Hayley laughed and brushed a hand over his forearm, confusing Cole further. “Of course they do. Treats are power.”
Was she flirting with him? No way.
He glanced at Rebecca. The tiny wrinkle in the center of her forehead suggested she was having the same conversation in her own mind.
And she didn’t seem too happy about it.
“Okay, so that’s a great angle for this story. Tell me more about the prison program.” Hayley batted her eyelashes. “You’re going to get me the front page.”
Instead of chasing away the reporter as he was begging her to do with his eyes, Rebecca raised a hand. “Good work today, Cole. Next week, we’ll finalize our plan for that prison visit.” She didn’t meet his eyes again, but when she slipped inside her car, she ruffled her curls and hesitated a minute before pulling away.
At that moment, Cole wished his team, the one he hadn’t wanted but had collected somehow anyway, was here to run interference. On his own, this could be a disaster.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
REBECCA’S OPTIMISM AS she dialed the admissions director of Southeast Texas Community College Monday morning was almost too much even for her to stand. The sun was shining. Fall was in the air. Eric had gotten a nearly perfect grade on his latest biology test, as she learned from her first email of the day. Good things were happening.
The only gray cloud in her life was the unpredictable waves of sadness that hit every now and then when she thought about Cole and Freddie. Cole had been devastated, and when she thought about never hearing Freddie and his joyous, sometimes obnoxious voice, she got a lump in her throat.
Had she spent entirely too many hours considering how Cole’s conversation with the reporter had gone and whether they’d actually been flirting? Yes. Had she made any decision on what she’d planned to say to Cole about the kiss when Hayley interrupted? No. Did she wish he’d kissed her again instead of being so apologetic about the whole thing?
“Admissions. Diane Clark speaking.”
Instant relief washed over Rebecca. She was so tired of thinking about Cole Ferguson and that brief kiss.
One of the things she’d learned about Diane through the years was that she didn’t waste anyone’s time, or her own.
“Hey, Diane, this is Rebecca Lincoln from Holly Heights. How are you?” Rebecca made sure the smile on her face was reflected in her voice. That worked wonders and she was going to ask for big favors from Diane eventually.
“Busy, which is a good thing,” Diane said. “You have a new batch of kids to send our way next year?”
Rebecca could hear the rustle of paper. Was she multitasking or getting ready to jot down names?
“You bet, but I’ve got a special case that I wanted to talk to you about,” Rebecca said carefully. “STCC has a vet tech program, right?” Of course the school did. She was looking at the current year’s class catalogue, but it was easier to start with a question than a demand.
“You bet. Highest job placement stats in the state of Texas.” The satisfaction in Diane’s voice amused Rebecca. “I’ll send you some info.”
“Great. And could you confirm your deadlines for financial assistance applications? I also need any updated grants or scholarships for next year. You know, when you have all that.” Rebecca twiddled her pen.
“Sure, but you know as long as the kid’s got the stuff, I’ll make it happen. That’s part of the mission here at the college. You send me the kids with the grades, I’ll get them tuition.” Diane click-clacked as she spoke. Rebecca knew she’d have an email rehashing their phone conversation two seconds after she hung up and the printed materials would be in her hands tomorrow. Diane did not hesitate.
“Well...here’s the thing.” Rebecca pondered the best way to say what she needed to say. “We’re working on his grades.”
“In his senior year?” Diane’s voice was quiet. “How bad are they?”
“Not good enough to move mountains to get him financial aid, but he’s volunteering at our animal shelter three days a week. He made a ninety-eight percent on a biology test. And he lights up around the animals.” Sure, it was the first week of Eric’s new commitment at school, but if he kept this up, he deserved to have a chance. It took some kids longer than others to find their way.
“Hmm.” Diane sighed. “That’s less exciting, but you do have some time. If he turns it around, I’ll figure it out. I always do. Any other programs this kid might be interested in? Automotive or even accounting? Those are our most popular, successful programs. Good chance he’ll be hired right out of the two-year program.”
