Chapter Eight

“Most of the keys are melted to the body.” Harmony wiped grimy soot from the upper joint of a clarinet. The fire had charred the accompanying wooden reed. “The guys at the repair shop are gonna have a field day refurbishing and cleaning all these instruments.”

“Some of them are probably beyond repair.” Ruby Haynes Emerson cocked her hip against the foldout table and stored a paper-wrapped flute in a small cardboard box. “The water and ice have done equal if not more damage than the fire and smoke did.”

Harmony wrapped the joint in sturdy brown paper and placed it in a box alongside the other pieces of the instrument. “When will the delivery truck arrive?”

“Around four.” The tall, willowy woman tightened her brown ponytail. Fine lines branched from her blue eyes. “Mom scheduled an overnight rush, so the boxes should arrive in Montpelier tomorrow morning.”

Ruby had bought several cardboard boxes and sheets of paper from the packaging store. In order to protect the instruments from further damage, they were storing them in their original case or wrapping them in paper, and then packing them in individual boxes.

After the fire investigator ruled arson, Chief Brunner released the property as a crime scene. Sheriff Burke had sent bulletins to every police district in the state, as well as in neighboring New Hampshire and New York, but Delwin Abbott had disappeared.

Figures. Harmony twisted her back and moaned.

Birley, Dylan, and their brother-in-law, Brad, had dumped the charred furniture at the county waste site that weekend. Scorched music books, posters, cleaning materials, and holiday décor had gone too. Freddie, Erica, and Ruby had washed the dark stains from the hall walls while Harmony and Brenda scrubbed the smoke-laden furniture in the lobby.

How deep did Delwin’s vengeance run? Would he go beyond burning the school? Were Birley and his family safe?

Harmony gritted her teeth. After she taped the box, she scribbled the word clarinet on the top. The fumes from the smelly black marker stung her nose. “Let’s look at the silver lining. The damage could’ve been much worse had you kept your rental inventory in here.”

“True. We always keep at least fifteen brass and woodwinds on display, one instrument of each variety we teach. The rest are in storage.” Ruby swiped her arm toward the boxes piled in the corner. A sheet lay on the floor across the room, shielding the to-be-packed instruments from the roughened boards. “Getting these instruments and attachments fixed is going to cost a pretty penny. The insurance company better not throw a fit.”

Harmony rubbed her pimply arms. Heat blew from the vents, but a cold draft wafted around the cardboard that Birley had duct-taped over the smashed windowpanes. The stench of damp, blackened wood hung in the air. Wasn’t the dehumidifier working? The bulky appliance buzzed louder as though to prove itself, and she huffed.

“You okay?” The other woman labeled the box and stacked it with the others.

“My nose is a little clogged.” She sneezed into a tissue and tossed the wadded ball into a large trash bag. Two points! The hard candy in her cardigan pocket rustled. She hadn’t breathed in much smoke, but why give up the opportunity to indulge? She unwrapped a piece and popped it in her mouth. The strawberry-flavored goodness tingled her taste buds.

“Mind if I have some?” Ruby curled her fingers in a gimme motion.

“Here you go.” She chuckled and tossed her friend one. As Ruby tore into the treat, the plastic wrapper crinkling, Harmony stored the clarinet box on top of another package. She rapped on the scorched wall, and a few flakes drifted to the peeling floor. What a mess. “I’ve swept this room twice, and I can’t even tell. With luck, the beams are still in good shape, but this charred drywall and trim has gotta go.”

Ruby frowned. “The insulation, too, since the fibers have surely absorbed the smoke. The whole house smells funky, but hopefully, the odor will fade from the other rooms.”

“I’ll keep my fingers crossed.” Harmony twisted her index and middle fingers together. Then she folded up the sides of a new box and taped the bottom together. Replacing the insulation, drywall, and ceiling in the pipes and strings rooms were one thing, but doing so upstairs and down? Yikes. Talk about an expense. The floor in those burned-out rooms only needed sanding, buffing, and varnishing—another silver lining.

