High-Stakes Inheritance

She leaned closer to the mirror and gently dabbed around sutured lacerations on her cheek.

Had her father really done this to her? As a teen he’d ignored her, blamed her for suggesting a ride in the country, and then distracting him while driving so he let the car slip off the shoulder and crash into a tree killing her mother on impact.

But was he so cruel that he could hire a man to commit arson in an attempt to scare her away? And if he did, how was she going to prove it? No one in town would entertain the thought that the good doctor Thomas Blackburn moonlighted as a criminal.

“Mia, you in there?” a male voice, deep and vaguely familiar, called from her room. “I need to talk to you.”

She hated anyone to see her in this condition, but his urgent tone moved her to respond. “Be out in a minute.”

She draped the cloth on the sink and finger combed her hair. Yuck. It would take several shampoos to eliminate the stench and caked-in ashes. She replaced the oxygen cannula in her nose and on the way out, freed the plastic tube stuck under the IV cart.

Standing by the door, her visitor wore a khaki police uniform and kneaded his shoulder with narrow fingers. He studied her, taking in every detail as she eased into the room. His presence was intimidating, drawing the air from the room.

Eyes fixed on her, he offered a stiff smile. “Don’t know how we’ll ever repay you for saving our little Jessie.”

His Jessie?

Mia checked his eyes. Oh, yeah. He was a Morgan. Even without the uniform, she’d know this was Ryan’s brother Russ.

The tallest of the Morgan brothers, he was more powerfully built than she’d remembered. Coppery hair had grayed at the temples, but retained a bit of the Morgan curl at the nape. His eyes were clouded, maybe in reaction to nearly losing his niece.

Trauma Mia knew all too well. Fire sizzling all around and no rescue in sight. She suppressed a shiver. “I don’t need any thanks for helping Jessie. I’m just glad I came along when I did.”

“How about we sit?” He gestured at the pair of gray vinyl chairs by the window and issued a full smile, broadening an already wide jaw. The lines circling his eyes and folds along his nose—likely from the stress of a career in law enforcement—fell away, and the teenager she used to know bloomed in front of her.

Not that seeing the teen who tormented her was a good thing. Still, she needed to know what he wanted with her.

Lifting her oxygen lifeline over the bed, she navigated the tank toward the chair and sat.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve seen you around here.” He perched a booted foot on the wooden edge of the other chair. “With the way you shot out of here after high school, I’m surprised you came back. Guess it’s hard to turn down the money you’ll get when you sell Pinetree.”

Did he think she’d react to his cutting tone? Or his assumption that she’d sell Pinetree at the end of the year to capitalize on the valuable lakefront property? Snap judgments were common around here. Just another reason she’d stayed away. Still, she wouldn’t correct them. She knew in her heart she’d returned to Pinetree out of respect for her uncle’s last wishes. That was all that mattered.

“If you’re trying to bait me like you used to, Russ, I’m not biting.”

“I’m here to take your statement about the fire. Nothing more.”

“Sounded more like you were interested in passing judgment on me. Something you were so good at doing in high school.”

“I didn’t mean anything by it, Mia.” His sharp glare drilled into her eyes. “As far as I’m concerned, that’s in the past.”

“Easy for you to say. You weren’t the one wronged.”

His eyes creased, and he ran a hand around the back of his neck. “Look—I’ll admit I was hard on you back then. I should have been more understanding, what with the loss of your mom and all. But when you and Ryan started dating and his grades took a nosedive, I had to make you see what you were doing to him.”

“And you thought going behind my back and trying to break us up instead of talking to me was the right way to do that?”

He shrugged. “Might’ve used the wrong method, but I had the right motive.”

“As David’s friend I expected more from you. You knew how much losing our mother changed our lives.” She sent him a penetrating stare.

“All I can say in my defense is at the time I thought you were totally out of control. Figured you’d soon be breaking the law.” He sighed. “I couldn’t let you take Ryan down with you.”

Mia could appreciate Russ’s concern for his brother, but he had worried in vain. Ryan pushed her out of his life the day she learned of his unfaithfulness. “As it turns out, that wasn’t a problem, was it?”

