by Jianne Carlo
“You could prove the document’s been tampered with. That the beneficiary was changed to Jim Balden. That’s why I sensed you’re in danger. He has to get rid of you too.” Mike snorted. “I screwed this up royally. Let’s find the others and get out of here.”
“Where are we going?” Melanie knew the answer before Mike voiced it.
“My mother’s house.”
They discovered that Gray had not stayed at the Caboose with Susie, Drake, and Kitchi. When Mike asked about his whereabouts, Drake shrugged.
“Call him and tell him to meet us at Mom’s house,” Mike ordered and then bundled the women into his pickup in a blink. He ordered his brother to follow them and drove back to the east side of Chabegawn. Melanie’s stomach dipped and spun like she was on one of those teacup carnival rides, and she couldn’t shake her gaze from the hypnotic white lines in the middle of the road.
“It’ll be okay. Breathe, babe.” Mike spoke softly. He touched her shoulder. “Lean on me.”
Drake passed them in his SUV and gave Melanie a thumbs-up. She returned the gesture, but her insides roiled. The pickup slowed and then stopped.
They’d arrived at his mother’s house. She watched Mike pull the hand brake and licked her lips. Here went nothing.
“Well, well.” Mike grinned. “Look at that. Virgil’s kissing Mom. On the front porch, no less.”
What? Melanie glanced out the front window to see Drake slamming out of his vehicle. “I don’t think your brother’s pleased.”
Mama tsk-tsked. “It’s the alpha in him. Before we go in—whatever happens next, know that I couldn’t be happier about you and Melanie.”
“That means more than I can ever say.” Mike met Mama’s gaze.
Tears welled in Melanie’s eyes, but she blinked them back.
Susie broke the tension. “Can we get this show on the road? Murder, Whisper, remember?”
Mike led them up the flower-lined path that led to the porch. Drake and Virgil were off to one side, deep in conversation.
Night-blooming jasmine perfumed the air. The sun had begun its descent to the west.
Melanie stumbled up the stairs and kept her focus on their joined hands.
Susie escorted Mama onto the porch.
“Evening, Son. What a nice surprise.” Lucinda Dorland, dressed in elegant camel-colored pants and a powdery pink shirt, swept a glance at Mama and Susie and nodded. “Welcome, Mrs. White.”
“Mom. I want you to meet—”
“I know them both, Mike. Mrs. White, please forgive me for not coming to see you sooner.” Lucinda took Mama’s hands in hers. “I’m afraid one of my biggest flaws is delaying the inevitable. I’m a terrible procrastinator.”
“There’s been much tragedy between us. I hope we can set aside our differences for the sake of your son and my daughter.”
Emotions slammed her one after the other and swelled the tears Melanie couldn’t stop. Mama’s quiet dignity made her chest ache.
“Oh, heck in a bucket. Once Melanie’s waterworks start, anything sets her off.” Susie fished a tissue out of her jacket pocket. “I hope you have an ample supply inside somewhere. I’m Susie. It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Dorland. ”
When on the Lord’s earth had Susie become so aggressive? Melanie shot her a quelling glance.
Susie rolled her eyes. “Someone’s got to break the ice.”
“Virgil tells me that he thinks of you as the daughter he never had, Melanie. Please, all of you, call me Lucinda. We’re going to be family. And from the look on Mike’s face, sooner rather than later.”
“Yep. You got that one right, Mom.” Mike kissed his mother’s cheek. “We’ve got a lot to talk about.”
“I have some of the answers you want, Son. But not all. Why don’t we go inside, and I’ll put on a big pot of coffee.”
Virgil moved to stand next to Lucinda. “I’ll make the coffee. Trust me, what Lucy calls coffee is not drinkable. Come on, honey. I think I’m going to have to quadruple the order from the diner.”
“Honey?” Drake inserted himself between his mother and Virgil. “Honey? Aren’t you moving a little fast there, old man?”
“Drake. Don’t be rude. I expect better manners from you.” Lucinda shook her head. “Really, I don’t know where you get that tone from.”
“Lucy? Did he call you Lucy? No one calls you Lucy.” Drake rounded on his mother.
