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L aura opened the door to her bungalow the next morning to find Joshua on her front stoop. His messy hair hid underneath a burnt-umber ski cap with Mariposa’s pale yellow butterfly logo. Ice crunched under his boots as he moved his toes rapidly to keep them warm. “I brought pastries,” he announced.

She eyed the long white box in his hands. “You mean you brought the bakery?”

“Had it delivered,” he boasted. He handed her a large cup. “With coffee.”

The way to a man’s heart might be through his stomach, but Laura was convinced the way to a woman’s was by crossing cell membranes with caffeine. She wrapped her hands around the to-go cup, absorbing the heat through the gloves she’d donned. “It’s no wonder every man I meet is a disappointment.” Tipping the cup to him in a toast, she added, “You are the standard.”

He offered his arm. “Watch your step. It’s slippery.”

She trod carefully until they reached the golf cart he’d parked in front of her house. “Have you spoken to Knox?”

Joshua got behind the wheel. He waited until she was seated, tucking her long skirt around her legs before he released the brake and shot off. “I checked on him last night. He’s okay. Still shaken up. Hell, I am, too.”

“Did you tell him he doesn’t have to come in today? Carter’s already agreed to cover for him. The horseback excursions will be canceled because of ice and snowmelt.”

Joshua nodded. “He agreed to take the morning off, but he wants to come in after lunchtime. He said working with the horses will help him through things.”

Laura could understand that. As the golf cart careened around the corner, she stopped the doughnut box from slipping across the seat. She opened it, then indulged, choosing a chocolate éclair. Nibbling, she balanced the pastry in one hand and her cup in the other. “I don’t know if I should tell you this.”

“Well, now you’ve got to.” He nudged his elbow into her ribs playfully. “Spill it, ace.”

She watched the gardens whoosh by. White coated everything. Mariposa looked enchanting under a crystal frost.

Underneath, was some part of it—or someone inside of it—deadly?

She shuddered, blamed the cold, then polished off the éclair. “She had a crush on you.”

“Who?” When he glanced over, she canted her head tellingly. He gawped. “Allison?”

Laura sighed. “She wasn’t the type to hold back. But she worked with you. She valued her job. So she sat with her feelings.” Reaching over, she cupped his chin in her hand, helping him to close his mouth. “I promised her I wouldn’t tell. But I think you two could have made each other happy, at least for a time, and... I don’t know. All this reminds me not to waste time if you know what’s right for you.”

Joshua looked shocked, bereft and everything in between.

He jerked the wheel onto the scenic path, along the wall that fell away from the ridge where Mariposa dwelled. She looked out over the countryside. Snow, red rocks and the Sonoran Desert clashed to make the view that much more spectacular. “We’re going to be okay. Right?”

“We’ve done this before.”

She nodded. The three of them had weathered quite a few storms together. “Should I have kept my promise? Should I not have told you?”

He shook his head. “I liked Allison. I liked her a lot. But I have rules, same as she did.”

Joshua liked to have fun, but he didn’t date anyone in-house. Mariposa was as sacred to him as it was to Laura and Adam, and that included every single person under its umbrella. “I didn’t mean to make this harder for you. I just didn’t get much sleep last night, wondering whether you two missed out on something special. She was special, Josh.”

“I know.” His Adam’s apple bobbed. He reached for her hand and clutched it. “It’s going to be okay.”

She had told him that after their mother’s death, every night he’d cried himself to sleep. Eyes welling, she turned them away, feeling his fingers squeeze hers. “It’s coming up on that time of year.”

He kept driving, pushing the golf cart as fast as it would go. If Adam saw him driving like this on the guest pathways, he would chastise him for it. Laura said nothing, however. When Joshua didn’t reply, she added, “The anniversary.”

“I know.”

Every year on the anniversary of Annabeth’s death, the three of them took the day off. They’d disappear for a day, first bringing mariposas to her grave, then embarking on a hike. The date coincided with the bridge between winter and spring. Snow gathered in places along the trail. Snowmelt tumbled down passes, rushing for valleys. And early spring growth punched through the bedrock, clawing for purchase like hope incarnate.

They never spoke much on the hike. They never took photos to capture the day. And while Joshua was a more proficient hiker than both Laura and Adam, he never left them behind. They didn’t turn back for the resort until they reached the high point—Wrigley’s Rough, a jagged fall of rocks with a view of the architectural site of the ancient ruins of the Sinagua people. From the top, they could see every piece of land Annabeth had left them.

