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“Don’t be fooled by the lack of signs. This area is ripe for development and I want you to benefit from it.”
Wasn’t she kind? Rae wanted to answer her own question, but by then the woman had drilled one of her thin stiletto heels into the soft edge of the driveway. With a yank, she pulled her sandal free and sashayed back to her little black coupe. When she turned at the end of the driveway, the car door showed her bold, smiling face along with her agency’s logo.
“I can’t believe what just happened.” With a shake of her head, Rae returned to the workshop. Hunter still stood outside. Through the window, she could see his back. He turned, as if scanning the property.
Her heart lurched. Was he actually considering Christine’s offer? Was he thinking of forcing her to sell this place?
Would he thwart her desire to make this shop viable again? Worry gnawed at her and she did her best to discard it. Don’t borrow trouble. You have enough on your plate today to deal with.
She’d make this place work better than ever before. She had to. She’d bring the business back to its former strength, and no one was going to stop her.
“Let’s go.”
Rae frowned at Hunter, who’d walked in while she was deep in thought. “Where?”
“To the police. We agreed, and we’d have been there and back by now if it wasn’t for that woman. She doesn’t change anything here. We need to talk to the cops.”
He was still concerned for her safety. That seemed to squash any suggestion that he wanted money out of their new arrangement. Otherwise he would have used the threat, along with this offer of Christine’s, to force her to sell.
She reluctantly followed him outside. It was going to be a long day. Reaching the truck, she turned. The half-bare trees beyond her house rattled in the wind, like dry, bony skeletons.
The milled lumber at the edge of the yard snagged her eye, and she saw that what had been a neat pile two weeks ago was now leaning awkwardly, almost like a makeshift teepee. Had the wind pushed over the boards? Or had trespassers knocked the lumber off its supports on their way across her land?
Shivering, she stole a glance at Hunter as he climbed into the truck. It was probably hikers, nothing more, and not worth mentioning.
All the way into Green Valley, she wondered how he was going to convince the police that someone wanted to hurt her. A dead man’s complaint of gas-soaked rags, burned up now, and the notion of trespassers, probably Christine and her staff checking out the place, were hardly worrisome.
That was as crazy as Rae sitting in the police station foyer with Hunter, waiting patiently for some officer to come out and listen to a supposed warning from her father.
Hunter had to be insane to think that the local cops would act on such weak evidence. They were going to think her dad had become deranged from the cancer.
Tears stung Rae’s eyes. She was hurting her father’s memory by coming here.
An officer entered the small foyer. The tall man glanced down at her, then his curious gaze settled on Hunter, who had risen when the security door opened.
The two men stared at each other. Immediately, Rae sensed tension between them. The officer stiffened, and Hunter’s hand strayed to his shoulder, where the scar showing above his collar deepened in color.
The policeman turned to her. “My name’s Mike Halloway. How can I help you two?”
Hunter answered. “This is Rae Benton. We need to report a danger to her.”
Rae rose. She didn’t want to censor Hunter’s words, but perhaps she could tell the police what Hunter had told her, without making her father look like a fool. “There could be a small amount of danger to my life.”
Halloway crossed his arms. “What makes you think that?”
She paused. “My father told him when he was in jail.”
“Prison. Hunter was in the federal prison, not the provincial jail.”
He knew Hunter had been incarcerated? They were on a first name basis? Was that the reason for his obvious tension?
“Whatever,” she told the officer. “The point is, my father believed my life was in danger, and asked Hunter to come back here to discover why that was.”
“Your father didn’t know?”
Her cheeks warmed. “No, he didn’t. And he didn’t tell me anything about it. He probably thought he could handle it, and was too proud to ask for my help.”
“Was it like him to do that?”
She wasn’t sure. She’d thought that her father had kept her informed on most, if not all, issues of importance, but he hadn’t told her about his will. Or even about his cancer until the very end. Feeling foolish, she shrugged.
Hunter looked impatient. “Can we discuss this in your office?”
“If you like.” Halloway led them into the small station, past some desks and into a row of cubicles that served as offices. He indicated for Rae to sit.
She’d never been in a police station before. She’d never even talked to an officer of the law before. And doing so now felt like a waste of everyone’s time.
