“Danielle told me he’d disappeared. I figured he’d either run away or my mother had killed him. I’m relieved, I guess, to find out she wasn’t responsible for his death.”
“Your mother has changed a lot over the years, Mel. She’s not the same woman you knew.”
Melinda’s jaw tightened but she didn’t reply.
“Look, you’re the only person who knows how you feel. But I think you should know…” Lorna hesitated. “I guess you need to hear those things from her, not from me. Maybe someday…”
Melinda nodded.
“She’s living in the cottage, you know. Back near the vineyard.”
“She is?” Melinda was obviously surprised at the news.
“My mother let her live there, after Billie got sick. She hasn’t been well for the last three years, Mel.”
“And your mother?”
“We lost her about two months ago.”
“I’m so sorry.” Melinda squeezed Lorna’s hand. “She was such a good person. When we were little, and things were especially bad at home, I used to pretend she was my mother, too. I wish I could have seen her again.”
“I wish you could have, too,” Lorna told her.
“Do you suppose she would want…” Melinda pointed in the direction of the cottage.
“I think there’s nothing she’d want more.”
Melinda appeared to be at war with herself. Finally, she said, “Would you mind if I left my car here? Maybe I could just walk over…”
“You’re welcome to leave the car for as long as you want. Perhaps on your way back, you’ll stop in, and we can visit a bit more.”
Melinda nodded and set off toward the vineyard, her eyes focused in the direction of the cottage. Lorna watched until she was out of view.
“Phew.” Lorna blew out a long breath.
“ ‘Phew’ what?” Regan came up behind her.
“Oh. Sorry. I didn’t hear you drive up,” Lorna said.
“You looked like you were in a trance,” Mitch told her.
Lorna nodded. “I guess in a sense I was.”
“Who’s that, walking across the field?” Regan asked.
“That,” Lorna turned to her, “is Melinda Eagan.”
“The Melinda Eagan?” Regan gasped. “Alive and well?”
“Alive and well, the Melinda Eagan.”
“Where’d she come from?” Mitch frowned. “Where’s she been?”
“I’ll tell you over dinner,” Lorna promised.
“I’m afraid I’m not going to be able to wait that long,” Regan told her. “We just stopped by to tell you that Mitch is going to drop me off at the airport in Lancaster, then he’ll be back to help T.J. in the vineyard.”
“That explains the pretty outfit,” Lorna said. “Definitely not field hand attire.”
Regan laughed. “Did I tell you that while I was in Chicago, I placed a personal ad in all the newspapers in and around Sayreville, Illinois? Well, I got a call last night from someone who knew Eddie Kroll. I have an appointment to meet this woman tomorrow morning.” Regan’s eyes were shining. “Wait till you hear this-Eddie was one of three boys convicted of murdering one of their friends… he was thirteen at the time, and the youngest of the three. He went through the juvenile system and was released when he turned twenty-one.”
“And then?” Lorna asked.
“And then, apparently, he dropped off the face of the earth. No one has seen or heard from him since.”
“I guess that explains why your father started gathering information about him. He could have been looking into the murder for a book,” Lorna suggested.
“Maybe,” Regan said hesitantly. “Somehow I have the feeling there’s more to it than that. I don’t know why, but something tells me this was more than just another case to him.”
“Well, I’m sure you’ll get to the bottom of it eventually,” Lorna assured her.
“With the help of my special agent.” Regan poked at Mitch.
“Every beautiful woman needs her own computer geek.” Mitch tugged at Regan’s hand. “Come on, I want to see T.J. for a minute.”
“You go on,” Regan told him. “I’ll catch up with you.”
When Mitch was out of range, Regan asked, “So, is this a thing? You and T.J.?”
“It sure feels like a ‘thing.’ ” Lorna grinned.
“Good.” Regan hugged her, then started off to join Mitch. “Good for you.”
Lorna followed her friend toward the vineyard, but paused to watch T.J. working. From where she stood, she could see him struggling with a twisted section of vine. She knew he’d keep at it until the vine was worked free, until all the vines were worked free, and the vineyard was ready for the new plants to be set in next spring. There was such promise in that.
She smiled to herself. Yeah, good for me…
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
MARIAH STEWART is the bestselling author of numerous novels and several novellas. She is a RITA finalist for romantic suspense and is the recipient of the Award of Excellence for contemporary romance, a RIO (Reviewers International Organization) Award honoring excellence in women’s fiction, and a Reviewers’ Choice Award from Romantic Times magazine. A native of Highstown, New Jersey, she is a three-time recipient of the Golden Leaf Award and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the New Jersey Romance Writers, of whose Hall of Fame she is an honoree. Stewart is a member of the Valley Forge Romance Writers, the New Jersey Romance Writers, and the Romance Writers of America. She lives with her husband, two daughters, and two rambunctious golden retrievers amid the rolling hills of Chester County, Pennsylvania.
