Dani Sinclair - The Silent Witness

“You know Dad,” Hope said vacantly. “He doesn’t let personal issues get in the way of business.”

“But working with the Huntingtons?”

“Jeff Huntington wanted to buy Big Man. Dad and I argued for days, but he finally agreed not to sell. Big Man is going to turn this place around, Nicki. I told Dad he was a winner. Since Jeff couldn’t buy him, Mr. Huntington offered us a lot of stud money to cover some of his mares.”

“Oh.”

“Look, I’ve got to get outside and bring the rig around.”

“Dad lets you do that now?”

Hope nodded. They shared a look of sad understanding. “He’s letting me do a lot of the stuff now.”

“Are you okay with that?”

“Sure. I love this place and the business. It’s what I’ve always wanted. You know that.”

Nicki did. “I’m glad Dad’s finally accepted your abilities. What about your bracelet?”

“Huh? Oh. I’ll look for it later.”

“While you’re at it, how about returning those earrings of mine you borrowed a couple of weeks ago.”

“Huh? Oh. Right. I’ll give them back. Here comes Dad. I need to use the bathroom before I go to the barn.”

Nicki watched her sister skitter away. Hope was acting weird even for her, but Nicki would have to investigate the cause later. She wanted to know what Alex had meant last night when he said her father had been right about them. It had been her first thought on waking this morning.

“Thought that was your car I heard,” Bernie greeted her. “You in trouble?”

Nicki sighed. Some things never changed. “No, Dad. I’m not in trouble.”

Her father strode to the sink and washed his hands. He’d lost more weight that he couldn’t afford to lose and his surly expression was more pinched than usual. Was it just the light, or did his skin have a gray cast to it this morning? He didn’t like questions about his health, especially since he’d been diagnosed with that heart condition last year. If he’d just go and have the recommended surgery they could all breathe easier.

“Thought maybe that murder out back of your store was a problem for you. Heard they arrested that Coughlin boy.”

Nicki seized on the unexpected opening. “They let him go. But Alex said something that made me wonder. Did you know I was…sort of seeing him in high school?”

Her father studied her, his expression unreadable. “You and I have never been close, Nicki. My fault, I guess. We’re too much alike, you and me. Besides, you always reminded me of your mother.”

Nicki fought a sudden lump of emotion. Her father never spoke of his emotions. And he never spoke of her mother, who’d died in a car crash shortly after Nicki’s birth.

“But you’re my daughter and I’ve always done the best I could for you.”

“I know that Dad. I love you too. I—”

“You were barely sixteen. Alex Coughlin would have ruined your life. I told him as much. Knew you wouldn’t see it, but I made him promise to leave you alone. I’d do the same thing all over again if I had to and that’s all I’m going to say on the matter. Where’s your sister?”

“But Dad—”

“Here I am.” Hope came around the corner a little too conveniently. No doubt she’d been standing out of sight in the dining room listening. “Ready to go?”

“Yeah. Move the rig and we’ll get him loaded. It would have been easier just to sell him.”

“Maybe so, but we’ll make more money this way, trust me, Dad.”

Their father harrumphed and stomped toward the door.

“Hold it, Dad,” Nicki demanded. “Our conversation isn’t over. You can’t tell me you had a hand in an event that affected my entire life and just walk away.”

“Nothing more to say. It’s over and done, girl.”

“Well I have plenty more to say!”

“Naturally, but I don’t have time right now. We’ll talk later.” He opened the door and stepped outside.

“You’re darn right we will,” she called after him. “This conversation isn’t over.”

“We really do have to go, Nicki,” Hope said. “If you’re going to stick around, Brent’s coming out here today.”

“Why?”

“He didn’t say. Are you going to wait for him?”

“If he comes before I have to get back and open the shop.” Three years older than Hope, Brent’s MBA had landed him a prestigious job at a firm in D.C. that kept him constantly busy. Both of Nicki’s younger brothers had turned into fine young men with solid careers.

She waited as long as she dared for Brent, occupying her time by preparing a casserole for supper and running a mop over the kitchen floor. Hope never complained, but Nicki knew taking care of the horses and their father left her younger sister little free time. There were times when Nicki felt guilty for finally walking away, even though she knew she had nothing to feel guilty about. Her father had basically forced her out once Hope was old enough not to need her constant support. He’d wanted Nicki to resume her own life and she suspected he’d felt guilty himself for needing her all those years.

She drove back through town, her thoughts more muddled than when she’d left. She hated that she couldn’t stop thinking about Alex. Or the past. Her lips still tingled from his kiss this morning. Why had he been so angry? If anyone should have been upset, it was her.

What had her father done?

As she drove through the sleepy little town of Fools Point, she tried to eye it from a stranger’s viewpoint. Small, quaint, almost picturesque with Sugarloaf Mountain for a backdrop. Still, this wasn’t exactly a tourist mecca. What would have drawn a stranger behind her store? Why her place? And why last night in particular?

Could the man have had something to do with Ilona?

No, Ilona said she’d never seen him before. But it suddenly occurred to Nicki to wonder what Ilona had been doing outside in the first place. She’d been too scared to venture out of Nicki’s apartment since she’d arrived. Had she tried to leave because she’d seen Alex loitering across the street? That could be why she’d described him so well. Maybe in the trauma of seeing the shooting, her mind had become confused. Her memory might have substituted Alex for the real killer.

Okay it was a stretch. Nicki was still trying to make excuses for Alex.

If only Ilona would call her again. She needed to know her friend was all right.

Nicki decided to concentrate on Hope’s skittish behavior. She and her sister sounded a lot alike. Alex could easily have mistaken Hope’s voice for her own. And Hope had been insistent about Nicki going out to look for that bracelet right away. But why would her sister try to set them up?

Nicki pulled into the alley to park in her usual spot behind her store. The lot was mostly empty. The only cars around at this hour belonged to the people living over the stores. She knew everyone, of course, but this was the first time she’d ever paid attention to the cars parked around her. Strangely uneasy, she decided the lot had a deserted, spooky feel to it this morning.

Small wonder. A man had died here. The knowledge seemed unreal. Everything looked so normal. The tall chain-link fence separated the parking spaces from the woods behind the alley that ran the length of the block. She’d always known this area was isolated, but it had never been scary before.

Her imagination was running wild, that was all. There was nothing to feel nervous about today. Now if she could just convince her heart to stop fluttering so wildly.

As she started toward the store, a sudden movement caught the corner of her eye. Nicki whirled. A figure stepped from behind the large trash bin.

“Ms. Michaels!”

The fear-charged adrenaline dissipated quickly, leaving her feeling spent and foolish. Matt Williams, a local boy, ran up to her.