Maggie Undercover (13 page)

He pulled into the driveway and put the car
into park. The quaint, little house sat dark and empty in the
night. Though she, Daniel and Jeanne occupied the structure they'd
given none of themselves to it. It was a place to eat and sleep. A
dead cell. Unlike Jared's house which echoed with life, love and
laughter.

Maggie wanted to turn to him and ask him to
take her home with him. She wanted what she knew she could never
have. Instead, she got out of the car. Cold air and snow swirled
around her. Unwilling to part with it, reluctantly she slipped off
his coat and handed it back.

"Did you want me to come in with you and
check out the house?" He started to get out of the car.

Yes, please. Come in and never leave. "No,
that's all right. We have a security system. I'll be fine. Thanks
for the ride. See you tomorrow in class." Before she could weaken
and beg him to stay, she turned and ran up the walk. Her fingers
trembled as she fit the key into the lock and escaped inside.
Breathing hard she leaned against the wall and listened as the
sound of his car faded into the night. Then she had to scramble
with the security code, punching in the number just before the
alarm went off.

***

The phone was ringing as Jared walked in the
door a little after 10:00 pm. Caller ID showed his folk's Florida
number. He smiled. A hold over from the days when long distance
rates changed after eleven pm they waited to call. Still wearing
his coat that held Maggie's sweet scent he grabbed the
receiver.

"Jared?"

"Hi, Dad. Can you hold on a minute?"

Shrugging off his coat, he spoke with the
thirteen-year-old babysitter about Alex's evening, paid him then
watched the boy run three doors down to his home. He closed the
door then turned his attention back to his father. "Nice to hear
from you. How's the weather down in Florida?"

His dad laughed. "Just another shitty day in
paradise. How are the renovations coming along? Your mother is
nervous about your changing anything."

"Nothing to worry about. You both saw and
approved all the plans." When his folks decided to retire to
Florida Jared had purchased the house from them, but they and he
still considered it their home. He knew his dad was the one
concerned about the renovations not his laidback mother. "You still
planning to come up for Thanksgiving? The rest of the clan will all
be here."

"Wouldn't miss it. Your mother would revolt
if I tried to keep her away. I got her down here by promising her
Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter as well as July and August back
home. Are you back into the routine of teaching yet?"

David Blake knew how much leaving Council
Falls had cost his son. He understood the appeal of teaching young
minds. He'd been the principal at the elementary school in town up
until a heart condition, doctor's orders and his family's concern
had convinced him to retire two years ago.

"Things are fine. In some ways it's like I
never left. In others it's a whole new ballgame. Have the kids
changed so much in the last ten years or have I?"

"Well, they do seem to be growing up a bit
faster nowadays, but I'd say you're the one who's changed. So how
is it teaching again? I know how much you want this to work. Even
though you never said anything I knew you missed teaching." Concern
laced his dad's voice.

Then his dad had known more than he had.
Jared had never been able to hide much from his father. But what
could he tell him about the feelings a young girl stirred inside of
him?

That as much as he loved teaching, it wasn't
enough. That he wanted more from life than a career. He wanted what
his parents had, friendship, companionship, a deep abiding love to
last a lifetime, and passion.

When had he set aside those dreams and hopes?
When full of love, ambition and enthusiasm he'd married and brought
Brittany home to Council Falls only to have her hate the town, the
life he'd chosen and eventually him? After he'd left town to try
and salvage his pride and marriage only to have it crumble around
him? Or over the years as Brittany and her parents methodically
stole his daughter from him?

For years he'd poured his energy into
building a career and reputation as a computer software genius. His
net worth reflected his efforts, but he never felt fulfilled. He
moved through life alone and numb.

When Brittany died he'd questioned the wisdom
of returning to Council Falls, but knew Alex needed what he'd
always found there, a sense of community and family, roots and
stability. But if his reason for coming back was Alex's well being,
why did he choose to teach again rather than accept the lucrative
position offered with Reed Software?

