Secrets and Lies (Hearts Of Braden Book 4)

by Susanne Matthews

  When the SUV had driven past Emily’s car, and she’d swerved toward the ditch, he’d almost had a heart attack. The son of a bitch had hit her! She had to be a hell of a driver to have kept that sedan on the road and not have tumbled into the ditch. After the weather they’d had, those sides were mushy, and he wasn’t sure how much water had accumulated in them. She could easily have been buried in mud or drowned.

  He hadn’t intended to stop at Buddy’s for a nightcap, but seeing her tonight, and knowing she would be spending time with Mike had brought on a wave of loneliness the likes of which he hadn’t suffered in months. Going inside, he’d ordered a light beer, shot the shit with Reese who was bartending tonight, and had put in his two bucks for the weekly fifty-fifty draw the bar held for its regulars, something they’d started for the baby’s college fund. There hadn’t been anyone in there he hadn’t recognized.

  He’d finished his pint and headed home—and thank God he had. He couldn’t prove it, but he would swear that damn vehicle was parked on the far side when he drove through the gully, the low spot he’d mentioned

  After talking to Shannon about catering a meet and greet luncheon for him next week, he’d decided to stay at the Worthington Arms for dinner. Halfway through his meal, he saw Emily enter the Terrace, and he’d done a double take, since the long brown hair he remembered was now dark red, short, and curly, but those cat’s eyes were unmistakable. She looked classy, reminding him of some of Naomi’s friends without the brittle edge to her, the superior attitude they’d carried that was unmistakable. Emily was approachable, even when she tried to be aloof like she had on Monday night, and he wondered who she was meeting. He’d been surprised when the hostess had led her over to Cal’s table. When Mike Reynolds had joined them, jealousy, unlike anything he’d ever experienced, spurred him over there in time to hear her making a date with Mike. Something about that man rubbed him the wrong way, and it wasn’t just envy.

  Obviously, if she were eager to date the engineer, she couldn’t be married, so why the ring? The fact didn’t seem to bother the sheriff—the man she referred to as Uncle Cal—so there had to be a longtime relationship there. Maybe she was divorced and hung onto the ring for protection against obnoxious men.

  Like me. If it hadn’t been for that ring, I might be the one escorting her on a picnic next weekend.

  He leaned forward to turn on the radio, but turned it off almost as quickly when the sound of Elvis singing, Are You Lonesome Tonight filled the air. The last thing he needed was to listen to romantic love songs. Shaking his head, he sighed. Normally, he wasn’t a quitter, so why was he giving in so easily? The lady wasn’t immune to his charms, and he had built up a quasi-friendship by coming to her rescue twice. One date didn’t make her unavailable. There were ten months in the school year. He would get a chance to invite her out, and once he did, he needed make sure she had the time of her life and would want to do it again. She liked animals, so he would invite her to the homestead and offer to take her riding. Could she ride? Was that an activity she could do without discomfort?

  In the meantime, he had to do something about getting Mabel, Daryl, and a few more of her cronies under control. If that SUV was driven by one of her friends, then she’d stepped way over the line. If Mabel had anything to do with this, he would fire her ass for sure—friend or no friend. He needed talk to Cal tomorrow and see if he could talk some sense into the woman before something really stupid happened.

  Driving carefully, he continued the last few hundred yards along the road to the homestead, watching the ditches closely for signs someone had gone off the road. If that guy was foolish enough to drive that way in this weather, he could easily be in one of those drainage ditches.

  When the Double J Ranch’s laneway came into view, he turned in, dismissing the SUV and Emily from his mind. He had chores to do and animals to feed. When he was finished, he intended to read everything he’d received on the Healthy Living Initiative. Before he met her again, he would know as much about the program as she did. Hopefully, he could figure out a way to work more closely with her. After all, he could see her every single day if he wanted to, and he did.

  * * * *

  Emily sat inside Triple B enjoying the dark, rich coffee and munching on a buttery croissant, slathered in Beatrice’s homemade strawberry-rhubarb jam.

