Tara dropped the broom and got down on her knees beside him. “You need to go to the hospital.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“But what if you need stitches?”
“It probably looks a lot worse than it really is.” He reached over to the man lying beside him and pulled off the ski mask. His dark brown hair was matted down on his head, and his ruddy complexion had gone pale. “Tim?” Easton staggered to his feet, and Tara wrapped her arms around his shoulders to steady him.
“You know this man?”
“He’s the brewery’s CFO.”
She stared down at him, baffled. “Why would he break into my grandmother’s house?”
“I think I might know the answer to that, but why don’t we ask him?” The man had begun to stir. Easton picked up the broom, holding it over Tim’s chest, ready to strike, if he moved. “Why don’t you tell us what you were doing, before I do more than just knock you out?”
He gritted his teeth. “I gave Addison the best years of my life. I wasn’t going to risk having someone come into the company, someone who knew nothing about it, and tell me how to do my job.”
“And maybe discover that you’d been embezzling company funds?”
He looked up at Easton in shock. “You knew?”
“My grandfather had an idea someone was stealing from the company. He just didn’t know who. My bet was on Bennett.”
“I’m not the only guilty party here,” Tim spat. “Why don’t you tell your dirty little secret?”
Easton narrowed his eyes. “And what secret is that?”
“I overheard everything you, your father, and Bennett discussed. It wasn’t hard. Didn’t exactly try to keep your voices down.”
Tara stared at Easton with wide eyes. “What is he talking about?”
“I’m talking about the codicil. I’m not the only one who wanted it. Why do you think he’s been spending so much time with you? To find out if you had it, that’s why.” Tim sneered with sick satisfaction.
Tara blinked quickly in disbelief. “Is that true?”
A siren’s wail prevented an answer as a police car screeched to a halt in front of the house. Tara opened the front door to let the officer in, and as he entered the foyer, her grandmother appeared at the top of the stairs.
She looked down at the scene below in horror. “What in the world is going on here?”
Tara ran up the stairs to help her down. “I think it’s time we installed an alarm system,” she answered, trying to make light of the situation, and at the same time thinking that might not be a bad idea.
Officer Dailey cuffed Tim and then dragged him outside. She watched as Easton went out with them. Her mind was spinning as a gamut of emotions assailed her. She didn’t know what to think. Had Easton used her, as that criminal implied? The thought sickened her. Last night, his emotions had seemed so real…the way he’d touched her…made her feel… That couldn’t have been an act, could it?
She helped her grandmother into the parlor and sat next to her on the sofa as she explained everything.
When she finished, her grandmother said, “All this because of Addison’s codicil.”
Tara sucked in a deep breath. “Yeah, I guess when there’s money at stake, people will do just about anything.”
Her grandmother reached over and squeezed her hand. “I’m not surprised that Boyd and Bennett would want to get their hands on it, but I find it hard to believe that Easton would be a party to that. Don’t jump to conclusions and believe what a crook says. You need to speak to your young man.”
Tara swallowed hard and quickly looked away so her grandmother wouldn’t see the tears in her eyes. She glanced out the window to see Officer Dailey coming up the walkway. Although they’d left the front door open, he used the brass door knocker before entering the house. “I’m taking the suspect down to the station now. You ladies are welcome to pick up a report any time. I’m sure you’ll be sleeping a lot easier now.”
“Thank you, Officer Dailey.” Tara got up and walked him out. Easton was standing beside the police car. Blood still oozed from the cut above his eye. He caught her looking at him and held her gaze. She had a hard time reading his expression but thought she saw a glimpse of regret, although she couldn’t be sure because he turned and walked away. She watched him cut across the lawn to go next door. When he was out of sight, she slowly closed the door. There was a heavy feeling in her stomach and chest as she walked back into the parlor.
“Where’s Easton? Isn’t he coming back inside?” her grandmother asked.
Tara shook her head. Her tongue felt thick. “He went home. I’m going to go clean up the glass.” She walked with leaden steps to the kitchen. When she got there, she just stood in the center of the room, staring at the back door’s broken window but not really seeing it. A haze of despair blurred her vison. All she could think about was last night. Just a few short hours ago, she’d been in Easton’s arms and blissfully happy. How quickly that happiness had been shattered. She glanced down at the floor and all the glittering pieces of glass and realized she’d forgotten the broom. It was still in the foyer. When she went back for it, her grandmother was coming down the stairs with her book tucked down her arm.
“Thought I’d do some reading, but I’d rather have you come sit with me for a while. Don’t worry about the glass now. It can wait.”
“You’re right, and I’d rather sit and talk to you anyway.” Tara walked with her into the parlor, and then sat down next to her on the sofa.
Her grandmother put the book in her lap and studied Tara’s face. “You remind me so much of your father. Every time I look at you, I see him, and it makes me regret even more what happened between him and your grandfather. Many times I wished I could go back in time and change things. Addison felt the same way, you know. He loved your dad and always regretted letting his dream—the brewery—come between them. That’s why when he made the change to his will, he gave me specific instructions on what to do with it should he die. He didn’t want to make the same mistake twice.” She opened the book’s cover and reached inside its flap to pull out a paper folded in thirds.
When she opened it, the first thing Tara noticed was the notary stamp, then the witness signatures. She clasped her hand over her mouth and gasped. “Grandmother, that’s the codicil!”
