Autumn Anthology

by Heather B. Moore

  Travis shook his head. “And they don’t have any leads.” He pushed his mug forward and rested his forearms on the table. “Before Craig died, he told Kami that she’d always be taken care of. The last time she saw him, he said that when the time was right, she’d understand everything. He died that afternoon. Kami said it was like he knew that he was facing death, but there was nothing he could do about it.”

  “That’s terrible. I remember hearing about the murder. I’m so sorry.”

  “I feel bad for Heidi. That’s why I bring her to the park a couple of times a week.”

  “She’s lucky to have such a wonderful uncle.”

  “Thanks. I wish I could help her more.” He turned his mug slowly in his hands and took another sip. “Kami thinks Craig knew his killer— and that it wasn’t random.”

  “Have the police included her in their investigation— you know, to see if he left a clue she’d recognize?”

  He tightened his fingers around his mug, the tension of the conversation flowing out of his fingertips. “As much as they can,” Travis answered. “It’s been tough on her. She said that every time she searched through his stuff, it felt like he’d died all over again.”

  “That’s awful. Is she doing any better now that you’re here?”

  He nodded. “She seems to be coping. She says it’s helpful to see Heidi smiling more.”

  “I hope the police can solve the case, so you all can have closure.”

  He pressed his lips together then exhaled slowly. “We may have to find closure another way. I wish the police had more evidence to go on.”

  “How frustrating.” I wanted to ask more questions, but I could see that the conversation was taking a toll on him. I sipped my cocoa and waited for him to take the lead.

  He stared off into space for a moment, and I took the opportunity to study the flecks of gold in his brown eyes. His hair looked light brown from the front, but it darkened as it approached his collar. It was a bit on the shaggy side and I surprised myself with the sudden impulse to run my fingers through the thick strands. He looked up and gave his head a gentle shake. “See? I told you it was a conversation killer.”

  “Not at all. I’m glad you shared it with me. It’ll put more meaning into my work.”

  “So what do you do for fun?” he asked.

  I jumped at the chance to lighten the mood. “Anything outdoors. Hiking, mountain biking, a little white-water rafting.”

  He smiled and nodded. “Sounds like my kind of fun.”

  My stomach flipped. “What’s your favorite?”

  “Hard to choose, but my bike hasn’t seen any action since I moved back. Would you like to go for a ride with me?”

  I nodded. “Sure. There’s a path that runs along the river. It’s beautiful this time of year.” I tried to tone down the grin spreading across my face, because Travis had just asked me on a date to go mountain biking and he liked the dirt under my fingernails.

  “When do you get off tomorrow?” he asked.

  “I was hoping to get an early start so I could finish up by three.”

  “Oh, do you already have other plans?” The disappointment on his face made my cocoa taste even sweeter.

  “Just some errands. Nothing that can’t be rearranged.” I watched a smile return to his face. “But I’ll need time to change. I could meet you at the park at four.” It was mid-September, but already the nights were chilly. Afternoon was the perfect time to enjoy the outdoors. Biking was much more fun when I wasn’t freezing.

  “Sounds great. I’m only working a half day tomorrow, because I’ve pulled too much overtime lately.” He stifled a yawn. “This cocoa is making me sleepy.”

  “Me, too.” I glanced at my watch and was surprised to see that an hour had already passed. It was almost eight o’clock. “Thanks for the treat.”

  “Thank you,” Travis replied. “I’ll give you a ride to the park.”

  On the way back we shared mountain-biking stories. He told me about being chased by a “bear” that ended up being a large and friendly dog. I laughed until my sides hurt and found myself wishing the park was farther away so that I could enjoy his company longer.

  Travis offered me his arm as he walked me to where I’d left the Gator. I could feel his bicep underneath my fingertips, and for a minute forgot where we were headed.

  “You’re so easy to talk to, Jillian. I’m looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.” He covered my hand with his and gave it a gentle squeeze.

