Her expression softened and her eyes brimmed with compassion—something he didn’t deserve. “You were fifteen, only a year older than her brother is right now. You were scared, you panicked, said something you didn’t mean. Words can’t cause miscarriages, Mikey. Deep down, you know that. And so does Bernie.”
Before he could respond, his daughter’s exuberant laughter filled the house. He looked up in time to see her grandmother give her a piggyback ride down the stairs. Maddie wore her brand new princess slippers, which poked out from beneath his mom’s armpits, and her freshly washed face beamed with excitement.
“Nana said I could have a brownie!”
“Oh, she did, did she?” Mike countered as he strode over to playfully tweak her nose. He gave his mother a pointed look.
“Relax, Daddy. It’s only six-o’clock,” she pointed out before galloping over to the fridge. Her giggling passenger opened the door so she could pull out the milk. “We’re going to have our treat with a tall glass of milk while we watch a movie. Then it’s off to bed we go.” She set the milk on the counter and pulled two glasses from the cabinet.
“Mmm, sounds good to me,” Gracie said. “Mind if I join you?”
Maddie bounced with delight. “Yay! Daddy, you, too?”
The hope glowing in those beautiful brown eyes was almost more than he could bear. “Wouldn’t miss it.” He got up and set his plate in the sink. “So, what are we going to watch?”
His mother grinned over her shoulder. “We’re streaming in that Disney nature movie—Bears.”
* * *
“Any chance I could have Friday off?” Bernie took a sip of her iced tea as she watched Lindy with hopeful expectation. They were sitting in Coffee To Chai For having lunch, again, because her pregnant friend suddenly couldn’t get enough of Carrie’s signature Tomato Gnocchi soup.
“I can’t think of any reason why not. Hope it’s nothing serious.”
“No, nothing like that. My mom invited me and Noah up to her and my step-dad’s place this weekend for some boating and Jet Skiing.” She also suspected her mother wanted to get to know her grandson, though the words were never actually spoken. “Might be the last time this season, so I don’t want him to miss it. My step-sister and her kids will be there, too, and my nephew’s around Noah’s age. He only has a half-day of school Friday, so I was hoping to head up as soon as he gets home. We’ll probably drive back Sunday after breakfast.”
“Sounds like fun.”
“It is. And I figured Noah could use a little fun these days.”
When Dale, her step-dad, had retired a few years ago from the Green Bay Fire Department, he and her mom decided to sell their home and move up to Sturgeon Bay, where they now owned the most beautiful—and humongous—log cabin on the lake.
“You could both use a little fun,” Lindy pointed out. Her eyes suddenly lit up as something caught her attention.
She turned, chuckling when she realized the reason for her friend’s excitement. Matt was heading their way with lunch. He set a steaming bowl of soup in front of his sister along with a plateful of crackers, and a chicken pesto wrap in front of Bernie.
Lindy beamed up at her brother, who ran the café with Carrie. “See? This is why you’re my favorite brother. You always take such good care of me.”
He feigned a look of wide-eyed surprise. “Wow. Those baby hormones are pretty powerful. They made you forget I’m your only brother.”
Lindy merely smiled as she crushed crackers into her soup.
He turned his attention to Bernie. “So, how are things with you? Did your brother enjoy the barbecue?”
“He did, thanks for inviting us. He especially enjoyed the swimming pool and already started harping on me to put one in next year.”
“They are nice, but also a lot of maintenance. And of course, he’s welcome to come swim at our place anytime. It’s supposed to be a pretty hot month; I may end up keeping the pool open ’til Halloween.”
She didn’t miss the fact he’d said ‘ours’ and not ‘his.’ Was that another Redemption wedding she smelled in the works? She sure hoped so. Matt and Carrie were the perfect blend if ever there was one, which gave her hope for her own romantic future.
“Thanks. I’ll let him know.”
“Hey, Matt.”
Bernie glanced up in surprise at the sound of that oh, so familiar voice.
