both hands, trying to soak up some of the heat. Lanny had also known that Hud was working late. With a shiver, she realized he’d been checking up on her. And Hud.
“Are you all right?” Hilde asked, looking concerned.
Dana shook her head. “I went by the Corral last night to talk to Dad, then Lannytook me to dinner for my birthday.”
“Oh, you didn’t mention you were going out with Lanny.”
“I’d forgotten we had a date.”
Hilde gave her a look she recognized only too well.
“It was our last date. I’d hoped we could be friends….”
“I hate to say this, but it’s just as well,” Hilde said.
Dana couldn’t believe her ears.
Hilde raised her hands in surrender. “Hey, you were never going to fall in love with Lanny and we both know it.”
Dana started to protest, but saved her breath. It was true.
“Maybe Hud coming back was a good thing.”
Dana eyed her friend. “I beg your pardon?”
“I mean it. You need to resolve your issues with him.”
“Resolve my issues? He slept with my sister when we were engaged!”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe? There is no maybe about it. I caught them in bed together.”
“Going at it?”
“No.” Dana stepped back as if afraid she would ring her friend’s neck.
“That’s my point. You caught him in her bed, but you don’t know what happened. If anything. Stacy has always been jealous of you. I wouldn’t put anything past her.”
“And what ready excuse do you have for Hud?” She held up her hands. “No, that’s right, he wasdrunk and didn’t know what he was doing.”
“I know it sounds clichéd—”
“It sounds like what it is, a lie. Even if Stacy threw herself at him. Even if he was falling-down drunk—”
“Which would mean nothing happened.”
Dana shook her head. “Hud wouldn’t have left town the way he did if he’d been innocent.”
“Did you ever give him a chance to explain?” Hilde asked.
“There was nothing that needed explaining. End of story.” She turned and walked to the back of the store, surprised how close she was to tears. Again.
A few moments later she heard Hilde come up behind her. “Sorry.”
Dana shook her head. “It’s just seeing him again. It brings it all back.”
“I know. I just hate to see you like this.”
Dana turned, biting her lip and nodding as tears spilled out.
Hilde pulled her into a hug. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe you should just kill the bastard. Maybe that’s the only way you’ll ever be free of him.”
Hilde was joking but Dana knew that even in death she would still be haunted by Hud Savage. And after last night, she knew she didn’t want him dead. Far from it.
She dried her tears and said, “Hud spent the night at my place last night.”
Her friend’s eyebrows shot up. “No way.”
“He slept on the couch.” She practically groaned at the memory of Hud’s bare chest when she’d gone downstairsearlier. The quilt she’d given him down around his waist. His bare skin tanned from living in Southern California. Muscled from working out.
“Dana, what’s going on?”
She shook off the image and took a sip of the latte. It was wonderful. Just like her friend. “It’s a long story.” She filled Hilde in on what had happened last night. “That’s why I look like I didn’t get any sleep. I didn’t.” She shook her head. “Hilde, I can’t understand why anyone would do those things.”
“This voice on the phone, was it a man or a woman?”
“I don’t know. It was obviously disguised.” She shivered and took another drink of the coffee. It warmed her from her throat to her toes and she began to relax a little. In the daylight, she wasn’t quite so scared. “You know what bothers me the most is that whoever put that doll in the well had to have taken it from the house. Just like whoever left the chocolates.”
“Everyone knows you never lock your doors,” Hilde said.
“I do now. I just can’t understand why I’m being threatened. It has to
“Are you all right?” Hilde asked, looking concerned.
Dana shook her head. “I went by the Corral last night to talk to Dad, then Lannytook me to dinner for my birthday.”
“Oh, you didn’t mention you were going out with Lanny.”
“I’d forgotten we had a date.”
Hilde gave her a look she recognized only too well.
“It was our last date. I’d hoped we could be friends….”
“I hate to say this, but it’s just as well,” Hilde said.
Dana couldn’t believe her ears.
Hilde raised her hands in surrender. “Hey, you were never going to fall in love with Lanny and we both know it.”
Dana started to protest, but saved her breath. It was true.
“Maybe Hud coming back was a good thing.”
Dana eyed her friend. “I beg your pardon?”
“I mean it. You need to resolve your issues with him.”
“Resolve my issues? He slept with my sister when we were engaged!”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe? There is no maybe about it. I caught them in bed together.”
“Going at it?”
“No.” Dana stepped back as if afraid she would ring her friend’s neck.
“That’s my point. You caught him in her bed, but you don’t know what happened. If anything. Stacy has always been jealous of you. I wouldn’t put anything past her.”
“And what ready excuse do you have for Hud?” She held up her hands. “No, that’s right, he wasdrunk and didn’t know what he was doing.”
“I know it sounds clichéd—”
“It sounds like what it is, a lie. Even if Stacy threw herself at him. Even if he was falling-down drunk—”
“Which would mean nothing happened.”
Dana shook her head. “Hud wouldn’t have left town the way he did if he’d been innocent.”
“Did you ever give him a chance to explain?” Hilde asked.
“There was nothing that needed explaining. End of story.” She turned and walked to the back of the store, surprised how close she was to tears. Again.
A few moments later she heard Hilde come up behind her. “Sorry.”
Dana shook her head. “It’s just seeing him again. It brings it all back.”
“I know. I just hate to see you like this.”
Dana turned, biting her lip and nodding as tears spilled out.
Hilde pulled her into a hug. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe you should just kill the bastard. Maybe that’s the only way you’ll ever be free of him.”
Hilde was joking but Dana knew that even in death she would still be haunted by Hud Savage. And after last night, she knew she didn’t want him dead. Far from it.
She dried her tears and said, “Hud spent the night at my place last night.”
Her friend’s eyebrows shot up. “No way.”
“He slept on the couch.” She practically groaned at the memory of Hud’s bare chest when she’d gone downstairsearlier. The quilt she’d given him down around his waist. His bare skin tanned from living in Southern California. Muscled from working out.
“Dana, what’s going on?”
She shook off the image and took a sip of the latte. It was wonderful. Just like her friend. “It’s a long story.” She filled Hilde in on what had happened last night. “That’s why I look like I didn’t get any sleep. I didn’t.” She shook her head. “Hilde, I can’t understand why anyone would do those things.”
“This voice on the phone, was it a man or a woman?”
“I don’t know. It was obviously disguised.” She shivered and took another drink of the coffee. It warmed her from her throat to her toes and she began to relax a little. In the daylight, she wasn’t quite so scared. “You know what bothers me the most is that whoever put that doll in the well had to have taken it from the house. Just like whoever left the chocolates.”
“Everyone knows you never lock your doors,” Hilde said.
“I do now. I just can’t understand why I’m being threatened. It has to
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