Hidden Legacy

“You poor thing.” Caroline didn’t try to veil the sarcasm.

“I don’t want to hurt her feelings by not eating a slice of pie every night. And then for breakfast.”

Caroline couldn’t stop the laughter that bubbled out. “You’re a good son,” she said. Jason laughed with her, and for a moment the fear lost its grip on her heart.

Jason leaned against the car. “But why do you do it? I doubt you visit all your high school friends’ parents.”

So much for keeping it light. Surely he hadn’t forgotten the promise she’d made—thirteen years ago—to keep an eye on his folks when he left for the Marine Corps. “You know why.”

She could see it on his face. He knew. So why ask? What had he been fishing for?

He walked to the front of the car and studied the bullet hole in her windshield. “I guess it’s just nice to know that some things never change.”

“True. That’s why I wasn’t surprised to hear that you were coming home. I knew you would,” she said.

Jason’s eyes met hers, sadness mingled with confusion.

“I’m sorry about your dad, Jason.”

She saw the muscles in his neck tighten. “Thanks,” he said, then cleared his throat. “Me, too.”

Another throat cleared nearby. Michael Ellis nodded at her. “We’re done in the house, Caroline. Thought you might want to put Henry in his crib.”

“Thanks, Michael. I appreciate that.”

Michael turned to Jason. “When you get a minute, we need to talk.”

Something in his tone sent a shudder through Caroline’s system. “If it’s about me, my house, my child or the man who tried to kill me tonight, why don’t you go ahead and say what you need to say?”

Michael’s eyes darted from Caroline’s face to Jason’s. It wouldn’t take a body language expert to read his silent plea for help.

“Caroline, if I promise to tell you everything, will you give me fifteen minutes to wrap things up? It would be easier if I can send as many of these guys home as possible. Then we can talk without being interrupted.”

Oh, how she wanted to argue. She knew Jason had thrown in the part about letting the others go home because it would play on her sympathies. The worst part was, he was right.

“Fine. Talk. Send people home. Then I want to hear everything. Tonight.”

Michael didn’t try to hide his relief.

Jason held her gaze. “I promise.”

* * *

Jason couldn’t deny he enjoyed seeing the feisty side of Caroline Harrison. “Why don’t you go inside? Grab something to drink. Get away from the chaos. I’ll finish up and be with you soon.”

Her eyes still held a hint of challenge. “Soon doesn’t mean an hour from now, Jason Drake.”

“Yes, ma’am.” She glared at him before she turned and walked away. He was glad to see the show of spirit, all the more because he could tell she was shaken. She kept chewing on her lip. She probably didn’t realize that she was clenching and unclenching her hands as she talked. Or that she’d been rocking back and forth on her heels.

But she wasn’t falling apart. Not that he was surprised. Caroline Harrison was a rock. Always had been. Some things really didn’t change.

And some things did. Like him—back in town after he’d made it clear to her and everyone else that he would never return here. Could never live his life in this place. Not because it wasn’t beautiful or because he didn’t love his family.

Well, the family he claimed, anyway.

But the father he didn’t choose to claim—the biological parent who had made a misery of Jason’s childhood, and whom Jason had been thrilled to replace with a loving, honorable stepfather—lived here, too. He kept calling. Probably to express his disapproval of Jason’s career choices. Again.

He shoved the thoughts away. He had much bigger things to worry about right now. Like figuring out who would want to kill Caroline.

It took Jason thirty minutes to speak with Michael and wrap things up with the officers who’d converged on Caroline’s home. He wasn’t surprised to have multiple volunteers to provide a protective detail for the evening.

“Dalton and Michael, you guys take the watch tonight. We’ll decide if we need some sort of rotation for the rest of the week later.”

Dalton was inexperienced but energetic enough to stay awake after all the excitement died down. Michael was solid. If any trouble broke out, he’d be able to handle it.

Content that things were well in hand, he walked up the steps to Caroline’s front door. Should he knock? The place had been swarming with police officers and crime scene techs all evening, but now that things had quieted, he hated to be intrusive.

He tapped on the door and eased it open. “Caroline? You okay in there?”

“I’m good. Just getting Henry settled for the night. Come on in.”

Jason closed the door behind him. Caroline stood in the hallway with a drowsy Henry in her arms, his little head nestled on her shoulder, eyes half-shut. She shifted him gently, her cheek resting on the top of his head. “Give me a moment,” she said in a whisper.

Motherhood suited her. He refused to dwell on the regret trying to surface. She’d never been his. They’d never had a future. She was a natural as a mother, but he had no plans to find out what kind of father he would be. He couldn’t risk being as terrible at it as the men in his own genetic family tree.

Caroline disappeared down the hall, and Jason looked around the ravaged living room again. Who would do this? Break-ins happened, but this seemed like more. His fingers curled into fists. He’d find the person who did this one way or another.

Caroline returned a minute later. “So, what did Michael tell you that has you all riled up?”

“I’ll answer, but I need to ask a few questions first.”

She glared at him.

“I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t consider all the possibilities.”

“Fine. Can I start cleaning up this mess while we talk?”

“Of course. I’ll help.” Caroline had always been a neat freak. Another thing that hadn’t changed. He pulled a throw pillow from the floor and tossed it onto the sofa. Caroline grabbed a blanket he recognized. Her grandmother had crocheted it for her years ago. She hugged it to her chest for a brief moment before she folded it and draped it over the corner of the sofa.

“Is there anyone in your life who would want to hurt you?”

“No.”

“What about at work? A disgruntled employee?” Caroline had an important upper-management position in her family’s company. If someone was unhappy at the plant, she’d be a visible target for their frustrations.

“No.”

“I’m going to need more than one-word answers.”