Light Magic

by Ellie Ferguson

  “Be sure about this, Meg.”

  In that moment, I’d never been more sure about anything. “Do it.”

  “All right.” She picked up the phone and asked Miss Olivia to join us. “I want you to go home now. We’ll get to work on this and I’ll talk to you tonight about what we’ve found out.”

  “Annie,” I growled.

  “It’s not up for discussion, Meg. Whether you want to admit it or not, you’re still healing, not only from the stabbing but from your wreck. I need you healthy in a couple of weeks to take over for me while I’m on maternity leave. So you will do this. Besides, Drew is on his way. He’ll go with you. If he has any news about the bastard they arrested, let me know.”

  Before I could protest, Miss Olivia entered with Drew. He took enough time to make sure his sister was all right before ushering me outside. I watched as he loaded Apollo. Then, still fuming, I climbed into the front passenger seat. I’d had enough to drink in a short time to know better than to drive. But that didn’t mean I had to like any of this.

  “You can get the stick out of your ass and calm down,” he said as he started the Discovery’s engine. “My sister is only trying to look out for you. If you’d check your reflection, you’d see why she’s worried.”

  I might have growled but I did as he said. I lowered the visor and flipped open the mirror. The visage staring back at me bore a passing resemblance to the one I normally saw but not much more than that. I looked pale and drawn. Anger still shone in my eyes, but the dark, bruise-like shadows under them spoke volumes. I looked like warmed over death. It was no wonder both he and his sister worried about me, not that I appreciated it just then.

  “It’s not a stick. It’s a twig,” I muttered.

  “Nope, a stick. A really big stick that might actually be a limb.” He glanced across the cab and smiled. Then he reached for my hand and gave it a quick squeeze. “Meg, we understand how you feel. Now trust us to do everything we can to help you. That also means we are going to everything we can to make sure nothing else happens to you.”

  I rested my hand on his thigh and smiled. “Drew, this is new to me.” On so many different levels. “I’m trying, really, but I feel like I’ve been beaten and battered, and not just physically, since pulling into town. I don’t know how much more I can take before I break – or grab a gun and go hunting everyone who hurt my mother.”

  To my surprise, he pulled off the road and turned on the emergency flashers. Then he released his seatbelt. As he turned to face me, he reached for my hands.

  “Meg, the fact you haven’t run for the hills yet means you belong here.” He lifted my right hand and kissed my knuckles. When he looked up, his eyes gleamed wickedly. “It’s a good town. Like anywhere else, we have our challenges and not everyone is nice, but it is the only place that’s felt like home. Annie and Quinn, not to mention Ciara and others, have left. One by one, they all come back. The way I see it, you’ve come back for both you and your mother.”

  I nodded, even though I wasn’t as sure of that as he seemed to be. Still, I couldn’t deny what he said about Mossy Creek feeling like home.

  “Drew.” How did I explain? Maybe, for once, just saying it. If I could.

  “Meg, you don’t have to say anything. Just know how we – how I – feel.”

  I knew he was giving me the easy way out, but I’d never been one to take that route, even when I wanted to.

  “Drew, I know that. It’s just that I’ve never had anyone but Mom. The closest I came to having what you do with your sister and the others was in the Army. But, well, you know what happened there. It’s hard for me to trust. But despite everything, despite how I’ve tried not to be pulled in, this town has gotten its hooks in me. Your sister and Quinn have become friends.” I shook my head. That wasn’t right. “They’ve become sisters. There’s a connection I feel to them I can’t explain, much less understand. I just know it’s there and I wouldn’t give it up for anything. Miss Serena is the grandmother I never had. Judith is like an aunt. Sam and Lucas are friends I know will have my back no matter what, even if Lucas might feel conflicted because of his oaths as sheriff.”

  “They feel the same.”

  “I know.” I smiled and gently cupped his cheek with my left hand. “And then there’s you. Whatever am I going to do about you, Drew Grissom?”

  He gave me a cocky grin. “I don’t know. What are you going to do about me?”