Laura couldn’t help but think that this year, the anniversary would be especially hard to navigate.

They pulled up to L Building. “Adam doesn’t like when you park here,” she reminded him.

“It’s freezing,” Joshua said, engaging the brake. “I’m not making you walk from C Building. Hey,” he said before she could step out of the vehicle. “We really are going to be okay.”

She adored him for saying it. “When I figure out when the service will be, would you like to go with me?”

“Of course,” he agreed. “Are you ready for what comes next?”

“What comes next?” she asked curiously.

“Drink,” he advised as they walked to the door that led to their offices at the back of the building. “I got you the big gulp for the meeting with Dad.”

She raised her face to the clouds. “Oh,” she said.

“You forgot.”

“I forgot,” she admitted. Pressing her hand to her brow, she shook her head. “It completely slipped my mind.”

“That wasn’t something else keeping you awake?”

“I didn’t think about it at all.” She groaned. “Oh, Josh. He’s going to waltz in, being all Clive, and I’ve had no sleep, no prep...”

He nudged the coffee toward her mouth. “Drink, ace.”

“Right,” she said, tipping the to-go cup up for a steaming swig. She quickly covered her mouth with her hand. “Lava.”

Erica waited for them near the closed door of Adam’s office. “Good morning,” she greeted them. “Your father’s flight gets in soon. The helicopter will pick him up around eight thirty. He asked for a meeting in the conference room at ten.”

“How does Adam feel about him running the schedule?” Joshua asked.

Erica arched a brow in answer.

“Oh, boy,” Joshua muttered. He offered the box of doughnuts to Erica. “Lady’s choice.”

Erica eyed the contents when he opened it. “I want the one with the sprinkles.”

“Excellent,” he said, using a parchment square to pinch the corner of the pastry and hand it to her.

“Thank you,” she said, cradling it.

“Did you get in touch with CJ Knight’s people?” Laura asked. She didn’t miss the way Erica tensed, just as she had the night before.

She shook her head, lowering the doughnut. “No. Do you still want me to reach out?”

“Yes,” Laura said. “I’d like to know why he vacated Bungalow One so suddenly. He’s a valued guest. If his departure had anything to do with the resort, we could offer incentives to bring him back. I have his manager’s number. His name’s Doug, I think.”

“Doug DeGraw,” Erica confirmed. “He rarely leaves CJ’s side.”

Laura frowned at Erica over the lid of her to-go cup.

“What is it?” Erica asked, alarmed.

“Nothing,” Laura said. “That’ll be all. Thank you, Erica.” As Erica moved down the hall, Laura grabbed Joshua by the collar and pulled him into her office.

“Hey, what—”

She shut the door, closing them in. “She called him CJ.”

“So?”

She frowned. “Josh, when was the last time you called a guest by his or her first name?”

He thought about it. “Over the summer, maybe. There was that competitive rock climber. The blonde one with the killer—Oh!” He took a step back, holding up a hand. “Wait a minute. You think Erica and CJ Knight...”

“I don’t know,” Laura replied. “But Erica is a professional. And calling one of our VIPs by his first name was a sight less than professional. You should look into this.”

“Me?” he asked, aghast. “Why me?”

“Because the majority of people, including Erica, don’t just respect you. They love you. You also have a tendency to meddle in other people’s affairs,” she stated.

“I do not.”

She placed her finger over his mouth to quiet him. “Please. For me.”

He frowned, then tugged off his hat and ran a rough hand through his hair. “Fine,” he said reluctantly. “But I’m not comfortable with this. What are we going to do if something did happen between Erica and Knight?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “She’s the best executive assistant we could ask for. And I doubt CJ Knight left because of Erica, even if they crossed the line. They could just be friends. If she is close to him, she may have more insight into why he left or if he plans to return. Adam’s worried about any hint of wrongdoing coming off Allison’s death. Celebrity guests get nervous when bad press starts to circulate. And if word leaks to the media that someone like CJ Knight left Mariposa—”

Joshua nodded off the rest. “I get it. Damage control. I’ll talk to Erica.”

“I appreciate it,” she told him. “Truly.”

