Cedar Hollow (16 page)

“Why have you stayed all these years?” Cassidy wondered aloud.

“The year that my father and I came to Miller’s was supposed to be its last. Mr. Miller had turned into a crazy old man who just rambled around the house mumbling about redemption and Harold was going downhill fast. He couldn’t help Lucy run the place anymore, and she was going to have to shut it down. She told my father when he was hired on that it would only be for one season. There were several couples who came back to the bed and breakfast every year for their anniversaries and some for the holidays. She wanted to give them one last season before closing.

“We
barely made it through that season. My father spent most of his time at The Tavern in Hangman’s Ridge; we were still living above Sarah’s restaurant back then. I pulled him out of bed every morning, hung over and belligerent, and drove him up to Miller’s Inn before going to school. After school I was back up there, picking up his slack and doing the work he hadn’t done that day.

“
I took a special interest in the garden. It was just a small plot back then, most of the fields were overrun with weeds. I was taking an agriculture class in school and for the first time I really felt like I was learning something I could use. It was the only ‘A’ I ever got.” Ben laughed.

Cassidy tried to imagine what it must hav
e been like back then; Ben trying to carry the weight of his alcoholic father to help Mrs. Owens run a bed and breakfast while taking care of the aging owner, who was apparently half mad and her ailing husband who was slowly losing his own mind. That was a lot of weight to put on anyone’s shoulders, let alone a teenage boy.

“My father finally drank himself to death that winter. One night he just never made it home
from the bar. They found him in an alley.” Ben stared straight out the windshield as he spoke, his words were devoid of emotion, but Cassidy could see his jaw muscles twitching, she could feel the pain that he was hiding.

“Lucy
offered me a room at the Inn in exchange for taking over the position of grounds keeper to help her finish out the season. She and Sarah actually fought over me.” Ben smiled through his pain, and Cassidy felt an overwhelming gratitude for these two women who had been there for him when he’d needed it the most.

“
The choice basically boiled down to whether I wanted more time to work in the gardens that I’d started or as a busboy in Sarah’s restaurant. I chose to stay at Miller’s because farming was the first thing I’d ever really done that I was good at. I enjoyed it and even though it was only supposed to last a few more months I wanted to see what I could accomplish in that time.

“
After the first spring thaw I began pouring all of my energy into the garden and actually made a decent profit at the farmer’s market with my first harvest. I convinced Lucy that we could keep the place running. Honestly, at that point in my life I was too terrified to leave. I had nowhere else to go. I needed her to keep it open, as much as she needed my help to run it. So we opened for one more season.”

“How long ago was that?” Cassidy asked softly.

“Twelve years.” Ben answered.

“Then the crazy old man dies and leaves the place to his estranged great-niece. I can see why you hated me.” Cassidy laughed.

“I never hated you.” Ben assured her. “Even when I tried.” He winked and smiled over at her, she blushed and smiled back.

“I’m
glad I stayed. I can’t imagine what it must have felt like, after all you’d been through, to have your entire fate resting on whether or not a stranger would agree to live with you for a month because of some weird inheritance clause.” Cassidy laughed and shook her head. Then suddenly it struck her.

“He left me the house so he could kill me
.” Cassidy realized aloud. “My uncle wanted to ensure that he left no living relatives. He brought me here under the pretense of the inheritance so that someone could kill me if he died before he could see to it himself. That’s why I had to stay for thirty days, to give them enough time to get the job done.” It was strange how calmly she could talk about the possibility of her own murder.

“Let’s go find out if you’re right.” Ben said pulling to a stop in front of Mr. Woodard’s office.

Cassidy felt anxious as they walked up the steps to the door of Mr. Woodard’s law office. Would he be here? Would he have the answers she was looking for? Could he be the one who was after her now? She was glad that Ben had come with her
. She wasn’t sure if she could’ve done this alone.

They stepped through the front doors and then stopped dead in their tracks
. The office was in a state of upheaval. Filing cabinet drawers were left open and papers were scattered across the desk top and floor. Ben and Cassidy stood in the doorway surveying the chaotic room.

Moments later Mr. Woodard’s secretary came rushing
into the room from the hallway. Her faded red hair was haphazardly twisted into a lopsided bun, most of which had fallen loose. She looked disheveled and frantic as she scurried to her desk scooping up the papers on the floor along the way. She almost didn’t notice Ben and Cassidy standing in the entryway.

“Oh my!”
She jumped when she saw them, dropping the stack of papers that she’d just gathered.

“Virginia, what happened?” Ben questioned calmly.

“I don’t know. When I came in this morning Mr. Woodard was here and he was tearing the place apart. He was looking for something, but he wouldn’t tell me what. I’m not even sure if he found it or not. Then he handed me a letter to give to Miss St. Claire. He said it was very important that I gave it to her and then he left.” She began wringing her hands nervously.

