Page 24 of Pretending with the Mountain Man
"Dad, hey." Sage sounds slightly rushed. "I've been trying to reach Melody, but her phone goes straight to voicemail. Is she with you?"
I glance at Melody, who mouths "dead battery" with an apologetic shrug. "She's here. Her phone died. What's up?"
"I'm actually on my way to the cabin now. Jake mentioned you guys were there today, and I have some news about Jason I think Melody should hear."
My body tenses. "What kind of news?"
"Nothing urgent, don't worry. But better discussed in person. I'll be there in about fifteen minutes. Is that okay?"
I look at Melody, who can obviously hear both sides of the conversation. She nods, though her expression has grown anxious.
"That's fine," I tell Sage. "We'll see you soon."
After hanging up, I pull Melody into my arms. "Whatever it is, we'll handle it together."
She nods against my chest. "I should probably put on actual clothes before Sage arrives."
"Probably wise," I agree, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Though I'm rather fond of this look."
She smacks my chest lightly before heading to the bedroom. I watch her go, appreciating the view until she disappears from sight. Then I allow my expression to harden. If Jason is making moves, I need to be prepared for all contingencies.
I spend the next fifteen minutes tidying up and trying to figure out how to explain this situation to my daughter. Melody emerges from the bedroom wearing jeans and a borrowed sweater that's too big for her, her hair pulled back in a puffy ponytail. She looks younger, more vulnerable, and my protective instincts surge.
"She's going to hate me," Melody says, perching on the arm of the sofa. "Her best friend sleeping with her dad. It's like a bad Lifetime movie."
"Sage doesn't hate easily," I assure her, though I share her concern. "And she cares about you. We'll figure it out."
The sound of tires on gravel announces Sage's arrival. I give Melody's hand a reassuring squeeze before opening the door. Sage bounds up the steps, a manila folder tucked under her arm and a worried expression on her face.
"Hey, Dad." She kisses my cheek before brushing past me into the cabin. Her steps falter slightly when she spots Melody. "Mel! Thank God. I've been so worried."
Melody stands, awkward and uncertain. "Sorry about my phone. I forgot to charge it."
Sage waves away the apology, pulling her friend into a hug. "No worries. I'm just glad you're safe." She steps back, lookingbetween us with a slight furrow in her brow. "Is everything okay? You both seem weird."
I clear my throat. "Why don't we sit down? You mentioned news about Jason?"
"Right." Sage moves to the dining table, spreading out papers from her folder. "So I have a friend who works at the courthouse in Toronto. She did some digging for me."
Melody and I sit across from her, carefully maintaining a respectable distance between us. Sage is too focused on her documents to notice.
"Turns out Jason's family is in serious financial trouble," Sage continues. "His father's investment firm is under investigation for fraud, and they've been quietly liquidating assets. The man that's been asking about you? He’s a PI. He works exclusively for one law firm in Toronto, specializing in asset recovery."
Melody frowns. "We knew the PI part. But I don't understand. I don't have anything of Jason's."
"The engagement ring," Sage says triumphantly. "The massive diamond that supposedly belonged to his grandmother? Apparently, it's worth close to a hundred thousand dollars, and his family is desperate to get it back."
"But I returned it when I left him," Melody protests. "I left it on the kitchen counter with a note."
Sage shakes her head. "According to my friend, the Mills family filed an insurance claim saying you stole it. They're trying to collect the insurance money while also getting the ring back."
My jaw tightens. "Insurance fraud."
"Exactly." Sage nods. "The PI isn't here because Jason is stalking you, Mel. He's here because the Mills family is trying to find evidence that you have the ring."
Relief washes over Melody's face. "So, Jason isn't coming after me?"
"Doesn't look like it." Sage reaches across the table to squeeze her hand. "My friend is gathering documentation to prove the insurance claim is fraudulent. Once we have that, we can make the PI back off permanently."
