“Then it’s not a flat out no? You don’t think... You mean that you’d have to think about it?”
“I may have phrased that wrong--”
“Don’t rephrase it. Riley, honey, what if we--” He leaned closer to her, his lips very close to hers. So close that he could smell her skin, the slight floral fragrance of her hair, the whisper of lemon tea on her breath.
“I have some things to do for Aggie.” She scrambled to her feet suddenly, like the big, bad wolf was after her, and hurried across the lawn. Rob watched her, unable to believe that the desire he was feeling to take her in his arms--to be wanted by her and only her--went all the way to his bones. Pierced like an arrow through his chest.
Ten
Rob sluiced his head with water from the tap at the side of the two story house. He was thinking about Craig’s antics. It seemed he had a bit part as a male belly dancer in some Hollywood blockbuster being filmed in Vancouver. He was practicing what he’d learned wearing his tool belt, making nails and hammers fly all over the place. It was great to see Riley in stitches, to know she could really loosen up and have a good time. He wished he could make her laugh like that.
Rob had just turned off the hose when Aggie came up to him. His heart did a strange little flip-flop. She handed him an old towel that he’d left draped over the ancient and familiar rust-painted bike stand.
“You could have used the bathroom downstairs. You know where it is, Robin James Butler.”
Rob stared at her for a long moment. “I didn’t--”
“Don’t hand me any bull, Robin. I knew it was you after less than a minute. The changes are remarkable. Even your own mother would scarcely know you. That horrible black hair and the contacts really change your face.”
“The part about my mother not knowing me is hitting a little below the belt, Aggie. Half the time she didn’t know me when I was living with her,” he growled softly, wiping his face and his dyed black hair. He draped the towel around his shoulders.
“Why, Robbie? Why are you back? And like this? Telling lies.”
His heart felt like a small stone in a vast canyon. “I can’t talk about it right now. When what I have to do is done, I’ll come back and explain.”
“So you’re not back in town for good?” she asked.
He shook his head. “Nope. Not for good. I just wanted see you again and when Craig asked me for help, I figured you wouldn’t know me.”
“You figured wrong,” said the cagy old lady. “You figured very wrong.”
Rob blew out a deep sigh. “I’m sorry for lying. It seemed like a good idea at the time, Aggie. Curiosity got the better of me.”
“You’re not involved in something illegal and dragging poor Riley into it, are you? Tell me that’s not what you’re doing Robbie.”
He looked her in the eye. “Nothing illegal. I give you my word.”
“You’ve lied to me before. Then why the hair dye and the contacts?”
He swallowed hard but the lump in his throat never went away. “I swear there is nothing illegal.”
“Then why lie to this Mrs. Connors. She’s a sweet old lady. Why pretend to be someone you aren’t?”
“There have only been a few lies. Can we talk about this another time?”
Aggie snorted. “Knowing you, there won’t be another time.”
“There will be. When I’ve done what I have to do.”
“Riley told me you’re romancing the daughter, looking for a rich wife amongst the cream of society. Is that what it is? Is this some way to get money? A con job?”
Riley had mentioned him to Aggie? That he was looking for a wife? Rob dropped back his head and grinned. “This was a huge mistake. Coming here today was a huge gaff. Aggie, I am not conning anyone. I promise you that.”
She didn’t seem convinced. “I’m worried about Riley Jane.”
“Don’t, Aggie. She’s fine. She’s having none of me. She doesn’t recognize me. She won’t get hurt.”
“You’ve fallen for her again. Haven’t you?” she said in wonder. “After all these years you’ve come back to--”
He gritted his teeth. “I haven’t held on to some teenaged fling for all these years, Aggie. Neither has she.”
“So you say.”
“She’s a beautiful woman now, Aggie. As for falling in love... I don’t know what the hell that is. I never did.”
“You would know love if you’d let yourself, my boy.”
Rob could see tears threatening to fall from Aggie’s eyes. Her glasses were a bit fogged. He was afraid one of the others might come back here and see them talking, wonder what the hell was going on and his cover would be blown completely.
