Hearts on the Line

by Margaret Daley

  Chewing the last bite of her hamburger, Becca wondered what it would have been like if she’d had the kind of faith that Quinn had. Would she had been more settled in her life now? More accepting? Not as driven to capture what she had wanted all those years ago?

  “You know, until my father’s death we went to church every week.” Becca wasn’t sure why she had said that, but it felt right with Quinn.

  “What happened?”

  “Dad was killed in a hostage situation at a bank. My mother fell apart, which threw the family into turmoil. It was all I could do to get my sister and brother to school and take care of Mom. I think she died of a broken heart, even though the official diagnosis was cancer.”

  “I’m sorry.” Quinn covered her hand resting on the table.

  Its feel on hers comforted her as the memories of long ago tumbled through her mind, bringing forth the pain she had kept locked inside while dealing with her mother’s illness and raising her siblings. A lump clogged her throat, surprising Becca since she hadn’t cried in years.

  “Dad had been very involved in church. I was one of the leaders of the youth group.” For a long time she had repressed those memories—of the fun times she’d had at church with her friends. It had been easy to blame God for all that had happened.

  “Did your minister try to help you after your father’s death?”

  “Yes, but I wouldn’t listen to him. The man who had killed my dad was dead in the shootout. There wasn’t anyone to lash out at….”

  “Except God.”

  Becca nodded, staring down at his hand still over hers. The link brought her solace as she journeyed into the past with fresh eyes. What would have happened to her if she had turned to God, not away?

  “Come with me to church on Sunday.”

  Becca tugged her hand free. “I don’t know. I have—”

  “Please, Becca. Give God a chance again. Let Him heal your pain.”

  “I’m not hurting anymore,” she said too quickly.

  Quinn arched an eyebrow. “You aren’t? Are you so sure of that? Have you really let go of the anger over your parents’ deaths?”

  “Have you let go of your anger over Maggie’s?” Becca suddenly wanted to lash out at him, wound him as he had her with his questions.

  His intense look drilled into her. “Anger, yes. Sorrow, no. There’ll always be a small part of me that will mourn her loss. I loved her. She was going to be my wife.”

  Becca held his gaze for a long moment, then peered away, the pressure in her chest growing with emotions she didn’t take out and examine often. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say that.”

  “Yes, you did. You wanted me to hurt as you are. The difference, Becca, is that I’ve given my pain over to the Lord. Will you come to church on Sunday with me?”

  She drew in a deep, composing breath, relieving some of the tightness in her chest. “Okay, but I’m not guaranteeing anything.”

  “Just open your heart and mind and listen. That’s all I ask.”

  Weariness weighed heavy on her shoulders. She sagged against the chair’s back. She needed to lighten the mood. “What will people say? First the barbecue and then church together, all in the same weekend. They may begin to think of us as a couple.”

  Quinn tossed back his head and laughed. “I know what my mother will think. All her matchmaking skills will come to the foreground. So beware.”

  “I like your mother.”

  “Well, she won’t rest until each of her children is married, which only leaves me. She wants a whole passel of grandchildren. The only reason you escaped the third degree the other night was because she was filling in for that ill waitress. Otherwise she would have been parked at our table.”

  “So I’d better hide from her Saturday?” Becca could see Quinn as a father.

  “If you know what’s good for you.”

  This time Becca laughed, enjoying the moment after such a long day of trying to find answers and not succeeding. “You know I thrive on a challenge.”

  “Then you and I have something in common. I thrive on one, too.”

  His direct look that delved beneath her defenses left her without a reply. Somehow she was sure he was referring to something else beside his mother. Did he think he could reconcile her with the Lord? The thought didn’t bother her as much as it would have a month ago. Maybe he was right. Maybe she needed to let go of the past and the pain, turn it over to the Lord as he had.

  Quinn finished off the last fry, a smile splitting his face. “I guess I was hungry after all. Sorry you didn’t get any.”

