At Hidden Falls (Angel's Bay Novel)

by Barbara Freethy

  Megan stared at him for a long moment. “Can I drive now?”

  He couldn’t read her reaction, but for once, it wasn’t a sarcastic comeback. “Sure, let’s drive.”

  Megan was actually a better driver than he’d anticipated, and it was obvious she loved it. It probably had something to do with finally being in control of one part of her life. A few minutes later, Megan pulled up in front of Colleen’s house and turned off the engine. “Colleen said she could give me a ride home.”

  “All right, but if something changes, call me, and I’ll come and get you. Doesn’t matter what time it is.”

  He got out and walked around to the driver’s side as Megan hurried up the walk. Colleen opened the door and gave Megan a hug. Her eight-year-old daughter squealed with delight and followed up with another hug. He was happy to see their affection; Megan needed love. He hadn’t realized how much she needed until now.

  Pulling away from the curb, he headed downtown to get a drink. Murray’s Bar was crowded when he walked in. A band was setting up in the corner, and the pool tables in the back room were packed. Nick made his way to the bar and was about to order a beer when Michael Murray, the bartender, shouted that drinks were on the house because his brother Shane was getting married.

  Nick grinned as Shane glared at his brother. Shane wasn’t one to enjoy a lot of attention, and now he was the center of it. Nick couldn’t really blame him for not wanting the spotlight. Shane was the black sheep of the Murray family. He didn’t just have dark hair and eyes while the rest of the family was fair, but he was also a moody loner who’d gotten into all kinds of trouble in school—the worst coming when he was accused of killing the sister of his teenage girlfriend.

  Nick was happy that dark cloud had recently lifted. He’d been good friends with Shane in high school, and while they’d gotten into a lot of trouble together, Shane had always been a good guy at heart.

  As the crowd dispersed, Nick moved down the bar. “Congratulations. I guess hell has frozen over if you’re getting married.”

  Shane grinned. “I was lucky enough to get Lauren back. I’ve got to seal the deal.” As the person next to him slid off the adjacent stool, he added, “Have a seat. I hear you’re back in town for good.”

  “It looks that way.” Nick accepted a beer from Michael, nodding his thanks. “I can’t believe you and Lauren finally worked things out. I never thought that would happen after everything that went down.”

  “I didn’t, either.” Shane gave him a speculative look. “I also didn’t think you’d be back or that you’d have a teenage kid with you. How did I miss that?”

  “I met Kendra the summer you left Angel’s Bay. I was stupid enough to get her pregnant. We tried to make things work; they didn’t. She took my daughter to Europe with her, and I just got her back. Megan is fifteen now, and she hates my guts.”

  “Sounds about right. We weren’t big on our parents at that age, either,” Shane said, lifting his beer to his lips.

  “Megan has a lot more to be pissed off about than the normal teenage shit. But she’s a handful, man.”

  “Sounds like she takes after you.”

  “I pushed a few boundaries in my time, which makes me a hell of a role model for a teenager. How can I tell her not to do what I did? And how can I expect her to listen to me, when I didn’t give a shit what my parents thought?”

  Shane shook his head. “I have no idea. Try being honest. At least you won’t be bullshitting her. And you’re not the punk I hung out with fifteen years ago. You’ve changed. You wear suits to work and probably have some money in your bank account.”

  “A little.”

  “I always thought you’d end up playing in a band,” Shane said. “You could play a mean guitar.”

  “I tried to pursue music when we moved to New York, but it didn’t work out.” He paused. “What about you? You’ve come back to work with your father’s charter boat business? What happened to sailing the most dangerous seas in the world?”

  “Been there, done that. Realized that what I really wanted was here.”

  As the band began to warm up, Nick turned his gaze toward them and recognized Hank Bremmer. They’d jammed together in high school, and he felt a twinge of regret that he hadn’t kept up with his music. He’d been so caught up in trying to make himself into someone else, someone better, that he’d lost track of who he’d once been.

