Maggie Wilson dabbed under her eyes, then clutched the tissue and stepped into the aisle. The gulf surrounding her shattered heart widened with each step as she neared her fiancé’s coffin. She raised her chin, drawing a deep steadying breath, willing the threatening tears not to fall. Tears would make this horrible nightmare real.

Maggie’s literary agent, Byron Pierce, walked by her side, and the slight pressure of his hand caressed her fingers, although it did little to fill the empty void within her. Maggie met Byron’s concerned eyes. She nodded, then released his hand and walked to the coffin alone.

She brushed Michael’s blonde hair, sliding her finger down the side of his cold face. The tears she had quelled thus far slid down her cheeks. Seconds ticked by before Bryon’s fingers cupped around her elbow.

“I’m okay.” She choked back the tears. “Give me a minute.”

He nodded, released her arm and took two steps backward.

Maggie bent and kissed Michael’s forehead. A tear dropped onto the lapel of his black suit. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, squeezing her eyelids shut. This had been her fault, though she didn’t know why or how; still, something inside her knew. Michael was the second man she’d intended to marry who died in a terrible accident. Her jinxed life had sent him to his death as surely as it had killed her high school sweetheart. She vowed there would not be a third.

Maggie did her best to quell her raging emotions. Blowing her nose and wiping her eyes, she turned and fell in step with Byron, who escorted her to the second row of benches where her mother sat with Laura Deveraux, Maggie’s best friend.

A concerned look shadowed her mother’s features as her gaze swept past Maggie and settled on Byron. The expression didn’t escape Maggie. Her mother had never liked Byron and had been vehemently opposed to Maggie hiring him; she thought him unscrupulous. That was the only thing she and Laura had in common.

The service was brief. Michael was an only child, and his parents were deceased. The minister’s few words at the interment were spoken with reverence and sympathy. Maggie clung to his every word.

Among those present at the graveside were a host of college professors who worked with Michael during his years with the University of North Carolina at Wilmington before he left to fulfill his dream as a professional golfer. Also in attendance were several of Michael’s golfing buddies that he’d been scheduled to compete against at Pebble Beach, the day following his death.

A sea of bleakness permeated from Maggie, bringing back an endless vortex of numbness. A wave of loneliness that she had fought hard to overcome three years ago now seemed her constant companion.

* * * *

Three Months Later

Maggie entered the Barnes and Noble Book Store at the Arboretum Shopping Center in the Charlotte, North Carolina suburb promptly at six forty-five, giving her just enough time to get her thoughts together before the book signing was scheduled to start. She sat down at the table where her latest bestseller sat stacked and waiting.

Maggie withdrew a letter from her jacket pocket to reread it; tears pricked at the back of her eyes. She drew a quick, hurried breath, willing her nerves to calm down, and stuffed the envelope back in her pocket moments before the Barnes and Nobel employee released the rope allowing the crowd of people to come toward her.

The first man in line started toward the table. His rounded eyes were hooded and a look Maggie couldn’t quite distinguish filled them as his fingers shoved his mousy brown hair back from his forehead. He thrust a copy of Maggie’s latest novel toward her. She glanced up, refusing to make eye contact.

“What’s your name?”

“Joe.”

“Thank you, Joe.” She took the book from him and opened it. “I hope you enjoy the book.”

“I’m not buying it for myself.”

Maggie relaxed her hold on the pen and looked up at him.

“It’s for my mother,” he said, his eyes softening. “She’s in the hospital and is a big fan of yours. I want to surprise her with an autographed copy.”

“Oh,” Maggie replied, her voice filled with compassion. “I’m sorry. What’s your mother’s name?”

“Grace.”

Maggie wrote a personalized note and signed her name. “Be sure to thank her for me.” She handed the book to him. “I hope she’s feeling better soon.”

“Thanks. I’ll tell her.”

Maggie watched him leave just as the door opened and another man walked in. Their eyes locked for a brief moment before he turned away. Could that be him? These days the same thought shot through her with every man she came in contact with, wondering, living in fear every time a stranger looked at her. Why won’t he just leave me alone?

The stack of books at her side grew steadily smaller as the evening wore on. Maggie stopped for breaks and exercised her hand. As usual, by the end of the evening, it was cramped and sore from overuse.

