Chapter 16

As the wheels left the runway, Hailey’s knuckles turned white where they gripped the arms of her seat. She turned toward the window, squeezing her eyes shut and hoping Cody would assume she was absorbed in watching the streets of Milwaukee shrink below them. Though heartfelt, her prayer was more of a distraction tactic than anything. She prayed for a safe flight and for guidance for Cody’s journey into his past.

Her eyes were still closed when Cody slipped his hand over hers. She gave him a weak smile, then turned back to the window, concentrating on even breathing until she felt the plane level out. Her attempts at relaxing were hindered by the keen awareness that Cody was intently studying the silhouette of her face against the small window.

“Nervous?” he asked, his lips fighting the curve that would reveal his amusement.

Hailey shifted in her seat, feeling the strength of his hand around hers. “A little, maybe. No, a lot.”

“Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea for you to have the window seat.”

“I’m fine. Really. I don’t mind being up; it’s the getting up that scares me.”

He kept his hand on hers until the “fasten seat belt” light went off above them. Then he released his belt and turned to face her. With exaggerated effort he pried her fingers from the armrest and placed her hand in his, encasing it between his own large hands. His eyes sparkled as he looked at her.

“Now I realize what a sacrifice this was for you.” He squeezed her hand and stopped fighting the grin. “I’m glad you’re here—nerves and all.”

“So am I. . .but I still think you should have taken Paige instead.” She was baiting him, and it was obvious to them both.

Pulling his left hand away, he rubbed his chin. “You’re right, you know. With all her expertise and connections. . .” He feigned deep thought for a moment, looking past her and out the window, then turned back. “Would you mind taking the return flight back and sending her in your place? I can see I’ve made a terrible mistake.”

With mock indifference, Hailey answered, “That would be fine. I’d much rather be home with a good mystery than taking this silly trip anyway.”

A broad grin erased his deadpan expression. He locked his eyes on hers and shook his head slowly. “All right, I’ll say it. One more time—listen carefully.” He mouthed the words slowly and deliberately as if she were deaf and needed to read his lips. His eyes never wavered from hers. “I don’t want Paige. I want you.”

Hailey laid her head back with a relieved sigh, and Cody laughed. “As if you were worried,” he muttered, putting his seat back and closing his eyes.

Hailey reached beneath the seat in front of her and pulled a book out of her canvas bag. As she flipped on the reading light, Cody opened one eye. “Another whodunit?” he asked.

“Mm-hm.” She raised one eyebrow and smiled mischievously at him. Though his eyes were still closed, she continued. “It’s about a shy, insecure young woman who finds herself on a crime-solving mission purely by accident. You see, it was her beautiful and talented roommate who was supposed to be accompanying the handsome hero, but the mistake wasn’t discovered until it was too late and. . .”

Cody’s laugh resounded like the popping of an inner tube, yet he didn’t move or open his eyes. The smile still on his face, he spoke slowly through clenched teeth. “Okay. One more time. I. . .don’t. . .want. . .Paige. . . . I. . .want. . .you.”

Opening her book, Hailey pushed the button on the armrest that laid her seat back, parallel to Cody’s, and let out another long, relieved sigh. Pretending to read, she kept her eyes on his face, watching the smile play on his lips.

He shifted to a more comfortable position and sighed dreamily, still smiling. Hailey was just focusing her eyes on the pages of her book when she heard his sleepy whisper. “I’m falling in love with a full-blown neurotic.”

He opened his eyes just slightly to observe her reaction and was rewarded by the half smile she was trying to hide by biting her bottom lip. He was about to comment when the flight attendant approached them. Looking at Hailey, she asked, “Would you like something to drink?”

“No, thank you.” Hailey adjusted her seat belt and smoothed out the few wrinkles in her tan blazer and the blue knit shell beneath it as the attendant turned her attention to Cody. She was tall, with long, flowing blond hair that she wore loose down her back, pulled away from her face with a leather barrette on top of her head. She had large brown eyes and stunning features that were unusually delicate for her height. Hailey thought of the southwestern appeal she had and tried to read Cody’s opinion of the beautiful woman hovering over him.

“Can I get you anything, sir? A cocktail or soda? Coffee or juice?”

“Juice would be fine.”

“Grapefruit, orange, or apple?” she purred.

“Anything—grapefruit will be fine.”

She set the glass on his tray. “Will that be all, sir?”