Russ cleared his throat. “What say we put all of this behind us and get on with your statement?”

His offer to make amends was out of character for the guy she had known, but he could have changed. He could be one of the good guys now. She nodded, putting aside their past differences in honor of his profession.

He pulled out a notepad and pen. “Okay, so I need you to tell me exactly what happened today.”

She didn’t want to recount the fire. The searing flames. Suffocating smoke. Terrifying emotions. But she had to comply. She launched into the story, skipping the warning at the post office and replaying the rescue of Jessie with concise comments devoid of the emotions still tumbling through her body.

“I’m sure by now you’ve heard Jessie saw a man start the fire.” Mental exhaustion over telling the story made her tone fall off at the end.

“So,” he leaned closer, his eyes filled with interest, “now that you’ve had time to think about the fire, do you have any ideas about who would want to do this?”

Ideas? Like her father was probably behind it? A fact she wasn’t ready to share. “Not really.”

“Not really, or no?”

She wasn’t ready to tell him everything. She shrugged and tried to veil her eyes so he didn’t notice her evasiveness. She’d had years of practice in subterfuge with her father, but that had been so long ago she’d forgotten how to do it.

Russ drew in air through his nose and held it while looking at the ceiling. Letting out the breath, he fixed a stern look on her face. “I get the feeling you’re keeping something from me, Mia. It would be easier on both of us if you’d cooperate.”

She’d cooperate as far as she could and still keep this in the family. When she got out of here, she’d confront her father and put an end to the mess. Then Russ wouldn’t have anything to investigate.

She nodded solemnly as if she were taking his advice. “I’ll spend some time thinking about who might have started the fire and get back to you.” She held his gaze until a knock sounded on the door, and he turned to face it.

Mia eased out a breath of relief and watched as Ryan entered. Still dressed in his firefighting pants, the suspenders hanging limp, he strolled into the space with a confident smile. He let his gaze rove over her then linger on her face, warming her with the concern displayed in his eyes.

“Hope I’m not interrupting,” he said halfheartedly.

Russ’s foot hit the floor with a thud that echoed through the room, and Mia expected him to object to the interruption.

“Actually, you can help me out here,” he said. “I was just about to share arson statistics with Mia. Specifically, that it’s often committed by a property owner wanting to collect insurance money. With your training as a firefighter you can confirm that.”

“Well, yeah…” Ryan crossed the room, regarding his brother with a skeptical look, “but if you’re intimating Mia torched the barn for insurance money, you’re way off base.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Positive.” Support for Mia was etched on Ryan’s rugged face.

Mia smiled her thanks and turned to Russ to see his reaction. His frozen features said it all. He believed she was involved in setting the fire.

His hand drifted to the top of his gun as if he were thinking he might need reinforcement. “On the surface it doesn’t look like you’d benefit from the fire as the property would be worth more with the barn standing. But…” His eyes darkened and fixed on Mia’s face like a mighty lion eyeing up lunch. “Maybe you can’t wait that long for the cash. By destroying the barn, you’ll get a nice settlement from the insurance company right away.”

Her mouth fell open. “You’re seriously considering me?”

“Got to check out all possibilities.”

“You’re wrong, bro,” Ryan said.

Mia crossed her arms. “This is unbelievable. I’m almost killed in the fire and you suspect me of starting it. Guess you don’t really believe your niece saw that man.”

“Sure I do. You could’ve hired him.”

“Right. I hired a man to burn the place down then got stuck in the barn.”

“Accidents happen. You arranged to have the place torched but didn’t know Jessie would be in there.” He paused dramatically. “You couldn’t let her die so you saved her. Got trapped. Wouldn’t be the first time someone got caught in their own fire.”

“Seriously, Russ, you’re wasting time on me.”

“Maybe. Maybe not.”

Mia lurched forward and grasped the wooden arms of the chair. “But you—”

He held up his hand. “Don’t worry. I’m not focusing solely on you.”

“Good, then you’ll find this guy and your case will be solved.”

“Or maybe I’ll find out you had a part in it. Trouble always found you in the past, Mia. Why would this be any different?”

