A SEAL's Return

by Grace Alexander

  “The cigarette butts.” The detective motioned for him to remain seated.

  Jake rolled his shoulders but dropped into the chair. “What about them?”

  “They could’ve been piled up in the corner by someone who works there on a regular basis. A cleaning service not allowed to smoke inside. A landscaper, a next-door neighbor kid sneaking off to grab a smoke.”

  He lifted his chin. “All things I’ve considered, which is why I talked to Matt.”

  “But they were fresh butts. Smoked about the same time.”

  Jake raised his brows and rolled his bottom lip into his mouth and thought. “Hmm.”

  “Hmm is right.” He shifted the toothpick. “Why were you over there?”

  Surely Matt had already shared, but Jake was sure that this was something the detective had to ask, anyway.

  Jake filled the man in on his conversation with Nora and how he planned to explain everything that had gone on thus far but had not yet done so. The detective nodded then pulled out the toothpick and rolled it between his fingers.

  “Look, but those cigarette butts, that’s concerning,” the detective said. “But it’s the positioning that concerns me. Not just the window but the corner of the house, with a view of the driveway and the neighbor.”

  “What? Like a lookout?” Jake’s brow pinched.

  The detective rocked in his office chair. “I took a gander around the back side of her property. She doesn’t keep her shed locked.”

  “Who locks their shed?” Jake shrugged. “I have no idea.”

  “It’s insulated. Expensive, not the run-of-the-mill kind that you can order online and assemble from a prefab kit. You don’t buy those at hardware stores. It was built some time ago.”

  “Okay,” Jake said, failing to understand where the conversation was going.

  “The insulation had been stripped out, which is odd. But it doesn’t look like it’s used often. Could’ve been an animal, could’ve been long ago.”

  Jake leaned forward, resting his forearms on the detective’s desk. “Was it?”

  “Nope.” He shook his head. “That wasn’t an animal. But as for when? No idea.”

  Why would someone open the shed walls? “Anything else you can tell me?”

  The detective shook his head. “There’s nothing to share. It’s not even an investigation. She hasn’t called in a concern or a crime. This was nothing more than a friend of mine asking about a concern for his friend. I looked, and we talked.”

  Jake ran his hand over his chin. “I get it. And I really appreciate it.”

  “If you talk to Nora, and she’s concerned, have her file a police report. Otherwise…” The detective shrugged then tossed his toothpick into the trash can.

  Otherwise, Jake realized, this was just a weird occurrence, brought on by a noise that she had heard during a week of storms. The cigarettes were weird but not criminal. Still, they were suspicious enough that he would be on alert. Jake stood up and extended his hand. “Thanks again for your time.”

  “I’ll have someone drive her street every now and then.”

  “Appreciate that.” And now Jake had the awkward task of explaining to Nora that he’d scoped her backyard without letting her know and confided in an old friend, who then sent the police to do the same.

  All in all, Jake should have looped her into the conversation much earlier. It was too late for that, and he had nothing much to share other than his boundary crossing and a strange pile of cigarettes.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Every station on the radio irritated Jake. Commercials seemed trivial, radio hosts annoying, and too many songs had lyrics that spoke to him. He read between the lines and heard about the trust that Ally had bestowed upon him by letting him raise Charlotte, the same trust that he might’ve overstepped by going to Nora’s at night. Jake’s angst left him confused over his protective nature and how he wanted to protect Nora specifically.

  He flipped off the radio and concentrated on the list of action items for High Beam. His CPA had sent him a list of accounts payable items he needed to categorize. He hoped for a customer or two to drop by but guessed that wouldn’t happen until the afternoon.

  The truck’s tires ate the road as he wound his way through Tidings. Jake drummed his thumbs on the steering wheel, uncomfortable in the silence and his worries that kept going back to Nora.

  He couldn’t be alone with his thoughts right now, and well, what did it matter if he was on time to the shop? With a quick change of lanes, Jake pulled a left-hand turn and headed to see if Brian or Dean were around at Rugged Rock.

