Innocent Witness

“Where are you going?” Deanna asked evenly as her mind instantly started racing like a runaway truck on one of Colorado’s mountain passes.

“We haven’t quite decided.”

“May I make a suggestion? You and Travis could be guests at my resort hotel for part of your vacation.” She smiled at him. “Eagle Ridge has beautiful scenery, a river for rafting, a lake for fishing and dozens of other mountain activities. You could stay at the hotel for as much of your vacation as you like. In exchange for my hospitality, you could spend some time with Penny. What better place for your getting-acquainted sessions?”

Her smooth, take-charge manner amused Steve, and he liked the way her eyes sparkled and her cheeks flushed pink with excitement. Deanna Drake had been attractive before, but now her face glowed.

He had to admit, her suggestion certainly had its merits, but there was only one thing wrong with it—he couldn’t treat children in a vacuum. The play therapy room and everything in it was carefully selected and engineered to allow the child free expression of inner feelings. Without the proper setting, Penny wouldn’t release her habitual responses, but would keep on repeating the old ones instead of forming new ones.

He tried to explain this to Deanna. “In order to make meaningful use of toys, or play therapy, the therapist must control all the variables that can possibly be controlled. Any extraneous factors can confuse what the child is revealing, or be so distracting that nothing is accomplished in the sessions. It’s important to have a consistent environment and one that provides everything for the child and therapist to interact.”

Deanna looked around the room, “I don’t see anything in here that isn’t replaceable. If you make me a list, I’ll have a playroom ready that will meet your needs.”

“The expense—” he began.

“Won’t be close to what I’m willing to spend on Penny,” she countered swiftly. “I can easily provide a nice private room in the hotel for your exclusive use. As often as it’s convenient for you to have a session with Penny, the room will be ready and furnished as well as this one. That way, we could begin Penny’s sessions while you and Travis enjoy an extended vacation in the mountains.”

The decision was not an easy one to make. He could have insisted that the idea wasn’t workable. A warning was there that he might become too emotionally involved.

There were other considerations, too. The killer of Deanna Drake’s husband was still at large. As far as he knew, the case was still open, and from what he could learn, there were no real suspects and no definite motive. Since Penny’s trauma was tied to the night her father was killed, Steve knew that the child’s withdrawal was a way of protecting herself. If he successfully helped Penny retrieve a memory that would be a threat to whoever shot her father, what would be the consequences?

What would be the consequences if he didn’t?

Later he wondered exactly what it was that made him put aside his reservations and agree. He seemed to have no choice as he looked into Deanna’s hopeful face, but to smile and say, “All right. It’s a deal.”

Chapter Two

Deanna couldn’t have been more anxious if the governor had been expected the day that Steve Sherman and Travis were due to check into the Drake Resort Hotel. Her heartbeat quickened with anticipation as she took the back stairs up to the third floor. Ever since final arrangements had been made for him and his son to spend the month of June at the hotel, her time had been filled with preparations for their visit.

Deanna had chosen a large airy room to be used as the play therapy room. Everything on the list that Dr. Sherman had given her was ready and waiting: sandbox, dollhouse, small plastic animals, cars, trucks, rubber gun and knife, easel, paints, paper, clay, play telephone, chalk, crayons, books and puzzles. In addition to the play materials, she had provided a low round table, floor cushions and a soft easy chair as faded and lumpy as the one in Dr. Sherman’s therapy room. The only thing that was missing was an electric train, and he had decided that would be too tempting for Travis to leave alone.

Steve had warned Deanna not to let Penny play in the room, or even see it before her first session. “I don’t want her to have any preconceived feelings about the playroom or the toys.” He impressed upon Deanna the need to keep the room separate from the rest of the child’s normal life. “The time spent in that room will be an experience apart from her normal activities.”

“I understand,” she had readily agreed.

He also had warned her that what happened during play therapy was between him and her daughter.

She frowned. “But how will I know how she’s doing?”

He smiled. “It’s my job to know how she’s doing, not yours. I’ll share with you anything that will help me do my job. All right?”

As she gave the room one last look, she breathed a prayer that somehow, within these walls, the dark psyche that lived within her daughter would be released, and she would have her normal little daughter back again. She was just locking the playroom door when she heard footsteps on the stairs, and swung around to face Bob Henderson, her trusted hotel manager.

