Hotel Ladd (28 page)

“
So I hear.”

“
Came home from college,
she’s growin’ up so fast.” Albert smiled. “A real angel, that girl,
used to come play her flute for me and Ernie every night before she
moved off to Knoxville.”

Cal let out a low whistle. “I’ll bet
that was a heavenly sound.”

“
You know it was,” Albert
replied wistfully, lumbering toward a rocker. “Sweeter than God’s
own orchestra, I tell you. Even came down and played a spell for me
before she left.” He lowered to a seat and took to informing Cal of
the news of the day, catching him up with Ladd business, any town
gossip he’d heard.

As Cal listened, visions of his past
floated in. Standing on Ladd property brought back memories of
Delaney and Jack, Annie and Jeremiah, even Casey and Troy. Young
lovers who ached to be together but eventually tore each other
down. It wasn’t the way love was supposed to work. Love was
supposed to strengthen you, lift you higher than you could climb
alone. But relationships didn’t always work out that way, his
marriage a case in point. Cal had loved Caroline with all his
heart, but he couldn’t hold onto her love on account of his
drinking. He’d tried to make amends, but some things couldn’t be
forgiven.

When Albert paused long enough for him
to cut in, Cal said, “Well, Delaney’s waitin’ for me.” He didn’t
want to be rude, but he didn’t want to churn through the past,
either. His life was about looking forward, not back.

Albert shooed him off the porch. “Then
you better git. Don’t want to keep that one waitin’.”

Cal chuckled. “Well, if you don’t
mind...”

Albert nodded. “Good to see you again,
Calvin. Don’t make a stranger of yourself.”

“
I won’t. I’ll be sure to
stop by again soon.”

Cal tipped his head and went in search
of Nick and Delaney. Bombarded with memory as he crossed the
rickety creek bridge, he dropped his gaze to the rushing water
below. Greens and browns were a blur beneath the rapid flow of
water, the evening sunlight catching in eddies as it swirled around
rocks. He paused. His family’s property didn’t have near as many
water features as the Ladds, and after working over a decade
without any whitewater to speak of, Cal understood the value. Water
was inherently calming. Fast-flowing, it calmed what stirred you,
washed over your spirit until you were cleansed. When Cal first
gave up the drink, he’d ached for a stream to calm him. Looked high
and low for some kind of water to speak to his soul, remind him of
who he was and what he needed. Phoenix had rivers but they weren’t
like home. Maybe because they weren’t surrounded by the lush green
mountains he loved. Maybe it was the color, but something about
sitting near the Arizona water didn’t feel right. This felt
right.

“
Cal.”

Cal lifted his head and found Delaney
standing near the bridge. She wore no more than a scratch of makeup
yet her skin was tanned and healthy-looking, despite the fog of
fall that had descended on the town. Though she was almost forty
years old, he had to admit Delaney was still a looker, the jeans
and jean jacket suiting her well. He wondered at the foil-covered
dish in her hands but didn’t ask. It was none of his business.
“Hey, Delaney.”

“
What are you doing
here?”

He smiled. “Looking for you and
Nick.”

“
Did you talk to
Annie?”

Cal appreciated a straightforward
approach. It was nothing less than he’d expect from Delaney
Wilkins. She married Jack when she was young and feisty and it
seemed that part about her hadn’t changed. But Annie was right
about one thing. Delaney had hardened. She wasn’t the idealistic
young girl who fell in love with his brother, wanting nothing more
than to dote on him, run with him, share her life with him. Cal
believed she would have, had Jack not hit her. The abuse had left
its mark not only on Delaney, but on the entire Foster family. But
unlike him, Jack had not changed his ways and Cal wasn’t sure he
ever would. “The news isn’t good.”

Distrust gathered instantly in her gaze
and she drew her dish close to her body. “She sold, didn’t
she?”

“
She did.”

