Sweet on Peggy

by Stella MacLean

  She didn’t want that to happen to her. She wanted someone to love, someone who would love her and care for her. Someone to have a baby with. She smiled ruefully to herself; she wanted it all.

  * * *

  THE NEXT DAY after a fun evening with her friends, Peggy was content to be back at her desk; her health worries over and her life back to normal. Her day went really well, and she was ready to head home to her horses and take a long ride out over the fields behind her house. She pulled into her driveway only to see Ned Tompkins coming across the field from his place. She got out of the car, unsure what it was that Ned wanted from her this time.

  Whatever was going on with Ned, she didn’t intend to have him come into her house. If someone could start rumors about her and the coach based on them seeing each other once a week at volleyball practice, she could only imagine what sort of stories could be told about her if Ned was seen going into her house. “Hello, Ned.”

  “Hello,” he said, coming toward her. “Busy day?”

  “Yeah. What can I do for you?”

  “It’s more what I can do for you. I’m pretty handy around the property, and if you need my help with anything, you only have to ask.”

  “Ned, that’s so kind of you. I really appreciate it. I’m sorry I was so sharp with you the last time we talked.”

  “That’s okay. I don’t mean to come across so nosy, but I can’t help but worry about my neighbors. Until you moved here, my only neighbor was a summer resident. It can be pretty lonely here when no one lives along the road. You’ve been here nearly two years, and I should have been more of a neighbor than I’ve been.”

  “We can both try to be good neighbors, can’t we?” she asked.

  “Absolutely. When I saw my carpenter over here doing work for you, I realized that it wasn’t very neighborly of me to not be offering to help you. I’m pretty good at handyman stuff.”

  “Any good at looking after horses?” she asked, half joking, as she walked toward the barn and opened the door to the sound of stamping horse hooves.

  “Not really, but I could learn, I suppose,” he said, sounding a little anxious.

  She opened the stalls and led both animals out into the paddock. “I left them in today because I plan to ride both of them this afternoon.”

  “Your horses sure can run. I’ve watched them galloping around your field.”

  She couldn’t help but smile at his cautious statement about her horses. She found herself enjoying a conversation with Ned. Had she seriously misjudged him?

  He followed her out of the barn. “You know where I am if you need me.” With that, he crossed the field and went into his house. Peggy saddled up and went for a ride on Suzie, feeling the best she’d felt in a long time. She had good friends, a man who wanted to be a good neighbor and great horses. But most of all, she didn’t have cancer.

  She hadn’t heard from Rory. He hadn’t bothered to call to see how her appointment went. She’d been hurt by his lack of interest, and she stubbornly refused to call him. She couldn’t deny that she found him fun, sexy and entertaining, but that wasn’t all it took to have a lasting relationship.

  She was looking for someone she could love with all her heart. She wanted someone who shared her interests, her lifestyle and who loved her in return. Nothing else mattered. She’d seen how much her parents loved each other—how lonesome her mother had been when her dad went away for work and how happy she was when he returned. They were inseparable. Everyone who knew them was well aware that Marcus and Ellen Anderson were deeply in love. She wanted that kind of relationship. She refused to settle for less.

  Where did that leave her and Rory? The answer was simple—not even out of the starting gate. With the rather shallow relationship they had, having to talk to him about her test results, something he seemed to take so lightly, didn’t feel right to her.

  Given that he hadn’t been in touch with her since her appointment, she couldn’t help but wonder if she’d been right the first time. Rory MacPherson wasn’t into anything that wasn’t upbeat and positive.

  After she finished riding, Peggy went into her tack room. She had been avoiding it for weeks because every part of the space needed a good cleaning. As she stepped inside, the first thing she noticed was that the hinge on the door didn’t squeak, something that had been driving her nuts every time she entered the room. The second thing she noticed was that the room was absolutely spotless. Every piece of horse harness, leads, saddles, her helmets, the oils and cloths used to keep the equipment clean were neatly stashed on shelves or hooks. Even the window had been cleaned inside and out. She glanced up into the rafters of the small building housing her tack room, and there wasn’t a cobweb in sight.

