by Wendy Vella
“That will do, Mary.”
Shock had his mother’s mouth falling open. Her husband never argued with her. He usually took the peaceful road, which was not always the right thing to do, but it had been his way.
“Ava has made mistakes, as have we all, but maybe now it’s time that we tried to fix some of them and become a family.”
“We are a family!”
“No, Mary, we are not. Our children all left home as soon as they could. Why do you think that was?”
Dylan, Charlie, and Ava all sat quietly, letting their father speak.
“Because they wanted to leave Ryker and get careers?” Mary Howard sat suddenly, almost as if her legs couldn’t hold her up any longer. “What other reason could there be?”
Her husband sighed. “Mary, you were too hard on them, and I let you because I was a coward and never wanted to stand up for them. It was wrong of me, I see that now, but I’m hoping that I can do something now.”
“I was not too hard on them!”
“You were, Mom,” Dylan said. “I left because I could never quite be the boy you wanted me to be. I wanted to build things, but that wasn’t good enough. I ran with Joe Trainer to spite you because you always painted me as this golden child who could do no wrong. I left to breathe, and never came back.”
“That Trainer is a bad one!”
Dylan held his mother’s eyes.
“But that’s not the only reason you hate the Trainers, is it, Mom?”
“Wh-what do you mean?”
“Before Dad, you and Joe’s father had a thing going on, and he didn’t want you, so you turned against the entire family. It has to stop right now, Mom. Starting with Piper, because she’s innocent.”
“Sh-she poisoned me.”
“No she didn’t, but we’ll get round to that. Right now I want to discuss Ava and what she needs. Hairdressing is her dream, so she’s doing it.”
“Yes.” His father sighed. “I’ll make sure of it. I knew about Tim Trainer, and also that your mother did not like his family, but to my shame again, I have done nothing to change that either.”
“I did nothing they did not deserve; how can you say otherwise?”
“Mary, you have done wrong by that family, and that is going to stop, as is the hold you have over our children.”
“I-I wanted the best for them.”
“I know you believe that, Mom, but you pushed too hard. Now I’m going to tell you something, and I need you stay quiet until I’m done.”
Everyone nodded. Dylan explained everything that was happening.
“And you now believe that this poisoning was done by whoever is targeting us to get to you?” his father asked.
“I do. I didn’t at first, because I was shocked and angry—”
“And you care about Piper so it hurt more?” Charlie interrupted him.
“Yes.”
“You care about her?” His mother looked horrified.
“I do, so you need to deal with that fact. But as she’s not going to forgive me for accusing her of trying to poison you, I doubt there’s a future for us.”
Dylan had deliberately not thought about what he felt for Piper, but now, since she’d told him she wanted nothing more to do with him, he’d realized that Piper Trainer had become vital to his existence.
A terrifying thought, especially as she wouldn’t even talk to him.
“Someone is targeting you all to get at me.”
“But surely that means it has to be someone we all know, if they were able to get close to us and into the café?” his mother said.
“Maybe, or he’s taking his chances when no one is looking,” Dylan said. “But the bottom line here is that we don’t go anywhere alone from now on. You go out in pairs, or have people come here. Only people you know really well, and if anything strikes you as odd, then you let me know.”
“Oh now—”
“I mean it, Mom. This is serious. Whoever is here wants to get at you through me. For now what’s been done hasn’t been fatal, and we think that’s because he’s waiting to strike at me.”
“Oh my God!” Ava looked scared. “You think he wants to kill you?”
“I do, and that he lured me back here to do it. But we can’t discount that he wants to hurt one of you again also, so you need to be vigilant. Don’t go out after dark. I need you all to promise me this. I can’t catch him and worry about you at the same time. You have to stay here as much as you can. Please,” he added, looking around the faces of his family that only lately he’d come to care for.
“We can do this until it’s resolved, son. But we don’t want you taking risks either.”
“I promise.”
“Can we do the Coffee Run?”
He looked at Charlie. She’d changed, just as he had. Less brittle, there was a softness to her now.
“Sure, I think that will be okay, since we run in pairs and there will be plenty of people about. But Mom and Dad can stay home, and the doors will be locked.”
His parents didn’t argue, which was a surprise. He could see his words had shocked his mother, and while she’d never been the best parent, he guessed she still loved them in her own way.
“Come on, Mary, I think we need to talk through a few things, starting with the Trainers,” his father said, slowly getting out of his chair and holding out a hand to his wife.
Watching them leave the room, Dylan realized that he actually had a lot to live for now. He’d never given death much thought, but knew it would come sometime. However, now he didn’t want it to come before he was old and gray. He had family, and yes, Piper and Grace, even though she wanted nothing to do with him.
He had to speak with her again, and try and make her see why he’d behaved as he had. The thought of life with Piper Trainer loathing him didn’t sit well with Dylan. He wasn’t sure what he wanted with her, but he wanted something.
Right now, he had to catch the person who was out to kill him before he could contemplate a future.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
The Coffee Run started from the lodge in the middle of the day so it was warmer. Piper had come because her mom told her she had to. Jess Trainer would be waiting at the finish with Grace.
