The Way Back Home

by Barbara Freethy

“Rob was only quitting because of what happened to my dad and me. He finally realized that we needed him more than the Marines did.” She paused. “Why did you decide to give it up now, when you couldn’t give it up three years ago?”

  He didn’t answer right away, and for some odd reason, she found herself holding her breath.

  “I don’t know,” he said finally.

  She was disappointed. “Don’t know or won’t say?”

  “It’s complicated.”

  She let out a sigh but decided not to push her luck. Gabe had shared a little of his history with her, and for the moment, that was enough. “You need to take the next exit.”

  “Got it,” he said, changing lanes. “You’re still in the mood to shoot?”

  “Absolutely,” she said, her mind returning to the devastation she’d left behind. “If someone comes after me, I’m going to be ready.”

  A frown crossed his face. “I don’t want you to end up with a false sense of power. Knowing how to shoot a gun and actually doing it are two different things. It’s one thing to shoot at a target and another to actually pull the trigger against a person—maybe a person you know.”

  “You think I know my enemy?”

  “Don’t you?”

  Kelly couldn’t find Russell. He wasn’t at home, and he wasn’t returning her calls. Frustrated, she gave in to Jared’s suggestion that they take a look around the carnival. Maybe Russell would be there.

  At first, she’d been worried that she’d be the focus of attention again, but there were so many tourists that it was easy to blend into the woodwork. After a lunch in the beer garden that included two beers, she felt a lot more mellow.

  “Okay, I think you’ve finally relaxed,” Jared said with a grin. He glanced down at his watch. “Three hours and forty-two minutes. We probably could have shortened the time if we’d come here first.”

  She sipped the last of her beer. “I do feel better, but I haven’t forgotten about Russell. I really hope we can find him.”

  “Maybe it’s good that you’ve had a chance to calm down. It won’t take much to send Russell off.”

  “He didn’t used to be so short-tempered, did he?”

  “He’s definitely gotten worse since Brian’s death.”

  “I wonder who he gets that temper from. His mom and dad are lovely people, and Brian rarely got angry. He didn’t let things get to him the way Russell does.” She paused, her pulse jumping as the object of their conversation came into view. Russell was walking with his girlfriend, Amanda, his arm draped around her shoulder. He certainly didn’t look like a man who had just committed arson. Then again, he also looked happier than she’d seen him since she’d returned to River Rock. Was that because he knew the Haydens had suffered a huge setback?

  She hated the direction of her thoughts, but she couldn’t deny reality. Someone had gone after Alicia’s business, and it was more than likely that that someone had done it for Brian.

  “Looks like you’re going to get your chance to talk to Russell,” Jared said, his gaze somber.

  “I don’t want to talk to him with his girlfriend around.”

  “I could distract her for you.”

  “That would be nice.” She paused. “In fact, you’re being amazingly nice to me, and I don’t think I’ve said thank you.”

  “No thanks required.” He got up, calling Russell over.

  As Russell and his girlfriend approached their table, she realized that while Russell was all smiles, Amanda’s expression was a little strained. An attractive brunette, Amanda worked as a pharmacist at the local drugstore. She’d moved to town a year earlier, and Kelly had gotten to know her pretty well during her engagement. She’d thought Amanda was a good match for Russell, because she wasn’t into drama, and he needed someone like that in his life. But now she wondered if Russell’s anger wasn’t taking a toll on his relationship.

  “Kelly, it’s great to see you,” Amanda said. “Russell told me you were in town. I hope we can have dinner one night soon.”

  “That would be great,” she said as Jared and Russell greeted each other.

  “Amanda, I’m so glad you’re here,” Jared said. “Because I need a partner for the Cake Walk, and Kelly refuses to do it with me.”

  Amanda didn’t even hesitate. “Sounds like fun. Let’s do it.”

  As Amanda and Jared left, Russell sat down at the table across from her. “How did you and Jared end up here together? I thought you didn’t like him much.”