Thinking of her conversation with Debbie and Eric’s halfhearted suggestion that he’d enlist, Rebecca said, “Yes, please send them. I’ll pass them along. I’m also going to have the army recruiter meet with Eric, because he mentioned it, but his sister will not be pleased.”
Diane sighed. “Yeah, but he’s got a lifetime to work. He needs to find what he loves.”
Diane might be hard-nosed about her time and the wasting of it, but her heart was in the right place. She did what it took to help kids. Those were the kinds of people Rebecca wanted to work with.
“You bet.” Rebecca turned up the chipper in her voice again. “I know we can do this, Diane. Thanks for your help.”
“Sure, but find me some good candidates for the early childhood education program or even the culinary arts. Those are the focus areas for the year, and kids don’t know what the possibilities are. Either one of those certificates means a good chance of landing a job immediately after graduation, and the pay’s not bad. Plus, there’s room to move on. You know how many kids start here and transfer their hours to a state college. Teachers, Rebecca. You know how badly Texas needs more teachers, but our kids, the ones we work with, they can’t see a way into the degree required. We’re missing out, and those kids who might someday lead the next generation are lost and I hate it.” Diane took a breath. “I’m sorry. I got wound up.”
“I love it,” Rebecca said passionately. “Don’t you ever change. You want someday teachers? I will find them. Send me some printed material. I’ll start hunting.”
Diane laughed. “I’ll hire a truck, make a special delivery.”
“Not that much printed material, but I’m serious. Let’s set up meetings, Diane. We haven’t done that in three years. I’ll pull together twenty or thirty kids, break them down into groups. You can present your programs.”
Rebecca had already started a list with Eric’s name at the top. This was what she’d been missing with her focus on the kids who were aiming for academic scholarships at universities and colleges. Not every kid had the grades or even the desire for those schools, but every kid had talent and dreams. Diane was the help she needed to reach the kids that were slipping through the cracks. Rebecca slowly crossed out Eric’s name. They needed to start younger. Sophomores. But Eric was going to have his own meeting.
“Perfect. Let’s do it. How soon?” The clicking and clacking convinced Rebecca that Diane was pulling up her calendar. After they considered and discarded a few different days, she and Diane settled on late November.
“I’m glad you called, Rebecca, even if that means I’m going to break my back to help out,” Diane said. “If only everyone I work with could be as determined.”
“I know what you mean.” Rebecca glanced down at the list of things necessary to make this work and was already exhausted, but it would happen. Or else. “As soon as I have a chance to sit down with Eric, I’ll show him the info. I could bring him and his sister down to see the campus and meet you.” She’d never done that with any other student. Why hadn’t she? The uncomfortable answer was that she usually picked much less challenging candidates than Eric.
“Good idea. Campus visits make it easier to imagine STCC as a possibility,” Diane said politely, but Rebecca could te
ll she’d already moved on to the next item on her mental list, so she cut short the chitchat and hung up.
Then, as expected, the quiet beep of her email notified her that Diane had sent the summary with the November date in the subject line. So efficient.
Before she could move down the pile in her email inbox, her cell rang. She frowned as she dug around in her tote bag to pull it from the depths. Everyone knew she was at work. Who would be calling on her cell? When the shelter’s number showed on the screen, Rebecca laughed. Sarah must have forgotten what day it was. Maybe she had an adoption event hangover.
“Hey, I’m working.” Rebecca clicked on the first email and settled in her chair.
“Yeah, but I wasn’t sure who else to call,” Sarah said in a shaky voice. “I mean, the police, obviously. They’re on the way. Shelly’s already here. And Jen’s in class.” Sarah sniffed so loudly into the phone that Rebecca pulled it away from her ear. Was she crying?
“What’s happened? Is it Will? Or one of the dogs?” What could rattle Sarah like this? She’d lived through being deserted by her father and losing everything without losing her cool.
“We had a break-in last night.” Sarah sniffed again. “I wasn’t sure when I got here, but I think the door was unlocked. The bake sale money and the donations, all gone.” Her voice was choked. “Some of the small electronics. I need as many eyes down here as I can get. Can you come?”