“Oh, Bob, it’s you,” she said, letting out her breath when she saw the thirty-year old, sandy-haired man. “I thought…I thought maybe they’d come already.”

“Nope, not yet. Hey, girl, you’re as jumpy as a cat dancing on a live wire.” His round face creased in a frown. “What gives? Don’t you think that city doctor’s going to approve of your efforts? God knows you’ve been knocking yourself out making sure that room is exactly like he wants it. He better not give you a bad time or I’ll deal with him in short order.” He fell in step with Deanna as she walked back down to the reception area.

Deanna laughed at his fierce expression and the way he straightened his thick shoulders as if ready to do battle. A childhood friend of hers, Bob had been her protective knight ever since high school. He had been a star football player, and still maintained a hard, muscular physique. He was already working in the hotel for her husband before the tragedy. Now he practically ran the place, and she didn’t know how she’d manage without him.

“Down, boy, down,” Deanna teased in a laughing fashion. “No need to show your teeth. I’m sure Dr. Sherman is going to be pleased.”

“Well, he better be. Sounds to me like all the guy does is play with kid stuff and charge big bucks for it.” Bob shook his head. “Are you sure he’s not taking you for a ride? Giving him a free room, while dishing out good money for him to play with Penny? Sounds like a real scam to me.”

“It’ll be worth every cent if he can make some progress with her. Besides, I’m at my wit’s end. I don’t know what else to try. Nothing has worked.”

Bob touched her arm. “Honey, you can’t keep tearing yourself up like this. Ben wouldn’t want it. You’ve got to get on with your life.”

She knew what Bob meant by getting on with her life. He wanted to marry her. Heaven knows, he’d asked her often enough in the last four months, but the answer was always the same. She didn’t want to marry Bob Henderson, or anybody else. Marriage hadn’t been that terrific the first time around. The only good thing that had come out of it was Penny. Deanna wasn’t about to lose her freedom again, even to someone as nice and loyal as Bob Henderson.

Bob disappeared into the office while Deanna lingered a moment in the lobby, looking around, trying to get a detached perspective on the furnishings. She wondered what the California doctor would think about the decor: unpretentious western-style furniture, colorful Indian rugs scattered on the polished oak floor, and walls of rough logs that matched an open-beam ceiling.

The hotel had been completely renovated and modernized in the last few years without losing its original Old West charm. So far, it had survived the encroaching Colorado ski country development, a sprawl of condominiums and lodges. She didn’t know how much longer it would turn a profit. Thank goodness, there were loyal guests who returned every year to Eagle Ridge, and more and more small conferences and seminars were choosing the hotel for their meetings. The hotel’s thirty-five rooms were filled every night from May to October.

She had reserved a double room for Steve and his son on the second floor, overlooking the lake. A small balcony gave a panoramic view of the green-carpeted foothills and jagged, snow-tipped peaks. She was certain that he’d find the surroundings spectacular, even if he found the accommodations wanting.

Relax, she schooled herself, her palms moist from nervousness. Even if the attractive doctor preferred more luxurious accommodations, she was almost certain he wouldn’t go back on their agreement. During the next four weeks Dr. Sherman would be in and out of the hotel, enjoying a mountain vacation with his son, and at the same time scheduling treatments with Penny. If her daughter made any progress at all, Deanna was determined to arrange for continued sessions with the psychologist when the month was over and he returned to Denver.

Don’t expect miracles, she cautioned herself, but germinating hope was there just the same.

IT WAS ALMOST dinnertime when Susan, Penny and an overgrown mutt they called Hobo came bounding into the office. Deanna had hired Susan Whitcomb, a husky seventeen-year-old with a round face and a long ponytail dangling down her back, to be Penny’s companion for the summer. From the beginning, Susan seemed to readily understand Penny’s silent communications, and enthusiastically did all the talking for both of them. Deanna sometimes wondered if Susan was making it too easy for Penny not to talk.

Maybe I should ask Dr. Sherman to evaluate the situation, Deanna thought. He would see the interaction between Penny and Susan. Yes, he would be able to suggest ways for Susan to help her. A ripple of relief went through Deanna. How weary she’d become of carrying the full load of Penny’s condition by herself. Now she would have a professional on the spot to share her concerns.

