She heard knocking on the front door. She shoved the chair out of the way, then opened her door and raced down the stairs. She flung the door open, relieved to have them there. After hanging up with the dispatcher, Jessica invited the officers in.
“I understand there’s been a break-in and you’re not sure if the intruder is still here,” one of the officers said.
“Yes. I was out this evening and when I got home I discovered that some letters were missing.”
“Was anything else taken?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t realize there had been a break-in until I saw the letters were gone.”
The first officer glanced at the other officer before looking back at Jessica. “If it’s all right with you, ma’am, I’m going to look around and make sure the house is secure. Officer Brighton will stay with you while you check to see if anything else appears to be missing.”
“Okay.” Jessica went into each of the downstairs rooms with Officer Brighton and looked around while he checked to make sure no one was hiding. Nothing else seemed to be missing, although some items seemed to be moved around, like someone had rummaged through things. But it wasn’t her house and she couldn’t be sure.
“The house is secure,” the first officer said as he found Jessica and Officer Brighton in the sunroom. “Did you find anything else missing?”
“No, just the letters.” She hesitated. “But, well I can’t be sure, but it seems like some things are out of place.”
“But nothing’s missing except some letters?” He paused. “Are you sure you didn’t just misplace them?”
“I remember putting them in my nightstand drawer this afternoon.” She was certain of it.
“What kind of letters were these?” Office Brighton asked.
“Well, they were, uh, just some old family letters.”
“Okay. Well, if you see or hear anything suspicious, give us a call.”
Jessica nodded and walked them to the door. They left a moment later and she had the impression that they thought she was just some flighty woman who had misplaced the letters. When she looked at it from their point of view she couldn’t blame them. After all, why would someone risk a breaking and entering charge just to take some old letters?
Jessica wondered who had taken them and how the person had gotten in. She was pretty sure she had locked the door when she and Alex had left for dinner, but she wasn’t positive. Thinking back, the last time she had seen the letters was when she had put William’s letter and the newspaper photo into the drawer that afternoon. Afterward she had taken her laptop into the sunroom and worked until Kyle left.
Kyle, she thought. Could he have taken them? But why would he? As far as she knew, he didn’t even know about them. Could someone have paid him to take them? Who even knew about them besides her and Ellen? Had Ellen told anyone about them?
Agitated now, Jessica checked each door in the house that led outside and made sure each one was locked. She went into the kitchen and fixed herself a mug of hot chocolate. As the milk heated up in the microwave, she wondered if she would be able to sleep. The idea of someone being in her house, in her bedroom, really freaked her out.
Sipping the hot liquid, she stared into space and considered why someone would want to take the letters. Had word gotten back to Douglas Harrington that she was asking about his parents? Did he know that William was his father, but didn’t want the truth to come out? How did he know the letters existed? And how did he know where to find them?
Kyle, she thought again. He had been in her room when she’d put the letters in the drawer. Had he seen them? How long had he been standing there before he had made his presence known?
I’ll just have to ask him about it tomorrow, she decided. She finished her drink, then went upstairs and got ready for bed. After closing her door and pushing the chair in front of it, she slipped between the covers and closed her eyes, but each time the house creaked or groaned her eyes shot open. After an hour she gave up. Turning on the bedside lamp, she propped up her pillows, grabbed a novel she’d left next to her bedside, and read until her eyelids grew heavy and she was able to fall asleep.
When she woke early the next morning and thought about what she was going to say to Kyle about the missing letters, her heart pounded. After showering and getting ready for the day, she booted up her laptop and began working. As she anticipated Kyle’s arrival, she found it difficult to concentrate, but pushed forward and got some work done.
When Kyle knocked on the door at his usual time, Jessica’s heart raced. She took a deep breath and slowly released it before walking to the door.
“Hi Jessica,” he said, a smile on his face.
His green eyes seemed to sparkle and it took her a moment to gather the courage to ask him about the letters. Opening the door for him to enter, she watched him walk inside and head toward the stairs. “Hey, Kyle?”
“Yeah?” He turned to face her.
“Do you happen to know a Douglas Harrington?”
A mild look of surprise flitted across his face. “Sure. I’ve done some work for him from time to time.”
“Have you spoken to him recently?”
Kyle’s eyebrows drew together. “Why?”
“Have you?”
“Yes. What is this about?”
This was the part Jessica had been nervous about. “Well, I found out some information about him and now something of mine is missing.”
“And?”
“Has he said anything to you or do you know anything about it?”
Kyle shook his head, a look of confusion on his face. “I don’t understand. Why would he talk to me about it and how would I know anything about it? What are you even talking about? What’s missing?”
Frustrated that this conversation seemed to be going nowhere, she sighed. “Look, Kyle. Yesterday you saw me put something in my bedside drawer. Now that something is gone.”
“What?! Are you accusing me of stealing?”
The anger in his tone made Jessica doubt her suspicion, and now she felt embarrassed for accusing him. “No!”
