Moonlight Warrior - Softcover

Chapter One

Kenzie Gregor politely smiled down at the tiny prattling woman, nodding occasionally. He had no idea what she was saying, as he didn't recognize the language. Stealing a quick glance around the bank lobby, he arched a questioning brow at Father Daar, sitting in one of the chairs against the side wall. When his companion merely shrugged, Kenzie was forced to turn his attention back to the woman.

She appeared quite spry for her advanced years, considering how quickly she'd jumped up from her chair when he and Daar had walked in two minutes ago. Her white hair was coiled on top of her head in a loose bun held in place by two knitting needles.

Kenzie darted another desperate glance around the lobby, hoping to discover whom the woman belonged to. The man at the teller's station, engrossed in his business transaction? The couple sitting at the desk on the far wall, signing papers?

The woman tugged on his sleeve. "Please look at me, young man, when I'm speaking to you," she said, her firm command softened by her smile.

English! "I'm sorry, madam. But I did not understand what you were saying before."

She launched into her foreign tongue again.

"Can ye not see she's touched in the head, Gregor?" Daar said from the sideline. "It's an omen, telling us we shouldn't be here. Handing over all our money to someone else to look after surely makes ye as crazy as the old woman."

Kenzie took hold of the woman's arm when she turned to advance on Daar, and shot the old priest a warning glare. "I promised Matt I would open a bank account the moment I found a town I wished to settle in. Writing checks is how money is exchanged in this time, and I intend to fit in here in Midnight Bay."

"Fine," Daar said in a huff. "Then your brother can just write ye another fat check when the bank suddenly misplaces our money. I can't exactly conjure up more coin now, can I?"

"Mom?" came a woman's voice from Kenzie's left. "Oh my God, Mother," she said, rushing toward them.

Kenzie immediately let go of the old woman and clasped his hands behind his back.

The younger woman stepped between them. "I told you to stay in that chair," she whispered, trying to lead her mother back to the row of seats. "You can't just walk up to strangers and start bothering them."

The older woman pulled free. "I wasn't bothering him, was I, young man? I was merely telling him to do business with the bank over in Oak Harbor," she said, projecting her voice to the whole lobby of onlookers. "And explaining how the people running this bank are trying to steal a widow's only means of support right out from under her."

"Mother!" the young woman quietly hissed, glancing at the back office as she led the woman away once again. "You're not helping matters. I'm trying to get us a new loan." She nudged her into one of the chairs. "Please just sit here and don't speak to anyone."

The moment the young woman turned to give Kenzie an apologetic smile, her mother jumped to her feet and rushed back to take hold of his arm -- which she squeezed. "My, but you're a big, strong man. Are you married?" she asked, glancing at his left hand.

The younger woman turned a lovely shade of pink.

"Eve, come introduce yourself, so this handsome young man will no longer be a stranger."

Kenzie smiled at the beautiful daughter, and gave a slight nod when her crystal blue eyes met his. She immediately dropped her gaze, her short blond curls framing a flawless complexion that was now bright pink.

Thoroughly enchanted, Kenzie held out his hand, suddenly having an overwhelming need to touch her. "Kenzie Gregor," he said, careful to keep his voice soft, as she appeared as delicate as a fawn. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss...?"

"This is my daughter, Eve Anderson. She moved home with me two months ago. I'm Mabel Bishop. Are you moving to Midnight Bay, Mr. Gregor, or just passing through?"

Kenzie dropped his hand when it was obvious Eve Anderson had no intention of taking it. "Father Daar and I are planning to settle here," he said, nodding toward his companion.

Mabel turned to Daar. "I am not crazy," she declared. "I merely get confused sometimes, and it was very unkind of you to refer to me so."

Just then a man emerged from the office. "Eve. I need you to sign the new loan application before I submit it for consideration." He nodded to her mother. "Mabel. You're looking especially fine today."

As Mabel Bishop sat down with a harrumph, pointedly ignoring the man, Eve walked into the office behind him.

Kenzie sat down between Mabel and Daar.

She immediately turned to face him. "So, Kenzie, what is it you do?"

"Do?" he asked.

"For a living. What sort of work are you planning to do in Midnight Bay?" She gave a desolate sigh. "There's not much here, I'm afraid. Just a few clam diggers and lobstermen. The cannery closed quite a while back, and our one industry in town, the lumber mill, has been laying off workers."

"I'm in the process of buying a farm out on the point. I've had thoughts of opening an animal sanctuary. I enjoy working with animals."

