He took a right turn into a grocery store lot, found a spot and parked. “I won’t be long. Just need to get some provisions for the cabin.”
“How do you know your uncle isn’t there with a houseful?” she asked. It seemed pretty presumptuous to think it would be empty just because Troy wanted it to be.
“It’s early August. He goes at the end of June when he’s finished teaching. As soon as school’s out he heads to the cabin for vacation. He likes the weather before it gets too warm.”
“Oh.” That made sense, but hadn’t he said it had been years since he’d been here? “What if he retired and lives there full time?”
“Then I’ll find us a hotel until I can find a rental property for a couple of weeks.”
She rolled her eyes. “It won’t be that long. I have to be back before a couple of weeks and it took four days to get here.”
“Like I said, I’ll make it work.” He opened his door and she moved to open hers. “I thought it might go quicker if I went in by myself,” he added before she got her fingers on the handle.
She nodded. “You’re probably right, but my ass hurts from sitting so long, so I’m coming with you. Besides, I need to stretch my legs.” Forgoing the wig, she grabbed her hat and sunglasses. “Never fear. I’m
under
wraps
,” she whispered. She made one of the famous goofy faces she was known for and got the desired effect when he grinned.
She opened her door before he could change his mind. The cool temperature surprised her and she grabbed her sweater from the backseat. Though she was still a little sore from last night, she left her crutches in the car. They were an accident waiting to happen, especially while under her armpits.
Troy rounded the hood of the car. “You forgot your crutches.”
“No I didn’t. We won’t be long,” she said, shrugging into her sweater. “I’ll go slow. You’re the one who called ’em sticks of death. Let’s leave them in the car. I’ll lean on you if I need to.” She caught the spark in his eyes and recognized the heat from last night. He was thinking about a different kind of leaning. The kind that had her body leaning up against his without any fabric between them. She felt a flush heat her cheeks. “Lead the way.” She gestured for him to go and when he didn’t move, she started toward the building. “Or I can. Doesn’t matter to me.” She felt more than heard Troy catch up to her.
He’d commandeered a shopping cart and put it in front of her. “Here. Lean on this.”
“Aye, aye, captain.”
Fifteen minutes later, they had a little bit of everything and headed toward checkout. The market had been relatively empty, but as they got closer to the only open checkout stand, she noticed two women looking at them and whispering. Uh oh. Had she been recognized? That would piss Troy off in a flash. She tipped her hat lower over her forehead as they got in line.
“I’m sorry, but you look so familiar,” the woman in front of them said. A blue band held back her long gray hair in a ponytail and her weathered face had more wrinkles than a shar-pei puppy. “Do I know you?”
Julie gave her a quick tight-lipped smile. “I don’t think so.”
“She gets that all the time,” Troy said simultaneously.
The older, red-head-from-a-bottle cashier took a long look, but her brown eyes were glued on Troy. “Oh, my word.” Her mouth opened up as if she’d seen a ghost. “Troy Mills, is that you?” Her slight southern drawl seemed out of place this far north, but it could explain the powdered complexion and perfect makeup.
He stiffened as both women stared at him, completely captivated.
“My gosh, I haven’t seen you in over twenty-five years.” The woman’s surprise turned into a wide smile, revealing a slight overbite. “You look exactly like your Uncle Zach.”
Troy didn’t say anything so Julie gave him a nudge with her elbow. Still nothing.
“Have you seen his uncle lately?” Julie asked. Just because his tongue had been glued to the roof of his mouth didn’t mean hers had.
“It’s been about a month or so. He was here right after school let out. Spent about two weeks, then he was gone.” She gave Troy a thorough once-over. “My gosh, you’ve grown into a man. You were such a scrawny kid the last time I saw you. If you didn’t look so much like a Mills, I might not have even recognized you.”
The lady in front of them had turned her eyes on Julie. “Are you sure we’ve never met?” Julie got that all time. People recognized her, but couldn’t figure out from where. Some thought they’d gone to school together. Older people thought she had been friends with their kids. It varied.
