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Hez peeked into Savannah’s office to make sure she was alone. Then he walked in, shut the door, and did a little dance.

She looked up from her monitor and burst into laughter, the sunlight catching the gold flecks in her green eyes. She applauded. “Very impressive. I love that you have an actual happy dance. What’s the good news?”

He bowed. “The deal is done. The Hornbrook wire transfer cleared and we got the signed release of the loan and withdrawal of their claim. I’ll file a motion to dismiss the bankruptcy, but that’s just a formality at this point.”

“Whew!”

She sagged back in her chair. “I was scared they’d pull out.”

“Me too, but they followed through despite some grumbling.”

There had also been blunt and unsettling threats about what would happen if he or Bruno ever leaked the hacked videos, but no need to worry Savannah. “I think they also want to put this behind them as fast as possible.”

Her eyebrows went up. “But it’s not behind them or us, is it? What about Jess’s murder?”

“That’s the other thing I wanted to tell you about. We still haven’t found video showing anyone at Hornbrook Finance planning the car bomb or even being aware of it before it went off.”

She shrugged one shoulder. “That could just mean they were careful enough not to record evidence implicating themselves in a murder.”

“It could—but they recorded lots of evidence implicating themselves in other crimes. And we did find video of James Hornbrook hearing about Jess’s death. The first thing he did was order one of his goons to go check his car to make sure it didn’t have a bomb. He still has someone check it every day before he drives home.”

“Huh.”

Savannah looked into the middle distance for several seconds. “So you think the killer is still out there?”

Her voice held an edge of fear.

He shook his head. “I think the killer is dead or in jail. If Hornbrook is innocent, then the most likely suspects are the smugglers. I’m sure Hope will get to the bottom of it.”

“I’m sure she will.”

Savannah’s face brightened. “And I’m thrilled that you got the settlement finalized so fast! I had to tell the trustees about the basics, of course, and they’ve been clamoring for details. I told them they’d get a full report as soon as everything was set in stone, but I couldn’t say more until then. I also made clear that you needed to stay focused on the deal and that I wouldn’t tolerate anyone bugging you.”

He chuckled at the thought of her laying down the law to the trustees. “Thanks. You’re really growing into the role of president.”

“I’m not sure my dad would agree.”

She looked at her watch. “He’s actually on his way over now to try to get some answers out of me. He’ll be here any minute.”

As if on cue, Pierre’s muffled voice floated in from the reception area. “She’s expecting me.”

A second later, a knock sounded on Savannah’s door.

“Come in,”

she called.

The door opened and Pierre appeared, looking like he just walked out of a photo shoot for an executive magazine. He wore a well-tailored gray suit with a red silk tie, and his silver-streaked brown hair was freshly trimmed. “Ah, you’re both here. Excellent. The board is delighted to hear that this whole bankruptcy mess is being taken care of, but we must know more about the particulars.”

Savannah nodded. “Your timing is impeccable, Dad. Hez just finalized the paperwork. This was your brainchild, Hez—why don’t you fill him in?”

Hez described the settlement. He was deliberately vague about what James Hornbrook and his company were getting out of the deal, saying only that TGU had “agreed to protect the confidentiality of certain information.”

Pierre cocked his head at that, but he didn’t ask any questions.

When Hez finished, Pierre flashed his perfect teeth in a wide smile. “Excellent work! I couldn’t have negotiated a better outcome myself. So the university is on sound financial footing now?”

Savannah leaned forward. “Better than in decades.”

“Well done, my girl! The trustees will be thrilled.”

An eager light gleamed in his eyes. “Then it won’t be a problem to return the funds that were borrowed from my trust, right?”

So that was the real reason he was here. Of course. Hez cleared his throat. “No funds were borrowed from your trust, Pierre. Funds were removed because they were never legally put into the trust in the first place.”

Pierre turned to Savannah. “There’s obviously been a misunderstanding.”

He spoke with the demeanor of a senior executive gently reprimanding a subordinate. “The university can afford to clear it up now, and I can assure you the trustees won’t object.”

Savannah met her father’s gaze. “There was no misunderstanding, Dad. That money belongs to the university, and that’s where it will stay.”

The muscles in Pierre’s jaw flexed. “That’s Jess talking! I’m your father, Savannah. I gave my life to this university. I can’t believe you’re going to invoke legal technicalities to rob me of my retirement.”

Savannah’s eyes flashed. “Jess wanted to sue you to get all of the money back. I refused because a messy lawsuit wouldn’t have helped anyone, least of all TGU.”

Her expression softened. “I love you, Dad, but I can’t let you steal from the university.”

Pierre’s confidence and polish cracked. “I need that money, Savannah. It’s all I have.”

“I’m sorry, but it’s not your money. If you need help, let me know.”

Pierre stood, drawing himself up to his full height and leaning over Savannah’s desk. “I don’t want your charity. I want what’s rightfully mine, and I’ll get it—one way or another!”

He turned on his heel and stalked out without waiting for a response.

Hez got up and closed the door behind his former father-in-law. He turned to Savannah. “I know that wasn’t easy. I’m proud of you.”

She gave a weak smile. “I guess every silver cloud has a dark lining.”

* * *

There were now three graves for Savannah to tend in the cemetery—her mother’s, her daughter’s, and her sister’s. The scent of fresh dirt lingered in spite of the flowers heaped on Jess’s grave. If Jess had ever thought about it, she probably would have asked to be buried in the Willard part of the cemetery with its unkempt, crumbling headstones. If Savannah had it to do over again, she would have talked to Helen about where to bury Jess.