  “I didn’t need them. Got to watch the weight. When I’m on a difficult case, I tend to eat more than I should, as if food will take care of the problems. And the foods I eat are all the wrong kind.”

  His gaze trekked down her, leaving a warm trail where it touched. She swallowed hard and snatched up the sack, crushing it into a ball. Rising on shaky legs, she hurried to the trash can in the corner, needing to put some space between them. Suddenly the room was way too hot, as though the air-conditioning had stopped working.

  “I guess I’d better get going. I’ll be here tomorrow morning early. I’ll only be able to work half a day, though. I still have a few things to do before the barbecue.”

  Relief, mixed with regret, trembled through Becca. He wouldn’t be here tomorrow evening when she came home. Two nights in a row was more than she could handle at the moment. Quinn Montgomery was lethal to her peace of mind. She needed to get a handle on the feelings he generated in her or he would distract her from the cases she needed to concentrate fully on.

  He strode toward the back door. Becca followed, intending to lock it after him. Instead, she went outside on the back stoop to watch him leave. She loved how he walked, so self-assured, not a wasted movement. But he didn’t step off the porch. He turned toward her, the small space between them shrinking to half a foot.

  His nearness produced a fluttering in the region of her heart. The light from the kitchen shadowed the hard planes of his face. But she sensed his penetrating gaze on her. Her mouth felt as if she had trudged through the desert for days without water.

  He inched closer, invading her personal space. “I’ll pick you up on Saturday at ten.”

  “You don’t have to. I can drive myself there. I’m sure you’ll have a million things to do right before.”

  “If I’m not ready by then, a half an hour won’t make any difference. Besides my mother will be making sure everything is in its right place. I’ll let Brendan and Dad be at her beck and call.”

  “Ah, I see.”

  “You don’t know Mom. She can be a tyrant right before a party.”

  “Then I’ll be ready at ten.”

  She didn’t think it was possible for him to get any closer, but he did. When she brushed against him, her pulse kicked into a rapid speed, causing each breath she took to be shallow. Tilting up her chin, he looked into her eyes. She couldn’t read his gaze, but she didn’t have to. His intentions vibrated the air between them. He was going to kiss her.

  Slowly he bent toward her, whispering his lips across hers, sending tingles down her spine. She shivered from the sensations bombarding her. Again his mouth teased hers, not really settling on hers. A gentle touch. A total possession even though he never really kissed her. When he pulled back, she wanted so much more, but the danger in that was great. She could lose her heart to Quinn, whose faith was strong, who would make a wonderful family man. She would never fit into his life.

  Before she found herself lost in his embrace, she backed away, pressing herself against her screen door as far away from Quinn as possible on the small stoop. “I’ll see you Saturday.” Was that her voice that quavered with each word uttered? She felt the heat of a blush flood her cheeks. She never blushed, and yet Quinn had managed to cause one.

  As he strode toward his truck, her fingertips grazed across her lips and she thought: What else would he manage to change in her life?

  Qu
inn pulled into the parking space next to the renovated barn that now housed the offices of Montgomery Construction. Switching off the engine, he twisted toward Becca, taking in her turquoise-and-hot-pink sundress. He doubted he had been very successful in hiding his surprise when he had seen her at her house. Most of the time she dressed in tailored navy or black pantsuits. She looked dynamite in a dress that emphasized her small waist and long legs, her feet clad in hot pink sandals.

  “The fire gave me an excuse to change things around. I’m utilizing the barn more. It has such character that I couldn’t resist,” he finally said, dragging his gaze away from her toes, which were painted hot pink. He just had never thought of Becca Hilliard as a hot pink kind of gal. This side of her intrigued him. What else would he discover?

  “You can’t miss it,” she said with a laugh, her attention on the bright fire-engine-red structure before her.

  He shrugged. “It seemed appropriate.” He waved his hand toward a more sedate building to the left. “That’s the new warehouse. The old one was completely destroyed in the fire.”

  “What’s that?” Becca pointed toward a smaller building to the right of the barn.

