Black Creek Burning (The Black Creek Series, Book 1)

by R. T. Wolfe

  "You, too. We miss you around here. Too many old people."

  Amanda walked into the kitchen, opened the cupboard and pulled out a glass. "Who are you kidding? You love old people."

  "Sure, but the ones I know are not the kind you can go out with for a drink and some laughs. Speaking of going out for a drink, I need a favor."

  "Son of a bitch, girl, I just walked in the door." Amanda poured herself a glass of water and headed for the family room.

  "I know, and it's really big." Brie followed. As they watched the kids, she went through the abbreviated version of the tires.

  "You mean the cute new neighbor is who we're meeting? I came over when they were playing Starsky and Hutch in your garage. And he's bringing the sexy cop? I'm in, though I think the chaperone thing is stupid."

  The kids had dressed Macey in a shirt and hat. "Who's ready to crash a party?" Brie asked, saving her dog from further humiliation. "Get your stuff. We're going sledding."

  * * *

  Nathan recognized Liz's kids walking across the fallen log. He thought the tiny woman helping the little girl across was the Amanda he'd met the day of the flat tires. A thrill struck him when he saw Brie take up the rear with a paper grocery sack in one arm and sleds balancing on her other shoulder. Her mass of wavy hair was pulled through her cap. He jogged down to help. "Here, let me help you," he said as he reached for her sleds.

  "No. I've got it." She smiled. "Are you up for a few extras? I brought hot chocolate."

  Amanda approached him before he could say hello. "Remember me? Flat tires? Checking up on Brie's house?"

  Rose ran off toward the little hill without stopping for introductions.

  "Yes. Good to see you again. Is she yours?" he asked, gesturing to the screaming girl pulling the old pink, circle sled that Brie brought with her.

  "Yeah. That's Rose. What'd you find out about the tires? Brie tells me there's been trouble."

  "I didn't say trouble," Brie interrupted. "I said to look out for odd pranks or strangers walking around."

  "I agreed to come and supervise the discussion of the dire situation," Amanda said sarcastically. She walked away and gave the kids a running push down the hill.

  They stopped for breaks to sip the hot chocolate Brie brought in two large thermoses. It was dark, but the white snow lit in the moonlight. After some time, they decided on pizza for dinner and dragged their frozen bodies around the front and into the warmth.

  "You finished the stairs," Brie said.

  He felt humbled that it was the first thing she noticed. The rooms on the first floor were still just as bare, but his stairs had the rows of straight spindles topped with his smoothed railings. They didn't have the delicate look of the stairs Brie had replaced in her house. He'd used more lines than curves, and he'd made the newel post with enormous tops and layer upon layer of thick wood.

  She leaned over for a better look at the panels in the posts when she said, "These patterns in the grain look like swirling cumulus clouds."

  "Burled walnut veneer," he answered. "I probably should be finishing the upstairs, but I couldn't get the picture of the stairs out of my mind."

  "Hey, babysitter, you gonna help these kids? Or let me do it all?" Amanda methodically pulled off wet gear from the kids and tossed it randomly on the floor.

  They ordered pizza. After eating their fill, Andy and Rose went to the part of the bare room with Andy's Duplos. The older kids headed upstairs to play in Duncan's room. Nathan and Brie each sat in a folding chair and sipped on a glass of chardonnay while Amanda sat on the floor, legs folded.

  "That's not what you do with those," Andy told Rose.

  She stuck the Duplos together in a single, tall row. "There's no wules," Rose said with her head tilted down and eyebrows stuck together.

  "You're supposed to make something," he said reaching for her toys.

  Nathan started to move toward them. "They seem tired. I'll just—"

  "Let them figure it out," Amanda interrupted and held up a hand.

  Squinting at Andy, Rose responded, "I am making some-fin."

  As soon as Andy's hand touched her Duplos, Rose fisted him in the face.

  Blood started dripping.

  Andy screamed.

  Rose crossed her arms, chin tucked.

  Nathan let out an, "Oh shit," as he grabbed up Andy and stuffed some paper napkins under his nose.

