by Cathy Peper
“Do you love him?”
Five minutes ago Ari would have said “Yes.” Now she wasn’t sure. He stole the necklace, kidnapped her friend and threatened her brother. He had killed a man before her very eyes. In self-defense, she reminded herself. He wasn’t a killer by nature. Or was he? “I think so.”
“Then go protect him from Sebastien’s wrath. I’ll come with you.” She flung the covers off.
“You’re supposed to be resting.”
“I’ll never be able to relax without knowing why you came back. Bryce went to a lot of trouble to travel to the future, why give that up?”
Ari couldn’t tell Tori she suspected Sebastien was going to die. Not when she was already in danger of losing her baby. “It’s complicated. Let’s go join the boys.”
They found the men walking around the deck discussing river news in stilted tones. “Shall we have a drink?” Sebastien asked once the women joined them.
“Tea for me,” Tori said, following the rest into the kitchen area. Sebastien splashed whiskey into three glasses and set the pot to boil for tea.
“What about Hannah?” he asked.
“I have a couple juice boxes left,” Ari said. “Actually, you won’t need hot water, either. I brought Tori a treat.” She dug through her backpack, pulling out a plastic pouch and an aluminum can.
“Diet Pepsi! Ari, I owe you big time.” Tori snatched the can from her hand and popped the top. She took a sip, allowing it to sit on her tongue for a moment before swallowing. “Heaven.”
“She talks about it all the time,” Sebastien said. “Seems to miss it almost as much as indoor plumbing, central heating and something called Wi-Fi.”
Ari took a deep breath, then plunged ahead. “Maybe she wouldn’t have to miss these things. Perhaps you could come back with us, to the future.”
“Is the necklace powerful enough to transport all of us? Victoria could never even get it to work for just herself.”
“I think so. We came back with an ATV.”
“Which we lost in the quake.”
“How did you do it? It seems to need lightning—electricity—and proximity to the river.”
“Definitely needs electricity. Don’t know for sure about the river. I was on the bank when I first traveled and we weren’t too far from it this time.”
“I was on the bank as well,” Tori said.
“So was I,” Bryce added. “But Ari is right. When we came back this time, we were not in sight of the river.”
“You must have found a way to control it, to plug it in or something?”
“We used a defibrillator to provide power to the stone.”
Sebastien looked over at Tori. “Want to explain to me what that is?”
“It’s a device that can be used to start someone’s heart when they’ve had a heart attack.”
“You can restart someone’s heart?”
“Not always, but sometimes.”
Sebastien turned his attention towards Ari. “Is that why you’re here? To bring us into the future?”
“It’s a bit more complicated than that. We actually came back for several reasons.”
“In preparation for going to the future, I buried some of my assets so I could dig them up later. But this third quake created a lake in Tennessee, leaving my stash underwater,” Bryce explained.
“Were you able to dig it up in time?”
“Yes,” Ari said. “We got the treasure, but like I said, that wasn’t our only motivation.” She glanced over at Tori. Could she tell her? Sebastien was here now to support her.
The silence stretched out until it became uncomfortable. “Ari got some weird idea that my coming to the future endangered you,” Bryce finally said.
“I would think you more of a danger in this century,” Sebastien said.
Tori wrinkled her brow. “You found something. Something in the historical record.”
“More like I didn’t find something. Something that used to exist,” Ari admitted.
“Spill,” Tori said.
Ari fiddled with her cup of whiskey and Sebastien topped it off. “ Go ahead, Sis. We can take it.”
“It took me a while to adjust to twenty-first-century life, but once I learned about genealogy I looked you up, Sebastien.”
“Genealogy?”
“Researching your family tree, finding out who your ancestors were,” Tori supplied.
“And what did you find?”
“Records are sketchy, but I found you in the 1830 census. Your occupation was listed as a trader and you had a wife and a few children.”
“I wasn’t married to Victoria?”
“No, because Tori hadn’t gone back in time yet.”
Sebastien nodded but looked troubled. “Go on.”
“Later, after Tori disappeared, I looked again. This time you and Tori were together.”
“My baby?” Tori asked. She still held the can of soda cradled in her hand.
“I don’t know. You did have children, but I don’t recall the ages.”
“But something changed again after Bryce traveled through time.” Tori took a careful sip of her drink as if trying to make it last.
“Yes. The record of your marriage vanished. I think I found you, Tori, in 1820, married to someone else. But no further records of Sebastien exist.”
Chapter 20
Gordon hired a few local men to scour the area searching for Dalton. He disliked sitting around feeling useless but hadn’t the skills to track a man in the wilderness. He hadn’t much confidence in the men he’d hired, either. Most were farmers by trade, but at least they knew the terrain. He regretted not bringing Frost with them. The man would have been invaluable.
He and Olivia visited the tavern every day, both for the food and to see if Dalton or Bryce had been spotted anywhere. So far, nothing. “If we haven’t heard anything by the end of the week, we will set off for Ste. Genevieve,” he said to Olivia as they ate lunch at a table near the fireplace which had quickly become their favorite. It was warm, cozy and offered a good view of the door.