  “Me, too.” I liked the feel of his hand on mine. He released my fingers and took a few steps back as he fished his keys out of his pocket.

  “I’ll hold on to these.” He jangled the keys and chuckled.

  I pulled my keys out and held them up before sliding into my seat. Travis waved goodbye as I started the engine and turned the lights on his retreating form. Those carpenter jeans looked even better in the headlights.

  Chapter Three

  Travis looked different when he rode up on his mountain bike in a pair of biker shorts that accentuated his muscular legs. I couldn’t decide which I liked better, jeans or shorts?

  “You look nice,” he said. “I like that shade of blue on you.” He pointed to my aqua t-shirt, which I’d selected because it accented my blue eyes.

  “Thanks. It’s my favorite color.”

  He slipped his sunglasses onto his head and swung off his bike. “I hope you don’t mind the smell of diesel oil. I got caught finishing up a truck and didn’t have time to shower.”

  I noticed dark spots of grease embedded in the lines of his hands and caught a whiff of motor oil. For some reason, the mechanic’s cologne was a total turn-on. “Not at all. Besides, if you can keep up with me, you’ll need a shower when we’re done.”

  He lifted an eyebrow. “Competitive, huh?”

  With a smile, I began pedaling. “Who, me?”

  We biked the trails and did a little off-roading in a few spots. During a sprint, I ran Travis off the path. When we returned to the park, I was sweating and laughing.

  “That was awesome.” Travis stood and then groaned. “It’s been way too long, though. I won’t be able to walk tomorrow.”

  “Me, neither, but I’ll be on hands and knees planting, so that’s okay.”

  Travis chuckled and looked about to say more when his phone rang. “It’s Kami. Mind if I take this?”

  “No prob.” I finished off my water bottle while he talked to Kami.

  His tone turned urgent. “Are you sure?” He glanced at me and grimaced. “I’ll be right there.” He ended the call and pocketed his phone with a sigh.

  “Is everything okay?”

  “Kami was going through some more of Craig’s stuff and thinks she found something important. She’s a wreck. I’m sorry to do this, Jillian, but I’m going to have to run.”

  “Don’t worry about it. Maybe it’s something that will help you find his killer.” I stowed the empty water bottle and wiped my hands on my shorts.

  He scrubbed his foot along the grass. “I think that’s partly why Kami’s so upset.” He stepped forward and took my hand. “I was hoping to extend our date— grab some dinner or something. Can I call you later?”

  I was nodding before he finished. “Sure.” Then I wrinkled my nose. “You need a shower anyway, remember?”

  Travis laughed and squeezed my hand. “Thanks for understanding.” He brushed his fingers across my cheek and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “I’ll call you.”

  “I’ll answer.”

  With a grin, he rode off in the direction of the parking lot, leaving me wondering what it would feel like to be kissed by him. That, and my ever-present connection to Nancy Drew had my mind occupied as I walked across the park. What did Kami find that had her so upset?

  I rode home and showered, determined to look my best if there was a chance of seeing Travis later. My tan capris accentuated my long legs— I’d seen Travis checking them me out a few times. I took a few minutes to swip
e some dark-pink polish on my toes before slipping on my sandals. I straightened the lace on my fitted tee in a shade of fuchsia that matched my toes. I liked the contrast of the pink with my dark hair. I might have checked my phone a bit obsessively while I applied eyeliner and mascara.

  The mystery of what Kami discovered had my mind whirring with possibilities, and if I’d had a bit less pride, I would’ve texted Travis to see if everything was okay. My heart felt hopeful about the possibility of dating him. We’d had so much fun earlier, and he seemed to really get me. Plus he wore carpenter jeans.

  While checking my phone for the umpteenth time, it started playing Taylor Swift’s latest hit, and I almost dropped it when I saw Travis’s number.

  “Hello?” I tried to sound demure but failed terribly.

  “Jillian, I’m so glad you answered.”

  “Me, too.” I wondered if he could hear the smile in my voice.

