that was dangerous thinking. But then, anything worth having was worth the risk

of a few bumps and bruises. “So let’s do it again soon and see what else you

might need.

Tonight? Tomorrow?”

Shaking her head, Dev pushed her chair back, her legs stretched out in front of

her. “I’ve got a couple of solid days’ work at the lab before I head out to the

islands. How about another rain check?”

Natalie let her eyes wander up and down Dev’s body, taking her time and not

bothering to hide exactly what she was thinking. “I’ll pray for storms.”

Laughing, Dev rose. “Don’t let the tourists hear you say that.”

On the way out, Dev waved to Eileen Harris, who stood in the doorway

between the kitchen and the dining room, watching them with a pensive

expression.

• 93 •

• 94 •

WHEN DREAMS TREMBLE

CHAPTER ELEVEN

At just after 6 p.m., Dev turned down the driveway to Lakeview.

She’d had a good day at the lab. Arno Rodriguez, her summer intern from

Oswego State College, had shown up and proved to be eager, if more likely to

be of use analyzing data than collecting it.

Arno’s practical expertise left a bit to be desired, but his computer skills were

excellent. Truthfully, she didn’t mind. She had always preferred to be out in the

Þ eld, but in the last few years more and more of her time had been consumed

by preparing reports for one government agency or another and presenting

recommendations at state and federal budgetary meetings. And lately, she’d had

another, even less pleasant job added to her résumé—testifying for the state as

an expert witness at trials involving EPA violations.

So this summer was almost like a sabbatical for her, and she welcomed the

opportunity to do the Þ eldwork. She’d been so absorbed all day she hadn’t

thought of anything personal until she’d reached the Lakeshore Road. Then she

couldn’t help but think of Leslie and wonder if she had left to return to New

York City. She told herself that was for the best, but it didn’t feel that way in the

pit of her stomach.

The heavy throbbing there felt almost as bad as losing her the Þ rst time.

When she rounded a curve in the narrow road that wound through the trees and

saw emergency vehicles with lights ß ashing parked haphazardly just below the

lodge, her heart lurched. Leslie! She stomped down on the gas and rocketed

into the parking lot, Þ shtailed to a stop, and jumped from the cab of the truck.

As she ran toward a small

• 95 •

RADCLY fFE

crowd at the verge of the long slope leading down to the boathouse, she

scanned the back porch where half a dozen guests were gathered. There was no

one there she recognized. Everyone appeared to be staring in the direction of

the lake and the docks below. She started down, and that was when she saw

EMTs guiding a stretcher up the grassy incline. She recognized Eileen Harris

hurrying along beside the clump of medical personnel, and her stomach tightened

into a cold knot.

It had been so obvious that Leslie was ill. Why hadn’t anyone said anything—

why hadn’t she? Because it wasn’t her place. Because Leslie’s prickly temper

and aloof manner kept everyone at arm’s length. Because she didn’t want to

risk Leslie shutting her out. When had she resorted to cowardice, or was that

just the way she’d always been around Leslie?

Racing downhill, half skidding on the damp grass, she called to Leslie’s mother.

“What happened? Is it Leslie? Is she hurt?”

“What?” Eileen, who looked confused and distracted, nevertheless seemed

relieved when she recognized Dev. “Oh. No, no. It’s Paul.”

Breathless, she grasped Dev’s arm and pulled her along. “One of the winches

pulled loose and the boat slipped…and, oh God—”

Devon grasped her hand. “Take your time. It’s okay. What did the EMTs say?”

“It looks like his leg is broken. They’re not sure what else,” Eileen said in a

calmer voice. “I can’t reach Leslie. I’ve called her, but I can’t reach her.”

“Cell reception is spotty up here,” Dev said. “Where are they taking him?”

“Glens Falls.”

They’d reached the ambulance, and Eileen bent down to murmur something to

her husband, whose face was covered with an oxygen mask. Dev couldn’t tell if

he answered or not. As the EMTs loaded him into the van, Eileen wrapped her

arms around her waist and shuddered.

“I need to go to the hospital, but the guests…” Eileen murmured.

“I should stay until Leslie—”

“No, you go. I’ll keep an eye on things,” Dev said, extracting a card from her

wallet. “Here’s my cell number. As soon as you’re settled, call me and tell me

where you are. I’ll give the message to Leslie so

• 96 •

WHEN DREAMS TREMBLE

she can meet you there. You can Þ ll me in on what to do here when you call.”

Eileen shook her head. “You’re a guest. You shouldn’t be doing this.”

“Hey, I used to be a neighbor. I’m not really a guest.”

“You’re very kind,” Eileen said with a faint smile. She squeezed Dev’s arm.

“Thank you. I have to go. I’ll call you. Leslie’s number—”

“I’ve got it. Remember, you gave it to me the day I picked her up at the train

station.”

Dev watched as Eileen climbed into the back of the ambulance, immeasurably

relieved that it wasn’t Leslie strapped to the gurney as the doors closed with a

resounding thud. When the emergency vehicles disappeared from sight, she

hurried off toward her cabin. She needed to shower, change, and get back to

the lodge. She needed to reach Leslie.

Twenty minutes later, after being routed directly to voicemail at least a dozen

times, she reached her.

“Les? It’s Dev.”

“Dev? Hi, what’s going on?”

“Where are you?”

“About Þ fteen minutes away on the Northway. Why?”

