Chapter 4
Jesse’s thoughts whirled round and round, like a hamster on a wheel.
You can’t kill a woman who never existed. …
What did her father mean?
Was he referring to the way Victoria had changed from a devoted wife who claimed to adore her husband to a nagging harpy who demanded Mac sell his family business and move away from Canton? Certainly she had transformed beyond recognition in their two short years of marriage.
That seemed the most obvious explanation.
But the words continued to nag at her.
It wasn’t until she entered the center of town that she realized she’d allowed herself to be dangerously distracted.
Something that would never have happened in Chicago.
A woman living on her own quickly learned to be on constant guard.
But then again, maybe it wasn’t distraction that had led her to this precise spot. Maybe it’d been instinct.
Halting in front of the wide cement stairs that led to the courthouse, Jesse studied the building.
This was where she’d last seen her dad. It hadn’t changed in the past nine years.
The bulky sandstones, the red roof that was spotted with tar to cover the leaks, and the faded bushes in dire need of a trim.
Everything the same.
Except for her.
That optimistic young girl who believed in truth and justice had died along with her dreams.
Not sure why she was there, Jesse was on the point of turning away when a shadow dimmed the late morning sunlight. Shivering, she glanced back at the courthouse, realizing that someone had stepped out of the front door and was blatantly staring at her.
Adam Tillman.
His arms were crossed over his chest and his legs were spread in an aggressive stance, while his eyes were hidden behind a pair of reflective sunglasses.
He was trying to look like a badass, but he couldn’t hide the stomach that now drooped over his belt and the unhealthy flush that stained his square face.
Even at a distance, he looked like a walking heart attack.
Jesse turned and darted away. She didn’t care if Adam thought that he’d managed to intimidate her. Right now, she felt too raw to deal with the idiot. In fact, she desperately wanted to hop in her truck and drive away from this town.
Scurrying down the sidewalk that was dappled in shadows from the overhanging branches, Jesse strained to hear the sound of footsteps following her. There was nothing. Nothing but the soft lap of water against the bank from the nearby river and the chirp of birds hidden in the leaves.
Jesse tried to untangle the knot in her stomach. Strolling down Main Street should be relaxing. Especially after the bustle and noise of Chicago. But she’d learned her lesson. There was a poison beneath the image of tranquility.
Digging her phone out of her purse, Jesse slowed her pace as she pressed Parker’s number. She needed a reminder of why she was there in the first place. A low, static buzz vibrated against her ear as Jesse willed him to answer. A second passed, and then another, before the line connected.
“Hey,” she murmured, her voice soft despite the fact there was no one around.
“Hey. What’s up?” In contrast, Parker’s voice was a harsh rasp.
Jesse glanced at her watch. It was nearly noon. “Were you asleep?”
“Late night.”
“That’s not what a girl wants to hear when she’s out of town.”
His low chuckle brushed over her like a caress. “It was a late night because one of the bartenders didn’t show up for her shift.”
“Ah. That bitch.”
“It’s okay. I didn’t mind covering for her.
Although I’d rather be covering her in my bed.
” His voice was still raspy, but now it was a sensual promise.
Heat licked through her veins. No one had ever stirred her lust to such a fever pitch.
Honestly, she wasn’t sure it was healthy.
“When are you coming back?” he demanded.
She stopped to lean against the trunk of a nearby tree. She wanted to concentrate on the sound of Parker’s voice, not worry about tripping over the sketchy sidewalk. Plus, her knees felt a little weak. In all the right ways.
“I just got here,” she teased.
“And I already miss you.”
Her fingers tightened on the phone. “I miss you too.”
“Then hurry back.”
“That’s easier said than done.”
There was a pause, as if Parker was surprised by her words. “What does that mean?”
“There are more legal steps to getting my father’s death certificate than I expected. And honestly, the bar is a mess. I’m going to have to hire someone to do some repairs before I put it on the market.”
“Why waste the money or the time on something you’re not going to keep?” he protested.
“Because I’ll get more for the property if I take a few days to get it fixed up and polished.”
Another pause. It hummed with frustration.
“You said there are steps to getting the death certificate.” He abruptly changed the conversation. “Does that mean you don’t have a time frame for getting the life insurance money?”
