HE WALKED A DANGEROUS TIGHTROPE. QUINN LET HIMSELF into the cabin. The temperature couldn’t be more than fifty inside. He tossed kindling and logs in the woodstove and lit it, but it would be awhile before the fire pushed back the chill, so he kept his coat on.
He realized the window was open. No wonder it was so cold. When he went to close it, he heard Rosen outside talking to someone on the phone. Making arrangements to take Davy and the baby. And eliminate Quinn himself.
Anger tightened his neck. He’d suspected it would come to this.
He waited until Rosen ended the call, then rapped on the window. “What are you doing out there?”
“Waiting for you to get home.” Rosen’s smile was feral. He went around the side of the cabin and entered. “You get the baby?”
Quinn still mulled over what he’d discovered. Half a mil, and he hadn’t seen a penny of it. His best bet was to confront his partner. Rosen tended to be a pawn.
“I’ve made arrangements to pick her up tomorrow, now that our demands have been met. Jenna is on the inside. It will be a piece of cake.” He’d have to make sure he moved before Rosen did.
“What about the witness?” Rosen asked. “The Matthews boy.”
The Nicholls boy. The adoption wasn’t final and, if Quinn had anything to do with it, never would be. So far he’d said nothing about his relationship to Davy, and he was unsure how much to reveal now. “I’ll handle that. It’s not your job.”
“The boss says it is.”
“And I say it isn’t.” Quinn lowered his voice to a menacing growl. “I’ll handle it.”
Rosen shrugged. “Then take it up with the boss. Until he says differently, I’ll move ahead.”
He couldn’t let on that he knew of their plans, so he said nothing. He waited until Rosen left, then moved to the bedroom. He noticed through the window that Jenna’s car was parked by the Dumpster, so she had to be here. He found her curled in the bed with the covers practically over her head.
He shook her. “Jenna, how long have you been here?”
Her eyelids fluttered open. “Quinn? Are you finally here?” She sat up and yawned. “That baby has been keeping us all up at night. What time is it? You’re late.”
“Sorry. I hope you had a nice nap. Did you meet Rosen when he stopped by?”
“Someone was here? I didn’t hear them knock. You know how hard I sleep.”
He never knew when to believe her. She’d likely overheard, but it didn’t matter. “I got you some kiwi, sleepyhead. Want one to wake you up?”
“That sounds great.” She staggered a bit when she got out of bed to follow him. “What did Rosen want?”
“Just checking in.” He handed her a kiwi. “Got a new wrinkle in the situation and you could really help me, hon.” The unfamiliar endearment nearly gagged him.
She stopped cutting the kiwi. “I’ll do anything I can. You know that.”
“Tell me more about the Matthews family.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Why the questions? You left them behind years ago. Do you still love Bree?”
“No, of course not.”
“Then stop with the questions. Once we get little Olivia, we’ll never have to see them again. I want to take Vic to civilization with us.”
“I might not be able to hang around until he’s out of jail. If he gets out of jail.”
Her lips tightened. “I’ve given up everything for you, Quinn. He’ll be out of jail soon and I’m not leaving him behind.”
He shrugged. “Whatever you say.” He would leave her behind if necessary.
She yawned and took a bite of kiwi. “I’m so ready to get out of here. There isn’t even a decent mall within ten miles.”
“What about Bree’s husband? Kade’s a park ranger, right? Is he gone a lot?” At her suspicious glance, he rushed to explain. “I’m trying to figure out some logistics.”
“Just normal hours, though he’s been working some overtime. He’s quiet. I think he’s worried about something. Really nice guy though. The kind you could trust with your life.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You sound like you admire him.”
“He’s a total hottie. He and Bree make a perfect pair. He’s the kind who’d lay down his life for his family.”
The perfect new husband. He wanted to make a face, but he kept his expression impassive. He got a beer from the fridge and faced her again. “Do you think you could ask about taking Davy out cross-country skiing? I could meet up with you.”
“What are you up to?”
He pulled her tight against his chest so she couldn’t see his expression. “I’m going to take my son with me.”
Her eyes narrowed to a hard slit. “I won’t do this for nothing, Quinn. I’m taking a risk here. I need to know it will pay off.” She wiggled her ring finger at him.
He wanted to refuse again, but from the inflexible line of her lips, he knew he had to cave or she wouldn’t cooperate. “I’ve got the ring all picked out. Two carats.”
Her smile came. “When do you want to do this?”
“Tomorrow afternoon.”
“Okay. Bree won’t mind, I’m sure.”
