Fatal Inheritance

by Sandra Orchard

  He paused outside the barbershop door, his gaze zeroed in on her windshield, although she wasn’t sure he could see her with the sun glaring off the glass. His lips curved into a slow smile. Then he winked and headed in the opposite direction.

  Okay. That was creepy.

  Part of her wanted to swerve in front of him and tell him that he and his father should forget about ever getting their hands on her property. But the remote possibility he was just—well—a creep kept her foot off the gas.

  She needed to get home anyway, make sure her sister wasn’t getting into mischief. Sarah had offered to pick up groceries and cook them a nice supper, but maybe that glimpse of Sarah’s bruises last night had made Becki too trusting.

  When she pulled into the driveway a few minutes later, Bruiser and Tripod ran from the backyard together to greet her. “Well, hello. Glad to see you’ve made friends with the neighbor.” Becki gave them each a thorough rub, noting that Josh’s truck was back in his own driveway, then headed inside through the front door.

  The aroma of fresh-baked chocolate-chip cookies greeted her.

  “Mmm, those smell delicious.” Becki tossed her purse on the bench in the entrance and clomped on her crutches to the kitchen. “If you’re going to bake, you can stay as long as you want!”

  The kitchen was empty.

  Sarah’s laughter floated through the back screen, followed by hammering.

  Becki grabbed a couple of cookies and joined her sister on the porch. “What’s so funny?”

  Sarah motioned toward the roof. “Something Josh said.”

  Becki gaped up at Josh, shirtless, on her roof. “What are you doing?” She instantly clapped her mouth shut, hoping that didn’t come out sounding as insanely jealous as it had sounded to her own ears. Her sister was a married woman, and...and...Becki wasn’t interested in Josh that way. Not anymore. Not really. She shouldn’t be.

  “Patching your roof.”

  “But...shouldn’t you be at work?”

  “It’s my day off. Other than that court appearance I had this morning.”

  “Oh.”

  He hammered on another shingle, then climbed down the ladder and pulled on his shirt. “All done.” He plucked the second chocolate-chip cookie from her hand and took a giant bite.

  “Hey!”

  “This wasn’t for me?” His expression turned all innocent, but she didn’t miss the grin tugging the corner of his lips.

  Becki rolled her eyes. “What kind of man steals from a cripple?”

  Laughter danced in his eyes as he popped the other half into his mouth. “A hungry one.”

  Sarah scurried to the door. “I’ll bring out a plate with more.”

  Becki squinted up at the roof. “I really appreciate your taking care of that for me.” She sank into a chair. “I don’t think I could have afforded to hire a roofer.”

  “No job prospects yet?”

  “Not a one.”

  Sarah flounced back outside carrying a tall glass of lemonade and a plate loaded with cookies. “I thought you’d appreciate a cool drink, too.”

  Becki squirmed in her seat. Since when had Sarah turned into Suzie Homemaker?

  Sarah took the chair opposite Becki and motioned Josh toward the one beside her.

  Josh rested his hip on the arm and leaned toward Becki. “What if I told you that I got a gig for you?”

  “A gig?”

  “A freelance writing gig. If the editor likes what you produce, he’ll give you more assignments.”

  “Are you serious? With what publication? On what topic?”

  “For the region’s tourism magazine, on touring in an antique car. The editor wants you to go on an upcoming weekend tour and write about the experience.”

  “That’s awesome. Oh, wow. I can’t believe it.” Her heart felt like a helium balloon floating skyward. Light and carefree, soaring above the clouds. Then suddenly it popped. “But how will I get the car there? I’ve never towed a trailer.”

  “That’s where I come in.”

  “Really? You’ll come with me?”

  “Yeah. It’s kind of a condition of the assignment.” Josh caught Becki’s hand. “You okay with that?”

  “Abso—” Meeting his gaze, Becki’s answer stalled in her drying throat.

  The phone rang, but Sarah popped from her seat and said she’d get it almost before Becki registered the sound. The instant Sarah disappeared inside, Becki yanked her hand from Josh’s hold. “What are you doing? My sister’s going to think we’re dating or something.”

  “Yeah, that was the idea.”

  Her jaw dropped. He wanted to make Sarah jealous?

  Josh hooked his finger beneath her chin and nudged it closed. “I figured your sister would be more likely to stop pressuring you to sell if she saw you had someone on your side.” He slanted a glance toward the door. “All afternoon, she’s prattled on over how concerned she is about you living out here alone.”

  Becki’s goodwill toward her sister evaporated at the realization that she’d been working Josh to support her cause.

  “For the record, I’m still uneasy about your being here, too, but I wasn’t about to lend support to her agenda.”

  “Thanks.” Becki tucked her hands under her legs. “What about this writing gig? Please tell me that wasn’t an act.”

  His grin whisked away her worry. “Nope, that’s a go. I guess I’ll need to pick up the trailer.” He glanced at his watch. “Anne’s coming for supper, but I have time to do that first.” Josh stood. Then he suddenly caught Becki’s hand again. “Your sister’s coming back.”

  Becki tried to ignore the butterflies that fluttered through her middle as his arm came around her waist, bringing her face within inches of his. He was enjoying this game way too much.

