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Matilda

  After reading the words given by her mother’s assistant, Hayley folded the piece of paper and slipped it into the pocket of her cargo pants.

  “What was that about? Is everything all right?” Victor inquired.

  Hayley bit her lip, trying to block out the churning feelings in her stomach. The last thing she wanted to do was return to Clear Mountain. Even though she had left as soon as she was eighteen, she owed her mother for taking care of her through the dark times. She wouldn’t deny her mother’s request when there was no one else she could call.

  She let out a heavy sigh. “It seems my mother has summoned me home. She’s gotten hurt and needs me to run the Clear Mountain Gazette.”

  “I’m sorry, Hayley. Take as much time as you need. Your job will be waiting for you when you’re able to return.”

  “Thanks, Victor. I’ll stay only as long as necessary,” she stated.

  Hayley placed the cap back on the lens of her camera and left to plan her return to Colorado.

  As Hayley stepped out of her rental car and looked up at the formidable sprawling mansion on the outskirts of Clear Mountain, Colorado, she took in a deep breath to calm her nerves. Six years had passed since she had stepped foot in the town, let alone the house she had grown up in. Getting out of that house and away from all the memories attached to it was one reason Hayley had left for Boulder University the day after graduation. Though she couldn’t move into the dorms until a few days before school started, sleeping in her car had been a better option than staying in the mausoleum her mother called a home.

  The door opened and on the other side was Tara, her mother’s live-in housekeeper. She was wearing the house-issued pressed blue and white uniform with her hair pinned back in a bun.

  Hayley walked up the stairs and smiled as she reached the older woman. “Hello, Tara.”

  “Good afternoon, Miss Hayley. Please follow me. Mrs. Hall is waiting for you in the parlor.”

  The formality of the place hadn’t changed since Hayley was last there. She refrained from rolling her eyes or commenting on the fact, knowing both would be lost on Tara and most likely reported to her mother. She didn’t need another lecture on etiquette.

  They walked through the massive entryway and down the long enclosed glass veranda. A line of family photos glistened in gold frames on the wall across from the glass windows.

  Hayley tried to avoid looking at the photos, but it was no use. They beckoned to be viewed. Her whole life, along with her older brother William’s, were represented by strategically chosen photos, from birth through all the milestones. Her line of photos continued to the present with photos her mother must have printed from social media, but her brother William’s stopped eleven years ago. The last photo for his line sat as a memorial, a reminder that the last photo they would ever have of him was in his Army Officer’s uniform on the day of graduation from West Point.

  The pang of loss in her heart threatened to produce tears, but Hayley bit the inside of her cheek to keep it from happening. She couldn’t show weakness in front of her mother; it would be like blood in the water for a shark.

  As they entered the formal living room—or the parlor as her mother called it—Hayley noted everything was as it had been the last time she was in the room, including the expensive over-stuffed furniture and a grand piano. She stopped just inside the room.

  Her mother perched on the fainting couch wearing a cream silk blouse and tan slacks with her brown hair elegantly arranged in a French twist. Leave it to her mother to look like a prim and proper statue a day after surgery.

  “Aren’t you going to greet your mother?” Nora Hall chastised.

  Hayley made her way over to her side, leaned down and air kissed both cheeks, a gesture her mother insisted on since Hayley was a small child.

  “Good afternoon, Mom.” Noticing a bandage sticking out from the edge of her outfit, she asked, “How are you feeling?”

  Nora must have noticed where her eyes had landed because she tugged on the edge of her silk blouse with a frustrated look, then stated, “I told the doctor I didn’t feel comfortable wearing such informal clothing during the day.”

  Informal clothing? Hayley wanted to point out that the outfit she was wearing was what most people wore to work on a daily basis. Knowing the observation wouldn’t go over well, she kept the comment to herself.

  “I’m glad you didn’t delay in coming here. I need to go over what I expect of you while I’m out of the office.”

  “How long do you think it will be?” Hayley inquired, hoping to find out how long her warden planned to keep her imprisoned.

  “The doctor insists I cannot work for two weeks, and then I can only do the smallest amount of work from home for an additional two,” her mother stated with clear irritation.

  “I’ll help in whatever way I can,” Hayley promised. “But you know my degree is in archaeology with a focus in photography.”

  Her mother’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t have to remind me. I remember when you told me you were switching your major from communications.”

  Hayley averted her eyes, uncomfortable with her mother’s disapproval. It had been a huge argument over the phone when she told her the news. Her mother threatened to quit paying for Hayley’s college if she didn’t finish the plan her mother had laid out for her future. She couldn’t understand why Hayley didn’t want to live in Clear Mountain and take over the newspaper when her mother was ready to retire. When she tried to explain there were too many painful memories tied to both places, her mother had dismissed her reason. They didn’t talk for nearly six months, until Hayley finally ended the cold war by texting her mother about her summer internship in Egypt working on an archaeological dig.

  Avoiding further conversation about the difficult subject, Hayley said instead, “I’m going to go get my bags. Which room am I staying in?”

  “Yours, of course. It hasn’t changed since you left. And don’t worry about your bags. I’ll have Tara fetch them.”