“Where’s the letter?” Ben asked softly. Virginia shuffled through the
papers on her desk producing a manila envelope which she handed to Ben.

“Do you think Mr. Woodard will be back?” She asked desperately.

“No.” Ben said softly. “Why don’t you go home? Don’t worry about this mess for now. Just take the day off.” He advised kindly. The poor woman looked lost. She nodded absently and then gazed around the room again at the mess.

“Was there anything else that he left for Cassidy?” Ben asked.

“No, just that envelope.” She answered still examining the state of the room.

“Virginia, go home.” Ben said gently. “The police may want things left as they are.”

“The police?” She squeaked looking up at him with alarm. “Why would the police need to see any of this?” She continued wringing her hands.

“Right now it’s just best if you went home.” Ben encouraged, guiding her towards the door.

“Ok.” She said weakly as she grabbed her purse from the hook on the wall. “Ok, maybe that is best.” She agreed.

“Why don’t you give me yo
ur key so I can lock up for you?” Ben suggested. Virginia nodded and rummaged through her purse looking for her keychain. She absent-mindedly removed the key from the ring and handed it over to him looking relieved as she did so. Only in a small town, Cassidy thought wryly. Ben guided Virginia to the door and sent her on her way then turned to Cassidy.

“Let’s see what Mr. Woodard has to say.” He said grimly as he opened the envelope and took a seat. Cassidy sat beside him
.

Dear Miss St. Claire,

I must start by apologizing. Not only for my involvement in your family’s demise but for taking so long to acknowledge it. I have been in denial for many years and now it is time to face the truth. It is time for you to know the truth.

I came to work for your great-uncle, Robert Miller, in 1979 just after graduating law school. My first task was to locate his estranged brother, your grandfather Curtis Miller. I was able to locate Curtis and his wife Liz living with their twin daughters in Connecticut, and I was able to convince them to come home. At that time I did truly believe that your uncle was genuinely trying to reconnect with his family.

After
Curtis and Liz died your uncle fought very hard to obtain custody of the girls. I was at the forefront of that fight, still believing that his intentions were sincere and that he only wanted to keep his family close. The courts, however, granted custody to the girl’s grandmother back in Connecticut.

When Kim
returned the following year to marry Billy Patterson, your uncle requested that I approach Billy with a job offer that he would be unable to refuse, with a salary much higher than the job demanded. He was also very adamant about me finding Kim’s sister, Lainey.

That winter he brought me a letter that Kim had received from her sister. I did not ask him how he’d
come to possess it. Perhaps I should have. I was able to use the letter to locate Lainey and provided your uncle with the address, but he instructed me not to contact her.

Within a few weeks we learned of her death. I might have become more suspicious then if not for your uncle’s extreme grief over the news. He even requested that I send funds for the funeral arrangements to the girl’s grandmother in Connecticut.

When Kim went missing a few months later your uncle was inconsolable. He had lost his entire family. Billy moved away from the Inn to grieve alone in the cottage he had bought for Kim, and your uncle became a hermit, never leaving the house again.

I believed Mr. Miller to be a man who had everything ripped away from him.
A man to pity. Had this been where the story ended I might have never known any different.

Years passed, my work for your family became nothing more than routine
paperwork. Until the night of the fire. Your uncle contacted me in the middle of the night. Somehow he knew about the fire despite the late hour. He knew that Billy had died, and he knew that Kim had died with him. He didn’t tell me how he knew. I didn’t ask. His only request of me was that I keep Kim’s name out of the newspaper. He did not want the family’s tragedies to make headline news again. I understood his sentiment and I did not question his motives. I pulled a few strings and the majority of Cedar Hollow remained ignorant. No one else knew that Kim had died that night along with Billy.

T
ime has a way of allowing us to bury the memories we want to forget, and ten years later when your great-uncle contacted me once again I had all but forgotten my suspicions of the past.

This time he asked me to
put him in touch with a private investigator. He told me that someone had been accessing the Miller family medical records and he wanted that person located. I complied, but I also dismissed his intentions as those of a paranoid old man.

However it was this same private investigator
who, fifteen years later, provided us with your whereabouts. Your uncle was adamant that I contact you and bring you to Cedar Hollow. He also had me draft his will.

The PI provided me with a file on you. I
never looked at it aside from obtaining your contact information. I filed it away in a drawer and tried not to think of it.

I only first opened that file
this week after everything that has happened to you since you’ve arrived. There were newspaper clippings dating all the way back to your adopted parent’s death in a car accident.

I realize now that I have been a pawn all th
ese years and that your great-uncle had been tracking you for a long time. You will see it all in the file. I will leave it for you.

I am sorry that I am too much of a coward to stay and explain all of this in person. I am sorry for every part I played in the deaths of the people in your family. Mostly I am sorry for bringing you back to Cedar Hollow. Leave while you can.

Dean
Woodard

The parting words were chilling, Cassidy shuddered as they sunk in.

