what convinced her to go through with the divorce and sign away custody of her boys. Did one of them fall down the stairs when she wasn’t around to supervise them? Take a header off the swing set? Did she lose one at the supermarket? She never said . . . and I didn’t ask, because I knew deep down that it would change things between us. She needed me. I was all she had.”
“You’re afraid Senator Harding will tell the story in an attempt to discredit her?”
“Why else would he be here, except to keep his sons from feeling anything for their mother? He’ll tell them.” She choked on a laugh and a bleak smile appeared for a second. “The wise woman inside of me concedes that after all the lies and secrecy, Luke and Garrett deserve answers—all of them.”
“So do you, Peg. You loved Amanda all of her life. Nothing you hear today will change that. We both know what kind of a person she was. Loving, honest, and loyal. The Amanda we knew would never have hurt those boys—not in a million years. Whatever happened . . . it happened when she was someone else—someone who didn’t know what she was doing.”
Peg straightened and dried her face. “You’re right. It’s time I stopped being afraid. Time I accepted the truth so it can’t hurt me any longer.” She met Rachel’s eyes, a new toughness in hers. “Let’s go see what the bastard has to say.”
A short laugh spilled from Rachel, and she hugged Peg again, proud of her determination. “Everyone’s gathering on the back patio. Come on. We’ll go out together as soon as I find Dory and order up some iced tea and coffee.”
Peg whipped out her phone, dialed, and in two seconds was speaking to Dory, giving her Rachel’s request. Clearly, Peg was back in control.
Three minutes later, Rachel followed Peg onto the patio. Jonathan and Jase already sat on one side of a large outdoor table. Between them lounged a man Rachel had never seen before. Dressed in black jeans and T-shirt, hair cut short, and muscles bulging on arms, shoulders, and thighs, he had to be the intruder who’d turned their lives upside down. He appeared completely comfortable in his surroundings even though Jonathan guarded him attentively.
Garrett and Luke stood off to the side with their father, although clearly there was no idle conversation between them. Garrett’s hands were balled into fists, and his jaw flexed every few seconds. Cowboy sat by his leg, alert and watchful, having obviously picked up on the tension in the air. Poor Luke was straight-backed, and his gaze darted frequently toward the path that led around front, giving her the impression he was about to bolt. Obviously, Luke wasn’t a fan of confrontation, especially one involving his father and his brother. He looked every bit the part of someone caught between two giant bulldozers. Luke took a seat at the table, casting his brother an I’m-so-glad-you-called-me-here-for-this glare. Garrett only nodded before turning his attention to his father.
Dory wheeled out a cart containing a thermos of coffee, a pitcher of iced tea, and cups. She studied the newcomers curiously, then hastened back the way she’d come.
As soon as Garrett spotted Peg, he pulled a chair out for her at the head of the table. She quirked an eyebrow, accompanied by the barest of smiles, and he winked. Their brief exchange put a smile on Rachel’s face while he held a chair for her and then sat beside her. It touched her somewhere deep inside when he leaned back, crossed one leg over his thigh, and grabbed her hand, holding it close to his chest for the whole world to see. Jonathan, Peg, and Senator Harding homed in on the familiarity immediately. Rachel didn’t know whether to blush or do cartwheels.
Jase came to her rescue. “Okay, we’re all here. Just to catch you up—as you know, the intruder you captured yesterday asked to speak with me by phone. How he even knew about me, I don’t know, but I’m sure Senator Harding can fill us in on that. Unless anyone has an objection, we’ll give him the floor.”
The senator adjusted his suit jacket and nodded toward the intruder slightly as he stepped forward. “First, I’d like to thank you all for agreeing to hear me out. Second, your intruder works for me. His name is Trent Michaels, and he’s a private investigator.” He ignored the looks of consternation both of his sons shot him. “Trent overheard Garrett’s conversation on a ti
ny, experimental listening device he’s currently testing for the army. That’s how he knew to call you, Jase.” He turned to face Garrett. “I’m not proud of it, son, but I hired Trent to keep tabs on you. You went off half-cocked, wouldn’t listen to anything I had to say. I needed to know what kind of half-truths you were being fed here.”
Peg’s hands slammed onto the tabletop, and everyone turned in time to see her stand.