“If I get paired with Lionel Brady I’m forfeiting. That guy left bruises last year, he pinched my butt so many times,” Maggs said.
“Yes, the man’s an octopus.” Piper looked around them. So far she’d seen no sign of Dylan, which suited her. Most of the faces in the crowd were familiar, though some were tourists. Could one of these people be responsible for what was happening to Dylan? The thought sent a chill down her spine.
“There are some fine-looking men around,” Maggs said as she stretched.
“Uh-huh,” Piper murmured. She didn’t want an apology or to talk to Dylan. This feeling that maybe they could have had something was done with now. He wouldn’t stay, and after he left not seeing him would help her heart to heal.
What had happened between them was fast and intense, and she shouldn’t have said she loved him. He didn’t share her feelings. Especially as he believed her capable of poisoning his mother. Okay, well maybe he’d come round to thinking differently there, but still, it had hurt, and that made her realize that she didn’t want to experience that kind of hurt again... ever. Her focus from now on was Grace and her new house. Men were no longer a factor.
“Good turnout.”
Piper made another agreeing noise. Around them stood the other competitors, all dressed for the conditions in warm sweatshirts and hats over exercise clothes. The lodge was also teeming with activity as the staff made coffee, which would be cold by the finish line.
“Hey there, Buzz.” She reached down to brush the dog’s head as he leaned on her legs. “Where are your daddy and mommy?”
“Right here.”
She turned and found her three cousins and Bailey.
“How you doing today?”
“I’m good, Joe, and haven’t heard anythi
ng more from Chief Blake yet.”
He nodded, but the clench of his jaw told her he was as worried as she was. This wasn’t going away until they could prove someone else was guilty.
“Dylan and his friend, plus Cubby, went and talked to Chief Blake about what’s been happening. He was pissed they hadn’t clued him in earlier.”
“I bet.”
“But now he knows, he’s working with them, and hopefully soon it will all be cleared up.”
“I don’t want him to die, Joe.” The words came out softly. “I may not want him in my life anymore, but I don’t want him hurt or... or worse.”
“I know, baby.” He hugged her hard. “And we’re going to make sure that doesn’t happen by keeping a watch over him.”
“Hey.”
Dylan’s friend Mickey appeared, dressed in bright orange thermal leggings, green shorts, and a brown sweatshirt.
“Don’t tell me.” Joe held up a hand. “Your mom got those for you and you don’t want to offend her by not wearing them, right?”
Mickey didn’t look offended, simply smiled. His hair was pulled back in a braid, eyes alert behind the frames of his glasses.
“Now, Joe, no need for jealousy, we can’t all be masters of style.”
Everyone hooted with laughter over that.
“Hello.”
She didn’t want to tense up, and fought the reaction by inhaling, but it still happened as she heard Dylan’s voice. Making herself look his way, she also saw Charlie—and surprisingly, Ava.
“Hey.” Piper moved closer. “How are you feeling?”
“Okay. I’ve got a way to go, but I’ll get there.”
Neither of them said a word about the drugs, but Piper knew Ava was aware she knew. Putting an arm around her shoulders, she hugged her close.
“You have your family at your side now, and mine if you need it, Ava. Plus, I’ve been in the position you are, and would be happy to talk to you about it at any time.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Thank you, that means a lot.”
“You running?”
“I am, but slowly. More of a walk, actually. The doctors said it would be okay, as long as I took it easy.”
“I’d be happy to run with you, Ava. I took a fall off a horse a few days ago, and have to say I’m still a bit stiff.”
“That would be cool, but I guess we have to see who Mayor Gripper pairs us with.”
“Sure. Fingers crossed we’re together.”
She stood with Ava while the others talked, then excused herself. Piper wasn’t exactly avoiding Dylan, she wanted to see if she could persuade Mayor Gripper to pair her with Ava, but it was a good excuse to avoid him.
She found the mayor by the steps outside the lodge. Microphone in hand, he was about to start the draw. Dressed in black-and-yellow-checked trousers and a black sweater, he wore a soft felt, black beret on his head.
“Mayor Gripper, if I could just have a word.”
“Piper, dear, of course.”
He knew that she’d been taken in for questioning because of Mary Howard’s poisoning, like most of the Ryker Falls residents would by now.
“Sorry about that nonsense, dear. We all know you’re innocent.”
“Thanks, that means a lot. But what I wanted to discuss was Ava. She’s been sick, and in hospital, and the doctors said she could run today, but she can’t be paired with anyone looking to do a good time, Mayor Gripper. Any chance you could put her with me?”
“Well now, Piper, you know I can’t do that.” He winked at her. “You have a good run.”
Smiling, she turned to head back to her friends and collided with Zander.
“You running, Piper?”
“Sure, you?”
Zander nodded.
“I’m worried about Ava, though. I don’t think she should be out here.”
“If you promise not to tell anyone, I just spoke with the mayor and asked him to pair Ava and me together. He’ll do it, so you don’t have to worry, I’ll watch over her.”
The relief on his face was genuine, and she thought that maybe she needed to try harder to like him. Piper patted his shoulder and headed back to her friends.
