Kate stood staring at her sleeping son,

her mind in turmoil over Parker being taken away by the police. She knew there was more to Parker Buchanan than he let on. But he wasn’t a murderer. Why had the police picked today, of all days, to question him?

Her son turned nine years old today. He’d been so excited about the birthday party Parker had thrown at his mansion. A big step for a man who wasn’t used to being around other people, especially children.

Even in college, Parker had been the James Dean type—part mystery, part outcast, but always intriguing. Kate had never seen the real man behind the facade.

Until recently. Until her son had won him over.

REUNION REVELATIONS: Secrets surface when old friends—and foes—get together.

Hidden in the Wall—Valerie Hansen (LIS#84) January 2008

Missing Persons—Shirlee McCoy (LIS#88) February 2008

Don’t Look Back—Margaret Daley (LIS#92) March 2008

In His Sights—Carol Steward (LIS#96) April 2008

A Face in the Shadows—Lenora Worth (LIS#100) May 2008

Final Justice—Marta Perry (LIS#104) June 2008

LENORA WORTH

has written more than thirty books, most of those for Steeple Hill. She also works freelance for a local magazine, where she has written monthly opinion columns, feature articles and social commentaries. She also wrote for five years for the local paper. Married to her high school sweetheart for thirty-two years, Lenora lives in Louisiana and has two grown children and a cat. She loves to read, take long walks and sit in her garden.

A Face in the Shadows
Lenora Worth

MILLS & BOON

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He reveals the deep things of darkness

and brings deep shadows into the light.

—Job 12:22

To Val Hansen, Shirlee McCoy, Margaret Daley,

Carol Steward and Marta Perry, my fellow

conspirators! I will always remember our time

together working on this project!

Special thanks and acknowledgment to

Lenora Worth for her contribution to the

REUNION REVELATIONS miniseries.

CONTENTS

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

PROLOGUE

“Mr. Buchanan, you need to come down to the station with us.”

Parker Buchanan looked from the two officers standing at the front door of his house to the woman standing in shock behind him. Before he could speak, Kate Brooks pushed her way around him.

“What are you talking about?” she asked, glaring at the investigators, daring either of them to step forward.

Out in the backyard, her son’s ninth birthday party was in full swing and Parker didn’t want this to ruin Brandon’s big day. “What do you want?” he asked, his tone firm and in control in spite of the tremors pushing through his pulse.

“We just need to ask you some questions,” one of the officers answered.

Parker knew both of them. He’d gone to college with Nikki Rivers and he’d seen her partner, Jim Anderson, around town. And he knew why they were here. In fact, he’d been expecting this visit for a while now. Ever since the body of a classmate, Josie Skerritt, had been discovered a few months ago buried on the campus grounds, their entire graduating class had become suspects. Then Cassie Winters’s brother, Scott, had died mysteriously just a few months ago. Everyone who’d known either Josie or Scott had been questioned. Now, it would seem, Parker’s number was up. He glanced at Kate, thinking it made sense that their time together would have to come to an end. Wasn’t that just his luck? Whenever something good started happening in his life, the bad was soon to follow.

“Let me get my jacket and cane,” Parker said, pulling Kate back away from the door. He limped to a nearby umbrella stand and grabbed one of his many walking sticks. The one he picked up now had a scrolled silver handle. A bit of embellishment to compensate for his permanent disability.

“They can’t do this,” Kate said, turning toward him, her blue eyes full of doubt and fear. “Parker, you should call Seth, at least. You might need a lawyer.”

“I don’t have anything to hide,” he replied, memories swirling like ink spots in front of his eyes. “Look, Josie knew all of us. It’s only natural they’d want to question me again, especially since she and I were good friends.” He gave Kate a warning look, then glanced toward the officers. “I’m surprised they haven’t already called me. And I do have something that might interest them, remember?”

Kate stood back, her hands at her sides. “But…they want to take you with them—that sounds more like an arrest.” She turned toward Nikki. “Can’t you just talk to us here? C’mon inside where we can talk privately and I’ll make some coffee.”

Nikki shook her head then looked down at the planked porch floor. “Sorry, we can’t do that, Kate. We’ve been ordered to bring him in—just for questioning.”

“And we can’t go into the details,” Jim said, his tone apologetic. Then he looked back at Parker. “It shouldn’t take too long.”

Parker nodded, then tugged on his jacket. “I’ll be back soon,” he told Kate, hoping that was the truth. “Just stay here and keep the party going. Wait for me, okay?”

Kate gave a quick nod. “I’ll be right here, I promise. But what should I tell Brandon?” she asked, her blue eyes widening. “He’s going to wonder why you’re not out there with everyone?”

Parker leaned close, taking in the floral scent of her perfume. Wrapping his arms around her, he gave her a light hug, then closed his eyes to block out the memories. “Tell him I’m helping the police find the bad guy.”

Then he let her go and left with the two officers.

ONE

It had been at the Magnolia Falls College reunion last summer when he’d first seen her again.

She was standing out on the veranda, leaning over the stone banister, looking down on the grounds of Mossy Oak Inn’s expansive gardens. Her dress was a shimmering white, sleeveless and flowing, the long skirt petaled out around her like the magnolia blossoms glistening in the trees just beyond the stone terrace. She had her hair pulled up, the light-brown curls cascading around a sparkling jeweled hair clasp.

Parker could almost smell her perfume, even though he stood across the elegant dining room near the staircase.

Should he go and say hi to Kate?

No, he thought, bitterness cloaking him, making him shrink back against the staircase. He looked down at the pearl-handled cane resting in the crook of his arm, the glimmer of the marbled white mother-of-pearl contrasting sharply with the jet black of his tailor-made tuxedo.

No, he couldn’t go and speak to Kate. He’d rather stand here longing, remembering how he’d sat behind her in advanced economics class their senior year of college, drawing sketches of her. He’d almost failed that class, simply because he spent most of his time with his eyes closed, enjoying the gardenia scent of Kate’s perfume. And when his eyes were open, well, that was a different matter. He’d seen a lot; but no one had seemed to notice him back then. It was as if he’d been invisible. But not to Kate, never to pretty Kathleen Brooks—now Kathleen Sinclair. Kate always had a smile for everyone. Even a nobody like Parker Buchanan.