  The only person who would have done this was Ned. Had that been why he’d popped over here? Did he want her to thank him for doing all this work? Or did he have something else in mind?

  She went back out the door, glancing over at Ned’s place searching for his truck. If his truck was there, it meant he was home.

  Yeah, his bright blue truck was parked in the driveway, and she could see Ned digging something up in the flower bed along the side of his house. She crossed the field to him. “Hi, Ned,” she said.

  The shovel leaped out of his hands. “I didn’t see you there,” he said, picking his shovel out of the dirt before turning to her.

  “I didn’t mean to startle you. I came over to thank you for everything.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The way you cleaned up my tack room. It hasn’t been that nice since I moved into the place. And the plastic bins you put in to take care of the odd pieces of harness gear are wonderful. Wish I’d thought of doing that.”

  He gave her a blank stare. “I didn’t clean your tack room.”

  No one else lived on the road other than her, Ned and the summer residents at the end. “Then who did?”

  “I haven’t a clue.”

  “But you must have seen someone going down past your place.” She glanced around the open fields toward the house at the end of the lane. “The Crandall family haven’t been here in weeks, so I don’t know who else would have been here.”

  “I didn’t see anyone,” Ned said stubbornly.

  Peggy felt a shiver tingle down her shoulders. “I didn’t, either, so we’ve got to find out what’s going on.”

  “If I were you, I’d talk to the police,” Ned said. “Was anything stolen?”

  “Not that I’m aware of.”

  “Then contact the police. I’ll go with you if you need me,” he said, his expression sincere.

  “Thank you, but you needn’t bother. I’ll go in on my way to work.”

  “I’ll keep a more careful eye on your property when I don’t see your vehicle there.”

  * * *

  THE NEXT DAY Peggy didn’t go to the police. On the one hand, she couldn’t believe that anyone who would clean her tack room would mean any harm. She’d gone into work still wondering who had been at her house. On the other hand, she had to admit that she didn’t feel really comfortable in her house, knowing that someone had been in her tack room. The thought that whoever it was might just as easily have been in her house unnerved her.

  She hadn’t gone to the police also because she wanted a chance to talk to Sherri about this. Getting someone in trouble for an honest mistake or misunderstanding didn’t seem fair. Added to that, she still wasn’t convinced that Ned hadn’t done it. He was the only one who would know whether she was home or anything about her daily pattern. Anyone else would have had to find a time when she wasn’t there and when Ned was away, as well. Otherwise, whoever it was would run the risk of being found out by Ned.

  One thing she was certain of—if Ned had seen who had done it, he would have told her right away.

  Sherri always said that Nate Garrison, her cousin and Gayle’s fiancé, would be able to answer any legal questions because he’d been a member of the Boston police force before being shot and injured. When
Sherri dropped by Peggy’s desk on her way in to the clinics, Peggy explained what had happened to her.

  “You’re kidding me.”

  “Cross my heart. I came home, went into my tack room and it was totally neat and cleaned, swept, everything organized and ready for me to enjoy. It hasn’t been that clean since I bought the place.”

  “And your neighbor?”

  “Denies any involvement and was a little annoyed that I suggested it might be him.”

  Sherri tapped the counter in thought. “Well, I have no idea who would do this, but I will call Nate and see what he can suggest. I’m sure he’ll want you to go to the police.”

  “I realize that, but I just feel funny about it all.”

  “Why?”

  “Because someone went to a lot of trouble and nothing was stolen. I have to say that I really appreciate what this person did for me.”

  “Do you have a secret admirer? Someone you haven’t told us about?” Sherri asked, twitching one eyebrow and smiling.

  “I don’t have any admirers, secret or otherwise.”

