The Daddy Coach

by Karen Muir

  Gina crossed her arms. “So, what happened?”

  “Kyle and two other guys were finishing a deck off the kitchen. I was upstairs with Mrs. V, taking measurements for a balcony off their master bedroom.”

  “Where were the diamonds?”

  “In a jewelry case on Mrs. V’s dressing table in her bedroom. She had them out because she and her husband planned to attend the opera that evening.”

  “So then…?”

  “Kyle came running upstairs to inform Mrs. V. her husband had fallen down the front porch steps and was in pain. Mrs. Vandenburg hurried to his side. I followed close behind, and I assumed Kyle did, too.”

  “You’re saying he didn’t.”

  He nodded. “The police believe he spotted the jewelry and couldn’t resist. He dropped the jewelry case out the bedroom window to the bushes below then came downstairs to resume working with the crew. When his workday ended, he retrieved the jewels from the shrubbery and took them with him. It was a crime of opportunity, not premeditated.” But probably not his first.

  Gina stared down at her hands. “Why did the police think it was Kyle and not…someone else?”

  His jaw tightened. She meant him. “Several reasons. The diamonds were in the bedroom when Kyle rushed in with the news, and he was the last one out of the house. Soon after, I locked up the place before driving Mrs. V. to the hospital, following the aid car. I also had an alibi for the time when the jewelry was thought to have been retrieved.”

  “Where were you?”

  “Mrs. V. was upset, so I stayed with her at the hospital while her husband was tended. Hours later, I drove her home then picked up the boys at daycare.”

  “What about Kyle?”

  “He said he went home and watched TV. Alone.”

  Gina stood and walked to the counter, where she poured two cups of coffee. She returned to the table and set a cup in front of him, despite his earlier refusal.

  She sat back down. “This is all speculation.”

  “Speculation by the police,” he corrected. “Kyle was seen searching the bushes after work and putting something in his lunch pail.”

  “He was seen by another member of your crew?”

  Will nodded. “A longtime employee. A man I trust.” He paused, suspecting Gina was clueless about a lot of things. “The police had another reason to doubt Kyle’s innocence. Your brother has a gambling addiction. Are you aware of that?”

  Her startled gasp told him no.

  “He’s always had a problem managing money,” she said faintly.

  “Now you know why.” He pushed his bitter-tasting coffee aside. Gina’s confession shattered all the happiness from yesterday. Spent with the people he loved most, it had been the best day of his life. Learning of Gina’s betrayal made today his worst day.

  Disillusioned and drained, he got to his feet. “I need to go home and talk to Ian and Harry. They’ll be devastated to hear that you’re leaving.”

  “Leaving?”

  At her stunned look, he snorted. “You’re a damn botanist, remember? You had no intention of staying on as the boys’ nanny once you got the goods on me.”

  She stood, her eyes pleading. “I know that you’re angry, but—”

  He raised his hands to stem her words. “Angry doesn’t cut it. Try furious. Disappointed. Hurt.” The woman I love betrayed me. He still couldn’t believe it. Gina had cut him deep and left him shaken and bleeding. “The last thing my sons need is another abandonment.”

  “I never meant for this to happen.”

  “Yeah, right.”

  She hurried after to him to the door. “Maybe if I talk to them…”

  He turned to confront her. “Nothing you could say would make them feel any better.” His hand on the knob, he had to know one last thing. “Just curious, what was last night about?”

  Her eyes widened. “I wanted to be with you.”

  “You should never have let things go that far.”

  “I tried to tell you—”

  “Not hard enough.”

  She nodded. “It was wrong, but I couldn’t help myself.”

  “Don’t act like you really cared.” She moved closer, and he breathed in her damned flower scent. Roses with thorns, hidden and cruel.

  “I deceived you, and I don’t deserve your forgiveness. But what happened between us last night had nothing to do with diamonds or my brother. My feelings for you are real. And I could not love your boys more if they were mine.”

  He eyed her through a haze of anger and pain. A liar to the end, she was some piece of work. Words, harsh and raw, tore from his throat. “I don’t believe you. I’ll never believe you again.”

