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

by R. T. Wolfe

  She smiled at him. So cute. "I'll write out that list for Dave. Thanks again for your help."

  Chapter 13

  An early warm spell stayed so long the snow all but disappeared. With the ground saturated, Brie was careful to run Macey in the street through the morning mist. A car approached as she moved toward a stretch of sidewalk. Squinting at the white compact car, she recognized Brian and waved awkwardly.

  He wasn't smiling. "Morning, Brie."

  She stopped and Macey sat at her left side. "What brings you here at this hour?"

  He ran his open hand over the top of his blond buzz. "I just got off, thought I would stop by to see if you were up for coffee before you went to work."

  "Did you come by a few weeks ago?"

  "Uh, yeah. Looked like you had... company."

  "Liz's kids."

  "Really?"

  Pulling on her ear, she answered, "I actually need to finish up my run and get to work."

  "I miss you, Brie."

  "We've been over this, and I really should be going. Have a nice couple of days off." Waving, she took off uncomfortably with Macey keeping pace at her side.

  On the way back, she noticed Molly's car in her mother's drive and decided to visit the two early birds. Even with the caution of keeping her dog out of the mud, she still needed to clean paws in the mudroom before letting Macey loose in the house. Accustomed to the routine, Macey looked like she would have rolled her eyes if she knew how, lifting each paw one at a time.

  Showering washed away any thoughts of the uncomfortable run-in with Brian. She dressed in a pair of dark brown slacks with matching pumps and an ivory blouse.

  * * *

  A fresh-baked-goods smell blew over Brie when Ethel opened the door. "Good day for an inside visit, Brie. Come in, come in. They're back in the kitchen."

  "Brie." Molly walked over to greet her with a kiss on the cheek. "We were just talking about you." Molly was dressed in olive, flowing slacks and patent leather black boots with a coordinating linen blazer over a white blouse. Her straight blonde hair bundled high on her head.

  "I hope it was good." Brie walked over to kiss Molly's mother who didn't get up.

  Lucy placed her cold hand on her cheek. "We were wondering how long your family stayed over the holidays and if you had a nice time. You don't have enough visitors for a young, single woman."

  Lucy looked more vibrant than usual and so early in the morning. Her hair was already styled in lose, silver curls around her shoulders, and she wore a coral pant suit. Pouring Brie's coffee in one of her favorite china cups, she set it in a matching saucer before handing it to her.

  "They stayed just two days. It was wonderful. I'd just seen them at Thanksgiving, but I think the kids have grown. It was nice to reminisce." She placed two fingers on her chin as she leaned over to decide between a blueberry and a cinnamon scone.

  Molly smiled a thoughtful grin. "I had the biggest crush on Chase when we were children. He was six years older and didn't give me a second look, but yet."

  "Everyone gave and still gives you second looks. I was the geeky chunky girl." Brie laughed. "Still, it was nice to speak of the times when my parents were still proud of me."

  Molly shook her head. "Oh, honestly. Your parents didn't care what you chose as your career. Granted, theymay have preferred you stay in med school on scholarship rather than NYU. It didn't hurt that you landed a job that wasn't a thousand miles away."

  Molly put a cinnamon scone on her plate for her. "They would want you happier now. What about the attractive, skinny neighbor? Have you gotten over your silly notion that you shouldn't have a relationship because you have his nephew in your class?" Molly looked toward her mother who pretended not to hear.

  "I don't need a man to make me happy, and he's not so skinny anymore. One of the rooms in the second floor has been transformed into a workout area. He mentioned that's one of the reasons he sold his business, to have time to get back in shape." Brie paused to sip her coffee. "Did I tell you he owned a business? Woodridge Studios? It's high-end furniture, so I thought maybe you would know about it. Chase was all Nathan Reed this and Nathan Reed that. He has some of Nathan's work in the parlor at his condo."

  "I'm more in the clothing line, but the name sounds familiar."