Ryan shot out a hand and seared his brother with a heated look. “That was uncalled for. You should be thinking about how to protect Mia from the arsonist, not blaming her for the fire.”

Russ stared at Ryan so long Mia thought the brothers might come to blows. Their behavior was so reminiscent of high school. Russ insisting Ryan break up with her. Ryan passionately defending her. The pair nearly duking it out before parting angry and hurt.

Without breaking eye contact, Russ slipped his notepad into his pocket, his movements deliberate and slow. “I appreciate your wanting to protect Mia, but you’re overreacting. The fire wasn’t about physically hurting her. If it had been, the arsonist would have made sure she was in the barn before setting the fire.”

Ryan faced Mia. His withering stare made it clear that he wanted her to tell Russ about the threatening letter. She gave a quick shake of her head and hoped Russ didn’t notice the interchange.

If he did, the controlled expression on his face didn’t let on. “I apologize if my earlier comment crossed the line, Mia. I’m simply trying to locate the person behind this no matter who it is. The best thing you can do to clear your name right now is provide me with a copy of the will.” Letting a pointed look pierce Ryan, Russ tromped out of the room.

“Excuse me,” Ryan said and charged after his brother.

Watching him exit in hot pursuit of his brother, a wave of vulnerability crashed over her.

Was someone other than her father behind the fire and her life really in jeopardy? Had she done the right thing in keeping the letter from Russ…or had she left herself unprotected and in the path of a lunatic?

Ryan charged down the hallway, gaining on Russ who rushed away as if he hadn’t done something so unbelievable. Mia was not guilty of arson and Ryan would not let Russ accuse her of it. How could he think Mia had anything to do with the fire?

Near the nurses’ station, Ryan caught up to Russ and spun him around by the shoulder. “You’re crazy, bro, if you think Mia was involved in this. She gains nothing until her year is over.”

“Are you sure about that? Have you seen the will?” He paused and let his words linger in the air. “Maybe there’s a loophole. Maybe she gets the cash now if insurance pays out.”

Money never motivated Mia. She could have changed, but the warning letter pointed to someone else. If only he could tell Russ about the threat, Mia would be cleared. But Ryan promised.

He clenched his fist and let his fingernails bite into the palm to keep from revealing the secret. “Mia had nothing to do with the fire. Nothing.”

Russ raised a skeptical eyebrow. “You gonna make a habit of defending her again?”

“She doesn’t need my defense. She’s done nothing wrong.”

A righteous look radiated from his eyes. “Then it’s not a problem if I investigate her.”

Ryan’s hands itched to throttle him and wipe that pious look off his face, but that wouldn’t help. He wouldn’t give in to the temptation. “Go easy on her, bro. She risked her life to save your niece, who might have died if Mia hadn’t been so brave.”

Russ studied Ryan’s face until he grew uncomfortable under the intense scrutiny and asked, “What?”

“It just seems kind of odd you’re defending her like this when you cheated on her and hurt her more than my questioning ever could.”

“You know I did that for her.”

“Then why do you feel so guilty about it?” Russ locked gazes with Ryan. “And while you’re at it, maybe you should ask if your guilt is keeping you from seeing her involvement in the arson.”

Ryan started to protest, but he was too caught off-guard by the comment to formulate the words.

Russ clapped Ryan on the shoulder. “Don’t worry—I’m not trying to railroad Mia. I’m keeping an open mind. She may well be innocent. If so, you can say I told you so all you want. All I ask is that you think about it before you rush to her defense without any evidence to support your position.” He lifted his hand and saluted. “I’ll catch you later.”

He clomped down the hallway and Ryan watched as questions pummeled his brain. Had he jumped to defend her without any thought? Was he simply protecting her on instinct from their past relationship? Or was she really innocent and in danger from an unknown source?

She had changed so much physically maybe her personality had drastically changed, too. The woman he once knew may not even exist anymore.

There was only one way to find out. Spend time with her. He spun and headed back toward her door. Before going home and cleaning up, he’d convince her to work with Wilderness Ways. That way if Russ was wrong and someone was out to get her, Ryan would be right by her side.