“Then what are you implying?”
“I’m sorry. Forget it.”
“Look, Jessica. I don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into, but you shouldn’t mess with Douglas.”
“What do you mean?”
Kyle glanced to the side before looking back at her. “Just be careful, okay?”
“Okay. I’m sorry if you thought I was accusing you.”
“Yeah, sure.” He turned and walked up the stairs.
Jessica watched him go, wondering what he meant about Douglas Harrington. Evidently she’d already messed with him, based on the fact that the letters were gone. She decided to go see her aunt and see what she thought.
~*~*~
“And you’re sure you didn’t just misplace them?” Ellen asked after Jessica had told her story.
“No. I’m certain I put them in the drawer.”
“Let’s talk about this while we walk.”
Ellen stood and they moved toward the door. Jessica reached out her left hand to open the door and Ellen stopped.
“Let me see your hand, Jessica.”
Jessica released the door and held out her left hand for her aunt to see.
Ellen studied the ring on Jessica’s finger. “It looks like we have many things to talk about. Tell me about this as we walk.”
Jessica held the door open again and they walked down the hall.
“I’m sorry, Ellen. I should have mentioned the ring first thing, but this whole letters thing has been on my mind.”
Ellen nodded and waited for Jessica to continue.
“Alex proposed last night.”
“Did he now? And what did you say?”
“I said I had to think about it.”
“And have you thought about it?”
“Truthfully, not that much. As soon as I discovered the letters had been stolen, that’s pretty much been my focus.”
&nb
sp; “That tells me a lot right there.”
“What do you mean?”
“If you were crazy in love with Alex, I would think his proposal would be foremost in your mind.”
“I do love him. At least I used to. I think I still do.”
“Jessica.” Ellen regarded her with a look of understanding. “Either you love him or you don’t.”
“Is it really that simple?” Jessica asked as they left the building and entered the garden area.
“It can be. When it comes to the man you want to spend the rest of your life with, you shouldn’t have to think so hard about it. You need to listen to your heart. Now, who do you see yourself spending the rest of your life with?”
Kyle, Jessica immediately thought. But when she looked at her aunt, she just shook her head, not able to speak for the sorrow she felt.
“Oh, Jessica. You need to have faith that everything will work out as it should.”
Jessica allowed a small smile to form on her lips, trying to believe her aunt, although inside she doubted things would work out at all. Not wanting to talk about her love life anymore, she changed the subject back to the letters. “Ellen, I was wondering, did you happen to mention the letters to anyone here?”
Ellen looked sheepish. “I may have said something to some of the other ladies here.”
“You didn’t.”
“You have to understand. It can be quite boring here. Sometimes we share things we shouldn’t, just to make life a little more interesting. And you have to admit, those letters were pretty darned interesting.”
“How many people did you tell?”
“A few. But let’s face it, they probably told others.” A look of regret came over Ellen’s face. “I’m so sorry, dear. I had no idea someone would come into the house and steal them.” She looked thoughtful. “Do you think it’s safe to stay there now?”
“They got what they wanted. I doubt there’s any danger now.”
“You’re probably right. Just be careful though. Okay?”
“Of course.”
As Jessica drove through town on her way home, a large sign in front of a used car dealership caught her eye. Harrington Motors. Why didn’t I notice that before? I’ll bet Douglas owns that place.
On impulse, Jessica pulled into the parking lot. As she climbed out of her car, a salesman immediately approached her.
“Can I help you?” he asked.
Not sure what she was trying to accomplish, Jessica smiled and said the first thing that came to mind. “My aunt wants to get a new car, so I’m just seeing what you have on the lot.”
“I can help you with that.” He held out his hand. “My name’s Kevin.”
She shook his hand. “Jessica.”
He asked a few questions about the kind of car her aunt wanted, and Jessica made up answers, then she followed him around the lot, looking at different cars.
He stopped at several, trying to sell her car after car, but she resisted each time, telling him she wasn’t sure if the price was low enough.
What am I doing? She thought. I have work to do. I don’t have time to waste looking for a car I don’t need. She glanced around the lot, thinking of an excuse to end this exercise, and saw a man coming out of the main doors. He looked familiar, but she couldn’t place him. “Who’s that?” she asked the salesman.
He stopped the spiel he was giving and turned to see who she was asking about. “Oh. That’s Mr. Harrington. This is his dealership.”
“Oh.” She tried to hide the surprise she felt to see the man who was the child of William and Teal.
The salesman suddenly called out, “Mr. Harrington, can you come here a minute?”
As Jessica watched Douglas Harrington turn in their direction and start walking toward them, panic slithered up her back. What if he’s the one who stole the letters? Does he know it was me who found them? As she tried to think of an excuse to leave, Douglas Harrington stopped next to Kevin.
“Hi there,” he said to Jessica, a friendly expression on his face.
