“What has she got to do with me, now?”
“It’s not her, it’s her daughter, Laura. It’s a complicated story, Seth but I think you and Rita need to come to Hillsboro immediately.”
“Tell me what this is about, Betty. Is this girl claiming I’m her father? I hope you don’t believe some stranger about her paternity. It’s been years, any child would be in her thirties by now.”
“I trust this young woman, I’ve known her for several years. I want you to meet her. She could be Joanna’s twin and you know how much Joanna resembles you.”
“Betty, what will I say to Rita? She knows I wasn’t a saint but how can I tell her I might be some girl’s father after all these years.”
“Tell her the truth and get in the car. I’ll expect you in time for dinner tonight.”
Seth loved his big sister, but she was always so bossy. Still, he called Rita and told her to get ready for a surprise.
On their way to Hillsboro, Seth and Rita were both lost in their own thoughts. Seth tried to remember the night he met Glenda. She was unlike any girl he’d ever known. He’d never been with an older woman although he had to laugh when he thought of the age difference. Glenda couldn’t have been more than twenty-three but to nineteen-year-old Seth, she was an older woman. It never occurred to him she would become pregnant.
Rita never thought much about the women Seth had been with before they met. Having sex in college was one thing but getting someone pregnant was quite another. She knew her sister-in-law, Betty, and knew she wouldn’t have contacted Seth if she wasn’t certain the girl named, Laura was Seth’s child. Rita and Seth had two boys, both in their twenties and living in their own homes. What would they think of having a sister after all these years?
“I’m sorry, Rita, I shouldn’t have told you about this until I was sure. I can’t believe I had a child out there for over thirty years and didn’t know of her existence. Maybe Betty is wrong.”
“Seth, we both know Betty isn’t easily fooled. We have always handled things together, and that’s the way it will always be. If she looks anything like Joanna, your daughter is a beautiful woman.”
“My daughter, I always thought my daughter would be your daughter too.”
“If she is your daughter, Seth, she already is my daughter.”
“Molly, Betty Garretson told me Seth and his wife are on their way to Hillsboro to meet me. They want to see if I’m a con artist like my mother.”
“If Seth Baxter is anything like his sister, the thought of you being a con artist never crossed his mind. I know from experience, it won’t be as bad meeting him as you fear. I had Stephanie with me when we met my dad for the first time. I think he was more nervous than we were but he has been such a wonderful addition to our lives. You deserve to be loved.”
“You’re good for my ego. Will you come with me and Alec to Betty’s house? She wants me to be there when the Baxter’s arrive.”
“Yes, I’ll go with you.”
“Thanks, Molly, I need all the moral support I can get.”
Alec paced the living room floor waiting for the Baxter’s arrival. He couldn’t bear the thought of Laura’s father rejecting her as Clinton Abbott did for all her life. Laura sat upright in the straight-back chair. She looked like a school girl who was waiting for the principal to scold her for misbehaving.
Molly and Joanna made small talk trying to break the tension. Betty walked around the room offering coffee and cookies. No one took her up on the offer and she placed the tray on the dining room table.
Finally, they heard a car in the driveway. Betty and Joanna rushed to the door to welcome their guests. Laura’s sat straighter in the chair if that was possible. Alec put his arm on her shoulder trying to keep his hand from shaking.
Seth walked through the door followed by Rita. His eyes met Laura’s, and he knew in his heart this young woman was his daughter. He walked directly to her and held out his hand.
“Hello, Laura, it is a pleasure to meet you.”
“Hello, Mr. Baxter,” Laura replied.
“Please, call me Seth. This is my wife, Rita.”
Laura smiled at the woman and saw the warmth in her eyes.
“Hello, Laura, this is an awkward situation and we don’t want you to feel uncomfortable. Would you prefer I wait in another room while you and Seth talk?”
“No, I’d like everyone to stay. I don’t intend to disrupt your lives and I’m sorry if I have caused you distress. Clinton Abbott claimed Mr. Baxter is my father in a letter he wrote before he died. He offered no proof and my mother is incapable of answering questions about my parentage.”