Mabel's silver eyebrows arched. "You're wealthy, then?"

Kenzie ignored Daar's snort behind him. "If ye mean do I have enough money to get by, I suppose you could say that."

Mabel leaned closer. "Then I should warn you, Kenzie, that every unattached female in Midnight Bay will be showing up on your doorstep, casserole in hand, the minute word gets out that a wealthy man has moved to town." Her eyes sparkled. "Your being handsome won't hurt, either. Nor will that charming Scottish accent of yours."

Daar snorted again, and Mabel gave him a glare.

"Will your daughter bring me a casserole?" Kenzie asked, having absolutely no idea what a casserole was, but quite intrigued by the idea. "I did not see a ring on her finger."

Mabel gave a small laugh. "Sorry, but you'd probably starve to death waiting for Eve to show up on your doorstep. She swore off men when she divorced two months ago." Her expression turned sad. "It'll be years, I'm afraid, before she'll ever trust another man."

"Your daughter was married?" Kenzie remembered how delicate she'd looked. "Was she forced to divorce him because he abused her?"

Mabel looked surprised, then laughed. "Oh, good mercy, no. Parker wouldn't have dared lay a hand on her. Eve might appear all soft and feminine, but only a suicidal idiot would mess with her. No, Parker ran off with all their savings and their neighbor's wife after Eve suggested I move down to Boston to stay with them."

Mabel suddenly stood up as Eve walked out of the office. "Welcome to Midnight Bay, Kenzie. And you, too, Father Daar," Mabel said, giving the priest a cursory nod. Her eyes sparkled again when she looked at Kenzie. "We'll be neighbors -- Eve and I live out on the point. And if you need a nice woodstove to heat your new place, come to our store and we'll fix you right up. It's Bishop's Hearth and Home, just across Main Street."

Kenzie had stood when she had, and he took her extended hand and gave a slight bow. "It was wonderful to meet you, Mabel. Thank you for the warm welcome. And the warning about the casseroles," he added with a wink.

He held out his hand to Eve, who had taken her mother's elbow. "It was wonderful meeting you, too, Eve. I look forward to shopping in your store."

She gave him a small nod as she stepped away. "Yes, do stop in, Mr. Gregor. We sell the most efficient woodstoves on the market." She glanced at the office she'd just left, then back at him. "Or once we get them in stock, maybe we could interest you in a new wood-pellet stove," she said, ushering her mother from the bank.

Kenzie walked to the large window, clasping his hands behind his back as he watched the two women walk across the street.

"Aren't we buying our farm from a gentleman named Bishop?" Daar asked, coming to stand beside him.

"Alvin Bishop," Kenzie confirmed, watching Eve and her mother enter one of the shops, the weathered sign over the door stating it was Bishop's Hearth and Home. "He could be Mabel's brother-in-law."

"Mr. Gregor?"

Kenzie turned to the banker Eve had been talking to earlier. "Mr. Johnson?" he asked, shaking the man's hand. "Did Chelsea send down the paperwork from Bangor?"

"Yes, she did," Mr. Johnson said, leading the way to the back office. "Your lawyer had everything overnighted. It helped that you and Alvin Bishop used the same law firm. Alvin mentioned Mrs. Rand is related to you?"

"My brother married her sister. Chelsea's actually the one who saw the Bishop farm advertised in the Bangor newspaper and called me last week."

"Alvin should be along soon," Mr. Johnson said, gesturing to the chairs in front of his desk as he took his seat behind it. "He also lives in Bangor, and he called earlier to say he's running late. It seems there was a bad accident on Route One this side of Ellsworth, and traffic was backed up. I'm sorry you had to wait, Mr. Gregor. The woman who just left didn't have an appointment; she simply showed up."

"Eve Anderson. Mabel implied they're having money problems? How long has Mabel been widowed?"

Mr. Johnson appeared startled. "Ah...Nathan's been gone almost six months now. But I can't discuss Mabel's financial situation with you, Mr. Gregor. Our bank has a very strict privacy policy, and I assure you, your business with us will remain equally confidential." He leaned forward. "You mentioned on the phone that you have some funds you wish to deposit? We can take care of that before Alvin arrives, so your account will be in place when you write him your check. It will take just a few minutes to verify the transfer of funds."

Kenzie reached in the inside pocket of his leather jacket and pulled out the check Matt had given him over a month ago. "It's from a Maine bank. Matheson Gregor is my brother. There shouldn't be any problem," he said, setting the check on the desk.

Mr. Johnson picked up the check, read it, an...