Clues of the Heart: Baytown Boys Series

by Maryann Jordan

  “Then come to me afterward. I’m sure you can spare some time between the diner breakfast crowd and the pub in the afternoon.” Leaning forward, he tapped her nose, “Or I will talk to them!”

  With that threat, he turned and climbed into his SUV, waiting until she hustled into her car and drove away. Leaning back in his seat, he shook his head. What the hell was she doing? Driving the few blocks to his home, he wondered what the hell am I doing?

  Slamming her hairbrush down on the antique dresser that belonged to her grandmother, Katelyn dropped her head into her hands, counting to ten as she tried to calm her embarrassment. Of all the people to show up when I’m perched in a tree, it would have to be Gareth! Sweet…nice…gorgeous Gareth.

  She had noticed him as soon as he moved into town over a year ago. Baytown was small enough that any new residents were immediately noticed. And if they happened to be male, young, handsome, and single, they caught the attention of most young, single women…older women with marriageable-age daughters or nieces or granddaughters…even cougars, single or married who wanted to check out the newest member of the Chamber of Commerce. Oh, I noticed him for sure.

  Then, as he spent more time with her brothers, she discovered other things as well. He always held the door for anyone coming behind him when he entered a room. He tipped the servers well even though his business was new and just gaining ground. He had joined the American Legion and she watched him interact with the kids on the ball fields, patient and encouraging. Her eyes had begun to seek him out in a crowd, always noticing his presence. I haven’t done that in a long time.

  Having grown up in this tiny town on the eastern shore of Virginia, on the coast of the Chesapeake Bay, she was used to everyone knowing everyone else’s business. This made the request she had received that sent her climbing neighborhood trees at night even more important.

  Staring back into the mirror, she remembered Gareth’s body pressed up behind hers—so close she could feel his chest against her back, his breath warm against her ear. She shivered, uncertain if it was from the cool air blowing in her window or from the memory. It had been a long time since she had shivered from a man’s presence…so it must be the air. Standing, she walked over to the window in her bedroom, placing her hands on the window frame. The air blew in, cooling her overheated body and she knew—it was his memory that had her warm.

  Irritated that Gareth had demanded she come to his office tomorrow, the idea flitted through her mind that she could just stand him up. But then, the thought that he might actually talk to her brothers had her re-think that possibility. Aiden and Brogan ran Finn’s, the town’s pub that had been founded by their grandfather. The idea of them hounding her to find out what she had been doing gave her pause. The last thing I need is them riding my ass! Thinking of her ass, she wiggled slightly, her bruised backside aching. Damn, tree sitting is hard at my age!

  Moving back to the dresser, Katelyn stared at her reflection for a long moment, wondering at the woman staring back. Confident…yet holding back. Desiring change…yet holding back. Wanting more…yeah, holding back. Certain that no answers were coming tonight, she flipped off the light and crawled into bed. The slight illumination from the moon slid through the lacy curtains on her bedroom window, creating patterns on the far wall.

  Closing her eyes, she tried to put the image of the handsome private investigator out of her mind, but as she flopped from one side to another, thoughts of him continued as sleep evaded her.

  Outside her house, Gareth sat in his SUV until the light went off in the upstairs bedroom window. Rubbing his stubble-covered jaw, he pulled away from the curb and drove around several blocks until he came to Main Street, driving past Baytown’s merchants. Turning the corner onto Peach Street he parked outside his building. His office was on the first floor and his small apartment was on the second level of the old structure. Entering through the outside door and up the stairs, he unlocked his front door and entered, flipping on the light.

  The worn, wooden floors needed refinishing and the walls could do with a fresh coat of paint. The elderly landlord had given him permission to do any updates he wanted, but Gareth hoped the apartment would only be temporary. It was taking a long time to get his business up and going, so new paint was not front and center of the things he was concerned about. Hell, it’s better than what I grew up with. Closing his eyes for a moment, he shut out thoughts of the past.

  The walls were bare except for a large, flat screen TV. A non-working fireplace graced the space, the mantle providing a place for a couple of framed photographs.