Birley hired a local builder, Kramer and Sons Contracting, for the renovation.

“Thanks for working with me in here.” Ruby stored a piccolo in a box. “I’ve never been crazy about woodwinds. Guitars and anything I can pluck with my fingers—that’s my baby.” She dashed sudden tears from her cheeks. “Most of those instruments are now blackened husks with snapped fretboards. That horrible man burned down my room. I can’t even go in there without bursting into tears.”

Harmony grasped her friend’s arm. “Everything can be fixed or replaced. The sprinklers saved most of the instruments from total ruin before the firefighters arrived.”

Dylan and Erica were packing the surviving instruments in the strings room. It was a miracle the fire hadn’t breached the other practice rooms or the rest of the house.

Ruby dabbed her shirtsleeve at her puffy eyes. “I could kick Delwin in the balls. We shared the strings classes—he taught the beginner’s courses, and I, the advanced—and he was a good instructor. He was also charming, funny, but beneath the surface…”

“A wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

“Exactly.” She fiddled with the wedding ring set on her finger. “I wish Brad didn’t have to work today, but he’s up for a lead teller position at the bank. If he gets the promotion, his pay raise will help a lot with the bills, especially the mortgage on our new little house.”

“That’s good. Brad seems like a great guy.” Harmony’s stomach grumbled from the strawberry taste in her mouth. From now on, she shouldn’t skip breakfast. If Birley didn’t finish his meeting with the insurance man soon, she would break for lunch without him.

“How’s Birley holding up?”

Here we go. Harmony rubbed the back of her neck. “What do you mean?”

“Ever since the fire, he’s shut himself off. He’s calling people, working on the computer, and doing paperwork. He hasn’t grieved.”

She arched her eyebrow. Didn’t Ruby know her brother at all? Grief and pain surely kept him tossing and turning in bed until sleep was nothing more than an elusive prayer, but she wouldn’t know. They hadn’t spent the night together since crashing in his parents’ guestroom—Birley’s old room. After she’d retrieved her purse from Birley’s apartment, she moved back to the inn. How awkward would it be if she slept over at his home and the kids rushed into his bedroom, catching her and Birley cuddling in bed, or worse?

He wouldn’t be Birley, though, if he didn’t hide his emotions behind a stoic façade—at least to his family. With Harmony, he always wore his heart on his sleeve.

“Birley is so damn responsible it makes me sick.” Ruby brushed her palms on her jeans. “He’s always worrying about Dylan and me. Since Mom and Dad are getting older and giving him more control of the business, he’s taken it upon himself to watch out for them too. Then he has Andy and Kay. Who’s there to care for him?”

“His sense of responsibility is both a blessing and a curse.” Harmony wrapped her arms around her stomach. What was wrong with her? She was gossiping like an old hen. Hadn’t she chastised Birley for doing the same with Jared at the inn?

“I’ve always liked you, H. When you and Birley broke up, it hurt the whole family, especially my mom. I once overheard her and your mom talking about wedding plans. But you guys needed time apart to experience life and meet new people. I get that.” She gripped Harmony’s arm in a light but firm hold. “Everything has come full circle. You’re both back home, single, and together. How long will this last?”

A lump clogged her throat. What was she going to do? Could she really kiss Birley goodbye when it was time to go?

“I don’t know.” Harmony squeezed Ruby’s hand, then boxed another instrument. “For now, I want to help get the academy back on its feet. My future can wait.” She walked across the room and stretched her arms. Her joints popped. The tension tightening her back eased.

According to Officer Stevenson, the State released Delwin Abbott from prison six months earlier. Since Birley had dropped the man’s name as a possible suspect for the vandalism, why hadn’t Sheriff Burke checked on Delwin to confirm his whereabouts before the arson? It’s not like cases were backlogged in a town the size of Willow Springs. Then again, ski season always brought in crazy, wealthy tourists that kept the police busy.

