David sat back, crossing his legs and acting as if she’d simply taken a little time away rather than ten years. Like a long vacation.
Had he forgotten about their tumultuous past? Why she’d left? If so, he wouldn’t think their father had any part in these events.
“I know you must miss Wally,” David said. “I will too, but you were always so close to him.”
She nodded but couldn’t trust her voice so didn’t speak.
David picked fuzz from his pant leg and flicked it away, a habit way too much like their father’s behavior for her comfort. “What did you want to talk about?”
She reached into her purse and pulled out her copy of the threatening letter. “You said you’d heard about the fire, but there’s something else I need to tell you about. I was wondering if you could look at this. It’s a copy of a letter I received in the mail. The envelope has a Shadow Lake postmark. Do you have any idea who might’ve sent it to me?”
David unfolded the paper and his head quickly popped up. “Do you think this person set fire to the barn?”
She nodded. “Any idea who’d want me to leave town this badly?”
He ran a hand through thick hair gleaming with some sort of product and leaving behind little tufts standing at attention. “I guess if you’re looking for someone who would profit from your leaving, it would be me. But I don’t want Evergreen. You deserve it.” A sincere smile curled his lips. “You and Wally were close. We weren’t. As far as I’m concerned, he should’ve left everything to you, even the cash, and I hope you don’t think I’d do something like this.”
Mia wanted to return the smile, but he looked so much like their father she couldn’t bring herself to follow through. But it did help her gather the courage to continue. “I was kind of wondering if Dad might’ve sent it.”
“Dad? No way!” David’s back straightened. “How could you even think that?”
“He’s never made it a secret of the fact that I embarrass him. Seems like he’d be happy if I didn’t stay around here and sully his reputation more than I did in high school.”
“That’s crazy.” David firmed his shoulders into a hard line.
Okay, fine. He didn’t believe her at all. She had to tell him everything. “There’s more. I also received a package with a second warning. The box contained a fake severed hand and my old charm bracelet. Remember that bracelet with all the charms I collected?”
David nodded but his face drained of color. “Wouldn’t Wally have gotten rid of it with all of our other stuff?”
“Exactly. I haven’t seen it since before Mom died and suddenly it appears on the wrist of a severed hand.”
“So where did it come from?”
“I don’t know. I’m guessing Uncle Wally must have kept it. Then someone got a hold of it. Someone who knew how much it meant to me and used it to scare me.”
“And you think Dad did this?” David frowned.
“I don’t want to, but who else knew how much the memories would hurt me?”
David sat in silence, his eyes distant.
“Think about it, David.” She leaned forward to encourage him to look at her. “Dad’s the logical choice.”
“Not to me he’s not.” David set his jaw. “Look. I know the two of you didn’t get along, but after my girls were born, he talked to me about the mistakes he made with you and told me how sorry he is that he treated you so badly.”
News to her. “Then why didn’t he try to contactme? Tellme?”
“He didn’t think you’d take his call.”
“That’s a lame excuse.” Anger coursed through her. So many wasted years, when he could’ve picked up the phone, and they could’ve at least talked. Maybe not fixed things. But talked. Made it better. But now? Now what?
She shot to her feet. “I refuse to believe he wanted to make up with me and then didn’t even try. I have to proceed by thinking he’s behind these threats and go from there.”
David looked up at her and handed her the letter. “You do what you have to do, but please don’t accuse Dad of this. He’s already hesitant when it comes to reconciling with you, and he may never try if you accuse him of something this horrible.”
Mia slipped the letter back into her purse and said goodbye. She’d be more than happy to entertain David’s advice, but she couldn’t. The damage had already been done.
* * *
