Forgotten Legacy

by Perini, Robin

  That sounded heartfelt. Riley leaned forward, a chill skittering up her spine. “Do you have any secrets, Helen?”

  “Definitely. I was telling that sweet girl in the hospital today about my best secret. She was very interested.”

  Riley froze. “Was Chloe awake, Helen?”

  She blinked. “Who, dear?”

  “Chloe. The girl in the hospital.”

  “Cheyenne works at her clinic, not the hospital, Riley. There is no Chloe. She doesn’t exist. You should know that.” Helen took a sip of coffee.

  Riley leaned back in her chair. She met Fannie’s gaze. The woman shrugged. Riley had learned one thing witnessing interactions with Helen: They had to live in Helen’s world. They couldn’t drag her back into theirs.

  In fact, Thayne’s grandmother created memories that fit reality when she couldn’t remember. More than once she’d blurted out completely fabricated events that made sense to no one but her.

  A blinding insight hit Riley. Dan Peterson.

  She shoved back her chair and set her untouched desserts on the table. “Thanks for the talk. I need to speak to Thayne. Immediately.” She kissed Helen on the cheek. “You may have saved an innocent woman.”

  “I have to save the innocent ones, Riley. That’s my job.”

  A blanket of stars pierced the black of the sky. He tapped his foot. Impatience poked at him with the persistence and irritation of a splinter. His eye twitched. He’d waited too long.

  Finally the front door of the B&B opened. The FBI agent hurried down the stairs into the night. He tugged his coat around his body. The temperature had dropped another few degrees. The forecast would help his plan come together nicely, but the timing had to be perfect.

  His dark clothes transforming him into a shadow in the moonlight, he eased along the side of the old Victorian building. With a credit card, he evaded the simple lock at the back door and walked inside.

  The old women laughed and sipped tea. He had no care for them. This was all about setting things right. He wasn’t heartless. They had a chance to survive, depending on several factors he hadn’t bothered to compute. If not, they would simply be collateral damage.

  He edged out of the kitchen, plastered against the wall to avoid any direct line of sight of the women enjoying their evening. Every step silent, he made his way up to the agent’s room, avoiding the third and fifth stair. They squeaked.

  Riley Lambert’s room was, unfortunately, at the top landing. His greatest risk would be coming back down the stairs. He’d have to rely on his luck to hold.

  “We need more hot water, Fannie,” one of the women complained.

  “I’ll put the kettle on.” A chair raked back.

  Just as the woman appeared from around the corner, he slipped inside the room and eased the door closed. The lock snicked.

  His heart raced and a wave of relief rushed into his brain. As much as the mistakes he’d made while killing the Jordans annoyed him, in some ways, he’d gained more satisfaction. Tying up loose ends without anyone being aware had challenged him in a way he hadn’t anticipated.

  He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, knowing he’d want to relive this feeling again and again.

  The agent’s room was cold, as it had been the last time he’d entered. He paused in front of the wall where she’d plastered photos from floor to ceiling. The Jordan house was prevalent, but she’d added pictures of a small cabin.

  He chuckled. Whatever wild-goose chase they’d found themselves on, it had nothing to do with him. He walked over to the adjustable heating vent and carefully unscrewed the panel. He flicked the switch on so that the room heated, just as it had during his test.

  With a flashlight in his mouth, he knelt beside the heater. Carefully, so as not to start the chemical reaction prematurely, he attached the twin vials securely to the mechanism. Smiling, he rocked back on his heels and surveyed his handiwork.

  Those high school chemistry classes might not have been all that useful in his job, but they sure came in unexpectedly useful now. When Riley adjusted the temperature, the vials would break, and an odorless, colorless gas would be released.

  Only one more task. He slipped a long tube from his bag and pumped caulk along the window’s edge and the bottom of the door to make the room as close to airtight as possible.

  When Special Agent Riley Lambert turned off the heat, she would fall asleep and never wake up.

  One loose end down, two more to go.

