“This time. But what’s to prevent you from doing something as foolish again in the future?”
“I don’t need a lecture from a man who doesn’t obey the rules either.”
“Excuse me?”
Randi paled.
“Do you have a videotape of Jordan and me kissing?”
“What? Who’s feeding you this stuff?”
“I was hoping you might. Be nice for our memory book in the future. Look—I’m fine.”
“I can see that. Miss Blake, I need your word you’ll stay out of this investigation. We can’t have you tipping off the suspects.”
“Are you saying you believe Jordan?”
“I won’t go that far, but he obviously doesn’t have the child.”
He relaxed his stance. “By the way, for the record, I do have a judge’s order now to listen in on Jordan’s phone conversations. And if something had happened to you tonight, you’d have been glad I did. Fortunately the sheriff knew who you were talking about and headed out there.”
“I didn’t see him.”
Agent Wilkes laughed. “You jogged through the neighborhood.”
Randi’s legs felt like rubber.
“Stay out of there, Miss Blake. For the sake of the child, stay away.”
“Yes, sir.”
Randi walked past Agent Wilkes into the house. She wondered who else had seen her out there. She hadn’t noticed anyone. She showered and went to bed. What had she been thinking?
nineteen
Tired from a restless night, Jordan went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. The idea of Miranda trying to find the child last night in the dark on her own caused an ulcer to develop in one night. Well, maybe not a full-blown ulcer, but close.
He had a frying pan in one hand and a mixing bowl in the other when Steve Healey walked in. “’Morning.”
“Did you sleep well?”
“Not exactly. Couches and I never seem to get along all that well. How about yourself?”
Steve was probably a few years younger than his dad. I should have offered to sleep on the couch. “Sorry you were so uncomfortable. As for me, nada. Miranda decided to go out to see someone named Mabel in search of her new neighbors.” Jordan set the frying pan down on the stove, placed the mixing bowl on the counter, and pulled out some eggs, milk, cheese, onions, peppers, ham, and potatoes.
“Miranda?”
“Sorry. Randi.” He set the refrigerator items on the counter next to the mixing bowl and fetched his cutting board and knife.
“Oh, right. As for Mabel, that would be Mabel Bishop. She’s eighty-something and doesn’t look a day over sixty-five. She works at the post office.” Jordan set a mug of black coffee in front of Steve. “She has more energy than most people half her age, me included.”
Jordan searched for the grater in the lower cabinet where he kept it. “I’d like to meet her one day.”
“You probably will. Whatcha cooking?” Steve picked up the coffee and sipped it, not bothering to add cream or sugar.
“I thought I’d make some hash-browned potatoes and an omelet. Mir—Randi is coming for breakfast. If you have the time, I’d love to make you something. A thank-you for being my babysitter last night.”
Steve laughed. “I was out pretty quickly. But I’m glad I could help. I appreciate the offer for breakfast, but I should get going.” He hesitated.
“Are you sure? Can I fix something for you to take with you? At least let me give you some coffee to go,” Jordan said. Having found the grater, he placed it on the counter on top of the cutting board.
“Nothing, really.” Steve hesitated. “I’m not sure if I’m supposed to wait here until someone else comes.”
“Oh.” The idea of having to have someone with him around the clock hadn’t appealed last night, and this morning it annoyed him. “I’m fine. Miranda will be here shortly. What could go wrong?”
“You’re sure?”
“Absolutely. Go on.”
“Okay, catch ya later.” Steve finished his coffee, put on his faded Boston Red Sox cap, and headed out the door.
Jordan went back to work organizing his breakfast with Miranda. All the prep work was done when the phone rang.
“Hello.”
“Jordan, this is Sheriff McKean. We caught them early this morning.”
“Praise the Lord! Is the little girl safe and unharmed?”
“She’s safe.”
Jordan knew Lucy Tomisson had been kidnapped for ransom, and usually the victims were kept in good health, unlike other abductions. “I’m really glad to hear this. Does that mean I’m clear of any charges from Agent Wilkes?”
The sheriff chuckled. “More than likely he’s trying to pull his foot out of his mouth right now. I hope this is the end of it for you. And, more important, it’s the end of it for this child. Her parents should be arriving up here in about four more hours.”
“I’d love to photograph that reunion.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Sorry, Sheriff. I was speaking out loud. I’m not asking to be an intrusion on their family time. I just know there will be some mighty happy faces on both parents and child.”
“More than likely. All right. I’ve got a lot of paperwork to complete, but I thought you’d like to know.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.”
Jordan hung up the phone. “At least I don’t have to have a babysitter any longer,” he thought aloud. Jordan made several calls, letting his parents, Dena, and others know the child had been found. He waited to tell Miranda in person.
Just then she knocked on the screen door, still wearing her running clothes. “Jordan, did you hear?”
So much for the surprise. “Yes, the sheriff called.”
“Isn’t it wonderful!” She stepped through the back door and into the kitchen.
“Yes, it’s an answer to our prayers. Come here.” He opened his arms.
“No, no, I can’t. I’m all sweaty. I just wanted you to know.”
“Thanks. So should I hold off on breakfast?”
