Archer set down his fork. “So he could have torched the place.”
“Yes, plus he doesn’t have an alibi for when the arrow was fired at you or for the night of your attack at the river.”
“What about the boots?”
“Believe it not, he surrendered them to me, and I’ve got them in the car to deliver to Carothers.”
“Are they the right size?” she asked.
He nodded.
“Does he know that we lifted the boot print?” Archer asked.
“Yeah, I had to tell him to get him to hand over the boots.”
“Then the fact that he did leads me to believe he isn’t the one who shoved you into the river.”
“So we could be looking at Lance,” Emily said, her mind adjusting to a new suspect.
“First things first,” Jake said in a low tone. “Let me get the boots to Carothers. If they’re not a match, I’ll stop by Taylor’s place tomorrow to have a talk with him. And then we’ll go from there.”
“That will work,” Archer said, and Emily could tell it was taking all the patience he could muster not to race out the door and confront Lance himself.
* * *
The following morning passed quickly as Emily sat quietly in her office and worked on the mound of paperwork for the B and B piled high on her desk for weeks. She’d been keeping an ear out for any sign that Jake had called or stopped by to tell them what they’d discovered about Stan’s boots.
A slamming car door grabbed her attention. Archer was in the living room so she took a quick peek through the window. The man walking toward the house was dressed in a black suit, red tie and white shirt. Most important, he was a stranger.
Archer came to the doorway. “You know the guy coming up the walk?”
“No.”
“Then move away from the window, and I’ll go check him out.” He stood looking at her and she suspected he was waiting for her to comply.
She returned to the desk. He pivoted, and she heard his footsteps receding across the floor. The front door opened, then a short conversation followed before it sounded like Archer had let the man into the foyer.
Most curious. She got up and waited for him by the doorway.
His eyes were narrowed, but she didn’t get a dangerous vibe from him so she relaxed.
“His name is Melvyn Yancey. He’s from the bank and needs to talk to Birdie.”
No danger, but if a banker came to make a personal visit, it couldn’t be good. Or maybe she was thinking along the wrong lines here. He could simply be checking in. A personal visit like this would never happen in Portland or another big city, but in small-town America, it wasn’t uncommon for a banker or insurance agent to stop by instead of sending a letter or picking up the phone.
Feeling more at ease, she stepped into the entryway. She saw Darcie sitting on the sofa in the living room, a frown on her face. Emily met Darcie’s gaze, and she smiled, but it wasn’t her usual bubbly smile. Her expression brought back Emily’s concern about what the banker had come to say.
“Mr. Yancey.” She introduced herself and they shook hands, but she didn’t offer him a seat until she had an idea of what the visit was about.
“Is your aunt joining us?” He glanced around. “I was hoping to speak to her in person.”
“She’s resting, and I’d hate to wake her,” Emily said. “I’ve taken over managing the business so perhaps this is something I can handle.”
A sour expression puckered his face. “I’m afraid it’s bad news so I’ll come right out and say it. Unless Birdie can bring her account current by the end of the week, we’ll be filing papers to repossess the property.”
Not as bad as she thought. They probably hadn’t credited the mortgage payment she’d made yet. “I made an online payment yesterday. When that posts, we should be fine.”
“Was the payment for the full balance?” he asked.
“No, but we’re only two months in arrears, and I was told as long as we don’t go ninety days, we’ll be okay.”
“I have no idea who told you that, but in addition to the number of months delinquent, we also look at the payment history. Birdie has been struggling for six months now with no sign of rectifying the situation.” The banker paused and took a deep breath. He appeared as if he was honestly struggling to deliver this news. “I reviewed this issue with your aunt on the phone a few weeks ago, but it sounds like she didn’t tell you.”
Oh, Birdie. Did you forget or did you not want me to worry?
“She’s had some issues with memory lately. Perhaps since she didn’t give me the message, you could hold off on the proceedings so I can figure a way to bring our account current.”
“I’m sorry, Ms. Graves. It’s out of my hands now. I’ve known Birdie for years and feel bad about this. Truly I do. That’s why I wanted to come by and give her a heads-up before a stranger served the foreclosure documents.”
Emily should be thanking him for giving them a chance to fix this, but she couldn’t embrace that right now. Not when he was going to take her home.
Tears clawed at her eyes and she didn’t know what to say. What to do. The B and B and Birdie had been the only constants in her life, and she was losing both of them far faster than she expected.
Panic nearly stole her breath.
She looked at Archer, begging for his help. Not monetary help, but for his comfort. He didn’t respond, but remained at the doorway frozen, like an ice sculpture, and didn’t give her even a hint of what he was thinking.
She was surprised, but she didn’t know why. It was just what she expected from a man. All the men she’d lived with growing up proved that when the going got tough, men bailed.
Why had she ever thought Archer was different?
Because you care about him. Too bad, because all you’re going to get for the caring is a broken heart.
