by SUE FINEMAN
Mr. Glaser said, “Bay wrote this will five years ago, shortly after her long-time companion and the love of her life passed away.”
He began to read the will. Baylee didn’t understand all the words, but Chance could translate the legal terms later. She was more concerned with what Olivia would do when she heard she wasn’t getting what she expected.
Mary’s name came up first. She was given one month’s pay. Bay’s accountant had already drawn up a severance check. Mary couldn’t be trusted, and Baylee wanted her gone.
Edwin and Joe were both given a month’s pay and an annuity that would support them in their retirement. “That’s quite generous,” said Edwin.
“Sure is,” said Joe.
Anne was also given an annuity for retirement, and Mr. Glaser handed her a sealed envelope. “Miss Patterson asked me to give you this letter.” Anne nodded her thanks.
Olivia, Sam, and George Wheeler were each given a painting. Sam pointed to the painting behind the desk in the library, his gift from his father’s long-time companion and lover. “Bay knew I’ve always loved that painting.”
George nodded. “After Dad died, I told Bay I’d like to have the painting in the living room some day. She remembered. It was nice of her to include us.”
“Yes, it was,” Olivia said with a smile. She still didn’t get it, but she would soon. The painting was all Bay left her, and she didn’t deserve that.
Mr. Glaser read the list of gifts to various charities and then he looked up at Baylee. “The balance of the estate, including all the real estate, the plane, the investments, bank accounts, the vehicles, and the contents of the houses, now belongs to Miss Baylee Patterson, Miss Lila Bay Patterson’s only child.”
Olivia came out of her chair, yelling, “Nooooo! Bay promised me the house. Daddy said I’d get everything when Bay died.”
Baylee glanced at Chance and listened to Olivia throw a temper tantrum that would make a five-year-old proud. Everyone else in the room squirmed in discomfort, including Sal. Her brothers and their wives seemed embarrassed.
Anger rose inside Baylee until she could no longer contain it. It was time to end this. She stood and shook the attorney’s hand. “Thank you, Mr. Glaser. Olivia, I’ve reserved a suite for you at the hotel at the Galleria. The room is paid for tonight and tomorrow night. The room, not meals or extras,” Baylee added. “I understand you took the private jet here from New York.”
“Well, of course I did.” Olivia almost spit the words. “How else was I supposed to get here for the funeral?”
“The plane is no longer available to you, and neither are any of the properties my mother left to me. I’ve had the personal things you left in the apartment in New York packed and put in storage.” She handed Olivia a card. “They’ll keep it for you only until the end of May.”
Olivia drew in a shocked breath and grabbed the card from Baylee’s hand.
Baylee went on. “Mary, your services are no longer required.” She handed her an envelope. “I’ve had the accountant add two weeks severance pay and your accrued vacation.”
Mary’s chin came up. “I wouldn’t work for you anyway.” She snatched the envelope from Baylee’s hand and stomped out of the room.
Baylee turned to Edwin and Joe. “I know you’re probably both thinking of retirement, but I would appreciate it if you could stay until I decide what to do with the estate. If we need to hire someone to help you with your duties, that’s fine.”
“No need for that,” said Edwin, “and I’ll be happy to stay.” Joe nodded his agreement. Baylee was relieved. She didn’t think she could handle things here without those two men.
Olivia bawled like a baby. Her brothers ignored her, and so did her boy-toy, Salvatore Whatshisname. Baylee figured he’d dump Olivia now, but that was her problem.
Baylee took Sam’s hand. “Thank you for coming today.”
“Hey, Bay made Dad happy.”
“Yes, she did,” said George. “I’m sorry they didn’t marry.”
“So am I,” she replied. “They clearly loved each other. Is there anything else of your father’s you’d like to take with you? Bay left most of his clothes in the closet.”
George shook his head. “We took some things after he died.”
“What about me?” Olivia cried.
“You can shut your mouth for a change,” said Sam. “You’ve caused enough trouble.”
After George and Sam and their wives said goodbye and left, Baylee caught Sal’s eye. “You and Olivia have one hour to pack your things and leave the house. Anything you leave behind goes out with the garbage.”
