by Iris Morland
She turned, and remaining standing, waited. Eric didn’t seem nervous or like he was going to apologize. He seemed irritated, his mouth in a harsh line.
“What is it?” Grace asked.
He didn’t stand up, but his scowl turned into a smile, which made Grace’s blood turn cold. He leaned forward, his forearms on his thighs.
“I think you know what this is about,” is all he said.
She willed her pounding heart to calm. He didn’t know anything. He was bluffing.
“If you came here to talk in riddles, then I’m leaving.” She turned to leave.
“I know that you’ve found the invoices,” he called. “I know you’ve been sniffing around things you shouldn’t be.”
She needed to go. She walked five quick steps when a hand latched onto her elbow, pulling her back. She yelped.“I told you to leave things alone, but you didn’t listen, did you?” his voice hissed in her ear. “You thought you’d help your boyfriend out, but all you’ve done is make things worse for him.”
Grace struggled, but Eric was taller and bigger than her, and his grip held firm. His fingers dug into her elbow so hard that she had to stifle a cry.
“What do you want?” she asked.
“I want you to leave things alone.” He scowled, yanking her toward him. “But it’s too late for that, isn’t it? If you would’ve listened to me, this wouldn’t have to happen.”
Fear coursed through her until she knew she was shaking like a rabbit. She realized she was all alone with this man, this man who’d frame his boss without an ounce of regret, and she opened her mouth to scream.
Eric covered her mouth before she let out more than a yelp. “If you scream,” he said as he pulled her against him, her back to his front, “you’ll regret it.”
She didn’t know what he was going to do. Was he going to kill her? Rape her? Both? Panic hit her, and she started struggling. It was all elbows and hands and fingers and she could barely tell who was who. She let out a short scream, but it was stifled when he backhanded her across the face.
Grace collapsed. Breathing hard, she tried to will away the dizziness from his slap. Her cheek smarted, and tears stung her eyes. He crouched next to her and yanked her head back by her hair.
“I told you to leave it alone.” He pulled so hard that she gasped.
After that, Grace just knew she had to fight. She had to get his hands off of her, she had to get away. She felt dirt underneath her palms and she fell against a rock that cut her knee, even under the layer of her jeans. She gasped and when Eric was about to hit her again, she screamed so loudly that surely the trees shook.
For that, he was about to backhand her again. But before his hand connected with her face, Grace heard what she could only describe as an inhuman roar and then flesh pounded against flesh.
She staggered upward. She watched, in a daze, as Jaime punched Eric in the nose. The two men struggled, with Eric falling to the ground and Jaime kicking him in the ribs. Eric groaned and started begging and pleading, but it was like Jaime was deaf to the world.
Grace could barely understand what was happening, but she knew if Jaime kept this up something irrevocable could happen. She flew to him, grasping his arm, telling him to stop. “You’ll kill him,” she heard someone say, only realizing later that she was saying it. “You’ll kill him. Stop. Stop!”
Jaime jerked away from her. He gasped for air, swearing and looking like he could strangle Eric with his bare hands. Eric lay on the ground still as he groaned, clutching his ribs. Stepping toward Eric, Jaime stood over him and said in a voice that lifted the hairs on the back of Grace’s neck, “If you ever come near Grace again, I’ll kill you. Do you hear me? I don’t care what happens to me. If you touch her—if you breathe near her—you’re done for.”
Eric swore but when Jaime looked like he could hit him again, he finally nodded.
“Let’s go.” Jaime steered Grace away and she found herself in his truck. She only stared as he asked her what happened, where did Eric touch her, Jesus Christ, Grace, say something.
She blinked. She felt wetness on her cheeks, and she realized she was crying.
When Jaime embraced her, she broke. She started crying in gasping sobs, the terror of the moment making her unable to speak. She could barely breathe. Jaime rubbed her back, assuring her that he’d keep her safe. He held her close, and she burrowed into his arms.
She never wanted to leave his arms.
After some time, he examined her face, tracing her bruised cheek. His expression became murderous once again.