“You bet. I’m on the way.” Rebecca opened a new email message as she ended the call and fired off a short message to the principal. She didn’t have any meetings scheduled that morning, so no one would miss her. On her way down the hallway, right past the dark corner she’d been certain would bother her every day but now no longer even registered, she typed out a quick text to Jen. Then she ran for the car.
Driving sedately through Holly Heights was an easy task most days. Pedestrians treated traffic in the streets with a small-town indifference, so it was important to be on the lookout for the unwary, but today the streets were nearly empty. As she raced past the trailer park, she noticed the shelter’s van and wondered what Cole was doing. Shouldn’t he be at work?
Two policemen were getting out of a Holly Heights Police Department cruiser when she slammed to a stop in the parking spot closest to the door. Instead of waiting to make pleasant conversation as she would have every other day of every other year, Rebecca left her bag in the front seat and ran for the open front door. “Sarah?” she called as she stopped in the lobby. She’d expected a crowd to greet her, but the lobby was empty.
“In here. Putting my face on,” Sarah said quietly. “While trying not to touch anything important.” She poked her head around the doorframe of the tiny bathroom in the lobby and waved. Her eyes were puffy, but she was still so beautiful it was unfair. Even in a ragged T-shirt and jeans and with tearstained cheeks, Sarah Hillman had style.
Rebecca held out her arms. “I’m sorry.” Sarah was nodding as she leaned against Rebecca. “But the dogs are okay? And the cats are fine?” Rebecca squeezed Sarah’s shoulders hard. “Whoever was here was already gone by the time Cole got here?”
“We’re all fine. Cole’s off today, so I opened. I fed and watered and had the itch along the back of my neck that something was off. Then I went in my office.” Sarah rubbed her eyes. “The filing cabinet drawers were all open. My laptop’s gone. It’s just... They took what they could carry.”
“But why search the filing cabinet,” Rebecca asked, “unless they knew that’s where you kept the money?”
“I should have taken it home with me, but I thought it was safe.” Sarah shook her head. “I’m so sorry. Whoever was here knew about the event. It’s the only time of the year when this place has anything worth taking.”
Rebecca wrapped her arms around Sarah again and squeezed as hard as she could. “Don’t beat yourself up. You didn’t do this. The police are here. We’ll talk to them and then we’ll...move on. That’s it.” She brushed her hands up and down Sarah’s chilly arms. “Where’s Will?”
“On his way. Chloe wanted to spend the night and have him take her to school this morning, so he’s coming from Austin.” Sarah sniffed. “That’s why I was putting mascara on.” Her watery laugh was sweet and heartbreaking.
When the two policemen entered the lobby, she and Sarah turned to greet them. Immediately, Sarah stiffened. “You. What are you doing here?” She shook her head. “No way. There’s no way you’re working in Holly Heights now.”
The older cop held out a hand. “Now, Miss Hillman, I’m not sure what you mean, but...”
“I mean Hollister here.” She pointed at the second man, a guy who might be handsome if he weren’t so grim. “He harassed me at my home until I lost it. Then he followed me to my place of work and told my boss and boyfriend to fire me. Even after I helped him find my father, he refused to return my phone calls with any updates.” Then she frowned. “Because he doesn’t work for the Austin police anymore, I guess.” Her shoulders slumped. “You cannot be working here. Please.”
“First week.” Hollister ran a hand down his nape. “And everything I did was part of the job. If you aren’t getting information about your father, it’s because there’s not any. That’s it.”
Rebecca was worried because Sarah stood there, frozen, her mouth hanging open for so long that she started to wonder if something else was happening and they needed to call for an ambulance. Eventually, Sarah dragged in a ragged breath. Every bit of color in her face was gone. “I need Will.”
Rebecca grabbed Sarah’s hand and squeezed. “He’s coming. Right now we’ll help with the investigation. Then the officers will go, and you can tell me why I hate this man.” She blinked at Hollister and shrugged as if to say it wasn’t personal. Best friends hated people for no good reason all the time, just because. That’s the way it worked.
