Sheltered Hearts (A Hidden Hearts Novel Book 2)

by Mary Crawford

She actually did a really great job. One puppet looks like an exaggerated version of me. The puppet of the little boy looks even more like her brother. The only thing missing is his freckles.

  “Those are perfect,” I proclaim. “Can you do me a favor and find some books for us to read? I don’t really know what you and your brother like.”

  “That’s going to be a really big problem. My brother and I like really different stuff. He likes dinosaurs and trucks and stuff like that. And I don’t like that stuff so much. I like books about animals like dogs and cats and horses,” she explains with all the exasperation common to big sisters everywhere.

  “How about this? You get some of the books you like and some of the books he likes and we can switch back and forth,” I suggest.

  “You sound just like my mom,” she laments.

  “I happen to think your mom is a pretty nice lady so, I’ll take that as a compliment. We have lots of time so make sure you choose lots of books,” I say, as I carry the puppets over to the mat and lay them down. Craig comes in with an armload of animal puppets. I take them from him and set them down beside the puppets that resemble us. When I pick up the parrot puppet, I ask him, “Whose favorite is this?”

  “Yours, Ma’am,” he mumbles around his thumb.

  “Really? How did you know that birds are one of my favorite animals?” I reply.

  He gives me a look like I am one of the most dimwitted creatures he’s ever run across as he mumbles, “Umm… I sawed one on your necklace.”

  I reach up and place my hand over my hummingbird necklace. “So you did. I forgot I was wearing my necklace today. That was very clever of you to notice.”

  Lissa brings me a large stack of books. Many of them are among my favorites and I smile as I pat the mat next to me and start to hand out puppets. “Have you guys ever watched the Muppet Show?” The kids nod with a look of puzzlement on their faces. “You know those old guys who criticize everything that happens in the show and tell funny jokes? You guys can use your puppets to pretend to be like that when I read the stories if you want. That way if you don’t like the way I’m reading a story, you can just let me know and I’ll do something else.”

  “What are the amminals for?” Craig asks stumbling over the word.

  “You know in some movie scenes there are lots and lots of extra characters? Sometimes, they have extra lines. I may need your help with some of that, so I had you pick some extra puppets for you to use.”

  “Miss Jessica! He don’t know to read yet! He’s too little,” Lissa informs me.

  “That’s okay, we’ll help him along. This is all supposed to be about fun and imagination anyway, right?”

  Lissa looks at me as if I’ve lost a few marbles in my old age and responds, “If you say so, Ma’am.”

  I’ve got to hand it to Janice; her kids have good manners. Then again, they haven’t seen the full force of me yet — I wonder how they’re going to react.

  After about two and half hours, I have discovered a few things. First, kids’ books can be really funny. My sides hurt from laughing so much. Lissa lost much of her reserve around me after the first few minutes and it turns out this little girl has a wicked sense of humor and is smart as a whip. She had me in total stitches. Craig might not have been able to read much, but he was a whiz at funny voices and sounds and enthusiastically picked up on the spirit of our activity. He didn’t even seem to mind much when we were reading stories about horses, dogs and cats. Finally, I had to cry uncle when we read the Monster at the End of the Book for the fourth time.

  Janice finally came and collected the kids with a grateful smile and a promise to exchange emails and text messages to let me know if she got the job. I was really touched when both kids took the time to hug me goodbye and thank me for their adventure in books. That was one of the most rewarding things I have done in quite a long time. I forgot how much fun it was to act out stories and use different voices. I haven’t had a chance to be really creative in forever, so it felt like finally letting my hair down after I’ve worn it in a bun for many months on end.

  When Mrs. Turner beckons me into a back office, my heart sinks. It feels like it did when I was a little kid, often sent to the principal’s office for squirming too much in class. I wonder what I did to upset her. I’m surprised when I see a large grin on her face. Okay, I’m totally befuddled.

  “Did you have fun today, Jessica?” she asks, as she sits in her old-fashioned wooden swivel chair.

