"An expert in modern Chinese political history to help set the backdrop for your next New York Times bestseller? Yes, he might have mentioned it. And Im happy to oblige."

She smiled. "You have no idea how happy I am to hear that. Now, can I get you a drink while I interrogate you, Chen?"

CHAPTER 3.

DASH PULLED INTO BRADS DRIVE wishing he could say he didnt know what he was doing or why he felt the need to stop by. But much to his disgruntlement, he knew exactly why. Matty had called and hed heard her voice. And then he had heard a man pull up. Jealousy didnt quite define what he felt, but it was definitely a close kin.

The woman in question was standing in the garden with a tall, dark-haired man and they were watching Dash as he pulled his truck to a stop. Neither walked to greet him and they were each holding a glass of wine. His day hadnt been all that great, a horse had colicked and nearly died and hed spent a good chunk of his afternoon putting a dogs hip back together after it had been hit by a car. And at this point, it didnt look like the day was going to get any better.

"Matty," he said, walking toward her.

"Dash," she responded. "What are you doing here?" she added.

He tilted his head toward the pasture. "Thought I would stop by and see the cows."

"Thats nice of you," she smiled. "This is Dr. Chen Zheng," she said, gesturing to the man at her side. "Chen, this is Dr. Dash Kent."

"I should be going," Zheng said after Dash shook his hand. "I didnt realize how late it was and I have a dinner appointment up in Albany."

Dash watched as Mattys eyes darted between him and Zheng; she was obviously trying to get a read on the situation. After a moment, she turned to Zheng and held out her hand to take his wineglass.

"Thank you so much for coming out today, Chen. Talking with you has helped me more than you can imagine."

Zheng smiled back and Dash looked away. "Youre very welcome. Ill be up here for the next two weeks preparing for the next semester. You have my contact information; please call at any time. And these," he said, holding up his empty glass and taking hers, "I can drop off myself. You can stay out here and check out the cows."

Dash said nothing as the two said good-bye and stayed silent until Zheng had climbed into his Porsche and started down the driveway.

"You didnt need to stop by, you know," Matty said. It was a hell of a way to start the conversation. Nice and inviting.

"I was in the area." He could feel her eyes on him, but he stayed focused on the field where the six cows grazed peacefully.

"I think theyre fine," she said. "They were lying down by the trees over there." She pointed to a line of big maples along the fence. "But when that quick summer storm came in, they all got up and moved under the trees out of the rain. Once it stopped, they started grazing and have been ever since." She paused then added, "Im sorry I bothered you."

"Better to be safe than sorry," Dash answered. "How are you getting along with the rest of the animals?"

"The dogs are great, the cats are cats, and I still dont get having rabbits as pets, but I havent done anything dumb yet that might result in their demise-and the chickens, well, I have to admit, I kind of like them," she said with a smile.

"The chickens?"

"I know," she shrugged. "Seems like I should like the rabbits because they are pretty cute, right? But the chickens all seem to have personalities and they had fresh eggs waiting for me this morning. Cant complain about that."

"That is one of the benefits."

"Although, like you said," she continued, "if they keep giving me five eggs a day, Im going to have so many Im not sure Ill be able to do anything with them. Dont get me wrong, I can use them in baking, and I love them as a meal, but thirty-five eggs a week is a lot to go through, especially if I dont have people around to share the baking with."

"Theres a pancake breakfast in a few weeks. Im sure they could use them if you have extras," Dash suggested as they began to move through the garden. The storm Matty had mentioned had left the air feeling a little bit cooler and the smells of the garden were fresher, less dense, than they would be in high humidity.

"A pancake breakfast?" she asked.

"To support the volunteer fire department."

She stopped and smiled. "Thats sweet."

"Thats condescending," he responded.

Matty laughed. "I know, youre right. Even as I said it, it sounded that way. But I promise you thats not the way I meant it. I mean, it really is nice. Im used to black-tie fundraisers where all people care about is either getting their picture in the paper, getting something they want from someone else, or, better yet, meeting people who want something from them." They stopped at the vegetable part of Brads garden. Dash could smell the tomatoes and fresh herbs, which prompted his stomach to remind him that he hadnt eaten since breakfast.

