“You’re just saying that so I’ll stay.” Nevertheless, the compliment boosted her sagging confidence.
“We’re saying it because it’s true,” Will said. “And if it weren’t, we’d be talking about your going-away party, telling you how you’ll kill it at Wharton. You’re smart, forward-thinking, dedicated, hard-working, and we love you, and we want to keep this a family business. But not every Dorsey works here. Like Raelynn and Marcus.”
Raelynn was Aunt Barbara’s daughter. Marcus was Uncle Steve’s son.
“Yeah, well, okay.” She looked away until a sheen of tears passed. “It means a lot, Will. Honest. I’ll keep the offer in mind.”
When he’d gone, Elizabeth hid in the private ladies’ room for a short cry. Was this about leaving Dorsey and letting Will down? Or were her tears for her mounting confusion? Or for Ryder and everything she couldn’t possibly feel for him?
Gathering herself and checking her makeup in the mirror, she returned to her office and was deep into the next year’s projections when her phone rang. Ryder.
“Sorry to bother you, but did you get a chance to check those purchase orders?”
“No, sorry.” Elizabeth clicked another program on her screen. “I’ve been working on the end of the fiscal year for Will.”
“No worry,” he said. “I gave Travis my files. If he turns them over, it’ll be an official investigation, but I just wondered?—”
“Investigation? Are you okay with that, Ryder?”
“I have to be. Then maybe we can find the truth.”
“Why would someone pin this on you? Why would Travis believe it?”
“He’s getting heat from the higher-ups, so he has to be somewhat suspicious. As for why someone would pin it on me? I don’t know. Maybe because I’m the new guy in town.”
“Little Hearts Bend, Tennessee, has a dark side.”
“Every town has a dark side.”
“Every person has a dark side,” Elizabeth replied.
“In my experience, that’s very true. Maybe more people should listen to the preachers who talk about the Light of God.”
Maybe. She’d be one of those people. “Are you all set for the celebration tomorrow night?”
“Will you be there?” he said with a hint of hope.
“I’m coming with the family. They want to stay for the Movie in the Park afterward. The Lady Eve with Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda is playing. Granny loves the screwball comedies of the thirties and forties.”
“They’re showing old movies again? How’d I miss that news? Those were fun times when I was in high school.”
“I remember watching Grease with you, Will, Ethan, and Bobby one summer.”
“Now I’ll have bits and pieces of those songs in my head the rest of the day.” His laugh was soft and sincere. “So, I’ll see you at the ceremony, and hey, thanks for any help on those POs.”
“You should watch the movie with us,” she blurted. Do not encourage him. “For old time’s sake.”
“I’ll see. Maybe. For old time’s sake.”
Ending the call, Elizabeth hoped he’d not join them. If he did, everyone would be talking. And by everyone, she meant the whole town because she ran into his arms after the fire. People would think it meant something, and it didn’t. Not much, anyway.
Well, who cares? Ryder knew where they stood, and that was the only thing that mattered.
Back to work, Elizabeth dove into accounts payable, which happened to be a collection of purchase orders and invoices surfaced from the WMA, all of them like the ones she’d seen before. Cuts of expensive wood, all bearing Ryder’s name.
But he’d just called her. Told her he’d turned over his files to Travis. If he was hiding something, why would he give Travis the evidence? Unless he’d doctored his account, which didn’t seem like Ryder Donovan at all.
Elizabeth clicked on the WMA’s account and opened every purchase order and invoice for the last year, studying each one. Most seemed legit. All from a legit account. Most of the billing numbers had been in the system for years. When she examined the purchase orders from Ryder, they matched the fire tower invoicing, and the electronic signature looked like his. Ryder’s Rs were always the same.
