“No.”
“Then what does it matter what time I call?” It was hard to argue with Trace’s logic and he knew it. “You sounded pretty upset with the last message you left. Sorry I was out of range and didn’t get your message until I came down from the mountain. What’s going on?”
Miranda sighed. “Trace...I visited Mom the other day in the hopes of talking to her and mending some fences but when I went into the house I couldn’t believe how much worse it’d gotten in a matter of weeks. I could barely get the front door open there was so much stuff in there but that’s not the half of it. The kitchen has something rotten and dying in there—I’m sure of it—and she swears she can’t smell anything. I’ve never experienced anything so disgusting but she won’t listen to me. She’s going to die in there.”
“What does Dad say?” Trace asked.
“Nothing. He’s completely in his own world.”
“Selfish asshole,” Trace muttered, and Miranda winced. At one time they’d all been so close in their own way; their dad had been their hero. Things had changed and not for the better.
“I need you, Trace. I really do. I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t think it was imperative. I need you to see what I see.”
There was a long pause on the other line, and then Trace exhaled with a long and resigned sigh. “I can’t come right away. I have another case that just popped up while I was on this last tracking job. It’s high profile and I can’t walk away from it. I’ll come home as soon as I can.”
Relief flooded Miranda and she almost cried. “Thank you, Trace.” Her brother didn’t make false promises. If he said he was coming—he would. She would just have to tread water until he came. “Be careful out there.”
“Always.” He paused. “Sis...I’m sorry I haven’t been much help lately. I’ve been dealing with some stuff and work has been crazy busy.”
“I know,” she said, cutting him some slack. “I can’t wait to see you.”
“Ditto, kid. Take it easy until I see you, okay?”
She smiled. “Okay.”
The line went dead and Miranda held the cell to her chest, so relieved that her brother was finally coming. He might not have any more luck than she’d had but at least he’d see for himself what she’d been up against with their parents. The knowledge that she wouldn’t have to face the situation alone any longer made her want to sob with gratitude. She hadn’t realized how much the weight of the responsibility had been suffocating her until recently.
She squeezed her eyes shut. “Thank you,” she whispered. If this were her one grace...she’d take it.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
MIRANDA FOLLOWED THE DIRECTIONS to Vivid Adventures and surveyed the surroundings. The business was located in an isolated area with a simple sign tacked into the ground advertising the location. She supposed she could look at their sparse presence in two ways: either the business was still too young to have a permanent footprint or they planned to be transient and didn’t care to put down roots. She hated to be so quick to judge, but Rhett had planted the seed of suspicion in her mind that was hard to shake.
Against Jeremiah’s advice, Miranda had chosen to come alone. Mary or Todd would’ve been her natural choice, but Mary hated fieldwork, and being as Todd was constantly on the prowl as a single guy, if Vee Walker was anything but a troll Todd wouldn’t be much help.
Miranda quickly grabbed her cell and snapped a few photos of the area. Before she had a chance to take too many pictures, an older attractive woman greeted her with a hard smile. “You must be Miranda Sinclair with Fish and Game. What do I owe this pleasure?”
Miranda didn’t like that Vee already knew who she was. “You have me at a disadvantage. You know who I am but we’ve never actually been introduced. Whom do I have the pleasure of speaking with?”
“Vee Walker, owner of Vivid Adventures.”
Miranda returned the smile. “Very nice to meet you. I’d like to speak with you about your operation. You’re new around here and Fish and Game likes to have an open communication with all the big-game operations.”
“Well, how sweet is that. Why don’t you come inside so we can chat.” Vee didn’t wait for Miranda and simply walked into the building, knowing Miranda would follow. Already Miranda didn’t like her, but just because she had a terrible personality didn’t mean that she was a poacher.
Vee led her into a small sitting room or lobby and gestured for Miranda to take a seat. “Can I get you anything? Coffee, tea?”
Miranda shook her head. “No, thank you,” she said, getting right to the point of her visit. “I’m not sure if you’re aware but we’ve had some poaching problems here in the past. I’ve pulled your permits and you have a fair amount of volume considering how new you are, but I have to wonder how you’re able to keep your prices so low and still make a profit?”
Vee laughed. “Would you like a course in business management? Or are you asking if I supplement my income with poaching? I must say where I come from the welcoming committee is less accusatory.”
“I apologize if these questions seem a little impertinent. But poaching is a serious issue and there have been some leads that suggest whoever is doing it might be doing it under the guise of legitimate business.”
“Imagine that. How clever.” Vee shrugged. “I’m afraid I’m a fan of doing things the old-fashioned way. No shortcuts here. You can rest assured I am not engaging in any of that dirty poaching business. Out of curiosity, who tossed my name into the mix? Let me guess—Rhett Fowler?”
Vee’s lip curled with scorn and Miranda suffered an unpleasant twinge. “Why do you say that?” she asked, trying to appear nonplussed. “You’re new here. Any of the established outfits could’ve thrown your name in.”
