by Lynn Cahoon
Pulling on her boots and down parka, she tucked the bank deposit along with the envelope with the invoice into an inside pocket with her wallet. Keep busy and the work will come, Grans’s voice filled her mind as she quietly shut the door and headed outside. Mia hoped that Grans’s country wisdom wasn’t off track. She needed this business to thrive sooner rather than later or she’d be forced to return to Boise to find a new job.
The sunlight twinkled on the snow-lined streets. Mia loved the way the ice crystals made the snow glimmer in the bright sunlight. According to the local weatherman, they’d be snowed in by the weekend, and she made a mental note to stock up on some new romances and mysteries when she hit Majors. Maybe a few magazines too. Christina might be too old for Seventeen or Teen Beat, but she’d seen the way she’d latched on to the celebrity rags that seemed to breed on the newsstand, a new one every week or so.
Thanks to Adele’s canceled party and the leftovers from the Joneses’ event, food wouldn’t be an issue. But buying a generator might need to be on this year’s must-do list rather than next, just in case they lost power during this storm. And now that she wasn’t going to eat Adele’s supply costs, she felt comfortable spending a bit of her savings.
She arrived at the bank and the teller handled her deposit quickly. She glanced around the deserted lobby. “Quiet today.”
“Everyone’s getting ready for the storm. We’ve had plenty of people at the drive-through and ATM, but I think you’re my first walk-in of the day.” The girl smiled as she handed Mia her deposit slip. “Anything else I can help you with?”
“That’s it.” Mia waved as she left. Yep, maybe a generator wouldn’t be a bad thing. And maybe a few more supplies than just reading material. When the hard-to-rattle townspeople started preparing for a storm, you better listen. She pulled her cell out of her pocket. Letting the phone ring, she kept walking toward the law office. The cold air chilled her cheeks.
“Good morning.” Grans’s voice, sweet and positive as ever, filled her ear.
“Hey, you want to come over and stay with Christina and me for the weekend? I’d feel better if you weren’t alone during the storm.”
“This wouldn’t be the first time I’d weathered a snowfall,” Grans chided her.
“I know, but maybe we can make a girls’ night out of it. It will be Christina’s first big storm. I’m sure she’ll be worried about you.” Mia bit her lip and waited.
“Sure, pull out the big guns about upsetting that sweet child.” Grans sighed. “Honestly, I’d love to come over. But I’m not sleeping on that couch.”
“You can have my room. I’ll take the couch.” Mia saw the brick building that housed the law offices of Barney Mann along with the Laundromat. Mia wondered if Barney owned that small business as well. “I’ll pick you up late tomorrow afternoon.”
“I’ll be ready. You know I’m bringing Muffy too.”
Mia smiled. Mr. Darcy would have a cow; he hated the little dog. “I figured. He’ll have lots of room to run around. See you tomorrow.”
She clicked off the phone and opened the door with the law office’s name painted on the window. The foyer opened onto a stairway.
She climbed the old oak staircase that shone with what seemed to be a recent oiling. The stairs had black skid strips on the rungs, keeping people safe on the trip up. A lawyer thinks of everything.
When she reached the top of the stairs two doors greeted her. One said “Private,” the other “Barney Mann, Esquire,” painted in black on the frosted glass. She turned the antique brass doorknob and pushed open the door. A gray-haired woman with wire-rimmed glasses and her hair in a bun smiled at her. “You must be Mia Malone.” The woman stepped forward to greet her, hand outstretched. “I’m Sheila. I’ve been friends with Mary Alice for decades. Oh, that sounds like we’re old. Let’s just say I know your grandmother.”
Mia smiled. Of course she knew Grans. She couldn’t go anywhere in town without someone bringing up her grandmother and their connection to her. “So nice to meet you.” She pulled the envelope out of her pocket but held on to it rather than shove it at the woman. “You must have known Adele too?”
“Adele Simpson was a mean, self-centered old bat. I don’t know how your grandmother put up with her. I don’t like to speak ill of the dead, but I would say the same thing if Adele herself stood before me.” Shelia motioned to the couch. “Can I get you some tea or cocoa? The weather’s got your cheeks all bright and rosy.”
