“If you’re not happy about it, I mean,” he mumbled.
Grace sighed. Apparently she hadn’t been as adept at hiding her misgivings about this arrangement as she’d thought. She closed the door and walked over to sit on the top step, patting the wood beside her in invitation. Josh came up to sit beside her. She put her arm around him and snugged him close.
“Before Mr. McKittrick came to his cottage, you were used to having a break from me and the girls, and I would love for you to have that again.” She pulled back to look down at him. “I’m just concerned, that’s all. You’re sure you’re okay with the idea that he’s…”
“A cop like my dad?” Josh finished. Lilliane had already shared the news with him by the time Grace got back to the cottage the day before, and they hadn’t really had much of a chance to discuss it since then. Josh nodded. “Yeah. I’m sure. He reminded me of Dad when he yelled at me that first day, but he’s different. He’s not as angry.”
Grace swallowed hard. That was the first mention Josh had made of his father since they’d left the townhouse to come out here. Progress? Lord, she hoped so. She made herself smile.
“You’re right. He’s not.”
“And besides, it’s not like I’ll be visiting him. I’ll just be reading on his deck.”
Grace brushed back the hair from the goose-egg her nephew still sported on his forehead from his tumble into their neighbor’s tub.
“Then go,” she said. “And enjoy your time off.”
Josh looped his arms around her waist and gave her a squeeze. “Thanks, Aunt Grace.”
………………
Sean had no idea how long Josh had been in the hammock before he noticed him there. He watched the boy from the kitchen window. Josh had extended one skinny leg to push against the deck floor, rocking the hammock gently. Immersed in his book, he pushed the glasses up on his nose and turned a page.
Everything about the kid hinted at the kind of geeky awkwardness that would make him a target for bullies. That alone was cause for concern, but what bothered Sean more were the other possibilities. The signs and symptoms of something bigger. Darker. Far more dangerous.
For the umpteenth time, Sean turned over in his mind the conversation he’d had with Lilliane the day before. If Grace hadn’t interrupted when she had, how much more would the little girl have divulged? Would he have gotten any answers?
Could he now?
Sean considered the idea. Josh was awfully skittish around him. He’d likely spook at the very first question. Sean would have to build some trust between them first.
He swung around the dining room table on his crutches and slid open the glass door, leaving the screen in place.
“Good book?” he asked.
The kid’s head jerked up, and saucer-shaped eyes stared at Sean for a few seconds before he nodded over the cover of the hefty tome on the birth of the universe.
“Homework?” Sean prompted.
Josh ducked his head and shook it. “I just like science,” he mumbled.
Oh, yeah. A definite target for bullies.
A thought occurred to him. “Nature science, too?”
“I guess.”
“Ever seen bear scat?”
Josh frowned.
“Poop,” Sean clarified.
Interest gleamed behind the wire-framed glasses.
“Leave your book there,” Sean said, “and meet me around front, by the driveway.”
Without giving the boy a chance to respond, he closed the door again and headed for the opposite side of the cottage. He made it as far as the edge of the back deck when Josh appeared around the corner. Sean hid a satisfied smile. First rule of interview technique: establish rapport.
He swung his way up the path to the driveway and waited for Josh to join him. Hands in fists at his sides, the boy stopped well out of arm’s reach. Sean filed away the observation with the others he’d collected, then he pointed with the tip of a crutch to the benign-looking pile at the edge of the gravel.
“It looks like a pile of dirt,” said Josh.
“Look closer. See the acorns and seeds mixed in?”
Josh rested his hands on his knees and leaned over to peer at the pile. He nodded. “Is that what they eat?”
“That’s what makes up a good part of their diet at this time of year, yes. Apples, too, if they can find them, though it’s a bit late for those now. In summer, you’ll see more berry seeds—especially raspberries in this part of the country. In spring, there’s a lot of green vegetation because that’s what they can find.”
“What about animals? Don’t bears kill animals?”
