Page 11 of Dangerous Secrets
“You didn’t.”
“I did.That was a weekago.She may want to know us, she may not.But I’ve asked her to atleast acknowledge receipt of my letter so I know it made it toher.”
Delaney shook her head.“You’re neverone for simple, Gran.Has she replied?”
“No, but it’s earlydays.”
Delaney narrowed her gaze.“Are thereany more surprises you want to spring on me?”
Clara lifted her shoulder in a casualshrug.“Nothing at the moment.We’re burying the love of my life ina few days, and I need to get my feet back under me.”
And just like that Delaney’s eyesfilled and her throat tightened.“You’ve never said James was thelove of your life.”
“He was.He was abeautiful man, inside and out.We’d both had first marriages, hishappy, mine not.”Clara stared out at the mountain, but Delaneyknew she wasn’t seeing its pine-covered slopes.“James asked me tomarry him several years ago.He said he wanted me to make an honestman of him, but I turned him down.I was dead set against itbecause of the experience of my first marriage.I thought we werefine as we were.”She twisted the cloth napkin through her fingers.Somehow that little display of emotion calmed Delaney.“Now I wishI hadn’t been so unbending.He said it didn’t matter, but I know tohim it did.”
Delaney studied a bee buzzing aroundthe lilies, thinking of James.“He loved you, Gran.He showed itevery day.He knew you loved him too.”
Clara straightened her shoulders.“Hisdeath has only confirmed that I want to find my missinggranddaughters before it’s too late.We only have so much time inthis world, and you need to know your sisters.”
“I’m an only child, I’mfine with that.”
“I’m not.You need to knowyour sisters,” she repeated, “and I want to know my granddaughters.My son led an unconventional life and he didn’t do right by hischildren.I intend to do what I can to make up forthat.”
***
Delaney drove into Sisters, thesetting sun at her back.She loved the old buildings of downtown,many built in the early years of California’s gold rush.At theheight of those heady days, Sisters had teemed with rowdy women andmen drawn to the area by the lure of gold prospectors had firstfound in Mill Creek, then in mines dotting the hills.There hadalso been strong, shrewd migrants like the three sisters the townwas named for.Not only had those women built and operated MotherLode, the most productive mine in the area, but they’d also savedthe townspeople during a harsh winter that threatened to be asdeadly as the one that had doomed members of the Donner party inthe winter of 1846 and 1847.Lore was that those women, Alice,Eliza, and Kate, had enforced discipline and teamwork among thetownspeople that had kept the population alive through the perilouswinter.
The following year the spring runoffhad churned up the earth and savvy prospectors had found sizeablenuggets, some the size of thimbles, leading to an even greaterinflux of prospectors pouring into town.
Sisters was one of dozens of townsalong California’s Highway Forty-Nine in Gold Country with colorfulnames like Rough and Ready, Dutch Flat, and Twain Harte, named forthe authors Mark Twain and Bret Harte.
Now the mines were played out, and inmore recent history the area had been transformed into a regionpopular with tourists, with entertainment geared toward families.She steered her small SUV into a parking lot.Sisters didn’t have alot to offer in the way of nightlife except the biker bar on theother side of town, and tonight’s destination, Easy Money, arestaurant and bar popular with locals specializing in locallyproduced craft beers—thirteen on tap—and excellent food.
“Hey, friend.”
Delaney locked her car and turned togive Keeley a hug.“Hey back.”
“Ready to rock thistown?”
Delaney burst out laughing.“I thinkour town rocking days are behind us.”
“Speak foryourself.”
Delaney pushed in the door to EasyMoney, Keeley right behind her.The open beams overhead and thelong bar made of mahogany gleamed in the warm light, original tothe establishment that’d been in operation since before the turn ofthe twentieth century.Easy Money’s new owner, Owen Hardesty, hadmade oversize prints from black-and-white photos showing the earlydays of the town and hung them on the walls in a nod to the town’scolorful past.
Since she’d allowed Keeley to talk herinto a girls’ night out, Delaney’d decided to go all out by makingan effort on her appearance.She didn’t do heels unless sheabsolutely had to, so she’d paired cute sandals with skinny jeansand a top with a scooped-out back, which left most of her backbare—other than the tail of her French braid.
Keeley looked fabulous in her skinnyjeans, a blousy top with a hippie-ish look, and wedge heels.Withher long fall of honey-blonde hair and dangly earrings, her friendhit the mark as sexy girl-next-door.
Besides hanging out with her best bud,a selling point for going out was Delaney wanted to check out BlueMoon, the band scheduled to play that evening.She’d planned to addlive music on weekend afternoons when Cider Mill Farm opened forthe summer season and wanted to scope local talent the farm couldafford.
Couples and small groups occupied mostof the tables and she waved to several people she knew.BobbyFinley sat on the same stool at the end of the bar he alwaysoccupied.The dark and broody Owen worked the bar and gave her aslight chin lift, which served as his version of a welcome.Hisgaze locked on Keeley, but when Keeley raised her hand to wave,Owen turned his back to pull the tap to fill a glass for acustomer.
“Did you see that?”herfriend hissed.“Is it my imagination or is that man somewhatfriendly to everyone else, but acts like I don’t exist?”
Delaney glanced at Owen again.“Ithink he’s naturally a reserved guy.But I’m pretty sure he knowsyou exist.”
Keeley made a disgruntledsound.
