“Sunny—”
“You insist you’re here with me in the present, but the truth is, you’re still so mired in the past, you can’t see through it, Linc. Your first instinct is to react with anger. Seek revenge. Just like your father.” She sighed. “I can’t live in fear again. I won’t.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying we need to step back and think. This is all too much. It’s all…too much.”
She turned and walked away.I paced the den in my father’s house. I went around the room over and again, too restless to sit. I had no idea why I’d come back here, to this house, but I had. Maybe the darkness suited my mood.
Abby had tried to come with me when I left the bakery, but I told Abby to stay with Sunny. I knew she would accept Abby’s help. She certainly didn’t want mine.
Sunny was furious with me. Her words echoed in my head.
I couldn’t lose her. I had just found her again.
Why couldn’t she see I only wanted to help?
There was no doubt why Martha Tremont was doing this—payback.
I flung myself into the chair, my knee hitting the drawer. I cursed, grabbing at my knee. The key inside the drawer rattled and I slid the drawer open. I had put the metal box back inside the drawer once I gave Sunny my letters. I had, in fact, forgotten about the box until now.
Since I couldn’t concentrate on anything else, I decided to go through the rest of the papers. It would be interesting to see what secrets my father had hiding.
The box was fairly full. In his usual methodical way, my father had copies of all pertinent documents in the box. His will, the deed to the house, various other documents no longer required. A copy of my birth certificate. My mother’s death certificate, still sealed, never even looked at by him. I set that aside to take with me.
Then it got interesting. An envelope containing some USB drives with names on them. Many of them ones I recognized. I would have to get my computer to find out the contents. Somehow it didn’t come as a surprise that my father would keep files on people he wanted to destroy or threaten. I had a feeling he was an expert at blackmail.
There was one last envelope. I lifted out the manila pouch, noting the thickness of the contents and the initials in the corner.
MT
I opened the envelope, my eyes widening at the contents. Pictures of Martha Tremont. Personal pictures. Some of her. Some of them. Intimate. Graphic. All taken, I was certain, without her knowledge. All kept, I knew, to blackmail her.
I shut my eyes, feeling ill. I pushed away the ones of her and studied my father’s expression. Even in passion, he was cold. Removed. He stared at Martha as if he’d just as soon strangle her as have sex with her. She was simply another tool in his destructive arsenal.
That woman, who, to this day, fought for my father’s honor, harbored feelings for him, was as duped by him as the rest of the town.
He was, indeed, a complete bastard.
I stared down at the pictures. At the files on the desk. The USB drives. I could only imagine what they all contained. The power they once held over the people of this town—probably other places as well.
Movement caught my eye, and I looked up. Sunny was in the doorway, her face pale. I stood, rounding the desk. “Sunny?”
She rushed forward, flinging herself into my arms. I held her close. “Hey, baby, shh,” I soothed. “Whatever it is, it’s okay. I’m here.”
“I’m sorry. I was upset,” she sobbed.
“I know,” I assured her. “And I know it’s my fault, Sunny. I never wanted to bring hardship back into your life.” I ran my thumbs under her eyes, wiping away the tears and I gazed sadly at her. “But I have. People with scores to settle with my father will take them out on anyone related to him. Me—and of course, you, since you’ll be associated with me.” I pressed my forehead to hers. “I hate that.”
“Is that why you remain anonymous with all the improvements? Why you refuse to take credit?”
“Yes. If some people found out it was Franklin Thomas’s son making the changes, roadblocks would be thrown up. People would wonder about my end game. It’s better to remain nameless.”
She sighed.
“How goes it at the bakery?”
“We made a list, and we’re going to start early tomorrow morning. We’ll check off one thing at a time. Michael is challenging the findings on the dry cleaners.”
“Good. Are you still angry with me?”
Sunny wiped her face. “No, I know you wanted to help, but you have to let me handle it. I can’t allow you to step into my business, Linc. I have to draw the line.”