Free Dark Valentine by Jennifer Fulton Page B

not in any hurry.”
    “I could try talking with him,” Rhianna offered. “He always waves if he sees me and Alice.”
    “No, he already thinks we’re ganging up on him. Anyway, it’s not your problem. Lloyd and I need to deal with him.” Bonnie peeled a banana, her round face crinkled in puzzlement. “He could have dug that pit anywhere. He’s got all that land east of this place, and the hill out west.”
    “Yes, but then we wouldn’t have to pay him any mind.” Rhianna wiped Alice’s face and hands with a washcloth, picked some noodles from her dark honey curls, and released her from the chair harness.
    As soon as she was steady on her feet, the little girl toddled into the den and opened her toy box. Dragging out plastic cows and horses, she called, “Mommy, look.”
    “I’m coming, sweetie. Get all the pieces out for the big barn and we’ll do some building.” Bonnie got to her feet and asked Rhianna, “Are you still going to Denver next week?”
    “Yes, on Wednesday.” Rhianna’s stomach bunched. “I’m really sorry.”
    “It’s fine. We knew you had this commitment when we hired you.”
    “I hope it’s only for a week or two. I’ll call as soon as I know.”
    “Don’t worry. You’ll probably be back home before we are.”
    Bonnie and Lloyd had decided to go to Europe on vacation before they heard she needed to be away again, this time for weeks. Rhianna had offered to resign when the trial date was finally confirmed rather than cause a problem for her good-hearted employers. She had warned them ahead of time that she had personal matters to attend to in Denver and would be traveling back and forth to resolve these. She had been intentionally vague, and they had never probed. The Mosses had always made it clear that they respected her privacy.
    “Kate.” A troubled look appeared in Bonnie’s eyes. “I’m not sure how to say this. But Lloyd and I care about you. You’re much more than an employee to us and I wish…I mean, if you ever need to talk, or if you need help…” She hesitated. “If you have financial worries…anything. Please don’t be embarrassed to tell us. We’re here for you.”
    Rhianna sighed. Obviously her employers knew she was hiding something. How could they not? Smart, attractive young women did not suddenly decide to become nannies and take jobs miles from anywhere.
    As Bonnie stared at her, Rhianna decided to acknowledge what was unspoken. “Things aren’t as simple as I’ve said,” she began awkwardly. “I know you can see that. But I promise you, I’m not a bad person. I haven’t done anything that I need to run from.”
    “You don’t have to tell me that.” A flush crept over Bonnie’s cheeks. “I know you’re a good person. No one can hide their true self all of the time.” She closed her fingers gently over Rhianna’s arm. “You remind me a lot of a woman I used to work with. She disappeared seven years ago and I never saw her again. For weeks, I had a feeling something was wrong but I didn’t ask. You know how that is—you don’t want to be nosy. But I always wished I had. I think she needed help, but she didn’t know who she could trust.”
    Wanting to offer some comfort, Rhianna said, “I’m sure it wasn’t that she didn’t trust you. Maybe she was just trying to protect you by not telling you something.”
    “Is that what you’re doing?”
    “In a way, but mostly I’m trying to protect myself.”
    “It’s about that man, isn’t it—the one you mentioned?”
    “Yes.”
    Bonnie seemed lost in thought for a few seconds, then she said, “Kate, Lloyd knows people. They’re not welcome in my home, but he stays in touch with them.” Strained embarrassment tightened her face. “If you need for someone like that to go to Denver with you and…take care of the problem, just ask.”
    Rhianna laughed softly. “Are you offering me a guy called Joey with a big neck and some anger-management issues?”
    Bonnie shrugged