  As soon as he had a plan, Jake relaxed, and by the time he parked and jumped from his dually, he was in a better place. He wandered up to the outdoor gear business in what appeared to be a large old house. The front door had a sign that read “Come On In.”

  He pulled the door handle open and let himself inside. “Hello?” Jake stepped in. “Dean? Brian?”

  “Hey, man, what are you doing here?” Brian came from the right, off the edge of a desk he’d perched on, and tossed his clipboard down.

  Jake marveled at how a space that had likely been a sitting room in this large house seemed perfect as a reception area. “Stopping in to see how the place looks.”

  Brian proudly gestured to the renovated room, and Jake nodded his approval as he listened to the quiet bluegrass playing in the background.

  Rugged Rock was comforting and homey. Actually, it reminded him of his parents’ house with its beloved wood detailing and always-brewing coffee. Familiar thoughts from his past tugged at his heartstrings until he couldn’t help being reminded of Ally.

  Jake remembered how he and Ally would go to Table Talk after the Bennington Battle Day celebrations and order Vermont-cheddar Mac N Cheese, or wait until spring for their Sugar on Snow spring weekends. The warm maple syrup became like taffy when it was poured over pack snow. It was hard to believe so many years had gone by and that they’d lost touch then reconnected.

  When Brian and Dean had come to Jake’s house on his first day back in Tidings, they didn’t reference the last time he was in town—for Ally’s funeral. Nor had they relived the painful conversation where Jake broke the news about Ally over beers at The Hide Out.

  Why those memories rushed at him now, Jake had no idea, especially when his visit to Rugged Rock was about escaping Ally. Except, he wasn’t trying to escape. He simply needed a conversation that wasn’t built around life’s worries and downsides.

  Jake backed out of the reception area and let out a low whistle. “This place is impressive.”

  “Appreciate that.” Brian walked in step with Jake.

  “I meant to tell you that it’s really something how you’ve opened this for tours and rentals.” Jake admired the work the brothers had done.

  “There’s also the boat house and an apartment.”

  “Sounds big.” The place seemed as though it would continue to unfold if he turned corner after corner. “Do you live there?”

  Brian shook his head. “No. Jane and I are building a place.”

  He lifted his chin upon hearing of the major step in Brian and Jane’s relationship, but he still couldn’t believe that someone wouldn’t wake up to the possibilities of this place. “I won’t say too bad, but man, someone should live here.”

  “We had camps here all summer.”

  “Yeah?” Jake smiled at the vision of kids and laughter filling the house and the surrounding forest and water. He could send Charlotte to camps when she was old enough. What kind of camps would she like? He’d loved sports camps. Did they have other types? Like gifted program or reading camps? And how life had changed that those thoughts even popped into his head now. He rubbed his chin as that sank in.

  “It’s an adventure camp for at-risk youth,” Brian added.

  Jake nodded. “Solid.”

  “But I know you didn’t stop by just to check out the place. What can I do you for?” Brian thumbed over his shoulder. “
We got a rad new flyboards that just came in. Fiberglass and carbon mix. Closed deck, thirty-seven pounds. No one’s even seen it if you want first dibs.”

  Jake laughed. “What on earth is a flyboard?”

  “They don’t train you military guys in the latest state-of-the-art equipment?” Brian walked on back, and Jake followed him to a room where equipment was stacked and stored. “This beauty”—he waved his hand over a slender canoe—“is a flyboard.”

  Jake admired what looked like a jetpack and wakeboard but still side-eyed his friend. “Yeah, I don’t know about flyboarding.”

  Brian walked along the side and let his fingers trace the board. “Don’t question the awesome power of the flyboards.”

  “I didn’t say I questioned them.” He laughed. “Maybe I was questioning you.”

  Brian snort-laughed. “It’ll make you glide through the air.”

  “I can think of better ways to enjoy the water.”

  “Not like this. Just let the power of hydro-flight lift you from the water.”