And now he was rich and famous and everyone noticed him to the point of being intrusive, which was why he’d almost skipped tonight. Except, he wanted to see Kate again. He wanted to see that pretty smile.

He wanted to close his eyes and remember that smile.

A hand on his arm stopped him. “Parker?”

Parker turned to find an elegant blonde grinning at him. “Stephanie?”

Steff Kessler’s grin turned into a becoming smile as she brushed back her bobbed hair. “Yes, it’s me. Parker, I’m so glad you changed your mind and decided to come tonight. How are you?”

Parker took the hand she offered, glad to see a familiar face even if he and Stephanie Kessler hadn’t been very close in college. “I’m okay. A bit nervous, I guess.”

Steff nodded, seeming just as awkward as he felt. “Well, so am I, only because I want this night to be perfect. But I guess you’re nervous because you might be afraid of too many adoring fans, right? Since you’ve been back in Magnolia Falls, I’ve heard only good things about your success.” She leaned close and whispered, “In case you don’t know this, you have a certain reputation—you’re rumored to be a bit of a recluse.”

Parker looked at the woman out on the terrace. He didn’t listen to rumors. “Yeah, you could say that. Work keeps me busy.”

Steff glanced toward where Parker was looking. “Well, from what I hear, kids love your comic books.” She let out a dainty sigh. “What’s that like, writing about superheroes all the time?”

Parker tore his gaze away from Kate. “It pays the rent.”

“In a big way apparently,” she replied, grinning again. “We all thought it was so great when you bought Magnolia Hall.”

“I just always liked the house,” Parker replied with a shrug, reluctant to discuss his wealth or his personal life. What did it matter? He was still all alone. Telling himself he liked things that way, he turned to face Steff again. “I think I’ll go find something to drink.”

Steff nodded. “Please do. We have freshly squeezed lemonade and anything else you might want to drink. And get something to eat, too. I don’t want all this food to go to waste.” Then she glanced around. “And I’d better get back to making sure things are running smoothly. I can’t wait to see the old gang again.”

“I suppose that’s the plan,” Parker responded.

“After you.”

He didn’t miss the way Steff glanced at his cane. So he saved her the embarrassment of asking about that. “Three operations and this is the best I can get. A slight limp and a cane on my arm, just in case I fall on my face.”

A sympathetic look passed over Steff’s face. “I’m sorry you had to go through that. We don’t hear much from Penny, even though I often think about how she left, all alone with a little baby. Do you ever talk to her or Josie at all?”

“No, I haven’t heard from Josie since we graduated,” Parker replied. “And Penny probably still blames me for the car wreck, even though she was the one at fault.”

“Well, I’d say you’ve suffered enough because of that night.”

“You think so?” Parker asked, wondering if he’d ever be free of his guilt and his sins. Tonight of all nights, he didn’t want to remember the horrible wreck that had changed his life. In some ways, he owed his career to that accident, since he’d spent most of his time in the hospital drawing. But on the other hand, that night had damaged him in more ways than just the physical injury he would always bear. And people wondered why he was a recluse.

Steff gave him a thoughtful look. “Maybe tonight should be about enjoying the good memories and not dwelling on the bad ones,” she said, lifting her chin toward the crowd roaming around the Mossy Oak dining room. “After all, we only have to do this once a decade. I hope.”

That made Parker smile. “Me, too.”

Then he looked back out to the terrace.

And saw Kate Brooks staring across the room at him.

Kate first saw him standing by the staircase, looking as if he’d stepped out of an eighteenth-century novel. The brooding blue-green eyes, the dark-blond hair, the expertly tailored tuxedo. And the cane.

Parker Buchanan probably thought the cane only drew attention to his disability, but to Kate, it made him look debonair and mysterious. Then she had to smile.

Parker was debonair and mysterious. Or at least that’s what everyone around Magnolia Falls thought. He’d come back a few years ago, successful and wealthy thanks to the popularity of his Patchman comic-book series and the toys and games that went along with it. That return in itself had been enough to send the gossip mongers over the edge, but when he’d bought Magnolia Hall, the old, falling-down antebellum house that had once belonged to the town’s founder, well, that bold step had sent his reputation right into legendary proportions. Parker had painstakingly repaired and remodeled the elegant old house, leaving no detail untouched. It was said that the house had been rebuilt to the exact specifications of the original design and that the furnishings ranged from priceless antiques to quirky modern art.

It was said, but it was hard to know for sure, since Parker rarely allowed anyone into his mansion on the hill. Not even his old college friends. Most of the information had come from the construction crews and interior decorators, but even they didn’t talk about it too much. Parker demanded that kind of privacy now.

And while Kate herself had only been back a few months, she couldn’t help but think about Parker each time she drove by the columned white mansion. What did one man do all day inside a six-bedroom, six-thousand-square-foot house?

In Parker’s case, he worked. Day and night, according to the few people who’d been inside the house since he’d started occupying it.

Had he come home on purpose, to thumb his nose at all the people who’d scorned him in the past? To show those who’d pitied him after the accident that he could still stand tall and hold his head up high?

Kate couldn’t stop staring at him. He was certainly holding his head up tonight. He looked as resigned and arrogant as a European aristocrat. And—she realized—he was walking toward her. Her heart seemed to be beating in rhythm with his cane as he made his way across the room. Trying to smile, she started to walk toward him as well, anxious to say hello, anxious to ask him how he was doing these days.

Anxious to get to know the Parker Buchanan who still remained a mystery to her, even after all these years.

Parker sat in the dank, stuffy police station, waiting to be interrogated one more time. How had it all come to this? He’d lived a quiet, law-abiding life since he’d returned to Magnolia Falls. And now, just when his life had taken a turn for the better because of Kate and Brandon, it had also taken a turn for the worse. What if he were arrested for Josie’s murder? Who would believe that he was innocent? And how could he ever prove it?

