by Paula Mowery
“Okay.” He jogged toward the front room, grabbing his phone and keys. “You’re sure?”
“I’m fine. Go.”
He stepped close enough for me to detect the heat from his body. My stomach fluttered. His lips planted a kiss on my forehead. He paused, looking me in the eyes then sprinted out the front door.
I let out the breath I held. Chase Carson, you have no idea what you’re doing to me!
He returned within the thirty minutes he had promised, and we finally made our way into the study.
“I haven’t finished going through the desk yet. I think we should start there.”
I sat down in the desk chair and started with the drawer where I had located the ledger. Further down I found a small accordion file. Inside were invoices from a Megan Foster. “Mmm. This looks interesting. Invoices for some kind of service.” I continued my study of the page. “This indicates payment for disks.”
“Hey, maybe that’s her typist.” Chase rose from his place on the couch and crossed to me. He stood behind me looking over my shoulder to study the paper with me.
I twisted around in my chair. “Oh, yeah, you did say she had a typist.”
“Yes, she told me she wrote everything out and then sent it away to be typed. She had it put on a CD so that we could take that back to publish the book.”
His face was so near to mine, I could smell remnants of maple syrup as he spoke and the clean aroma of shampoo. I snapped back to the topic at hand, turning back to the document I held.
“I wonder if there is any contact information. Do you think the typist kept copies?”
“I'm not sure about the arrangement they had. Could be possible that she saved it on her computer.”
I sat up straight. “But, wait, you said you knew the book was complete. Do you know for sure if she had received it from this typist?” I waved the paper.
“No, I guess I assumed when she said it was complete that she meant she had the CD already. I really never thought about the fact that she might have meant her part was done. There is a chance.” Chase’s tone sounded hopeful.
We began to scan through the other documents until we found the contact information. “She lives in the next county over.”
“Let’s pay her a visit, shall we?” Chase tilted his head, gazing into my eyes expectantly.
“Okay.”
I shoved the address into my purse. We jumped into Chase’s rental car like we were two bloodhounds in hot pursuit.
We located Ms. Foster’s house an hour later. We stepped to the front stoop and rang the doorbell. A young woman opened the door.
“Ms. Megan Foster?” I said.
“Yes?” Her brows rose.
“Hi, my name is Alex Lyndon. You typed for my grandmother, Olivia Lyndon. Oh, but you probably knew her as Alexa Livingston.”
Ms. Foster’s eyes grew wide and she looked suddenly afraid. “I don’t know any information about her. She sends a manuscript, and I type it.” She held her hands up as if surrendering.
“Ma’am, don’t misunderstand. We aren’t here to get information about her. I realize she was very confidential.” I lowered my voice and looked into her eyes. “I’m not sure you have heard, but my grandmother passed away.”
She pushed the door open wider and motioned us inside. “Please, sit.”
“Thank you.” I took a seat on the couch, and Chase slid in beside me.
“You say you are Miss Livingston’s granddaughter?”
“Yes, ma’am. We are looking for her last manuscript. We thought you still might have it.” I leaned forward, expectant and hopeful.
She shook her head. “Oh, no, I sent that to her. I know she received it because she called to thank me. She is, or was, such a nice woman. I’m sorry to hear she passed. I have always enjoyed doing her work.” She grinned sheepishly. “I’m a fan of her books, so I always got to read it first before the public. Perk of the job, I guess.” She shrugged.
“Would you by chance have a copy of the manuscript on your computer?” I asked, hopeful.
Ms. Foster shook her head. “No. Miss Olivia asked me to please not save any copies of her work on my computer after typing it.”
“Strange.”
“Oh, don’t get me wrong. She was never rude about it. That was just her way. I respected her so I honored her wishes.” Ms. Foster pursed her lips then continued. “Miss Olivia was particular. She had me put the manuscript on a CD.”
Chase chuckled. “Yeah, I tried to get her to let me help her buy a newer laptop, but she said that her old desktop sufficed for what she needed. She had learned to put the CD in and look at the typed version. I usually converted it immediately to a flash drive.” He stroked his chin and grinned. “I guess I felt the same as Ms. Foster. I just honored her ways. I figured, she was ninety.” He shrugged.
“I’m sorry if we bothered you.” My tone was loaded with disappointment.
“I’m sorry for your loss, for all our loss.”
“You seemed rather skittish when we mentioned Miss Livingston,” Chase said.
“Yes, I’m sorry about that. I prided myself on keeping Miss Olivia’s secret. I knew I was among a very few who knew who Alexa Livingston really was.”
We left Meagan Foster’s house exactly in the same position as before—baffled as to the whereabouts of that manuscript. On the drive back to the house, we kept going over and over what we knew about the manuscript, trying to sort through any clues we might have overlooked. I was weary.
As we rounded the corner and the house came into sight, I gasped. “The front door is open!”
Chase slowed the car and stopped at the curb. “Would anyone have access to the house other than you?”
“Not that I know of.” I started to get out, but Chase’s arm restrained me.
“No, I’m calling the police. I would rather be wrong and have to apologize to someone.”
Within a few moments a police car arrived with two officers.
