by Rita Herron
“You’re forgetting that I knew you back then, Geoffrey,” Lucas said. “You were always showing off, trying to impress everyone, especially the girls. You did meet up with Tina, then you saw my sister sneaking around and you went over and started making fun of her. You called her names, then you shoved her and told her to leave you alone.”
The color faded from Williams’s face. “We were just kids,” he said. “If I pushed her, it was innocent. For God’s sake, I didn’t hurt her.”
“Maybe, maybe not.” Lucas leaned over, jamming his face into Williams’s in an intimidating gesture. “Maybe she didn’t listen and you and Tina sneaked off to make out and Chrissy followed. She was my sister and I loved her, but she could be annoying. Maybe she interrupted you and Tina, and you pushed her again, except this time she fell and hurt her head.”
“It could have been an accident,” Harrison cut in, following Lucas’s lead. “She fell and was hurt or maybe worse, and you panicked.” Although that wouldn’t explain how Chrissy’s ribbon ended up at Honey’s. Unless she’d lost it that night, and Granger had found it and taken it home.
Still, something didn’t fit.
Williams stood, rolled his shoulders then gave them both a cool look. “Listen to me. I did not kill your sister. Now, if you want to talk to me again, call my lawyer.” He shoved a business card at Harrison.
Harrison met the man’s gaze with a challenge, and Williams dropped the card on the desk, then strode out, carrying an air of authority with him.
“Damn,” Lucas said.
“You think he’s telling the truth?” Harrison asked.
“Hell if I know.” Lucas stripped his tie and rubbed his neck. “But I’m going to talk with Tina Fuller. If Williams did something to Chrissy and Tina knows, maybe the guilt over keeping quiet is catching up with her.”
* * *
QUESTIONS ABOUT HER mother needled Honey.
Had her father tried to convince her not to leave? Where had she gone? Had he tried to find her?
She hadn’t.
She’d figured if her mother wanted to be with her, she wouldn’t have abandoned her.
Unless her mother had been afraid of Honey’s father—if so, why leave her child with the man?
The one person who might know was the former sheriff. He’d been called out to their house on numerous occasions.
She wanted to leave Tumbleweed but she couldn’t do that without answers. And the only way to get them was to ask questions of her own.
She parked at Harrison’s office, shoulders tense as she walked up to the door and went in. Harrison was standing at his desk as if ready to leave, another man beside him.
Lucas.
All of the Hawk men were handsome, although Harrison was always the most striking to her, but Lucas was good-looking. As a teen his smile and dimples had persuaded teachers to let him off the hook when he was in trouble.
Old insecurities nearly sent her running back to her van. But the logo on the outside reminded her that she was successful now. She didn’t have to prove herself to anyone.
“Honey, what are you doing here?” Harrison asked.
“That’s what I want to know.”
Honey froze at the harsh sound of Mrs. Hawk’s voice behind her. She braced herself by silently counting to ten.
“Mom.” Harrison held up a warning hand. “Let me handle this.”
Lucas’s curious gaze fell on her. “Hello, Honey. I’m sorry about your father.”
She breathed a little easier. Lucas hadn’t lost his charm.
“Now that your father is dead, did you decide to tell the truth about what he did to our little Chrissy?” Mrs. Hawk asked.
Fury and hurt engulfed Honey. Mrs. Hawk hadn’t lost her hatred for her. God help her, she was sick and tired of people in Tumbleweed judging her.
The gossip she’d heard at the diner echoed in her head.
She whirled around. “I told the truth—I didn’t see Chrissy that night and I certainly never saw my father hurt her.”
Mrs. Hawk took a step closer, her anger palpable. “You always were a little liar. You and your father tore our family apart. My husband left because of Chrissy—”
“Speaking of lying,” Honey said, cutting her off. “Why don’t you tell the truth about the real reason your husband left you?”
The woman paled. Harrison’s boots pounded the floor as he crossed the room; Lucas followed.
Honey’s gaze met Mrs. Hawk’s. She had been vehement toward Honey, but now she’d clammed up.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Mrs. Hawk said in a brittle tone.
Honey arched a brow. “Really? Because I heard that the night Chrissy went missing, you and your husband had a fight at that party. A fight—”
Mrs. Hawk raised her hand and slapped Honey. The sharp sting made her jerk her head back.
Harrison grabbed his mother’s arm and pulled her away. “Mother, what the hell?”
“Let’s calm down,” Lucas said in a low voice.
“Get out of here, Honey. You don’t belong in Tumbleweed,” Mrs. Hawk snarled.
“Don’t worry. I hate this town as much as you hate me,” Honey said. “But I’m not a liar. Tell your sons about the fight.”
“What is she talking about?” Harrison asked.
“Nothing.” Mrs. Hawk rubbed Harrison’s arm.
He looked up at Honey with troubled eyes. “Honey?”
“You were always judging me,” she said to his mother, her chest heaving. “So tell them about your affair.”
Shock bolted across Harrison’s and Lucas’s faces.
“Mother?” Harrison and Lucas asked at the same time.