  “Yeah, right.” Jake scoffed as if he wouldn’t hit the water, but this thing was nothing more than a science experiment run amok.

  “It might be a challenge.” Brian pursed his lips. “Only the best can really handle it. Maybe you should stick to something like sailing.” Brian held his arms out as if balancing on a tight rope. “Kayaking even.”

  “Sounds like you’re issuing a challenge.” Jake straightened and let his hand drift along the edge, resting on what might be the jet pack’s throttle. “Sign me up for the all-powerful flyboard.”

  They laughed, and it felt good to joke with Brian. Just two old friends catching up as though it hadn’t been too long. All they needed was for Dean and Baxter to walk in, and he could practically see the future of his life in Tidings. But, stopping by wasn’t entirely without purpose. Jake needed to chat with Brian about High Beam. “Do you have a few minutes to talk?”

  “Of course.” Brian crossed his arms and leaned against a metal pole. “What about?”

  “Nora.”

  Brian’s brows arched. “Well, there’s an unexpected change in the conversation.”

  Jake ran a hand over his face. “Look, you’ve known her for a while?”

  “Since she moved to Tidings, years ago. She’s always had an outdoorsy streak.”

  “Did you know her ex?” Jake asked.

  “Of him, yeah. But I didn’t know him. I don’t know anyone who did.”

  “If you had to say,” Jake pushed. “What do you know the guy?”

  Brian’s lips thinned. “Sean will come back to town occasionally. He’ll need to stock up on equipment or whatever—” He groaned. “Sean calls himself treasure hunter.” Brian smirked. “Take that for whatever you want. No one really knows what he means.”

  Jake thought the odd description telling. “Is Sean, I don’t know, fit? Athletic?”

  “Um… Well.” Brian pursed his lips. “I don’t know. He’s not scrawny.”

  “Does he smoke?”

  Brian’s forehead bunched. “I have no clue.”

  Jake rubbed his chin, unsure why he was asking Brian instead of talking to Nora—except for that whole stepping-across-the-line problem. But talking to Brian wasn’t going to help Jake learn anything important. “Never mind. I was just generalizing, and that can’t help me, anyway.”

  Brian looked no less confused than when Jake had first turned the conversation to the topic of Nora. “Won’t help you with Nora? Are you two…?”

  “Uh, I’m not—I think so. But no. It’s not like that. I think,” he stumbled. “We have an agreement”.

  Brian laughed. “Sounds like you have something.”

  Jake had no idea how to explain what he could barely understand himself at that moment. “Something, yes, and I guess that means, if Sean is giving her problems, he’s giving them to me too.”

  “Huh.” Brian wandered the small room then turned back to Jake. “I wish I had something to add, but I can’t say I’ve heard a word that’d be helpful. The guy is in and out of town—with crazy tales of adventure—and only here long enough to wash clothes, restock accessories, and keep his licenses up to date.”

  All were good reasons for a water-dwelling guy to keep an old home base handy. “Makes sense.”

  “I wish I could help. Anything else?” Brian asked. “Or I can show you our new trail maps if you want to take anyone you’re not interested in out for a hike.”

  Color hit Jake’s cheeks. It was one thing to talk about Nora in a protective manner. It was another to discuss date planning, especially since he didn’t know how much to hang with her. “How about High Beam? I’m open for business, and nobody knows.”

  “Oh, come on.” Brian’s forehead furrowed. “You’ve been back for less than a month. It took a long time to pull together the youth camp.”

  “I have to pay bills and figure out how to generate income from a business that’s been shuttered.”

  “People will hear that High Beam is open. By the time Halloween comes around, they’ll see it in the parade.”

  Halloween felt a lifetime away. Jake rubbed his temple. “You’re right.”

  Brian paced quietly around the backroom. “How about I help spread the word?”

  “That’d be huge.”

  “Great. If they can drive it, I’ll tell them to head your way.”

