“Is there anyone who knows that they are in your desk?”
This time, instead of answering, Celia huffed. “I don’t know what you’re getting at. I don’t know why I’m here being treated like a criminal. I’ve done nothing wrong. I’m just doing exactly what I’ve been told to do by Mayor Banks!”
“Ms. Ring, I’m not making an accusation,” she said calmly. “My job is to investigate. And in order to do so, I have to have an understanding of how procedures work, where they are failing, and what may have happened in order for someone to have taken money.”
With lips pinched, Celia continued to answer her questions as succinctly as she could get away with. When they were finished, she thanked her and Celia pushed her chair back sharply, stood quickly, and marched out of the room almost slamming the door behind her.
Since the conference room was quiet, and she knew that she might want to question others, she stayed, continuing to work. Thirty minutes later, she walked to the door, wanting to question Mark Weber again. With her hand on the doorknob, she halted as she heard voices just outside.
“What did she want?”
Knowing she should not eavesdrop, she nonetheless leaned her ear closer to the door, recognizing Silas’ nasally voice.
“She just wanted to know more about the folder of checks that stays locked in my desk at times. I tell you, it’s downright insulting to have my work questioned like I’m some criminal.”
“Well, what did you tell her?” he asked.
“I told her what I do. They are locked in my desk until Corwin wants them. I don’t even know why he bothers. He doesn’t even look at the checks that he signs! Obviously, I didn’t tell her that, but she was taking notes on everything I said. Who knows what her damn investigation file folder has in it.”
There was a moment of silence before Silas spoke again.
“Are you available tonight?”
Lia winced, knowing how unprofessional it was to have her ear to a door in the first place, but doubly so because of what she’d just heard. Before she could lean back, Celia answered.
“For what? Dinner? Or just a fuck?”
Silas whined, “Don’t be like that.”
“Those days of easy access are over. I told you that the last time you broke things off to be with your fiancée. Now ex-fiancée. Anyway, I have a date tonight.”
“With who? That new accountant? He’s only in town to see if he can wrangle his grandfather’s business away from that newcomer.”
“Jealous? That particular emotion doesn’t become you, Silas.”
The voices faded away and she heard the tapping of Celia’s heels as she walked down the hall. Blowing out her breath, she wondered about the comment made concerning Scott. He’s after the business? Giving a mental shake, she pushed that thought to the side.
Stepping outside the conference room, she had the opportunity to stare closely at Celia’s desk. Unlike the metal, utilitarian desks of the receptionist in the front, Celia’s desk was large, polished wood, with drawers on one side and a filing drawer on the other. It would be so easy for someone to have made a spare key to her desk. Or, she might have given a spare key to someone. But who?
Walking around Celia’s desk, she made her way to the hall where Sandra and Mark’s offices were. Just as she got to the door, she heard their voices inside.
“She was with Celia for a long time. What do you think she knows?”
She recognized Mark’s voice and lifted her hand to knock, refusing to eavesdrop again, but before she could make a sound, she heard Sandra’s reply.
“I can’t imagine what’s going to happen if she keeps sticking her nose in everything.”
With her hand still in a raised position, her fist halted on its way to the door, cold dread seeping through her. It was an unfamiliar feeling, considering she had never been threatened during an investigation before, at least not before it went to trial. Frozen in place, she continued to listen.
“I only do what I’ve been instructed to do,” Sandra continued. “But what Celia does beyond that? Well, I have no idea, but I don’t trust her.”
“Yeah, but Corwin does. He acts like he can’t do his job without her right there.”
“Humph. I’d say he was getting some on the side, if I didn’t know Corwin’s wife. That woman knows everything and she’d string him up by his balls if he ever cheated on her.”
“I’ll be glad when the whole thing is over and I don’t have to worry about Amelia Smith anymore. Her investigation just feels like someone snooping into what we’ve done.”
Sandra finished with, “Well, just remember that there’s only so much she can find out from looking at the reports, so keep your wits about you when she talks to you. She’s so thorough, she probably sleeps with that folder of notes and reports she keeps on all of us.”
Carefully tiptoeing down the hall, Lia then turned and walked firmly back toward the office. No longer hearing any voices, she knocked on the door before turning the knob. Swinging the door open, she saw Mark and Sandra sitting on opposite sides of the room.
Plastering a smile on her face, she said, “Mark, I’ve got a few more questions to ask you. You can meet me in the conference room in about five minutes.” She shut the door without giving him a chance to protest and walked back to the conference room. Closing her eyes and gathering her wits for a moment, she steeled herself for another long afternoon of interviews, hoping she would not overhear any more threats.
Aiden stood in the open doorway of the Baytown Fire Station with Brogan and Zac, discussing an upcoming meeting with all of the volunteer firefighters. Zac was the former Fire Chief and was now the Captain of the Rescue Services. As they chatted, his attention was drawn by the sight of Scott and Celia talking across the street of the Municipal Building.
“Hey, you listenin’ to us?” Brogan asked.
Jerking his head to the side, he asked, “Either of you ever notice Lia’s new accountant, Scott Redding, hanging out with Celia?”