  The adult chuckling just made Andy cry harder.

  "Well, I guess that's our cue to head out. Sorry about the nose, kid," Amanda said as she rubbed Andy's hair and headed for the front door. "We'll let you care for the injured while we take the long way around back home. Thanks for the pizza and the hill."

  "She hit me!" Andy said with a little shake of his head as Nathan carried him off to bed with short legs wrapped around his waist.

  "That's true." Nathan checked his nose as he carried him up the stairs. "Looks like you'll survive."

  "She didn't even say sorry!"

  Setting him on the end of his bed, he responded, "That's true, too."

  "She's supposed to say sorry!"

  Nathan pulled the covers down. "You might not want to mention that to her next time you see her." Pulling the sheets up to Andy's neck, he kissed his forehead. "It seems telling her what she's supposed to do is how you ended up with a bloody nose in the first place."

  Brie was in Duncan's room. She made sure her niece and nephew had picked up before they went downstairs and got ready to head back to her house. Framed sketches of a woman and a man she assumed were Duncan's mother and father hung next to each other on his wall. The drawings were excellent. The man had Duncan's eyes, a darker brown than the woman's, and the same color hair. The woman looked more like Andy, she thought. While Liz's kids trotted down the stairs, Brie stayed. "Is this a drawing of your parents?"

  "Yeah," Duncan said as he closed the sketchpad he'd been working on.

  "I lost my parents in an accident, too." She was careful not to look at him and kept her eyes on the pictures.

  "I heard Nathan talking to Officer Dave. He says it wasn't an accident."

  So mature for his age. "No. It wasn't an accident. You call Nathan by his first name," she said as a statement.

  "I always do."

  "But Andy doesn't." She turned her eyes to him now and sat down on his floor, leaning her back against his wall.

  "He doesn't remember our mother and father."

  "Do you think they would want you to grow up without a dad?"

  There was a long silence as Duncan zipped up the case for his chalks and pencils. He placed the case in the cubby where it belonged in the door of his desk. "They divorced because of us. Nathan and his wife did."

  She didn't argue the point. "He loves you and Andy. He loves being your dad and would like it if you would let him." She decided to change the subject. "So, Mrs. Whittier says some kids are poking fun at your sketches. Goes to show how much they know."

  "She's dumb." His eyes darted to hers. "Sorry."

  "Don't be." She kept her expression purposely casual.

  "I don't care what they think anyway." He rolled his shoulders as he pulled his sheets back.

  She walked to him. "I think you should draw some of those monsters you were playing with at my house. Oh, and their cars. Draw them right on the front of your binders."

  When he crawled into bed, she pulled the covers up to his shoulders. And just as Nathan had done with Andy, she kissed him on the forehead. "My class has recess when yours eats. I'll stop in at lunch sometime if that's okay with you."

  "Sure, that'd be fine." He rolled over but not so far that she couldn't see him squeeze his eyes tightly.

  She flipped the lights off on her way out, leaving the door cracked open. On her way down she ran her hand across the top of the smooth stair railing.

  "Thank you for allowing the unexpected visit." Brie picked up her coat.

  "It's too cold and too dark to dredge through the snow back to your house. Take
my truck."

  "No. I can... " Brie turned to see the kids struggle to pull on their wet gloves. "All right. Thank you."

  He took her hand and rubbed his rough thumb across her knuckles.

  She felt her skin jump several degrees.

  "Will you do me a favor?"

  "Depends."

  "Will you wear your hair down tomorrow?"

  She pulled her hand away in a knee-jerk reaction, sighed then responded. "I'll think about it."

  Chapter 12

  When the kids woke up, Brie had chocolate chip pancakes and sausage links ready. She was sipping coffee, listening to her niece and nephew's chatter when her sister walked in.

  "I thought I'd get here before you were up," Liz said to her kids as she kissed each child on the top of the head. "I knew I wouldn't beat you awake." Liz turned back to her. "Thanks for keeping them."

  "Did you and Tim have a nice time?" She took out a to-go cup for her sister, knowing Liz wouldn't stay long.