“So,” Halloway began, pulling up another chair, while taking out a large notepad and pen. “What has happened to make you two think someone wants to harm you?”
Hunter repeated everything he’d said to her.
Halloway’s pen hovered over the paper, while Rae studied his profile.
She’d seen the officer before, she decided, at the hospital, the day before her dad had died. Moncton General Hospital was a busy place. There were usually dozens of people in the entrance alone. But she remembered seeing this tall policeman there.
Strangely, that memory made the hair on her scalp tingle and a chill trickle down her neck.
Halloway glanced up at her, his pen still poised above the blank paper. He met her startled gaze coolly and she found herself wondering what he was thinking. Maybe about how they were wasting his time?
Letting her exasperation flare, she stood. This was ridiculous. “Look, Hunter, we’ve reported it, such as it is. I don’t think there’s anything serious going on.”
Hunter scowled. “You may not care, Rae, but this could be serious. You can’t ignore it.”
“Why? What could be such a threat up there?”
Halloway looked over at Hunter. “What do you think we can do about this?”
Rae bit her lip. Hunter cared enough to drag her down to the station. Yet this was so foolish, so unnecessary.
She threw her little knapsack over her shoulder, then waved her hand. “Look, if you’re not going to do anything, we won’t waste time here. I’ve got too much to do.”
“Let me take down some information and we’ll increase our patrols by your house. Would you like us to drop by periodically?”
No, she didn’t want them to. She wanted to go home and rebuild her business, not look like a child afraid of imaginary threats.
But Hunter answered, “It wouldn’t hurt. It’s coming into hunting season and there’s a lot of unused land behind her house.”
Halloway paused. The only words written on the paper between them were, “Rae Benton feels there is a threat to her safety.”
She watched Hunter’s jaw tighten and again she felt the uneasiness swell between the two. Halloway shot her a calculating glance, and more shivers rippled down her spine.
When the report was finally finished, she hastily signed the bottom of it. And found herself anxious to be free of the uneasiness lingering in the cubicle.
THREE
Outside, the day was ending, and Rae had nearly reached her truck, which she’d parked around the corner from the station, when she heard her name being called.
She turned. Her cousin was hurrying down the street toward her. At their small truck, half a block away, stood Kirk, his arms folded as he leaned against the front bumper.
“Rae!” Annie gave her a warm hug. Years ago, after the fire, she had tried hard to be a mother figure to Rae, but young herself, and without children, she had ended up being more of an older sister.
Rae returned the hug, and then Annie shot a short, suspicious look at Hunter, who hung back. “Did I just see you coming out of the police station? Goodness, why?”
Rae swallowed, not wanting to lie to her cousin. “It was nothing, really. I’ll tell you all about it later, when I return that skirt suit. I want to get it dry-cleaned first.”
“Never mind that. You hardly wore it for any length of time, and I know money is tight.”
How would she know that? Annie had sat in on several brief consultations about the funeral arrangements, but hadn’t been there when Rae discussed billing details.
Over Annie’s head, Rae glanced at Kirk, who was idly kicking at some dry leaves. He was being a bit antisocial, but considering his opinion of Hunter, of course he wouldn’t walk over.
Her cousin was chattering on, and Rae realized that she’d missed the first part. “…put you on the prayer chain. For peace and guidance?”
Did anyone really know what it was like to lose both parents? How hard it was to know that they’d never see any grandchildren, be there for the good and bad that would inevitably happen? Her heart tightened as she refocused on her cousin. “Thank you. That sounds nice.”
Annie threw one more glance at Hunter, before guiding her away from her truck and him. “Are you okay? I mean, what is he doing here with you?”
Steeling herself, Rae answered, “Dad’s lawyer called me shortly after the funeral. He read Dad’s will to me.”
“What did it say?”
“Dad gave half of everything to Hunter.”
Annie gasped. “That’s crazy! You have to fight this, Rae. It isn’t right.”
“It’s what Dad wanted. I have to respect that.”
Annie quickly glanced over at her husband, who, although still lingering some distance away, had grown interested in their conversation. “Your father was sick, and maybe that was affecting his judgment. You can tell the judge that and get him to overturn the will. You deserve that land.”