  Merryn was due for a break soon and had the costs she’d calculated for the amount of product Emily anticipated they’d need.

  She liked the woman’s bubbly personality and even the sight of the baby bump hurt less now. Daryl, the feisty old man who’d been less than friendly last week, was nowhere in sight, but she expected him to be here soon enough. He was a fixture around the place, and the men he’d been with were already ensconced at their usual table.

  It was hard to believe she’d been in Braden more than a week. After the excitement of Thursday night’s near-death experience, the weekend had been uneventful. Friday, she bought groceries and done laundry, realizing that unless she got some new things, she would be washing at least twice a week, something that could be problematic in the building’s laundry room. With that in mind, she’d gone into Waterloo shopping on Saturday and had picked up some new clothing. She’d slain her last dragon, opting to buy a number of items in red, the color Alex had considered bad luck. The ruby slippers she picked out would look great with the red and black checked suit she ordered. On a whim, she purchased three fancy sets of undergarments, the kind of stuff she hadn’t bought or worn in years.

  It had been fun, and no one had glared at her. On her way back, she noted the farms along the way that seemed less prosperous than others. If they suddenly got a makeover, she needed start looking there first. She’d driven by one place that seemed to need only a little cosmetic work, and she could see teenage boys white washing the fence to the paddock that held one lone cow and two gorgeous horses. The logo above the gate at the entrance read Double J Ranch—Jackson’s place. While she would’ve loved a closer look, going in without an invitation, would be snooping. Lisa had said he wasn’t married, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t be entertaining. There had been two cars parked next to his truck, indicating he probably had guests.

  On Sunday morning, she attended the Baptist church with the Mannings and had met a few more of the locals in the fellowship hour that had followed. Apparently, Mabel was a member of this church, but hadn’t made it to service today. The minister, Reverend Dixon, had been friendly—maybe even a little too friendly—and Lisa had warned her he was a ladies’ man. According to Lisa, Jackson also attended this church, but like Mabel, he’d been conspicuous in his absence. Maybe his guest had stayed overnight, and they’d found other things to do on a rainy Sunday morning.

  “Whew. Glad the rush is over,” Merryn said sitting beside her. “I’ll be glad when he or she gets here.”

  “You don’t know what you’re having?”

  “No. We wanted it to be a surprise. Austin has two girls, and a boy would be nice, but as long as the baby is healthy, that’s all that matters to me. Dr. Hazlet says we’re doing fine.”

  “Do you like him?”

  “Who? The doctor?”

  Emily nodded and sipped her coffee.

  “I do. It’s nice to have someone nearby in an emergency. After working in the big hospital for years, he decided he missed practicing old-fashioned medicine. He doesn’t operate or do anything like that, but he still has his hospital privileges. When there’s a death, he acts as the coroner around here and works with the volunteer paramedics. Because of my case history, he fixed me up with a specialist in Waterloo, but he keeps an eye on me.”

  “I have an appointment to see him this week about my hip.”

  “Well, if he can’t help you, he’ll send you to someone who can. Now, I’ve got those prices you asked for—”A commotion at the door grabbed her attention, and Daryl came in, leaning heavily on a cane, his head swathed in bandages. “Good Lord, Daryl. What happened to you?”

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p; “Got hit on the head Saturday night when I was leaving Buddy’s, and it wasn’t because I’d had one too many. There was this black SUV in the parking lot, looked a lot like the one Jackson’s been asking about.” He glared at Emily. “Don’t know anyone in town who drives a car like that. Even if I did, I wouldn’t tell them to try and run people off the road.”

  Emily smiled. “I’m sure you wouldn’t. Did you get the plate number?”

  “I was just going to do that when I got cracked on the head. Buddy found me out back with the trash,” he said indignantly. “Whoever did it…left me for dead.”

  “Then, he doesn’t know you,” one of the older men piped in who was sitting at the table where Daryl usually sat. He gave a gruff laugh. “You don’t have to worry about him trying to finish the job. Everyone in Braden knows your head is as hard as rock.”

