Hard Rain (11 page)

It came out on a gasp of surprise as she recognized the man who stepped out.

If she was right about Karen Parker calling someone, then she had expected it would be Kyle, her husband. But the man who climbed out of the Chevy and entered the shop was the owner, Collin Wilson, the son of the auto repair shop’s namesake, Bill Wilson, and a classmate of Karen’s—and Maggie’s.

She frowned as she drove on past. Could she be mistaken about why Collin had chased her out of town? But if not, why would Karen call Collin instead of her husband?

Turning around again, she drove back and parked where she had a view of the auto shop. She could see Collin start toward his office when a customer pulled up. Harper waited. Collin talked for a few minutes and then handed off the customer to one of his employees before going inside.

She could see him in the small office and watched as he began to rummage through his files as if searching for something. Whatever it was, he didn’t seem to find it. She saw him slam the file cabinet, then look around his office. His gaze lifted to the window—and to where she was parked. Hurriedly, she started her SUV and pulled away without looking back.

But she had a bad feeling that Collin had seen her.

She couldn’t help thinking about Brody’s concerns—as well as her father’s. The senator had told her enough to make her worry that there might be some truth in the rumors about his father and Maggie.

“My parents’ marriage wasn’t going so well,” her father had said before he’d left for his flight back to DC. She’d known how hard it was for him to talk about this, but she couldn’t let him keep trying to protect her. She had enough of that with Brody.

“My mother was in a wheelchair by then. They argued a lot.” He’d looked up. “That was about the time that your mother and I moved out. Mother had become...more than difficult. Looking back, there’s a chance she might have been suffering from early Alzheimer’s or dementia. So, even though she accused my father of having an affair with Maggie, maybe it wasn’t true.”

“Why would you say that?”

“She also accused your mother of things that she didn’t do.” He’d shrugged and looked at his watch. “I really do have to go.” He’d pushed to his feet. “My father was good man. But he wasn’t the kind of man I could ask outright about what was going on.”

Harper had seen defeat in her father’s shoulders. “Whatever comes out, it isn’t about you.”

He’d smiled at that. Everyone thought she was so naive.

“People are more understanding than you think. We’re not the only family with possible skeletons in our closets,” she’d told him.

“The truth is, Harper, I didn’t want to know what was going on with my parents. I’ve regretted that decision for years. Now I have no way of knowing what happened in those months before, first, my mother died and then my father pulled out of the presidential race. Shortly after that, he had the car accident and died. I should have asked. Maybe I could have done something. But I didn’t. Your mother and I were newlyweds and I was running the ranch while Dad was first away in the senate or later taking care of my mother.”

“You can’t blame yourself.” But she could see that he did.

“I’m glad you’re spending some time with your mother. She needs you more than ever right now.”

Of course, she’d read between the lines to what he had really been saying:
Stay away from Brody McTavish and the past.

But she could do neither, she thought as she glanced at her watch and wondered what time Collin Wilson would be closing the auto shop.

* * *

W
HEN
S
ARAH
ANNOUNCED
that she was pregnant so soon after the birth of Ainsley, Grace was beside herself. “One child wasn’t enough for her?”

She and JD had wanted more than one child. But after Buckmaster was born, things had changed between them. Then she’d found out she wouldn’t be able to conceive again. It shouldn’t have mattered, but she didn’t feel the same about JD after that. She devoted herself to her precious son. When JD had gone into politics, she’d been glad for the time he was gone and she and Buckmaster were alone together.

That someone like Sarah could conceive so easily...it felt like a slap in the face. She hated the young woman even more. Now her son was even more trapped by the evil woman.

“Mother?”

Grace started at the sound of Buckmaster’s voice. “In here,” she called, praying he’d come alone.

She smiled as he entered the room. He was so handsome, so much like his father, at least in looks.

“Are you alone?” she asked, looking past her son to the doorway.

“Mother.” His voice was full of reprimand. “Please don’t start.”

She bit her lower lip, nodding and forcing a smile. She had so little time alone with her son, she wasn’t going to spoil it by spending it arguing.

“You look so tanned and handsome,” she said, patting a spot on the couch next to her wheelchair for him to sit. “Ranch work suits you.”

He smiled and sat down. “I’m enjoying it,” he said, as if it surprised him. “How are you doing?”

