As Harley and five other kids stood with the instructor at the bottom of the bunny hill, Nathan’s gaze wandered to the steepest slope, where Emma was boarding. She was easy to spot in her bright green, yellow and blue jacket. It clashed with the orange, red and yellow flames on her board, but after studying the crowds, Nathan concluded that was the point. The more color, the better.
Emma was good. Her body swayed gracefully as she slid down, her blond curls streaming behind her. Weaving back and forth, flying up into the air, then down again, she’d even gone down the half-pipe, a curved tube of packed-down snow.
She grinned every time her board caught air for a few moments.
She loved soaring above the ground. Loved taking those risks.
His mouth curved as he watched her reach the bottom, skid to a stop, head for the tow rope. Did she think of herself as a risk-taker? He bet she didn’t.
She probably thought of herself as solid. Calm. Dependable. Exactly what her job required.
Watching her board was a revelation.
He wanted to be out there with her, speeding down the hill, feeling the cold air slap his face. Feeling as free as Emma looked. As wild.
He had his own ideas about freedom, he reminded himself. He’d find his in Italy. In busy days, lazy evenings, cool nights.
Emma’s version was all about snow and speed. Lots of speed. Taking risks.
His gaze switched back to Harley. She was watching Emma, too, instead of listening to her instructor. God, he hoped she didn’t try to go down that steep hill, or do the stuff Emma was doing.
What if she was a risk-taker, too? Like Frankie, he thought with dread. People who liked taking risks always got into trouble eventually.
Harley’s instructor said something, and Harley whipped her head around to face him. He spoke again, laughed, and Harley’s shoulders relaxed. The small group of beginners headed for the tow rope.
Gripping his cane tightly, Nathan stood to get another cup of coffee. His leg still ached from the cold at the soccer game on Thursday. Next time, he vowed, he’d remember that blanket.
Four ragged lines of people waited at the concession stands, all wearing colorful jackets and pants. They shuffled forward slowly, their heavy boots clomping on the wooden floor. Most of them had sunburned faces. Almost all had goggles shoved onto their heads, revealing pale raccoon eyes.
The smell of cooking hot dogs, spicy and fatty, washed over him, reminding him that, up until recently, it had been a long time since he’d eaten anywhere but Mama’s.
Italy. He’d eat at a different place for every meal in Italy. And he’d take an hour to eat if he wanted to. But right now he just wanted to fill his stomach.
As he looked up at the menu board to see what else they had, someone stepped up next to him.
“Hey, bummer about your leg. You hurt yourself boarding?” a woman asked.
He glanced over at the woman standing in the next line. Her short, dark hair was messy, as if she’d just pulled off her hat. At his questioning look, she shrugged. “I saw you staring out the window. Wishing you were out there.”
Yeah. “Actually, I was watching my...friend. And my daughter,” he said with a smile.
The dark-haired woman smiled back. “Yeah? They boarders?”
“My daughter’s just learning.”
“Great place for it,” the woman said. She turned and studied the menu board, staring at it intently as if there would be a test later. The line shuffled forward, and she glanced toward the door, then stepped out of line and headed for it.
Wondering why she’d walked away before getting her food, Nathan watched the young woman. She stopped at a table close to the door and slid onto the bench. Leaned forward to speak to a man on the other side.
The woman stood and hurried out the door. Nathan glanced casually at the guy she’d been talking to. Froze.
The guy looked a lot like Chuck Notarro, the man who’d been arrested for bringing a gun into Mama’s Place. That face was burned into Nathan’s brain. Notarro had been the bagman who’d picked up the mortgage payment for Alderman O’Fallon every week. But he was sitting too far away for Nathan to be sure.
Nathan shuffled ahead another few steps, studying the Chuck clone, his hunger forgotten. He needed to get closer. Finally he was at the front of the line. “Coffee, please. Two creams.”
Nathan headed back to his table and stirred the creamers into the coffee. They made the beverage muddy and unappetizing, but he pretended to sip it as he studied the guy near the door. He was almost certain it was Chuck.
What the hell was that thug doing here? He sure wasn’t a skier. Maybe he’d come with a friend, the dark-haired woman, just like Nathan had. Maybe he was sitting in the lodge, watching her ski.
Except the guy wasn’t watching the woman. Instead of staring out the window, he was watching the room, trying to pretend he wasn’t looking at Nathan.
If it was Chuck, it couldn’t be a coincidence that they were here at the same time. He must have followed them here from Chicago. Why the hell would he do that?
He wanted Nathan to notice him, too. He’d sent the woman to start a conversation, figuring Nathan would watch as she walked back to Chuck.
Was Chuck stupid enough to be planning something violent? In public?
Or was it merely intimidation? Letting him see that O’Fallon and whoever controlled him had a long reach. That they could get to him whenever they wanted.
Get to Harley, too.
Rage swept through Nathan, along with fear. With this damn weak arm of his, not to mention the cane and his worthless leg, he couldn’t protect her. Or Emma.
