Home to Sparrow Lake (Harlequin Heartwarming) (7 page)

“Make sure no one’s watching first.”

“Who’s gonna be watching at one in the morning?” Andy asked.

Matt added. “Don’t see no one.”

Neither did Brian.

“Okay,” he whispered, moving forward. “Let’s do it, but quietly!”

They crossed the street and went straight to the middle of the yard alongside the house where a family of metal deer stood guard. The deer were fairly heavy. Andy grunted as he tried to budge one.

“Matt and I can move these,” Brian said. “Why don’t you go get those rabbits out of the garden?”

He and Matt combined forces to lift the big buck and carry it around to the other side of the house. They went back to get the doe, carrying her together, as well, and then returned to each pick up one of the much smaller fawns.

When Brian noticed Andy standing in the middle of the garden, his back to them, not moving anything, he hesitated. “Andy,” he whispered, “you okay?”

Andy nodded but didn’t say anything.

With the weirdest feeling crawling down his spine, Brian left the fawn and walked over to see what was going on with his scrawny friend who had gone past the flower bed and into the vegetable garden. Coming around to one side, Brian saw that Andy was stuffing something in his mouth. Then Andy bent over and twisted a tomato off the plant in front of him.

He was eating? Now?

“Andy, what are you doing?” he whispered frantically. “The longer we stay here, the more likely we’ll get caught!”

“Okay, okay!”

But Andy didn’t move out of the vegetable patch. He stuffed the tomato in a pocket and grabbed another and a couple of green peppers, as well. He shoved one in his pocket, the other in his mouth. Brian wondered how he could do that without washing the vegetable first. Yuck!

Andy picked up a rabbit statue and carried it to the flat, open part of the lawn. In the meantime, having moved the remaining fawns, Matt hurried over and started moving the smaller animals, letting Andy tell him where to place them. They arranged the sculptures in circles beginning with rabbits on an inside ring, moving to frogs, then squirrels. They also placed a few geese on the outside, their heads looking at the center.

Andy chortled. “Hey, this is like a crop circle. They’ll think aliens were here.”

Brian had to grin. Andy must have seen one of those TV specials about mysterious events. He found a big, dumb-looking garden gnome and placed it in the center of the circle. “And this is their leader.”

Brian didn’t miss the fact that Andy finished the pepper, went back to the vegetable garden and pulled a zucchini from the vine and started chomping on that.

What was wrong with him? How could Andy eat so much so late at night? How could he eat so much and stay so skinny? And why was he so into vegetables when most guys would rather have a juicy burger?

It was then it hit Brian. Andy was hungry. Not normally hungry, but ravenous, as if he hadn’t eaten for days. Was that why Andy’s clothes were falling off him? Because he didn’t have enough to eat? He’d never said anything about being hungry before. He had parents. At least Brian thought he did.

Realizing they were done moving the lawn ornaments around, he whispered, “Good job! Let’s get out of here.”

He’d have to find out what was going on with Andy. Aunt Margaret’s refrigerator was always full....

They were barely off the property when Brian heard a vehicle coming down the street. He looked back. A black-and-white.

“Cops!” He was already running. “Don’t follow me!” he ordered the others. “Go in different directions!”

He sped down the sidewalk as fast as he could go, aware that the cruiser behind him had picked up speed. He feinted to the right, ran across a lawn and headed for the backyard.

When he heard a deep male voice shout, “Stop right there!” he panicked and looked for a place to hide.

A car door slammed. At the back of the property now, knowing the cop was after him, Brian took off down the alley.

Where to hide?

He couldn’t get caught. Couldn’t go to jail.

Halfway down the alley, his chest twisting into a tight knot, he spotted a small stand of trees pressed up against a four-foot-tall picket fence. He didn’t stop to think, simply slowed and hopped onto the fence, then grabbed a low branch and hauled himself up into a maple tree. He climbed a bit higher into the canopy and flattened himself against the trunk.

The slap-slap of leather on pavement followed. The cop slowed and stopped just yards away. Brian swallowed hard. He didn’t dare breathe. Didn’t dare move. This wasn’t just any cop after him. Even with only the moon as light, he recognized the guy.

The police chief.

