Sanctuary Buried WITSEC Town Series Book 2

by Lisa Phillips

  “Matt—” She clasped his still raw hand. He hissed and pulled his hand away. “What happened?”

  Matthias dismissed her concern. First Diego, now Maria. He wasn’t going to let her use him as a crutch any more. Not if she wanted to be strong enough to take care of her life, her marriage and her family on her own. Matthias was sick of being the good one. If it wasn’t for Antonia and Sofia, he’d wonder what was wrong with him given every member of his family had a life that seemed to be hurtling along like a train wreck waiting to happen.

  “I’m taking the boys to the ranch. We’ll meet you at the party.”

  Her eyes flickered with confusion.

  “You did get them a present, didn’t you?” She opened her mouth, but stopped as though she didn’t know what to say. His heart sank. “Did Tom get them anything?”

  Her mouth jumped up in a smile. “I’m sure he did.” But he saw in her eyes she had no clue if it was true or not.

  “Get ready. I’ll see you there.”

  She took a breath and squared her shoulders. “Yes. See you there, Matty.”

  Matthias’s stomach churned. That was what his father had called him, but it had never been affectionate. He should tell her he didn’t like it, but Maria had enough swirling in her head without him adding to her angst with his own issue. He could tell her to call him Tias—no. Something stopped him from doing that.

  “Take your shower.”

  Matthias headed back downstairs and let himself out the front door. He knew the reason why he’d only given the nickname to Frannie and his nephews. He just didn’t want to think on it.

  There was already enough in him that made him wonder if he really, truly was a good person. He didn’t need to add this slight to his sister. Maria was always and forever just going to be…Maria. There was nothing he could do about it if she wasn’t willing to help herself. The only thing he could do was try and soften the blow for Simeon and Reuben.

  But that would be hard if he couldn’t even find them.

  Matthias ducked his head back inside the house. No noise. That didn’t mean they weren’t in there, though. It was when their space was silent that Simeon and Reuben were up to something. The boys were smart, but it was more like a healthy knack for strategic cunning. Neither was particularly quiet, except they had moments of intense concentration when it was as if the whole world went silent around them. And it never turned out well.

  The truck was still there, which was good. He didn’t want to know what was going to happen when they decided to learn to drive. Matthias checked the back yard and their bedrooms. The shower was still running, but who knew if Maria had even gotten in yet. Figuring they’d run off down the street, Matthias pulled away from the curb and drove slowly through town. That was the down side of a town like this. The boys were free to roam whenever and wherever they felt like going.

  Main Street was busy with pedestrians, and people milled around outside the diner, the gym—which was more punching bags than treadmills—and Frannie’s bakery. Sweet Times was a favorite hangout for the boys, since they could get a cupcake and charge it to their family’s account. It was how everyone paid Frannie for her goods. No one knew why she’d chosen not to accept cash or any other method of payment. Customers simply received a bill at the end of the month, which they were obliged to pay within fourteen days. But who wanted to be in debt for a cupcake?

  The bakery didn’t even have a tip jar.

  Matthias parked around the corner and walked to the front door. The bell had been broken at some point, so there was no noise when he opened the door—at least, no noise to signal his entry.

  The tables and chairs had been cleared of the earlier debris, and now Frannie’s customers hung out with their desserts and coffee. He was surprised she hadn’t simply closed down for the day, but she likely couldn’t afford to lose business just for the sake of cleaning.

  Matthias waved to the bank manager. Tacked on a board on the wall were flyers for community events. The bright orange poster in the center was for the arts group’s upcoming production of Much Ado About Nothing. It made Matthias’s stomach do a tuck and roll just thinking about the play. What part were Aaron and Shelby going to give him? He better not have more than one line…if that. Maybe he could be a tree.

  The door to the kitchen swished open, and Frannie strode out. Her eyes locked on his, and her steps faltered. That had to mean what he thought it meant, right? Why would she react like that if she didn’t feel it, too?

