More tears streaked Chandra’s face as she continued, “And worst of all—what Chad did to you and your family.” Chandra raised her head, her vivid blue eyes wide and filled with regret. “I never thought he’d say anything about it. I never thought he’d use it against you.” Chandra choked back a sob. “I’m so sorry.”
Anna brought Chandra into her arms. “You aren’t to blame. Don’t ever think you are.”
“I am.” Chandra let out a shuddering sigh as she looked at her hands in her lap. “I let something slip and then ended up telling Chad about your family. He’s my twin and he’s never broken a confidence with me. Even as children we never told on each other or let anyone else in on our secrets.”
“You’re not responsible for what Chad does.” Anna kept her arm around Chandra’s shoulders. “Only he is.”
“I know what he did to you.” The words came out in a harsh whisper. “I know he blackmailed you.”
Anna went still and her gut sickened at the mention of the blackmail, and she couldn’t say a word.
Chandra shifted so that she was looking Anna in the eyes again. “I overheard a conversation earlier today between Chad and his campaign manager. Chad talked about how he had forced you to get into a relationship with Mike McBride when he saw that Mike was interested in you. Chad said you’d given him some insider information, too. He and his campaign manager even laughed about the debate and the look on the sheriff’s face.”
Anger was on Chandra’s features now as she continued. “Chad was proud of everything he’d done.” She sniffled. “We grew up with Mike and Chad always disliked him. I never dreamed Chad would do anything like this.”
Anna had to look away, her own eyes filling with tears. Her words came out choked. “It was—is—such a mess. Everything, a mess.”
“I’m so very sorry,” Chandra said again. “I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness.”
Anna wiped tears from her cheek with the back of her hands, trying to compose herself as she turned to face her friend. “Listen to me, Chandra. Chad did something horrible. He twisted it and made it into something ugly and harmful and painful.” Anna gripped Chandra’s upper arms. “However, you did nothing wrong. Do you hear me? You did nothing wrong.”
“But—” Chandra started.
Anna put her hand up, a movement telling her friend to stop. “No more. It is what it is, and it’s none of your doing. Okay?”
Chandra said nothing before finally nodding. “Okay. But I should have been here for you with everything you’ve gone through.”
“Stop.” Anna hugged Chandra tight and felt her friend’s warm tears on her neck. “I’m just glad you’re here now.”
When Chandra drew back, Anna handed her a tissue box from an end table. Chandra wiped away tears until her face was dry and Anna took a tissue for herself. When both of them had dried their eyes, Anna set the tissue box aside and gave her friend another big hug.
Chandra studied Anna for a long time. “You’re in love with him. Mike McBride.”
A rush of heat suffused Anna’s face. “I don’t—I mean he wouldn’t…” Anna looked away. “It doesn’t matter one way or the other. It’s all a big mess.”
Chandra put her hand on Anna’s arm. “It’s true that Mike and I were never close, mostly because Chad hated him.” Chandra gave a wry smile. “Mike was always the star and Chad was jealous. Mike excelled at everything he did, and Chad hated him for it.” She sighed. “I never dreamed Chad would carry that with him like he has.”
“Is that the bad blood between them?” Anna asked before she thought better of it. “Wait, that isn’t my business.”
Chandra clenched her hands on the tabletop. “One night, when they were in high school, Chad drove a girl named Beth home after a football game. Beth was a good friend to both of them.” Chandra stared at her hands. “The next day Beth claimed that Chad had attempted to force himself on her, but she’d managed to get away.”
Anna’s eyes widened, but said nothing as Chandra continued.
“I’ve never seen Mike so angry.” Chandra shook her head. “He went up to Chad at school, grabbed him by the collar, and hit him. By the time they finished, Chad’s nose was broken and he had two black eyes. Mike came away with a bruise on his face, but Chad got the worst of it.”
Anna pictured Mike championing the girl. It was something he would do. Chad’s nose wasn’t crooked, but his family had enough money that likely he had the best surgeon or perhaps he’d had plastic surgery.
