39

Before her follow-up appointment with her physician, Amy met Logan at the bakery. She didn’t want to, but his frequent calls asking to see her were driving her mad. Better to meet him here with an end time than invite him to the cottage. Once he got there, she was afraid he’d never leave.

Logan had ordered iced mochas before Amy arrived. He stood as she joined him and assisted with her chair. “I know I said it before, but I can’t help saying it again. You don’t know how glad I am you’re out of that hospital.”

“You’re not nearly as glad as I am.”

“You know, I would have come out to your place. Been your chauffeur to the doctor’s office. Should you even be driving?”

“I’m fine, Logan. And I don’t like being treated like a baby.”

He gently took her arm and caressed the unblemished skin around a burned circle about the size of a quarter. The result of one of the many sparks that had assailed her while she beat at the flame.

Logan stared regretfully at Amy’s marred skin. If only he could have kept her away without raising her suspicion. In the end, he had left her well-being to chance, and now he was paying the price for his negligence.

“You’re too beautiful to have something like this happen to you,” he said. “It won’t scar, will it?”

“Probably not. But it might take a few weeks to heal.”

“I suppose you can wear long sleeves.”

“Why would I do that?”

Was she serious?

“You’re trying to be strong. I get it.” He leaned close, his voice soft and intimate. “But you’re Amy Somers. Flawless. Perfect. Your vanity is one of the many things I admire about you.”

“I’m also smart. Some might say cunning.”

Not exactly the response he expected. Apparently she wasn’t in the mood for flirting, but he wouldn’t give up yet. After everything he’d done, she had to see they belonged together. “Also very attractive qualities.”

He allowed his eyes to slowly follow the cascade of her gorgeous blonde hair past the curve of her cheek and the length of her slender throat.

Amy sipped her drink, then pushed it away. “We had to meet with the sheriff and the fire investigator yesterday. At the stables.”

Her words gripped his chest like a vise, though he pretended they meant nothing. Instead, he focused on the pendant of her necklace and wished her neckline was cut a few inches lower.

“Are you listening to me?” she asked.

“I’m sure it’s routine. Prominent citizens are injured in a fire. Of course the sheriff is going to do everything he can to demonstrate his concern. Prominent citizens then donate to his reelection campaign.”

“The fire wasn’t an accident.”

He leaned back as if shocked by the news. “What do you mean?”

“Arson.”

“But who would do something like that?”

She hesitated a moment as if the words choked her. “I think they suspect Gabe.”

Yes! The news Logan wanted to hear. About time too. He squelched his desire to shout for joy and instead looked puzzled. “Why him?”

“I don’t know.” She ran a strand of her hair through her fingers. Such an annoying habit. “Probably because he already has a record.”

Logan feigned ignorance. “What kind of record?”

“His cousin robbed a convenience store, and Gabe was with him when it happened.”

“Maybe they’re right.”

Amy stared at him, as stunned as if he’d slapped her. “They’re not.”

“But if not him, who? Surely not Tess Marshall. She wouldn’t have set a fire then died in it. Who else had motive?”

“What motive did Gabe have?” Her tone was angry, indignant even.

“Maybe for the insurance money. Maybe because he didn’t want Tess to sell the stables. Maybe—”

“I have a different theory,” she said. “Dylan Tapley.”

“You think Dylan set that fire?”

“More likely he hired someone.”

“I don’t believe it.”

She leaned forward and smacked the table. “He wants that land. I’m beginning to believe he’d do anything to get it.”

“Dylan’s desperate to prove to his uncle he can be successful, I’ll give you that. But you can’t seriously believe he’d stoop to murder just to get a land deal.”

“He probably didn’t mean for anyone to die. But I’m convinced he’s behind this.”

“I don’t know, Amy. You don’t want to hear this, I get it, but if the authorities think it was Gabe, then they must have evidence.”

