When she reached the office door, she stopped short, peering in to see who else might be in the room. Bret sat alone at the computer on the side of the room. His navy uniform fit tightly across his shoulders, the collar contrasting with the deep tan of his neck. Her entire being clenched at the sight of him, lust nearly overriding her common sense. Logic finally reasserted itself reminding her of the decision she’d made in the wee morning hours.
She was through being the pursuer. Assertiveness wasn’t getting her closer to him, but instead was chasing him away. She pushed her purse up further on her shoulder and strove to detach from her feelings.
A prickling sensation went down the back of Bret’s neck, breaking his concentration. He pushed away from the computer and turned so he could see the open doorway.
Meg stood there in a brown suit and pale shirt, her platinum hair pulled back with clips on either side. One strand refused to cooperate and dipped along the curve of her cheek. She wore a chain with a silver watch nestled above the cleavage in the V of her blouse. The linen slacks and heels made her legs fantasy long. For a minute, he questioned why he was running so hard. She was a damn beautiful woman. Serious and unsmiling, she gripped her handbag as if it would fly away, her fingers white with tension.
“Meg?” He couldn’t decipher the look in her eyes.
Ringing phones echoed down the hall from dispatch. Probably why Dana hadn’t announced Meg first.
“Bret.” She advanced into the room. “I brought my notes.” She slid them across the surface of the table.
“Thanks for coming. I’ll get you a chair.” He rose to pull one from the desk, but Meg put a hand out to stop him, yanking it back before touching him.
“Don’t bother. This won’t take long. I’ve pretty much explained everything in my notes.”
Bret faced her fully, puzzled over her attitude and her short, clipped sentences. Where was the heat he usually saw in her gaze? Where was the warmth he’d come to expect?
He picked up the thick stack of notes and scanned them. “You want to go over these?
“No, I think they’re pretty self-explanatory. I tried to be clear.” She gave him the once over with bland indifference—as if they didn’t know each other. For an insane minute, he wanted to kiss her to remind her of all she’d started. His brain cells recovered, fortunately, before he could act on the impulse, but the confusion lingered. She wasn’t doing anything like normal, except acting as formal as a teacher at a parent-teacher conference.
He took a chance, knowing the question would stir up a den of snakes, but he was off-balance in his navigation of her mood. “Are you mad about something?”
She turned back to him, shaking her head. “No.” Her posture was stiff, as if tension permeated every muscle, disputing that answer. “You’ve got my notes and your truck driver. That should be plenty.”
Bret groaned, a few puzzle pieces fitting together. He should have known news about the delivery truck would have reached her. He didn’t know why he hadn’t told her when he called. He guessed it was because he was anxious to get off the phone, afraid she’d question what he was doing at the police department so long, or talk him into coming over anyway when he knew that was a bad idea.
Booted footsteps echoed down the hall and he waited to see who it was before responding.
Tom walked into the room and stopped behind her. “Hi, Sis.”
“Hey.” She stood on tiptoes to kiss his cheek and gave him an affectionate hug. “Sorry, I was just leaving. I’ll call you later.” She retreated down the hall before Bret could stop her, shoes tapping on the linoleum.
Tom looked at him, confusion and question crowding his features. “You make her mad?”
“It would seem so.” He blew out a breath.
Tom dropped into a chair, giving him a pointed stare. “What did you do?”
He choked on the spit in his mouth, reluctant to admit his screw-up. He didn’t want her family anywhere near the situation between them. “I missed dinner the other night. We had planned to discuss the kids and some of her information.”
Tom rocked in the chair, a half-smile on his face. “Is that all?”
“I may have failed to mention the break in the case.” Bret shifted in his chair, sure more grilling would now come his way.
Tom studied him like a dissection in a science lab, his serious expression unnerving. “Let me give you two pieces of advice about my sister.”
Bret gave him the benefit of his full attention, relieved that someone who knew her well could advise him. “What’s that?”
“One—don’t piss her off. She’s typically all smiles and cooperation, but make her mad, she’ll make you pay. Apologies are real good. Whether you think you’re wrong or not.”