Her face set in anger, eyes flashing fire, she pinned him where he stood. “You’ve got a lot of nerve, Douglas, accusing me of half-truths. I didn’t tell Garrett his mother was a drug addict who couldn’t take care of him anymore. It wasn’t me who hid twenty-nine years’ worth of letters from your sons—letters that would have proved she loved them and wanted to see them. How dare you even come here? Take your Trent Michaels and leave us in peace.”
Rachel had never heard Peg’s voice so cold and eerily calm. She examined the woman’s face and found no trace of indecision or weakness. Pride in the matronly owner of Cougar Ridge Lodge grew until the lump that formed in Rachel’s throat threatened to choke her.
Garrett released her hand and pushed to his feet. Scowling at his father, he strode toward Peg. After briefly studying her, he slid his arm around her shoulders and his unspoken message was clear—anyone who intended to cause her grief would have to go through him. Rachel practically had to sit on her hands to keep from applauding.
Garrett stared at his father. “I have to say I agree with Aunt Peg, but let’s cut to the chase, Dad. I know enough about Mom now to form my own opinions. Maybe I was too young at five to hear all of the details, but you had a lot of opportunities to tell me . . . and didn’t. Don’t hold it against Aunt Peg for being the one person brave enough to answer my questions.”
He met Rachel’s gaze and the barest smile went straight to her heart. “But that’s not why I came back today. When Michaels first started sniffing around, we thought he was the stalker who’s been terrorizing Rachel for the last ten years. Since then, evidence has come to light proving otherwise. But I’m still going to ask—do you . . . or your hired man . . . know anything about that?”
Senator Harding’s eyes shifted to her, and Rachel squirmed under his perusal, growing more annoyed with each passing second.
Suddenly Garrett was behind her chair, his hands warm and comforting on her shoulders. “Your silence speaks volumes, Senator.”
A bark of laughter escaped Garrett’s father. “It’s not what you think. Of course I investigated the people you’d likely meet here. Rachel Maguire, Jonathan Reyes, Dory Sullivan—all of the longtime employees. I found some gaps in the history of a couple people. Your Rachel was one of them.” His gaze swept toward Jonathan, then back to Garrett. “I figured she was running from something, so I had Trent dig a little deeper. He found the still-unsolved murder of her boyfriend in Texas. I presume she professes her innocence?”
Rachel inhaled sharply and would have jumped up to deck the SOB if Garrett’s hands hadn’t still been pressing her into the chair.
“Senator.” This time Garrett’s voice held a warning. “Apparently, Michaels isn’t very good at his job if he didn’t uncover the answer to that question.”
Trent Michaels smirked and remained silent.
For the first time, Harding appeared deflated. “The police hit a dead end. I wanted to make sure Peg didn’t have a murderer working here, so I had Trent pursue it. He had a contact that was going at it from a different angle—but I don’t imagine he’s been getting many e-mails since you’ve been holding him.”
Garrett’s grip tightened on her shoulders. “Will you share your information with Rachel?”
Harding laughed scornfully. “Well, I finally found something to bargain with, and from the looks of things, I’ll lose either way. Just tell me, son, when are you coming home?”
Garrett’s strong thumbs rubbed her shoulder blades. “I’m not exactly sure where home is at this point. I was thinking of staying here for a while. Luke will be deploying soon.”
“You have two other brothers and a sister who’d like to see you.”
“I’ll invite them for a visit. A place like this would be a breath of fresh air to them.”
Harding’s derisive laugh came again. “Oh, I almost forgot—you and Luke are part owners of this place now, thanks to me. That’s right. Who do you think gave your mother the money to buy this resort? How much do you think it took to get her to leave quietly? She may have agreed to leave because she was concerned about your safely, but I had to hand it to her; she knew how to get what she wanted from the bargain.”
Peg’s intake of air was the first thing Rachel heard, then a muted roar of indignation broke out behind her.
“Did you really come all this way to speak ill of the dead?” Garrett’s hands left Rachel’s shoulders, and he stepped around her. “Is your closet so clean that you can afford to do that?”
“I will do whatever it takes to—”
“That’s enough, Dad.” Luke’s voice, vibrating with tension, made the occupants of the small patio fall silent.