“I always wondered what had happened to you,” she said. “I wondered if I’d ever see you again.”
“I know. I wondered the same thing about you. You were the closest thing to a mother I ever knew, the only person who ever really cared what happened to me.” He laid a hand over her thin shoulder. She looked up at him as one lone tear fell from beneath her glasses. “Don’t cry, Aggie. Please. I’m sorry.”
“Tell me that you have nothing to be sorry for.”
“Not at the moment. I will get this all straightened out later.”
“She doesn’t know it’s you, does she?”
He shook his head. “I’m pretty sure she doesn’t. We were young. She didn’t know me too well. We were only really together that one time. I used her. I know that.”
“The disguise is incredible. The changes. What happened to your nose?”
Rob winced at the memory. “I met up with a brick wall. That’s all I’ll say.”
“Oh, Robbie...”
“Believe me, Aggie. I met some people who convinced me there were pretty exciting, almost totally legal ways to make a living.”
“Almost totally legal?” she repeated ruefully.
He laughed. “I’m okay. I’m not going to hurt anyone.”
Her eyes searched his, saw through to his soul. “Are you a good man? Make me believe that.”
“I’ll try. I don’t know how close I can come to your idea of a good man, Aggie. That would be hard to live up to.” He felt an unaccustomed flush suffuse his cheeks. “I’m being as good a man as I can be,” he assured her.
“I suppose even you’ll settle down someday.”
“It’s good to see you, Aggie. So damned good. Just be sure that you keep this secret for me. For a while... please.”
Aggie chewed her lip.
“I was glad to see that my bird hotel is still standing.”
“Still occupied, too.” Aggie gave a rusty, husky laugh he remembered so well.
Something thick caught in his throat again.
“How long do you think you can fool her? She’s not a stupid girl.”
“I know that.”
“Is she safe, Robbie?”
He thought for a minute and nodded. “As safe as she’ll let herself be. She’s headstrong. She’ll be fine. She’s going on holiday. It’s a good thing. I’m not saying what this is I’m involved in, but it will be over soon. It has nothing to do with her. You worry about her a lot, don’t you?”
“I worry about you, too. I should go inside. Lunch will be ready soon.” Aggie started to turn away. “Thank you, Robbie.”
“What for?”
“You know what for. There are a lot of kids in the streets who feel a little more loved, thanks to you. I’ve always wanted to tell you, in person, where the money was spent.” With that she turned and walked away, taking her hankie out of the sleeve of her sweater and blowing her nose a few times.
~ * ~
It was past seven and Robert Murphy was studying the faded, peeling birdhouse that Robbie Butler had built when he was barely fifteen. It gave her a strange feeling to look at the picture he made, a fanciful shiver traveling up her spine to the back of her neck. A Ryan Adams tune called Firecracker was playing on Craig’s boom box and Rob was nodding his head in time with the beat, somet
hing Robbie Butler used to do.
Her heart lurched. But people did that. Almost everyone nodded their head to a beat.
“You’re a hard worker,” she said truthfully.
He turned his head. There was sawdust in his black hair and a big band-aid on his forearm. Jenny had provided the first-aid over the raucous protests of Rory. Riley hadn’t offered but she’d been damned jealous of the woman who treated the scratch he’d suffered.
Riley knew how that warm, hair-roughened skin felt under her fingers...
“I do my best,” he said softly, touching a tiny porch swing in the veranda of the little house.
“The boy who made that was very talented.”
He nodded.
“You seem to know construction. That’s sort of odd for a country-club raised city boy.”
“Is it? I took tech-ed like the plebeians.”
She smiled at that. She liked that wry wit. “Good for you, Robert.”
“You could call me Robbie, you know. Your friends are doing it. It almost made me feel at home.”
That made her heart turn over. She chewed her lip, clutching the new porch rail. “I wanted to come out and say thanks before I leave. Aggie’s grateful to you.”
“I was glad to do it. Are you leaving right now?”