Chase looked me directly in the eyes. “Stay here.”
He jumped out of the car and approached the officers, gesturing toward the house. As the policemen entered the front door, each of them had a hand on his gun. I shivered. In a few minutes they emerged with Brant Collins. His hands were handcuffed behind his back. I jumped from the car. “Brant! What are you doing here in my house?”
Brant’s head hung low until I finished my question. He then looked at me with sorrowful eyes. “I’m sorry, Miss Lyndon. I respected Miss Olivia better than to do this.”
“Who are you?” Chase said.
Brant looked at him and then back at me. “I was telling the truth. I am just a resident here, and I have been caring for your grandmother’s grounds. But, not long ago, a man approached me with a lucrative offer. He said if I could find a manuscript that your grandmother had written, he would make it worth my while. I’m sorry.”
Chase questioned him further as I ran to the house to see if Brant had done any damage.
Chase met me at the entry. “It was a rival publisher. I know them.”
“But, how could that be? I mean, wasn’t Granny under contract with your company?”
“Well, yes and no. Miss Olivia was particular about each book she wrote. She insisted on contracting each one after completing it and showing it to me. That’s another reason I came personally to retrieve her manuscripts. I brought the contract along for her sign. I always knew we would accept them, but she wasn’t pretentious.”
“Whoa. So this other company could have tricked me into signing that contract?”
He nodded and glanced around. “Is everything okay? He didn’t mess up anything, did he?”
“No, thank goodness.” I crossed my arms over my chest.
“He admitted to being your midnight intruder as well.”
I crossed to Granny’s favorite chair and plopped into it. I took a deep breath and let it out of puffed cheeks slowly.
Chase sat down across from me, leaned forward and looked i
nto my eyes again as he had several times today. “Look, this has been stressful. Let’s get our minds off this. Let me take you to dinner.”
“Are you asking me on a date?” I conjured up my best teasing yet flirty expression.
He grinned. “Do you want it to be?”
“I asked you first.” I tilted my head.
He stroked his chin. “I’ll pick you up at six.”
“Okay.”
He walked slowly to the front door and glanced back at me every few steps. He paused when he opened the door and smiled at me before he slipped out.
I let out the breath I had been holding. He was so attractive in every way, but I wasn’t sure what he saw in me. Suddenly my stomach filled with fluttering butterflies. “What will I wear?”
I jumped up and headed for the bedroom. I flung open the closet doors and stared as if something might leap out at me. Finally I started to pull out tops and bottoms and dresses. Some were automatically a no, so I tossed them onto the bed. After about twenty minutes, the reject pile was quite high. I settled on a simple dress. I stared at my reflection in the mirror, hoping for some inspiration on what to do with my hair and makeup. With only about half an hour before Chase would arrive, I decided to use a clip to put my hair up. Maybe that would make me look more sophisticated.
CHAPTER EIGHT
How long had it been since Chase Carson had been on a date? A real date. One he truly wanted to go on? He wasn’t sure he had been on any such date until the promise of his date with Alex. He thanked God for giving him the courage to ask her. His strong feelings for her had developed in such a short period of time. Could love occur that quickly, or was this just infatuation? He so enjoyed her company. A sudden need to protect Alex at all costs rose in him. Was she feeling some of these same feelings toward him? If she did, what could their next date be, and where could they go? Chase shook his head. Reality hit him like a punch in the stomach. The manuscript. It was crucial to find it and take it immediately back to New York. The publishing company worked on a schedule with release dates held firmly. He wanted to locate the book so production could happen, but then again, he dreaded finding it. When that book was found, he would have to rush it back. That meant leaving Alex. He felt like a conflicted character from one of Miss Olivia’s books.
He scrolled down to his mother’s phone number and hit the button. She answered on the first ring. “Hey! How are things? How’s Alex?”
He let out a snicker. “Alex is fine. We’re going out tonight. She has had a lot going on, and I want to take her out to help her forget about it for a bit.”
“Sounds good.”
“I hope it will help relieve some stress.” He sighed.
“What is it? I heard something in your voice just then.”
He chuckled. “You know me too well, Mom.”
“That’s what Mamas do.”
“I just, well, I know we need to find that manuscript, but…”
“But, that means you have to leave there to bring it home,” his mother finished.
“Exactly. I sound crazy, don’t I?” He plopped onto the side of the bed.
“Nope, not crazy, maybe in love.”
He tried to laugh that comment off, but to him his attempt sounded fake. “Mom, I just met her. How could I be in love?”
“I don’t know. Ask the Good Lord. I can hear it in your voice.”
“What do you hear?”
“Something I’ve never heard there before. Don’t fight it, Chase. Maybe this is God ordained.”
“You really think so?” He recalled the feel of Alex in his arms and craved more of her nearness.
“Have you been praying about God’s direction for your life?”
“Yeah.” He shrugged.
“Well, then, there you go.”
Could his mother be right? Had God set all this in motion? Or, was this just wishful thinking and trying to force something that wasn’t there?
After talking a few more moments with his mother, they signed off. He called his assistant in New York to give an update.
“Chase, hey, good to hear from you. So, how’s it going? Do you have the manuscript?”