“Bears aren’t particularly keen hunters. Ninety percent of their diet is plant-based. Sometimes you’ll get small animal remains—bits of fur and bone from mice or voles—or maybe wasp exoskeletons, if one happens to find a nest of yellow jackets.”
Josh looked up at that. “Don’t the bears get stung?”
“I guess it doesn’t bother them.”
“So if they eat mostly plant stuff, why are they so dangerous to people?”
“Mostly because they’re protecting their territory. Or in the case of a sow, her cubs. They’re also notoriously bad-tempered if they’re disturbed.” Sean shifted himself closer to the scat and poked it with his crutch.
“Eww,” said Josh. “You just put your crutch in a pile of bear crap.”
Sean chuckled. “I’ll wipe it off in the grass before I go back inside,” he promised. “And um…let’s not tell your aunt about that, okay?”
The suggestion won him an actual snicker.
“I wanted to show you how dry and crumbly it is,” Sean continued. “That tells me it’s been here awhile, probably a week or two. A fresh scat looks moist. Kind of shiny. When you’re going between your cottage and mine, or just hanging out around your place, that’s what I want you to keep an eye out for.”
Josh nodded. “I will. And I’ll tell Aunt Grace if I see any.”
“Good idea.” Sean considered inviting the boy in for a snack, but curbed the impulse. Best to let this new level of comfort settle in before he pushed further. He swung around on his crutches and headed back to the path, giving Josh a comfortably wide berth. “And now I’ll let you get back to your book.”
“Mr. McKittrick?” Josh called out to him as he reached the deck. “Thanks for showing this to me.”
Sean glanced back over his shoulder. “My pleasure, kiddo. Enjoy your peace and quiet.”
CHAPTER 20
………………
LILLIANE FROWNED AT THE CASSEROLE dish Grace held out to her, then looked up, lifting an eyebrow. “Are you sure you want me to take this to him?”
“Just take your time,” Grace said, “and set it down on the ground if you need a rest. I’m sure you’ll manage.”
Her niece’s skeptical expression remained. “It’s not me I’m worried about.”
“What, then?”
“Is it your macaroni casserole?”
“Is that a problem?”
“It depends.” Lilliane wrinkled her nose. “Is it all mushy like the last time?”
“Of course not!” Grace looked down at the foil-wrapped casserole. “Well…not as bad, anyway. I’m sure it’s fine. And I’m sure Mr. McKittrick will appreciate it, unlike you rascals. He can’t do much for himself right now, remember? Besides, I want to give him something to thank him for letting Josh hang out in his hammock.”
“If you say so.” Lilliane heaved a long, aggrieved sigh. She zipped up her jacket, lifted her braids free, and took the dish with a shake of her head. “But I’m telling you, he’s not going to like it.”
“Listen, you ungrateful little imp” —Grace mussed her niece’s head— “my cooking is not that bad. You’re all still alive, aren’t you? Now go. I’ll watch you from the porch until you get there. Tell Josh to whistle when you’re heading back with him, so I know to watch again.”
“Yes, Aunt Grace.”
………
………
Sean watched Josh and Lilliane conferring on his desk, heads together. Josh shook his head. Lilliane shrugged. Both glanced in his direction. Curiosity getting the better of him, Sean reached for his crutches and hoisted himself out of the recliner.
The kids stepped apart and faced him as he slid the door open.
“Is there a problem?” he inquired.
They looked at one another.
He nodded at the foil-wrapped dish Lilliane held. “Is that for me?”
“Um…” said Lilliane.
He raised an eyebrow. “It either is or it isn’t.”
Josh sighed. “Aunt Grace sent it for you. As a thank you.”
“That was nice of her.”
“It’s macaroni casserole,” Lilliane told him. “But we don’t think you should eat it.”
“I see. May I ask why not?”
The two children exchanged another look.
“Aunt Grace isn’t a very good cook,” Josh said at last. Then he hastened to add, “She tries hard, but she hasn’t had much practice.”
