Lethal Homecoming (Tanner Hollow #1)

by Lynette Eason

  “I know. But sending you that money was a way of feeling like I was taking care of you, I suppose.” Then realization flickered across her features. “You’re worried about me, aren’t you?”

  “Yes.”

  Tears sprang to her mother’s eyes and Callie blinked at the flash of emotion behind them.

  “Mom?”

  She sniffed. “I’m sorry. It’s just that it’s been a while since …” She waved a hand. “Never mind.”

  “What? No. Tell me.”

  “I’m just not used to people worrying about me, I guess.”

  “What about Megan?”

  Lips twisting, her mother shook her head. “I wonder about that girl sometimes. She’s so intense and focused on climbing the corporate ladder that she doesn’t have time to worry about other people.”

  “She’s an accountant for the law firm. What corporate ladder?”

  “Head accountant for the law firm—and a large pay raise.”

  “I see. Doesn’t she have enough money off the allowance she gets?” After her father had died, he’d left Megan and Callie both a nice trust fund that they received on their twenty-first birthday. Nothing extravagant, but enough to ensure they would be able to pay off any school loans they might incur. Callie had paid her loans off the day after her twenty-first birthday.

  “You would think so. She also mentioned doing some other work on the side. I don’t know. She’s never satisfied and always looking for the next best thing.” She paused and sighed. “As for Rick … I know what he did to you and that was horrible. He was a monster, Callie. He had me fooled for a long time—up until a few weeks after we were married—but once I figured him out …” She sniffed and ran a hand down her face. “He didn’t like that. For some reason he felt threatened by it. Then when I started believing you over him—and calling him out on his lies—he finally just took off the mask completely.

  “Which is about the time he hit me and the reason you sent me away.”

  She hesitated. “Yes, partly.” She drew in a deep breath. “But I learned from you. It didn’t take me long to figure out his children are no better. They’re greedy and will do whatever it takes to get their hands on whatever money is available.”

  “All three of them are like that? There’s not a good one in the bunch?”

  “Shelley is the least offensive of the three. Just watch your back, honey.” She stood. “This will all be over soon.”

  Callie shuddered at the ominous words and she didn’t like the look in her mother’s eyes. “Don’t be mysterious. I’ve already had one person try to kill me tonight. Please, explain yourself.”

  “I wish I could. That’s the problem. I don’t know how to. Or even what to tell you other than they never once spoke to Rick over the last six years, but they called me on a regular basis.”

  “Asking for money.”

  “Yes.”

  “Did you give it to them?”

  “Sometimes. Just don’t trust them. Okay?”

  She wouldn’t have even without her mother’s warning, but now she’d be doubly guarded. Callie gave a slow nod. “Okay.”

  “Now I’m going to bed. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  She left and Callie bit her lip. What was that all about? Her mother was worried about Rick’s children doing her harm, but all three had been inside at the time of the attack.

  So, while Rick’s offspring might not want her here, someone else didn’t either.

  And was willing to kill her to prove it.

  Callie made her way back to her bedroom and sank onto the bed. Exhaustion swept over her. She needed to sleep. And think.

  And not think.

  About NolanTanner.

  But not thinking about him left her thinking about the man who attacked her.

  She stood and paced the floor.

  Until she heard the creak of the floorboard outside her room.

  5

  Nolan sat in his truck outside the Goodlette home and tapped the steering wheel. What was he doing? He should be home and in bed. Only he couldn’t sleep because he kept thinking about Callie.

  So, he’d sat up doing some research and found quite a bit of interesting information on Rick Goodlette and his children. Information that made him nervous for Callie, her sister, and their mother. Rick Goodlette had not been a nice guy. Before he’d married Callie’s mother five years ago, his ex-wife had filed charges for domestic abuse before dropping them and leaving him. He’d also been skirting along the bankruptcy border. It looked like he’d done some fancy financial shuffling to stay afloat long enough to land a rich widow.