Bret opened his mouth, but realized he didn’t know what to say. Finally, he settled on neutrality. “What’s the second thing?”
“She hides behind those type of clothes and a neutral attitude when she is truly pissed.” Tom’s solemn face made the nerves in his gut pitch. “My best advice—refer back to number one. Get with her and apologize.”
Bret stared at him, floundering for a comment that wouldn’t give away the whole flipping situation. He absolutely hated not being able to talk to Tom. Who knew that making Meg angry would twist in his chest like a tangled kite in a tree? Damn it.
Supremely uncomfortable with the whole subject, Bret stretched back in his chair and changed topics. “Why aren’t you on patrol?”
Tom’s mouth turned down. “We’ve had another robbery.”
Bret groaned, running a hand through his hair. “Where?”
“Weatherhead’s. On the state highway, across from the Methodist church. They went to Mexico on Thursday for the weekend, so I’m not even sure when it happened. Neighbors noticed nothing.”
He slumped in his chair. “What’s the student’s name?” He pulled Meg’s list toward him.
“Jordan. She’s a junior.” Tom sighed. “They got a haul. Big screen television, Xbox, coin collection, some jewelry. The girl’s bedroom was destroyed. I don’t think there was one stick of furniture, clothing, posters—anything—left untouched.”
“The neighbors didn’t see or hear anything? You can’t just walk down the street with a big screen television.”
“I canvassed the neighborhood. I talked to nearly everyone. Only one house with no one home. I’ll check back with them later. You figure anything out with Meg?”
The muscles in Bret’s gut had just started to relax. They tightened back with a vengeance. “No, haven’t had a chance to really sit down with her and go over these notes. I will, though.”
“I know she’s been working on some sort of matrix. She’s spent hours on it.” Tom leaned forward and clasped his hands, letting them dangle between his legs.
Bret had the evidence of her hard work in his hands. “We get anything from the truck driver?”
“No. Lawyered up and keeping his mouth shut. Has no problem waiting in jail. We’ve talked to him three times now.”
The two men quieted for a minute.
Bret shifted in his chair. His options were few. Regardless of his personal feelings, they needed what Meg knew. He couldn’t very well go to the chief and tell him he needed to avoid her, or that he pissed her off and now she wasn’t talking to him. He would study her matrix, but he needed to understand her information gathering strategy and decision-making process. He’d have to go to her and make this right—for the sake of the case. If a small part of him wanted it for his own sake, he refused to acknowledge it.
“I’ll get with her,” he promised, then winced at his phrasing. “I’ll apologize and get her cooperation.”
Tom stood. “Good luck with that.”
Olivia Applegate opened the oven and took out the last batch of shamrock shaped sugar cookies. At the table, Boo and Lindy knelt on chairs, big aprons tied around their middles, frosting the ones that had already cooled. A good deal of that frosting decorated their aprons
. Five sprinkle jars of decorative sugars were spilled across the surface.
Olivia shifted the cookies to the wax paper. “Here’s another batch, girls.”
Lindy groaned. “Aren’t we done yet? We’ve frosted and frosted and frosted.”
“All the more to eat.” Boo licked her fingers and grinned.
“This is the last of them, honey.” Olivia picked up a knife and smeared frosting on a cookie.
“Why did Mommy and Daddy go to that city?” Lindy popped a broken piece in her mouth.
“They went to Amarillo to shop. They’ll be back soon.”
Lindy nodded and continued what she was doing, her tongue between her lips.
Chad wanted to buy Robin new clothes and lots of them. The way he spoiled his new wife made Olivia smile to herself. Once upon a time, her Thomas had spoiled her much the same way. Thoughts of her beloved husband always brought a pang to her heart, but the memories were priceless.
There was a quick knock on the back door and it opened to admit her daughter-in-law.
“Hi, Olivia.” Helen dropped her purse on a side-chair. “Hey! Boo and Lindy, my two favorite girls!”
