The Sharpest Edge (14 page)

By the time they finished, Sean was stunned. The Collins family’s heritage and legacy were two weeks away from total loss. Didi, who had been explaining some of the files, excused herself, leaving the three of them alone. Sean still couldn’t believe it. All the transfers had occurred after Max’s accident. Coincidence? Yeah, right. Sean tapped the computer screen. “How do we find out who did this? Can we trace it?”

“I did find the account the money was being sent to.” Alan held up a piece of paper. “A local bank. Here’s the account number.”

Sean took the note. “Let’s go visit the bank.”

“You think the embezzler would be stupid enough to actually send it to his own account?”

“Criminals make mistakes. That’s how we find them.” He stood up, hesitated and then said. “Good work, Alan.”

Alan nodded. “What do you want me to do?”

“Find a way to save the camp,” said Kim. “Stop the flow of money and see what we can do about shifting funds around.” She glanced at Sean. “I’m going to go with Sean, but keep track of what you do so you can teach me. I’m going to take care of this place until my dad is back in the office.”

Whoa. What did she just say?

“See ya, Alan. We’ll be in touch.” She marched out the door before Sean could follow up.

But he was definitely going to be pursuing that little remark. Was she actually thinking of staying around? For how long? How did he feel about it?

She and Sean walked through the front reception, where Didi was chatting with Carl, the maintenance guy. She gave Sean a sly look and continued to chat up Carl.

Sean felt sick as he followed Kim out of the office. He was now regretting having shared so much information with Didi. She was going to get herself killed trying to play crimestopper extraordinaire, and he couldn’t let that happen. As if he needed one more person to be responsible for.

After Frank’s death, he’d decided he didn’t want anyone’s life in his hands ever again. And here he was with three of them. And it was his own damn fault that Didi was involved. What if he screwed up again? What if he didn’t see the real threat until it was too late? He couldn’t live with anyone else’s blood on his hands. Not Kim’s, not Max’s and not even Alan’s. People he cared about. Caring too much made cops sloppy. Made them overlook things because they were scared.

And, yes, he was scared as hell.

“While you were talking to Didi, I scanned a staff photo and e-mailed it to Cheryl.” Kim was already regretting her decision to compromise Cheryl’s anonymity. And praying that it would pay off.

Sean rubbed her shoulder briefly as he pulled onto the main road into town. “We’ll make sure she’s safe. It was the right thing to do. We’ve got to get an ID on John Ramsey if he’s in town.”

“I told her to be careful.” She bit her lower lip. “I’m so worried, Sean. I feel like we’re missing something. And August third is coming up. Even if it’s someone associated with the camp who is using the Jimmy angle as a decoy—” Did he note her restraint in not using Helen’s name as the suspect? “—then he still might choose the third as the day to act. In fact, he probably would. Just to reinforce it.” She hugged herself.

“We’ll find whoever it is in time.” He looked at her. “We need to deal with Didi. I could tell she was on a mission with Carl. I heard her mention L.A. to him.” He shook his head. “I knew I shouldn’t have told her. If she gets herself hurt…”

Kim touched his arm. “She won’t. She’s smart.”

“But she doesn’t understand the risks. I can’t explain all the details to her because it’s an open case.”

She smiled. “Always the cop, aren’t you?”

He shrugged. “I guess.”

“Are you going to keep being a cop? Is that the career you want?”

Sean shrugged again. “It’s okay.”

“Okay isn’t enough for a career.”

“It’s not bad, though.” He shot her a sideways glance. “What about you? You going back to the magazine?”

Her heart stuttered at his question. Why was he asking? Did he want her to stay? Ridiculous. “Of course I am. Why do you ask?”

“When you were talking to Alan, you sounded like you were going to stay awhile. I just wondered how long you could stay before your job in L.A. disappeared.”

Kim frowned. “I didn’t mean I was going to stay forever. Just until my dad could run the camp.”

“And how long will that be?”

She studied her entwined fingers. “I don’t know. It could be for a while, I guess.”

“My point exactly. I just wanted to know what your plans were.”

“Why?”

“Because.”

Not exactly informative, but what was she looking for? A declaration that he loved her and wanted her to stay? Heck, no! Then she’d have to break his heart twice by leaving.

Because she was leaving…wasn’t she? Just because this place was starting to feel like home again didn’t mean it was her future, did it? Sure, it felt like home in a way L.A. never had, no matter how hard she’d tried to fool herself. But L.A. didn’t have pain. L.A. was easy. This place wasn’t easy. She looked at Sean.
He
wasn’t easy. But this place and this man reverberated in her soul and made her feel alive for the first time since she’d left. Did she really want to go back to feeling empty, even if that was a life without pain? Of course
she did. It was so much easier, wasn’t it? God, she was so confused.

“We’re here,” Sean said.

T
HE TELLER GAVE
a little scream when they walked up. “Sean and Kim together again! I don’t believe it!”

