Guarding the Heiress. Debra Webb

up and no one could understand why, until the…body was found.” Her lips trembled and she had to take a second to compose herself. “Whatever went wrong, he wound up dead.”

      “I’m so sorry, Momma,” Eddi soothed. Something niggled at her and she asked, “What did you mean when you said you told him then? Told him what? What made him decide he wasn’t going to wait for graduation to speak to his parents?”

      Milly’s gaze connected with hers and Eddi knew the truth even before she spoke. “That I was pregnant with his child…with you. That’s why we were so happy.”

      Eddi went ice cold then fiery hot. Her head shook of its own volition. She thought of the man she knew as her father…of all that he’d done for her…all that he’d been to her. “That can’t be true. Daddy—”

      “Knows the truth,” Milly put in. “He knew right up front. But he’d loved me since the third grade. He knew I was in love with Edouard, but he was gone. Your father was willing to play second fiddle if it meant spending the rest of his life with me. He loved me that much. I thank God for him every day. He’s all that kept me from losing my mind.”

      Eddi managed to make her way to the couch. She wasn’t sure she could have stayed upright just then, her legs felt too unsteady. She had to sit down. This was crazy. She was Eddi Harper, daughter of Milly and Harvey Harper. The story she’d just heard simply couldn’t be.

      Then all the signs hit her at once. The fact that everyone always tried to come up with the name of some Harper ancestor who looked like Eddi. The shock of white hair that started at the center of her forehead and cut a path through her strawberry-blond hair. The fact that her mother had light brown hair and her father had black, well, they were both pretty gray now, but that was beside the point. The brown eyes of her parents when she had blue. Oh, the traits had been blamed on some Harper far in the past, or maybe a Talkington on her mother’s side. There was always an excuse.

      Now, all that coalesced into an epiphany that pulled the rug a little farther out from under Eddi’s feet.

      “So, you’re saying that this Edouard was really my father and that Dad just kind of stepped in to play the part.” She shook her head. “Why didn’t you tell me? I’m almost twenty-five years old. Did you think I couldn’t handle the truth? Did Daddy worry that I wouldn’t love him as much? My God, he’s my father. This isn’t going to change how I feel about him.” She looked straight at her mother then. “Or you.”

      Tears rolled down Milly’s cheeks and Eddi felt immediately contrite for her cross tone. She would have moved back to her mother’s side except she still didn’t trust her legs to hold her steady.

      “I’m sorry, Momma. Please, tell me the rest.”

      Milly nodded and swiped at her tears. “The reason I didn’t tell you or anyone else was because I was afraid.”

      Eddi frowned. “Afraid of what? That Edouard’s parents might give you trouble about custody or something?” That was Eddi’s first thought.

      Her mother shook her head. “I didn’t have time to even think of that.” She exhaled a heavy breath. “When Edouard was murdered, I feared for your life as well. You see, Edouard was the one and only heir to huge wealth. With him dead, that left only you. I couldn’t risk the same sort of thing happening to you that happened to him.”

      That reality slammed into Eddi like an unexpected fist to the gut.

      “The rich are often targets,” her mother went on. “I didn’t want to thrust you in the middle of that kind of danger. I couldn’t bear the thought of someone coming after you.”

      “I have to go.” Eddi lunged to her feet with surprising agility. A second ago she wasn’t sure she could stand, but now…now the fire of fury burned inside her. This…all of this was uncalled for. She had to stop this runaway train before it became a full-fledged wreck. “I’ll be back.”

      She hurried from the room without looking back. She couldn’t bear to see the pain on her mother’s face. Milly had been plagued with enough pain in the past. Eddi would allow no one to add to her suffering. She would stop this now.

      Three minutes later she parked her truck in front of Ada’s Boardinghouse. An old Victorian home that had been in the Garrett family for several generations was well restored and the only thing remotely resembling a bed-and-breakfast in town. Meadowbrook had no hotels. The closest one would be over in Aberdeen. The boardinghouse was really more of a bed-and-breakfast save for two exceptions—Jesse Partin and Mavis Reynolds. The two were permanent residents of the boardinghouse. Had been for nearly half a century. According to Ada, taking in permanent boarders was something the Garretts had done for generations to support the community. Most folks around town were pretty sure Ada just liked the extra cash.

      Eddi suddenly stalled halfway to the big old front porch. What if the story about her biological father had already spread around town? If either of the men had told Ada…well, they didn’t call her “The Radio” for nothing.

      Taking a deep breath for courage, Eddi marched up the steps and across the porch. She didn’t hesitate as she entered the front door and smiled as Ada herself looked up from the antique desk stationed in the entry hall that served as the reception area.

      “Why, good afternoon, Eddi,” Ada crooned. “What brings you here?” Her pleasant smile instantly reversed into a scowl. “Did that confounded Jesse Partin call you about his toilet again? I swear I’m going to boot that man out yet. There’s not a blasted thing wrong with that toilet except he doesn’t flush it right. Gotta give this old plumbing a little TLC. You said so yourself the last time you were here.”

      Eddi worked up a smile. “That’s right, Ms. Ada. But don’t worry, Mr. Partin didn’t call. I’m here to see your two out-of-town guests.”

      One fine white eyebrow winged up her forehead. “You don’t say.” She studied Eddi with a critical eye for one long moment. “Which one you want to see? The young fella or the one in the fancy suit? I gave them the two best rooms we have. Surely neither of them has a complaint.”

      Ignoring the ploy for information, Eddi said, “The young one.” She had noted a look of sympathy in the younger man’s eyes. She couldn’t say the same for the older guy. In fact, he gave her the willies.

      Ada smiled conspiratorially. “First door on the right.”

      Eddi nodded her thanks and quickly rounded the newel post to head up the staircase.

      “Where’s your toolbox?” Ms. Ada asked abruptly.

      Eddi stalled, considered her options and told the truth. “I won’t need my toolbox for this.”

      “You tell that big-city fella he’s supposed to let me know when something’s not working,” Ada called after her.

      “I sure will,” Eddi called back. She planned to tell him a great deal more than that, but Ada didn’t need to know.

      She wanted him and his hotshot friend out of this town now.

      Eddi knocked firmly on the door. She considered how strange fate could be. Only an hour or so ago she was in Ms. Ella’s kitchen listening to the matchmakers go on about her nonexistent social life and the handsome stranger in town. Little did she know that this stranger had come here to ruin her entire life.

      Speak of the devil, he opened the door precisely then. Eddi held her ground, didn’t step back as her mind ordered when her gaze settled on the shoulder holster and mean-looking gun he wore. She would tell this guy the way it was and demand that he take his friend and go. Maybe confronting him wasn’t smart, especially considering the gun, but she had to do something.

      “Miss Harper,” he said as if he hadn’t expected to see her. He glanced past her, then right and left. “You came alone?”

      What’d he expect? A posse? Maybe she should have brought the police chief. Maybe someone official would carry more weight with a guy like this, but she was here