“Actually Virgil has been calling me Lucy for some time now.” Lucinda fluffed her chin-length bob into place. “I quite like it.”
“Some time?” Drake barked.
“Virgil’s been visiting me for the last nine months. If it weren’t for him, I’m not sure I’d be here.” Lucinda patted Drake’s arm.
“Not true, Lucy, and you know it. Your mother’s a strong woman.”
“Why did you pretend not to know each other?” Mike didn’t seem perturbed or surprised.
“She wanted to reconcile with you two first. I told her tonight that I’m too old, too ornery, and too much in love with her to sneak around like a teenager.” Virgil eyed Mike. “I’m sure you can understand the sentiment.”
“I do.” Mike hugged Melanie close to him and kissed her forehead. “That coffee sounds perfect right now, Virgil.”
“It does,” Mama agreed. “What can I do to help?”
Everyone ended up in Lucy’s kitchen, which seemed designed for a big family gathering. High chairs, akin to bar stools, surrounded the island in the middle of the kitchen. Everyone pitched in to assemble the necessary accoutrements—mugs, sweeteners, spoons, milk, and nondairy creamer—on the center of the island’s speckled countertop.
As they worked, the conversation turned to the inconsequential. Melanie, the Caboose, the new mayor, the coming winter. Drake remained sullen through it all and glared at Virgil when he took the seat next to Lucinda at the kitchen table.
The doorbell rang while Lucinda poured the coffee.
Drake lurched to his feet. “That’ll be Gray. I’ll let him in.”
A couple of minute later, Melanie glanced up at the sound of footsteps. Sure enough it was Gray. “Where have you been?”
“Bit of a long story. That coffee smells great.”
“Have a seat and I’ll pour you a cup. Nice to meet you, Gray.”
“Same here, Mrs. Dorland.” Gray turned a chair around and sat down. “Whisper and the other horses are stashed at a farm in Hurit County.”
“What? Gray?” Melanie spilled her coffee she stood up so fast. “How’d you find that out?”
Lucinda mopped up the spill with a paper napkin and then poured Gray’s coffee.
Gray dragged his hands through his hair. “I got to thinking about the two missing hands when you two went to the clinic. So I went back to the ranch and scouted the area. I picked up the tracks of seven horses and two riders. I followed them to the farm.”
“I don’t get it,” Lucy said. “The news reports said there were five missing horses presumed dead.”
“Sorry. What I meant was I found tracks of five riderless horses and two other mounts with riders.”
Lucy shook her head. “I still don’t understand.”
“The valuable horses didn’t burn in the fires. Two riders took them to safety.” Drake exchanged a glance with Mike. “It’s a setup.”
“Gray was right. Follow the money.” Mike scraped a thumb over his evening stubble.
Surprise, dismay, and confusion had Melanie’s throat dry and cracked and her feet and hands chilled. Had she missed every clue? “Jim? He set the fire? And I blamed Doc G.?”
Mike reached for Melanie and pulled her onto his lap. “Right now we really don’t know who’s done what. Seems it might be that Jim set up Doc G., or maybe it’s Doc G. who set up Jim?”
She welcomed his warmth but couldn’t stop frowning and staring at her brother.
“Doc G.? Jim?” Gray raised a brow. “It’s not Doc G. who’s behind the moving of the horses—it’s Pincer. Those two missing han
ds were met at the farm by a bunch of the sheriff’s men.”
“Sheriff Pincer? He’s not the villain in this piece. I’d swear that on the Bible.” Susie clenched her fists. “I know you can’t stand the man, Melanie, but it can’t be him.”
“Pincer was quick to point the finger at you, Gray.” Mama couldn’t quite keep the indignation out of her voice.
“Too right,” Melanie muttered.
“The real question here is why would Pincer move the horses?” Drake sipped his coffee.
“He must’ve known there was going to be a fire. But how? Did Pincer set the fire?” For once Mike’s features weren’t stoic; his forehead creased with puzzlement.
“I think Pincer knows about the black wolves. I think he knows about you, Sis.”
“How would he know about Melanie being a maggishahwi, Gray?”
