Looking skeptical, Norton leaned an elbow on the table. “You’re an officer of the law, so you know it’s illegal to bribe one, right?”
Ben grinned. “I do. This isn’t a bribe but a sincere offer to help.”
“To help you keep the necklace?” he asked coolly.
“No. To find out the truth about it, because I think it might involve your department, a couple of your chief’s friends and, in the end, if you do nothing about it, you.”
Norton initially looked disturbed at the suggestion that something was wrong in his department, then nodded. “You have my attention.”
“Good.” Ben told him about the appearance of the necklace the night they’d called him to investigate the break-in.
“But why wouldn’t the Corbett Motors parts manager have taken the necklace? He was running from your house. He must have seen it.”
“I’m guessing someone hired him to put it in my house. Cyrus Tyree or Robert Pimental.”
Norton frowned. “But why your house?”
“So you would catch me with it when you came to investigate.” She added with a sigh, “I’m sorry. I spotted it when you followed me into my bedroom, but hid it under a blanket when you turned to check for my cash.”
“Okay, but why did any of those men want you to be found with it?”
She hesitated a beat then confessed with a certain relief. “Because I stole it in the first place.”
Norton shifted on the picnic bench and crossed his forearms on the table. “I’m going to need some coffee.”
Ben left Corie and Norton to talk and went to the kitchen for three cups. When he returned with the coffee Corie was telling Norton about the news story with the Mardis Gras beads, why she’d stolen the jewelry and Ben’s quick trip to Querida.
“Someone’s trying to get Teresa out of this house,” Ben added when she’d finished. “She rented for years from Tyree’s father without problem, but Cyrus Tyree seems determined to evict her. Your boss came to tell her she had five days to get out, but he seemed to have no knowledge of the law in that respect.”
Norton sipped at his coffee. “He knows the law. He probably just hoped you didn’t. I don’t imagine he suspected he was dealing with another cop.”
“He’s crooked, isn’t he?”
Norton sighed. “Actually, he’s a good man in a lot of ways. But life’s hard around here and, I haven’t seen it, but I’m guessing by what I’ve overheard that he’s helped himself a little. I think he gets bonuses for easing Tyree’s way in business—relaxed regulations, quick approvals. And Pimental gets him whatever he needs from the town.”
“We want to take down Tyree. Prove that he got the jewelry back and scammed the insurance company. And find out what we can on why he’s so anxious to get Teresa out. And whatever we can about his other scummy deals. Will you help us?”
“I’m just a cop on the beat.”
Ben denied that with a shake of his head. “You’re the most effective tool in law enforcement. You hold the line between the citizen and every bad thing out there.”
Norton ran a hand over his face. “You sound like a police academy poster.”
“Don’t you believe that?” Ben asked. “The job doesn’t have much to recommend it otherwise.”
Norton smiled thinly. “Yeah, I do. Bigelow and I are on different shifts, so I just keep my distance. But I love his daughter. I’ve been to his house for dinner. This is going to be awkward.”
Ben nodded. “If you love his daughter, maybe he’ll listen to you. Or her. Maybe you can turn him around before he goes down with Pimental and Tyree.”
Norton looked noncommittal. “So, what’s the plan?”
“Not perfectly formed yet, but we’re working on it. Can you give us that latitude for a couple of days?”
Norton looked at Corie. “You swear you sent that jewelry back?”
“I do.”
“All right.” He handed back the necklace. “I’m in. If I end up in jail, or in a flea-bitten department in Newark, New Jersey, because no one else will hire me, you’re going down with me.”
She nodded. “That would only be fair.”
After Norton left, Corie sat on a swing and pushed herself desultorily back and forth with a foot on the ground. Ben walked around behind her. “Want a push?”
“That’s all it would take to put me over the edge,” she answered over her shoulder. “Did I do the right thing by telling him the truth?”
“Absolutely. We have law enforcement working with us. How can that hurt?”
“Bigelow is also law enforcement.”
“I have faith in the kid. And his love for his girl.”
He pulled back on the swing and gently let it go. Ankles crossed, Corie leaned back lazily then tucked her legs under on the return. He moved out of her way. “I’m sorry,” he said as she swung past him. “This is all my fault.”
She swung outward and flew higher. “It’s all right,” she said. “It was my fault to begin with.”
He let her fly past him twice, the second time a little higher than the first. It took him that long to realize what she’d said. “Say, what?” he asked as she returned. He caught the swing to stop her and walked around to look into her face.
She shrugged, seeming calmer and strangely philosophical. “I said it’s okay. I stole the jewelry in the first place, and though my intentions were noble, the means weren’t particularly well thought out. I’m relieved. But Jack’s going to be ticked off at us if we end up in jail.”
“True. So, let’s not.”
She jumped off the swing. “You said you’d help me find the company Cassidy’s father works for. A French name and a German name. Want to do that this afternoon while Grady’s doing his Christmas shopping? I need something else to think about. Something good.”
“I’m your servant, as long as my guilt lasts.”
She punched his arm. “I love you like this!”
