“I agreed to let you have shared custody of Paige,” she reminded him. “You don’t have to put Paige through this. It won’t change anything.”
“I’m not going to fight you.” Owen met her eyes, but his words were less than encouraging. “Tomorrow’s Sunday. Can I come by and get Paige after church?”
“She’d really like that. She’s been talking about you nonstop.” Victoria watched as he walked toward the door. She could tell that he was exhausted, and she was dead on her feet as well, but she wished he’d answer more of her questions before leaving.
“It’s going to be okay.” Owen turned back as he gripped the door handle. “I promise.”
After church, Owen raced over to the Sugar Plum, reaching it before it opened for the Sunday lunch crowd. He caught Victoria on her way out of the fridge and grabbed the magnet off the wall. “I thought so.”
“What?” Victoria looked startled by his sudden appearance.
“It says, ‘The truth shall set you free.’” Owen grinned. Finally, everything began to make sense. “Were you listening to the sermon today?”
“Of course. Pastor Larch talked about Jesus being the Way, the Truth and the Life.”
“Jesus is the Truth,” Owen repeated. “Ever since you told me about Paige, I’ve been so upset that you kept her from me all these years, but it isn’t just telling the truth that sets us free, it’s Christ Himself.”
“I don’t understand.”
Owen placed the magnet reverently on the refrigerator and cupped her shoulders in his hands. “I’ve been hiding from God, running from faith ever since Patrick died. I wasn’t in any position to be a father, not without a relationship with my heavenly Father to guide me.”
“What are you saying?” Victoria looked up at him with trust simmering in her warm brown eyes.
“I’m saying, even if I’d known about Paige from day one, what kind of father would I have been? I didn’t even have faith.” He leaned close until his forehead touched hers. “I’m saying, it’s okay. I’m not happy that you hid Paige from me, but it turned out okay. I’m saying, I forgive you.”
Victoria smiled up at him. The tears that shimmered in her eyes didn’t leak down her cheeks this time. “There it is.”
“There what is?” he asked.
“The exhilarating feeling of freedom I expected to feel once I told you the truth.”
He took a deep breath. He could almost feel it, too. “Do you forgive me, too?”
“What for?”
“For writing that stupid email to Cooper, for losing my temper…”
“You do have a bit of an Irish temper.” She planted a kiss near his lips. “Of course I forgive you. I—” Her confession broke off as Paige bounded into the room.
“Whoa. Should I come back later?” Paige backed toward the stairs as the two of them leaped apart.
“No, come on in.” Owen extended an arm toward her. “I was wondering if you’d like to do some shopping with me this afternoon.”
“Are we going to the Reading Nook?”
“Something even better.”
Owen took Paige to the jewelry store for her expert input before stopping by the Hennessy Law Office for his appointment with Cooper. He’d already given Cooper his income information the week before, so when he’d called after church to ask him to calculate what his back child support payments should have been for the past decade, Cooper had assured him that he’d have the figures ready in time to meet with him that afternoon.
Paige waited patiently, admiring the necklace he’d bought her, while Owen went over the numbers with Cooper. It would mean liquidating some assets and draining his savings, but Owen felt confident he’d be able to pay Victoria what he owed her. Then she’d have a solid financial cushion so she wouldn’t have to worry anymore about keeping her business afloat. And with everything square between them, he prayed she’d have a different answer to the question he was burning to ask again.
Victoria carried a package of sausage from the walk-in freezer for the Ballycastle sausage rolls that would be on special that evening. Hefting the heavy vacuum-sealed bag onto her shoulder, she gave the freezer handle a tug, walked through the fridge and pulled open the door.
Odd.
It smelled like gasoline in her kitchen.
And the floor looked wet.
She’d been in the freezer only a few minutes, shuffling around boxes of frozen meats and vegetables to find the sausage she needed. What could have happened in that short amount of time? No one was around at this time in the afternoon, except Charlotte, who was supposed to be upstairs making up the rooms after their weekend guests had departed. Even Paige had gone off with Owen.
As she stood in the doorway of the fridge, something rattled across the floor from the direction of the back door. Victoria blinked at the object, which looked like a glass beer bottle but appeared to be smoking from the top.
Had someone thrown a bomb inside her restaurant?
For a second, she considered kicking it back out the door, but instead she dived back into the fridge, letting the door slam shut behind her as the crude explosive detonated, rattling the kitchen with its searing blast.
As he shook hands with Cooper en route to the front door, Owen heard the sound of sirens. Who was in trouble now?
He ran to the doorway in time to see a fire truck tearing up Main Street. The fire engine groaned to a halt in front of the Sugar Plum Café. As uniformed firemen leaped out and ran toward the building, Owen spotted the thick black smoke that belched up from the building’s back side.
The smoke was coming from the kitchen.
