abruptly. “Why don’t we have some coffee?” He saw her scramble for excuses, but he planned to derail them all. “I’ll order a carafe out here.”
Brynn tried to protest. “I really should walk Lancelot—”
“He’s already had quite a run out here on the deck.”
“Well, yes, but—”
“Have you had breakfast yet?”
She hesitated. “No, but—”
“You can have a light breakfast out here...or join my mother for a more hearty version in the dining room.”
Although there was a crisp chill in the air, they were both dressed warmly and the potbellied stove on the deck warmed the area. He could see the struggle in her eyes. She’d be no poker player; her face was a transparent window.
“Maybe just coffee and a bagel.”
He nodded, pulled out his cell phone and ordered breakfast to be served on the rear deck.
“One of the perks of living in a resort,” she commented, first twisting her hands, then shoving them into her pockets, then withdrawing them to cross them over her arms.
Matt wondered if she was that nervous around all men or just him.
Brynn fiddled with her hands again. “Do you have any news about Gregory?”
Matt frowned. “I just got off the phone a short time ago. They found Gregory’s rental car abandoned about twenty miles out of the city. It was clean, no prints. But no blood or bullet holes either. That reinforces their theory—the kidnappers are only after money so they’re keeping the merchandise in good shape.”
“Isn’t there anything we can do?”
“I’ve been to Washington, rattling every connection we have. I want to go to South America but the State Department said that could hurt Gregory’s chances. The kidnappers will probably want a clean electronic cash transfer. If we show up on their doorstep, they could get nervous and hurt Gregory.”
Brynn nodded. “I see.”
Matt laid a hand over hers. “Trust me. We’re doing everything we possibly can to get him home. Dad and I have called every contact we know and then some.”
“And you think Drake Chemical will pay what they ask?”
“If not, the family will raise the money somehow, even if it means mortgaging Eagle Point,” Matt replied grimly.
Brynn’s expression softened. “He’s lucky to have you.”
Glancing up, he caught her gaze. “And you.”
Again, distress clouded her features.
Uncertain how to deal with her, Matt reached down to pet the dog. “How’d you like the trip to town?”
She tilted her head to one side as recognition dawned. “You knew how it was going to be. You set me up!”
He shrugged, not completely able to hide his grin. “There’s nothing quite like a small town.”
“It was like throwing new meat to the lions,” she dissented. “While everyone was very nice, you could tell they were hungry for something...or someone...different. And they had the scent of my trail from the minute we got to town.”
“I didn’t actually call ahead and tell everybody to be on the lookout. But you’ll find that there’s no need. There’s an invisible grapevine that works with a mystique of its own. But then, I guess you won’t actually be spending that much time here once Gregory returns.”
She fumbled again with her hands, finally tucking them at her sides. “No, I guess not.”
“You’re both big-city people. It’s where you belong.”
She studied him. “But you and Gregory come from the same place. Why is it he’s big-city and you’re not?”
“Didn’t you ask him?”
She pushed at her glasses. “Before he was... Before he disappeared, I hadn’t met you. No reason to ask.”
Matt studied her for another moment. “Gregory and I never were much alike, didn’t want the same things, the same places. He dreamed about leaving for bigger places. I dreamed about making this place bigger.”
“This place?” she echoed.
“Eagle Point. The land’s plenty big enough, but the resort can be bigger.”
“Does your family’s land take up quite a few
Brynn tried to protest. “I really should walk Lancelot—”
“He’s already had quite a run out here on the deck.”
“Well, yes, but—”
“Have you had breakfast yet?”
She hesitated. “No, but—”
“You can have a light breakfast out here...or join my mother for a more hearty version in the dining room.”
Although there was a crisp chill in the air, they were both dressed warmly and the potbellied stove on the deck warmed the area. He could see the struggle in her eyes. She’d be no poker player; her face was a transparent window.
“Maybe just coffee and a bagel.”
He nodded, pulled out his cell phone and ordered breakfast to be served on the rear deck.
“One of the perks of living in a resort,” she commented, first twisting her hands, then shoving them into her pockets, then withdrawing them to cross them over her arms.
Matt wondered if she was that nervous around all men or just him.
Brynn fiddled with her hands again. “Do you have any news about Gregory?”
Matt frowned. “I just got off the phone a short time ago. They found Gregory’s rental car abandoned about twenty miles out of the city. It was clean, no prints. But no blood or bullet holes either. That reinforces their theory—the kidnappers are only after money so they’re keeping the merchandise in good shape.”
“Isn’t there anything we can do?”
“I’ve been to Washington, rattling every connection we have. I want to go to South America but the State Department said that could hurt Gregory’s chances. The kidnappers will probably want a clean electronic cash transfer. If we show up on their doorstep, they could get nervous and hurt Gregory.”
Brynn nodded. “I see.”
Matt laid a hand over hers. “Trust me. We’re doing everything we possibly can to get him home. Dad and I have called every contact we know and then some.”
“And you think Drake Chemical will pay what they ask?”
“If not, the family will raise the money somehow, even if it means mortgaging Eagle Point,” Matt replied grimly.
Brynn’s expression softened. “He’s lucky to have you.”
Glancing up, he caught her gaze. “And you.”
Again, distress clouded her features.
Uncertain how to deal with her, Matt reached down to pet the dog. “How’d you like the trip to town?”
She tilted her head to one side as recognition dawned. “You knew how it was going to be. You set me up!”
He shrugged, not completely able to hide his grin. “There’s nothing quite like a small town.”
“It was like throwing new meat to the lions,” she dissented. “While everyone was very nice, you could tell they were hungry for something...or someone...different. And they had the scent of my trail from the minute we got to town.”
“I didn’t actually call ahead and tell everybody to be on the lookout. But you’ll find that there’s no need. There’s an invisible grapevine that works with a mystique of its own. But then, I guess you won’t actually be spending that much time here once Gregory returns.”
She fumbled again with her hands, finally tucking them at her sides. “No, I guess not.”
“You’re both big-city people. It’s where you belong.”
She studied him. “But you and Gregory come from the same place. Why is it he’s big-city and you’re not?”
“Didn’t you ask him?”
She pushed at her glasses. “Before he was... Before he disappeared, I hadn’t met you. No reason to ask.”
Matt studied her for another moment. “Gregory and I never were much alike, didn’t want the same things, the same places. He dreamed about leaving for bigger places. I dreamed about making this place bigger.”
“This place?” she echoed.
“Eagle Point. The land’s plenty big enough, but the resort can be bigger.”
“Does your family’s land take up quite a few
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