“Thank you, Jenna. You’re my lifeline in everything.” Lies, all lies. He’d figure out how to get rid of her when she brought him his son.
Breakfast was a silent affair. Bree had tried to call her attorney, Ursula Sawyer, yesterday, but she’d been in court all day. Until she knew the legal issues she and Kade faced, she didn’t want to talk to Davy about Rob. While her son was bound to be thrilled to learn his father was alive, he would soon enough wonder why Rob walked away and left him in the plane wreckage. Bree’s heart broke at the thought of the rejection Davy would feel.
Samson came down the stairs and plopped down at Bree’s feet. Bree looked up at Kade and broke the silence “I called Ursula and told her about the situation. We’re discussing it this afternoon.” She closed her eyes and grimaced at the thought of what lay ahead. “Can you pick Davy up after school?”
He winced. “I’ve got a meeting. I don’t think I can get out of it.”
“What’s happened?” Lauri asked, looking up from her cereal. Zorro lay at her feet. “You’re not getting a divorce, are you?”
“Of course not,” Kade said. He and Bree locked glances. He shrugged. “She’s got to hear it sooner or later.”
Lauri straightened. “What’s wrong?” Her gaze went wide. “Is someone else dead?”
Bree bit her lip. “Just the opposite,” she said. “Someone we thought was dead is alive.”
Lauri’s brow furrowed. “I don’t get it.”
“Bree’s first husband, Rob, isn’t dead. He’s back in town.” A muscle in Kade’s jaw twitched and he glanced down at his half-eaten omelet.
Lauri’s jaw dropped. “Holy cow,” she said softly. “So where does that leave you, big brother? Without a wife?”
Kade flinched. “Nice jab, Lauri. You know where to stick the knife.”
“Sorry,” she muttered. “But it looks like Bree has two husbands. Aren’t you worried about which one she’ll pick?”
Kade’s head stayed down. Bree hardly knew what to say either. They had no idea what the legalities of this situation were. While a part of her loved the man Rob had once been, the reality of what he’d done sank deeper every hour. And cut more painfully. Kade would never walk away like that. Never.
Kade cleared his throat when Bree said nothing. She realized she should have reassured him, but the moment had passed. And really, what was there to say? Finding their way through this maze was going to take time.
Lauri was biting her lip so hard it was a wonder she didn’t draw blood. “You okay?” Bree asked. Olivia began to fuss in the carrier on the table, and she lifted the baby into her arms and jiggled her.
Lauri’s eyes turned glassy as she stared at Olivia. “It’s been a hard week,” she mumbled finally. She pushed back from the table and rose. “I’m going to go shower,” she said.
When Lauri left the room, Kade leaned across the table. The back of his hand brushed Bree’s jaw, and he gazed into her eyes with loving intent. “We’ll make it through this, Green Eyes,” he said.
She caught his hand and pressed it against her cheek. “Yes, we will, Kade. We’ll get it sorted out. I love you.”
“That’s all I needed to hear. That you’re not sorry you married me.” His Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat.
“Of course I’m not!” She clung to his hand for support. Though she was befuddled by all that had happened, she didn’t doubt her love for him.
Jenna entered the room before he said any more. Bree let go of his hand and leaned back in her chair. “Anything new with Victor?” she asked.
Jenna poured milk over her cereal and shook her head. “Just more of the puzzles. He’s still not talking. Mason is calling in a psychiatrist to see if he can get through to Vic, especially now that he found the dead baby.” She carried her bowl to the table. “I thought I might take Davy cross-country skiing after school if it’s okay.” She directed a brilliant smile at Kade.
Jenna’s offer evaporated Bree’s continuing irritation with her houseguest. “That’s so sweet of you, but I need to keep him close to home. A situation has come up.” She broke off, unwilling to explain it all to Jenna.
“It would solve our problem this afternoon,” Kade said.
Bree frowned. “I can probably get Anu or Hilary to pick him up,” she said.
“Look, I know you think I’m a complete airhead, but I can take care of him just fine. I already mentioned it to him, and he’s all excited,” Jenna said. “We’ll take the path along the lake with lots of people. I don’t know what’s worrying you, but he’ll have fun.”
Bree exchanged a long look with Kade. “I think it’s probably okay, babe, but it’s your call,” he said.
Bree bit her lip. “Take Samson with you, okay?” The dog would protect Davy no matter what.
Jenna shrugged. “Whatever you say.”