* * *
JACK CALLED WHILE Corie went to retrieve her laptop.
“Hey,” Ben said cheerfully, “how was the wine country?”
“It was beautiful. Sarah’s getting together with some of her former clients for lunch. Want to meet at Betty’s? Ribs are today’s special.”
“Ah... I can’t.”
“You on duty?”
“No, I’m...in Texas.” He was thinking about how to explain what he was doing there without freaking Jack out. Without being freaked out himself after that little scene.
“Texas! You mean Querida?”
“Yes.”
“Is something wrong with Corie?” Jack’s voice was quick and urgent.
“No, she’s fine.” Not entirely true, but that answer would serve for now. “Uh... Tyree is claiming that he got the box we sent back, but without his wife’s jewelry in it.” Ben told him about the television spot with the Mardi Gras beads.
“And you went to Texas thinking Corie was somehow responsible.” Jack’s tone was critical.
Ben ignored it. “Corie thinks the jewelry did arrive and Tyree’s defrauding the insurance company.”
There was a moment of heavy silence. “What do you think?”
“She might be right,” Ben said finally.
“I hear something else in your voice.”
He had to tell him something that didn’t involve the break-in at Corie’s, the necklace and the cop who’d found them with it. “There was security footage of the night Corie broke into Tyree’s.” That didn’t seem like such a threat anymore, all things considered.
Jack swore.
“Yeah. But I’ve seen it. I’ve made friends with the newspaper publisher and he requisitioned the tape from Tyree to cover the story. You can’t identify anyone or either of our vehicles.”
> “You sure?”
“I’m sure.”
“Don’t they have labs that can enhance photos?”
“In most areas, that’s just stuff you see on TV. And these are so dark, I doubt enhancement would help.”
“Does Tyree know Corie was the thief?”
“I don’t think so.” But somebody did.
“Ben...” Jack hesitated and made a sound of helplessness.
“Look, I’ve got this covered,” Ben said. It felt so good to know that his brother had found happiness with Sarah. “Don’t worry about it. I’m just sticking around to help with Christmas. Corie bought a giant tree and they needed somebody to help put it up. Then I realized the kids needed a playground, so I gave them this cool set for Christmas. Only trouble is, it’s taken a while to build it. So I called Grady to come and help.”
“Grady. I thought he was going to Seattle or somewhere.”
“He was, but his girlfriend got engaged to someone else. So he had some time off and nowhere to go. He was happy to get away. Just get back to work, and I’ll bring Corie home for Christmas.”
“She wants to come?”
“Yes.”
“Are you telling me the truth?”
Ben hesitated. “Mostly.”
“Ben...”
“I’ve got to go. Welcome home.”
“You want me to come to Texas?”
“No,” Ben replied a little too loudly and then lowered his voice before Jack could hear his concern. “No. Everything’s fine. I swear.”
“You promise you’ll call me if you need me?”
“I promise.”
Another protracted silence before Jack said reluctantly, “Okay. Stay in touch.”
“Will do.” Ben wasn’t entirely sure he’d pulled off the lies, but at least Jack didn’t suspect the real truth—that Corie might be in danger, and that he was going to have to put her in his carry-on bag to get her to Beggar’s Bay. Fortunately, she was small.
* * *
THE FOLLOWING WEEK the children spent mornings working on Christmas gifts for each other, some closeted in bedrooms, some working in corners of the living room, furniture pulled around them to prevent anyone from peeking. Those measures were unnecessary but a lot of fun. There were shrieks of horror when someone got too close and stealth dramatics when they had to move from one room to another.
They had the most fun making Teresa’s gift. It required each child’s right hand to be painted green. They then transferred their hand print onto a plain white apron Corie had made. She placed their hands pointing downward on the fabric starting with the smallest at the top, the next two underneath, then three on the next row. The last four, the largest, formed the bottom of the Christmas tree.
Ben sat at the kitchen table, working on his once-musical box from Soren. He’d applied some leftover glue from part of the play set to the pieces and affixed a clamp over the top to hold the box together as it dried.
Corie enjoyed seeing everyone happily at work, loved the sight of their giant tree and the smell of cookies baking—a new type every day. Grady had taken the Flores girls with him to buy more baking supplies. Teresa had assured him that Lupe knew the brand of flour and sugar and the type of chocolate and peanut butter chips Teresa preferred.
Apparently, Karina had spotted cards of jingle bells and reminded Lupe of last year when they’d tied them onto their shoelaces. Grady had bought a card of bells for each child in the house.
Teresa winced at the purchase, but her lack of enthusiasm for the bells was laughed down by the children, who considered Grady a hero. When they moved in a unit, they sounded like some kind of alarm system. It was impossible for them to sneak away.
In the afternoon, the children played outside. Corie loved the sight of Ben in the middle of them, pushing kids on the swings, catching the little ones at the bottom of the slide, playing spotter when they climbed the rock wall. Grady was there, too, but her eyes were on Ben.
On Wednesday afternoon Corie received a call from Jack. She was sitting at the table, helping Rosie cut out angel cookies, and excused herself as she moved into the living room for privacy.