The crisp night air that hit Maggie’s face when she left the bookstore was a welcoming change. The season’s first official cold front was predicted to drop the temperature to the low fifties overnight. It had been an unusually wet summer, and though Maggie loved the hot summer months, this year’s humidity had made it more uncomfortable than normal, leaving her looking forward to fall.

Maggie glanced across the nearly empty parking lot, reaching into her purse for her keys. She hurried to her car. As she pressed the unlock button, the interior light illuminated the darkness. In a quick move, she glanced inside before opening the door, slid into the driver’s seat and touched the automatic lock as the door closed.

The drive to Piper Glen took only a few minutes. Maggie parked in the driveway of her mother’s home, turned the interior light on and reread the letter for the third time today.

This made no sense. How did this idiot get such personal information about her? Her career, though well known in the publishing industry, was not highly publicized. She worked hard to keep her private life out of the public eye. Yet somehow he had managed to find out things about her that only her close friends knew; his recent letters had proven that. They had been filled with knowledge that only those close to her could know. This letter, with its reference to Michael’s death, and her loneliness since, made her skin crawl, sending her fears into overdrive.

Maggie had to take some kind of action, and soon. She refused to live in a shell; it was time to go home, back to Wilmington and her life. Michael would want it that way.

She closed the letter and went over the conversation she had with a local police officer that morning. He said there was nothing the authorities could do unless the guy personally threatened her. She wanted to scream that these letters were exactly that, but didn’t. It had been all she could do to maintain her composure. If the police refused to help her, then where was she supposed to turn? She hated the idea of telling her mother, knowing how she worried. Having to deal with her brother’s death, and her father’s only a few months after that, had been tragic and devastating for her mother. Only now had she just gotten her life back on track. Maggie had McKenzie Johnson to thank for that. Mac had been the best thing that had happened to her mother since Maggie’s father died. These letters would make her mother want to control her life again, and that’s precisely what Maggie wanted to avoid. But did she honestly have a choice? She had nowhere else to turn. If she told Laura, she would tell her mother, and then both of them would be on her case.

“Okay.” She drew a deep breath, mustering up the courage she needed. She stopped at the backdoor, a sense of dread overshadowing her.

She’s going to freak, but I’m tired of jumping at shadows, and being afraid every time I turn a corner that some crazy person is going to jump out and grab me.

Maggie opened the door. “Mom, I’m back.” She dropped her keys into her purse and set it on the kitchen counter.

“In the living room, Maggie.”

Natalie Wilson sat in the recliner, holding a magazine and with her legs propped up. She lowered the magazine to her lap when Maggie entered the room. “How did it go?”

“Fine. What are you reading?”

Natalie flipped the cover closed, holding the page with her finger.

Maggie smiled when she read the Better Homes and Gardens caption. “Good article?”

“This issue has some good recipes.”

“Should I look forward to them in future?”

The corners of Natalie’s mouth curved upward. “Possibly.”

“I’ll look forward to it then.”

Natalie closed the magazine, laying it in her lap to give her daughter her full attention. “How did your evening go?”

“Okay.” Maggie dropped to the sofa, her stomach knotting up.

Natalie removed her glasses and gazed at Maggie. “Something on your mind? Want to talk?”

Her mother had the uncanny ability to read her too well. “What makes you ask?”

“You seem bothered by something. Anything I can do to help?”

“Maybe...” Maggie said.

Natalie’s eyebrows rose suspiciously. “Okay. You’ve piqued my curiosity. What’s going on?”

“Promise you won’t freak?”

The lever gave a creak as it released, and Natalie’s feet hit the floor. “What’s wrong?”

“Did I say anything was wrong?”

“Stop answering my questions with a question.”

Maggie fingered the letter a moment then removed it from her pocket. “You’re going to find out sooner or later anyway.” She handed it to her.

Natalie’s brow creased. She opened the letter and began reading aloud.

My Dearest Maggie,
I wish I could be there to comfort you. I understand how lonely and alone you must be feeling right now. I can’t say that I was sorry to hear about your fiancé’s death, but who knows, something good could come of it. You and I...

Natalie stopped and shook her head in disbelief. “Who wrote this?” She flipped it over and read the signature, “Your biggest fan.”

