by Nora LeDuc
“I’m sure Liam took out loans to buy the Moose and he owes a dump truck of money. To own a business at his age is quite an accomplishment.”
“Anyone can rack up debt to their eyeballs, Miss Watson.” Sullivan frowned and turned on his tablet. “But he didn’t buy the bar by himself, and he didn’t take out the full amount of the purchase price from the bank.”
“Liam told me his father didn’t help him.” What was Sullivan getting at?
“I’m not talking about the senior McAllister. Your brother was part owner of the Mad
Moose.”
“My brother? Ryan?”
“We examined your brother’s finances.” Sullivan bent his head and read from his tablet. “He put up half of the five hundred fifty thousand dollars to buy the Moose.”
“I can’t believe it. He had that much money?” Her brother had never seemed interested in owning a business. “Ryan never kept as much as five dollars in his pocket and set little away for his future. He must have had money left from selling Gramps’s house.”
Sullivan was watching her, studying her face. It made her uneasy. “Okay, I was surprised, but there’s nothing wrong with Liam and Ryan becoming partners.”
“Until your brother defaulted on his loan. We’ve learned from Ryan’s electronics that he spent hours at online gambling sites. Ryan Watson’s lucky streak was over,” the chief added. “He’d used up his savings account and credit cards. He dug himself a hole so deep no sun would ever shine on him.”
Gambling? He had traded one addiction for another. Ryan, what did you do? “Does Liam know?”
Sullivan’s eyes lit. “We took his electronics during the bar search. When we read McAllister’s email, we found one from the bank. He’d written to a friend asking for the lowdown on Ryan’s loan payment. Ryan had informed your ex he’d be late with the bill. We now understand why they argued when they met up at Gage’s Garage.”
“Okay.” Where was Sullivan going with this news?
“McAllister’s bank friend told him he couldn’t answer his question about another customer because of privacy laws, but suggested McAllister contact Ryan ASAP. The sender bolded the ASAP. McAllister opened the email at 11:33 pm the night your brother died.”
He insinuated that Liam had read the message and taken off in a rage to kill Ryan. The news felt like weights pressing on her shoulders. She opened her mouth, but what should she say?
“I won’t go into the legal issues of the loan except to let you know McAllister’s responsible for the total cost with or without Ryan. He paid Watson’s last two mortgage payments. Otherwise, McAllister would have to sell or declare bankruptcy. With his present income, I doubt he can continue to pay both loans. He’s facing foreclosure on— what did you call it?— his accomplishment.”
Sullivan was headed to a bad place with these accusations. “Liam’s dad will help him.”
“My investigation into the McAllister family revealed Liam’s father lost his savings when he retired from the bank and invested in real estate. Guess he thought the market would improve faster than has happened. Bottom line, he can’t lend his son money.”
“Liam didn’t tell me. I’m still stunned that my brother was a partner.” Fragments of her conversation with Liam floated into her memory.
“How long was my brother sober?”
“His one-year anniversary is next month.”
From alcoholic to gambler. Ryan hadn’t changed. “Does Liam know about Ryan’s gambling?”
“Law enforcement is at the Mad Moose questioning him as we speak.”
“You invited me to the station because—”
“I wanted you to hear the truth before McAllister learned we were onto him and could make up a story for you.”
Nothing about Sullivan’s tone or face suggested good news. Her fingers curled into her palm resting on her knee. What would he say next?
The chief laid his hands flat on the desk and stared at her. “Your brother sold your grandfather’s house.”
“He did. Liam told me he used the money from the sale to buy his new home, but he must have taken part of the money to purchase the Moose. I refused my share.”
“I’m getting to your brother’s finances.” Sullivan picked up a printed form. “Ryan took out an insurance policy on his life.”
“Ryan bought insurance? I don’t believe it.” What would Sullivan say next? Had she ever known her brother?