"I think its nice that everyone comes together to support something that really does benefit the community," she continued. "And I dont assume everyone likes each other, but my guess is people probably come to catch up with friends and neighbors, too. I think it sounds fun."

'Fun isnt exactly what Dash would call it, but that was mostly because his mother, who was one of the head organizers of the breakfast and had been for years, usually had him manning the griddle for four hours-inevitably after a night spent out on emergency calls. But it was nice, and he said so.

"This garden is amazing," she said, changing the subject. "I think Im going to make something Italian tonight with these tomatoes and the basil over there," she pointed to her left as she bent over to check a couple of the bright red fruits. "I dont know if you have any plans, but youre welcome to join me."

He heard the words. They even registered. But his mind was on one track at that particular moment, focused as he was on Mattys well-rounded behind, which was being presented to him as she hunted for ripe tomatoes.

"Dash?" she said, turning to look at him over her shoulder.

"No." His voice was abrupt and he knew, though she didnt, that the force of his refusal had more to do with his family tradition than dinner.

Her eyebrows went up. "Uh, okay."

He took a deep breath and very conscientiously pulled his mind back to the conversation. "Sorry, I didnt mean to sound rude. Its been a long day and I still have two more calls to make."

She straightened and faced him, looking unsure about whether or not to believe his excuse. Her hair was down and looked thick lying across her shoulders and down her back. He wondered what she would do if he just slipped a hand behind the nape her neck, pulled her toward him, and kissed her.

"Dash?" A look glinted in her eye and he knew in that moment that if he did kiss her, she wouldnt object in the slightest.

"I need to go," he said, stepping back.

"Okay," she said after a moment.

"I mean, I really," he took another few steps back. "I really need to go. Please dont hesitate to call again if you have any questions about the animals. I really dont mind at all."

She stood there cradling four tomatoes in her arms, watching him. "Okay. Thanks?"

"Not a problem." And he turned and walked away. He didnt look back but knew shed stayed where hed left her, watching him leave. He had no doubt she thought him a little unusual, maybe even a bit wacky, but there wasnt much he could do about that now. Now he just needed to get away and breathe. This family curse was going to be a bitch.

As the sound of Dashs truck faded away, Matty stood in the garden. Not sure what to think about what had just happened, her mind was blank. Then Isis nudged her little red Ridgeback nose against her thigh and Matty shook off the confusion.

For a moment there she would have sworn Dash was going to kiss her. His eyes had dropped to her lips and hed gotten that distant but focused look that guys get when they see something they want and have every intention of getting. But then hed gone cold and left faster than a clown at a funeral.

With a shrug, she turned and started toward the house. After dropping the tomatoes on the patio table, she went to make sure the chickens were in their coop for the night, then headed inside to make dinner and mull over everything she and Chen had talked about.

Two more eggs were waiting for her, which reminded her of Dashs suggestion to donate them to the pancake breakfast. There hadnt been any eggs in the fridge when shed arrived, so she figured Brad must have some way of dealing with the extras. But since she didnt know what that was, Dashs idea seemed like a good one. At this rate, she was going to have over a hundred and fifty eggs; she was good with the ingredient, but she wasnt that good.

Once shed put the eggs in the fridge and washed the tomatoes, she reread Brads notes for the fourth time then picked up her phone to call him. His voice mail answered and she left him a message asking him to call or e-mail her if he had any suggestions for the excess eggs and letting him know that, if he didnt, she was going to give them to the pancake people.

Looking at the tomatoes on the counter, she sighed. It would have been much nicer to have company for dinner. Well, it would have been nice if Dash had agreed to stay for dinner. She didnt know him at all, but she felt a little greedy for his company. Not in an obsessive way, but more like she just knew they would get along and have a good time together. There was an attraction, yes, but there was also something more-something telling her that they might actually like each other, too. And it would be nice to have a friend around.

Not wanting to slip into maudlin thoughts about how she had no friends and no one to keep her company, she opted to make a fresh salad rather than the more elaborate pasta and chicken she would have made had Dash agreed to stay. And when she finished her utilitarian meal, she finally sat down to do what she had come up there to do in the first place. She started writing.

CHAPTER 4.