  When a tear rolled down her cheek, he turned and walked out the front door.

  …

  Will drove home, scarcely seeing the road. He’d been played for a fool, just like before with his ex. He’d thought Gina was different from the spoiled brat he’d married. He’d been wrong.

  Roaring up on a black minivan, he braked and loosened his tight grip on the steering wheel. Take a breath. Let it go. He and the boys loved Gina and would miss her like hell. But her loyalty was to another, and she could never again be trusted in their home.

  He hitched his shoulders, trying to shrug off the hurt. He should have seen this coming and guarded his heart. Instead, he’d fallen in love and been hit with another blindside. He would never make that mistake with a woman again.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Gina faced Kyle across a table at the prison the following day. “Tell me again about the day of the theft.”

  Kyle crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. “We’ve been through that already.”

  “Humor me.”

  He sighed. “Our three-man crew was working on the Vandenburg’s back deck when the old man took a header down the front steps. We heard him yell and hurried around the house to find him lying on the ground, moaning. So I ran upstairs to get the Missus.”

  “Go on.”

  His mouth contorted into a yawn. “Mrs. V. hurried downstairs and I followed. My snake of a boss took advantage of the confusion to toss her diamonds out the window and search the shrubs for them later. He claimed I did it, which is why I’m here now.” He glanced at the vending machines. “Let’s get some candy.”

  “No.” She caught his arm when he started to rise. “Yesterday, I heard a different version of the theft. Someone told me the one who stayed upstairs and grabbed the jewels was you.”

  He sank back into his chair. “Oh yeah?”

  “Yeah. I also heard you have a gambling problem.”

  “Who’ve you been talking to?”

  “Will Sinclair.”

  Kyle’s jaw dropped as she went on. “I believed what you told me about being framed. So I got a job as Will’s nanny, in hopes of finding the missing jewelry.”

  “You’ve gotta be kidding.”

  She shook her head. “I would never kid about something this serious. And this is why.” From her pocket, she palmed a small photo she’d smuggled in of Harry and Ian, grinning as they held up their newly planted flowerpots in their brown-gloved hands. She placed the photo on the table, wanting her brother to see the boys’ sweetness and vulnerability. Kyle had once been sweet and vulnerable, too. He glanced down at the image then quickly away.

  “Look closely. See how happy they are?”

  He stared down at his hands; his face stiff.

  “Ian and Harry were sad and confused when I started as their nanny because they’d just lost their mother. Will and I have worked hard to make them feel loved and secure. But yesterday he learned I was your sister and fired me.” She paused. “Leaving the boys so abruptly, with no goodbye, will hurt them all over again.”

  She tapped the photo with her finger, drawing his reluctant attention. “So tell me I didn’t deceive Will and his boys because you lied.”

  Kyle dropped his head into his hands, muttering, “Damn it, Gina…”

  “What really
happened? Did you steal those diamonds?” She held her breath, waiting for him to justify her faith in him.

  He straightened, at last, and met her gaze. “You’re the best sister a guy could ever have. I never meant for you to get mixed up in this.”

  “Just tell me the truth.”

  “The truth?” He laughed harshly. “The truth is I never had the advantages Will Sinclair had. No rich family or doting parents. No sports fame.” His hands gripped the sides of the table hard.

  Dread tightened her chest. “What are you saying?”

  “There are things you’ve got to understand. It’s a dog-eat-dog world, and a guy’s got to look out for himself.”

  “So, that’s what you did?”

  “Damned right.” Resentment flared in his eyes. “It’s different for you in your safe little niche. You can hide in your lab or lose yourself in the deep woods.”

  “Kyle—”

  “Hear me out.” He swiped at his mouth. “I owed money. The guys coming after me planned to hurt me bad. I was desperate and saw an opportunity.”

  “So you did take the diamonds.” His so-called frame-up had been a lie. Sick at heart, she bowed her head and closed her eyes. Kyle’s excuses drifted past, blaming others and shattering her illusions. Her stomach cramped with shame. The brother she loved was a liar and a thief. And the wrong she had done Will and his boys was unforgiveable.