Jack told her about the conversation he’d had with Ben.
“He seems to think we’re in the clear,” he said. “That nothing’s visible on the surveillance tape.”
“I think we are,” she said. “Nothing to worry about. Ben just wants to help me prove that Tyree is defrauding the insurance company. That’s why he’s still here.”
He was quiet for a minute. “And the fact that he seems to have grown fond of the children.”
“That, too. He’s been a lot of help around here. The kids love him.”
“He says you’re coming home with him for Christmas.”
“Uh...”
“I knew he was lying. Corie...?”
“Jack, I think we may have found the company Cassidy’s father worked for in Paris,” she said, hoping to put the subject of her going to Oregon aside for now. “And maybe still does. Bourgeois-Berger. It’s on Rue Malher. There’s so much going on here, I haven’t had a chance to check if he’s still on their staff, or, if not, if they know where he went.”
“Good going. Why don’t you let me do that? Palmer Restorations just bid on a job renovating the library and it’ll be a few days before I hear. I’m sure you have your hands full with the kids and Christmas. I love having an excuse to call you, anyway. I like to be able to turn to somebody and say, ‘Excuse me. I have to call my sister.” He laughed at his unashamed sentimentality. “My sister. I love that. Take care, okay. And think about coming back with Ben. We’d all love it. I’ll be in touch if I find out anything about Cassie.”
“Okay.” She remembered Jack first coming here, remembered the shock and complete disbelief at the sight of him. “I love you, Jack.”
“I love you, Corie.”
She ended the call, still finding it hard to believe that they were on Cassie’s trail. They’d all be together again one day—hopefully soon. She was going to have to learn to cope with feeling out of place. Maybe Ben had been right about that.
Corie went back into the kitchen, where Rosie was applying red frosting to the robe of a cooled angel cookie.
“Good job,” Corie said in praise. “Do you want them all to have red robes or just that one?”
Rosie pointed the tip of her frosting brush at the angel she worked on, bells jingling as she readjusted her feet on the rung of the chair. “That one’s for my dad. It’s going to be just like the ornament I bought. Red with white wings and a yellow star.”
Corie had been right about the angel that had been designed for the top of the tree not fitting on the boughs without toppling sideways. So she’d attached fishing line to the wings and Ben had tied it to the light fixture in the living room. It looked perfect there.
Her Christmas spirit sank a little, though she kept her smile in place. She hated the thought of Rosie’s disappointment if her father didn’t come for her. She’d survive, Corie was sure, but she’d have to find another family, feel out of place until she adjusted.
Corie wished she could fix that part of Rosie’s life for her, but there were some things that love and determination simply couldn’t change.
* * *
WITH CHRISTMAS SO NEAR, Corie worked like a demon at home to finish her gifts for the children, for Teresa and a jacket she’d started for Ben. She added the sleeves from a thick Norwegian sweater to the body of a leather jacket, using pieces of the damaged leather sleeves to put elbow pads on the arms. She thought it was looking good, and had only the sweater’s turtleneck to add to the inside of the leather collar. She just wasn’t sure if it would be too snug. He had quite a neck. All in all, she was happy with her creation and thought it would serve him well in the wet and windy Oregon
weather. She glanced at the clock on the other side of her bed. It was almost 2:00 a.m.
She got up to stretch and survey the lineup of little jackets hanging from her curtain rod, the molding above her closet, and on the back of her door and the doorknob. She smiled at the thought that her room looked like the dressing room of some miniature light-opera army.
All she had to do was press everything tomorrow night and she was finished. Except for Ben’s collar. She felt more than just a little pleased with herself.
A knock on her door surprised her out of her self-satisfaction. She’d thought Ben was asleep.
“Yes?” she asked.
“I’ve got a cup of decaf for you,” he said. “Can I open the door?”
“Yes,” she replied then remembered that his jacket lay in the middle of her bed. She grabbed it up just as he opened the door. She stuck it quickly behind her and took a step backward.
“Thank you,” she said, jutting her chin toward the dresser. “Can you put it there, please? Right on that magazine is fine.”
He did as she asked, all the time watching her suspiciously. “What are you hiding?” he asked.
She shook her head, refusing to tell. “After hours, this is Santa’s workshop and therefore private.”
“I saw everything you’re doing for the kids and for Teresa. So what are you hiding?”
He was teasing her. After the past few days of Christmas goodwill, they were friends once more and she really liked that. For the holidays, at least, it was all right that they were having fun together.
She didn’t know what to do about her feelings for him in the long run but, for now, they gave everything around her, everything that happened, a little glow. And in that glow, she didn’t seem to remember all the things from her past that made her feel out of place. She belonged in this life. She liked it.
“It’s...a surprise,” she said.
He advanced on her with a curious gleam in his eye. “For me?”
She backed away. “Maybe.”
“Can I see it?”
“Then it wouldn’t be a surprise.” She bumped into the back of her chair and had to stop. “You’re worse than the children. Go away.”
To Love and Protect Page 13