  Hayley wanted to argue. She could take care of her own bags, but before she could get out a word, her mother lifted a silver bell and rang it. A few seconds later, the housekeeper came into the room, received her orders, and was out the door.

  Her mother’s eyebrows arched as she gestured towards the door. “You can go,” she said with a dismissive tone.

  Hayley turned around to retreat to her room. It was going to be a long month.

  Three

  The lights and sirens cleared the path for the SWAT truck as it barreled down the road from Boulder to Clear Mountain. Though the call-outs to the area weren’t often, the team grumbled over the fact they hated them, since most were resolved by the time they reached the epicenter.

  This evening, a man barricaded himself into his home after a domestic dispute with his wife. She had fled the scene with their children and called the police. She’d reported her husband was armed with a handgun and threatening to kill himself.

  The Clear Mountain officers arrived. After being unable to talk the man out of his house, they called for help from the county SWAT department.

  As Connor and his team arrived at the house, he recognized the area. His parents still lived two blocks away in the home he grew up in.

  “Bet you’re feeling right at home, aren’t you, Fabio?” Jim teased as they hopped out of the truck.

  “Of course, he does. I bet the rookie here could tell us the layout of each of these houses,” Troy added. “We didn’t even need Sarge to get the floor plans.”

  Connor decided it wasn’t worth arguing with either of them. Instead, he focused on preparing for the possibility of entering the home, and how he would use his training to execute the proper tactics.

  A couple of the SWAT Team members stayed by the truck, getting out the gear they needed for entry into the house. Jim and Connor joined the Clear Mountain officers behind the barricade made by caution tape and two SUVs parked facing each other.

  “Bishop, I’m not sur
prised you showed up on this call,” Zach Turner said with a roll of his blue eyes. “Couldn’t wait to make your way back here and show off your shiny new SWAT position, could you?”

  “Hey, Zach, despite what you think, I didn’t get a choice,” Connor defended. “They tell me where to go and I just do it.”

  Zach and Connor had worked together at the Clear Mountain substation until Connor got his position with SWAT and transferred out. Zach hadn’t liked that Connor left, stating he would regret leaving his life in Clear Mountain.

  Though Connor had disagreed in the beginning, he now realized a part of him missed his hometown and the people there. It wasn’t easy living in a big city where he didn’t know anyone.

  “Well, you could have come back and visited before now. It’s not like we’re on the other side of the planet.”

  “You’re right, and I’m sorry about that. I’ve just been really busy with the new job.”

  “Right, because we all know SWAT stands for Sit, Wait, And, Train,” Zach stated sarcastically with a snort.

  “What did you just say?” Jim shouted as he came up behind Connor and got in Zach’s face. “I know you’re not talking about my team.”

  “No, not your team exactly. More like all of SWAT in general,” Zach countered, moving forward with a glare in his eyes. Next to him, his K-9 partner, Harley, must have noticed the tension. She changed from her relaxed sitting position to one of standing alert as she let out a low growl.

  The SUV door swung open, a third brown-haired man jumped out with another K-9 beside him. He walked over to Zach and pulled him back.

  “That’s enough of that, partner. We don’t need to be getting into something with the SWAT team.”

  “Of course, you would defend Bishop. You big city cops stick together.”

  A look of hurt crossed the other guy‘s face before he masked it. He looked across at Connor and shook his head. “I don’t even know him, Zach. Besides, after all we‘ve been through together, I’m Clear Mountain police through-and-through.”

  “Whatever, man,” Zach said as he ran his hand through his black hair. “Let’s just get this guy handled so we can get out of here. I’m over being around all these Boulder guys.”

  Zach pulled the leash, causing his dog to heel as they turned and walked off.

  “I’m sorry about all of that,” the brown-haired officer stated. “By the way, I’m Aiden O’Connell.” His dog barked next to him and he added, “Oh, and this is Cooper.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Connor said with a nod of his head. “Why did Zach think we knew each other?”

  “Because I transferred from Boulder about two years ago. I don’t think he realizes how many stations are in the city.”

  “Honest mistake,” Connor admitted. “I didn’t know either until I moved there.”

  Aiden glanced over his shoulder towards where Zach stormed off. “I should go check on him.”

  Once Jim and Connor were by themselves, Jim asked in a mocking tone, “Are all you Clear Mountain guys so sensitive?”

  Connor shrugged. “Zach’s an awesome dude. He’s just a lifer when it comes to a police position and station. He’s been a K-9 cop with Clear Mountain since the moment he got out of the academy and a spot opened up.”

  “I thought I heard shouting,” Ben stated as he came up to his fellow officers. “Is everything all right?”

  “It’s fine, Wilks. Fabio just ran into an old colleague. You know how these podunk cops are out here,” Jim explained with a smirk.

  Though he didn’t like the description of his old department, hometown, and partners, he let it slide. It was nice to have Jim on his side for once.

  “Okay, well, I just heard from Sarge that we need to gear up. We’ll be breaching the house within the hour if he doesn’t come out willingly.”

  Just as Connor headed towards the SWAT truck to grab his tactical vest and rifle, he saw a car pull up next to their vehicle. The logo on the side of the car read, “Clear Mountain Gazette.”