  Walking through the open living room to the kitchen, he grabbed a water bottle from the refrigerator and downed it while standing by the counter. Tossing the empty bottle into the recycle bin he moved into his bedroom. No more personal than the living room, the room simply served as a place to crash.

  Lying in bed on his back, his arm tucked under his head, he thought of the enigmatic Katelyn. The first day he had been in town, a visit to Finn’s Pub exposed him to great food, great beer, good friends, and a chance to meet the woman that had since filled his thoughts for the past year. She had cuffed her brother on the back of the head when he cursed behind the bar and then comforted a child who had spilled his drink. Funny, smart, tough…she could hold her own with her brothers. And he had been infatuated with her for a year. But he’d never made a move. How could I, knowing her heart was somewhere else?

  Sighing, he rolled over and punched his pillow once more, attempting to find a comfortable spot on the old mattress.

  But what the hell was she doing spying on Celia Ring, the mayor’s oversexed secretary? He had an idea and, if it proved right, she was going to hear his displeasure tomorrow.

  Chapter Two

  “Order up!” shouted Rupert from the kitchen.

  He had been slinging breakfast and lunches at Stuart’s Pharmacy and Diner for as long as Katelyn could remember. The restaurant resembled an old-fashioned drugstore and soda shop. The tourist items were in the front, while the drugstore sundry items for sale were on the right with the pharmacy in the back. To the left was a long counter with rotating stools and a small seating area filled with plastic covered booths. The kitchen was behind the counter and the smells of a greasy breakfast greeted all who entered.

  Grabbing the filled plates from the serving counter, she delivered them to the table of early morning fishermen, back from their first run. “Here you go, guys. Two diner specials and,” she glanced over her shoulder at the teenage waitress, Joleen, who was bringing another plate, “one egg-white omelet, turkey sausage, and whole wheat toast?” Looking down at the sheepish expression one of the men sported, she cocked her hip and said, “George? Your wife got you watching your cholesterol again?”

  Gazing at the plates piled high with eggs, pancakes, bacon, hash browns, and grits delivered to his tablemates, he looked back at her with desolate, hound-dog eyes. “Yeah,” he replied.

  She patted his shoulder in a show of sympathy, winked at the group, and then turned back to get the next order.

  Seeing Mitch Evans, the town’s sheriff, at the counter, she hesitated for a second, wondering if he were here to talk to her. If Gareth told him about last night, I’ll—

  “’Morning, Katelyn,” he said after nodding toward Joleen who poured his coffee.

  She moved cautiously to his side, watching his face carefully. She and Mitch grew up together in Baytown. He and her brothers had been best friends and, along with a group of others, had become known as the Baytown Boys. The nickname solidified even more when they were teenagers and named the town’s baseball team after them. Most had joined the military right out of high school and many of them made their way back to the simple, little, sleepy town as adults.

  Mitch had become reacquainted with his childhood sweetheart, Tori, and they were now engaged. Katelyn’s best friend, Jillian, had finally gotten with her high school crush, Deputy Grant Wilder, another original Baytown Boy.

 
As she leaned against the counter, she asked, “So…how’s Tori?”

  The smile now on his face answered her spoken question…and her unspoken one. If Gareth had talked to him, she doubted his smile would have been so large.

  “She’s great and says you all have another wedding-planning meeting soon.”

  Matching his enthusiasm, she nodded. “Yes, and you know what that means!”

  Rolling his eyes, he replied, “Uh huh. Y’all drink wine, pick out wedding shit and then me and the boys have to drive you home!”

  Laughing, she agreed, “You got that right!” As his order came up, she walked behind the counter to grab it and placed it in front of him. “See you later,” she said, as she moved to another group of breakfast customers, pleased that Mitch appeared none the wiser about her late-night activities.

  Sitting in his office, Gareth eyed the pile of folders on his desk and sighed. Hating the sight of the messy office, he stood and moved to one of the back rooms where he kept his coffee maker.