Kate would believe him, he thought, his prayers holding him steady. Kate would have to believe him.

Trying to take his mind off his current circumstances, he thought back over the night of the reunion, and remembered how Kate had come back into his life for that brief time, her presence brightening his world like a flower opening to full bloom.

Parker couldn’t believe Kate was actually coming to meet him. He had to remember to breathe. Just seeing Kate again caused his heart rate to accelerate. Leaning heavily on his cane, he watched her moving gracefully across the room, her smile shy and uncertain.

“Parker,” she said as they met in the middle of the dining room, just underneath one of the gleaming chandeliers. “It’s so good to see you again.”

“You, too,” he said, his voice sounding raw and husky. Trying to find his courage, he nodded. “You look great.”

She smiled again. “Thanks. I splurged on this dress.”

“I’d say it was worth it,” he responded, his heart warming to her smile. He might just make it through this yet. “How have you been?”

She shrugged, glanced around. “Oh, I’m doing fine. I’m a nurse now, at Magnolia Medical Center, in the neonatal department.”

That threw Parker. “Wow. And here I thought you’d gone off to find fame and fortune in Nashville.”

She shook her head, causing her dangling earrings to sway. “Oh, I went to Nashville, all right. But the only things I found were heartache and a…a man who turned out to be the worst husband possible. But one good thing came out of it—we had a beautiful child together. We divorced five years ago, and then I went back to school to become a nurse. I like being able to support myself and Brandon.”

“Brandon? You have a son.” It was a statement, an acknowledgment to all that he’d missed in life—a family, a real home. Kate had had that. And apparently lost it. “I’m sorry about the divorce. But…your ex-husband must have been a real loser to let you go.”

She seemed surprised at that declaration, and a bit embarrassed. “It wasn’t all his fault. I wanted a career and I guess I neglected him. Then when Brandon came along, things got better for a while, but by then my career had fizzled out and so had his patience. Apparently even though he resented my career, he had plans to capitalize on it. When his meal ticket ran out, so did he. Brought me down to earth pretty quickly.”

Parker let that soak in. “Do you ever sing anymore?”

“Oh, yes, but only at church functions and hospital get-togethers. Around work, they call me the singing nurse. I like to sing lullabies to the tiny babies in neonatal.”

Parker could just imagine her standing over a struggling infant, humming some soft sweet tune. He remembered hearing her sing in the college choir. Her solos had always been his favorite parts of those staid, proper concerts.

“I think that’s a very noble cause,” he said, wondering exactly when he’d forgotten how to speak without sounding like an imbecile. “I’m glad you still sing.”

She grinned. “Ah, but singing doesn’t pay the bills. I have a son to support now, since his father isn’t known for being dependable.” She let out a soft sigh. “Brandon is my first priority now.”

Before he could stop himself, Parker blurted, “I’d like to meet him sometime.”

She laughed. “Oh, Brandon would love that. He has several Patchman toys and he reads your comic books all the time. I find them hidden in his bedcovers, even when he’s supposed to go to sleep early. He can’t make out all the words since he’s only eight, but he sure can memorize the pictures.”

“A picture tells a thousand words,” Parker replied, thinking her obvious love for her son spoke volumes.

“It was nice to see you again, Kate.”

“Nice to see you again, too. Wow, I can’t wait to tell everyone at work I actually talked to the famous Parker Buchanan.”

Her words hit Parker the wrong way. Was she just like everyone else, only wanting to speak to him because he was “somebody” now? He should have known. But…this was Kate. She’d always been polite to everyone. Parker had been away from his college friends for so long, he wasn’t sure who he could trust. But he wanted to trust Kate.

“I guess I’d better find a seat,” he said, ready to move on. If he didn’t expect much, he wouldn’t be disappointed.

Kate looked confused and hurt, but nodded. “All right. And Parker, I’d love to get together with you sometime. Now that we’re both back here, no reason we can’t stay in touch.”

“Right,” he replied, thinking she was once again just being polite. “I’ll make a note of that.”

He took his cane and turned to leave, thinking he might just have to skip the fancy meal Steff had planned after all. He suddenly didn’t feel like going down memory lane.

But when he turned back to look at Kate, she was still standing there, that puzzled expression on her pretty face. Then she said something that really put his head in a dizzying spin.

“I still have it, you know.”

An alarm went off in his head. “Have…what?”

“The sketch you drew of me, remember?”

He’d only drawn her face about a thousand times, so yes, he did remember. “Yeah, sure.”

“You always were talented, Parker. I’m glad you kept at it.”

“Thanks.” He watched as she turned and walked away. And he had to wonder if he’d somehow misread her. Maybe Kate Brooks truly did want to take up where they’d left off, if only for the sake of their old friendship.

A friendship that could have been so much more, if they’d been given a chance.

A tap on Parker’s arm pulled him out of his memories. He was still at the police station, facing more questions.

“Ready to go back over this, Parker?” Nikki asked, dropping her badge onto the desk in front of them.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” he replied. “I’ve already told you and Jim everything I know. Nikki, I didn’t have anything to do with this murder.”

“I sure hope not,” Nikki replied. “I like Kate. Always have. I’d hate to see her hurt.”

“But not me, right? I mean, you already think I’m guilty, don’t you?”

The detective gave him a blank look. “Not for me to say. I just follow the evidence.”

Parker reached inside his coat pocket. “Then you probably need to see this.”

“Oh, right. The thing you and Kate wanted to show us. Let’s have a look.” Surprised, Nikki glanced down at the two gaudy toy lockets inside the plastic bag.

“Well, well, that does add a new wrinkle. Where’d you get these, Parker? And why didn’t you show them to us right away?”

Parker let out a sigh and ignored the throbbing in his scarred right leg. “Why don’t I start at the beginning?”