Chandra continued, “They were both suspended from school for a couple of weeks for fighting. Beth wouldn’t talk about any of it anymore.” Chandra let out her breath. “Rumors went around that Beth was paid off by Grandfather or they had hushed her in some other way. I didn’t believe it then…but now I don’t know.”
Despite the fact that she hadn’t known Chad when he was younger, Anna wouldn’t have been surprised if he and his family had shushed the whole thing. She’d heard stories of some of the Johnsons, that they were cutthroat when they wanted something. As far as Chad was concerned, he’d proven that by blackmailing her.
“Even though there was that bad blood between the two,” Chandra went on, “I couldn’t help but know Mike was, and always has been, a good guy.”
Anna gave a slow nod. “I could tell that from the moment I heard him speak. When we went out for a drink, I had no doubt.”
“I wish I could say the same for Chad.” Chandra looked pained. “I love my brother, but he can be ruthless when it comes to getting what he wants. I just never could have believed he’d stoop to this level.” She met Anna’s gaze. “I don’t know what to do about it. I feel like I need to make this right.”
“You shouldn’t do anything.” Anna squeezed her friend’s hand. “I believe in karma. What Chad does and has done will come back to him in some way.”
“You’re probably right.” Chandra let out a sigh. “My own brother. I don’t know if I can look him in the face again. What do I do?”
“I won’t come between you two,” Anna said. “You need to make your own decisions when it comes to Chad. Does the good between you two outweigh the bad things he’s done?”
“I don’t know. Maybe this means that I can’t trust a man who would do something so horrible like this to anyone.” Chandra shook her head, her blonde ponytail bobbing side to side. “He’s not the man I knew. Or loved.” She clenched her fists on her lap. “I’m so—so angry with him.”
“Give yourself some time to think this through.” Anna took Chandra’s hands in hers. “Don’t make any decisions while you’re angry and upset.”
Chandra nodded. “You’re right. But I am going to confront him. I just don’t know how or when.”
Anna squeezed Chandra’s hands in hers.
Chandra let out her breath. “Now, about you and Mike.”
Anna went still. “What about him?”
“Have you talked with him since everything went to hell?” Chandra asked.
With a shake of her head, Anna said, “No.”
Chandra tilted her head to the side. “Has he tried calling you?”
“Yes.” Anna swallowed. “But I ignored his calls and I turned my phone off.”
“You need to talk to him and let him know how you feel.” Chandra looked earnestly into Anna’s eyes. “I’ll bet he feels the same way.”
Heat flushed Anna’s cheeks. “After everything that happened, I doubt it.”
“We’ll figure this out.” Chandra gave a decisive nod. “In the meantime, tell me how you and the kids are doing.”
“How about some fudge ripple?” Anna released Chandra’s hands and stood. “Brand new carton.”
“You bet.” Chandra stood, too. She linked her arm through Anna’s, just like the days before everything went to hell, and they headed into the kitchen.
Chapter 24
Monday morning Mike frowned as he sat in his desk in his office and read through the news on his iPad—the Prescott Valley Tri
bune and the Arizona Republic. Both had articles on him and the weekend’s activities.
He was being regaled as a hero because he’d saved his sister-in-law’s life at the Halloween party and because the YCSO, along with the DEA, had brought down three meth houses in addition to the one that had gone up in flames. Suspected—and notorious to Prescott residents—drug smuggler and human trafficker, Jesus Perez, was dead and it had been reported that Mike had been the one to shoot him.
“Hero. Shit.” Mike rubbed his temples. He didn’t like one damned bit that the news had recorded him performing the Heimlich maneuver on Ricki. It was no one’s business, certainly not all of Yavapai County. And the whole damned sheriff’s department and DEA had worked together to find Perez’s meth houses. He’d made a public statement acknowledging those facts.
