Cold Dawn Part 38

"Us navy boys," Grit said with a grin.

Sean was more pensive. "Jasper didn't screw up. Neither did we. He got beat by a bad guy."

"Jasper was right about a serial arsonist," Nick said. "Brett enjoyed setting fires, but he was never a firefighter or tried to become one. It wasn't that he could or couldn't cut it."

"Jasper never suspected you, Nick," Sean said. "Or at least not for more than three seconds."

Three seconds too many, but Nick didn't blame Jasper. He blamed Brett Griffin. "Griffin was from Chicago. Abusive father, narcissistic mother."

Grit glanced around at them. "So? No excuses."

Nick nodded. "His photography allowed him to move freely. He started pa.s.sing himself off as Feehan last year. He'd already been contracting his services as part of Lowell Whittaker's network. Griffin's the only one of Lowell's killers to figure out who he was."

"Griffin knew the Whittakers had a place in Black Falls," Sean said. "He's why Lowell panicked. Lowell knew he had a committed arsonist on his hands who'd kill him if he left any loose ends. I doubt Lowell had any idea who it was."

"Griffin manipulated Derek Cutshaw and Robert Feehan." Nick pushed back images of their two burned bodies. "Scott Thorne and Jo found pictures at Griffin's house that he'd taken of Rose with me last June. We figure he used them to get under Cutshaw's skin. He and Feehan were asking too many questions, becoming a problem with their drug-dealing."

"Griffin used your arrival in Black Falls as a way to get rid of them and give you Jasper's firebug," Sean said.

Grit looked up from the pool. "Griffin had an excuse to set those fires. More fun for him."

Nick rolled to his feet, restless. "He liked being apart, watching the action."

The SEAL stared again at the clear water of the pool. "He loved the drama he created."

"He made sure that boy wandered off last year." Nick remembered the alert going out, having no idea then, that Rose would be the one who found the boy, or even would be a part of the organized search for him. "He wasn't supposed to survive. He and Rose were supposed to die in the same fire as Jasper."

"Brett liked the drama," Grit said, "and he liked showing up you smoke jumpers. You two played a key role in stopping that fire from spreading."

Beth finally spoke. "Jasper Vanderhorn died, but Brett didn't want what he saw as a partial victory. You and Rose spoiled his fun." Her turquoise eyes leveled on Nick. "When do you go back to Vermont?"

He didn't answer, just picked up his keys and left.

He drove over to his condo in a high-rise just off Wils.h.i.+re Boulevard.

They'd caught Lowell's most elusive and mysterious killer. It was over.

Nick walked into his bedroom and everything there reminded him of Rose.

h.e.l.l, he thought. Nothing was over.

Grit drove with Beth Harper down to Coronado, showing her where he'd trained. "I was a different man then. A kid, really."

"You got the name Grit here?"

"Yeah."

"Who gave it to you?"

"Another SEAL. We trained together. Michael Ferrerra."

Beth's eyes were clear, and she didn't look away. "He's the SEAL who died in the firefight that almost killed you and Elijah."

"We called him Moose."

Grit took winding roads to a simple neighborhood in San Diego. Moose's widow was on the front steps of her stucco bungalow, waving a bubble wand for a baby boy, less than a year old, sitting on a blanket. The baby grinned and tried to catch the bubbles as they floated above him.

"His name's Ryan Cameron Ferrerra," Grit said as he slowed the car.

When he looked at Beth this time, she was crying.

He continued past the house and on to Beverly Hills. He and Elijah would visit Moose's widow when the time was right.

Finally he glanced over at Beth, still red-eyed from her tears. "You're finally going home, aren't you?" he asked her. She nodded.

"Charlie Neal found out his sister Marissa has a crush on your brother Zack," Grit said.

"Are you bothered?"

"Nope."

"There's someone out there for you, Grit."

"I believe that. I didn't a while ago. I do now." He smiled at her. "Thank you."

Beth flew back to Black Falls with Sean and Hannah the next day. Grit stayed in San Diego to finish his navy business. She wasn't sure anyone would figure him out, but someone, surely, would fall in love with him. She'd never met a better man.

She entered Three Sisters Cafe. It was cleaning night. Bowie, Dominique, Myrtle and Rose were there. Myrtle was going home to South Carolina. Her niece was having a baby. Myrtle wanted to be there. She insisted she only stayed in Black Falls as long as she did because she liked being around other people who were home.

She was trying to talk Jo and Elijah into buying her house in D.C., furnis.h.i.+ngs and all-except her teacup collection. That would go with her to South Carolina.

Jo had finally decided that the cabins on the lake had to come down.

Not everything was meant to last forever.

Beth dipped a sponge into a bucket of hot water. Scott would sometimes join her for cleaning night.

In the past, anyway.

Liam O'Rourke walked into the cafe. He was hesitant at first, but then Dominique smiled as Beth had never seen her smile before and ran to him.

Rose's jaw dropped. "Bowie! You let us all think-"

"I was running interference for them. They're buying the Whit-the estate on the river, turning it back into a working farm. Cows, pigs, chickens, horses and gardens." The big stonemason grinned. "Life."

Dominique already had spoken to Beth and Hannah about starting the dinner service Myrtle had been pus.h.i.+ng for. Maybe, Beth thought, her friend and Liam were already planning for their "farm" to provide meat and produce for Three Sisters Cafe and O'Rourke's.