“They’re here. At the front desk,” Susan bubbled. “Wow, what a hunk! When the guy told Mr. Henderson that he was Steve Sherman, I couldn’t believe he was the doctor you’ve been talking about. More like a model for Sports Illustrated magazine, if you ask me. And he’s going to be here for a whole month?”

Deanna nodded “He and his son, Travis, will be our guests, and I want everyone to treat them like guests.” She landed a little heavy on the last word.

“Oh, sure, no problem. Hey, the boy seems like a nice kid. When he patted Hobo, the dog wagged his tail like an egg beater gone berserk. Penny thought it was funny, didn’t you, hon?” She laughed down at the little girl who was stroking the dog’s shaggy coat of brown fur.

Deanna was relieved to see her daughter’s blue eyes were bright and clear, and devoid of the dark shadows that sometimes deepened them to almost black. A good sign.

Deanna stood up, smoothing the folds of her lavender-blue dress, which was fashioned in straight, simple lines that complemented her trim figure. Her legs were firm and shapely, and on impulse, she’d decided to wear high heels just for the smug feeling they gave her. “Well, I guess I’d better say hello.”

Susan’s eyes sparkled as she took in Deanna’s dress and shoes. “Wow, look at you. Gold earrings and everything. You ought to turn a few heads in that out-fit…or maybe one in particular. If you know what I mean.”

Deanna tried to ignore Susan’s broad grin, but she suddenly felt terribly self-conscious. Why on earth had she put on a dress instead of her usual trim slacks and tailored blouse? She shoved aside the glaring truth that her feminine side wanted to impress the California doctor.

“Susan, why don’t you take Penny into the dining room, and see what the cook has on the menu for dinner,” Deanna said. “You go ahead and order. If Dr. Sherman and Travis haven’t eaten, we’ll join you in a few minutes.”

“Okay, but I tried to see what Maude was preparing and she chased me out before I could find out.”

Deanna silently crossed her fingers that the stocky, gray-haired Maude Beaker was as good a cook as she claimed she was. Keeping good help was a constant headache because the resorts nearer the ski areas paid higher wages, and her last cook had quit without notice. Luckily, Maude, apparently an old maid, had come to Red Eagle to live with her nephew, Roy Beaker. She’d told Deanna that Roy was gone all the time, so she’d decided to find work. Deanna couldn’t imagine the two of them living together. Roy was as testy as his aunt, and if they ever argued, Deanna feared Maude might decide to move on, leaving Deanna without a cook again. So far, the meals Maude had prepared had been tasty, but nothing fancy. Deanna hoped Steve Sherman wasn’t so spoiled by the offerings of chic California hotels and restaurants that his palate rejected plain cooking.

Leaving the dog in the office, Susan and Penny headed for the dining room, and Deanna walked down the hall to the lobby. When she caught sight of Steve standing at the front desk, she knew what had stimulated Susan’s adolescent approval. His formfitting jeans and knit shirt could have been on a television commercial showing what sexy men were wearing. He was boyishly handsome with his chestnut hair all windblown, his face tanned from a day in the sun.

“Hi, Mrs. Drake,” Travis called before she reached them. He ran over to her and exclaimed, “We’re here.”

“So you are,” she laughed at his exuberance. “Did you have a good trip from Denver?” She really wanted to ask why they were late getting here. She had been anxiously expecting them all day, fearful that something might have gone wrong.

“We saw some big, big elk. A whole bunch. Horns like this.” He spread out his arms as far as they would go. “Dad took pictures. We’ll show you,” he bubbled.

Deanna smiled, “I’d love to see them.”

“We even stopped and talked to a bunch of guys who were fishing. They had a whole string of spotted pink fish.” He held out his little arms wide to show Deanna how many. “Dad says we’re going fishing to catch a bunch of them.”

“I said we were going to try and catch some,” Steve chuckled. “Don’t put me on the spot, son.”

“There are plenty of trout in the lake,” Deanna assured them. “And we even have boats that will take you out in the middle where the big ones are.”

“Gosh! Can we do that, Dad?”