Mike set the tablet down and pushed his fingers through his hair. He’d had his reservations about bringing the press to the family Halloween party and regretted it now. He hoped that Ricki wasn’t too embarrassed. Garrett had been nothing but grateful and told Mike he owed him big time. Mike said nothing was owed to him and that everyone in the family would have done it in a heartbeat, which was the truth.
This morning, before her bakery opened, Ricki had brought over a box of Mike’s favorite, freshly made, pastries. She’d hugged him and thanked him with tears sparkling in her eyes and he’d hugged her back before she’d turned and left his office.
He couldn’t imagine Ricki not being part of the family and was damned glad he’d been in the right place at the right time. Not only losing her, but losing the baby too would have devastated the family.
Ricki and her pregnancy made him think of Anna again. He wanted to talk to her so damned badly. But it hadn’t even been two weeks yet. Hard to believe so little time had passed with as much as had happened.
“Mike?” A voice from the direction of his doorway caught his attention and he looked up. He was surprised to see Chandra Johnson, his opponent’s twin sister. “I mean, Sheriff,” she said. She appeared hesitant. “May I come in and talk with you a moment?”
Mike stood and gestured to a seat in front of his desk. “Come on in.”
When Chandra was seated in front of his desk, Mike sat and rested his hands on the desktop. “Long time no see. How’ve you been?”
She looked surprised, as if she hadn’t expected him to be friendly. “I’m doing well.” She tucked behind her ear a strand of blonde hair the color of corn silk before clutching her purse in her lap. “I saw that you’ve had a busy weekend.”
“You could say that.” Mike gave a nod. “What can I do for you?”
Chandra’s throat worked. “It’s about Chad and Anna.”
Mike held back a frown. The fact that Chandra had put the two names together in the same sentence put him on guard.
She bit her lower lip before taking a deep breath and saying in a rush, “Chad blackmailed Anna.”
A bolt of shock went through Mike followed by a surge of anger toward Chad that was so great he felt a vein pulse in his forehead. “What do you mean, Chad blackmailed Anna?”
Chandra shifted uneasily in her seat, her features strained. “Yesterday I overheard him talking to his campaign manager. Earlier this month, he told Anna that if she didn’t get close to you, he would tell the authorities about her aunt and uncle being here illegally.”
Mike’s skin went cold as he tried to process the information. Anna had gotten close to him because Chad had blackmailed her. Thoughts burned through his mind. Anna, blackmailed. Forced to get close to him. Was it all an act? Every damned bit of it?
But then his thoughts switched to what Chad had done.
“I think at first Anna started meeting with you and working for your campaign office because that’s what Chad ordered her to do.” Chandra rubbed her hands on her slacks. “But I truly believe that Anna fell in love with you along the way.”
For a moment Mike felt completely lost. “How did you arrive at that?”
“Anna and I have been close friends since she moved to Prescott.” Chandra clenched her purse in her lap. “When I found out that she had gone out with you for drinks, I got angry because you’re my brother’s opponent. I hadn’t spoken with her for weeks—not until yesterday, when I went to see her after overhearing my brother talk about the blackmail.”
Mike said nothing as he tried to piece together his memories of his times with Anna over the past few weeks along with this new information.
“Anna was scared because of Chad’s threats, scared because you’re the sheriff and her family was here illegally.” Chandra leaned forward in her seat. “And scared because after all of that, she had fallen in love with you and she knew there was no future in it. She didn’t want to hurt you and she didn’t want to lose her family.”
“She must have been going through hell.” Mike couldn’t imagine that much turmoil going through one person. He clenched his hands into fists. “If Chad was here right now, I’d—”
“Do nothing,” Chandra cut in. “Don’t think that I don’t believe he deserves a good ass-kicking. But you’d lose your job and probably end up in jail. My brother may be a lot of things, but he’s also a damned good lawyer.”
Despite the fact Mike knew she was right, it didn’t make it any easier. He took in a deep breath and let it out. “How is Anna? I haven’t been able to reach her and I don’t want to stop by her house without her knowing I’m coming by. More for the kids’ sake. They’re going through a hell of a lot without a man in law enforcement stopping by.”