Both men shook their heads, but Zac laughed. “Hell, Celia’s tried to bang just about every eligible man that’s come through town. Not surprised that she’s set her sights on him.”
Brogan, studying him carefully, asked, “What’s got you interested?”
He shook his head, his fist planted on his hips. “I don’t know. With the threats coming into Lia, I’m spooked about everything. Obviously, Celia is one of the people having to be investigated with the whole town finance mess, and it just seems like Scott and she got chummy awful quick. Probably nothing…like I said, I’m just suspicious.”
“Everything okay between you and Lia?” Zac asked, his gaze assessing.
A grin slipped across his face, easing the concern creases next to his eyes. “Yeah. You want to know the damnedest thing?” Seeing that he had both Zac and Brogan’s attention, he continued, “Emily told me last night that she wanted me to stay there. She wants me to keep dating Lia. Said she’d like us to be a family.”
“Damn, Aiden. That is serious.”
“He’s got this,” Brogan said, a slow smile curving his lips.
“And that doesn’t scare me one fuckin’ bit,” he pronounced, offering a chin lift to his brother for his support. “Well, I should amend that. I think becoming anyone’s father is scary. But with Lia and Emily, I’m all in.”
Lia shoved all of her papers and her laptop back into her briefcase, securing it firmly. Slinging it over her shoulder along with her purse, she walked to the door of the conference room. On the wall right next to her was the door that led straight into the Mayor’s office. Just as she was ready to enter the hall, she heard Corwin’s blustering voice.
For the third time that day, she halted, listening to what was being said. Inwardly, she tried to convince herself that if she had not been threatened she would not have succumbed to such an unprofessional habit.
“I know she’s been here all day. I’ve heard nothing but complaints from some of the department heads. M
y wife is on a rampage about the fact that I’ve got a possible thief amongst our workers and my secretary is threatening to quit!”
“We need to make sure that her findings are not reported before the next election.”
She recognized Silas’ voice again and dropped her chin to her chest. She was beginning to think that the town offices were filled with vipers.
“I know that, but I’m ahead of Scarsdale in the latest Gazette polls.”
“Voters can change on a dime,” Silas bit back. “It’s bad enough that the Town Council is having her look into everything, but you’ve got to keep convincing the public that everything is under control here. At least until after the election!”
“Well, if you can think of a way to keep her from reporting sooner, that’s fine. Drag your heels, put her off. Whatever. For me, I’ve got to look like everything is hunky-dory with the town’s finances.”
The two men must have moved further away from the door, because she was unable to hear anything more. Sighing heavily, the depressing weight on her shoulders was growing. Longing for nothing more than to see Emily and Aiden, she threw open the conference room door and stepped out into the hall. With barely a nod to the others standing around, she moved quickly out of the building.
“Mrs. Markham? Do you know if Lia is going to be coming back today?” Scott asked, popping his head into the lobby.
She smiled at him and shook her head. “No, I believe she’s going straight from the Municipal Building, home.”
Nodding his thanks, he moved back to his office and looked down at his desk. He rarely took work home for the weekend, but remembered Lia commenting that she kept her current work with her in her briefcase, along with her laptop. With his hand on the doorknob, he pondered for a minute before shutting the door. Walking back through the lobby on his way out, he called goodbye to Mrs. Markham. “Have a nice weekend. See you on Monday.”
Deciding to have a drink before he went home, he headed to Finn’s. Sitting at the bar, alone, he overheard Aiden and Brogan chatting about the weekend.
“I know that Ginny’s off-duty this weekend,” Aiden said. “Why don’t you take tomorrow off and hang with your wife. I’ve got it covered here.”
“You sure?” Brogan asked.
“Fuck yeah, bro. Don’t you think I can handle it?” Aiden said, a wide smile on his face.
Brogan popped the dishtowel out toward him and he jumped back quickly, laughing as it missed him. “Stop cussing in front of the customers,” Brogan growled.
He watched the playful banter between the two brothers as he nursed his beer. Finishing a few minutes later, he threw some money on the bar and slipped out.
28
Aiden manned the grill on the back deck after Lia confessed she rarely cooked on it. While she was inside chopping vegetables, Emily clambered up on a chair so that she could watch what he was doing. Afraid that she was too close to the flame, he swooped her into his arms and dragged the chair back several feet, before plopping her down in it again. Finding her as inquisitive as ever, he laughed at her many questions and constant chatter.
She watched as the meat dripped grease onto the coals, turning her good ear toward the sound. She scrunched her nose and, recognizing that look, he knew a question was coming.
“How long does it take for the hamburgers to cook?”
He shrugged and winked. “I guess it takes them just as long as it needs to. They’ll get done when they get done.”
“Mama never cooks out here. How did you learn to cook on a grill?”
“My dad taught me. He taught me a lot of things.” He described the camping trips on the beach that his family used to take when he was a little boy, building campfires, roasting marshmallows, and his dad teaching him how to fish.
Fascinated with the idea of camping, she asked, “What was it like to sleep in a tent?”
“Well, usually, my brother and I would drag our sleeping bags out so that we could sleep under the stars.”
Eyes wide, she exclaimed, “But what about crabs?”