“I’m not from here,” she said with a shrug. “I guess I have one of those faces.” She took a few items out of the cart and set them on the black belt of the grocery stand.
“So, Troy, how long are you here for?” the woman behind the counter asked. Then she laughed. “Oh, lord, you probably don’t remember me at all. I used to work in the deli. Your mother would come and I’d give you a slice of cheese while she waited for her order. You remember that?”
Recognition dawned in Troy’s eyes and a reluctant smile curved his lips. “Yes, ma’am. I do remember that.”
“I was so sad when your mother passed,” she said with a shake of her head. “She was a pretty little thing.”
Julie barely managed to control her surprise, and the tension that had slowly ebbed from Troy shot back with a vengeance. Every muscle stiffened. His mother had died and in all that time in the car, he hadn’t mentioned it. The sadness Julie felt hit her as hard as those bullets had months ago.
“Oh, Lucy, I nearly forgot my coupons,” the woman in front of them said, handing over a few tattered pieces of paper. She drew Lucy’s focus, which Julie considered a good thing. But after she left, and Lucy started scanning the items on the belt, she glanced at Julie, then back at Troy.
“Troy, did you come back to introduce your girlfriend to your uncle?” Lucy asked.
“We’re just friends,” Julie felt compelled to say. Why she had the need to jump in and save Troy, she didn’t know, but here she was speaking up so he wouldn’t have to.
“Uh-huh,” Lucy drawled, but she clearly didn’t believe it.
It was a painful few minutes before Lucy had the items bagged and in the cart. Troy and Julie made their way out to the parking lot. Once the groceries were in the trunk and they’d resettled in the car, Julie bit her lip to keep from asking the questions burning in her brain.
Troy must have sensed her struggle. “My mom died when I was nine,” he said.
The same year he and his father had moved out of town. The puzzle pieces were starting to come together.
“How?” she asked.
He paused a long time before answering. “Fell down a flight of stairs and broke her neck.”
The air deflated out of Julie’s lungs with a whoosh. She couldn’t imagine losing her mother like that, especially at such a young age. It would explain why he was so serious all the time. He hadn’t had the unconditional love of a mother. The kind of love Julie had been raised with. To top it off, he’d been stuck with an abusive father. It explained so much. “I’m so sorry. That must have been the worst.”
He nodded. “It pretty much sucked.”
Julie laid her hand on his thigh and he flashed his dark gaze in her direction before settling on the road again. A few seconds later, he took her hand and linked their fingers. The simple connection made Julie melt inside. It was exactly what she wanted. Not just a physical connection, but an emotional one too. She wanted to know everything about the man.
They didn’t say anything else until they hit the cabin twenty minutes later, and Julie didn’t let it bother her. He had a reason for not telling her about his mother and she’d find out one way or the other. With another week and a half to go, she had plenty of time to finally get to know Troy Mills.
* * *
The cabin wasn’t what Troy expected as he eased up the gravel road. Then again, everything since they hit this part of the trip hadn’t been what he expected. His uncle had renovated the whole thing and doubled it in length. The old raised-log cabin was now a dual A-frame. A short set of steps led to the porch that stretched across the front, and a glider sat in the corner. He’d half expected the place to be boarded up and abandoned, but it looked better than ever. If the cashier hadn’t mentioned his uncle’s recent visit, he might’ve thought the place had been sold.
“This is beautiful,” Julie said. She’d been so quiet on the drive, giving him space and time to figure out how he was going to tell her about his childhood. It was one more thing to love about her. He certainly never intended for her to find out about his mother and he knew she was full of questions. Full of sympathy, too, but he didn’t want that.
He parked the car and glanced at Julie. According to the look on her face, the cabin wasn’t what she expected either. “I thought you said we were going to be roughing it. I was all set to do my Laura Ingles impression and now I see this.”