  Daryl mumbled something no one could hear in response.

  Merryn stood. “Why don’t you sit down and tell us all about it? I’ll get you some coffee and a nice fresh plate of those cookies you like.”

  Daryl nodded.

  Emily swallowed heavily. Why was Jackson looking for the black SUV, and just what had he told Daryl about what had happened? She hadn’t mentioned it to Cal, preferring to think it really had just been some drunk rushing home. To purposely try and force her off the road like that …

  Hanging onto the old man’s every word, she let out a sigh of relief when she realized Jackson hadn’t mentioned the fact that the vehicle had struck her. Instead, he’d asked about someone in a black SUV who might’ve had too much to drink the other night and had blown by him. So why then had Daryl made the comment he had? It looked like the old man might be keeping a few secrets of his own.

  Chapter Seven

  Jackson checked his watch for what had to be the tenth time. In his five years as principal, he’d never had so many things go wrong just before the start of the new school year. It was as if the whole town and the school were cursed. First the tornado, then the body found floating near the old fishing hole, and now missing supplies. And then of course, there was all the controversy surrounding Emily and the Healthy Living initiative.

  Mary and a few of his older teachers were frantic. Their paper order had been delayed, and the company couldn’t guarantee delivery before next Tuesday at the earliest. Mrs. Kennedy was on the verge of apoplexy because the new grade five math workbooks were missing, lost somewhere in the US Postal system. Finally, the Internet service had gone down, and the provider said they would be lucky to have it up and running again by Monday. To top it all off, he’d been called to a school board meeting, and he was afraid they were going to toss another monkey wrench into things.

  They’d approved the new hires, so what was the problem now? They were probably going to cut his budget, but that didn’t bother him. He would spend his own money to prop things up just as he did each year. Naomi wouldn’t approve of the way he used his riches, but who cared what she thought?

  To add insult to injury, he was cranky as hell because he slept badly last night and the night before, in fact, every night since he’d seen Emily Jacobson with Mike Reynolds. Now that he decided to make a play for her, he opted to add those cosmetic touches the homestead needed, and had the boys whitewashing everything in sight.

  He’d spent the weekend working on the house. Each night, he dropped into bed dead tired, but he still had very inappropriate dreams about the new dietitian. The stainless steel appliances he ordered had arrived, and he repainted two of the rooms downstairs. He added a sauna and hot tub out on the back porch, too. The men were enclosing the whole thing right now.

  He also arranged for a couple of the women in town to clean the homestead and the ranch manager’s house, intending to hire himself a cook and housekeeper as soon as possible. When he did get Emily out to the Double J, he wanted her to see he could take care of her in style, but he didn’t want her to realize, until he was good and ready to tell her, how big his bank balance was. Since most of his assets were in Waterloo, even the local bank manager, Ben Braddox, now serving time in Anamosa State Prison, hadn’t known how rich he really was.

  A knock sounded at the door.

  “Come in,” he said expecting Mary, but Micah Thomas entered the office, wearing a pair of cut-offs and a tight T-shirt that left part of her belly bare. Dressed like Daisy Duke, she probably raised the temperature of every red-blooded male teacher in the school today, but not his. Only a certain brunette—no make that a redhead—could do that now.

  “Good morning, Mr. Harris. Excuse the way I’m dressed. I wasn’t planning to come in today, but I’ve just gotten the news that some of the supplies I ordered last week will be delivered this afternoon. I’ve made arrangements for four boys who were hanging around outside to help me, so that it wouldn’t be extra work for the custodian. I hope that’s okay. I thought I should let you know. I went through the books and found a few experiments I wanted to try with the classes this year, and since the supplies weren’t here, I ordered them myself. Before you say anything, I’ve paid for them out of my own pocket. I—”

  “Micah, stop. First of all, when the students aren’t around, it makes no difference how you dress. Secondly, unless there’s a student present, call me Jackson. Finally, I think it’s great that you want to give the kids new experiences, but submit your expenses. Your department has a budget. Don’t be afraid to use it.”

