A Lasting Proposal

This woman had baggage. She was a widow with a troubled daughter. Most scary of all, she brought out feelings in him he couldn’t understand, let alone name.

And she had the power to write him a check for several hundred thousand dollars. He couldn’t forget that.

MAUREEN WAS SO ENGROSSED in her conversation with Jake that at first she didn’t notice the man by the window staring at her. When she gave a casual glance to the side and their gazes connected, she felt a fissure of distaste, and a sense of having seen him somewhere before.

He was tall, in his late fifties, and looked like a golfer, with his overly tanned skin, cotton pants and short-sleeved T-shirt with a collar. Caught staring, he wasn’t at all abashed. Just nodded and grinned. Smug. Arrogant. She turned her back and waited a moment before asking.

“Who’s that man? Sitting by himself at the window…”

“That’s our mayor,” Jake said. “Max Strongman. Surely Dylan and Cathleen have told you about him.”

“Oh!” She took a second look and was relieved that he wasn’t watching her anymore. “Yes, of course. I think we met once, many years ago.” She lowered her voice. “Dylan believes Max put James up to killing Rose.”

“So do I,” Jake said frankly. “James came out for a week of heli-skiing two winters ago. While no coward, I wouldn’t call him a deep thinker. He’s the kind of man easily influenced by those around him.”

“Do you feel he was behind Jilly Beckett’s murder, too?”

“That’s trickier, although I wouldn’t put that past him, either. Both he and his father seem to have a vendetta against Dylan.”

“Which makes sense,” Maureen pointed out, “when you consider Dylan has always been their only real obstacle to the McLean property.”

“And all the money from the oil wells and future property development,” Jake agreed. “No doubt they’d love to see him behind bars. I think Jilly’s death was supposed to be a setup for Dylan. At any rate, it stopped the protest that might have delayed their oil deal.”

Maureen tried another taste of the bagel. It was good, but she didn’t care for the cream cheese slathered on top. Mention of Jilly reminded her of Linda, who was rarely out of her thoughts these days. One day soon she had to call her….

“I was at Jilly’s father’s funeral last week.” She had no idea what had prompted her to tell Jake. But he leaned forward with apparent interest.

“Yeah, I read about Beckett. Very sad.”

“I have this strange feeling that we haven’t yet uncovered the truth about the night Jilly was killed, and there may be more lives lost because of it.” Maureen paused, wondering whether Jake had any clue what she meant, or if he was nodding to be polite.

“I feel the same way. When I see Max Strongman walking the streets of this town, living off the gravy from his dead wife’s oil wells, well, I tell you, it just doesn’t sit right.”

“Even before you told me his name, I had this antipathy toward him.”

“That proves you have good instincts.”

Maureen knew she did, and for that reason she almost always went with her gut feeling when it was strong. As it was about Jake Hartman.

That was why, despite the potential problems with this heli-skiing business, she’d decided to go ahead with the deal. It would take most of Rod’s insurance proceeds, but if the returns were as good as expected, the risk would be well worth it.

Her only hesitation came from the prospect of working with Jake. It concerned her that as a supposedly mature man he was still devoting his life to the toys and games that belonged to youth.

Just like Rod.

Ah, but she wasn’t marrying Jake, was she. Merely going into partnership with him. It didn’t matter that he was so damn attractive. Or that he seemed to have an uncanny ability to read her mind.

“Cathleen tells me you’re considering moving to Canmore?”

“Considering,” she emphasized. “If I can sell my place in Calgary, work out a deal with my partners at the law firm, find the right place to buy here in Canmore.” She smiled ruefully at all the uncertainties yet to be faced.

“Do you have a real estate agent looking for you?”

“Yes. My sisters have hooked me up with Beth Gibson. She used to run a catering business, but I understand she’s been in real estate for several years now and is one of the top selling agents in town.”

“As well as being an alderwoman on town council,” Jake said. “She’s quite an amazing person, all right.”

Maureen’s cell phone on the table rang. With an apologetic shrug, she turned it off after checking the display to see who had called.

“I guess we’d better get our papers signed,” he said. “If you don’t have any more questions.”

Maureen picked up his one-pager, which she’d already scanned, then handed it to him. “I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of bringing my own agreement.”

He seemed apprehensive as she unsnapped her briefcase, and his eyes definitely widened as she pulled out the twenty-five-page document she’d drafted at home on her laptop last night.

“Why don’t you have your lawyer check through this before you sign,” she suggested. “Initial any changes you’d like to make, and I’ll consider them.”

Jake took a few seconds to absorb all this. “And the money?”

“As soon as I receive the signed contract, I’ll transfer the funds directly to your bank.” She stood, whisking up her briefcase and the phone. “Nice to meet you, Jake.”

“You haven’t touched your coffee.”

“I don’t drink regular coffee. For future reference, I prefer lattes. Double espresso and skim milk.”

After a brief pause, Jake responded mildly, “I’ll make note of that.”

Had he thought her rude? “It’s just that I can’t take coffee without milk anymore.”

“Stomach problems?”

She didn’t answer, annoyed once more that she’d let their conversation turn too personal.

“Or maybe just too much tension in your life? You know, moving to Canmore would definitely help you with that.”

Somehow Jake’s eyes seemed to be saying more than his words. As if he wanted her to make the move, for his own personal reasons. For a moment she felt a buzz of uncertainty.

This was what she’d been worried about. This undercurrent between them…almost as if…

But no. It couldn’t be. It wouldn’t be.

“Goodbye, Jake,” she said firmly. It was past time for this meeting to end.

CHAPTER FOUR

MOVING INTO CATHLEEN AND Dylan’s B and B even temporarily seemed a terrible imposition. Unfortunately, Maureen didn’t have much choice. Since that first meeting with Jake two weeks ago, fate had pushed her to Canmore. Maureen felt like a reluctant swimmer asked to jump off the diving board at the deep end of the pool.

Seconds after parking her BMW next to her sister’s Jeep, Maureen was lugging the top suitcase from the trunk, while Holly ran inside the B and B to announce their arrival. Maureen took the opportunity to grab a few breaths of fresh air. Any second now, chaos would erupt again….