He smiled at the image of her in braids. Even when he was thinking about how much he missed his mom this many years later, Julie managed to pull him out of the funk.
Troy walked around to the back. A glass jar filled with rocks still sat on the same wooden table. The jar was different, but the rocks were the same smooth circular stones he’d collected from the lake as a child. He opened the top and plunged his hand into the center. The small plastic baggie rustled against his fingers and he pulled it out. The key remained inside.
Troy stepped up to the back door and tried the lock. The key turned easily and the door swung open. He glanced inside, amazed at the transformation. The whole place had been redone. The new state-of-the-art kitchen had dark brown granite countertops, oak cabinets and stainless steel appliances. His uncle had gone all out. Troy opened the front door for Julie, who still waited by the car.
“I guess you found the key,” she said, limping toward him.
He liked her tenacity. Liked the fact that she didn’t want to be coddled. She hated the crutches and would rather suffer some extra aches and pains instead of deal with them. Of course he’d never seen anyone with less ability when it came to crutches. The thought made him smile.
“Found it.” He held it up, then slipped it in his pocket before helping her up the three steps onto the porch.
She walked inside and stopped as she looked around. A giant double-sided stone fireplace created a centerpiece in the middle of the huge great room. “Wow. Nice.”
“This used to be the majority of the place,” Troy said. “The whole back end and left side is the new addition.” He shook his head, amazed at the change. “I’ll get the bags.” He headed for the door.
“I’m going to look around,” Julie said.
Troy brought in the groceries first, then came back with their bags and set them in the master bedroom. Another bedroom had been added on with the renovation of the back of the house, but the bunk beds held zero appeal, and who was he kidding anyway when it came to his sleeping arrangements where Julie was concerned? He didn’t know what the hell was happening between them, but damn if he wanted to see it end.
He found Julie putting away their groceries. With hardly any makeup, she looked like a million bucks. Her tan cargo pants allowed room for the bandage on her thigh, but the hip-hugging fit showed off her slim waist. The sweater she wore gave her a farm girl innocence that cut straight to his gut.
“Okay,” she said. “We’re here. Are you going to give your uncle a call or are we keeping him in the dark too?”
“I didn’t want you to tell anyone, and I hadn’t planned on it either. Let’s wait a couple of days and see how I feel.”
“Spoken like a true bodyguard.” She folded the last bag and set it atop the others. “Now what?”
He could think of a few things, but he wanted to check out the premises. No one knew where they were, but if one of those ladies in the market realized who Julie was and put two and two together, he needed options.
Of course he also needed to tell her the truth about himself. It was bound to come out eventually and now that they were off the road and he had her alone, he could explain things better. Make her understand how he never intended to deceive her. But first things first.
“Now, I walk around and see what else is new here. You can watch television. Take a nap. Take a bath...” The memories of their tub time filled his brain with all sorts of ideas and watching her flush made him want to sweep her off her feet and go for a replay, except her stitches made that impossible.
“I’d rather go with you,” she said, shifting on her feet. She needed to get off her bad leg.
“You sure? Maybe you should park it on the sofa. I’ll find your books and scripts and bring them over.”
She cocked her head to the side, studying him in that way she did that made him feel exposed, as if she saw straight through him. Something weighed on her mind. Probably the same thing that weighed on his.
The phone in the kitchen rang and Julie jumped a mile at the high pitch. She slapped a hand over her heart. “Who could be calling?” she asked.
“I have no idea.” Troy let the answering machine in the corner of the countertop do its job. A familiar voice came over the line.
“Troy, are you there? Pick up the phone if you are. It’s Uncle Zach.”
“That didn’t take long,” Julie said.
“The lady in the market must have called him.” Troy hesitated before reaching for the phone. He couldn’t really avoid the man since he’d barged into his home. “I should talk to him.” He stared at the receiver, let out a deep breath and hit the talk button.