In uniform, Mike stood at the counter paying for a coffee. He slipped the change into the tip jar, and then headed over to their table. He gave Matt a thump on the back before nodding a greeting. “Ladies.”
“Hi, Mike,” Lindy practically purred. “Are you here for lunch? Why don’t you join us? I’m sure Bernie wouldn’t mind.”
Okay, she knew it was wrong to hit anyone, let alone a pregnant woman. But Blondie was dangerously close to getting a whop upside the head.
Mike smiled. “I appreciate the invite, but I just stopped in for coffee.”
Carrie came up and touched Matt on the arm. “Hey, your mother just called. She said you’re not answering your cell. Haven’t you found that thing yet?”
“Nope. And it’s a mystery. I swear I left it on my dresser the morning of the barbecue, but I’ve searched the room three times already and still haven’t found it. I’ll order a new one after supper tonight.”
“Well, give her a quick call on your next break,” Carrie advised. “She’s convinced herself you’re avoiding her again. The poor thing was practically in tears by the time she hung up.”
Matt rolled his eyes as his better half strolled away. He glanced down at Lindy and drawled, “The women in this family tend to be a wee bit on the dramatic side.”
Lindy, completely unflappable thanks to the magic soup, smiled and blew him a kiss.
He chuckled. “Well, folks, I’d better go give Mom a call before Dad starts calling me, too. See you later, Mike.”
As soon as he walked away, Mike caught her attention. “Hey, does Noah have a cell phone?”
“Uh, no. Not yet, anyway. Why?”
Static shot from his radio before he could answer. He slipped it from his belt and took a look. A slight frowned drew his brow as he met her gaze. “Sorry, but I have a call. Enjoy your lunch. We’ll talk soon.”
Before she could open her mouth to reply, he was gone.
“That was a little strange, don’t you think?” Lindy commented as his squad car drove off.
She nodded. Very strange indeed. But then, she had better things to do than think about Mike Donovan’s odd behavior.
They’d just paid for their lunch maybe twenty minutes later when Bernie’s cell phone rang. “Hello?”
“Hi, is this Bernadette Mitchell?”
“Yes, it is. Can I help you?”
“This is Mr. Kingston, I’m the principal at Redemption High School. We have a little situation here regarding your brother, Noah. Is it possible for you to come to the school?”
She glanced up at Lindy who stared at her with wide-eyed curiosity. “Um, could you hold for one second please?” She pressed the phone to her chest and said in a low tone, “It’s the high school. Something’s going on with Noah, and they want me to come in. Any chance we could stop on the way back to the plant?”
“Of course.”
She brought the phone back to her ear. “I’ll be there in about ten minutes.”
Lindy gathered her purse and to-go cup of chai tea before heading smartly for the door. “I sure hope everything is all right.”
“Me, too,” Bernie murmured as she followed in her friend’s wake.
As they pulled up to the school, she noticed the patrol car parked out front, and her heart sank. Please, she silently begged, this can’t have been Mike’s ‘call.’
Lindy must have been thinking the same thing for she cocked a brow in question. “Do you want me to go in with you?”
“Thanks, but I’ll be fine. You just sit here and relax.”
Her friend rolled her eyes. “I’m pregnant, not cripp
led.”
“Humor me. Take a quick nap or something.”
“I’m going to dock your pay for that one,” her boss groused before leaning back and closing her eyes.
Bernie couldn’t help a small grin as she swung her door open. It faded completely as she started up the walkway to the front door, suddenly feeling as if she were on her way to death row. Had she failed Noah so badly he was already in trouble on only his second day of school?
She pressed the button to be allowed entrance, and spotted Mike as soon as she stepped inside. Seriously, Chase couldn’t have sent any other officer?
He stood just outside the office, and she realized he was speaking with an older gentleman, no doubt Principal Kingston. They both looked up; Mike waved her forward.
Kingston, a short, balding man of about fifty, held out his hand as she approached. “Miss Mitchell, I’m Keith Kingston. How are you?”