Beth was sponging down a table by the river when the main door to the cafe opened again. Scott came inside, dressed in jeans and a canvas jacket. She could tell he was holding his breath. He had no idea what she'd do, which had caused tension between them. Now, she didn't care. She couldn't stand it anymore.

She threw down her sponge and started to run to him, but he got to her first and lifted her off her feet, kissing her right there in front of everyone.

Twenty-Nine.

Black Falls, Vermont-early March R ose heard laughter and smiled as she snowshoed across the meadow to the sugar shack. Winter fest weekend had begun, and a crowd had gathered over an outdoor fire in the old stone fireplace. After a cold spell and a major snowstorm, the sap had been running for the past few days. They'd collected it and now were boiling it down, most inside in the new evaporating pan but some in a big pot outside.

All just for fun on a bright, gorgeous late-winter day.

Grit Taylor had arrived back in Black Falls, at least for the moment, and was by the fire with Elijah. All the Neals were there, including Charlie, who looked smug and pleased as he watched Marissa sneak looks at Grit.

The Neal entourage of Secret Service agents kept a close eye on Charlie especially.

Sean, Hannah, A.J. and Lauren were running things inside the sugar shack, taking turns keeping an eye on Jim and Baylee.

Rose eased in next to Jo in front of the sugar shack. "It's the second-eldest sister with the crush on Zack," Jo said, sighing. "As if my life's complicated enough. Charlie was very clever in his misinformation campaign with Grit and Marissa. He made them both see what was in front of them. Where's Nick?"

Rose didn't try to contain her surprise. "Nick? Why are you asking me?"

Jo gave her a slight smile. "You've changed in the past few weeks, Rose. It's subtle, but we've all noticed. I have a feeling there's less solitude in your future."

"And you think that has something to do with Nick Martini."

"We all do. You've always been content living on your own on the mountain, doing your work, but you withdrew this past year. You needed to, I guess, to cope." Jo directed her gaze at the people laughing in the steam of the bubbling maple sap, but her attention was still on Rose. "A.J., Elijah and Sean are there for you."

"I know that," she said quietly.

Jo turned to her again. "And you're there for them. You all are still a family. You're just not demonstrative."

"Which you understand, being a Harper."

"True," Jo said with a laugh.

"None of this has anything to do with Nick."

"It has everything to do with him. You're in love with him, Rose."

She smelled sweet maple in the late-winter air and smiled. "Yes, I am."

Jo seems satisfied. "Good for you." Her expression softened. "I want you to be among the first to know. Elijah and I are getting married this spring up at the falls. Reverend McBane's agrees to perform the ceremony."

"That's terrific news, Jo," Rose said. "I can't wait."

"I can't, either. Between my friends and Elijah's, we'll fill up the lodge. It'll be good for business-"

"It'll be a lot of fun."

Jo looked pleased. "That, too."

Rose heard Hannah's laughter inside the sugar shack, then Sean's, and smiled at Jo. "I have a feeling yours won't be the only Cameron wedding this year."

Nick got a different room at Black Falls Lodge, one with a view of Cameron Mountain.

Maybe the Cameron brothers were trying to send him a message.

He gave the ghost of Drew Cameron a little salute and changed into the suit he'd brought with him from California. It was black, expensive and appropriate for Beverly Hills or the Black Falls Lodge ballroom.

He hoped it'd rock one Rose Cameron back on her heels.

When he entered the ballroom, he had no trouble spotting her in the crowd. She was standing by a window looking out at the starlit meadow behind the lodge.

He was aware of all three Cameron brothers watching him as he made his way to their sister. He liked that they were a strong family and looked after each other.

Rose was wearing a sleek dark blue dress that outlined her shape and would work just fine in Beverly Hills as well as at Black Falls Lodge. She turned, and broke into a smile as he came closer. "Nick," she said. "Couldn't resist bidding on the quilt, could you?"

Nick had noticed several Black Falls locals gathered at the quilt, hanging at the entrance to the ballroom, and overheard them swearing they recognized this or that piece of fabric from a grandmother, a grandfather, an old uncle or aunt.

He winked at Rose. "I think it'd go just fine in my condo."

Those Cameron blue eyes fastened on him. "You're not here for the quilt."

He smiled. "No, I'm not. May I have this dance?"

She lifted the hem of her dress, and he saw she was wearing black high heels. He was more interested in the shape of her ankle. She laughed, sounding just a little breathless. "If I trip in these things-"

"I'll catch you," he said, and whisked her onto the dance floor.

After two dances, Rose went off with Lauren, Beth, Hannah, Dominique and Jo to help with the silent auction. She saw Nick slip out of the ballroom. She had no idea what he was up to next but couldn't take her eyes off him.

The man was as rugged and s.e.xy as ever, and he had her head spinning.

After the auction and everyone started to leave, her friends and family all but threw her out and told her to go home. They'd take care of any cleaning up.

When she arrived at her house, there were no other cars in her dark driveway.

"Looks as if it'll be just Ranger and me tonight," she said to herself.

She went in through the back and noticed the warmth.

Someone had lit the woodstove.

She walked into the living room, and Nick was there, stretched out on her couch with Ranger on his bed by the woodstove.