“Sounds like a good idea,” Olivia said.
“Will you miss your new friends?” While he kept himself busy writing letters to his secretary, Olivia often visited the tent city and had struck up a friendship with some of the women, although what she could have in common with anyone living in this miserable backwater town escaped him.
“A couple of us plan to keep in touch. Many of them know Bryce, but none of them suspected he was married.”
“He may never have married the chit.”
“Or he keeps silent about his marital status so he can have a girl in every port.”
“You grow cynical, my dear.”
Olivia sipped her tea. “I want to go home. I miss Danny and the comforts of our life. But this trip has been educational.”
Gordon grunted. “Some things are best unknown.”
“Why? Usually, you travel without me. Do you have women you visit in those towns?”
“This conversation is not fit for a lady.”
“Then you do?” She sounded merely curious, not jealous.
“I refuse to answer such an impertinent question.” He suspected she took his answer as an affirmative, but although he had often cheated on his first wife, he had remained faithful to Olivia. Irritated by the conversation, he almost missed the man who came through the door. “I don’t believe it,” he murmured.
Olivia turned her head to see what had distracted him. “Who is that? Is it Dalton?”
“No, it’s Frost, the detective I hired to find Bryce.”
Frost scanned the room, his gaze lighting on Gordon. He strode towards his former employer and extended a hand. “Mr. Poole.”
Gordon shook the man’s hand. “What are you doing here?”
Frost turned to Olivia. “Mrs. Poole?” At her nod, he inclined his head. “Delighted to make your acquaintance.”
Gordon scowled. “I asked you a question.”
“May I join you?” Without waiting for a reply, Frost drew up another chair. “I thought you might run into trouble, need some help.”
“I could use your services,” Gordon acknowledged, “but this is a long way to come on the outside chance I might need you.”
“There’s always a job for someone like me.”
Gordon still didn’t like it, but if the man could find Dalton, he would give him a chance. “My son is missing, but I guess you already know that.”
“Heard rumors to the effect.”
“I’m looking for a riverman named Dalton. He was the last known person to see my son alive.”
“What can you tell me about him?”
“He was a member of the Fury’s crew, a boat run by Sebastien La Roche, but the captain of the Revenge claims Bryce hired Dalton to spy on Victoria Foster, a passenger on the Fury. They had an altercation and Hobbs heard Bryce warn Dalton never to come near him again.”
Frost rested his elbows on the table. “So we have a couple suspects in your son’s disappearance—Dalton, La Roche, and Foster.”
“I don’t think a woman had anything to do with it, though there might have been a rivalry between La Roche and Bryce for her affections.”
“Never underestimate a woman,” Foster said and winked at Olivia, who blushed.
Gordon compressed his lips. He had never seen Olivia blush, didn’t even know she could. “Do you think you can find him?”
“Tall order in these parts, but he probably headed to St. Louis to find work.”
“Then we are wasting our time here.”
“Not necessarily. You aren’t the first to come looking for Miss Foster.”
“The mysterious black woman? I don’t see how she could have anything to do with my son.”
“Maybe not.”
“Find Dalton and I’ll pay you what I paid you to find Bryce. Find Bryce and you get double.”
“Fair enough.”
“Damn right it is.” More like extortion, but Frost had proved his worth and options were scarce. “Report to me in Ste. Genevieve.”
“Always a pleasure doing business with your, Mr. Poole.” Frost tipped his hat at Olivia. “Mrs. Poole.”
Olivia watched the detective amble towards the door. “That was refreshing.”
“What was?”
“Don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone else stand up to you.”
Other than herself? Bryce’s mother would never have talked to him the way Olivia had lately. Coming to the wilderness had increased her boldness. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m just a simple businessman.”
“I’ll need to swing by the tent camp if we’re moving on. Say my goodbyes.”
“Make it quick. I want to get some distance behind us before dark.”
“I won’t be long. I’ve found someone willing to be my maid if I can get her father’s permission.”
“You’ve managed without one since New Orleans.”
“I know, but we will be in St. Louis soon and I need to keep up appearances. I’m sure you understand.” She swept out of the tavern.
Yes, coming to the wilderness had made her quite saucy. He rather liked it.
* * *
In Ari’s opinion, Sebastien took the news of his impending death rather well. Tori, on the other hand, grew even paler.
“Let’s do it,” she said. “Why waste any more time? The sooner we get to the twenty-first century the better.”
“You’re overreacting,” Sebastien said. “Just because Ari couldn’t find any records of me doesn’t mean I died.”
“Why else would I marry someone else?”
“You tell me,” Sebastien shot back, an edge to his voice.
“Wait a minute.” Ari held up her hands. “You can’t get mad at Tori for something that hasn’t happened yet and may never happen.”
“I have a business here. People depend on me. I can’t just disappear. What would happen to the Fury?”
“What will happen to it if you’re dead?” Tori asked.
“Sebastien has responsibilities he can’t abandon. We’ve warned him he might be in danger so he will be on his guard. We’ve done all we can and should return home,” Bryce said.