His heart was beating so hard that surely Chief Novak could hear it. But the man below looked around, muttered something in a low voice and backed off.

Brian didn’t breathe again until he heard the cop’s footsteps fade away.

CHAPTER SEVEN

“M
RS
. G
RANT
CALLED
first thing,” Janet said when Alex walked into the office the next morning. “Apparently our pranksters were up to no good again. They moved her lawn ornaments all over the place.”

“Yeah, I figured.”

Before Janet could ask him to explain, he went back to the break area to find Owen pouring himself a cup of coffee. Though it was Saturday, the citizens of Sparrow Lake still needed protecting. The officers took turns working a weekend a month, and Alex almost always checked on things. At least, when he wasn’t fishing.

“Hey, Alex, what’s up?” Owen asked.

“Nothing good.”

“Ah, you heard about Mrs. Grant’s garden bunnies.”

“I didn’t just hear about them,” Alex said, pouring coffee into a mug. “I almost caught one of the pranksters last night.”

“Who?”

“Brian Lange. Fast kid. He got away from me.”

“So you want me to go to the house and pick him up?”

“No. The thing is, I didn’t see him do anything.” Alex took a slug. Exhausted from the last week of prowling around town late at night, looking for the gang of three, he needed to mainline that coffee to wake up. “I spotted them a couple of houses away from the Grant place. But they split up and ran. After I lost Brian, I went back and realized that those deer Mrs. Grant loves were on the wrong side of her property. I figured that’s what they’d been up to. I just can’t prove it.”

“So what are you going to do?”

“The only thing I can do.” The one thing that was going to ruin what he finally had going with Kristen. “I’ve already tried talking to Margaret Becker about her nephew, but she circumvented the conversation by telling me what a great help he was to her. She had nothing but praise for him, so I knew she didn’t want to hear it. I’ll have to talk to the person in that family who doesn’t seem to run on emotion. I’m going to talk to his sister.”

“Oh, you mean the one you hauled in here last week?” Owen asked with a knowing smile.

“The same.”

“She’s not going to like it, either.”

“No, but I think she’ll listen.”

Alex feared Kristen wasn’t going to like
him
again, either. And just after he’d won her over. Well, at least a little. Connecting with her yesterday while delivering those meals had been the best time he’d had since moving to Sparrow Lake.

Alex thought over his options.

He could pick up Brian and his buddies and try to scare them straight, but that wasn’t a long-term solution. Once they got over being chastised, they might just get sneakier. He needed to get to the people who had influence over them, to figure out what was missing or wrong in their lives, and then maybe he could make a difference.

As to involving Kristen...

She couldn’t have had many dealings with her brother for years, not with her in Chicago and him in California. Still, she was his sister, and family had power. Brian needed some guidance before he crossed a line, and Alex decided that was more important than his own personal life.

No matter the outcome for him, he had to involve Brian’s sister, because it was the right thing to do.

He could only hope that Kristen would be reasonable and work with him to find a way to divert her brother’s negative energies toward something good.

* * *

“A
RE
YOU
SURE
you want to paint the front door such a bright color?” Kristen asked as she looked down into the paint can.

“Absolutely,” Margaret said. She stooped to stir the paint and eyed Kristen’s navy pants and white T-shirt. Not a speck of vivid color on her. Her niece was too conservative for her own good. “This will make the entryway pop.”

Kristen raised her eyebrows. “A chartreuse front door. Okay.”

Margaret laughed and dipped her paintbrush into the can. “It’s spring green, not chartreuse, and it’s a happy color. Lighten up, Kristen. Expand your vision of our world.” She loved that her niece had volunteered to help, but she wished the creative gene hadn’t passed Kristen by. “I’ve never wanted to be like everyone else, and I’ve been unhappy with this white door for a dozen years now, ever since I married Donald and moved into his place. He told me to paint it whatever color I wanted, but I never did. It’s about time I’m finally doing something about it.”

Margaret brushed color onto one part of the panel and admired the bright yellow-green, similar to the capris and flowing shirt she wore.

“I’m surprised you waited this long, Aunt Margaret.”

As if reluctant to be part of this, Kristen carefully dipped her own brush into the paint and started working on the trim.