She straightened her shoulders and stared at him. The cold light of her eyes practically dared him to blink. “Did you know Dylan planned this?”

“It wasn’t him.”

“If I find out you knew . . . that you allowed this to happen . . .”

“Are you kidding me? Of course I didn’t.”

She only stared, her jaw set like stone. “I can’t believe you. I want to, but I can’t.” He reached for her hand, but she jerked away. “Don’t call me. Don’t text me. Never even think my name.”

“Amy, please.”

She grabbed her bag and walked out. The splotched burns on her calves and ankles tore at his heart, but he couldn’t look away. Her misguided attempt to save the stables had marred her beauty. But that didn’t change his desire for her. He’d have to give her more time, that was all. Time to mourn Tess Marshall. Time to get over Kendall.

Eventually she’d see that they belonged together. Then all his dreams of wealth and prestige would come true.

Gabe could take the physical pain. No matter how bad it got, he’d cope. The treatments, the therapies, were excruciating, but he fought through the agony.

However, the pain of losing Tess, of not saving her, was different. He could never forgive himself for not saving her first. If only he’d known she was in the stables, he’d have searched for her. Gotten her to safety.

“Mr. Kendall,” Ken Abbott said. “This doesn’t look good for you.”

“How can you think . . .”

“Amy Somers said that your aunt wasn’t home when the two of you went to Boyd’s. Obviously you didn’t expect her to be there.”

“She’d gone into town, so no, I didn’t. I didn’t expect someone to set the stables on fire either.”

“Was Ms. Somers in on the plan?”

“There was no plan.” Gabe emphasized each word.

“Somebody went to a great deal of effort. Setting the timers, hooking them up to the heating rods. We did our homework. Your aunt was near bankruptcy. About to lose the property. You have to admit this is all very suspicious.”

“It is,” Gabe said, no longer able to hide his anger. “And instead of suspecting me, suspecting Amy, you should be finding out who did this. Because if I find out who’s responsible, I’ll—”

“Don’t finish that sentence, son.” Steve Kendall stepped forward to face Abbott. Gabe hadn’t realized his dad had come back into the room. “You will not question Gabe again unless his attorney is present.”

“If he’s innocent, he doesn’t need an attorney.”

“If only that were true. I think you can find your way out.”

After Abbott left, Steve took his stance in front of the window, his posture military-straight, his hands clasped behind his back.

“They’re going to arrest me, aren’t they?” Gabe said. “I can’t do this again.”

“The evidence is circumstantial. They have no proof.”

“Who would do such a thing?” He didn’t know why he bothered to ask the question. If Tapley was behind the break-in, he could be responsible for this too.

His dad shifted his weight uncomfortably. “Did you know Tess was about to lose the property?”

“I knew she was in trouble.” He looked down, examining his burnt fingers. “She could have sold the place, but I talked her out of it. This is all my fault.”

“I know you don’t want to hear this, son. But it’s possible Tess did this. Maybe it was her only way out.”

“No,” Gabe said harshly. “She would never have endangered the horses. Or got caught in the fire herself. That doesn’t even make sense. Someone else did this. And as soon as I get out of here, I’m going to find out who.”

“Make me one promise.”

“If I can.”

“Don’t talk to anyone again without a lawyer present. If they charge you, they will find you guilty.”

“How can you be so certain?”

“You claimed innocence before and the jury didn’t believe you. Do you think a jury will believe you a second time?”

“I don’t have a motive.”

“Abbott thinks you do. The same motive Tess had.”

“So now you think Tess and I planned this together?” Gabe shook his head in disbelief. “And here I thought you believed me.”

“I do, Gabe. But you can’t shut your eyes to their accusations.”

Gabe leaned back into his pillows and stared at the ceiling. “I can’t believe this is happening all over again.”

“It won’t. I won’t let it.”

“What can you do?”

“First? Get you an attorney. Then later, when your name is cleared, we’ll talk about your future.”

His future? He didn’t have one.