“Fine,” she said quickly. The last thing she wanted was Buckmaster to think she needed him to move back in with his pregnant wife and a baby. “I have a private nurse who comes each day.”

“I suppose Dad told you that Sarah is pregnant again.”

“He mentioned it.” Her smile actually hurt. “Another girl?”

Buckmaster laughed. “I’ll take as many as I can get. Sarah feels the same way.”

Grace just bet she did but held her tongue.

“That’s one reason I stopped by. You haven’t seen the house Sarah and I are building. We’re going to need the added room.”

“Your father has promised to take me to see it one of these days,” she said, not in the least interested.

“It’s up the road from here by the creek. It’s more open there, more room to expand.”

“You’re anticipating having that large a family?”

He grinned and shrugged. “We’ll see. Mom, I’ve never been happier.” His grin faded as he looked at her. “I just wish you and Sarah—”

“No woman would ever be good enough for my son,” she said quickly.

“I suppose not. Sarah is going to bring Ainsley by later. You haven’t seen her for a while. I thought you might enjoy that.”

Grace hadn’t taken to being a grandmother even though she had always thought she would. She told herself it was because she could see Sarah in Ainsley.

“That will be lovely,” she said to her son, and didn’t even try to smile as he got up to leave.

“So you don’t have a problem with me building a house?” he asked.

“I just want you to be happy.”

“Then you’ve gotten your wish.” He looked around the room before his gaze fell on her again. “Where did you say Dad was?”

She hadn’t. “He’s gone fishing.” At least that’s what he called it. She’d noticed lately how different he was when he returned. She would be a fool not to know that his trips involved more than fishing.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

H
ARPER
SAT
OUTSIDE
the auto shop sipping an espresso and hoping she wouldn’t have to pee before Collin Wilson finally closed up for the night. Earlier she’d seen him searching for something. It might have nothing to do with Maggie’s death, but Harper wanted a look in that office. If there was evidence that might incriminate him...

She knew she was grasping at straws, but after talking to her father she was even more determined to learn everything she could. She wasn’t sure how the pieces fit together, but Maggie and Collin had dated in high school, and Karen had called someone from the library after making the copies of the photos. Harper was betting that Collin Wilson had been at the other end of that phone call. Why else had he chased her out of town like that?

So what was the connection between Karen and Collin? Why wouldn’t Karen have called her husband? She told herself that it was a small town. Maybe Karen and Collin were friends from high school or had been neighbors growing up. Maybe there was nothing suspicious about it.

But she did wonder if Karen’s husband would have thought so.

She glanced at her watch. When she looked up again, a car drove up and two men got out. They’d changed since high school, but she was still able to recognize them from their yearbook photos. As Will Sanders and Kyle Parker got out and went into the auto shop, they both looked over their shoulders as if afraid someone was watching them.

Harper sat up a little straighter. Collin didn’t seem that happy to see them. Even from a distance she could see that the conversation between them was confrontational. They kept glancing out the window. Who were they worried was watching them? Not her, Harper thought. The sheriff?

Collin moved to the window and lowered the blind. Fortunately, half of the blinds were old and bent, so she could still see the muted animated conversation. If she was closer, she might have been able to read lips. It was a talent she’d picked up living with five sisters who thought they could keep secrets from her.

The conversation ended. None of the three appeared happy about its conclusion. A moment later the two emerged and drove away and the light inside the shop office went out. She slid down in her seat. Peering over the edge of the side window, she watched Collin come out of the business, lock the door behind him and walk toward his Chevy parked out front.

Harper slid farther down in the seat as his headlights filled her car. She held her breath as he drove past. She waited until the sound of his engine died off in the distance before she sat up, opened her car door and got out.

She didn’t bother with the front door since she’d just seen Collin lock it. Instead, she went around back. The alley was dark, no streetlights, just some abandoned buildings behind the shop. The other businesses along the street were also closed in this part of town.

Nothing moved in the alley. The abandoned buildings cast black shadows over the narrow dirt alley, making the night even darker. She could hear the occasional vehicle engine a street over, but nothing else. Walking down the alley, she thought about turning on the flashlight she’d brought from her car. The alley was full of potholes, some deep enough that she almost fell. The body shop had three bays with two rear doors that opened to the alley.