“Seems a pretty sales rep came to town and gave a talk to the school personnel about planning for their futures. Your brother was quite taken by her, purchased a policy, and got a few…dates with the woman. Bottom line, you’ll be getting a hundred thousand once the company receives my official report on Ryan Watson’s death. They tried to contact you, but none of your personal information worked. They talked to me yesterday.”
“I was trying to stop Matt Hastings from finding me.” One hundred thousand. One hundred thousand dollars.
Sullivan shifted forward in his chair, and she refocused.
“I’m sure Liam didn’t know about the insurance,” she said.
“You’ll inherit part ownership in the Moose, the indemnity money, and Liam McAllister as your partner.” He leaned toward her as though willing her to understand.
His meaning hit her. He was pointing out that Liam was using her, not helping her. “I…I get it.”
The chief smirked. “Ryan told the teachers about his policy.”
When she’d woken up this morning, her life had been on the right track with Liam. Now her world spun out of its orbit.
“Do you believe McAllister, your brother’s best friend and business partner, was unaware of your brother’s policy?”
“I don’t know.”
“His prints were at Ryan’s house. Now, he was a friend and visited, but it’s just possible he counted on us thinking that way and discounting him. We’re still searching for the stolen rifles. He’d recognize their value. He was once a hunter.”
She raised her chin. “My belief remains the same. Liam never hurt my brother.” The urge to leave pushed her to stand. “I have to go, unless you’ve discovered another source of money for me?”
Sullivan rose. “You should move out of the Moose at once. McAllister wants to be on your good side for his own purposes.”
He believes Liam is interested in me because of the cash. Sullivan’s revelation stung like a smack. She couldn’t move or respond.
Last night floated into her mind. Her breath caught in her chest as she realized she’d fallen for Liam again, except now, her feelings ran deeper.
Sullivan waited for her to talk.
Say something. “I’m not leaving Barley until you arrest the person who murdered Ryan, and I don’t mean Liam McAllister. Find that killer.” Lucy turned on her heel and fled the room before her facade crumpled.
She burst out on the street, gulped a breath, and ignored the patrolman calling to her.
“Ma’am.” Officer Gary hurried to catch up to her. “The cruiser is in the parking lot behind the building. I’ll pull around the front for you.”
“I’m walking, Officer.” She wanted to be alone. Breathe. Breathe. She needed fresh air. She raised her face, and the breeze bit her cheeks. Sullivan’s accusations replayed in her head. Next, he’d point the finger of blame at her, but his news had triggered her worst fear, the one she struggled to control. She’d allowed another man to use her. She hadn’t broken her pattern. Last night was the proof. I’m the biggest fool on Earth.
She grasped for the serenity prayer. Accept hardships as the pathway to peace.
“Ma’am, the chief ordered me to drive you both ways.”
Officer Gary was following her. She had enough problems without the patrolman dogging her. Spinning around, she snapped at the young man who looked about twelve years old. “Listen, I’m not getting in a cruiser unless you’re arresting me.”
His eyes widened. “No, ma’am. I’ll walk with you.”
She let o
ut a breath. “Do whatever you need to do.”
“Lucy.” Ten feet ahead, Clarissa paused in the act of feeding money into a meter. She headed toward her with a frown.
Great. Next she’d run into Bella.
The officer stopped beside Lucy and flicked a glance at Clarissa. “Is she okay?”
Lucy shrugged. “I never thought she was.”
Clarissa stopped a foot away from Lucy. “You were supposed to bring that dog to my place. I have a seven-year-old who was heartbroken last week because I told him he’d get a pet, and then you never dropped off the animal. What’s your excuse?”
“Target is my dog, and he’s staying with me despite your offer of giving him to a child. Now, I have to go. My bodyguard is getting nervous.” She inclined her head to Officer Gary, who had put on his shades and managed to look at least eighteen with the dark glasses.
Clarissa squinted at him as if he were a mirage.
Lucy headed off with her guard in tow. Behind her, Clarissa yelled something about Target and property rights.
A state trooper’s cruiser sat at the curb outside the Moose.