TWO

Kate put the phone down then turned to her son. The expectant look on Brandon’s face broke her heart. But she couldn’t lie to him. “That was your daddy.”

Brandon jumped up and down, clapping his hands. “Is he coming to my birthday party? Is he?” It was almost a month before Brandon’s birthday, and it was all he could talk about.

Kate took Brandon by the hand, leading him to the small round breakfast table centered under the bay window. “I’m sorry, honey. He can’t take time away from work.”

Considering Dexter had finally found a new job after being unemployed for five months, Kate could almost sympathize with her ex-husband. She wanted to believe he had long-term, unbreakable plans, but she knew he was more likely planning to go to some sports event or a rock concert instead. Dexter still had a lot of growing up to do. He hadn’t asked for joint custody of their child because he didn’t want to deal with fatherhood, even part-time. He just didn’t want to have a family at all.

“But he promised,” Brandon said, his bottom lip beginning to quiver. “How come he misses everything? He missed Christmas, ’member?”

“I remember,” Kate said, taking her son onto her lap. “Daddy lives far away now, so it’s hard for him to make arrangements. But he loves you, you know. And I’m thinking he’ll send a nice present even if he can’t be here.” She’d see to that herself, just as she always did.

Brandon pressed his head against her fleece bathrobe. “Why can’t he just bring the present? Then I could have my daddy here, too. Like we used to be.”

Kate knew Brandon wanted his family back together. Had she been wrong to do this to her child? She’d certainly tried to make her marriage work; she’d prayed about it, consulted her minister back in Nashville, even begged Dexter to go to counseling with the minister. But in the end, Dexter hadn’t wanted to do that. He’d simply decided he had to have his freedom. And now, it seemed as if his son didn’t matter to him either. Since they’d been back in Magnolia Falls, Dexter had called Brandon only a few times and had seen him even less.

But it mattered to Kate. She glanced out the window to the street. She’d been lucky to find this little cottage in the older part of Magnolia Falls, not far from the college campus. Here the streets were lined with moss-draped live oaks, age-old magnolias and crape myrtles. But her backyard wasn’t really big enough to hold a birthday party, and her budget didn’t allow for having a party at the fun-filled pizza place out on the interstate. She debated asking her mom to host the party, but Grace Duncan did more than her share of babysitting when Kate had to work extra shifts or stay late at the hospital. And besides, Grace would turn what should be a fun time into some sort of formal, stuffy event.

“What we need is a big yard for your party,” Kate said. “Like a park or a nice garden, maybe.”

Brandon perked up at that, his eyes going bright. “Nana Grace says Mr. Parker Buchanan has the biggest yard in the county. She says his garden is supposed to be real pretty. I heard her talking ’bout it with Mrs. Welch from church. Maybe we could borrow his yard.”

Wishing her well-meaning but gossip-loving mother hadn’t spilled the news that the Patchman creator lived about eight miles from them, Kate looked down at her son. “Oh, honey, Mr. Buchanan is a very busy man. And he doesn’t like visitors on his estate.”

Which is why she’d hesitated even to try to track Parker down since the class reunion months ago. Each time his name came up amongst her friends, Kate tried to change the subject. By not getting back in touch, Parker had made it clear he didn’t want to be bothered. Not even by an old classmate. And not even a murder investigation could change that, since it had been rumored that he’d balked when everyone attending the reunion had had to submit statements to the police.

Parker Buchanan might live in Magnolia Falls, but he was apparently off-limits to everyone in town. He hadn’t even tried to call Kate after they’d reconnected at the reunion. But then, she hadn’t made any effort to keep in touch with him either. She told herself that was because she was a busy working mom and distracted by all the strange happenings around the college campus lately.

“If we asked nice though?” Brandon said, his eyes widening. “You always say to use manners.”

Kate had to smile at that. “Yes, manners are important, but asking someone for the use of their home isn’t very polite.”

“Even if we say please?”

Brandon’s innocence never ceased to amaze her. But she also worried that her son would get hurt if he got grand ideas about meeting the famous Parker Buchanan. Yet Parker had said at the reunion that he’d like to meet Brandon.

With all the scandal following the identity of the body buried on the campus grounds, everyone was a bit skittish. The media had tried to get comments from the entire class, including Parker. But she reminded herself again, he wasn’t talking to anyone, let alone the media, about his relationship with Josie.

Even though she hadn’t seen Parker again since that night, maybe now was not such a good time to get in touch with him. Or maybe it could be the best time, she couldn’t help thinking. Planning her son’s birthday party would help take Kate’s mind off that grisly discovery, at least. But what about Parker? Could he use a distraction, too? It just might work.

If she used her manners, of course.

“Tell you what,” she said as she placed Brandon on his feet. “You finish getting ready for school and I’ll see what I can do. I’ll try to find a special place for your party, I promise.”

“At Mr. Parker’s?”

“I didn’t say that. But we’ll have to see. Don’t get your hopes up, okay?”

Brandon nodded. “’Kay. But I’m gonna pray about it.”

Another of her mother’s phrases Brandon had picked up. Praying about things was a good idea, if you didn’t pray for the wrong things, of course.

“Dear God,” she said as she picked up Brandon’s empty cereal bowl, “if You can see fit to help me make my son’s ninth birthday special, I would so appreciate it.”

And in the meantime, Kate would give Parker a call. After all, another one of her mother’s phrases was “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, but I have to make the effort to be strong in Christ.” Kate certainly knew that particular piece of wisdom firsthand. She could only depend on God’s grace and her own strength to take care of her son.

Now, if only Parker Buchanan would see fit to make Brandon’s wish come true.

Parker stopped drawing to listen to the phone message once again. Just to torture himself a little bit more, he reasoned.

“Hi, uh…Parker, it’s Kate. Kate Brooks. You are one tough man to track down. I had to go through an agent and a publicist to get this number.”

Only because Parker had given his publicist permission to give it to her, he thought. Just out of curiosity, and not because of a keen need to see Kate again, he reasoned. He had no idea what she wanted, but he wasn’t ready to face her again. Not right now, just after he’d been hounded by the press and questioned briefly by the police about the latest developments in the murder case. He expected the police to question him again any day now, too.