Nathan’s hand trembled as he set his coffee on the table. Fifteen minutes until Harley’s lesson was over.
If the guy was Chuck, he’d probably already seen her. But Nathan didn’t want her to come into the lodge and give the guy a closer look.
Nathan’s hands were cold as he pulled out his phone to text Emma. Call me ASAP. He hit Send, then realized Emma would think Harley had been hurt. Harley okay, he texted again.
He clutched the phone in his hand as he pretended to watch the skiers. The other guy was holding his own phone, turning it over and over. Chuck had had the same habit when he came into Mama’s. Nathan always figured the shithead was waiting for instructions from O’Fallon.
He didn’t like anything about this.
His phone rang, and he answered immediately. “Nathan, what’s wrong?” Emma sounded breathless, and the wind whistled through the receiver, making it hard to hear her.
“Not sure. Can you meet me in the lodge?” he said, watching Chuck out of the corner of his eye. “Not the main part where the concession stand is. Around the corner, in the ski rental area.” He didn’t want Harley or Emma anywhere near Chuck.
“Sure. You okay?”
“Yeah. See you in a few.”
He glanced at Harley’s class again. They were heading up the tow rope. There was an instructor with her. People all around. She was probably safe enough right now.
* * *
TEN MINUTES LATER, Emma clomped into the lodge in her boots. Stopped just inside the door and searched for him. He stood up and headed toward her, damning the cane again. What if Chuck walked into the room right now? Nathan was powerless to stop him from getting close to Emma.
When he finally reached her, her cheeks were red and her hair smelled like the outdoors. She grabbed
his hand with warm fingers. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
Nathan glanced over his shoulder. No sign of Chuck. “Could be nothing. But there’s a guy in the other room... Maybe I’m seeing things, but I think he’s a guy who’s involved with the stuff at the restaurant. He was arrested a few months ago, spent some time in jail, was finally bailed out. Then he disappeared, and no one’s seen him since. Until now. If it’s him, he must have followed us from Chicago. I have no idea why he would.”
Emma swiveled to look for Harley on the ski hill.
“I’ve been watching her,” Nathan said. “She’s fine. Still with her class. But it ends in a few minutes.”
“What do you want to do, Nathan?” she asked as she watched Harley.
“You’re not going to grill me?”
She turned to him, fierce as a mother bear. “Oh, yeah. You’re going to tell me everything. But not right now. Right now we need to make sure Harley’s safe. Then figure out what we’re going to do.”
“If it’s Chuck, we need to leave.” Urgency pumped through his blood, but he tried to stay calm. “Chuck’s not a nice guy. I don’t want him anywhere near Harley. Or you.”
She tugged her hat off and her hand was shaking. “Okay. I’ll wait for Harley at the bunny hill. You make sure it’s the same guy. If it is, you get the car. Harley and I will walk around the lodge and meet you in the parking lot.”
“Emma...” He hesitated. “If it’s Chuck, make sure you keep your hat on. And stuff your hair up into it. Do the same for Harley.”
Emma’s lips compressed. “What the hell is going on, Nathan?”
“I’ll tell you everything. I promise.” His hand tightened on his cane. “Go get Harley. I’ll see if that’s Chuck out there.”
* * *
HER HEART RACING, Emma watched Nathan limp around the corner, leaning heavily on his cane. He’d moved more slowly today. She’d seen him wince a few times, too. But he’d insisted he wanted to come with them.
When Nathan was out of sight, she rushed out the door. The wind slapped her face and the sun bounced off the snow with a blinding glare. She flipped down her goggles, then stopped and shoved her hair into her hat. She grabbed her board from the rack and hurried toward the bunny hill.
Her phone rang as she waited for Harley to finish her lesson. “It’s Chuck. I’m heading for the car.”
“We’ll meet you there.”
Harley came down the hill as Emma slipped her phone back into her pocket. She wanted to see if she could pick out the guy watching them, but it was too bright to see a thing inside the building. Instead, she plastered a smile on her face as Harley slid to a stop in front of her.
“Emma! This is the coolest thing ever.” Harley’s grin was as blinding as the sun on the snow. “I love boarding.”
And Emma had to tell her they were leaving. “I thought you might.” Emma maneuvered her body so she was between Harley and the lodge and struggled to smile. “We’ll do this again really soon, okay?”
Harley’s smile faded. “What do you mean? We’re staying until they close tonight, right? That’s what you said.”
“Something’s come up, honey. We have to leave.” She pushed Harley’s heavy curls into her hat, grabbing the girl’s wrist when she tried to push Emma away. “Leave your hair in your hat. Let’s go turn in your equipment.”
Harley scowled. “You’re acting weird and stupid, Emma. I was just figuring it out. Did you see me? I even went over a jump.”
“Your instructor let you do a jump? Your first time boarding?”
“I wasn’t supposed to, but it was a really small one,” Harley said sulkily. “Hardly anything. But I got some air.”
