Alanna’s fingers curled into her palms. “What do you mean? Who would hurt him?”
“I’ve said more than I should.” Hattie bent down to fold up her quilt. “I must get back. Just keep it to yourself. And remember where I live if you ever need me.” With her belongings under her arm, she picked up the cooler and set off in the direction of her house. Her long strides quickly took her out of sight.
“Alanna!” Barry’s voice came from near the house.
She waved at her husband, then looked around and saw Prince running from the bushes as fast as his legs would carry him. Poor pup. Frowning, she walked to meet her husband.
He draped his arm around her. “I wondered where you’d gone, sugar. What are you doing out here?”
“I wanted to be seeing the water, but the pier doesn’t look safe.”
He turned her back toward the house. “It’s not. You need to stay off it. I’m going to have it repaired.”
“Why has this place fallen into such disrepair, Barry, when you love it so much?” When he frowned, she knew she’d gone a little too far. “I mean, your place in the Battery is in perfect condition.”
He stopped and gazed down at her. “I was waiting to marry. Here is where I want to raise a family. I wanted my wife’s input on how to restore it as well. Now that I’m married, it’s time.”
She gulped, realizing he was saying he wanted a real marriage with her eventually. When would she be ready for that? Right now it felt like never. All she could manage was a smile as she took his hand and started back to the house.
Ten
Barry left her at the porch. “I’ve got some work to do at the office,” he said. “You’ll be okay until I get back?”
She nodded. “My mates are coming out in a bit. We might practice on the porch or in the garden.”
“Fine.” He dropped a kiss on top of her head and went around the side of the house. A few minutes later, his Mercedes rolled past. He waved, then the live oaks swallowed up the sight of his car.
Alanna glanced at her watch. Ceol should be here in a few minutes. She had time to get warmed up. Opening the case, she lifted her fiddle out and grabbed the cube of rosin. After running the horsehair bow across the rosin, she settled her chin on the chinrest, closed her eyes, and laid her bow across the strings.
A reel flew from her bow, and her bare feet slapped against the floorboards. Her long hair flipped around her shoulders as she danced across the porch with the scent of roses blowing against her cheeks. It was Liam’s favorite reel, and she imagined him sitting on the swing and smiling as he watched.
Her smile faded as the music did the same. She lowered her instrument. The fiddle by itself left her lonely, and she glanced at her watch again. She thought her mates would have been here by now.
The exertion had left her sticky and hot. It wouldn’t be any better inside with no air conditioning, so she sat on one of the rockers and fanned herself as she gazed out over the lovely landscaping of live oak trees, roses, and camellias. She should have stayed out on the other side of the mansion where the sea grass waved. It was cooler there.
The place was as isolated as an island, and it was as if the city were hundreds of miles away. The sight of such beauty should have calmed her, but she felt strangely agitated.
A vehicle rolled up the driveway. Squinting, she watched it come. The vehicle wasn’t Barry’s silver Mercedes, but a familiar blue van with a Ford emblem. Alanna stood and waved at the vehicle. The van stopped by a row of azalea bushes. Ciara hopped out of the passenger side and waved at Alanna. A wild rush of joy filled her. It had only been yesterday that she’d seen her best friend, but it seemed an eternity.
“You’re in the boonies.” Ciara slammed the door behind her. “I nearly called for directions again. I passed by this laneway twice.”
“Pretty though, isn’t it?” Alanna called back. Putting down the fiddle, she started for the steps. A man stepped out of the car, and she caught her breath. For just a second, with the sun in her eyes, the breadth of the man’s shoulders and the way he held his head made her think it was Liam come back to her. Then his bulk blocked the glare in her eyes and she saw his face.
Jesse Hawthorne. If he had never showed up to take Liam for a drive, her husband would still be with her.
In an instant, the horror of that night and the following days rushed over her. The flames, the heat, the agony of identifying his mangled body. She thought of it every time she saw Jesse. It was worse since the detective had told her he might have intended to kill Liam along with himself.
She paused at the top of the steps. “What are you doing here?”
Ciara stepped in front of Jesse. “Calm down, Alanna.” She motioned for him to follow her. “I know what Adams said, but give the bloke a chance.”