She shook his hand, doing her best to keep her eyes focused on him and not Mike. “I’m not sure. I’ll let you know after you tell me what I’m doing here.”
A small smile broke free. “I’m afraid we have a problem. Another student has accused Noah of stealing his iPod.”
“Well, that’s ridiculous. Noah would never…do such a thing.” Only…maybe he would. Nausea roiled in her stomach as she recalled the missing tip jar money. She swallowed. “May I speak to him, please?”
“Of course.” He led both her and Mike—much to her consternation—into the main office. He nodded at the secretary, who had a phone pressed to her ear, before heading to the last office on the left.
The door stood open, and as Bernie entered the room, she had a clear view of her son. He sat with his arms crossed, gaze fixed on the floor. He appeared scared and vulnerable, and she wanted nothing more than to rush forward and take him into her arms, assure him everything would be all right.
His head popped up as they filed into the room, a mutinous scowl chasing away the wide-eyed fear. He leaned back and kicked his legs out, crossing them at the ankles, as if he didn’t have a care in the world. “They’re lying,” he said without preamble, his hostile gaze swiping past Mike and Mr. Kingston before landing on her. “I didn’t steal his frickin’ iPod.”
She sat in the chair beside him. “I believe you, but…why would some kid who barely knows you accuse you of stealing his iPod? Did you get into a fight with him or something?”
“No! Nothing happened. We have the same language arts. He couldn’t find his stupid iPod after class, and he blamed me cuz I’m the new kid.”
“That’s not exactly the story the other boy told,” Principal Kingston pointed out. “He claims he was putting his device away because class was about to start when Noah asked if he could see it. The boy refused, Noah became angry and called him a…well, let’s just say he turned the air blue with some salty language and disrupted the entire class.”
“I called him a ‘fuckin’ turd’ because that’s what he is!”
“Noah!” Bernie’s face heated with embarrassment. She glanced helplessly at Mike, whose stoic expression never changed. He met her gaze as if silently lending support.
“Young man,” Principal Kingston barked, his own face reddening a bit. “I’ve asked you twice now to watch your mouth. If I have to ask you again, you won’t like the consequences.”
Noah swallowed, hard. He shot a quick glance at her, and then Mike, before thankfully leaning back in his chair and muttering, “Sorry.”
“Thank you. Now, as I was saying, the young man claims that after the confrontation, he put his iPod in his backpack only to discover it missing during his next period.”
“Why is this kid so sure Noah took his iPod? Isn’t it possible someone else took it? Or that it dropped out of his backpack at some point?”
The older man finally walked around and took a seat behind his desk. “Noah was sitting directly behind him and, from what I was told, was the only student close enough to reach it.”
“According to the boy.”
He gave a hesitant nod. “Yes.”
“So, it’s Noah’s word against this other boy’s. Do you have any other evidence? I mean, isn’t it a bit of a jump to accuse Noah of something as serious as theft based on the assumption of a boy who clearly has an axe to grind?”
“Miss Mitchell, believe me, I understand your frustration. But we need to get to the bottom of this. Now, Noah did empty his pockets for Officer Donovan, but he refuses to let us search his locker.”
She examined her son’s face, praying he had a good reason for refusing the locker search. But her gut—and the fact he wouldn’t look her in the eye—told her there could be only one reason. Her heart sank as the truth slapped her in the face. “Noah, if you didn’t take it, then let them search your locker. It’s the only way to clear your name.”
Mike finally spoke up. “Look, Noah, if you took it, you made a mistake. We all make mistakes. Come clean now, and I’m sure Mr. Kingston will show leniency.”
The two men shared a look, and Bernie wondered if Mike had filled the principal in on their recent personal loss. Why else would he show leniency after Noah’s awful behavior?
“Of course, I will. The young man would simply like his device back. I also think he deserves an apology.”
Bernie watched as Noah’s demeanor changed and some of the hostility faded from his reddening eyes. She was about to think he might tear up when the scowl returned, and he dropped his arms in defeat.