  Even though part of me is sending out warning signals that I should probably be circumspect and listen to what she has to say before I open my big mouth, I can’t seem to help but gush, “Oh yes, Mrs. Turner, I had the best time. Those kids were awesome and their imaginations were great. It was so much fun to introduce them to the joy of reading — I had forgotten what a new reader is like. It’s amazing to be able to encourage someone to think about things in a different way, through words. It was phenomenal to see her learn to pronounce new words right in front of me,” I reply, letting my speech trail off as I realize I’m just rambling as usual.

  My stomach clinches as I realize that Mrs. Turner has begun to write on a yellow legal pad. Usually, when people start to write things down in meetings that involve me, it’s not a good sign. She looks over the top of her reading glasses at me as she inquires, “I understand that you recently earned your college degree?”

  “Yes, Ma’am, I have finished the coursework. I still need to go back to Florida to march in commencement, but the school has awarded my degree.”

  Mrs. Turner smiles at me as she remarks, “Walter is so proud of that degree, you would think he earned it himself. Theater Arts and History, correct?”

  “Yes, Ma’am,” I confirm. I can’t help but ponder the question, if my grandfather is so proud of me, why did I never hear that from him for all those years?

  “I understand from your grandfather that you may actually stay in Kansas for a while,” Mrs. Turner says.

  “Yes, my fiancé is opening a training facility here to train search and rescue dogs. I will definitely be moving back home.” At this point, I’m not even trying to disguise the fact that I am searching Mrs. Turner’s face for clues about why she’s asking me such a series of strange questions. Finally, I can’t contain my curiosity any longer and I blurt, “I’m sorry, Mrs. Turner, but am I in trouble for something?”

  “Goodness gracious, Child, why would you think you’re in trouble? I brought you in here to see if you wanted a job,” she exclaims.

  Now, it’s my turn to be stunned as I reply, “Wait… I’m not a librarian. Don’t you have to be a librarian to work in a library?”

  “In most cases, it’s very helpful. For now, this is just for the summer reading program. We may evaluate it later, but for now, this is our immediate need. You remember Caitlin Jones? Well, now she’s Caitlin Nelson. Anyway, she got pregnant and no one was expecting her to have twins. She and her husband have decided that it’s cheaper for her to stay home with the babies than to pay for daycare, so I lost my program manager for the summer reading program. I think you would be the perfect match. I don’t have time to do a long exhaustive search and you have the perfect qualifications to run it. You know this library frontwards, backwards, and inside out. You love books and children. Most importantly, you value reading and you can instill it in kids and help make them enthusiastic readers just like you are. I was watching you in the reading room, and you’re absolutely perfect. What made it even more remarkable was no one had to push you into doing what you did this afternoon, you volunteered to do it because you love books and reading — that spoke volumes to me.”

  “What you’re telling me is that my little impromptu trip to the library this afternoon with my ratty old clothes with no makeup on was actually a job interview?” I ask incredulously.

  Mrs. Turner gives me a sly grin as she responds, “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying. Wasn’t that crafty of me? You didn’t even have to worry about dressing up. Think o
f all the stress and anxiety I saved you. I think after you start your new job, that should earn me a piece of Chocolate Silk Pie at Sally’s Bakery. You are taking the job, aren’t you? Someone else didn’t snatch you up first, did they?” she asks insistently.

  My thoughts are racing a million miles an hour. Mitch and I haven’t even talked about this. I know that Isaac and Tristan don’t want me to go back to Florida. I can’t imagine that working in my small town library with kids would be dangerous. I think I’m probably safe to work here; they didn’t say I couldn’t work. Besides, if I stay at home all day, every day doing nothing, I’m going to go absolutely bonkers. I can’t stay home with Grandma and watch soap operas every day. There is a hard limit to how many things I can macramé. There just is. For my own sanity, there is only one decision I can make. I take a deep breath and try to keep my voice steady as I answer, “Mrs. Turner, you know since I was a little girl, this has always been my home away from home. I would be honored to lead your summer reading program.”

