THE MUSIC FROM the banda filled the night air and drifted into the house. Sofie stood on the back porch and stared out at the crowd gathered in her brother’s backyard. Brightly colored paper lanterns were strung from the trees. A feast of traditional Mexican dishes was laid out beneath a small tent, and one of her cousins was mixing drinks on an old card table.
If she had any worries at all about Cameron fitting in, they had all disappeared just moments after he arrived. Strangely, her brothers welcomed him with a cup of beer, and her father, though distant at first, had gradually warmed up enough to invite him to play a Reyes family variation of boccie ball.
The door opened behind her, and a moment later, Sofie’s mother joined her at the railing of the back porch. “Your friend seems to be getting along well,” Talie Reyes said.
“Papa has him playing that silly game. You know they change the rules as they go along. Wait until they find out he has no money to gamble.”
“Oh, I’m sure they’ll lend him whatever he needs,” her mother teased. She slipped her hand around Sofie’s waist. “Come help me clean up the kitchen. Elena has enough to worry about keeping all of Gabby’s friends in line. And the girls all seem to be quite taken with your guest.”
Sofie smiled as she noticed the cluster of teenage girls watching the game from a nearby picnic table. Though she accepted that Cameron was good-looking, she’d never really seen the effect he could have on the opposite sex—beyond what he did to her.
But he’d been impossibly charming to everyone he’d met. And nearly every female at the party, from her niece Gabby to her ninety-year-old great-aunt, had something positive to say about Sofie’s sexy friend.
She turned and walked into the kitchen. Her mother handed her a dish towel and then went back to washing dishes. It was a scene that Sofie had replayed every night since she was able to hold a dish. She and her mother at the sink, cleaning up after supper while her older brothers went off to spend their evenings in more enjoyable pursuits.
“I was surprised you came today,” her mother said. “And that you brought your friend. Lately, you’ve been avoiding family parties.”
“I know. I just didn’t want to have to talk about the accident. Or my plans for the future.”
Her mother laughed. “Well, Sofia, you certainly found a creative way to change the subject.”
“Yes. He does make a nice distraction, doesn’t he?”
“I thought your gift to Gabby was lovely. That girl would dip herself in pink if she could.”
“She emailed me a photo of her dress. I figured if she liked it enough for her quinceañera dress, I’d be safe with a pink makeup case.” Sofie turned and leaned back against the edge of the counter. “Do you remember my quinceañera?”
Her mother shook her head. “I had to pay you to wear a dress. And instead of gifts, you made everyone donate money toward new Kevlar vests for the police department. Your grandmother Reyes was beside herself. Of course, your father was so proud.” Her mother handed her a plate. “It’s been a while since we’ve done this. I’ve missed it.”
“Why didn’t you ever have one of the boys help you with the dishes? Why was it always my job?” Sofie asked.
“I suppose it was the only way I got to spend any time with you,” her mother said. “I learned pretty early on that you were your father’s girl. I guess I just wanted to have you to myself at least once a day.”
Sofie had always bristled at the fact that she was forced into domestic duty, when she was more interested in doing whatever her brothers were doing. But suddenly, she realized how much she and her mother had missed. They’d never shopped for pretty dresses or read fairy tales or played dress-up. From the moment Sofie took her first step, she’d begun following her brothers.
“I’m sorry,” Sofie murmured. “I know I wasn’t the daughter I should have been. Or the daughter you wanted.”
“Oh, sweetheart, don’t be. I never resented your relationship with your father and your brothers. They helped you grow up into a fine, strong woman, and that’s all I ever dreamed for you.” She smiled. “Besides, I knew there would come a time when you’d need me. When we’d share some common ground.”
“Like now?” Sofie said.
Her mother nodded. “Now. And when you got married and had children. And when those children were sick. And when they left for their first day of school. You and I still have a lot to share.” She handed Sofie another dish. “So, tell me about this man of yours.”
“He’s not mine, Mama. He just…dropped into my life. And now I’m not sure I want him to leave.”
“How long have you known him?”
