by Jill Sanders
“What?” She shook her head and took another bite of the pie.
“Talking about the fire?” he asked, deciding to be open with her. After all, if he wanted to get answers from her, he couldn’t continue to hide the subject.
“No.” She shook her head. “Not really. It’s just… I’ve been gone for so long and everything is grown up around here again.” She gazed past the fire into the darkness of his yard.
“It’s taken ten years. When I first purchased this place, there wasn’t a tree in sight. The brook”—he motioned to where the stream ran through his yard— “was nothing but ash and sludge. Whenever it rained, it flooded the backyard. I replanted everything.”
“You did a great job. Earlier, in the sunlight, it looked wonderful.” She set her empty plate aside. He finished his and did the same.
“Why come back to Cannon Falls?” he asked suddenly.
She looked at him and sighed. “I thought I could make a difference. Build up the business to its former glory. To what it had been when my parents had started it.”
“Is that all?” he asked.
She tilted her head and thought about it. “I found out that my grandmother had been sending money to my uncle the past few years.” She set her coffee mug down and folded her hands together. “My father had left him in charge until I decided to take over. If he was borrowing money from my grandmother, that meant the resort was in trouble.”
“You didn’t know?” he asked.
She shook her head. “I didn’t know anything that had gone on in town after…” She took another deep breath. “My grandmother decided to keep me in the dark. She thought it would be best for me.”
He wanted to ask more about why her grandmother would want to protect her but decided it was far too soon. He didn’t want to spook her away just yet.
“What about you?” She turned slightly. “You left college to become fire marshal?”
“I did.” He nodded. “After seeing what the fire had done to the families around here, to the livelihoods of everyone, I couldn’t go back to school and hide. Besides, I had to help my mother rebuild. To be here when Reggie couldn’t be.”
“She decided to stay.” It wasn’t a question really.
“This is the only place she’s ever lived. She loves it here. Her house is in the same spot, almost the same floorplan, with a few upgrades.” He smiled. “My mother had always wanted more storage and a fireplace.” He shook his head.
“Still, I know what it’s like to lose everything,” she said softly. He glanced over at her and nodded.
“It was hard on her, but things were easily replaced.”
“Reggie,” she said under her breath. “My parents.” She shook her head and her eyes scanned the darkness beyond the fire.
“Family can never be replaced,” he agreed.
“My counselor would agree,” she said with a sigh.
He leaned forward a little. “Counselor?”
Her eyes snapped to him and then she stood up and walked to stand by the fire. She reached her hands out for the warmth.
“Yes, my gran thought it would help me cope with the loss.”
Standing, he moved next to her. There hadn’t been any time for him or his mother to seek counseling after Reggie’s loss. There’d been too much work to do. Sean and his grandmother had been there. They’d had love and family, which had helped heal them.
Also, in the months after his family had lost everything, he’d worked through his own anger and pain by rebuilding and helping others to rebuild. There had been days he’d gone without eating, with little sleep, just to keep his mind focused away from the fact that Reggie wouldn’t be there to help out. Wouldn’t be there to celebrate the birthdays, the holidays.
He’d played over just how he would deal with Raven Brooks once he finally got a moment alone with her. He’d never, in all the past years, thought about what Raven had gone through or the pain that she’d dealt with herself. The bitterness he’d felt for her had bubbled and boiled until it had built up to almost a full hate. But when he’d overheard her and her uncle fighting and had believed the man had hurt her, the first thing through his mind had been to defend her.
He wasn’t so arrogant of a man to think that he couldn’t change his mind.
She threw him completely off balance and that only made him more curious about her. Not only had he instantly been attracted to her, but he’d also actually felt guilty for believing the rumors that she could have purposely cause so much pain to others.
Even though she’d only been back in Cannon Falls for a week, he felt like he could see through her protective walls enough to tell what kind of person she was.
From the sounds of things, she wasn’t planning on leaving town. So he guessed that he had plenty of time to get the answers he wanted.
Her eyes turned to the fire and her shoulders sagged slightly.
“Your grandmother told me how difficult it was on the people around here to recover. How many just packed up, took their insurance money, and left, while others like you and your family rebuilt. I wish I could have stuck around to help, but…” She shook her head slightly.
“Everyone blamed you,” he jumped in, not sure why he wanted to see her reaction. What would she do? Get angry? Cry? Whatever her response, he figured it would give him a little more insight into who Raven Brooks was.
As he watched, she transformed herself. Her shoulders straightened and she stood up a little taller.
“Yes, I supposed some still do,” she said quietly. “A lot of people in town have shown me just how they feel since I’ve returned. Some would rather let their families and businesses go bankrupt than to associate with me. I’m having to ship materials from Redding since Phil down at the hardware store won’t supply my contractor with anything now that he’s found out who he is working for.” She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around herself. “I’ve had to pay David Green extra for the trouble just so I wouldn’t lose him.”
