Page 584 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

Cindy braced herself against the steady onslaught of bumping waves, her lean face eager with anticipation. The tenderness that welled in Avery when he looked at her hit him so strong it almost hurt. Out here, the problems seemed to melt away. It was just he and Cindy. Nothing else mattered. Cindy’s athletic frame was softening into womanhood, and Avery knew it was only a matter of time before she became the spitting image of Susan. Cindy’s uncanny resemblance to her mother had tormented him in the bitter months after her death. Cindy had needed him then, but he’d been too engulfed in his cruel hurt to open himself up to her. They were like the same poles of two magnets, feeling the same pain, the same emptiness, yetrepelling each other away. Gradually, as the healing balm of time eased his grief, he’d gone the opposite direction, feeling the need to cling to Cindy. She’d been wary of his sudden interest at first but seemed to be warming up to him. Still, their relationship was fragile, a tender seedling taking root in soil of doubt. It was going to take time for it to grow into the sturdy oak it once was. She was his reason for living, and he knew he would do everything in his power to keep her safe. He just hoped someday she would understand.

When they reached the middle of the river, Avery dropped the sails and heaved the heavy anchor over the side. Cindy noticed the grimace on his face and the way he was protecting his hand.He reached for his rod and reel. “Let’s try it here. We’ll see how they’re biting.”

“How’s your hand?”

He flexed and winced. “Still sore, but okay.” Cindy had asked him about his injury, and all he said was that he cut it at the mill. She accepted his sketchy explanation without question. “Hand me some bait, honey.” The scowl on Cindy’s face broke his thoughts and made him chuckle as she reached in the cup and pulled out a slimy worm. This was Cindy’s least favorite part of fishing, but she never complained. It took him a fraction longer than normal to thread the hook. “Do you wanna take this one?”

“No, I can do it.”

He stifled a grin. “Okay.”

She reached for another worm and cringed as it slithered around her fingers when she tried to hook it. “Yuck!” She dropped the worm, handed the rod to Avery, and smiled sheepishly. “Thanks, Dad.”

It was one of those rare moments when they could shut out the world and just be father and daughter. What he would give to make times like this last longer. But he knew it couldn’t last. The problems at the sawmill were closing in. His stomach churnedwhen he thought about his reason for bringing Cindy on the boat. It was time to do some serious talking. His grandmother always said if you looked deep enough into a pool of water, you’d find your future reflected. He looked over the edge of the boat and down into the water. There was no reflection, only muddy water staring back at him.

He cleared his throat. “Cindy, there’s something I wanna talk to you about.”

She eyed him suspiciously. “What is it?”

“I’ve been thinking about what your aunt Judith said before she left. I think it might be a good idea for you to go and live with her for a while.”

Cindy’s face crumbled like a piece of wadded up paper. “What? Why?”

Oh, how he wanted to take her in his arms and hug her until that wounded look in her eyes disappeared. She’d been through so much. It seemed unfair that he had to hurt her more. If only he could unload his fears, make his daughter understand. He wanted to tell her that nothing short of fear for her life or his could ever separate them. But, he couldn’t. Worry over him was the last thing Cindy needed. “Judith can give you so many more opportunities than I can,” he finally said.

“This is my home. What about my friends? I want to stay here with you.” Her chin quivered. “You promised. Don’t you want me anymore?”

Avery clenched his fist. Everything he loved was being pried away from him, and he was powerless to stop it. He moved closer to Cindy. “I love you, honey. You know that. We’ll be back together again before you know it.”

“No, I don’t know that you love me. I don’t know anything anymore. I won’t go. I won’t go live with that stuffy old battleaxe. I hate her!”

“Cindy, be reasonable.”

“You can’t make me! I hate you!” She took her rod and reel and tossed it as far as she could and then watched in dismay as it sank to the bottom of the river.

Avery moved to the stern of the boat. He shook his head. “We’ll discuss this later.”

Cindy crossed her arms and moved to the bow, as far away from him as she could get. She turned her back on him, and for an instant, he wondered if she was going to dive off.

Dusk settled in, and the air became cooler as lights began popping out of neighboring piers and then stretching down into the water like long icicles.

Avery looked at his watch. Time to go. He didn’t want to be late for his appointment. It was time to face the music. He pulled up the anchor.

The wind had died down, so he would have to use the motor. He turned on the switch and it stalled. He tried again several times to no avail. “Come on,” he said, turning the switch with a vengeance. “We’ve gotta get home,” and then, “there she goes,” when the engine caught.

The people sitting on the pier were the first to hear the deafening blast invade the still evening. The boat changed to a ball of fire, sending splinters of debris shooting into the air like fireworks.

Then there was silence.

Cindy’s head was whirling.Treading her legs through the water was like pulling a lead ball with a chain. She was cold, and everything was moving in slow motion. If she could just make it to her dad. Was that him holding out his hands calling her name? Or was it her mom? Just when she thought she’d reachedthe spot, there was no one there. Seconds … minutes went by—or were they years? Time ceased to exist. Her eyes closed against the hurling blackness.

2

“IF YOU BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AND HAVE DEDICATION AND PRIDE—AND NEVER QUIT, YOU’LL BE A WINNER. THE PRICE OF VICTORY IS HIGH—BUT SO ARE THE REWARDS.” —PAUL “BEAR” BRYANT

Ten Years Later …

Ginger watched her best friend dip her hand in the chalk pack and look with eager anticipation at the massive wall in front of her. Sydney turned and caught Ginger’s gaze. “Race you to the top?”

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