  Callie’s mother.

  In his conversation with her, he’d learned that Rick’s children were just as bad. Except maybe the daughter. On the surface, it appeared she just went with the flow. But all three of them were having financial issues. And this was the first time they’d come to visit their father since he’d married Callie’s mother.

  To attend his funeral and the reading of his will. Interesting. Telling. Bloodthirsty vultures.

  “Here.”

  He took the thermos cup of coffee from Jason and sipped the hot brew. “You didn’t have to come with me. I know you’re wiped out.”

  “Yes, I am.” He leaned his head back against the seat. “That’s why I’m going to take a little nap while you realize your poor, bleeding heart is making you act like a lovesick teenager.”

  “I’ve always loved her,” he said. And seeing her again had brought all the old feelings to the surface.

  “I know. Even when you were dating her sister, you couldn’t take your eyes off Callie.”

  He grimaced. “Which is why I had to break up with Megan.”

  Jason chuckled. “Yeah. Your personalities never had a chance of meshing. She was way too controlling and high-maintenance for you.”

  “Shut up and go to sleep. I’ll wake you if I need you.”

  Callie opened the door for the third time since she’d heard the floorboard creak and still saw nothing in the hall. With a sigh, she shut it again and locked it. It must have been Megan coming in from her late-night date with Brian.

  Tired, throat hurting, and still shaking from nearly dying, she crawled back under the covers and let herself drift.

  The creak outside her door woke her. She glanced at the clock out of habit and saw she’d been asleep for close to three hours.

  The wood floor gave another soft groan and Callie swung her legs over the side of the bed and sat up. Heart thudding, she crossed the room to her carry-on and grabbed a pair of sweatpants. She threw a sweatshirt over the T-shirt she’d fallen asleep in and crept back to the door. Hearing nothing more, she unlocked it and cracked it open.

  She peered out into the hall and saw nothing, but thought she heard noises coming from the kitchen. Which was weird. Someone would have to be talking really loud for her to hear them. Megan’s room was next to Callie’s. Maybe she’d caused the floor to creak on her way to get a snack? Megan had always been a night owl, preferring to sleep in whenever she could.

  On bare feet, doing her best to be as quiet as possible, Callie slipped down the hall toward the kitchen.

  As she got closer, she could hear voices. Loud voices.

  Arguing?

  Callie crept closer. “… don’t deserve to be here. You need to leave and go home.”

  Megan?

  “We have every right to be here,” Shelley said. “He’s our father, remember?”

  “Oh please. You’re just after the money and we all know it. Well, it doesn’t belong to him. It belongs to my mother and your simpering isn’t going to get you one red cent.”

  Callie flinched at the venom in her sister’s voice.

  “You know”—now a male voice an intimidating tone—“someone tried to kill Callie tonight. You might want to be careful he doesn’t turn his attention to you.”

  Megan gasped. “Are you threatening me?”

  “Of course he’s not threatening you,
” Shelley said. “I think he’s just saying things are tense around here and we’re all on edge. If someone would attack Callie, who else might he come after?”

  A hand dropped on Callie’s shoulder and she gasped. Then spun to come face-to-face with her mother. “You scared me to death.”

  “I’m sorry. I couldn’t sleep. I was walking around and heard voices.”

  “Join the club,” Callie muttered.

  “Who’s there?” Megan asked.

  Her mother stepped forward. “It’s just us.” Callie followed her into the kitchen, weariness dogging her footsteps. She wasn’t up to a confrontation with her step-siblings.

  Apparently, they felt the same as they filed past, one by one, to return their rooms. Megan crossed her arms and glared at her and their mother. “Why did you allow them to stay here?”

  Callie’s mother swept a hand through her disheveled hair. “I don’t really know, Megan. I suppose I thought I should in honor of their father’s memory.”

  “Well, see, that’s what I don’t get. There was nothing honorable about him. He was a bully and a jerk and those are the nicer things I can say about him. There’s no need to honor his memory by letting his brats stay in this house.”