“Anna is doing as well as can be expected.” Chandra sighed. “Her busy season for her event business is starting up for the holidays and she’s trying to work on each event while spending time with the kids. She’s gone from a household of adults with two children, to being the sole support system for the kids.”
Mike nodded. He’d been thinking the same. “What do I need to do to get her to talk to me?”
“Wait until Thanksgiving.” Chandra looked at him earnestly. “That’s not too far, and waiting will allow you to spend time where you need to put it right now—the election is only a week away. It will also give her a little more time to get used to the changes in her life.”
“How do I get her to talk to me?” Mike asked. “If it wasn’t for the kids, I’d be knocking on her door right this minute. Hell, I would have done it already. But I don’t want to take the chance of upsetting the kids.”
“I’ve already invited myself over for Thanksgiving,” Chandra said. “I’ll tell her I’m bringing a friend. We’ll go early so you can talk with Anna before dinner.”
Mike thought about it a moment. With the way things were, it might be the only way to take Anna aside and talk with her. It would give her and the kids a little more time to adjust to her new situation.
He gave a slow nod. “All right.”
“Good.” Chandra beamed and got to her feet as she swung her purse over her shoulder. She hesitated, her smile fading a little. “I’m so sorry about what Chad did to both of you.”
“You aren’t your brother’s keeper.” Mike walked around his desk and stood in front of Chandra. He took her by the shoulders. “Thank you for coming.”
“You’re welcome.” She gave Mike a quick hug. “I’ll call you after the election to set everything up.”
He reached into his shirt pocket and brought out a business card. He took a pen from his desk and wrote a number on the back before handing the card to her. “That’s my personal mobile phone.”
She tucked the card in her purse. “I’ll be talking with you soon.”
After Chandra left, Mike returned to his desk and sat in his chair, leaning back into it. Heated fury still burned beneath Mike’s skin. He wanted to beat the shit out of Chad Johnson for all that he’d done to Anna, but Chandra was right. The last thing he needed was to be thrown in jail.
He didn’t know if it was wrong to surprise Anna like he and Chandra had planned it, but it was all he had rig
ht now and he’d take it.
Chapter 25
Her home smelled of the holidays. Anna took in a deep breath of all the aromas. Smells of hot homemade bread, a stuffed turkey baking in the oven and sweet potatoes in brown sugar filled the air. She’d also placed bowls of holiday potpourri around the house that made everything feel more like fall.
It was a gorgeous day outside, the air still and cool and the sky blue with just a few wispy clouds scattered across the sky. The weather was supposed to turn over the weekend, with rain and possibly snow in the forecast. However, today it was beautiful.
Chandra had asked to spend Thanksgiving with them, probably because she didn’t want Anna and the kids to be alone, and maybe partly because she was so mad at her brother.
Mike had won the election in a landslide victory and Anna would bet that Chad wouldn’t be pleasant to be around.
To top it off, during last night’s newscast, the reporter had stated Chad was under investigation for improprieties during the election. Bribes and blackmail were words that had been tossed around, but nothing concrete had been said. Yet.
Did the blackmail allegations have anything to do with what Chad did to Anna? Or had he been up to more than she was aware of or capable of imagining?
Karma, she thought. Chad’s true colors had shown through all the wealth and power that he and the Johnson family had.
Thoughts of Mike sent pangs through her belly. She hadn’t seen him since that awful night and he’d stopped calling. She knew it was for the best, but the sense of loss was so great that it was as bad as losing her aunt and uncle all over again. She might have only known Mike for a short time, but her heart and soul had known him forever.
Pablo and Josie walked back into the kitchen from the dining room. They had visited with their mamá and papá via Skype earlier in the day. They spoke with their parents nearly every evening before bedtime.
“The table is set for five people,” Josie said. “Who is Chandra bringing with her?”
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