Nola chewed on her lip. You should at least hear what the man has to say.

Can we just drop it for now? I'm on vacation.

Technically, hon, the rest of your life is nothing but one long vacation. Nola stretched out on the chair with a deep moan of contentment. Not that there's a damn thing wrong with that.

The presentation was titled /Diabetes Management in Rural Uninsured Populationsa Quarter Century of Failed Policy/, and Carrie's mind churned with fury. Oh, the injustice of it all! How could this have happened? How could something with so much promise be upended this way?

Kat Cavanaugh would pay.

Carrie sat front and center in the small statehouse auditorium, crossing her legs and pretending to listen intently. In just minutes, she would be expected to stroll up to the podium and comment on the ongoing study.

But if the truth be told, she couldn't summon any interest in chronic disease management at this particular moment. While the presenter had droned on about community exercise classes and supervised meal planning, Carrie had been busy sending all of her positive, life-affirming energy toward Riley. Simultaneously, she'd been visualizing Kat Cavanaugh being run over by a garbage truck.

Carrie heard everyone in the auditorium clap, so she began clapping as well. She looked around, smiling pleasantly, trying to gauge how close the speaker was to wrapping it up. Carrie figured she had at least another ten minutes.

She would find Kat Cavanaugh's weak spot. Everybody had one. With a head start from Madeline and about three thousand dollars' worth of billable hours from a private detective, Carrie now knew quite a bit about the girl who'd been running around Baltimore using the last name Turner.

Carrie had had a hearty laugh when she found out how Kat had gotten her money. It turned out she wasn't a call girl after allshe was a flat-out whore! Carrie could only imagine the elaborate web of deceit Kat had spun to get into that unsuspecting woman's will.

Kat's mother might be dead, but her fathera retired Mountain Laurel professor recovering from balloon angioplastystill lived in Persuasion and might be worth a visit. And then there was the infamous child. Just as Riley said, his name was Aidan, and he'd somehow gotten himself accepted into Johns Hopkins on a lacrosse scholarship, which floored her. She herself had applied there for both undergraduate and medical schools and was rejected both times! It must have been because she was from out of state. And didn't play lacrosse.

Carrie checked her lipstick in a small compact and let out a big sigh.

It really did take a lot of nerve to name that kid Aidan. She knew Big Daddy had to be rolling around in his grave at the insult. If Riley weren't so sentimental, he'd get a paternity test on the kid and move on. But Carrie was beginning to realize that Riley needed to believe the child was his. He had such a good heart. He had so much to give. He just wanted to be a father! /Oh, Riley/, she thought, closing her eyes to center herself, /I am open to receive your love. I say yes, yes to your love! And I will give you the son you so desperately want, a son who can carry on the Bohland family name without shame/.

Her mind drifted to the spat she'd had with the caterer earlier that morning. That diva actually said he refused to drizzle his hollandaise sauce on anything but the finest local or regional asparagus, which would be unavailable in December in West Virginia. Carrie had been stupefied. How simple could it be? She was the bride. She wanted fucking asparagus for the reception. What part of that arrangement didn't he understand?

Carrie felt a sharp jab on her upper arm and turned in shock to the person who'd obviously assaulted her.

Wake up, whispered the man in the next seat. He jerked his thumb toward the stage. They just introduced a Dr. Caroline Mathis. That's you, right?

Come on out, old girl.

Loretta jumped down onto the quarry road just like Riley ordered, immediately toddling off in search of an exotic scent, her snout to the ground and her white-tipped tail sticking straight up in the air like a furry periscope.

Riley grabbed his backpack and shut the groaning truck door. Matt sidled up to him and they began to walk.

You know, I haven't been out here for recreational purposes since the night I left a huge hickey on Brendalee Larson's neck. Matt cringed at the admission. I really felt bad about that.

Yeah, well, every high school kid in Randolph County regrets something they did out here.

Matt was silent for a moment; then he said, This was three months ago.

Riley laughed. Matt had always been more reckless than him. Maybe that was one of the benefits of being the baby of the family, but since birth Matt had seemed to breeze through life unruffled, blessed with a general sense that all would be well. Even when their mother died, Matt had bounced back faster and stronger than Riley did. Such confidence was probably a handy trait for a cop to have. It would likely be handy for anyone. All Riley knew was that he himself had missed out on the happy-go-lucky gene and doubled up on the one that coded for intensity.

He just prayed to God that Matt would bounce back when he told him about the mortgage. Riley took a breath and began. Matt You talked to Aidan again? Matt asked.

Riley must have looked unhinged, because Matt frowned at him and asked, Is Aidan OK? Is something wrong?

Uh, no. He's great. We talk every day. Riley was relieved for the delay.

I was thinking of going down to Baltimore to see him this weekend.

Want some company?

Riley glanced sideways at his brother, suspicious of his sudden enthusiasm. You still hot for Kat's friend?

Matt grinned. I'm just saying that I could take Friday off and we could drive down together. I'd give you your space with Aidan once we're there.

Sure, Matt. It would be great for him to meet you.

And, you know, while I was in town I could take the lovely Miss D'Agliano to a movie or something.

Riley chuckled. Already track her down?

Not yet, but I'm workin' on it.

As they walked, the only sounds were the brush of Loretta's wide body parting the weeds, the beat of their hiking boots on the dirt lane, and the wind in the trees. Riley watched a hawk ride a thermal, effortlessly patrolling hundreds of square miles of old-growth forest and rolling mountains. He was enjoying this so much he decided to find another time for his confession.

Does Kat know you'll be in Baltimore?

Riley picked up a piece of quartz from the dirt, admired its shine, and then tossed it into the woods. Aidan isn't talking to her and Kat won't return my calls, so I don't think she'd have any way of knowing.

Hmm. Matt shoved his hands in his jeans pockets. Sure is a dud of a way to reunite a family.

How so?

Well, the motherKatwon't talk to the father, who is you, the son won't talk to the mother, and the mother not only won't talk to her own daddy, but doesn't want her son to have anything to do with his grandfather, which is probably good, because the grandfather doesn't even know he has a grandson.

Sounds like your average American family to me, Riley said dryly.

Matt laughed. All I'm saying is that y'all wouldn't get booked on /Montel/ for one of those tear-jerky reunion shows.

We'll survive somehow.

Matt kept his observations to himself for the next few minutes, and Riley concentrated on taking in the familiar beauty around him. The colors were unusually concentrated this fall, probably because of the ideal mix of rain and sun they'd had in late summer. Riley did love this place. Though the Monongahela Mountains of West Virginia were in his blood, a day didn't go by when he didn't see the ironythat all he'd ever wanted as a kid was to get out of Persuasion, yet here he was, to stay.