I need to find some peace for all of us.”
He knew what the death of someone before their time could do to a family. Knew the far-reaching effects that blew people’s lives apart.
“Mrs. Linbar…” Fin didn’t finish his sentence, because Maggie was walking into the station. He’d never been happier to see anyone.
“What’s wrong?” She lowered the big box she carried to the floor and dropped down beside him.
“We brought a body down from the mountains today, Maggie,” Fin said. “Mrs. Linbar heard and came to see if it was Simon.”
Her eyes went from him to the woman who was sobbing softly. She moved to take the seat beside her.
“I’m so sorry, Mrs. Linbar.” She waved him away. “Coffee, Fin, now.”
Fin didn’t exactly leap to his feet, but it was a near thing. He then hurried to his office.
“I called her son; he’ll come and get her. Her husband is away on business,” Chief Blake said. “The body transportation is arriving, so I’ll go and see to that.”
“Maggie is here and with her,” Fin said, heading for the coffee. He poured two mugs and added sugar and cream. “I’ll drop by the station later and discuss a few things with you.”
“I’ll need your help on this, Fin. That mountain is your territory.”
“You have it.”
Maggs had her arm around Mrs. Linbar when he arrived. She took one of the mugs from him and pressed it into the woman’s hands. “Now you drink some of this, Mrs. Linbar.”
She took a few sips at Maggie’s gentle urging. Fin knew she was a good person. You didn’t have the friends she had not being that. But it made his chest warm to watch her look after Mrs. Linbar. It came naturally to her.
“Mother.” Noel Linbar walked in dressed like he’d stepped out of a men’s fashion magazine. “Why are you here in your slippers?” He looked horrified.
“Your mother has had a shock, Noel.” Maggie got to her feet and stood before him, hands on hips. He wished he could see her expression. “She’d needs your support at the moment, and what she has on her feet has no bearing on that.”
Fin had nothing to smile about—his morning at best could be termed hell—but seeing Maggs face off with Noel Linbar had him wanting to.
“Now, you need to take her home and sit with her. You know by now what has happened, and that your mother is suffering. Look after her.” The last was said with a definite snap. “I’ll call round later to check on her.”
“Of course.” Noel hurried to help his mother rise. “Do we know—”
“Not yet,” Fin said as the man threw him a look. “But we’ll let you know when we do.”
“Thank you. Let’s go, Mother.”
“You stay with her now, Noel, or call one of her friends to do so,” Maggie said with a steely tone.
“I will.”
“Thanks,” Fin said when the door closed behind them.
“No worries.” She turned to face him. “I know he’s suffering right along with his mother and father, and I’m sorry for it, but that Noel’s a cold fish, always has been. He thinks he’s special, which I assure you he’s not. He and my oldest brother, Ford, got into it a bit in school.”
“Into it?”
“Ford bloodied his nose a few times for being, and I quote, an arrogant asshole.”
“Gotcha. Why are you here, Maggs?”
“I brought that statue you ordered. It came in yesterday, but I just unpacked it. There was a note in the file that said it was for you.”
He felt a flash of excitement. Fin collected art, and he’d been waiting for this to arrive for weeks.
“You didn’t have to deliver it, but thanks.”
“It’s a great piece. I would have bought it if I’d seen it first.”
“Do you want some coffee?”
“No, thanks. I know what that stuff you make is like.”
“Real coffee.” He thumped his chest.
“You were the one to find the body?”
“I was.”
“I’m so sorry, Fin, that must have been horrible.” She stepped closer and touched his hand.
Fin turned his hand over and held hers.
“Horrible is a good word.”
“Do you think it’s Simon Linbar?”
“We can’t know that until they do some tests.”
“Was the body missing a femur?”
“From what I could gather, yes.”
“I can’t imagine what that was like to see.” She looked soft, sweet, and Fin felt that surge of heat he always got when she was near. He was sick of ignoring it, so he tugged her closer, needing her sweetness to remove the ugly he’d encountered today from his head, and