That familiar dread filled Harper. Would Emily be upset if she didn’t come to the house? After all, Lori had the honor of that experience now, so why should Harper have to be there too?
“I have something to tell you,” Emily said.
Harper squeezed the handgrip. Something more about her health? “Well?”
“You’re not going to believe this.”
Harper pursed her lips and tried to be patient.
“After I finished packing, I was thinking about the house and who might live there now. Driving by is one thing, but I really wanted to see inside. I know, I’m pushing it. Who is going to give two strangers a grand tour of their home? So I looked at the public records.” Emily released a heavy breath.
Harper sat taller in the passenger seat. “Em?”
“Our uncle owns the house.”
Huh? “Our uncle?”
“Jerry. Mom told us he was gone. He was dead. So I don’t know what this means.”
“I don’t either.” Harper’s palms slicked against the cell. “Don’t you dare approach the house until I get there.”
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
TUESDAY, 3:45 P.M.
BRIDGER-TETON NATIONAL FOREST
Heath steered his truck toward the house where Harper grew up. He wanted to ask her about her conversation with her sister, but she had taken several deep breaths. She needed to process her thoughts.
He glanced in the rearview mirror. Had Liam heard any of that conversation? Maybe not. He sat in the back seat looking contemplative.
“I’m not going back.” Liam had said the words with conviction, but Heath harbored no hope that his brother would stay in the area. Regardless, he was glad to see him.
Liam caught Heath’s eye. “After we do this, please take me to get my stuff and then back to the ranch. Is it all right with you if I use your extra truck until I get my own vehicle?”
“Consider it yours, Liam.”
“Thanks, Heath. Just for a while though. I’ll stay at the Emerald M Ranch too, if it’s all the same with you,” he said. “Help Pete move the horses back. He didn’t look so good.”
“He’s been sick, but don’t say anything. He doesn’t like to talk about it.” Heath could hardly believe the man had continued to work. “I’m sure he’d appreciate the help. As for staying at the Emerald M, I think if you’re going to help solve this case, staying with us might be best.”
“Whatever you think, then.”
Liam had a defiant streak. He hadn’t liked how Heath had taken up the slack and acted like a father figure, or rather the one in charge, as their father drowned himself in the bottle even more after their mother’s death. Heath understood his father’s deep sorrow and might have succumbed to his grief too, but he had brothers to take care of. That responsibility kept him sober and responsible. Strange how having three sons hadn’t done the same for their father.
He reminded himself that though Liam was still his brother, he was no longer a child.
In his peripheral vision, Heath noticed Harper shaking her head.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“I can’t believe this. Emily looked at public records about the house. Our uncle owns it.” Harper was silent a few breaths, then added, “Mom told us he’d died years ago.”
Heath shifted in his seat. “So you’re telling me your uncle lives in that house now and you thought he was dead? You never saw him? He didn’t contact your mother?”
Harper slowly shook her head. “No. If Mom was still alive, we could ask her. We could get some answers. She might have protested our trip here to begin with, knowing we would see her brother. He was much older than her, but still, I wonder what happened between them?”
“Maybe he can tell you. Sibling estrangement is not all that uncommon, Harper.” Heath and his brothers had gone long periods of time without speaking. Years. He and Austin were even estranged. It wasn’t the way he had wanted it, but sometimes emotions ran far too high to have a civil conversation and then the next thing he knew, time had slipped away.
He was glad Liam was back, but something was eating at his brother. Something had happened. What had driven him here and made him proclaim he wasn’t going back? Did that mean back to his job? Heath hadn’t gotten anything more out of him last night and wouldn’t press him. He would try his best to be there for him however he needed.
Finally, Heath stopped at the end of a drive where it met the county road. The house sat fifteen yards back. Emily stepped from Lori’s SUV. Heath, Liam, and Harper joined her. Lori waved from the vehicle.
“I’ll hang out here, if you don’t mind.” Liam crossed his arms and leaned against the truck.
Heath should remain on alert, especially now that they were closer to the region in which Harper had seen the murder. “Ladies, can we make this quick?”
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
The old house waited for them at the other end of a gravel drive that had been rutted dirt the last time Harper had seen it.
“Well, are you ready to do this?” Emily asked.
“I don’t know.” Harper rubbed a tension knot in her neck.
Heath stood near them, watched and waited, but said nothing.
“At least we don’t have to ask a total stranger if we can come inside,” Emily said. “This is Uncle Jerry. Remember?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Well, I do. I met him once.”
“You’re forgetting that he and Mom were estranged. She thought he was dead. Or lied to us about that. Maybe he was dead to her. Whichever it is, there has to be a reason. I’m not sure this is a good idea.”
“But you agree we need to try?” Emily asked.
Harper hung her head and shrugged. “I guess we do.” Being here gave her the creeps. A strange sensation had clung to her ever since Emily had mentioned visiting here months ago. She looked up and took in the house where she grew up, now dilapidated and in need of multiple coats of paint. Maybe a bulldozer was in order.
Emily started walking up the drive toward their childhood home.