“Will everyone shut up!” Drake thundered. “My mom doesn’t know about any of this.”
“I know, Drake. I’ve known from the start.”
It was Mike and Drake’s turn to have slack jaws.
Mike recovered first. Melanie watched his Adam’s apple bob a few times before he cleared his throat. “I always figured you must have known some of it, Mom. You didn’t give birth to us. So you must have consented to adopt us. But when I tried to confront you on the whole thing after Dad died, you broke down and cried. And then the next day…”
“My suicide attempt?” The roses left Lucinda’s cheeks. “I was in a state back then. The doctor’s had given me tranquilizers and sleeping pills. I barely made it through the first few days after your father died. When Boyd came back to help us, I was so relieved at first. I knew that Hank, your father, didn’t trust him, but it was like a godsend. Boyd told me we could lose the mill and the properties if we didn’t act fast. I didn’t know anything about business, and then Mike started talking about quitting school.
“So I didn’t object when Mike turned over the running of the mill and the family finances to Boyd. I could’ve sworn that I threw the pills down the garbage disposal after that. But things just seemed to get fuzzier and I grew more depressed. I lost a whole day, then a whole weekend, and the next thing I knew it was two months later and I was in that place. I honestly can’t tell you if I did try to commit suicide. I remember nothing of it. But I loved you two more than life itself. I can’t imagine leaving you to cope with such an awful thing.”
Drake reached over and squeezed his mother’s hand. “The past doesn’t matter. You’re fine now. The future’s what we need to concentrate on.”
Mike leaned forward. “Did you know our birth mother?”
“No. I never met Raine. But I know of her and the history of the whole thing.”
“Did Boyd know about us?”
Lucinda shrugged. “I never told him, Drake. As far as Boyd knew, I gave birth to both of you. I tried to hide your special skills from him, but then with the pills—I don’t know. He may have wormed the truth out of me. Looking back, I’m sure he suspected.”
Melanie nestled her hand in Mike’s. He kissed her cheek, but his gaze never strayed from his mother. “We need to know the truth. All of it.”
“For generations the oldest Dorland male has been the judge when there are disputes in the native tribes that border the United States and Canada. The judge—the term your father used was masikiiwa—is a member of all the tribes of the land.”
“My father was the descendant of a Native American or Canadian?” Mike’s hand reflexively squeezed Melanie’s.
“No. He was a direct descendant of the first Frenchman appointed by all the tribal leaders to be the judge in disputes. The French didn’t war with the natives of America and Canada the way the English and the Americans did.”
Mike and Drake glanced at each other.
“Must be where I get my charm from—the French side.” Drake waggled his eyebrows.
“Stop interrupting,” Mike ordered. “Mom?”
“Your grandfather, David, began training Hank to take his place the summer Hank graduated high school. Hank met Raine at a small, remote reservation on one of the Canadian islands. They fell in love. Raine was still in high school, and Hank had to start college. By the end of the summer, Raine knew she was pregnant.” Lucinda’s voice wavered, and she paused before continuing, “When her father found out about the pregnancy, he was furious. By then her father had turned to the black wolves, and he had arranged her marriage to one of the most powerful black wolf warriors. He kept Raine a virtual prisoner. Late in her pregnancy, she found out he intended to use the baby in a ritual sacrifice.”
Mike’s arms tightened around Melanie.
“Hank couldn’t figure out why she stopped writing. The phone number he had for her went dead. Back then, there weren’t any cell phones and it wasn’t easy to find out why a phone wasn’t working. It was a bad winter, and the lakes froze. Hank and David didn’t get back to the reservation until late spring. Raine was nowhere to be found.” Lucinda cleared her throat.
“Get your mother a glass of water, Drake.” Virgil curled an arm around the back of Lucinda’s chair and gave her shoulder a squeeze.
“Acts as if he owns the place,” Drake muttered but obeyed Virgil’s order and gave his mother a tumbler of water and then sat back down.
Virgil chose to ignore Drake. “Want to continue your story, Lucy?”