  Hearing a call from the front, he recognized the voice as he carried his cup toward the reception area. Seeing Mitch and Grant, he grinned while greeting them with a head lift.

  Mitch nodded toward the empty front area, asking, “Still no receptionist?”

  Rubbing the back of his neck, Gareth replied, “Not yet, but I’m working on it.”

  “Business picking up?” Grant asked.

  “Actually, yeah,” Gareth answered, inwardly breathing a sigh of relief. “It seems that finally people are recognizing that I’m here and they aren’t opposed to having a PI in their county.” Grimacing, he added, “Well, maybe except the town manager.”

  “Silas Mills is an asshole,” Grant groused. “He complains about needing new businesses in town and then gripes when they come. He gave Jillian shit when she was trying to get her galleria up and running.”

  Mitch’s face also contorted as he grumbled. “He gave Tori hell with her bed & breakfast business.”

  Glad to hear he was not the only person the town manager had his sights on, Gareth asked, “This an official visit?”

  Mitch nodded and Gareth led them back to his office. Plopping down in his old, wooden chair he watched as the two officers made themselves at home.

  “We’re still watching drug traffic come through the area,” Mitch began, “and after our last big bust, we’re determined to take an even tighter stance.”

  “I spend time in the trailer park with some of our kids and I want to keep a close eye on them as well,” Grant added.

  Both Grant and Mitch, as part of the original Baytown Boys, had appreciated having a welcoming hometown to return to after their military service. Recognizing that not everyone had that acceptance upon returning home, they had started a local charter of an American Legion in Baytown and made sure any veterans they knew who wanted a comfortable place to live knew about Baytown. Now the American Legion had started a community project working with local kids through sports teams.

  “Got anything specific for me to look for?” Gareth asked.

  Mitch glowered as he responded. “Unfortunately, no. But we know after the arrests of a few people living in the trailer park that we don’t want the drugs coming back in. I know you do observations with some of your cases and we’d like to make sure to keep you in the loop and have you do the same for us.”

  “You got it,” Gareth replied. “We’ve worked well together in the past and I can’t see any reason why that won’t continue. You know if I see or hear of anything, I’ll let you know.”

  Mitch’s gaze landed on one of the few decorations in the room—a photograph of Gareth in his Air Force uniform. Turning back to him, he commented, “I’ve never even asked you how you ended up on the Eastern Shore. Most people have no idea we’re here.”

  Leaning back in his chair, he said, “After my tour in Afghanistan, I spent my remaining time in the Air Force at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.”

  His words hung between the three men, all knowing what Dover AFB was most notable for—it was the place where service men and women’s remains were sent and processed before being escorted to their families.

  He nodded slowly in answer to their unasked question. “Yeah…I worked in the identification section of the mortuary services.”

  “Damn, man,” Grant said, his eyes full of sympathy.

  Clearing his throat, Gareth continued, “So, as you can imagine, on my days off, I had to get the hell outta Dodge, to keep my sanity. I started taking some short weekend road trips. On one such sojourn, I was driving through the Eastern Shore and saw a sign for a coffee shop.” Seeing their smiles, he laughed. “Yep…Jillian’s coffee shop is what brought me into town for the first time.” Shrugging a little, he said, “Drove around and couldn’t believe this thriving little bayside town was here. Something about it stayed with me. After that, whenever I got a weekend free, I’d come down. I had already decided that I wanted to use my investigative skills, so I got my PI license after I got out of the Air Force and, not too long after that, I moved here.”

  “Nowhere else to call home?” Mitch asked.

  Shaking his head, Gareth admitted, “Grew up in a run-down trailer park in a small town in West Virginia. I got out of that shit-hole the second I graduated high school. Bounced around for a bit, but I couldn’t get the pieces to fit so, I joined the military. Believe me, there’s nothing to go back to.” That was more than he usually told people, but he figured Mitch and Grant deserved to know the truth about him. Eyeing them carefully, he noted they took his background in stride, neither appearing to be bothered by his confession.