Jess’s headstone would take some time to be installed, but the name on the temporary marker was one Savannah had never thought to see. Fresh tears hovered closer than she’d like, and she swallowed down the boulder in her throat as she tried to imagine Jess in heaven with Mom and Ella.

Someone had sent roses and the funeral home had heaped them with the rest of the fresh flowers on the grave. It was a kind gesture, but Savannah couldn’t bear the smell. She didn’t think she’d ever get over her aversion to the scent of roses after that moment by the rosebushes in Jess’s front yard when she had to tell Simon his mother was dead. She held her breath as she lifted them off the mounded dirt and tossed them into a nearby ravine so she didn’t have to smell them.

She prayed as she planted new flowers in the pots swinging in the breeze near her mother’s and Ella’s graves. All she could do was take each day hour by hour and cling to her faith as she walked through this storm of grief. She would have to bring Simon up soon. She could talk about losing her own mother and their shared grief over Jess. Maybe he would open up. His withdrawal worried her, so she prayed for him too.

She wiped her hands on the soft grass around Ella’s grave and spotted a small figure walking up the hillside path toward Jess’s grave. Helen Willard. The tiny woman carried bundles of fresh flowers almost as big as she was. Without thinking, Savannah dove for cover and huddled behind a sprawling rhododendron. She peered through the glossy leaves and watched Helen stop first at the grave marked Marie Legare. Helen arranged fresh flowers in the vase attached to the headstone before moving to the fresh mound where Jess lay buried.

Was that a sob from the older woman? Savannah strained to hear and put her hand to her mouth when the choked sound of grief came from Helen again. Had she loved Jess, truly loved her? If only Savannah had known all this. Her chest squeezed with regret and grief.

Helen drew back from Jess’s grave and moved to Ella’s grave, where she stood for a long moment, staring at the fresh flowers Savannah had planted. She was close enough that Savannah could hear her ragged breathing. Why was she standing there motionless so long? Savannah wished she could see her expression better, but the foliage was too thick.

Helen spit out a string of profanity, and Savannah bit back a gasp. The tiny old lady screamed curses to the sky with her fist raised. Savannah gulped and waited for whatever emotion had caused the outburst to ebb. The older woman dropped her hand back to her side and continued to stare down at Ella’s headstone.

A cramp seized Savannah’s left calf, and she flexed her foot to try to ease it, but it worsened. Please leave. She gritted her teeth and kept flexing her arch without relief. When she was about to admit defeat and reveal her hidden spot, Helen finally moved from Ella’s grave and picked her way carefully down the slope toward the campus.

Once she was out of sight, Savannah emerged from behind the foliage and put all her weight on her foot until the pain eased, then went back to Jess’s grave. Helen had been truly grief-stricken when she was standing here.

Jess had been part of the Willard family more than Savannah knew, and it hurt to realize she’d been so unaware of this side of her sister’s life. When they were young, Jess would vanish for an afternoon or even a whole weekend and then reappear with a fresh tan or a new barrette in her hair. Everyone knew where she’d been, but no one talked about it because that might trigger another ugly scene between Mom and Dad.

Savannah should have probed, especially once they were on their own, but she hadn’t. Had it been habit? Fear of the pain she knew would come from unraveling their tangled family past? Both? It was too late now. More of the damage caused by her avoidant personality. She fell beside Jess’s grave and buried her face in her hands as regret washed over her in a flood.

“Savannah?”

She jerked erect at the sound of Hez’s voice and turned to see him coming toward her in a run. The love and concern on his face brought her stumbling to her feet, and she rushed to meet him.

He folded her in his arms. “I’m so sorry, babe,”

he whispered against her hair.

She shook her head. “It’s not just her death. I failed her, Hez. I only realized how much after seeing Helen here a few minutes ago.”

He stiffened. “Helen Willard was here? She came to Jess’s grave?”

“And to Mom’s. She put flowers on both graves before stopping at Ella’s. While standing next to Ella’s headstone, she raised her fist in the air and screamed out curses.”

Savannah stepped back and rubbed the gooseflesh on her arms at the memory.

“She cursed? Sweet little Miz Willard? I mean, she’s been angry with the Legares, but I’ve never heard her swear.”

“You didn’t grow up around here. She was the iron lady of the Willard family, and they’re a rough bunch. Still, it was peculiar. Ella had nothing to do with the Willards and had never even met them, so why would Helen do that at her grave? Why would she even visit it? It’s not next to Mom and Jess.”

“Did she have to search for it?”

“No, she walked to it like she’d been there before.”

“Odd.”

Hez frowned and stared toward the spot where their daughter’s body rested. “I don’t like it.”

“I don’t either.”

She shook off her unease. “I wasn’t expecting to see you until later.”

He smiled. “I had news that couldn’t wait, but it will cost you.”

He pulled her back into his arms. “A few kisses might be enough payment. But maybe not, because this is really big news.”

She chuckled. “I think I can manage that payment, but I think you’d better tell me first so I can judge how many kisses it deserves.”

“Oh, it’s worth a lot.”

He kissed her thoroughly until she was breathless. “You ready for a huge change to our lives?”

he whispered against her lips.

She released him reluctantly. “More than ready.”

“We got the house.”

Her pulse had started to slow but jumped again at his words. “You’re sure?”

“The signed offer acceptance is in our inboxes. All we have to do is send over the earnest money.”

He lifted her in his arms and swung her around. “We’ve got a new house, babe, and a new start with Simon.”

She let out a squeal. “Hez! It’s the best news ever.”

When he put her down, she hugged him. “Thank you for going along with my very impractical longing for that house.”

Her hand in his, they headed back down the hillside, and she glanced back one last time at the graveyard. Maybe she’d never know why Helen had screamed out curses by Ella’s grave.