“Donald was as conservative as you are, sweetheart,” Margaret said. “This was his house long before we married, so I kept things the way he was used to. I had my studio and my art. He had the beautiful home he’d always wanted. We were both happy compromising. After he died, I thought to make some changes, but I kept myself so busy I didn’t have time to take pleasure in the little things.”

“Hmm. You’re saying I’m like your late husband, but Alex thinks I’m like you. The keeping-busy-every-minute-of-the-day part, anyway.”

Heather had told Margaret about Alex arresting her sister for jaywalking yesterday. But for some reason Kristen didn’t sound angry or defensive when talking about the man.

“So now it’s Alex, is it?” Margaret mused.

“That
is
his name.”

Kristen didn’t look at her, kept her gaze on her paintbrush as if mesmerized. Margaret smiled. The charming police chief had undoubtedly gotten to her niece. Very, very good in the scheme of things. The more Kristen had to like about living in Sparrow Lake, the less reason she would have to go back to Chicago.

“So, Kristen, when are you seeing Alex again?”

Her niece gave her a look that was probably meant to show she was annoyed, but informed Margaret that Kristen wasn’t so sure of herself.

“I’m not
seeing
Alex. Well, unless I jaywalk again, and he happens to be around, I guess.”

“I heard about that and about your delivering meals to seniors instead of paying the fine. Why didn’t you just pay? It was only a dollar.”

Kristen shrugged and kept painting. “Alex rubs me the wrong way. He got my back up.”

Delighted, Margaret dipped her brush again and attacked the door with renewed enthusiasm. She hadn’t planned on Alex. He was simply a bonus.

She and Kristen worked together in harmony. Despite her niece’s own preferences, Margaret made a big deal about the entryway now looking perfect. They’d just finished when she heard a vehicle pull up to the curb and turned to see a familiar patrol car.

And couldn’t help the smile that blossomed in response.

“Oh, look at who’s here,” she said as Alex left the vehicle. “The police chief himself.” She couldn’t help teasing her niece. “Are you sure you didn’t do anything illegal this morning?”

“What?” Stooping to put the lid back on the paint can, Kristen glanced over her shoulder and lost her balance. Luckily she caught herself, but not before getting chartreuse paint on her hand. “Great.” After wiping her hand with a paper towel, she shoved the hair out of her face and stood.

To Margaret’s amusement, Kristen was finally wearing some vivid color where she’d touched her cheek.

“Ladies, good afternoon,” Alex said, giving Kristen a penetrating look.

Kristen narrowed her gaze on him. “You’re not here to arrest me again, are you?”

“Uh, no. I was just driving by and decided to be neighborly.”

“Oh, how nice,” Margaret said. “Kristen, why don’t you offer Alex a cup of coffee.”

Kristen frowned at her. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“I don’t, either,” Alex said. “But I wouldn’t mind your taking a ride with me. I want to show you something.”

“A ride?” Kristen echoed.

“You know, sitting in the passenger seat of my squad for a while.” His brows arched. “You must be familiar with the concept.”

Tension seemed to zap back and forth between her niece and Alex. Margaret busied herself cleaning up.

“C’mon, take some time off,” Alex said. “You don’t have to be ‘on’ every minute.”

“He’s right, Kristen,” Margaret said. “You should go.”

“But Aunt Margaret, I cleared my calendar to help you paint today.”

“And you did a great job. Didn’t she, Alex?” Margaret indicated the brilliant-hued entryway.

He nodded. “Very, um, colorful.”

“See,” Kristen croaked. “Aunt Margaret needs me.”

“Actually, I don’t, sweetheart. We’re through for now. So there’s nothing keeping you from going and having a nice time with Alex.” When Kristen stood there like a deer caught in the headlights, Margaret leaned over and whispered in her ear. “It’s good for business to be friendly with the local authorities. Please go for me.”

Kristen heaved a sigh. “I suppose I could go.”

Alex indicated she should lead the way to the patrol car.

Margaret didn’t miss the way he swept his gaze over her niece, or the way he insisted on rubbing his thumb over her cheek to rid her of that little smear of paint before opening the car door for her.