FIVE

The next morning, weariness from a sleepless night oozed from Mia’s bones as Nurse Karen settled the blanket over her legs and then stepped behind a modern cart holding a computer.

“Once I finish this paperwork, you can get dressed and we’ll get you out of here in no time.” Humming quietly as if she loved her job, she input data into Mia’s file.

Mia smiled over the lilting melody. Her mom used to sing this same song when she was happy. Mia closed her eyes and urged her muscles to relax. The notes rushed up the scale and plunged down bringing with them the last good memory Mia had of her mother.

Mia could almost feel the warm breeze skipping off the lake and into their cabin at Pinetree. Their family had just arrived for a much-needed vacation and her mom’s face lit with happiness for the first time in months. Her parents didn’t think she and David knew they fought over their father’s neglect of the family for his job. But their vacation was supposed to fix all of that.

They had no sooner unpacked when her father pulled out his laptop and sat at the worn kitchen table to work on a medical book he was writing. Mia’s joy evaporated along with her mother’s. She issued an ultimatum. If Mia’s father spent his days at Pinetree working on the book, the marriage was over.

Mia couldn’t stand by and do nothing. She begged her father to take them for a ride in the country. He agreed and she was thrilled. She’d kept their parents together. Until she pointed out a deer coming from the woods and her father took his eyes off the road long enough for the car to slip onto the steep shoulder. He tried to wrestle the car back onto the pavement, but lost control and they slammed into a monster pine tree killing her mother instantly.

Mia sighed. Life would have been so much easier if God had let her mother live. If her father never blamed her for the accident. She’d blamed herself until counseling helped her see the futility of misguided guilt. Now she was able to enjoy thoughts of her mother.

Not so with Ryan and her father. She’d tried to let go of the drama with them as easily. But she’d dated too many men who reminded her of her controlling father to let go of the pain and bitterness.

A knock sounded on the door and Karen’s humming ended.

Mia clung to the memories of her mom but they drifted away with the music. Expecting Ryan, who’d offered to give her a ride home today, she opened her eyes and looked at the door.

Not Ryan. Her father.

His alert eyes searched the space and took in her appearance before creasing in a critical assessment and focusing on the computer.

She drew in a quick breath and held it.

“Doctor,” Karen said, a hint of awe settling into her tone.

“I’ll just have a quick peek at Mia’s records.” The raspy, yet firm voice instantly transported Mia back ten years.

Head bent low over the cart, the sound of his fingers clicking on the keyboard pinged through the room. Mia stared at a large void on the back of his head replacing thick black hair that had once thrived like shag carpeting. He didn’t seem so intimidating anymore. More fragile and old. She eased out her breath. She could do this…

As if he sensed her perusal, he looked up. “Everything looks good, Mia,” he said waving a hand over the computer. “You should make a full recovery.”

This was so like him to put up the facade of being a concerned father in front of others. She couldn’t stomach the two-faced behavior in high school and had rebelled against it, but after yesterday’s stress, she didn’t have the strength to fight him. Besides, if she was going to get him to confess his part in the fire, she’d better not embarrass him in front of Karen.

Mia smiled tightly. “I appreciate your taking the time to stop in. Do you have a few more minutes to talk?”

Pure astonishment took hold of his face. She hadn’t responded positively to him in years. He didn’t know what to make of this sudden about-face, and she didn’t know what to say. An awkward silence descended on the room.

Karen cleared her throat. “If you’re finished with the computer, Doctor, I’ll get out of here so the two of you can catch up.”

“Yes, of course,” he said with a kind smile reserved for those who met his exacting standards.

As Karen departed, Mia grappled with what to do. She wanted to say something to keep him looking open and receptive, but when the nurse exited the room his door of kindness snapped shut, and his hard shell returned.

He picked a piece of dark lint off his white coat and flicked it into the air. “What is it you want, Mia?”

She felt like he’d just flicked her away as easily as the fuzz. Tears dampened her eyes but like so many times in the past, she willed them back and located her armor. She slipped inside the steel plating and drew a deep breath before firing her accusation.

