you feel about two inches tall.”
“That was the one. She asked me what I was so upset about that I had to destroy a tree that had done nothing more than try to grow in the forest.”
“When was this? I don’t remember her talking about meeting up with you in the woods.”
“It was before we were going out. Shortly after New Year’s. That’s the anniversary of my mama’s death, and my daddy and I always struck sparks off each other for a few weeks around then.”
“Understandable. So how did you go from feeling like a worm to joining the Marines?”
“Your mama told me the reason me and my daddy fought so much was that I had the heart of a warrior and my daddy was a peacemaker. She said we were both leaders, both wanted to help the innocent, but in different ways, and our paths would never be the same.”
“Sounds like gypsy woo woo to me.”
“Me too, but when she looked you in the eye, you believed what she had to say.” He stopped talking while the waitress placed their meals in front of them. When she’d left, he continued.
“She told me I could fight against my path or I could take steps to follow it constructively. The next day, I borrowed the Buick and went to the recruiter’s office.”
“Wow. And now you’re a cop.”
“It’s not like Dale is a booming metropolis.”
“I know, but you’re still the face of the law.” Nadya scooped up a forkful of steaming pasta, cheese and sauce.
“So what’s the real reason you’re in Dale? I can’t imagine your mama left anything with Hornblower. He didn’t open his office until earlier this year.”
“Really? Why would he want to open a law practice in Dale? It’s not like there’s a burning need for legal advice in a town of three hundred or so people.”
“Damned if I can figure it out. He said he was going into semi-retirement and had always liked the area. Bought one of those houses off of Church Street and settled right in.”
“Huh. That’s weird.”
“Which makes me wonder why he’d call you all the way down from New York.”
Nadya took another bite of her dinner to give herself time to consider an answer. Why not tell him some of the story? Maybe talking about it would help straighten it out in her mind. Lord knew replaying the conversation over and over again hadn’t helped.
She took a bracing sip of wine for courage. “Hornblower wasn’t hired by my mama. He was hired by my father.”
J.T. let out a low whistle. “No shit? What does he want?”
“Nothing now—he’s dead too.” Nadya waited to feel some grief, some angst, some anger or leftover resentment, but she just felt…nothing.
“So what? Now that he’s dead and can’t do anything to help you and your mama he wants you to what? Lay flowers on his grave?”
“I don’t know. Hornblower had a letter from him for me and said something about a will, but I was too floored to pay attention.”
“He left you in his will? That takes some balls. He wouldn’t acknowledge you when he was alive, but once he’s dead and can’t get in trouble, he’ll leave you a little something. Who the hell was he?”
“I have no idea. I left before Hornblower could tell me.”
“I don’t blame you. I hope you told Hornblower to take the letter and shove it up his ass.”
J.T.’s anger on her behalf gave her a warm, fuzzy feeling in the pit of her stomach. Strangely, hearing him react with the same emotions she’d had made her feel less alone.
“No, but I wish I had.”
“So what happened?”
“I told him I had no interest in what my father had to say, alive or dead. He called me a coward and I left.”
“Seems to me the coward was your father. It doesn’t take a hell of a lot of courage to admit to wrongdoing when you’re cold in the grave and safe from any repercussions.”
“I know, right?”
“What are you going to do? Go back to New York?”
“Eventually. I kind of want to stick around a few days. I met up with Mary Ellen, and she invited me to dinner. I want to meet her boys, and I have to see her with Billy Michaels to believe it. I just can’t get the picture of the two of them together in my head.”
“They’re a sight, all right. He’s about a foot and a half taller than her and still as skinny as a beanpole. But they