Looking around him the answer was obvious. He
needed and wanted those same things for himself.

He wouldn't let his feeling for a slip of a
girl jeopardize his or Alex's futures.

"Dad, how did you know that Mom was the woman
for you?" The question slipped out before he could censor
himself.

"Woman for me? Hmmm. Am I to take it there's
a woman behind this soul searching? Someone I might know?"

"No, of course not." David and Rebecca Blake
knew everyone in town, including most of the high school students,
but they didn't know Maggie. Yet. Once his parents came into town,
it wouldn't take his mother long to ferret out the latest gossip.
Then he'd have to face questions he couldn't answer.

"No, I don't know her. Or no, there's no
one?" Dad teased.

"There's no one."

"Now why don't I believe you? But back to the
question. I didn't know Mom was the woman for me. I thought she was
a child. A mere baby. My attraction to her scared the wits out of
me. Made me feel like some kind of pervert. I ran as hard and as
fast as I could to get away from her. Good thing your mother had
and still has more sense than me, she didn't let me get away."

Jared remembered the fifteen-year age
difference between his parents. They'd celebrate their thirty-fifth
wedding anniversary next June. With his dad sixty-seven and his mom
fifty-two that meant his dad had been thirty-two to his mom's
seventeen when they'd married. The thought made him pause. Was a
preference for younger women genetic?

"It still amazes me that she convinced me to
elope with her the night of her high school graduation. It wasn't
until you were born that her parents came to terms with our
marriage. They never could understand what their only child saw in
this old man. I was more their contemporary than hers. But in the
end they accepted me. And they doted on you and your siblings."

Jared had fond memories of both sets of
grandparents. His mother's parents, already in their late forties
when she came along, had died when he was in college. His dad's
parents, in their late eighties now, lived with their youngest
daughter and her husband on a farm outside of town. Last time Jared
saw them, when he took Alex out to visit them just before
Halloween, Grandpa Blake was helping with the livestock, while
Grandma Blake was baking pies. They'd be at the house for
Thanksgiving as well.

"I'm putting your mother on now before she
wrestles me for the phone."

Jared grinned at the image of his
pocket-sized mother going one-on-one against his six foot four
linebacker father. Of course, there was no doubt who'd win the
fight. His mother. With quiet determination and an iron will, she
kept her husband, four strapping boys and a rebellious daughter in
line without ever raising her voice or hands.

They talked for another half hour. He told
her about Samson and assured her that the plans for Thanksgiving
dinner were well in hand. Rebecca Blake had made sure that all her
children knew how to cook. While Jared had excelled, it still
pained her that her only daughter found the activity boring.

Jared found himself looking forward to the
chaos that would soon descend upon his house. Would Alex enjoy the
noise and confusion of a Blake clan reunion? During her life with
Brittany, she'd been allowed little contact with Jared's family, a
situation that broke his mother's heart. So far, Alex was her only
grandchild. None of his brothers or sister had yet seen fit to
marry and provide her with more.

After he hung up, Jared's conversation with
his father replayed again and again in his mind. He sensed Maggie's
attraction to him. If circumstances were different, if she weren't
his student, would they have a chance?

