Chapter 25
Seven days after they’d emptied that safe and all the money and things found in the room, she hadn’t heard a word from Dan or his uncle. Possibly because they’d found out nothing. Leah had gone between wanting to know and not wanting to know.
She was trying to move on in Lyntacky, but this had pushed her back a step. How could she find happiness or believe she deserved it when her father’s actions continually played a role in undermining that?
The sole shining light in a world of darkness aside from Hudson was Uncle Callum.
He and her nephew had become friends, and Leah had to say she was happy about that.
It meant she would have someone to discuss Hudson with.
Not that her uncle had ever been a parent, but he’d been a fantastic uncle when he’d appeared in her life.
It felt like some of the weight had been lifted off her shoulders, having him here. He was a good cook, too, which Hudson appreciated. Uncle Callum was also worrying right alongside her about the money and what was going on in that room in the barn.
The midday sun beat down on Leah as she and Benny walked to check the mailbox.
She took out the only letter in there. It was an official-looking document, which always terrified her because a, it could be a bill, or b, Hudson’s father was about to make life difficult.
Of course she knew that wasn’t likely to happen, but it still worried her. Leah worried about everything lately.
She opened the envelope and read the paper inside. It was some kind of tax overpayment, and she was being refunded… holy hell, the amount was huge!
She stopped in the driveway and just stared at it. It said overpayments, and the document looked official. Pressing a fist to her chest, she stared at the amount again.
“Ten thousand dollars,” she whispered, and then she was moving—sprinting back down the drive with the dog running at her side. Leah leaped the stairs and ran into the house. “Uncle Callum!”
“What?” She heard the thud of his feet coming downstairs and jumping the last few. “What’s happened?” He appeared wearing a bathrobe and had shaving foam on his face.
“This,” she said, handing him the paper. “I-it can’t be true… can it?”
He scanned the words on the page before him, and then he smiled. “Well now, it seems like your luck is turning, Leah.”
“How is this possible? I didn’t overpay any tax, and this is a large sum of money, Uncle Callum.”
“It’s not a fortune, but it’s enough to spruce this place up and get the shade houses planted. I’ll chip in, too, and then we can finally get that kiln and have you making pottery again.”
“You are not giving me money,” Leah argued, her head spinning. “I just don’t know how this is possible.”
“I am. Now let’s get you to the bank, and then we’ll go to the store and pick up some more seeds and other things you need. If you won’t accept my money, I’ll at least spot you until you clear that check.”
“I don’t understand how this could be true, Uncle Callum.” Leah stared at the check.
“Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, Leah. They take enough tax money off us, so enjoy getting some of it back. Now hustle it along, and we’ll go shopping. You can buy me coffee, seeing as you’re now flush.”
Leah watched him walk away. Was this money really hers? It seemed almost unbelievable.
“Move it, Leah!”
“Moving it!” she replied, and then, laughing, followed him up the stairs.
Hudson was at school, so they could head into Lyntacky and get him after they’d had coffee and been to the store.
She ran to her room, shed her work clothes, and looked in the wardrobe. She pulled out a dress and put it on. Leah hadn’t worn it since arriving in Lyntacky, but today felt like the right day to do so. She brushed her hair and slicked some gloss on her lips.
Happy, Leah thought, looking in the mirror.
Happy for now, she amended. She couldn’t be completely happy with mild panic simmering beneath the surface.
Panic that something would happen to Hudson.
Panic that she wouldn’t be able to care for him well enough or to his late mother’s standards.
Panic that her beautiful sister was gone…
and so it went. Mostly Leah could keep it down, but when she went to bed at night, it filled her head.
There was still so much uncertainty with the investigation, too, but as there was nothing she could do about that, she would focus on this… the fact that she now had enough money to start her business venture properly.
Leah hurried back down the stairs to find Uncle Callum there waiting for her.
“I’ve put Benny in his pen with a treat,” he said.
They’d built it under the shade of a tree. He had a small house, and a run, which Hudson had declared fit for purpose.
“I’m thinking the Swing Through Cafe by the pizza place. We’ve been working hard on the house and land, so we’ll be adults and sit down, eat lunch, and drink excellent coffee. There’s something I want to run by you too,” Uncle Callum said, walking out the door.
“What?” Leah climbed into the passenger seat of the pickup he’d insisted they start using because her father was never going to drive it again and someone should.
“I want to convert one of the barns into a place for me to live. How do you feel about that?” he said.