  CHAPTER TEN

  The sheriff’s office was eerily silent after dark. With a sigh, Thayne shut the steel door that led to the jail cells. The action buffered the sounds of Kate Peterson’s quiet sobs. He doubted she’d touch the dinner he’d provided.

  He rubbed the bridge of his nose. Today he hated his job. He found it difficult to align Dan’s accusations with the woman he’d processed earlier. Even now she didn’t show any signs of withdrawal. She showed no signs of long-term drinking or any other drug use. No marks on her arms, no broken capillaries on her face. Nothing made sense. Then again, neither did abuse in the first place.

  Cheyenne had been waiting for him in his office, and when he joined her, she stood up. “This is insane. Is it really necessary to lock her up?”

  He held his hand out to quiet her and closed the door. “The law’s tied my hands. I can’t ignore Dan’s complaint, and I can’t simply let her go. He’s afraid of her.” He sank into his chair behind his desk. “We’re alone now. Come on, sis. Help me out here. What do you think?”

  She sat, rubbed the center of her forehead, and let out a long sigh. “My first suspicion was that he suffers from undiagnosed leukemia or some other blood disease that would cause significant bruising with a light touch. Unfortunately for Kate, there’s nothing abnormal but a high cholesterol level.”

  Thayne drummed his fingers on his desk. He’d have to bring up one of his suspicions. “Kate mentioned his behavior’s been erratic. What about drug or alcohol abuse? We did find him passed out in his car, although he denied drinking or taking drugs even though the Narcan saved him. Tox screen is still out.”

  “There was no trace of those kinds of abuses when you brought him in.”

  “Then maybe it was a bad interaction to his medication? Or maybe a tumor or something.”

  “Possible. Poor circulation, maybe a stroke. Those could explain his behavior but not the bruises all over his body. There’s no pattern—they aren’t symmetrical.” She shoved her hand into her coat pocket. “I need to do an exhaustive workup at a bigger hospital, but he refuses to be admitted. When Kate tried to talk to him, he was convinced she was trying to lock him up and take his money.” Cheyenne lifted her gaze to his. “I’m stuck.”

  “Maybe we can convince Olivia.”

  “No good. I tried that before you arrived today. She denies he’s acting strangely. She believes Kate is behind it all. What I’m seeing is that Dan has issues that need to be investigated at a bigger hospital, Kate’s being blamed for the bruises that are appearing, and we can’t move forward because our hands are tied. This totally sucks, Thayne.”

  The outer door to the police station flew open, causing the bell to clatter against the wood. Riley rushed in and made a beeline to Thayne’s office. She paused on the threshold, and a spark of excitement highlighted her face. “Cheyenne, thank goodness you’re here. I think I know what’s wrong with Dan. What if he’s in the first stages of dementia? What if he forgot how he got those bruises and is making it all up? He might not even realize it’s not true.”

  Thayne’s and Cheyenne’s gazes snapped to meet. Strange he’d brought up a tumor but not dementia. Dementia made sense.

  “What do you think?” he asked his sister. “Remember when Gram accused me or Dad or even Pops of hiding her money to control her?”

  “If it’s dementia, it’s hard to nail down. Worse, there’s no real cure.”

  Riley moved to the chair beside Cheyenne. His sister had leaned forward, conflict clear on her face. T
hey both knew the implications. Riley was searching for a cause; she hadn’t looked beyond the solution to see the wider impact. Thayne reached across his desk and put his hand over his sister’s before looking at Riley. “What makes you think it was dementia?”

  “The Gumshoe Grannies are having their meeting at the B and B,” Riley said. “Your grandmother made a couple of comments that didn’t quite follow. It reminded me of how you told me her brain would fill in the blank spots in her memory with anything that made sense even if it wasn’t true. What if Dan fell in the barn, or tripped over something and he didn’t remember getting hurt, so he replaced the facts with something that made sense to him?”

  “God, I hope you’re wrong,” Cheyenne said.

  Riley faced Thayne’s sister and frowned. “You’d rather Kate be guilty?”

  “Of course not,” Cheyenne said softly. “But I’d take any one of a thousand reasons that’s causing Dan’s symptoms over Alzheimer’s.”