Vee chuckled as if she found it amusing that Miranda would assume she was that naive. “When we moved in this area we did a little checking around and we found that Big Game Trophy was one of the biggest, most expensive operations in Alaska. Naturally, we wanted to find a way to cash in on some of his success. We saw how he was overcharging his unsuspecting clients and we knew we could offer the same experience for less money. Mr. Fowler has not been pleased with our entrepreneurial spirit. We have had the pleasure of Mr. Fowler visiting on more than one occasion.”
Rhett hadn’t mentioned that small fact. “Be that as it may, when poaching of this magnitude crops up we have to explore all leads. I couldn’t help but notice the less-than-permanent footprint for your business. The seemingly transient nature of your operation might lead one to believe that you’re not planning to stay.”
“I believe in giving my clients the adventure of a lifetime. If they’d like to stay in some fancy lodge and drink espresso all day, then they can hook up with Big Game Trophy. At Vivid Adventures we give them what they pay for—a trophy to put on their wall.”
Miranda nodded, admitting that made a small amount of sense, but there was something about the woman that she didn’t trust. “I’m going to need a list of employees so we can run background checks.”
“What for?”
“We like to make sure everyone is who they say they are.”
Vee crossed her arms over her chest. “I hate to break it to you, darlin’, but you need a warrant for that. I run my business how I see fit. Until you have proof that one of my employees is doing something wrong, you can just go out the same way you came. Unless, of course, you’d like to book an adventure, in which case, Cynthia would be happy to book your reservation.”
“Your cooperation would go a long way to creating goodwill.”
“Save it. You’re on team Fowler, which tells me you’re not on team Walker.” Vee stood. “I believe I’ve answered all of your questions....”
Miranda realized she wasn’t going to get much further with the interview and rose to leave. “I’ll be in touch,” she adv
ised Vee with a narrowed gaze.
“I’m sure you will.” Vee walked Miranda to the door, and as Miranda approached her car Vee had one final comment. “While you are busy pulling my permits and harassing me, did you ever think to look into Fowler’s business practices? We’ve cut into his business no doubt. And yet he lives like a king. Doesn’t that seem odd to you? Instead of harassing the newcomer, why don’t you look closer to home?”
Miranda hated that Vee had echoed her own concern—a concern that Rhett had easily swept away with a vague answer about his reserve. As Miranda pulled away, she couldn’t help the overwhelming feeling that one of her most trusted people in the world had lied to her. She didn’t want to believe that Rhett was capable of something as heinous as poaching but hard times sometimes blurred moral boundaries for some people.
Now she had to dig a little harder into Rhett’s business and the idea gave her a stomachache. As crappy as her day had turned, she could only hope that Jeremiah’s day was faring much better.
* * *
JEREMIAH WISHED HE could say he had a game plan when he walked into Stuart’s office but he’d decided to simply play it by ear so nothing appeared rehearsed. He figured if the day was going to end badly there wasn’t much he could do about it.
When Jeremiah entered the office Stuart was standing by the window, gazing at the snow-peaked mountains. Stuart turned slightly to acknowledge Jeremiah’s entrance but otherwise did not give up his view. Jeremiah took a seat and waited. Stuart stretched out the moment until Jeremiah nervously shifted in his chair, not quite sure what was happening. He’d expected Stuart to start the conversation with a lot of angry bluster but instead he seemed contemplative and resigned. “Are you having a relationship with Miranda Sinclair?” Stuart asked point-blank, his voice mildly weary.
Jeremiah answered without hesitation. “No.” It was the truth. He was not having a relationship with Miranda but he didn’t feel compelled to clarify the exact nature of their acquaintance.
“I received a phone call that someone saw Miranda leaving your house on Saturday. Is this true?”
Jeremiah nodded. “Yes.”
Stuart frowned, exasperation in his voice. “And yet you’re not having a relationship?”
“No.”
“Are you saying this visit was professional?”
“No. Miranda’s visit was personal. She and I had shared tense words a few days prior and Miranda came to clear the air. She didn’t want to be the subject of office gossip and chose to come to my home and speak privately.”
Stuart nodded as if he could relate to losing his cool with Miranda. “Might I ask what this personal business was about?”
“I’d rather not say. It was fairly personal. I’m trying to build a good working relationship with my team and I wouldn’t want to betray her trust so early in our relationship.”
“Fair point.” Stuart sighed. “It seems someone with an ax to grind against Miranda chose to see a situation in an unflattering light. I’m sorry I dragged you into it. I should’ve known you would have more integrity than that.”
Jeremiah winced privately as he knew Stuart’s faith in him was misplaced. Stuart thought he’d cleared Jeremiah, but in truth, Stuart simply hadn’t asked the right questions. Jeremiah swallowed the words dancing in on his tongue. The urge to admit the truth of his actions pressed down on him but he fought the urge to confess his sins until the moment passed. He didn’t want to leave Miranda. And if he told Stuart the truth, Stuart would demand his resignation. Jeremiah simply wasn’t ready to do that. “Sir, if I may ask, what is your beef with Miranda? From what I can tell she’s a good employee and an asset to the department, yet you’re obviously not a fan.”
Stuart nodded, accepting the legitimacy of Jeremiah’s question without irritation. “I don’t care for her personality. I don’t like her attitude. And I think a part of me is angry that she doesn’t give a damn what I think of her,” he admitted.
