Page 5

T he next morning, Celia dragged herself out of bed and stumbled into the kitchen. She’d barely slept the night before, and she needed to work. Needed to be distracted from her grief and rage at finding out that Nick planned to betray her to the FBI. Bobby Doyle would learn she was still alive, and he’d eventually find her and kill her.

Swallowing the hot lava of anger, she forced herself to focus on breakfast. If she stewed in her rage and sadness instead of cooking this meal, the people in the shelter would go hungry. They couldn’t go to a restaurant to buy breakfast. So she pushed away her pain and got to work.

An hour later, she put out pans of scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes and bacon, forcing herself to smile at the people already lined up. When one after another thanked her, she told them how happy she was to be able to cook for them.

When everything had been cleaned and the leftovers were put away, she forced herself to eat some food. Then she started the dishwasher and stuck her head into Mary’s office. “You need anything from me before I leave?” she asked.

Mary swiveled in her chair. Smiled at Celia. “I’m good. Sylvie is coming to start working the dinner shift tonight.”

“I know,” Celia said. “I’ll be here to show her the ropes. For breakfast tomorrow, too.” She drew in a deep breath. “I’m thinking that’s probably all the help she’ll need.” She cleared her throat. “I’m going to move out this afternoon so you can get the room ready for Sylvie. I’ll be staying in the apartment above The Trailhead. My sister and Noah bought a house about a month ago and they’re all moved in, so Anne doesn’t need the apartment anymore.”

“You’re going to cook for Hiram?” Mary asked

“That’s the plan. Not sure how Anne and I will split it up, but we’ll figure that out.”

Mary tilted her head. “I’m sorry to see you go. We’ve all enjoyed your food, and I’m going to miss you.”

Celia smiled, although she knew it was wobbly. “I’ll miss you, too. But you could come to The Trailhead in the evening after it’s closed. Have a drink with Hiram, Noah, Anne and me.”

Mary studied her for a moment. “Might take you up on that. Once I know Sylvie will be okay by herself for an hour or so.”

Forcing herself to keep smiling, Celia said, “Keep it in mind. You don’t have to come every night but come when you can.”

The older woman nodded thoughtfully. “I just might do that.”

“We’ll all look forward to seeing you.” With a wave, Celia slipped out the back door and locked it behind her. Then she trudged over to The Trailhead.

Anne was in the kitchen, cleaning up from breakfast. When Celia arrived, she began to load the dishwasher. When Anne spotted her, she smiled. “You finish breakfast at the shelter?”

“I did. Everything’s clean and put away. Sylvie starts cooking today. Dinner. I told Mary I’d be there to help her.” She gestured to the food that still needed to be put away. “I’ll finish this and handle lunch. You go home and get packed for your honeymoon.”

Anne glanced over at her. “You sure, Cece? I can help with both lunch and dinner.” She smiled. “I’ve been doing all three meals for a long time.”

“I know you have, but you just got married. Go home and pack. Spend time with your husband. I’ve got lunch. Just show me today’s menu and the recipes you use for the dishes we serve.”

Anne studied her for a moment. “You sure?”

“Of course I’m sure,” Celia said, rolling her eyes. “I know how to read a recipe. And how tough is it to cook a burger or fry a piece of cod for fish and chips? I can handle this, Annie. Go home.”

Grinning, Anne stripped off her apron. “You don’t have to tell me twice. Noah’s working the afternoon shift, so he’ll still be home. We can…”

Celia raised her hand. “Don’t finish that sentence,” she ordered, faking a shudder. “Just go home and spend some time with your brand-new husband. I’ll see you when you come back to handle dinner.”

Anne hurried to the door, waving at Celia as she let herself out.

Lunch was busy, but she’d found Annie’s recipe book and set out the pages for the meals that were on today’s menu. After cooking at several haute cuisine restaurants in both Chicago and Vegas, the pace at The Trailhead was relaxed in comparison. When the last lunch guests left around two, she cleaned the kitchen. That’s when she found the note that Anne had left.

‘Can’t wait to start cooking with you, Cece. I know it’s not what we always dreamed of, but at least we’ll be cooking together. The two of us will make The Trailhead the best restaurant in Helena.’

Celia stared down at the note, her eyes filling. It wasn’t what she’d always dreamed of -- their own haute cuisine restaurant -- but she and Anne would be cooking together. And they both adored their boss and liked the atmosphere at The Trailhead. Bottom line, did they really want the headaches of a haute cuisine restaurant? The insane hours? The stress of getting absolutely perfect meals out to every single diner? The stress of having their restaurant reviewed, with every aspect of their service picked apart?

She’d wanted that for a very long time. Now? She wasn’t sure anymore.

“What’s wrong, little sister?” Hiram asked in his gruff voice. A voice that she knew was tailored to hide Hiram’s kind heart. “You’re wearing a very long face. Don’t you wanna cook for me?”

Celia swallowed the lump in her throat. “Not at all, Hiram,” she said, grabbing his hand. “I’m looking forward to cooking for you and your customers.” She forced a smile. “Just gonna miss Anne and Noah while they’re gone. And I feel as if I’m elbowing in on Annie’s job.”

“First of all, that’s bull crap. You’re not pushing Anne out. You’re gonna be cooking together when she gets home. And I’ll miss them too,” Hiram said in his crotchety voice. “But it’s only ten days.” He cleared his voice and said, “You’re a good chef, Celia, and don’t you forget it. I got nothing but compliments about your food.”

“Good,” Celia sighed, drawing a deep breath. “I’m glad to hear it.”

Hiram jerked his head toward the bar. “Come on out and sit for a while. Take a load off.”