“Well, not tonight.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Probably not tomorrow.” At his son’s groan, he smiled. “We don’t want to do everything the first day, do we? We’ll get everything in, I promise.” He knew that his son was walking two feet off the ground, talking and planning all kinds of fun for their mountain vacation. Steve was almost as eager as Travis to enjoy the spectacular Colorado Rockies. He’d been looking forward to spending this vacation time with his son. Combining work with pleasure should work out well for everyone. Scheduling Penny’s therapy sessions in the morning would leave the rest of the day for Travis.

“The hotel has a nice playground,” Deanna said. “And an indoor swimming pool.”

As Steve let his eyes travel to her honey colored hair, lightly tanned skin and blue dress that swirled around a beautiful pair of legs, he could easily picture her in a bathing suit. He chided himself for wondering if she ever swam with the guests.

He picked up the room keys. “First let’s get settled in our room.”

“I’ll have one of the boys take your luggage up, sir,” said the desk clerk, a tall, lanky young man with a ready smile.

Deanna was pleased with the way Jeffery Tanner was handling the desk, and hoped Jeffery would stick around awhile, but she knew that as soon as college opened in the fall, he’d be gone. Keeping staff was an ever-present headache.

“I hope you’ll find your room satisfactory, Dr. Sherman.” Deanna smiled with her usual hostess politeness.

“Steve,” he corrected her. “I’m on vacation, remember? And may I call you Deanna? It’s a lovely name, by the way. Suits you.”

She didn’t know quite what he meant by the compliment, but she found her face getting slightly warm under his appreciative gaze. She hoped her voice sounded normal when she suggested, “Why don’t you and Travis join us for dinner, Steve? You know Penny, and her nanny, Susan Whitcomb, is with her in the dining room. I don’t know what’s on the dinner menu, but mountain air usually makes everything taste good.”

“Sounds great,” Steve responded readily. “Let us freshen up a bit and we’ll meet you in the dining room, say, fifteen minutes?”

They made it back downstairs in only ten minutes. Steve had changed into fresh brown slacks and a tan pullover sweater. Travis’s face was freshly scrubbed, his hair neatly combed, and he wore a Broncos’ sweatshirt that looked brand-new.

Deanna was pleased when Steve looked around the dining room and gave a nod of approval. She had chosen a pastel floral wallpaper and tablecloths in pale green and pink. A series of windows overlooked the lake and mountain valley. A flagstone terrace with potted greenery just outside added to the spacious feeling of the room and made a wonderful setting for early-morning breakfast, midday lunch and evening dinner.

“Very nice,” he said. “Warm and inviting.”

He smiled at Susan as he took a chair beside her, and Deanna enjoyed a secret smile at the young girl’s flustered expression. Travis took a seat on the other side of Susan, and following thoughts of his own, asked, “What’s the dog’s name?”

“Hobo,” answered Deanna.

“That’s a funny name,” Travis said, frowning.

“It’s another word for tramp,” Steve explained, and Travis brightened. He’d read a book about a funny tramp who wandered around making people laugh.

“We took Hobo in as a stray, and haven’t been able to get rid of his straggly, unkempt look despite brushing and baths,” Deanna chuckled. “He seems determined to live up to his name.”

“Maybe he would like to be called Prince better, even if he doesn’t look like one,” Travis offered.

Deanna exchanged an amused look with Steve. She liked his son. Travis was outgoing, smart and full of energy. A wonderful companion for Penny. She said, “I’ve talked to Susan about looking after Travis when you’re busy.”

“Great.” He’d been wondering who he was going to hire to keep an eye on Travis while he was occupied in the mornings with Penny. “What do you say, Travis? Would you like to keep this pretty girl company some of the time?”

“Sure.”

“I can tell we’re going to get along great.” Susan winked at him, and he winked back.

Deanna was a little on edge when it came time to order, but everyone seemed to find what they wanted on the limited menu, and she began to relax. As they waited for their food, she appreciated how easily Steve handled the conversation. He asked Susan questions about her school and work, smiled at Travis’s boyish chatter and addressed remarks to Penny without any apparent notice of her lack of response.

Although Deanna was eager to talk to him about her daughter and show him the playroom, she contained herself until they finished eating dessert, a wonderful deep-dish apple pie that had relieved her worries about the new cook.