“Can you pull over for a minute so I don’t lose you?”

“Hold on…okay, go ahead.”

Leslie sounded composed, unrattled.

“Your dad’s had an accident—it looks like a broken leg, at least.

Your mother’s with him, and they’re on their way to Glens Falls Hospital right

now.”

“All right.” Leslie took a deep breath. “Is he in any danger?”

“I don’t know, Les. I don’t think so, but I got here just as the EMTs were

transporting him.”

“I’m headed there now, then. Thanks, Dev.”

“Call me if you need anything.” Dev heard the crackle of static.

“Les? Les?”

She disconnected, feeling impotent. Even though she knew Leslie didn’t need

her, she wished she could join her. She shook her head, wondering at the

strength of the ties that she’d once thought were irrevocably broken.

v

• 97 •

RADCLY fFE

Most of the lights were out in the lodge when Leslie pulled into the parking lot

shortly after 11 p.m. She was so tired she felt numb.

She contemplated going directly to her cabin, but she needed to make sure

everything was all right with the guests. Thankfully, it wasn’t yet the height of the

season and they weren’t full. She tossed her briefcase in the backseat of the

Jeep, locked the door, and made her way inside.

A single lamp burned on the walnut sideboard just inside the wide double doors.

The great room and the dining room beyond were empty. Light shone beneath

the swinging door from the kitchen and she headed that way. She stumbled to a

stop as she shouldered the door open and stepped into the next room. Dev, in a

navy T-shirt and blue jeans, stood at the long kitchen counter with a white

butcher’s apron tied around her waist, covering platters of food with plastic

wrap.

“Dev?” Leslie said in surprise.

Dev set aside the carving knife that she’d been using to slice ham.

“Hi. How’s your dad?”

“He’s sedated, but stable. What are you doing?”

“Cleaning up after dinner.” Dev walked to the refrigerator and pulled out a

bottle of Heineken. She held it up in Leslie’s direction.

“Want one?”

“God, yes.” Leslie slumped onto a stool at the central island.

“They’re going to operate on him early tomorrow morning. My mother wanted

to be close tonight and got a room at a motel across the street from the

hospital.”

Dev opened two bottles, handed one to Leslie, and pulled a chair around the

table so she could sit facing her. “What did they say, exactly?”

Leslie shrugged. “What do they ever say? His leg is shattered and there’s a

hairline fracture of his pelvis. There might be some nerve damage.” Leslie’s

voice cracked and she covered her eyes. Her Þ ngers trembled.

“Hey,” Dev said gently, resting her hand on Leslie’s knee. “You look beat. Why

don’t I walk you down to your cabin so you can turn in.”

“No. I need to get some things together for my mother. I promised her I’d bring

them Þ rst thing tomorrow.” She scanned the kitchen.

• 98 •

WHEN DREAMS TREMBLE

“Besides, you need some help in here. God. You shouldn’t even be doing this.”

“Why not?” Dev said, feigning affront. She pointed to a row of typed pages afÞ

xed to the refrigerator with multicolored magnets shaped like Þ sh. “Your

mother has the menu laid out for every meal, every day of the week, and she

cooks ahead. It was easy enough to Þ nd everything and put it together.” She

grinned. “At least, no one complained. Yet.”

“There’s only, what, eight guests? In another week, there’ll be thirty. Are you

planning to give up your day job?” Hearing the sharp edge to her voice, Leslie

covered Dev’s hand and squeezed. “But thanks. If you hadn’t been here, my

mother would have had to stay, and she’d be out of her mind with worry.”

“It was no problem,” Dev said. “And I’m not volunteering for permanent KP.

I’m only good until we run out of the semi-prepared stuff. But your mother’s not

going to be able to manage by herself.”

“I know. I’m going to have to get some temporary help in here for her right

away.” Leslie set her beer aside and started to pace. “A cook, for sure. And

someone to run the boats and look after maintenance, because my father’s not

going to be able to do much for the rest of the season. And that damn truck has

to go. I had to stop twice to let the engine cool off.”

Dev sipped her beer and watched Leslie slide effortlessly from exhaustion and

distress into sharply focused control. It was impressive.

It was probably costly too, she imagined, physically and emotionally.

She wasn’t surprised that Leslie had a blood pressure problem.

“All that’s going to take more than a few days,” Dev pointed out.

“I can stay another week or two,” Leslie said, her expression distant as she

calculated what needed to be done and how she would manage that and the

work she wanted to do. “I was planning on being up here a few weeks anyhow.

If I need a little longer, I can keep working out of the local ofÞ ce while I get

things squared away here.”

“Uh,” Dev said carefully, “I sort of got the impression you were supposed to be

taking it easy while you were here. Not taking on another job.”

Leslie waved a hand impatiently. “I’m Þ ne. I haven’t had any problems since

I’ve been here.”

• 99 •

RADCLY fFE

“You did the day you arrived.”

“I’d just gotten out of the hospital and hadn’t had any sleep at all.” Leslie Þ xed

Dev with a pointed stare. “Not that it’s any of your business, Devon, but I

arranged for the damn tests they wanted me to have.”

Dev grinned. “Good.”

“Of course,” Leslie said, searching through the utility drawer for paper and a

pen, “I’ll have to reschedule those now.”

“Why?”

Leslie started making a list. “Because I’m supposed to get most of them

tomorrow afternoon, and that’s impossible.”