She faced the officer. “Thank you for escorting me home. You saved the taxpayers of Barley a few cents in gas. Come by when you’re off, and I’ll buy you lunch.”
“Ma’am, I was doing my job. I don’t need reimbursement.”
“Well, thanks anyway.” She grabbed the door handle and went inside.
No one was in the dining room. Liam must have taken the detectives into his office. As she walked into the restaurant, voices drifted from the open doorway to her. Liam and two state troopers exited into the bar. The men’s conversation ceased when they spotted her.
“I’ll be upstairs.” She hurried to her apartment, leaving her door unlocked for Liam.
Stationing herself at the front window, she watched the uniformed men leave. The fall of footsteps on the stairs told her Liam was on his way. Her nerves jangled the closer he came. She bit her lower lip and turned to him. This was it.
* * *
Liam walked inside the apartment and stopped in the middle of the floor. Lucy turned to him with her arms folded across her chest. Her body posture warned him she was not as open to him as when she left.
“What happened at your meeting with the state troopers?”
“Our staties are working with local law enforcement and asked the same questions Sullivan had. How about you? Did you have a tough hour with the chief?”
“They discovered Matt’s prints on the stolen Vermont car. Not a surprise, and the fingerprint on the pennies belonged to Ali’s ex-boyfriend. I guess he was jealous when Ryan tutored Ali. However, he has a solid alibi for the night my brother was killed.”
“That is big news.” Liam ran a hand through his hair. They’d inched one step forward and gone two steps backward in the homicide investigation. “I’m sure you’re disappointed that Sullivan hasn’t arrested the person who shot Ryan, but he solved the mystery of the coins and confirmed Hastings’s presence.”
“There’s more. Sullivan discovered Ryan gambled online and emptied his bank account to pay his losses.”
“Gambling?” Now his lack of cash made sense. Liam let out a low whistle.
“Did you know?”
“If I had, I would have taken him to Gamblers Anonymous for help.”
She narrowed her eyes at him as though assessing his truthfulness. “Liam, Sullivan still considers you his prime suspect.”
Her cold tone cautioned him to go slow. “Sullivan seems stuck on my fight with your brother.”
“Because Ryan was your partner who was defaulting on your loan, a fact you never mentioned, and a big motive for shooting him.”
“Is that what Sullivan told you? Do you believe him?” His mind wheeled from her blow.
“Don’t be an idiot, Liam. Of course you didn’t kill Ryan.” She inhaled a deep breath and continued. “Why didn’t you tell me Ryan was part owner of the Moose or give me the full explanation of how his money problems affected you?”
She was right. He should have given her the truth about their joint venture. Would she understand now? “I needed our last chance to get together to focus on us, not my troubles. That’s not what we’re about or what I am.”
“What do you mean?” Anger raised her voice.
“I needed time to show you I’d changed— that I was a responsible businessman and a person you could trust. I wanted you.”
When she only stared at him, he rambled onward. “Looking back, I should have explained that Ryan and I went into business together, but he wanted to be a silent partner. Despite the Moose’s popularity, many townspeople feel a teacher shouldn’t own a bar. And he worried they’d assume he was hitting the bottle again and that’s why he wanted to become a partner.”
“You kept Ryan’s secrets from me. You’re supposed to trust me, Liam.”
“Sometimes things look clearer when we have distance from them. I guess this is one of those times. When we met after your brother’s death, I did what I thought was best.”
“You should have told me everything when I first arrived. A responsible person would have briefed me.” She fisted her hands and glanced around. “How will you survive without Ryan?”
She seemed angrier by the second. “Luce, I’ll manage by myself.”
“How long will you stay afloat without his half of the money?”
“I’ve applied for another loan, but to be honest…” She wanted honesty. “The local bank isn’t looking like an option.”
“That gives Sullivan more ammunition.” She threw her hands out.
“There are tons of places to apply for funds. I’ve just begun the process. The Mad Moose will survive.” He stepped closer, and she raised her chin as if challenging him to come near her.