  “Look, this is going to sound forward, but could I bring some dinner to your place? And, well, I need to talk to you about something concerning Craig’s death.”

  “You can come over now. How’s that for forward?” I answered.

  He chuckled. “Chinese or pizza?”

  “Sesame chicken, please, and an egg roll.”

  “I’ll be there in half an hour. Just tell me how to get there.”

  I rattled off directions and held in my squeal until after I ended the call. I had just enough time to tidy up. As I got the table set for Chinese takeout, I thought about how Travis sounded nervous. Threads of anxiety competed with the butterflies in my stomach. I was excited to see him, but apprehensive about having anything to do with his brother-in-law’s tragic death.

  My last relationship started off similar to this one. I pushed thoughts of Caleb from my mind, but not fast enough. I still felt the twinge of the broken pieces of my heart, which I’d thought would be mended by now. Was I strong enough to take another chance at dating? Maybe I shouldn’t have appeared so eager with Travis, but there was something different about him.

  My doorbell rang exactly forty minutes after his call, and my heart pinged happily in my chest as I walked to answer it. My mouth started watering as soon as I opened the door. It might have been the steamy aroma coming from the takeout boxes in Travis’s hands, but he also looked delicious. He wore a brown bomber jacket, and when he smiled, his brown eyes crinkled around the edges.

  “Hope you’re hungry.” He lifted the boxes and waggled his eyebrows.

  “I’m starving,” I replied. He had a nice mouth, and I mentally slapped myself when I thought about how it would feel to kiss him. Don’t rush it, Jillian, I told myself. “Come on back to the kitchen.”

  He followed me and set the food in the center of the table. “You have a nice place. Thanks for letting me come over on such short notice.”

  “I’ll admit that I was more than a little curious as to what you found out from Kami.”

  “Good. Let’s eat, ’cause I’m hoping you can help me figure something out.” He draped his leather jacket over a chair and sat on it.

  “I should warn you that my dad likes to call me Nancy Drew.”

  With a chuckle, Travis popped open a box of egg rolls. “That may come in handy right about now.” He bit into one of the spring rolls and fanned his mouth. “Mmm, these are good.”

  “Yes, they are. Now chew faster so you can tell me what’s up.”

  He dumped some sesame chicken on his plate and smiled. “Kami was sorting through Craig’s things again and found a card that seemed out of place. She didn’t remember seeing it before, but it was from Craig and addressed to her.” He finished chewing a bite of chicken and pulled a card out of the pocket of his jacket.

  “She let you have it?”

  “I told her I’d make a copy and then see if I could figure out what it means. The note’s cryptic. We think he was trying to say more than what is here.” He handed me the yellow card, which was decorated with tulips.

  With a quick breath, I flipped open the card and glanced over the flowing script printed in pink.

  “Thank you for being the love of my life”

  Below that was a handwritten note in black ink.

  Kami,

  I love you. I’m so glad that you brought your mother’s love of flowers into our home. I especially loved our late-night walks to the park. I always want you to be safe. I’m glad Travis is such a great brother to you. We’re lucky to have his support. I hope you understand that I’ll always do my best to protect our family.

  Love,

  Craig

  “Is there a date anywhere?” I flipped the card over, looking for more writing.

  “No, but Kami’s sure she never saw it before.”

  “It does seem like he’s hinting at something, but what?”

  Travis shook his head. “By the time I got there, she’d already ripped apart the tool shed, looking for bags of tulip bulbs and hidden messages. I helped her go through every box of mementos, cards, and anything else before I told her to wait and see if something else turns up.”

  “I think that’s wise. Maybe she’ll think of a connection later. He obviously wanted you to see the note.” I tried not to let my disappointment show. I was hoping for something that would shed light on Craig’s murder. A love note didn’t help at all. If anything, I was more curious now.

  Travis and I chewed in silence for a moment. He reached across the table and covered my hand with his. “Thanks for letting me come over. It’s really nice to talk to someone about this.” He squeezed my hand before pulling away and taking a drink of water.

