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Authors: Elizabeth Goddard
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that is beyond the realm of possibility to me.”
A chill of exhilaration raced through Zane. It amazed him how the idea of expanding this farm excited him. Riley’s jade eyes peered at him as though questioning his thoughts. A slight grin spread over her lightly freckled cheeks. She wore minimal makeup, enough to accentuate her eyes and lips. He thought her face was flushed from the exercise, but the red on her cheeks deepened.
She looked away from him. “I’m not sure what you do and don’t know about cranberries. So just ignore me if I tell you something that you already know. But these are not actually real bogs in the true sense. The cranberries have to be dry while they grow in the peat and sand. It’s only during the harvest that the bogs are flooded and the cranberries float to the top. That’s why they’re called bog rubies.”
“I didn’t realize that. See, you know more than you think.”
“Well, I’ve helped with harvest over the years as often as I could, even after we moved to California. I’ve been researching on the Internet late at night, too, to help fill in the blanks.” She grinned.
Chad threw his cup on the road, and Riley huffed. While she leaned over to pick it up, Zane released the child from the captivity of his stroller. Chad delighted in running in circles.
Zane studied Riley then said, “I know that harvest season is in October, right?”
“Yes, the bogs are flooded. That’s when all of the equipment is put into use and the extra workers are needed.”
“Well then, we’ve got some time. It’s only the end of June.” Zane cringed at his words. He hadn’t planned to work here through October. He needed to resolve if and why John was murdered—and find his missing software—before then. If only he knew what he was looking for.
He watched Riley hold hands with Chad as they danced around in a circle, trusting and innocent. He could potentially resolve the mystery if he told her of his suspicion of John’s murder and asked her to tell him what John had sent. He’d made a mistake. He should have presented her with his suspicions yesterday, instead of this plan to help her. But it wasn’t a scheme; he was genuinely pleased to think of making the cranberry farm an operation that she and her grandfather could be proud of.
If he solved the puzzle surrounding John’s death today, he would still want to do that.
But he couldn’t stand to think of the outcome of relating his suspicions. The woman juggled too many things already. She didn’t need or deserve to have fear heaped onto her already-full plate. An unpleasant thought occurred to him, causing his heart to palpitate. How would Riley react when she learned of his deception? He pushed the anxiety away, out of his mind. No, he would try to discover the truth on his own, protect her for the time being.
John would have sent something ordinary, and only a person aware that the item was a clue to a puzzle would think to engage in solving it. He didn’t think Riley had known her brother long enough to be aware of that side of him, but he wasn’t sure.
“What are you thinking about?” Her pleasant voice brought him back. “You can’t fool me. I see those wheels turning.”
She stopped playing with Chad and drew him into her arms then came to stand before Zane. “Something’s bothering you. What is it?”
Surprised, he said, “You know me that well already? I need to be more careful.”
He turned to face the road back to the house and office. “We should get back.”
“But I haven’t shown you the equipment or pump.”
“I’ve seen all I need to see for now.” He knew his words came out cold, and her confused expression cut him to the core. Though he was connected to Riley and cared about her because she was John’s sister, he was beginning to have feelings of a different nature for her. And it scared him. He’d already lost everyone he’d ever cared about.
seven
After lunch, Riley went back to
A chill of exhilaration raced through Zane. It amazed him how the idea of expanding this farm excited him. Riley’s jade eyes peered at him as though questioning his thoughts. A slight grin spread over her lightly freckled cheeks. She wore minimal makeup, enough to accentuate her eyes and lips. He thought her face was flushed from the exercise, but the red on her cheeks deepened.
She looked away from him. “I’m not sure what you do and don’t know about cranberries. So just ignore me if I tell you something that you already know. But these are not actually real bogs in the true sense. The cranberries have to be dry while they grow in the peat and sand. It’s only during the harvest that the bogs are flooded and the cranberries float to the top. That’s why they’re called bog rubies.”
“I didn’t realize that. See, you know more than you think.”
“Well, I’ve helped with harvest over the years as often as I could, even after we moved to California. I’ve been researching on the Internet late at night, too, to help fill in the blanks.” She grinned.
Chad threw his cup on the road, and Riley huffed. While she leaned over to pick it up, Zane released the child from the captivity of his stroller. Chad delighted in running in circles.
Zane studied Riley then said, “I know that harvest season is in October, right?”
“Yes, the bogs are flooded. That’s when all of the equipment is put into use and the extra workers are needed.”
“Well then, we’ve got some time. It’s only the end of June.” Zane cringed at his words. He hadn’t planned to work here through October. He needed to resolve if and why John was murdered—and find his missing software—before then. If only he knew what he was looking for.
He watched Riley hold hands with Chad as they danced around in a circle, trusting and innocent. He could potentially resolve the mystery if he told her of his suspicion of John’s murder and asked her to tell him what John had sent. He’d made a mistake. He should have presented her with his suspicions yesterday, instead of this plan to help her. But it wasn’t a scheme; he was genuinely pleased to think of making the cranberry farm an operation that she and her grandfather could be proud of.
If he solved the puzzle surrounding John’s death today, he would still want to do that.
But he couldn’t stand to think of the outcome of relating his suspicions. The woman juggled too many things already. She didn’t need or deserve to have fear heaped onto her already-full plate. An unpleasant thought occurred to him, causing his heart to palpitate. How would Riley react when she learned of his deception? He pushed the anxiety away, out of his mind. No, he would try to discover the truth on his own, protect her for the time being.
John would have sent something ordinary, and only a person aware that the item was a clue to a puzzle would think to engage in solving it. He didn’t think Riley had known her brother long enough to be aware of that side of him, but he wasn’t sure.
“What are you thinking about?” Her pleasant voice brought him back. “You can’t fool me. I see those wheels turning.”
She stopped playing with Chad and drew him into her arms then came to stand before Zane. “Something’s bothering you. What is it?”
Surprised, he said, “You know me that well already? I need to be more careful.”
He turned to face the road back to the house and office. “We should get back.”
“But I haven’t shown you the equipment or pump.”
“I’ve seen all I need to see for now.” He knew his words came out cold, and her confused expression cut him to the core. Though he was connected to Riley and cared about her because she was John’s sister, he was beginning to have feelings of a different nature for her. And it scared him. He’d already lost everyone he’d ever cared about.
seven
After lunch, Riley went back to
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