Harper remembered seeing one of them ajar earlier when she’d driven around the block after Collin had seen her. One of the mechanics had the door propped open and was outside smoking. Just as she’d feared, the door was no longer propped open. She wasn’t sure she was up to breaking in even if she knew how to. She tried the first door. Locked. She stepped to the second one and tried the knob. It turned in her hand. A draft of cold, oily-smelling air rushed out.

Reaching into her bag, she pulled out the flashlight and flicked it on. That’s when she saw the small rock that had kept the door from closing all the way. She made sure it stayed where it was as she stepped in and let the door close partway behind her.

Avoiding the pits where Collin and his employees worked on the cars, she headed for the office.

If only she knew what she was looking for, she thought as she opened the door to find a desk and a half dozen filing cabinets against one wall. Shelving covered another wall. The shades were already drawn, but she knew they provided little cover.

She turned on her flashlight and had only just begun searching when she heard a sound. Snapping off the light, she dropped behind the desk as the door opened and someone stepped inside.

“You can come out now,” a familiar male voice said.

“Brody?” she asked as she popped up.

Brody flicked a flashlight beam over her. “What are you doing here?” he demanded.

“I could ask you the same thing—you almost gave me a heart attack.”

“Better than what could have happened if it hadn’t been me.”

Her heart was still thudding wildly against her chest. But was it from being startled or from seeing Brody again? “What are you doing here?”

“I’ve been watching the place after you described the car that you say chased you out of town. I’d left to get something to eat and came back in time to see you sneaking around back.”

She waved that off, wanting to get to something more important. “Remember when I told you that Karen Parker called someone as I was leaving the library and moments later the driver of an old Chevy harassed me? Well, guess who drives that car?”

“Collin Wilson,” they said in unison.

“The point is, why would Karen call him and not her husband? And that’s not all.” She told him about Collin searching for something in the office earlier and then Will and Kyle arriving.

“They’re probably friends,” he said, sounding not in the least impressed. “They went to school together. I’m not sure anything about that is necessarily suspicious.”

“If you had seen them, you wouldn’t say that. They were huddled together, looking upset and talking fast. They kept glancing around as if afraid someone was watching them until Collin pulled down the shades.”

“Someone
was
watching them.
You.
”

She mugged a face at him. “I’m telling you they’re hiding something and if I had to bet, I’d wager they were talking about Maggie.”

“I’m sure they probably were, but that’s only normal. They all dated her and the discovery of her remains has to come as a shock.”

“I’m sure it does, especially if they are responsible for putting her in the ground.”

“All
three
of them?”

“Why not? If you had seen how guilty they looked, you’d be as suspicious as I am.” When he said nothing, she took that as positive and added, “Even I know it would have been very difficult for only one person to have handled the burial alone.”

“I know you want to believe that, but if he had already dug the grave before he killed her...”

She shuddered, aghast. “Who would be that cold-blooded?”

“A desperate married man who would have lost everything if it came out that he’d impregnated an eighteen-year-old.”

“Maggie was
pregnant
?”

“Five months. Which gave your grandfather even more motive.”

“I knew it,” she said angrily.

“What?”

“You already have your mind made up. You aren’t even willing to consider that the killer could be anyone but my grandfather.”

“That’s not true. I’m not even saying you’re wrong about those three men and what they might have been up to. I’m just trying to keep you from jumping to conclusions without any proof.”

“I know what I saw,” she said stubbornly. “How about trusting my instincts? Can you do that?”

He studied her for a moment as if making up his mind. “That would depend. How good are your instincts?”

She looked at him, hearing a lightness to his tone. He was trying to defuse the tension between them, along with her anger. And it was working. She eyed him as he had done her. “Want to know what my instincts tell me about you?”

He raised an eyebrow. “I’m not sure I want to hear this.”

“Yes, you do,” she said smiling. “You’re...kind, trustworthy, loyal—”

“I sound like an old dog.”

“—and smart, but—”

He laughed. “Oh, I was afraid there would be a but.”

“But...you also have a self-deprecating sense of humor that keeps you from being too perfect. I like that you don’t take yourself too seriously.” She liked so much about him and knew it must show in her gaze, because he looked almost embarrassed. The magic that she felt sparked between them as she spoke from her heart. “You’re a man who can be trusted. I trust you with my life.”

* * *

T
HE
WEIGHT
OF
her words fell heavily on his shoulders. “Now I know your instincts shouldn’t be trusted,” he said, and looked around. “So you’re here doing what exactly?”

