CHAPTER SIXTEEN #2
“A kid from a working-class family wasn’t going to provide for Rhonda in the manner to which she wished to become accustomed.
” Melanie sipped her tea. “The irony is the Lockwood family was struggling. They operated a sawmill outside of town. The logging industry was in decline and they ended up shuttering the mill and declaring bankruptcy.”
“So no more family business?”
She shook her head. “According to Greg, no. I’m not sure what Josh does for work, but he’s not working for Lockwood Lumber.”
“Assuming she kept the baby, did Delano say whether Rhonda tried passing it off as Lockwood’s?”
“Rhonda was adamant she wanted to keep the baby. Greg thinks claiming the baby was Josh’s is exactly what she planned, though he hasn’t talked with her since and doesn’t know for sure.
He does know her parents kicked her out and Rhonda went to live with a relative in L.A.
until she had the baby.” She gave a heavy sigh.
“I can’t imagine parents treating their daughter like that. ”
Gage nodded. “Society is more forgiving now, for the most part.”
Melanie continued. “Greg said his sister told him Rhonda and the baby returned to Sisters and moved in with the Lockwoods, and eventually she and Josh got married. Greg promised Rhonda he wouldn’t tell anyone they’d hooked up.
I think the dam broke when I called him.
All this bitterness spewed out. He regrets keeping his promise as long as he did. Chase and Josie would know, though.”
“Josie would probably keep her mouth shut for a friend. But what’s Bradford’s motivation, especially if he was friends with Delano?”
“Good question. But there’s more. Greg said Chase’s vehicle was parked close to his. He heard Chase and Josie arguing, and then Josie stormed off and went back to the party.”
“So no hookup there. And Chase?”
“Rhonda told Greg she was going home. After they parted ways, he went back to the party. He said he wasn’t really paying attention, but thinks Chase showed up again much later. Once the party started breaking up, Greg went home and doesn’t have any recollection of when Chase left.”
Gage leaned back in his seat, brow furrowed in thought. “At what point did you leave?”
“My curfew was eleven, but that night I was having a good time and used a friend’s cell to call Mom. I begged her for an extra hour and she finally gave in. It was a twenty-minute drive back home, so I left a little after eleven thirty.”
“You didn’t have a cell phone?”
“No. Mom and I couldn’t afford one.”
“You and I were in the same boat there,” he said. “What I’m hearing is Bradford was in the area where the cars were parked and there’s a window where he’s unaccounted for when he could have siphoned gas from your tank.”
She carefully arranged her fork on her plate. “The assailant, Chase or whoever it was, could’ve returned to the party after assaulting me.” Talking about it without shame made her feel stronger. “You still consider Chase your prime suspect?”
“I’m looking at all possibilities, but yeah.” His gaze remained steady on hers. “You found useful information.”
She mulled through what she’d learned talking with Greg. “I keep coming back to Rhonda. That day at the bank she’d acted like the same mean girl she’d always been, but when I mentioned the bootlegger, she seemed scared. Really scared.”
“She has a secret.”
“I guess that’s it. But it seems like there’s something more.”
Gage nodded, then stood up and circled the table. He took her hand and pulled her to her feet. His gaze on hers, he dipped his head and met her lips in a kiss that left her longing for more.
“We’ll have to decide where we’re going with this, Mel.” His voice had dropped lower and made her wonder if that was his bedroom voice.
“I know.”
He called Pancake and left through the sliding door.
***
Thursday morning, Melanie strolled along the boardwalk on Main Street.
Tourists snapped photos of the fall décor, probably to capture the town’s mountain charm for social media.
Pumpkins, plaid ribbons, and hay bales made Sisters look like a postcard come to life.
She tugged her beanie lower over her ears, warding off the crisp breeze.
She’d put in a solid two hours on her manuscript. It was coming along. Addy was at school, and Mel needed a break from writing, from playing amateur detective, and from the constant loop centered on Gage Landry.
She’d even considered knocking on his door and seducing him. Just stripping away the tension and making it happen. But she hadn’t. First, because he was probably working, and work-from-home was still work. But in all honesty, she was afraid. What if she made the move and he didn’t want her?
She’d driven into town hoping for clarity, but maybe she was running from the fear of rejection.
That wasn’t like her. Confidence usually came easy. Their kisses were like liquid fire. He was always touching her. Holding hands, nudging knees, stroking his thumb along the back of her neck.
She stopped mid-stride, eyes narrowing in thought. Oh. Oh my god.
Gage was waiting for her to make the move. Of course he was. Giving her control of when and how they became physical. Another thing that made him special: it was his way of respecting what she’d lost.
The realization hit her right in the heart.
He wasn’t just being patient; he was being careful, protective in a way that put her first. And knowing that, knowing he was letting her set the pace for both of them, made her certain. Gage understood what it meant for her to have that control, and he gave it freely.
She stood on the boardwalk, heart full and aching, and knew she had a choice to make.
Mulling over her revelations, she continued her stroll. She stopped in front of Retro Days, the store belonging to Antonia Reynoso. She went in, and it was like stepping onto the set of a sixties TV show. The colors, patterns, and materials evoked a nostalgia for a time before she was born.
She browsed through the vintage clothing and gave serious thought to buying a denim jacket decorated with flower power patches.
“Melanie, you came to visit me. I’m so happy to see you.
” Antonia stepped from a display at the back of the store.
She bustled forward in her colorful muumuu and opened her arms. Melanie felt herself enveloped in a warm hug that had her squeezing her eyes shut against the rush of emotion.
Then Antonia stepped back and did a top-to-toe survey.
“Beautiful as ever, my girl. I love your pixie cut. Not everyone can pull that off, but with your gorgeous cheekbones, you can.”