Sal disappeared, leaving a sobbing Olivia in the study. Greg quietly followed Sal upstairs. Baylee stepped aside with Chance and asked, “Is something going on?”
“Yeah. Greg looked through their luggage while we were at the funeral. Sal has three ID’s in his suitcase, along with several credit cards that don’t belong to him. One of those is yours, one is Neen’s, and two belong to Olivia Wheeler.”
She groaned. Could this get any worse?
“The police will be here any minute. Looks like Olivia will be on her own. Her playmate should be locked up for a few years. He’s also wanted in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.”
“I don’t care what happens to either one of them, as long as I don’t get stuck with them. Sal gives me the creeps, and Olivia is the most spoiled, egotistical person I’ve ever met. No wonder Bay didn’t want her around.”
While Anne and Baylee put the leftover food away, Sal was taken out in handcuffs. Baylee wondered how much of Olivia’s money Sal had spent, and then she wondered if Olivia had anything left. Maybe she couldn’t afford her own house.
“Anne, how much did Cody leave Olivia?”
“Somewhere around two hundred million plus a chateau in France. I imagine it’s about gone now. She’s been married several times, and she likes to spend time in Monte Carlo. You aren’t feeling sorry for her, are you?”
“No.” Baylee had a lot of feelings for Olivia Wheeler.
Pity wasn’t one of them.
Chapter Nine
Olivia screamed, “Edwin, come help me pack.”
Baylee quietly said, “Do it yourself, Olivia.”
It took two hours to get Olivia out of the house. Two endless hours of screeching and whining and crying. Her clothes were hung in four closets, strewn on two beds, and tossed on the floor in two suites. She swore at Baylee for stealing her inheritance, at Mary for deserting her, and at Sal for being a blood-sucking louse. Baylee’s ears burned from the shrill sound.
Edwin drove Olivia to the hotel, but the luggage wouldn’t begin to fit in Bay’s Jaguar, so Chance and Greg crammed it in the back of Chance’s SUV and followed Edwin to the hotel.
While they were gone, Baylee changed out of her new clothes and sat in the family room with Neen, shoes off, emotionally and physically drained. She rubbed her temples. The sudden silence in the house was deafening, and she had a pounding headache. Who wouldn’t, listening to Olivia the Whiner for two whole days. “I wouldn’t inflict that woman on my worst enemy.”
“I think she’s going through menopause,” said Neen.
“I don’t care what she’s going through, as long as she doesn’t do it here. Why on earth do people put up with that behavior?”
Neen shrugged. “You’d be surprised what you can get away with when you have money. People trip all over themselves trying to please you. I inherited a few million when my mother died, but Greg and I don’t live rich. We invested in Bo and Callie’s horse ranch and built a nice house, but Greg still works, and I’m a stay at home mother. My biggest luxury is my airplane. And I hire someone to clean my house and mow the grass.”
“There’s a cleaning service here twice a week, and Joe takes care of the grounds and pool. Edwin runs the errands and takes care of the cars. Mary did the laundry and cooking.”
“Are you going to replace Mary?”
Baylee shrugged. “Wh
at for? I’ve done my own laundry since I was ten, and I do know how to cook.”
Neen smiled. “Good point. Did you eat lunch?”
“No, and it’s nearly dinner time.” Baylee stood. “I’ll see what I can find for dinner.”
Neen waved her hand. “Sit down. The refrigerator is full of leftovers. When the guys get back, we’ll eat those.”
Baylee leaned back into the corner of the sofa and sighed. “Edwin said he’d take my suit to the cleaners when he gets back. That’s what I get for shopping at Neiman Marcus. My one big splurge and Olivia dumped wine all over it.”
A little giggle slipped out of Neen. “Did you see her face when she thought her gray roots were showing?”
“That was nothing compared to the look on her face when she realized all Bay had left her was a painting.”
“Which one?”
“The small, ugly one from the sitting room in my suite. She took it with her. It couldn’t be worth much. The ones Bay gave Olivia’s brothers were beautiful oil paintings. Edwin said he’d deliver them this week.”
