Page 118 of The Fixer

I am wringing my hands over what I might have done to Sid’s child and to you and your family, dear brother. I understand Louise’s animosity toward me and toward Joy, but believe me when I say I am devastated over this outcome. Let’s plan to talk a weekfrom Sunday about how we can fix this—fix Joy—to restore your family’s peace and harmony. I am so very sorry.

Your loving sister,

Helene

Dropping his head back, Charlie swiped at his suddenly moist eyes. Any sympathy he’d been allowing himself immediately jumped to Joy. His childhood had been a cakewalk compared to hers. Hell, his entire life.

How could he help Joy overcome her past and see that she belongedhere, that she was loved—especially if she wasn’t ready to face her demons?

Charlie texted Joy tobe sure she reached the resort. She had, but her reply was clipped, so he left it and took care of the dogs before changing and walking to the Miners Tavern. He wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone, but the din would fill his head and crowd out his self-pitying thoughts, his what-ifs, and his if-onlys. Questions, like whether he and Joy would ever recover that lightning in a bottle they’d captured or whether she’d forget him as soon as she returned to her high-flying life, circled inside his brain on a loop.

It was Friday night, and the place was packed. Reece was helping Noah and Hailey behind the bar, leaving Charlie to slide onto the only unoccupied barstool, which happened to be on the end beside Neve.

She greeted him with a kiss on the cheek and a half hug. “Where’s Joy?”

He hooked a thumb over his shoulder. “She left.”

“Left, as in left for good?”

He shrugged. “Maybe. Don’t know for sure.”

Neve waved at Reece, who just happened to be working this particular section. Coincidence? Probably not. “Double Jameson for my friend here.”

Reece delivered the order with a coaster and a furrowed forehead. “Everything okay?”

Charlie saluted him with the drink. “It will be.” He tossed back most of the whiskey and brought the glass down hard on the bar top.

Neve flexed an eyebrow. “Okay, sport. Let’s hear it.” Reece turned away to help another customer, and Neve slid her gaze his way before snapping it back to Charlie.

Three doubles later, Charlie was lamenting tearing into the Haven’s bedroom wall. “Goddamn it, I wish I’d never shown her those letters.”

Neve placed a hand on his shoulder. “You couldn’t have kept them from her, Charlie Hunnicutt, because it would have been wrong, and that’s not you.”

“Wanna bet?” he scoffed.

He was turned toward Neve, his back exposed to the empty space between the end of the bar and a picture window. He felt something brush against him.

“Go to Chicago and track that woman down,” Dixie whispered in his ear.

He flinched and nearly spilled his drink. He whirled on the stool and faced the brassy blond, whose hands rested on her round hips. “This is where she belongs. You know it, and I know it.Shedoesn’t know it yet, but you’re going to go get her and tell her.” She bobbed her head as if to punctuate her conclusion.

“Who belongs where?” Reece’s voice came from behind him.

“Helene’s daughter,” Dixie informed him before Charlie could even open his mouth. His head ping-ponged between the two of them.

Reece crossed his arms. “You mean Zoe Saldana or the other one?”

Hailey sidled up beside Reece, mirroring his stance. “Zoe. Of course.”

“Charlie’s going to Chicago to get her,” Neve chimed in.

“When’s he going?” Hailey this time.

Charlie threw up his hands. “Whoa! Everyone hold up. First of all, I’m sittingright here, so you can talktome instead of about me. Second, even if Iwantedto go to Chicago, I can’t. I’ve got too much going on here.”

Reece cocked an eyebrow. “What’s on your plate?”

Charlie gave him a rundown, thinking that would shut everyone up. It didn’t.

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