“Hi, Grandma Helen. We’re frosting cookies.” Boo jumped down and ran to her for a hug. Helen grabbed her before she could plaster her frosting-covered apron to her suit, kissing her cheek instead.
“Hi, honey. I can see that. May I have one?”
“Sure.” Lindy handed her a cookie smeared with green frosting and hot cinnamon candies. Helen didn’t bat an eye before taking a bite and chewing, candies and all. Boo ran back to the table and mounted her chair.
“Mmm.” Helen smacked her lips.
Olivia offered her a seat. “Would you like some coffee?”
“I can get it, Olivia.” She got a cup, filling it to the brim with the hot beverage before returning to the table.
“What’s new out in the world?” Olivia moved the last of the unfrosted cookies in front of Boo and Lindy.
Helen took another bite of her cookie and washed it down with a swallow of coffee. “Well, I suppose you heard about the ambulance.”
“Yes. Did the insurance company total it?” Olivia walked to the sink and began washing the dishes.
“Yes. I spent all morning on the phone with the adjustor and the supplier to order a new one.”
“What’s ‘totaled’?” Boo licked her knife, the frosting chore finished.
“Our ambulance was in an accident. It means it’s banged up too bad to fix.” Helen finished off her cookie.
“Oh.” Boo picked up the red sugar and started sprinkling on the freshly covered shapes.
Olivia dried her hands and made herself a cup of tea. “We’ve had that ambulance for quite a while. I remember when we bought it. Thomas was on the council.”
Helen rose and stretched, then picked up another cookie. “Well, at least it gives us an opportunity to replace the old one with the latest technology. It’ll be good all around.”
Olivia began cleaning up the mess on the table. “You girls want a glass of milk?”
Lindy untied her apron and pulled it over her head. “Sure.”
“Me, too.” Boo laid her apron with Lindy’s. She walked to Helen and crawled in her lap.
Helen pulled her close. “I hear Meg is assisting Bret at the police department.”
“Tom and Bret were here for lunch. That’s what they said. I hope it helps.” Olivia helped Lindy sit at the kitchen table and set her glass in front of her.
Boo slipped off Helen’s lap and sat next to her at the table. “She kissed him, too.”
Olivia stopped in the act of handing Boo her glass of milk and looked at Helen, her curiosity screeching to attention. “Who kissed who?”
Boo huffed, speaking carefully as if talking to a slow-witted person. “Aunt Meg. Kissed. Officer Cara.”
Olivia set a glass in front of Boo.
Helen leaned closer to the girl. “And when was this?”
“Sunday dinner. After Valentine’s Day. Here in the kitchen. They kissed for a long time. Like Mommy and Daddy.” Boo rolled her eyes.
“Did they now?” Olivia raised eyebrows at Helen, then sat next to Lindy. “What do you think that means?”
“Well, when we stayed over at her house, she talked to him on the phone for a long time. She got all goofy, smiley.” Boo frowned, dunking a cookie in her milk. “But we saw her yesterday and she was sad.”
“What happened?”
“Don’t know. I asked her if she kissed him again if that would make her happy. She said no, but got real quiet.”
Olivia exchanged another glance with Helen, pondering the implications of Boo’s information. Meg and Bret? Now wasn’t that extraordinary—just what a grandmother ordered, for both of them. If they didn’t screw it up.
“Daddy won’t let us do any more pumpkin magic, so we can’t help,” Boo said, pouting.
“Yeah, we got a big talking to.” Lindy stretched her arms to show how big, almost knocking over her milk. Helen grabbed it before it could spill.
Olivia propped her elbow on the table and cradled her chin. “Do we need to use pumpkin magic?”
Boo licked her lips, hesitating. “Yes, becaaussse...Aunt Meg likes him. And he’s handsome. And we want her to live happily-ever-after like Mommy and Daddy. And Cinderella.”
Helen tapped her finger on the table. “I don’t think we’ll need pumpkin magic this time girls.”
