“You lied? About what?” Mary didn’t understand what Cassidy was trying to tell her.

Cassidy’s voice trembled, unable to articulate her thoughts. “It’s—it’s about—oh, Mary. Jon didn’t die in a car accident.”

“Of course, he did. Alex called me. We both cried together on the phone. Your father told me Jon was dead.” Mary studied the tormented look on Cassidy’s face. “You sent me a photo album with a letter about Jon and your father’s military transfer to Italy.”

“It was a lie. Our parents—they were from a generation—oh, Mary, they thought their son deserved a better future than one with you and your abusive father.” Cassidy rushed her words, fearing she couldn’t unburden all the truth if she stopped. “We went to Italy and I attended school there.”

“Yes, I remember it was in the letter.” Mary wasn't following Cassidy's story.

Cassidy gripped Mary’s hands, squeezing them, afraid of what her following words would do to her friend. “Jon’s alive.”

Mary’s eyes flared. She yanked her hands from Cassidy, jumping from the chair, sending it backward. Her voice quivered with anger. “Alive? Impossible. He died years ago.”

“No, he’s a priest. Not a very good one, but a man of the cloth.”

Mary paced the patio as her anger built. Turning, she spat verbal bullets at the stranger in the wheelchair. “Who are you? Why would you tell me these lies after so many years?” She hastened to the garden entrance. “I won’t listen to your falsehoods. Tell Hank I’m walking back to the cottage.”

“No, please, let me explain.” Cassidy pleaded, unable to stop Mary from leaving.

“Explain. Your lies are destroying all I had left to embrace at night, the love Jon and I shared. He was going to marry me. If your lies were true, I know he’d have written me and begged me to wait for him.”

“I know I’m hurting you. I’m sorry, but you need to know the truth.”

“The truth! You have everything, Cassidy, and now you want to deprive me of one memory. You talk of Faith. Satan lives in you.” Mary sneered and stepped through the gate, stopping to throw one last bitter question at Cassidy. “Why would you be so cruel?”

“I can prove it.” Cassidy wailed.

“What, you have magical powers as well? You can bring Jon back from the dead?” Acid dripped from Mary’s lips. Cassidy’s lies had shattered her heart.

“Jon lives in Hayden.” Cassidy beat her fists against the arms of the wheelchair. “I’m so ashamed, but you must believe me. Everything I said was true.”

A long, sorrowful wail filled the air as reality washed over Mary. “Noooo! Nooo! Jon can’t be alive.”

“Mary, please, come back and sit with me.” Cassidy pleaded. “I need to tell you about Jon.”

Mary returned to the patio but didn’t sit. “I need to see him, Cassidy. I must see him.”

“He’s not the boy you fell in love with, Mary. Jon is bitter.”

“Of course, he is. We were in love, and his parents stole that from him, from us. I wonder if he thinks about our child?” The anger faded from Mary’s eyes, and a calmer expression drifted across her face. “I can ease his pain.”

“How do I make you see my brother for what he has become? Even at the seminary, his womanizing was known. Here in Hayden, it’s developed into something far worse.”

“But he’s a priest. He has sacred vows.”

“Jon is weak. His vows come secondary to Mason Caldwell’s demands. Jon loves the company of women, but Lady Luck owns his heart. He’s a gambler.”

“That doesn’t make him evil. He’s just lost and needs to find his way back to the Lord.” A pink blush added a glow to Mary’s cheeks. A sparkle in her eyes replaced the anger. She smiled at Cassidy. “I can help him.”

“Mary, Jon is past redemption. To save his neck, he helped frame me for Mason’s wife’s murder. Jon saw me at the Casino and knew I couldn’t have done it.” Cassidy’s voice dropped to a whisper. “He came to the hospital after the prison stabbing.

“Of course, he would. He’s your brother. Why would you fault him for caring about you?” Mary shook her head, confused by Cassidy.

“Because the FBI believe he planted the poisoned candy in my room.”

Mary gasped. “Jon tried to poison you? Oh, Cassidy, what happened to the sweet boy I loved?”

“I’m not sure he was ever the sweet boy you remember, Mary. Jon’s loyalty does not lie with the Lord. He does whatever Mason Caldwell tells him to do, even if it meant trying to murder me.”

Mary paced the patio, wringing her hands together. “Regardless, if what you say is true, and unfortunately, I fear it is, I still have to see him. I have to talk to him.”

“Never! He’s a dangerous man.” Cassidy shouted. “Mary, aren’t you listening?”

“Yes, I heard everything you’ve said. But it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t tell Jon about his daughters.”

“Write him a letter. He won’t care unless he can figure a way it might benefit him.” Cassidy needed her to understand how dangerous Jon was to everyone, including himself.

“Cassidy, the young woman at the cottage, her name is Faith.”

“Yes, Hank told me.”

“She’s my daughter.” Mary paused for a moment. “She’s Jon’s daughter. Annie is his granddaughter. I think he should know she is missing. Maybe he could help. Or this Mason person.”

“Oh God, no! Mason must never know about Faith and Annie.” Cassidy almost screamed her response to Mary.

A voice from the doorway distracted the women, and they both turned to see who was there.

“I wasn’t aware we had guests.” Liz stood in the doorway, staring at the unkempt woman talking to Cassidy. She wore a soft pink blouse and a pair of blue jeans with cowboy boots. Liz’s blonde hair was swept away from her face, twisted in a knot on the top of her head. A pair of silver hoops dangled from her ear lobes. She was a vision except for the stern look on her face.

“I thought you were to remain out of sight, not visiting with—” Liz’s first impression wasn’t a good one. “Are you going to intro—”

Cassidy turned to her guest. The color had drained from Mary’s pale skin to a pasty white. Her eyes were wide, as if she was looking at a ghost. A small shallow gasp escaped her lips, and Mary murmured, “Faith.”

Cassidy was confused. She’d never seen Faith, but Mary thought she was looking at her daughter for some strange reason. “Mary, maybe you should sit down.” She turned to Liz. “I’ve been telling Mary about Jon. Maybe it was too much for her.”

Mary could not remove her eyes from Liz as she repeated her daughter’s name, “Faith.”

“I’m sorry I interrupted your talk with Cassidy.” Liz’s facial expression softened. “My name is Liz, Elizabeth McKinley, and I own this property.” Mary’s eyes followed her as Liz crossed the patio, picked up the chair, and brought it to Mary.

Mary struggled to speak, “Thank you.” She sat on the chair before her trembling legs buckled.

“Are you okay? Can I get you something, water, or coffee?”

Mary shook her head and swallowed, trying to speak. “I’m sorry. You look so much like my daughter.”

Cassidy chimed in, “Faith is her daughter.”

“Faith.” Liz stared at Mary, then Cassidy, then back to Mary. “The woman who lives in the cottage?”

“Yes, Mary’s her mother.” 

Having never seen Faith, Cassidy couldn’t see Liz’s uncanny resemblance. Only her blonde hair differed from Faith’s brown hair.






Summary... Cassidy is framed for murder. Allie goes undercover to protect Cassidy, but they are both stabbed. Cassidy's life is threatened again in the hospital, and she is pronounced dead (but actually in protective custody). Mason Caldwell runs many illegal businesses, including drugs and human trafficking. Jon, a priest and Cassidy's brother, has sold his soul. Mary, a caregiver, discovers her child she gave up for adoption thirty years ago. Cynthia and Michael are searching for gold on Liz's property. The mysterious woman (Faith) is dying from cancer and lives in a secret cottage with her daughter, Annie, Sebastion, and Mary. Darryl runs the winery, and Miguel is in charge of the vineyards. Garth and Hank are trying to solve the cases.