  “I don’t mind paying for extras. I can afford it.”

  “Like you can that convertible? Hell of a nice car.”

  She laughed. “Sort of, but the Mustang’s a bribe from my father. He gave it to me last year when he thought I was considering giving up this nonsense about teaching as he calls it and going back to Grosse Point, but I won’t. I can’t sit around and spend all my life thinking of nothing but clothes, shoes, and diamonds. I love teaching. I really want to make this a great year for the kids. I’ve missed being out here. I’d like to stay here permanently if things work out.”

  “I’d like that, too. Listen. I’m meeting with two of the other new teachers tonight at Buddy’s around seven. Why don’t you come by? As the new kids on the block, I thought you’d like a chance to get to know one another first.”

  “I’m not as new to the area as they are. I used to spend my summers around Colchester when I was younger. My aunt gave up life as a blueblood for the man she loved. Maybe I’ll see someone else I know. Will the new dietitian be there?”

  “I doubt it.” Not that he wouldn’t like her to be, but inviting her to join them would be a little hard at this point.

  “Too bad. I gather from my aunt that the woman will have a hard time selling the community on the idea with Mabel Loucks running a campaign against her.” She turned to leave.

  “Let’s hope I can get Mabel to back off soon. And Micah, order whatever you want. I want this to be a happy year for you, and hopefully the first of many.”

  She opened the door and stepped aside to let Mabel, dressed in her Sunday best, come barreling into the room. She glared at the young teacher, turned as if she was overlooking riff-raff, and walked over to his desk, dropping a pile of papers on it.

  Micah shrugged her shoulders and left the office.

  “What’s this?” he asked, not at all pleased with the way Mabel was behaving.

  “It’s a petition I circulated to send that snooty dietitian back wherever she came from. Is that her?”

  Jackson laughed at the way she puckered her face. “No. That’s my new senior math and science teacher, and don’t you do or say anything to her that would make her want to leave. Her credentials are impressive.”

  “Yes, I could see her credentials as she walked by me.”

  Jackson shook his head and flipped through the pages signed by more than three hundred of Braden’s upstanding citizens, including the mayor, Will Channing. He took a deep breath, knowing how close he was to losing his temper. This was probably why the members of the school board wanted to see him.
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  Mabel had to understand that she needed to get along with Emily, not just because he was attracted to her, but because Braden and the school needed the food and money the program provided. He couldn’t understand why Will of all people had signed it. No doubt the woman had cornered him someplace and, as busy as Will was with the FEMA people, he’d just scribbled his name to get rid of her. Sometimes, getting rid of Mabel quickly was a necessity. She was almost as big a busybody as Daryl. Between the two of them, they knew everyone’s business in town, or rather they thought they did, and what they didn’t know, they made up.

  “So, you can send Ms. Fancy Pants back to Washington, and she can take her tofu, quinoa, and hummus with her.”

  Frustrated, he ran his hand through his hair. “Mabel, I can’t do that, and you and all your friends who signed this know it. I don’t know how you got Will to sign it since he was one of the most vocal supporters when we were approached to apply for the subsidy. That food program is worth thousands of dollars to this community, money we need right now. It doesn’t matter how many petitions you bring me or how many scathing letters you send to the Bugle, Ms. Jacobson and the lunch program stays.”

  “What about the money I spend locally?” she asked argumentatively. The chip on her shoulder had to be the size of a two by four. “I bought my eggs from local farmers, got my milk products from the cooperative, and my baked goods from Merryn. Those people counted on the income they received from this school board. Do you think Ms. Fancy Pants will bother to support the local economy? Not on your life. Everything will come from the big chains with government contracts. The people of Braden need to be involved in feeding its youth.”

  “You don’t know that for sure, and frankly, we both know not everything the students eat can be bought locally. The last time I looked, I didn’t see bananas and oranges growing around here. Can’t we hear her out before we decide she’s the enemy?”