Yeah, gotta love small towns. He used a scowl to try to persuade Marilee Johnston to tone it down, but she was either oblivious or ignoring him. Guess when everyone remembers you as a skinny teenager, it’s hard to intimidate. Besides, Marilee had known them well. She and her boyfriend Zach Turner had been part of Sean and Kim’s circle of friends.

Kim was much more polite. “Hello, Marilee. You look wonderful. It’s so good to see you.”

The women exchanged hugs and chatted politely for a few moments while Sean fingered the paper with the bank-account number. He noticed that Kim didn’t correct Marilee about the two of them being together.

He didn’t clarify the facts, either.

After a few moments, Marilee gave them the opportunity to get to the point. “So are you two here to open a bank account? Are you finally going to get married?”

Sean handed her the paper. “Actually, we need to know who this account is registered to.”

Marilee giggled. “You know I can’t give that out.” Before he had time to whip out his badge and try to get around a court order, she giggled again. “But for you guys, I totally will. It’ll just take a second.” She started typing on her computer, still chatting. “So it’s great you both are back. There’s hardly anyone from our year still living in town. Zach and I…You remember Zach, right? Anyway, Zach and I are always looking for fun couples to go out with. You guys ever take a road trip to Portland? There are some really neat restaurants there. You guys have kids yet? We don’t but soon. If we have kids at the same time, then we could trade baby-
sitting, and that would really be great because babysitting is expensive, you know?”

Whoa. Did Kim feel as dazed as he felt? All this banter about normal life things felt so odd. Babysitting? Going to Portland to eat? Ordinary things like those hadn’t had a place in his life for a long time. Damn if he didn’t suddenly wish they did. Anything was better than watching Kim nod and wondering whether he would fail her. Wondering whether she would die in his arms as Frank had.

She glanced at him and arched an eyebrow at the expression on his face. He scowled and clenched his fists against the urge to touch her, to make sure she was real. Alive. Breathing.

He didn’t.

“So, anyway, where do you guys live now? We bought Zach’s parents’ house. You know where that is, right? Come on by sometime. Oh, and I’m so sorry about your dad, but I’m sure he’ll be fine.” Marilee frowned and peered at the screen. “This is your stepmom’s bank account. You didn’t know that? Of course you didn’t. Why would you know the bank-account number for your stepmom? It’s her personal account, the one she had before she got married. Did you know that she and your dad each have their own accounts as well as their joint one? It’s so they don’t lose the assets they brought into the marriage. It’s a smart thing to do if you’re older, you know? But Zach and I don’t need to do that because we’re young. Did you guys do that? Because if you did, I’m totally sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you or anything.” She stopped to inhale. “So are you two on for dinner at our house Friday night? It’ll be totally fun. I’ll invite some of the gang to welcome you guys back in town. Seven o’clock work okay? It’ll be so great to have you!”

Someone yelled from the back and she glanced over her shoulder. “Gotta go. Friday at seven. Be there.” She bolted for the back room, leaving a buzzing in Sean’s ears.

Or maybe it was the news she’d given him.

Helen’s bank account?

Helen’s?

His gut clenched and he felt as if he was going to be sick. “I gotta get out of here.”

S
EAN WAS SITTING
in the cruiser, his forehead pressed against the steering wheel when Kim left the bank. As she approached, he gently thumped his forehead against the wheel.

Then he did it again.

And her heart broke for him.

She opened his door and leaned in. “Sean?”

“I suppose you’re happy. The woman you hate is everything you claimed she was.”

She considered his words. Why wasn’t she happy? This was her chance to drop-kick Helen out of her life. But she felt empty. Betrayed. Awful.

Sean’s emotions were in her soul. How it happened, when it happened, she had no idea. And since when did they trump hers? She’d spent years cultivating her hatred for Helen and now she wanted the woman to be innocent? What was up with that? “I think we need to go talk to her.”

Sean groaned and let his head flop back against the seat. “I can’t believe she’d do that.”

“Maybe she didn’t.”

He closed his eyes. “Give it up, Kim. I know you’re glad. Don’t insult me by trying to pretend you’re not.”

He was right. She should be glad. Glad, glad, glad. Why wasn’t she? “I don’t know how I feel.”

He opened his eyes and studied her. “I thought you wanted him to suffer.”

“Yeah, well, I should be the only one who makes him suffer. It’s my prerogative. Handing off the dirty work to his wife isn’t my style.”

“So it’s a control thing. Not that you’re changing your mind?”

“Of course.” Wasn’t it? She’d spent ten years nurturing
her resentment and hatred. It couldn’t be going away just because she was hanging out with Sean and his idealistic views, could it? Or maybe it was simply that she wanted a dad again. A family. Roots.

Is that what she wanted? Is that why L.A. seemed so far away now?

“Get in. We’re going to go see her.”