  “Hey.” He smiled. “Have you seen my—”

  “They’re in the kitchen.”

  “They are?”

  She nodded, a small smile curling her lips up at the corners. “They wanted to frost their birthday cupcakes, so I set them up. They’re doing fine. How’s Maria?”

  Chapter 3

  Frannie felt like she’d swallowed a cactus. The bakery had customers at three tables and two more with dirty dishes she needed to clear away, and yet, she just stood there while Matthias’s emotions washed over his face.

  She’d never understood before how expressions could be so clear and here she was watching it. Everyone knew there was something up with Maria, only no one knew what it was.

  “You want to come back here?” She motioned to the space behind the counter.

  Matthias hesitated for a second and then rounded the counter. He rested his hips against the clean surface beside the computer she used as a cash register. Not that the thing was actually working. Today she was using a notebook.

  Frannie busied herself, shifting cupcakes to half-empty trays and taking out the unneeded ones. “Wanna talk about it?”

  He looked at his boots and shook his head before he looked back up. “The boys are really okay?”

  Frannie waved him to the kitchen door where he looked in at the twins, surrounded by every color of sprinkles they’d somehow gotten everywhere—even in their hair. Her mega bowl of blue frosting was between them. He sighed, long and deep, a soul sigh if Frannie had ever heard one.

  “I’m sure the party will be fun. Maria wouldn’t…do anything. Like to mess it up, would she?”

  “I hope not.” His voice was a whisper.

  He looked so…broken. Frannie didn’t know what she was supposed to do to help. “And it’s left to you to do damage control?” She, of all people, knew what that felt like.

  Matthias looked up. A spark of something flashed in his eyes, and the feeling of solidarity she got every morning when she saw the light on at the ranch stretched between them like a rubber band. Frannie wouldn’t ever forget that look for the rest of her life.

  “That isn’t it.” He looked away and the rubber band snapped.

  Frannie wiped her hands on her apron. “Your sister does whatever she wants. She’s going to be how she’s going to be, and you’re left to pick up the slack and cover for her, making sure the boys don’t suffer because she’s selfish.”

  He pushed away from the counter. “That’s really what you think?”

  Frannie shrugged. She knew the signs. She lived them.

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” His face had blanked. The lack of emotion was scarier and more distressing than the flash of pain she’d seen earlier. It was like he was forcing himself not to feel anything at all.

  “Maybe not, but—”

  He walked to the kitchen, cutting her off. “Let’s go guys.”

  Two sets of feet pattered across the linoleum and collided with him at the swinging door. “Uncle Tias!”

  The name sliced through her. If the boys were calling him that as well, then it wasn’t a big deal. Why had she thought it was a big deal?

  She watched Matthias swing them both up in his big arms, holding them effortlessly like they didn’t weigh almost a hundred pounds combined. It wasn’t like she’d never seen them together before. Frannie didn’t know why it struck her so profoundly in that moment, but it did. She tried to suck in a breath but it got stuck. Parents came in all the time wi
th little kids. Why did it throw her now, just because it was Matthias and his nephews? She was probably just emotional because she was so worn out.

  Part of her didn’t believe that lie. Something was missing from her life, something huge.

  “Uncle Tias, is it time for the party yet?” Simeon—or Reuben, she couldn’t tell which twin was which most days—bounced up and down in his arms.

  “Almost.” He chuckled, but it sounded flat. “How did you guys end up all the way over here? You were supposed to be at the house while I talked to your mom. You know you shouldn’t be wandering off on your own.”

  The other twin piped up. “But Ya-Ya told Dad you were picking up the cake. We had to come and make sure it was going to be good. And we got to help and it…was…awesome!”

  Frannie wasn’t sure she was physically capable of being that excited, at least not without passing out.

  Matthias, who was evidently completely at ease with their high energy, only chuckled. “Of course you did. So, is it ready now?”