Watching them drive off, Margaret hummed happily to herself as she gathered the paint can and brushes and took them around back to the garage.

* * *

“S
O
WHAT
IS
this all about?” Kristen asked, suspicious of Alex’s motives. At least he hadn’t handcuffed her to get her in the car. Still, she was certain Alex had an angle. She simply couldn’t figure out what it was. “Why ask me out for a drive?”

“I wanted to show you something and talk to you about an important matter.”

She’d been forced into this outing by Aunt Margaret, Kristen thought. Her instincts had been to stay as far away from Alex Novak as she could. She didn’t need to complicate her life, and she figured that’s exactly what Alex would do to it if she let him get to her. Something that could definitely happen.

Though he was driving the patrol car, he wasn’t in uniform today. He was even more handsome wearing charcoal-gray trousers and a lighter shirt of the same gray as the eyes that fed her nerves when he glanced at her.

“What exactly are you doing for your aunt at Sew Fine?” Alex asked.

“She wants me to find ways to increase traffic and sales in the store. For one, there aren’t any brochures, something I just started working on. Then they can be distributed to whomever will display them either here or in surrounding towns.”

“Sounds like a plan. I take it this is your area of expertise.”

Alex’s interest in her work relaxed Kristen a bit. “I was head of marketing for Chicago Lifestyle, a sporting goods company, for more than a year.”

“But you left that job in Chicago to work for your aunt?”

“I didn’t leave it.” She tried not to sound bitter. “I was downsized.”

“That’s happened to a lot of people. Sorry.”

“Yeah, me, too. I worked very hard to get my MBA and to build my career. I was on a fast track for a couple of years. Great job, beautiful condo with a lake view. There simply was no fighting the reality of a depressed economy.”

“So you lost your job. The condo, too?”

She nodded. “Among other things. I never thought I would be a failure.” She wasn’t going to tell Alex about Jason, though, about how he’d been more annoyed by her troubles than supportive. “I couldn’t find another open position that paid anything close to what I’d been making. And I couldn’t get a full-time job at lower pay, because the people hiring were afraid I would leave at the first opportunity.”

“Probably you would have.”

“Probably. And there was a prevalent attitude at the time. Too many employers wouldn’t hire people who didn’t already have jobs.”

“That’s crazy!”

“But a reality. It has always been easier to get a job when you already have one, but this market took the problem to new heights. I had to settle for a series of part-time jobs just to limp along. I’m very grateful to Aunt Margaret for offering me both a break from my situation and a challenge that lets me keep my hand in, working to grow a business. I needed a break from all the stress so I could create a strategy. And this way, when I apply for a new job, I’m no longer unemployed.”

“You’re ambitious and intelligent,” Alex said, voice filled with admiration. “You’ll figure out what you really want from life and get it before you know it. Things can turn around for you on a dime.”

“Thanks. I hope you’re correct.”

Alex was being surprisingly sympathetic, which made her feel connected with him. Kristen was getting the idea that, after their rocky start, Alex actually liked her. She had to admit she liked him more than made her comfortable.

“Starting over can be difficult.” Alex slowed the squad car. “I respect that you’re determined to rebuild your life. Not everyone does that in a positive way.”

An odd thing to say, Kristen thought. “What do you mean?”

“Some people react to change negatively, do things that aren’t smart. Sometimes they even do things that aren’t legal.”

He pulled the car over to the curb and put it in Park. The way he was looking at her made her uncomfortable.

“Someone you know?” she asked.

“No, Kristen, someone
you
know.” His voice caught for a second like he was reluctant to finish. Then he said, “Your brother.”

“Brian? He’s just a kid starting out in life. He’s a little immature, but he’ll grow up fast enough after he starts college at the end of summer.”

“If he doesn’t do something to ruin his chances first. Do you know his friends?”

Disturbed by the turn the conversation had taken, Kristen said, “I think Brian hangs out with some kids he used to know before moving to California.”

He nodded. “Andy Eccles and Matt Stapleton. They’re not bad kids, but they do get into trouble, and lately they’ve been close to crossing the line.”

“What does that have to do with Brian?”

“He’s been close to crossing it with them.”

“I don’t believe Brian has been doing anything wrong.”