Cody nodded.

“Can I get you a pillow or blanket?”

“No,” he answered politely.

“If you need anything, my name is Jenna; just ask for me.”

Hailey sat staring down at her lap, letting her hair cover her smile, hoping she wouldn’t give way to laughter.

Cody took off his glasses and with his right hand he sought hers and squeezed it. “I know you’re laughing, Hailey.”

“Coffee, tea, or me, sir,” Hailey mocked. “I’m sorry, but she was anything but subtle! Perhaps if she would have offered you some blueberry pie?”

“Are you implying that I could be bought? Maybe. Okay, so maybe your pie influenced me a bit.” He winked at her. “But it’s not the only way to my heart.”

“Thank heavens. I’d be out of the running if it were. It took Paige and me half a day to come up with that poor excuse for a pie.”

“It was delicious, and it means even more knowing what a challenge it was!” He smiled teasingly. “It was quite flattering to find two lovely women on my doorstep, giggling like schoolgirls and bearing a pie.”

“Didn’t you ever wonder why we were there?”

With an indignant look, Cody said, “I just assumed it was my charm and good looks.”

Hailey gave his arm a patronizing pat. “It was just an excuse to get Paige in to see your parents’ wedding picture.”

Cody attempted a dejected expression. “Oh.”

“But you are charming.”

“Don’t forget good-looking.”

“How could I?”

After a few silent moments, Hailey made a hesitant statement. “I think I could learn to cook.”

“I’ll give you lessons.”

“I’m not sure my fragile female pride could handle that.”

“Kill the pride. Do you like Mexican? It’s my specialty. I’ll teach you to make enchiladas to die for!”

Before she could answer, Jenna appeared to refill Cody’s glass. “Would you like more ice?”

“No, thank you.”

“Are you sure you have enough legroom? There’s an empty seat in front where you could stretch out more.”

“I’m fine, thank you.”

Across the aisle, a balding man in a gray suit was holding up his empty glass, but only Hailey saw him.

“So are you staying in Denver or going on from there?” Jenna asked.

“Heading for Montana,” Cody answered. As Jenna turned back to the galley, ignoring the man across the aisle, Cody smiled at Hailey. “Quit snickering. It’s not funny.”

“Does this happen to you often?”

“Constantly,” he said with an arrogant air.

“I was just thinking about your policy of keeping a safe distance from beautiful women. Does it still hold?”

“No. I got rid of that policy.” He felt the slightest tug as she thought about pulling her hand away from his. Slowly, he lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed her fingers. “I could be miles away from you and still not be safe.”

The tingling spread from her fingertips to her shoulder, and she fought to clear her head. “I’ll wager a home-cooked meal that you don’t get off without ‘Jenna-dear’ slipping you her phone number.”

Jenna bent down to make eye contact with Cody as she took their trays away, and Hailey wrapped her arm around Cody’s. Shaking his head, he laughed at her possessive gesture, then put his table up and stretched.

“I’m feeling bad about Robert sitting alone in coach—after all, I’m the one who’s tagging along here,” Hailey said. “I should change seats with him—he’d be more comfortable up here.”

“Dad would be comfortable anywhere,” Cody answered.

“That’s true, isn’t it? He’s so down-to-earth. I’ve worked with so many doctors who make intimidation an art form—he’s different.”

Cody nodded. “The man defines the word humility. I’ll never forget walking into the foyer of his house for the first time. I was completely blown away—marble floors, flocked wallpaper, an in-ground pool and live-in housekeeper.”

“Sounds like a scene from Little Orphan Annie.”

“Exactly. He’d just kind of forgotten to mention that he was incredibly well-off! He has such a servant’s heart.”

Hailey paused for a minute. “You’re a lot like him, Cody.”

He shrugged self-consciously, acknowledging her comment only by squeezing her hand again.

“I remember him caring for my mother in her final stages, while she was still at home. I’m sure I didn’t think about it at the time, but I don’t ever remember him seeming impatient or tired, even though he was up and down all night. He was so devoted to her.”

“I can understand why she fell in love with him,” Hailey said softly.

“I guess we both did. I remember him always sitting down to get on my eye level when we talked. And he never hid anything from me—I knew my mother was dying and that I’d be going back to Wisconsin with him. When he adopted me, it was his idea that I keep Wingreen as part of my legal name, and when we moved he had all of my things shipped out here—toys, bed, everything. He didn’t ask me to give up a thing.”