Maggie shrugged.

Natalie finished the letter, continuing to shake her head every few seconds. “This is a very troubled young man.”

Maggie couldn’t deny that. “He writes every month.”

“Every month! When did they start?”

“After Michael and I returned from Maui.”

“That long ago? How many?”

“This is the tenth one.”

“Ten! Why didn’t you tell me about these sooner?”

“I didn’t want to worry you. Besides, they started out like regular fan mail.”

Natalie reached for the cordless phone sitting on the table beside her.

“What are you doing?” Maggie caught the gleam in her eyes.

“Calling Mac.”

She started dialing.

“He’s retired. What can he do?”

“He has friends at the precinct.” Natalie covered the phone with one hand. “His machine,” she whispered. “Mac, it’s Natalie. Call me at home as soon as you get this message.”

“I’ve already spoken with the police.”

“You have?” She sounded surprised. “What did they say?”

“That there’s nothing they can do unless the guy personally threatens me.”

“Well, there’s something I can do.”

“What?”

“I don’t know yet, but I’m sure Mac will have a suggestion.”

“I thought about calling Uncle Jess,” Maggie said thoughtfully.

“Jess,” Natalie repeated. “He’s too far away.”

“I know, but I thought...” The ringing of the phone interrupted her.

Natalie caught it on the first ring.

Maggie listened as her mother read the letter to Mac and the dead silence that followed as her mother listened to him. Relief filled Maggie, but didn’t ease the fear she’d been living with the last couple of months. She dropped to the sofa.

“Okay,” Natalie said. “No, I won’t. See you tomorrow.”

“So?” Maggie said, almost afraid to ask what he’d said.

“Mac suggested I hire you a bodyguard.”

“A bodyguard! Oh, for heaven’s sake, Mom. I don’t need some stranger hovering over me. It’s hard enough to concentrate as it is.”

“I think it’s a good idea,” Natalie said with a touch of finality in her voice. “Your life may be in danger. This guy could be a real nut case. He’s made some pretty intimate comments. How long do you think he’ll be satisfied with letters, Maggie?”

She shrugged. “It may be nothing.”

“And it may be something! I’m not willing to take that chance. And neither should you. If you didn’t want me to do something, then why tell me?”

“I don’t know.” Maggie almost wished she hadn’t, but then she had known her mother would take action.

“Mac wants me to meet him for lunch tomorrow. Try not to worry and get some sleep. If we’re going to make it to Wilmington by lunch, we’ll need to leave early.”

There was no point in arguing. Her mother’s mind was made up. “Wake me when you get up.”

“If we’re on the road by seven and traffic cooperates, we should arrive before noon.”

“You can drop me by Laura’s. I need to pick up my car. It’s time I went home anyway.”

“Sure you don’t want to join us for lunch?”

She nodded. “Laura usually goes home for lunch. She’s been hounding me to come home.”

“Mac is bringing a friend, a local ex-bodyguard turned private investigator that he thinks may take the case.”

“I really wish you wouldn’t...”

“I’m not taking any chances this time, Maggie.” Tears filled Natalie’s eyes. “I’ve already lost a husband and a son. I don’t intend to lose a daughter, too.”

Maggie clamped her mouth shut. She might as well blow in the wind as an object. A bodyguard might ease her mother’s mind, though Maggie doubted it.

“See you in the morning.”

Maggie kissed her mother’s forehead. “I’m going to take a bath and pack.”

“Okay. Good night, sweetheart.”

* * * *

Independence Boulevard traffic came to a dead stop. “Wonder what’s got traffic so backed up?” Maggie turned the radio on.

“It’s not like we’re heading into town,” Natalie stated flatly. “This has to be more than normal rush hour.”

Maggie listened as the DJ explained a car accident had virtually turned Highway 74 East into a parking lot.

“Great,” Natalie mumbled.

As a child, Maggie thought her mother had more patience than anyone. Gradually, she had watched a steady decline. “At least we’re not on that side of the highway.” Traffic going downtown had been bumper to bumper since they’d left the 485 Loop.

“True enough.”

Maggie watched the car in front of them edge toward the centerline, then to the car beside him and back to the shoulder. Sometimes she wished she had the power to turn back the time to when she and Jesse were young, and live it over.