Chapter Nineteen
While Troy talked to his uncle in the kitchen, Julie fished her phone out of her bag in the bedroom. She resisted the urge to call the detectives but took the opportunity to check on her mom and Cal. Elena had just returned home from a few days with her sister, Vicki, and would soon be heading out to Arizona as she’d originally planned. Cal, on the other hand, sounded extra surly.
Julie gazed out the French doors to the serenity of the tall pines and still lake. Cal’s diatribe on the unfairness of life was anything but peaceful. “Cal, I just asked if you brought in my mail.” It was the only day Abbey couldn’t get there. “If you don’t want to or don’t have the time, Abbey can just get it tomorrow.” She hobbled out of the room toward the front door.
“That’s not it, Jules. I know I’m closer than Abbey and I can do it. I’m just worried about you. Where the hell are you? Did you get where you were going?”
Julie glanced at Troy, still talking to his uncle, before opening the front door. More thick pine trees and heavy growth surrounded the area and lined the gravel road that led to the cabin. She limped toward the car to get her books and scripts from the backseat. “Yes, we got here a little while ago.” She made sure Troy wasn’t in earshot. “It’s gorgeous. Peaceful.” She took a deep breath of fresh air, pine trees and lake water, and chuckled. “You’d hate it.” Cal was all about glitz and glitter.
“Hey, I happen to like peaceful, but you’re cutting out. I can barely hear you,” Cal added. “Where exactly is this peaceful heaven on earth? I’m still not happy that no one knows where you are.”
Julie tucked the load under her arm, closed the door and checked the bars on the phone. She edged closer to the house and got a stronger signal. “I’m in Massachusetts.”
Cal whistled. “That I heard. He must have driven like a freaking maniac to get you to Massachusetts this fast.”
Julie nodded. “Pretty much nonstop. I guess he wanted me as far from Los Angeles as humanly possible.”
“No kidding.” Cal sighed. “Okay. So where in Massachusetts?”
Julie spotted two ducks cleaning themselves in the lake behind the cabin, splashing water as they dipped their bills. “By a lake,” she said. “I’m actually not sure since I wasn’t paying attention. I was reading most of the time.”
Cal hesitated on the phone. “Find anything you liked?”
“A couple of possibilities. Most of them were pretty cliché.”
“Any seconds I should have my agent look into?” Cal asked. “Your crumbs are better than my offers.”
“Hey,” Julie said. “That’s not true!” She hated when Cal got sulky like this. Sometimes she really tested their friendship with her comparisons.
Cal didn’t bother to argue. “Look, I have to go. I’m meeting a friend for coffee.”
“Oh yeah? Anyone I know?” Julie asked.
“Nope. A new guy. He’s not my usual taste, but I’m doing my best to expand my horizons.”
“Well, good for you. I’m glad.”
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow. That gives you the rest of the day to get me a concrete address.”
“Seriously, Cal. Troy doesn’t want me to.”
“Who has been your best friend for over thirteen years?” Cal asked. “Who has watched your back and been there for you since we were teenagers? Don’t let this guy tell you who you can and can’t talk to, Julie. I thought you were more independent than that.”
When she put it that way, Julie felt a combination of embarrassment and shame for not confiding in Cal. Giving her best friend the address was probably a good idea. Someone should know where she was in case something happened to her and Troy.
“Fine. I’ll find the address and let you know tomorrow.”
“Thank you. Jesus, it’s like pulling teeth with you sometimes.”
Yeah, it was definitely time to give Cal some space. “I love you too. Talk to you tomorrow.”
Cal’s frustrated exhale came over the phone. “Yes, you will. Bye.”
Julie disconnected the phone and stared at the display as the screen went black. Sometimes Cal got into a very nasty mood at the drop of the hat. Julie had learned to change the subject or get out of her way when those moods hit. She’d talked to Cal years ago about seeing a therapist for her mood swings, but she’d just rolled her eyes.
I
don’t
need
a
therapist
when
a
good
fuck
will
get
my
aggression
out
, Cal had once told her.
Julie disagreed as she pocketed her phone and hobbled into the house.