“Ten days.” Sofie groaned and buried her face in the dish towel. “I can’t believe I just said that. Ten days? What’s wrong with me?”
“Oh, I suspect you might be in love,” her mother said. She took the towel from Sofie and wiped her hands, then drew her daughter along toward the kitchen table. “Sit.”
Her mother fetched a pitcher of sangria from the refrigerator and poured them both a glass, then sat down beside her. Though her mother was nearly sixty, she still had a youthful beauty about her. Her complexion was unlined and her jet-black hair, bound in a long braid, was touched with gray at her temples. She dressed as she always had, in a mix of designer casual and Hopi-influenced accessories, the picture of a successful artist and businesswoman.
Sofie had always looked up to her father, but her mother had made an amazing life for herself, too. Natalie Humatewa was the only daughter of a single mom. Raised on the reservation, she learned traditional Hopi crafts from her grandmother. After graduating from the Native American high school in Phoenix, she’d been awarded a full scholarship to study art at Santa Fe University. She ran a successful art gallery, taught several college classes in Native American art and was well respected in the business community. And she had raised six children.
Why had it taken Sofie this long to recognize her mother for all she was? Tears pushed at the corners of her eyes, and Sofie covered her face with her hands. “I don’t know what I’m doing,” she said. “I’m sorry. I—I thought I would—”
“Sofie, this doesn’t have to be so difficult. This man seems to like you exactly the way you are,” Talie said. “I see the way he looks at you. With affection and pride. All you have to do is be yourself.”
“I’m not sure who that is anymore. The person I was for the first twenty-six years of my life is gone.”
“No. She’s still right here in front of me. My grandmother used to tell me that I must always live my life from beginning to end. You would do well to heed her advice, Sofia.”
“What does that mean?” she asked.
“This is not the end, darling. You have so much more in front of you. And if you spend all your time mourning what might have been, you won’t be able to see anything else through your tears. You’ll miss all the wonderful things that are about to be.”
Sofie brushed the damp streaks from her face. “I think I might be falling in love with him, Mama.”
“I think you might be right.”
“But he lives in Seattle and I live here.”
“You’ll have to work that out. It’s your life. Don’t let little things like that stand in your way. Your grandmother Reyes disapproved of me when your father and I first met, but I didn’t let that stop me from marrying him.”
“Really? Why didn’t she like you?”
“I wasn’t Catholic. I had plans for a career and wasn’t satisfied simply being a housewife. But for your papa, it was love at first sight. He went home the night after meeting me and told his mother he’d met his future wife. She wasn’t amused.”
“How did you know you were in love with Papa?” Sofie asked.
“Oh, he made me laugh,” she said, smiling. “I was very serious back then. Very focused. I had a plan for my life, and getting married wasn’t part of it.”
“Like me,” Sofie murmured.
“I remember the first time I knew. I was upset about a teacher that I had for one of my art classes, and your father was trying to cheer me up. He took a couple of my paintbrushes and put them up his nose, then proceeded to explain to me, in a very serious voice, why he thought he was a better artist than me because he could paint with his nose. I went from tears to laughter in a heartbeat, and then I couldn’t stop laughing.”
“That sounds like Papa,” Sofie said.
“He still makes me laugh. There will come a time, Sofie, when the clouds will part and the answer will be as clear as the sky. And then you’ll know what to do. For now, just be patient.”
Sofie stood and moved to her mother, then wrapped her arms around Talie’s neck. “I love you, Mama.”
“I love you, daughter.” She kissed Sofie’s cheek, then held her face between her hands. “Why don’t you go out and ask that nice young man to dance? Don’t let your father and uncles scare him off.”
Sofie shook her head. “He wouldn’t get scared off. He’s the kind of guy who sticks, no matter what.”
“Well, that’s not a bad quality to find in a man,” her mother said.
Sofie wandered to the door, then gave her mother a smile before she stepped outside. She found Cameron in the middle of an argument over the game, hunched over two of the balls and measuring the space between them with a broken yardstick.
Sofie bent down and grabbed his hand, then handed her father the yardstick. “Let’s dance,” she said.
“You can’t take him now,” her father said. “We’re in the middle of a game. And we’re winning.”