“I received an interesting letter in the mail warning me to keep away from Pinetree or I would pay.” She fixed her gaze on his steely gray eyes. “I immediately recognized it as something you would do, but I never thought you’d want me out of here so badly you’d hire someone to burn down the barn.”

He studied her, his eyes blank and unreadable. After a few painful moments, right when she was ready to squirm out from under his microscopic intensity, he heaved a sigh.

“As usual, you’ve made it very clear what you think of me. I won’t respond to your accusation.” He spun and exited the room.

What? He left. Just like that. He couldn’t even be bothered to answer her. But why was she surprised? This was exactly what she’d expected from him. But not what she’d hoped he’d do.

Her lips quivered. Tears trickled out.

Even after years of his rejection, she’d hoped he’d deny the charges and declare he’d never hurt the daughter he loved and welcome her back. After all, that’s what Uncle Wally had wanted when he structured his will to bring her back here for a year before inheriting Pinetree…and his plan had given her hope of the reconciliation. Her father didn’t appear to have the same goal in mind.

No, with Uncle Wally dead, she was all alone and the finality of her loss swept through her like never before.

Ryan walked down the hospital hallway. He’d been surprised yesterday when Mia agreed to let him pick her up this morning and drive her home. Not that he should read anything into it. She likely agreed because Logan Lake had no public transportation and he was her only way out of this place. On the bright side, she was willing to take under consideration his request to fill in as a counselor at Wilderness Ways.

With the students arriving tomorrow, he hoped for a firm commitment from her. The last thing she needed with everything going on in her life was pressure from him, but he wasn’t opposed to encouraging her to accept. Turning her focus on to the students could be just the thing to help take her mind off her problems.

He rounded the corner and spotted Mia’s father exiting her room. Lips puckered, he slammed his hands into the pockets of his white coat and rushed down the hall. He didn’t appear so much angry as dejected.

This was a good sign. Conversations between Mia and her father had always escalated into fights so boisterous it was a wonder they didn’t end in violence. If the same thing had happened today, he’d have been fuming and storming away.

At the open door, the sound of crying surprised him and pulled him into the room. Mia lay back on the raised bed, her moist eyes as vulnerable as little Jessie’s had been when he’d left her with the EMTs. The large gashes on Mia’s cheek taped closed with butterfly bandages kicked him in the gut again. He’d thought she’d look better this morning but her appearance was as delicate as fine china.

What could have happened to upset her this much, yet not affect her father the same way?

Ryan hated to bring it up, but if she needed to talk about the conversation, he would be more than willing to listen. “Mia, are you all right?”

Her eyes opened wider letting a wave of misery wash out. “Thanks for coming to get me, but I’m not ready to leave,” she said between sobs. “The nurse still has to do the paperwork.”

He’d witnessed hundreds of fights with her dad after she’d rebelled against his wishes, but the pain reflected in her eyes topped all of them. He couldn’t stand by without offering comfort.

He crossed the room and sat next her. Careful not to tangle the IV and oxygen tubes, he drew her into his arms. She didn’t resist but snuggled close, and her crying intensified.

“Shh.” He rocked her and breathed in her scent, a combination of tart hospital soap and caustic smoke with a slight hint of her sweet perfume. Her body shook from her sobs and she clutched the back of his shirt as his shoulder grew damp from her tears.

If he could get a hold of her father right now, the man would pay. Something Ryan always wanted to do in high school, but was too young to act on. Her father had broken her heart so many times and Ryan picked up the pieces, restored her confidence and tried to prove she was loveable, but he’d never gotten the satisfaction of seeing her father suffer for hurting her.

And if Ryan lived the faith he professed, he’d forgive the man for the way he treated his daughter, and should also be thinking about how to help repair the rift between them.

She trembled and snuffled, winding down in her crying.

He hated that she was hurting, but he had to admit holding her again felt right. He would be happy to stay like this. Minus her crying, of course.

No. Not a good idea. He’d never make that kind of commitment to a woman again. Especially one who might be stepping into danger without any regard for her life.

He gently released her, located tissues on the table by the bed and offered them. “What did he say this time?”