Met Her Match Read online

  Frank listened as he finished the last of the pizza and said, “But it’s nothing, is it? Just unrelated facts.”

  Rowan and Nate looked at each other.

  Nate answered. “We believe that everything that happened to Terri was caused by whatever was done to Leslie.”

  Frank was so pleased by Nate’s phrasing that he almost smiled. “It all works together.”

  Nate took a chair off the couch—Rowan had covered the white upholstery with sheets—and sat down. “I can’t go back until Terri’s name is cleared, so whatever it takes, I’m ready to do it. Maybe I can’t solve the mystery about her mother but I’d sure like to get my hands on that Thorndyke loser. My guess is that he did something rotten, then made Terri swear not to tell.”

  “Yeah?” Frank smiled. Three beers, half a large sausage pizza and having two kids interested in his life’s work was making him happy. He picked up his cell phone and tapped in a number. “Hey, Billy!” he said into the phone. “I gotta guy here that wants to talk to you.” He held out the cell phone.

  Nate took it and put it on speaker. “You’re the yo-yo kid?”

  There was a chuckle on the other end of the line. “I guess so. I hadn’t thought of it that way.”

  “So how come you left behind a mess for Terri to take the blame for?”

  “Terri?”

  “Yeah, Terri! Ever hear of her?” Nate didn’t wait for an answer. “That whole town blames her for your family leaving. They think she did something to make the Great and Wondrous Billy Thorndyke run away with his tail between his legs. She still can’t go into that damned town without someone making a crack about it.” Nate stopped ranting but there was no sound. “Are you listening to me?”

  “I didn’t know,” came a whisper. “No one told me. Oh, poor, poor Terri.”

  Nate’s body stiffened and he handed the phone back to Frank. “I think he’s crying.”

  “Billy?” Frank said as he took the phone off speaker. “Are you okay?” He listened. “I understand. Yeah, sure. Sorry about that. We’ll be there soon.” He looked at Nate in question and he nodded. “Okay, see you then.” He clicked off the phone. “Billy is leaving as soon as he can and he’ll meet us in Summer Hill.”

  Nate sat back down. “Great,” he said in sarcasm. “The love of my girl’s life is coming back to town. Me and my big mouth.”

  “What did he say?” Rowan asked.

  “Billy’s parents have kept in contact with a few people in Summer Hill, so he figures they knew that Terri was being blamed. They just didn’t tell their son. He said he wanted to call her, call some of his old friends, but his parents kept saying that he should make a clean break,” Frank said.

  “How old is this boy that he still lets his parents make his decisions?” Nate’s voice was disgusted.

  “He should be like you and defy his elders like you did Kit?” Frank shot back. “Look how that’s worked out.”

  Rowan waited for a reply but the two big men just glared at each other. “If you two bulls want to fight, let me know so I can leave. Otherwise, I need to visit some people to make arrangements to search the bottom of a lake. Anyone want to go with me?”

  Frank and Nate didn’t move.

  Rowan rolled his eyes. “We’re out of beer and I will not buy any while I’m out. If you want some, you have to come with me. Both of you.”

  Chapter 19

  Rowan arranged everything. Nate wasn’t sure, but he thought maybe Rowan stretched the truth so he could use his FBI resources. “They’ll meet us at the dock in Summer Hill at 8:00 a.m. the day after tomorrow.”

  “Divers?” Frank asked.

  “And a truck with a crane. Whatever is down there, we’re going to take it out.”

  “What about Brody?” Nate looked at Frank.

  “And what about permission to excavate?” Rowan asked. “I can’t get a court order based on no evidence.”

  Frank said, “Brody is in charge of the trust that owns the place. He’ll probably go into a rage but I’ll take care of him.”

  The two younger men nodded.

  The next morning they removed everything from the walls and tables, put it back in the boxes and packed the car. They rode together in Rowan’s car, leaving Frank’s truck and Nate’s car behind in DC. Frank protested until Rowan reassured him that he’d get someone to drive it to Summer Hill.

  “If you say so,” Frank said, making Nate roll his eyes.

  Rowan was the first driver, Frank beside him, Nate in the back.

  “I have no reason to think there’s a connection,” Nate began, “but Thorndyke and Kris Lennon left town at the same time.”

  “Kris’s mother, Abby, was Leslie’s friend,” Frank said.

  “Yeah, at Widiwick, she told me—”

  “Who won the prize this year?” Rowan asked.

  “Cresnor gave it to some kid who plays the piano. He gets her a Juilliard audition and if she gets in, he pays for a year. If she makes good grades, he forks over for four years. Now tell me what Abby said.”

  After Nate finished, Frank told of an interview he’d had with the woman who’d hired Leslie when she first showed up in Summer Hill. The facts of it had been in his files, but he was able to share more details. “Meryl said Leslie was all class. She didn’t have references and wouldn’t tell much about herself, but the dress she had on cost a lot. Meryl said she was shocked when Leslie said she was going to marry Brody Rayburn. Good-looking man but not Leslie’s class.”

  Nate frowned. “I guess she was one of them who thought Leslie did run away with some man.”

  “Naw. Meryl said half the men in town—including Lew Hartman—came on to Leslie and made fools of themselves, but Leslie was a real lady. She only saw Brody.”

  They didn’t want to get to Summer Hill too early so they spent the night in Richmond. Over dinner they grew serious. They were finally realizing what they were doing.

  “We might find nothing,” Rowan said.

  “Something is down there at the bottom of the lake,” Nate said. “But it’s probably just some old farm equipment Kissel got rid of.”

  After dinner, they went to their separate rooms. They were a quiet group. “Hope they have sheets like yours,” Frank said to Rowan, then pushed the elevator button.

  “Tomorrow,” Nate said. “Tomorrow may change everything.”

  * * *

  Terri was watching Billy try to tie the rope holding the boat to the cleat. He’d forgotten what she’d taught him when they were kids. Of course he’d been away from boats and even water for a long time, and that should have made her more forgiving.

  But it didn’t. She just compared him to Nate. Nate could tie knots, could back up trailers, could... Could do whatever needed to be done.

  “You haven’t changed,” Billy said as he stood up. “You’re still annoyed that I’m not half merman.”

  Terri wasn’t sure but she thought she heard at least two girls sigh at the sight of the big blond man. He looked over her shoulder and smiled in the direction of the sound. Blue eyes, white teeth, streaky blond hair. Put a horned helmet on him and he could star in a Viking movie.

  Terri had never realized how much she preferred dark men: hair, whiskers, eyes, honey-colored skin. And oh yeah, chest hair that grew from the middle and fanned out.

  “You okay?” Billy asked.

  “Sure.” She frowned at being brought back to reality. A year. A whole year before she’d see Nate again. Or maybe he’d forget about her and not return at all. What man would put up with her life? Or with separation for a year? Was she expecting him to do without sex for an entire year? No women at all? Maybe—

  “Hey!” Billy said. “Is that frown for me? Sorry I couldn’t remember the knot.”

  “You should get Nate to do it,” said Mr. Weber, a Rounder whose boat Billy had been tryin