* * *
Carrie Ann slammed the door from her garage and tossed her keys on the kitchen counter. She hated every single thing about this day. Grabbing a bottle of peppermint schnapps from her freezer, she poured a stiff shot. She wasn’t much of a drinker, especially in the daytime, but she needed a little numbing at the moment. Tossing back the liquor, she felt the cold slide all the way to her stomach. She smacked her lips and poured another before sitting at the bar that overlooked the majority of the living space in her condo.
She had a beautiful place. She loved the energy of the dark red accent wall behind the flat screen TV, loved the splash of bright pillows on the black leather sofa. She couldn’t imagine living anywhere else, just as she knew that Drew loved the house they’d grown up in. Carrie Ann had managed both mortgages without too much trouble. She made a good living. Just not Julie Fraser’s living. Though she enjoyed the good things in life, she didn’t have the freedom that Julie had to spend money on anything anytime without a second thought.
Carrie Ann sipped her schnapps.
Julie should be here now, helping her with Drew. Instead, she’d taken the first opportunity to bail out of town with the first hard-bodied male who’d come along. Was it possible that Julie was actually fucking this guy and hadn’t told her? Maybe Drew was right. Julie was never there when they needed her. She pretended to be a best friend, but had she really proved it? Wouldn’t a best friend have told her about a new relationship?
Her anger rose in degrees as she swallowed the rest of her shot, grabbed the bottle and headed toward the front door. She pulled her Gucci suitcase out of the hall closet and carried it to her bedroom. She threw clothes haphazardly into the bag as she drank from the bottle. The piece was part of a set Julie had gifted her with years ago and Cal had loved it. Of course, now it was scratched, faded and in need of repair. Much like their friendship.
Sometimes things couldn’t be repaired and you had to get rid of them.
Her phone rang and she punched the talk button without looking at the screen. “What?” she snapped.
“Hi.” Al’s voice sounded tentative. Big surprise there. The guy was two nerds rolled into one.
Cal took a deep breath and poured on the charm. She was an actress first and foremost. “Hi. Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you.” She threw underwear into her bag and an idea formed in her head. “Are you busy for the next few days, the next week?” she amended.
“Uh. Depends. Why?” he asked.
She envisioned him scratching his jaw with his knuckles the way he did when he concentrated on something. “You feel like taking a road trip with me?”
“Where?”
“Massachusetts. I feel the need to check on my best friend. Want to tag along?”
The silence on the other end of the phone surprised her. For some reason, she thought Al would jump at the opportunity.
“I guess I can make a few calls and push some appointments. Sure. When did you want to go?”
“As soon as we can get packed and map out a course. We can take turns driving and sleeping and get there in about forty-five hours, give or take a few hours.”
“Wow. That’s an aggressive schedule. Your car?” he asked.
She rolled her eyes. He’d leased a Lexus, but hardly drove it. What was the point of having a car if he didn’t plan on driving it? “Yes. My car. I’ll pick you up in two hours.” She might not know exactly where Julie had landed in Massachusetts, but she had an end state and that was enough for now. Two hours should give her enough time to map out a route, finish packing and stop by the house for what she needed. It would also give her some time to do a little detective work. She not only planned on checking out Troy Mills, but she wanted to know more about Al Gates. The more he talked, the less she believed him.
Certain things just didn’t ring true about the man. For instance, if the mansion at the top of the hill really belonged to him, how come he wouldn’t take her through it? Did he really expect her to believe his excuse of staying away because he wanted to see the house only when the renovations were complete? And wouldn’t his hotel room have more than just one suitcase if he planned to live there for the months it took to redo the mansion? What about the car? The lease was only days old. She’d rummaged through his glove compartment and found it. If he had as much money as he said he did, why didn’t he own anything expensive? The “everything’s in storage” line was beginning to wear thin.
Holy
fucking
shit
. She froze halfway to her suitcase.
