“Yeah?”
“Lock up.”
“Okay.”
“Now.” He waited until the boy trotted down the stairs.
“Mark?”
“Hmm?”
“Why’d you come looking for me? I know Sarah called, but you didn’t have to.”
“You’re my friend, Connor, and friends look out for each other. If you were in trouble, I wanted to be here for you.”
The boy’s eyes clouded, and he cleared his throat. “Thanks.”
“No problem.” Clearly Connor wasn’t accustomed to being looked out for. He felt bad for the boy. “You want to shoot hoops tonight?”
“Really?”
He nodded. “I can pick you up at six.”
“No need. Sarah and Nicole are playing tennis in the courts nearby.”
A smiled tugged at his lips. “Perfect. See you then.” He slid the glass door open and left. Tonight should prove to be fun. Plus, he’d get to see Nicole again.
Nicole dabbed her face with a towel as she walked toward the net and Sarah. “You win. Should we do a cool down lap around the field? My toe isn’t bothering me much anymore. I don’t think it was broken after all.”
“Sure, we can leave our gear with Connor and Mark.”
“Great idea.” She’d been hoping for a chance to say hi to Mark. She slipped her racket into the bag and strolled beside her friend to the basketball court.
Mark stood at the free throw line and released the ball—swish. He glanced toward them and grinned. “Game over?”
“Yes,” Nicole pointed to their equipment. “Would you keep an eye on our stuff while we walk a cool down lap?”
“Sure.” He waved.
Sarah grinned, and they walked toward the trail. “The two of you make a cute couple.”
“Thanks, but like I said we aren’t a couple. What about you? Is there a man in your life?”
“I wish. There’s a guy at church I’ve had my eye on, but he doesn’t know I exist.”
“You should introduce yourself.”
Sarah wrinkled her nose. “Believe it or not, I’m kind of shy when it comes to guys. Speaking of which, Connor can’t stop talking about your man. From the time I arrived home today it’s been Mark this and Mark that.”
Nicole ignored the comment about Mark being her man. “Why is your cousin so infatuated with him?”
Sarah explained how she hadn’t been able to reach Connor that afternoon, panicked, and called Mark.
“Why didn’t you call me?”
“I was afraid he was really in trouble, Mark’s a cop, and I didn’t want to involve you if there was any danger.”
“Wow, you must’ve been scared out of your mind.”
“I was a little nuts, but Mark checked on him right away and discovered Connor had fallen asleep, and his phone was dead.”
“I’m glad it turned out okay. I imagine that’s one of the reasons Connor likes him so much.”
“I’m sure of it. The man has rescued the kid on a number of occasions this summer, and he’s shown an interest in him. Connor needed that, especially since his own dad is a flake.”
“Mark mentioned something about that.” They’d looped around the park and ended at the basketball court.
Mark jogged over to them with Connor by his side. “All finished?”
“Yes,” Sarah said. “It’s time to hit the shower.” She clamped a hand onto Connor’s shoulder and steered him toward her car. “See you,” she called over her shoulder.
Mark tossed the ball up then caught it. “Care to shoot some hoops?”
“I’m not very good.”
“Doesn’t matter.” He bounce-passed the ball to her.
Her stomach did a little flip. She flashed her best smile, then dribbled the ball while walking in a circle. “I heard about what happened with Connor today. You’ve really made an impression on him.” She stopped dribbling and propelled the ball in the direction of the hoop—colossal miss.
Mark chased after the ball and brought it back. “The kid needs a man in his life. I did too at his age.”
He had alluded to this before, and Nicole sensed he might be willing to share his story. “I’m tired, do you mind if we sit?” She walked toward a shaded picnic table, hoping he’d follow. She plopped onto the tabletop and rested her feet on the bench seat. “If you’re willing, I’d love to hear why it is that you can relate so well to Connor.”
Mark sat beside her and stared vacantly ahead. “I suppose it’s only fair after what you shared with me.” He pulled a towel from his bag and wiped his face. “I was angry and heading down the wrong path when I met Sam.”
“Sam?”
“A cop that lived a few doors down from me. He caught me spray painting his garbage cans one night.”
“What happened?”
“For starters he made me clean those cans inside and out. I had to wait until the garbage was collected the next morning to do the inside, but Sam wouldn’t let me get away with not following through.” He chuckled and flicked a glance her way. “He actually came to my house the next day and told me the cans were empty and to hustle up. Man, those things stunk. I think it was the first time they’d been washed out and they were old.” He ran a hand across his nose as if he could still smell the stench.
“Then what happened?”
“Sam dragged a lawn chair to the front yard and talked to me the whole time I cleaned.”
“About what?”
“Beats me.” He shook his head. “It didn’t matter what he said, but that he took the time to be with me, which was more than my dad ever did.” He rested his elbows on his knees. “I think he was the first grownup to ever make me feel important.”
“Wow. Is he the reason you became a cop?”
Mark nodded, then pushed up and off the table. “Want to grab a bite to eat in the village? My treat.” He raised a brow.
“I’m all sweaty and need to clean up.”
“Me too. I’ll meet you at the Village Bar & Grill in an hour.”