Mrs. Hawk squeezed her eyes shut for a moment as if struggling to decide how to respond.
Honey hated causing Harrison pain, but there was no turning back now. If they were going to get answers, they had to explore every angle. And they might have to face hard truths.
If Mrs. Hawk’s affair had something to do with Chrissy’s paternity, it might also have something to do with her disappearance.
Chapter Eleven
Harrison felt as if he’d been hit by a two-by-four.
“What are you talking about, Honey?”
Emotions darkened her eyes. “I’m sorry, Harrison. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
Except she had said something.
He turned to his mother, who looked shell-shocked. “Mother?”
Lucas cleared his throat and took his mother’s arm. “Mom, what’s going on?”
“I don’t have to answer to her,” his mother said vehemently.
An uneasy feeling clawed at Harrison’s stomach. “But you do have to answer to us. We’re your sons.”
“I know that,” his mother said. “But what happened between me and your father was our business.”
“Not if it had something to do with the night Chrissy disappeared,” Harrison said.
Lucas crossed his arms, his voice low, controlled. But filled with turmoil. “Or the reason he left us.”
Harrison couldn’t agree more. “That’s right. What happened, Mother?”
She gestured toward Honey. “I don’t intend to discuss my marriage or private life with her in the room.”
Pain streaked Honey’s eyes. “Fine. I’ll leave. But I need to talk to you when you’re finished, Harrison.”
“Did you find something else at the house?” Harrison asked, then realized that he hadn’t told his mother about the ribbon.
“No. But I still need to talk to you.” She crossed the room and reached for the doorknob. “I’ll wait outside.”
He gave a quick nod, then glanced back at his mother. She was looking at the door as if she wanted
to run.
“Mother,” Lucas said. “Tell us the truth. What happened at that party?”
His mother fisted her hands by her sides. Her brows were pinched, her mouth tight. “Your father and I did argue. Married couples fight sometimes.”
Harrison leaned against his desk, his gaze scrutinizing her. “You fought about the fact that you had an affair?”
A tense second stretched into an awkward moment, which Harrison took as a yes.
“Who was it with?” Lucas asked, his thoughts obviously on track with Harrison’s.
“It doesn’t matter. It happened a long time ago. It meant nothing.”
“But Dad was upset about it,” Harrison said. “When was the affair? Around the time Chrissy disappeared?”
She shoved a strand of hair behind her ear, her hand trembling. “No, it was long before that. Years before.”
* * *
“YEARS BEFORE?” HARRISON SAID, suspicion sneaking up on him. “How many years?”
Their mother fiddled with her purse strap, avoiding eye contact. “Eleven,” she said so quietly that for a moment Harrison thought he’d imagined it.
“Eleven?” Lucas said in a low voice. “And Chrissy was ten...”
The truth dawned on Harrison in a sickening rush. “Chrissy... She wasn’t Dad’s child?”
A low sob rumbled from his mother’s throat, and tears blurred her eyes as she looked at them. “No...I’m sorry... I never wanted you boys to find out.”
“Is that why he left us?” Lucas pressed. “Because he discovered Chrissy wasn’t his daughter?”
A wary resignation settled on their mother’s face. “No, he left because he wanted to find Chrissy.”
Harrison’s investigative mind kicked in, the ramifications quickly adding up. “Did he suspect that Chrissy’s biological father took her?”
“He wanted to talk to him,” she said. “But I assured him that he wouldn’t do such a thing. He wanted Steven to raise Chrissy as his own.”
“Why would he want that?” Lucas asked.
“It’s complicated,” his mother whispered.
“What about Chrissy?” Harrison cut in. “Did she know?”
“No...at least I don’t think so.”
Harrison struggled to keep his temper in check. “What if she heard you and Dad talking and realized she had another father? Perhaps she decided to find him?”
“Maybe that’s the reason she didn’t come home,” Lucas suggested. “She went to confront him.”
“And things didn’t go well,” Harrison said. Anger railed inside him. All this time he’d blamed himself for his father leaving. For losing Chrissy to a possible predator.
“Did Dad talk to this man?” Harrison asked.
“No,” his mother said. “He left in a rage and...he just never came back.”
“You didn’t hear from him again?” Lucas said. “No phone calls or a note?”
“Nothing,” she cried. “I knew he was upset about the indiscretion, but it happened so long ago that I thought we’d already gotten past it. He loved Chrissy like she was his own daughter and she adored him.”
“Who was the man?” Lucas asked.
“I don’t intend to tell you,” their mother said. “Like I said, it was over a long time ago.”
“But what if he had something to do with Chrissy’s disappearance? Perhaps she went to see him and he was afraid she’d tell everyone and ruin his life or marriage—”
“It wasn’t like that at all.” She raised a warning finger to him then to Lucas. “I’m telling you—you boys need to drop it.”
“Why should we?” Harrison asked. “You’re quick to point the finger at Honey and her father when you’re the one who’s been keeping secrets all these years. A secret that might have led us to the truth about Chrissy.”