He forced the fantasy out of his mind. He was
her teacher. Though time would settle that problem, nothing could
erase the chasm of age and experience that separated them. His
parents' marriage had worked despite the age difference, but they
were the exception. Jared couldn't risk his career, his life or his
heart on the chance that Maggie's feelings might grow strong enough
to bridge that gap.

~~~~~

CHAPTER TEN

"I feel bad about leaving you two here
alone." Jeanne said as she packed her suitcase. "Why don't you and
Daniel come home with me for Thanksgiving. Paul and the boys would
be delighted to see you both."

Maggie perched on the edge of Jeanne's bed
and gnawed on a thumbnail. "Thanks, but no thanks. Daniel won't go.
You know how he hates family events, even yours." When she was
younger, Maggie had spent more than one holiday with Jeanne and her
family. They meant well and welcomed her. But as much as she loved
them, she always felt like an outsider. For the last few years
she'd found excuses not to attend. Better to be alone by oneself
than alone in a crowd. Maybe Daniel felt the same way.

"Besides, it's the Monday before
Thanksgiving. I doubt we could get a flight anymore. At least not a
reasonable one." Jeanne's flight left this afternoon.

"I made up a small turkey and stuffing for
you. All you have to do is pop it in the microwave. There's
veggies, and a frozen pumpkin pie in the freezer." As well as being
a damned good investigator, Jeanne was a fabulous cook. "Don't
worry. We'll be fine. I promise we won't burn down the house."

Jeanne's face paled. Maggie knew she was
remembering the smoke incident a couple of weeks earlier. Jeanne
had been out for the evening so she left a casserole for them.
Maggie had put a casserole in the oven then forgotten about it and
went out. By the time they returned smoke had filled the house. The
smell still lingered.

The house belonged to Jeanne's family. Her
grandparents had lived in town until they retired to California.
Jeanne's connection with the town was why Sterling Securities had
been contacted and how the idea for their charade of a family had
developed. She paused. "Maybe I should just stay."

"Nonsense. Your husband and your two teenage
boys need you. Daniel's a slave driver, but even he doesn't expect
you abandon your family on Thanksgiving."

"Maggie's right. Go home." They turned as
Daniel spoke from the door to Jeanne's room.

"You're sure the two of you will be all
right?" Always the mother hen, Jeanne took her role seriously.

"We won't be here. There's crisis back at the
office in L.A." Daniel turned to Maggie. "We've got a flight out
tonight. Get packed."

She jumped off the bed. "I can't leave. I've
got things cooking for the investigation this weekend." The thought
of spending Thanksgiving Day working with Daniel was worse than
spending it alone. She loved the man, but he used work to bury his
feelings, his needs. Living with Jeanne and her, pretending to be a
family was as close to the act as he was willing to get. Though
he'd saved her life and given her direction, she didn't want to end
up like him – a middle-aged workaholic without family.

When she'd first met him she'd tried to make
him into her family, but he'd put her back in her place. She could
be his friend, his protégée, but he couldn't be the father she
wanted. Because she loved him, she accepted him on his terms.

After she outlined her plans for the weekend
he and Jeanne agreed she couldn't cancel them. Friday night she was
going to a party at Steve Reynolds' house, a senior computer club
member and one of their suspects.

She'd been surprised when Bradley approached
her for a study date on Saturday afternoon. Though he seemed an
unlikely suspect, and his hot and cold attitude towards her was
probably just teenage male hormones it made her suspicious. She
hoped to be able to poke around in his computer.

She didn't mention that Sunday she'd promised
to help finish up the sets and costumes for Alex's play. "But I
still don't like the idea of you spending the holiday alone,"
Jeanne said. "Wait a minute! I've got an idea." She dashed out of
the room.

Maggie looked at Daniel. He shrugged.
Jeanne's normal position at Sterling Securities was as his
administrative assistant. She didn't often work in the field.
Daniel had co-opted her for this job because she was the right age
and had the flexibility to be away from home for a couple of
months. She was a whiz at accomplishing the impossible. But what
was she up to this time?

A few minutes later she came back smiling and
continued packing. "It's all set. I called the Blakes. You'll spend
Thanksgiving Day with them."

"You called Jared Blake?" Maggie couldn't
keep the horrified note out of her voice.

"Of course not. I called his mother. They
know my grandparents and when I explained the situation they were
thrilled to invite you for the day. You can take the pumpkin pie
with you."

Maggie could imagine the sob story Jeanne had
spun. Due to circumstances beyond their control, they had to leave
their poor little Maggie all alone for the holiday. It would take
someone with a heart of stone to resist when Jeanne started in on
them. She was a master manipulator. Why else was Maggie stuck back
in high school? Not this time. "I won't go."