Behind her, Rae felt Hunter close in. Once again, she was glad for it. Annie meant well, but she was wrong here. Rae had to respect her father’s decision.
Odd, though. Annie had thought the world of her uncle, and been ecstatic when he’d given his life to the Lord. She had even quoted the Biblical story of the laborers who all got paid the same despite how much time they’d put in. It had been a comfort to Rae after Dad had been admitted to the hospital.
But to now condemn his decision? It was very odd indeed.
“Annie, it’s just something we have to get used to. Hunter is going to be around for a while.” She decided not to say anything about her hopes of buying him out, at least not yet.
Her cousin leaned close. “Just be careful, Rae. And how are you, financially? Do you have enough money? I could lend you some. Just between us.”
Did she mean not to tell Kirk, or Hunter? It was obvious Annie didn’t trust Hunter, but Kirk had often complained she spent too much money.
Rae shook her head. “I’m going to call Dad’s life insurance company soon, and get that matter settled. I’ll come over with the suit as soon as I can. We’ll have a nice talk over a hot cup of tea.”
Annie began to turn toward her husband, but stopped. “Come during the day. Kirk will be at his shop.” She leaned in for another hug, and added quietly, “Be careful. Hunter is a criminal, however kind he acts.”
“I saw him praying at the funeral.” Even as she murmured the words, she wondered at the sudden need to defend him. Was it because he’d stood up with her against Christine Stanton? Or was it perhaps the concern in his warning? Confusion swirled as she remembered the fire he’d set ten years ago.
She should hate him.
And yet, her father had given his life to the Lord. Had Hunter also?
She found herself whispering, “I think he’s a Christian.”
“‘Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom,’” Annie quoted softly before pulling away.
Rae watched the Dobsons drive off, lifting her hand to wave. As Kirk did a U-turn in the middle of the quiet Green Valley street, Rae wondered why they’d been down this way. They lived up by the highway, and his electrical repair shop was near a stretch of abandoned buildings nearby. Coming down here was as odd as Annie’s quote from the Gospel of Matthew. Always a staunch Christian, Annie had sounded strange, issuing a warning as she had.
With a sigh, Rae turned and climbed into the truck. As she started the motor, she glanced toward Hunter. “Annie’s always looking out for me. Dad was her favorite uncle.”
“But she doesn’t trust me.”
“Don’t take it personally,” Rae answered, knowing that he would. “It’s going to take time.”
“For you, too?”
She thought again of her father’s life insurance, and felt a wave of hypocrisy. Instead of answering, she yanked at the gearshift and pulled out of the parking space.
Hunter couldn’t stop staring at the land around him as he climbed out of the truck. Being incarcerated so young, he’d never owned property. Now he co-owned a piece so huge it already had vultures circling.
Benton’s desperate warning came back to him, the fruitless visit to the police adding to its sharpness. The old man had been serious, and now Hunter had to be, as well.
The workshop phone rang, its outside buzzer piercing the air like a fire bell. Rae scrambled to unlock the shop door, then hurried over to the desk.
Within a minute, it was obvious the caller was a client with whom her father had a large contract. Three weeks ago, Benton had told Hunter about it. It had been the first big order in months, a project that would restore life to their sagging business. When Robert’s health had taken a turn for the worse, most contracts had followed suit.
Hunter tightened his lips. Now Rae had the unpleasant task of telling the news about her dad. Even at this distance, he could hear the man’s voice. The client was shocked, contrite…but concerned about his own deadline.
Gripping the receiver, Rae threw a plaintive look across the room at Hunter. She didn’t possess the extra hands to complete the order in time.
Hunter strode across the shop, gently pried the phone from her grasp and spoke into it. “When did you need the first shipment by?” he asked after a brief conversation. Rae’s head jerked up, her eyes wide. Shortly after, he ended the call.
“I can’t fill that order, you realize,” she said.
“Yes, you can,” he answered.
She looked tired and worn. “How? I need Dad’s skill, and he had all the paperwork, made all the arrangements—”
“Your father had the information. That guy said it’s all in a file here. I know exactly what he needs.”
