“How so?”
Sam leaned back in his chair, getting comfortable. “Steve had a favorite in the state senate race, and it wasn’t our Garth Nixon. Steve went all out, using his newspaper to influence the voters in this area. Pretty much divided the town—even divided the whole district. Cost Garth the election. I’d hate to see it all stirred up again. You never know how people will react, and if she’s anything like her dad, things could get out of hand.”
“What does that have to do with his wife’s death?”
“The police chief was Garth’s cousin. When Steve was arrested, some people figured it was payback time, like maybe the police didn’t try hard enough to find the real killer.”
Nick stared at Sam, thinking about what he had just said. The police had been accused of playing dirty? His father had been a cop back then. No way would his dad have been a part of anything like that—not the man he remembered and had looked up to. “You can’t be serious. My dad was an honest cop. He’d have quit before he stood by and let someone pull something wrong. You know better than that.”
Sam shrugged. “I’m guessing there could have been some dirty work going on. There’s always that possibility. And no, I don’t think your dad would have taken part, but he might not have known about it. I don’t know all that much about what went on, and at the time it wasn’t any of my business, so I really didn’t care all that much.”
Nick narrowed his eyes. “That was what, twelve or thirteen years ago?”
“More like seventeen, I believe. Macy was just a kid. He knocked her out, almost killed her. And that was another problem. Regardless of Steve’s politics, a lot of people had trouble believing he’d kill his wife or hurt his own kid. He was crazy about that girl.”
Nick remembered the way Macy Douglas had stared at the old house. Something had brought her to Walnut Grove and he had a feeling it was rooted in the past.
“If he was innocent, that means there might still be a killer out there who doesn’t want to get caught.”
TWO
Morning light filtered through the blinds as Macy glanced around the motel room. This wasn’t turning out to be a great day. First she needed to get through the meeting with Sam Halston. Then she had the meeting with the lawyer, another thing she wasn’t looking forward to. According to him, her grandmother Lassiter had been dead for several months, but he’d had to close out the estate and then it took a while to locate her. And then after seeing the lawyer she would move into her grandmother’s house. She had no idea what she was getting into, but there were only two options: carry this through or turn tail and run.
She had no place to run.
When Grandma Mattie had been battling the cancer that had finally killed her, Macy had to take several days off work at Wesley Manufacturing, which hadn’t sat well with her supervisor, Lena Hankins, a cold, play-it-by-the-book woman who didn’t believe in second chances. Then when she had needed a few days to get her grandmother’s affairs in order Lena had given her a choice: forget it or quit.
Fresh from the funeral and still wounded by losing the only family member she had left, Macy had walked out. So here she was, no job, no family, no one who cared. She’d listed Grandma Mattie’s house for sale, but so far, no takers.
And eating breakfast with Nick Baldwin seemed way too intimate. What had she been thinking? A knock on the door sent her hurrying to open it. Nick stood there in his police uniform, the rising sun dusting his shoulders with gold. His smile was warm and welcoming. At this stage in her life, warm and welcoming was good. He was also six feet or more of muscle and charm. A deadly combination.
His dark hair was combed back, not rumpled as it had been in last night’s storm, and his golden-brown eyes were friendly as he stepped back to let her walk past. She accidently brushed against him, and quickly moved on, more aware of him than she liked. What was it about Nick Baldwin that affected her this way?
He smiled and her pulse rate accelerated. “I guess we’d better go in separate cars since you have an appointment with your lawyer right after you talk to Sam.”
The flare of disappointment caught her by surprise. After all, it wasn’t as if she wanted to spend more time with him—or did she?
And her lawyer? She’d never met Raleigh Benson. Would he be friendly to the granddaughter who had never seen or talked to Opal Lassiter, her maternal grandmother, in the past seventeen years? Or would he be one of the enemies her grandmother Douglas had warned her about in the letter Macy had found after her death?
Macy closed the door and locked it behind her, and they walked through the parking area. The April air smelled fresh and clean after the rain. A sprinkling of new leaves brightened the tall oaks, and sturdy green shoots of jonquils held a promise of golden blooms to come. Nick waved from his car and she followed, finding it hard to believe that she was actually looking forward to having breakfast with him.
Last night she had been ready to deck him. Had her feelings toward him changed that fast? Grandma Mattie had believed the police in Walnut Grove were corrupt. What about Nick? Could she trust him, or beneath that friendliness was he really her enemy?
She drove into the restaurant lot and found a spot to park close to his car. He stood beside it waiting for her. Today he bore little resemblance to the hard, suspicious policeman he’d been last night. Tall, broad shoulders filling his uniform, he had the kind of rugged good looks she liked in a man. His grin lit up his face.
Her lips moved in an answering smile that was a little more spontaneous than she intended. She jerked herself up short, clamping down on her emotions. No matter how good-looking Nick Baldwin was, the last thing she needed was to get involved with a policeman. At least not until she learned more about this town...and Nick.
