A Daughter's Redemption

“Still surprising. Anyway, I was sad to see how they’d been let go. I remember Lakeside being alive with guests, but now it’s like a ghost town.” Robyn veered down a path that bisected the courthouse lawn. “When I saw Abby and Brad at the service, they treated me like an outcast. I thought maybe we’d all grown up enough to be civil. But I was wrong. Really wrong.” She missed the secrets and fun they’d shared growing up. While she hadn’t expected to pick up where they left off, she also hadn’t anticipated the cold indifference. How would she even begin to restore their relationship? It was a long shot, but she had to try. She didn’t want to go through her entire life without her family.

Ginger sat on an empty bench at the edge of the town square. “They never did change. I mean, they have to be pushing thirty years old.”

“I think Brad just turned twenty-six.”

“Still, they act like kids. Spoiled—both of them. No loss for Pine Hollow when they moved to Phoenix. Your dad was always the nicest man, but those two took after their mom. They seemed to get even worse after Marilyn died.”

Dad had married Marilyn Bell, the hometown sweetheart, who’d hounded Robyn for the smallest mistakes. Treating her like an outsider in her father’s home, even though she was there before Marilyn. Robyn squirmed. “I thought they were the perfect family, that they didn’t need me or even have room for me in their lives.”

“His wife may not have come to terms with him having a daughter from a previous relationship, but that’s not your fault. I’m sure Dan never felt like there was no room for you in the family.”

Robyn settled herself on the bench and tried to block out the memories that said otherwise. “I’m sorry I didn’t call. Once my mother told me that I wasn’t welcome to come back, I did my best to forget all about Pine Hollow.” She spoke past the knot forming in her throat, remembering the Lord’s promise to be a father to the fatherless. “That should never have included you. After I left, Mom and I spent years drifting from one beach to the next, and I never really felt settled.”

“As much as I like the beach, I can’t imagine what it must’ve been like not to have a place to call home.” Ginger’s mouth slid into an easy grin. “But as for our friendship, thank the Lord for new beginnings.”

“I’m glad I found you.” She was thankful for another chance with her childhood friend.

Ginger held up her phone. “Once I have your number, you won’t be able to get rid of me. Now, am I right in guessing you’d like me to sell the property? It’s going to take a while for the estate to settle. I can look at it anytime, but we won’t be able to list it yet. You’ll have to get an appraisal and whatnot first, but it’ll give us more time together—at least once I get back from a conference I have to attend in Phoenix next week.”

“I took an indefinite leave from my job, so I’m staying until it’s sold.” Even though a few nights spent in her father’s home had left her more disquieted than ever, especially since she hadn’t found any clues about her dad’s feelings for her.

“Have you already found a contractor? I know a few people.”

“The lawyer hired someone, but I don’t think he’s a contractor. More like a handyman.” Robyn’s pulse jumped as she remembered the scent of Caleb’s cologne and the way he held the doors open for her every time they entered one of the cabins. He was a refreshing change from her surfer buddies who’d never heard the word chivalry. She chucked her cup into the trash can next to the bench.

“Hopefully it takes months to fix up the cabins.” Ginger grinned. “I want to keep you here as long as possible.”

“That’d be nice, but sooner or later I’ll have to get back to work—back to something close to normal, whatever that is.” She waved to Mrs. Jones, who stood at the door of the bakery.

“I don’t believe my eyes. Is that Robyn Warner?” Mrs. Jones called out. “You make sure to stop in and see me.”

Her heart warmed, remembering the lazy afternoons she and Ginger had shared with chocolate on their cheeks, shirts caked in powder from the donuts. “You bet I will.”

A few moments passed. Ginger shifted awkwardly on the bench until she finally spoke. “I felt awful when I heard about your dad. This town isn’t the same without him.” She clutched her chest. “The whole situation is unbelievable. And the fact that the kid who did it walked away with minor injuries... I’m just glad the case will be a slam dunk.”

