anyone to know he was there.”
“How do you know, then?”
“Darcy came to my office afterward. She didn’t go into detail, but the sight of her was heartbreaking and coming from me, you know that means something.”
“What the fuck did he say to her?”
“Do not use that language with me, boy. Did you learn nothing from Sister Anne?” She waited for the volunteer who had returned with a plate of cookies and reached for one before turning her beady eyes back on him. “But to answer your question, I don’t know.”
“And you never saw him?”
“No, I didn’t, but like I said, someone must have snuck him in.”
“Any ideas who?”
“The same girl who conveniently distracted you at the same exact time the man was visiting with Darcy.”
Realization that he and Darcy had been played was a bitter fucking pill. “Heidi.”
And then guilt quickly followed like a kick in the gut. All this time he’d blamed Darcy, but she was just a pawn, someone hurt as much if not more than he had been. Knowing how insecure Darcy had been at sixteen—to be confronted by an adult would have made her question herself. Her words from the other night were still hammering in his head because she was right. He hadn’t fought for her.
“Thanks,” was about all Lucien felt compelled to say, but the next words from Sister Margaret stopped him as he made to leave.
“I think Sister Anne would be proud to see the man you’ve become.”
Lucien was already experiencing an odd tightness in his chest thinking about Darcy and then a burning started behind his eyes as he glanced back at Sister Margaret. She looked as uncomfortable as he felt.
“I’ll deny I ever said that. Now get lost.”
He needed a drink, but first he needed to make a call. He waited until he was in his car before he dialed Josh.
“Hey, Lucien. Sorry I haven’t gotten back to you, but I am looking into Darcy.”
“That’s not why I’m calling. How do you feel about puzzles?”
There was humor over the line when Josh replied, “I like them. It’s part of the PI gig. Why? You got one for me?”
“Yeah, I need you to find a man who visited Darcy at St. Agnes fourteen years ago, but I’ve got next to nothing for you to go on.”
“Sounds like a challenge.”
Lucien started at the beginning and told him everything he knew.
“Ember, could I have a moment?” Charles turned for his office without waiting for a response. He had just settled at his desk as Ember appeared.
“Yes?”
“Please have a seat. I asked you in here because I know of the situation with Dane Carmichael from last year and I wanted to make sure he wasn’t still bothering you.”
Ember was surprised by his question as well as the sincerity she saw in his expression.
“No, Dane hasn’t bothered me since that night.”
“Good.” Charles’s grin was both charming and contrite. “I have made a lot of mistakes in my life and have failed my family countless times. I’m trying to change that.”
Ember was speechless and a bit uncomfortable with the direction of their conversation. Charles was obviously feeling it too when he hurriedly added, “That’s all I wanted to say.”
Ember had just reached the door when he said, “The woman who was here some time back, Heidi Moore, I believe she’s an acquaintance of my nephew’s. Be careful; she’s trouble.”
Ember waited until she was back at her desk before she let out a shaky breath. She had the feeling that there was more than concern coming from Charles. He was trying to tell her something, but what? Ember remembered vividly when Dane and Heidi had come to see her at Clover last year. What was their connection? Ember was going to find out.
Lucien had drunk his body weight in Scotch over the past two days and still he couldn’t make the guilt or the pain fade. He had blamed Darcy for breaking his heart, and yet the truth was that he hadn’t had enough faith in them and let things lie for too long.
Who the hell was the man who had talked to Darcy fourteen years ago, and why had he been so determined to keep Darcy away? The idea of beating a confession out of Heidi almost put a smile on his face.
An hour later he tracked Heidi down at her apartment in the Village. He wasn’t surprised that he only needed to ring the bell and she buzzed him in without bothering to find out who