“What?”
“That heavy oval clasp—it had a hidden latch. When pressed, the clasp opened. Like a locket. Since Emily had only worn it a few weeks before it was stolen from her, she’d never discovered the mechanism.”
Rachel held her breath as she asked, “What was inside?”
“An engraved inscription. Faint, but still readable under a magnifying glass. ‘To N. from S. Mine forever.”’
“Mine forever,” Rachel whispered. “It makes jealousy sound more than ever like a motive, doesn’t it?”
“Could be that he managed to deal with her leaving him for Josiah. But finding out that she was having an affair with his own brother sent him over the edge.”
“Lucas—” Rachel moistened her lips. “Do you think we’ll ever know for certain what happened to my father and your stepmother?”
“I don’t know. Maybe Sam will eventually talk. He’s hardly stable—and everything that happened yesterday has shaken him badly.”
“He didn’t want to kill me. The only thing he said to me before he hit me was that he was tired of hurting his family.”
“He’s almost destroyed his family,” Lucas answered grimly.
Rachel had to agree. If everything they’d come to believe about Sam was true, he’d murdered his own brother and nephew, had caused his sister-in-law to become a neurotic mess, and had almost killed his niece. If it had been Sam’s intention to ruin the McBrides, he had failed. The McBrides were thriving. The Jennings family was broken.
“I’m sorry, Rachel,” Lucas said, as if he’d followed her thoughts. “You didn’t deserve any of this.”
“And you didn’t deserve to be labeled a murderer,” she replied. “Sam has caused so much pain for both our families. He should pay.”
“One way or another, he will.”
“Lucas—” She frowned, not trusting his tone. “Promise me you’ll stay away from him. Whatever happens with the legal system, swear to me you won’t try to take the law into your own hands.”
“He almost killed you.” The barely suppressed fury sizzled through the telephone line, almost burning Rachel’s fingers.
“Promise me, Lucas,” she said steadily. Firmly.
He grumbled. “I’ll leave him alone. Unless he ever bothers you or my sister again. And then all promises are off.”
“Thank you. That’s as much as I can expect, I suppose,” she said wryly.
It was sort of like being in love with a Doberman pinscher, she reflected. He was utterly loyal to those he protected, but beware to anyone who threatened them.
“You’re doing okay? You aren’t having any problems from the blow to your head?”
She shook off the image and replied, “No, I’m fine. Will I see you tonight?”
There was a pause. And then, “You should probably get some rest this evening. And I’m sure your grandmother needs you.”
Rachel began to frown. Something in Lucas’s voice put her on alert. “And what will you be doing this evening?”
“I’ll have dinner with Emily, Wade and Clay—and then I thought I’d head back to California. There’s a flight leaving Atlanta at midnight. All I have to do is turn in the rental car and...”
“You’re leaving?” Rachel interrupted in disbelief. “Tonight?”
“Emily has a lot to do during the next week. She’s getting married Friday evening. She doesn’t need me underfoot.”
“You know very well that Emily wants you at her wedding and that she does not see you as a burden in any way. Why are you leaving, Lucas?”
“It just seems best. Everyone in town is talking about the McBrides again. I don’t want to turn the wedding into a circus.”
“I don’t believe that. What are you running from this time, Lucas?” She didn’t even try to keep the anger out of her voice.