  “I believe I need to think about it. I might not have an answer until tonight. In fact, I might have to sleep on it.” A smile lifted the corners of my mouth and I fought a laugh as he cocked a brow at me.

  “Sleep on it, huh?” He leaned forward and brushed his lips against mine. “I can think of a way or three for you to figure it out without sleeping being involved.”

  My blush burned and he chuckled. Well, two people could play that game. I rested my right hand on his chest and let it slowly, oh so slowly, trace down his finely sculpted abs and lower. He inhaled sharply as my fingers crept beneath his waistband. I chuckled against his lips. Then I angled my head and deepened the kiss. He’d given me something to think about and now I planned on doing the same.

  “No fair,” he rasped as we broke apart. “We will continue this later tonight in more comfortable surroundings.”

  He faced forward, and I smiled to see him shift uncomfortably before checking the side mirror. There’s nothing like seeing how you effect a man to stroke a girl’s ego.

  “Let’s get you home.”

  I nodded, wondering what the rest of the day had to hold.

  Two hours later, I kicked myself for the thought. I should have known better.

  The troops once again rallied at Miss Serena’s. Before I could ask, Lucas confirmed he had an ID on the man who attacked me, thanks to a fingerprint match. I also knew the identity of the man who raped my mother. What I hadn’t been prepared for was having to race to the door to stop Miss Serena from going after him. Never would I have thought her capable of such anger. Not that mine was any less.

  “I will make him pay,” I said softly as I held her close, so softly only Miss Serena heard me. I knew better than to let the sheriff and his deputy know my plans, even if one was a friend and the other I was sleeping with.

  She didn’t say anything. Instead, if anything, she held me tighter. As she did, I felt the angry tremors running through her. Finally, she drew a deep, calming breath and stepped back.

  “You’re sure?” Miss Serena looked to where Annie sat in the cradle of Sam’s arms on the sofa.

  “I am.” She nodded grimly. “I saw the evidence Miss Olivia pulled together. There’s no doubt Wesley Reed raped Meg’s mother or that her brothers encouraged him to do so. The fact charges weren’t laid against them is more than an injustice. It’s a travesty and I’m going to find a way to make them all pay – legally.” She pinned me with a firm look, warning me not to do anything foolish. “Sam’s going to confirm it all and find out what he can about that bastard and his family.”

  “Would you care to share that information?” Lucas asked carefully.

  Annie glanced at me, leaving the decision to me. Miss Serena reached for my hand and held it. When I turned my head, she nodded in encouragement. Anger still burned in her eyes but now she controlled it.

  “Give it to him, Annie, all of it.” I scrubbed a hand over my face. “Sam, I want to know everything that bastard’s done since he raped my mother. I also want to know any connection he still has with her birth family.”

  “I’ll get it for you.”

  “Now tell me about that bastard who stabbed me.”

  Not that there was all that much to say. Albert Slocum had a criminal record going back to his teens. While he’d never been convicted of a violent crime, reading between the lines of the various charges against him, it had been only a matter of time. However, for the last few years, he’d kept his nose clean. Unfortunately, he also knew how to keep his mouth shut, at least for the moment. They ha
d him in holding with several of the regulars who knew not to hurt him. Not that they wouldn’t try to put the fear of God in him.

  “Sam, put someone on him as well.” I stared at Lucas, all but daring him to object.

  “Will do.”

  “Meg, we can handle this,” Lucas said finally. As he did, Quinn placed a hand on his thigh where she sat next to him on the hearth.

  “I’m not doubting you or your deputies, Lucas.” Well, I was but I wouldn’t tell him that. “But I want these bastards tied up so tightly there’s no way they can wriggle out.” I gave Miss Serena’s hand a quick squeeze and led her back to her chair. Once I had, I sat on the arm of the chair. “Now, what did you find out from the attorneys representing the trust, Annie?”