“Dylan and I don’t have a head for numbers, but we’ve offered to pitch in with the bookkeeping and management. Birley flat-out refuses.” A smile crept up Ruby’s cheeks. “You work in finances, right? Some kind of behind-the-scenes-work for a juice company?”

Oh no. Heat flushed Harmony’s face. She sucked faster on the candy. “I did. I filed reports, kept a log of expenses, conducted yearly audits—things like that.”

“Why don’t you work here? You can divide the tasks with him.” Ruby braced her hands on her hips as Harmony shook her head. “Birley barely has time to teach his classes. He puts on a brave face for our parents, but he’s running himself ragged. Mom and Dad are considering postponing their retirement.”

“I won’t let that happen.”

Birley’s voice rumbled from behind her. Harmony flipped around. Her heart stumbled, then hammered. She and Ruby must have been deep in conversation not to have heard him approach the open doorway. Or he was sneaking up on them.

This was her fault. Gossiping had always been the bane of her existence, so she tried to steer clear of it. Until now.

“I’m fine, Ruby.” His forehead scrunched in a scowl. “I’m not going to fail our parents, or you and Dylan. I can handle these responsibilities. Trust me.”

“Why don’t you trust me?” The brunette woman huffed. “I won’t sink the business into debt. Maybe I could download an accounting app to tally everything?”

God, no. Harmony cringed as Birley’s eyes bugged out. She cleared her throat with a soft cough. “Apps and online sites are notorious for not including every cent earned in taxes and would likely bring the IRS down on your head.”

“Okay, no apps.” Ruby notched her chin higher and glared at her brother. “Dylan and I are equal partners with you, but Mom and Dad are still technically the bosses. If you don’t loosen up, we will go to them and demand they set you straight.”

“Don’t you get it, Ruby? I’m doing this for you.” He spread his arms. “If you’re buried under paperwork, you won’t have time for painting and holding exhibits. Besides, you have a baby to raise and classes to teach. I can’t ask you to do something that would drive you crazy.”

“You still need help.” Ruby ripped off a strip of clear masking tape and slapped it on a box. After she shoved the package on the growing stack, she stomped to Birley and thrust her finger at his chest. “Brad and I are doing fine with Sapphire, and I’m always on time for my lessons. Mom is a great babysitter, but how can she travel during her retirement when she’s watching your kids all the time? You need to be there more for Andy and Kay.”

“What?” His eyebrows dropped in a deep V. “I’m always there for my children. Mom babysits Sapphire too.”

“Not often. Brad’s mother—God love her—doesn’t have a life outside her sewing circle. Sapphire is with her right now. If your kids weren’t in school, I guarantee Mom would be watching them instead of being here to deal with this mess.”

“Cool it, both of you.” Harmony lifted her hands, stepping between the brother and sister. Might as well change her nickname from H to Referee.

“I need some air.” Ruby left the room. Her pounding footsteps echoed down the hall and then vanished as a door slammed.

Harmony rubbed her temples. “That went well.”

“She shouldn’t have bombarded you with my problems.”

“Ruby loves you. Perhaps you should hire a bookkeeper, someone to take the edge off?”

He hunched his shoulders. “In the future, maybe. The finances and the bowed-instrument classes were Dad’s thing, and Mom handled the day-to-days and her singing lessons. With his arthritis and her desire to travel—the accounting and management are now on me.”

“On top of your classes. You’re doing work that two people used to handle. Ruby is right. You need help.”

“You want the job? It’s yours.”

Was he serious?

Birley shoved his hands in his slacks pockets. “My stomach turns every time I consider sticking my neck on the line for a new hire, but eventually, I’ll have to man-up and do it. A full-time bookkeeper would be a godsend, as long as I could trust that person. I trust you.”

Her belly clenched. “I couldn’t.”

“Of course not. California is too damn important.”

“Watch your temper.” She bit out the words, daring him to snap at her again.

