Madison listened to Emily on her cell, shock rocketing through her nerves.
Who shot at Emily’s car?
“Hey, Madison? Is this done?” Isaac tentatively poked at a pancake with the metal spatula. “How can I tell that the other side is browned enough?”
She tipped the phone away from her mouth. “Peek under the edge. It doesn’t take long to cook.”
Isaac squatted almost to the floor to get at eye level with the grill and lifted the tiniest edge of the pancake, his focus intense. “A little longer.” He straightened and stood guard over the grill, staring at the three round cakes.
“Ava just came out of surgery,” Emily continued. “Her shoulder and collarbone were damaged, but they’re very optimistic about her recovery.” Her sister’s voice lowered. “Everyone thought the bullet had hit her neck, but it was actually embedded with glass from the window.”
“You must have been terrified.”
“You have no idea.” Her sister exhaled loudly. “Don’t tell the aunties what happened yet. I’ll talk to them when I get home.”
“Okay.”
Dory bustled into the kitchen, an empty coffee carafe in her hand, delight on her face. She set it on the big coffee machine and punched the right series of buttons. Madison was pleased. She’d finally taped a cheat sheet to the machine because Dory forgot how to run it every time.
“Can you ask Uncle Ron to find something to do at the mansion?” Emily asked. “I’d feel better knowing he was there. He’s talked about fixing the outside railing. Maybe this would be a good time.”
“Why?” A small alarm started in Madison’s brain. “Why do you want him there?” Isaac checked the pancakes again, awkwardly slid them onto a plate, and set it up. He lifted a brow to Madison, and she gave him a thumbs-up. A wide grin filled his face.
She couldn’t believe he’d never cooked a pancake.
Emily was quiet for a moment. “There’s some concern that I’m being targeted.”
Madison remembered Emily’s white face at the community meeting. “Because of Nate Copeland’s death?”
“And this shooting today. They could be wrong,” she added quickly. “It could have been random, or maybe Ava was their target.”
“What did you see at Lindsay’s house that morning, Emily? Why is this happening?” Madison whispered as she stepped away from the grill and stoves, out of Isaac’s hearing.
“I didn’t see anything that indicated who killed them.” Emily’s voice wavered, shocking Madison. Emily was the rock of the household—after Vina, of course. She never let a weakness show. “They’re being cautious. Can you talk to Ron?”
“Yes, I’ll call him, but it’s raining, and the wind is horrible. I doubt he’ll want to repair the outside rail.”
“I don’t care what he works on. I just want him at the house when our aunts are there.”
“Is this my short stack?” Dory asked, grabbing the plate Isaac had just filled.
“Yep.” Pride radiated from the teenager.
“Was that Dory?” Emily asked.
“Yes. I’ve got all three aunts working the floor. I’m covering the grill, but I’m giving Isaac some lessons.”
“Where’s Leo?”
“I sent him home before we even opened today. He had a sore throat and was barely functioning. The aunts were glad to pitch in.”
“It takes all three of them to cover your job,” Emily stated.
Was that a compliment?
“They’re doing it well,” Madison said automatically, still off-balance from Emily’s observation. “When can you go home? Do you need a ride?”
“I’m almost done, and I don’t need a ride. Agent Wells says he’ll drive me home.”
“He must be relieved that his partner is okay,” Madison said. She liked Ava McLane—she was the type of woman Madison wanted to be.
“You have no idea.”
They ended the conversation, and Madison slid the phone into her apron pocket.
Her sister could have died. A chill washed over her, and an old memory of terror rose from the marrow of her bones.
“Your turn!” Madison shouted at ten-year-old Emily.
Madison checked on her parents. They sat several yards away on a big rock that looked out over the ocean. The park was a favorite of the girls, but it took intense begging, chores, and promises to get their parents to bring them.
It was a blue day at the coast. The ocean reflected the deep, vivid color of the sky. It was the first warm day of spring, and the three girls pretended it was summer, wearing shorts and sandals for the first time since last fall. Emily had started a cartwheel contest in a patch of green grass. Tara had turned her nose up at the game and wandered off with some girls from the high school. Madison had seen one of them flash a pack of cigarettes.
Gross.
Madison had completed four cartwheels without stopping, and Emily needed to beat that. Emily lifted her hands and flung herself into the first cartwheel. As she finished the fourth, her left foot landed wrong, and she slipped. Twisting, she lost her balance and staggered, trying not to fall. The ground caved away at Emily’s feet, and she vanished.
Madison screamed and lunged to the edge on her stomach.
They’d been playing a safe distance away from the edge. It was the same place they always played, but the rains had dug out part of the slope and left a false top.
She saw Emily ten feet down, hugging the slope with her entire body as the ocean crashed into giant rocks a hundred feet below.
Madison shuddered. Her father had carefully inched down the rough slope and rescued his daughter as his wife and Madison shrieked. Emily had nearly slid to her death.
That sensation of utter helplessness as her sister clung to the earth returned like a slap in the face.
The fence at the overlook had been ten yards behind them. Everyone hopped over the fence to get a closer view despite the warning signs.
Her father had been a hero.
Does that make up for his racist views? Could he have been both?
Madison pulled herself out of the past and found Isaac watching her.
“Is something wrong with Emily?”
Madison had never seen his brown eyes so serious. Maybe it was because of the hairnet keeping his hair out of his eyes for once. He’d been thrilled when Madison offered him some cooking lessons, making her wonder why Leo had never bothered. The teen was like a son to him.
“She was in a car accident—she’s fine. A little banged up, but nothing broken.” An idea occurred to her. “Would you mind stopping by the mansion this evening? I have some odds and ends that need doing, and I’ll pay your usual wage.” I’ll figure out what those odds and ends are later.
His eyes narrowed. “What’s wrong?”
She hesitated. “There’s been some extra focus on the family since Emily found Lindsay and Sean.”
“What do you mean, ‘extra focus’?”
“It’d be good to have some more people around the house for a bit. Keep an eye out for things.” Her reason was lame.
Isaac studied her a little longer. “Yeah, I’ll come over.”
Madison forced a smile. “Thank you.” She pointed. “You’ve got another order.”