Where Secrets Sleep - Marta Perry

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of Blackburn House, provisional or otherwise.”

      He didn’t seem impressed by the statement. “I understand that she has already made you an offer to relinquish your claim.” He held up a large hand to quell her protest. “A ridiculous offer, as I’m sure you agree, but that’s Brenda all over. Always looking for a bargain, and perfectly willing to cut off her nose to spite her face. However, I’m sure you’ll agree that staying in Laurel Ridge for a year is an onerous requirement for an ambitious young professional like yourself. As for seeking to run the place at a profit for a year—well, so many things can go wrong in managing a building like this one. Unexpected repairs could eat up your profits very quickly.”

      Allison was beginning to feel her back stiffen at the automatic assumption everyone seemed to make that she didn’t belong here. And how did he know she was an ambitious young professional, anyway? “What exactly are you proposing, Mr. Blackburn?”

      He didn’t hesitate. “Naturally you’d like to gain a tangible profit from your inheritance and get back to your own life. In return for your agreement to Brenda’s offer, I will increase the offer. Shall we say double?” He drew a checkbook from his breast pocket, clearly prepared to write a check here and now.

      Allison had the sensation that she was being pushed toward a precipice. She shoved her chair back, rising. “I’m afraid not, Mr. Blackburn.”

      “Not?” His face reddened. “Do you understand what I’m offering you, young woman?”

      “I understand you’re trying to pressure me into a decision before I’m ready. As a businessman, you should understand that I need to investigate all the possibilities before taking any action.”

      Blackburn stood, towering over her and looking even more like a bird of prey. “Suppose I tell you that my offer will not remain on the table indefinitely?”

      Since he’d already betrayed how much he wanted to regain the property, his argument wasn’t as convincing as he might have thought.

      She smiled. “I’ll pass your offer on to my attorney. You’ll be hearing from us in due course.”

      He glared at her for a long moment, his face so red that she wondered just how high his blood pressure might be. “You’ll regret this, Ms. Standish.” He stalked to the door.

      The best word to describe his exit was stormy, Allison decided. Once the door had slammed behind him, she took a long look at her actions.

      Was she burning bridges by her refusal to act before she was ready? She didn’t think so. If Blackburn wanted the building as much as he seemed to, he wouldn’t give up that easily. Probably he’d hoped to push her into a decision before she had a chance to think it through.

      She wouldn’t be pushed, but she would have to make plans for her future and the future of Blackburn House. Soon.

       CHAPTER FIVE

      IT WASN’T MORE than a few minutes later that Allison saw the door of her office slowly begin to open. If Blackburn had returned for another round—

      But the face that peered around the corner of the door was a small one, topped by a shock of wheat-colored hair. Brown eyes surveyed her with curiosity.

      She smiled. “Come in. Did you want to see me?”

      The answering smile identified him beyond any doubt, since it bore an uncanny resemblance to Nick’s. This had to be Nick’s son.

      “Hi. I’m Jamie.” He sidled in, darting a look around the room.

      “I thought you must be.” She pushed her chair away from the desk. “I’m Allison. It’s nice to meet you.”

      He nodded, as if to say he already knew that. “I’m called Jamie because my grandpa is Jim, and Grammy says it would be too confusing if I was Jimmy, ’cause sometimes she calls him that when she’s being silly.”

      Allison nodded, engaged by his artless chatter. “That makes good sense. And Jamie’s a nice name.”

      “It’s okay. I’m the only Jamie in first grade, anyway. Do you have a nickname?”

      “My brothers always called me Ally.” She had a quick memory of Luke and Chad at that age, always exploding with energy.

      Jamie’s gaze flickered around the office again. “My daddy says you have a cat. He said you hit him with it.”

      She had to repress a smile at this artless confession. “I bumped him with the cat’s carrier. I didn’t mean to.” That wasn’t exactly true, but she hadn’t meant to hit Nick in particular. Just whoever had grabbed her.

      Jamie stooped to look under the desk. “I thought maybe your cat would be here.”

      Clearly it was Hector who was the attraction. “Hector is over at Mrs. Anderson’s house. He was taking a nap with her cat when I left, so I let him stay.”

      She expected Jamie to be disappointed, but he grinned.

      “He’s having a sleepover. My friend Kevin had a sleepover at my house once, but he had a bad dream in the night, and Daddy had to take him home. Daddy said he should have known better than to say yes, but Grammy said they shouldn’t say no just because it was incon...incon...”

      “Inconvenient?” she supplied.

      “Yeah, that’s it.” Jamie was swinging on the edge of her desk by this time, seeming sure of his welcome. “And Daddy said he was the one who had to drive back to town at one o’clock and she said it wouldn’t hurt him. And Uncle Mac said—”

      Allison began to feel a bit guilty listening to all this. “Maybe the sleepover will work better the next time you try.”

      “Maybe,” he said, sounding doubtful.

      “So you live with your grammy and grandpa, do you?” she asked, trying to change the subject but having little idea what interested a six-year-old.

      “Grammy, Grandpa, Daddy, Uncle Mac and me. And Shep, that’s the dog.”

      “Sounds like a full house.” And it sounded as if Jamie was surrounded by people he loved. His parents were divorced, according to Sarah, but wasn’t his mother in the picture?

      “Yep.” He came closer, leaning confidingly on the arm of her chair. “My mommy lives in Los Angeles. Sometimes she sends me presents.”

      That was said very matter-of-factly, but it caused a twinge in Allison’s heart. “When I was little, my daddy lived far away, but he used to send me presents sometimes, too.”

      He nodded, fixing a pair of big brown eyes on her face. “Did he sometimes send things that were too babyish for you?”

      “Sometimes,” she admitted. “I guess he just didn’t know how much I’d grown.”

      “Yeah, that must be it. Can I see your cat sometime?”

      “Sure you can. Anytime.” There must be a kind of universal pattern for children who had a parent leave them behind. But Jamie seemed to be well provided for with people who cared for him, and he had plenty of confidence.

      “Jamie!” The voice floated up from below. “Jamie, where are you?”

      “Sounds as if we’d better tell your daddy where you are, right?” She rose, thinking she’d walk him to the door.

      “Sure thing.” He grabbed her hand. “You come, too, okay?”

      Since he was tugging her along, she didn’t have much choice. They reached the head of the stairs, and she glanced down, seeing Nick staring up at them, his eyes widening slightly at the sight of her with his son.

      Jamie pulled her hand. “Come on, Ally.”

      They started down the

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