Hidden Summit (Virgin River #17)(47)

“And what do you do on yoga night?”

“A little computer time and early to bed. Being gossiped about is very tiring.”

Jack laughed. “I guess you’re not as tough as you look.”

Conner went from the bar to Brie’s house. She’d said he was to come to her front door at six, not her law office door which was an addition to the side of the house. When she let him in, he was struck by how much she reminded him of his sister. Brie was tiny in her snug jeans and bare feet. Her sleeves were rolled up, and she had a child’s cup in her hand. Her hair was loose and long, and she looked so much younger than she was. If he was correct, she was over thirty-five.

“Come in,” she said. “I’m giving Ness her dinner.”

He followed her to the kitchen. He watched her pull a bowl of mac and cheese from the microwave and blow on it. Ness was seated at the small kitchen table on a booster chair, squealing and reaching for her dinner. “All right, all right, hang on to your britches,” Brie said, putting the bowl in front of her. She filled the cup with milk and put it on the table, then leaned against the kitchen counter and let out a breath.

He chuckled and shook his head. “It’s sure hard to picture you kicking butt in a courtroom,” he said.

“She was terrifying, too,” Mike Valenzuela said as he came into the kitchen. He didn’t look like a cop in his denim shirt, jeans and boots. But then as Conner had learned, he didn’t want to. He rarely carried a sidearm, though he kept a rifle in the rack in his truck. “Can I get you something to drink?” he asked, opening the refrigerator.

“No, thanks. What’s up?”

“Couple of things,” Brie said. “First of all, they’ll be starting jury selection soon—looks like they’re running close to the time frame Max suggested. I bet you’ll be called by late May. Possibly sooner. That should come as good news. And this was forwarded to you from the D.A.’s office to me.” She handed him a white envelope.

He looked at the handwriting and return address and handed it back to her. “This is my ex-wife. I’ve gotten letters before. I don’t read them.”

“Read this one, please,” Brie said. “We’d like to know how she knew to send it to the D.A.’s office, if she mentions that.”

He pressed it on her. “Go ahead, knock yourself out. Read it.”

“It could be personal, Conner,” she said as she took the envelope with reluctance.

Of course the D.A. knew the story even if Brie didn’t. “No, it couldn’t be. We’ve been divorced almost two years and we divorced because she had a problem with sex, as in she had a great deal more of it than I did. With many, many partners.”

“Oh,” Brie said. “Sorry.”

“So go ahead. It’s probably one of those amends letters—there were quite a few before the fire, before the murder in my back alley.”

“Amends?” Brie asked as she ripped open the envelope. “I take that to mean…?”

“Some kind of program,” he answered. “A very long, expensive program. My parting gift to the lady.”

“Wow,” Brie said under her breath, unfolding a long letter. “Wow,” she said again, taking in the neat, close, tightly constructed and lengthy penned letter—three pages, both sides. It was written so densely. Obsessively. “This could take a while.”

“Take as long as you like, it’s all yours.”

“You’re not wondering how she tracked you down to Max? The D.A.’s office?”

“Not really. She was a smart woman. About most things.”

Brie scanned the first page. “Well, we’re in luck—it’s up front. After she heard about the killing and your store being burned down she decided to take a chance and see if the D.A.’s office might know where you could be. She’s very worried about you and hopes you’re all right.”

“That’s Samantha,” he said. “She was worried about me before all this happened, too. She wants dialogue—it’s not going to happen.”

“Maybe she wants to be forgiven,” Brie suggested.

“That, too, so I told her that I forgave her, but that we weren’t going to have a relationship. It just isn’t a good idea, not for either one of us. I wish she’d quit writing me letters.”

Brie scanned some more. “She says she’s been straight for a long time and that she’s sorry and that she misses you.”

“Hmm,” he said. “Good for her. That she’s fixed, I mean. So, there are a couple of things I need to talk to you about. First of all, when do you think I’ll be asked to go to Sacramento?”

“A few weeks, I think. Give or take.”

Ness tried to get her cup of milk, just out of her reach, and Conner automatically slid it closer to her. “There you go, honey,” he said. “That’s good, isn’t it?” he asked her gently. Then he straightened and looked at Brie. He was glad they were all in the kitchen together with Ness eating her dinner. That alone would probably keep Brie from having a little hissy fit.

“Before I testify, I’m going to see my sister,” he said. “I’ll drive to San Francisco, leave the truck in the long-term lot and fly to Vermont. I haven’t asked her if I can visit yet, but I’m sure she’ll be happy to see me. We’re very close. I’m close to the kids.”