Tainted Mountain by Shannon Baker

reeked of disapproval. “Honestly, Nora. I don’t think you should allow that man around here.”
    â€œI like Charlie.”
    â€œBut, dear, he’s not really … ”
    Nora waited while Abigail trailed off, then finished for her. “Our kind?”
    Charlie stepped on the deck.
    Abigail let out a deep sigh. “You know what I mean.”
    Charlie walked over to Nora. “You are the sun and moon and bring meaning to my life.” He bowed to Abigail. “Your glittering visage takes my breath away.”
    Abigail clasped her hands behind her back. “Oh posh.”
    A black SUV crunched the cinders in the parking lot.
    Great. Visitors.

Twelve
    Barrett shut the door of the Escalade and waited.
    After a moment he reopened the door and put his head inside. “Staying in the car won’t make me change my mind.”
    Heather glared at him from the passenger side. “I don’t see why I have to do this.”
    â€œBe on your best behavior or Nora Abbott can make your life difficult.”
    Heather didn’t move.
    Barrett shrugged. “Fine. You don’t have to go with me to ask Nora Abbott’s forgiveness and offer your services.”
    She smiled and sat upright. “Thank you, Poppy. I’ll be good, I promise.”
    â€œYou can wait for the judge to send you to juvenile detention.” Boom .
    Out came that lower lip. “The judge might come up with something besides jail.”
    Barrett raised his eyebrows. “We are McCrearys. We don’t wait for others to decide our future. We take control.”
    She crossed her arms. “What makes you so sure this Nora woman will hire me?”
    â€œI’ve got ways.”
    â€œYou mean you’ve got money.”
    â€œSomething like that.”
    Heather grabbed the latch and shoulder checked the door open. “Someday you’re going to come up against a situation where money won’t buy you out.”
    She didn’t know he couldn’t buy the one thing he ever truly wanted.
    Heather came around the Escalade and together they walked across the cinder parking lot and up the path to the lodge.
    The girl stopped at the top of the stairs and Barrett gently pushed to move her forward. An attractive blonde about Barrett’s age stood next to Nora and a few feet in front of the woman a decomposing mountain man gulped from a beer can.
    God. Charlie. That dried-up piece of idealist turned up every-
where.
    Barrett reached for Nora’s hand. “How are you, Ms. Abbott?”
    He’d read her profile. Graduated at the top of her class, smart, ambitious, not a bad looker. But she’d certainly struck bad luck with the drought. He’d seen her around town. She carried herself well, her red hair usually shiny, bouncing around a cheerful face with intelligent eyes. The last few days had been hard on her, making her pale and adding a shadow of grief to her eyes.
    Barrett couldn’t afford to feel guilty for causing her pain. Heather’s well-being and protection came first. It was Scott’s own fault he got in the way.
    Nora gave Heather a stony expression but her face softened when she shifted to Barrett. “I’m fine, thank you.”
    Charlie sipped his beer and narrowed his eyes at Barrett. He sank to a bench beside an older dog. “She’s a woman of uncommon strength and breeding.”
    Barrett looked away from Charlie without comment. It was just like Charlie to use that phrase, the old joke the three of them had shared about Ester.
    The classy looking blonde smiled at Barrett. Now here was a woman worth looking at. He held out his hand, enjoying the rush of pleasure when she placed her delicate fingers in his. “I’m Barrett McCreary,” he said.
    Her lips were full, inviting. “Nice to meet you, Mr. McCreary. I’m Abigail Stoddard, Nora’s mother.”
    â€œBarrett, please.” His blood pumped to places he’d ignored for