Page 114 of Last Rites

But the moment he told them what Annie said, they had the same reaction he’d had, that of shock and then dismay.

“Mom, is there really a legend about a crying woman?” B.J. asked.

Shirley frowned. “I don’t know, but I’ve known the story all my life. Once, my brother and I thought we heard her, but Mama wouldn’t have us talking ourselves into being afraid of the mountain and just told us whatever happened in the past did not have the power to hurt us in the present.” Then she sighed. “But that was before that crazy man found the journal and came looking for gold. Gold that got Meg killed and nearly killed Charlie, so I don’t think Mama covered all the bases.”

“I hope we can find her,” Aaron said.

“I want to be on the same search team as my brothers,” B.J. said. “I remember being afraid of the dark.”

Aaron gave B.J. a quick pat on the shoulder.

“I’ll make sure you’re with me,” he said.

“Thanks,” B.J. said, and then carried his plate to the sink and walked out.

Sean sighed. “I think our little brother is becoming quite a man.”

“Agreed,” Wiley said.

Shirley sat, listening to them talk and wondering what kind of a miracle it was going to take to find Brendan’s Meg and the missing gold.

The next morning, Cameron got a call from Brian Chandler, telling him they had finished going through the Lidar scans and were ready to meet.

“I can be there in a couple of hours,” Cameron said. “Would ten o’clock work for you?”

“Sure. We can meet in my suite. Room 404 at the Serenity Inn,” Brian said.

“I’ll be there,” Cameron said, disconnected, then went to see if Rusty was awake. Pregnancy was taking its toll, and waking up early was no longer on her agenda. He opened the door to take a peek, then smiled. She was curled up on her side, her long red curls scattered across her pillow and in her face, sound asleep.

The mere sight of her filled him with such joy, and knowing she was carrying their baby was enough to put a lump in his throat. He carefully closed the door, left a note for her telling her he was taking Ghost for a run and would be back in an hour, then grabbed Ghost’s leash. Within seconds, Ghost was at his heels.

“You heard the jingle of the clasp, didn’t you, boy?”

Ghost looked up with anticipation.

Cameron chuckled, fastened the clasp to Ghost’s collar, and out the door they went.

As always, he took to the blacktop and headed up the mountain at a lope with Ghost beside him. It was already getting warm up here, so he could only imagine what it must feel like in the valley below.

He was anxious to find out what the Lidar scans revealed, but he was also a realist. This search was such a long shot. But he couldn’t forget those last few posts in the journal. After Meg’s disappearance,Brendan’s zest for life ended. There was no mention of anything of note afterward. Losing her had been the end of him.

And that kind of loss, Cameron understood.

Dani was dressed and in the kitchen making coffee when she heard a car pulling up into her drive. Before she could get to the door to see who it was, she heard a key in the lock and smiled.

“It’s just me!” Aaron said.

“I’m in the kitchen,” Dani shouted.

Moments later, he walked in, put a sack on the kitchen island, then took her in his arms.

“I’m on duty. Calling this a welfare call. I am absolutely certain I cannot get through this day without this hug. I brought you cinnamon rolls from Aunt Annie’s bakery. I love you.”

Then he swooped in, tunneling his fingers through her hair as he aimed for her lips. The kiss rocked her to her toes and ended as abruptly as it began.

Aaron groaned as he turned her loose. “Never forget how much I love you.”

And then he was gone, leaving Dani speechless and breathless, trying to absorb the kiss and run, but all she could remember was the rock-hard surface of his chest, the scent of his aftershave, and the cinnamon rolls as proof that he’d really been here.

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