“She’s a strong woman. She’s smart and a self-starter. Frankly, the department could use a few more employees like her. Have you taken a look at the research she’s compiled on the poaching cases? She may not have law-enforcement training but she’s got an eye for finding details that seem out of place. With her tracking skills and some formal training she could be a force to reckon with.”
“Yeah, I suppose so.” Stuart’s chin lifted as his jaw tensed. “I don’t much care for women who immediately question every direction you give them. What happened to the good old days when women did what they were told?”
Jeremiah startled at the irritability in Stuart’s voice. Somehow Jeremiah didn’t think Stuart was only talking about Miranda any longer. “Change is good,” Jeremiah ventured cautiously. “Having a woman’s perspective on the job is an invaluable asset. Their brains don’t work like ours. I’ve found that having a woman’s input on any given dilemma is an immediate bonus. The best part about Miranda is that she works like a man but still thinks like a woman.”
“I suppose.” Stuart sighed, seeming distracted. “Do you know when I married my wife she wanted to be a homemaker? And she was a damn good one. But then she wanted a career. And suddenly I was fixing my own dinner and ironing my own shirts, and then, if that wasn’t bad enough, she wanted me to be sensitive to her needs as if I hadn’t already been sensitive to her before. It’s damn confusing, if you ask me. Life was simpler when the women kept the house and the men did the work.” Stuart’s admission shocked Jeremiah. “Times have changed, Jeremiah. And not for the better.”
Jeremiah couldn’t disagree more. “When a woman has her own career, her own passion, she gains the same amount of pride as a man does when he’s done a job well. My father had a saying—‘happy wife, happy life.’ I believe it’s true. My ex-wife was a very unhappy woman and when our son died she had nothing left to sustain her. People need more than just one single thing to fill their day. People need purpose. If keeping house and tending children doesn’t fulfill their purpose, if they’re smart enough to find something outside of the home to do that, let them. The best bit of advice I can give is, if you want to hold on to your wife, embrace her desire to have a career. Support her. If you don’t like ironing your clothes, hire someone to do it, but don’t expect her to do it simply because it’s convenient for you. Show her that you can change and be the man that she needs you to be.”
“Why should I pay good money to do something that she used to do for me for free?”
“You need to change your thinking or you’re going to end up alone. I know that much. Do you love your wife, sir?”
“Of course I do.”
“Then show her with your actions. Remember, happy wife, happy life. It’s a good rule to live by.”
Stuart pursed his lips bullishly, and even though he didn’t like what Jeremiah had to say there must’ve been a glimmer of reason that made sense because he jerked a short nod before returning his gaze out the window. “I’m sorry I took you away from more important details. Have you had any leads on the poaching case?”
“A few. Miranda’s chasing down a lead right now.”
Stuart grunted in approval. “Keep me updated.”
Jeremiah nodded and realized Stuart had just dismissed him. As Jeremiah climbed into his car he sat for a long moment and considered everything that had just happened. Somehow by the grace of God, he had saved his own job. In the process he’d caught a small glimpse into the personal life of his superior. He could only hope that Stuart could change his old-fashioned ways in order to keep his wife happy. If not the man was going to end up divorced and bitter during what was supposed to be the golden years of his life.
Jeremiah put the car into Drive and headed back to the office. He couldn’t wait to tell Miranda what had happened as well as hear how her trip to Vivid Adventures had fared.
He’d love to solve this poaching case...
not only for the department but to put a much-deserved feather in Miranda’s cap.
She needed this resolution and he aimed to help her get it.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
MIRANDA NEEDED A GLASS of wine to settle her nerves. Why wouldn’t Rhett tell her that he’d already had some altercations with Vee Walker? He could’ve easily shared that information with her privately before she’d left his place yesterday. It didn’t sit well at all that it appeared Rhett had left out some crucial information. At one time Rhett had been her father’s best friend. He’d been a staple around their dinner table, teasing her mother about marrying Zed instead of him. It’d been good-natured fun, of course, and Rhett had always treated Zed’s kids as if they were his own since he’d never had any children. In fact, when Simone had died, he’d personally put up the reward money for information leading to her killer.
That money remained in an untouched account, waiting for someone to come forward.
Rhett would never lie to her, she thought with an agonized groan when the questions wouldn’t stop.
Rhett had assured her that his business was fine—that money wasn’t an issue, but Miranda knew that he had notoriously expensive tastes and that kind of lifestyle required a constant influx of cash to maintain. If Rhett’s Big Game Trophy income was being cut into, where was Rhett making up the shortfall? She frowned unhappily when her instincts were at war with her heart. Her cell rang and she picked it up anxiously when she saw it was Jeremiah.
“Well?” she asked, nervous. “What happened?”
“Everything is fine. I still have a job,” he said.
“You lied?”
“No, I answered Stuart’s questions truthfully. It’s not my fault Stuart didn’t ask the right questions.”
Miranda’s immediate relief was followed by a gasp of admiration. “Oh, thank God, you crafty man. I was so worried you were going to go down for this for no good reason. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for integrity, but come on—you have to draw the line somewhere, right?”
That Reckless Night Page 20