“Anyway, I need to ask you a huge favor. Can you call me, please?”

Parker listened as Kate gave him her home number. He’d had it memorized since the message had come in yesterday, but he had yet to return her call. Or delete her message. His publicist didn’t know what it was about. Kate wouldn’t say. She just needed to talk to Parker.

A favor?

What kind of favor could she want?

Getting up to pour himself another cup of black coffee, Parker stared out into the night, his two loyal German shepherds, Patch and Daisy, following him across the spacious room. On the other side of his desk in the cozy sitting area, a fire crackled in the massive stone fireplace, warding off the last of the winter chill. His office was downstairs on the back of the house, overlooking the pool he’d had renovated this winter. The row of paned windows and doors across one entire wall gave him a stunning view of the sparkling water and the moonlit gardens. He could see the dazzling white of the dogwood blossoms just on the edge of the estate. Soon the magnolias and the moon vines would be blooming. The landscapers called it a moon garden, one where all the white-flowering blossoms shone luminous and ethereal in the moonlight.

The way Kate’s pretty dress had shimmered the night of the reunion last summer.

And why was he thinking of that instead of calling Kate back? The very thing he’d so often thought of—having a conversation with Kate Brooks—now stood as a symbol of all that had kept them apart. And how many times had he thought about her over the last few months since their brief encounter at the class reunion? Just about every day, almost every waking minute.

But, as he usually did when he didn’t want to face a problem, Parker poured his heart into his work. When he needed a break, he could take the dogs on a walk over his twenty-five acres, or go fishing down at the pond or just sit out by the pool, staring at nothing. Thinking of nothing.

Thinking of her.

“Okay,” he said out loud as he turned back to his storyboard. “Get her out of your mind, man.”

Kate Brooks came from a fine, hardworking middleclass family. Although she hadn’t been as wealthy as some of their classmates in college, she’d certainly been popular. And since she’d grown up here in Magnolia Falls, she’d been on the inside track with the uppity society crowd.

Parker, on the other hand, had moved here in his senior year of high school and had never managed to fit in. His family wasn’t rich. In fact, he’d lived in a house with his widowed mother and older sister on the wrong side of the tracks, so to speak. His mother had worked hard in the college cafeteria, but she’d insisted on Parker getting an education. So with money left over from his father’s insurance policy, she’d sent Parker to college. She’d died a year later.

Now his only sister was married with her own family in Atlanta, but Parker made sure she didn’t want for anything. He sent money to her regularly to help with her children’s education. He was glad to be able to do that, since it looked as though he might not ever have children of his own.

Then he thought of Kate’s son. Brandon. He’d told her he’d like to meet the little boy, though he certainly hadn’t made any effort to do so since the reunion. But then, a lot had happened since that night.

Beginning with Trevor Whittaker finding a skeleton buried on the college campus. That kind of scandal sure put a damper on any type of reunion or party. Maybe that’s why Parker hadn’t bothered pursuing Kate. He knew she was here; knew she worked hard at her job. He didn’t think she had time to date anyone, or at least he’d heard nothing to give him reason to believe that she did. He’d thought about calling her, but maybe he just liked the idea of Kate Brooks better than getting to know the real woman. Maybe he didn’t want to risk that. Because that would mean she’d have to get to know the real Parker Buchanan.

Parker looked down at Patch. The black dog with the brown spotted nose stared up at him with big eyes. “She needs a favor,” Parker said, shrugging. “What’s up with that, old boy?”

Patch made a grunt deep in his throat. Daisy looked from her master to her mate and back, then whimpered low.

“Oh, of course you’d side with Kate,” Parker said to the female dog. “You’re a woman, after all. I know y’all conspire together, right?”

Daisy gave him a quizzical look, then slid down onto the braided rug next to Patch.

Parker wondered why humans couldn’t be as loyal as animals.

The two dogs looked at each other, then back to Parker as if to say “It’s not that hard. We love each other.”

“Right,” Parker said. “Love. That has to be in there somewhere, doesn’t it?”

He stared at the phone, but he refused to listen to the message again. He didn’t believe in love. And he didn’t grant favors, even to an old friend.

This should be very simple, Kate decided two days later. It was a warm Saturday morning and Brandon was at soccer practice for the next couple of hours. And she was on a mission. Once she got something in her head, she plowed forward. Like moving to Nashville to become a country singing star. Or marrying the wrong man for all the wrong reasons.

But this was different. This was for Brandon. And Kate would do anything for her son.

Even if it meant breaking and entering, sort of.

“Got to move that mountain,” she said, thinking of another one of her mother’s favorite sayings.

She didn’t know what had possessed her to wake up this morning with criminal intent in her mind, but something had urged her to go to extreme measures regarding Parker Buchanan. Okay, maybe it was because her son looked so dejected each time she mentioned his birthday. Since nothing she offered seemed to change Brandon’s sad expression, she’d finally done a very foolish thing. She’d promised her son she’d talk to Parker Buchanan about at least coming to his birthday party.

“But that’s all I promised,” she told herself as she scoped the territory surrounding Brandon’s gated estate.

“I did not tell my son I was actually going to come here and confront the man himself.”

She eyed the electronic gate and the six-foot wrought-iron fence. Well, she had tried reaching Parker the conventional way, but the man wouldn’t return her messages. And he wouldn’t answer the buzzer on the gate, either, even after she’d hit it for the third time just to be sure. Maybe he wasn’t even in that big white house up on the hill. There was only one way to find out.

She was going in there.

Okay, so how exactly was she going to get inside this compound?

