Johnny slowed when he turned onto Treehaven. No matter how many times he came home to his grandfather’s house, he got an empty feeling in the pit of his stomach. Maybe it was because his grandparents had first denied him a home when his mother—their daughter—had died. Or maybe it was because his mother had grown up here. She had existed as a person before she became his mother. Before she became addicted to drugs.
How different all their lives would have been if she had made different choices in her life.
Johnny stopped at the cross street running alongside his grandfather’s house. The dome light on a small sedan caught his attention. He waited at the stop sign as the man helped a dog out of the backseat. Duke?
Johnny’s adrenaline spiked. He turned and slowed next to the car. The man grabbed the dog’s collar and glanced up at him, revealing his face under the lamppost.
“Tony?” Johnny muttered. The man looked as though he wanted to run.
Johnny jammed his car into Park and jumped out. He intercepted Tony as he tried to take off down the street. On the sidewalk, Duke barked frantically as if to say, “Go get ’im.”
Johnny watched as Tony stopped and seemed to study the thick crop of trees lining his grandfather’s property.
Johnny didn’t hold on to Tony, but he was ready to grab him if he tried to make a run for it.
“Hush, Duke.” The dog was in a frenzy that sent Johnny’s nerves buzzing.
“What’s going on here, Tony?”
“Um...I...” He looked away. “I was driving down the street and I noticed this dog out wandering. I thought I’d pull over to see if I could find its owner.”
“I saw you pulling him out of your car.”
Tony’s eyes widened. “No.” He laughed—a nervous sound. “I was trying to get him into the car.”
Johnny studied the man carefully. He knew how to read people and Tony was lying and afraid. His patience dwindling, Johnny said, “Tell me the truth. What’s going on?”
Tony rubbed the back of his neck and glanced toward the tree line again. He opened his mouth to say something, then clamped it shut. He pounded a fist on the lid of his trunk and cursed. “You have no idea.”
Johnny thought about what Kerry had told him. The man with the orange-and-yellow sneakers had paid him to break the windows on Ellie’s shop. “Maybe I do.”
Tony’s eyes flared wide before he seemed to catch himself. “I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about.”
Johnny towered over Tony. “Stop with the lies.”
Tony clamped his mouth closed and shook his head. “I just stopped to help the dog. That’s all. This is your dog?”
“You know it’s my grandfather’s dog.” Johnny patted Duke’s head to settle him down. He whimpered, but still seemed ready to pounce at something.
“No good deed goes unpunished, huh?” Tony tried to make light of the situation.
A rustling in the trees caught their attention. Duke barked frantically, but didn’t advance past the sidewalk. He’d always made a better alarm system than actual guard dog.
Johnny’s heart sank when Ellie burst through the trees, a sharp garden tool in her hands and a crazed look in her eyes. “He...” She struggled to catch her breath. “...he attacked me.”
Tony took a step, as if to bolt, when Johnny slammed him hard against the car. Tony grunted, but didn’t say anything. Johnny snapped on handcuffs and spun him around, allowing him to rest his backside against the vehicle.
“Are you okay?” Johnny cupped her cheek. He ran his thumb across her smooth flesh, brushing off a spot of dirt.
Ellie nodded. “It was him,” she said, pointing a shaking finger at his colorful sneakers. “He thinks I have one of his packages.”
A look of defeat crossed Tony’s face.
“Did you attack Ellie?”
Tony hiked his chin in a defiant gesture, but he didn’t answer.
“He did. He did.” Ellie was frantic. “I let Duke out and when Duke didn’t return—” she wiped at her cheek “—I had to make sure Duke was okay. Then Tony grabbed me from behind.”
“That’s why you had Duke in your car. You wanted to lure Ellie out of the house when he didn’t return.”
“How did he know I was here?” Ellie smoothed a hand over her hair.
“He was probably watching the house. Knew I was gone and waited for an opportunity. Your letting out Duke was his chance.” Johnny stepped closer to Tony. “What would you have done if she hadn’t come outside? Break in? Knock on the door?”
A steely look crossed Tony’s eyes as he leaned in close, not taking kindly to being threatened. “You can’t prove anything.”
“We have a witness.”
Tony’s eyes grew wide.
“Kerry Pitz is awake and talking.”
* * *
Ellie sat on the steps just inside the front door of the old Victorian. Buddy, who had slept through the excitement, was making her tea.
Ellie had a clear view through the sidelight windows of Officer Bailey’s cruiser parked on the street where Johnny and the officer stood talking. The burly man had listened to her version of events and had promptly taken Tony into custody. But once she’d started shivering, Johnny had encouraged her to go inside. She threaded and unthreaded her fingers, unable to dispel the hum of energy buzzing through her.