MATTY DREAMED THAT HER BARE ARMS were being hit by little pieces of ice over and over again. Even in sleep, she knew that didnt make much sense. But the cold and wet sensations kept assaulting her like little sharp daggers. Finally, in half-awake, half-asleep frustration, she flung her arm up over her head, only to be fully awakened by a yelp from Bob as her elbow met his snout in the process.

She opened her eyes to find the yellow Lab staring at her, smiling with a lolling tongue. Isis stood behind him while Rufus and Roger leaned their bodies against the wall. Rolling her head to the other side, Matty found Lucy standing on the bed next to her. It wasnt ice; it was little doggy noses. Wet doggy noses. Maybe this was the reason Brad had lined up all the dog beds in the kitchen downstairs.

Still, despite the morning greeting, she was hard pressed to feel bad about having moved all those beds up to the room in which she slept when she turned to her side and reached for Bob. His smile grew bigger, if possible, and his tail started to wag in circles as she rubbed his nose and apologized for accidentally whacking him. Like most Labs, he didnt seem to mind and he leaned forward trying to lick her. She drew her head back-she didnt mind the love, but licks werent her favorite-and caught sight of the clock. Ah, that would explain why all five of them were staring at her. It was thirty minutes past their allotted breakfast time, as dictated by Brad.

Mumbling her apologies to the dogs, she climbed out of bed and before she was even at the bedroom door, five sets of paws were clamoring down the stairs, toenails clicking on the hardwoods. It was a cacophony and the chaos made her laugh. Maybe Brad wasnt so strange after all to have five dogs-waking up laughing was not a bad way to start the day.

She watched the five of them absentmindedly as they ate. Judging by the thermometer outside the kitchen window, it was already hot and no doubt going to get much hotter. She thought about making coffee, but decided if she was going to get outside at all today, she should do it now. So, after letting the dogs out to do their thing, she changed into her summer uniform of shorts and a tank top, brushed her teeth, combed her hair, and slipped on her flip flops. By the time she was back downstairs, all five dogs were ready to come in.

She checked their water, and the cats food and water, and made to head out. She paused at the door and glanced at a set of keys hanging on a small hook. She had seen Brads big fancy truck in the carriage house garage but hadnt felt the need to drive it. Her little convertible was comfortable and easy to maneuver on the country roads, but it was also black on the inside. The interior of Brads truck was beige, a much better choice in the heat. Not to mention that it was parked in the garage and hadnt already spent the morning baking in the sun, unlike her little coupe.

Making her decision, she slipped the keys off the hook. She hadnt driven a truck in a long time and it would be fun to cruise the backcountry roads in such a big vehicle. She might even roll the windows down and put on some country music-wouldnt Charlotte love to see that.

Which reminded her of her promise. She dialed her friend and they caught each other up while Matty checked on the other animals. As she chatted with Charlotte about the progress shed made on her book the night before and filled the rabbits water, she made mental a note to herself to put the cooler Brad had left for them in their cage when she returned from town. Apparently, rabbits didnt do well in the heat, another ding against them in her mind, so Brad had a special air-conditioner type device made for them.

She also knew she needed to collect the chickens eggs, fill their feeder, and clean their water dish, but for now she simply let them out to wander their enclosed garden. Ending her call, she popped back in the house to wash her hands and as the cool inside air hit her, she broke out in goose bumps, her skin already damp from the heat despite the early hour. She was glad that the dogs and cats didnt mind staying inside because she was pretty sure that the phrase 'dog days of summer was coined on a day like this one.

After climbing into Brads truck, adjusting the seats and mirrors, and getting a sense of the massive machine around her, she cruised into town with the windows down and the country station turned up a little too loud. From talking with Chen, she knew now that the man shed met behind the counter at Franks Cafe the day before was indeed the curmudgeonly Frank. And so, after finding a parking spot in front of the cafe and heading inside, she gleefully introduced herself to him, much to his dismay, when she ordered her iced mocha and, at Chens recommendation, an egg, bacon, and cheese bagel.

She took a corner seat at a table for two and watched customers come and go. Two police officers arrived and ordered lattes, and an older woman greeted them by name, Marcus and Carly; the three chatted as they waited for their drinks. Two young women, maybe high school aged, sat in another corner leaning over breakfast plates, engrossed in their conversation. Judging by the looks on their faces, Matty was pretty sure they were talking boys. Other people came and went and by the time she finished her breakfast, she felt like she had a slightly better sense of the town.