She looked around, thinking maybe if she found a tree near the fence, she could climb up and jump over. She saw an old oak, then tried to shimmy her way up the slanted trunk to the one low branch that could propel her over the high fence. Pushing through new spring brambles and old dead weeds, she managed to secure one tennis shoe to the tree, then lift herself up the ancient trunk. She climbed toward the protruding limb, then reached a hand out to grasp it. But the branch was limp and not as secure as it had looked from the ground, so her hand slipped, causing her to wobble backwards through the air. That only brought her tumbling back down onto her bottom, her hands rough and red from holding on to loose bark. Rubbing her raw palms against her now-soiled jeans, Kate stood back to stare at the graceful mansion sitting back away from the road. Maybe if she walked the perimeter of the property, she could find a way inside.

But after marching a few yards toward the woods, she realized the weeds and shrubs were too overgrown for her to be able to even find a hole in the fence. She had the thorns and beggar ticks on her jeans to prove it. And since the weather was warming up, there was a possibility that she’d encounter a rattlesnake or copperhead coming out of hibernation.

Frustrated, sweating and puffing, with her hair falling out of the haphazard coil she’d pulled together this morning, she came back to the fence.

“Maybe I can squeeze through those iron bars,” she reasoned. Something told Kate she’d just have to force the issue with Parker, to get his attention at least. If she remembered nothing else about the man, she knew he was stubborn and full of pride.

Kate intended to break through all that, for her son’s sake.

“Sure, like that’s gonna happen.”

Then an amazing thing did happen. The gate started to swing open. Glancing around, Kate wondered if there was a camera on her. But a delivery truck coming down the long drive from the house confirmed she was safe. Obviously, even a recluse like Parker Buchanan had to order supplies now and then.

So, taking the only chance she might have, she slipped through the open gate, in too much of a hurry to get in her car and drive through the normal way. She scooted around the partially open gate before the truck rounded the curve to the street, then hid behind a tall camellia bush until the truck was gone and the gate had shut.

She was inside Parker’s beautiful estate. Looking around, she could see that the lawns and gardens were well-maintained and lush. A new springtime bloom covered everything from the great moss-draped oaks lining the drive to the shiny green magnolia trees waiting to blossom in a month or so. Soon the many azaleas covering the grounds would burst out in brilliant color. Kate could only imagine how beautiful this place would be during the spring and summer.

But she wasn’t here to admire the scenery, she reminded herself.

“Now what?” she asked as she took a deep, calming breath.

Then she heard the dogs barking.

THREE

Parker glanced up from reading over some pamphlets and brochures the deliveryman had left. Patch and Daisy were going crazy out there about something. He’d let them stay out back after he’d shown the deliveryman the storage shed near the pool house. Watching them out the open French doors, he saw the dogs heading around the house toward the front.

Couldn’t be the delivery truck. Parker had seen it leaving. Maybe someone else was at the gate, but he wasn’t expecting anyone. Hurrying to check the security camera located above his desk, he rewound the tape.

Someone had definitely been at the gate, but he hadn’t heard the buzzer since he’d been in the storage house.

Parker blinked. He couldn’t be sure, but it looked like Kate. What was she doing out there on foot?

Wondering what was going on, he grabbed a cane and headed up the central hallway toward the big front door. Maybe Kate’s car had broken down out on the road.

Hurrying toward the tall ceiling-to-floor windows, Parker checked the driveway but didn’t see any vehicles. And Kate was nowhere to be found now, either. But he could sure still hear the dogs barking.

He went to the other window, then stopped, his hand on a sheer white curtain as he watched a woman sprinting across his yard with Patch and Daisy hot on her trail.

Parker shook his head. “Okay, there’s a woman running across my property, with my dogs chasing her. Not good. Not good at all.”

His heart slammed against his ribs as he headed to the front door, planning to call off his dogs before they caught up to her. Just as he opened the door, however, she came bounding up the low stone steps to the wide front porch. And because she was looking back at the dogs, she didn’t see Parker standing there with the door open.

Kate Brooks ran right into Parker’s waiting arms, causing him to lose his balance. Parker was propelled back to the floor with a skid and a thud, his cane going in one direction as his body slammed down with a jarring hit. The dogs caught up, still growling and panting as their paws hit wood and scratched hard after Parker shouted a command for them to halt.

“Ouch,” Parker said once he was sure the dogs were secure. He steadied himself, then looked up, taking in Kate’s falling hair and wide, frightened eyes. “It is you.”

She stared down at him, her face red from running, her hands unsteady as she held them on his shoulders. “Uh, hi, Parker. Did you get any of my messages? Didn’t you hear me buzzing the intercom by the gate?”

Before he could answer, Patch and Daisy inched closer, Patch growling and Daisy whimpering hello to Kate.

“Down,” Parker said in a firm tone, causing both dogs to back off and turn in circles. “Sit,” Parker said, afraid to move in case he was dreaming. But the pain shooting through his leg told him this was real. That and the woman in his arms. “Patch, Daisy, I said stay.”

The dogs sat back to wait for his next command.

“That’s better.” Having settled his overly protective dogs, he centered his attention on the woman who’d just fallen with him. She smelled like spring and looked as though she’d been tossed by a strong breeze. He covered his joy and surprise with a glib reaction. “Let me guess? You were just in the neighborhood?”

“I did try calling you,” she replied as she pushed up and sank back on the floor to stare at him. “And I did try to buzz myself in.” Then she shot the dogs a wary eye. “Is it safe?”

Parker followed her gaze to the two dogs. “They’re pretty harmless. Unless I tell them otherwise.”

“Are you going to do that?” she challenged, that soft Kate smile on her face. “Since you obviously don’t want me here.”

“Depends.” He got up, ignoring his throbbing right leg, then offered her his hand. “Do you come in peace?”

Kate took his hand only long enough to get herself up and steady, then she stood back, straightening the lightweight navy hoodie she was wearing over a T-shirt and jeans. “I only came here because you didn’t return my calls.” Then she watched as he managed to pick up his cane. “Oh, are you all right?”

“I’m fine. Just peachy.” Parker couldn’t believe she’d gone to so much trouble, but he didn’t let on that he was impressed. “Did you stop to think maybe I chose not to return your calls?”