She wasn’t sure exactly. “Looking for Maggie’s killer.”

“I thought that was an idle threat.”

“If you knew me at all, you’d know I don’t make idle threats.”

“Still, what do you hope to find in an auto repair shop?”

“I won’t know until I find it,” she said haughtily. “But earlier I saw Collin in here searching for something. He didn’t find it.”

“Great.” Brody shook his head. “He could have been looking for a misplaced bill or an invoice or his grocery list. Harper, I have to tell you, this wasn’t your best idea. Did you ever consider that you’ll be arrested for breaking and entering if the sheriff catches you? Worse, if you’re right about what you think the three men were up to, then you could have three killers after you. Did you ever consider that?”

She shivered. “Collin could have run me off the road the other day, but he only tried to scare me.”

“There is always next time.”

Harper ignored that. “You have to admit it makes a person wonder why he would feel threatened by me looking into Maggie’s murder.”

“You’re assuming Karen called Collin and that the incident on the road was a scare tactic. Karen could have called anyone. Even someone from your own family.”

While touched by his concern, she felt a shot of anger. “So now you’re saying that not only was my grandfather a murderer, but also there are others in my family who won’t hesitate to take me out, too?”

He sighed. “I don’t know why I bother trying to protect you from yourself.”

“Why do you? I was here first. So leave.”

“Shh.” He waved her to silence. “Did you hear that?” he whispered.

Obviously she hadn’t. If this was a trick— She heard a clank, like a door closing. Brody grabbed her and jerked her back against him as he turned off his flashlight and pressed them to the wall behind the file cabinet.

“Don’t make a sound,” he whispered, his warm breath tickling her ear.

* * *

B
RODY
HELD
H
ARPER
close as footfalls echoed in one of the auto bays in the room next to them. He waited, expecting the office door to bang all the way open, the light to come on and the two of them to be discovered hiding behind the file cabinets.

How had he let himself get into this position? Worse, he was unbearably aware of Harper’s lush body pressed against his own. He began to silently recite words to the first song that came to mind so he didn’t think about her nipples, which unless he was wrong, were now hard as pebbles against his chest. This woman was going to be the death of him.

He tried to concentrate on what was going on in the garage next door. What sounded like a wrench being dropped echoed through the wall, then the rustle of tools in a toolbox and finally retreating footfalls on the concrete before a door slammed closed.

“Do you think he’s gone?” Harper whispered. She sounded breathless and he realized he was probably crushing her.

He stepped out from behind the file cabinets but didn’t turn on his flashlight until he heard the sound of a car engine. The roar of the motor died off, leaving them in silence again.

He snapped on his flashlight and looked at her. She looked a little flushed. Or maybe he was thinking of his own heat. “I think that was enough excitement for me for one night.”

She let out a breath and stepped from the hiding place. He could see that she wasn’t ready to give up. Did the woman have no sense at all?

“Since I’m already here...” She turned on her flashlight.

“Seriously?”

“You don’t have to stay.”

“What do you hope to find? You said yourself Collin searched earlier and didn’t find whatever it was he was looking for. Which might have been a customer’s bill, for all you know.”

She nodded, but he could tell his words didn’t make a dent.

“I had no idea you were so stubborn.”

Harper laughed at that as she opened the top file cabinet and shone her light inside. “Yes, you did.”

He stood there, fuming for a moment. “Fine, I’ll look in the desk. I can’t very well leave you here to get caught. With two of us, it will go faster.”

She smiled but quickly hid it when he shot her a look.

He found nothing of interest in the desk drawers. By that time, she’d finished going through two of the file drawers.

“This one drawer is stuck,” she said from behind him. “Can you help me?”

Brody felt anxious. They’d been here too long. Someone was bound to notice the lights behind the drawn blinds. But he knew Harper wasn’t about to leave until she’d looked into the bottom file cabinet.

He motioned her out of the way and grabbed the drawer handle. She was right. It was stuck. He gave it a jerk. The drawer came open but something fell behind the filing cabinet.

Harper quickly stepped back into the space they’d occupied earlier to see what had fallen. Hurriedly, he made short work of the bottom file cabinet, seeing at once that it held nothing but a bunch of old bills. He was about to close the drawer, when she came out from behind the cabinet holding what looked like a yearbook and smiling broadly.

“I think we found what Collin was looking for,” Harper said grinning.

* * *