  “I just ran into him,” she said, catching something in his tone that bothered her. He was looking at her as if she were cheating on Brian, which was ridiculous. “I called you earlier. Did you get my message?”

  “Yes, but I didn’t have a chance to call you back. What’s up?”

  “The fire at Alicia’s house,” she said shortly.

  He nodded. “Yeah, I heard about that,” he said, a gleam in his eyes. “Looks like they won’t be able to get back on the river.”

  “Unless they buy new equipment.”

  “I’d be careful if I were them. New equipment could end up the same as the old.”

  Her stomach began to churn at his words. “Russell—did you set that fire?”

  He didn’t seem surprised by her question. “No, but I can’t say I’m sorry it happened. In fact, it was a damn good idea. I wish I’d thought of it.”

  She frowned. “It wasn’t a good idea. Alicia or her father or, God forbid, Justin could have been hurt.”

  “From what I heard, the fire was only in the boatyard.”

  “It could have gotten out of control. There are tons of trees around there. If a spark had flown, it could have landed on the roof of the house.”

  “Well, it didn’t.”

  The steel glint in his eyes told her she wasn’t going to get a different reaction from him no matter what she said. “Do you know who did it?”

  He shrugged. “It could have been anyone. Brian had a lot of friends.”

  “Brian wouldn’t have wanted something like this to happen.”

  “I think I know what my brother would have wanted a little better than you, Kelly. No offense, but I grew up with him. You were only with him for a few years.”

  “I was engaged to him, and I do take offense,” she snapped back. “Brian was a good man, and he liked Alicia and her father.”

  “Maybe before they killed him.”

  She sucked in a quick breath at his harsh words. “It wasn’t like that.”

  “Now you’re on their side?” he asked sharply. “I never thought I’d see the day that you’d betray Brian. I thought you loved him.”

  “You know I did, Russell, and I’m not on their side. But I also won’t support illegal and dangerous actions against them. I don’t want to see anyone else get hurt. Nothing anyone does to the Haydens will bring Brian back.”

  He shook his head, his lips tightening. “You’ve changed.”

  “You’re the one who has changed, Russell. You’re letting your anger get the best of you.”

  “I didn’t do it, Kelly,” he said, getting to his feet. “But like I said before, I’m not unhappy about it, and I’m not going to pretend I am, not for you, not for anyone.”

  She let out a breath as he left. Her heart was racing from their exchange, her hand shaking a little. Was Russell lying? Or was he just trying to cover himself in case she went to the police?

  That seemed unthinkable. She didn’t want to go against the Farrs. She cared about them a great deal. She never should have come back to town. If she hadn’t, she’d be none the wiser about what was happening. But she was there, and she had to deal with what was going on. She didn’t want to see anyone else get hurt.

  She looked up as Jared sat down at the table.

  “Well?” he asked.

  “He denied setting the fire, but he was almost giddy with delight that it happened.” She paused. “I have to figure out who did it.”

  “Why you?”

  “Because
I have the best chance of getting the truth. I’m one of the—what did Alicia call them?—the haters.”

  “But you don’t hate Alicia.”

  She shook her head. “No, though I gave it a good try.”

  “What changed?”

  “I finally came out of the fog of grief I’ve been hiding in.” She paused. “Russell accused me of changing sides, betraying Brian’s memory. He even acted like I had something going on with you. That’s crazy.”

  His smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Yeah, crazy.”

  The indoor shooting range was a one-story building about the size of a football field. Inside the range were twelve soundproof shooting booths and automated targets that could be switched in and out with the push of a button. After renting ammunition, protective glasses, and hearing protectors, Alicia and Gabe proceeded to their cubicle.

  “Let’s go over some basics first,” Gabe said.

  She sighed. “I’ve done this before. You heard Harry. I was one of the best female shooters he’s ever seen.”