  “What about Rory? He seems like a man who wants to do nice things for you.”

  “Except for his Happy Harry attitude.”

  “A trait many women would appreciate.”

  “I’m sure, and I’m equally sure that’s why I haven’t heard from him. He’s busy being appreciated by some new woman in his life.”

  “You didn’t answer my question. Is Rory a possible candidate?”

  “I doubt it.”

  “But you’ll ask him.”

  “I’ll call him today and find out.”

  “I’ll talk to Nate.”

  Peggy nodded in the direction of the corridor. “Speaking of your cousin. Is that not the man glued to Gayle’s side?”

  Sherri turned to look down the corridor. “It is. Come here, you two. We need advice.”

  Nate and Gayle walked together into the phlebotomy department, wearing matching smiles with not a care in the world. Nate wasn’t using his cane this morning, and Peggy was pleased. Gayle had told her that he’d been feeling better, had been sleeping better and as a result he’d been having less discomfort in his hip. That’s what love can do for you, Peggy mused.

  “What’s up?” Nate asked.

  “We need your advice on a problem Peggy has,” Sherri said. She proceeded to tell her cousin what had happened at Peggy’s farm.

  “Weren’t you going to look into riding lessons for Morgan with Peggy?” Nate asked.

  “Yes, I was.”

  “Well, let’s wait on that until we solve the mystery of who is trespassing on Peggy’s property.” He turned to Peggy. “I don’t mean to suggest that there’s any problem with Sherri’s stepdaughter taking riding lessons with you. I just think it would be prudent to check this out first.”

  “I agree completely. So what do you suggest?” she asked, hoping that Nate would come up with a straightforward solution.

  Nate rubbed his jaw in thought. “I’m going to speak to a few people and see what I can find out. You only have one other permanent resident on your road if I remember correctly?”

  “Yes. Ned Tompkins. He works at the supermarket five days a week and every other weekend.”

  “Then I can catch up with him at work maybe today and get his take on this.”

  Peggy felt the tension in her shoulders ease. “That would be great.”

  “Is there anyone else who might have done this?”

  She shrugged. “Rory MacPherson came over one day and offered to do any handyman chores I needed done.”

  “What about him?” Nate asked.

  “I don’t think he’d go near anything to do with horses. He’s afraid of them.”

  “But he wouldn’t need to go near the horses to clean your tack room, would he?” Nate asked.

  “I suppose not. I’ll talk to him when I get the chance. He had been doing work for Ned Tompkins and might have seen someone at my place,” Peggy offered, relieved to have someone as competent as Nate Garrison to take this on for her.

  “It might be a good idea if you stayed with someone until we investigate.”

  “No. No, I’m fine,” Peggy said, suddenly feeling anxious. “I’m sure you’ll find the person.”

  “It would only be for a day or two.” Nate squinted in thought. “I wonder...”

  “You wonder what?” Sherri asked.

  “Nothing. Maybe we should call the police,” Nate said.

  “I’d rather we didn’t until you have a chance to see what you can find out. I don’t have any enemies. The people here have always been so kind and helpful. I don’t want to make trouble for anyone.”

  Nate gave her a quick smile of reassurance. “Peggy, I’m free for the next few days. I’ll find out who did this for you. If not, I’ll talk to the police.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  BILL CASSIDY HAD had a long, frustrating day, and one filled with sadness and regret. He’d been trying to keep himself from going to Peggy Anderson’s house and talking to her about the evidence he had that she was his daughter. Since the private investigator he’d hired had delivered his report, Bill hadn’t slept well at all. He wanted to talk to his daughter, and he wanted to get in touch with Ellen Donnelly Anderson and demand that she give him an explanation for her hurtful behavior.

  In the past couple of days, he’d become so preoccupied over his dilemma that he was losing his concentration at work. When he’d gotten a call from Nate Garrison over another troubled teen, he’d welcomed the chance to talk to him about his situation. It had been Nate who had recommended the private investigator to him, and it was Nate who had been the only one he’d confided in about needing one.