Rachel couldn’t get past the part where Garrett and his brother were owners . . . of the lodge. Amanda had undoubtedly left them her half. Of course, she would have. Rachel should have suspected, yet it had come out of left field, bounced off her glove, and hit her in the face. The worst part was that it had come from Senator Harding. Why hadn’t Garrett told her? Or Peg? A burning sense of betrayal lodged in her chest.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Luke striding toward his father, his fists clenched as if he was going to do the decking she’d wanted to do. Garrett took a couple of steps forward and stood ready—for what, she didn’t dare guess.
Luke stopped in front of his father. “If you’re going to talk about Mom, let’s hear it all. What happened? What did she do that made you pay her off and send her away?”
Behind her, Rachel heard Peg’s moan and glanced over her shoulder in time to see her drop into her chair. Rachel slid from her seat and rushed to her, temporarily pushing aside the sensation of having been blindsided. Knowing how terrified Peg was of this exact revelation made Rachel tremble as she wrapped her arms around the older woman’s shoulders.
Senator Harding swept his gaze from Luke to Garrett and shook his head sadly. “Since Peg seems to have all the answers, I’ll let her fill you in on that as well. Now, if you’ll be so kind as to release Trent, we’ll be on our—”
“Wait.” Rachel hated that her voice shook, but it wasn’t from fear or timidity. Harding’s superior attitude had finally broken through her control, and the floodgates had opened on her fury. She met his eyes with a cold stare. “I can see how you might be good at intimidating everyone around you, Senator. I suppose that goes with the job. Here, we don’t give a damn who you are or what you do for a living.” She could sense Garrett’s eyes on her, but she didn’t look away from the senator.
“This resort belonged to Peg and Amanda. Now it’s Peg’s. She’s the top honcho. She’s earned our respect, and you’d do well to remember that while you’re a visitor here. I, for one, am waiting to hear the answer to Luke’s question. Since Peg was never privy to that information, you’re going to have to step up, for once in your life, and tell the truth.”
A quick glance at Garrett sent her heart plummeting. A disappointed scowl darkened his visage for a split second before he turned and strode toward Luke. Was he really upset with her for standing up to his father? Hadn’t she warned him that she’d have a few things to say? Her breath left her on a shudder. Of all the rotten ways that Jeremy had shattered her life, they were nothing compared with the disappointment on Garrett’s face just now.
The senator paced angrily, darting hateful glances toward her. She tipped her chin up a notch and glared back. Garrett stopped beside Luke and placed a brotherly hand on his shoulder. He exchanged some whispered words with Luke, who then retreated a few feet, turned, and crossed his arms over his chest. Rachel could almost see the rock
-solid defenses he threw up around himself. Clearly, being deserted by his mother had more of an effect on Luke than even Garrett had realized.
Silence was the order of the day, except for the angry whispers between Senator Harding and Garrett. Peg was so still, Rachel chastised herself for adding her voice to Luke’s in demanding an answer. What if Peg’s mind couldn’t deal with the truth? Jonathan scooted his chair closer and covered one of her hands with his. Obviously, he was worried, too.
“No one’s best interests will be served by dredging up the past, but if that’s what all of you want, then that’s what you’ll get.” Senator Harding looked around the patio, meeting each set of eyes, weighing each person’s fortitude. When he came to Peg, his gaze lingered.
Her back stiffened. “She was my sister. I’d like to know if you wouldn’t mind, Douglas.” Though polite, Rachel recognized the steel that twined through her words.
Senator Harding heaved a sigh and threw his hands in the air as though to reiterate the warning he’d given. Then he pulled out a chair from another table, dropped into it, and blew out another breath. “There was a skiing accident at Vale the winter before she left. Amanda tore up her knee, and it required extensive surgery. Sometime during her recovery, she became addicted to her pain medication. I wasn’t paying close enough attention. I didn’t know how bad it was.”
Rachel could only surmise how hard that confession had been for Harding. The question poised on her lips—why not?—went unasked.
“I was traveling. Campaign stops for Democratic candidates in the Southwest. Amanda decided to take you boys and go visit your grandmother in San Francisco. She’d called, told me her plans. It wasn’t unusual—she’d made the trip many times.” For a moment, the senator looked lost and uncertain, as if he was seeing something other than the rapt faces before him.
Rachel couldn’t see Garrett’s face. He’d turned away from everybody and stared at the back of the lodge. Tension emanated from him, and she longed to go to him, slide her arms around his waist, and lean her head against the strength of his back. Instinctively, she sensed he didn’t want her comfort. The disappointment on his face earlier had changed everything.
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