“Victoria!” Owen’s heart tore and he scooped Paige into his arms, running with her down the street to find a second fire engine already parked around the corner, the firemen out, their hoses running.
How long had they been at work? Owen had been deep in conversation, oblivious to anything beyond Paige in the waiting room.
He tore around the corner and saw his cousins Danny and Liam Fitzgerald among the firefighters on the scene. “Where’s Victoria?” he shouted.
Liam shook his head.
“Owen, get back.” Fiona appeared from somewhere behind him, pulling on his arm, dragging him away from the black smoke that poured from a shattered window.
“Take Paige.” He handed his daughter to his sister.
“Daddy?”
“It’s going to be okay. I’m going to get your mom.”
Paige looked at him with wide, trusting eyes, as though she had no doubt he’d come through on his promise.
He had to.
He turned to Danny and Liam. “Where’s Victoria?” This time he got in their faces.
“The smoke’s too thick to see,” Danny explained, turning to focus on the hose he was working with.
Owen realized he couldn’t distract the men while they were working. He spotted Charlotte on the edge of the crowd.
“Did Victoria get out?”
Tears streamed down the older woman’s face. “They can’t find her. I think she was in the kitchen. That’s where the fire started. It blew up so fast—one of the firemen already said he suspects it was arson.” She shook her head apologetically. “The fire filled the kitchen doorway all the way to the back door. She never had a chance.”
No! Owen wanted to scream to the sky. A couple of firefighters in full gear stomped back outside from the back kitchen door.
“Where’s Victoria?” He got in their faces, unmindful of the thick smoke that billowed everywhere. “Did you find her?”
The masked men simply shook their heads.
“Daddy?” Paige called from Fiona’s arms.
Owen looked back at his daughter. He couldn’t let her grow up without a mother. He knew
how much it had hurt Victoria to lose her mother. He wouldn’t let his little girl go through that, not if there was anything he could do about it.
Darting past the exiting firemen, Owen gulped a breath and plunged through the smoke into the kitchen. He’d spent enough time in the place to have the layout memorized, so as he pinched his eyes shut against the stinging smoke, he felt along the scorched back wall for the handle to the walk-in fridge and pulled it open.
He could just make out the items on the shelves through the smoke.
Pulling the door shut behind him to keep the smoke from overtaking him, he plunged through to the freezer door.
Victoria shivered in the corner, but she threw herself at him and held him tight, coughing. “Is it safe to come out?”
He smoothed down her hair and held her tight. “Safe enough.”
Not wanting to make Paige wait another second to see her mother, Owen scooped Victoria up and shoved his way back out, through the black smoke, into the clear air of the sunny day.
He ran to Paige, who flew free of Fiona’s arms and leaped at them. “Mommy! Mommy! I was so worried about you!”
“We were worried, too.” Aiden Fitzgerald approached from just beyond Fiona’s shoulder. “Miss Evans, I know some have suggested that our family looks down on you. And I’ll admit, I am very protective of my children and the company they keep. But you have proven yourself to be a good Christian woman and a pillar of this community. We’re tickled that little Paige—and both of you, really—are part of our family. Will you please overlook the sins of our past and forgive us for the way we treated you?”
“Of course.”
“That’s it.” Owen dropped down on one knee.
“Are you okay?” Victoria gasped.
“I can’t wait another minute.” He pulled out the small velvet box that held the ring Paige had helped him pick out. “I need you in my life, Victoria. I love you. I’ve always loved you.”
Victoria pulled him back up to standing. “Owen.” She sniffled and pulled him close for a kiss.
He’d waited so long to kiss her—to really kiss her—that it took Owen several more moments before he realized she had yet to answer his question. He broke away from the kiss reluctantly. “Will you marry me?” he whispered, pressing his forehead against hers.
“Yes.”
“Yes!” Paige squealed beside him. “We’re going to be a family!”
Cheers erupted around them, and Owen turned to see his entire family had gathered on the street.
“Well done, Owen.” Douglas clapped him on the back.
Keira gave a whoop and jumped in the air, and Ryan nodded his approval.
“I’m going to be a Fitzgerald!” Paige announced to them all.
“Welcome to the family,” Fiona said with a smile, though her eyes looked troubled as she eyed the fire and murmured, “I hope our family can figure out who did this.”
“You’re sure you want to be a part of this family?” Owen asked Victoria in a whisper, knowing well that the Fitzgeralds—and all the troubles that had plagued them of late—could be a bit overwhelming at times.
“There’s no family in the world I’d rather be a part of.” And she kissed him again as if she meant it.
