“Was Duncan angry at you just now?”
“Um, maybe just a tad.” She sighed. “Which is why my
shotgun is now in the woods and we’re probably not going
on that picnic Sun—” The hil side suddenly flooded with
light just as the harvester and excavator engines roared to
life, fol owed almost immediately by shouts of startled men.
“Ohmigod,” Charlotte gasped, covering her mouth with
her hands. She pointed to the left side of the woods.
“Ohmigod, he’s chasing them with the excavator!”
Peg gave her daughter a fierce squeeze. “Quit
swearing,” she muttered as they both watched two men
stumbling over branches and bumping into tree stumps as
they ran down the hil just feet ahead of the reaching boom
of the excavator, its bucket rattling up and down.
“Ohmigod,” Peg in turn gasped when another man fel over
the side of the bank, his panicked shout ending abruptly
when he hit the water.
“Um, Mom? Did Duncan have that sword he had in his
truck this morning with him tonight?” Charlotte whispered,
pointing up the hil . “Or is that a stick he’s holding to that
man’s chest lying in front of the harvester while he’s …
talking to him?”
Peg watched Duncan suddenly step back and the man
on the ground jump to his feet and start running, not even
slowing down when he reached the bank—jumping off it
right into the water. “Ohmigod,” she said, hugging
Charlotte.
The lights on the harvester suddenly went off, fol owed
almost immediately by the excavator’s lights, which was
fol owed by utter silence when their respective engines shut
down. Wel , it was silent except for the sound of splashing
as the two men swam toward the east side of the pit, and
one of the other men let loose a string of curses when he
ran into one of the boulders on the beach. His buddy hauled
him back to his feet and they started running to where the
fiord cut into the pit and waded into the water to haul out
their two coughing cohorts.
Branches snapped as the four of them scrambled up the
wooded knol to their vehicle. The SUV’s engine started
with a whining roar and gravel spewed from its tires as
backup lights—and this time headlights—arced through the
trees as it backed out of sight. Peg felt Charlotte holding
her breath just like she was as they listened to the vehicle
screech to a halt on the pavement, then go squealing away.
“Ohmigod,” Peg heard Charlotte whisper at the same
time she did. “Um, Mom? It looks like the men are coming
to the house,” Charlotte said, a hint of panic in her voice.
She suddenly jumped up. “I guess it’s time I went to bed.”
“Oh, no you don’t,” Peg muttered, snagging the hem of
her nightgown. “You’re putting on your bathrobe and
slippers and coming out to face them with me.”
“What? But I’m too young to smile and nod at angry men.”
“Then I guess you’re too young to get your ears pierced.”
“Mommm.”
Peg stood up. “Make sure Isabel doesn’t wake up when
you go get your robe; I’l check on the boys. Close your
bedroom door behind you, but make sure you’re on this
side of it when you do,” she said, pointing a threatening
finger.
Charlotte suddenly smiled and actual y nodded. “You’re
figuring they won’t dare be angry if I’m there.”
Peg turned her around with a nudge. “See, I always knew
you were the brightest bulb in the room. Now go on, hurry.”
Because, hey, what good was having kids if she couldn’t
hide behind them once in a while? Peg ran to her bureau,
grabbed a bra out of the drawer, pul ed her arms out of her
sleeves and put on the bra, then smoothed her sweatshirt
down with a steadying breath. She’d just made it out to the
living room after checking on the boys—having to drag
Charlotte out with her—when she heard footsteps as soft
as church mice on the deck and a soft knock on her front
door.
“Could you get that, Charlie?” Peg said, giving her a
push.
“I want my birthstone for earrings, not just gold studs,”
Charlotte muttered, going to the door. She stopped with her
hand on the knob, looking eight years old until her deep
breath threw her shoulders back and her sudden smile
turned her sixteen. She flipped on the porch light and pul ed
open the door. “Dun—Mr. MacKeage, what are you doing
here?”
The man actual y stepped back in surprise, bumping into
Robbie and Alec, his face turning a dul red. “Is your mother
here, Charlotte?”
Her precious, sweet little heathen nodded. “Would you
like to speak with her?”
Peg walked over and took hold of her daughter’s
shoulders. “Can I help you, Mr. MacKeage?” she asked
through the missing pane on her storm door.
“Could you come outside a moment, please?”
Peg’s eyes widened in horror and she shook her head.
“Oh, I’m sorry, but I was told in no uncertain terms not to
step foot outside of my house after dark ever again.”
Alec turned away, politely covering his mouth when he
started coughing—which must have been contagious
because Robbie walked to the rail to clear his throat.
Duncan sighed through the missing glass hard enough
that Peg actual y felt her hair move. “I’m sure whoever set
those terms would make an exception,” he said way too
quietly. He opened the storm door and stepped back, and
Peg pushed Charlotte out ahead of her—smiling when she
heard him curse under his breath.
“We’re both dying to hear what al the commotion was
about,” Peg said brightly, ignoring Duncan in favor of
addressing Alec and Robbie.
Charlotte, however, didn’t seem at al concerned about
smiling and nodding—although come to think of it, none of
the men seemed al that angry. In fact, they appeared
downright proud of themselves for having scared the
bejeezus out of the trespassers. Wel , except for Duncan.
Charlotte pul ed away from Peg and turned to him. “Was
that your sword I saw you holding to that man’s chest?” she
asked.
His startled gaze rose to Peg, two flags of red coloring
his cheeks again.
“No, Charlie,” Peg said quickly, pul ing the girl back
against her. “I’m sure it was just a stick like we thought. So,
were they carrying fuel cans when you caught them?”
“No,” Robbie said, drawing her attention as he held out
his hand. “They were carrying a couple of these.”
“Bags of sugar?” Charlotte said in surprise.
Peg looked at Duncan. “They were going to sugar your
fuel? But why?” She looked at Robbie, then Alec, then back
at Duncan. “You hired most of the available local men, so
why would they try to sabotage your equipment?”
“We doubt they were construction workers,” he said,
shaking his head. “There’s been talk around town of some
opposition to having a large resort built here.” He gestured
at the busted bag of sugar. “This is a game changer, Peg,
and reason enough for you to give me your word that ye
won’t try to take matters into your own hands again like you
did tonight.” He looked down at Charlotte. “I want your word,
too.”
Charlotte canted her head up at Peg. “I agree with him,
Mom.” She looked back at Duncan. “We promise to stay
inside at night from now on. Do we cal you when something
happens, then? Because it takes forever for anyone to get
here.”
Peg saw Duncan relax. “You won’t have to cal me,
because as long as any of my equipment is on your
property there’l be someone guarding it just like we were
tonight. And I’m building a temporary camp a mile up the
road for my crew to stay at through the week, so there’l be