Were her troubles over? Was this it? With Tony in custody, could she go about her business? But if she didn’t have the package of drugs, who did?
The taillights on the cruiser glowed red and Ellie curled her fingers around the lip of the step. She crossed and uncrossed her legs until Johnny finally walked through the front door. He stopped abruptly and widened his eyes in surprise when he found her sitting on the steps. The concern on his face almost made her burst into tears, but she didn’t want to be weak. She had been working for months now to become independent and had almost lost everything because of this Tony jerk.
Absentmindedly, she touched her mouth, remembering how Tony’s coarse hand had pressed her lips tight against her teeth. Something about the encounter niggled at the far reaches of her brain, but she wasn’t willing to explore that right now.
“Are you okay?” The intensity on Johnny’s face unnerved her. He grabbed the newel post and lowered himself next to her, his thigh brushing hers.
His presence made her feel safe, protected. “I’m okay now that you’re here.”
So much for Miss Independence, her internal voice mocked.
“Can I get you some tea, too, Johnny?” Buddy called from the kitchen.
“Sounds good. We’ll come back to the kitchen in a minute.”
Johnny bumped shoulders with Ellie and patted her knee. “I wish I had come home sooner so Tony wouldn’t have had the chance to attack you.”
“If it wasn’t tonight, it would have been eventually. He was waiting and watching for an opportunity. Pretty stupid that I gave him one.”
“Duke needed to be let out. Don’t be hard on yourself. Your heart was in the right place.” He ran a hand across his chin. “I like that you were worried about Duke. It shows what kind of person you are.”
Tenderness spread through her heart. “I’d never want anything to happen to Duke...” She replayed the scenario in her head and winced when she remembered Tony’s threats. She looked up. “We got him. We finally got him.”
Johnny nodded, but something dark flitted in the depths of his eyes.
“Don’t you believe Tony’s guilty? Did he admit to breaking into my apartment?”
Johnny leaned his elbows on the stair behind him. “Tony’s pretty tight-lipped right now. But he’s most definitely guilty of something. I’ll feel better when I have a few more pieces of the puzzle in place. See if anyone else is involved.”
“Maybe after he spends some time in prison he’ll open up.”
“Yeah,” Johnny said noncommittally. “I’ll talk to him tomorrow. Let him stew a bit.”
Ellie’s cell phone rang and she ignored it. “I bet it’s Ashley.” She shook her head. “I dread talking to her.”
“Maybe she can get Tony to open up,” Johnny said.
“I don’t know. For my whole life, Ashley has been very loyal to all her friends. I doubt she’d say anything against Tony.” Ellie shifted to rest her back against the curved wall hugging the staircase.
“Do you think she had anything to do with the package of drugs sent to your shop?”
She shook her head; the energetic back-and-forth making her brain hurt. “No, no way. I’d know.” Her mind flashed back to her brother’s recent acknowledgment that he had sold drugs. His high-paid lawyer, not his innocence, had spared him a prison sentence.
A fate Roger Petersen hadn’t been spared.
“What about Roger? Maybe Tony was working with Roger?”
“I asked Tony if he had any ties to Roger, but he claims he hardly knows the guy. I’m afraid we’re going to have to wait until Tony decides to open up. Or until we find concrete evidence.”
Johnny pushed a hand through his hair, leaving thick tufts standing on end. She tucked her hands under her thighs to spare herself the embarrassment of reaching out and smoothing them. He caught her eye and an amused twinkle lit his eyes, as if he was reading her mind.
Then a sober expression swept over his features. “I don’t know what I would have done if something had happened to you.”
Heat warmed her cheeks. “I’m okay.” Ellie pushed off the stairs and stood. “Do you think it’s safe for me to go home?”
If she hadn’t been watching his face, she might have missed the look of disappointment that flickered across his features.
“Is that what you want?”
She held up her hands and shrugged. “I’d hate to inconvenience you and your grandfather longer than necessary.”
“You’re no inconvenience.”
Ellie turned to see Johnny’s grandfather in the doorway. He was a thinner, older, grayer version of Johnny. “Tea’s getting cold.”
Johnny stood. “Thank you.”
He guided Ellie to the kitchen with a hand on the small of her back.
“Looks like Johnny caught the bad guy,” Ellie said to Buddy.
“Is that true?” Buddy asked, jerking his head back in a shaky motion.
“Yes. I still have some wrap-up to do, but looks like we have our guy.”
“Does this mean you’ll be headed back to Buffalo?”
Ellie’s stomach dropped and she stuffed her hands into her jeans’ pockets, pulling her arms tight against her sides. She hoped this was the look of a woman who didn’t care, but she feared she wasn’t a very good actress.
“We still have some loose ends, including the missing package. I hate to think it’ll never be found...” Johnny muttered something indiscernible. “I won’t be running back to Buffalo right away.”