“I’m gonna miss Annie,” she said as she tossed her apron over the chair in the kitchen and walked through the swinging door. She sighed as she settled into one of the bar stools. “I know that sounds like I’m whining. But for a while I thought I’d never see her again.” She straightened her shoulders. “I’m just… I guess I’m gonna miss her. Noah, too.”

Hiram put his hand over hers. “I’m gonna miss them, too,” he said. “But I’m pretty sure we can survive ten days.” He studied her for a moment. “You know I’m gonna pay both you and Anne what I’ve been paying Anne. The restaurant has been real busy since Anne started cooking, and we can afford two chefs now,” he said.

Celia forced a smile. “Good to know, Hiram. But my salary wasn’t the issue. I wasn’t worried about that, since I’ll be saving a lot of money by living in Anne’s old apartment.”

Hiram put his computer to the side as he studied her. “So what is the problem, Celia?” he asked in a soft voice. “What has your shorts in a knot? Because something does. I’ve never seen you so morose and broody. You’re usually energy personified.”

Celia drew a deep breath. She knew exactly what had her shorts in a knot. Did she want to tell Hiram what was bothering her?

She studied him for a moment. Saw nothing but sympathy and concern in his eyes. So she stared at her hands, splayed on the bar. Without looking up at Hiram, afraid she’d start crying if she saw sympathy in his eyes, she said, “When I left The Trailhead yesterday to fix dinner at the shelter, Nick Doyle was waiting for me. He walked me back to the shelter, and we talked.”

She drew in a shaky breath. “Bottom line? He told me he intends to tell the FBI what happened when his father told him and Fingers to take me along for a ‘job’.” Her fingers slashed the air quotes above the bar. “Nick said it was the only time he actually heard his father give his hitmen an order to kill someone.”

“So that little prick is going to betray you? Tell the FBI what he heard in his father’s office?” Hiram scowled at her. “Did you tell Doyle that if he told them what happened, that he’d be putting a target on your back? Essentially signing your death warrant?”

Celia slumped against the back of the chair. “Yeah, I told him that. But he insisted that he had to tell the FBI. It was the only time he heard his father order an execution. And he’s determined to make sure his father spends the rest of his life in prison.”

Hiram bristled in front of her. “Lots of ways of doing that without betraying you and making you a target.” His lips thinned. “Wait until Noah gets back from his honeymoon. He’s not going to call the FBI until then anyway, so nothing’s going to happen for the next ten days.”

Hiram’s eyes darkened, and she saw the predator lurking inside him. The man who’d been a SEAL. Who’d hunted terrorists and killers during his Navy career. “Noah and I will have a come to Jesus meeting with Doyle.”

His jaw tightened, and determination burned in his eyes. Hiram would be a formidable enemy.

“We’re not gonna let him turn his father loose on you. Noah used to work for the FBI. He knows that they have moles in most, if not all of the mobster families in Las Vegas. They’ll find someone to testify against Nick’s father. He won’t have to involve you at all. Hell, you told us Nick had pictures and information about his brother’s murder. He can use them to get his old man locked up. He doesn’t have to throw you under the bus.”

A sliver of hope stirred in Celia’s chest. “Really, Hiram? Are you sure?”

“I’m not sure about much. But I know that Noah won’t let Nick talk about your near-murder. He knows what the consequences would be.”

Afraid to let herself hope, she asked, “You sure about that? You’re not just shining me on, are you, Hiram? Trying to make the hysterical woman settle down?”

“Hell, no.” Hiram scowled. “I’ve known Noah since he was a newby SEAL and I was a trainer. We got to know one another after I saved his life. An asshole swimming instructor was using an illegal hold to keep him on the bottom of the pool. I dived in and grabbed Noah. Brought him to the surface in the nick of time. We’ve been friends ever since. So, yeah. I know Noah damn well. And what he is, over and above anything else, is a protector.”

“So you saved Noah’s life. Wow!” Celia said. “What happened to that instructor? Something bad, I hope.”

Hiram grinned at her. “Yeah, he was court-martialed. Nick and I testified at his hearing. So did other trainees who’d been restrained by that guy using an illegal hold. He was found guilty, kicked out of the Navy and spent a good amount of time in the brig. He’d used the same hold on a recruit who’d died.”

She put her hand over Hiram’s. “And you and Noah have been friends ever since.”

“Yep,” he said. “We lost touch when we both left the Navy. Found each other again when Noah took the training job with Blackhawk Security.”

“You’re a real-life hero, Hiram,” Celia said.

He shrugged. “Anyone would have done the same thing.”

She tilted her head. Studied him. “Yeah? How many other guys jumped in the pool when the asshole had Noah trapped on the bottom?”

Hiram actually blushed. “I had the best angle to see what happened.”

She squeezed his hand, then let him go. “Not gonna change my mind, Hiram. In my book, you’ll always be a real-life hero.”

His cheeks still red, Hiram rolled his eyes. “Not so much. But I’m sure glad Noah survived and ended up in Helena.”

“Me, too, Hiram,” Celia said softly. “Me, too.”

As she slid off the chair to work on moving her meager belongings into Anne’s old apartment, she remembered her conversation with Mary that morning.

“By the way, Hiram, I invited Mary to join us after The Trailhead closes for a drink.” She grinned. “Sounded like she was interested.”

Hiram’s face turned red. “Well, she’s welcome,” he managed to say. “Hope she comes by.”

“I’ll see if she wants to come with me tonight.”

Hiram swallowed. “That’d be… that’d be good,” he said gruffly. “Be fun to have her join us.”

“Exactly what I told her,” Celia said, hiding her grin. “I’ll see you in a bit, Hiram. I’ve gotta get my stuff moved so Sylvie can use my old room.”