“Actually, I’m heading over to the grocery store to stock up, and then I’ve got more errands. I’d better get going.” Mia held out the invoice. “I just charged for the agreed-upon costs and extra supplies. I think you’ll find the bill very conservative.”
Sheila grabbed the envelope and threw it on the top of her desk. “You should have charged double. That old prune is, well, was the richest woman in the Magic Springs area. And, I imagine, most of Sun Valley too.” Sheila shook her head. “A lot of good her scrimping and saving did her. I don’t think she bought a new coat in the last ten years. Life is for the living, Mia. Remember that.”
Mia smiled. Sheila tended to speak her mind. “I’ll see you around. Stay warm during the storm.”
“Oh, don’t worry. We’re closing the office tomorrow, so I’ll be snug in my cabin, reading a book and simmering a batch of my famous clam chowder. I’ll make sure this gets filed and paid as soon as we start to close the estate. You should hear something by the end of the month.” Sheila shuffled back to her desk and Mia noticed for the first time that the woman had a tendency to favor her left hip. Shelia slipped back into her desk chair and rolled over to the coffee maker to fill up her cup. She held up the coffeepot. “I could pour some of this in a to-go cup if you’d like.”
“Really, I’m okay. I’ll talk to you soon.” Mia started to open the door. Then a thought hit her. “Sheila, can you tell me if Mr. Mann’s looking into the nephew? I mean, his family connection with Adele?”
Sheila glanced at the closed door and dropping her voice to a whisper. “Where did you hear that? Mr. Mann’s been keeping that piece quiet. Adele’s will is very clear, and there’s no mention of this guy. You would think if she had a nephew she would have mentioned him.”
“Just a nagging thought. I’ve never heard of the guy before.” Mia assessed Sheila’s willingness to spill the dirt, then drove through anyway. “Who would have inherited, if this nephew hadn’t shown up?”
Sheila’s head tilted to the side. “I would have thought you already knew. It’s your grandmother. And even with the substantial amount she’ll receive, I still don’t think it’s enough to have put up with that woman all those years. I swear.”
Now Barney Mann’s words made chilling sense. He thought Danforth might do something to Grans if he thought it would help his chances at the inheritance he obviously thought was coming to him.
As she left the lawyer’s office and headed to Majors Grocery, she felt comforted that her grandmother hadn’t argued about coming over this weekend. Mia’d be able to keep an eye out for her without letting her know why she wanted her close. “Thank the Goddess for storms,” she said as she pushed through the swinging door of the grocery store.
“I always say that, but being a store owner, I have a different viewpoint. We always sell out just before the weather hits. Why are you happy for the storm?” Trent fell into step next to her as she grabbed a cart and headed to the bakery department.
“Let’s just say I get to spend some quality time with my grandmother.” Mia grabbed two loaves of fresh Italian bread. “So, how’d it go with George Kennedy? Everything okay with my inspection?”
“He’s still not sure about some of the supports, but I’ve got him to agree to another walk-through once the contractor’s done, so you’re good to go. When I talked to Brent he thought he’d have the downstairs ready for you to open in a week or two.” Trent put a bag of doughnut holes in her cart. “He’s pretty happy for the work. The winter months are usua
lly pretty brutal for the construction guys.”
“I would think that they’d get a lot of remodel work.” Mia thought about Helen’s comments about Adele’s house. “Don’t the rich change their homes like they change clothes?”
Trent grinned. “Not quite that often, but when they do they bring in out-of-town crews and Brent’s company gets the leftover, grunt jobs. And they always want a winter discount.”
As they walked through the small grocery, Mia picking up items like butternut squash for a soup and some more fresh veggies, she realized how comfortable she felt with Trent. Isaac had never wanted to shop with her. That was why they hired sous chefs to do the shopping. Mia loved visiting the local farmers markets, talking with the vendors, looking for the fresh and new from their farms or greenhouses. She tried to tell him that was what real chefs did, but, as always, he was right and she was wrong.