“Not exactly.” Chase doodled on the hotel notepad.
“What does that mean?”
“The author didn’t leave us word on where to find the book. We have to hunt for it.’
“We?”
“Yes, the author’s granddaughter and I. As soon as we have it, I’ll get back to you. I know we’re working on a deadline. I just had no idea about her death and all.”
“I’ll let them know here about this update.” Carol paused. “So, this granddaughter …” Curiosity dripped from her tone. She had known Chase for several years. In fact, she had been with the company long enough that she was more like family than an employee.
Chase tried to keep his voice nonchalant and matter of fact. “Her name is Alex. Can you believe she didn’t even know her grandmother was an author until I told her?”
“Really? Is Alex your age?”
Chase could see where Carol was headed with her question. “Yes. Thanks for relaying the update. As soon as I find the manuscript, I’ll rush it back.”
“No hurry.” She giggled. “Oh, Chase?”
“Yeah?”
“Wear a blue or teal shirt with that blazer with the elbow patches.”
Chase rolled his eyes. “Thanks for the tip.”
Chase once again inhaled and let out a heavy sigh. He proceeded to pray that God would help them to locate that manuscript. But, he also prayed that God might show him what to do about Alex. Just her name warmed him and sent his heart reeling. Maybe he would take Carol’s advice on his outfit. He laughed at himself and shook his head. When had Chase Carson ever been so concerned with his wardrobe?
CHAPTER NINE
At only minutes before six, I surveyed the end product in Granny’s antique standup mirror. I shrugged at my reflection. “Still just plain ol’Alex.” I could almost hear Granny Olivia scold me for saying that.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw a car pull up outside. I inhaled, puffing out my cheeks and exhaled through pursed lips. I skipped down the steps just in time for the knock. Upon opening the door, words stuck in my throat. Chase’s sandy-brown hair was tamed behind his ears. I was sure Granny Olivia must have encouraged him to get a haircut often, but I found it rather attractive. He had a casual blazer on that was almost the color of his hair, a pale teal shirt which brought out the hue of his eyes, and dark jeans. He pulled his arm from behind his back and produced a small bouquet of roses. All I could do at first was gasp.
Finally, I managed to speak. “Thank you. They’re beautiful.” I took the flowers from him. “Let me put these in some water.”
He followed me into the kitchen and leaned against the countertop. “You look lovely.”
Instantly heat crept onto my face and down my neck. “Thank you. You’re looking mighty handsome yourself.” I busied my attention with the bouquet so my face could cool. Then, I stepped back. “There, I think I’ll put these in the other room where they’ll be seen more.”
Once again he trailed me like a heeling puppy. After placing the bouquet on the living room table, I turned to face him. “That’s perfect.”
“Yes, you are quite perfect.” He grinned.
“No, I meant…”
“I said what I meant.” He winked.
There went the heat to my face again. My heart was doing flip-flops and somersaults.
“Shall we?” He gave a slight bow toward the front door.
“Yes.”
Chase impressed me with his chivalrous ways. He opened the car door for me to get in and then back out when we arrived at the restaurant. He offered his arm, and I placed my hand through it. Finally we made our way to our table and sat down across from one another.
“You seem to know all about me. What about you? Who is Chase Carson?” I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table.
“Well
, the publishing company was actually my father’s. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, so in the meantime, I worked at the company editing.” He took a sip of water. “That’s how I met your grandmother. I started editing her books. At the time, I could travel to Tennessee, work with her, and then take back the finished product. About two years ago my father died suddenly of a massive heart attack, so there I was—I was in charge. At first I wasn’t sure I wanted the responsibility, but I found I truly like putting out books of worth, with a Christian message. I had stopped my editing, giving it over to others, but I just couldn’t do that with Miss Olivia. I continued to come here, edit her work, which needed very little editing, and then deliver it back personally. I had become much too attached to Miss Olivia not to come for her manuscripts myself.”
I smiled. “I hope she rubbed off on me. I mean, she made a difference, you know? Me? I don’t think so.” I diverted my eyes to my diet soda, stirring it with my straw.
Chase grabbed one of my hands and held it gently. “We’re not all called to the same thing. You have your place in God’s plan.”
“How do you know? Up until now I feel like I’ve accomplished nothing. I have wasted thirty years just spinning my wheels. Always planning to start my life. Granny obviously took advantage of all opportunities for the Lord, so He used her to touch many. I’ve done nothing.” I bowed my head. I couldn’t look Chase in the eyes after admitting that to him. I was ashamed. His fingertips lifted my chin and tingles traveled up my jaw.
“It’s never too late with God to find the life He has for you. I think He’s working that plan even now.” His eyes seemed to look all the way to my heart.
My pulse picked up a notch. I was glad our food came at that moment, because I was at a loss for words.
After praying for our meal, Chase chuckled.
“What?”
“I was just remembering the first time I was sent to meet Miss Olivia. I thought my father was setting me up. Then Miss Olivia opened that door wearing—”
“Her Hawaiian shirt,” I finished. We both laughed.
By the time dinner was through, I had bared my soul with him about my broken marriage and various jobs. Granny had shared much of my trials with Chase already.