She froze for a moment as she quickly took in his appearance. Average height, graying hair, hazel eyes. She wondered if he looked like William. “Uh, hi.” She couldn’t tell if he recognized her, but when she considered the idea that he may have been rummaging around in her bedroom the night before, she felt a chill crawl up her spine.
“What can I help you with, Kevin?”
“This young lady is looking for a car but I’m not having much success finding one that fits her needs. When she saw you and asked who you were, I had an idea.”
“Is that right?”
Jessica’s panic grew as Douglas trained his gaze on her. If he knows it was me who had the letters, he’s going to suspect that I’m snooping around.
“Yes, indeed,” Kevin said. “I thought to myself, ‘If she could just meet the owner, maybe she would feel better about working with us to put together a deal.’” Kevin turned his attention back to Jessica. “Mr. Harrington has owned this business for over fifteen years now. I think if you ask around, you’ll find that we have many happy customers who have found that we have the best deals in the region.”
Speechless, Jessica managed to nod.
Douglas held out his hand. “I’m Douglas Harrington.”
Jessica took his hand, which was cool and dry, but didn’t speak.
“This is Jessica,” Kevin offered.
“Jessica?” Douglas asked.
She nodded, trying to think of a way to escape.
He released her hand. “What kind of car are you looking for?”
“It’s for her aunt,” Kevin said before she had a chance to respond.
“Your aunt? What’s her name? I know most of the people around here, although I don’t believe I’ve met you before.”
“No, I don’t live here,” she said, finally finding her voice. “I’m just visiting.”
“And what did you say your aunt’s name is?”
Jessica hesitated, somehow afraid to give her aunt’s real name. “Debra,” she suddenly said, thinking of her mother. “Debra Stevens.”
Douglas squinted for a second, like it wasn’t the answer he had expected, then his expression smoothed out. “I don’t think I know her.”
“I’m sorry, but I have an appointment I need to get to,” Jessica said. “I’ll have to come back another time.”
“Okay, thanks for stopping by,” Douglas said.
Kevin reached into his pocket and pulled out a card, holding it out to her. “Make sure to ask for me when you come back, Jessica.”
“Okay, thanks.” She turned away from the men and walked to her car as quickly as she could without actually running, although that’s what she wanted to do. As she drove home her panic began to recede and she tried to remember where she’d seen Douglas before. Then it came to her. He was the man at the restaurant who had been so rude to the server.
“Huh,” she said out loud. Then she remembered what Kyle had said about not messing with him, and frowned. I guess Douglas Harrington’s not a very nice person, she thought. She tried to reconcile that with the man she had spoken to moments before and felt fresh worry begin to grow in her mind. What kind of person was he really? Was he the one who took the letters from her room? Did he know she was the one who had found the letters?
What could she do about it though? Even if Douglas Harrington was the person who had taken the letters, she had no way of proving that. She wasn’t about to go to the police and accuse him of breaking and entering. Besides, he’d probably destroyed the letters and would flatly deny any knowledge of them. No one would believe her, a visitor to the town, over him, a prominent business owner.
As Jessica pulled up to her aunt’s house she forced her worry to the back of her mind and focused on her programming project since she knew she needed to work on it before she could do anything else. She went into the house, then into the sunroom, where she managed to work for several hours until her stomach reminded her that she hadn’t eat
en anything since breakfast.
After a late lunch she decided to search for the vases before getting back to work. As she passed her aunt’s room she could hear Kyle working. Frowning as she recalled the conversation she’d had with him that morning, she went up the stairs to the attic and turned on the light. The stacks of boxes seemed to mock her and she felt overwhelmed by the sheer volume. Sighing, she decided to just start looking. After searching through a number of boxes she finally found the vases. There were two medium size boxes that held several vases each. Smiling in triumph, she wondered which vases her aunt would want out. Finally she decided to just bring all of them into the kitchen and when her aunt came home they could decide which ones to box back up.
She carried the first box down to the kitchen without incident, but as she neared the bottom of the attic stairs with the second box in her hands, she misjudged where one of the steps would be and her feet slid out from under her. She screamed as the box went flying. Glass shattered and flew everywhere as she landed hard on her backside. A clamorous noise filled the hallway.
“Jess!” Kyle shouted as he raced to her side. “Are you okay?”
Deep concern was evident on his face, making Jessica momentarily forget the pain in her back. And when he wrapped his arms around her, pure electricity pulsed through her, replacing the pain. She rested her head against his strong arm, reveling in his closeness. “I think I’m okay,” she said, though she was certain she’d end up with bruises.
“Are you sure?”
“I only fell the last couple of steps. I don’t think anything’s broken.”
“If you need to carry heavy boxes, you should ask me to help.”
Irritation flickered at his insinuation that she couldn’t take care of herself, but his nearness neutralized any hard feelings. “I took another box down earlier. It was just the stupid stairs.”
“Do you think you can walk?”
“I think so.”
He helped her stand, and when he released her she immediately missed the physical contact. She looked at the shards of glass covering the floor. “I need to clean this up.”
Over You Page 17