“You’d better get to work,” Bree said to Kade. “I’ll get Davy.” She called her son down for school, then kissed Kade and Davy good-bye. She spent the day surfing the Web for information about dead husbands returning when the smart thing to do would be to wait and see what Ursula had to say.
At two, she loaded Olivia in the carrier and drove to Ursula’s office. She left Samson at the house so he could go skiing with Davy. The receptionist took her back right away. “What did you find out?” she asked the minute Ursula entered the room.
An attractive brunette of about fifty, Ursula inspired trust in everyone she met. “It’s not bad,” Ursula said, sitting at her desk.
Her friend’s brisk, confident manner put Bree at ease. She set Olivia’s carrier on the floor and pulled back the quilted cover. The baby was awake and sucking on her thumb. “So what’s the scoop?”
Ursula adjusted her reading glasses and opened a file on her desk. “A death certificate was filed with Rob’s insurance. All legalities were met. So your marriage to Kade is legal. As far as the law is concerned, Rob was dead and you were free to remarry.”
Bree breathed a prayer of thanks. “Kade will be so relieved too.”
“That’s not to say there aren’t issues to work on. Rob will want to see Davy. We’ll need to reach a custody agreement and ask him for child support payments.”
Bree’s gut clenched. “Kade is in the process of adopting Davy. It’s not final yet.”
Ursula pursed her lips. “Now that the biological father is back in the picture, that might be difficult. Unless you get Rob to agree.”
“He abandoned his son to die! Don’t we have a legal recourse?”
“The circumstances might carry some weight with the judge. If you want to take it that far.” Ursula sat back in her chair. “Have you thought this through, Bree? What it’s going to do to your son to have all this come out?”
Bree tugged on a curl by her ear. “I’ve been able to think of little else. Davy idolized Rob. When he realizes what his father did, how he left him . . .” She choked up. “I don’t want to tell him.”
“Maybe Rob will just disappear again. It might be the kinder thing if you can talk him into it.”
Bree bit her lip. “He wants to see Davy.”
“Talk to him about it,” Ursula advised.
“I will if I can find him.” Bree rose and grabbed Olivia’s carrier. “Thanks for working me in, Ursula. I won’t take up any more of your time.”
“If you need anything, just call.” She embraced Bree. “Hang in there, Bree. It could have been worse.”
Bree managed a smile. Right now she couldn’t see how. Their family was about to be ripped to shreds.
She pulled the cover back around Olivia and went to the Jeep. A hint of moisture hung in the air. More snow was coming. “Let’s stop and see Mason,” she told the baby once Olivia was fastened in.
She wanted to tell Kade the news, but he was probably still in his meeting. She decided to call anyway and leave it on his voice mail. She smiled as she left the message. “It’s okay. Our marriage is valid.”
She hurried with the baby through the cold air. The deputy out front buzzed her back to Mason’s office. Bree lifted a fussy Olivia from the carrier and pulled a bottle from her bag while she waited for Mason.
“Bree, you okay?” Mason asked, closing the door behind him.
“As okay as I can be with this. How’s Hil?”
“She hasn’t slept much. I didn’t know there were that many tears in the world. She jumps between mad and glad. She’s desperate to see him, but he’s nowhere I’ve looked.” He went around his desk and sat down in his worn leather chair. “Did you find out anything from Ursula?”
Bree nodded. “She says my marriage to Kade is valid. That’s one good thing. But the adoption is up in the air unless Rob doesn’t contest it.”
Mason rolled his eyes. “Who knows what he’s going to do.” He jiggled his mouse and leaned toward his computer. “I found out some interesting stuff. I lifted some prints from the doorknob on your back door after you said he’d been out there. They match a Quinn Matilla. He’s been implicated in some small-time smuggling, some bigger racketeering, and a suspected bank robbery. But the interesting thing is that he’s suspected of dabbling in black-market babies too.” He nodded toward Olivia. “I suspect we’re going to find she’s part of that too.”
Her arms tightened around the baby. “You think Ellie Bristol sold her?”
Mason shrugged. “It looks that way to me.”
“And Pia’s death?” Bree whispered. “Surely Rob didn’t kill her.”
“I hope not. It would hurt Hil and Anu too much.” Mason’s face was grim. He glanced up, his eyes shadowed. “The coroner suspects the baby we found buried in the snow died of tetanus. Could have had it from birth if the umbilical cord was cut with a knife. It wasn’t murder.”
Bree’s vision swam and she closed her eyes, then reopened them. “I don’t want to think about that,” she whispered. “How could he steal babies?”
“This stuff might be the least of what he’s done.”