  TO SAY THAT THIS HAS BEEN A roller coaster of a week is the understatement of the century. Small town life is both amazingly simple and complicated. Jessica was so excited when she was offered the position at the library. It’s fascinating how small town gossip works. She hadn’t even been home more than a half an hour before word started to circulate that she was actually going to kick Mrs. Turner out and take over the entire library. I swear word gets around this town faster than a Facebook message. Walter had to call a few well placed sources with the correct information to quell the rumor mill to restore Jessica’s good name in the town. After Walter’s intercession, Jessica became something of a local celebrity and news of her hiring became the top news story in town and we were like, the hottest couple around.

  I’m starting to feel a little more sympathy for Stuart and Nora. This must’ve been what it was like for them in high school. It’s odd to be in demand because you’re a couple and to have people want to be in your presence because they heard that other people want to be near you. Jessica says I need to play along because sooner or later I’m going to be asking these people for funding for Hope’s Haven so I need to be in their good graces. For a shy, awkward guy like me, it’s my definition of torture.

  For now, things seem to be progressing pretty well on every front, although we are insanely busy. Tristan brought his dad and his brother who own a construction business to refurbish the old parsonage and church. Tristan is a fascinating guy. You would never guess that he has developed a half a dozen really successful software programs and a gaming platform. The guy is totally normal, unless you count the fact that he owns a plane.

  The permitting process is progressing really well with the search and rescue business too. I’ve developed a really good working relationship with the shelter in the next county so they are beginning to get a feel for the types of dogs that I will be looking for when I have the facility to house them. In fact, they began to pull a few out and keep them in foster homes until I’m ready for them. In a development that I did not expect, Walter said that if I can find a way to develop the land or fix up the house that I found Wilma in, Jessica and I can live on the property next door and put Hope’s Haven there. I’m still trying to find a way to make that happen.

  I’m on my way back to Tampa to essentially close out my life in Florida. The most difficult part of this trip will be saying goodbye to Stuart. I can’t really remember a time in my life when Stuart wasn’t in it. I don’t even know what I’m going to say to the friend who has been with me through the best times of my life and without question, the worst. How do you say goodbye to a friendship that basically was responsible for keeping you together when everything else in your life was completely falling apart?

  As I disembark the plane, Hope’s tail is wagging against my leg so hard that I will probably have bruises in the morning. I look up to see Stuart holding up a sign that says, “You were supposed to fly over, not stay. Welcome back home!” I smirk at his reference to Jessica’s ring tone. Stuart has disdain for all country songs so this is a direct jab at Jason Aldean too.

  “Very funny!” I retort as I give my best friend a hug. “I missed you too.”

  “You missed all the drama. They arrested some of those kids from the gang. When I say ‘kids’, I mean it. The youngest was like, thirteen or something. You’ll never guess why one of them is saying they took the puppies. I guess one of them saw a news story on YouTube that there were service dogs that could sniff out cancer and his mom hadn’t been feeling well and so he thought maybe she was sick with cancer so he was going to teach the dog to sniff out illness. Unfortunately, he didn’t know how to train dogs or even how to treat them humanely. When Hope didn’t know how to behave properly, his older brother and father decided to ‘discipline’ the puppy.”

  “We heard that they had been caught, but this is the first time I’ve heard any explanation about why they took the puppies. That’s quite a leap for a kid to make, but I’ve heard stranger things, I guess,” I remark. “What’s going to happen with this whole mess now?”

  “Since you decided not to come back as trainer for the Search and Rescue program and the original executive director was planning to semi-retire, they brought in a new director and hired a new Board of Directors. The new executive director has experience at one of those wilderness camps for kids so he has an agreement with the youth correctional facility to take the kid under his wing and let him volunteer his community service time to help train the dogs correctly.”