“It’s not that simple,” Ari said.
“Yes, it is.”
“We lost the ATV and now will have to find a way to pay for it. And that reporter will never leave us alone now, not to mention other problems that might float up to the surface. Plus, I haven’t seen my brother in four years. I’m not ready to leave.”
“One of the candlesticks will more than pay for the ATV. If Di proves too big a problem, we will move away. You worry too much.”
“You don’t worry enough.” Ari stopped. They shouldn’t fight in front of the others. Sebastien might take it into his stubborn head that Bryce wasn’t good enough for her and who knew what he would do. “Sorry. I’m exhausted. We had to walk ever since we lost the ATV.”
“What’s an ATV?” Sebastien asked.
“All-terrain vehicle. Something like a car, but it doesn’t need roads,” Tori answered.
“No one will use the necklace today. Ari and I need to catch up and Victoria and I need time to decide if traveling to the future is the right course for us.”
“Agreed,” Ari said.
“I would give you Roger’s cabin, but one of my men was injured in the quake and is using it. You can stay here, in the kitchen area, if you like.”
“Thank you, but we will continue to use the tent. Sebastien, can you watch Hannah? Bryce and I are going to take a walk.”
“Of course.” Tori had returned to her cabin to rest, but Sebastien didn’t appear to be daunted at the prospect of taking on a four-year-old. “It’s time we got to know one another.”
Ari and Bryce walked down the gangplank and into the woods. Bryce had his gun in case they found game, but Ari mainly wanted to talk to him—away from prying ears.
“She told you?” Bryce asked after a few moments of nothing but leaves rustling underfoot.
“Yes. How could you do such a thing?”
“I didn’t know she was your friend. I thought you were dead.”
“She was an innocent woman who had never done you any harm. And my brother loves her.”
“I needed a chance to start anew. I never intended to hurt her and I wouldn’t have shot Sebastien no matter what I said. I just needed her to talk, to tell me how to work the necklace.”
“She didn’t know how it worked.”
“I thought she was lying.”
They walked in silence for a few more moments, Ari’s mind churning. She had never stopped loving this man, but he had fooled her once. He claimed to have come back for her, but she didn’t really know if that was true. How well did she really know him? “I think we need to take a break.”
“What does that mean?”
She sometimes forgot he had spent only days in the modern world. “Get some space and distance so we can figure out if we’re really right for each other.”
“You don’t want to marry me?”
Once she had wanted it more than anything. “I don’t know. I keep remembering how you attacked that man.”
“Reggie? I did what I had to do to protect you.”
“I know, but trouble seems to follow you, Bryce. I nearly died because you got me pregnant and left me to face the consequences on my own. Mere days after you are back in my life, I’m nearly killed again. And now to find out you threatened my brother’s life and kidnapped my friend? It’s too much.”
“Have you any idea what I gave up for you, Ari? My father didn’t want me to marry a nobody from St. Louis. I was already engaged to a woman of good family. He threatened me and attempted to bribe me, but I held firm. I walked away from the money and prestige, giving up my inheritance so I could be with you.”
The trees around her grew blurry and she blinked away tears. “You gave up your inheritance?”
“Yes. Well, I stole the candl
esticks and the small amount of cash Father had in his money box, but the jewelry was already mine. My mother left it to me.”
So like her Bryce, gallant and conniving all in one. But she had only his word, no proof. “I didn’t know you were rich.” He had dressed well, she recalled, liked nice things and displayed good manners, but she had thought him no more than well to do.
“I’m not, now. I gave it all up, remember?”
For her. If he told the truth, he really had loved her, maybe still did. He had given up wealth and his family to marry her only to discover she had died. Was it any wonder he had lost his way? “Bryce, I—”
The crack of a rifle shot cut off her words. It came from the direction of the river. They turned and ran.
Chapter 21
Sebastien showed Hannah around the boat, which didn’t take very long. She spent a long time looking at the hole in the hull.
“Did the earthquake do that?”
“Yes, we can’t go any farther until it is fixed.”
“The earthquake took our ATV and almost took my dad.”
“What happened?” He listened as Hannah explained how the earth split in two, swallowing their vehicle and almost closing on Bryce when he went after their supplies. Too bad he made it out in time. Seeing Ari again was a miracle, but he’d hoped to see the last of Bryce. He hated seeing them together, but if Bryce was the father of her child and the man she loved…what could he do? Tori would tell him not to interfere.
“There won’t be any more big quakes.”
“That’s what Mom says.”
“Do you like it here? Except for the quakes.”
“Sure, but I miss Nick, Disney, my friends at school and living in a real house. Camping isn’t as much fun as I thought it would be.”
“Who is Nick?” Did Ari have another man in the twenty-first century? Someone she had met since Tori left?
“Nick’s not a person, silly. Nickelodeon, the TV station.”
Tori had told him about TV. She said it was like a play, but people watched it on a little box. It all sounded strange and unappealing to him. “Tell me about school.”
“I’m not old enough for real school. That will be next year. Now I go to preschool while Mommy is at work.”