  With everything that happened today, I hadn’t had a chance to ask. As if she’d been expecting the question, Annie reached into her oversized purse where it rested on the floor next to the sofa. A moment later, she produced her tablet. Everyone watched as she slid her finger across the screen, unlocking it. She glanced at whatever came up and then placed the tablet in her lap.

  “I brought hard copies of everything they sent over, Meg, but I’ll cut through most of it. When your great-great-grandmother died, she owned several thousand acres just outside of town. There was a house on the land but mainly it was used for farming. She also had other holdings. She was, at that time, one of the richest women in town. Miss Serena, her holdings rivaled those of your family from what I can tell.

  “Over the years, the trustees have sold off some of the land. The house had to be torn down thirty years ago after a tornado damaged it. Other than that, Faith’s will and trust documents allowed for them to sell up to half of the property. The rest had to be held for the length of the trust unless a number of requirements were met. To date, the estate maintains approximately seventy-five percent of the original tract. I can also confirm the attorneys have made very successful investments for the trust over the years.

  “We can go over everything later, Meg, but suffice it to say you are never going to have to work again if you don’t want to. Even with inheritance taxes and a few other fees you’re going to need to pay, you are a very wealthy woman.”

  I shook my head, unable to process it all.

  “Why didn’t they try to find Mom before they did?”

  Pain and anger filled me as I remembered all those times Mom sacrificed so I’d have enough to eat or have new clothes for school. We hadn’t wanted much, but having a little extra money would have made her life so much easier and maybe she wouldn’t have gotten sick.

  Damn it!

  “They didn’t know where she was.”

  Something else to blame her birth family for.

  Not to mention the bastard who raped her.

  “What changed?” Drew asked as he moved to stand next to me.

  “When your mother got sick, she contacted an attorney in Dallas to look into her legal affairs here. She wanted to be sure her birth family couldn’t come after anything she owned. Even though she’d already executed a will naming you as her sole beneficiary, Meg, she knew they’d try to cut you out given the chance. When the attorney started looking into things, he learned about the trust and contacted the trustees. They, in turn, contacted Faith. They were in the process of transferring everything to her when she died.”

  “Did the Luíseachs know?” Miss Serena asked before I could.

  “I don’t know, but I plan to find out.”

  “I want a full accounting of the estate from the time of the original Faith’s death, but especially since my mother left Mossy Creek. I also want to know if anyone from the family contacted the trustees and, if so, why.”

  “I’ve already requested it and the trustees aren’t fighting me on it. In fact, they seemed glad to know you were here and they could hand it over to you without delay. We’ll be meeting with them in a couple of days, no more than a week. They’re drawing up the transfer documents and accountings already.”

  “What the hell am I supposed to do with it all?”

  I didn’t think I’d spoken aloud until Miss Serena squeezed my hand in reassurance. “You do what your mother would have. You make sure everything is in order. You pay your bills and you invest some of it. If you want to talk with my investment advisor, I’ll set it up for you. He’s done well by me over the years. You will also listen to your attorney.” She nodded to where Annie sat. “And you make sure the Luíseachs can’t get their hands on it. Your great-great-grandmother’s wishes should be respected.”

  I nodded and my free slipped into Drew’s hip pocket. He smiled down at me and slid his arm around my shoulders. As he did, I rested my head against his side. I felt numb. It was too much to take in, but I didn’t have the luxury of waiting until it did. I had decisions to make before anything else happened.

  “Let’s give her some time,” Quinn said as she climbed to her feet and pulled Lucas up after her. She crossed to where I sat and bent to hug me. “We’re here for you, Meg, and we will get those responsible. I promise.”

  I nodded. I understood they would try but no one knew what the future held. Even so, I knew what I had to do. I had to make sure Faith’s estate never returned to the Luíseachs. I’d execute a holographic will tonight, just to cover my bases. Come morning, I’d have Annie draw an official will up. If what had been happening was because of the money, I’d make it a moot point.

  “You should be in bed, child.”

  Miss Serena wrapped an afghan around my shoulders before sliding her arm around my waist. Together, we stood on the back porch, staring out into the darkness. Soon, the sun would begin to creep over the horizon. What sort of day would it bring? I hoped one with answers, not that I’d bet on it. Not after the way the last few weeks and months had gone.