* * *
Nick held the restaurant door open for Macy, noticing the way the sun struck glowing bronze highlights in her hair. She was even more beautiful than he’d realized, and she wasn’t angry or nervous the way she’d been last night. Maybe it had just been stress from driving in an unfamiliar place after dark with a storm threatening, and then being harassed by a stranger.
He reached for a menu, wondering why she was here. He didn’t know anything about this woman, but for some reason he was interested in her, and it had nothing to do with the way she looked, or that vulnerable expression she wore some of the time. Or at least that’s what he wanted to believe.
As a matter of fact, he really couldn’t explain why he spent so much time thinking about her. Maybe he should back off a little until he found out more about what was going on. He needed to remain professional, concentrate on her reason for being here, instead of thinking of her as a woman who needed his help.
The waitress took their order: eggs and sausage for him, cheese omelet and a cup of peach yogurt for her. Nick smiled in approval. He liked a woman with a good appetite. He leaned back and studied Macy. She had the same copper-colored hair and green eyes as her deceased mother, judging from the pictures he’d found of Megan Douglas in his research last night on the internet. There hadn’t been much, just a couple of articles about the trial. Not a lot of help.
But regardless of how good she looked, he couldn’t let those sea-green eyes and that dusting of freckles across her nose distract him from the job at hand—learning why Macy Douglas was in Walnut Grove and what she hoped to accomplish. He didn’t believe she just decided all at once to visit. Something had brought her here, and he wanted to know what. He had a personal interest in this now since his father might have had a hand in sending her dad to prison.
Before he could speak, she put down her fork and gave him a straight look. “Tell me the truth—how did you manage to get to that house so fast last night? I’d only been there for a few minutes before you grabbed me. And why were you parked around the corner instead of in the driveway?”
So all right, maybe she wasn’t as calm as she appeared to be, and apparently she hadn’t forgiven him for his part in what had happened. He searched for
the right words. Until he knew why she was here, he wasn’t about to discuss police business with her.
“Like I said, I got a call that you’d pulled into the drive and I was nearby. I drove past just as you stopped. Since I didn’t know who you were or why you were there, I just went around the block and parked, then walked the rest of the way.”
She looked thoughtful. “I see. You said there had been attempted break-ins. What were they looking for, and why didn’t they succeed?”
He took a sip of coffee so hot it burned his tongue, trying to decide how to answer. “I don’t know what they’re looking for. As for why they didn’t succeed, people were used to watching to see if Opal was all right or if she needed anything.”
She gave him a skeptical glance. “Go on.”
He shrugged, hoping to appease her without giving away too much. “Opal had an alarm system installed a couple of years ago. That went off once recently, scaring the burglar away and alerting her neighbors. And people are quick to call in if they see anything suspicious. It’s a good neighborhood. They watch out for each other.”
Whoever was trying to break in had damaged the alarm system so it didn’t work anymore, which was one reason the police were keeping an eye on the place, and why the neighbors were on high alert. Someone was determined to get inside Opal Lassiter’s house. It was common knowledge she didn’t keep anything of value at home, so there had to be another reason for the recent attempts to break in, and he wondered whether it might tie into the sudden appearance of Macy Douglas. Like the robber knew she was coming and wanted to find something before she got there.
He wondered how many people had expected Macy Douglas to show up in town. Sam knew. So how did he find out?
Macy picked up her glass of water and sipped. “Too bad they didn’t have a system like that in place when my mother was killed.”
Nick caught the bitterness in her voice and understood it completely. Compassion surged through him for this woman who had lost so much. “Things are different today, I guess. More people, more crime. But the police were convinced they had the killer. There was evidence to back up that decision.”
Macy gave him a stern look, as if daring him to dispute her words. “The police were wrong. My father wasn’t a killer. He was a good, decent man who was sent to prison for a crime he didn’t commit. And he died there.”
Nick stared at her, caught by the conviction in her voice. So that was what she believed. Maybe Sam was right. Her coming could stir up trouble they might not be able to control. Start talk like that and people would line up taking sides.
“Do you have any proof of what you’re saying?”
“No, but I’m going to find it, even if I have to turn this town on its ear.”
Judging from the green fire burning in her eyes, he figured she just might do that. According to Sam, passions still ran high over what had happened back then, but most of what he’d heard had been about the election. A woman had been killed. Surely that should have been everyone’s first concern. Had the murder of Megan Douglas gotten lost in the uproar over a failed election? Some people seemed to lose what little sense they had when it came to politics.
Nick glanced at his watch, hating to end this conversation, but they had to go.
“Are you through? If you are, we need to leave. It’s almost time for you to meet with Sam.”
He dropped some bills on the table, enough to pay for breakfast and provide a tip, and followed her outside. “I’ll lead the way. It’s just a short distance from here.”
Macy didn’t look happy, but she nodded and got in her car, and he did the same.
He wasn’t sure what Sam had in mind, but whatever it was, he intended to keep an eye on Macy Douglas. Judging from the mood she was in, there was no telling what kind of trouble she might stir up.
Nick parked in front of the police station and waited for Macy to join him. Their conversation in the restaurant had been puzzling. He guessed it was normal for her to hope her father wasn’t guilty, but she had sounded so sure. Did she have evidence of some kind that led her to believe in his innocence? If she did, where had she found it, and why had it surfaced after all these years?
