Hazardous Homecoming by Dana Mentink

Author:Dana Mentink
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2014-01-28T16:00:00+00:00

THIRTEEN

Cooper’s chronic insomnia and thoughts of Ruby Hudson increased the deep fatigue that consumed him. He collapsed onto the lumpy mattress in the bedroom he’d claimed and didn’t awaken until his internal body clock told him the sun had almost risen. He cracked an eyeball and tried to sort out the noises filtering through the cabin.

Rattling pipes indicated the shower was in operation. Peter, preparing to go to work. The rush of shame came back to him as he recalled the disastrous conclusion he’d jumped to the previous day. He’d apologized at the café. He felt the urge to do so a second time, to mend the damage he knew he’d inflicted.

Then anger won out again. If you hadn’t failed me so many times before, brother, I wouldn’t distrust you now. Anger, guilt, love and all the other emotions that came from living with an alcoholic bubbled together. Would he ever find peace? Only when Peter latched on to sobriety so tightly that it drove the doubt away. It was possible that day would never come. Through clenched teeth, he muttered the millionth prayer that his brother would have the strength. There was the murmur of conversation from the living room. Company?

His phone told him it was not yet six. In the same sweatpants and Smokey Bear shirt he’d slept in, he padded out to find Hank Bradford, talking in hushed tones on his cell phone. Hank’s back was to Cooper.

“It wasn’t my idea to come back here either,” Hank snapped. “It won’t be for long.” He paused. “I know it makes you uncomfortable, but no one will find out. They’d better not.” There was a note of menace in this last phrase as Cooper cleared his throat to announce his presence.

Hank whirled around, mouth open in surprise. He clicked off the phone. “Sorry. I didn’t know you were there.”

Cooper folded his arms. “Believe it or not, I live here, at least for a few weeks.”

“Of course. Peter’s car wouldn’t start, so I came to give him a lift to work.”

Cooper arched an eyebrow. “That’s nice of you.”

“Not really nice, more self-serving. He’s our only dishwasher on duty for the breakfast service. Other one called in sick.”

Cooper considered. Should he pretend like he hadn’t overheard Hank’s conversation? It would be the polite thing to do, but he was beyond being polite. Peter was heavily involved with the Bradfords, and Cooper wanted to know if they should be counted as friend or foe. “I’m sorry for intruding on your conversation. It sounds like you aren’t altogether happy to be hanging out in Silver Peak again.”

Hank was silent for a moment. “I’m not. Too many bad memories here, but I love my daughter and she’s knee-deep in this Alice Walker investigation. I don’t want her to get hurt and I’m here to make sure that doesn’t happen. She’s fond of Peter so I guess I’m taking him under my wing, too.”

“And you don’t want anyone to find out the truth.” Cooper watched the flash of emotion flame up in Hank’s eyes.

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