When they passed Carrabba’s Grill, Maggie’s thoughts left her childhood and zoomed forward in time to three months ago, when she and Michael had shared dinner the night before he left for California. It was their last evening together. A tear welled up in her eye.

The traffic finally began to move.

“Looks like they’ve got most of it cleared away; maybe we’re through the worst of it.”

Maggie settled back in the seat and listened to the radio, occasionally singing along with one of her favorite songs. Home of Randy Travis, she read the welcome sign as they entered the city limits of Marshville, North Carolina.

As the miles ticked off, the piedmont soon turned into sand hills where the land visibly changed; the rolling hills were replaced by long stretches of flat sandy earth, with fewer trees and shrubbery.

“Hungry?” Natalie broke the long silence.

“I can wait until I get to Laura’s.”

“Shouldn’t be long now,” Natalie said, passing a sign indicating the Brunswick County line.

“I haven’t seen Laura since Michael’s funeral.”

“I spoke to June the other day. She said Laura wasn’t coming home for Thanksgiving this year.”

“Really?” Maggie said. “Wonder why?”

“She didn’t say, only that Forest was disappointed.”

Maggie would never admit it, but she had always been envious of Laura’s relationship with her father, and it had been worse right after her dad died. Watching them made Maggie really miss him.

Laura had been responsible for Maggie moving to Wilmington. When she enrolled at the University of North Carolina Wilmington instead of UNC Charlotte, her parents were disappointed. Laura begged until Maggie finally agreed to go with her. Later she was glad she had; that’s where she met Michael.

She had never believed in love at first sight, until the moment she walked into Michael’s classroom. She smiled to herself. It had taken him a little longer to acknowledge his love for her.

“Laura refers to herself as ‘Daddy’s angel.’” Maggie remembered helping Laura pick out a Father’s Day card one year. “It’s funny listening to them talk.”

Natalie nodded. “June used to be jealous of their relationship.”

“Why?”

“I guess she wished her and Laura were closer.”

“Laura has never understood her mother,” Maggie said thoughtfully.

“June has always been a closed person,” Natalie admitted. “Her parents were like that. She came from a different background. I hope you don’t feel that way about me.”

Maggie cast her mom a quick glance. “No. You don’t have any problems relaying your feelings.”

“I’ve never been one to hold back, something wrong with that?”

Maggie didn’t like where this conversation was headed. “Not really. But sometimes...”
She let the sentence trail off, half expecting her mother to start ranting anytime, insisting Maggie move home where she could watch over her. As much as she loved her, Maggie wasn’t going to be smothered. No one understood better than she why her mother was fearful, but by now she would have thought she’d have eased up on her, especially now with Mac in the picture.

“If you’re referring to my wanting to protect you...then you’re right. Do you blame me?” Natalie cast Maggie a curious glance.

That was a loaded question, if Maggie had ever heard one, and one she wasn’t about to answer. “There’s the bridge. Almost home.”

Natalie’s lips drew into a thin line when Maggie ignored her query.

She was relieved her mom didn’t probe further. It was a delicate topic and one that Maggie had just as soon leave for another time. There were too many wounds that she’d rather not open. Maggie knew her mother didn’t blame her for Jesse’s death, but she knew Maggie blamed herself, whether it was her fault or not, and she would live with that guilt for the rest of her life.

“I’m going to drop you off and go on.”

“You’re not coming in?”

“I don’t have time. I’ll be back after lunch. Will you be here?”

Maggie nodded.

Natalie turned into the apartment parking lot and stopped the car.

“I’ll leave my bags until later.” She removed her notebook case from the back floorboard and closed the door.

“Be back soon.” Natalie drove off.

* * * *

Natalie waved to Mac.

Eddie stood beside him and watched as Mac kissed Natalie’s cheek. Though it wasn’t the best of circumstances, he was pleased for the opportunity to meet Mac’s new ladylove.

Mac pulled out the chair for Natalie, brushing her fingertips and gaining a smile, then waited for her to be seated before taking the chair next to her. “Natalie, this is Eddie West. The man I told you about. Eddie, this is Natalie Wilson, Maggie’s mother.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” Natalie extended her hand.