A comfortable silence settled around them. Neen and Greg reminded Baylee how much she missed her friends in Tacoma. Did Chance know how lucky he was to have a close family?
Baylee leaned her head back and closed her eyes. She was so tired.
<>
Chance put the last bag on the bellhop’s cart and handed him a hundred dollars. The poor bellhop would earn every penny of it. Twenty-six bags and a whiny customer.
Olivia was on her own now. He’d never met a woman he disliked more than Olivia Wheeler. If his kids ever behaved like that, he’d disown them.
As Chance drove back to the house, Greg asked, “Is Baylee going to stay here or go back to Tacoma?”
“I don’t know. I don’t think she knows what to do.” Between her mother’s death and Black Jack’s threats, her life was forever changed. Still, he couldn’t see her living alone in that mansion and playing socialite.
“She’s had some major shocks in the past few days. The first one was when Jack Blackburn broke into her apartment and left a card stuck to her pillow with a kitchen knife. Then there was the cougar. Finding out she had a mother and inheriting—”
Greg held up his hand. “Whoa. Back up there. What cougar?”
By the time Chance explained what happened in the woods at Snoqualmie, they were back at the house. “Don’t tell Mom.”
Greg laughed. “She’ll find out. She always does. I hid my shoulder wound until I took my shirt off to swim in Bo’s pool. Mom saw the scar and reamed me out good for not telling her.”
That wasn’t the only scar on Greg’s body, and it probably wouldn’t be the last. He took chances no one in their right mind would take. He had stitches once a year or so when he was a kid, broke his leg playing football in high school, nearly died from a stab in the back when he was with the DEA, and the last bullet he took nearly killed him.
When they were kids, Bo used to pull Greg’s ass out of trouble all the time. Now Bo had three kids of his own to bail out of trouble. Two were adopted, and one of those was his wife’s son from before they married. The oldest was a pretty teenager whose mother died from a heroin overdose, one of the many strays Mom had taken in. Only the family kept this one. Bo’s youngest was barely potty trained. She was a cutie, with Callie’s dark hair and Bo’s gray eyes.
His kids and their cousins got along great, and they all kept Mom busy. Baylee’s kids wouldn’t have a grandmother to spoil them or cousins to play with. She didn’t have a family to lean on. She had money now, but money was a poor substitute for family.
Greg stepped out of the car while Chance answered his ringing cell phone. “Gregory.”
“Chance, this is McBride. Everything okay?”
Chance stiffened. “Why?”
“Bay Patterson’s obituary was in the Tacoma Tribune this morning. There was a little write-up about her life, about the charities she supported in the Tacoma area, and her daughter’s connection with the newspaper. If Blackburn sees that—”
“Aw, shit!” They hadn’t told anyone here about their reasons for leaving Tacoma, and he’d never expected Anne to put something in the Tacoma paper. Still, since Bay’s only child was from Tacoma, it was a reasonable thing to do.
“Have you heard from Blackburn lately?”
“No, and Baylee has been so wrung out with her mother’s death and everything else that’s been happening around here, I don’t think she’s given him a second thought. I was so sure he wouldn’t find her in Houston.”
“I don’t know if he’ll go all the way to Texas, but if he does, he’ll come after both of you, so keep your eyes open. Are you with your family now?”
“I’m in Houston with Baylee. Greg and Neen are here, too. We’d planned to go back to Caledonia tomorrow and leave Baylee here, but—”
“Talk it over with Greg. He’ll know what to do. Let me know if Blackburn calls again or shows up there.”
“I will.” Chance ended the call and sat in the car wondering what to do. The obituary was in this morning’s paper, so the killer could already be on his way. He couldn’t leave his kids at Mom’s house. Hell, he couldn’t leave her there either. And he couldn’t leave Baylee here alone. Not now.
He pounded on the steering wheel. Shit!
Greg opened Chance’s car door. “Something wrong?”
