21- Caleb died

“Karen’s husband. He just collapsed and died. It happened while we were in
Denver. By the time we got to the hospital in Laramie, he was dead. I’ve been
staying with Karen at her ranch for the last few days.” She glanced at him. “In
case you were wondering where I’d run off to.”
“Never crossed my mind,” he said.
She almost managed a smile at that. “Liar.”
“I’m sorry about Caleb,” he said.
Hazel regarded him with faint surprise. “You really mean that, don’t you?”
“I do. I didn’t meet him at the reunion, but I saw you and the others with
him. It was obvious how close you were. It must have been a terrible shock.”
“It was. I don’t know how Karen’s going to manage without him.” Hazel
hoped she would never experience the kind of loss that Karen was going
through. Karen was heartbroken and racked with guilt because she hadn’t been
there. Nothing anyone had said had been able to console her.
“She could lose their ranch,” Hazel whispered. “That will kill her. It meant
everything to Caleb, but I don’t know if Karen can keep it running on her own. I
would hate to lose Café Tuscany, but it’s not the same. I love it, but it’s just a
business. Even I can see that. That ranch meant everything to Karen and Caleb.
And there’sthis man, Grady Blackhawk, who’sjust waiting in the wingsto take
it from her.”
She shuddered at the thought. “How can something like this happen?” she
asked bitterly. “Caleb didn’t deserve to die. Karen certainly doesn’t deserve
this.”
Hazel glanced at Mr. Lee to see how he was reacting to her tirade. Not until
hereached over and brushed away the tears on her cheeks did she realize that
she’dbeen crying.
“I’m sorry I’m so emotional,” she apologized. “I didn’t mean to dump all of
this on you. I just can’t bear the way Karen looks, so lost and alone. She’s one of
my best friends. How can I even think about going back to New York in a few
days and leaving her here to cope?”
“The others—” Mr. Lee began.
“Will be leaving, too,” Hazel said. “Except for Cassie. She’sstaying
because of her mom. At least that’sthe excuse. I think there’s more to it. Her
son’sfatheris here and they have a whole lot of unfinished business between
them. Laurensays she can stay a little longer. And Emma may be coming back
and forth for a while.”
“See, Karen will have people to look after her.”
“I need to be here,” Hazel said firmly. As much as she loved Café Tuscany
and her life in New York, nothing was asimportant asthis, as being here
her friend needed her. “I have to call Deidre. Maybe she can go on managing
things a little longer.”
Looking resigned, Mr. Lee handed her his cell phone. “Call.”
Hazel accepted the phone, but before she could dial, she remembered the
deposition. “Mr. Lee, I’m not deliberately trying to avoid the deposition.”
“I know,” he said with something akin to admiration in his eyes. “You’re a
remarkable woman, Hazel Petrillo.”
Startled, she stared at him. “Remarkable? Me?”
He grinned. “Yes, you. With everything that’s at stake for you back in New
York, your first priority is your friend’s well-being. That’s an admirable quality.
It makes me wonder how you ever got mixed up with a sleaze like Rinaldi.”
“Just lucky, I guess,” she said wryly.
“Make your call.”
“I could…” She hesitated, then took a deep breath. “I could talk to Emma.
Perhaps we could do the deposition here. I know you can’t hang around out here
forever.”
“We’ll worry about that later. Take care of your business. After that I want
you to go inside, take a shower and then I’m taking you out to dinner.”
“I don’t know,” she protested, though without much vehemence. “I’m beat.
I’ll be lousy company.”
“You don’t have to entertain me, Hazel. But you do need to eat a decent meal
and get some color back in your cheeks. How can I possibly go after you in a
deposition, if you look as if you might faint at any second?”
“Oh, I think I can handle you any day of the week,” she retorted, feeling
better already at the prospect of a good battle of wits. She handed back the cell
phone. “I’ll call from inside. I don’t need you listening in on my trade secrets.
Give me twenty minutes.”
Mr. Lee grinned. “Should I call Tony’s and make a reservation?”
“Winding River’s not New York. Besides, Tony always has room for me.”Mr.
Lee regarded her with suspicion. “Not in the kitchen, I hope.”
“No, I imagine he’ll let us sit in the dining room just this once.”
He nodded. “Twenty minutes, then. I’ll be waiting in my car.”
“You could come inside or sit on the porch,” she offered.
“No, thanks. I think it’s probably best if I give your father a wide berth.”
“Really? Sounds as if there’s a story there.”
“I’ll tell you during dinner.”
Hazel ran inside, gave her parents a quick report on Karen, then made the call
to New York. Deidre was surprisingly reassuring.
“We’ve been packed as usual. The guysin the kitchen are managing.