Page 93 of Winter Vows

She reached out and laid a hand on his arm, felt the muscle bunch beneath her fingers. “I’m sorry,” she said.

“For?”

She shook her head. “Just sorry.”

He caught her gaze, held it, then sighed. “Yeah, whatever.”

A moment later, he was gone. Kelsey shuddered, feeling a sudden chill in the air that had nothing to do with the air-conditioning. When she’d left Paul, she had made a solemn oath to herself to live without regrets. Now they were piling up faster than she could count them.

Six

More than ready to be doing something useful, Dylan got as far as the kitchen after walking out on Kelsey. He fully intended to hit the road and join the door-to-door search of hotels and motels, but Lizzy stopped him.

“What’s going on? You look mad enough to chew nails.”

He jerked his head toward the stairs. “Your friend up there is keeping things from us.”

He noticed that Lizzy looked vaguely guilty and seized on it. “You know what she’s hiding, don’t you? Justin figured you would.”

Her chin shot up with a typical touch of Adams defiance. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“I’m not a fool, Lizzy. Don’t you go making the same mistake that Kelsey’s making.”

“Dylan, of course I don’t think you’re a fool.” She plunged her hands deep into a batch of bread dough, concentrating fully on the task for a moment before she met his gaze again. “Look, this isn’t my story to tell.”

“Not even to save Bobby?” he asked quietly. “That’s what this comes down to, you know. That little boy’s life could depend on one of you coming clean with me or with Justin.”

That said, he walked out and let the back door slam behind him. Maybe the message would sink in, maybe it wouldn’t. Maybe she’d pass it on to Kelsey, maybe she wouldn’t. Either way, he’d delivered the warning. It was all he could do, he concluded with frustration. He couldn’t beat the rest of the story out of either one of them. He felt his lips curve in a grim smile. He’d leave that to Justin.

Almost an entire day had passed without a single word from Paul and Bobby. Back in the kitchen again after a few hours of restless sleep, Kelsey stared at the phone until her eyes hurt from the strain.

“Eat,” Lizzy commanded, putting a loaf of warm bread on the table along with freshly churned butter from the housekeeper at White Pines and a pot of blackberry jam. “I’ll have some scrambled eggs for you in a sec.”

Kelsey regarded her bleakly. “I’m not hungry.”

“Tell someone who cares. Eat, anyway. You have to keep your strength up.”

Kelsey stared at Lizzy, shocked by her cool tone. “What’s wrong, Lizzy?”

“Oh, not much. A few hours ago I was reamed out by the man we brought in to find Bobby. He all but accused me of standing in the way of Bobby’s safe return.”

Kelsey stared, openmouthed. “Dylan blamed you?”

“Not for the kidnapping, but for keeping something from him. I wonder where he got the idea there was some big, dark secret?” she asked, staring pointedly at Kelsey.

“Well, I certainly didn’t tell him,” she retorted, then sighed. “It’s just that the man can read me like a book. It’s uncanny. Either he’s a terrific private eye or...” She stumbled over what she’d been about to say.

“Or there’s a connection between the two of you,” Lizzy suggested lightly. “I vote for that. I think he’s as upset because you don’t trust him as he is because there might be something that could help in the search.”

Kelsey sighed. “Yes, that was the impression I got, too.” She met Lizzy’s gaze. “Am I wrong? Would it help to tell him why I think Paul really took Bobby?”

“I honestly don’t know,” Lizzy said. “But we’re not the experts. Only Justin and Dylan know for sure if it would help. Maybe it’s time to break your promise to Paul. After all, he hasn’t exactly lived up to his end of the bargain.”

“I know. I just keep thinking he’ll freak if he finds out. Then what?”

“There’s no reason for him to find out you’ve told them. It’s not like they’re going to announce, hey, buddy, we hear you’ve been popping too many painkillers and getting them illegally, to boot.”

“But they could file charges,” Kelsey said.

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