“Laura had nothing to do with bringing you here, Seth,” said Betty Garretson. “She mentioned your name without knowing you are my brother. Ever since Joanna was in Laura’s fifth grade class, folks have mistaken Laura for Joanna’s sister. The resemblance is uncanny, and we always thought Joanna looked like her Uncle Seth.”
“Laura,” said Seth, “I’d like to get to know you, but I don’t want to disrupt your life either. Betty tells me you are a newlywed.”
“Yes, I’m sorry, this is my husband Alec Danforth and my friend Molly Ryan. If we aren’t related, I’d still like to get to know Joanna’s aunt and uncle. Joanna is an important part of my life.”
The tension eased as they gathered around the comfortable dining room table while Betty and Joanna placed sandwich makings and salads on the table. Betty always cooked when she was nervous and had been up since before dawn preparing all her favorite dishes.
Rita and Seth talked about their sons. Laura realized these young men could be her brothers. Seth wanted to know about her growing up years. Rita’s heart broke when she thought of Laura being left in the care of hired help while her parents were far away. She and Seth would have loved having Laura in their family.
Epilogue
July Fourth the following year:
“I hope I made enough potato salad, Brooke said Travis invited half the town to their Independence Day picnic. Maybe I should boil another five pounds of potatoes to be sure.”
“Molly, you boiled potatoes and cut enough vegetables for an army. You are a new mother, you need to rest before the picnic. I’ll take Joey for a walk in his stroller while you get some sleep. He likes watching the kids play baseball in the park.”
“Luke he’s only three months old, he doesn’t know what those kids are doing.”
“He knows, you should see his eyes follow the pitcher. He will be standing on that mound himself one day.”
“Baseball is okay, but I refused to allow him to play football. It’s much too rough for my sweet little guy,” Joey smiled at his mother as though she’d said something hilarious.
Brooke dashed through the back door after Luke and Joey left for their walk.
“Molly, these potato salads look heavenly, I feel bad I saddled you with making them. I know Joey hasn’t let you get a full night’s sleep since the day he arrived.”
“He’s doing better, he slept until five thirty this morning. I’m more rested than I’ve been in months.”
“Laura and Alec arrived in town last night. They will be here along with Laura’s new family.”
Laura and Alec finally took the honeymoon they’d planned after their wedding in the fall. With Clinton Abbott’s death, her mother’s rescue from the nursing home and finding the family she never knew she had, the timing never seemed right until now. Although Seth knew instinctively Laura was his daughter, a paternity test proved the relationship. He and Rita welcomed Laura and Alec into their lives. Her brothers thought it was cool they had a big sister. Laura and Alec loved being part of a real family that included her former student and dear friend, Joanna. Glenda Abbott showed signs of improvement but would never fully recover. She happily welcomed Laura during the visits, showing her the love she could never express while Laura was growing up.
The murder on the grounds of Coventry Hill Inn was all but forgotten. The Inn was booked all s
ummer and into the fall. Jenny and Greg plan to close the Inn for the month of February when their first child is expected to arrive.
While waiting for the firework show to begin, the women of Evergreen and Hillsboro sat around the firepit on the shores of Lake Hillsboro.
“Does anyone ever hear from Cassie Cross?” asked Brooke.
“Yes, I forgot to tell you,” said Jenny Cromwell, “Cassie made a reservation at the Inn for the early part of December for herself and her mother. They will do some Christmas shopping in Evergreen.”
“I always thought she and Mike Callahan were a good match,” said Laura. “They were convincing as a married couple.”
“They pretended to dislike each other but there was an undeniable spark between them,” said Molly.
“It’s too bad they didn’t stay in Evergreen a little longer. It’s easy to fall in love here,” Joanna said as she watched Detective Dylan Roth play catch with the children. Joanna stared at the diamond ring he’d given her the night before as it sparkled in the fire light.
Coming Soon: Join Cassie Cross and her nemesis, Michael Callahan on a cruise filled with murder, mystery, and romance…
Murder on The Princess Isabella
A Cassandra Cross Mystery
Prologue
“Cassie,” said her mother, Jeanne Cross, “you seem different since you returned from your first detective gig.”