“Oh, no, I forgot. I’m sorry. I ran seven miles this morning. Agent Wilkes scared the living daylights out of me last night.”
Jordan’s spine went rigid. “Why? What did he do? What happened?”
“Oh, nothing. He informed me that the sheriff and others saw me jogging through Mabel’s neighborhood last night.” Miranda walked over to the window. “I didn’t even see them. What if the criminals had been watching and had seen me? I could have—”
Jordan closed the distance between them, wrapping her in his arms. “Shh. It’s all right. You’re okay. Nothing happened.” Not that it couldn’t have. Fear washed over him at the thought of losing her. His heart pounded. His mind filled with an urgent desire to ask her to marry him, right now, right here. Then the sensible part of his mind kicked in and told him now was not the time. Soon, but the right time and place needed to be prayed about and certainly planned. Didn’t all women want a special proposal?
Miranda snuggled into Jordan’s embrace and released a pent-up breath. She leaned against him for a moment then jumped back. “I’m so sorry. I forgot. I soiled your clothes.”
Jordan reached out and pulled her back. “They’ll wash. Kiss me.”
Miranda giggled and complied.
Randi ran home and got ready for work. Jordan made her breakfast to go and wrapped her omelet in a soft tortilla so she could eat and drive at the same time. She wanted to cancel going to the restaurant, but she still needed the money to pay her rent. Her savings were beginning to add up; with any luck, she could start considering purchasing a home instead of renting. She was thankful for Jordan’s suggestions on how to handle her finances. All she needed was a small cottage for herself. Then it hit her. What about a home with Jordan? Children? Oh, yeah, a small cottage would not be enough.
The rest of the day, she entertained thoughts about marrying Jordan, imagining arguing over how they should wait and get to know one anoth
er better.
She wanted to get together with Jordan that evening, but she had to work on the Web pages for her clients. At home, she sat down with a sandwich, a glass of iced tea, and her computer. An hour later, she heard a knock at her door.
“Hey.”
Jordan stood there, as handsome as ever.
“Man, I love your eyes.”
Randi giggled. He’d been obsessed with her eyes since the first day they met. “Come in. I’m working, but I can visit for a while.”
“I was hoping you’d say that.”
“So what’s happening with the missing girl? Have you heard anything?”
“The parents came to town this afternoon. They’re staying at Montgomery’s Bed-and-Breakfast for the night. No one has released to the media that she’s been found. They’re going to do that tomorrow so the family can have a day without media interruption.”
“And, of course, the FBI will want to question the child.”
“Of course,” Jordan grumbled.
“He was only doing his job,” Randi reminded him gently.
“I know. But I hope he treats the little girl much better than he did me.”
She walked over to him and kissed his cheek. “He will. They’ve been trained in how to help the victims.”
The doorbell rang. Randi excused herself and went to answer it. Agent Wilkes stood there with his shoulders squared. “May I speak with Jordan Lamont, please?”
“How’d—?” She stopped. They wouldn’t still be listening in on them, would they? “Jordan!” she called back to the kitchen.
Jordan came to the door. “Agent Wilkes? What can I do for you?”
“May I come in?”
Jordan looked at Randi. She nodded. What else did one say to the FBI?
“Mr. Lamont.” Agent Wilkes looked like a hermit crab that was afraid to come out of its shell. “I want to express my apologies for anything I said or did during the course of my investigation that caused you anxiety. I was wrong. I made assumptions and didn’t examine all the facts. I’m sorry. And I know it’s a little too late, but I want to thank you for taking those pictures. Without them, we wouldn’t have little Lucy.”
“You’re welcome. And you’re forgiven.”
“Thank you.” Agent Wilkes cleared his throat. “Sheriff McKean has asked for you to come down to Montgomery’s Bed-and-Breakfast. The family would like to meet you. Oh, and they asked for you to bring your camera.”
“Al–l–l–l ri–i–ight,” Jordan said, drawing out the words. “Can Miranda come also?”
“Yes, both of you are part of why we found the little girl.”
“We’ll be there shortly.”
“Very good. And seriously, I am sorry for giving you such a hard time. I don’t know what came over me. I promise it won’t happen again. We could have lost her if—”
Jordan placed his hand on Wilkes’s shoulder. “It’s all right. She’s alive, and the Lord allowed us to find her. That’s all that matters.”
Agent Wilkes gave a halfhearted smile and nodded before walking out the door.
“Do you have your cameras?” Randi asked.
Jordan laughed. “You don’t know me all that well yet, honey, but the first thing you need to know is that I always have at least one camera with me, and generally two or three.”
Randi came up beside him. “Well, we’d better go, because I have a lot of work to do today.”
He wrapped his arms around her and yawned. “Nighttime can’t come soon enough. I didn’t sleep much last night.”
“You’re not the only one.”
“No, I imagine the sheriff and his crew are wasted, too. And tomorrow the media will descend on Squabbin Bay, and the locals won’t know what to do with ‘em.”
They met with the grateful parents for a brief visit and had a chance to get acquainted with Lucy. Jordan took some publicity photos and planned to make copies available to the media in the morning. At midnight, they released the news that Lucy Tomisson was safe and sound, along with details of her rescue.
