“Thank you, I think.”
“Why don’t you borrow Henry’s laptop?”
“I could, but I’d need to upload my software and other files.It’s easier to get a new one.”
London’s gaze narrowed, laser-focused on Maia.“Why do you need special software?”
“I write,” she said, observing the other woman.“Fantasy fiction.Under a pen name.”
London’s brows shot up.“Did Henry tell you Megan writes romances?I do her admin work.”
“Henry suggested I ask you for help.With my deadlines and rugby training, I don’t have enough time for advertising and promotion.”
“I’d love to work with you.I’ve learned a lot from working for Megan.It won’t take me long to get up to speed.What pen name do you write under?”
Maia hesitated and felt heat seep into her cheeks.It surprised her that Henry hadn’t asked for more details.No doubt he’d get to it, eventually.
“Maia?”London resembled a reporter after a hot tip.
Maia sighed.“Henrietta M.March.”
It took London seconds to get it and for her eyes to open wide in astonishment.“You took your name from Henry and our town.”
Maia couldn’t maintain London’s gaze and the acute speculation she saw on the other woman’s face.A clever way to stay close to Henry and keep part of him with her.When she raised the courage to glance at London, the other woman was busy tapping on her phone.
“What are you doing?”Foreboding rose in her.Surely London wouldn’t tell everyone her secret.She’d had a huge crush on Henry, and he’d remained tucked away in her thoughts while she’d had boyfriends and dated.No, she couldn’t confess that because she’d sound like a nutcase stalker.
“I’m doing an internet search for your books.Holy crap!You’re a bestseller.Go you!”
“Writing helped me buy the house and pay for things my aunt didn’t approve of before I could access my trust,” Maia said.“She forced me to study accountancy, and writing was me thumbing my nose at her.I hate numbers and spreadsheets, but I love writing.I scraped by with my degree, and it drove my aunt crazy when I didn’t get a job.She couldn’t figure out how I was surviving because she wasn’t approving my living expenses.”
“She sounds like a bitch.”
“My aunt never approved of my father’s choice of wife and thought he could do better.Once she decided on something, there was no shifting her.She blamed my mother for the accident.It was a freak thing and no one’s fault.”
Maia’s phone rang.“It’s Laura,” she said as she answered.“Sure, I need to fill out an insurance claim and take photos.Can I get a copy of your police report to go with my claim?All right, I’ll be there in ten minutes.I want to see if any of my clothes are salvageable.”She hung up.“Can you be ready in ten minutes?I thought I’d drive to Dunedin from there.”
“I’ll grab my purse and phone.Let’s take my vehicle in case someone is following you.”
Maia agreed without mentioning someone determined could observe the house from afar and track vehicle activity.
The interior of her house was as bad as she remembered.In fact, it looked worse in the light of day.Laura and Charlie met them outside, and Laura handed Maia the paperwork for her claim.
“Thanks.”Maia unlocked her door and stood aside to let them enter.
“Holy Hannah,” London muttered.“Henry mentioned the damage, but I didn’t picture this destruction.”
“This was my office.They’ve wrecked my research books.That was my laptop.”Maia pointed at the different pieces.
“Someone is angry,” London said.
“Yeah.I wish I knew what I’d done.”That’s what made this so difficult.It stressed her to think she’d agitated someone so much that they sought revenge.“I wonder if I have another relative who thinks my aunt left me this house.Aunt Beatrice didn’t leave me anything except a letter stating how I’d disappointed her and she was ashamed of me.”
“That’s cold.”
“It was my father she was angry at, but she aimed her arrows at my mother when she was alive and me once my parents died.”
“I never met her but heard she was eccentric and particular with tradesmen.”