“I wanted to keep it in a safe place, and one that I’d remember, so where better than inside my book.” She handed the document to Tara. “I was waiting to give this to you until after you’d been here awhile. You see, your grandfather and I wanted to give you the chance to make up your own mind, to determine your own future, not what we wanted for you. However, considering all that’s been going on here the past few days, I thought it was time you knew about your inheritance.”
Tara shook her head in disbelief as she read the codicil. “Grandfather left his half of the brewery to me?”
Her grandmother gently put her hand on Tara’s arm. “Only if you want it. If not, you can sell it to Frank.”
Her mind was awhirl. “Do I have to make the decision right now?”
“Of course not, dear. I know there’s a lot to consider. I don’t know if this’ll be of any help to you in making up your mind, but Frank’s a good man, and he’s not stupid. He knew Boyd and Bennett needed to be monitored. That’s why he asked Easton to be his eyes and ears.”
Her heart swelled with the realization that Easton might not have deceived her after all. “Thanks for telling me that, Grandmother. It is very helpful.”
~*~
After Tara cleaned up the kitchen, she arranged for a glass company to come out and replace the broken window pane, then went upstairs to take a shower. The hot water felt good. Every muscle in her body was tense as she mulled the pros and cons of both scenarios. If she sold her share of the brewery, she’d be set financially, but what else would she have? There was nothing waiting for her back in New Hampshire. But if she kept her inheritance, what then? She knew nothing about running a brewery and had never even considered owning a business. Was she up for the challenge?
Tara squirted shampoo into her hands. As she lathered up her hair, she thought back to the tour Easton had given her of Spencer Douglas and the huge process that went into making the beer. She remembered his passion and excitement for the business as he explained the role of each piece of equipment. She imagined her grandfather feeling that same joy every day he went to work, and how disappointing it must have been when her father didn’t share in it, choosing instead to take another path in life. If she gave up her inheritance, the brewery would no longer be Spencer Douglas, and her family’s legacy would die.
She thought of her grandmother wandering around that big old house all alone with no one to talk to but a ghost.
She could see more clearly now which direction she was leaning. There was only one part of the equation that she needed to help make her final decision. Tara quickly finished her shower, then put on a pair of jeans and a yellow tank.
Last night’s storm had given way to a gorgeous summer day. She opened the French door and stepped onto the deck, thinking she’d let her hair air dry in the sun. Down below, though, out at the end of the pier, she spotted Easton.
This was the perfect time to put her mind at ease. She went back inside and then downstairs. Her grandmother had fallen asleep in the parlor with her book still in her lap. Tara gently touched her shoulder. “I’m going out back for a bit. I’ll be on the pier. There’s someone I need to talk to.”
Her faded eyes twinkled with understanding. “You don’t have to rush back in, my dear. I’m perfectly content right where I’m at.” She closed her eyes, and a small smile turned up the corners of her mouth.
She kissed her grandmother’s cheek, then raced out the door. When she reached the pier, Easton had his back to her as he stared out at the ocean.
She walked up to him. “My grandmother told me what happened to your mom. I’m so sorry.”
He shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans and turned his head to look at her. He had a bandage covering the cut above his eye and an ugly discoloration on his cheek. “It was a long time ago, but some hurts never go away.”
“I also found out your grandfather asked you to keep an eye on Bennett and your dad. I just need to know, though, if what we had was real or were you just going along with things because you had to?”
He took his hands out of his pockets and faced her. “That might have been the case to begin with, but almost immediately I knew I was falling for you. What we have is one hundred percent real.” He pulled her into the circle of his arms. “Last night was the best night of my life.” He crushed her against him, and his mouth sought hers hungrily.
When their lips parted, she said devilishly, “You know, I’ve been thinking, if I’m going to own a brewery, I’m going to need someone to teach me the business. Not to mention help me deal with certain members of your family.”
Astonishment touched his face. “Are you saying what I think you are?”
She slid her fingers around the back of his neck and stared up at him. “Yep, my grandfather made me his beneficiary, and Grandmother had the codicil hidden in her book.”
His eyes shone with joy. “So you’re going to stay here forever?”
She arched a brow. “Well, I don’t know about that. Forever’s a long time, unless you’re spending it with someone you love.”
He dipped his head, so that his mouth brushed hers. “My feelings exactly.”
The End
Thank you for reading
Surrender to Love,
book one of the Breakers Island romantic suspense series. I hope you enjoyed it. Please consider leaving a review at your favorite online retailer. It will help other people find the book.
Book two,
Surrender the Night
, is available for pre-order and will be released in October 2015.
I also write paranormal and sweet small-town romances. My new lighthearted contemporary romance series, Love Always, will be available late summer 2015. It features three childhood friends who encounter a lot more than anticipated while searching for love.
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—Raine English
Mistress of Raghery
A Gothic romantic suspense set in the Victorian era
.
Sheeva Desmond always believed she’d marry for love. But when she’s left penniless after her parents’ deaths and her fiancé cancels their wedding, she’s convinced love is a fairy tale. Desperate to find a way to support herself, she takes a position as governess to a troubled mute boy. She never expects to lose her heart to the boy’s handsome father. Or to become entangled in a deadly mystery.