Nausea churned its way up her esophagus. “How do we find out more?”
“I need to talk to Rob. Did he give you any hint at all where he’s staying?”
“No.”
“If he contacts you again, try to get word to me. Text me or something while you keep him there.”
“Maybe he’ll agree to come in and talk to you. You’re family.”
Mason snorted. “Not likely, Bree. He’s not the Rob we knew.”
The knowledge of how much her former husband had changed kept slapping her when she least expected it. “What about missing persons around the time the plane went down?”
“Several actually. I’m still checking them out. The one I have my eye on is a young state cop by the name of Henry Boxer. Lived in Houghton. He told his wife he was going fishing and never came home.” He rose. “I want us to talk to Victor.” He glanced down at Olivia, whose eyes had drifted shut. “Maybe seeing the baby will break through to him. Stay here and I’ll go get him. It’s a little unorthodox to bring him in here, but I don’t think he’s dangerous. I’m going to release him today in light of the new evidence.”
“What about him buying baby stuff? And Ellie’s mother said he’d been in contact with her.”
“I thought you believed in his innocence.”
“I do. But I thought maybe you could explain what he was doing.”
Mason shook his head. “Not that. But whatever Victor’s done, it’s not murder. I suspect he’s been used by Florence.”
Bree nodded. “I’d like to talk to Palmer Chambers.” She’d been thinking about it ever since she realized Rob was alive. Palmer had been convicted of Rob’s murder by tampering with the plane. “He should know who was in the plane when it left.”
“I’ll put in a request for an interview. He has the right to turn you down though.”
“I don’t think he will.” She and Rob had been best friends with the Chambers family once upon a time.
Mason left the room. Olivia spit the nipple out, and a dribble of formula trickled from her rosebud mouth. A wave of love swept over Bree. She didn’t understand how the baby’s mother had been willing to sell her. There were so many tentacles in this situation, and she had no idea how they all connected.
She burped Olivia and laid her back down in her lap, inhaling the baby’s milky aroma. The baby’s delicate blue-tinted eyelids fluttered, then opened. Her lips lifted, and Bree realized she was smiling.
“Oh, such a sweet girl,” she cooed. The baby’s head turned at the sound of her voice, and Bree was rewarded with a smile focused in her direction.
Tears flooded her eyes. Was she going to have to give up this precious little one? She brushed her lips across Olivia’s soft head and cuddled her close. She and Kade hadn’t talked about it since discovering Rob was alive.
The door opened and Victor shuffled into the room with his wrists and ankles in cuffs. “Does he have to wear those?” she asked Mason.
He shrugged. “I’ll take them off. I started the release proceedings.” He unfastened the cuffs. “I’m going to release you, Victor. You can go home in a little while.”
Bree stood and approached Victor, who stood with his gaze focused on the ground. “Victor, it’s Bree. Look, I brought the baby to see you.” Victor still didn’t raise his gaze. She exchanged a helpless glance with Mason. “Did you see a man bury a baby?” she asked softly. “Did Florence see it too?’
Victor rubbed his wrists. He glanced at the baby, then ducked his head. “Miss Florence was sad when the baby died,” he croaked. “The man took it away.”
Bree exchanged a glance with Mason. “What baby, Victor?”
Victor rocked back and forth and began to sing in a rusty voice, “Hush little baby, don’t say a word, Papa’s going to buy you a mockingbird, and if that mockingbird don’t sing, Papa’s gonna buy you a diamond ring.”
No matter how much she tried to get him to say more, he continued to sing the same stanza over and over. Bree sighed and let Mason lead him away before she hurried to the Jeep.
Bree got back in the Jeep and drove toward home. As she passed Naomi’s house, Bree noticed Sheila MacDonald’s blue Escort in the drive. The older woman was Naomi’s mother’s best friend and had her fingers in every pie. If there had been any rumors going around about Rob, Sheila would know, though she wouldn’t have told anyone since it affected Naomi’s best friend. Bree parked behind the small car and retrieved Olivia. Charley barked from inside the house as they approached. She rapped on the door, then walked in. Charley’s tail drooped when he saw no sign of Samson.
“Naomi, got a cup of coffee for me?” she called. She unsnapped the baby’s carrier cover and lifted Olivia out. The baby looked around with wide eyes as Bree walked to the kitchen.
“Hey, girlfriend, glad you could stop by,” Naomi said. She held out her hands. “Come see Auntie Naomi, sweetheart,” she cooed. She lifted the baby from Bree’s arms and tucked her into the crook of her arm.