“
That selfish—”

“
Stop right there.” Cal held
up a hand. He wasn’t about to listen to Delaney tear down the woman
he loved. Her suddenly edgy stance looked as if she was prepared
for battle—a battle he would fight and win. “Annie did what she
thought best for her and Casey. I can’t hold followin’ her gut
against a gal.”

Delaney narrowed her gaze. “You’re
giving her too much credit, Cal. She intended to sell that land the
minute she got her hands on it. It’s always been about the money
with her.”

A strange anger unfurled in him. Cal
took a step toward Delaney and lowered his voice. “Delaney, I’m
going to tell you something and I’m only going to tell you once.
You tie that tongue of yours in a pretty package and stick it in
the back of your throat when it comes to Annie, ‘cause I don’t want
to hear another cross word about her come out of it, you
hear?”

Delaney opened her mouth...and slowly
closed it.

Cal smiled, unsettled by the thrash of
feelings in his chest. “Annie’s had a hard go of it and she’s
managed to keep it together. That’s sayin’ something.”

“
And I haven’t?”

“
You left Jack for a free
roof over your head and the knowledge you had a legacy to look
forward to. Annie was abandoned by her mother and the father of her
child, then had to scrape by for everything she has. She’s built a
fine career for herself, and where her heart could have been tarred
black, it remains clean and pure of motive.” Delaney clamped her
mouth shut but he could see an objection exploding behind her fiery
brown eyes. And that’s where it should stay. “So we’re clear...” He
honed in on her. “I won’t stand by and listen to you speak
disrespectfully about the woman I love.” Catching sight of movement
from the corner of his eye, Cal looked up in time to see Nick
Harris jump free of the wooded trail that meandered down from
Susannah’s old cabin. Even from this distance the man’s over
six-foot broad-chested stature was imposing, appearing at home in
the forest wearing jeans and a plaid shirt. Delaney followed Cal’s
gaze but remained mute. Nick closed the distance in seconds.
Noticing Delaney’s odd expression, Cal’s gaze darted between the
two of them.

“
Everything all right here?”
Nick asked.

“
Real fine,” Cal replied,
silently tagging Delaney for a response.

“
Fine,” she agreed. “Except
that Annie already signed a contract.”

Anger deepened the tanned lines around
Nick’s black eyes. “Are you sure?”

“
Unfortunately, yes,” Cal
said. “We were literally a day late.”

“
Damn.”

Cal understood it was a setback—a major
one—but he would not let them take it out on Annie. She was an
innocent. She had no knowledge of Jillian’s history of arson, her
depth of bitterness and desire for revenge. And that was their
fault—his, Nick’s, Malcolm’s. None of them had bothered to share
the details with her, and they should have—the minute Lacy told
them about Jillian’s visit to Annie’s salon. “She didn’t know about
the arson. She didn’t know the severity of the situation. And
considering the iffy relations between land owners...” He tapped
Delaney with a brief glance. “You can’t blame a woman for wanting
to sell and start fresh.”

Nick looked to Delaney but didn’t
defend her. As well he shouldn’t, Cal mused. Delaney had a lot of
good traits, but when she didn’t like a person, she sharpened her
claws and stood poised for the kill.

Delaney grunted. “I’ve gotta
go.”

Cal watched her as she headed straight
for Albert’s cabin. When she jogged down the steps empty-handed a
few minutes later, he realized he’d been right—she was indeed the
one taking care of Albert these days. Yes, Delaney Wilkins was a
good woman. Hard-headed, but with a heart pure as gold.

“
I guess it’s time to pay a
personal visit.” Cal turned, surprised. Was Nick watching after
Albert, too? “Jillian has to be stopped.”

Cal nodded.
That made more sense
.

Nick heaved a sigh and asked, “You
coming?”

“
Where to?”

“
Cougar hunting.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Annie swung open the door to
Fran’s, the clang of bells jarring to her mood as she entered the
diner. She’d blown it. Totally blown it. She had foolishly tried to
reason with Jillian Devane and instead of convincing her to cancel,
she’d pasted a target on her head. A big, fat black X that
shouted,
Come and get me!