  "Man's been without a job for two months, now? That's no man, Brie. You can find plenty of working men to use those brains on." Lucy stood and wrapped up some of the blueberry scones in clear plastic wrap.

  "I need to stop and see Amanda before she has to get Rose to school. Shall I take those over for you?" She smiled innocently at Lucy.

  "Take what over where?" Lucy looked to the pastries she was placing in a box. "Oh." She handed the box to Brie. "Suit yourself."

  As Brie walked around the end of the cul-de-sac, she gazed at her neighbors' brown yards that had been buried under white for so long. The green would return soon. Her spare time would turn to clearing out her customers' flower beds and on the new construction site design.

  Just before she reached the Pipers', a police car pulled in the drive. She almost shouted hello to Dave before she saw Rose come tearing out of the house with her school clothes, coat and backpack already on. A few steps before she reached Dave, she jumped in the air. In what looked like a practiced routine, he caught her and sat her on his hip. Rose dug in his shirt pocket until she found what she was looking for. She unwrapped something small and stuffed it in her mouth, keeping her legs wrapped tightly around his sides. Amanda made her way to him by the time the stunt was finished, and Dave leaned down to kiss her.

  Look who's been sneaking around, Brie thought. She wondered if Nathan knew.

  * * *

  "If you're gonna get that comfortable, you're gonna have to help me fill out some of these reports."

  Nathan's feet sat annoyingly on the corner of Dave's metal desk. They hit the ground with a thud when Dave pushed them from the corner of it with his left hand as he kept writing with his right. Feeling guilty, he decided on a disclaimer. "I don't have anything new to tell you until she fills out a police report. If you're going to get comfortable, how about you get comfortable with some coffee and get me some while you're at it?"

  Damn it, he had work to do and now all could think about was Brie's cold case. His gut told him there was more than one person guilty of the double murder walking around free, and it ate at him.

  As he thought, he put his pen between his teeth.

  Nathan came back with coffee. "Come on, Dave. Think about it. The cold case file says the backdraft was professionally set."

  Caffeinated bribery. "Seemed professionally set."

  "Okay, seemed. But then Brie just happens to become buddies with a firefighter? Ends up dating him?" Nathan propped his feet back on the corner of Dave's desk. "That's a really big coincidence, don't you think?"

  "Yes. I've thought about it. And I have a lot of work to do. Get her in here to make this official, and I'll enjoy hauling his firefighting ass in for questioning."

  * * *

  She finished her midterm assessments. Brie grinned, pleased with the progress of her students, especially Andy. So, how did he fall behind in the first place? she wondered. She decided to leave work right after her students and stop by to share the news with Nathan before Andy's progress report was mailed.

  There were a handful of pickups in his drive and one white box truck. It looked like a bad time for an impromptu conference, but she couldn't help feeling curious about the action. It occurred to her she'd never really stopped by his house during the day in the middle of the week. She walked right in, laughing to herself that she didn't knock.

  There was a crew of men working on the walls in both the front sitting room and the enormous foyer. Scaffolding reached the open foyer that went up to the landing of the second story. The men walked around on stilts as easily as they would on flat shoes. It was hard to watch, dizzying.

  Endless plastic covered everything. Painters worked in the long hallw
ay at the top of the stairs, along the tall landing and back to the bedrooms. She could hear Nathan's voice from the back of the house, bickering with someone. She walked toward the sounds, noticing the child lock on the mudroom door knob as she searched. She found them off the kitchen, past the large pantry room, and in a tiny bathroom she never knew existed.

  "There's no damned room to make this any bigger," said an irritated voice.

  "It can go this way," Nathan retorted.

  "Not without butting out the damned side, changing headers and studs."

  "So?"

  "Listen, I pushed this up for you because I owe your pops a favor. This'll take twice the time. It's just a small bathroom."

  "The small is what I have a problem with."

  Brie turned to leave, then stopped to listen.

  "I want it bigger without making the pantry smaller."

  The two walked out as they debated. The contractor cursed and wrote notes on a small yellow pad.

