“Then what did you do?”
“I drove back to Rose Hill and went to the pool, where there were lots of people around. Eventually we all heard about Brad. I pretended to be surprised.”
“Was the baby Theo’s?”
“It might have been. I was going to say it was, so he’d marry me. His family was rich, and I wanted that life so badly. Then when I saw what he was capable of … I had to marry someone, so I married Brian. I lost the baby afterward, but I was stuck. Catholic marriages last ‘until death do us part,’ you know. Mine lasted over twenty years, up until yesterday.”
“Did you and Theo ever talk about what happened?”
“After Brian left me, Theo came to the house one night and offered me money. I refused it. He said, ‘You’ll never have to worry about money as long as I’m alive. All you have to do is ask.’ Only I never asked. I didn’t expect the bequest, but I knew what it was when the lawyer told me about it. It was payment for twenty years of silence.”
“So Theo didn’t pay Brian to leave town?”
“Brian left me because Brian wanted to leave.”
“This doesn’t change anything. You were just a kid when it happened. I’m not going to judge you harshly for that.”
“Then let me make this clear to you: I don’t have feelings for you.”
“You’re lying,” he said, smiling that smug smile.
“I’m sorry if it hurts,” Ava said, “but it’s over between us.”
“No,” he said. “I don’t believe you. I’m the best thing that ever happened to you. What are you going to do, marry Patrick?”
“I love Patrick. As soon as a decent amount of time passes we probably will get married.”
“Why would you do that? Patrick can’t give you anything. Marry me, Ava. I’ll give you the big house and everything that goes with it.”
“But I don’t love you. I love Patrick.”
“Patrick’s mother will never allow it.”
Ava shrugged.
“You might be right,” she said. “In that case I’ll find someone else, someone who belongs here, someone the whole town will approve of. I’m never leaving Rose Hill. This is our home.”
“What about us?”
“You didn’t seriously think I was going to end up with you, did you? We had a deal: I slept with you so my family would have protection. The sex was good, but it meant nothing more to me than a business transaction. I just did what I had to do.”
Jamie seemed to be struggling with his emotions. He was always so cool and controlled that Ava thought it was interesting to see the change she’d wrought.
“Now do you wish I hadn’t told you?” she asked him.
“Yes, I wish you hadn’t told me.”
“You said you wanted to know everything about me,” she said. “But you didn’t. No one ever does. Not. At. All.”
“What makes you think you can trust me with this information about you and Theo?”
“Please,” Ava said. “What can you do? You’ve been sleeping with the star witness in the biggest case of your career. That’s kind of risky behavior, don’t you think? Taking advantage of the abandoned wife, now the recently widowed mother of three? You need me to make this case and you can’t afford to do anything to jeopardize that.”
“You’re as bad as Theo was,” Jamie said. “That money he left you has Brad’s blood all over it.”
“Have you ever heard of the pot calling the kettle black?” she asked him. “Do you think I don’t know where you went yesterday morning?”
Jamie looked shocked and Ava laughed.
“Don’t worry, Jamie. I’m good at keeping secrets. You make sure my family stays safe and you have nothing to worry about.”
It started to rain.
Ava stood up and said, “I’m cold. I’m going home.”
Neither of them spoke as they walked back. As soon as they got back to the house, Jamie retrieved his cell phone and went up to his room. Ava busied herself in the kitchen. She was washing vegetables in the sink when Theresa brought the kids home. She settled the bigger kids in the family room, put Little Fitz down in his playpen full of toys, and then joined Ava in the kitchen.
Jamie came down the hall with his coat on, carrying his suitcase and laptop case. He didn’t look at Ava.
“I’m going back to D.C. and I’ll coordinate our next tasks from there,” he told Theresa. “You’re in charge here.”
Then he turned to Ava.
“Mrs. Fitzpatrick, I want to thank you for your hospitality and for putting up with so many of us at the expense of your business. If all goes well, we should have some resolution within the next few months. Meanwhile, if you need anything, please tell Theresa.”
He held out his hand but Ava said, “I’m sorry, my hands are wet,” and held up her hands, which were covered in elbow-length rubber gloves.
Jamie dropped his hand and took a deep breath.
“Okay,” he said. “I guess that’s it.”
“You have a safe trip,” Ava said, and turned away.
Jamie hesitated briefly, but did not respond. He said a quick good-bye to the kids and then went out the back door. Ava could hear the car start up and then the gravel crunch as he backed his car into the alley and drove away.
Theresa asked if there was anything she could do to help, but Ava said there wasn’t. She pulled off her gloves, picked up the phone, and punched in a familiar number.
“Scott,” she said, when he answered. “It’s Ava. I’m making that beef stew you like so much and wondered if you’d care to join us for dinner. We’ve been missing you. You’ll come? That’s great news. See you soon.”
Ava hummed under her breath as she set the table. She added place settings for the remaining agents, her children, herself, and then one for Scott, right at the head of the table.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I’m grateful for my parents, family, and friends. I give special thanks to first readers Terry Hutchison, Ella McComas, and Joan Turner; and to John Gillispie and Mitzi Cyrus proofreading. I wish dogs lived forever, especially June Bug, Henry, and Daisy.
Books by Pamela Grandstaff
Rose Hill Mysteries:
Rose Hill
Morning Glory Circle
Iris Avenue
Peony Street
Daisy Lane
Lilac Avenue
For Children:
June Bug Days and Firefly Nights
Ella’s New Hat and Her Terrible Cat
Iris Avenue Page 29