“Fine, okay? I took his stupid iPod.”
Chapter 8
“I was gonna give it back,” Noah insisted. “I just wanted to teach the dude a lesson.”
Teach the dude a lesson? Oh, God, it was true. Her son was a thief. And a bully.
Though relieved he’d finally ’fessed up, Bernie felt more helpless than she had in a long time, as if she were drowning in it. Brand new to this parenting gig, she simply had no idea how to handle the situation. Blind faith certainly wasn’t working. She’d woefully underestimated the depth of his despair, which seemed to be growing darker by the day.
Clearing her throat, she stood and approached the desk. “Mr. Kingston, I am …so sorry for this. Noah will, of course, apologize to the young man.” She glanced back at her brother, her chest heavy with fear and worry. She was also mad as hell. “You will apologize,” she insisted when it looked as if he’d argue.
He gave a curt nod and shot to his feet, grabbing his backpack and slinging it over his shoulder. He nailed Mike with a glare of pure contempt as he strode from the room. Startled, she could only stare after him. What in the world was he so angry about? Surely, he realized Mike was just doing his job. And heck, the consequences could have been much worse if he hadn’t been there to smooth things over with the principal.
Could he still be angry about the near kiss he’d witnessed at the barbecue?
The near kiss she had wanted more than anything…
“Miss Mitchell, we can write this off as Noah’s warning. But I must advise you that another episode like this, and he’ll be facing detention, possibly even expulsion.”
“I understand. Thank you.”
Noah led the way to his locker where he retrieved the iPod in question. He practically slapped it into the older man’s hand. The principal, thankfully, chose to let it slide as he marched back toward the offices.
Bernie was about to follow suit when she witnessed an odd look pass between Noah and Mike. With visible reluctance, her little thief reached back in to grab something else. She couldn’t be sure, but it looked like a cell phone. As he stormed past, he slipped it to Mike.
Could that be Matt’s phone? Oh, God, this is getting worse by the minute!
She remained silent while they walked back to the office, unsure whether to confront Noah about their last exchange, or Mike.
The principal stood outside in the hall with a dark-haired, freckle-faced boy, who eyed Noah uneasily as they approached.
“Hey, sorry for taking your iPod,”
her son muttered, his apology lacking any real remorse.
“It’s okay,” the kid mumbled in reply.
Thankfully, the principal nodded his approval and ushered both boys back to their respective classes.
As soon as they were outside, she spun around and asked Mike, “Was that Matt’s phone?”
He stopped and propped his hands on his hips. “Yes.”
Dammit. “When? How?”
“Sunday, during the party.” He explained everything that happened, right up until he’d interrupted her and John. “I assumed the phone was his. And to be fair, he may have been planning to put it back, but got scared when I confronted him.”
She nodded, hoping Mike was right on that score. Maybe he’d only meant Noah wouldn’t have shoved the phone in his pocket if Mike hadn’t surprised him…
Oh, who the hell was she kidding. Her son was a burgeoning crook, and she needed to rein him in before it was too late, and he crossed some line he couldn’t apologize his way out of.
She also worried that his relationship with Mike was taking an ugly turn, which bothered her on many levels. No, she could never tell anyone her secret, but it didn’t mean Mike and Noah couldn’t forge some kind of friendship. They seemed like they got along well enough the day of the diner incident.
“Did Hutch ever find the missing tip jar money?”
“No.”
Her face prickled with mortification. “I’ll replace it.”
“You don’t have to.”
“Yes, I do.” She’d known Hutch most of her life, and hated the thought of having to face him after this. But she would, along with Noah, who would apologize if she had to pull it out of him.
Frustrated and unsure of how to handle the situation, she glanced over her shoulder and realized Lindy watched them with narrow-eyed interest. When it looked as if her friend would exit the car, she waved her back.
“Listen…thanks for your help. And please extend my apologies to Matt. I, uh…Lindy is waiting for me. We have to get back to the plant.”
Say You Love Me (Welcome To Redemption #9) Page 6