  "Very." Liz poured herself a mug and then glanced at her kids. "Are you about done? You've both got swim lessons today." Liz touched Brie's shoulder and nodded her head toward the foyer. As the kids ate, Liz guided her by the arm to the front of the house. "So, listen. I know it's your business if you have a man spend the night at your own house, and I know you would be discreet... "

  "Liz, no. Nathan's not here. His truck is parked out front because I borrowed it."

  "I'm talking about Brian who I just saw pulling out of the cul-de-sac."

  She paused to think. "Are you sure it was him?"

  "White Mazda? Very sure. He didn't come by?"

  "Maybe he did and thought the same thing you did when he saw Nathan's truck in my drive."

  "Aunt Brie held hands with Mr. Nathan." Her niece grinned at being the one to say so.

  Liz turned to her daughter. "Really?"

  "Tattle." Brie gave her a small push to the side of her head.

  "And they're going out together tonight," Liz added, ducking her head close.

  "You've all worn out your welcome." Brie handed her sister a cover for her coffee and helped them out to their car. She could hear them talking as they walked through the cold.

  "And we went sledding. Mr. Nathan's dog is awesome. It pulled us in the sled around the field; can we get one?" her nephew said all in one breath.

  "Talk to your father." Liz lifted a hand. "See you, Brie."

  "Thank you," the kids said simultaneously.

  * * *

  Dave and Nathan arrived early and slid into a booth.

  "Who was the neighbor that saw the two suspects?" Nathan didn't waste any time.

  "You gonna make me say all this again when she gets here?"

  "I don't think Brie needs to hear the parts she already knows." He motioned to the waitress. "I haven't mentioned the idea that anything might be tied with the arson. Was it Lucy Melbourne who spotted them?"

  "They're not suspects. The files don't even read they. The neighbor couldn't verify she saw more than one person on the sidewalk. There's no identity and if there was, they're not suspects, more like a person or persons we'd like to bring in for questioning. And it's not Melbourne who saw, it was Amanda Piper, who, if I understand right, is the gal Brie is bringing as her bodyguard against you tonight."

  "I'd tell you to piss off if you weren't helping me. I still might."

  Dave looked over Nathan's head. "They're walking in. That Amanda's a looker."

  Brie's coat was already tossed over her arm. No purse. She wore loose khaki pants and a white sweater that buttoned down the front. He'd expected her to wear her hair up, mostly because he'd asked her not to. A solid punch of lust hit him straight on at the sight of her wavy brown hair draped over her shoulders and around her face. He shouldn't have asked her to wear it like that, he decided. He was having enough trouble with restraint when it was up.

  Sliding in next to him, Brie looked over to the bartender and spoke up. "Glass of Merlot tonight."

  "Let me get that." Nathan tried nudging her back out.

  She wouldn't budge. "No. I'll buy this first round. Thank you, though. What do you want, Amanda?"

  "Bottle of light for me. I'll get the next one," she said as she slid in next to Dave. "Wouldn't have recognized you without your uniform."

  "Good to see you again." Dave took a long swig from his bottle.

  "Is it all right to talk about this in front of Amanda?" Nathan asked.

  "Always." Brie smiled toward her friend.

  "I need to start by telling you this is unofficial," Dave began. "There cannot be any kind of an official investigation unless you formally report the incidents. What we know is that you've had sporadic vandalism over the past few months. Windows shot out in your classroom." He flipped through a page in his notes. "September 22nd and December 21st."

  "You didn't tell me about your windows at work," Amanda interrupted. "Sorry, sorry. Pretend I'm not even here."

  "What can you tell me about the animals?" Dave asked Brie.

  "Animals? What animals? You said tires." Amanda stopped talking when their heads all turned to her. She made a motion of zipping her lips with her fingers.

  Brie shrugged. "It's likely what you just said, 'sporadic vandalism—'"

  "If you say it's just kids one more time," Nathan interjected, "I'm going to get really pissed off."

  Amanda's eyes went from him to Brie and back again several times before pulling her chin back and shooting her brows up.