Bree poured herself a cup of coffee and joined Sheila at the table. “Sheila, I stopped when I saw you were here.”
The older woman raised her brows. “You were looking for me?”
There was no way she was going to find out what she wanted without revealing the truth. What possible reason could she have for asking questions about Rob four years after his disappearance?
Bree glanced at Naomi. “Something has happened. I need you both to promise not to repeat it.”
“You don’t even have to ask,” Naomi said, her tone a reproof.
“If you ask me not to speak of it, rest assured I won’t, Bree,” Sheila said.
Bree’s pulse hammered in her throat. It was still so hard to talk about, to even believe. “Rob isn’t dead,” she said.
Naomi gasped, and the baby gave a start, her face puckering. Naomi jiggled her. “I don’t think I heard you right.”
“Rob didn’t die in the plane crash. He walked away and left town. I thought I saw someone who reminded me of him the weekend of the winter festival and a few other times. Then I actually talked to him. It’s Rob, no doubt about it.” She turned to Sheila. “Something made him walk away that night. He says he thought Davy was dead, but if that were the truth, I believe he would have come home to comfort me. It’s more than that, and I have to know the reason. Did you hear any rumors about Rob before he disappeared or right afterward?”
Sheila reached over and took Bree’s hand. “You sure you want to hear this? I never wanted you to know. I never even told Martha.”
Bree gripped Sheila’s warm fingers. “I have to know.”
Sheila held her gaze. “His secretary was my cousin. She turned him in when she discovered he was embezzling money from the city. He was about to be brought in by the state police and questioned.”
Bree shook her head, unable to take it in. “If that’s true, why wouldn’t Mason have known about it—and told me?”
“Maybe the state cops didn’t tell Mason,” Naomi suggested, jiggling Olivia.
“I don’t think they did,” Sheila said. “I’ve never heard a mention of it from anyone but my cousin. It all ended with the plane crash.”
“Embezzlement,” Bree said. The word sounded foreign on her lips. It didn’t fit the Rob she knew. “We were having some financial problems, but I can’t see him resorting to that to fix them.”
“I watched a show on TV a few months ago,” Sheila said. “I thought of Rob when I saw it. According to the show, most people caught up in embezzlement have every intention of paying the money back—they think of it as a temporary loan. Then it gets out of hand and they’re in too far before they know it.”
“This will kill Anu,” Naomi said softly.
Bree nodded. “Hilary too.” She rubbed her forehead. “I’m going to have to tell them.” It wasn’t a conversation she was looking forward to.
She’d just finished her second carrot muffin when her cell phone rang, and she saw Mason’s name on the caller ID. “Hey, what’s up?” she asked.
“Palmer has agreed to talk to you. Since he’s so far away, I’ve arranged for a phone conversation. Hang on, and I’ll patch you through.”
Bree held up a finger to Naomi, then moved to the living room where it was quiet, leaving Olivia in the kitchen with the women. She heard a click, then distant voices. “Hello? Palmer?”
“Hang on,” a gruff voice said.
The next moment Palmer was on the other end. “That you, Bree?”
It had been two years since she’d seen him or heard his voice. The last time had been at his trial. How did she talk to an old friend who’d tried to kill her and her son? “Yes, I’m here. I-I have something I need to ask you.”
“Ask away. You got me out of a nasty work detail.” He laughed and his voice held a forced cheerfulness.
“Rob isn’t dead, Palmer. He walked away from the plane and never came back.” She told him what Rob had told her.
“You mean I’m sitting in this stinking prison and he’s not even dead?” Palmer’s voice rose.
“You killed Faye Asters,” she reminded him. “You tried to kill me and Davy.”
“All to cover up Rob’s death.” He sounded like he was gritting his teeth.
“Look, I need to know who else was on the plane when it took off. Someone else died in that crash. Whoever it was wore Rob’s jacket, and that’s how he was misidentified.”
“I wondered where that other body went,” Palmer muttered. “I figured animals got it.”
“Did you kill him too? Who was it?” she demanded.
“No, I didn’t kill him, at least not on purpose. Rob agreed to let him catch a ride home at the last minute.”
“Who?”
“Cop by the name of Henry Boxer. He showed up to talk to Rob but fell in the river on the way there. Looked like a drowned rat. Rob loaned him his jacket. I guess that’s how he came to be wearing it.”
Bree closed her eyes. She didn’t know Henry, but his family would be able to get closure. She knew well the agony of wondering what happened to a loved one. Sometimes it wasn’t what you thought.