“He’s my date,” she said.
“Wait,” her father said, frowning. “I thought he was just a friend.” He looked at Cameron, his eyes narrowing. “You’re dating?”
Cameron shrugged. “This is the first I’ve heard about it,” he said.
“Well, I’ve decided,” Sofie said. “We’re officially dating. And if anyone has a problem with that, you can take it up with me later.” She held tight to Cameron’s hand and pulled him along to the dance floor. Most of the banda was gathered in the food tent for a break, while a pair of guitarists played a soft ballad.
Cameron pulled her into his arms, holding her right hand against his chest as they moved to the beat. “I didn’t realize you could dance,” she murmured
“Neither did I,” Cameron said. “It’s not something I’ve done very often. Tell me if I’m doing it wrong, okay?”
She stepped back and saw a hint of worry in his eye. “You’re doing pretty well.”
“Maybe if I’m a moving target, you father won’t be able to shoot me.”
“I only outlined the parameters of our relationship. Everyone seemed to be curious, and I was tired of them speculating.”
“At least you didn’t tell him we were sleeping together.”
“I’m not a fool,” she said. “Although he must realize that I’m not a virgin anymore.”
He leaned close and whispered in her ear, “Even under torture, I’d never reveal your secrets.”
Sofie groaned softly as he pulled her a bit closer. She did have a few secrets, a few things she did in the bedroom that drove him wild, and Sofie felt a bit naughty thinking of those things while at a family function. But no one could see how the feel of his body against hers was sending delicious sensations racing through her and how she was tempted to open his shirt and press her lips to his naked chest.
They danced through the first song and into the next, lost in their own world. But Sofie was aware of the stares that followed them around the dance floor. Everyone at the party was curious about this new man in her life.
“I feel like we’re in a fishbowl,” Sofie said.
He glanced around, then chuckled. “You’re the most beautiful woman at this party. And I’m the guy who brought you.”
“But that’s not why they’re staring. They’ve all been worried I’d die a spinster. Or that I preferred girls to boys.”
“I suppose I could assure them of your preference for guys,” Cameron said. “In fact, I could even provide photographic proof.”
“I think, for now, we ought to keep that part of our relationship to ourselves. Let my father have his delusions.”
He bent close, his lips soft on her ear. “I never kiss and tell. You can count on me.”
She felt a shiver skitter down her spine as her breath caught. It was just a simple statement. Two sentences. But it was the moment that her mother had told her would come, the moment that she knew Cameron was the one she wanted.
This man was kind and loyal. He was her lover and her friend. And though he’d never been tested, she knew with every atom of her being that she could trust him with her life.
But was she ready to admit that out loud? Or was that a secret she’d keep to herself a bit longer?
* * *
THE COOL, QUIET interior of Sofie’s Albuquerque apartment was a welcome relief from the raucous noise of the quinceañera celebration. Cameron closed the door behind him, then watched as Sofie dropped her keys and a container of birthday cake on the table next to the door.
Though he’d enjoyed his stay in the old Airstream, he was happy to have the comforts of a real home, if only for a night. His mind flashed to an image of his place in Seattle, wondering what it might be like to have Sofie in surroundings familiar to him. Sofie lying in his bed—or curled up on his living-room sofa—or making coffee in his kitchen. Each new possibility was more tempting than the last.
But would that fantasy ever become reality? Somehow, he couldn’t imagine Sofie ever leaving the desert for the lush green landscape and salty sea air in Seattle. This was where she belonged. Close to her family and her culture.
Cameron held his breath as she reached down and grabbed the hem of her cotton dress. She pulled it over her head and tossed it onto the sofa, then continued on into what Cameron assumed was her bedroom, kicking off her shoes along the way.
By the time he’d reached the door, she was lying on the bed in just her underwear, staring at the ceiling. “Sometimes my family can exhaust me.”
“I had fun tonight,” he said. “It was nice to meet everyone.”
“You were a big hit,” Sofie replied. “I think they all liked you. I know my mother did.”
“Did she say that?” Cameron asked.