Walking through Trent’s store, listening to him talk about his connections with his vendors and suppliers, she felt a kindred spirit. His arms were muscled and toned, like he spent his day in a gym rather than managing a store. Most likely he spent some time tossing the daily delivery of boxes. Mia ignored the blush of warmth in her stomach as she thought about those arms holding her.
They were stopped in front of the small book and magazine section. Trent held a book toward her and broke into her thoughts. Feeling the heat in her face, Mia took the book. “Sorry, thinking about the storm.”
“I said, I love this cookbook. The author was on that celebrity cooking show where they try to be the best chef or something. She focuses on using fresh ingredients and local and seasonal food.” He tapped the picture on the cover. “She did some tour when this first came out. Did you see her in Boise?”
Mia glanced at the book. She’d wanted to attend the gala, but Isaac had scheduled a competing catering assignment and she’d been put in charge. Funny, now that she thought about it, Isaac had attended the gala and she’d worked. Like so many other times. Idiot.
“I didn’t get to see her, but yes, I love her philosophy.” Mia tried to hand back the book to Trent.
“Keep it. My treat.” He smiled, and Mia could see that he and Levi had the same lady-killer smile. “Besides, maybe you’ll make me one of the recipes to thank me.”
“I could probably do that.” Oh my Goddess, she was flirting. She pointed at the cart. “Are the doughnut holes your treat as well?”
“Those are road trip food.”
Mia grabbed a few novels and the celebrity rags for Christina. Frowning, she glanced up at Trent. “Road trip? There’s a major storm coming and you’re planning a road trip? Need something for the store?”
“No, Brent mentioned you needed a generator. And the hardware store is already sold out; I checked this morning.” Trent walked with her to the checkout lane, where an older woman started ringing up Mia’s purchases. “Sally, don’t charge Miss Malone for the doughnuts or the cookbook. Ring those up to me.”
The woman nodded, but Mia saw the smile on Sally’s face. Another girlfriend, must be what the checker was thinking. Mia wondered how many other women Trent had bought cookbooks and donuts for.
“I don’t understand. Why are you taking me to buy a generator?” Mia watched as Trent helped her unload the cart onto the conveyer belt. Just like a normal couple. A small smile curved her lips. This might be all in her imagination, but it felt good to be with someone who actually wanted to be with her. For once.
“You want to be in that big school without one? In the dark? Without heat? I hear the place is haunted,” Trent teased as he bagged the groceries.
Mia held out three twenties to Sally. “Take that back. I don’t even want to know if someone was murdered there, or a ghost haunts the school grounds. That’s my home now.”
“Thought I’d get a rise out of you.” Trent nodded to Sally. “I’m going to be gone the rest of the day. You can reach me on my cell if there’s an emergency.” He held the two bags and nodded to the third, still on the counter. “You think you can carry that one?”
“I can carry all three.” Mia frowned. “What, you going to carry my groceries home for me? I have to say, that’s customer service gone extreme.”
“Yep. Then we’re heading to Twin Falls for that generator.” Trent nodded at the bag. “You ready, or do you have other plans for the day?”
Mia shrugged her shoulders. “I give up. I guess I’m ready.” She grabbed the bag that held the magazines, the bread, and the doughnut holes. “But I’m driving.”
“Good, because my truck’s in the shop getting an oil change.” The two headed out onto the street and the day. Just like a normal couple.
CHAPTER 14
The roads out of Magic Springs heading down the Magics to the freeway were free of snow. The county must have had their road crews out plowing this morning. Snow piled on each side of the road narrowed the lanes and looked like concrete walls rather than dirt and ice. It wouldn’t take long for Mia to drive out of the higher altitude and onto the plains that surrounded the edge of the Magic range.
Mia had brought several country music CDs along and, currently, Sugarland was singing about being just a little late and coming into work with the walk of shame. She sang along quietly to the music. Trent appeared to be asleep through most of the trip. Mia loved the way the light highlighted the red in his hair when it poked through the trees and into the window. She watched as he brushed away the sunbeam like it was a bug trying to awaken him.
