Chapter 53
“J ust so we’re clear , Denny,” Alec said when Molly had left the room. “Molly and I will never marry. We can’t.”
“Never?” Denny didn’t buy it.
“Not ever.” His face took on a mask of confusion. “We’re forbidden to by law.”
Denny was so done with this conversation. She knew better than to believe him, or any man. Only her father had she trusted to be straight with her—even if he had put her down now and then. Thinking of him made her stomach twist. Should she track down the person who’d killed her precious parents?
She turned to Alec and got honest. Not enough time for word games. “I may need your help.”
“In what way?” His voice softened. “I know you want wee Rosie. And to venture out of Maureen’s shadow. She would be a tough act to follow.”
“And to find the drunk or stoned maniac who killed my parents, which seems impossible at this late date.”
“You poor lass. What can I do to help?”
“Nothing and everything.” Denny turned toward him. “I was lazy at the time of their deaths,” she said. “I should have tried harder and been firmer with the police department.”
He tilted his head. “I don’t believe a woman who owns a bookstore can be lazy. And you ventured out in the snowstorm to carry wood. Not the act of a lazy woman.”
“Only to be with you.” Her hand flew up to cover her mouth. Why had she revealed her feelings?
“I’m flattered.” His hand rose to his chest. “But I’m no great catch. Just a working man like any other.”
She was moved by his humility. “I beg to differ,” she said. “You’re nothing like any other man I’ve met.”
“Better or worse?” He lowered his face to gaze into her eyes, but she was too flustered to look back.
She squeezed her eyes shut. “Much, much better.” Her throat tightened around her words.
“Seriously?” His voice turned upbeat. “In that case, please tell me more.”
“Not much to tell.” Denny felt heat rising up her throat and her cheeks no doubt turning red. She had no control over her own body. How embarrassing.
“What can I do to help?” he asked. His voice sounded sincere, but could she trust him?
She opened her eyes and found him staring into her face. “What do you know about running a book business?” she asked.
“Not much, although I enjoy reading. And my business is in the black when it isn’t snowing.”
“You mean it’s going out of business?”
“Quite the contrary. I’m doing so well that my chief competitor offered to buy my fleet. And I accepted his offer.” He stroked his jaw. “When Molly talked of moving to America with her, I said okay.”
“Why is she moving?” Denny didn’t trust Molly or her motivations. And why would Alec give up everything to be with her?
“So she can study nursing,” he said.
“She wants to become a nurse? Why cross the ocean to go to nursing school?”
Denny realized she was talking down about Molly without good reason. Jealousy was Denny’s problem. She might as well admit she had a crush on Alec. Denny looked up into his wonderful face and could not see how their relationship would work.
“Molly’s a clever lass.” Alec said. “She doesn’t want to wait on tables in a hotel her whole life.”
“Understandable.” The question that was pressing in on Denny sailed out of her mouth. “So you two are not planning to get married?”
Alec chuckled. “That would be like marrying my sister. Never going to happen.” He stepped closer. “Especially when my heart belongs to you.”
“Me?” Denny was bamboozled. She felt the same way about him, but no way could it work out. “I’ve got to be straight with you.” She could barely admit it to herself. “I may be very sick.” She could tell by his facial expression that she’d captured his full attention. “Nothing contagious,” she said.
He waited for her to finish. “Then what?” he finally asked. “If I’m not being too nosy.”
Denny let out all her breath. It felt good to open up to Alec. “The tests have shown nothing so far and I continue to have abdominal pain at night. I came to Skye before I could find out the latest results of the most recent tests.”
“You should call your doctor today. Or ask Molly what to do.”
Molly stepped into the room. “Did I hear my name? Are you two talking about me?”
“You’d help our Denny track down her medical records, would you not?”
Molly’s continence turned severe. “She can’t locate her own medical records? I find this hard to believe.”
“Now Molly,” Alec said, “not everyone is as at home in the medical world as you are.”
“If you insist.” Molly glanced at her watch. “I’ll get right on it as soon as her doctor’s office opens.” She put her flattened hand out to Denny and said, “I’ll need to impersonate you if you don’t mind my pretending to be you.”
“Not in the slightest.” In spite of her false bravado, Denny was still hesitant. Fear clutched her like a strait jacket, making it hard to move freely. She tried to look at ease, but her mind flailed with trepidation, which she had stashed on the back burner.
“Give me a couple of hours.” Molly stared into Denny’s face. “Are you sure you want to know?”
“Good question. But the answer is yes.” She had been longing to hear the truth, no matter. Or so she’d thought.