Cranberry Point (Cedar Cove #4)(97)

In that moment, the cloud of depression that had hung over her since the miscarriage lifted. She held open her arms to Jon and was quickly engulfed in his embrace, with Katie between them.

"I can't ask for more than that," she whispered.

Fifty

Bob had been prepared to dislike Stewart Samuels, but in the days since he'd arrived in Cedar Cove, he'd had ample opportunity to gain a healthy respect for the other man.

Because of a meeting with some old friends from the police academy, Roy had been out of town. As soon as Corrie notified him that Samuels was in Cedar Cove, Roy had altered his travel plans and was due to get back late Monday morning.

By unspoken agreement, Stewart Samuels and Bob didn't discuss Maxwell Russell. For the most part, Hannah had stayed out of sight during Stewart's visits to the house. When Bob asked Peggy about it, his wife was eager to make excuses for her. For some reason, Samuels frightened the girl, but that didn't really surprise Bob. He supposed it was because of Hannah's wariness around men. She preferred her own company and often stayed in her room, where she read or watched television. Peggy was the only one with whom she seemed to feel comfortable.

Roy arrived a little after one on Monday afternoon, and to Bob's surprise Troy Davis, the local sheriff, showed up with him. Stewart Samuels was already at the house when Bob answered the door. He led the two other men into the living room.

"Sit down," Bob instructed everyone when the introductions had been made. Peggy quickly distributed coffee, then sat down next to Bob. He took her hand and they entwined their fingers.

Roy reached inside his pocket, pulling out a small notebook. "I have a couple of questions, if you don't mind?" He looked at the sheriff as if seeking his approval.

"I'll answer them if I can," Samuels assured him, leaning forward slightly.

Roy nodded, his pen poised. "Tell me about the first time you met Russell after his accident."

"We didn't meet. Everything was handled over the phone."

"That can't be," Peggy said and then instantly shrank back as if she wanted to retrieve the words. "I'm sorry. Go on."

Samuels shrugged, obviously a little puzzled at the outburst. "I'm sure I'm right about this, Peggy. Max had the physician contact me to ask for my assistance in getting him into a veterans' facility. He needed extensive plastic surgery. Apparently he had only limited health insurance."

"You never went out to California to see him following the surgery?"

"Never." Samuels was adamant. "I did speak to him a few times, however."

"When was that?" Troy asked.

"I can't recall the exact dates, but it was after he'd undergone surgery, which I understand was successful."

"What did he want to know when he phoned?"

"Actually I was the one who called him," the colonel explained. "The hospital social worker reported on his progress and suggested Max get some counseling. He suffered from post-traumatic stress syndrome. I urged him to sign up for the sessions."

"Did he agree?"

"Yes. The doctor told me later that Max had a number of appointments and they seemed to be going well. I was encouraged the next time I talked to Max himself. I only spoke with his counselor once, but she seemed pleased with his progress."

"Do you know of any reason he'd want to visit Cedar Cove?"

"None, except..." He hesitated and gazed down at his folded hands. "It might've had something to do with the therapy sessions—some desire to reconcile himself to what happened in Nam." Samuels paused. "As I recall, he was tight with Dan Sherman back then."

"Did he mention that he intended to visit Dan?" Roy asked.

"No. Like I said, I only talked to him two or three times."

The sheriff spoke next. "When did you learn he'd been murdered?"

"When Mr. McAfee contacted me," Samuels said, nodding toward Roy. "I've received intermittent communications since then, from Mr. McAfee and from you." .

"Peggy," Troy began, turning to her. "You said something earlier."

She shook her head nervously. "I'm sure I misunderstood."

"Misunderstood what?" he pressed.

"Hannah," she said, rubbing her index finger over her cuticles. "We were discussing her father recently, and she told me she saw Colonel Samuels talking to Max shortly before he left California."

"That isn't possible," Samuels told her. "I was in WashingtonD.C. on assignment nearly all of last year. The only trips I made were to England and Belgium."

"That would be easy enough to verify," Roy said to Davis.

"Let's do it right now," Samuels insisted. "If you have a specific date in mind, I can have my assistant pull up my calendar and we'll go through it online."

Troy Davis accompanied the colonel into the other room, where Bob kept a computer on his desk. Bob had already turned it on, since he'd been using a bookkeeping program earlier. Now, as they waited, Roy sipped his coffee. Bob loosened his hold on Peggy's hand. This wasn't nearly as intimidating or awkward as he'd feared.

"Is Hannah here?" Roy asked.

"She's in her room," Peggy said, "but I'd like to keep her out of this as much as possible. Anytime someone mentions her father, she gets upset."