  Grant, seeing the piles of folders on Gareth’s desk, asked, “So who are you thinking of getting to work as a receptionist?”

  Before an answer was forthcoming, Mitch jumped in. “I told him that Katelyn would be perfect.”

  “I know, I know,” Gareth laughed, throwing up his hands in defense. “Right before you all came in this morning I was just thinking that it’s time for me to get some help.”

  As the three men walked out into the front room to say their goodbyes, the front door opened and Katelyn walked in. Her eyes grew large as she saw Mitch and Grant.

  Gareth watched her expression change from surprise to suspicion. Hastening to speak, he explained, “Mitch and Grant just popped by for some business.” Her gaze jumped to his as she nodded hesitantly.

  “I see,” she said, managing a smile. Floundering for a reason as to why she would be in the private investigator’s office, she added, “Um…I brought your lunch order from the diner. It’s…uh…in my car. I wasn’t sure if you were in...so, I—”

  “Thanks,” Gareth said. He slid his gaze to the two officers, glad to see they did not appear to suspect Katelyn’s presence in his office to be anything other than a diner delivery. Saying goodbye to them, he turned toward the irritated, dark-haired beauty standing in his reception area. Dressed in a green Finn’s Pub t-shirt and jeans that fit her curvy figure perfectly, it took all his discipline to keep his eyes on her face and not allow them to drag down her body. But then, as he maintained his focus, it was clear her eyes were spewing anger.

  Before she had a chance to argue, he said, “Well, it’s nice to see you in the light of day and with your feet firmly planted on the ground.”

  “Very funny, Gareth,” Katelyn replied, her hands on her hips. “So, why did you blackmail me to come see you today?”

  “Blackmail?” he quipped. “I only used a little friendly coercion.”

  “Bringing my brothers into any discussion is hardly little or friendly!”

  “Come on back. Let’s talk,” he invited with a warm smile before turning and heading to his office without waiting to see if she was going to agree.

  “I see your office is still rather bare,” she called out, the desire to see the rest of his space winning out over the desire to stay planted. Walking to the back room, she stood in the doorway, watching him pour a cup of coffee before he turned and h
anded it to her.

  “I’m sure the coffee in the diner is better,” he admitted, “but if you’ve been on your feet for hours, I figure you could use a break.”

  Sucking in a breath through her nose, she accepted the warm cup, her fingers meeting his and, once more, tingles ran up her arm. Manners overrode her irritation and she murmured, “Thank you.” Glancing around the room, she observed a simple workroom with a table, counter with a sink and cabinets, and a refrigerator in the corner. The room was small but efficient.

  Gareth walked passed her on his way toward his office, their shoulders brushing as he went. Looking down at her, he grinned. “Let’s talk in my office.”

  She followed him, appreciating the view. Tall and muscular, she felt petite next to him and she rarely felt that with most men. His jeans were slightly worn, but still professional, paired with a light blue shirt and black jacket. Blinking away her appraisal, she took the chair he offered and watched as he moved to the other side of his messy desk and settled in. Lifting her chin slightly, she opted for a disinterested expression.

  He noticed her attempt at casual, but observed as her eyes darted around the room, landing on his desk. “Come on, Katelyn,” he cajoled. “What were you really doing last night?”

  Katelyn sighed, staring at her coffee before lifting her chin. Huffing, she said, “I’m not going to lie, Gareth. I was helping a friend.”

  “From the top of a tree?”

  “I was hardly at the top!” she argued, then saw the twinkle in his eyes. Realizing the ridiculousness of her comment, a grin slipped out. “Okay, okay.” Setting her coffee cup on the corner of his desk, the only bare space she could find, she nodded.

  “You ready to let me know what’s going on?”

  “Helen Dorton talked to me last week after the last American Legion Auxiliary meeting and it came out that she thinks her Harry is having an affair with the mayor’s new secretary. She didn’t want to hire you because she was too embarrassed to have anyone else know her suspicions. So,” shrugging, Katelyn continued, “I told her I would do a little snooping.”