“Bah, lawyers…they’re all crooks. Give ’em a chance, they steal ya blind.” He peered at her. “Why, you’re that gal who hung around with that Larkin boy.”
Paige’s heart pounded. “That was a long time ago.”
“Everything was a long time ago.” He waved a crippled finger at her. “You should stay away from those Larkins. They’re no good.”
After all this time Paige didn’t want to rehash this, especially not with Reed just down the hall.
“You shouldn’t upset yourself, Billy,” her mother said. “That’s all in the past.”
Abruptly the man’s agitation turned to sadness. “No, we can’t change the past.” His hazel eyes filled with tears. “Can’t change a dang thing…what’s done is done.” He slumped deeper into his chair. “I didn’t mean to…” He looked pleadingly at Paige. “It was an accident.”
“What accident?” Paige asked.
He choked on the next word. “Mick…”
The lawyer in her couldn’t stop asking more. “What about Mick?”
It was as if a curtain fell as she watched Billy’s expression go blank. He stared off into space, not hearing them any longer.
Her mother stroked the old man’s arm. “Billy has Alzheimer’s. He’s been here for the last year. There are days when he talks, then there are days when he just sits here.” Claire sighed. “Billy has talked more with you today than he has in a very long time.”
The attendant arrived and took charge of Billy, pushing his wheelchair down the hall. Paige stared after them recalling the old man’s words. “Mom, what did Billy mean about an accident?”
“I’m not sure,” her mother answered as they walked toward the door. “Billy rambles a lot. It could have been something that happened years ago, or recently.”
Paige knew that Billy Hutchinson had an interest in several silver mines in the area. And it was a fact that he hadn’t always been fair about his business dealings.
“Not only had the Hutchinson family founded Destiny, but they’ve been pretty forceful in their efforts to control it,” Claire said. “Maybe in Billy’s advanced years, he wants to atone for his sins.”
Paige wasn’t the optimist her mother was; she knew the man was a schemer, because she had gotten talked into one of them. For ten years no one had ever known Paige’s connection to Billy. And she wanted to keep it that way. She couldn’t see the man again.
But all the way home old Billy’s words bothered her. Was there more to his ramblings? The word “accident” kept nagging at her brain. Could Reed’s suspicions be truth? Could Billy Hutchinson know more about what really happened the night Mick Larkin disappeared than he previously admitted?
Five hours later, the four exhausted Keenan women, Claire, Morgan, Paige and Leah, collapsed into the chairs at Francisco’s Cantina in Durango. Numerous bags pushed under the table were the result of their shopping labors.
Leah smiled brightly. “Did I tell you this is where Holt brought me on our first date?”
“Yes,” the other three women said in unison.
Leah pouted and her mother patted her hand. “It’s okay, honey, we’re just teasing you. We love hearing about it all. You’ve found a wonderful man and you’re going to be married soon. You should be beaming with happiness.”
Tears filled Leah’s eyes. “Oh, Mom, it’s just that I’m so happy. I love Holt so much.”
Paige had to turn away. She was glad for her sister, but another side of her envied Leah’s happiness. It was something she would never have with her baby’s father.
Paige released a long breath as she picked up the menu and scanned it. That didn’t mean she couldn’t make a good life for her and her child. She didn’t need a man to make a living. She was determined to give her baby enough love to make up for his or her father’s absence. And it was time she started.
Paige closed the menu and placed it on the table. “I have an announcement, too,” she said, drawing the three women’s eager attention. “I’ve decided not to return to my job in Denver. I want to open a law office here…in Destiny.”
“Oh, Paige…that’s wonderful.” Leah jumped up, pulled Paige to her feet and hugged her. “We’ll all be living here.”
Paige caught Morgan’s smile, too. “We’re glad to have you back home. So you’re going to take the storefront in the town square?”
Morgan and Claire exchanged a look. “You knew about this?” she asked.
Paige held up a hand. “When I talked with Morgan yesterday I hadn’t decided yet.” She turned to Leah. “I kept quiet because I didn’t want anything to overshadow your wedding.”
“Oh, Paige. I don’t care. I’m just so happy you’re moving back.”
Paige felt relieved to have shared at least part of her news. “I know. I’ve missed the family so much.”And I’m going to need all of you when the baby comes, she cried silently.
“We’ve all missed you,” her mother said as she squeezed Paige’s hand. “Your father is going to be so happy.”
“What am I going to be happy about?”
They all turned to see Tim Keenan approaching the table. The big man was dressed in a dark blue sport shirt and taupe colored trousers.
Claire slipped her arm around her husband’s waist. “Tim, Paige has some wonderful news.”
Holt walked up behind Tim and went to his excited bride-to-be then hugged her. “What news?” he echoed.
Paige felt herself blush at the attention. She hated that she hadn’t told her family the entire story. Before she could say anything, another man approached the table. Reed Larkin. He was wearing a wine-colored shirt with dark trousers. She’d had no idea he was going to be here, but she was suddenly glad.
Paige gave him a pleading look. He seemed to read her thoughts and went to her side of the table.
“Don’t keep us in suspense.” Reed smiled.
“It’s not that big a deal,” she began. “I’ve decided to try private practice…here in Destiny.”
“Oh, lass,” her father cried and came around the table to hug her. “I’m so happy. Now, I have all my girls home.”
“I love you, Daddy.” She hadn’t called him that since she was a little girl. Tim Keenan had always made her feel so loved…and so special. The last thing she ever wanted to do was disappoint him.
“It looks like we have a lot to celebrate tonight,” he said as he sat down beside his wife.
“Let’s just focus on the wedding for now,” Paige said. “I took a month’s leave from my job so I could think about my decision. I have plenty of time to help Leah with the preparations for her day.”
Reed sat down in the only available seat right next to hers. Paige couldn’t help but wonder if her sisters had arranged for that to happen. She hoped not.
Reed didn’t need to be involved with her and all her baggage. Besides, she’d given up all chances with him many years ago. She stole a glance at him. He was definitely more handsome as a man than he’d been as a boy. Darn her hormones for making her notice, for making her feel something. She didn’t need another complication right now.
But more came when the waiter arrived to take their drink orders. Paige ordered a ginger ale with lime, hoping no one questioned her passing on alcohol. No one did, especially when Reed ordered