“I’ve always got your back, ace,” he murmured. “You know that. And, for the record, I didn’t sleep last night either. If you toss and turn again tonight, call me. If we’re going to be awake, we might as well talk each other through it. Or drink about it.”

She raised her hand to his lapel, flipping it the right way out. Smoothing it, she offered him a small smile. “I like that idea.”

Someone knocked on the door. Before she could answer, Adam stepped in. “You heard?”

“About our ten o’clock?” Laura asked. “Erica told us.”

Joshua lifted the pastry box. “Doughnut?”

Adam frowned over it. “Jelly-filled?”

“Lemon or raspberry?”

“Lemon,” Adam said and took the parchment around the doughnut when Joshua offered it to him. “Thanks. By the way, I called Greg. He’ll be sitting in on the meeting.”

Joshua gave a little chuckle.

“I missed the joke,” Adam said critically.

“You’re the one who wants our attorney to sit in on a family meeting,” Joshua pointed out.

“Why is that?” Laura asked.

Adam shifted his jaw. “I have a feeling Greg should be a part of this.”

Laura trusted Adam’s instincts. Still, there was another matter. “Clive won’t like it. It’ll put his back up.”

“So will the fact that you still call him Clive,” he noted.

“Have you heard anything about Allison’s case?” Joshua asked.

“No,” Adam said. “I couldn’t sleep last night, however—”

“Disturbed, party of three,” Joshua inserted.

“—and I had a thought,” Adam continued, ignoring him. “I’d like to set up a fund for her family to help cover funeral costs.”

“Adam,” Laura breathed. “That’s a wonderful idea.”

“I second that,” Joshua said. “And she should have a plaque to go in the meditation garden. It was her idea, her design. It should be in her name.”

“Just like the restaurant is in Mom’s,” she mused. “Of course.”

Joshua’s phone beeped. “That’s Carter. I offered to help him with the morning work down at the stable. I’ll be back for the meeting.”

“Preferably on time,” Adam called after him.

Joshua tossed a wave over his shoulder and shut the door behind him. Adam looked at her. “Since Detective Steele is the only relative so far who’s contacted us, do you think we should send the offer through him, or would you be more comfortable speaking with her parents directly?”

“He’s her foster brother,” she explained. “I don’t think her parents are in the picture. She never spoke of them. Only him. And, you should know, last night, I got the sense Detective Steele was overwhelmed by the idea of planning a funeral for her. I offered to help. He refused. Judging by his behavior, I’m not sure he’d be willing to take on financial help.”

“Was he a jerk to you, Lou?”

“Hey,” she said with amusement, measuring the width of his straight-backed shoulders. He was wearing his best suit today and his muscles were knotted, ready, beneath it. “Easy there, knuckles.”

“He threatened you in the break room,” Adam reminded her.

“He threatened all of us,” she amended. “And underneath...” She sighed, remembering. “My God, Adam. He looked broken.”

“I don’t envy him,” Adam muttered.

“I’ll speak to him about the fund,” she said.

“Are you sure?” he asked. “Erica can see to it.”

“I know she can,” Laura said. “But this is personal.”

Adam conceded. “Are you ready for Clive?”

Laura eyed the to-go cup she’d set on her desk. “Ask me again after coffee.”

At sixty-one, Clive Colton looked shrunken. He still had his spine. Admitting weakness was distasteful to him. But now he cut a less imposing figure, more compact and slightly stooped compared to his once-distinctive six-foot frame. More salt than pepper tinted his hair. His suit was conservative, tasteful and impeccably bespoke.

He hugged her upon entering the conference room, just as he embraced Adam and Joshua. The latter pulled away after a brief clutch. The hug wasn’t about warmth or familiarity. It was for form’s sake, something Joshua didn’t give a fig about.

Greg Sumpter, the siblings’ private attorney, shook hands with Clive. “It’s been a long time, Clive.”

“Sure,” Clive said, his smile falling away. “How are you, Sumpter?”

“Oh, just fine, thank you,” Greg replied jovially. Tall, fit, Greg was dressed casually. No suit or tie for him. He wore his collar open. His relaxed demeanor, paired with his legal savvy, had appealed to Adam, Laura and Joshua right away. He visited the resort often, not just for business, but to check in personally with the three of them and to see Tallulah. He was forty-eight and unmarried, and Laura knew he had a one-sided love for their head of housekeeping.

“I didn’t expect to find you here,” Clive told him.

