Gone to Her Grave (Rogue River Novella Book 2) (12 page)

“I doubt it. But if she is, she’ll get over it.” Patsy gave him a conspiratorial smile. “I’m trusting you with my daughter, Seth. Take good care of her.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

The happy squeal of a child woke Carly. On the back lawn, her brother James kicked a soccer ball with his two little boys and Brianna. Seth and Bruce were clearing the picnic table after an early Fourth of July lunch. Normally the whole family would have been at the fairgrounds all day, but Carly wasn’t up for that much activity. And her family still wanted to share part of the holiday with her.

She adjusted her position in the chaise longue on her mother’s back porch. As she moved, pain throbbed through her shoulder, but she could deal. Just being alive felt pretty good.

“Mama, you’re awake.” Brianna bounced over to the chair.

Carly braced herself for impact, but Seth was right on his daughter’s heels.

He looped an arm around the little girl’s waist. “Careful, there.”

“Uncle James said he’d take me to the fair and fireworks. Can I go, please?” Brianna begged. She was still wearing the red-white-and-blue top hat she’d donned for the parade that morning. Prince Eric had taken fourth place in the pygmy goat 4-H competition, not bad for an animal that had been starving just a year ago.

“Is that okay?” Seth asked.

“Of course. Have fun. Stay with Uncle James.” Carly smiled. Brianna loved playing with her two younger cousins. No doubt James was hoping Brianna’s presence would temper the boys’ wildness. Considering he’d arrived today without his wife, Debra, he was going to need all the help he could get. Thinking of Debra’s absence, Carly frowned.

Seth leaned close. “Time for another pill?”

Carly nodded.

“Grandma and Uncle Bruce are going too.” Brianna frowned. “Who’s going to take care of Mama?”

“I have that covered,” Seth said.

Carly wasn’t sure how she felt about that. She’d woken in the middle of the night to find Seth dozing in a chair by her bed. He’d stayed there all night, only running home to change and shower in the morning. She suspected her mother had had something to do with his presence. But she wasn’t going to worry about Seth or James or anything else right now. Frankly, the pain meds were making her pretty mellow.

Tomorrow there’d be time to worry about Seth’s determination to keep their marriage together despite the fracture running through the center of it. Yes, they still loved each other, but they hadn’t resolved anything. He was still overprotective, and she still wasn’t quitting her job.

The house cleared out, and quiet descended on the yard. Not that Carly had minded the noise. Growing up on the Taylor farm had accustomed her to constant activity. Chaos was the norm here.

But this was nice too.

Seth brought her a glass of iced tea and a pill.

“Thanks for staying with me.”

“You know I never wanted anything else,” Seth said.

“I’m not ready to talk about us right now, Seth.” Carly swallowed the medicine. “I’m in a chemically induced happy place.”

“Then maybe it’s the perfect time,” he joked.

The thought of drugs brought the case to mind. “I can’t believe the dealer was Peter.”

“Me either. I knew the kid wasn’t being entirely straight with us, but I had no idea how much he was hiding. Zane said they found a stash of the drug in Peter’s employee locker out at the O’Rourke resort. When they questioned him, he said he found the drugs in a hollowed-out tree in the woods.”

“You say that like you don’t believe him.”

“I don’t. He’s afraid of something, and it’s not the thought of going to jail. He doesn’t seem to mind being in there that much.”

Carly’s mind floated, but she still made the connections. “Do you think he’s afraid of whoever supplied him with the drugs?”

“That’s my guess. Zane’s too.”

“You didn’t go in to observe the questioning.”

“No.” Seth drank his iced tea. “They didn’t need me.”

Seth didn’t drop everything for work
. This was a first.

“On the bright side, his mother woke up briefly this morning,” Seth said. “She admitted to taking the drug to see what all the fuss was about. Apparently Peter wasn’t lying about her smoking his confiscated pot.”

“I can’t wrap my head around that logic.” Carly’s eyes drifted closed. “Where’s Russ?”

“Home.”

“I’ll have to go see him tomorrow.” She opened her eyes.

Seth raised a brow.

Who was she kidding? She wasn’t going to be driving for a few days. She could barely stay awake. “Right. Maybe next week.”

“He’s all right, Carly. Loretta said to tell you thanks for standing by him.”

“I need to ask you a favor.”

Seth put his glass on the side table.

“Zane and Stevie think my dad’s death might not have been a heart attack.”

“What?” Seth leaned forward.

“He had no history of heart trouble,” Carly explained. “And the fact that this drug killed by cardiac arrest.”

Seth rubbed his stubbled jaw. “His heart attack could be a coincidence.”

“I know. But the medical examiner agreed to take another crack at his file, given the circumstances.” Carly’s pain floated away on the mild breeze that blew across the porch. The storm had blown out the nasty heat and humidity, at least for now. “Oh, and Mom has a
feeling
his death wasn’t natural.”

Seth leaned back. “I’ll look into it.”

“You will?”

“Of course I will. I
am
on the Drug Task Force. Can’t ignore one of Patsy’s feelings.” He grinned.

Carly laughed, the motion making her shoulder throb again. She grabbed her bicep and hugged it close to her body. “Ow. Don’t make me laugh. It hurts.”

Seth’s phone vibrated. He glanced at the screen and put it on the arm of the chair.

“Aren’t you going to get that?”

“I’m trying to not be available one hundred percent of the time.”

The cell buzzed again.

Carly nodded toward it. “Go ahead.”

“Nope. I’m off today. I’m not leaving.” He crossed his arms in a you-can’t-make-me gesture.

The sound of a goat bleating carried over the backyard. Carly’s eyes drifted shut. Whatever their future, she could rest secure in the knowledge that Seth would be there looking after her as long as she needed him. For once, she was going to wait to worry until tomorrow.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Photo © 2014 Marti Corn Photograpy

The Rogue River Novella Series started as an idea proposed to us by our editors at Montlake Romance. So we’d like to thank JoVon Sotak and Kelli Martin for putting the concept of writing a joint project in our heads. Writing is normally a very solitary occupation. This type of collaboration was a whole new experience for both of us. We discovered that the only thing better than having writer buddies is having one to help you plot murder. On paper, of course.

Melinda Leigh

Kendra Elliot

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Photo © 2014 Marti Corn Photograpy

Melinda Leigh abandoned her career in banking to raise her kids and never looked back. She started writing as a hobby and became addicted to creating characters and stories. Since then she has won numerous writing awards for her paranormal romance and romantic-suspense fiction.

Her debut novel,
She Can Run
, was a number one bestseller in Kindle Romantic Suspense, a 2011
Romance Reviews
Best Book Finalist, and a nominee for the 2012 International Thriller Award for Best First Book.
Midnight Exposure
was a 2013 Daphne du Maurier Award finalist. When she isn’t writing, Melinda is an avid martial artist: she holds a second-degree black belt in Kenpo karate and teaches women’s self-defense. She lives in a messy house with her husband, two teenagers, a couple of dogs, and two rescue cats.