“Good,” Buddy said, seemingly satisfied, “maybe I do want you to help me get this place up to snuff. Let some young family come in and fill it with kids. Give the place some new life.”
Johnny smiled and his eyes brightened, as if surprised. “I’d be happy to help, Grandpa.”
His grandfather’s eyes drifted to Ellie. “Well, when you’re not busy helping Ellie. I think she might need your help getting her gift shop reopened. I mean, since you have time.” Half his mouth crooked into a lopsided grin. He looked so much like his grandson. “Then, you can help me. I’ve been here for nearly sixty years. A little more time won’t hurt.”
“What about making way for that family?” Johnny laughed.
“Who says I’m not?”
Ellie didn’t dare turn to look at Johnny, feeling his warm gaze on the side of her face.
* * *
The next morning, Ellie dusted the shelves of her neglected little gift shop. She couldn’t shake a pervasive sense of loss, perhaps due to current events or maybe because she feared her business venture would never blossom.
It’s autumn, she reminded herself. Then Christmas. Surely the residents of Williamstown would welcome the opportunity to buy some unique gifts from her little shop for Christmas.
“Unless they buy online,” she muttered to herself.
She had remained at Johnny’s grandfather’s house since Johnny felt there were still some loose ends. It didn’t take much to convince her because a part of her wasn’t ready to be alone, save for the few hours in her shop during the day. They hoped Tony’s arrest had put a damper on anyone’s plans to harass Ellie, if there was anyone else involved. To be safe, Johnny promised to stop by and to request increased police patrols on Main Street. Johnny also promised he’d go with her to her apartment later today to help her clean up from the break-in.
Ellie tossed aside her dust rag to open a music box and listen to the soft chimes. Sadness bit at the back of her nose. Nothing had gone as she had dreamed.
Ellie took a deep breath, surprised to smell the familiar baked goods next door. She had expected it to be closed, but then again, Bobby Vino, Tony’s father, came from another generation where the work ethic was strong. And memories were stronger. Her stomach hollowed out. She’d have to face the elder Vino eventually, but not right now.
She closed the music box and set it on the glass shelf.
One day at a time.
The bells on the door clacked and she was about to say, “We’re not open, yet,” when she noticed the smooth sheen of Ashley’s hair. Ellie’s heart sank. She had left three messages for Ashley, but her best friend since kindergarten had ignored each one. By the strained look on Ashley’s face, Ellie knew the news of Tony’s arrest hadn’t escaped her.
Ellie opened her mouth, but couldn’t find the words.
Ashley stopped in front of the counter, eyes protruding in accusation. Ellie had seen that look many times before, but it had never been directed at her.
“I’m sorry,” Ellie finally said. Not sorry that Tony had been arrested, just sorry that someone Ashley trusted had turned out to be untrustworthy.
Sadly, Ellie knew the feeling.
“No, you’re not.” Ashley’s skin fired red. “You’re not happy unless everyone is as miserable as you are.”
Ellie took a step back and banged the heel of her shoe on the wall. “I...I...”
“I...I...” Ashley mocked her. “You know as well as I do that Tony would never be involved with dealing drugs.” She held her palm up to the wall separating their shop from the bakery next door. “He’s a successful businessman.”
Ellie gripped the edges of the counter to steady herself. “That’s not entirely true.”
Ashley angled her head, as if daring Ellie to press on. Ellie was not going to let her friend intimidate her.
“Tony told me that his father had hoped to expand into this—”
“They wouldn’t expand the bakery if they were struggling!” Ashley must have believed a high-decibel argument was more convincing.
Ellie held her ground. “They couldn’t get the loan.”
“Is that what that two-faced FBI boyfriend of yours told you? He’s wrong. Just like he was wrong about your brother.”
Ellie resisted the instinct to lash out at her friend. Ashley seemed to be deflating with each word. How could Ellie tell her that Johnny was right about her brother? In a way, Ellie felt as though she would be telling a story that was only her brother’s to tell. That she’d be betraying him.
“Some things are not as they seem.” Ellie swallowed hard, carefully crafting her words. “I would never intentionally hurt you. Or anyone.” How could her friend think the worst of her? A sinking feeling settled in her gut. Was she that bad at judging people’s character? Ellie hiked up her chin. “We’re going to have to let the legal system work it out.”
Ashley tossed her hair over her shoulder. “I’m not sure I can be in business with someone who doesn’t trust my judgment. I’m telling you, Tony would never deal drugs. Never.” Her lip began to quiver and Ellie wanted to reach out and pull her friend into an embrace, but knew it wouldn’t be well received.
“Please, Ashley,” Ellie said calmly, stepping out from behind the counter, “don’t do anything rash.” She held out her hands, palms down. “Just let the dust settle.”