“I loved their burgers when I was a kid. I haven’t been there in forever.” She stood and walked beside him to the parking lot. Parting ways at the end of the summer would be difficult at best. The more time she spent with the man, the more she wanted to be with him, but that was impossible.
Chapter Eighteen
Nicole sat at a table on the deck outside the Village Bar & Grill watching a little brown bird hop across the deck, presumably in search of scraps. A light breeze made her glad she’d thought to grab a sweater on her way out the door. Mark strolled around the corner of the building. His face brightened when their eyes collided, and she lifted a hand.
Mark pulled out a chair and sat. “Have you been waiting long?”
“Only long enough to be seated and enjoy the scenery.”
“It’s nice out here.”
She nodded and handed him the menu.
“I know what I want.”
“Perfect, because I’m starving.” A short time later they placed their orders. She grinned and admired his dark chocolate-colored eyes—so much depth, yet mysterious at the same time. She looked away and fingered her napkin when she realized she was staring. “I’m glad you suggested this. I usually hole up in my house in the evenings. I forget how pleasant it is in the village during the dinner hour.”
“Yeah, it’s nice.”
Her cell phone rang. “Sorry.” She pulled it out and noted the number was a local area code. “I’m really sorry, Mark, but I think I should take this call.”
“Go ahead.”
“Thanks for understanding.” She pressed accept. “This is Nicole.” She listened as the woman on the other end introduced herself as the principal of the elementary school in Sunriver and explained she’d like her to come in for an interview. They finalized the plans, and she stuffed the phone into her purse. “I can’t believe it! I finally got an interview, and it’s local.”
“That’s great. Congratulations!”
<
br /> “Thanks.” Her mind buzzed with a riot of thoughts. What she would wear topped the list. Good thing she’d packed a skirt and several professional looking tops.
“How’s the hunt coming along? Speaking of which, I still owe you a night on the town.”
She shook her head. “You don’t have to.”
“I know. I want to. Have you found any new clues?”
“For what?” Her scattered thoughts created chaos in her mind and frustrated her. She should know what he was talking about.
He chuckled. “You know, the reason you’re in Sunriver.”
“Oh yeah. Sorry, my mind is going a mile a minute.” She took a cleansing breath and focused on the handsome man. “Okay. I’m back.” She shot him a cheeky grin. “The game is stalled. I’m at a loss. I know it isn’t over, but I’m clueless—no pun intended.”
He grinned.
Their orders arrived. Nicole breathed in the heavenly scent of her bacon cheeseburger.
Mark offered a blessing for the food, and they dug into their mouthwatering burgers. A short time later, he leaned back and laced his fingers across his midsection. “Tell me more about yourself, Nicole. What’s your passion in life? And don’t say working.”
She laughed. “You know me so well.”
“Come on, don’t evade the question.” He leaned forward then reached across the table and took her hand.
She may as well lay it all on him and see what happened. “I allowed my social life to disappear, got dumped by my boyfriend because I’m boring and have no life outside of work. Basically I’m jobless, clueless, and . . .” She tried to think of a word to rhyme and came up empty. “And not a poet.”
“I know all of that.” He winked. “Why do you teach, and why were you taking care of your grandmother on your own rather than hiring a medical professional?” He stroked her hand with his thumb as his words rolled softly off his lips.
“I’m a teacher because I want to make a difference, and in my opinion the best way to do that is with children. I love watching their faces light up when they finally understand a math problem and listening to them giggle when I read them a funny story. Kids are fun. Sure there are the ones that make me re-think my decision to spend so much time with children, but then there are the rest who confirm I’m making a difference.”
“What about your grandma?”
Nicole studied her empty plate for a moment. “Hiring someone to take care of her never crossed my mind. Grams didn’t have anyone but me. My dad was her only child, and I was happy to be there for her. We were close when I was a kid, and she was always my rock, so I wanted to be that for her.”
He nodded. “I figured it was something like that. I’m glad you had her in your life. It’s important to have someone to look up to.”
“And that’s what you are for Connor. At least for the summer.”
“Exactly, but I figure we can Skype once I’m back in Portland. In this techno world we live in there’s no reason to lose touch.”
She nodded. Skyping might be good enough for Connor, but it wasn’t for her. A knot settled in her stomach. Her heart had become entangled with Mark’s, and she didn’t know what to do about it. She could never be happy living in a big city like Portland.
Later that evening, Nicole climbed the stairs to the loft in her rental. Thankfully, the remodel was finished and had turned out lovely. The owners would be thrilled when they saw it.
She stared at the floor-to-ceiling bookshelf. Now where was that book? Grams had mentioned in a note that her favorite book was here, and something about the way she’d worded her note, led Nicole to think it was important that she find the book. She’d procrastinated enough, it was time to finish the game and let Grams rest in peace once and for all.
She read title after title and couldn’t find one that stuck out. She frowned and squatted to check out the lower titles—nothing that tugged at her memory. Maybe she should bring up a sturdy chair to stand on and start from the top. No, that didn’t make sense. Grams wouldn’t have put it so high she couldn’t reach it. Maybe it was time to tear this bookshelf apart book by book and thumb through each one, because clearly she was getting nowhere with her current method.
