Hidden Talents

that somewhere in the distance a waltz was playing. Montrose, she thought. He often practiced his music late at night. In the vast silence of the mountains the sound carried a long way.
    But her last thought was that a waltz was not part of Montrose's usual repertoire.

7

    C ALEB WALKED INTO W ITT'S E ND G ROCERY ONE MINUTE after Serenity opened the door the following morning. “I've got a favor to ask,” he said without preamble.
    Serenity was taken aback by the glittering intensity in his shuttered gaze. This certainly solved one small problem, she told herself. She had been wondering all morning what she would say to him when she saw him today. He had taken the matter out of her hands.
    “What's the favor?”
    He glanced at Zone, who was busily dusting shelves at the other end of the room. Then he looked back at Serenity and lowered his voice. “I have to visit my family this weekend. Tomorrow's my grandfather's eighty-second birthday. I'm expected to be there. I want you to come with me.”
    “It's very nice of you to invite me,” she temporized.
    “Will you come?”
    She met his eyes and knew she could not refuse. “Where do they live?”
    “Ventress Valley. It's a two-hour drive from here.”
    “Ventress Valley?” Serenity's voice rose. “ Ventress Valley? ” She put her hands on her hips and glared at him. “Is this some kind of grand coincidence in names or are you actually a member of a family that has an entire town named after it?”
    “The town was named after my great-grandfather. What's that got to do with anything?”
    “Good grief.”
    His mouth tightened. “What's so strange about it? Aren't there any Witts left here in Witt's End?”
    “Heck, no. The original Headcase Witt was a 1960s era dropout, A genuine hippie who tried to establish a commune here. When it didn't work out the way he planned, he went north to Alaska. No one ever heard from him again.”
    “Ventress Valley wasn't so lucky. The Ventresses stuck around. They owned most of the good farmland in the area.”
    “Owned? Past tense?”
    “For the most part.” Caleb braced one hand against the wall and eyed her with grim impatience. “We sold off a lot of the land during the past few years in favor of other investments. My grandfather held on to a few acres. He raises horses. Any other questions?”
    “How many acres?” Serenity asked suspiciously.
    “Does it matter?”
    She pursed her lips and considered that. “I don't know. Are you terribly rich, Caleb? I mean, I know you're successful, but are you a zillionaire or something?”
    “We can talk about the state of my finances some other time. Right now I just want a yes or no answer. Will you come with me to Ventress Valley?”
    Serenity searched his face. “I don't know. I've spent too much time away from my store lately as it is.”
    “We'll only be gone overnight. Zone can watch the store.”
    “Why do you want me to go with you?”
    “Because I want you to meet my family. Yes or no?”
    She folded her arms across her chest and tapped one toe. “Do you think your family will like me?”
    “Who gives a damn what they think? Yes or no?”
    “Yes.” She threw up her hands in surrender. “Okay. Yes. All right. I'll go with you.”
    He nodded once, his jaw rigid. “That's settled, then. I'll see you later. I've got a line of people waiting for me over at the Sunflower Café.”
    “Oh, yes, that's right. Product evaluations.” Serenity frowned. “Remember, I want to find space for everyone who would like to be in the catalog.”
    “I specialize in getting business ventures off the ground, not stroking artistic egos. No one gets in the catalog with a product that doesn't meet standards.”
    Serenity smiled confidently. “I'm sure everyone's product will meet the requirements. If not, we'll work with the person until it does.”
    Caleb gave her a laconic glance but he said nothing. He turned around and walked out of the store. The bells clamored loudly as the door closed behind him.
    Zone waited until the bells had gone silent. She put down her duster and placed her palms together “What was that all about, Serenity?”
    “Darned if I know.”
    “Danger,” Zone whispered. “Confusion and danger and turmoil.”
    “Nah. I think he's just in a bad mood because he didn't get laid last night.”

    “I got the feeling that it's very important to him, Ariadne.” Serenity checked the price stickers on several jars of tahini dressing before she began