longer I waited, the easier it was to convince myself that you were better off without me. My mind was so screwed up. I wanted to be completely separated from my past.” He swallowed hard and continued, “I’m so damn sorry.”
She was, too, for more reasons than he knew.
“What made you change your mind and call me?”
“The army. The training I went through. I was reminded that a man is measured not by his parentage but by what’s inside him. It no longer mattered that James Tanner hadn’t been my biological father. The stories my mother told me about him made me realize that he was the kind of man I wanted to be. Ralph Henson was a sperm donor, nothing more.” He shrugged and gave her a sad, twisted smile. “I guess I finally got my head out of my ass and realized how stupid I’d been.”
Leaning forward, his eyes held hers. Savannah saw sorrow and sincerity but something more. Something she wasn’t sure she was ready to explore.
“When you wouldn’t talk to me, I didn’t know what to think. At first, I figured you were angry and hurt, which you had every right to be. Then, when you kept rejecting my calls, not answering my emails, I wondered if you’d somehow heard about what happened.”
Breath exploded from her in disbelief. “Surely you can’t think the identity of your father mattered to me.”
He shrugged. “I couldn’t come up with another reason. I thought it was either that or maybe you’d heard what they did to me.”
“How long did it take you to realize that none of that would have mattered?”
He smiled. “Only a few hours after I thought it.” His mouth flatlined grimly. “I don’t blame you for not taking my calls. You had every right to hate me.”
“I didn’t hate you. I—” But was that the truth? Perhaps a part of her had hated him. She now regretted not going to Fort Benning and demanding to see him. Her lack of assertiveness had cost her. Instead she had allowed herself to fade away again. And then she’d almost lost everything.
“You what?”
Savannah looked up, realizing he was waiting for her to finish her sentence. “I was just so very hurt.”
Regret darkened his expression even more. “I know. I’m so sorry.”
She waved away his apology. Not because it didn’t mean anything but because he had apologized enough. She now knew the truth, and though so much of their lives might have been different if either of them had reacted another way, the real villains of this tragedy continued on as if nothing had happened.
“Why did you never press charges against Henson?”
“I had no proof it was him. Never saw any of them clearly. It was his word against mine and we both know my word meant nothing in this town.”
“Then why come back here to live? Why would you—” She stopped abruptly. “Did you come back to exact some kind of revenge against Henson?”
“No, not consciously. I actually did intend to spruce up the old house, sell it, and get the hell out of here as soon as I could. Somehow, I got a different perspective.”
Horrified, she asked, “About Henson?”
“Hell no. That’ll never change. But the town in general just felt different.”
She smiled, understanding. “And torturing Henson with your presence?”
He gave her a half smile. “Icing on the cake.”
“So that’s why you suspect he’s in on the vandalisms?”
“Yeah, in fact, just got that confirmed today.”
“Really? How?”
“Lindsay Milan.”
Realization came, followed quickly by relief. “So that’s why.…” She nodded. “She’s Clark’s sister.”
“Yeah, she overheard a conversation between Clark and Henson.”
It was unkind of her but Savannah couldn’t help but wonder if one of Lindsay’s reasons for coming forward was because of Zach. If it had been Chief Mosby, would she have told him?
“What did she hear?”
“The dry cleaners is their next target. I plan to be there, too.”
“Won’t Henson and Dayton know who fingered them? Everyone saw you together at the social today.”
Zach grimaced. “She hasn’t been shy about her interest in me, so most everyone will just assume I succumbed to her.”
She wanted to ask him if he had but wouldn’t. Lindsay was only a year older than Savannah and very attractive. Most men would be thrilled with the attention she threw Zach.
As if he recognized her need for reassurance, he added, “She’s leaving town.”
Ignoring the happy skip of her heart at that news, she said, “Can I help you at the dry cleaners?”
“No, I’ve got it covered. Thanks.”
Her eyes dropped