“Yeah. Bay Patterson’s obituary was in this morning’s newspaper in Tacoma. McBride said there was a nice piece about Bay’s life and Baylee was mentioned.”
“Does Blackburn read the paper?”
“Hell, yes, he reads the paper. Why else would he be after Baylee?”
“Damn,” Greg muttered. “This complicates things.”
Damn right it complicated things. Baylee couldn’t stay here in Houston any more than he and the kids and his mother could stay in his mother’s house.
Chance walked inside with Greg and found Baylee sleeping in the family room. She looked so soft and sweet snuggled into the corner of the sofa. She’d been through so much in the past ten days, yet she’d kept her cool and handled herself with dignity when she took charge of the situation with Olivia and Mary.
Neen rummaged in the refrigerator. “We’re having leftovers for dinner, guys. Let Baylee sleep. She can eat when she wakes up.”
She put the food out on the island, warmed some things in the microwave, and set plates and forks out, so the men could help themselves. Chance and Greg filled their plates and walked out to the sun porch, the friendliest room in the house. Neen followed a minute later.
After Greg cleaned his plate and filled it again, they talked about McBride’s phone call. Neen asked, “Didn’t Baylee inherit other property?”
“Three other homes, including a lake house north of Houston.”
“Is it big enough for you and Baylee, Mom and the kids?”
“I can’t ask Baylee to take in my family.”
Baylee, sleepy and rumpled, walked over. “What’s going on?”
Chance took her hand. “Your mother’s obituary was in the Tacoma paper.”
Her eyes widened in understanding, but she didn’t say anything. She didn’t have to. Blackburn had kept them on edge from the night he killed his wife. They’d just started to unwind, and now they were right back where they were the day they’d left Tacoma, wondering how long it would take Black Jack Blackburn to find them.
Neen disappeared and reappeared with a plate of food for Baylee. “Sit down and eat.”
Baylee sat beside Chance and ate a little puff pastry with a creamy shrimp filling. “Mmm, these are good.”
“Try the stuffed mushrooms,” said Neen.
“And the meatballs,” said Greg.
Baylee tasted everything on her plate and asked, “Is there any of that chocolate cheesecake left?”
Chance shared a smoky smile with Baylee. “We’ll save that for later.”
Baylee blushed slightly and Greg cleared his throat. “Maybe we�
��ll have some of that ourselves, huh, Neen?”
“You might want to check out the pool first, Greg,” his brother told him. “It’s real private up behind the waterfall. Clothing optional.”
Greg grinned. “My kind of place.”
Neen smacked his arm.
“Hey, it’s okay. We’re married. We can do it anywhere.”
Baylee blushed a deeper hue of pink.
Neen muttered, “The testosterone level in this room is waaay too high for me.”
Baylee stood. “Me, too. Let’s check out the desserts.”
The two women walked into the kitchen, leaving Chance alone with Greg.
“I saw her at some event a few years ago. She’s cuter than I remember, and she’s hot for you.” Greg popped another meatball into his mouth and talked around it. “So, what are you going to do about it?”
“Butt out, Greg.” Chance couldn’t make plans with Baylee. His future was already mapped out. Pass the Texas bar, find a new home, and take care of his kids.
Baylee would find someone else. She’d get married and have kids of her own, something he couldn’t offer her. Even if he could undo his vasectomy, he wouldn’t, because he couldn’t handle more than the three kids he already had.
<>
Baylee ate her fill and spent a delightful hour with Neen and Greg. And Chance, of course. She enjoyed the friendly bantering between Chance and Greg, and she really liked Neen. She had a way of lightening the mood, and Baylee needed that today. The funeral was beautiful, but emotionally draining, and Olivia had made the afternoon unbearable. But hearing that Jack Blackburn knew where to find her had blindsided her.
She glanced around the room. “Thank you all for being here. It’s been a crazy week, and you kept me sane.”
“Our pleasure.” Greg glanced around at the others. “Anyone want to take bets on how long it’ll be before Olivia shows up again?”
Baylee groaned. “Maybe I should offer to sell her the house.”
“You don’t want to live here?” said Neen.