Al
. How come she hadn’t thought of this sooner? Al could’ve been short for Alfred or Algernon. Or Allen. Wouldn’t it be absolute perfection if he was the one who’d sent Julie those massive flower arrangements?
Ideas circled in her head. To make it to the East Coast in good time, she needed a buddy to help her drive and Al seemed like just the candidate. He was as malleable as soft clay. Exactly what she needed.
Carrie Ann had learned years ago that when life handed her something on a silver platter, she should take it.
* * *
Allen’s heart raced as he stared at his cell phone in his bedroom at home. Carrie Ann wanted him to go with her to find Julie. His luck was absolutely changing. Finally, things were going his way. The investment he made would pay off. Once his game sold there would be nothing stopping him. Julie would see how much he loved her, and he’d buy that house on top of the hill and they’d live their lives together the way they were supposed to.
He didn’t intend to hurt Carrie Ann, but she’d have to understand that he loved Julie and things just wouldn’t work out between them. They were too different. Carrie Ann constantly wanted things. Nothing was ever good enough for her. But Julie was perfect. Julie would accept him for who he was and he’d give her the world because of it.
Besides, disposing of the guy who whisked her away would be well worth the trip, and since he didn’t live in the east and no one knew he was going, his chances of being caught dwindled significantly. No airplane meant no paper trail. Yep, this trip was perfect.
Allen took out a duffel bag from his closet. Glad that he stopped home to get a change of clothes and do some laundry, he opened his bedroom door and yelled down the stairs. “Mom, I’m going to Oxnard to hang by the beach. I’ll be gone for about a week. Don’t call me. I’ll call you.”
He shoved some jeans and T-shirts in the bag and grinned at the turn of events. Julie was going to be so surprised to meet him this way. She’d finally have a chance to thank him for all the flowers. In fact, he had a great idea. A grin spread across his face as he found a blank card. He’d write her another note and hand it to her in person along with the box of chocolates and the silver bracelet. She’d realize exactly who he was, and she’d be beside herself with excitement and happiness that he’d gone to so much trouble to find her.
Allen sat down at his desk and thought a moment.
Dear
Julie
,
I
told
you
we’d
be
together
and
now
we
are
.
For
the
rest
of
our
days
,
I’ll
take
care
of
you
like
no
other
.
My
undying
love
,
Allen
She’d have to see he loved her. She’d have to realize that she belonged to him and no one else. He’d make her see. There was no other alternative.
* * *
Troy set the phone on the counter and took a deep breath. Now that they’d reached the cabin, he’d planned to tell Julie about his actual occupation. He hated lying to her. Although he’d never intended for things between them to go so far, it didn’t justify not telling her the truth. Now that he had her alone, it was the best time. Except he couldn’t do it with his uncle on the way. He needed time. He wasn’t stupid enough to think Julie wouldn’t be mad at him. But if he explained the circumstances, she was bound to see his side of it. He hoped.
“Everything okay?” Julie asked. She stood at the kitchen archway.
Troy faced her. “I forgot what a small town this is.” He probably hadn’t even started the car before the grocery store clerk had called his Uncle Zach. In turn, Zach had probably counted the minutes until he knew Troy would be in the cabin.
“How’s your uncle?”
“He sounded fine, I guess. Weird.”
“Weird how?” she asked pulling a chair from the table and taking a seat. She kicked the one next to her so he’d take it.
It wasn’t that Troy had anything against his uncle. Nothing except the fact that he’d let his brother get away with abuse...and possibly murder.
“Weird like he had to talk to me. He’s coming over now. His main house is about a half hour away...closer to the city.” Troy turned the chair and straddled it, set his hands on the table and absently drummed his thumbs on the heavy wood.
“That doesn’t seem too weird. You haven’t seen him in decades, right? He’s probably dying to see you.”
Probably. Troy nodded. Zach had been furious with his brother for moving. He’d always been cool when Troy was around, but when he thought he was alone with his brother, it was a different story. Maybe he did know what a monster his brother was. It was hard to say.