  He’d lived his life at two extremes. At one time, he’d been completely reckless and irresponsible, living whatever emotion he was feeling and not thinking beyond the next five minutes. That had gotten him into all kinds of trouble. Now he stayed completely within the lines, never broke the rules, saved for the future, and tried not to care too much about anything or anyone. But that wasn’t working for him, either. He’d been feeling restless for a long time, but now he was feeling reckless, too.

  As he lifted the beer mug to his lips, he saw a flash of dark hair at the other end of the bar, and for a second he thought it was Isabella. When the woman turned and he realized it wasn’t her, he was shocked by his disappointment.

  Isabella strolled through downtown, surprised to find so many people out and about. For a small town, there was a fair amount of action on a Friday night. Joe had gone back to work after sharing a quick dinner with her. He seemed to be consumed with finding the missing girl. The people of Angel’s Bay were lucky to have her brother; he was one dedicated cop.

  She, however, was at loose ends. Too much quiet gave her too much time to think, which was always a little dangerous where she was concerned, so a walk seemed in order. Although most of the retail shops were closed, she could hear laughter and music coming from some of the bars and restaurants. There was an infectious lightness in the air, as if something good was about to happen—maybe it was just the prospect of the weekend. Judging by the number of colored flyers posted on shop windows, all kinds of events were taking place.

  Joe had told her that the town made an occasion out of every possible holiday. She’d thought he was exaggerating, but apparently not. It was fun to be somewhere with such a strong sense of community. She was beginning to see why her brother liked Angel’s Bay so much. She also understood why Rachel had not felt as comfortable.

  Her sister-in-law was big-city, from her sophisticated sharp-angled hairstyle to her stiletto heels. Rachel liked movie premieres and designer clothes, and she made a good living selling real estate to the rich and famous. No wonder she and Joe had found themselves at an impasse. The one thing they had in common was stubbornness.

  Her pulse quickened as she approached the Angel’s Heart Quilt Shop. It was after nine o’clock, but the front door was open, the lights blazing. She’d intended to check out the shop tomorrow, but maybe now was a good time.

  As she stepped inside, she could hear laughter coming from the second floor. Three women came down the stairs, engaged in conversation. They gave her friendly smiles as they passed by, but didn’t question her presence, so she decided to look around.

  She’d spent many hours of her life looking at fabrics, but she’d never made a quilt. She’d always been more interested in clothing herself or the people around her, but as she studied the beautiful designs decorating the walls, she had a distinct urge to try her hand at one.

  Behind a large glass case on one wall was the original Angel’s Bay Memorial Quilt that Joe had told her about. Each square had a different theme and was made of a different material. A placard underneath the quilt read, “In memory of those lost in the wreck of the Gabriella, 1850. She perused the squares, wondering which one of them had belonged to one of her ancestors. Joe had said that Fiona Murray was the one to ask. With that in mind, she headed up to the loft on the second floor.

  A couple of women were stacking up chairs along the wall, while several others were gathered around the coffee urn and the dessert table. She was pleased to see two familiar faces, Charlotte Adams and Kara Lynch.

  “Isabella, hello,” Charlotte said as she
joined them. “How are you?”

  “I’m very well, thanks.”

  “Do you know Kara?”

  She smiled at Kara. “Yes, we met the other day. And Joe said as soon as he wraps up this case, he’d love to come to dinner.”

  “Great. I hope that will be soon,” Kara said, her smile dimming.

  “Let’s hope so,” Charlotte echoed. She reached for the bottle of red wine on the table. “Would you like a glass, Isabella?”

  “Sure. What was going on up here?”

  “One of our many quilting parties,” Kara said. “Do you quilt?”

  “I’ve never actually tried it, but now that I’m here, I’m getting the itch.”

  “Don’t start scratching it, or it will never go away,” Charlotte advised with a laugh.

  “Charlotte only enjoys stitching up people,” Kara said with a grin.