“I’ll kill him,” he said in a low voice.
Grace hissed at the pain of him just brushing her cheek. “And then you’ll go to jail for the rest of your life,” she replied.
“It would be worth it.”
“And leave me all alone?” She laid her head on his shoulder, and he caressed her hair. She clung to his arm. “How did you find me?” she asked softly.
“I came to see you, but Mike said he’d seen you go out for a walk. Then I heard something in the woods, and then you screamed…” He kissed the top of her head. “I’m so sorry this happened.”
“It wasn’t your fault.” She looked up, but she could see in his face that he blamed himself. “It wasn’t. It was Eric. He attacked me.”
But Jaime was shaking his head. “It wouldn’t have happened if not for me. Let me shoulder the guilt, okay? I deserve it.”
She wanted to argue with him. She wanted to shake him and make him see sense. But she was too tired. Her cheek hurt and she just wanted to go home. Jaime gently let her go and drove her back to Joy’s, where he made an ice pack for her cheek.
“Keep this on it,” he said. “It’ll help with swelling.”
Grace’s eyelids drooped. Before she knew it, she felt herself being carried into Joy’s bedroom and then laid down on the bed, a light kiss brushing against her forehead.
18
“Y ou’re not doing this,” Jaime told Grace three days later. “I told you to stay out of this.”
He knew his tone was harsh, but seeing the bruise marring her cheek, he knew he had to be firm. Grace was as stubborn as they came, and she refused to back down.
“I’ve been working with Kat to hack into Eric’s computer—” At Jaime’s groan, she glared at him. “We’re so close!”
“There is no ‘we.’ There is me, and that’s it.”
“So you’re just going to throw whatever Kat’s found to the wayside?”
He rubbed his temples. He didn’t know what to do, except that he wanted to beat Eric within an inch of his life. The coward had retreated to his apartment and, as far as Jaime knew, hadn’t left Heron’s Landing. Probably still licking his wounds.
Despite his threats, Jaime knew very well that this thing wasn’t over. It wouldn’t be over until Eric was charged and Jaime was cleared of everything regarding the missing money from the vineyard.
After Eric had attacked Grace, he’d wanted to go the police, but Grace had been the one to stop him. “They’ll just arrest you for assault,” she’d pleaded. “They’ll say you instigated it because that’s what Eric will say. You aren’t the one they’ll want to believe.”
He’d hated to admit that she’d been right. He’d expected Eric to call the police, but so far, nothing. He had no idea what the man’s next move was, but he was going to do something before that happened.
He stood up from his kitchen table, where he and Grace had been sitting. He’d made her pancakes—at her request—and he picked up the plates to take them over to the sink. “I’ll contact Kat myself,” he said as he turned on the faucet. “Tell her you’ve had to stop being involved.” He scrubbed at the plate. “I also don’t want Kat getting hurt.”
Grace put a hand on his arm. “She won’t, because Eric won’t find out. I told her beforehand the risks. She thought it was worth it. Because you are worth it, Jaime.”
He couldn’t help but grin. “Like the commercial? ‘Because I�
�m worth it’?” He tossed his head like he was in a shampoo commercial.
Grace pinched him and he yelped. “Be serious.”
He just looked at her.
“Okay, you are being serious. But so am I. I want to help, not sit on the sidelines like some useless damsel.”
He shut off the water, turning to her. “You’ll never be useless, but you were already hurt.” He touched her bruised cheek, resolve filling him. “I can’t let that happen again.”
She just sighed.
Although Grace agreed that she wouldn’t snoop around the vineyard anymore, she said that she would like to come with him to meet with Kat. Knowing this wasn’t a battle he was going to win, he reluctantly agreed. The three of them would meet at Joy’s later that evening, Joy also attending (considering it was her apartment).
“So what exactly are we doing tonight?” Joy asked as she, Grace and Jaime sat on her couch. The same couch they’d made love on only a few days prior. Jaime tried not to think about that too much, but his vision filled with Grace’s hair down, her body trembling against his…
“Kat’s showing us what she found,” Grace replied. “She said she’d be here by eight o’clock.”