  Hearing a sudden urgency in his tone, she straightened. “What?”

  Sweat lined his brow, despite the cool room. “You’ve got to get me out of here.”

  He glanced around quickly, then spoke in a near whisper. “You can help me by planting evidence in Will’s home.”

  “Evidence.” She gasped. “You mean the diamonds?”

  “Right. They’re no good to me now. They’re too damned hot, and I’m stuck in here.”

  “You’re asking me to frame Will?” She stared in disbelief. “Do you have any idea of the harm you’ve caused?”

  His face twisted, like he’d tasted something bitter. “The only one sitting in prison is me.”

  She stood abruptly, outraged by his lack of remorse. “I lied for you, Kyle. I betrayed a decent man and two children I love.”

  He stood, too, and caught her wrist. A guard moved toward them, drawn by the flare of conflict.

  “Sit down for God’s sake,” Kyle hissed through clenched teeth. He let go of her wrist and sat back down. She hesitated before sinking back into her chair. The guard halted, still watching them closely.

  Kyle lowered his voice. “I’m sorry about Will’s kids, but you and I are family. The bond between us is much stronger.” He caught her fingers in his. “I was trying to spare you, to keep your hands clean. Smitty would do this for me, if he was able. But now, there’s only you.”

  She shook her head. “Forget it. I won’t ruin an innocent man for you.”

  “An innocent man? Not likely. In college Will was the hero jock who had everything handed to him. He’s probably done things that would shock and disgust you.”

  “No.” She wrenched her hand free. “He’s a good man.”

  “Ahh, so that’s the way it is. You’re hot for him.”

  “I admire his honesty and his love for his sons.”

  Kyle snorted. “He’s a lady’s man, Sis, and he’s played you for a chump. You’re just his latest score.”

  Stung by his sneer, she pocketed her photo and stood. “We’re done here.”

  As she started for the exit, he called after her, “Gina, come back!” Fighting the pull of his plea, she bumped into a table but hurried on despite the pain in her leg.

  “Please, Sis, I need you!”

  The raw anguish in his tone tore at her heart. It was the voice of the scared and lonely boy from her childhood. She and Kyle had gone through hell together growing up, and walking away from him now was like ripping out a piece of her heart. But she didn’t stop or look back. The boy she’d loved had grown into a man with no soul.

  …

  Back home, Gina marched into her kitchen, filled the teakettle with water, and plunked it on the stove. Her life was a meteor crash site, and she wanted to throw something. Gut-punched and raw, she stared out the sink window. Everyone she cared about was lost to her now. Harry and Ian would never snuggle into her lap for another story or warm her heart with their laughs. She would never again look into Will’s eyes or lose herself in his kiss.

  She wanted to blame it all on her brother, the liar with no conscience. But Kyle had been damaged goods since childhood. Deep down, she knew the fault lay with her and her desperate need for family. Wanting Kyle to be worthy of all the love she had to give, she’d been too easy to manipulate, too quick to side with him and rush to his rescue. She swiped at her foolish tears. No more.

  The piercing whistle of the kettle cut into her gloom, and she prepped a steaming cup of tea. Seated at the kitchen table, she took a cautious sip and contemplated her long history of failed relationships. She’d been a child when her mother crawled into a whiskey bottle, and her stepfather bailed. Her ex-fiancé had gotten over her easily enough to make babies with another woman. Her brother thought she was dumb enough to break the law for his sake. And now, she’d lost Will and his boys.

  She took another hot sip. Losing Will brought an ache she might never get past, for he was meant to be “the one,” the man of her dreams. Slumped at the table, she laid her head on her arms and closed her eyes.

  She was half asleep when the kitchen phone rang. Startled, she jerked upright, spilling her tea. A glance at the caller ID brought a groan. The last person on earth she wanted to talk to was Kyle.