“Yes!” Just the thought of seeing this man every day made the tightness in her chest ease a little more.
“Well then.” He smiled. “I’ll take a look later, and we’ll work out what needs doing.”
They headed toward town on a warm, sunny day, and she told herself that for today, this was enough. She would enjoy the money and the fact that her uncle was staying. The rest they would face together.
“You’re doing a great job with Hudson, you know,” Uncle Callum said.
“He’s a great kid.”
“But?” He shot her a look.
“But sometimes I am terrified I’ll get things wrong. That he’ll grow up like me and Cassie—”
“Let me stop you right there, Leah. You could never be like your father. He was weak when my sister died. Too weak to fight for what he had, so he gave up on you and Cassie. Gave up on himself. Jenny would have been disappointed in him,” he said.
“I’ll tell you another thing too. You are doing better than he ever could have and have taught that boy so much, and you can see he loves you, so don’t be hard on yourself.
You’re both learning how this new life works. Let it happen, Leah.”
“I’ll try.”
“Good girl.”
“I can’t believe all that money is mine, Uncle Callum. I really should check there hasn’t been a mistake of some kind.”
“No, you won’t. You’ll put it in the bank. You take that money and make it work for you and Hudson.”
Leah was still mulling this over as they drove down the main street.
“What the hell is going on there?” Uncle Callum said.
There was a small space in the middle of town that had a gazebo and grassy area. It was used for all kinds of things from exercise classes to volleyball tournaments. Leah saw a group of Lyntacks all standing in rows.
“I have no clue,” she said. “Slow down. That’s Larry Limpet leaning on that post, watching. I’ll ask him,” she said.
Uncle Callum pulled in beside the man. Larry had once owned Limpet’s Bakery, which was now Ryder Duke’s cafe. He was crotchety and rude but someone she’d always liked because he’d come to the farm a lot to see her father.
“Hi, Mr. Limpet.”
He turned, and his lips tipped up an inch.
“What’s going on?”
“Apparently, it’s called Tai Chi. Good for the mind and body, or so that fool Bart Matilda says. He tried to get me to do it. Do I look like someone who’d do something that sounds like a dish I’d never eat?”
“No, sir,” Leah said solemnly.
“I love Tai Chi,” Uncle Callum said, getting out of the pickup. “Go to the bank, and then I’ll see you at the cafe, Leah. These old muscles need to be stretched.”
She watched him walk away from her. “You drive afterward because I’m not sure you’ll be able to walk!” Leah called after him.
He raised a hand to say he’d heard.
“Man needs his head examined,” Larry Limpet said.
“And then some,” Leah muttered. She kept herself healthy by walking but hadn’t ever been into gyms or fitness classes.
“But I guess we’re all getting older,” Larry added.
“So what? You’re going to try Tai Chi now instead of eating it?”
He shot her a look, those lips tilting up again, then wandered over to the group currently looking like a bunch of birds all standing on one leg with their arms raised. She noted that her uncle was standing next to Robyn Duke. He was leaning in to hear what she was saying.
Scanning the people as she got out, Leah noted most were older, with a few younger ones scattered in. She saw Meadow and Hamish McAllister. Bart and Tripp. Dr. Hannah was there too.
“Come on, it will do you good,” a man said to her as he arrived.
“No, thanks,” Leah said.
“Jonathan,” he said with a friendly smile. “I’m Caleb Stanway’s partner.”
“Hi. Leah Reynolds.” She shook the hand he held out, watching for a reaction. It was a habit, and one she’d never been able to break. Did he know the good or the bad stuff about the Reynoldses? “Caleb was a friend of my sister’s in school.”
His smile fell away, and suddenly he pulled her into a hug. “I’m so sorry, Leah. I know you don’t know me, but I’ve heard all about you. Caleb told me Cassie passed and you’re raising her son. How are you doing?”
Weirdly, for someone who didn’t like being hugged, she didn’t mind this one. It was all encompassing and genuine, as were the words that accompanied it. He smelled really good too. Clearly she was getting used to being back in Lyntacky.
“Thank you. We’re doing okay,” Leah said when he released her.
“Well, we’re coming to visit you now that we’ve been introduced. I’ll bake Hudson some of my magical vanilla custard cookies.”
“Ah, he’d love that.” Leah wasn’t sure how else to answer.
“Good. Now I need to bend like a pretzel. Sure you don’t want to join me?”
Leah shook her head. He patted her cheek and walked away.