Lucinda smiled, a sad sort of smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Raine and her sister had arranged to substitute her baby with a dead fetus—her sister was a nurse. The sister secreted Mike off the reservation and left him in a basket at a church in a town near the border. She couldn’t afford to have any suspicion thrown on her.”
“That’s taking an awful chance. What if the priest was on vacation or something?” Susie propped her chin on cupped palms.
“Not a necessary detail we need to know right now. Go on, Mom.” Drake tipped his chair back.
“Raine’s father was furious about the stillborn child, but he planned to use it in a ritual anyway. The security around Raine wasn’t as tight as before, and she managed to escape and contact Hank. Raine was frantic to find Mike. They went to the town where her sister had left the baby and finally found a record of an abandoned baby being taken to a border town. One look at your silver eyes, the exact color of your father’s, and they knew. It took a lot of legal wrangling to get you back. By that time, Raine was pregnant with Drake.”
“I’m two years younger. Had that much time elapsed?” Drake asked.
“Yes. Unknown to Raine and Hank, her father had contracted the black wolves to find her and bring her back. They found them right after Drake was born. And intended to sacrifice both boys. Such a sacrifice meant an immense increase in their powers.”
“A newborn is a treasured sacrifice. As is a maggishahwi.”
Mike and Drake exchanged glances when Mama made the statement. No one could’ve been more surprised than Melanie though.
“There was an attack, and Raine was fatally wounded. She died protecting the two of you.”
“She died protecting us?” Both Mike and Drake uttered the question in unison. The two brothers stared at each other for long seconds.
“Hank never told me the details, but that’s what he said.”
Drake’s bronzed complexion had ashened, and Mike…well he looked as if someone had cracked him on the skull. Melanie didn’t know what to do, so she simply kissed Mike’s cheek.
“Please continue, Mom,” Drake asked.
“Hank was afraid that Raine’s father would find out you two were still alive. He went back to Princetown, which is located in eastern Pennsylvania, rented a house, hired a housekeeper and nanny, and resumed his college education.”
Melanie didn’t even bother to wipe away her tears. “You’re the nanny he hired?”
Lucinda sniffed and dabbed her napkin at the corners of her eyes. “The minute I held you two in my arms, that was it. Hank and I got married. The only person who knew the whole story w
as David, and he died that winter.”
“I don’t even remember living anywhere else but here. No matter.” Mike met his mother’s gaze. “Now tell us about Boyd.”
“Boyd. Hank couldn’t continue with stepping into the magisterial role, so David decided to train Boyd the winter before his death. They had to return to Raine’s father’s reservation. By then, her father had gone completely over to the black wolves. Boyd had always been jealous of Hank. He was seduced by the idea of power. David realized what was happening. Boyd was supposed to inherit the mill, but David changed his will before he died.” Lucinda blew out a long, audible sigh and glanced at Mike, then Drake. “We never talked about it, but we both believed Boyd engineered David’s death.”
“I wouldn’t put anything past him. I know it isn’t possible, but my every instinct tells me that Boyd killed Dad. But how could he have? He wasn’t even in town then.”
“That isn’t true, Mike,” Kitchi stated and shared the news of Boyd having a drink with one of the mill employees. “I know that my husband was investigating Boyd and all the mill workers. Until the accident that is.”
Mike gripped Melanie’s fingers so hard she winced. “The question is, who killed Boyd? And why? Gray said something this morning that I want to throw out to all of you. He said he thought the murders and the bear killings can be divided into two. One set carefully staged, the black bears and Old Man Balden, while Shuman’s and Boyd’s showed pure rage.”
“It makes sense.” Melanie glanced at Drake. “You need to tell everyone what you found on the casino’s software.” She listened to Drake’s explanation about Shuman’s twin sons.
“Were they fraternal or identical?” Melanie met Gray’s gaze and realized for the first time her brother had become the alpha he was meant to be. He had that same hard edge Mike had. And Drake. Almost as if they had all shed their boyhoods like snakes shed winter skins.
“The records don’t say,” Drake answered. “You know it was pretty easy to trace the records of the twins’ birth. I figured because the casino’s firewall is so hard to crack, Shuman simply didn’t bother to hide his tracks.”