How stupid could she be? What part of
her thought it was possible that a woman capable of burning down a
hotel would listen to reason and sympathize? It was ludicrous,
nuttier than a three dollar bill.

“
Hey, sugar!” Annie barely
returned her aunt’s wave.

The non-response was like a magnet.
Fran hurried over and took hold of her arm, “What’s wrong, Annie
Grace? You look like a bag of shock’s been dumped on
you.”

About to dismiss it as nothing to worry
about, Annie abandoned the effort, certain Fran would see clear
through it. “I’m in a mess of trouble, Fran.”

“
Trouble?” Blue eyes
hollowed with fear. “What’s wrong? It’s not Casey, is
it?”

Annie shook her head. Spotting Casey in
the kitchen with Jimmy Sweeney, she was grateful the boy was
proving a positive distraction for her daughter. He was Candi’s
nephew and not free of emotional issues himself, but he’d given up
his Goth gear over the summer and was working to “walk the trail”
with the rest of them. Casey seemed to like him. Even talked about
how he was helping her understand Troy’s departure. It didn’t bring
him back, but then again, Annie wasn’t sure if she wanted Troy
back. It seemed he always ended up hurting her daughter and as far
as Annie was concerned, the more distance between them, the better.
But she didn’t have time for Casey’s troubles. She was mired in a
mountain of her own. “I’ve sold the property to the entirely worst
person I could have.”

“
Who?”

“
Jillian Devane.” At Fran’s
blank look, she clarified, “The foreign woman who’s been running
around here lately.”

Comprehension formed shadows in Fran’s
wise old eyes. “I knew she was no good. What’s she want with your
property, anyway?”

“
To get back at Nick
Harris.” Again, Fran wasn’t privy to the details of Nick’s past and
Annie waved her off. “Trust me when I say it isn’t
pretty.”

“
Well then, don’t look now,
but ugly just walked in.”

Annie gulped. Sure enough,
Jillian Devane waltzed inside the diner. Her pulse scattered as she
recalled the threats.
Was she following
her?
Spying on them?

Jillian walked over. “Ms. Owens,” she
said, “so nice to see you again.”

“
What can I do you for?”
Fran asked, her tone noticeably cold.

Unaffected, Jillian replied, “I’d like
a coffee to go. I have a long drive to the airport and I don’t want
to fall asleep on the way.”

Fran checked with Annie, silently
asking if she was okay alone with the woman. Annie nodded. “Coming
right up.”

Trying to avoid looking directly at
Jillian, Annie kept her attention on the door. Bells announced Nick
and Delaney’s arrival. Jillian’s eyes lit up, focusing on them
immediately.

Annie wanted to crawl under a booth.
Surely the two of them must know. Cal had to have told them, though
she wasn’t sure. She hadn’t spoken to him since last night when he
tried to console her. Who knew who he’d told in the meantime?
Curiosity moved Annie a few steps closer as she watched the scene
unfold from a distance. What were they saying? Were they discussing
her?

Jillian slid her hands up
Nick’s chest and leaned into him—to Delaney’s utter horror—and
Annie swore the woman was about to slip open a button on his plaid
shirt. In an unlikely show of cowardice, Delaney remained frozen in
place. Annie was appalled.
Did Delaney not
see what the woman was doing?
Annie was
happy to see Nick slowly remove the slender hands from his chest.
He was having none of her games. “Not this time, Jillian,” she
heard him say. “Cancel the contract or I go to the
authorities.”

She responded like a satiated cobra.
Propping an elbow on a crossed arm, she tapped a finger to her
lips. “For what purpose?”

“
We both know very well what
went down in Sao Paulo.”

Jillian’s demeanor cooled.
“
Amorzinho
, I don’t
have any idea what you’re talking about.”

Nick smiled. “Don’t forget who you’re
talking to, Jillian. I know what happened, and I will push it if
you don’t cancel your contract with Annie Owens.” As if on cue, he
looked directly at her. A reflexive hand went to her
throat.

“
What’s going on over
there?”