  “Our workshop.”

  “Where you create your masterpieces?”

  “Sometimes when I have time I work here, but usually I use my workshop at home.”

  A red Mustang pulled up next to Quinn’s truck as a SUV came into the parking lot. “Everyone’s starting to arrive.” After climbing from his vehicle, Quinn began to round the front of it, but Becca was out before he had a chance.

  She offered him a grin. “Sorry. Used to opening my own doors.”

  “It’s good to see you here, Becca.” Brendan, with Chloe and her two children, came up to them. “My brother has finally gotten smart.”

  Quinn groaned. “I expect it from Mom, but not you.”

  “Before those two forget that we’re even here, it’s good to see you again under nicer circumstances, Becca. These are my children, Kyle and Madison.” Chloe stuck her hand out toward Becca.

  She took it and shook it. “Brendan has mentioned your kids on more than one occasion.”

  “Mom, can we go get something to drink?” Kyle asked, hanging back from the group with his sister next to him.

  “Sure, but only one soda.” After her two kids hurried around the side of the barn toward the big tent set up in back, Chloe said, “I hope you can catch who’s been behind all that’s happened lately in Colorado Springs. I heard about Dahlia’s murder and Owen Frost’s arrest. I can still remember my own run-in with the man who tried to kill the mayor.” She shivered, hugging herself.

  Brendan slipped an arm around Chloe. “You’re safe.”

  She looked up at him. “I don’t think anyone is safe until Escalante is caught.”

  “I agree with Chloe,” Quinn said, the hairs on the nape of his neck tingling as though someone were watching them.

  He scanned the terrain surrounding Montgomery Construction. Anyone could be hiding in the trees that edged his property on the north and east sides. Although a tall electrified fence, turned off for the day, enclosed the company site, he felt vulnerable, even with added security. He realized when he had built back everything that was destroyed that he had made it bigger and better as if he was taunting Escalante to try and demolish what he had created. But Quinn itched to face the cold-blooded killer and make him pay for what he had done to his family. No one hurt his family and expected to walk away unscathed.

  SIX

  With binoculars, Escalante stood in the shadow of the forest next to Montgomery Construction and watched Quinn Montgomery talking to his brother. Escalante knew the instant Quinn sensed his presence. The man surveyed the perimeter, his hands balling at his sides.

  Escalante cackled. Quinn’s time would come, as that of others in his family. “I’ve destroyed this once. I can again.” Pleasure at the thought of watching the red barn go up in red flames brought a wide smile to his face.

  As his mind started making plans, Escalante caught sight of a couple with a small boy approaching Quinn. Dark-complexioned with black hair, the toddler hid his face against Peter Vance’s neck.

  Escalante’s anger skyrocketed. Manuel. His son. In his enemy’s arms.

  The strong urge to charge into the compound and grab his only living child overwhelmed Escalante, his vision blurring with his rage. His hands gripping the binoculars tightened until pain forced him to release his hold. The binoculars thudded to the forest floor.

  Sucking in deep breaths, Escalante managed to calm himself enough to realize this wasn’t the time. But he wouldn’t wait long. Manuel belonged with him. He was an Escalante, not a Vance, no matter what a piece of paper said.

  They will all perish and I will take back what is mine.

  “I don’t know how you do it,” Becca said, holding one of Jessica and Sam’s twins.

  Jessica cradled Dario to her, gently rocking him back and forth to get him to sleep. “Having two at once is definitely a challenge, but it’s all worth it. Besides, Amy adores her little brother and sister and helps whenever she can.”

  “As Sam does. I’m constantly getting updates on each stage they’re going through.”

  Jessica situated Dario in his stroller to sleep, then took Isabella from Becca to place her next to her brother. “That’s my husband. He wants another one soon.”

  “Glad it’s you, not me.”

  Straightening, Jessica looked at Becca. “You’d make a wonderful mother. You’re so good with Dario and Isabella.”