“Why?” Boo slurped the last of her milk. Helen rose for napkins, handing one to each girl. “Because if they’re already kissing, then it means they like each other and probably don’t need much help.”
Lindy licked frosting off her fingers. “Yeah, well Mommy kissed Daddy before the pumpkin magic worked too. She still almost messed up.”
Both women fell silent. Olivia knew how long Meg had been attracted to Bret. Only a fool could have missed seeing that. And she worried about Bret—his aloofness, how lonely he appeared at times.
“We’ll find some way to help.” Olivia bit her lip and exchanged a calculating look with Helen.
The back door squeaked open and Chad walked in. “Help what?”
“Daddy!” Both girls screeched and were off their chairs and in his arms faster than a beam of light. Properly hugged and kissed, they took their chairs again.
He followed them to the table and looked at Olivia and his mother. “What are you up to?”
Olivia blushed. Helen went on the offensive. “Not a darn thing.”
“Mother?” Chad drew out her name.
Helen glared at him. “We’re trying to decide how to help along this romance of Meg and Bret’s.”
“I wasn’t aware it had become a romance. I thought Meg just kissed him.”
Olivia stood and slapped his shoulder. “You knew?”
“About the kiss? Yeah.” Chad snitched a cookie off the counter. “Little miss matchmaker over there.” He pointed at Boo.
Olivia looked to the door. “Where’s Robin?”
Chad pulled out a chair and sat. “I dropped her at home. She wanted some quiet time. So exactly how do you plan to help them along?”
“Pumpkin magic?” Boo asked, hopeful.
“No.” Chad pointed at both girls. “You won’t.”
Boo pouted, throwing herself back in her chair. Lindy huffed and copied her.
Helen eased back in her chair, lacing her fingers on her stomach. “I think it won’t be that difficult. We just make sure that Bret gets invited to everything the family is doing and that they end up next to each other. Close proximity is everything.”
Chad grinned. “Doesn’t hurt. After the teasing I took about Robin? I have no problem cooperating with that strategy. Can I grill him?”
Olivia grimaced, trying to decide how much was too much. She finally sighed. “Is the water tower green? I don’t suppose we should stop the questionings or it might look suspicious—like we are meddling.”
“I won’t meddle. I’ll just question unti
l I have a good idea how he feels about my little sister,” Chad promised.
“You will not. God, that will chase him off.” Helen straightened in her chair. “Though I’d like to ask him a few questions myself.”
“Food is the way to a man’s heart. Bret eats here all the time. I can be more subtle and encouraging than the two of you.” Olivia twisted her wedding ring, possibilities tumbling around.
“What’s ‘subtle?’” Boo stumbled over the word.
“It’s when you suggest something, but don’t make it obvious,” Helen answered her.
Boo frowned. “We want to help.” She leaned to look at her sister, seeking her agreement.
Chad put an arm around her. “I think this one is best left to Grandma, honey. Can I tell Robin what we’re up to?”
“Only if you swear her to secrecy. God! We don’t want Meg and Bret to figure out we’re purposely trying to get them together,” Helen said.
“I agree.” Olivia rose from her chair and picked up the empty milk glasses.
“Grandma, you should talk to Tom. He knows Bret the best. He might have some suggestions on how to approach this. He has a front row seat to the action. He’ll be a good snitch.” Chad rubbed his hands together.
“That’s a great suggestion.” She put the cups in the sink and walked back to the table, placing her hand in the middle of the table. “Let the matchmaking begin!”
Helen, Chad, Boo, and Lindy slapped their hands on the top of hers and let out a whoop of agreement.
“May they not know what hit them,” Chad added.
The next day, Bret wound his way through the maze of the high school hallways until he came to the junction to Meg’s classroom. He adjusted the belt of his jeans and kept walking. He’d been careful to wear civilian clothes, wanting to blend and smooth, not agitate. Shamrocks decorated the walls, each one listing a student with their class standing. This hall seemed to consist mainly of sophomores. He absently counted clovers as he walked down the long hall.
Echo Falls, Texas Boxed Set Page 26