The fact that he was a cop and possibly the most eligible bachelor around might have caused her to hesitate for a second, but Sarah’s grip on her hand was starting to hurt.
“Walk us through the morning,” the older policeman said. “Officer Adams.” He offered his hand and Rebecca rolled her eyes.
“Yeah, Davy. We know you.” Rebecca waved her hand. “You were the one who gave all the safety lectures at school. And you know us. No introduction needed.”
“Give us the facts,” Hollister said, and shifted easily out of the way when Sarah would have elbowed him to pass by.
“I used my key to enter. Now that I think about it, the door might have been unlocked, but I’m not sure.” Sarah motioned them to follow. “Inside, I locked the door and dropped my tote on the counter here. Then I moved straight into the dog room and let out the first group of dogs. I cleaned kennels and refilled food and water until it was time to switch out the groups. I did that until all the dogs had been fed, watered and exercised. I gave every animal that needed it medication. Then about eight o’clock, I went into my office to check the email, hoping for more offers of adoption after the weekend.”
Each step Sarah took was precise, an angry march that might have been different without Hollister in the parade following her. Rebecca was dying to know more about what had happened between them.
“When I stepped in my office and flipped on the light, I noticed the filing cabinet.” She pointed. All the drawers were open. The top drawer was misshapen as if someone had yanked and shoved it to break the lock. “That’s where I’d put the money from this weekend.”
“How much money?” Hollister asked, his pen poised to make a note.
Sarah tipped her chin up. “Almost fifteen hundred dollars in cash. Some checks. I’ll show you the receipts.” She didn’t glance in Hollister’s direction. “All the desk drawers are the same. I don’t even know why I lock them except I have files with addresses on them.” She raised both eyebrows. “And they sure don’t lock now.” Every drawer in the metal
desk was off-kilter like the ones in the filing cabinet.
“So you touched the door and the phone. Anything else?” Hollister asked. “In here, specifically.”
“No. Once I realized what had happened, I got out.” Sarah wrapped her arms tightly over her chest.
“Adams, dust for fingerprints. I’ll check the doors and windows,” Hollister said.
Davy Adams shifted, almost as if he wanted to argue, before motioning toward the hallway. “Ladies, if you’ll—”
“We’ll be outside in the play yard when you have more questions,” Rebecca said, and towed Sarah by the hand down the hallway and out into the chilly morning air. There, it was easier to think. Some of the color returned to Sarah’s cheeks.
“Want to tell me about it?” Rebecca asked as Sarah dropped down on the bench. “Hollister?”
Sarah brushed her hair back. “He’s the detective working on my father’s case. Was the detective, I guess. Does he live here, do you think?” She shook her head. “I can’t even imagine running into him in the produce section.” She closed her eyes. “He can’t live here.”
Thinking that a man who worked in Holly Heights would be a fool not to live there, too, Rebecca patted Sarah’s back and stared out over the yard without answering.
“His first week, we have a break-in and I have to call the police. Life is too much sometimes.” Sarah pinched a pleat in her jeans. “I’ve come to terms with having my dad in jail. Really, I have. I want him close, so that I know he’s okay. Hollister suggested my father might be dying alone somewhere and I can’t get that out of my head. Here, I can see him again. He’s a thief, but he’s my dad.” She sighed. “You think I’m crazy.”
Rebecca eased down beside Sarah and tried to put herself in her friend’s shoes. Family was important and Big Bobby Hillman was all Sarah had. Rebecca didn’t want to imagine living her life without parents who’d encouraged her to be better, always to be better. Her brother, Daniel, had been an arrogant snot, but even when he’d destroyed his own reputation at Holly Heights Hospital, she’d wanted to help him, protect him, save him. That’s what family was for. People without that lifeline, like Cole and Sarah, had no support. If she lost that, she might never recover.
Keeping Cole's Promise Page 15