  Nathan stopped when he noticed her and smiled big enough to show the beginnings of lines radiating along his temples, making him look smart and sexy. "You're here."

  "I'm sorry to interrupt. I can come back later." She tugged on her ear. "Or just call. It's nothing, really."

  "Is this her?" the man asked.

  "Yep." Nathan offered introductions before turning back to him. "Call me with the new estimate." He held out a hand to shake.

  "Pretty, aren't you?" The man tipped his cap to her as he shook with Nathan. "Tell your dad I've got an order for tops coming up." He walked out jotting notes on his yellow pad as he left.

  "Is what her?" she asked.

  "Doesn't look like much yet. The upstairs bathrooms are done. Painters just finished the bedrooms this morning."

  "Can I see?"

  "That's the third time you've asked me that question." He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "That's not why you came."

  "No." Her breath caught at the feel of his touch. "But I'd still like to take a look."

  They walked around men and plastic Visqueen as they made their way upstairs.

  The tile was striking. It covered the large tub and separate shower in the master bathroom. The floors were speckled beige with smaller, matching tiles behind the vanity. The counters looked like slabs of stone with tumbled edges. A huge mirror was framed with tight-grained wood embedded in the tiles, matching the vanity. Instead of blinds, stained glass in a matching frame covered the single window with a hinged side.

  "The pattern of the stained glass matches the front of the vanity doors," she said.

  "You're observant. I made it that way."

  She took a step forward and ran her fingers across the glass, then opened it using the knob in the bottom corner. The window faced the back of the house. She pondered over the generous yard space. She wondered if he knew some of his trees were not dormant, but dead. She imagined a corner plot with a handful of Foerster grasses for a canvas backdrop. Lines of Yellow Yarrow mixed with red Penstemon behind groups of purple Liatris would do nicely in the southern sun along with clumps of Shasta daisies for cutting.

  "Who did you end up hiring for your yard?"

  The corners of his mouth lifted. "Haven't got around to that yet."

  "Technically, you can lay sod anytime, but summer means heat stress and constant watering and late spring means the crabgrass is going to take root... in the next few weeks." She lifted to her toes and looked back out the window. "It's really recommended that you get started before the weeds start to germinate."

  Yes, and I can hold out much longer than you can, Nathan thought. "The other bathrooms look much the same, only I chose a faint peach coloring for the tiling."

  "You're not calling anyone anytime soon, are you? You are going to have a beautifully finished home with an overgrown yard."

  "Noted." Her frustration was sexy and her professionalism impressive. "Why did you come by?" he asked, walking back out and into his freshly painted bedroom.

  "Nothing that couldn't have waited. Andy's midterm test scores came back. You'll receive a report soon, but I wanted to share with you that he's doing very well. Almost completely caught up. I can tell you're working with him at home."

  "That means a lot. His other teachers told me I was basically doing a bad job. We just do what you send home with him."

  "I forget how hard all of this must be for you, and you're not one for excuses so I'll just say that he's doing amazing work and this place is coming along beautifully. I heard the man you were arguing with mention that he works with your dad. I realized I don't know what your parents do."

  He slid down to the floor and leaned against a wall. "Mom retired early. She was a nurse. They like to travel and her schedule didn't suit her. Dad has his own business. He works mostly with plastic laminate."

  She looked puzzled as she sat down next to him.

  "Countertops and cabinets made with a plastic, counter-top material, like for business reception counters. His place is just a few miles from here." He stretched out his legs and crossed them at the ankles. The master bedroom contained hardly more than his messy mattress. "He's scaled back a lot. Wants to spend more time on sporadic trips with Ma."

  Brie leaned a shoulder against the wall. "What will you do when you're done here? Do you miss owning your own business? If you don't mind me asking, how can you afford to do all of this with no income?"

  "That's a lot of questions. Let's see. I miss building for people, but not the being-in-charge-of-employees part or the bookwork. I have plans to start up again when I'm done here—on a much smaller scale. And I'm rich."