  He was just finishing up some paperwork when Nate Garrison arrived at his office. He welcomed him in, noting that his friend had always appeared calm, taciturn and serious, a very typical police officer in Bill’s mind. But today Nate looked so different, so happy. Something about him was so relaxed. Bill could see firsthand what love had done to this former police officer he’d come to know and respect. While noting the changes, Bill listened as Nate talked about a young teenage girl, Linda Holmes, who was having trouble at home, and who was skipping school and hanging out with the wrong crowd. A very typical story among teenagers today, Bill thought as he listened and offered what help he could. He’d grown up with Linda’s aunt Cindy, who had worked at the local pharmacy. Some days it felt as if he’d grown up around half of the population of Eden Harbor.

  The last time Nate Garrison had sought his help was over Adam Sawyer, a young man who had been skirting trouble with the law when Nate took his case. In a turn of events that pleased and delighted everyone, Nate Garrison had fallen in love with Adam’s mother, Gayle Sawyer.

  Bill loved happy endings. He always had and always would. Most of all, he’d spent his life wanting a happy ending for Ellen and him, the type of ending that wasn’t possible in his case. Ellen had lied about his baby girl, and because of her lies, his daughter had grown up without him ever having known her or having the chance to be part of her life. He’d discovered she was his daughter only in the past few weeks, and he still couldn’t hold back the anger when he thought about what Ellen had done.

  Nate cleared his throat, bringing Bill back to the present. “I haven’t noticed any difference with Linda Holmes. She’s always tried to get out of the physical education classes, and that hasn’t changed. I see her once in a while hanging out with a couple of girls who share her attitude about going to class. Other than that, I’m afraid I can’t be much help.”

  “I had a meeting with the guidance counselor. We’re planning a meeting with Linda’s parents, and I’d like you to attend.”

  “Sure. Just let me know when.”

  Nate leaned back in the chair, his gaze fixed on Bill. “Linda Holmes isn’t the only reason I’m here.”

  Bill frowned. “What else did you want to talk about?”

  Nate rested his forearms on the arms o
f the wooden chair. “Bill, do you know anyone who might have been near Peggy Anderson’s house or farm buildings?”

  “What?” Bill asked, startled.

  “She’s asked me to look into it. I thought you might know something.”

  “Why me?” Bill asked.

  “I’m asking anyone who has a connection to Peggy. Given that you coach her in volleyball, I wondered if you might have heard something.”

  Bill glanced at Nate and sighed in resignation. “Yeah. I went out there one day hoping to find her home. She wasn’t. I was curious about where she lived. When I found her tack room in such a mess, I cleaned it for her.”

  The look on Nate’s face was a mixture of disbelief and surprise. “Why?”

  Bill drew in a deep breath. “I don’t want this to get around because I haven’t talked to Peggy about it yet.” He looked at Nate, who was concentrating his attention on him. “Remember when I got the name of the private investigator from you back a couple of months ago?”

  “Yes. Did he work out okay?”

  “He did. The man carried out my request, and it turns out that Peggy Anderson is my daughter. He found a birth record in Virginia showing that Ellen had a baby girl, that she married Marcus Anderson, the man whose name was on the birth record as the father. According to the investigator, that can’t be true. Peggy is my daughter.”

  “Peggy is your daughter?” Nate looked at him with complete surprise.

  Bill rubbed his palms together. “That’s why I needed a private investigator. I wouldn’t have had to go to such lengths if Ellen Donnelly had told me about her.”

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “Because her birth record showed that she was born almost exactly nine months after the last time Ellen and I were together. Peter Leighton flew to Seattle a few weeks ago and interviewed Ellen, and she told him the truth. Peggy is my daughter.”

  “You’re certain of this.”

  “As certain as I can be.”