  “Harry is an old man with bad eyes and likely a bad memory.” The owner of the shooting range had been happy to see Alicia and had spent almost twenty minutes telling Gabe about how Alicia and Rob used to come to the range with their dad when they were barely in their teens.

  “He is old, but I was good. Stop stalling, and give me the gun.”

  Ignoring her request, Gabe went over the safety procedures. Then he put on the required goggles and ear protectors before handing her the gun.

  Alicia lifted the gun with sure hands, aiming it at the target with confidence. Then she pulled the trigger. The blast sent her backward, but he was ready, catching her against his chest.

  “I forgot about that,” she said rather loudly, giving him a big smile. She stepped away and took another shot, absorbing the blast this time.

  She might not need him to catch her again, but he still stayed close, watching her take out her frustration and anger on the target. She was better than he’d expected, but while she might be able to shoot a target with precision, it was nothing like pulling the trigger on a person—maybe a friend.

  He wished he had a better idea of who could be involved. He felt like he was flying blind.

  Well, not completely blind. There was Kenny Barber and Russell Farr. But who else? Maybe after Alicia got some of the anger out of her system, she’d be in the mood to talk it out or at least give him a list of names to investigate.

  They needed to start acting instead of reacting; he just had to figure out how to do that.

  It would be easier to concentrate if he wasn’t always with Alicia. She was a beautiful distraction. Last night, they’d danced and kissed, and he’d been tempted to forget all of the reasons they shouldn’t be together and just be with her one more time.

  But would once be enough? And what about Keith? He didn’t poach other men’s women. That wasn’t his style. He had to keep his distance.

  The thought had no sooner crossed his mind than Alicia set down the rifle and gave him a hug. She pulled the ear protectors off his head and said, “Thanks, Gabe. This was exactly what I needed.”

  She looked so pretty. All he could think about was how her sweet and soft lips beckoned to him. And suddenly, it wasn’t about what she needed but what he needed. He pulled off her protective gear, framed her face with his hands, and kissed her, his tongue sliding between her parted lips, using her surprise to his advantage. One kiss wasn’t enough. He wanted to devour her, run his hands and his tongue all over her body, but his need for air finally made him lift his head to catch his breath.

  Alicia looked at him through dazed, glittering eyes, shimmering with the same sensual haze that surrounded him. It had always been like this—from the first second he’d seen her, he’d wanted her.

  “Gabe.”

  Her voice was soft and breathy. He moved to kiss her again, but she stepped away, backing up against the wall of the booth.

  “We shouldn’t,” she said. “Look where we are.”

  It took a moment for her words to register, for his brain to start working again. “Right,” he said finally. “Let’s get out of here.”

  “You don’t want to shoot?”

  “Hell, no.”

  She gave him a wary look. “You’re pissed off at me?”

  “No, I’m mad at myself.” He was too wound up to argue. He needed to move, to walk, to get some air. So he headed out the door and didn’t stop until he reached the parking lot. Alicia stopped to talk to Harry, so he had a minute to himself, for which he was intensely grateful. He needed to retreat, regroup. He didn’t want to go through all the pain that had followed the last time they’d been together. He couldn’t let himself believe in a future with Alicia, because she came with a kid, with needs that he couldn’t fulfill. And thinking otherwise would only get him into trouble. He’d learned early in life to keep expectations low, so the fall wouldn’t be that bad.

  He got into the truck and slammed his fist against the wheel, relishing the bruising pain. That hurt he could handle. Falling for Alicia … he couldn’t go there.

  Fifteen

  Alicia took her time talking to Harry. She needed to regain her composure after Gabe’s fiery kiss, but she could barely keep her mind on what Harry was saying. Her senses were still tingling with Gabe’s taste, his scent, the rough edge of his voice. It had taken every last ounce of strength she had to pull away from him.

  “Alicia?” Harry asked, a quizzical gleam in his eyes.

  “Sorry, I didn’t hear what you said.”

  “I was talking to Ian Palmer about you the other day.”