Oh, God. Harley was going to be one of those kids who raced down the hill, taking chances. Just like Emma had been when she was learning. “Next time, we’ll stay all day. I promise.”
Harley bent and loosened her bindings, then slung the board under her arm. “This sucks.”
“Yeah, it does.” Emma had been having fun, too. And she’d been a little flashier than usual, knowing Nathan was watching.
“What came up?”
“Something with Nathan.”
Harley scowled again. “Why did he come with us, anyway? He can’t ski or board.”
“I thought we’d have a fun day together,” Emma said. Instead, Nathan had scared her to death. “When his leg is better, he can board with us.” He’d said he’d tried it as a teen. Before his parents died. She nudged Harley. “By that time, you’ll be pretty good. You’ll beat him down the hill.”
Harley scowled. “He’ll probably fall on his a—” She glanced at Emma. “On his butt. Or say he doesn’t want to get cold.”
“Maybe not.” Emma kept herself between the windows of the lodge and Harley. If that Chuck guy wanted to get a look at Harley, she’d make it as difficult as possible. “I think Nathan’s a pretty good sport. He came to your soccer game, even though sitting on those bleachers wasn’t good for his leg.”
Harley kicked at an icicle that had fallen off the building eaves. “This still sucks.”
“Can’t disagree.” Emma had forgotten how much she loved boarding. She’d learned in California, where the ski resorts were enormous, compared to this puny little hill. “There will be more chances, Harley. Especially since you like it.”
“Can I get my own board?” Harley asked, turning to her with a calculating expression.
“Eventually. Not tomorrow, though.” Emma pulled the door open and stepped into the equipment room. “Let’s return your gear and get our shoes on.”
Harley clomped over to the counter, handed her board to the long-haired guy behind it. “So what did you think, kid?” he asked her.
Emma opened the locker she’d rented and listened as she pulled out her shoes and purse and Harley’s shoes. “It was amazing,” Harley gushed. “The sickest thing ever.”
The guy bumped fists with her. “Yeah, it’s sweet. How come you’re leaving so early?”
“My father has stuff to do,” Harley said.
Emma’s throat swelled. She could hear the scowl in Harley’s voice, but the girl had referred to Nathan as her father without a hint of hesitation. And Nathan had seemed so proud of Harley at the soccer game. So engaged with her at the restaurant afterward.
Maybe it wasn’t going to be as hard as Emma had thought to foster a bond between them.
It was the right thing for Harley and Nathan. Absolutely. No question.
But as Emma listened to Harley, she felt an avalanche of pain and loss rumbling toward her, gathering speed.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
NATHAN GLANCED IN his rearview mirror again. Thank God Wilmot Road was only two lanes. It would be easy to spot anyone following them.
Although there probably wouldn’t be. Chuck’s message was that he could get to Nathan and his family whenever he wanted.
Message delivered.
He checked the mirror one more time, then twisted for a second to study Harley. She was curled into a ball, her left cheek against the seat, earbuds in place. Scowling.
“She’s pissed at me,” he said quietly to Emma. “You are, too, aren’t you?”
She shifted in the seat to face him. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched her tuck a curl behind her ear. “I’m not angry, Nathan. A little upset, yeah.” Her smile was wistful. “I haven’t been on a ski hill in a long time. I was having fun.”
He remembered her grin as she f
lew down the half-pipe. “I could tell.”
“And this whole thing with Chuck is freaking me out. Why did the guy follow us to Wisconsin, for God’s sake? Was he...was he going to hurt you?” She glanced over her shoulder. “Hurt Harley?”
“I’m not going to let anything happen to Harley,” he said.
During the whole business with O’Fallon and Chuck last spring, Nathan had never worried about himself. There hadn’t been any threats. He’d wondered about the car accident, but it had turned out to be an elderly woman behind the wheel who wasn’t supposed to drive at night. He’d paid his mortgage on time. And even if he hadn’t, why would anyone hurt him? They wanted money from him.
But now with Harley in the picture, everything was different. Nathan and Patrick were pressuring the mystery man. Digging for answers. And whoever was behind the money now had leverage. His daughter.
Maybe all of Paddy’s questions were cutting too close to the bone. Maybe one of the sources his brother had talked about was close to Mystery Man. Had said something about the FBI and their questions.
Maybe he and Paddy were closer to the truth than they realized.
Maybe Harley was in more danger than he knew.
He let out a breath and tried to convince himself he was overreacting. No one would hurt Harley. Chuck was just a message from the alderman. That damn wife-beater O’Fallon liked to bully people.
No. He wasn’t overreacting. This was a kid who could be in danger because of who her father was.
And how did Shaughnessy fit into the picture? Because it was no coincidence he’d shown up right now.
Emma was still staring at him. Her smile was gone. “Emma, no one’s going to hurt Harley.” If he said it enough times, maybe he would actually believe it. “They want me to back off. That’s all this was about.”
“Really?” Her voice sharpened. “Because if anyone hurts Harley, I’ll...”
Bending the Rules Page 18