His mother met Harrison’s gaze with the stern look that had made him stop in his tracks as a kid. He’d never wanted to disappoint her or his father. And when he had, he’d mentally beaten himself up.
“I blamed myself because he left,” Harrison admitted in a gruff voice.
Lucas grimaced. “And I blamed myself, Mom.”
Regret wrenched her face. “I’m sorry, boys. I never meant for you to do that. But...you have to let this be.”
“We need answers about Chrissy,” Harrison said.
“So do I.” She feathered her bangs away from her forehead with trembling fingers. “But Chrissy’s biological father had nothing to do with her disappearance. Trust me, he’s a good man and wanted her to be happy in our family.”
“Did you ask him?” Lucas said.
She nodded. “Of course. He was upset that she was missing. But he hadn’t seen or spoken with her.”
With one last sharp look, she strode out the door.
Harrison’s pulse pounded. Trust her?
How could they do that when she’d lied to them their whole lives?
* * *
HONEY CLENCHED HER hands together as she sat on the park bench outside the sheriff’s office.
She shouldn’t have confronted Harrison’s mother. The hurt on Harrison’s face...
The door swung open, and Mrs. Hawk appeared, clutching her purse as if it was a weapon. She stared at Honey, her condescending expression tearing at Honey.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Hawk,” she said softly. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I was angry and upset, but it doesn’t excuse it.”
The woman’s eyes narrowed suspiciously as if she sensed Honey had some ulterior motive.
“I didn’t mean to hurt your sons or you,” Honey continued, determined not to let the woman turn her into a bitter person. She wanted to be strong, but not vindictive or mean or hurtful.
Lord knows she’d been on the receiving end of gossip and she understood how it could eat at a person’s heart and soul.
“What do you want?” Mrs. Hawk asked.
Honey released a shaky breath. “Just the truth, like you do.”
“No, I want my daughter back. Even the truth won’t do that.”
The anguish in the woman’s voice wrenched Honey’s heart. Losing her father was hard, but they hadn’t been close. She couldn’t imagine losing a child.
“I’m sorry,” Honey said. “I can’t imagine how painful it is to lose a daughter.”
“No, you can’t.” Mrs. Hawk wiped at a tear seeping from her eye, then her frown returned.
“I won’t let you take my son or sons from me,” she said, the vehemence back. “So don’t even try.”
Honey opened her mouth to reassure her that she wasn’t out to take one of her sons, but Harrison stepped outside and she bit back a response as the woman hurried to her vehicle.
Tires squealed as she sped down the street.
A muscle ticked in Harrison’s jaw. Regret for hurting him made tears prick at her eyes. Harrison was a good man, a man full of passion and honor.
“I’m sorry,” she said, standing to face him. “I shouldn’t have confronted your mother. I...didn’t mean to upset you, Harrison.”
His stormy gaze met hers. The closeness she’d felt with him the night before was gone. The kiss seemed a million years ago.
“I’m going to talk to Sheriff Dunar,” he said, ignoring her and her apology.
“I want to talk to him, too,” Honey said.
His brows furrowed. “You need to stay out of this.”
“I can’t,” Honey said. “Everyone in Tumbleweed thinks my father is a murderer. Even I’m questioning him and wondering about my mother’s disappearance.”
“What do you mean?”
Honey shrugged. “I thought she ran off, but if he was more violent than I realized, what if he did something to her?”
* * *
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HARRISON’S HEAD WAS still spinning from the revelations about his mother’s affair. He and Lucas planned to meet Dexter and Brayden for a beer later and fill them in.
He dreaded that conversation, but they had a right to know.
Dexter might be able to use his detective skills to find out the identity of their mother’s lover. And they would find out, even if they had to follow her.
Most likely she would contact the man and give him a heads-up.
“Harrison?”
He jerked back to reality. Honey was talking. She’d apologized. She wanted to talk to the sheriff about her father and mother.
Under the circumstances, her questions seemed valid.
He admired the fact that she wanted the truth enough to face it, even if it was ugly.
“Let’s go.” He strode toward his SUV, not bothering to wait on Honey. She followed him silently, the mood tense as he drove toward the lake where the former sheriff had retired.
He clenched the steering wheel in a white-knuckle grip. He couldn’t talk about the situation with Honey or his mother right now, not when his mother’s reaction was too fresh in his mind.
She was definitely protecting the man she’d had an affair with. Why?
Because she still cared for him?
She said she’d talked to him after Chrissy went missing and he wasn’t responsible. But she must have suspected that he had something to do with her disappearance or she wouldn’t have asked him.
* * *
HONEY RUBBED HER cheek as they drove, her face still stinging from the slap she’d received.
“Are you okay?” Harrison asked in a gruff voice.
She twisted her head to look at him and dropped her hand to her lap. “Yes. I’ve had worse.”
He winced. “I’m sorry. My mother had no right to hit you. I...I’ve never seen her like that.”
“She didn’t spank you when you were young?”
Harrison shook his head. “No, my father was the one with the temper.”
“I seem to bring out the worst in her,” Honey said in a low voice.
Harrison worked his mouth from side to side. “I know. I don’t understand it.”