“Pleasure, ma’am.”

“How’s Maggie?” Mac asked.

“She says she’s fine, but...”

“You think this has shaken her?”

“To the core. She’s trying to be strong, but she doesn’t hide her feelings very well.”

“I briefed Eddie on the situation.”

“Then you understand my concern?”

“Yes.” The case piqued Eddie’s interest the moment Mac said the client was Michael’s fiancé.

“Could you start immediately if you accept the case?”

“Sure.”

“Mac tells me you’re the top in your field.”

“Mac is prejudiced.” Eddie leaned back in the chair. “He and my father were partners and best friends. He’s been like a second father to me.” Mac had set down parameters about revealing the connection between him and Michael, but Eddie saw no reason in withholding their relationship.

“Mac never mentioned it. Why?”

Mac shrugged.

The waitress set down three glasses of water and menus on the table.

Natalie took a sip. “Mac said you were a bodyguard before going into private investigation.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Eddie picked up a menu and scanned it quickly. “And before that I was in Special Forces.”

“Oh. Which branch?”

“Navy Seal.”

“Why did you leave the military?”

Eddie took a gulp of water. “Had enough, I guess.”

“It sounds like you’re well qualified, and you have Mac’s endorsement, which is an added plus. If you’re interested, I’d like to hire you to protect my daughter.”

Eddie nodded. “Mac has already given me a little information, but I’ll need a bit more to get started.”

“I’ll do whatever I can to help.”

“First I’ll need the letters.”

“I’ll messenger the one I read Mac to your office this afternoon. The others you’ll have to get from Maggie.”

He nodded. “Thanks.”

They settled on a figure, and Natalie wrote out a check to ACE Investigation.

The waiter took their order.

“My firm will do the leg work on the letters, to see if they can turn up any leads. If this guy’s a professional, he’s likely covered his tracks.”

“My main concern is Maggie’s safety. Her welfare must be your first priority.”

“Yes, ma’am. I understand. Your daughter will never be left alone. Someone will be with her twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.”

Natalie sighed. “I hope Maggie doesn’t object. She’s very independent, like her father.”

“Does she know you’re hiring me?” Eddie hoped so; otherwise it would make his job much harder.

“Yes. But she’s not happy about it.”

“Will she cooperate?”

“I believe so, though she may be reluctant at first,” Natalie said thoughtfully. “She values her privacy.”

“I understand. We’ll give her as much privacy as possible, but even then, she needs to be aware that it won’t be the same. We’ll need to post a guard at her home immediately.”

“Let me speak with her first. She can be a stubborn one.”

“Another trait from her father?” Eddie raised a curious eyebrow.

Natalie glanced up as the waiter walked by. “No. Unfortunately, this one came from me.”

“At least she admits it.” Mac smiled.

Eddie grinned. The more he heard, the more curious he became.

“Is there a number where I can reach you?”

Eddie removed a business card from his wallet and scribbled another number on the back. “Both my office and home numbers are on the bottom. I wrote my cell number on the back. If I don’t answer, leave a message. I’ll get back with you.”

“Very good. When do we start?”

“I’ll need to meet with your daughter as soon as possible. The letters and a list of her friends and business associates should be enough to get us started. And, I’ll need a number where I can contact you.”

“I’ll include the list with the letters.” Natalie wrote her home and cell numbers down and handed it to Eddie. “If you don’t get an answer at either number, try Mac. He’ll know where to reach me.”

“And your daughter’s address. As I said, I need to meet with her soon. This afternoon, if possible.”

“We just drove in from Charlotte. Maggie is at a friend’s.” Natalie gave him Laura’s address. “I’ll speak to her and try to arrange something this afternoon, then call you with the time.”

The waiter brought a steaming platter of food. “Will there be anything else, sir?”

“No. Thank you,” Mac said.

“Very well, sir.”

Natalie spread the napkin on her lap. “Tell me a little about yourself, Eddie.”

“What would you like to know?” The aroma of food caused Eddie’s stomach to growl. He picked up his knife and fork, and cut into his steak.

“Are you from Wilmington?”

“Yes, ma’am, born and raised.”

“Any siblings?”

He took a drink to wash down his food. “No.”