  “Do you want to come with me?” he said huskily.

  Her gaze dropped to his lips, which spread into an I-know-what-you’re-thinking smile. Mortified, she placed her palm on his chest to push him away, only his heart was beating as crazily as hers. Not an act?

  He covered her hand with his. “Maybe it’s better if you stay here. I’ll be back soon.”

  TEN

  Josh backed the box trailer up to Bec’s barn as the girls made their way from the house.

  The breeze teased Bec’s honey-brown curls, and reflexively, his fingers curled.

  Every time he saw her, he had this crazy compulsion to tug her into his arms. A compulsion that was getting more difficult to chalk up to wanting to get Mrs. O’Reilly off his case or to putting Bec’s sister in her place.

  She filled his thoughts when they were apart. And—Lord, help him—he liked that she needed him. When she’d tumbled into his arms during last night’s storm, he’d been ready to do whatever he could to soothe away her tears.

  It had taken every ounce of his self-control not to flatten Bart when he’d found him last night. He might not have been able to prove it, but he’d been positive Bart had just come from Bec’s barn, no doubt scheming more ways to persuade Bec to sell if the sulfur in the well didn’t do the trick.

  Josh had to thank the guy for one thing, though. He’d sure proved Bec’s determination to stay in the old place. If the freelance job Josh lined up for her panned out, maybe he could start believing that she’d stick around, work through her grief.

  Sarah circled the trailer, looking stunned. “I had no idea Gramps had gotten so serious about touring.”

  Bec handed Josh the keys he’d asked her to find. “Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea,” she murmured.

  He reassuringly curved his arm around her waist. “I think that’s curiosity, not dollar signs, you see in her eyes.” He thumbed through the keys. “These aren’t for the trailer door.”

  “Those were a
ll I could find. Are you sure Pete didn’t have them?”

  “No reason why he should. He only worked on the outside.”

  Sarah twisted the knob on the side door. “You’re in luck. It isn’t locked.”

  “It’s not?” Josh skirted past Bec. “Your grandfather always kept it locked. He kept all his tools inside.”

  Sarah opened the door and gasped.

  Josh’s gut clenched. The Graws’ touring costumes and duster jackets were strewn across the floor. The drawers of the cabinet their grandfather had built to hold his tools and clothing accessories were ripped out and overturned. Hatboxes were stomped. And the walls were pitted with dents.

  Bec appeared at the doorway and let out a pained sound.

  “I’m sorry, Bec. I should have checked on the trailer days ago.”

  “This isn’t your fault,” she said so softly he barely heard her over the roar in his ears.

  Sarah lifted a dress from the floor and fitted it back onto the hanger.

  Josh clasped her elbow. “Leave it. I’ll want to take photos and dust for prints before anything’s moved.”

  Nodding, she handed him the hanger. Without a word, she jumped down from the trailer and headed inside, while Bec remained frozen in the doorway.

  Josh pulled out his cell phone and called in Hunter to help with evidence collection. The captain could hardly protest this time. Phone call made, he rejoined Bec. “I’m afraid this changes everything.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Winslow may have poured sulfur down your well, but I don’t think he did this. This doesn’t look like the work of someone trying to scare you into selling.”

  “Who, then?”

  “Whoever did this was looking for something. And it wasn’t the Cadillac.”

  The color drained from Bec’s face. “The jewelry?”

  “Possibly.”

  She stared through the open door at the destruction. “That P.I. knew about the trailer. He asked about Gran’s costumes, acted like he’d be interested in buying them. I told him they were stored in the trailer.”

  “Did you tell him where it was?”

  “No, but...now that I think about it, after he heard that I didn’t have them he turned down my invitation to come in for coffee. You’d think he would have jumped at the chance to ask more questions.”

  “Yeah, unless he hoped to pocket the jewelry himself.” Josh shook his head. “I can just imagine what my captain will say if I throw that theory at him. But whoever’s behind this is clearly losing his patience. And that makes him dangerous.”

  Bec’s fingers curled into fists. “Clobbering me with a two-by-four seemed plenty dangerous to me!” She had fire in her eyes, but the quiver in her lip pierced his heart.

  Josh drew her into his arms. “We’ll get this guy.”

  Hunter pulled into the driveway in a patrol car and joined them, carrying a camera and an evidence kit. “What do we have?”

  Bec slipped from Josh’s arms and readjusted her grip on her crutches. “I’ll wait inside with Sarah.”

  Hunter poked Josh with his elbow. “So the scuttlebutt is true?”

  “What?” Josh snapped his gaze from watching Bec’s retreating back. “There’s another lead on the case?”

  Hunter laughed. “I’m talking about you and Bec.”

  “What about us?”

  “That you finally found someone you’re willing to hang up your bachelorhood for.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. She’s my neighbor and in trouble. I’m just trying to catch a bad guy here.”

  Hunter shrugged. “If you say so.”

  “It is so.”

  “That’s not how it looked a minute ago.”

  “That’s an act for her sister’s benefit,” Josh said automatically, even though Sarah had been the last person on his mind. He raked his fingers through his hair. Hunter would have to arrive just as he was giving Bec a reassuring hug. He’d acted on instinct, but Hunter didn’t need to know that.

