34- Being in love

“The only person I’m going to be discussing anything with isthe sheriff, if I
don’t get a straight answer in the next ten seconds.”
Mr. Lee nodded, accepting the fatherly concern and the determination he saw
onGeorge Petrillo’s face. “Okay, then. I’ll tell you as much as I can. I came out
here because of your daughter. I’m handling a case involving her business
partner. I thought Hazel might have some information.”
“Doesshe?”
“She saysshe doesn’t.”
“Then go home, Mr. O’Donnell. If Hazel says she doesn’t know anything,
then she doesn’t know anything.”
“I wish I could do that, Mr. Petrillo, but I can’t. Your daughter is my best
link to Roberto Rinaldi. Sooner or later they’re bound to be in contact.”
“And when they are, I’m sure she’ll let you know,” her father said. “Hazel’s
an honest, law-abiding citizen. That’s the way we raised her.”
“As reassuring as it isto hear you say that, it’s not good enough.”
George frowned. “You’re not suggesting that my daughter is mixed up in
whatever this Rinaldi fellow did, are you?” There was a sudden flash of alarm in
his eyes. “Did he kill somebody? Hazel’s not in any danger, is she?”
“No, it’s nothing like that, I assure you.”
“Then what are you suggesting that my daughter’s mixed up in?”
“I’m not suggesting anything. I’m just saying that I can’t leave here until I
know more than I know now.”
George Petrillo sighed. “If thisis all about some legal difficulty my daughter
and her partner might or might not be in, what the hell was that kiss at the house
all about? Was that just some sneaky tactic to try to get her to talk?”
Mr. Lee felt his cheeks burn. He should have known better. Not only had his
behavior been unprofessional, but both of those kissesthey’d shared had been in
plain view of Hazel’s neighbors or her family. The very least he could have done
was to exercise more discretion.
“Actually, that was a mistake.”
“Which time? At the rodeo or at the house?”
“Both times, to be perfectly honest.”
“Then I suggest you keep your hands to yourself from now on. I don’t want
to hear any more about any so-called mistakes. This isn’t New York City, where
two people can get away with anything. Around here there are reputations to be
considered. Eventually you’ll go on your way, but Hazel has to live in this
community.”
“I thought Hazel lived in New York.”
“This is her home. New York is where she works,” her father said, making the same distinction Hazel herself had once made. “Keep that in mind.”
“I’ll do my best,” Mr. Lee promised.
George bobbed his head, clearly satisfied that he’d put Mr. Lee on notice.
“Seethat you do,” he said as he jammed his hat on his head and strolled away,
pausing for a minute to share a joke with Stella before heading for the door.
After he’d gone, Mr. Lee muttered a sharp expletive. Why wasit that every
timehe was around Hazel, her friends or her family, they wound up asking all
the questions? He hadn’t been on the defensive so much since he’d discovered in
themiddle of a trial that his client had been lying to him about almost everything
except his name. And he didn’t like the feeling any better now than he had then.
Nor was he crazy about the fact that he hadn’t even discovered why Hazel’s
trip had already lasted several dayslonger than oriHazellly anticipated. Just
whenthe query had been on the tip of his tongue, George Petrillo had cleverly
distracted him with his own barrage of questions.
The fragile trust Mr. Lee had begun to feel for Hazel was already wavering.
He’dgive her one more day. If she didn’t turn up tomorrow, he was going after
her.
And heaven help her if she wasn’t where she had told him she would be—at
Mrs. Collins’s bedside in Denver.
For some reason Hazel wasn’t the least bit surprised to find Mr. Lee sitting
in a parked car just down the street from her house when she finally got back
homeseveral days after she’d intended to. She hadn’t been on such an emotional
rollercoaster in years. A confrontation with him fit right in.
She watched him strolling toward her, a sinking sensation in the pit of her
stomach. One word, she thought. Let him say just one wrong word and she
would belt him. After what she and her friends had been through, she wasjust
itching to take her anger out on somebody.
Mr. Lee bent down to peer in the car window. “You okay?”
“No.”
He seemed taken aback by her response. “What’s wrong?” he asked
eventually.
“Everything.”
“Are you planning on sitting in there all evening?”
She scowled at him. “I might.”
Mr. Lee shrugged and walked around to the other side of the car, then got in.
Hesat there, staring straight ahead, seemingly perfectly comfortable with the
silence.
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.”