Adam spoke up from the head of the table, where he stood behind his usual chair. “I asked Greg to join us.”

“Why is that?” Clive asked.

Greg answered quickly. “He thought you and I could play a round of golf later. It snowed last night, but it should melt off quickly. Do you still get out on the course?”

Clive lifted a shoulder. “Now and then. Can’t swing it like I used to.”

Joshua groaned.

“We’ll tee off this afternoon,” Greg said. “How’s that sound?”

“Fine,” Clive said, pulling out a chair for himself.

Greg sent Adam a wink before taking a seat. Laura folded into a chair between her brothers, smoothing her skirt over her legs. “What do we owe the pleasure of a visit?” she asked Clive directly. “You didn’t bring Glenna with you?”

“Not this time,” he said, running a hand down his tie.

“And your health?” Adam mentioned. “How are you feeling?”

“Spry enough,” Clive said, cracking a smile. That smile had caught the imagination of his wife and mistress and the other women he’d taken a shine to through the years. “Thanks for asking.”

“Would you like coffee?” Laura offered. “Tea?”

“Mylanta?” Joshua muttered, earning a nudge from Laura.

Clive didn’t seem to hear him. “No. Thank you, though, Precious.” His grin broadened. “Anybody tell you lately you look just like your mother?”

“No,” she answered.

“Pretty as a picture,” he said proudly. “Just like Annabeth. She was stunning. Before the cancer did its bit—”

“What did you call this meeting for?” Adam interrupted as Laura tensed and Joshua muttered under his breath.

“Are you in a hurry, son?” Clive asked.

“We’ve got meetings scheduled for the conference room at eleven thirty and after lunch,” Adam told him. “Spring means nuptials, and Mariposa has become the place for destination weddings.”

“Congratulations,” Clive said. His eyes were drawn to the view from the windows. “You’ve built something impressive here. You were so young when you took it on. I didn’t think you’d last long in Arizona. Now you’ve got something to be admired.”

“Yes,” Adam replied.

Laura’s tension refused to drain. Adam had been right to invite Greg. There was something Clive wasn’t saying.

They waited him out. He swiveled back to the table. “I’ve come to ask for your help.”

“Our help?” Joshua asked.

Adam rolled over his brother’s incredulity. “Are you in trouble?”

“No, no,” Clive said, waving a dismissive hand. “Nothing that drastic. The company’s just seen better days, is all.”

“What could we do?” Laura asked.

“I understand the resort’s made some significant gains,” Clive said. “I also understand that you’ve got plenty of capital at your disposal.”

“How do you know that?” Joshua asked.

Clive chuckled. “If there’s one thing I understand, son, it’s business.”

“A business you stole from Mom’s inheritance?” Joshua parried.

Clive stared at him. “Colton Textiles is in my name, son. Not your mother’s. And I’m not sure I care for your tone.”

“This is me playing nice,” Joshua informed him. “And you may come from money, but you never made your own. You play with everybody else’s. You married Mom for hers. If not for her, you wouldn’t have a leg to stand on.”

“Josh,” Adam cautioned. “Maybe you should take a walk.”

Joshua looked at his brother. “I have a right to be here, and somebody has to speak for her.”

A headache was brewing behind Laura’s left temple. She wished for coffee. “It’s okay,” she said to Adam. “Let him speak for her.”

Adam relaxed gradually. He addressed Clive again. “What did you have in mind?”

“A loan,” Clive revealed.

“How much?”

“Two fifty to start.”

Joshua scoffed. “Two hundred and fifty thousand?”

“If that doesn’t get the company back on its feet, then another,” Clive added. “This is your inheritance, too, don’t forget. My legacy to the three of you. You each have a stake in Colton Textiles. Adam, you especially.”

Laura thought about it. Colton Textiles was a fine-fabrics importer. When Annabeth had died, she had left shares to each of her children. Adam had eighteen, and Laura and Joshua each had sixteen. Clive had wound up with the lion’s share.

“Don’t do this, Adam,” Joshua implored. His eyes burned.

Adam considered. “That’s a lot of money.”

“You’ll make it up in no time,” Clive said smoothly. “And it’s a loan. You’ll have a return on your investment in due time. With interest.”

Laura shook her head. “You can’t expect us to decide on the spot. We’ll need to discuss it and come to an agreement. Together.”

“The three of you?” Clive questioned.