  Brie turned her face matter-of-factly to cover her nerves. She'd never said the whole of it out loud before. "The first was a mouse or a mole or something. There was no head. It was tied to my deck rail by its tail. The next was a snake on my porch. Its head was smashed, but at least still on its body.

  "The last was the day before Christmas Eve, the day Nathan found me putting up lights for our neighbors. It was morning. I went to start my coffee and saw it lying across my deck rail. It was a rabbit, cut from head to tail along its belly. It was a mess. I could hardly tell what it was at first. I just bagged them each time and tossed them in my garbage."

  Everyone was silent for a few minutes, and she realized why she would have nerves. Dave sat back, clearly waiting to see if she was done. Nathan's face turned all kinds of red. Amanda's, on the other hand, was paler than her usual pasty white.

  "I guess you already know about the windows and tires. So, that's about it."

  "It would help if you would write it all down." Dave leaned forward. "Think about it for a few days, then read what you wrote and add to it if you can. Try to remember dates, people you saw any time before or after each incident, including the windows. List family members." He put up a hand when she opened her mouth. "Not that your family could be involved, but it could be someone they're friends or acquaintances with or have seen around. If it is just coincidental vandalism... " This time, he held his hand in front of Nathan. "It won't hurt to write it down. If it's not, the details will help give a timeline." Dave tucked his notes back into the inside pocket of his coat, leaned back and took a drink.

  "I need a pack of gum. I'm going to run next door." Amanda's voice was shaky. "Be right back."

  "I'll go with you." Dave scooted out with her.

  "You okay?" Brie looked at Nathan.

  "Aren't I supposed to ask you that?"

  "I suppose. How was your day?"

  He tucked her hair behind her ear and slid his hand around, cupping the back of her neck. "Productive. Tile guy finished in the upstairs bathrooms. Heated discussion with my carpenter about making the master bath bigger for what I have planned for the vanity. You?"

  She felt heat where his hand touched the skin on the nape of her neck. She tried to remember her day. What had she done? Oh, yes. "Chocolate chip pancakes for, Liz's kids. Relentless hounding from my dog because I ran her late—due to the chocolate chip pancakes. Landscaping plans for a new construction site the owners think will be ready for me to start in April, but will likely need
to wait until fall."

  "I need someone for my yard." He slowly ran his hand over her shoulder and down her arm before twining his fingers with hers. Her lids closed as he did.

  "I don't work for family or anyone I'm close to."

  "I'm not family," he said with a crooked smile. "So, that must mean we're close."

  She let out a quick sigh and smiled back at him, her eyes dropping to his mouth. "Close enough not to do your yard, but you need to line someone up soon. Spring's around the corner and the schedules of the nurseries in town fill up fast."

  "I'll get to it."

  They talked of plans for his house. The Giants chances of making playoffs. The progress she'd made with his dog.

  Eventually, they realized it had been a while since Dave and Amanda had left. "I'll go check on them," Nathan offered.

  "If it's all right with you, let's just leave them," she answered. "I really don't want you to think Amanda is loose. Well, too loose, but they're not coming back." Brie took the last sip from her wine. "And I really should be getting home. It's late."

  "Not coming back? Well I'll be damned. That's not exactly like Dave, either. Lucky shit." His eyes darted to hers just as Duncan's had when he'd realized what he said about Mrs. Whittier. And just as Duncan had, Nathan quickly apologized. "Sorry."

  She laughed. "No one's keeping you from going out and... being a lucky shit yourself, Nathan." She put on her coat before he could help.

  "I'm okay." He smiled and added, "I know how to be a lucky shit all alone."

  Shaking her head, she gave his hand a discreet squeeze and headed for the parking lot. "Thank you for getting involved with my... incidents. I'll try to be more cooperative."

  He opened the door and placed his hand on her lower back.

  She winced.

  "You're not going to let me kiss you, are you?" he asked as they walked.

  "No. Not here. Not that I wouldn't like to, but no. I know you don't understand. I went to the school I work at when I was a little girl. It's been hard enough for me to gain the respect of my colleagues. This would be just the kind of thing that could set them off."

  "We could go back to your place, and I could kiss you there."