Mia smiled and returned her focus to the road. Deer liked to jump out onto the road without notice. Really, she shouldn’t have agreed to the trip. What if something happened to Grans while she was gone? Christina had agreed to check in, but she’d been less than dependable lately. If she forgot and someone tried to hurt Grans, Mia would never forgive herself.
“Get in town, get the generator, and get back.” Mia said from her town to-do list.
“And get lunch,” a gruff voice added. “You forgot the best part of going into town. They have fast-food joints. All the grease you can stomach. And probably more.”
“You want to stop at a drive-in?” Mia smiled over at Trent, who now stretched in his seat.
Trent rolled his neck and Mia could hear the cracking. “Why else would I agree to this road trip you pushed on me? I deserve a treat.”
“I didn’t push,” Mia argued, stopping when she saw Trent’s grin. She shrugged and turned back toward the road. “Sorry. I’m worried about Grans.”
“How come?” Trent turned down the volume on the stereo.
Mia filled Trent in on the conversations with Barney Mann and Sheila. When she got to the part where someone had locked her in the basement, Trent held up a hand to stop her.
“You didn’t think to call Baldwin?” Trent’s voice sounded hard.
“I did call Baldwin when I found the gift-wrapped knife. He still hasn’t bothered calling me back.” Mia shook her head. “Besides, he’d probably act like I did it to myself. I’m not one of his favorite Magic Springs residents right now. I’m pretty sure he thinks I killed Adele, and probably shot JFK too, even though I wasn’t even born at the time.”
Trent watched her as they came up on a stoplight by the truck stop that lined the road next to the freeway exit ramps. “You need to give Baldwin a break. He’s trying to do his job.”
“By arresting me for killing Adele? You can’t be serious. You don’t believe I had anything to do with her death, do you?”
“Of course not. But he can’t make assumptions. You know how investigations go; you’ve got to weed out the unlikely suspects to get to the guilty ones. You’re just getting weeded. Sheriff Cook makes him feel like an idiot most days, so he tends to follow the book just to prove himself to that old blowhard.” Trent put his hand on her arm and Mia felt the heat shoot through her. Not good. She didn’t need to be bonding with anyone right now, even Trent. She shrugged him off before the old magic could take effect. She needed her head on straight before she let magic
choose a mate for her. And she wasn’t sure she’d let that happen anyway.
Confused, he pulled his hand back from her arm and stared at it. “I’ll be,” he murmured.
Mia drove through the intersection, under the freeway, and headed to the bridge over the Snake. Looking over the left of Perrine Bridge, you could see the ramps where Evel Knievel failed to jump even with a rocket-powered cycle. Since then, his son had tried and failed to set up a re-creation jump across the canyon gorge. The gorge was said to be over five hundred feet deep in places. Mia’s heart pounded every time she drove over the bridge. Stupid, she knew. It wasn’t like the bridge would collapse and crumble into the river, sending her van plummeting down the steep canyon walls to finally land in the water.
Yet every time she crossed the bridge, she released a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. This time was no exception.
“The canyon’s a little scary, even when you’re on a steel and asphalt bridge.” Trent’s words soothed her ruffled nerves.
Mia barked a short laugh. “That’s for sure. Driving over the bridge always gives me the creeps.” She turned into the parking lot of the home improvement big-box store. “You ever go to the Grand Canyon? I hear the Indian tribe built a glass walkway out over the canyon. Not confident I could step out onto the platform. My stomach clenches just thinking about walking on air.”
“We might have to make another road trip just to see that.” Trent opened the door as Mia turned off the engine after finding a relatively close parking spot. For a mid-morning Thursday, the store seemed pretty busy. “Everyone must be stocking up for the storm. Come on; the manager said he would put one aside for us at the customer service center.”
Mia followed Trent into the large, orange-painted store. She wondered what he’d meant by the road trip comment. She’d never understand men. She’d thought she’d learned everything when she dated Isaac. But what she’d come to realize was that she’d only learned everything about Isaac. Or everything he wanted her to know. Trent was completely different from her ex-boyfriend. Sensitive, funny, attentive. All qualities Isaac didn’t possess or wouldn’t even strive for.