  Ignoring the jarring summons, she walked outside and sank down on the porch step to look out at her garden. The tomato branches drooped with ripe fruit. The once-tall poppies had wilted and lay limply on the ground. They needed to be ripped up, yet she made no move. Dead poppies seemed in keeping with the death of her illusions about Kyle. Laying her head down on her knees, she had never felt so alone.

  Lost in a blur of misery, she slept. And dreamed she fell into a gaping hole as black as night. Crying out, her hands grasping air, she plunged deeper and deeper until she woke with a start. Her foot had gone numb. She stood to wiggle her toes and scold herself for being a baby. It was time to suck it up and get on with her life. Starting with my garden.

  She crossed the lawn with determined strides and knelt to part the dense branches of the tomato plants. The tart smell stung her nose, prompting a sneeze. Dirt therapy probably wouldn’t work today, for there was no way to undo her horrendous mistakes. But maybe she could learn something from all her bad choices.

  Setting plump red tomatoes on the grass, she seized on one takeaway from her nanny charade. She’d helped Will win his sons’ love, and the three of them had formed a close-knit family. Filled with a bittersweet sense of accomplishment, she scooped up the tomatoes and walked toward the house.

  Another plus from her nanny gig was the surprising discovery that she really did like children. She could be a good wife and mother someday, just not with Will. She sighed, still too hurt to be cheered by that now.

  Setting the tomatoes in the garden window above the sink, she contemplated her bleak future. As Kyle would have said, “What now, Genius?”

  She growled. Scratch thoughts of Kyle.

  Now, she’d have time to finish her thesis. She could also apply for another position at the university and maybe even find a new man. But she’d never love anyone the way she did Will. Pain knotted her stomach. Scratch thoughts of Will.

  Scrubbing her hands at the sink, she thought of Harry and Ian. Those sweet, rascally boys were like her own sons. Leaving them with no goodbye was hurtful and wrong. Would Will let her come by one last time?

  No way. He was too angry. It made her heart ache.

  Was there anything she could do to make amends? Toweling her hands dry, she stilled at the obvious answer. Well, yeah, Genius. You could find the damned diamonds.

&
nbsp; Rubbing her arms, she cursed herself for not playing along with Kyle’s scheme to implicate Will long enough to learn where the diamonds were stashed. But she’d been too upset by his lies to be clever.

  She returned to the back porch and sat on the top step. Where could the diamonds be? Someplace where Kyle’s pal, Smitty, could get his hands on them. The faint wisp of an idea came to mind, drifting just past her reach.

  At the time of the robbery, Kyle had been staying in her house, which meant the diamonds could be here. She gripped her knees hard, knowing there was a connection she needed to make. Staring out at Kyle’s dead poppies, she tried to get inside his head.

  Kyle had never shown any interest in gardening, so the poppies had been a touching surprise on her return from Canada. Her brother made her laugh, but he never remembered her birthday, and his Christmas gifts were always last-minute cheapies. She’d wondered what had prompted him to take the time to plant flowers. The answer hit like a smack on the head.

  She ran to the shed to grab the shovel, praying she was right. Reaching the dying blooms, she jammed her shovel into the soft dirt beneath them. Self-seeding, they would spring up new each year. Had Kyle used the bright orange poppies as markers? Like a treasure map where X marks the spot?

  She dug furiously until she had a two-foot round hole. The digging grew harder, the soil more compact, but she kept tossing dirt until the shovel scraped something hard. Her heart racing, she snatched up a trowel and got down on her knees to unearth a black metal box. She swiped dirt away from the sides of the box, and then pulled it free. Roughly eighteen inches square, it felt surprisingly light. She set it down gingerly on the grass, then cursed the padlock holding it shut.

  Another dash to the shed for a hammer and chisel, and moments later, she broke the lock and lifted the lid. Fingers shaking, she pulled out a gallon-sized plastic bag containing a rectangular object. Parting the re-sealable opening, she reached inside and eased out a burgundy velvet jewelry case. Oh God, this was it!

  Scarcely breathing, she pried open the case and gasped. An ornately scalloped necklace and matching bracelet and dangle earrings encrusted with large stones sparkled in the late afternoon sun. “Bingo.”