Sofie rolled onto her side, bracing her head on her hand. “Yes.”
“She’s a beautiful woman. You look a lot like her.”
Sofie patted the mattress beside her. “Come here, my boyfriend.”
As he crossed the room, Cameron slowly unbuttoned his shirt. He stretched out beside her, and Sofie pushed the cotton fabric away from his chest. She pressed her lips to his neck. “I wanted to do this when we were dancing.” She reached for the front button of his jeans and flipped it open. “It works much better in bed, don’t you think?”
“I could get used to your bed.” He smoothed his hands over her hair, the strands like silk in his fingers. “It’s much more comfortable than the Airstream. Now that the case is done in Vulture Creek, are we going to work on another one here in Albuquerque?”
“We’re going to take a break,” Sofie said. “And have some fun.”
“Did you give the photos to your uncle tonight?”
“No.” Sofie shook her head. “I don’t want to talk about the case right now.”
“Isn’t your uncle going to wonder about what’s going on?”
“He asked me how things were progressing, right before we left tonight. I told him I didn’t have anything new to report.”
“But you do,” he said. “You have the photos and a name and a location.”
She drew a slow breath. “I know. But I’m not sure I want to use it. Who am I to put myself in the middle of this mess? Don’t you think they should be able to work this out without any outside interference?”
“But that’s what you’re getting paid for, Sof. Stella Fredericks hired you to find out if her husband was cheating on her. And you have the answer.”
“But don’t you think it would be much better if Walter just sat down and talked to Stella? He should be the one to tell her about Vivian, not me. Or maybe Vivian should talk to her sister. This is just a bad situation, and I think having a stranger in the middle of it is just going to make it worse.”
“Why the change of heart?”
“Vivian seems to genuinely love Walter. And he seems to love her. Maybe the circumstances aren’t perfect, but there might be a chance that they can make each other happy. No, I don’t think Walter cheating on his wife is acceptable, but now that he’s done it, he needs to own up and make things right, for everyone involved.”
“What are you going to do?”
Sofie thought about it for a moment, then flopped back onto the bed. “As soon as I know, I’ll discuss it with my faithful assistant. Until then, I think he should kiss me.”
Cameron touched his lips to hers in a sweet, lingering kiss. “All right, boss. Whatever you say. I’ve got your back. And your front.”
Sofie smiled, then pulled him into a deeper kiss, raking her fingers through his hair and sending desire snaking through his veins. They’d been together for about a week and a half, and it still seemed so new and exciting.
Usually by this time Cameron would have grown restless and begun to question whether he needed a woman in his life at all. But Sofie had managed to work her way into his heart, and there didn’t seem to be any reason to believe she’d be going anywhere soon.
They had four more weeks. He’d be happy to spend the rest of that time in her bed, but if they didn’t work another case, he had to find some way to make a living. He couldn’t mooch off of Sofie for an entire month.
“There is something I need to talk to you about,” he said.
“Is it about the fact that you’re still dressed and I’m not?” Sofie asked.
“No.” Cameron sat up and pulled off his shirt. “Your brother mentioned that he’s been wanting to do some remodeling in his kitchen. Since I need a job, I told him that I might be available.”
“Which brother?”
“Carlos? I guess he lives here in Albuquerque?”
“Ugh, his kitchen is horrible,” she said. “But you don’t have to work.”
“I can’t continue to sponge off of you, Sofie. You’ve paid for everything since we met. I’m starting to feel guilty. Carlos said he’d pay me ten dollars an hour, which is more than I could make slinging burgers at Millie’s. And I’m good with my hands, so—”
“Yes, you are very good with your hands.” Sofie reached down and grabbed his left one, placing it on her breast. “I thought you were going to be my sex slave.”
“As much as I’d totally dominate at that job, I think I’d probably have to spend everything I earn on condoms. And sad to say, I might not be up to the demands of round-the-clock sex.”
“I suppose we can’t stay in this apartment all day long,” Sofie said.