  Great, reporters. Just what we need, Connor thought to himself with irritation. He had no wish to have extra sets of eyes watching and recording everything he did. He needed to make sure not to mess up tonight.

  A strikingly pretty brown-haired woman with a camera in hand and press badge around her neck stepped out of the car. She appeared self-assured and professional in a pair of black slacks and matching jacket. He didn’t recognize her from his time with the Clear Mountain police, but the woman next to her was unmistakable. Natalie Watts was a curvy brunette reporter who tried to use her physical assets to get stories. He sighed as he turned away, not wanting to deal with her tonight. If the other woman handled herself like Natalie, she was a lost cause too.

  “If anyone comes near my house, I will shoot,” the armed man yelled from the house.

  The problematic person drew Connor’s attention back to the house. This guy wasn’t coming out easily. With a shake of the head, Connor settled in for a long night.

  Four

  Lights were flashing as Hayley climbed out of the newspaper’s car. The police barricade was keeping the crowd back as the officers gathered together to talk.

  “So, what’s our next move, boss?” Natalie asked with a clear lack of respect in her voice.

  The five-year seasoned reporter had made it clear over the past couple of days, she didn’t like the fact Nora had put Hayley in charge during her absence. Though Natalie didn’t have editorial experience, she had stated it would have worked better if someone with a journalism background was leading the newspaper.

  It was why Hayley had come on this call when they heard it over the police ban. She wanted to prove herself to Natalie.

  “I think we need to talk to the police and find out what we can.”

  Natalie shrugged. “And how do we do that exactly? I’m sure they’re busy and don’t want to be bothered right now.”

  “We just need to find a way in with them. Do you know any of them well enough to go speak with them?”

  Natalie shook her head. “This one is on you, boss.”

  Hayley suspected that Natalie could easily make conversation with any of the officers, but she was purposely not doing it so Hayley would fail in getting the story. Why else would she wear such a tightly fitting suit with a skirt in chilly weather?

  Not wanting to defer to Natalie and prove her point, Hayley looked at all the officers. Did she recognize any of them from when she lived in Clear Mountain? It might help if she had a connection—however small—to help her approach and talk to them so she could get the scoop.

  Most of them were unfamiliar, but one officer immediately caught her eye. Connor Bishop. I didn’t know he was a cop. Would have never pegged him for the helpful type.

  Hayley and Connor had gone to high school together. Hayley had been painfully shy, spending her days behind a camera taking photos of everything going on without saying a word. Connor, on the other hand, was the kingpin of popularity. He was the class president and captain of the basketball team, not to mention his smoking hot looks. Every girl at Clear Mountain High School had been hot for Connor, even Hayley—secretly. But he was a snob; he ignored any girl that didn’t wear a cheerleading uniform.

  Even though she recognized him, there was no way he remembered her. This probably would mean it wouldn’t be worth her time to go speak with him. She wasn’t about to risk the embarrassment of him asking who she was when they spent years in school together.

  Hayley was about to give up on her approach when another officer further away came into view. Bradley Tackett. I should have figured wherever Connor was, Bradley would be there too.

  The men had been best friends in high school and acted like they ran the place. The only reason he might remember her was that their teacher had assigned them as lab partners in science class. Well, it’s better than nothing.

  She pushed back her shoulders and marched over to where the men were standing. Bradley was talking about the good old days of thei
r youth when she reached their sides. Connor seemed to be barely listening and not engaged in the conversation. He almost appeared like he wanted to get away from the other man. Did they have a falling out or something?

  With a deep breath, Hayley spoke up. “Hi, there, Bradley. Do you remember me? We attended Clear Mountain High School together.”

  The blond-haired man turned to face her. He scanned her up and down as his brows came together in confusion. “I’m sorry. I’m drawing a blank. You said we went to school together?”

  Hayley’s face flamed red at the obvious lack of recognition. Still, she was here to do a job, and she needed to prove to Natalie she could get the story.

  She put on her most friendly smile. “We were lab partners in Mr. Steinburg’s science class.”

  Bradley quirked an eyebrow as he continued to stare at her with a contemplating look. A few seconds later, his face lit up as he said. “Ah, I think I remember you now. You were always taking photos.” He glanced down at her camera and added, “Seems like that hasn’t changed.” He then scanned back up her body and landed on her chest which had filled out post high school. “But it seems like it’s the only thing. I remember you looked a lot different in high school.”

  She didn’t like the way he was looking at her, but tried to avoid thinking about it. She shifted, pulling her jacket closed to cover up her body.

  “I was wondering, do you mind telling me what is going on in there? We got the basics over the scanner, but the details would be helpful.”

  He shook his head. “Sorry, can’t help you with that. Sarge doesn’t like us talking to reporters.” Giving her a sleazy smile, he added, “But maybe I can give you a little info off-the-record after this wraps up?”

  Her stomach churned at the thought of spending any alone time with the man. There was no way that would happen.

  “No, thanks, I’m good.”

  “Well, since it seems you won’t be getting anything from me, you should move on to my boy, Connor, here,” Bradley nodded towards the other officer next to him. “He went to school with us too.”