  “Ian was in here?” she asked, surprised that Kelly’s little brother would be spending time at the shooting range.

  “He’s been a regular the last couple of weeks. I’m a little worried about him. He’s got something gnawing at him, and I can tell he’s about ready to burst.”

  “Maybe shooting a gun isn’t the best thing for him to be doing right now.”

  Harry smiled. “In here, it’s safe and controlled, just the right place for him to be. Ian told me that you’re planning to be in business again this season.”

  “That’s the plan. We’ll see how it goes.” She paused. “Can I ask you, was Ian upset about our business reopening? Brian, the man who died, was going to marry Ian’s sister.”

  Harry nodded. “Yeah, that was a sad business. Like I said, Ian just seemed mad at the world.”

  Mad enough to set fire to my boatyard?

  It was a crazy thought, but she couldn’t shake it out of her head. Maybe he’d done it for Kelly.

  But she’d been like a sister to Ian. They’d spent tons of time together. The thought of him being involved was worse than the Farrs being responsible. As Gabe had said earlier, it was likely that she knew her enemy. She just didn’t want it to be Ian.

  “So, who’s your fellow?” Harry asked, tipping his head in the direction of the parking lot.

  “Gabe? He’s Rob’s friend, another ex-marine.”

  “I figured. He had that look about him. He’s sweet on you.”

  She shook her head. “You don’t know anything about him.”

  “I got eyes. That’s all I need.”

  “Good-bye, Harry,” she said with a smile.

  “You take care of yourself, Alicia. And tell your dad I send my best wishes. Hope to see him in here again soon. He used to be one of my best customers.”

  “I’ll tell him,” she said, then headed out to the truck.

  The radio was blaring when she slid into her seat and fastened her seatbelt. Apparently, Gabe wasn’t in the mood to talk.

  As they drove toward home, she started to feel restless when they got closer to town. The sun had gone down, and the moon was still low in the sky, reminding her that she still had something important to do that day.

  “I need to make a stop,” she said.

  “Where?”

  “Just take the next exit.” Five minutes later,
she directed him into a parking spot in front of J&M Liquors. “I need to get a very special bottle of tequila.”

  Recognition sparked in his eyes. She didn’t wait for a reply, just got out of the car and hurried into the store. She felt a wave of relief when she saw a bottle of Don Julio Blanco, one of the best tequilas on the market and Rob’s favorite. On her way to the register, she impulsively grabbed some plastic cups.

  Back in the truck, she set the bag on the floor. “I have somewhere else I want to take you.”

  “Care to be more specific?”

  “Not at the moment. But we can park at the house and walk from there.”

  As Gabe pulled away from the curb, her cell phone rang. It was Keith. She didn’t really want to talk to him in front of Gabe, but he had Justin, so she had to answer.

  “Just wanted to see how things were going,” Keith said.

  “Fine. How are you guys? How is Justin?”

  “He’s having a blast. I’ll let him say hello in a second. I tried your house. Are you out somewhere?”

  “Yeah, I had some errands to run. I’m almost home.”

  “Are you sure you haven’t changed your mind about spending your birthday alone? We can come and get you.”

  “Not unless you’ve changed your mind about keeping Justin.”

  “No, the boys are fine. I just hate to think of you sad and on your own.”

  “It’s not like that, and I really appreciate your taking Justin tonight. It’s the best present.”

  “If you say so. I’ll put Justin on.”

  A moment later, Justin’s excited voice came over the phone. “Hi, Mommy.”

  “Hey, how’s it going?”

  “Good. We’re going to barbecue and roast marshmallows.”

  “That sounds like fun. Have a good time, and I’ll talk to you in the morning before school, okay? I love you.”

  “Love you, too.”

  She hung up her phone. “He’s having a good time.”

  “Nice of Keith to give you the day off. Sounded like he was trying to change your mind, though.”

  “A little, but I’m not in the mood to be sociable, and I don’t have to pretend with you.”