  “Been there, done that,” she said, but the words didn’t come as easily to her lips as previously. It did feel good to hold Isabella in her arms, to have the baby nestle against her chest, grabbing whatever she could. The baby scent still lingered in the air, producing memories of the times she had helped her mother with her younger sister and brother. She had enjoyed her role of big sis, just like Amy.

  “Where did Sam and Quinn go?”

  Becca scanned the large tent, the aromas of hamburgers, hot dogs and barbecue chicken spicing the air. “I don’t know. Quinn said something about showing Sam the plans for the new wing for Vance Memorial.”

  Julianna Red Feather approached Becca and Jessica. “I was so glad to see the last piece of rubble removed the other day.” A shudder shook her body. “Too many memories associated with it.”

  Ken Vance came up behind Julianna and took her hand, kissing it. “Thankfully you and Angel came to my rescue.”

  Becca recalled the chaos after the bomb explosion that had destroyed the hospital wing. Julianna and her search-and-rescue dog, Angel, had been instrumental in rescuing more than Ken. Quinn had narrowly escaped, too. How many times would it take before Escalante succeeded in finally hurting him? The thought sent her own shudder down her length.

  “Ah, here come Sam and Quinn with Amy trailing along,” Jessica announced, pushing her stroller out of the way so her twins could take a nap.

  Becca’s heartbeat increased as she spied Quinn weaving his way through his guests, his gaze on her. For a long moment the people around her faded from her consciousness, and she could only see Quinn, a grin on his face, his eyes lit with appreciation. Her heartbeat kicked up another notch. She had to tear her gaze from his before she hyperventilated.

  “Have you seen the plans for the new wing?” Sam asked Ken as they joined them. “Granddad would be proud to have his name over the hospital entrance.”

  “Yeah, Julianna showed me the other day when I picked her up from work.” He sent his date a look that spoke volumes. “Even better than it was before the explosion.”

  Becca wondered when those two would announce their engagement. Ever since Ken had come to work for Quinn and been thrown together with Julianna, they had grown close. In fact, Becca surveyed the crowd around her and realized that many were couples now. A pang pierced her. Suddenly she felt like a little girl staring into a toy store’s window at a ten-speed bike, but too poor to buy it. Being on
the outside looking in had never bothered her before. She’d always been so busy she’d never had time to worry about it. But now that her sister and brother were raised she had the time—no, she didn’t. She wanted to finish her degree, which had gotten interrupted ten years ago when her mother had died. She wanted to fix up her house, something that had been needed for years. But mostly she wanted to solve these murders before—She wouldn’t go there. Quinn was safe. She would make sure of that.

  A cry erupted from the stroller. Before Jessica or Sam could move to it, Quinn lifted Dario up, cooing to him and making silly faces at him. The baby settled down, studying the man holding him. Becca watched as Quinn cuddled Dario and gently rocked him, quieting the child, whose eyes fluttered close. Before long, Quinn had Dario asleep again and back in the stroller, reinforcing Becca’s observation that he would make a wonderful father and should have many children.

  “You’re good, Montgomery. Where’d you learn that?” Ken asked.

  Quinn gestured about him, Amy and Madison running past them, giggling. “Do I have to say more? There are almost more children here than adults. I think the Vance and Montgomery families are trying to see who can have the most babies.”

  Holly Vance Montgomery arrived in time to hear Quinn’s statement. “I belong to both families now and have done my part.” She patted her rounded stomach. “Well, almost. Hopefully soon.”

  Jake Montgomery joined his wife, handing her a tall glass of iced tea. “You can say that again. This waiting is killing me.”

  “I’d be a basket case. I’m not very good at waiting,” Quinn said, his look slipping to Becca.

  She had to concentrate to keep her cheeks from flushing. For a few crazy seconds she could picture herself pregnant with his child, waiting for the birth. The vision scared her. “I think I’ll see if your mother needs any help,” she murmured and escaped the group of happy couples, feeling at a disadvantage with her and Quinn the only two not dating—well, not dating seriously.