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you.”
    “All right.”
    Margaret went to the refrigerator
and pulled out the package of hamburger patties she’d planned to cook for
dinner. Thoughts of what may have transpired between Handel and Agosto blocked
out Davy’s conversation at the table. Until Adam Fredrickson’s name came up.
    “He had a guitar on his back while
he was kicking the ball. Can you believe it? It was cool!”
    Handel met Margaret’s eye. “Is that
right? Billie’s brother showed up? I didn’t even know she was expecting him,”
he said, clearly disappointed that he was out of the loop.
    Margaret plopped the burgers onto
the preheated skillet and set on a lid. “I don’t think she knew either. I’m
pretty sure he conceived the idea for this grand visit on his own.”
    Handel’s eyes narrowed at her tone,
but he didn’t comment.
    So predictable, she thought. He
never caused waves. He certainly wouldn’t be first in a pool of criticism that
involved his girlfriend’s brother. Chalk up another point for the male
brotherhood. She poured a package of frozen corn into a bowl and set it to cook
in the microwave. When she looked up he was still watching her, a sad
expression on his face.
    “Uncle Handel, do you want to see
my space station?”
    “Sure.” He followed Davy down the
hallway.
    Alone, Margaret couldn’t keep her
thoughts from Agosto, and the reason for his return to California. Davy. Her
son would not be a pawn in the hands of that bastard. She wouldn’t allow it.
Handel promised, and she knew his word was as solid as Gibraltar. So what
wasn’t he telling her?
    Davy’s laughter echoed through the
house and she smiled, listening. He was her world; why she got up in the
morning. She couldn’t lose him. She turned back to the stove and flipped the
burgers, her hands shaking with the effort.
    “Are you all right?” Handel
appeared in the doorway alone.
    “What do you think? I’ve been
waiting all day for you to call.” She hated the antagonistic sound of her
voice, but it’s what she felt. Waiting was not one of her strong points.
    “Sorry. I wanted to talk to you in
person.” He slumped onto a stool at the counter, but remained silent.
    She wiped her hands on the
dishtowel. “So how was he?” she asked in a quiet voice.
    “Same obnoxious little… Davy! I
thought you were going to work on your space station for a while, buddy.”
    Davy stood at Handel’s elbow. “I’m
tired of that. I wanted to talk to you.” His expression was openly curious as
though he knew he’d come in at an interesting moment. “Who are you talking
about?” he asked.
    “Nobody,” Margaret said too quickly
to be convincing. He was an intelligent boy and more observant than she often
gave him credit for.   Deflecting the
question would probably make him more interested in the answer. But right now
she couldn’t deal with the questions that would be sure to follow. Instead she
turned away, pretending dinner preparations had her full attention. “Are you
hungry? The burgers are almost ready. Set the table for me, kiddo.”

 
 
 
 
 
    CHAPTER FOUR

 
 
    Billie led and he followed. Just
like when they were kids. Through the neighbor’s hedge or cross-country to
California, she was always one step ahead. He trailed her now through the door
of the winery and down a sun-brightened hallway. She stopped at an open office
door and stepped inside, pulling him along with a tug on his jacket sleeve. A
youngish woman occupied the desk, glasses pushed up on her forehead, squinting
at a computer screen. Her hair was redder than his own, a flaming bob atop
petite features.
    “Morning, Sally. This is my
brother, Adam. He’s going to check out the books for me. Could you give him
access to the computer and whatever he needs? I’ve got to talk to Mario, but
I’ll be right back.” She winked in his direction and hurried out the door.
    Sally cleared her throat, eyes wide
with interest. “So you’re Adam,” she drawled in a