* * *
Archer remained in the foyer, unable to move. Emily’s acute pain cut through his heart. It had been tearing him up since the banker made his announcement, then had taken off. Continued when Birdie came down the stairs and Emily told her about the banker and then curled into a stuffed chair in the family room looking like a waif without a home. Birdie wavered between understanding and confusion so she was no comfort to Emily. In fact, her nonsensical talk was likely making it worse. Darcie simply sat and stared at him.
He could hardly stand by and not do something, but after the way Emily had reacted to their kiss, reacted each time he’d gotten close to her, he doubted she’d want his interference in a personal matter now.
Darcie approached him, looking disgusted. “Seriously, Archer. Can’t you see she needs you? So get over whatever hang-up has your feet planted out here and go help her.”
Did she need him? Did she really?
“Now, dude,” Darcie said.
“But Birdie,” he replied, using it as an excuse. “In the state she’s in, she doesn’t need to hear any more about the foreclosure.”
“Don’t be such a chicken.” Darcie thumped him on the head. “I’ll take Birdie on a walk so you two can be alone.”
Darcie crossed over to Birdie, and after she finally got Birdie’s attention, she convinced her that a nice walk would be a good idea. Darcie took the older woman’s elbow and escorted her toward the door. As Darcie passed, she gave Archer the stink eye.
Okay fine. He was being a chicken. He didn’t want to hear Emily tell him to go away again. To reject his help. So what? If he really cared about her, he’d do this. He talked people out of killing other people. Out of killing themselves. Surely, he could man up and tell a woman he cared about that he was here for her.
He went into the room. She glanced up, then looked away.
He approached the chair and squatted next to it to gain her focus. �
��I’m sorry for the bad news, honey.”
She swiped away a lone tear rolling down her cheek. “This is the end of the B and B. Really and truly the end.”
“Like I mentioned before, I can lend you the money you need,” he said with sincerity. If she took him up on it, he’d have to determine if she had true feelings for him or if she was after his money, but right now he’d give anything to take away her pain. Even a potential future relationship with her.
“No,” she said firmly and shook her head.
He knelt to move closer and took her hand. “It’s no secret that I have feelings for you, right? I mean I’ve been pretty obvious about it, and it hurts to see you so upset when I can make all of this go away. I want to help, Emily. Please let me.”
“I’ve already said no, Archer, and I won’t change my mind.” Her tone was stern but she didn’t remove her hand.
He took that as a positive sign and continued. “If you won’t take my money, then let me be here to support you as you work through this. And then...”
“Then what?” She snatched back her hand and shot to her feet. She paced, her back to him.
He got up, too. “Then if you feel the way I do, we can...you know. Start dating or something.”
She spun on him. “Even if I admit I feel something—”
“You do?”
“Fine, I do,” she blurted out. “But can’t you see it makes no difference? My life is falling apart around me. I can’t get involved with anyone. I’m soon going to be homeless while caring for an aunt with Alzheimer’s.”
“I can help with that, too.”
“Maybe you could, but even if my life was a bed of roses, I’m not getting involved with you or any guy.”
“Why?” he asked bluntly.
“Why? You want to know why?” She crossed her arms and breathed hard. “Because my mother taught me about relationships. They’re great at first. Then the truth is revealed and it all falls apart and she gets hurt. Time after time she proved it to me, and I’m not going down that path. Not ever.” Emily shook her head. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have paperwork to complete.”
Archer shoved his hands through his hair and exhaled roughly. He didn’t know what to say. What to do. Not when she was being so impossibly stubborn.
He saw Darcie and Birdie outside. He’d join them on their walk and hopefully it would clear his mind and he’d cool down.
A car came up the driveway just as he stepped outside and down the stairs. His hand went to his weapon, but then he recognized Ralph Inman behind the wheel. He parked and got out.
“Emily in?” he asked. “I wanted to give her the deposit slip from the fund-raiser.”
“She’s in the office,” Archer said and watched the older man go inside before he joined Birdie and Darcie down by the garden.
He’d always imagined the day he’d meet a woman who didn’t care about his money. A woman he was totally and completely attracted to, but never in his imagination did the woman tell him to get lost and run out of the room.
EIGHTEEN
From the office, Emily heard the screen door close and Archer storm outside. She’d hurt him. Hurt herself, too. She wished she could let go of her past. To embrace her feelings, but it was impossible to forget the years when she’d been schooled the hard way on relationships.
She heard footsteps in the hallway. Maybe he was coming back. Her heart sped up and she waited with anticipation.
Ralph poked his head around the corner.
“Oh, it’s you.” She tried not to sound disappointed, but from his expression, she hadn’t managed it very well.
“Don’t sound so excited to see me.” He laughed.
“Sorry. I thought you were someone else.”
He set his ever-present satchel on the desk, drew out an envelope and handed it to her.
She figured it was more bad news, so she forced herself to open the envelope and peek inside. It held a deposit slip from the fund-raiser. Something she would have taken joy in seeing a few hours ago, but now a hysterical laugh fought to be released. She swallowed it down.