“That’s how things are done around here,” Adam informed him.

Clive eased back in his chair. “Good for you, kids. Good for you.”

Did Laura imagine his condescension, or was it real? Her father wasn’t just the face of Colton Textiles. He was a chameleon who could easily mask his true feeling and intentions when it suited him.

When there was something he needed to hide.

Adam rose and the rest of them followed suit, Clive coming to his feet at last. “We should have a decision for you soon.”

“Tomorrow,” Clive requested as they hovered around the door. “By the end of business hours. If I’m to make gains, too, I’ll need that money as soon as possible.”

Adam gave a nod. “Fine.”

“How ’bout you and Laura join me for lunch?” Clive asked, putting his hand on Adam’s shoulder. “Just the three of us. I hear your restaurant’s five stars. What’s it called again?”

“Annabeth,” Joshua retorted.

Clive smiled, nonplussed. “Of course it is.”

“I’m due in Flagstaff at lunchtime,” Adam explained.

“Laura?” Clive looked to her, expectant.

No plans came to her mind. “All right.”

“Splendid,” he replied. Reaching out, he gave her chin a light pinch. “Are you still seeing Quentin Randolph?”

The name struck her off guard. “No. How...how did you know about Quentin?”

“I knew him before you did,” he said. “I told him about Mariposa. And about you.”

She stared, unable to believe a connection between her father and the man who had grossly betrayed her was possible. “He never mentioned you.”

“A shame it didn’t work out,” he said. “You were quite the power couple. What happened this time?”

He’d turned out to be just like Clive—a chameleon. She ignored the question and moved to the door to open it.

Joshua beat her to it. “I need some air,” he muttered to her.

“Same,” she whispered.

“There’s something sketchy going on,” Joshua said. He pointed to Laura. “You know it. And I know it.”

Adam crossed his arms. “Why do you think I had Greg sit in on the meeting? I knew there was something off when Dad called initially.”

Next to him, Greg planted a hand against the wall in a relaxed stance. “I can look into him. See what’s really going on with Colton Textiles.”

“If he needs that kind of money, it’s bleeding,” Joshua said. “It’s bleeding badly. And if he needed money, why didn’t he go to Glenna? She’s got plenty. Why did he come all this way?”

Laura chewed over it. “He was right about one thing. We all have a stake in Colton Textiles. It was Mom’s company, too. It’s as much a part of her legacy as Mariposa. If it is bleeding, could we really just watch it die?” Wouldn’t that be like watching a part of Annabeth die all over again?

Adam turned to Greg. “Can you look into it by tomorrow afternoon?”

“I’ll make the necessary calls,” Greg said. He pulled a face. “I may miss my tee time with the man of the hour...”

Joshua cracked a smile for the first time since Clive’s arrival. “Aw, shucks.”

“Let us know what you find out,” Laura said. She hugged him. “And thanks for sitting in. If you don’t go soon, you’ll miss lunch with Tallulah.”

Greg grinned. “You know me too well.”

“She’s taking her lunches with the kitchen staff now,” Joshua pointed out, “since her nephew, Mato, got hired on as sous-chef.”

“Thanks for the tip.” Greg gave the men a salute before strolling off.

Joshua waited until he was out of earshot. “He’s loved Tallulah as long as we’ve known either of them.”

“Yes,” Laura said with a soft smile.

“I don’t know if I could wait that long,” Joshua confessed, “for someone to decide whether she wanted me.”

“Yeah, you’re much more of the now-or-never type,” Adam drawled. “Or now and never. Never being next week when you decide you’ve had enough.”

Joshua pursed his lips. “Is that any worse than the kind of man who’s married to his desk?”

“Enough,” Laura said. “Both of you.”

“What was all that business about Quentin Randolph?” Joshua asked. “Clive was the one who set you two up?”

“No,” she said automatically. She didn’t want it to be true. The idea made her feel ill.

Adam’s phone rang. He took it from his pocket. “I have to leave for Flagstaff shortly.” He glanced up at Laura. “You can cancel lunch. Dad can dine alone.”

“I’m not afraid of him,” she claimed.

“I never said you were, Lou,” he told her.

“You don’t owe him anything,” Joshua chimed in.

“I’ll be fine,” she explained. “Maybe I can get some more information about Colton Textiles out of him.”

Joshua sighed. He patted her on the back. “Good luck with that, ace.”