Ripped From the Pages by Kate Carlisle Read Free Book Online Page B

myself.
    “Thanks, love.”
    I finished my cracker and took a sip of wine. “Have you heard anything from the detectives?”
    “Not yet. The crime scene lads showed up after you left. They dusted for prints and
     scoured through everything. We’ll have to wait and see what they turn up.”
    “I don’t know what they can tell us. It’s not like they’ll arrest anyone, right? The
     man died seventy years ago. Nobody living here now was around back then.”
    He swirled his wine distractedly. “So it would seem.”
    “You don’t sound convinced.”
    “I’m not.” He paused, weighing his words. “Don’t you find it odd that Robson’s grandfather
     knew the dead man?”
    I frowned. “I suppose. But I was mostly concerned about Guru Bob because he looked
     so sad.”
    “Yes, he did.” Derek nodded thoughtfully. “According to your father, Robson—Guru Bob—moved
     up here only about twenty-five years ago. That was when he bought all this property
     and started the Fellowship. But if the dead man’s passport and passenger ticket are
     to be believed, Jean Pierre Renaud has been lying dead in that cave for close to seventy
     years. So where does Guru Bob’s grandfather fit into those two scenarios? Was it just
     a coincidence?”
    Knowing Derek as well as I did, I knew he didn’t believe in coincidences. “You don’t
     actually think that Guru Bob is lying, do you?”
    “I believe he’s got more integrity than anyone I know, but in this case . . .” Derek
     shook his head. “Let’s allow it to play out a bit more before jumping to any conclusions.”
    I thought about it for a minute. “My parents must’ve repeated that Guru Bob story
     at least a hundred times. He came up here, bought a tract of land, and then we all
     moved up. We lived in Airstream trailers for the first year, which was torturous,
     but Mom and Dad assured us that all our sacrifices would be worth it. And then we
     started growing grapes, and you know, the rest is history.”
    Derek smiled. “Yes, practically legendary.”
    “Maybe it’s the legend that’s wrong,” I said slowly. “Maybe Guru Bob never said anything
     either way, but everyone assumed that he bought the property right then and there.
     But what if he didn’t? What if the land was always in his family?”
    Derek finished the last sip of wine and set his glass on the table. “You mentioned
     that you’d introduce me to Robson’s cousin Trudy. Can we do that tomorrow?”
    “Absolutely. You’ll get a kick out of her. And she’ll know plenty of their family
     history.”
    “I had no idea he had relatives living nearby,” Derek said as we took our glasses
     and cheese plate into the kitchen.
    “Trudy’s the only one I know of, and she’s lived here longer than we have. She doesn’t
     mingle much with the commune folks, although she’s good friends with my mom. She always
     helps with the harvest, and she shops in town. You might recognize her when you see
     her.”
    We finished cleaning up, refilled the animals’ water dishes, and then took off to
     meet Robin and Austin at Arugula, my sister Savannah’s restaurant on the Lane in downtown
     Dharma. It was less than a mile away, and we found a parking place easily enough.
    The Lane—more formally known as Shakespeare Lane—had become a destination point over
     the last few years with its upscaleshops and fabulous restaurants as well as the Dharma winery just up the road. B and
     Bs were beginning to sprout up all around town, and there was a small luxury hotel
     and spa at the far end of the town center. My sister China had a popular yarn and
     weaving shop, Warped, on the Lane, and now Savannah’s restaurant was here and very
     successful. Our family was well represented on the Lane and at the winery, where my
     father and brothers worked.
    I could tell something was bothering Robin the minute we walked in. They had already
     been seated at the table but stood when they saw us. I gave her a hug,