When everyone was through eating, she said casually to Susan, “Why don’t you take Travis and Penny to the apartment and let them choose one of the movie videos to watch?”

“What kind do you have?” Travis asked bluntly. “All girls’ stuff?”

“We have Lion King,” Susan said.

He grinned his approval. “My favorite. Come on, Penny. I know all the songs. I’ll sing them to you.”

Deanna couldn’t tell what her daughter was thinking. She seemed to regard Travis with the same interest she had for Hobo when he was chasing his tail. Deanna was a little surprised and relieved when Penny slipped off her chair and left happily with the boy and Susan.

She pushed back her coffee cup, trying to find the right words. Getting off to a good start was very important for the success of this unusual arrangement. “Thank you so very much for coming.”

Steve smiled. “No thanks necessary. You have a lovely place here.”

“I’m anxious to show you the playroom. I tried to do everything you wanted. If it isn’t all right, if I’ve missed something, or if you want to change anything, just tell me.”

A slight tremble in her lower lip betrayed taut nerves, and he hastened to put her at ease. “I’m sure it’s fine. Let’s just relax tonight.” He led the conversation away from her daughter’s treatments, and they talked generally about the tourist business.

Deanna began to relax, and when he suggested an after-dinner drink, she nodded. “Yes, I’d like to show you the lounge. I think you’ll like the western decor.”

As they made their way out of the dining room, several people acknowledged her with a smile, and some of the men seemed to enjoy the way her summer dress complemented her trim figure and long legs. Steve admired the way Deanna carried herself as she walked, gracefully feminine with an air of confidence and purpose. He knew that if they’d met under different circumstances, he would have been interested in knowing her a lot better. Even though it was her daughter who was his patient, and not Deanna, he wanted to keep his interest in this lovely, fascinating woman a professional one.

The lounge was located at the back of the hotel. A colorful sign above a pair of swinging doors read, Rattlesnake Tavern.

Steve read it aloud and looked at Deanna with raised eyebrows. “Just a euphemism, I hope.”

She smiled. “Dillon, the bartender, gave the bar that name when my husband was alive. Dillon’s been in these parts forever, and the stories he tells are ten percent truth and ninety percent blarney. At least, I hope they’re not true,” she said with a rather forced laugh.

Uh, oh. Steve’s well-trained perception told him that Deanna Drake did not like Dillon. Very interesting. Why did she keep him on? She was the boss, wasn’t she? He filed away the question for future notice.

He pushed open the swinging door, and Deanna preceded him into the lounge. The hotel tavern had the ambience of an old western movie. The walls were decorated with horseshoes, lariat ropes, branding irons and other cowboy memorabilia. Pseudo–kerosene lamps with candles in them decorated small round tables and large ceiling wagon-wheel chandeliers hung over a bar that stretched along one wall.

Only about a half-dozen customers sat at the tables and a couple of men had their legs wrapped around stools at the bar. One of them turned around as Steve followed Deanna to a corner table. Out of the corner of his eye, Steve saw him slide off the bar stool and stride purposefully across the room.

When he reached their table, he said, “I see the good doctor has arrived.” His bold eyes evaluated Steve as if he was ready to take issue with anything that was said.

“This is Bob Henderson, my hotel manager,” Deanna quickly made the introduction. “Dr. Steve Sherman. His son, Travis, is upstairs with Susan and Penny.”

Steve stuck out his hand to force a handshake. The snide way the man had landed on the word good had alerted Steve. Hostility radiated off the hotel manager like bad fumes, and his handshake was perfunctory.

“I hope you’ll find everything to your satisfaction, Doctor. We’re not used to having guests who set up practices in our hotel.”

Ouch! Steve mentally flinched. This guy wasn’t holding back any punches. What gave? Why the icy treatment?

“Bob!” Deanna glared at him. “Dr. Sherman—Steve—is here at my request. He’s generous enough to give up some of his vacation time to treat Penny. We want him to enjoy our hospitality—fully.”

“Of course, of course,” Bob answered mechanically. “I understand you’re planning on being with us a month?” His tone made it clear he considered the visit much too long.

“That’s the plan,” Steve answered smoothly.

“Deanna’s been beside herself trying to get everything ready to your satisfaction.” He put a possessive hand on her shoulder and smiled down at her. “Haven’t you, honey?”