  Isabella shuddered at that thought. “I can’t imagine.” She took a sip of wine, glancing around at the few remaining women in the loft. “I was wondering if your grandmother is here. Joe told me that one of our ancestors might have been on the ship that went down and that we might have a square on the quilt.”

  “Yes, you do have a square,” Kara said. “I tried to tell Joe about it a long time ago, but he wasn’t interested.”

  “Imagine that,” Charlotte murmured dryly.

  “The family name was Cardoza,” Kara said. “Miguel, his wife, Beatriz, and their sons survived the wreck. They were from Mexico and went to San Francisco for the Gold Rush. He worked in the mines, while Beatriz took in mending to make ends meet. I have all of the survivors and their families pretty much memorized,” she said. “My grandmother has been in charge of Founders Day since I was born.”

  “It’s funny that your ancestor also made money sewing,” Charlotte commented.

  Just like Leticia, Isabella thought. The desire to sew seemed to be in her genes. “Do you know anything about Leticia Cardoza? She lived here fifty years ago, and she worked at the theater.”

  “The name doesn’t ring a bell, but I’m sure my grandmother can help. Come by the shop tomorrow. There’s nothing she likes to talk about more than family and Angel’s Bay history.” Kara paused as a slender brunette with sparkling blue eyes joined them.

  “Hey, where’s my wine?” the woman complained, gesturing at the empty bottle.

  “You got here too late,” Charlotte told her. “This is Isabella Silveira—Lauren Jamison.”

  “Silveira, as in Chief Silveira?” Lauren quizzed.

  “He’s my older brother,” Isabella replied.

  “Great! Now we can get some gossip on the chief.”

  Isabella smiled. Her brother had always had his share of female admirers.

  “Your brother is a man of mystery,” Kara said. “He’s friendly, but no one gets too close.”

  “He has to keep a professional distance,” Charlotte put in.

  “Is that what you call the distance you two have been keeping?” Kara teased.

  Charlotte blushed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. And you’re going to give Isabella the wrong idea. Your brother and I are just friends. He’s married—well, he was married, and I always respected that,” she said firmly.

  Isabella had seen the way the two of them had looked at each other the night of her accident. Maybe there had been nothing going on in the past, but she wondered if it would stay that way.

  “Okay, are we done talking about you and your nonexistent relationship with the chief?” Lauren asked. “Because we need to discuss my bachelorette party.”

  Charlotte’s and Kara’s jaws dropped in unison.

  “What?

  “Are you serious?”

  “When?”

  “How?”

  The questions shot out from Charlotte and Kara while Lauren stood with a giddy smile on her face.

  “Shane officially proposed,” she said finally, her eyes tearing up. “In the tree house.”

  “That’s the best my brother could do?” Kara asked in disbelief. “And you actually said yes?”

  “It was romantic,” Lauren defended. “And sexy, too.”

  Kara immediately put up a hand. “Please, I don’t want to know what happened after you said yes. My nephews play up there.”

  “When’s the date?” Charlotte asked. “And by the way, I am so happy for you.”

  “Thank you,” Lauren said. “We want to get married around Christmas or New Year’s. It won’t be a long engagement, because I need my dad to walk me down the aisle. I want him to know who he is and who I am when he does it.” Lauren glanced at Isabella. “My father has Alzheimer’s, so time is of the essence.”

  “I’m happy for you,” Isabella said.

  “This calls for a celebration,” Kara declared. “Let’s go to Murray’s. I have a babysitter until ten, so I have another half hour, and we’re out of wine here.”

  “I’m in,” Lauren said. “Shane went to the bar to tell Michael and whoever else was there; we can join them.”

  “I wish I could come, but I have to get home,” Charlotte said with regret. “My mother is watching Annie’s baby, and my time is up.”

  “Isabella?” Kara asked.

  “Oh,” she said with a start as their gazes turned to her. “Are you sure you don’t want to celebrate on your own?”

  “Don’t be silly,” Lauren said. “It’s Friday night. You don’t have anything better to do, do you? Besides, you still haven’t told us any good gossip about your brother.”