They were quiet for several minutes, then Hailey asked, “How often did you get back to Montana after you moved?”

“I came back to stay with Millie and Pampa for a few weeks every summer at least. When I moved to Spokane for college, I got back more often. I spent most holidays with them until five years ago when Millie died. Pampa went into a nursing home shortly after that and died just a year later. Until then I had no idea they’d willed the shop and cabin to me.”

“Cabin?”

Cody sat up slightly. “Haven’t I told you about the cabin?”

“No. But I’m listening now.”

He winked at her. “You always are.” His eyes looked beyond her as he described the rustic cabin on the side of a mountain that had been Millie and Pampa’s first home. Leaning against his shoulder, Hailey could almost feel the old boards of the porch swing creaking beneath them and smell the pine scent in the air as he described it. She could hear the yapping of the coyotes that gradually swelled into an eerie howl in the middle of the night.

“You haven’t seen blue sky until you’ve been to Montana,” he added wistfully.

Hailey sat quietly, thinking ahead, sorting through all that she had just heard. “Didn’t Pampa and Millie leave anything to their nephew?”

“Not much. He wasn’t stable enough to handle much. Lyle was like a rubber check—he’d bounce in and out, always asking for something. Millie and his mother were sisters. After her death, his father left—can’t blame him—and Millie and Pampa did their best with him. But if there is such a thing as a bad seed, Lyle was it.”

“Did anyone question Lyle after the robbery?”

“He would have been an obvious suspect, but he was locked up in the state pen at the time.”

Hailey only nodded, feeling suddenly sleepy.

“Why don’t you sleep for a bit? I’ll go back and talk to Dad for a few minutes.”

“Go. I’ll be fine.”

“Promise you’ll miss me?”

“Promise.” She rested her head against the side of her seat and watched the clouds swirl past her window until she fell asleep.

❧

They were met at the Missoula airport by Steve Duncan, the private investigator. Hailey followed Cody down the stairs to the baggage claim, taking mental notes as she went. Karlee would love to hear the details of this quaint little airport—the stuffed black bear in the glass cage, the elk and deer heads mounted near the ceiling, and the Canadian geese flying from wires overhead. She also made a mental note not to use the word quaint in front of Cody.

Robert and Steve joined them in the coffee shop, and introductions were made. Steve appeared to be about forty-five, a large, muscular man. He wore old jeans and boots that had seen several years of wear. In a flannel shirt and blue jean vest, he appeared to be at home here; Hailey saw no hint of the businessman from Sacramento. He drank his coffee black, scarcely waiting for it to cool. Between gulps, he talked fast.

“I rented you a Jeep and booked two rooms at a rustic little inn.” He nodded in Hailey’s direction. “Should give the lady a good taste of this fine state. Unfortunately, I’m on my way back to California this afternoon. I just got here yesterday myself, but I got a call this morning that I have to follow up on. I’ll fill you in on all I know so far.

“The man that brought the paintings into the shop is nowhere to be found. I haven’t talked to anyone who recognizes the description Halona gave, and she had details on this guy right down to the little scar on his left wrist! I just talked to her this morning, and she’s going to try sketching him from memory. That should help us. The other guy doesn’t seem to be trying to keep a low profile at all, but I still don’t have much on him. He’s been asking questions about Kwanita. A lot of people have talked to him, but no one knows his name or where he’s staying. He’s not leaving a paper trail, no plastic or checks.”

Steve rubbed his hand across the stubble of a two-day beard. “Don’t quite know what to make of it. Either he’s following the first guy, or they’re working together and he’s acting as some kind of decoy, trying to throw us off, being elusive but still visible.”

He was plied with questions by the other three until he was talked out and it was time for him to catch his plane. He left them with a promise to return before the end of the week.

As they walked out into the bright sunlight, with a view of rounded mountaintops, Hailey remembered something. Shifting her bag to her right hand, she took Cody’s hand. “Well, I guess I owe you that home-cooked meal. So much for woman’s intuition.”

A sheepish expression spread across Cody’s face as he pulled his hand from hers and reached into his shirt pocket. Without looking at her, he tucked something into her hand. Hailey let out a low whistle as she opened the folded napkin.

Beneath the airline logo and Jenna’s full name was a phone number and e-mail address.