In truth, she’d been stalling, enjoying the summer. Enjoying her new friends, especially Mark. If she found this book would all the fun end? She didn’t want life to go back to the way it had been. But, it was time. She needed to finish this.
She sat forward on her knees and looked around the small space with only enough room for the bookcase, lamp and a single recliner. The tip of a piece of paper poked out from under the recliner. She grasped it and sat in the chair.
I hope you figured out by now the game has begun. You are well on your way to discovering one of life’s great gifts. Enjoy being pampered at the spa. I’ve arranged for you to receive a facial, manicure, and pedicure.
Be watching for the next clue. It may arrive when or where you least expect it. I will give you one clue in case you get out of order. Home is where the heart is.
Xoxo, Grams
Nicole gazed out over her summer home. Clearly this page had been separated from the note she’d found taped to the chair when she’d first arrived. A smile tipped her mouth. Another clue, but this one she really needed to think about. Good thing Grams had anticipated trouble finding the clue, because until this moment, the game had been stalled.
She clambered to her feet and rested her elbows on the loft railing. What does ‘home is where the heart is’ mean? It was a common saying, but the note seemed to be saying the next clue had to be someplace in the house. That clue probably told her exactly which book too! “But where?” And was it still here, or did the burglars inadvertently nab it?
Mark followed Spencer, who carried a laptop, into the conference room. Mark closed the door and leaned against the table. “What’s going on?”
“Do you remember the day Nicole’s house was burglarized?”
“Of course.” Mark set his jaw.
Spencer opened the computer and pulled up a photo. “Do you recognize that woman?”
“Sure. She goes to my church. Her name is Sarah. What’s this have to do with Nicole?”
Spencer changed the screen and pulled up a timeline graph. “This is a progression of the burglaries.” He pointed to the date. “That’s a week-and-a-half before Nicole arrived, right?”
Mark nodded and frowned. What was Spencer getting at? He wouldn’t, no couldn’t try and pin this on Nicole—not again. There was no way she was responsible.
“I did some digging. Are you aware Nicole is unemployed?”
“Yes. She mentioned it.”
“And did you know that her friend Sarah moonlights for one of the rental agencies here in the village?”
Mark’s brows rose. That was news. “Where are you going with this?”
“Don’t you even want to know what she does?”
“I figured you’d tell me,” he said dryly. He wanted to wipe the smug grin off Spencer’s face.
“She cleans their office two nights a week.”
“Why doesn’t their housecleaning staff do that?”
“They only clean the rental properties.”
Mark rubbed his chin. If Sarah cleaned the office after hours, she’d have access to their records. “I think I see where you’re going, but you’re forgetting one major fact. Anyone can find out if a house is available to rent simply by checking online. In essence, they can tell if a house is occupied at any given time based on that information.”
“True, but here’s the interesting part. Nicole’s place has a block on it for the entire summer. Didn’t you say she came here on the spur of the moment?”
His stomach knotted. “Yes, that’s what she told me.” Could she have been faking being upset about the break in to fool them? He shook off the thought. He read people well, and Nicole was definitely the victim, not the perpetrator. Besides Grams probably anticipated she’d die before summer and reserved the house in
Nicole’s name knowing she’d honor her wishes and play along. Spencer was off base once again.
“I think I’m on to something.” He frowned. “But two things bug me about my theory. Nicole has a squeaky clean record, and unless she’s the best con artist around, it’s difficult to imagine her capable of this.”
“Exactly. You’re wasting time and looking at the wrong person.” Mark shook his head. How could Spencer veer so far off track? Surely he had to know Nicole had nothing to do with the break-ins. “Just because Sarah works after hours at the property management company does not make her guilty, and it absolutely doesn’t implicate Nicole.”
“Sarah has a record—DUI and shoplifting.” Spencer clicked a button then scrolled down. “He pulled up a different picture. “Do these women look familiar?”
Mark leaned forward and nodded. He’d never forget the piranhas. “How do you connect them to Nicole?”
“She’s friends with Sarah who is friends with these women.”
Mark ran a hand through his hair. “No matter what Sarah’s past is, Nicole is innocent. Let me talk to her and see what I can find out.”
“No way. If she’s in on this, she would tip off Sarah and her friends. That could explain why nothing happened the night we were at her place—she tipped them off.”
“Ridiculous! And if Nicole is innocent, which she is, she can help us.”
Spencer looked past his shoulder and seemed to be giving his opinion some thought. “If you’re wrong—”
“I’m not.” He knew Nicole and thought he had a good handle on Sarah, but her record took him by surprise. He’d seen her at church, talked with her on the phone a time or two regarding Connor. Nicole liked her, but he was also smart enough to realize people lived double lives. What if Sarah was putting on a show? It looked like he had a bit of detective work to do. He only hoped Nicole wouldn’t get hurt in the process.
Nicole applied a coat of berry colored lipstick and pressed her lips together. The dress Grams gave her fit perfectly. She slipped into the strappy sandals then grabbed her clutch. Mark would be here any minute to make good on his promise of a night on the town.
A Love to Treasure (Sunriver Dreams Book 1) Page 14