Instead of joining her, Harper watched her go. Emily, the mystery writer, was looking for closure or story fodder. Which one, Harper wasn’t sure. Why had their mother insisted they had no other family? It was possible Mom hadn’t meant that literally. Maybe as kids they had completely misunderstood her. Still, Harper had been under the distinct impression that they had no living relatives left. She’d always assumed the house had been sold to a stranger.
“Oh, all right.” Harper didn’t want to do this, but she wouldn’t leave her sister to go it alone. She looked at Heath, who’d been watching her and their surroundings. “Are you coming?”
“You know I am,” he said. “And then when you’re done here, Harper, we’ll take Emily to the airport and you can say goodbye. I want to get you back to Lori’s where I know you’ll be safe. Unless, of course, you’ve changed your mind and you’re going home with Emily, which would be best. You’d be safer there.”
What happened to his earlier sentiments about wishing she didn’t have to leave when this was over? Those words had been spoken in the heat of a moment that never should have happened.
Sighing, she shook her head. She wouldn’t throw that back in his face. “Come on.”
She had to jog a little to catch up to Emily, who was almost to the house. With his long strides, Heath was right behind her. They passed an old red pickup parked close to the house.
Emily clomped up the porch. Up close, the old, rickety house was so much smaller than Harper remembered, as if baking in the sun for two decades had caused it to shrink. Harper made her way up the steps to stand at the door with Emily. Heath followed and remained close.
“I think a phone call first would have been better,” Harper said.
“I don’t have time for that. It’ll be a nice surprise. You wait and see.” Emily knocked.
Harper let her gaze roam the overgrown yard. The woods backed right up to the house. Memories of
her young life flooded her.
Emily frowned and knocked again.
Finally, she shrugged. “I guess nobody’s home.”
“He could have another vehicle besides that old red pickup.”
They turned and took the steps down the porch. “Since nobody’s home, let’s look around a bit.”
“Emily, no.” Harper felt like she was an adult telling a young child to behave herself.
The door creaked open from behind them. A man stood in the doorway. Thin as though wasting away. A shiny, unnatural head of hair. That couldn’t be their uncle, could it?
“Can I help you?” His voice was raspy and weak to go with his wary eyes.
“Uncle Jerry?” Emily rushed forward. “I’m Emily Larrabee and this is Harper, your sister Leslie’s daughters. I met you once a long time ago. Remember us?”
Harper stepped forward and smiled.
He stared for a few long seconds. “My, you girls have grown up. What brings you by?” He stepped halfway out the door, still blocking the way. No invitation to come inside.
“Mind if we come in? We’d like to catch up on old times, that’s all. We won’t stay long, I promise,” Emily said. “I have a plane to catch this afternoon.”
Emily was trying hard to connect with a long-lost relative who didn’t seem to return the feeling. For what purpose, Harper wasn’t sure. After all, this guy didn’t rank high enough for Mom to stay in touch. That Harper knew of. Mom had wanted to forget the place where Dad had died. But she’d forgotten a lot more.
“Or we could sit here on your porch,” Emily offered.
With no chairs.
“I’m sick and not feeling like having company today. Could you come back tomorrow?”
Emily scrunched her nose. “Well, I’m heading out of town this afternoon.”
“I’m sorry.” He coughed. “Today isn’t possible. If you could come back tomorrow, that would be better.” He looked at Harper long and hard as if expecting her to reply instead of Emily, then he said, “You look like your father.”
Uncertain what to say to that, especially since she saw no warmth in his eyes, Harper shrugged. “Emily’s leaving, so tomorrow won’t be possible.”
“But you’re staying,” he said matter-of-factly.
She hesitated before her reply. “I don’t think I can make it.”
Pursing his lips, he nodded. “I hear my phone ringing. I’m sorry, but I have to go. Thanks for stopping by. If you change your mind, you’re welcome to come back.” He took one step inside and closed the door.
Well, that was weird. Totally weird. She had expected as much. Still, shame filled her that she hadn’t been willing to agree to see him tomorrow. What was wrong with her anyway? She was surprised Emily hadn’t pressed her into agreeing right then and there or changed her plans to leave. Staring at the closed door, Harper considered knocking again, but being here disturbed her too much. Besides, Uncle Jerry hadn’t been overly exuberant to see them. So that was that.
Harper walked with her sister down the drive toward the parked vehicles, Heath behind them. Next to Heath’s truck, Liam jammed his hands into his pockets.
She hugged her sister to her as they walked. “I’m sorry.”
“You were right to begin with. I thought since he was a relative it wouldn’t be awkward.”
“Seriously. For me, being at this house, in this yard, is weird.”
Emily chuckled through tears. “Listen, Lori is going to take me to the airport.”
“What? No. We can take you.”
“You know how I hate goodbyes.” Emily sniffled. “Lori is heading back to Jackson today anyway. It’s on her way. We already decided.”
“So you’re saying goodbye to me now, while we’re at the creepy old house?”
Emily grinned through her tears. “It’s the stuff of any good mystery novel.”
Harper smiled in return. Her sister was well on her way to recovering, and Harper was going to miss her. At Lori’s SUV, Harper hugged Emily good and long. “I’ll be home as soon as I can.”
Emily slowly released her, then opened the door and climbed into the vehicle. “You be careful.”
