River’s End

knows what I threw in it this morning. I probably have a cocktail dress and hiking boots in there. And, to be honest. I could use a few minutes on my own to pull it together.”
    “I just locked up.” He pulled the key Rob had unearthed for him out of his pocket.
    “I bet they haven’t done that more than half a dozen times since I was born.” She took the key, studied it. “How’s my mother holding up?”
    “She’s tougher than you think. Maybe than she thought.”
    “I hope you’re right.” Jamie murmured as she opened the trunk and pulled out a tote. “Well. I’ve got about six thousand calls to make to finish shifting my schedule around.” She slung the tote strap over her shoulder, then glanced at the flowers in Noah’s hand. “Going to see your girl.”
    “That was the plan.”
    “I like your plan. I think you’re good for her.” She studied his face. “You’re a sturdy one under it all, aren’t you, Noah Brady?”
    ‘“She’ll never have to worry if I’ll be there, never have to wonder if I love her.”
    “That’s nice.” The fatigue seemed to lift from her eyes. “I know just how important that is. It’s funny, Julie wanted that—no, more than that—and I found it. I’m glad her daughter has. too.”
    He waited until she was in the house, until she’d locked the door behind her. With his senses alert, he walked into the trees to follow the trail to the Center. From the shadows he watched, turning the weapon in his hand. And weeping. Olivia was dead calm, and she was damn well going to stay that way. For ten minutes after seeing the rose, she’d sat on the floor shaking. But she hadn’t run. She’d fought back the panic, pulled herself to her feet. She’d ordered herself to be calm and to act. As quietly as possible, she asked every member of the staff she could find if they’d noticed anyone going into her office. Each time the answer was no, and each time she followed it up by giving a description of her father, as she’d seen him that morning.
    When she had all the answers she could gather, she walked outside and started toward the lodge.
    “Hey!”
    Her body wanted to jerk, and she forced it still. Then absorbed the flow of relief when she saw Noah coming across the parking lot toward her.
    Normal, she promised herself. She would be normal.
    “My grandfather’s going to scalp you for picking his prize lilies.”
    “No, he won’t, because hell know I was swept away by romance.”
    “You’re an idiot. Thank you.”
    She gave him the smile he’d expected, but there was strain at the edges. “You need a break. Why don’t you get someone to fill in for you the rest of the day?”
    “I need to do my job. It’s important to me. I was just about to go over and find Frank.” She glanced around. People were coming and going. In and out of the lodge, the Center, the forest. “Let’s sit down a minute.”
    She led him around the side and to a bench in the deep shade where her lather had sat a short time before.
    “There’s another white rose. It was on my desk in my office.”
    “Go inside the lodge.” Noah’s voice was cool. “I’ll look around.”
    “No, wait. I questioned the staff. No one noticed anyone going into my office. But a couple of them did notice someone this morning when I was setting up the group out here. A tall man, short gray hair, sunburned. He wore dark glasses and a fielder’s cap, stiff new jeans and a blue long-sleeved shirt.” She pressed her lips together. “I noticed him, too, during the hike. He slipped into the group. I kept getting this feeling, this uneasiness, but I couldn’t pin it down. He spoke to me. He touched my hand. I didn’t recognize him. He’s changed, he looks old—years older than he should and . . . hard. But part of me knew. And when I saw the rose, his face was right there. My father.”
    “What did he say to you, Liv?”
    “It wasn’t anything important, just that I was good at my job, that he was glad he’d come. Funny, isn’t it, twenty years down the road and he compliments me on my work. I’m all right,” she said when Noah put his arm around her. “I’m okay. I always wondered what it would be like if I saw him again. It was nothing like I imagined. Noah, he didn’t look like a monster. He looked ill, and tired. How could he have done what he did. how could he be doing this now, and just look tired?”
    “I doubt he knows the answer to that himself. Maybe he’s just caught up,