Birley fisted and flexed his hands. For the past few hours, he and his parents had been in the office with the insurance company’s representative.

His hair cascaded over his head in disarray as though he’d run his fingers through it too many times. The potholes circling his bloodshot eyes aged him beyond his years. Had those dark circles grown since the meeting started?

She blew out a long, slow breath. The tiny remains of her candy clacked between her teeth. “So—um—what did the claims adjustor say? Has he left?”

“Yes, he’s gone. I gave him a list of every item that was damaged or destroyed, as well as pictures of each, and he read over the police and arson reports. He’s going to file a claim, but it will take sixty to ninety days for the paperwork to go through.”

“Save the receipts for everything you buy and get fixed, in order to prove to the insurance company what you spent, so they can properly adjust your claim and reimburse you the right amount.” She winced. Why did she say that? He knew what to do.

“We have commercial property insurance with replacement cost coverage. The academy’s finances are going to take a major hit since we have to pay out-of-pocket, but we should get a fair settlement.” He folded his arms across his chest. A few dark-blond hairs poked from the V-neckline of his gray ribbed sweater. “Who knows, though? Insurance companies love screwing over their customers. I’ve contacted our lawyer. Since Hobson Drucker retired, we’ve been doing business with Tyler Coleman. He’s taken over Hobson’s practice.”

“Hope and I met for dinner last week. I haven’t met Tyler, but she talks about him like he hung the moon and stars. I’m happy for her. She deserves a good man.” So do I.

Could she and Birley make a go of this? A fling was one thing, but a future together and working alongside one another was different. What about his children? Would they accept her as a mother figure? “At least Andy and Kay aren’t having nightmares or worrying about what’s going on, or so Ruby told me.”

“That’s true and a miracle in itself. If Brad’s mom hadn’t agreed to watch them this past weekend, they would’ve been here with us, misbehaving and getting in everyone’s way.”

She almost wished the kids had been there. Since she didn’t want to overstay her welcome, she always returned to the inn after a long day’s work. She wanted to meet Kay and see Andy again, but how could she swing it without imposing on the little family? “Have you heard from any parents or students about the school closing early?”

“Three parents have called today for refunds. Students come here from all over Willow Springs, as well as from other communities in the area.” Birley scratched his scalp. “I’ve calculated the refunds and will mail the checks tomorrow. I’m sorry for being short with you, Ruby, everyone. I am under a lot of stress. Surviving an avalanche at Sugarbush would be easier than relaxing. This crap has put my seduction plans on hold.”

She bit back a moan. Seduction? Yes, please. If she didn’t find relief soon, she’d have to kidnap Birley and drive them to the middle of nowhere for some snow-melting playtime.

“We haven’t done anything romantic since this happened. No more candlelight dinners, no strolling through town, skiing, catching a movie at the theater, no sex. I’ve missed you, Harmony.” He skirted the boxes and rested his hands on her waist.

His touch burned through her bunchy cardigan and snug sweater. Desire pooled in her belly. Drat! Anyone could walk through the doorway.

“You’re important to me. Do you know that?”

“I do. You’re a sweet man.” She brushed her fingertips across his smooth jaw and down his corded neck. Strength vibrated beneath her light caresses. “All I want to do is push you against the wall and kiss you.”

He flashed a smile. “Careful, babe. You’re not the only one needing another roll in the sack. You tease me, and I might carry you upstairs to my bed.”

“I might be okay with that.” She grinned. Heat flared in her cheeks. “Then again, I want to finish packing before I go to lunch.”

He kissed her. Warmth radiated from him, charging the air.

She grasped his sweater. A hint of coffee teased his breath and rocked through her. Yummy. He plucked her lips with his, then pulled slightly until she moaned.

He released her, his eyelids dropping to half-mast. “Have dinner with the kids and me?”

His throaty words rumbled near her ear. Was he a mind reader? “If you’re serving kisses like that, I’ll be there with bells on.”

He winked and grabbed a box. “Let’s get to work.”