Jo showed no reaction to his question. “Trent Stevens is an actor and an aspiring screenwriter and director. He didn’t want the distraction of dating the daughter of a vice president. He thought it would affect his brand, as well as his work.” Jo was silent a moment. “Trent’s very serious about his work.”
“You keep tabs on him since the breakup?”
“You know I’m not going to answer that.”
Grit shrugged. “Have you ever been to Sean Cameron’s place in Beverly Hills?”
“I stopped in once when I was out there on assignment.”
“Checking out Marissa’s ex-boyfriend?”
“You’re relentless, Grit. Did you interrogate Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters?”
“That’s classified.”
She gave him a grudging smile. “Have a safe flight. Don’t encourage Charlie. Say hi to Sean and Hannah. My sister Beth’s out there, too. Say hi to her.”
“Should I tell them when the wedding is?”
She unconsciously fingered the engagement ring on her finger that Elijah had bought for her at nineteen. She narrowed her turquoise eyes on Grit. “You do know how to cut to the heart of things.”
“You can move into Myrtle’s place while I’m in California.”
“If that’s one of the things that had to ‘coalesce’…”
“Three’s a crowd. I was in one of your cabins at the lake, right under your noses. Now I’m in D.C., down the hall. It’s awkward.”
“I have my own apartment, Grit. It’s not awkward.”
“Myrtle’s stuck in Vermont. I think she’s suffering from Stockholm syndrome or something up there. We might have to mount a rescue mission.”
“Maybe she likes Vermont.”
“This is what I’m saying. She’s identifying with her captors.”
Jo scowled and shot to her feet, then glared at him again. “Is
He crossed his real ankle over his prosthetic ankle and wondered if anyone in the waiting area had guessed he was an injured SEAL, but he realized he didn’t care one way or the other. He grinned up at Jo. “We all want to hear wedding bells.”
“You’ll hear them for Hannah and Sean sooner than you will Elijah and me. Elijah’s waited for fifteen years. What’s another year or two?”
She didn’t wait for Grit to respond—she obviously didn’t want him to—and left. Once she was out of sight, he called Elijah: “I think you should buy Myrtle’s house and turn the back bedroom into a nursery. A zoo theme would be cute.”
Elijah ignored him. “Nick Martini was attacked at Rose’s house. He took a snow shovel to the side of the head but he’s fine.”
“Ouch. That’s what he gets for going out there in the dead of winter. Who attacked him?”
“Robert Feehan, most likely. Whoever it was got away. The police have been looking for him since Derek Cutshaw’s death yesterday. He jumped Rose that morning.”
“She didn’t get a shovel to the head?”
“He said he wanted to talk to her. Nick showed up, and Feehan took off.”
“Lots of places to hide up there in the snow. All right. Thanks for the intel.” Grit got up. “When I’m in San Diego, I’ll stop at the zoo and buy a stuffed giraffe for the nursery.”
But Elijah was gone. Grit heard his seating area called. It was almost a six-hour flight across the continent.
Anything could happen while he was in the air.
Twelve
B eth Harper took a late-night swim in Sean Cameron’s heated pool. The temperature in Beverly Hills was cool by Southern California standards, but by Vermont standards—even in the summer, never mind late February—it was just fine.
She climbed out of the clear azure water and quickly dried off with a large beach towel and pulled on a soft terry-cloth robe. She was alone on the expansive patio, red bougainvillea trailing down a privacy wall.
She didn’t mind. Alone, she thought, was good.
She went through French doors into the quiet, spare house, heading into the guest room where she was staying. She thought she just might chuck going back to Vermont and apply for a paramedic’s job here.
Except Vermont wasn’t the problem.
She changed into a T-shirt and flannel boxers and climbed onto her bed, sitting against the pillows with her knees tucked up under her chin. Late nights were the toughest. That’s when she’d obsess about Scott stiffly packing his things and clearing out, the cab he’d called already waiting in the driveway. No warning. No discussion. He’d had enough of Beverly Hills and was going home.
What he’d meant was that he’d had enough of her.
They hadn’t talked since. A state detective had called to ask her about Derek Cutshaw’s death and Robert Feehan’s possible whereabouts, but nothing from Trooper Thorne.
“Bastard,” Beth muttered, sniffling back tears as she reached for her cell phone and dialed her sister in D.C.
“Beth, are you okay? What’s happened? Did Grit—”
“Everything’s fine. Sorry. I forgot about the time change. It’s late there.”
“It’s late in Beverly Hills, too.” Jo breathed out in relief. “You scared the hell out of me.”
Maybe, Beth thought, but Jo didn’t scare easily. “Elijah called a couple hours ago and asked Sean to fetch Grit at the airport. He’s there now.”
No response from Jo. After several beats, she said, “Just as well Grit’s not there on his own. Elijah won’t admit it, but Grit’s potentially out of control. He’s had a long recovery from his leg amputation, and he’s a Navy SEAL—he’s not used to being idle. I’d hoped this new job at the Pentagon would help.”
“I’m sure it will,” Beth said.
“Anything weird happens, you call me.”
“Are you asking me to be a federal informant?”
“I’m not speaking officially. Elijah and Grit are friends. I’ve become fond of Grit myself. He’s…different.” Jo changed the subject. “How’re you doing out there? Getting in much shopping?”
“Lots of window-shopping.” Beth smiled, trying to ease her tension—and her sister’s. “I bought socks and underwear on Rodeo Drive.”
Jo laughed. “Even that must have set you back. I wish I could be there with you and Hannah.”
“I’ve been thinking about heading home. Jo, you’ve heard—”
“Yeah. Poor Rose. I’m glad you didn’t have to respond to that fire yourself. You could use a break.”
“We all could,” Beth said.
Jo didn’t take the bait. “Did you call just to talk, or is there something on your mind?”
“Why is Grit in California?”
“Navy business, he says.”
“You think Charlie Neal’s been in touch with him again, don’t you?” Beth knew her sister wouldn’t give a direct answer and didn’t wait for one. “Charlie will be with his family for winter fest at Black Falls Lodge. I guess you know that, though.”
“I plan to be there myself.” She added, “For fun.”
“Are you keeping on top of yesterday’s fire? Could Derek have been involved in Lowell’s network? Do you think Robert’s just frightened—”
“Anything’s possible.”
Beth heard Sean arriving back at the house and hung up with Jo, then slipped into her robe and headed down the hall to the kitchen, all stainless steel and spotless chrome. It had a masculine feel despite the presence of Hannah’s raspberry-colored sweater on the back of a chair and Beth’s handbag on the kitchen floor.