“When I was a kid, I guess I never really thought about them. At least, we never got pinched by one.”
Wistfully, she said, “I wish I could go camping sometime.” Looking up into his face, she added, “I never had a daddy to teach me things like that.”
Lia picked that moment to step outside to check on the burgers and heard what Emily said. His gaze jumped to hers and he saw pain slash across her face. He had never met Carl, of course, but at that moment felt torn between hating the man for abandoning Lia and Emily, regret that Carl had died in the course of his duty, and gratitude that he had them in his life now.
Before Lia had a chance to speak, Emily’s face brightened and she said, “But you’re here now with us. You can take us camping and you can teach me things, just like you were my dad.”
He smiled at Emily and, catching Lia about to step forward and intervene, he shook his head slightly at her. Squatting down so that he could be right in front of Emily, he said, “That’s right. I am here now, and this is exactly where I want to be, with you and your mom.”
She threw her arms around his neck and he hugged her tight. Looking past her shoulder, his gaze moved to Lia. The smile on her beautiful face told him that she felt the same. Setting Emily down, he said, “Looks like your mom’s getting anxious for the hamburgers so we better get to work.”
Emily turned around and looked at Lia before plopping her hands on her waist. “Mama, they’ll be done when they get done.”
Laughing, Lia headed back into the kitchen.
As the evening continued, he enjoyed every moment. Eating dinner with his girls and cleaning up afterward. Piling up in the living room and watching TV, Lia snuggled up close to him, and Emily coloring on the floor. Checking the house to make sure it was secure while Lia got Emily ready for bed.
When it was time to tuck Emily in, Lia called for him. At the top of the stairs, he looked into her face questioningly and she smiled.
“Emily wants you to say good night.”
Grinning, he went to her bedside and hugged her tightly. He felt as though his heart had slid into place as he kissed her good night.
Hours later, as he lay in bed after making love to Lia, he held her close, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “I want you to know that I’ve never said this to anybody else. I love you. I want us to be together.”
“I love you too. I used to wonder if I could love again…trust again.” She held his gaze, her hand drifting over his jaw, her thumb gliding over his lips. Her breath warmed his face, as she said, “With you, I know I have found love again.”
Clutching her to him, he rolled so that his hips were nestled in her warmth, proving his love with his body.
Not used to sleeping in on the weekends, Lia enjoyed a leisurely Saturday morning. Aiden had already left for the pub. He had told her that they had some deliveries being made early and he wanted to make sure he went over them, giving Brogan a rare day off to be with Ginny all by themselves.
Still lying in bed, she stretched, her muscles slightly achy from the night’s activities. A smile spread across her face as she remembered their vows of love.
Life was strange, she thought, with its many twists and turns. When she had first met Carl, she saw him as mature and steady. It was easy to fall in love with the idea that they would have the perfect marriage. For better or worse, in sickness and health. Then, Carl had proven to not be the kind of man who could hang in for the long haul when things did not go the way he wanted them to. Funny, how he was able to lead men in battle, but unable to deal with the unexpected challenges with his own daughter.
Aiden, on the other hand, a man that she did not think would relish responsibilities, had proven to be just the man she and her daughter needed. And loved.
Hearing a noise across the hall, she realized that Emily was awake. Jumping from bed, she pulled the covers up in a jerky fashion before throwing open the door to greet her daughter.
>
“Good morning,” she said, accepting a hug from Emily. “I’ll go down and fix some breakfast for us.”
“Isn’t Aiden here to fix my breakfast?”
“No. Remember, he had to go into work today.” Seeing her face fall, she said, “Hey, that’s okay. You can still hang with your mom, just like we used to.”
Emily giggled and agreed. “We can have a girls’ day, right?”
Kissing the top of her head, she said, “Absolutely! After we eat, I’m going to do a little housework and then we’ll have a fun girls’ day.”
After breakfast, Emily headed back upstairs to get dressed, promising she would pick up her toys in her room. Smiling at her daughter as she disappeared up the stairs, she pulled out the vacuum cleaner.
Lia finished vacuuming the living room and connected the stair attachment before bending over to vacuum each stair, carrying the canister vacuum with her. At the top, she popped her head into Emily’s room and waved, seeing her busy placing her dolls on her bed. Continuing to vacuum down the hall, she entered her bedroom and did a thorough cleaning, including vacuuming the baseboards.
The scent of wood burning captured her attention and she wondered if any of her neighbors were burning the piles of leaves that they had raked. Always worried about leaf fires getting out of hand, she walked over to her window and peered out, curious if she would be able to see anything.
Smoke was billowing up but, to her surprise, it was right next to the back of the house. It took a few seconds for her to realize that her back deck was on fire. Screaming for Emily, she turned and ran out of her room, down the short hall, and burst into her daughter’s room.
Signing and speaking, she exclaimed, “Fire! We have to get out!”
Emily’s eyes widened in understanding and she jumped up, running to her. Grabbing her hand, she ran into the hall and started down the stairs. My phone! Remembering it was in her purse by the front door, she stumbled to a stop at the bottom of the stairs, seeing flames licking the front door.
Hear My Heart: Baytown Boys Page 22