“Sullivan hinted you wanted to get on my good side so I’d help you with the money from Ryan’s insurance policy.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m Liam’s beneficiary. You didn’t know?”
He shook his head. “I figured he’d some plan that went with his work insurance. They’re usually small hundred-dollar payoffs.”
She tapped her foot. “I’m trying to make sense of everything I’ve learned today. I don’t understand why you wouldn’t explain the fight to me. You said my brother didn’t owe money to you.”
“He owed the bank, not me.” Once he said it aloud, he recognized how flimsy the excuse sounded. “Lucy, I don’t want a penny from you.”
“You hid information from me. Liam, I own half of the Moose, yet you never mentioned I was your new partner.”
Panic rippled through him. He had to explain. He crossed the floor to her. Regrets and hope slammed him. More than anything, he wanted to touch her, but she stiffened at his approach, and her eyes darkened with temper.
“Listen, Luce. I never expected to wake up and face today’s accusations. I don’t have a prepared statement or defense.”
She remained silent, her thoughts hidden.
Desperation bit into him. “Believe in me. I’d never hurt you again.”
She turned toward the window as though the answer were outside. “I’m sorry, Liam. Maybe if I hadn’t trusted Matt, I’d feel differently right now.” Her chest heaved upward as she seemed to struggle with each breath.
She turned to him. “He said he loved me,” she whispered.
“I’m not him.” But in a way, he was. He’d hurt her, too.
She folded her arms in front of her. “Life has no do-overs. What’s done is done. I can’t pretend bad things didn’t happen. We have to move on. I can’t stay here with you.”
Her words sank into his mind, and he swore his heart stopped for a beat.
“I’ll look for another place. In the meantime, if it’s not a problem, I’ll use your computer during the lunch hour to work on your social media pages. I need to pay off my debt to you.”
“You owe me nothing.”
She shook her he
ad. “Not true, but we’ll figure it out later. Now, I’d like some privacy.”
Her icy voice and rigid body told him she didn’t want him near. She might as well be miles from him already.
He headed for the door. His mind reeled from the change of a loving Lucy to a cold, unhappy woman. A woman he’d helped create years ago.
Now, he had to find a way to prove he was a man she could trust. Right away. How?
Chapter 39
Ali was used up. Lying on the bed, she barely moved or talked. No more pleading words. Matt sighed. She’d been fun while it lasted. Stubborn, believing the police or her parents would rescue her until the last few moments of defeat.
He sat beside her. “Ali.”
She opened her eyes. They were lifeless, blank. “Home.”
“Yes. Home with our Father, hallowed be thy name. Many of my girls are there. You’ll join them soon. First, we have a little business to complete.” He laid the holy card by her hair. She closed her eyelids, refusing to look at the prayer. There was still life to her.
He needed to get rid of her before Lucy arrived. If he had more space, he’d keep them both. Duos were so enjoyable. He’d consider it. He grabbed the gray blanket and covered Ali’s unmoving form.
Later, he’d clean up. Liam McAllister, the tagalong, had to go. He should have taken care of the man earlier. Lucy’s abduction had to be swift and soon. Instead, he’d allowed himself to be sidetracked by Ali.
The plan formed in his head. The sun peeked out in the darkness. Predawn was the best time for a visit to the Mad Moose. He’d be careful not to alert the dog. McAllister always rode out to the searchers with supplies and helped with the search mid-morning.
Matt smiled as he imagined McAllister’s accident. “Gotcha.”
Chapter 40
April 1
Liam sat at his desk in his rollaway chair. The morning grayness outside the window told him the predicted ice storm was close. His thoughts drifted to Lucy.
Their night together had increased his hunger for her, but now she wanted nothing to do with him. His bad decisions had boomeranged back and bitten him. He’d been over and over it in his mind and had narrowed down his problem to one question. How could he prove he cared about Lucy, not the insurance money?