“I could have a talk…” he started, but when her eyes flew open and she gave him a hard look, he sighed. “If you need any help there…”
“Thanks,” she said after a moment. “But I’ve handled it.”
“Independent, aren’t you,” he said with a smile, earning one in return from her. “People will get used to you being around. Once they see the good that you’re doing. How what you’re doing will benefit them and theirs. Something tells me that this next season, we’re going to see a huge influx of visitors spending their money in Cannon Creek. The blame game can grow old.” He knew that himself. After the first few years, the red-hazed anger he’d felt had dulled.
“My counselor claims that in order to see other’s pain, you have to work through your own first. And you have to realize that the loss was out of your control,” she said with a sigh.
“Was it?” he asked, watching her carefully, waiting for the anger.
Instead, she turned to him, and gave him a weak smile. “Thank you for dinner,” she said suddenly and moved to walk past him.
“Hang on.” He took her by the shoulders. Seeing the sorrow in her eyes almost undid him. Whatever he’d believed of her in the past, the woman standing in front of him could have no more caused so much pain as he could have. At least not on purpose. So, either she was an amazing actress, or he was totally off base about her. “I didn’t mean to…” He shook his head. “There are so many questions I have. Not just about what happened, but about the time before. About Reggie. I’d left two years before... I wasn’t around...”
She nodded. “I’m not prepared to answer them tonight. I’m tired. It’s been a long week.”
He nodded, seeing the weariness behind her eyes.
“I’ll walk you out.” He stopped her from turning around. “I hope that you understand that I’m not one of the people who will block you from your goals. The inspection tomorrow will be fair and just. I’m good at my job.”
She smiled up at him. “After you rushed into
my office, thinking you were rescuing me from my uncle, I never doubted it.”
“I’ll see you in the morning then,” he said after they walked out front and stood by her car.
“Yes,” she said then bent down and gave Blue some attention. “Does he always go to work with you?”
“He does when he’s welcomed. Tomorrow he’ll stay home or with the guys at the firehouse since your aunt has requested he stay outside,” he answered.
“My aunt is no longer in charge.” She looked up at him. Then she turned back to Blue. “You’re welcome anytime you want.” She leaned in and placed a kiss on his dog’s nose. For a moment, a wave of jealousy for the attention flooded him. Then she was standing and reaching for her door handle. “Thanks again for the dinner.”
“Any time,” he said, holding her car door open for her. “I’m sure my gran will be stopping by your place soon to see all the changes you’ve made up there.”
She smiled as she climbed behind the wheel. “She mentioned stopping by later this week.”
He chuckled. “Night.”
“Good night,” she said before he shut the door.
He watched her taillights disappear down his drive, then looked down at Blue.
“Well? What do you think?” he asked.
Blue sat down and glanced towards the dark driveway and let out a happy bark.
“Yeah,” he responded with a sigh. “She’s not what I thought she would be either.” His dog barked again and then groaned. “I like her too,” he said, then he turned back to head inside.
As the taillights disappeared and the man and dog disappeared into the house, the red ambers of a cigarette were flung into the lush green grass. The monster screamed when the ambers were snubbed out easily, the moisture giving life to the surrounding foliage.
Soon. It could feel the power building. The demand for blood. The desire for it. Soon.
Chapter Seven
Fire takes no holiday
There were a few things that Raven was growing to hate. Her aunt and uncle were the top two items on that list.
Every turn she took, every decision she made, they were there undoing it or criticizing her. She was pretty sure they both had spies sneaking around the resort, watching and waiting to tattle on her.
She’d had more arguments with her uncle in the last week than she could ever remember having with her own parents.
It had continued even after she’d assured them that she wasn’t going to turn them completely out, just as long as they continued to work around the resort. After all, she wasn’t a complete villain.
She had, however, arranged for them to move into some of the lower rooms, but she hadn’t worked up the courage to tell them about it yet.
She figured that after the lower rooms were updated, she’d convince them to move down a few floors since their rooms would need to be updated as well.
In the last week, she’d only had time to inspect about a tenth of the property herself. After walking through several rooms, she was convinced David Green understood what she wanted and was planning on leaving it up to him and his men to maintain the quality of the vision she had for each room.
When she got off the elevator and walked into the lobby the next morning, it was to the sounds of construction work. Saws buzzed and nail gun shots echoed in the three-story rotunda. To her, it was a wonderful sound that signaled progress.
She was excited to see the new wood slat celling for the bar area being installed. The workers had torn out the back wall the first day on the job. She’d been surprised at how quickly they’d gotten to work.
Here it was, four days later and so much had already been done. David had assured her that by the end of the following month, the bar, dining, and lobby areas would be completed, as long as all the new furniture she’d ordered arrived on time.