  I bristle at the thought of that because I remember the condition Hope was in when Jess found her. She still tears up about it when she encounters Hope’s scars as she’s brushing her. “Do they even remember what the dog was like when she came to us? Wasn’t he responsible for her condition?” I ask harshly. “I thought the police said a whole bunch of kids were in on the scam at the shelter the day Hope was stolen.”

  “I know where you’re coming from, that was my attitude at first too. I was told the investigation determined that it wasn’t this particular kid. I guess that he was the one that pushed the dog out of the car because they were on their way to shoot Hope somewhere in the Everglades. In some obscure way, he actually saved her life by getting her out of the car. It also turns out that some of the tape was an attempt to bandage up the burns that his big brother had inflicted. Unfortunately, the rest of the tape was placed there so that they could throw her out of the boat once they shot her in the Everglades. It was just a sick and twisted plan altogether. In the overall scheme of things, J.J. was actually trying to help. According to everyone that I’ve spoken with in the program, he actually adores the dogs. Although he’s still new, he shows some aptitude and he’s exceptionally patient with the slower learning animals. The only open question right now is his own personal safety. I guess the older members of the gang are pretty upset that he is openly working with our side and I suppose the S & R could be construed as law enforcement. His probation officer has some real concerns about his well-being.”

  “There have been some really specific, personal, deadly threats against Jessica by some pretty senior members of the gang as well. It’s enough that some senior members of the FBI have alerted Isaac to be on the lookout,” I explain, running my hand down my face in frustration.

  “That sucks. I just have to tell you, it sucks to be the one left behind. I really figured that we would all be friends — you know, like when you were friends with Nora and me. I didn’t leave you just because I got a girlfriend,” Stuart declares with a definite edge in his voice.

  “I know you didn’t. I didn’t ask you to either and maybe that wasn’t the best situation for any of us in retrospect. I didn’t plan for it happen this way, but I have to move for the safety of the woman that I love. You get that, right?” I ask as I struggle to explain all the upheaval in my life.

  “I just thought it’d be cool to be the kind of friends our parents are when we’re eighty and trying to run the dogs on the beach. I hope
Jessica is worth all the sacrifice,” Stuart answers as he reaches down to pet Hope even though he knows she’s in harness.

  “Breaking up our team is the hardest part of this move for me. I hope you’ll stay in touch. You know we can still do video calls and Facetime and texting and stuff. As you have pointed out to me, I don’t really have to fall off the edge of the planet just because I’m out of town. We’ll be back to visit. Jess has friends here too.”

  “What am I supposed to do? Who’s going to keep me from eating myself into a sugar-induced food coma?” Stuart complains.

  “It’s funny that you should ask, you know I’m starting up this fancy training facility for search and rescue dogs. Dogs that will need lots of top-notch care and someone I know like a brother will be a vet soon—”

  Stuart groans as he answers, “I don’t even know what it takes to pass the boards in Kansas. I’ve spent more than a year studying so that I can get my license here.”

  “It’s just a suggestion — that’s all I’m saying,” I answer.

  I’d wondered how long the peace in Kansas was going to last. I soon found out that answer is eleven days. I’m just sitting down to dinner with Wilma, Walter and Jessica when the call from Sheriff Foster comes in. Apparently, there was a freak lightning strike that started a house fire and a young toddler was missing from the home. Recently, I lost Dizzy, my most experienced search and rescue dog. I knew that day was coming, I just didn’t expect it to occur right after we moved. I’m not confident Lexicon is quite ready to handle a chaotic scene yet, so I harness up Hope and hop into the CJ and head to the scene.

  As we arrive, the fire department is still mopping up hotspots and various factions of the family are outside shouting at each other. Hope is more disconcerted than I have ever seen her. I thought that I had put her in just about every conceivable situation she might encounter, but I have never seen her quite this distracted. Hopefully, she will settle down and act like her usual self. The sheriff greets me with the child’s blanket that they retrieved from the car. He explains that in the rush to get everyone out of the house, the child simply wandered away and no one has been able to locate Sebian in the chaos.