This was it. Her in with the Bensons. Could it really be this easy? Hannah’s heart rate shot up like a racehorse bursting out of the gate. She closed her eyes and counted to ten as she breathed. The idea of meeting these women under false pretenses had her coffee curdling in her stomach, but if it got her close to Kayla, especially after hearing about JP’s neglect, she’d do it. She’d do anything to ensure Kayla’s safety.
“Well, that sucks,” Mickie said. “I was hoping to keep this as much of project comprised of small local businesses as possible. I hate the idea of using some big-city financial firm.”
“Me too, but maybe we can find a smaller firm in the city or a CPA who works solo and contracts out. Is that a thing?”
Hannah swallowed her natural introverted inclination and turned around as best she could. Not for the first time, she wished she had Mary Anne’s outgoing personality. She draped her arm across the top of the booth as she came face to face with the back of Ronnie’s head. “Um—” She cleared her throat. “Excuse me?”
The ladies stopped talking. Ronnie looked over her shoulder with a raised eyebrow while Mickie leaned to the side to see around her friend.
“Yeah?” Ronnie asked. “You need our sugar or something?”
“Oh, uh, no, but thank you.” She took a deep breath and smiled. “I promise I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop”—liar— “but I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation.”
Ronnie’s curious eyebrow raise turned into a suspicious narrowing. Made sense. Strangers probably approached Mickie all the time, and Ronnie wanted to protect her friend. Both women were beautiful, though highly opposite in their looks. Ronnie had thick, near-black hair that hung down her back. She dressed in casual clothing and wore little to no makeup. Mickie’s hair was a softer brown and cut in a trendy bob style that made her look chic and expensive but fun. Her entire outfit screamed money but not in an in-your-face way. And her makeup was as perfect as her hair.
“Okay…” Ronnie said.
“I’m a CPA. I’m not locally based, but maybe I can help steer you in the right direction?”
Ronnie pursed her lips. “Where are you from?”
“Originally, Boston, but I’ve been living in Colorado for a little over a year, in a small town like this. I work for myself, mostly helping small businesses and personal clients. I needed a change of scenery after—” Crap. She’d almost said after my sister died. “After some family stuff. So I rented a house and escaped here for a few weeks. I’m happy to answer any questions you might have or even take a peek at your books.” She cringed. “Sorry, I know this is super presumptuous of me. I just…well, I heard you guys, and I’m a huge nerd for this kind of thing, so I figured I’d extend the offer. But you can tell me to bug off. No hard feelings. Not that you’d care because we don’t know each other.”
Shut up, Hannah.
“Okay, I’m closing my mouth now.”
Mickie laughed, and even Ronnie’s lips twitched. The two shared a look then Mickie scooted farther into their booth. “Come on over,” she said as she waved Hannah forward. “Bring your coffee.”
Holy crap, had it been that simple?
A twist of guilt knotted her stomach as she slid onto the bench seat beside Mickie. She’d never deceived anyone in this manner before, and it didn’t sit right. They wouldn’t have invited her to join them if they’d known her parents had sent her to spy on Ronnie’s brother.
You’re here for Kayla. To make sure she’s happy, healthy, and being treated well.
And selfishly to get close to her niece because she missed that baby so much. “So, what can I help you with?”
Their waitress arrived just as Ronnie opened the stark white binder on the table in front of her. After scowling at Hannah for the seat change, their server deposited a piping hot plate of pancakes that smelled mouthwatering.
“Be back with the rest of your meals in a minute,” she said before heading back to the kitchen.
“Dig in,” Ronnie said. “Don’t wait for us. Those are better when they’re hot as hell.”
“Thanks.” Hannah went about slathering the pancakes with the homemade honey butter and dousing them in the fresh Vermont maple syrup the restaurant boasted came straight from the forest out back. When she took the first bite, her eyes rolled back in her head. “Oh, man, that’s good.”
“Right?” Ronnie asked with a smile. “I got ’em too. Okay, let’s get down to business, ladies.” She flipped a few pages in her binder then spun it so Hannah could see it.
The paper before her had a simple map of what appeared to be a campground.
“We just purchased this property,” Mickie explained, pointing to the binder. “It’s an old campground partway up the mountain. The owners couldn’t maintain it anymore. Actually, no one has used it in quite a few years.”