Allie listened as she stood in the hallway outside Liz's bedroom door. The master bedroom occupied the west wing, separate from the other bedrooms. The only sound she heard was running water. She tapped on the door.

"Liz, it's Allie. May I come in?" When Allie didn't get a response, she tapped again. "Liz, please let me in."

Allie leaned her ear against the door. It sounded like boots clicking against the hardwood floor, but still no answer. "Come on, Lizzie. I love you, and I am here for you and you alone. I'm not here to judge. I thought you might need a friend."

She heard footsteps and then the unlocking of the door. She breathed a sigh of relief as Liz opened the door. "Sorry, I was washing my face."

"What, you didn't care for the raccoon look?" Allie teased.

"No, black doesn't go well with my pale skin." Liz walked to the chairs by the window, turning to Allie, "Come and sit here in the sun with me."

"Are you okay? That was a rough way to start your morning." Allie hugged Liz before she sat in the other chair. "I've never seen that side of you."

"Me either." Liz managed a meek smile. "Seeing that woman opened up a floodgate I'd been hiding behind since Jack's death."

"I know how much you loved Jack, sweetie. No one ever intended to hurt you."

"Allie, you know I love you, and you have always been my best friend since we were young. But there is so much you don't know about me." Liz couldn't look Allie in the eye.

"Lizzie, we shared everything. Remember when we hid in the trees and watched the boys skinny-dipping? Or when we left a rotten apple on Miss Appleby's desk with a worm?"

Liz chuckled. "Yes, I remember you were talking me into a lot, but that's not what I'm talking about."

"I thought you knew you could tell me anything, Lizzie. It wouldn't matter, no matter how awful it was. I would still love you. Just like Jack loved you, for better or for worse."

Liz's eyes glistened, but she brushed the tears away. "Allie, I am responsible for Jack's death."

Allie gasped. "Don't talk crazy, Liz. Jack died in a plane crash. A plane he should never have been in, anyway. He only had a learner's permit."

"You don't understand." Liz squeezed her eyes closed, inhaled before looking at Allie again. "Jack and I had a picnic on the grassy knoll in the vineyard that day."

"Yeah, it was your spot. I remember a few times; I stumbled into a romantic interlude between you two, wine, cheese, a little lip-locking."

"Allie, this is very difficult for me. I need you to listen, okay?" Liz stared into Allie's green eyes. "I know that sometimes it's a challenging task."

Allie sniffed and turned her head away, pretending to be offended. "You cut me to the quick." She giggled. "But you speak the truth. I'll be quiet. Tell me about your rendezvous that day."

"He didn't say it, but I know I hurt Jack. I hadn't meant to say anything, but I wasn't feeling myself, and Jack was talking to me all about his ideas for the vineyard. He was so excited. The winery was a new adventure, and Jack only knew how to do everything first class. He'd installed the lights so the workers could harvest the grapes at night. He dreamed of wine tours and private parties. His hopes and dreams were beyond my imagination."

"That was Jack, for sure. But he always included you in his dreams."

"That was the problem, Allie. They were Jack's dreams. I was missing the big city life, the art galleries, the midnight parties on rooftops, and all the city lights."

"Oh, my gosh, Liz, I thought you loved it here. I would never have guessed you were unhappy."

"And neither did Jack. I told him I wanted to go back to New York." Allie's eyes were wide open, and she gasped. "That's about how Jack reacted. The light went out of his eyes, and he couldn't even look at me. I regretted saying it the second the words left my lips, but I couldn't erase the hurt in Jack's eyes."

"What happened?" Allie squeezed Liz's hand. "Did Jack get mad?"

"No, when he could finally look at me, he said okay. Just okay, nothing else, and then he left me sitting there alone. Oh, Allie, I'll never forget the sadness in his eyes. I burst into tears. The next thing I knew, Miguel was helping me off the ground."

"Miguel? Where did he come from?" The comment about Miguel confused Allie.

"I don't know. I don't believe I'd ever even spoken to Miguel before that day. He just helped me up, cleaned up our picnic, handed me the basket, nodded, and walked back through the vineyard. Now that I think about it, it was weird, but that day I was numb. I'd destroyed Jack's dream, and all he could say was okay."

"Jack loved you, Lizzie. He just wanted you to be happy. I'm sure you both would have worked it out."

"I never got the chance, Allie. I think Jack was furious and did something crazy, like fly that damn plane. He thought he could do anything he set his mind to do." Liz stared out the window at the vineyard. "So, you see, it's my fault."

Allie knelt in front of her best friend. She pulled Liz into her arms and hugged her. "Liz, it's not your fault. Jack could have had a heart attack, or something mechanical could have gone wrong. It could be a million reasons, but Jack wouldn't have killed himself. Never!"

"We'll never know, I guess." Liz shook her head. "All I know is I hurt the only man I have ever loved, and I never got the chance to tell him I was sorry. I wouldn't have left the vineyard. I was having one of those feel sorry for Liz days because Amy, you remember her, right? Well, she'd called that morning and was telling me about the big party I'd missed. It was a fleeting moment, but one I will regret forever."

"Still, it wasn't your fault Jack's plane crashed. What did the coroner's report say?"

"Coroner's report?" Liz looked confused. "I don't know. I suppose I shoved it in Jack's desk somewhere. I never looked at it."

"Well, let's go and see. Hank and Garth are in the study. Maybe they can look around for it." Allie stood and moved toward the door.

"Wait! There's more I want to tell you about this morning."

"Okay, let me run down the hallway, tell Hank about the coroner's report, and I'll be right back." Liz's face looked so sad. "We can wait and talk later. It doesn't need to be said right now."

"No, I'm ready. You talk to Hank, and when you come back, I'll tell you about Hope."







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.