“Thank you. It’s so good to see you. This is a wonderful store.”
“I opened it with my Carlos, and now that he’s gone, it keeps me busy.”
“I’m sorry about Carlos. You must miss him terribly.”
“I do, but I try not to dwell on it.”
“I ran into Mateo and Juliette at Easy Money. They’re such a cute couple. Have they set a date for the wedding?”
“They’re looking at venues, and availability will dictate the date.” Antonia’s smile broadened. “I don’t think I’m talking out of turn to tell you that they’ve been talking with Delaney and Cam about having the wedding at Cider Mill Farm.”
“Oh, the farm would be beautiful for a wedding.”
“Wouldn’t it?” Antonia clasped her hands together. “Mateo said the only way he’d have it there is if they can hire enough staff that the McGrath clan can enjoy the event as guests.”
“That’s thoughtful of him.”
They continued chatting, catching up with each other’s lives. Antonia hugged her again as Melanie was leaving. “Next time you come in, bring your little girl. She needs to meet all her people.”
“I will.”
Returning to the boardwalk, Melanie knew it was a rare gift to be able to make people feel loved no matter how many years they’d been apart.
Turning into the narrow walkway between Retro Days and Three Sisters Bakery, Melanie caught the scent of roasted coffee and almost gave in, but she kept walking. She spotted Delaney and Walker beside their SUV in the rear lot.
“Hey, there,” she called.
Delaney looked up from strapping a baby into a stroller. “Hey, Mel.”
The little girl looked at her wide-eyed and held up a drool-covered toy key ring.
“Hello, sweet thing. You must be Harper. I’ll let you keep that,” Mel said with a smile. “How’s that tooth coming?” she asked Delaney.
“The tooth broke through last night,” she replied. “Right now, we’re getting a brief break from the crankiness.”
“It feels like once that first one shows up, they’re teething forever.” Melanie remembered those days.
Walker slung the diaper bag over his shoulder. “I was hoping it gets easier.”
“The older they get the better they handle it, if that helps,” Melanie said. “You guys out shopping?”
“Coffee first, then shopping,” Delaney answered. She glanced at Walker. “We’ve got an update on our detective work.”
Melanie perked up. “So do I.”
Walker scanned the lot. “Why don’t you join us at the bakery and we’ll swap notes?”
“Absolutely.”
A few minutes later, they were tucked into a corner table at the back of Three Sisters Bakery, away from listening ears. Delaney settled Harper in a high chair with a teething biscuit while Melanie wrapped her hands around a mug of hot tea.
“I forgot how cold it gets here. Addy and I are definitely in need of gloves.”
“Add sturdy lined boots to your shopping list,” Delaney added. “You’ll thank me when the snow hits.”
“Laney’s right about the boots,” Walker said, then nodded toward Melanie. “All right, let’s hear what you found out.”
“Okay. I had an interesting conversation with Greg Delano last night. He’s not a happy man.
” Mel told them Greg’s story of the night of the bootlegger and Rhonda’s subsequent pregnancy.
“He thinks she told Josh Lockwood the baby was his,” Melanie told them.
“That said, I don’t know how any of this is relevant to our investigation. ”
“It gives us a more complete picture,” Delaney said, brow furrowed. “Rhonda was a senior that year, and she didn’t come back after winter break. There were rumors she was pregnant and doing adult-ed to graduate.”
Melanie shook her head. “It’s always women who pay the price for an accidental pregnancy.”
She pointed to Walker. “Okay, your turn.”
He ran a hand over his beard. “I spoke with Martha Watkins this morning. She was Grafton’s secretary back when he was sheriff.
Her help was key to uncovering that he falsified the DNA report.
” He sipped his coffee. “She told me something new. When Grafton was still a captain, there was a rumor he was having an affair.”
“How long ago? Who with?” At Walker’s raised brow, she held up both hands. “I’ll shut up.”
He flashed his lightning grin, reminding Melanie why the young Walker McGrath had made all the girls swoon.
Delaney leaned in and whispered, “This was over thirty years ago, but Martha said she saw them together.”
“Ooh, now it’s getting juicy,” Mel said.
“No kidding. I’ll let Walker finish,” Delaney said as she lifted a fussy Harper onto her lap.
Walker continued, unfazed. “One night, Martha had to go back to the office because she’d left her wallet in her desk.
It was dark, but she heard voices in the break room.
There shouldn’t have been anyone in there, so she went to investigate.
The door was cracked. She saw a woman with her back to the door, blonde hair a mess, adjusting her blouse.
Grafton was in uniform, his shirt untucked, and he was zipping his pants. ”
Melanie blinked. “Wow. Did she recognize the woman?”
“No. The angle wasn’t right, and she didn’t want to risk getting caught.
But she did hear the woman mention a baby.
Said it was hers and she’d do what was best for it, and she wasn’t going to ask for a divorce.
Grafton responded, but Martha couldn’t make it out.
The woman got louder, saying how much she liked Neil but couldn’t live on a captain’s salary. ”
“Ouch,” Melanie muttered. “This is more salacious than a soap opera.”
“I know,” Delaney breathed. “But there’s more.”
Mel’s gaze was glued on Walker as he resumed the tale.
“The woman said it’d be easy to convince her husband the baby was his. It’d be proof their fertility problems were fixed. That’s when Martha slipped out.”
Melanie stared at them, mind racing. “That…that’s twisted. And it sounds an awful lot like what Rhonda pulled.”
“Exactly,” Delaney said.
Walker took Harper and let her stand on his lap. “It may not help with what we’re doing, but it paints a bigger picture.”
“If that woman carried to term, her child would be about our age,” Delaney pointed out.