But hadn’t Ellie known this was coming all along?
Ashley slowly shook her head. “You’re not a very good friend.” She spun around, her golden locks flying as she marched to the front door. “And don’t expect me to work any shifts. I’m going to meet with my lawyer to see how I can get this business relationship dissolved.”
Ellie watched the door long after her so-called friend stormed out in dramatic fashion. The slow burn of anger seared her gut. Ashley had a way of making everything about her. And now she had effectively told Ellie she wasn’t going to be in business with her anymore.
Ellie pounded her fist on the counter, then immediately regretted it. She was caught between a rock and a hard place. Ellie needed Ashley’s start-up money to make a go of the shop.
So much for independence.
Had she ever really had it?
“Having a rough day?” Johnny’s words mingled with the clatter of the bells on the door. He had obviously seen Ashley storm out.
“I take it she’s not happy about her boyfriend.”
Ellie shook her head. “You’d think I made him sell drugs.”
Johnny scratched his head. “I need to talk to Tony’s father, but I wanted to check in on you first.”
“I’m fine. I’m hoping it’s not another quiet day here.” She felt as if she was attempting to crawl up a down escalator. “I should bring in my paints and easel. At least then I could do something productive while I waited for customers.”
The compassion in Johnny’s eyes made her heart melt.
“I wanted to tell you something...” His voice trailed off as something seemed to catch his attention. “Hold on, Mr. Vino’s headed this way.”
A short man in a white baker’s coat yanked open the front door and stepped into the shop. He seemed to come up short when he noticed Johnny standing there.
Ellie stepped forward, feeling a bit more confident with Johnny here. “Hello, Mr. Vino. I’m sorry about Tony. Are you doing okay?”
Mr. Vino pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and mopped his forehead. “I don’t know if my Tony did all these things, but if he did, he did them for me.”
Ellie flinched, startled at his contrite tone. She had been bracing for another tongue-lashing.
“I’ve done nothing but worry about this shop. About money. About how we’re going to close if business didn’t turn around. If...” The husky man swallowed hard. “If Tony was selling drugs, he was doing it to help with the bakery. To get some creditors off my back.” The worry in his eyes broke Ellie’s heart.
“Did you know about his activities?” Johnny asked.
Mr. Vino shook his head vigorously. “No. No.”
Johnny placed a hand on the man’s shoulder. “Whatever Tony’s reason, a high school student overdosed on drugs. It’s not a game...or a get-rich-quick scheme.”
Mr. Vino’s eyebrows pulled together, forming an exclamation over the point of his bulbous nose. “Do you have evidence he was selling the drugs?”
“Tony confessed this morning.” Johnny shifted to look at Ellie. Apparently a night in lockup did the trick. “That’s what I wanted to tell you.”
Mr. Vino’s forehead creased. “He confessed?”
“Yes, sir. I’m sorry.” Johnny touched the man’s sleeve. All the color seemed to drain from Mr. Vino’s face. “Is there someone I can call for you?”
The baker snatched the hat from his head. “No, no...” He looked up with hope in his glistening eyes. “I’m going to see that he has the best lawyer.” He shook his head. “I raised him better.”
Ellie’s stomach hurt. She flashed back to her own parents’ heartbroken expressions when her brother had been arrested. How they had insisted on—and believed in—the innocence of their Golden Boy.
Any words of comfort got lodged in Ellie’s throat.
“Mr. Vino, what can I do for you?” Johnny asked again.
Mr. Vino raised his hand and dropped it in disgust. “Nothing.” He turned and slowly walked out of the shop.
Ellie planted her palms on the counter for support. “We gave you a lot of grief when my brother was arrested.”
Johnny stuffed his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. “It comes with the territory. Truth be told, we never arrest a guilty person.” He quirked an eyebrow and she detected a glint of amusement in his eyes.
“Then I guess it’s a good thing Tony confessed.”
Johnny grimaced slightly. “It seemed too easy.”
Ellie tilted her head, waiting for him to go on.
“He seemed afraid.” He ran the palm of his hand across his jaw. “Of what, I’m not sure. He confessed to everything, including shipping drugs to your address and the break-in. He claims he lost track of one package and thought you stole it.”
Knees weak, Ellie lowered herself onto the stool she kept behind the counter. “And he really thinks I stole it?”
Johnny nodded.
“I didn’t.”
“I know. I’ll have to track it down.”
“What if you never find it?” Ellie felt light-headed. “Will anyone else be looking for it? Usually there’s a chain of drug dealers involved, right?”
“Yes, but Tony claims he never told anyone he suspected you had it. He claims he was trying to scare you into returning it. If he’s telling me the truth, your harassment stops with Tony Vino’s arrest.”
Ellie bit her lower lip. What if Tony was lying?