  “I’m glad you could come. I just wish I were more help.” The feeling of his hand over mine lingered, and I didn’t want him to leave yet. Unfortunately, my phone buzzed from the kitchen about the time I was going to ask him to stay and watch a movie.

  Travis glanced at the clock, and I think we were both surprised to see that it was almost ten. “Look, I’d better go. I have a full day tomorrow, but can I see you again?”

  My insides were fluttering with butterflies, and I felt like I had a perma-grin. “I’d like that. I’m heading to the park super early tomorrow to finish up planting. Maybe we can do something early evening?”

  “I’d like that.” My phone rang, probably because I’d ignored the text. “I’m guessing that’s my sister. She’d better have something good to say.”

  “No worries. I’ll call.” Travis gave me a hug, and for a moment I thought he was going to kiss me. He hesitated near my face then pulled back. “Thanks again for letting me come by.”

  Chapter Four

  The front-room window shades were slanted, so I could see Travis get in his car and drive away. I touched my lips, surprised at how much I longed for a kiss from him while at the same time, I was grateful he’d held back. We’d only known each other for a day, but already I missed his presence.

  As I headed to grab my cell phone, which was ringing for probably the fifth time, I thought of the losers I’d dated in the past. I snatched it and pushed accept at the same time I noticed that it wasn’t my sister calling.

  “Damn,” I said as I put the phone up to my ear and contemplated just ending the call.

  “I’m guessing that ‘damn’ was meant for me, but I hope you’ll listen for ten seconds.”

  “Caleb, I thought I blocked your number.”

  “Don’t hang up! Just give me one minute,” my ex-boyfriend pleaded.

  “It’s late, and we agreed not to call each other anymore, remember?” At one time, I’d fallen for Caleb and his rugged good looks. He’d seemed so put together— an anesthesiologist with a nice home and no baggage— or so I thought. We’d been dating for two months when he told me that his divorce wasn’t final yet, and that his wife wanted them to give it one more shot.

  I wanted to shoot him.

  “Please, Jillian. I promised to always be honest with you, and I really need to tell you something.” The urgency in his voice chipped away at my resol
ve.

  “One minute. And I’m timing you.” I glanced at the clock— it was fifteen after ten.

  “My divorce is final. Turns out Sandra was just hoping to squeeze more money out of me. For the past six months, I’ve lived with regret because I messed everything up with us. I love you, and I’m begging for you to give us one more chance.”

  My mouth opened and closed. Had Caleb just said he loved me? My mind warred with anger and memories traced with the happiness I’d felt while we dated. I’d really cared for him, but he broke my heart when the truth came out and he went back to his wife.

  “I know it’s a lot to take in,” he said. “But I can’t live like this. Please. Can I come see you?”

  “It’s getting late, and I have an early morning tomorrow.”

  “Could I see you tomorrow to talk for a few minutes?” His voice was soft.

  “You really hurt me—”

  “And I promise never to do that again. I just want to see you,” Caleb cut in. “I made a mistake, and I’ve been paying for it ever since. I know it’s a lot to ask you to forgive me, but I love you so much. I need you.”

  The emotion in his voice had me cracking; I couldn’t allow that. “I’ll think about it, but I probably can’t see you tomorrow or maybe ever. Good night.” I ended the call, even though he’d started to say something else.

  I went to the kitchen and got a drink of water. My emotions were boiling, and suddenly I felt like crying. That made me angry; Caleb had ruined my chance to bask in the warmth of Travis’s closeness as we’d sat at my kitchen table and talked. I shook my head. I didn’t want to mess things up with Travis when we were barely connecting, but I also couldn’t ignore the feelings of longing rising from memories laced with heartache, all featuring a man with eyes the color of a stormy day.

  My breath caught around a sob working its way up my throat, and my eyes filled with tears. But I wouldn’t cry over Caleb anymore. Every minute with him had been perfect until I found out it was all a lie. With a hard swallow, I swiped a hand across my eyes.