  “I’m sorry.” Riley averted her gaze. “I wasn’t thinking . . .”

  Thayne stood and skirted his desk to take Riley’s hand in his. “It’s okay. We both are too close to this.”

  Thayne let go of Riley’s hand and returned to his seat. “Can you determine whether or not Dan has a memory issue, whatever the cause?”

  “I need more time and more tests, and he’s not likely to give either to me, but let’s say it is dementia related. Our small town doesn’t have the infrastructure to deal with the care he’ll need, let alone his family.”

  Thayne drummed his fingers on his desk. “Can we at least figure out how Dan was hurt?”

  Cheyenne’s forehead wrinkled in concentration. “Sometimes Gram doesn’t respond to questions, but out of the blue she’ll just volunteer the information we asked for. She did that when Fannie asked for the cookie recipe. Gram couldn’t remember for days, and then suddenly she just blurted it out. Fannie wrote it down, and they turned out perfect.”

  “It’s a good idea, but Olivia’s not going to help.”

  “Dad might,” Cheyenne said. “Dan trusts him. He could very well open up. In the meantime, I’ll get Dan on the social worker’s calendar as quickly as I can.”

  “And until then?” Riley asked.

  “I’ll talk to the judge. See if he’ll release Kate since Dan is staying with Olivia.”

  A phone call interrupted them. Riley pulled her phone from her pocket and glanced at the screen. Thayne waited to hear who it was, but she only flushed and muttered, “I need to take this. Excuse me.”

  She disappeared out the door and closed it behind her.

  Thayne stared after her and could feel the frown that suddenly punctured his forehead. Cheyenne looked from the closed door to him. “What’s going on with you two? Where’s that lovey-dovey, share-every-moment couple from a few weeks ago?”

  “It’s fine. Just a few growing pains.”

  His sister crossed her arms, clearly not buying the denial. Thayne didn’t blame her. He sputtered for a few seconds before admitting the reality. “Singing River isn’t exactly an epicenter of career opportunities for Riley. We’re figuring it out.”

  Cheyenne dropped her arms and leaned forward. “That’s a tough one. She’s good at what she does.”

  Thayne didn’t need anyone else telling him that. “I know.” He lifted his gaze to his sister’s. “She loves me, sis. But I don’t know if she’ll stay.”

  “Love doesn’t always solve all the problems, does it?” Cheyenne twisted her wedding ring around her finger.

  “You and Brett?”

  She shrugged. “Growing pains.”

  The darkened corner of the sheriff’s office hid Riley’s shock. She stared across the room at Thayne and Cheyenne talking. Every few seconds, his gaze would veer toward her. He knew exactly where she sat. Sadness hid the usual glint in his eye.

  “The higher-ups signed off on bringing you back, Riley.” Tom Hickok’s voice grew more urgent. “I need an answer.”

  A year ago, even six weeks ago, she would’ve given everything she owned to have this opportunity. Today, she had no idea how to respond.

  “What if I need more time?” Riley asked.

  “I don’t know how much I can give you.”

  “I’m only as good as my last job. I get it.” Riley frowned at the floor. She didn’t like being pushed into a corner.

  “You saved Sarah Ann Conway when no one else could. That counts for something, but the offer won’t be out there forever, even after the Conway case.”

  Riley thrust her fingers through her hair. She’d lived and breathed the investigation for a week. She hadn’t slept, had hardly eaten, and had lived off coffee.

  Much like she was doing right now.

  Thayne’s office door opened. Cheyenne raised her hand in acknowledgment before leaving, while Thayne hovered in the doorway, not hiding his interest pointed in Riley’s direction. She turned her back to him.

  “I need more time,” she finally repeated. But she couldn’t deny the urge in her belly to say yes to the offer. She’d been trained as a behavior analyst.

  “All right, but don’t take too long.”

  Riley ended the call and forced herself to look at Thayne. His mouth was tight, but not in anger. She hated that he could see right through her.

  He crossed the office. “Another case?”

  So that’s what he’d been thinking. She shook her head. “They need a decision on whether or not to return full-time. They want me.”