“And I was thinking I should probably find a place to stay. I don’t want to impose on—”
“No,” Sofie said. “You’ll stay here. I want you here. If you’re feeling guilty, you can buy groceries every now and then. Or maybe cook a meal. Or do laundry. But you don’t have to pay rent.”
“All right,” Cameron said, satisfied that they’d laid out the terms to his satisfaction. Though he wasn’t technically in Vulture Creek, he was close enough. He’d had a job and a place to sleep in Vulture Creek, but now he was moving on to bigger and better things.
“All right,” Sofie repeated. “Now take off the rest of your clothes and come to bed.”
Cameron kicked out of his boots, then stripped off his jeans and socks.
“Boxers, too,” she said.
When he was naked, he waited, watching a smile twitch at the corners of her mouth.
“Better?” he asked.
“The best,” she murmured. “So, you wanna dance?”
He sank down onto the bed beside her, pulling her against his body and smoothing his hands over the curves of her backside. This was how it should be, Cameron thought to himself. Pure and utter contentment. He didn’t want to be anywhere else, with anyone else.
She reached between their bodies and touched him, the contact sending a wave of pleasure crashing over him. It didn’t take much to bring him to the edge, but Cameron had learned to control his reactions, knowing that better things would come if he’d take her with him.
When he couldn’t bear it anymore, he pulled her against him, her backside tucked into the curve of his body. He had complete access to every inch of her flesh, and he ran his hands from her breasts to her belly to the soft juncture of her thighs.
The satin bra and panties found a place on the floor beside his clothes, and as she arched against him, Cameron found the damp spot between her legs. He knew what she liked, knew exactly how to caress her to a shuddering release.
But Sofie wanted more than just his touch. After he sheathed himself, she reached back and guided him inside her slick heat. Though he was familiar with the destination, the sensations were entirely new and overwhelmingly erotic.
She moved against him, and Cameron grabbed her hips to stop her, taking a long moment to regain his control. When he was ready, he drew back, then plunged deep. Sofie moaned softly, her fingers still tangled in his hair.
He kissed her on her shoulder, then moved to the sweet curve of her neck, his teeth grazing her silken skin. This was the woman he never knew he needed—or wanted—or loved. Had he not come to Vulture Creek, he might have gone his whole life waiting for her.
Now that he’d found her, Cameron wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to let her go. And though a future might look impossible, he had to believe that everything would work out. People fell in love every day, and there were always complications. But love was supposed to conquer all.
The hard part was over. They’d met. Against all odds, they’d found each other in a world of millions. Cameron would make it work. He had no choice.
As Sofie reached the edge, Cameron let his body respond, and when he felt the first spasms of her orgasm, he buried himself deep inside of her, his surrender inevitable.
She fell asleep still curled against him, Cameron’s arms wrapped around her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder. As he listened to her soft, even breathing, he thought about all he had waiting back home—his job, his brothers, his life.
He knew already, even after just ten days with Sofie, that she was forever tied to this place. The desert around Albuquerque, the mountains, the canyons and the mesas, they were part of her, part of the blood pulsing through her veins. Taking her away from her family wasn’t an option.
He would have to be the one to give up everything he knew. Cameron drew a deep breath. But there were no sailboats in the desert. And he didn’t know much else.
Drawing a ragged breath, he closed his eyes. He had a lot more to work out before he and Sofie had a happily-ever-after. But he’d think about all of that tomorrow.
* * *
SOFIE LEFT CAMERON before the sun rose. He was still asleep in her bed, his long limbs tangled in the pale blue sheets, his face pressed into one of her pillows. She knew if she woke him he’d want to come with her, but this was something she needed to do on her own.
She drove west, away from the rising sun, toward Vulture Creek. The air was cool and the sky clear. Sofie smiled to herself as she replayed the events of the previous night and her pulse quickened. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so completely alive, as if the future was just waiting for her to reach out and grab it.
She’d spent far too long regretting past mistakes, trying to recapture something that she thought she’d lost. She was tired of looking back. Maybe she’d never be a cop again. Maybe the accident had changed the course of her life. But now she was beginning to see the possibilities that lay in front of her.