  Callie blinked at her sister’s venom. “Wow.”

  Megan turned her glare to her. “And you. You leave and we hardly ever hear from you, but as soon as the money is up for grabs, you’re all about coming back.”

  Callie’s jaw tightened. “I left because I was told to leave and I came back because I was asked to.”

  “And you just naturally follow orders,” she snapped.

  “Of course not—”

  “Girls, stop.”

  Callie snapped her lips shut and flinched when her mother turned weary eyes on her. “You did the right thing, Callie. I promise.”

  Megan actually stomped a foot. “How can you—”

  “Megan, shut up!”

  Her sister’s mouth formed a perfect “O” at their mother’s sharp reprimand. Without another word, she turned on her heel and stormed back toward her bedroom.

  Callie’s mother sighed. “I’m sorry. She’s angry.”

  Callie thought about the argument she’d overheard. “Well, I suppose she has a right to be.”

  “Yes. Yes, she does.”

  “I thought Rick liked Megan. Why would she describe him like that? I never remember him being ugly to her.”

  “He wasn’t at first. He treated her well. Doted on her, as a matter of fact.”

  “What changed?”

  “Megan did. At seventeen, when he first moved in, she was fine. They got along great. Then she started questioning his authority and bucking his heavy-handed parenting.”

  “Sounds like normal teenage angst to me.”

  Her mother shrugged. “I don’t know. There seemed to be more to it than that but neither one of them said so. In the last year or so Megan stayed gone most of the time. Working, college, or hanging out with friends, so things were less tense between them when she was around.” She sighed and kissed Callie’s cheek. “It’s complicated, I guess. And I’m too weary to think about it anymore. I’m going to go back to bed and try to sleep. You should, too.”

  “I will in a few minutes.”

  Callie waited until her mother disappeared down the hall, then walked to the refrigerator and removed a packet of ham, some cheese, mayo, and a bottle of orange juice. Carrying her loot to the counter, she started throwing together a sandwich.

  Just like she used to do before being forced out of her own home by the man who’d so quickly become her stepfather. Her father hadn’t been buried three months before her mother married Rick. The memories were still raw even after all this time. At first, she’d simply been in shock at the hasty marriage. Then angry. She’d lashed out at Rick one too many times and he’d knocked her into a wall.

  That had been it for her mother. “Go,” she’d said. “I’ve made a huge mistake, honey. Done things I’m not proud of, and now I’m paying for them. But you don’t deserve this.” She’d handed Callie ten thousand dollars in cash and Callie had driven away from the only home she’d ever known.

  And away from the only man she’d ever loved.

  Nolan had called and texted, but she hadn’t been able to explain why she’d left, to voice her shame that her stepfather hated her while he doted on her sister. That her own mother had sent her away because she was unlovable. Or that the man she’d dated for the past eight months had broken up with her two months before because “you’re just not right for me.”

  Yeah. Her self-esteem was shot.

  Callie bit into the sandwich, leaning over the napkin to catch anything that might drip out.

  The window behind her shattered and a bullet planted itself in the cabinet above her head.

  6

  Nolan nearly dropped his thermos at the loud crack. “What was that?” He screwed that top back on the bottle and set it on the floorboard.

  Jason had bolted upright out of his nap. “Was that a gunshot?”

  Nolan reached for the door handle. “Yeah. It came from the back.”

  Nolan quickly put in a call for backup and they both bolted from the vehicle. Nolan followed Jason, who headed toward the rear of the house. “Jason, you stay back.”

  “No way.”

  “You don’t have a weapon. Stay back!”

  Nolan rounded the side of the house to see a figure flee into the woods.

  “I got him,” Jason said. “You see if anyone is hurt.”

  “Ja—”

  But his brother was already pounding toward the woods. Talk about a role reversal. Nolan growled and vowed to have a word with Jason as soon as possible.

