“Hi, Justin, hi, Liz,” Stella said, bowing her head as her mother said a quick grace. She and her siblings hadn’t kept up with the tradition much these past few years, but she figured she had a lot to be thankful for—especially the rain.
“Hi, Stella,” Justin said brightly, helping himself to a large spoonful of mashed potatoes when Mary’s prayer was done. “What have you been doing today?”
Stella smiled at his good manners. “Planning a fundraising event,” she said. “How about you? What time did you get in?”
“Right after lunch. I got to help with the horses a little. Maya took me to see them. I wanted to ride one, but it was raining too hard.”
“We’ll have you riding in no time,” Maya assured him.
“I don’t want to ride,” Liz said. She didn’t lift her gaze from her plate, and when Mary passed her the platter of chicken, she passed it right along. She did take a small amount of salad, an even smaller dollop of potatoes and some green beans.
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Stella said. “Are you a vegetarian?”
“Nope.” Liz didn’t elaborate, and Stella decided not to push her.
“Liz has always liked my chicken in the past,” Mary said. “I guess she’s not hungry tonight.”
“Teenagers are always hungry,” Jed declared.
“Don’t talk about me like I’m not here.”
Stella met Mary’s gaze. Mary rolled her eyes and shrugged. Stella figured this wasn’t the first time she’d locked horns with her stepdaughter.
“What would you like to do, Liz?” Olivia asked kindly. “Are you an outdoorsy person or an artistic person?”
“I like to be left alone.”
“Liz,” Mary reproved.
“It’s okay,” Olivia said. “When my mom moved me halfway across the country, I wasn’t too happy, either.”
Stella held her breath, hoping Liz wouldn’t take this opportunity to deny that Mary was her mom. She knew her mother wasn’t trying to take Liz’s mother’s place, but she also knew it would hurt her feelings. Jed looked like he had plenty to say, but thankfully he was too busy eating to say it.
Liz shot a suspicious look Olivia’s way. “Why’d she move you?”
“Because my dad went to jail and she was too embarrassed to stick around in Chance Creek. We went to Idaho.”
“Idaho? That’s even worse than Montana,” Liz said.
“It’s not exactly halfway across the country, though,” Mary said reprovingly.
“Felt like it,” Olivia said with a conspiratorial wink at Liz. “I loved Montana,” she told her. “All my friends were here. Of course, I was embarrassed, too, so it was a push-pull situation, but I settled down in time. Came back here after my father died. Took me a while to find my place again, but eventually I did.”
“I already like it here, too,” Justin said. “Way better than the city. You should draw the horses if you don’t want to ride them,” he said to his sister. “You always draw animals.”
“Oh, you’re an artist?” Stella said. “Then I know a few people in town you should get to know.”
Liz scooped up a forkful of potatoes and ate it, and Stella thought they’d made a good beginning, at least. After dinner, she stepped out onto the porch to take a call from Megan Lawrence, a local realtor.
“I heard a rumor you’re spearheading a fundraiser.”
“Yes, to make detox and stabilization available to teenagers in Chance Creek. We’re planning to hold a water Olympics at Runaway Lodge and invite everyone in the area to come and participate.” Stella was glad word was getting out. She’d posted the information to a few friends but needed to do more.
“That sounds great. I think it’s a good cause, especially with all these overdoses, and the water Olympics is a fun idea, but…” Megan trailed off. “Are you sure you want to hold the fundraiser in Silver Falls after what happened to Sue Hill? I swear that town is getting creepier by the day.”
“Silver Falls is a little rough,” Stella admitted, “but Runaway Lake is wonderful, don’t you think?”
“I guess.” Megan sounded unsure. “Speaking of a little rough.” She lowered her voice. “I saw you dancing with Steel Cooper the other night. Are you two an item?”
“No. Definitely not an item.” Stella knew she should never have let him guide her around the floor. People had already linked their names together. Was this the real reason for Megan’s call? Was she digging for gossip?
“Did you know he lives in Silver Falls now?”
“I thought he lived at Thorn Hill with his family.”
“He’s got a place in the Mountain Rise trailer park. A single wide. Nothing fancy. I just thought that was strange.”
“He’s a grown man. Maybe he wants a little privacy.” Steel had never mentioned a trailer to her, but he had said he meant to stay away from his family until he’d finished whatever he was working on. She couldn’t help wonder where he was now. What had his reaction been to Sue’s death? If he’d been talking to her only days before, had he known she was in danger?
Was he the one who’d put her there?
She really didn’t know Steel, after all, despite their conversation in Maya and Olivia’s old treehouse. She wanted to believe he was tracking the real killer, but there was no reason to believe he was anything but a criminal himself.
“Maybe. He does have a dangerous reputation.” Megan faltered. “Sorry. I shouldn’t say that.”
“Why not? He does. Whether or not he deserves it, I don’t really know.” Until she did, she needed to stay away from him. “We’re not an item,” she asserted again and hung up.
“You and who aren’t an