  Thayne hesitated for a moment before lifting his hand to her cheek. He stroked her skin gently and paused beneath her eyes. She knew she looked like hell. Dark circles, bloodshot. Her longest shut-eye had been on the plane from DC.

  “Why wouldn’t they?” He sighed in resignation.

  She touched his hand. “I do love you,” she whispered.

  “I know.”

  The expression on his face nearly broke her heart. Part of her wished he’d yank her into his arms, kiss her, and refuse to let her go. Deep inside she also knew she’d resent him for it.

  Why couldn’t love solve all the world’s problems the way it did in the movies?

  Thayne slid his hands to her shoulders, then caressed her arms before linking his fingers with hers.

  “I love you, too, but we both know the job is calling you back. That it means more than a paycheck. Singing River isn’t for everyone. Sometimes I don’t think it’s for me, either.” As if he couldn’t resist, he pulled her against him and stroked her back. He kissed her hair. “I wish we could find a way to make it work.”

  She allowed her arms to encircle his waist. She rested her cheek on his chest, and gradually her breathing slowed, matching his. She didn’t want to move. In his embrace she felt safe, secure, and wanted.

  When she’d first come to Wyoming, she’d never experienced anything like the emotions overflowing within her when she held him close. They’d become almost normal. Almost, but not quite.

  “How about we go to the B and B and have the homecoming we’d both planned on and a good night’s sleep? If there’s news, everyone knows where we can be reached.”

  “I’d like that.”

  She held his hand in the car the entire five minutes required to drive through Singing River from the sheriff’s office to the B&B. For the first time since she’d returned, her entire being had found its center. She pushed aside the uncertainty of her future. She didn’t want to think right now. She just wanted to be.

  With Thayne.

  He held out his hand for her key, and she bit back a smile. She appreciated his small gestures of old-fashioned etiquette. She recognized his grandfather and grandmother in those small actions. At least when he unlocked the door. He definitely didn’t let her enter first.

  SEAL training trumped etiquette every time. He preferred first entry. Just in case.

  She placed her finger on her lips for silence. His brow quirked in question until the Gumshoe Grannies’ laughter filtered through the B&
B’s living room. She eased the door closed and nodded toward the stairs. Maybe they could make it.

  They hit the first step, and Riley breathed easier for the first time since they entered the room.

  “Don’t bother trying to sneak up, darlings,” Fannie called out from behind the dividing wall. “I didn’t mention when you tried to sneak around earlier, but you can’t hide from that minuscule squeak at the base of the stairs. It’s just the right frequency that my ears can still pick it up. My husband used to hate it. He couldn’t pull off a surprise no matter how hard he tried, God rest his soul.”

  With a collective sigh, Thayne and Riley made their way to the game table, where all four women grinned.

  “It’s about time,” Helen said with a wink. “You two need to do a little horizontal mambo and get back on the same page. Then I want to see a wedding. I don’t know why you’re avoiding the inevitable. Lincoln and I waited too long, and look at all the heartache that caused.”

  At Thayne’s stunned expression, Riley bit the inside of her mouth. Helen’s illness brought out some of the most interesting stories. Riley had the feeling Thayne’s grandmother would have taken a few of those revelations to her grave if she’d been able.

  “Gram, what happened to you and Pops?” Thayne leaned forward and placed his hand on hers.

  “Another time,” Helen muttered and patted him. “Some secrets should never be mentioned until the time is right.”

  Norma, Fannie, and Willow groaned.

  “You should write mystery novels, Helen. You’re too cryptic by half these days,” Willow muttered. She tapped on a keyboard, her purple-streaked gray hair sticking up on end.

  Riley had no idea whether Willow had created the style intentionally or from sheer frustration.

  “Don’t mind Willow,” Norma said. “She’s been buried in her computer, proving and disproving some of Helen’s more off-the-wall comments lately.”

  “How’s that going?” Thayne asked.

  Riley recognized the concern. He and the whole Blackwood family were fighting to hold on to Helen for as long as they could. Everyone understood the war would be lost, but the struggle continued.