The family had listened to the advice given by other families in similar circumstances. Jordan’s pictures would be the only ones released to the media. Randi hoped the media would respect the family’s wishes. Considering it wasn’t a high-profile case, a horde of journalists and photographers wasn’t trying from every angle to take a picture of the family. By the time the father gave the press conference, Lucy and her mother were safe and sound in another town out of reach.
The next few weeks kept Randi and Jordan squeaking out moments of time for one another. With fall approaching, she made plans to show him Acadia National Park. They packed a cooler and headed south. One day after they married, she hoped to go camping with Jordan at the park.
With his Jeep packed, they drove down the highway. “So tell me what it is about Acadia that you love? I’ve seen pictures, and it looks awesome, but why does it interest you?”
“I love camping, and it’s just like, well, the perfect example of Maine’s rustic coast. I don’t know why it’s such a special place to me. My family and I have gone there so many times over the years. We love it.”
“Hmm, I’m looking forward to it. Of course, it could be you love it because of the memories.”
“No doubt.”
“Oh, by the way, my parents are looking forward to our visit next week.”
“I can’t wait. I’m terrified, but I can’t wait.” Randi squirmed in her seat.
“Terrified? Why?”
“Because they’re your parents.”
“They already like you.”
She smiled. “So you say.”
“Hey, now, have I ever steered you wrong?”
The ring weighed heavily in Jordan’s pocket. He hoped and prayed today would be the day for another favorite memory for Miranda in Acadia National Park. Today was the first full day they’d managed to have with one another since Lucy Tomisson was found.
“No.” Miranda pulled her legs to her chest and held them. It amused him that she was so nervous at the prospect of meeting his parents.
“Miranda, I love you.”
Her smile brightened. “I love you, too. I can’t believe how busy we’ve been the past few weeks.”
“Neither can I. I’m truly sorry Lucy was kidnapped from her home, but it has helped launch my photo journalism career. Dena says she’s booked me on several shoots, and many more are pending.”
“How long will you be gone?” Her voice sounded sad.
“Each shoot is different. Is it a problem?”
“Jordan, I don’t want to come across like a wet sponge, but how often will you travel? I mean …”
“How often will I be home with you?”
“Yeah, if we get married.”
Jordan smiled. If was no longer a question in his mind, but rather when. “I’ll take only as many trips as we agree upon. Before we marry, I’d like to accept as many assignments as possible. My first obligation is to Dena and the studio, so I can’t take more than two or so a month.”
“I’m only starting to get a handle on how a photographer makes money, but are these trips that worthwhile?”
Jordan chuckled. “Most of the time, yes. Some trips, like the one to the Sudan, won’t produce a lot of income.”
“Jordan, what’s changed? When we were first getting to know one another, you told me about your plan to earn so much and have a house before you marry. Are you expecting us to wait years?”
He tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “No, I’m not wanting to wait years. But I do think a little planning and some savings would be helpful, don’t you?”
“Yes. In fact, you’ll be happy to know I started a savings account after you challenged me, and I’m happy to say I have a nice little amount set aside.”
“Wonderful. Money issues have been a problem for me for as long as I can remember. I appreciate my parents’ influence, but they drummed it into my head for so long it’s almost second nature to m
e. I’ll always be a planner, but I’m trying to be more flexible.”
“Oops. Sorry. Turn right up here.”
Jordan turned into the entrance to the park. Without question, the area was stunning.
“There’s no way for you to see the entire park in one day, so I thought we’d hike up Cadillac Mountain.”
“You’re bound and determined to have me exercise, aren’t you?”
She wiggled her eyebrows. His stomach flipped. “Probably.” She winked.
They drove up Park Loop Road and parked. “What about Duke?”
“He’ll be fine. Trust me,” she said as she bounced out of the vehicle.
“Come on, boy. We’re in for it today.” Jordan attached a leash and knew he’d be carrying Duke most of the way. His stubby little legs could not keep up with Miranda’s sleek ones.
“You tricked me,” Jordan protested. The road went right to the top of the mountain.
“Possibly.”
“Wow! It’s an awesome view.”
“Yeah, it’s pretty amazing.” Miranda beamed. “There’s such variety here. The ocean, the mountains, the sandy beach, the rocky beach, little streams—it’s all here in one spot. There’s a place over there”—she pointed to her left—“where the waves splash against the rocks and the water spews out like a geyser.”
“I would love to see it.” Man, I hope she doesn’t want a long engagement.
She placed her hand in his. “I want to show you. I want …” She paused then continued. “Jordan, I know we don’t see eye-to-eye on financial matters. Is this going to be a problem for us?”
He wrapped her in his arms. “I wondered that myself a while back. I don’t believe it will be, if we are honest and open with one another about our feelings and agree on how to handle our differences ahead of time. I told you about my parents encouraging me with regard to my income before marriage.”
She nodded.
“Well, it turns out I misunderstood what they were telling me. They set an example, and I took it as gospel.”
“So are you saying you can consider marriage before you buy your own home?”
Jordan let out a nervous chuckle. Duke barked. “Yes and no. I’m wondering if we could start looking for a place together.”
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