“And this is supposed to prove Jaime is innocent?” Joy asked with an eyebrow raise.
“Supposedly. But I’m not sure how we’ll manage that considering hacking into someone’s email is considered illegal.” Jaime gave Grace a look, which she patently ignored.
“Well, good thing I told Adam I was busy cleaning my bathroom tonight, otherwise he would’ve shown up, too, and wouldn’t that have been great?” Joy made a face.
Grace had decided to lay low after Eric’s assault, mostly so she wouldn’t worry her family. Although her face was still bruised, it hadn’t turned as bright purple as they were expecting, and soon she’d be able to cover it with makeup. Only Joy knew what had happened, and soon, Kat. Joy had wanted to go to the police immediately, but Grace had dissuaded her like she’d dissuaded Jaime.
A knock sounded on the door. Jaime got up to answer it. He’d never met Kat before although he’d seen her around town a handful of times. She eyed him when he opened the door, like some kind of science experiment. She wore glasses and red lipstick with her hair in tiny braids that were pulled into a bun on top of her head. She wore bright red skinny jeans underneath a puffy coat with heeled boots that clicked as she walked. Despite her small stature, she seemed to take up the room. After Jaime closed the door, she held out her hand.
“Kat Williamson. I’m assuming you’re the guy we’re all talking about?”
He took her hand; her grip was firm and sure. “Apparently. I’m Jaime.”
“Great. Let me just get set up…” Kat walked into the living room, where she greeted Joy and Grace, asking Joy what her Wi-Fi password was. After she sat down, Jaime followed suit, sitting next to Grace on the couch.
“So, did Grace tell you what this was about?” Kat eyed them, pushing her glasses up her nose.
“Kind of. She just said that she talked to you about the investigation.” Joy sipped her wine.
“Before we start, though, I just want to make sure you know that this could be dangerous for you.” Jaime glanced at Grace, who wasn’t looking at him. “I don’t want to put you into any kind of position.”
Kat looked at Grace, and although Jaime could tell that the bruise on Grace’s cheek surprised her, she was subtle about it. Just a brow lift and nothing more.
“Grace let me know the risks from the beginning. Or rather, I figured them out for myself. But I’m not much for letting innocent people go to jail. Besides, Eric O’Neill is a scummy worm who grabbed my ass at the library, so I’m all about taking him down,” Kat said.
Jaime couldn’t help but smile. “Good to know. Let’s get going then.”
Kat had them stand behind her as she showed them what she’d found. She’d hacked into Eric’s personal laptop fairly easily—he didn’t exactly have high-tech security on his accounts—and utilizing a proxy IP address and other covert technology that made Jaime’s brain spin, she showed them what she’d found.
“I must admit, this was easier than I expected,” Kat explained, bringing up a series of emails. “I thought he wouldn’t be stupid enough to leave a paper trail of what he planned to do. But I should’ve known that he’s an idiot, too.” She pointed to one of the emails, highlighting a paragraph. “Granted, he used an email without his name attached, but that was it. Didn’t change his IP address, nothing. Here it says that he began to put his plan into motion.”
Jaime’s gaze roved the words before he narrowed his eyes. “This doesn't have anything specific enough to implicate him, though.”
Kat shrugged. “No, but it’s definitely shady. Here’s another email. But really, here’s the clincher. He’d been emailing with a vendor about raising prices. Now, that’s a classic embezzlement move.”
“It is?” Grace asked.
“Sure. Raise the price, the company pays, then you and the vendor split the difference.”
Kat continued, showing them each and every bit of evidence she’d collected. By the end, Jaime was certain that no one could dismiss Eric’s involvement. Especially when Kat showed them an email that specifically mentioned framing Jaime for all of it.
“This is all great,” Jaime said as he sat back on the couch, “but we can’t exactly take this to the police.”
Kat smiled. “No, but you can use it. Nothing like a solid bluff to get a coward like Eric to shake in his cheap-ass boots.”