“I’m curious,” she laid her fork down then dabbed her mouth with a napkin. “Why you didn’t follow in your father’s footsteps?”

Eddie thought about her question a moment. “I thought the academy was a waste of time.” He kept his eyes directed at her and avoided Mac’s stare. “Joining the military seemed appropriate at the time.”

“I see.”

Eddie finished off his steak, pushed the plate away and wiped his mouth. “Excuse me.”

“Nice young man,” Natalie said. “Yet, he seems...”

“What?”

“Preoccupied.”

“Probably with a client.”

Eddie smiled to himself as he made his way around the corner toward the men’s room. Mac knew better than anyone what had been on Eddie’s mind lately. He was thankful for the opportunity to give something back to Michael, even if that chance hadn’t come around until it was too late. Maybe by protecting the woman Michael loved he could somehow make restitution.

Eddie stopped at the corner on his way back and listened as Mac and Natalie talked briefly about him.

“Is he anything like his father?”

“Sure is. Dependable like his dad, caring, sensitive and compassionate. Eddie took after him in business. His dad was a real professional, a great partner and loyal friend.”

“You must miss him.”

“Yes, I do. He died much too early. He was a good man, and a good cop.”

“What happened?”

“We were on a stakeout when we got the call that a drug shipment was due in. There were a dozen cops there that night, a couple of ’em dirty. We learned later they had a cut of the action. We were told to hold our fire until word was given. One of the dirty cops fired off a round to warn his buddies. Within moments shots were coming from everywhere. When it was over, my partner and a couple of other officers were down. Mike had been shot in the head.”

“How horrible!”

“He fingered the dirty cop before he died. I gave him my word I would take care of Eddie; he took it hard. He started working as a bouncer and jumped around from club to club. I tried to get him into the academy, but he wasn’t interested. He spotted a recruiting sign one day, and the rest is history.”

“Did you approve?”

“It was better than working clubs. He’d gotten used to danger, craved it in fact. It wasn’t surprising that he trained in Special Forces.”

“Does he still like danger?”

“He’s settled now, but he won’t turn away from a fight. I think the military was his way of working through his dad’s death.”

“Strange.”

“Don’t judge him too harshly. Eddie’s a good man,” Mac’s voice filled with pride. “Underneath those jeans and muscle shirts lies a heart of gold, which you’ll learn for yourself if you take the time to get to know him.”

A surge of emotion shot through Eddie. He cleared his throat, walked to the table and sat down, then took a long gulp of his drink. “Are we wrapped up here?”

“Yes, I think we’ve covered everything.”

“I’ll be waiting for your call then. If you’ll excuse me, there’s somewhere I have to be. It was a pleasure to meet you, ma’am. Thanks for lunch. See you later, Mac.”

“I’ll walk you out.” Mac stood. “I’ll be right back,” he said to Natalie. The two men strode toward the door, out of earshot.

“It’s a good thing I briefed you on the situation,” Mac said. “It would complicate matters if Natalie or Maggie knew at this point that you and Michael were half brothers.”

“I’ll be in touch.”

An hour later Eddie stood solemn at Michael’s grave. He remembered the funeral procession, and now wondered if the woman he’d seen at Michael’s grave had been Maggie. Eddie could tell she was someone special by her emotional state. It was obvious she cared deeply. He didn’t know they were engaged until Mac told him after the funeral.

Eddie and Michael hadn’t spoken in years. Their lives were very different. Michael considered Eddie a hood when he dropped out of high school. The two seldom agreed on anything, particularly concerning Eddie’s late father. Michael’s bitterness had escalated after the loss of their mother, whose death he bitterly blamed on his stepfather. Within weeks after her death, Michael alienated himself from Eddie. The two hadn’t spoken since.

He ran his hand through his hair, pushing it away from his face. He’d often wondered if Michael ever overcame the bitterness that drove them apart.

Mac had begged Eddie to attend the funeral, but he had refused. He knew Michael wouldn’t want him there. Yet, he felt compelled to say goodbye. He waited at the cemetery and watched the process from a distance.

Eddie bent on one knee. “I’m sorry we never reconciled our differences,” he whispered, with heartfelt disappointment. “I thought we’d have plenty of time.” He took a steadying breath and stood up. “I was wrong.”