  Jake’s shoulders relaxed, and he hadn’t realized how tense they’d been. The burden of caring for someone other than himself was weighing heavy on him. Not that he didn’t think he could do it, but he wanted to do more than just rely on what his family could provide. He wanted to be successful in his own right. “Let them know I can fix anything. ATVs, four wheelers.” He dropped his gaze pointedly. “Flyboard trailers, I can service those too.”

  “Consider it done.”

  “Sweet.” This was a business deal. Maybe not a big one, but it’d been a small step of marketing his place. It was what he’d read about and needed to do more of, and the thought made cool prickles of sweat dampen the back of his polo shirt’s collar. It was a small victory, but he’d take it. Should he do more? Jake had no idea what to do. His heart rate picked up from nerves—adrenaline, maybe, but not from discomfort. Never in a hundred missions that would scare the hair off a man’s chest had he thought twice about what he’d just considered a win, and now he was filled with doubt.

  “If you want, I could tack on a Rugged Rock discount,” Jake offered. “Just have them mention you sent them my way.”

  Man, he hated sales. It was the dirty word he hadn’t known existed. But if nothing else, the military had trained him to persevere.

  “Seriously.” Brian gave a confused double take. “You don’t have to offer a discount. Consider it done.”

  Jake blinked, recalibrating his next move. He thought of the business expert planning guides he’d pored over. They’d told him to always expect a phase two when discussing business, marketing, and sales, even in casual conversations. Take the customer’s objection and play to their needs. But Brian hadn’t objected, and nothing Jake had researched said an immediate acceptance of his business offer was a remote possibility, even from family and friends. “Okay, then.”

  “We covered business, life, and love today,” Brian cracked as he led them toward the reception area. “Was that it? Or did we miss any other major life moments?”

  “I’ll pay you back for the help with High Beam. Somehow.” Jake’s loosened shoulders tensed again. “Make it worth your while.”

  Brian stopped and leaned against the wall that separated the reception area from the main entry. “You’ve been in DC too long, buddy. Take a day. Hit the trails, climb an incline, get some fresh air. Do something.”

  “I don’t live in DC.” Jake grumbled, never having considered himself one of those Washington-DC types.

  “You know what I mean,” Brian said.

  “Pretend that I don’t.”

  “I don’t want anything in re
turn. Dean won’t, either.”

  “Thanks, but—”

  “It’s a good deal to offer our customers someone we trust who’s close by, but that’s not why we’d do it.” His eyes narrowed. “We’re going to help you out. Everybody in Tidings will.”

  Jake let that churn then recalled the fire chief’s refusal to take a free service call for his team. They felt bad for him? Why? Because Ally had died? Or because he’d left the Safehouse team? It couldn’t have been because he had Charlotte now, because how could that be a bad thing. “I don’t want pity work, either.”

  Brian scoffed. “I know that wasn’t directed at me.”

  Jake shoved his shoulders up, tossing his hands in the air, clueless.

  “Maybe you forgot where you came from.”

  “Not even.”

  “But there’s a reason this town was rooted in service and integrity. There’s a reason people come home. You came home.”

  “I couldn’t tell Ally and Charlotte no.”

  “No kidding, Jake. Your integrity—and not pity—will be the reason customers stop by when they find out you’re open. I know you’ll do an excellent job, and they want to support local businesses.”

  “You’re like a freaking commercial,” he grumbled to keep from choking up.

  “I’m serious.”

  Jake let Brian’s tone settle over him. “I hadn’t thought about it like that.”

  The front door opened as Baxter nosed in, followed by Dean. “Hey, Jake.”

  He dropped to his knees to give Baxter a scrub on his head. “What’s up, guys?”

  “How goes parental duty?” Dean watched Baxter lick Jake then come back to his side.

  “Not too bad.” He shoved his hands into his pockets.

  Dean slapped Brian on the back. “Showing off the flyboard?”

  They cracked up, exciting Baxter, who jumped up and ran around Dean before he plopped down again.

  “Don’t underestimate that thing,” Dean continued. “It’s a rush.”