“What?” the other woman demanded.

“I’m going to be gone on Thursday. Would you please make sure I don’t have any appointments and if I do, reschedule them?”

“Sure. Whatever. I have to go in a few minutes. Something with one of my kids.”

“That’s fine. If you would please take care of my calendar first, I would appreciate it.”

Jill had a feeling she wouldn’t see the woman again for the rest of the day.

She returned to her office, where she felt the fish eyes following her every move. When she reached her desk, she spun in a circle and glared right back.

“I never said I was staying, so don’t try to say I did. I’m leaving Los Lobos. Get over it.”

MAC WOULD RATHER have been almost anywhere than the Business Leaders of Los Lobos Committee for the Preservation of the Pier meeting—except maybe another one-on-one with Hollis. Jill had an appointment she couldn’t—or wouldn’t—reschedule so he didn’t have any kind of distraction.

He sat in the back of the community center conference room and scribbled notes from time to time while Mayor Franklin Yardley turned what should have been a ten-minute update into nearly an hour of rambling.

“Now that the Fourth of July is over,” the mayor in toned, “we can all concentrate on this historic and wonderful event.”

He outlined the activities for the day, which culminated in a big fireworks show over the pier itself. Mac briefly wondered what wayward sparks would do to a hundred-year-old pier, then told himself not to sweat the details. His joy was to keep the good citizens and various visitors safe from any and all evils.

“We’re expecting crowds at least fifty-percent bigger than we had here over the weekend,” Franklin said from his place at the podium. His silver hair gleamed in the overhead light and there was a fresh coat of tan on his leathery skin.

“No one in this town has experience with an event of that magnitude.”

Mac stifled a yawn. If they were using the beach as the main venue and the mayor’s numbers were right, parking was going to be a bigger problem than crowd control. They could use the old drive-in on the edge of town, he thought, as he scribbled a few more notes. Then get folks to the beach using school buses. He’d have to get a cost estimate. The big expense wasn’t the buses themselves. Rather, it was the insurance they would need. Still it would solve a lot of problems with congestion and—

“So I’ve invited in an expert,” Franklin said, sounding way too pleased for Mac’s peace of mind.

He glanced up just as the side door opened and a familiar if unwelcome man walked into the conference room.

Mac sat up in his chair and glared at both the newcomer and the mayor. What the hell was going on?

Franklin Yardley beamed at the committee members. “I’m delighted to introduce Mr. Rudy Casaccio. He’s handled events much larger than ours and has graciously offered to act as a consultant.”

Sure he had, Mac thought as he swore under his breath. The mayor had accepted, right after getting a nice fat, juicy contribution for his reelection campaign.

Rudy stood beside the mayor and smiled at the small crowd. He looked slick, Mac admitted. Great suit, easy stance. He was a man used to being in charge. Mac’s gaze drifted to the ever-present Mr. Smith, who hovered just inside the room. A snap to be big man on campus when you’re always protected by the big guns.

The meeting continued. Rudy gave a few words of advice, then offered to meet with the business leaders individually to discuss their needs.

By the time everyone got up to leave, Mac had about ground his teeth to stubs. He pushed through the crowd around Rudy and made his way to Franklin.

After grabbing the other man by the arm and dragging him into the corner, Mac got close enough to get his attention, then leaned in for good measure.

“Do you have any idea what you’re getting into?” he demanded.

Yardley’s brown eyes narrowed. “I know exactly what I’m doing, Sheriff, and I’d advise you to listen and learn. Rudy Casaccio can do things for this town that the residents have never dreamed of.”

“Sure. Gambling at the lodge, drugs in the high school. It’ll be great.”

“Mr. Casaccio is a reputable businessman. He wants to help our town.”

Which Mac read as helping Franklin himself.

“I can’t quite get it,” he said. “Why would someone like Rudy Casaccio want to help our little town?”

“He’s a man of vision.”

“Uh-huh. How much did he contribute to your reelection campaign?” Mac asked.

The mayor bristled. “Maybe you should worry less about me retaining office. You have an election of your own coming up in a few months. If you don’t have my endorsement, you don’t have a prayer.”

Mac knew he was right, but he didn’t like it. “I suppose he gave money to the pier restoration.”

“Yes. Twenty thousand dollars.”

Great.

“Get with the program,” Franklin told him. “We’re all making Mr. Casaccio feel welcome. You’ve only been here a short time, but everyone thinks you’re doing a fine job. It would be a shame to lose that support be cause you have something personal and unfounded against one of our leading citizens.”

“Last I heard, he’s not a resident.”

The mayor shrugged. “We’re all hoping that will change. And if you make trouble, there may only be room for one of you.”

JILL SMILED at the young woman sitting across from her. She looked to be in her early twenties and more than a couple of months’ pregnant. Kim Murphy met her gaze, offered a shy smile in return, then ducked her head.

“I was kind of surprised to get your call,” the young woman said in a soft voice. “I haven’t seen my grandmother in years. I didn’t think she still remembered me.”

“Apparently she did.”