“Where’s the file?” Ben asked. He stood and walked to the desk rummaging through the papers that were scattered around.

“That must be what he was looking for.” Cassidy said softly, still seated on the vinyl chair by the door.

“Y
ou think it was missing?” Ben asked, stopping abruptly in his search.

“Yes. Whoever is trying to kill me got to the file
first. Maybe that’s why Mr. Woodard left in such a hurry.” Cassidy said in a detached way.

“It’s time to go to the Sherriff.” Ben declared.

For the next several hours Ben and Cassidy answered questions for the Sherriff, showing him the letter and explaining everything that had happened un
til that point. They had lunch delivered from Jenny’s Diner, then continued with the inquisition late into the evening. When they finally headed back up the mountain it was almost dark.

“I n
ever thought I’d say this, but I’m glad to be back at the house.” Cassidy laughed, as they pulled up.

“It’s been
a long day.” Ben agreed as they got out of the car.

“Do you think Sherriff Lockwood is going to be able to figure out who’s behind this?” Cassidy asked.

“I don’t know. But if he doesn’t I will.” Ben vowed. “Are you hungry?” He asked as they climbed the porch steps.

“A little.”
Cassidy admitted. When they entered the house they stepped into complete darkness. No light was coming from the any room on the first floor. It reminded Cassidy of the first night she’d arrived. She rubbed her arms to chase away the goosebumps.

“I called Lucy at lunchtime and explained why we were stuck in town. I told her not to prepare dinner because I didn’t know when we’d be back.” Ben explained.
“I’m sorry. We should’ve grabbed something before coming back up the mountain. I totally forgot.”

“I’m sure we can manage.” Cassidy said as they made their way to the dark kitchen. Ben flipped the switch on the wall and bright light flooded the room.

“I must warn you I’m not nearly as good a cook as Mrs. Owens.” Cassidy teased.

“I know a thing or two.” Ben winked as he crossed to the fridge. He rummaged around for a moment and then produced a large covered bowl.

“My specialty!” He declared carrying the bowl to the stove. He retrieved a pot and poured the contents of the bowl inside. “Reheated vegetable soup.” Ben smiled as he turned on the stove.

“Impressive.” Cassidy laughed as she grabbed some gla
sses from the cabinet and fixed two ice waters. Ben joined her at the table.

“How are you holding up?”
He asked earnestly. He placed his hand over hers on the table.

“I’m… processing.” Cassidy answered honestly. She still felt overwhelmed by all the information she’d learned in the last few days. It was a lot to take in.

“I bet you’ll be glad to get back home and away from all this.” Ben said quietly as he stared at their hands on the table.

Cassidy wasn’t sure how to respond. Regardless of the danger at the moment, leaving was the last thing on her mind.

“I don’t know.” She said after a beat of silence. “Without Mr. Woodard here I’m not even sure how the estate transfer will be handled. I guess I need to find another attorney.”

“That could take a while.” Ben said hopefully.

“I’d be ok with that.” Cassidy said softly, looking up into Ben’s fiery green eyes.

“Me too.”
He smiled at her and she felt a thrill of awareness surge through her.

“Cassidy, things have been different since you arrived.” Ben told her, tracing circles on the top of her hand with the pad of his thumb. “I’m not sure that I want t
hem to go back to the way they were.” He admitted staring intently at their joined hands. “I never realized how lonely I was until I met you.”

“Neither did
I.” Cassidy whispered. “I knew I was beginning to feel restless, unfulfilled. But when I look at my life now I realize how empty it is. I guess it was easier when I didn’t realize it, but now it seems like it would be unbearable to go back to that.” Cassidy couldn’t believe how honest she was being with him and with herself. She’d never allowed herself to be this vulnerable before.

“
You don’t have to go back.” Ben said softly. His eyes were pleading. Her heart was racing almost as fast as her mind. She wanted to scream that she would stay forever, that she never wanted to leave, but regardless of how empty it may seem she did have a life back in Chicago.

“I can’t just quit my job.” Cassidy
said reluctantly. She wasn’t able to completely disconnect from reality, even if she wanted to.

“
No, of course not. I didn’t mean that.” Ben agreed quickly. He shuffled his feet nervously under the table. She realized this was hard for him too.

“You know, I’ve never been to Chicago.”
Ben said with forced casualness.

“You should come visit, I’d love to show you around.” She encouraged.

“I’d like that.” He smiled.

“Maybe I could stay through the fall season.” Cassidy suggested. “Just to get things in order with the property.” She added anxiously, not wanting to sound too presumptuous.

“I’d like that too, a
nd then maybe I could come visit Chicago for a while.” Ben added. Cassidy smiled with relief, reassured that neither of them wanted this to end. He intertwined his fingers with hers and brought her hand to his lips. The oven timer dinged. Ben stood from the table and ladled the soup into bowls.