Sofie laughed. A few months ago, she’d been entirely focused on her career, determined to get back onto the force and regain her position in the department. And yet here she was, actually imagining herself married—and sometimes there were even children in the picture.
Though she’d always assumed she’d settle down someday, once she’d started work, that option had been pushed into the shadows. The subject of marriage had never come up between her and Sam, mostly because she usually left the room if it sounded as if the discussion was heading in that direction.
But now her future was no longer carved in stone. She could make it whatever she chose. And if she chose to spend it with Cameron, then so many wonderful things were possible.
As she drove, she thought about all the things they could share, all the adventures they could have together. She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she nearly missed the entrance to the ranch.
She’d driven past the place a number of times and studied an aerial view on Google Maps. But this time, Sofie had a reason to open the gate and drive to the ranch house. She had business with the owner.
The place looked nothing like the typical ranch houses in the area, weathered by the wind. The log house gleamed in the morning light, its multipaned windows reflecting the sun and its wide porch shading the front door.
When she stopped the Jeep, Sofie took a moment to gather her thoughts before walking up the front steps. She had no idea if this would work, but she had to give it a try. She took the steps two at a time and then rang the front bell.
A few seconds later the door swung open and Vivian Armstrong appeared. A smile broke across her face, followed very quickly by a look of confusion. “Sofie. What are you doing here? How did you—”
“Can I come in? We need to talk.”
“I—I don’t know. Walter isn’t here and he doesn’t like it if—”
“Vivian, it’s important. Believe me.”
She clutched the edge of the door, and Sofie was sure she was about to slam it shut. But then she finally stepped back and motioned for Sofie to enter. “Why are you here? I thought you went back to San Francisco. When I called you for our mud bath, they said you’d checked out.”
“I live in Albuquerque, not San Francisco, Vivian. And I’m a private investigator. Your sister, Stella, hired me to find out if her husband was cheating on her.”
The color drained out of Vivian’s face. “Stella knows about me?”
“Not yet. She suspects there’s a woman, but she has no idea it’s you.”
“Pictures,” Vivian murmured. “You took pictures of us. You pretended to be my friend.” She turned away, hurrying across the room to stand near a huge stone fireplace. Vivian rubbed her arms, as if she was cold—or afraid. “And Cameron?”
“He was working with me.”
“Oh.” The word came out as more of a groan than an exclamation of understanding. “Oh, no. I—I think you should probably leave.” Vivian pointed to the door with a shaky hand.
“I’m not going to leave until we talk.” Sofie’s heart twisted at the stricken expression on Vivian’s face.
“What do we have to talk about? You’re going to tell Stella about me. And then she’ll hate me forever.”
“I took the photos, but I’m not going to give them to Stella.”
Vivian’s eyes filled with tears and her voice wavered with emotion. “You—you aren’t?”
“You need to talk to her yourself. You need to tell her what’s going on and how you feel. You’ll never be able to keep this a secret forever.”
“I don’t want to hurt my sister.”
“Then you shouldn’t have started sleeping with her husband.”
Vivian burst into tears, covering her face with her hands as she sobbed. Sofie crossed the room and slipped her arm around Vivian’s shoulders, guiding her over to the leather sofa. They both sat down, and Sofie gently patted Vivian’s back, hoping that her crying would be soothed.
“This is a disaster,” Vivian said.
“It is,” Sofie agreed. “It’s a real mess.”
“She’s going to hate me.”
“Maybe she will. But didn’t you know that when you started seeing Walter?”
“Walter’s political career will be ruined. He can’t take a scandal like this. And—and he’ll lose everything in the divorce.”
“Not everything,” Sofie said. “You’ll still have this ranch.”
Vivian glanced up. “Not just that. We still have our collection. Walter said we’re keeping it for a rainy day.”
“Your collection?”
“It’s in the library. He says it’s worth a lot. He’s invested my money in it, and he’s assured me it’s better than stocks and bonds. Stella doesn’t know anything about it, so she shouldn’t be able to touch it.”
Sofie slowly stood. She pointed to a set of French doors. “This way?”
Vivian nodded. “Just don’t touch anything. He’s really fussy. Some of the pieces are really valuable.”