Robyn’s chest pounded in time with a low rumble of thunder. “It’s hard to think about it. I keep imagining the worst.”

“I won’t pretend I understand what you’re going through, but try to remember that your dad’s at peace now.” Ginger patted Robyn’s hand again, and shook her head slowly. “But I still can’t believe they didn’t fire the cop.”

“Cop?” She sat straighter and searched her memory for any mention of a police officer. “What am I missing? What are you talking about?”

“The cop who was involved.” Ginger pulled an umbrella out of her leather tote. “I don’t know the details, but the whole town is in an uproar. I’ve never seen people take sides like this.”

Robyn swiped away the first drops of rain that fell like pinpricks from the sky. “Back up a second. I thought a teenage driver hit my dad. No one mentioned an officer.”

Ginger’s eyes rounded, and she opened her umbrella with a snap. “Oh, no. Maybe— I don’t want to be the one to say. And of course, all my information is secondhand. Like I said, I was out of town when it happened.”

“Please, tell me what you know.” She fingered the cross on her necklace. Maybe it was better not to hear the details.

“It was a chase. From what I heard, the kid ran a stoplight, and a cop tried to pull him over. When the car refused to stop, the cop followed him through town, rather than letting him go. The kid was trying to outrun the police when he swerved and—” Ginger winced “—people are saying the officer violated a no-pursuit policy the department has.”

Robyn’s stomach clamped. Her mouth dried, and her erratic heartbeat drowned out the thunder. She licked her lips, taking a moment to order her thoughts. “Do you mean to tell me the whole thing was preventable?”

Ginger’s eyes filled with sorrow. “Some people think it was and that the kid wouldn’t have spun out of control if he wasn’t being chased.”

“Tell me what else you’ve heard.” Robyn grasped Ginger’s arm.

“I guess the officer is on suspension.”

“Someone has to hold him accountable. You’re sure he wasn’t fired?”

“I’m sure he will be. Or...I don’t know. I’ve been out of town so much I haven’t heard the details.”

Robyn stood and slung her purse over her shoulder, ignoring the fat drops of rain that pelted her skin. “It looks like I have a few questions that need to be answered. Whatever it takes, I’m going to get to the bottom of this.”

* * *

Spending time with Robyn had been worse than Caleb imagined. Way worse. More than once he’d found himself smiling and engaging in conversation before he remembered why he couldn’t. His relief was palpable when she left for town—until Phil showed up and tried to take him to lunch.

“I have to finish cutting these boards before it rains. I don’t have time to stop.” He glanced toward a cabin, remembering Robyn’s contagious grin when they’d walked the grounds.

“Since you’re working like a madman, I assume you told her.”

Caleb remained silent.

“Wait, you mean you haven’t said anything yet?” Phil’s question hit like a sucker punch.

“I’m trying to keep to myself.” He was failing miserably, but trying. He focused on a squirrel scampering up a nearby pine tree.

“Just get it out in the open. I’m telling you, if it wasn’t for—you know—I think you would hit it off. She’s cute.”

Cute was an understatement Caleb wasn’t willing to acknowledge. “That was a low blow.” He slid his protective goggles over his eyes and powered up the circular saw.

“Sorry. I wasn’t thinking.” Phil’s voice cut over the grating whine of the blade.

Caleb powered down. “I don’t want to talk about her—or any of this. Everything was fine when I was here alone, but this is getting ridiculous.”

“So stop.”

It sounded simple enough, but he had a promise to keep. A little hammering and painting was the least he could do, and he wasn’t about to give it up, though it didn’t minimize the stress of dealing with Dan’s daughter. If the situation were different, he might actually enjoy her company and the seemingly endless stream of friendly conversation. The interest sparkling in her eyes that he knew he had no right to return. The more time they spent together, the tighter he had to guard himself—at least until he devised a way to reveal the truth.

Phil pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Forget all this for a while. Let’s grab some lunch.”

“You should’ve called first.”

“I tried. You didn’t answer.”

“Leave a message.”