Then part of David’s crew could move over to the larger ski resort area, where resort guests gathered their gear and rentals for the slopes, as well as the other public seasonal areas, such as the gift shops, a cafeteria, and the changing rooms. David assured her that the carpet replacement and painting in those areas could easily be done within days.
She hadn’t wanted to go with square tile carpeting, but David had shown her a few images that she’d been impressed with, so she’d ordered the same style and hoped for the best. She figured if she didn’t like it, she could replace it in a few years. After all, the high traffic areas required constant maintenance. The current carpet had been there when she’d last seen the place and there were holes and rough spots everywhere.
Once they finished on the main public areas, David and his crew would start the more extensive job of upgrading the private rooms.
The moment she stepped into her office, she held in a groan upon seeing her uncle sitting behind the desk.
“Morning.” She made a point to set her things down and hint that her uncle was in her way.
Thankfully, she’d transferred all of the financial data from the desktop computer to her laptop. Joseph had set up some online accounting software and was in the process of converting all the old data to the new system, a system her aunt and uncle did not have access to. Neither did the old accountant, Morgan Roche.
Raven had yet to meet the woman, since apparently, she’d been in Paris all last week.
“Is there something I can help you with?” she finally asked when her uncle didn’t move.
“I’m just going over the figures.” He motioned to the screen. “I can’t seem to find—”
“They aren’t there. I’m no longer using that software.”
“What?” He jerked around and looked up at her. “Morgan’s going to be here any moment to go over everything.”
She locked her purse in the bottom drawer of the desk and thought about having David change the lock on the office as well. After all, she’d informed both her uncle and her aunt that this was now her space. She’d given them smaller joint offices down the hallway next to Rachelle’s and Eddie’s offices. The larger office that had been her father’s belonged to the owner. Not only because she wanted it, but because it had been her father’s, and she had so many memories of spending time in there with her parents.
“I have left many messages for Morgan Roche informing her that her services are no longer needed. I’ve hired Joseph Ramsey back. He’s taking care of everything now. You no longer need to worry about that part of the business anyway.”
“What?” Her uncle stood up, and she realized just how much he towered over her.
Her father had been a tall man, and she had always enjoyed being close to him. Colin, however, used his height as a tool to intimidate her. Raven wasn’t going to back down. If she did, he would continue to push her even further and further.
“You can’t do that,” her uncle said. “I’ve been running the finances of this place for ten years now. Morgan expects—”
“I don’t care what Morgan expects,” she interrupted. “She is no longer employed by this company. Now, if you don’t mind, I have some work—”
Her uncle reached out and wrapped his hands around her arm, squeezing her tightly as his face grew red.
“I won’t be strong-armed into anything,” she warned. Her uncle shoved her a little.
“You bitch. You think you can come in here and ruin me?” he growled out, inches from her face. When he spoke, spit splattered over her face, and she tried to recoil.
“Let go of me.” She tried to jerk her arm free.
Suddenly, the office door flew open, and she fell backwards as her uncle was shoved away from her. Her hip hit the side of her desk, and she instantly reached up and wiped the moisture from her face, wishing instantly for another shower.
Then she noticed Cade standing over her uncle and rushed forward. He must have pushed Colin away from her, since he was now sitting on the ground between her desk and the two worn leather chairs that faced it.
“Cade,” she said, grabbing his arm.
“Get up, o
ld man,” Cade was saying. “Pick on someone your own size.”
“I’m okay,” she said to him, trying to pull him away.
“I’ll sue you,” her uncle spat out, his eyes wide and focused on her, and his face even more red than before.
“For?” She turned on him.
“Everything you have,” he answered as he shifted to get up.
“You’ve had control of everything of mine for the past ten years, and you’ve let it rot away,” she countered and stepped between Cade and her uncle, who was slowly getting off the ground.
“I believe your services are no longer needed here,” she said. She had to stand her ground. She didn’t even want to think of what her uncle might have done if Cade hadn’t come along.
Colin’s eyes narrowed at her. “The hell they aren’t,” he spat back. “You can’t fire me.”
“The hell I can’t,” she responded firmly. “You can either leave now without another word and with your severance package, or I can have you hauled off my property by the police with nothing.” She crossed her arms over her chest, thankful for the feeling of Cade directly behind her.
Just then there was a knock on the office door. A petite woman with jet-black hair walked in. She was dressed in a cream-colored designer suit and expensive heels, and she carried a red Gucci bag the same shade as her lipstick. The woman’s long fingernails were painted the same shade, making Raven realize that it had been too long since she’d even thought about painting her toes or heading in for a manicure.
“Am I early?” the woman asked with a slight French accent as she smiled brightly. The smile slipped slightly upon seeing Colin’s face.
Raven guessed that this was Morgan Roche, the woman his uncle had been rumored to be having an affair with for the past few years.
Before her uncle could speak, Raven stepped forward.
“Miss Roche, I’ve left you several messages over the past week. I’m Raven Brooks.” She made a point not to hold out her hand.