“I appreciate your concern.” Sean held back a shudder at the memory of fried sausages and over-salted potatoes. “But it would be rude of me to send it back, don’t you think?”
“We could dump it in the woods,” Lilliane offered. “And tell her you said thank you. That way her feelings won’t be hurt.”
“True, but that’s also a good way to attract animals we don’t necessarily want hanging around, too.”
Her eyes rounded and she cast a glance at the woods. “Like bears, you mean?”
“Exactly like bears.”
“Oh. But if you put it into the garbage, won’t they just find it in there anyway?”
“Not if your garbage is—” Sean broke off. He transferred his gaze to Josh. “You’re not just leaving your garbage in bags outside the cottage, are you?”
“We found some cans in the shed. We’re using those.”
“But you left them in the shed?”
Josh shook his head. “Aunt Grace told me to put them beside where we park the car, so it’s easier to put the bags in the trunk and take them to the Dumpster when we drive to town. Is that wrong?”
Sean sighed. How had he not noticed that when he was there? Again, time to get off the damned drugs and clear his head. For now, however, he needed to brief Grace on how to avoid having to use the shotgun he’d given her.
“Lilly, why don’t you put that in the fridge for me? I think I’ll walk you guys back to your cottage so I can talk to your aunt. Hang on while I get my shoes” —he looked down at his one sock foot— “er…shoe.”
Lilliane giggled, and he smiled. Good. He hadn’t pushed too hard with his questions yesterday after all. Maybe her relaxation around him would rub off on her brother, and Sean could begin building some real trust. Better yet, maybe it would rub off on their aunt, so he could get some of those answers he wanted.
………………
Grace looked around at the sound of the door opening, ready to reprimand Josh for not having alerted her that he was returning, but the words died on the tip of her tongue when she saw Sean hobble in behind her niece and nephew. He smiled a greeting, and instant warmth curled through her belly, followed swiftly by the panic that dogged every unexpected turn of events in her life these days. She took her hands from the sink of dishwater and wiped them on a tea towel.
“Is everything okay? What happened?” Her gaze traveled over Josh and Lilly, but found no sign of trauma. She raised it to Sean.
“Nothing happened,” he assured her. “I just wanted a word with you.”
From the living room came a squeal of excitement.
“Man owie!” Unshod feet thudded across the floor toward the kitchen as Grace tried to collect her scattered thoughts.
“It’s nothing serious, it’s just about your garbage,” Sean added.
Grace grabbed for the little girl darting past, but she missed, and Annabelle flung her arms around Sean’s cast. He staggered under the onslaught.
“Man owie!”
Grace pried the pudgy hands loose and swung her niece into her arms against the protests. She blinked at Sean. “My garbage?”
“Josh mentioned you’ve been leaving your cans out by the vehicle instead of in the shed.”
“And that’s a problem because…?”
“It’s one of the things that might make our not-so-friendly neighborhood bruin overlook the noise factor. I assumed you had outdoor experience when I saw you handle the shotgun, but now I think I jumped to conclusions, especially if you don’t have bear basics.” He raised an eyebrow.
“My uncle taught me to shoot on his farm, but I don’t think they had bears there. We didn’t stay long with him and my aunt.”
Sean gestured at his foot. “Mind if I take my shoe off and come in?”
She realized he was still standing in the mudroom, Josh and Lilliane flanking him. “Of course. Please.”
Sean motioned toward the dining area.
“I’ll have to sit,” he said. “Sorry.”
Grace blushed. She knew that. What the heck was with her brain suddenly going offline? She nodded and, with a wriggling Annabelle still in her arms, backed out of the way. Before Sean could advance, Josh intervened.
“Here,” he said, dropping to his knees and reaching for Sean’s shoelace. “I’ll help you get it off.”
Grace nearly dropped Annabelle in shock. She stared at her nephew’s bent head. Josh? Voluntarily offering to help a man he knew wore a uniform like his father’s?
Sean lifted his foot free of the shoe that Josh had loosened. Josh set it aside, then stood and dusted off his knees.
