person they had hired to help get the company back on a proper footing. She was a real fixer, which was lucky since it was her team that had figured out about the trade-secrets encroachments, as well as Vidal Duncan’s duplicity.
“What’s there to say, Dalton? It’s been obvious from day one that he had a thing for her, although he claimed indifference. After this week’s rescue, I’d say it’s become pretty damned obvious.”
Caden was referring to the fact that the FBI agents were barely in the door to stop Jace’s head from being blown off before Shana had rushed in and thrown herself in his arms. “And I didn’t see him rejecting that wallop of a kiss she laid on him,” he added.
“Me, either,” Dalton chimed in to say, glancing at his watch. He had an appointment that he planned to keep and didn’t intend to be late.
At that moment, the buzzer on Caden’s desk sounded. “Yes, Brandy?”
“There’s a Sandra Timmons here to see you?”
Surprise shone on both Caden’s and Dalton’s faces. Sandra and Samuel Timmons had been neighbors and friends of their parents. When Sylvia Granger was murdered fifteen years ago, and their father wrongly convicted of committing the crime, the Timmonses and a lot of others had forbidden their children to continue to associate with the Granger kids. Caden had been fourteen, Jace sixteen, and Dalton twelve at the time.
“Send her in, Brandy,” Caden said, standing, straightening his tie.
Dalton stood, as well. “I wonder what she wants.”
“I have no idea.”
“Then I wouldn’t see her if I were you.”
Caden glanced over at Dalton. “Why?”
“She’s probably here to tell you to leave Shiloh alone. She’ll probably make threats and get ugly about it. She could take up where old man Timmons left off—thinking we’re nothing but scum.”
Hearing Dalton bring up the name of the one woman Caden wanted more than anything to forget sent a flash of pain through his heart. “First of all, I’m not involved with Shiloh. She’s the last woman I want to have anything to do with.”
“There was a time the two of you were—”
“Best friends,” he interrupted to say, refusing to fall victim to his younger brother’s nosiness. For months Dalton had been trying to figure out what, if anything, was going on between Caden and Shiloh. Caden had confided in Jace and told him the full story, but he figured the less Dalton knew, the better.
The door opened, and Sandra Timmons was escorted in by Brandy. As always, she looked immaculate, not a hair out of place and her clothing of the finest quality from a top-notch designer. But there was a sadness in her eyes that Caden noted immediately. Was she still mourning the loss of her husband? From what Shiloh had once told him, her parents had an unorthodox marriage that was not based on love.
“I’m glad you could see me on such short notice, Caden,” she said, giving Dalton a brief nod.
“You mean no notice, don’t you, Ms. Timmons?” Dalton interjected.
Caden frowned over at Dalton. “I believe there’s a meeting you’re supposed to attend, Dalton?”
Dalton lifted a brow. “Is there?”
“Yes. I distinctly remember your telling me about it this morning.”
Dalton looked at his watch. “Christ! I almost forgot.” And then without saying another word, he rushed out of Caden’s office, slamming the door behind him.
“I heard about what happened to Jace. That was simply dreadful. And just to think Vidal Duncan was behind it. I recall that he was once a close friend of your family.”
Caden leaned back against his desk and shoved his hands into his pockets. “And, if I remember correctly, Mrs. Timmons, so were you.”
Caden watched as the woman inhaled a deep breath. “Yes, and I’ll be the first to admit I was wrong about a lot of things.”
“Were you?”
“Yes. And I’m here to apologize to you personally. None of you boys were at fault for what your father did to your mother. I should have stood up to Samuel when he wouldn’t let Sedrick and Shiloh have anything to do with you and your brothers.”
“Yes, you should have.” Caden decided not to add that, as far as he was concerned, his father hadn’t done anything to his mother—much less murder her—but he figured it would be a waste of his time. Fifteen years ago, the Timmonses didn’t mind letting everyone know they thought Sheppard Granger was guilty of murder.
“Is that why you came here today? To apologize?” If it was, her apology was fifteen years too late.
“Yes, to apologize for everything Samuel did. I tried apologizing to Shiloh, but she refuses to take my calls.”
Caden raised a brow. “Take your calls? Isn’t Shiloh living with you at Shady Pines?” he asked, surprised.
“No, she moved out the same night she went to see you at Sutton Hills. That was over three weeks ago.”
Caden remembered that night all too well and he had no intention of discussing it with Sandra Timmons. “Mrs. Timmons, Jace will be out of the office for a few days, which means Dalton and I are pretty busy in his absence. If there’s nothing else you’d like to discuss, then I must ask you to—”
“You don’t know, do you?” she interrupted.
Caden drew in a frustrated breath. His patience with the woman was wearing thin. “Know what?”
She stared back at him, and he detected nervousness in her features. “That night, when Shiloh came to see you, didn’t she tell you anything?” she asked softly.
“No. I didn’t want to hear a word she had to say.” He walked around his desk toward the door, intending to open it so she could leave. “Now if you will excuse me, I—”
“What do you mean you didn’t want to hear anything she had to say?” the woman demanded in an angry tone, causing him to pause and look at her as if she’d lost her mind. A part of him was beginning to wonder if she had become unhinged. A lot of strange things had been happening since he and his brothers had returned to Charlottesville to take over the running of Granger Aeronautics, and this could be one more.
He turned around to face her. “I meant just what I said. I didn’t want to hear anything Shiloh had to say that night.”
“So, you have no idea where she was that weekend four years ago when the two of you planned to elope to Vegas and marry?”
Caden was surprised Shiloh had told anyone about their plans to elope four years ago. Plans she hadn’t kept. “I already know where she was, Mrs. Timmons. I received photographs that were compliments of your husband, letting me know that he was still controlling Shiloh’s life. The photographs showed her on the beach having a good time with one of Mr. Timmons’s business associates. The same person he’d been trying to shove down her throat for a year or more. Your husband, Samuel Timmons,