* * * * *
Dear Reader,
As you may have guessed from the fiery ending of Owen and Victoria’s story, the adventures of the Fitzgerald family members are far from over. The Detective’s Secret Daughter is the third of six books, each of which follows another member of the Fitzgerald family as they seek to uncover the truth behind Olivia Henry’s murder, and the secrets in Fitzgerald Bay. I’ve posted a full list of the books in the series on my website, www.rachellemccalla.com.
While you’re there, you might want to check out my recipe section, which is filled with treats from the Sugar Plum Café! From Irish meat-and-potato pie, to cutout sugar cookies, to fruit tarts, if you found the daily food specials at the Sugar Plum Café as tempting as Victoria’s customers did, you might want to try making some of them yourself. Whether your taste buds tingled at the thought of the Cape Cod egg scramble, or you found yourself scrambling for an Irish soda bread recipe, you’ll find all those recipes and more on my website. Just click on the link for recipes.
Besides the recipes for food, I hope you found Victoria and Owen’s story to be a perfect recipe for love and family. May God bless you richly, and may all your recipes, whether for food or family, turn out just right.
Blessings,
Rachelle
Questions for Discussion
It took Victoria almost ten years to tell Owen about his daughter, Paige. How do you feel about her decision to tell Owen the truth when she did? Does the situation justify her choice? What would you have done in her shoes?
When Owen learns he has a daughter, he is determined to gain joint custody of her. How do you feel about his reaction? Does it make you respect him more, or less?
Victoria had long trusted that God used everything in her life—even the difficult times—as ingredients for the recipe He had planned for her life. But as her problems continue to multiply, she finds her faith is challenged. Have you experienced similar periods of trial and doubt in your own faith journey? What helped you through them? What aspects of Victoria’s journey remind you of your own?
Owen feels frustrated by the many open cases and the time it’s taking to solve them. Have you ever felt frustrated when something didn’t come together as quickly as you’d hoped? How does Owen cope with his frustration? Is there anything you can learn from his experiences?
Victoria moved Paige to Fitzgerald Bay in part to raise her daughter in a safe, peaceful place. But shortly after they arrive in town, that peacefulness is shattered by Olivia’s murder. Have you ever sought peace only to have it evade you? Are we ever able to find perfect peace on this side of heaven? How does your faith in God sustain you when you can’t find peace anywhere else?
Owen Fitzgerald and Hank Monroe have a lot in common: they both come from upstanding local families, they’re both police officers and both have a thing for Victoria. Even Victoria has trouble sorting out which man can be trusted. Can we ever really know a person’s true motives? What clues does Victoria use to help guide her? Have you ever felt betrayed by someone you thought you could trust? How did you recover from that betrayal?
Victoria is turned off by Hank’s offers to help her. Why do you think she responds the way she does? Have you ever had a similar experience? How did her faith in God influence her choices? How does your faith influence your choices?
As Owen is contemplating his cousin Patrick’s death and Victoria’s insistence that her father had promised her he wouldn’t drink and drive, Owen concludes that someone was lying. Who was really lying? How did Hank Monroe’s lies affect individuals far beyond those he targeted? How do our lies—no matter how pure our motives when we make them—come back to haunt us? Is it ever okay to lie?
Victoria is forced to consider the possibility that her trusted employees, Charlotte and Britney, may have been conspiring against her to run her out of business. Have you ever been betrayed by a trusted friend? How did you respond? Do you agree with the way Victoria handled the situation? What else might she have done?
The members of Owen’s extended family are people of faith. In the wake of Patrick’s death and Victoria’s disappearance, Owen felt as though he’d stuck his head in the sand, avoiding loving relationships with God and others. How does having a faithful family make it easier for him to react this way? In what ways does his family’s faith help bring him back into a relationship with God?
Victoria decides not to press charges against Owen related to the crimes at the Sugar Plum. Given the circumstances, do you think she made a prudent choice? What would you have done?
In the end, we learn that Victoria’s often-drunk father actually had no alcohol in his system at the time of his accident with Patrick. How do you think this fact will influence the attitudes of the Fitzgeralds toward her once the truth becomes widely known? Should it make a difference? Is it wise to judge a person by his or her extended family? Why or why not?
Victoria allows Clint to help out at the Sugar Plum even though he is a prime suspect in the crimes against her. Do you agree with her choice? What advantages or disadvantages might accompany her decision?
As Owen comes to terms with the secret Victoria kept from him, he begins to realize why she hid Paige from him for so many years. How do you feel about his change in attitude? How do the Sunday sermons and scripture play a role in Owen’s eventual change of heart?
As you think about the key verse, “The truth shall set you free” (John 8:32), in what ways do you see these words affecting Owen and Victoria? As you may recall, Victoria didn’t feel “set free” when she first told Owen the truth. Have you ever been disappointed by what happened when you told the truth? Did things eventually turn out for the best? How?
ISBN: 9781459223806
Copyright © 2012 by Harlequin Books S.A.
All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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