“I’ll be fine. I have this guy”—she gestured with her thumb at Heath—“and also maybe his brother to watch out for me. It’s you I’m worried about. Call me as soon as you’ve seen that neurologist, okay?”
“Okay.” Emily shut the door.
Lori had lowered her window. “Y’all don’t worry, I’ll take good care of her, I promise.”
Harper fought the guilt. She wanted to go with Emily. Her sister needed her, but Harper was a magnet for danger and Emily could get hurt worse than she already had been. A chill ran over her. Could the killer have followed them even to this house in the woods? She hoped he was on the run since law enforcement from every part of the state was after him.
“Come on,” she said to Heath. “Let’s get out of here.”
Lori’s Navigator headed away.
Heath and Liam were like sentinels around Harper. She wasn’t exactly sure how she felt about that. It only meant both of them could be in danger. They climbed into Heath’s truck and Heath started it up, then steered down the road, not far behind the Navigator.
“Wait, stop,” Harper said.
Heath slowed and pulled the truck to the side of the road. “What’s wrong?”
She opened the door and stepped out before he could prevent her. Then she grabbed her camera bag from the back.
Heath bounded out of the truck and ran around to stand in her way. “Harper, what are you doing?”
Liam jumped out too.
She hefted the bag over her shoulder and hiked around Heath and into the woods. “I’m going to take pictures of the house. That way, if I ever get the crazy thought in my head that I want to see it again, or if Emily begs me to go with her, all I have to do is look at the pictures instead and then I’ll remember. She’ll remember.”
Emily had reopened the book on this part of her life with her request to stop by the old house. Harper was relieved the book was now closed for good.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
TUESDAY, 7:30 P.M.
EMERALD M GUEST RANCH
Liam thought he would never get back to the ranch.
Another deputy was staying with Harper at Circle S this evening while Heath brought Liam to Emerald M so he could see the renovated house in daylight and they could get Heath’s other truck for Liam to drive. Tomorrow he could start looking for information on that custom rifle.
Now that they were alone and here at the ranch house, this was it. The showdown. The moment for which they’d both been waiting. Liam could almost laugh at the image of Wyatt Earp in Tombstone that suddenly popped into his head. But it wasn’t like they were going to battle it out literally, for which he was grateful. He would never have come back here if he didn’t know that, whatever their differences, Heath wouldn’t turn him away.
They were brothers.
Liam could have gone anywhere he wanted but found himself back in Grayback.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t talk it out and wasn’t even sure he wanted to until he and Heath were truly alone. No girlfriends from the past or the future loitering—he grinned at the thought of Heath staying in that house with Lori Somerall, who had her sights set on Heath. He wouldn’t go so far as to say that Harper had set her sights on him too, but she had eyes on him, whether Heath realized it or not.
Liam’s sneakers squeaked across the spacious wood floor that used to be half this size. His shoes were silenced by a big chocolate-brown rug with turquoise diamonds. Nice touch. He was glad to see the changes, but on the other hand, it reminded him how bad things had been when he lived here. He didn’t think there’d even been a rug. Only torn, ratty carpet.
Mom had tried. But life had worked against her.
He peered up at the tall ceiling and rafters and western decor where nothing used to hang.
“You did it,” he said. “You actually
did it. You changed the face of this place. The whole feel of it.” Liam crossed his arms as he strolled through the renovated house, the place he used to call home, sensing Heath’s eyes on him. Watching and waiting. It wasn’t like his brother ever wanted or needed Liam’s approval. In fact, Heath wanted Liam to need his approval. He thought he had taken up the slack where their father had failed. Liam never saw it that way.
Heath blew out a long breath. Shoved his hands in his pockets. “Before he died that day, Dad told me he planned to leave everything to me and for me to do something good with it. To make up for the past.”
Liam wasn’t accustomed to seeing his brother appear so dejected. “Well, like I said, you’ve done it, then.”
“When he told me that, I threw his words back in his face, Liam. I never should have been so harsh. So cruel. Four hours later, he died in that crash.”
“I’ll admit I was mad at him for leaving it all to you. Jealous, even. But even when you offered to sell it and split the profits among us, I rejected your offer. Austin was too riddled with guilt over Dad’s accident to want part of it.” Liam scratched his chin. Maybe he’d been an idiot to turn down the offer, but what was done was done. And besides, the ranch was in the right hands now. “I know why Dad did it—he knew you could make something of this place. That had been his dream. One he only succeeded in destroying. But please don’t tell me you fixed it up because you felt guilty about your last words to him.”
“Oh yeah. Guilt paralyzed me, at least for a while. Then I took up his request and renovated the place. Hoped to renovate myself in the process. I threw every ounce of my energy into fulfilling his request in hopes that I could somehow make up for my last words, and yes, maybe even some of the past.”
“You’ve done more than that. You’ve about buried any reminders. I could almost forget how hard he was.”
“That’s good to hear, coming from you. It means more to me than the fact that the Emerald M now has the reputation of being one of the top guest ranches in Jackson Hole.”
“And what about you? Do you feel like you renovated yourself, as you put it?” Liam grinned.
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