  She turned her head to the side but kept the moss green glued to him. "Excuse me?"

  "To which part?"

  "The rich part, I guess," she said, eyes wandering.

  "I have a lot of money. People like to pay for my work." He shrugged a shoulder. "Plus, I sold the studio with the shop attached and most of my larger equipment."

  "How much is a lot?"

  He grinned at her forwardness and simply answered, "Millions."

  Brie choked. "Millions of dollars? What are you doing in this neighborhood? Why didn't you buy a place already done or hire people to finish this one before you moved in?" She paused and pulled on her ear before she added, "That came out wrong. I'm sorry."

  "Don't be. I like the older homes in this neighborhood. The lake. The creek. I told you before, I'd just rip up a finished place anyway. I like a house built my way. It's good for the boys to learn to use their hands. Not enough people do that anymore."

  He saw his opening and went for it. "Why do you blame yourself for the fire?"

  Brie started to stand. He'd expected it and gently grabbed her arms, bringing her back to the floor. "You can ask personal questions, but I can't?"

  Patiently, he waited through the line of silence.

  "Fair enough, but first tell me what makes you think I blame myself?"

  "I'm observant... especially when it comes to you." He made sure not to crowd her.

  Her shoulders visibly loosened. She rested her head against the wall with her eyes on his. "You're always so composed," she said. "In control, even the times when you're angry." She turned her eyes to the bedroom window and took a slow breath.

  "They'd been out of town. They hardly ever got out together, just the two of them, but they had that week. They came back a day early, later in the evening. They thought I was home. My car was in the garage, in their spot. I took a cab because Liz and I were out celebrating a keynote speaking address I'd landed. I knew I would likely have a few extra drinks—which I did. I saw their car, but I stopped in the drive to watch a couple of people who were walking up the street.

  "I should have been home. Someone set a fire in my bedroom. A fire that was set to explode when my door was opened.

  "I stood there wasting time, thinking how odd it was for someone to be out so late in this neighborhood. Stood there instead of getting inside to keep them from looking for me." S
he closed her eyes. "I figured out later the people walking must have been the ones that broke in and set the fire. The fire that was meant for me, not them. I started back toward their house and stopped, even again, to admire how the color of Mom's flowers lit in the moonlight."

  He remained silent and resisted the urge to wrap his arms around her.

  "She never grew flowers anywhere but along that walk. Such an efficient woman. She kept them meticulously weeded and watered. I heard the smoke detectors and stood at the front door, wasting more time fumbling with my keys. I didn't even try the door first. It was unlocked. I saw them running down the hallway, heard them yelling my name as they reached my bedroom.

  "They still had on the silly tropical shirts and cargo-type pants they liked to travel in. I froze in the middle of the stairs, staring at this yellowish air that sucked under my bedroom door." She shook her head like she was trying to remain in the present.

  "The rest is in the files."

  "Counselors have already given me the no-one-could-have-known talk. I hung on to the night to survive. I push relationships away to survive. I'll push you away. I've already pushed, but you seem to maneuver around me. You don't pull at me. I haven't figured you out yet, Nathan. I don't have a good track record with relationships. You shouldn't wait for me like this. My last boyfriend called me ice. He wasn't wrong."

  He used his thumb to wipe away the single tear that escaped her expressionless eyes. "You open yourself to your students. You take extra time to help a boy who's struggling with reading. Duncan's a hit at school, because you told him to draw Corvettes on the cover of his binders. You keep the memory of your parents alive because you love them, not because you feel responsible for their deaths. And I'm not a child who needs attention. Don't look so deeply into us, Brie. Let go. It might just feel good."

  Chapter 14

  Nathan watched as Brie pulled in her drive. Macey's head stuck out the truck's back window. He'd waited patiently on her front porch, leaning back against one of the pillars and reading the newspaper. Brie let the dog out, then walked toward him. Macey ran ahead and sat on his feet.