Sofie walked through the doors to the library, then froze, a tiny gasp slipping from her lips. The floor-to-ceiling wooden shelves had been cleared of books and were now lined with Native American artifacts. She moved closer, her gaze taking in the massive collection. There had to be at least a couple million dollars in looted pieces, beautiful bowls and urns, ladles without a single crack or chip. But as she got closer, she began to see that something wasn’t quite right.
Though the artifacts looked old and the patina was almost perfect, Sofie could tell they were fakes. She’d seen plenty of the real thing in her mother’s gallery and in museums.
Her mother was one of New Mexico’s foremost experts in authenticating legally collected artifacts. Talie Reyes had no patience for anything collected illegally. But was this illegal, to dupe a man intent on breaking the law?
She picked up a pot and turned it over. The even color of the patina was a dead giveaway. And a tiny chip in the side revealed the real color of the clay. The oils from handling the pot over a hundred years would have sunk deeply into the clay, not just sit on the surface.
“Please don’t touch those,” Vivian said.
Sofie turned, the pot still clutched in her hands. “How much of your money has he invested, Vivian?”
“I don’t know. Maybe a quarter million. I have an inheritance from my father.”
Sofie drew a deep breath. “Vivian, these are fakes. They’re modern pots made to look old. This one here,” she said, pointing to a bowl on the middle shelf, “I think this actually might be one of my mother’s bowls. She’s a potter in Albuquerque and sells these to tourists for a hundred dollars.”
“No. Walter says they’re an investment. He gets them right from the people who dig them up.”
“The people out at the dig site near the airstrip?”
Vivian nodded. “Yes.”
“If you don’t believe me, you can take them to my mother’s gallery and have them authenticated, but I’m pretty sure you’ve been swindled. What I’m not sure of, however, is whether Walter is doing the swindling or if he’s been duped, as well.”
“What do you mean?”
Sofie crossed the room and took Vivian’s hand. “He took money from you, and he gave you these things that are worth nothing. Maybe he bought them cheap and kept some of the money for himself?”
Vivian’s eyes filled with sudden tears. “No. No, he wouldn’t do that. Walter thinks they’re real. They are real.”
Reaching for an arrowhead, Sofie held it out. “This looks real. Maybe there are a few pieces in here that are authentic. I’d guess they were the first things that the perps sold Walter, in case he had them checked out. But after they’d lured him in, they sold him the big-ticket items. And those have been made to look old.” Sofie paused. “They probably told him these treasures came off government land, which would make them illegal to possess. But there’s a huge black market for artifacts. That’s where the money is. Don’t you see, Vivian? Either way, it doesn’t make Walter look like a good guy.”
“You—you need to go. You need to go right now,” Vivian said. “I don’t want you here anymore.”
Sofie crossed to the desk and scribbled her cell-phone number on a scrap of paper, then returned to Vivian. She pressed the paper into her hand. “I’m not going to give the photos to Stella. But you need to think about yourself here.” She met Vivian’s wide-eyed gaze. “If you need my help, just give me a call.”
Vivian drew a ragged breath. “He loves me,” she said.
“I really do hope that’s true, Vivian.”
With that, Sofie decided that she’d done all she could. As she stepped out onto the wide porch, she realized that her attempt to clean up a mess just made things a lot messier. Poor Vivian. If she’d been swindled by Walter, the betrayal would be almost too much to bear. And if Walter had been unaware of the pottery’s origins, then he wasn’t nearly as smart as Sofie had given him credit for.
An idea teased at her thoughts, and as she started the Jeep, she realized there was a way to discover the truth. Now that she knew about Walter’s marital infidelities, she would start investigating his newfound hobby. Someone out at the dig site was involved in this, either providing Walter with fake pottery or raking in a lot of cash duping collectors who’d be too afraid to get the items authenticated.
Cameron hadn’t started the kitchen remodel at Carlo’s house yet. Maybe they could fit this in first. She smiled to herself. She had an excuse to keep him all to herself just a little bit longer.
“One last case,” Sofie said. “And then I’ll be ready to let him go.”