  “I’m afraid I don’t have any. Joe isn’t big on sharing.”

  “Come with us anyway,” Kara said. “We’ll introduce you around. Lauren and I know a lot of people—even a few attractive single men, if you’re interested.”

  “I’m always interested,” she said. “But I’m not planning to stay in Angel’s Bay.”

  “That’s what they all say.” Kara exchanged a warm grin with Lauren. “But sometimes love gets in the way.”

  NINE

  Kara and Lauren talked all the way to the bar. It was clear they’d known each other for a long time and had a deep friendship that was now going to be tied by blood when Lauren married Kara’s brother. Their closeness reminded Isabella that she’d let a lot of her friends go—or they’d let her go.

  Before she’d realized that telling people she had visions would freak them out, she’d tried sharing her secret, but it had always backfired. Her friends grew nervous or became guarded in her presence, the relationship turning awkward, then eventually ending. As she got older, she’d learned to hide that part of herself. With Kara and Lauren, there didn’t appear to be any secrets, and she felt a wistful yearning for an unconditional relationship like theirs.

  Murray’s Bar was crowded. They made their way through the standing-room-only bar to see the band that was rocking the joint. Isabella felt a tingle of anticipation that seemed inexplicable until her gaze came to rest on one of the band members. It was Nick. And he was jamming on the guitar like a rock star.

  Her jaw dropped in amazement. Gone was the controlled suited-up architect. In his place was a hot guy in faded jeans and an open button-down shirt over a black T-shirt. He looked younger, wilder, sexier, and she couldn’t take her eyes off him.

  “Is that Nick Hartley?” Lauren asked with surprise in her voice. “I haven’t seen him in years.”

  “He’s been in and out of town for the last decade, but he just came back with his teenage daughter a few weeks ago,” Kara said, raising her voice so she could be heard over the music. “He’s still really good, isn’t he?”

  He was very good, Isabella thought, watching the way his fingers moved on the strings. A shiver ran through her as she remembered his hands on her earlier, his tongue sweeping through her mouth, his fingers running through her hair, his body so beautifully strong and hard. A rush of heat swept through her. She’d gotten a taste of the fire burning behind his cool exterior, but now she could see it a lot closer to the surface. Nick was feel
ing the music with his heart and his soul. He never let down his guard when he spoke, but when he played, it was all there.

  He looked out at the crowd, his eyes meeting hers. She clung to his gaze for a long moment, everyone else fading into the background. She was so caught up in him that it took her a second to realize that the music had stopped, and the rush of noise was applause. The crowd shifted as the band took a break, and Nick was lost to her view. She let out a breath of relief, feeling shaken by the intense connection she felt to him and the rampant desire to get naked with him and lose herself in his arms, his eyes, and his touch.

  Her cheeks warmed, and she fanned her face with her hand.

  Kara gave her a smile. “It’s pretty hot in here, isn’t it?”

  She nodded, hoping that Kara hadn’t picked up on the look between her and Nick, but judging by the gleam in her eyes, she had. Fortunately, Lauren drew Kara’s attention away from her.

  “There’s Shane,” Lauren said with excitement, grabbing Kara’s hand. “Let’s go see my fiancé. God, I love saying that!”

  Isabella followed Kara and Lauren to the bar, where she was introduced to Shane Murray. He was a dark, attractive man with a rough edge to him. He looked like someone who worked with his hands and spent a lot of time outdoors. He was quite different from Kara, who had dark red hair and fair skin.

  But whatever rough edges Shane had, they immediately softened when he saw Lauren. He stood up, put his arm around her waist, and pulled her close to him, giving her a smile that was pure love.

  “Shane, I can’t believe you proposed in the tree house,” Kara scolded him. “That’s not romantic.”

  “It’s our place,” he said with an unrepentant smile.

  “And it was very romantic,” Lauren added. “Shane, I want you to meet Isabella Silveira, Joe’s sister. She’s new in town.”

  Shane extended his hand. “Nice to meet you. What are you all drinking? Michael is buying.”