  “Have you been to bed?” she asked.

  “I couldn’t sleep.”

  She nodded in understanding. Somehow, I had a feeling she’d gotten little sleep that night as well.

  “Miss Serena, what am I supposed to do?”

  “Exactly what you are doing, child.” She tilted my face so I looked at her. “Be responsible where your great-great-grandmother’s estate is concerned. Be safe and take precautions where the rest of it is concerned. Most of all, remember you aren’t alone. You are part of my family by choice. You have friends who will do everything they can to help you and you have a young man upstairs who loves you even if he hasn’t realized it yet.”

  “He’s realized it,” Drew said softly from the door.

  Surprised, I turned to face him. The first rays of dawn lit the sky as he stepped outside to join us. Dressed in jeans, a sheriff’s department polo and boots, he looked ready to report for duty. He nodded to Miss Serena before bending to kiss her cheek. Then he cupped my face in his hands and rested his forehead against mine. For a long moment, we stood there, and I drew courage from him. As his lips brushed against mine, I stepped into his embrace.

  “I love you, Meg,” he said softly before kissing me again. “And I will do everything I can to protect you if you’ll let me.”

  My heart stuttered, and tears burned my eyes. Mom had given me the gift of a new family and a man I loved by sending me here. How I wished she could be here to see it.

  “I love you too.” I nipped his lower lip and then nuzzled his neck.

  “I want you to stay here today, Meg.” He placed a finger against my lips before I could protest. “Annie’s going to come by after she’s taken care of a few things. Lucas has patrols driving by regularly and we all know the land and house will make sure you stay safe.”

  I didn’t like it, but it would give me time to work through some things without interruption. Besides, I wanted to have a long talk with Miss Serena. I wanted to do the one thing Mom hadn’t. I just hoped Miss Serena agreed.

  “Can I at least come meet you for lunch?” I asked, smiling up at him.

  “How about I bring a picnic lunch for us that we can share after I get off dut
y?”

  Now that was something I could get behind.

  “I think that’s an excellent idea.” Miss Serena smiled at us and motioned for me to walk Drew to his pickup. Seeing it parked in front of the garage, I shook my head. Until then, I hadn’t realized Lucas and the others had driven it out last night. “I’ll give you two some time alone.”

  Drew took my hand and led me down the steps. Silently, we walked down the drive in the direction of his truck. He unlocked the door and then, instead of getting inside, he leaned against it. His hands held mine and he pulled me close. I sighed happily as he kissed my forehead and then wrapped me in a loving embrace.

  “Meg, I meant it. I love you. I haven’t felt this way about anyone before and it kind of scares me.”

  I looked up at him and smiled. “It kind of scares me too,” I admitted.

  “You didn’t sleep any last night.” He traced a finger down my cheek.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to keep you up.” Which was why I finally came downstairs. He needed his sleep. I couldn’t face it if something happened to him because his reflexes were slowed.

  “Don’t.” He smiled down at me. “We need to talk about what’s going on between us, don’t we?”

  “Yeah, we do.” I sighed and slid my arms around him, afghan and all. “Drew, it’s not easy for me to say it, but I want you to know I mean every word. I love you too.”

  As much as it surprised me, especially since we’d known each other such a short time, I knew it was right. He completed me in a way I’d never thought possible. But, before I could think about a future with him, I had to deal with the past: mine, my mother’s and Great-great-grandmother Faith’s.

  “Miss Serena,” I began as I entered her study later that morning.

  We’d both showered and dressed. Now I was trying to get enough coffee in me to function. I smiled to see Athena stretched out under one of the windows, dozing in the morning sun. Over the last day, I’m made sure Athena stayed with Miss Serena. It was the only way I knew to make sure the danger that seemed to surround me didn’t touch her. Besides, I’d seen how much Miss Serena enjoyed having the Mal with her. Maybe that’s why I’d bought both dogs.