  Frannie nodded. “It is.” She went into the kitchen and set the cupcakes she’d hidden in the fridge when the boys arrived in two boxes, along with the half-dozen they’d frosted. The boys both hugged her around the hips.

  Matthias said, “You need a ride over? Mama said you were coming to the party.”

  “Oh.” She scrambled for words. He wanted the awkwardness to continue? “I really can’t. There’s no one to watch the—”

  “Good morning.” The words were bright and cheerful, and belonged to Susan Sheraton.

  The First Lady.

  Frannie sucked in a breath and coughed, trying not to drop the cupcakes. “Good morning, ma’am. What can I get you?”

  The first lady smiled. “Actually, I’m here to help you.” She set her forearms on the counter, her manicured fingernails linked together, and smiled a natural and very genuine smile Frannie imagined had set many people at ease over the years.

  Frannie didn’t move. “Uh…you are?”

  Matthias chuckled and rounded the counter with the boys, while Frannie set the cupcake boxes on the counter. He smiled like everything was totally normal. “Good morning, Susan.”

  Susan? He called the first lady, Susan? It was her name…but still. Who did that?

  “Good morning, Matthias. Boys, are you having a fun birthday?”

  They bounced in his arms. “Yeah!” “Birthday!”

  The first lady laughed, a dignified and classy chuckle that made Frannie feel frumpy in comparison.

  Mrs. Sheraton and her daughter, Beth, had arrived a few weeks ago in secret, after the newspapers reported multiple targeted attacks against the first lady. Initially it had been thought to be assassination attempts on the president until it became clear Susan was the target, and her daughter Beth had been caught in the crossfire.

  The investigation had uncovered a secret service agent connected to an eco-terrorist group, which compromised the whole organization and left the first lady and her daughter with nowhere safe to go—except Sanctuary.

  Frannie hoped for their sakes the whole thing was wrapped up quickly so that Susan and Beth got to return home. Plus, she was ready for the internet to be turned back on. Being on security lockdown was annoying when she needed to look up recipes. But not enough of an inconvenience to complain to the sheriff, like some people had done.

  She could live with reading her news in print a week late.

  Susan turned her winning smile to Frannie. “Olympia told me you have a certain party to go to, and you might need someone to watch the bakery while you’re gone.”

  Frannie gaped.

  “I don’t expect you to pay me, it’s just a favor. But Beth has taken over the position as school teacher, and since my daughter is working, I’ve decided I might need something to occupy my time. Maybe this could be a trial, and if you like the arrangement, we could turn it into something more regular.”

  The first lady wanted a job? A floor-sweeping, tray-hauling, crumbs, dirty dishes and frosting in her hair…job? There was no way Frannie was going to let her do all that. Assisting customers, maybe—she’d probably sell a lot of cupcakes—but not the other stuff. A woman like her didn’t do menial labor.

  Her smile faltered. “Of course, if you don’t—”

  “No, no.” Frannie stopped herself before more words tumbled out. “Uh…yes. I could actually use the help.”

  Except she would actually have to go to the twins’ birthday party, instead of hiding in the bakery and working. Now she was going to have to figure out how to stay out of Matthias’s way, all the while making it not obvious she was trying to do exactly that.

  What on earth was Olympia up to?

  The first lady smiled. “You have nothing to worry about. I’ll take care of your shop. I have some retail experience from my college days. If you’ll just go through the procedure with me, I should be able to keep things running.”

  Frannie felt her cheeks warm. Olympia was obviously trying to help, and it wasn’t like she didn’t need it, but that meant they all knew she was struggling. And why did it bother her so much, anyway? She didn’t want to run herself ragged covering for her mom and sister; she’d rather get her life straight than continue in this mess. But admitting she needed help was a whole other story. Stella was in the medical center. It wasn’t like she could just replace the woman. How did you do that?

  Today, all she needed to do was accept the offer. “Yes, ma’am.”

  “You can call me Susan.”