“I have to. I have some packing to do. Some on-line banking and stuff. Did I hear Rory say you were going home for a while?”
“I have to go back to Toronto. It seemed as good a time as any.”
“Oh...”
“Don’t look so cheerful, Riley. It’s just for a few days. Just some business I can’t do with a laptop and fax machine.”
Riley should have felt relief. She didn’t think the hollow place in her stomach was that particular emotion. “If I don’t see you, have a nice--”
“--life?” he finished.
“Time. Have a nice time with your family.”
He laughed. Robert had a great laugh, low and husky and seemingly from the heart. “Have a nice time in the mountains, Riley.”
“I will.”
“I hope you make some headway in finding Grace.”
“I hope so, too.”
“Mary has my cell phone number in case you decide to take me up on that offer I made.”
“Oh... yes. About Grace.”
He laughed again. “Yeah. About Grace. But the other offer still stands, too. I’d change my plans in a heartbeat.” He pushed away from the sturdy new railing where he’d attached the old birdhouse, boldly entering the invisible no-fly zone with which Riley surrounded herself.
For once Riley didn’t retreat, but the screen door gave a rusty squeal and Rory stepped out with a tray of after dinner coffee. “Hi, Robbie, I brought some coffee for you. Hope you like it strong.”
“That’s great, Rory. I take it black, thanks,” Rob told the other woman with one of his warm smiles. Why did that smile make envy arc through her? Riley wondered.
Ridiculous.
~ * ~
Riley lay in bed later that night with a novel she’d been waiting eons to be released. Normally that would have made her happy: a potentially good book, a cup of hot chocolate, the wind and rain howling outside while she was cozy and warm in a lovely room.
But she couldn’t concentrate on the antics of her favorite detective heroine. She was thinking too much, her thoughts drifting to her trip and how she was leaving tomorrow, wondering if she’d get lost trying to find the cabin. It shouldn’t be too bad if she took her time, stopped often to look at the map and for landmarks and didn’t panic. She had a terrible sense of direction. No one should ever give her directions involving compass directions; she just wasn’t one of those people. She wasn’t a damned bird.
But she was a twit. She was thinking about him too much.
Oh, God... Robert Murphy.
He’d surprised her. He seemed a well-grounded man. He’d fit in with her friends while knowing his position as a newcomer. He’d held back a bit at times, yet he’d been willing to put in his two cents at others. Everyone had liked him. Well maybe Aggie had been a bit reserved, which Riley found odd now that she thought about it after the fact. Aggie was usually so accommodating.
Maybe Aggie had picked up on Riley’s vibe. Or Rory’s. Rory had practically thrown herself at Robert but he’d managed to politely hold her at arm’s length.
That had to be it, she decided. Maybe Aggie had picked up on Riley’s distrust of him.
That distrust was abating. Slowly but surely Robert Murphy’s easy charm was eating away at Riley’s resolve.
He’d come right out and made a pass at her today. She knew exactly what he had in mind. And Riley, instead of being turned-off by the whole idea, kept thinking what if. What if she actually took the plunge and had an affair with him. Who would it hurt?
~ * ~
Riley opened the cabin door to a dubious surprise.
It looked like a hurricane had struck the place. She picked her way through the living room, righting an overturned antique rocking chair as she found her way through the mess. The place reeked of stale beer, cigarettes and garbage.
“What the hell...” she muttered to herself.
On second inspection, things were not that bad, mainly cosmetic. A good scrubbing would clean things up, but there was a busted window in the back door that would have to be fixed. There was glass all over the place.
She knew a fair amount about the type of people who would do something like this, so she wasn’t too worried. It was just a crime of opportunity, and the perpetrators were likely long gone, but she’d have to call Mary and let her know about it and tell her she’d got there safely at the same time.
Riley called Mary and instantly regretted it. Mary was concerned. She was also irritated and feeling ill and insisted that Riley go into town and find a bed-and-breakfast inn at her expense. She went on and on about hoodlums and terrorists and the way the world was changing. She said a lot about Todd, too.