She circled him, her gaze sweeping over the long Queen Anne table and twelve matching chairs in the formal dining room just off the hall. “Yes, I thought that. But then, I also thought that even if you and I haven’t seen much of each other since college, I still consider you a friend. And friends help each other out. Or are you too far above helping a friend now?”

Parker stood back, crossing his arms over his chest as he stared at her. “I have a lot of so-called friends these days, which means I have to be careful.”

She pulled the elastic band off her hair, then tugged it onto her wrist, allowing all that pretty hair to fall free around her face and shoulders. “So you don’t trust anyone, not even me? Is that it? Is that why you’ve been ignoring me?”

“I have to pick and choose,” he replied, wondering how he could explain this without looking like a pompous snob. “I don’t like to waste time and I especially don’t like interruptions. And lately, with all the media attention about Josie’s murder, well, as I said, I just have to be careful.” Then he shrugged. “I didn’t hear the buzzer earlier because I was out in the storage shed with a deliveryman.”

“Right.”

She didn’t believe him.

“I’m sorry I didn’t let you in.”

“Well, as you said, we’re all being careful these days.” She moved around the hallway, her gaze taking in the antique walnut hall tree and the Chippendale secretary. Then she whirled around, disbelief and doubt evident in her bright eyes. “Look, Parker, everyone in town knows you’re rich and famous now, so why don’t you just get over yourself and let me explain why I’m here.”

He leaned back against the secretary, a slight grin forming on his face. No one did self-righteous indignation better than Kate. “So you’re not overly impressed with my success?”

“Oh, I’m impressed,” she said, waving a hand in the air. “I mean, who wouldn’t be? This place is like something out of a Hollywood movie set. But I just never figured you’d go all cold and uppity to the point that you wouldn’t even return a phone call. This isn’t the press—this is me, Kate. I thought we were friends. Honestly, why’d you come back here if you don’t want to associate with anyone?”

He wanted to tell her that he’d picked up the phone several times, longing to hear her voice, wanting to find out what she needed. But he’d never dialed her number. Not because he was too uppity, but because he couldn’t risk getting too close again. So instead, he said, “I liked the house.” It was his standard answer when people got too personal.

She nodded, pushed her hair off her shoulder. “So you like your house, but not your friends? I thought we reconnected at the reunion and then…nothing. Not a word from my old buddy Parker. How rude is that?” She wagged a finger in his face. “I think you like being able to lord it over all of us.”

“I might,” he said, smiling at last. “So, is that why you broke into my home, to let me have it for being so rude?”

She held up a finger again. “I didn’t break in. The gate was open. I kind of walked right in.”

He nodded. “I see. All you had to do was announce yourself.”

“I did, several times. I mean, I buzzed that contraption. Aren’t you listening?”

“I told you, I was occupied outside. The pool shed doesn’t have an intercom. But I’ll certainly have to remedy that.”

“I figured you were just giving me the big brush-off. You don’t want to be my friend anymore for some reason.”

She’d probably figured right. Why was he so scared of this? Maybe because he couldn’t stomach the thought of having her near, then losing her altogether? Which he was sure would happen.

He stared over at her, thinking that at least she had the guts to be honest with him. That was refreshing.

“What do you want?” he said, his tone brusque enough to hide his curiosity. She looked unsure and worried, and that was his undoing. “Kate, just tell me. If you really need something—”

“I need a favor,” she repeated, her voice low. “Can we just talk for a few minutes?”

He nodded, turned toward the back of the house, then held out a hand to let her pass. “C’mon, I’ll get us something to drink.”

“That sounds good,” she said, her sneakers squeaking on the hardwood floors. “Wow, this house is incredible.”

Parker whistled to the dogs to follow, then watched her face, seeing his home through her eyes for the first time. He’d often wondered what Kate would think of his house. Would she like it? Or would she think he was being pretentious and overblown? How could he explain to her that it had been important to make this old house shine again? That he did believe in tradition and family, in spite of not having those things himself? This place had been broken and abandoned, crippled much in the same way he felt at times.

Healing this house had helped heal him. A little bit at least.

She turned as they reached his office, bending down to pet the dogs. “What are their names?”

“Patch and Daisy. They’ve been with me since I came back.”

“Watchdogs?”

He nodded. “Sort of. And for companionship.” At her raised brow, he added, “They’re loyal and unassuming. They don’t expect much from me. And they rarely talk back when I’m musing out loud.”

She mumbled sweet nothings to the two animals, winning them over completely, then watched as they moved past her to the open doors out onto the terrace. Spinning back around toward Parker, she said, “Is this where you work?”

“This is it,” he said, suddenly feeling as unsure as she seemed. So he just stood there with one hand resting on his cane, watching as she moved around the big room. He enjoyed the way her eyes grew wide with each new discovery, the way she smiled as she touched an artifact or read over some of his framed original comic strips.

Then she lifted her chin, listening to the soft music playing through carefully hidden speakers. “You always did like Mozart.”

He was surprised but pleased that she remembered. “Helps me to relax.”

She turned at his desk and the sight of her centered there amongst his most intimate possessions did something crazy to his heart. All of his circuits were going into overload. Telling himself he just wasn’t used to company or such interesting distractions, he took his time enjoying this surprise visit. Then he remembered his manners. “I’ll go get that drink? Water or coffee?”

“Water sounds good.”

“Be right back.”

“Can I come?” she asked. “I mean, I’d love to see your kitchen.” Then she giggled. “I guess I’d love to see the entire house.”

He nodded, his heart twisting with a painful kind of joy. Kate was here in his house and he couldn’t think of a single thing to say.

In the end, she put him at ease in that Kate way he remembered. She laughed and chatted and commented on his expensive cooking pots and gourmet kitchen.

“I can’t cook,” she explained with a shrug. “Thank goodness for the microwave.”

Parker didn’t tell her that he enjoyed cooking and was pretty good at it. Maybe one night he’d have Brandon and her over for a good meal. Maybe. He’d been considered a nerd in college, so he didn’t want to come off as one now.