“Mom, it wasn’t a gig, you make it sound like I was performing in a rock band. We, in detective circles, call it a case,” Cassie said laughing. “We recovered over two million dollars in jewelry, that deserves respect, don’t you think?”
“Yes, dear; your dad and I never imagined our lovely daughter being involved in that line of work. It could be dangerous.”
Cassandra Cross broke the mold of what was expected of a young lady born to a life of privilege. Cassie was a tomboy who fancied herself an amateur sleuth. She never read the romance novels her friends read as adolescents. Her interest ran to mysteries and murders solved by female detectives.
Cassie thought it was bad luck she had few hardships in life. How would she solve a grisly murder when she’d had such a sheltered childhood?
Her break came when she joined Paul Clancy’s Investigative firm. Her first job with the company was the recovery of stolen jewelry. There was only one fly in the ointment and his name was Michael Callahan. She and Mike posed as husband and wife to solve the case.
From the day they met, it was obvious the two despised each other. Mike resented being teamed with an amateur and a rich amateur. Cassie found Mike’s condescending attitude intolerable. Despite their differences, they got the job done and bid each other farewell.
It had been two months since they worked together but Cassie knew she’d developed feelings for the man she claimed to loathe.
Cassie’s cell phone sounded, and she answered quickly when she saw Paul Clancy’s name.
“Hi, Paul, I hope you’re calling about another job. I thought you’d forgotten about me.”
“No, Cassie, it’s been slow lately but I have a gig for you.” Cassie had to laugh at the term he used after chastising her mother for saying gig.
“What is it and when do I start?” she asked.
“Knowing the circles you run in, I’m sure you’ve heard of Desmond Hamilton.”
“The Desmond Hamilton? Paul, he’s out of my league, the man is a billionaire. Yes, I’ve heard of him but he’s hardly part of any circle of mine.”
“Whatever, here’s the deal. Hamilton’s daughter recently turned eighteen. She wants to take a cruise, and he has hired our firm to protect her from fortune hunters on the trip.”
“It sounds like a babysitting job. I didn’t think you took on that sort of thing.”
“I don’t, this is Desmond Hamilton and the job could lead to more business from him. I don’t want to pass up the opportunity.”
“I understand, Paul; count me in, I never thought of being a body guard before.”
“She has a body guard, this is more to watch over her and keep the wolves away. You’ll have your own room. I should say you and your partner will have your own room.”
“My partner? Will it take two of us and a body guard to protect this young lady?”
“Mr. Hamilton wants a couple; Mike Callahan has agreed to be your partner again.”
“Mike Callahan? Paul, he hates me; we were uncomfortable at Coventry Hill Inn when we shared a room. It would be impossible to be comfortable in the tiny rooms on a cruise ship.”
“Cassie, when you signed up with me you must have known there would be some discomfort at times.”
“It’s not the discomfort I’m talking about, Paul. It’s the person you want me to work with. We hate each other.”
“I’m aware of that but I don’t care. Do you want the job or not? I can always find someone else. Someone who needs the money.”
“I’ll do it,” Cassie said before Paul changed his mind.
After the call ended, Paul punched in Mike Callahan’s number.
“I did as you asked, Cassandra Cross will be your partner for the Hamilton job. I hope the distraction won’t be too much for you two lovebirds.”
“You know me, the job comes first. Desmond Hamilton is an ugly son of a gun, if his daughter looks anything like him, there won’t be much to this gig.”
As he said the words, a shiver went through him. Mike had learned his instincts always proved to be correct. He’d never met Margot Hamilton before, could she be in real danger?
“Be nice to Cassie, Mike. I had to threaten her with the loss of her job before she’d agree to work with you. What did you do to the poor girl?”
“I didn’t do a thing to her. I was a perfect gentleman around her. I haven’t been able to get her out of my mind since the last job. The only cure is seeing her strutting around in her designer clothes and convincing myself she isn’t my type.”
Murder at Coventry Hill Inn Page 11