  The only thing that brought him comfort was the fact that Jason was a seventh-degree black belt and had graduated the police academy before deciding to be a firefighter. He could take care of himself in a fistfight, but a bullet would end things fast. And not in his favor.

  Sending up a silent prayer, Nolan climbed the deck steps for the second time that night and knocked on the door. Callie’s blond head appeared from around the back of the recliner where she crouched. When her eyes locked on his, she gave a small cry and raced toward him.

  She threw opened the door, grabbed his wrist, and yanked him into the den. He shut the door behind him. Her scared, pale face wrenched something in the vicinity of his heart.

  “Are you okay?”

  Tears stood in her eyes. “Barely. Someone shot at me, Nolan.”

  “Where are the others?”

  “I don’t think anyone else heard it. I ducked behind the recliner and called 911.”

  “Okay, stay here. Backup is on the way.”

  “Wait! Where are you going?”

  “After the guy that did this. He ran into the woods and Jason went after him.”

  She gasped. “Jason? Your brother?”

  “Yes.”

  “But he’s not a cop.”

  “No kidding. Stay put. Tell the cops what happened when they get here. I’ll be back.”

  He slipped out the door before racing down the deck steps, across the yard, and into the very woods Callie had come from only hours earlier. Someone had just tried to kill Callie—again.

  He dialed his brother’s number while he searched the area aided by the dim light of the moon. Jason’s phone rang and he finally picked up. “Hey.”

  “You find him?”

  “No. He slipped away from me. I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay.” Relief and disappointment warred within him. Relief that there wasn’t a showdown between the man with the gun and an unarmed Jason—and disappointment that the shooter had gotten away. “I’ll meet you back at the house.”

  “Heading that way now.”

  Something slammed against the side of Nolan’s head and he cried out as he went to his knees. His phone fell from his fingers. Running footsteps reached his ringing ears along with the sound of sirens. His head spun and he strugg
led to his feet.

  “Nolan!”

  Jason’s voice was squawking at him from the phone he’d dropped. He snagged it from the ground. “Yeah?”

  “You okay?”

  “He doubled back or something. Knocked me in the head. I’m seeing stars that aren’t in the sky right this minute.”

  “Can you make it back to the house?”

  “I can make it.”

  He retraced his steps, tension in every muscle, pulse pounding in his head. He half expected the guy to try to hit him again and breathed a relieved sigh when he made it back to the house without another incident.

  Before knocking on the door, he called in an update to the officers now arriving on the scene. He’d have to give a report, but for now, he wanted someone combing the woods behind the house.

  Callie opened the door to him and he stepped inside. She gasped when she caught sight of him. “Your head!”

  “It’s okay.”

  “No, it’s not.”

  Megan entered the room, pulling her fleecy pink robe around her. “What’s going on?”

  “Someone shot at me while I was in the kitchen,” Callie said.

  “What!” Megan’s eyes widened and her face paled. “Who would do such a thing?”

  “If I knew that, he’d be in jail,” Callie said and ran a hand over her eyes.

  Jason stepped into the den and met Nolan’s gaze. He gave a slight shake of his head to indicate he still hadn’t been able to catch up to the suspect—even having his new location.

  “And Nolan, you’re hurt!” Megan rushed over to him and took his hand. “Come into the kitchen and let me get that cleaned up for you.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “You’re not fine. You’re bleeding. Now come here.”

  “The kitchen is a crime scene, Megan. We need to stay out of there.”

  “Then I’ll get the kit out of my bathroom. It’ll be like old times when I used to patch you up after one of your boxing matches.”

  She left and Nolan went to open the front door to the officers while the rest of the family filed into the den, questions pinging from them. He heard Callie explaining the incident. Her mother cried out and stumbled.

  Callie caught her mother before she sank to the floor. She guided her to the brown leather loveseat and helped her sit. Her mother leaned back and closed her eyes. “Shot at you? Someone shot at you?” she whispered.