They talked about what Kat had found for a while longer, until Kat realized what time it was, stating she had to get up early for work. Jaime had forgotten that she worked at the elementary school.
“I’ll show you out,” he said.
As they left Joy’s apartment, a door opened at the end of the hall. Gavin, the prodigal Danvers brother, stepped out, looking like he’d been run over by a train.
Jaime hadn’t met Gavin yet, but he’d recognize him anywhere. He had the Danvers look, and his eyes were the same as Grace’s. He wondered if he should introduce himself, given the circumstances, but Gavin beat him to the punch.
“You must be Jaime,” he said, extending his hand. “I’m Gavin Danvers.”
Jaime shook his hand. “I heard you were back in Heron’s Landing. How are you liking it?”
Gavin shrugged. “It’s Heron’s Landing. It is what it is.” His gaze turned toward Kat, and Jaime could see his eyes widen ever so slightly.
Jaime glanced at the two of them. “Gavin, this is Kat Williamson.”
They shook hands. Kat smiled as she did so, like she’d been told some wonderful secret. “You’re Emma’s dad, right? I have her in my computer class at HL Elementary.”
“So you’re the famous Ms. Williamson.” To Jaime’s surprise, the man actually smiled. It seemed a bit creaky, like he hadn’t smiled in a long time. “Emma can’t stop talking about you.”
“I shouldn’t say this, but she’s definitely one of my favorite students.”
Gavin seemed relieved, like he’d been expecting something else. “That’s great to hear.”
The two gazed at each other, and Jaime could feel the tension building between them. Kat licked her lips, and Gavin’s gaze narrowed in on that small movement.
Suddenly flustered, Kat said in a rushed breath, “I need to get going. Jaime, Gavin, it was nice meeting you both.” She nodded and then went down the stairs, not even pausing to let them say goodbye.
The two men stood at the top of the stairs, saying nothing. Gavin let out a breath.
Well, that was interesting, Jaime thought as he returned to Joy’s apartment.
IT LOOKED like snow when Jaime arrived at River’s Bend. Gray clouds pushed in from the south, and the wind had a bite to it that clawed underneath the heaviest coats. It was only a few days before Christmas, and the vineyard sparkled with Christmas lights, more than one tree decorated and placed in front of the tall windows.
He glanced up at the sky, squinting at what looked like tiny flurries. He hoped it wouldn’t start snowing before this was over and done with.
A car pulled up. Jaime stilled, listening as he stood behind the main building of the vineyard, waiting for Eric to arrive. His former sous chef looked like hell as he walked toward him, his face a motley of bruises. Jaime rather wished he’d broken the man’s arm and maybe some toes, but seeing Eric clutch at his ribs as he walked gave him some satisfaction at least.
They stared at each other. Jaime rather felt like this was some kind of gun battle, with the swirling wind and the silence hanging between them. He’d laugh if he weren’t so tired, so angry with everything.
“I’m assuming you didn’t want to meet just to stand outside and freeze our asses off?” Eric stuffed his hands into the pockets of his coat, scowling above his scarf.
“Let’s not waste each other’s time, shall we?” Jaime stepped toward Eric, keeping eye contact the entire time. “The jig is up, Eric. We all know you’re the one who’s been stealing from River’s Bend and setting me up to take the fall.”
Eric laughed, a scratchy laugh that made Jaime want to throttle him. “And what evidence do you have? That’s right, none. Just because you want it to be true doesn’t mean one fucking thing.”
Jaime pulled out a sheaf of papers. This was the tricky part. Although they did have evidence, it wasn’t evidence they had gotten legally. So he had to bluff his way through this, and hope that Eric wouldn't call his bluff.
“We have financial statements from the vineyard, copies of invoices, and even a statement from the vendor who you were working with.” The last was a lie, but Eric didn’t know that.
The younger man’s scowl remained. “I don’t believe you.”
Jaime shrugged. “Does it matter? We have evidence that implicates you and clears me.”
“You’ve already been charged with the crime.”