“It’ll be fine, Mary. It’s no big deal. Really.”
“There was break-in, Jane. That gives me the willies. You couldn’t stay alone there tonight. They might come back.”
Riley laughed with a little more confidence than she felt at the moment. “No, they won’t come back. They were just here because it was empty and easy to get into. Maybe they were homeless or cold. I don’t know. I already have the kitchen halfway scrubbed out. It’s not that big of a deal. I can have it livable in two days.” She hoped there were clean sheets for the big bed upstairs in the loft. No telling what had gone on up there. She hadn’t the nerve to look yet.
“Scrubbing isn’t what you’re there for. Now, I want you to call the sheriff immediately. And if you insist on staying there, you stubborn girl, there’s a lady in town who cleans the place out. Has for years. Her number’s in the list by the phone. I should have thought to have her come in before you got there. Where are my brain cells? Call her now.”
“That reminds me, Mary, the phone’s not working.”
“Wonderful.”
“I tried it from both jacks. I have my cell phone, though, but I have to recharge it, so I might not be calling for twelve hours,” Riley warned. “Don’t go assuming that I’ve been offed or something.” She heard Mary sigh deeply on the other end of the line. “Do you remember if Todd’s been here recently, Mary?”
“I wouldn’t know. Why? Are you thinking something--”
“No, Mary, I’m not thinking anything.”
“Well... I would think it. Todd may have had his wild friends up there. It just makes me angry that he’s so damned irresponsible. I can forgive it in Belinda. She’s silly like her mother. There’s a biker place nearby. What do they call those biker places? Those places they gather to socialize?” Mary mused.
“Socialize?” Riley giggled. “Maybe you mean a club, Mary. You’re not all worried about bikers, are you? I’m not about to go into any biker bars, though I may be a little bored tonight. I left my leather thong underwear a
nd my micro-mini at home.”
Mary didn’t laugh. Riley wished she could give the old lady a reassuring hug.
“I wish you’d come back home, Jane.”
“Mary, this break-in is not a big deal. I wouldn’t have bothered you with it, but I was afraid that they may have taken some of your collectibles.”
“Hang that stuff. It’s junk.”
“I just thought you should know.”
“You did the right thing in calling me, girl.”
“I think you should try not to worry. Maybe do something fun with your friends, Mary. They always distract you.”
“That may be an idea. Belinda’s gone off somewhere, too, so I’m alone here with Alice. I don’t like Alice very much.”
“Where’s Belinda?” She found herself praying that Belinda hadn’t hooked up with Robert.
“She’s off on some sort of spa weekend... I miss Robert, you know. Now why couldn’t he be part of my family? I don’t suppose he still wants Belinda, does he? I mean to change that girl’s attitude!”
Riley’s heart thunked like an icy glacier had bumped against her ribs. “I’m sure he’ll be back from Toronto soon.”
“Do call the sheriff, Jane. He’s a nice fellow. I’ve known him forever.”
“I’ll do that. Don’t worry about me.”
~ * ~
After her chat with the sheriff, Riley felt uneasy. It wasn’t like he said anything to scare her, just that there were bikers coming and going in the area and sometimes these people attracted the “negative elements of society”. His words. He had agreed with her that the mess in the cabin could have been made by kids looking for a new place to party. He told her that he’d drive by to check things out. He’d walked around the house poking about, but hadn’t noticed anything noteworthy.
Riley decided to light a big roaring fire in the fireplace as an oil delivery for the furnace wasn’t expected until the following week. She feared running low and letting the house get cold like her mother always had done when Riley was little. Riley hated being cold, especially the wet Pacific chill that seeped into one’s bones during a spell of inclement weather like the one they’d been having.
The nights were still very cool and Riley decided that after dinner she’d curl up with a blanket and a book. She really wanted to plug in the laptop Craig had loaned her and look into some of the search engines for sites of people who were seeking missing loved ones, but the phone company said they couldn’t get the lines fixed until next week.
B. G. McCarthy - A Thief At Heart Page 14