“Thank you,” Sean said.
Josh ducked his head shyly and turned away. He came to stand before Grace, poking his finger at his baby sister. “Hey there, Annabelly.”
Annabelle pushed against Grace’s chest. “Annbell down, Mama! Annbell down!”
Grace gave herself a mental shake and snapped out of her stupor. She set the toddler on the floor. “Will you read her a story for me?” she asked Josh. “Before she knocks poor Mr. McKittrick right off his feet?”
Trailed by Lilliane, Josh took Annabelle by the hand and led her—willingly, thank heaven—into the living room. Sage, who had sidled closer to Grace at some unnoticed point, tugged at her sleeve. Grace looked down to find her niece’s wide eyes fixed on the man they couldn’t seem to get rid of.
“Aunt Grace?” she asked in a small voice. “Is a bear going to come and eat us?”
“No, sweetie,” Grace reassured her. “No bears are going to come and eat us. They just want our yummy garbage, so Mr. McKittrick is going to tell me how to hide it from them.”
Sage screwed up her nose. “Garbage isn’t yummy. It’s icky.”
“Not if you’re a bear, sunshine. They like the smelly stuff. Now, off you go and let me talk to Mr. McKittrick, all right?”
“They’re nice kids,” Sean said as Sage scampered off. “Very polite. Their parents did a good job.”
Grace pressed her lips together. She changed the subject.
“Please, sit down.” She motioned him toward the paper-strewn table where Lilly and Sage had been working on crafts after their math lesson. And, because it would have been rude not to, she offered, “Tea?”
“That would be nice,” Sean said. “If it’s not too much trouble.”
CHAPTER 21
………………
GRACE WENT THROUGH TO THE table ahead of Sean, stacking homework assignments into one pile and construction paper, scissors, and glue into another. She shifted everything to one end to clear a space as Sean eased himself into a chair. He leaned the crutches beside him and waved a hand at the stacks of paper.
“It must be tough, teaching three different grade levels all at once.”
Grace moved into the kitchen. She took the copper kettle from the stove and ran water into its spout. “Easier than you might think, actually. The kids
help out with each other quite a bit. Lilliane is teaching Sage to read, and Josh helps them both with math, and there’s a ton of stuff online. All I really do is answer questions.”
“You have Internet here?”
“Luc has satellite, thank heaven. I don’t know what we’d do without it.” She set the kettle onto an element and switched on the stove. “Do you take sugar or milk?”
“Both, please.”
She spooned loose tea into a teapot, then carried mugs, spoons, sugar bowl, and milk jug to the table.
“You’ve no idea how nice it will be to have tea while I’m sitting down,” Sean said, giving a wistful sigh. “I’ve misplaced my travel mug, and if there’s a way to get an open cup of hot beverage across a room on crutches, I have yet to discover it.”
“You have to stand up to drink your tea?”
“And my coffee.” His mouth twisted. “No one should have to stand up to drink their first cup of coffee in the morning. It’s just not civilized.”
Grace returned to the kitchen to take down her travel mug from the cupboard. She set it before him.
Sean looked abashed. “I wasn’t hinting…”
She waved away his protest. “Consider it a trade for the bear protection tips. And it seals, too, so it won’t leak if you tip it.”
The kettle began a low warning whistle. Grace went back to lift it from the stove before it leveled up to ear-piercing shriek. She poured the water into the teapot and set the timer for five minutes, then turned to find Sean watching her.
“What?”
“I’m a little surprised at the precision behind a pot of tea,” he said. “For someone with your reputation in the kitchen, I mean.”
“My…” She shot a look into the living room, where Josh sat between Sage and Annabelle, reading The Cat in the Hat, and Lilliane knelt at the coffee table, working on a drawing she’d started earlier. She scowled. Traitors. Her gaze flicked back to Sean. She shrugged. “I dated a British guy for a couple of years. I was never able to go back to tea bags afterward.”
“So what happened to your cooking?”
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