  Hunter looked over his shoulder and every which way. “What sister would that be?”

  Josh jerked his hand toward the house. “She just went inside.”

  Hunter cocked his head and studied Josh with one squinty eye. “You missed your calling.”

  “What calling?” Josh shot back, losing his patience.

  “Undercover, man. Any cop who can act that good should be working undercover.”

  Josh motioned to the trailer. “Just get in there and take your pictures.”

  Hunter whistled as he stepped in view of the devastation. “You might want to reconsider that car tour you’d planned.” He jumped the foot and a half onto the trailer and snapped a picture. As he focused the camera on one of the dents in the wall, he added, “From the looks of it, this guy’s ready to blow a gasket.”

  “Yeah, Bec’s not going to be happy when I break the news that we can’t go.”

  “Then again...” Hunter opened the trailer’s back doors, letting in more light. “If we’re looking for a jewel thief after all, you might pick up on a suspect if you hit the car tour.”

  “I can’t put Bec at risk.”

  Hunter photographed the large wrench the guy had likely used to smash the walls. “I have the weekend off. I could go along, if you like. Watch your back.”

  “A single guy in the backseat?” Josh commandeered the evidence kit. “That’d be a sure tip-off.”

  “I could drive an old car, too. My uncle has a Model T I could borrow. Your sister’s a good sport. She’d probably agree to come along and ride shotgun.”

  “I’m not bringing my sister into this.” Josh brushed powder across the wrench handle, cringing at the thought of what else this creep might do with such a weapon.

  “She was tough enough to work the E.R. in Detroit for three years. Do you really think this guy’s going to scare her?”

  “Probably not. And that’s enough reason to not ask her to come along.”

  “Ask who to come along where?” Anne’s voice came from behind him. “Whoa, what happened?”

  “Someone got into the trailer,” Josh said, but Hunter lowered his camera and opted to answer her first question instead.

  “I suggested you and I could join Josh and Bec on a double date.”

  “Really?” Anne’s face lit up.

  “It’s not a date,” Josh growled. “He’s talking about the car tour I told you about.”

  “I’d love to come.”

  Josh ground his teeth until his jaw hurt. “We can’t go now. It’s too dangerous.”

  Anne motioned toward the destruction. “Any more dangerous than staying here?”

  * * *

  “Why do you think? Everything in the trailer was strewn all over. The walls were bashed.”

  Becki’s hand froze on the porch door handle. Who was her sister talking to?

  Becki edged toward the open kitchen window. Normally, eavesdropping was not her modus operandi, but when some jerk destroyed Gran’s special clothes and her sister sounded as if she knew who, normal no longer applied.

  “I’m sorry.” Sarah’s voice suddenly sounded as small as a five-year-old’s. “I didn’t mean to...”

  At the sudden silence, Becki inched forward another step and peeked inside.

  Sarah cowered on the floor, her back pressed to the cupboard, her knees tight to her chest, trembling. “No, I’m sorry. I wouldn’t. You know I wouldn’t. I don’t know what came over me. I...I was just upset over seeing—”

  If Becki wasn’t seeing her sister with her own eyes, she’d never believe it. Sarah had never kowtowed to anyone. Who had this kind of power over—

  The question balled in Becki’s throat as her gaze dropped to Sarah’s bruises. When Josh had wrapp
ed Becki in his arms and promised her they’d get this guy, she’d scarcely been able to believe that she was in any real danger. Had Sarah ever felt that safe in her husband’s embrace?

  “Of course,” Sarah said into the phone. “I love you, too.”

  Becki jerked back from the window as Sarah rose and hung up the phone.

  What’s going on? What do I do?

  Love your enemy.

  The thought boomed through Becki’s mind.

  Was that what her sister had become? An enemy?

  The patio door slid open, and Becki sprang to attention. “Hi.”

  Sarah glanced from Becki to the open window and flinched.

  “You okay?” Becki asked gently.

  “Sure, why wouldn’t I be?”

  “Who were you talking to?”

  “No one.” She gathered the empty glasses and plate from the patio table. “Probably chattering to myself. I do that a lot.” Sarah turned back toward the door with the dirty dishes.

  Becki touched her arm. “Talk to me.”

  “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “Sarah, you’re my big sister and I love you.”

  Sarah gulped. “I love you, too.” She rushed inside.

  By the time Becki maneuvered through the door after her, Sarah was squirting dish soap into the sink. She didn’t look Becki’s way. “You should get off that foot. It’s never going to get better if you don’t rest it.”

  Becki sank into a kitchen chair. Her ankle throbbed worse than the day she’d twisted it, but she wasn’t about to admit it. “Do you think Rowan tore apart the trailer?”

  “No! Of course not.”

  “Look, Sarah, I’m not going to lie to you, even if you’re bent on lying to me. I heard you on the phone. It sure sounded to me as if you thought whoever was on the other end had ransacked the trailer.”

  Sarah set a dish in the drying rack and answered without turning. “I called Rowan because I was upset. I was just telling him what happened. He didn’t like hearing me so upset. That’s all.”