there was a reasonable explanation for his desertion. When acceptance finally settled in, that hope had shattered into a million tiny pieces, along with her heart. And for a while, her life.
“Maybe I can sneak into town, do what I need to do and not see him.”
“Ten minutes after you hit town, the gossips will have spread the news of your homecoming to every corner of Midnight.”
Yes, she did know that, but a girl could dream.
“By the bye,” Sammie said, “how on earth did you manage two whole months of vacation?”
“It’s not exactly vacation. I was just going to take a couple of weeks and putter around the apartment. But then a creep I prosecuted and put away issued a couple of threats. Reid thought it’d be a good idea for me to get out of town until after his sentencing.”
“I knew there was more to this story. Dammit, what did he say?”
“Nothing that hasn’t been said before. It was an empty threat. He’s got no clout left with his gang members, but Reid decided to be on the safe side. So since I had to take time off, I figured I might as well go back and deal with this.”
“Yeah, as opposed to taking a trip to the Bahamas or a long cruise.”
“It needs to be done.”
Sammie sighed. “I know, I know. I just wish …”
“Hey, I’ll be fine. Okay?”
“You know you only have to call me and I’ll come.”
“I know that and I love you for it. Maybe you and Bri can come down for our monthly meet.”
“Good idea. I’ll give her a call and see what she says. Have you talked to her?”
“Not yet. Had to leave her a voice-mail message, too.”
“Check your email when you can. She sent both of us a note this morning. She’s on a new project. Hush-hush. Said we probably won’t hear from her for a few days.”
The worry in Sammie’s voice mirrored Savannah’s thoughts. Even though the sisters were triplets, with only a few minutes between their ages, both she and Sammie had always looked at Bri as the one who needed to be shielded the most. To outsiders, that might seem odd, since Bri was a self-defense expert who could kick the ass of someone twice her size without breaking a sweat. But her family knew her inside and out. Beneath the tough façade she showed the world, Bri was a vulnerable, gentle-hearted woman who could be hurt too easily.
Five years ago, that tough façade had been all but destroyed. Bri had been engaged to a man they had all believed was perfect for her. Only weeks before they were to marry, disaster had struck. And then, after that disaster, total heartbreak and betrayal. Though Bri never talked about that time, Savannah knew she still reeled from the disillusionment.
Given her penchant for getting into trouble, Bri’s career choice as a private investigator had always worried the family. After what happened, they became even more concerned. She had a reckless air that hadn’t existed before. Thankfully, in the last couple of years, she seemed to have calmed down and now had an excellent reputation as an investigator.
“Did Bri give you any details of her case?”
“Of course not. You know Bri.”
“What about you?” Savannah asked. “Anything big going on?”
“SOS … same old stuff. Got called in on a triple homicide yesterday. Haven’t slept in almost twenty-four hours.”
Hearing that, Savannah was doubly glad she hadn’t asked for Sammie’s help. “Got any suspects?”
“Yeah, unfortunately … looks like the teenaged son did his entire family.”
Savannah sighed her sadness. How did some lives get so screwed up? “That’s awful. Is he in custody?”
“Will be as soon as we find him,” Sammie promised grimly.
The Wilde sisters’ career choices were an obvious testament to the impact of what had happened with their parents. No matter how much time passed, that legacy would remain with them always.
“Things still good with Quinn?”
“Oh yes.” Her sister’s sigh of contentment came through the phone line loud and clear.
Savannah smiled at the sound. Sammie had always had the easier time with relationships. She dated frequently but had never formed any lasting attachments. Then, at last month’s get-together, much to their surprise, she had announced she had finally found “the one.”
“I’m glad things are going well. Are we going to get to meet him soon?”
“If he can spare a couple of days, I might bring him with me when I come home for a visit.”
“Excellent. I can’t wait to meet the gorgeous doctor.” An