After tapping the microphone several times and making everyone wince as it squealed, Mayor Gripper did the draw, and sure enough Ava was paired with Piper.
“You organized that,” she whispered.
“Me?” Piper tried to look innocent.
Joe was paired with Charlie, Fin with Mickey. Luke with a male tourist called Brody, who looked lean and fit, so they should do a good time. Jack was with Miss Marla, which had him smiling. Mr. Goldhirsh was with a young girl from the lodge staff. Bailey had decided she wasn’t competing this time, and went up to the turn to be a marshal and make sure everyone behaved. Dylan was with Ted from the lodge, and Maggs with Mandy.
“We need to talk.”
“There’s nothing to say, Dylan.”
“I think there is. But before we get into that, Chief Blake knows what’s going on, and he and Cubby Hawker plus two of his men are patrolling up there. So you see anything, you tell one of them or turn back.”
He looked large and vital like he always did, and her heart behaved predictably. Dressed in long shorts, a black zip-up hoody, and trainers, he would be as strong as any of the competitors, Piper was sure.
“Okay, I will. But Dylan, just so we’re clear, I should never have said what I did to you. There’s no future for us, and never can be. Your life is somewhere else, and mine is here with Grace. So let’s just leave it there. We had some fun, nothing more to it.”
“So you lied about loving me?”
He had grabbed her arm and nudged her away from the others, so no one could hear them talking.
“Yes,” she lied. “I was emotional, this stuff with Grace, and you helping me. Plus we’d just... done that.”
“‘That’ being made love?”
His words were cool and clipped, eyes narrowed as they glared down at her.
Piper nodded.
“I call bullshit. You’re not the kind of person who says she loves someone then changes her mind, Piper.”
“You don’t know me.”
“I know enough about you. I know you love unconditionally those that are close to you. I know you would never hurt anyone intentionally—”
“And yet you believed me capable of poisoning your mother.” It still hurt; even speaking the words left a pain in her chest.
“I was wrong. I went a bit crazy after my mother told me. I felt betrayed and confused. My brain usually works logically, but that day it didn’t.”
“Okay sure, whatever, but it still doesn’t change how I feel, so let’s just leave it there.”
“I don’t want to leave it there.”
Their eyes caught and held.
“If all the runners will please make their way to the start line with your coffee. Those that have drunk theirs, a table has been set up with spares on the way,” Mayor Gripper said.
Piper dragged her eyes from Dylan and walked away. He wrapped his fingers around her arm and pulled her back to face him. The kiss was fast and hard, and had her stumbling back a step.
“We’re not done.”
Piper’s lips tingled as she watched Dylan walk away. Looking around them, she saw that her family and his had seen and none of them seemed overly concerned, except maybe Joe, who was frowning.
Bit, also known as Rosemary Yardly, who ran the supermarket, was tying the runners together at the wrist, along with Miss Sarah and some of Ryker’s other senior citizens.
“Now, I expect you two to win this year and show those men who’s best.”
“We’ll try, Bit,” Piper replied.
Soon they were all ready to go. Mayor Gripper did the countdown and then blew the horn, and they were moving. Slowly at first so no one spilled their coffee. The winner would be the first runner back with at least a quarter of a cup of coffee, which they then
had to drink.
She felt a hand on her back, and then Dylan was passing her. Piper refused to acknowledge how good his touch felt.
“Good luck, ladies.”
“You too, brother.”
He flashed Ava a smile that melted Piper’s heart... that was, it would have if she still cared for him, which she absolutely refused to.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Dylan and Ted kept the pace consistent. The man was fit, and they had the same stride. He’d lost sight of Mickey, who was running with Fin. The reassuring weight of his gun was strapped to his thigh. He had people to protect now, so it would stay there until he knew his family and friends were safe.
“Your family will be safe with all these people around, Dylan.”
“I know, it’s just hard not knowing when he’ll strike again, Ted. Chief Blake has a man running patrols past the house checking on Mom and Dad, plus putting a call through every hour to make sure all is okay there.”
“That’s good then.”
“It is, and Charlie is with Joe, and Piper with Ava, so they’ll watch over them.”
“All bases covered.”
“I hope so.”
“So you and Piper?”
“She’s still pretty pissed with me.”
“Justifiably.”
He sighed as they passed a few more runners and headed up into the trail. It would be harder to pass up there, as it narrowed considerably.
“Don’t spill that,” Ted said as Dylan sloshed some of the coffee out.
“I’m trying not to.”
“So you want to have something with the she-devil?”
“She-devil?”
“It’s fair to say Piper Trainer and I have a healthy respect for each other. She calls me on my BS, and I give her shit. It’s the way we’ve always rolled.”
“Yeah, she’s a tough, no-nonsense girl.”
“I hear the respect in that sentence, and something else.”
“I’m not telling you how I feel about Piper, Ted.”
“Aw, now where’s the fun in that?”
“Move over, younger, faster men coming through!”
Ted moved left as far as he could, and Dylan right, to block Luke Trainer. But he was nimble, and slipped by, dragging his partner with him.