“I figured you’d want this for your records,” he said, watching her.
She didn’t know how to tell him about the bank so she’d just come out with it. “Thanks for bringing it, but as it turns out, the bank is foreclosing on Friday anyway.”
“What?” His voice shot up. “No. I don’t understand. You paid the mortgage, right?”
She filled him in on the banker’s news, and he grew agitated as she talked. Not surprising. He’d put many years of his life into the business.
“I appreciate everything you’ve done for the B and B,” she said, making sure he heard how sincerely grateful she was for his dedication. “But the bank has won, and it’s time that I accept it’s over. I need to find a new place to live as soon as possible.”
“No!” Panic creased Ralph’s eyes and he started pacing. “It can’t be over.”
He took rushed steps, his hand kneading muscles at the back of his neck. She got that he’d devoted his life to the business, but his reaction seemed over the top. Maybe he was worried about Birdie.
“It’s okay, Ralph,” she soothed. “I’ll make sure Birdie is taken care of.” Somehow.
He kept pacing, his gaze darting around the room. “This can’t be happening. Not now. It just can’t.”
He stopped and stared at her but he wasn’t seeing her. His gaze was unfocused and watery.
“Not now when I’m this close,” he mumbled and started moving again only to stop and stare out the window.
“This close?” she asked, confused.
He pivoted and glared at her. This time his gaze connected with hers, locked into place and she didn’t recognize the man staring down at her. His eyes had gone hard and mean, his nostrils flared in anger. He crossed to the desk. Shot a hand into his briefcase and came out holding a silver handgun. He aimed it at her.
“Ralph?” she asked in shocked amazement.
“I’ve put way too many hours into this place to let you, the bank or anyone else reap the rewards.” His hand shook, but he continued to level the gun at her. “You know about the money, don’t you?”
“What money?”
“Quit playing dumb, Emily. You’re not dumb. I can see that from the questions you’ve been asking since you arrived.” He nodded at one of his old ledgers sitting on the desktop. “You were just building your case. Asking all the right questions about the B and B’s financial records, to prove I’ve been embezzling for years.”
Embezzling? She stifled a gasp. The man she’d known for most of her life had been stealing from Birdie.
“How?” she asked.
“Really, this dumb act isn’t working. You know about it. How’d you figure it out? Did you try contacting the vendors and found out they didn’t exist?”
Was he saying he’d paid money to bogus vendors, then cashed the checks himself? If so, it was a common scheme that was nearly impossible to discover in a one-man bookkeeping situation. Especially with someone like Birdie who paid no attention to the books.
“I honestly didn’t know,” she replied carefully. “You know I haven’t had a chance to review the old ledgers so there’s no way I could have discovered it.”
He pointed at an old ledger on the desk. “Then why is that one out?”
“I never put it away after our last visit when we reviewed the account for our emergency fund.”
“I don’t believe you.” He tightened his grip on the gun. “But it doesn’t matter now, does it? If you didn’t know before, you do now.”
“You can put the gun away,” she encouraged. “I won’t report you.”
“I don’t believe you, Emily, and even if you really do mean it now, I’m not going to sit a
round and wait for the day that you change your mind. I’d rather die than go to jail.” His focus sharpened even more. “But my plan. I have to finish my plan first. I deserve the reward for all the years I put in here working for a pittance.”
“What reward?”
“Lance, of course. I’m selling the B and B to Lance Taylor.”
She gaped at him as she processed his second bombshell. “You have no authority to sell it.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. I have power of attorney.”
“How?”
“On one of Birdie’s trips into la-la land I got her to sign it over to me.” He laughed. “Wasn’t hard. I told her to sign and had two of our suppliers witness it.”
“Didn’t they realize she wasn’t of sound mind?”
“Once I told them that I was entering into a deal that would guarantee their account revenues would skyrocket, they didn’t even care to ask.”
Emily shook her head, but couldn’t find words to say how disgusted she was with how the focus in the world had become all about money. Sure, she needed money to live on, to save Birdie’s, but beyond that she could care less about money and all the trappings it could buy. They were just that. Trappings.
“Don’t you think Lance will question your power of attorney?” she asked, though she already knew Lance would jump at the chance to own Birdie’s and he probably wouldn’t bat an eye.
“As badly as he wants it, are you kidding me? He isn’t going to miss out on his big payday.”
“Payday? Is that another one of your secrets?”
“Guess it won’t hurt to tell you now. A major developer is quietly buying up all the land in the area so he can build a megaresort. Lance figures if he owns the remaining properties, the developer will offer big bucks to buy them.” Ralph snorted. “Joke’s on Lance, though, ’cause I’m gonna ask for more before I sell.”
“You’ve been planning this for some time, haven’t you?”
“Months and months. Then you had to show up, and Birdie let me go. So I did the only thing I could. I tried to make the business fail so you’d decide to take off with Birdie. Then I’d offer to take care of selling the property.” He huffed a laugh. “I’d sell it all right. To Lance and line my pockets.”
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