At least he wasn’t going to leave her behind. “To her house?” She climbed in beside him, contemplating whether to put her hand on his arm. She wanted to touch him, to comfort him. Would he take comfort from her anymore?

“To the hospital. It’s visiting hours, so that’s where she’ll be.”

If Kim hadn’t already been belted in, she would have dived out of the car. But it was too late, as the tires squealed on the pavement. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She was going to see her dad.

It was time.

H
ER HEART WAS
racing, pounding as Sean pushed open the door to her dad’s hospital room.

Ten years.

An entire decade since she’d seen him.

She followed Sean inside.

Helen wasn’t there.

Her dad looked old. Vulnerable. Fragile. “Dad?”

He didn’t move. Didn’t open his eyes. The machines kept beeping their rhythm, the tubes doing their thing.

Kim dropped into the chair next to the bed and wrapped her fingers around her dad’s hand. “Don’t do this to me. I’m not ready to lose my last parent.”

When Sean set his hands on her shoulders, she couldn’t stop the tears. “He’s so old.”

“He’s not old. It’s the accident.” His fingers dug deep, kneading and reassuring.

“But he has gray hair.” She traced her dad’s hairline, her fingers trembling violently. “He was supposed to stay young, to wait for me.”

Nice time to realize she felt that way when it might be too late. She gripped his hand tighter. “No. It’s not too late.”

Sean pulled another chair next to her and sat down, closing his hands over hers. “He was waiting for you. Tell him you forgive him.”

She blinked back her tears. “I love him. I don’t know if I forgive him, but I still love him.” How could her dad have gotten like this? In her mind, he was still the powerful man who’d hauled firewood when his guests ran out. Unstoppable. Fierce. “He’s withered away.” Had she caused this? Was this her fault? Was Sean right that her walking out on her father had been his undoing? His daughter took off, his wife killed herself and his other child left as well, leaving him with nothing except an old camp.

How awful for him.

She’d never thought of it from his point of view. “Did Helen…? Do you think she helped him through it?”

“Through what?”

“Everything.”

“Yes, I do. I think he would have died of grief if it hadn’t been for her and her kids.” He tightened his grip on her hands. “If she really betrayed him…”

Kim put her finger over his lips and nodded at her dad. “If he can hear us…”

Sean nodded and leaned forward. “We’re all here for you, Max. Kim, Helen, me. And as soon as we finish this deal with Jimmy, Cheryl will be back, as well. We need you.”

Stupid tears wouldn’t be stopped this time, but she didn’t care. “I love you, Dad. Wake up so we can fight about what happened ten years ago, okay?”

Sean gave her a look. “That’s the best you can do?”

She glared at him. “You’re a pain in the butt. I just told him I loved him. I think I’ve come pretty far, personally.”

“You can’t apologize for abandoning him?”

“No, I can’t. Not until I hear his side of the story.” She turned her dad. “Hear that, Dad? If you want an apology from me, you’re going to have to wake up.” She leaned back. “There. That ought to provide an incentive for him to come around, the potential for having me grovel for his forgiveness.”

Sean shook his head and she realized he was laughing quietly.

She gave him her best scowl, not that easy given that there were still a few tears on her cheeks. “What’s your problem?”

“You. You’re a piece of work.” He caught the back of her head in his hand and pulled her close, giving her a soft kiss.

Oh,
wow.
This felt right, so right. Did her dad know they were kissing? Would he be pleased?

Oh, who cared? She was doing this for herself. It was only about them.

Wait a sec.

Was Sean doing this for her dad because kissing her was as close as he could get to bringing him back to life?

She pulled back and frowned at him.

He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m not even going to ask what that look is for. I don’t want to know.” He kissed her again before she could argue.

Oh, what the heck. Kiss now, talk later. Instant gratification wasn’t a bad thing, was it? She let go of her dad’s hand and gripped Sean’s wrists as he cupped her face. It was a tender kiss, relatively pristine on the surface, but the roar of emotions thundering through their intermingled breaths was appropriate only for the most private of encounters.

She sighed and let him take over the kiss. What was she doing? Falling in love with the man who hadn’t truly loved her? No wonder she didn’t want to go back to L.A. Should loving him feel wrong? Because it didn’t. Not at all.

The sound of a throat being cleared pulled them apart. Helen was standing in the doorway, and she looked inordinately pleased. “So you came to see him.”

“Um, yeah.” Kim felt Sean’s muscles contract at the sight of the woman who might have betrayed her dad, so she laid her hand over his and squeezed.

Helen smiled and walked in. She carried a vase of fresh flowers and a
Boston Globe.
“I’m going to read him the latest Red Sox news. He loves them, you know.”

“I know.” Kim watched Helen dump some barely wilted flowers into the trash, then refill the vase with the fresh ones. She knew those flowers. They were the same kind her father had planted outside the office at the camp. Helen had brought the camp to her dad.

Were these the actions of a woman who was trying to ruin the Loon’s Nest or steal from her husband?