He handed her the mineral water in a crystal goblet with a twist of lime. “Here you go.”

“Wow, fancy.”

He lowered his head, mentally kicking himself for showing off. But then, he had crystal goblets now. Might as well use them for company. Of course, he was also blowing any chance he had of seeming macho, either.

“I think you’re the first,” he said to cover his discomfort.

She blinked. “Excuse me?”

“My first official guest.”

“You’re kidding, right? How long have you lived here?”

“A few years.”

“And you haven’t had any guests?”

“My sister and her family come for visits now and then, but no one from…the old days.”

“Probably good right now,” she said, sipping her water.

“You mean with all that’s going on?” He shrugged.

“I do get the local paper.”

“Yes.” Her expression shifted from quizzical to wary.

“It’s just horrible—Trevor finding that body, then we find out it’s Josie Skerritt. That, and all of this point-shaving business with Professor Rutherford and the basketball team. Then Cassie’s brother, Scott, being found dead because he was investigating it—well, it’s really put a damper on things around the college campus.”

Parker remembered reading about the point-shaving scandal at the college. Apparently Cassie’s brother, Scott, a local reporter, had stumbled across a point-shaving scheme involving the basketball team years ago, one that had caused Scott to have an accident when he was playing. It had ruined his hopes for an NBA career. Scott’s sister, Cassie, and a professor named Jameson King had broken the case but hadn’t solved Scott’s murder.

Did he see a question looming in her pretty eyes? Did she remember that he and Josie had been close once? “Have they gotten any new leads yet?”

“Not that I know of,” she said, her finger tracing the delicate design of the goblet. “I guess you’ve heard about as much as me. They’re worried now about the baby, since they haven’t found anything to indicate the baby died with her. We’re trying to find our own answers. That’s why we’re trying to track down everyone. Steff and Dee are cooperating with the police on the PR. There’s an alumni Web site set up to track our class—”

“Is that why you’re here?” Parker asked, his insides going cold. “Did one of your friends or the police send you to get information?”

“No,” she said, shock registering on her face. “Parker, honestly, I was just trying to catch you up on things.” Slamming her glass down, she said, “And no, that’s not why I’m here. But this is silly, so never mind, just never mind, okay?”

She turned to leave, but he caught her arm with one hand. “Kate, hold on.” He put down his lukewarm coffee then turned toward the hallway. “Let’s go sit by the pool and you can tell me the real reason you’re here.”

She followed him in silence, but Parker had to wonder if she’d come here on some sort of fishing expedition. Did she think he might know something about that body? Was that the favor she needed—to get information out of him for the police or her sorority sisters? But then, the police had questioned him just as they’d questioned everyone, and they knew where to find him.

He waited as she sank onto a white wrought-iron chair, then he sat down across from her, propping his feet on a matching table. Trying not to wince as pain hit his leg again, he said, “Okay—I’m done with the niceties, and I’m sorry if I seemed rude. What kind of favor do you need?”

He hated the hurt expression on her face. At first, she just looked at him as if she hoped to figure him out. Then she said, “I guess I shouldn’t have come here. I should have taken the hint when you didn’t call me back. It’s obvious you don’t want to be bothered.” She stood up. “I’d better just go.”

Parker stood, too. “No, sit down, please. I said I’m sorry if I was rude earlier, but I have some pretty obsessive fans and you have to admit you went to extreme measures to get to me. But you’re here now, so talk.”

She looked embarrassed. “I was desperate.”

He rubbed a hand down his chin. “Oh, that sure makes me feel better.”

“No, I didn’t mean it that way,” she replied, her blush becoming. “I—It’s for Brandon.”

Parker gently pushed her back into her chair, his entire stance changing. “What do you need?”

Her expression changed, too, at that simple statement. “You like children, don’t you? I mean, you must since you write comic books geared toward children. And your characters are so vivid, so…inspiring. The lessons in your stories are universal and simple, but good examples.”

He did like children, but more importantly, he liked Kate, and now that he knew this favor involved Brandon, he really wanted to help her son. And he appreciated that she got his story methods, that she’d even read his stuff. But he wasn’t used to people reaching out to him unless they needed something from him. And apparently, Kate needed something pretty badly.

So, to hide his own treacherous feelings, he turned abrupt again. “Get to the point, Kate.” Lowering his voice, he added, “Please?”

She sighed, then crossed her legs. “Brandon’s birthday is in a few weeks and we’ve been trying to plan something fun and different. You see, his daddy stayed in Nashville and well, Dexter isn’t the most dependable man in the world. He’s already called to tell me he won’t be able to come the weekend of the party. Brandon was so disappointed.”

Parker sat still, his fingers templed together over his lap as he thought about what it was like, not having a father around. He certainly knew that feeling. He also knew all about disappointment. Disappointment and disgrace sliced through him each time he reached for a cane. “What can I do?”

She looked at him then, really looked at him, her eyes so full of thankfulness and gratitude, Parker almost hated the light shining in them. He’d never want to disappoint Kate.

But her next request was going to make him have to do that very thing. Even as he listened to her soft plea, Parker knew he’d never have the courage to help her. He was still so afraid of letting her down, of being that disgrace he’d always known he was.

“What do you want?” he asked again, his voice low.

“Well, Brandon wants to have his party here in your yard, but I know that’s out of the question. So I was just wondering if you could at least make an appearance at the party instead. It would mean so much to Brandon. He has all your comic books and most of your toy characters, too. But to have you there at his party, well, I don’t think anyone could top that. Would you be able to come for just a little while maybe?”

Parker sat there with the sun shining down on his face, with the woman he so often thought about sitting across from him asking him this one simple request, and felt his world shifting. He didn’t want to turn her down, but he had to. He wasn’t ready for that kind of exposure, that kind of public scrutiny.

So he looked directly into her eyes and decided it would be better to hurt her now than to wait for her to hurt him later. “I’m afraid I can’t help you, Kate. I’m sorry, but the answer is no.”

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