  Frannie had to apologize for the only clean apron hanging in the closet, but the first lady didn’t seem too concerned over the ragged material. She wouldn’t be saying that later when she was “glowing,” exhausted and with powdered sugar on her expensive blouse. She showed Susan the ledger, explaining her pricing system.

  “That must give you a whole lot of accounting to settle.”

  Frannie shrugged, but the first lady was right. She had ordered so much of her life to make the drama of her mom and sister’s behavior as minimal as possible. It meant extra paperwork, but for the sake of not having cash in the store it was worth it. And while that had been okay for a long time, now she was starting to get tired of it. After the break-in last night where they’d gone way too far, taking advantage of her for the hundredth time, the time had come for a change.

  “Is everything okay, dear?”

  Frannie shook her head to dissipate the convoy of thoughts and shot the first lady a smile she hoped looked nice and not scary. “If you think you’ll be fine, I’ll be back in two hours.”

  “No problem.” The first lady moved toward her. Frannie braced as Susan Sheraton wrapped her toned arms around her and gave a little squeeze. Then tiny five-year-old hands grabbed hers and pulled her toward the door.

  “Birthday party!”

  Frannie blinked and looked at each of them. Matthias’s eyes were warm. Whatever had passed between them was now gone in place of amusement. “Let’s go.”

  She moved with him to the door, where Matthias stopped. “You want to take off your apron?”

  Frannie looked down. “Oh. Right.” She hung it up in back and then came back out. He was still smiling.

  “I’m ready now.”

  They walked outside looking like a couple with two kids. Everyone in town knew differently, but it was how they would appear.

  Today was turning out to be one of the strangest days of Frannie’s life.

  **

  Matthias soaked it up, since it was likely the only time in his life he would get out of his truck in the company of a woman who wasn’t his sister and two kids. He took the cupcakes from her, and they walked across the grass to where the party was all set up.

  The boys ran ahead to their dad, who was talking with Matthias’s mom. Olympia looked up at the boys’ yell, and her eyes caught sight of him walking over with Frannie.

  He saw the moment it hit her, the split-second when his mom’s face changed from curious to ecstatic. He pushed
out a breath and tried to keep smiling. Cue the wrong idea.

  Tables had been set up, covered now with food, presents and a drink station. The crowd was impressive given this was a birthday party for a pair of five-year-olds. Beside the gathering was the town’s park, where someone had hooked a sprinkler to a hose, and a dozen kids were running through the spray. He’d have to keep the twins with the party or they’d wind up soaked.

  His mom bypassed the cake boxes he was holding and pulled him down to kiss his cheek, a knowing look in her eye. “Matthias.”

  Matthias didn’t want to know what she was going to say to Frannie, and he wasn’t going to wait around to be embarrassed by it. He strode away to deposit the cakes on the folding-table draped with a blue tablecloth, but heard, “Precious.”

  His stomach clenched, and his fingers throbbed from slamming his fist into Diego’s face. Thankfully he hadn’t broken the skin on his hand, it was just red and sore. Matthias’s mom did not need to know he’d lost his cool with Diego.

  He looked back to where his mom was embracing Frannie. The look on Frannie’s face wasn’t entirely happy, as though she hadn’t expected to be hugged. And why not? Frannie’s mom and sister were pretty touchy-feely women.

  Matthias set the cupcakes down. His mom would love it if he started a relationship with Frannie. She’d have the two of them married off for their happily ever after within three days, and she would tell everyone it was her doing. Matthias figured he’d be too busy being happy to complain. Too bad it wasn’t going to happen. He didn’t need another person to tiptoe around.

  “Matthias!” Pat Mason, the sheriff’s son, ran at him, full force.

  Matthias braced and let his little friend slam into him for a hug. “Dude, did you grow a foot since last Sunday?”

  Pat grinned. “Dad says I’m having a growth spurt.”

  “I believe it.” Matthias ruffled the nine-year-old’s hair. “How’s school going?”

  The kid shrugged. “Pretty good. Mrs. Myerson is cool, even if her dad is a Democrat.”