They entered the building, and Nick led her into the police chief’s office and at Sam’s instruction, took a chair against the wall.
Macy sat down across the desk from Sam, looking a little intimidated. Most people felt nervous at being summoned to a police station, whether or not they had done anything wrong. And here he was sitting behind her, as if he was blocking her from leaving. He guessed he could understand how she felt.
Sam leaned forward, resting his arms on the desktop. Medium height, carrying about ten pounds more than he needed, and his hair thinning on top, he didn’t look as intimidating as he had last night. Nick hoped that would help Macy relax.
The police chief eyed her intently. “You had a rough welcome to Walnut Grove. I hope it goes better from here on out.”
“Thank you.”
He waited, staring at her as if he wanted more. “How long are you planning to stay?”
Nick had a hunch she probably didn’t want to answer Sam’s question.
“I’m not sure. I haven’t talked to my grandmother’s lawyer yet, and I haven’t had a chance to inspect the house. Depending on what I learn, I might be here for an extended visit.”
Sam nodded, his expression and tone of voice sending a clear message that he wasn’t happy with her answer, or with her presence in Walnut Grove. “What do you know about your mother’s death?”
Macy looked like she didn’t want to answer that, either, and Nick wanted to jump in and ask a few questions of his own, but this was Sam’s show, so he made an effort to keep quiet.
After taking a deep breath, she said, “Just that she was murdered in that house. I was very young and my grandmother Douglas never talked about it, but she was convinced my father was innocent.”
Sam pressed his lips together as if she had just confirmed what he suspected. When he spoke, his voice was stern, almost condemning. “This is a quiet little place. Oh, we have crime, but nothing like murder, as a general rule. What happened hurt the town and I’d hate to see it all stirred up again.”
Macy bristled as if she was getting a little of her spunk back. “I believe it hurt my family more than it hurt the town. And if stirring things up again—as you put it—can clear my father’s name and bring my mother’s killer to justice, then that’s the way it has to be.”
“Your parents are both dead. Nothing you can do now will help them. But ripping this town apart over something that happened years ago can do a lot of damage. I won’t allow that to happen.”
She stood, apparently ready to leave whether he liked it or not. “I have no intention of damaging anything or anyone, but I will do everything in my power to find out what happened to my family and who was responsible. I’ll be living in my grandmother’s house until I learn the truth.”
Sam shoved his chair back and got to his feet. “You may be putting yourself in danger. Have you thought of that?”
“Of course I’ve thought about it, and since you’ve made it clear I can’t expect any help from the police, it looks like I’m on my own.”
She gripped the back of the chair. “Let me ask you something. You say someone is trying to break into my grandmother’s house. What do you think they hope to find? And what do you plan to do about it?”
She whirled and stalked out before he could answer, not even glancing at Nick to see how he took her confrontation with his boss.
He watched Macy stride from the room before glancing across the desk at Sam. “What was that all about?”
Sam shrugged. “That woman is trouble. The sooner she leaves town, the better.”
“If she owns a house in Walnut Grove, I’d say she has a right to be here.”
“She’s up to something and I don’t want this department mixed up in it. You stay away from everything connected to Macy Douglas if you know wh
at’s good for you.”
He walked out of the office, leaving Nick to stare after him. He had to be kidding.
First Sam hinted the police might have been involved in something dirty back when Megan Douglas was murdered. Then he ordered him to just drop it, stay away from the woman who was stirring things up? Regardless of how Sam felt, Nick would keep an eye on Macy Douglas. Someone had to, and it looked like it was up to him.
THREE
Macy drove to the motel, paid her bill and loaded her suitcase in the car. The meeting with the attorney had just been more of the same behavior she’d experienced from Sam Halston—she needed to sell the house and leave town.
She’d learned a couple of things, though. Her grandmother hadn’t left her the house. Her parents had left it to her. Opal Lassiter moved into the house where her daughter had died when her own husband, distraught over Megan’s death, committed suicide and left her bankrupt. Apparently she’d done well because she’d left Macy a good-size sum of money. Something she could definitely use. According to the attorney Opal had worked in the bank, she’d moved up to a good position and she had been thrifty. She’d also been a quiet woman, keeping to herself a lot of the time. Church and friends had been her only social activities.
Raleigh Benson had given Macy all the keys to the house he had in his file. She already had one to the front door, but she didn’t want other keys out there for someone else to use. Another thing bothered her. Why would a grandmother who made no effort to stay in touch be so generous at her death? It didn’t make sense.
She reached the house without any trouble but found Nick Baldwin and his police car parked in her driveway. What was he doing here? Did he intend to stop her from moving in? There must be something in that house they didn’t want her to see. Well, she’d find it in spite of them. She might be outnumbered, but she wouldn’t give up without a fight.
Macy got out of the car and waited for Nick to join her. Had Sam sent him to check on her? She wouldn’t put it past him.
Dangerous Inheritance (Love Inspired Suspense) Page 2