Kim bit her lower lip and gave Jill a wary glance. “I wanted to see her more, of course. But I…I just couldn’t.”

Jill wondered why. “Had she been ill?”

“I don’t think so. It’s just things are…complicated.” She managed another one of those almost-smiles and re turned her attention to her lap. “It’s been six years since I’ve seen her. Not since the wedding.”

Jill studied the young woman. Her long platinum-blond hair hung limply to her shoulders. Her arms were pale and painfully thin. The too-large maternity dress surrounded her like a very unattractive tent. Oh, well, what did she know about pregnancy fashions? Maybe this was the latest thing.

She pulled papers out of a folder and raised her eye brows when she saw Kim’s birth date. “You’ve been married for six years. Gee, you must have gotten hitched the day after you turned eighteen.”

Kim raised her face a few inches and nodded. “Three days, actually. Andy and I started dating when I was just fourteen. He was older, of course, but he waited for me.”

She said that as if it were a good thing. Jill tried not to wrinkle her nose or say anything sarcastic.

“That’s great,” she managed instead.

“He’s wonderful.” This time Kim’s smile reached her shadowed eyes.

“Nice to know there are still some good guys out there.” Unlike Lyle, the lying weasel rat bastard dog. “Okay, this is all going to be very simple. Your grandmother left you eight thousand dollars. You get the en tire amount. My fee is being paid out of the rest of the estate. It will take a couple of weeks to process every thing. I’ll have some paperwork for you to sign, then I’ll hand over the money. In the meantime you’ll want to think about what you want to do with the inheritance.”

Kim’s delicate blond eyebrows drew together. “I don’t understand.”

“I’m suggesting a separate account for your inheritance. A money market, savings.” She grinned. “You could start a college fund.”

Kim pressed a hand to her stomach. “Oh. No, thank you. Andy wants to buy a new truck.”

So like a man, Jill thought irritably. “But this isn’t Andy’s money,” she said gently. “California is a community-property state, which means what the couple earns together is owned by both of them. However, an inheritance—money, property, whatever, only belongs to the person mentioned in the will. In this case, you. If you keep the money in a separate account and don’t commingle it with say Andy’s paycheck, it’s all yours. Even the interest.”

Kim’s expression tightened until she looked like a rabbit facing the big bad wolf. She leaned back in her chair and shook her head back and forth.

“No. No, I don’t want to do that. No. It’s not right. Andy wants a truck.”

Jill didn’t like the tremor in Kim’s voice. “What do you want?” she asked softly.

Kim swallowed. “Are we nearly done, because I have to go. I have an appointment.” She looked ready to bolt.

“Sure. Just give me a second.”

Jill handed her several papers to sign. As Kim leaned over the desk, her dress slipped off one shoulder. Jill stared at a dark, ugly bruise. It looked to be in the shape of a large hand.

She swore silently. Please God, don’t let this poor woman be battered, she thought grimly. Not here. Los Lobos might not be her idea of a good time, but she hated to think of really horrible things happening here.

“Anything else?” Kim asked as she straightened and her dress slipped back into place.

Jill had a couple dozen questions that she knew she wasn’t going to ask. Not yet. She knew nothing about what was really happening. Maybe she was imagining Kim’s fear and the bruise had nothing to do with her husband. Maybe not. But she would find out.

“That’s it for now.” Jill rose. “I’ll call you when I receive the check. Once we finalize the paperwork, you’re free to take it over to your bank.”

Kim still looked wary. She said goodbye and hurried from the room.

Jill followed slowly, waiting until she was gone before heading for Tina’s desk. It was Wednesday and her assistant/secretary/receptionist still hadn’t recovered from her snit, but Jill wasn’t willing to be put off by that.

“Do you know Kim Murphy?” she asked from the doorway.

Tina didn’t look up. “A little. She and Dave are second cousins, I think. We don’t hang with them much.” She raised her head. “Why?”

“I’m trying to decide if I should get involved in something or not.”

“Why bother when you’re leaving?”

Jill sighed. As always, Tina made her feel special. “What do you know about their marriage?”

“Her and Andy? They keep to themselves.”

“What’s he’s like?”

Tina frowned. “Big guy. Quiet unless you piss him off. He works construction.”

Great. A large, physically strong man with access to power tools and a possible temper.

“Why all the questions?”

“Just curious. I have to go out for a while. I’ll be back in a couple of hours.”

Tina sank back into her seat. “I won’t be here then.”

Why was she not surprised?

JILL WALKED to the sheriff’s office, which was about six blocks away. As she crossed the street, she made a mental note to pick up the car that afternoon so she could have it for her drive to Los Angeles in the morning.

Now that there was the possibility of leaving town, she found herself taken by the picturesque qualities of the restored downtown and the way everyone smiled in greeting.

She pushed open one of the two double doors of the sheriff’s office and crossed to the counter.

The main reception area was big, with vinyl flooring, a bulletin board with Wanted posters and ads for garage sales. A long waist-high counter separated the visitors from those in charge, while a mini swinging door the same height offered entrance to the inner sanctum.