“Did you know about any of this?” she asked suddenly.
In the few heartbeats it took for him to answer, her blood turned cold, and a shiver ran the length of her spine.
“Did you?” she pressed.
“I’m not shocked because this isn’t the first time Renninger’s name has come up in connection with sketchy business practices,” he said slowly, as if choosing his words carefully.
Tina’s brows pulled together. She couldn’t help feeling that what he wasn’t saying was every bit as important as what he was. It didn’t take long to connect the dots. “He handled Handelmann’s accounts, didn’t he?”
Doc nodded.
The pieces began falling into place. Tina hadn’t understood how Kate had been shunned by her family and certain members of the community after she did so much for them. In an unexpected plot twist, Kate’s younger sister had gotten pregnant and ended up marrying Luther—Kate’s ex—shortly after Kate moved to Sanctuary.
Tina had believed there had to be more to the story than simply the fact that Kate had taken up with one of the Sanctuary guys. Now, she knew there was. Kate had probably discovered—or at least suspected—that Luther was up to no good, and no one had listened, just as Rick and Gunther and Kiefer had refused to listen to Tina whenever she raised concerns about Luther handling the Obermacher Farms’ accounts.
Which might also explain why Kate hadn’t said anything publicly. If she had bad-mouthed Luther, everyone would have believed it was just sour grapes.
But why wouldn’t Kate have said anything to Tina during their coffee time? Maybe she assumed that Tina wouldn’t believe her either. Or that because Luther and Gunther were such good friends, Luther wouldn’t screw them like he’d screwed Kate’s family.
Or maybe Kate had said something. Kate had been asking Tina about The Mill and seemed relieved when Tina told her she’d created her own business entity, separate from Obermacher Farms and handled by a professional accounting firm outside of Sumneyville. At the time, Tina hadn’t thought much of it other than a shared mutual dislike of Luther.
“Enough,” Doc said, carrying the bowls and plates to the sink. “You look beat. What do you say we call it a night?”
“I am tired,” she admitted.
“I can take the couch,” he offered.
“Doc, the only reason I’m here is because of you. If I wanted to sleep alone, I would’ve gone to a hotel.”
His lips quirked. “Well, in that case ...”
Tina was only slightly disappointed when Doc slipped into bed, wearing pajama bottoms. As much as she’d enjoyed their sexy times thus far, what she really wanted was just to be held. Doc seemed to understand that, which proved once again how amazing he was.
She snuggled against him, instantly feeling calmer.
“Doc?”
“Hmm?”
“Thanks.”
He kissed her forehead. “My pleasure.”
* * *
Despite Doc’s presence, Tina didn’t sleep well. She tossed and turned and woke throughout the night, but she was certain she wouldn’t have gotten any sleep had she remained alone and in her cottage. At least when she was tucked up against Doc, listening to his strong, steady heartbeat with his arm wrapped protectively around her, she was able to stay the panic and think semi-rationally.
When the call of nature became impossible to resist, Tina attempted to slip out of bed. Doc was having none of it.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he grumbled sleepily.
“To the bathroom. Got a problem with that?”
“Not as long as you come right back.”
She made no promises. After doing what she needed to do, Tina checked on Doc and found him fast asleep. Not wanting to disturb him, she crept quietly toward the front of the trailer, closing the partition behind her. Dawn was nigh, and her body was programmed to rise with it. Besides, her mind was too active, her thoughts too scattered to sleep.
First and foremost, she needed to find a good lawyer, preferably one who didn’t know her brothers and practiced outside of Sumneyville. If she was going to sign away her share in the farm, she wanted to make one hundred percent certain they were getting the best deal they could.
The next thing she had to do was face her crew, though chances were, they already knew. News—especially bad news—traveled quickly, and it probably wouldn’t come as a complete surprise. Those murmurings she’d overheard now made a lot more sense.
That morning in the orchards seemed like a lifetime ago. She wondered how long this had been going on and why she hadn’t been aware of any of it.