Page 60 of Two Hearts' Ploy

“What makes you so sure that she didn’t? Although I doubt there’d be receipts, unless your dad had records that he left for you when he died.”

“You think that my dad…?” Wren frowned fiercely. “Maybe I didn’t know him as well as I thought I did, but he was using me too. He went on a spending spree a time or two after he became my guardian.”

“I think I’m going to take a closer look at your lawyer,” Jake muttered.

“There’s something that I’d forgotten that I suppose I should mention. Garrett Mason always seemed to be looking out for my best interests, but his son, who goes by Junior, took over my account when his father passed away. Junior was always trying to get me to go out with him after Dad got sole custody, when I was beginning to get some decent paying work on television. In fact, he was pretty darn pushy about it.” She frowned. “Who knows – maybe it doesn’t mean anything. Dad and I continued living in the small house we had in Illinois since it belonged to my grandfather, and he had no payments to make except for taxes and utilities. We couldn’t afford to rent a place in California, and sometimes New York, so it was cheaper for us –or sometimes just me – to fly back and forth. Dad had to remain with me until I was eighteen because of the custody agreement.”

Jake nodded. “So why did you stick with his firm once his father passed away?”

“Everything seemed to be wrapped up tight when I took a look at the will that my father set up. I did add some updates by leaving a lot of my funds to specific charity organizations if something happened to me. But why change things if I had no heirs? Plus, like I might have mentioned before – it was a way of giving back to my hometown.”

“You were throwing it back in their face for the way you were treated,” Jeff said. “Wren.I didn’t know you had it in you.”

She gave him an impish grin.

“I can understand your thinking. I was in the same situation myself when I returned to Crystal Rock years ago,” Jake replied dryly, giving her a wry smile. “But since his firm is in your former hometown, I’m going to take a closer look at this Garrett Mason, Junior.”

“Okay,” Wren agreed, suddenly looking concerned. “What about this sibling I may or may not have? I’m sure hoping that he or she doesn’t have anything to do with this.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve got one of my best investigators trying to locate him or her. I’ll let you know the moment I hear anything.”

“Thanks for everything, Jake. I’m feeling stunned right now.”

“I hear you,” Jake replied. “Talk soon. Take care of her, Jeff.”

“I will,” Jeff muttered, wrapping his arms around Wren as soon as they’d signed off.

“Why don’t I make dinner?” Wren asked a few minutes later.

“Only if you feel like it,” Jeff answered.

“It’ll help take my mind off everything Jake just told us,” she admitted. “He’s right though. If I do have a sibling, why haven’t they tried to approach me?”

Jeff appeared thoughtful. “Are you sure that they haven’t?”

Wren blinked, staring straight into his soul. How was she going to go on with her life without him? What kind of summer would it have been if she hadn’t hooked up with him?

It would have been terrible. She would have been such a wreck.

“Now you’ve got me thinking,” she answered.

“I know. And then we can do a lot more than thinking after dinner. I miss our swims. But just because we’re supposed to avoid being outside in the open, doesn’t mean we can’t take advantage of the jetted tub upstairs.”

She gave him an impish grin. “You’re beginning to sound a lot like me.”

“What can I say. Your wicked ways are rubbing off on me.”

When he waggled his brows, she laughed.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Another week later, they were wrapping up recording the final two songs for her album. But Jeff and Wren were both on pins and needles, feeling like they were waiting for the other shoe to drop because of her stalker.

The last note left in the trailer had sounded final.‘This time, you won’t be able to get away. I’ll make sure of it.’

Downstairs in the basement, Wren was practicing on the piano that Jeff had moved from his studio into the family room, where they’d recently been spending a lot of their time. She’d found an untitled arrangement inside the piano bench and was tentatively punching the piano keys, trying to decide what to make of it.

“It’s beautiful,” she murmured as Jeff joined her, handing over some coffee in a mug.

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