She swung back by the health food store to pick up some baking supplies and it was close to eleven by the time she headed home. She had her windows rolled down again and the music playing as she plotted her day. She knew from experience that the outlining and drafting shed done the night before, as well as her energy this morning, meant she was in for a productive day. She would work for several hours, take a break in the afternoon for some food, then work for several more before nighttime. Once she was at a good place to stop, shed pour herself a glass of wine, make a leisurely dinner, and wind her brain down before going to bed.

She was debating the benefits of a bath in the evening as she rounded a corner a few miles away from Brads. She slowed for a moment to take in the scene before her-an old, stone farmhouse surrounded by white-fenced fields filled with quietly grazing horses. She half expected a man riding a horse with a pack of hounds to come into view. Windsor, and the surrounding area, really was quite beautiful, she acknowledged to herself.

She was savoring the rare moment of complete contentedness-enjoying the smells of a country summer, the feel of the clean, humid air on her skin, and the wind blowing her hair. A smile formed on her lips, but just as it did, something came crashing down into the bed of Brads truck.

"Holy shit!" Matty cried as she slammed on the brakes. The truck came to a screeching halt, and having ducked on instinct, she sat hunched in the drivers seat. Her heart was racing and she had no idea what could have made that kind of noise or had that kind of impact on the truck-enough of an impact that she had not only heard whatever it was hit the truck bed but had actually felt the weight of it depress the back end of the huge vehicle. Completely at a loss, she stayed hunched down, waiting. She heard nothing but a song about riding a cowboy still playing on her radio. She felt nothing moving in the back.

Her stomach was tied in knots, but after a few moments, she knew she needed to get out and check the truck. She gave a fleeting thought to driving to the shoulder, since she was stopped in the middle of the lane, but decided it was more important to find out what exactly it was that had landed in the truck before she moved anything.

Putting the truck in park and turning the ignition and music off, Matty congratulated herself on at least having the presence of mind to put the emergency flashers on. Tentatively, she craned her neck to see if she could see anything through the back window, but all she saw was the inside of the tailgate. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and peeked around the side. She couldnt see anything from where she sat, so she slowly exited the truck and inched her way toward the back, keeping as much distance as shed need to jump out of reach should something leap out at her, while staying close enough to see inside the truck bed.

She had just passed the rear passenger door of the extended cab when something came into view. She paused and stared. She took another bigger step toward the bed of the truck, then frowned. Finally, she approached the side and took it all in. She wasnt sure what she had expected; really, shed had no idea. But never in a million years would she have thought to find this. As she stood in the middle of the lane, the sounds of cows lowing in the distance and tractors at work in nearby fields filtering into her brain, Matty stared at what was, undoubtedly, the decomposing body of a man.

CHAPTER 5.

MATTY FOUND HERSELF GAWKING in shock until the sound of another vehicle snapped her back into action. Not wanting an unsuspecting driver to come upon her parked in the middle of the road, she walked away from her truck, and the body inside it, to flag the driver down. She needed to call the police and she needed to set up some flares to warn other cars. She hoped the driver of the approaching vehicle could help with at least one of these two things.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she recognized the grill of the massive diesel truck slowing down as it approached her. She watched as Dash pulled to the side of the road behind her.

"Everything okay, Matty?" he asked as he climbed from the cab of his truck and came toward her.

"Um." She hadnt really thought this through, how to explain the situation. She was fine, but the situation was not.

"Matty?"

She saw a look of genuine concern in his expression and his hand came up to her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" he asked again.

She focused on his eyes. "Im okay, but theres a problem with my truck and I could use some help."

She saw a look of relief flash in his eyes. "What is it? A tire? The engine?"

"Um, not quite. Theres a-" she paused then stuttered out the rest of the sentence, "a body in the bed of my truck. A human body. A dead human body," she added, noting that her hands were a little shaky when she waved in the direction of the truck bed.

Dash blinked. "A body?"

She nodded. "It fell."

"Fell?"

She nodded again then looked up. "I think from there," she said, pointing to a tree not far from where they stood. His eyes followed her wobbly finger and he looked up, too.

"A body?" he repeated.

She nodded again. "And I need to call the police and set up some flares to warn anyone else who might come along." That sounded reasonable.