“A few weeks at the shortest, depending on when the hearing is scheduled. And we’ll have to wait for the insurance company to send a check,” she warned. “I would guess it’s going to be the end of the year before the money is in my account. And that’s only if there aren’t any hiccups along the way.”
“Damn.” Another pause. “I suppose we could get a loan against the final amount. I’ll check into it.”
“No.” The refusal burst from her lips before she could temper it.
Even if she wanted to temper it. And she wasn’t sure she did.
Parker wasn’t a greedy or controlling man, but she didn’t understand his fixation on buying the run-down bar.
There were thousands of nightclubs that had gone belly-up in the past five years.
There was no need to rush into anything.
“I don’t want to make any commitments until we’re sure there aren’t going to be any glitches. ”
He heaved a heavy sigh. “Why do you keep assuming this won’t go smoothly? Did someone suggest there was a problem? Is there something you’re not telling me?”
“Because there are always problems. Especially when you’re dealing with the legal system.”
Jesse glanced back at the courthouse, where the top of the roof peeked over the treetops.
She stiffened. Was that a shadow darting between the trunks of the trees?
It was at the end of the block, and far enough away to make it hard to know for sure.
But it definitely looked like someone was trying to stay out of sight.
Jesse’s stomach clenched. Was someone following her?
Was it the same person who’d knocked on the door last night?
Or was it Adam? He’d certainly looked like he wanted to try to bully her out of town.
“Jesse? What’s going on?”
Parker’s worried tone jerked her out of her moment of panic. Get a grip, Jesse. The shadow could have been a stray dog. Or someone on their morning jog. She was letting her nerves get the best of her.
“Look, Parker, I want to wait on buying another bar until we’re sure we have the money, okay?”
“Sure.” His tone was soothing. “No worries. I didn’t mean to pressure you. I’m just ready to start building our future.” He sighed. “And if I’m being honest, I’m even more ready to quit my current job. I’m tired of making money for idiots.”
“I haven’t finished with the past. Not yet.” She pushed away from the tree, suddenly reminded of her long to-do list. “Go back to sleep, Parker. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Jesse.” Her name came out in an urgent plea.
“Yeah?”
“Don’t forget.”
“Forget what?”
“I love you.”
Her tension eased as his low whisper vibrated through her soul. This was why she’d called him. He reminded her why she was ripping open wounds that hadn’t healed.
“I love you too.”
Ending the call, Jesse dropped the phone into her purse and continued down the sidewalk, refusing to glance over her shoulder. She could jump at shadows or she could concentrate on what needed to be done and get the hell out of there.
Determined to get to work, Jesse had nearly reached the Tap Room when she caught the mouthwatering scent of freshly baked bread and grilled meat.
Oh man. Her stomach rumbled and her steps instinctively veered toward the glass front door of Bea’s Diner, squished between the Tap Room and a dentist’s office.
The loud chatter from the lunch crowd greeted Jesse as she entered the long, narrow space, but thankfully, there was nothing more than mild curiosity as the diners glanced in her direction before returning their attention to their food.
No doubt a few of them would eagerly share the information she was back in town, hoping to stir up the past. But that was for later. Right now, they were focused on eating.
Only Bea paused from serving a heavy tray of food to send her a friendly smile, nodding her head toward an empty table in the corner.
Jesse obediently headed in the direction she indicated, mouthing the words “my usual” as she passed the older woman.
Bea nodded and bustled to the kitchen, which was separated from the main dining room by a low counter where an old-fashioned cash register stood in a place of honor and two coffee makers were available to anyone who wanted to freshen up their cup.
Settling on one of the hard metal chairs, Jesse leaned back to savor the cool air that blasted from an overhead vent.
The diner had been built just a few years after Jesse’s family’s mercantile store, and it shared a brick wall on one side and a matching copper-tiled ceiling.
There’d been a few renovations since the last time that Jesse had been inside the place.
The ceramic tiles on the floor were different, and on the opposite wall Bea had replaced the old paneling with a pretty flowered wallpaper.
It looked nice, but it wasn’t the cozy ambience that made Bea’s Diner the go-to place for lunch.
It was the outrageously delicious food.