Chirp(87)

“I understand.” He glanced at Seth and Nick. “I take it you’re the brothers.”

They both cut their eyes to Rance, then back at Tom, but didn’t offer their hands. “Correct. I’m Seth, and this is Nick.”

“Nice to meet you both.” Then Tom swung his attention to Rance again. “Here’s the deal. I still work for Mrs. Montgomery, and I plan to collect my fee. I’ve put in too much time not to get the final installment. So tomorrow morning I’ll notify her that Wren is in Bluebird. Once I do, the widow will head this way.”

“So far I don’t hear the helping part of this plan,” Rance said.

Tom leaned forward. “I figure the earliest she can get here is one o’clock. Since your wedding is at two, I suggest you move the ceremony to an earlier time. Say—before noon.”

“Why not postpone your call?”

“Can’t do that. Notification needs to look like I contacted her as soon as I located the girl. Besides, according to Helga, all the wedding guests are already here, so no need to wait.”

“I’ll talk it over with Chirp. If she’s good with it, then so am I.”

“Okay, now that’s settled, let me buy you guys a round of drinks.”

Seth drained his bottle. “Rance isn’t drinking, but even if you are the enemy, Nick and I will take you up on it.”

Tom motioned for the bartender to send three more beers, then shouldered back in his chair and focused on Rance. “Once you’re married, Wren might be safe, but you won’t be. Anything happens to the girl, the company must be sold and proceeds divided among a list of charities. But Marla can off you and leave Wren vulnerable again. So here’s where my help comes in. While I’ve been searching for Wren, I’ve had Marla under surveillance. And I’ve investigated her all the way back to childhood.”

The waitress brought the drinks, and Tom took a long pull. “She ran away from home when she was sixteen. Turns out she spent time in juvie for breaking and entering. Had a real knack for picking locks. After that she used her beauty to her advantage. Made a habit of hooking up with older men who had a little money, but once they couldn’t afford her, she moved on.”

Tom opened his briefcase, pulled out a folder, and slid it to Rance. “If Marla gets you out of the picture, she’ll have Wren in a facility and take over the company before anyone knows about it. Once she has power of attorney, it will be hard to undo.”

Thumbing through the file, Rance’s gut clenched. Doctors, lawyers, and a judge willing to say or do whatever it took to prove Wren incapable. Fake documents outlining erratic behavior.

What? Attempted suicide? Bullshit.

As successful as Chirp had been in hiding out for three years, she’d be no match for Marla. Not with this many people on her stepmother’s payroll.

Rance eyed Tom. “So she fucked her way to the middle until she decided she could rise to the top with Grant Montgomery.”

Tom nodded.

Rance closed the file. “Why are you doing this?”

“I’ve spent the majority of my life putting people like Marla where they belong. It took a while to figure out what kind of person she was, but once I did, I decided not to let her get away with it. And everything I’ve learned about Wren tells me her stepmother’s claims are false.”



On the way back to the farmhouse, Mother Nature reminded Rance that the ultimatum he’d spouted about nothing ruining his wedding day didn’t pertain to her. Because now dark clouds rolled in and made themselves right at home.

The house was quiet. He rushed down the hallway, stepped into the bedroom, and found Chirp clutching his pillow to her chest, sound asleep. He walked over, sat on the edge, and kissed her cheek.

Her eyes fluttered open. “Are you drunk?”

“No, ma’am. Are you okay?”

“Yes. I’m just tired.” She straightened and leaned against the headboard, then tilted her head toward the doorway. “Seth and Nick with you?”

“Nope. Got the place all to ourselves. Hanna came and picked them up because I rented rooms for them at the motel outside of town.”

“But I’m supposed to spend the night at Hanna’s.”

“Yeah, we’ll talk about that. Right now I want to shower.” He headed to the bathroom, then stopped and leaned against the jamb. “We already act like old married people. Going to bed with the chickens the night before our wedding when we should have parties with strippers.”

“Hanna wanted to take me to one. But I’m not old enough to get in.”

Rance chuckled. “Maybe I’ll strip for you.”

“Really?”

“It could happen. You want to shower with me?”

“No. I’ve already bathed.”

Chirp was still awake when Rance came from the bathroom and crawled in next to her. “Let’s change the wedding to eleven o’clock. Okay?”

“Why?”

He pulled her into his arms. “The sooner we’re married, the better.” That answer probably wouldn’t be enough to satisfy her, but he’d be damned before he’d tell her anything about Marla.

Chirp trembled, and the warm breath from her deep sigh warmed his skin. He clutched her tighter. “What’s wrong?”