Hard Hat Man (8 page)

Kyle frowned.
“
You said Nancy disappeared.
I
’
m sure I heard about this years ago, but I
’
ve forgotten what happened.
”

“
As I said, she just
disappeared
.
They never heard from her again.
”

“
Didn
’
t she even let them know she was all right?
” Kyle asked, frowning.

Laura
shrugged.
“
No.
She probably knew Horace would never forgive her.
Anyway,
Horace was furious, but
it broke
Esther’s
heart.
”

Kyle frowned
. “Didn’t they file a missing person’s report?”

Laura
shook her head. “
Horace said
Nancy left a note saying
she
was eloping
with a man she
’
d been secretly dating
, so the police said she’d left of her own free will.”

“But surely the police could trace her through the man’s employment records?”

Laura
shrugged. “They either couldn’t or wouldn’t.
Horace
said he was one of the crew that was building their new silo,
but they didn
’
t know
anything about him
.
The crew moved from farm to farm, building silos for farmers. Apparently the men were mostly transient workers and no one seemed to know or care who they were or where they came from or went.
”

“How sad,” Kyle said.

Jan shifted uncomfortably in her chair.
Did her mother have to tell everyone that old family story?
“
Mom, I don
’
t think Kyle is interested in our family
’
s history,
”
she murmured, glancing at him.

Kyle met her gaze.
“
On the contrary.
I find it fascinating.
”

“
A few weeks later,
”
Laura
went on, ignoring Jan
’
s objection,
“
Esther went into seclusion
and died
.
It
’
s like the tragic plot of one of my movies.
”

“
You
’
ve only done comedies, Mom.
Never a tragedy.
”

“
You
’
re a movie star?
”
Kyle asked, surprise and admiration in his voice.

Laura
beamed at his implied compliment.
“
Well, in a small way.
Character parts, mostly,
”
she said modestly.
“
But that
’
s why I have to fly to London tomorrow night.
My contract says I must be on the set Monday morning.
”

“
How interesting.
”

“
I find it so,
”
Laura
said, smiling.

Kyle picked up his coffee and turned to Jan.
“
And what do you do?
”

Jan smiled and told him,
“
Nothing
a
s glamorous as Mom.
I teach elementary school.
”

Kyle almost choked on his coffee.
That explained her prim and proper attitude all right.
“
Ah, I see,
”
he managed to say.
“
You teach little ones?
”

“
Third graders.
The fun age.
”

Kyle saw her mouth twist in a smile
. H
er blue eyes sparkle
d
with humor.
She certainly looked the part of a professional woman, even dressed in simple blue slacks and white blouse today.
Every hair was in place and her nails were perfectly manicured.
Jan might not think her job was glamorous, but it was obviously a lot more civilized than working on his construction sites.

Laura
had better think again if she thought she was going to match her daughter up with a rough and ready, hard-hat construction guy like him.
No way.
A woman like her wouldn’t look twice at him.

He glanced at his watch and said,
“
We
’
d better get a move on.
”

Anxious to get this deal closed, Kyle drove them to the realtor
’
s office.

John Canby had an office in a small new strip mall on the edge of
Lakeview
.
A slim, blonde receptionist
sat at a desk
with a phone to her ear
. She
waved her other hand, directing them to an inner office.
“
Go right on in.
He
’
s expecting you,
”
she said
,
and continued her telephone conversation.

They walked into the realtor
’
s crowded office to find a wiry, bald man sitting behind a table full of papers.
Kyle introduced them to John.

“
Sit down, ladies,
”
he said, indicating chairs around the table.
They sat down and John turned to Kyle, a bit nervously.
“
I
’
ve had a call from that guy on the next farm, Alex Porter.
He
’
s determined to make trouble.
”

Kyle nodded.
“
I heard from him, too, John.
Did he threaten you?
”

Mr. Canby nodded.
“
Says he
’
ll get a court order to keep you from building there.
”

“
Oh dear,
”
Laura
said.
“
Does this mean we can
’
t go through with the closing today?
”

“
No
,
unless any of you has changed his mind?
”
John asked.
“
If we close, Kyle will have to deal with him later.
”

Kyle shook his head.
“
I haven
’
t changed my mind.
Ladies?
”

“
I really must leave tomorrow.
I
’
d like to get this wrapped up if we can,
”
Laura
said.

Jan nodded agreement.
“
If Kyle is willing to take the chance of not being able to build there?
”

Kyle swallowed.
She
’
d voiced the very thing he feared.
He
was
taking a big chance, signing to pay
Laura
a lot of money for this land.
If Alex succeeded in preventing this project from going through, Hart construction would be ruined financially.
Could he trust the surveyor
’
s reports enough to risk everything?

He
drew a deep breath and
nodded
. T
he short realtor hitched his chair forward and began explaining each piece of paper as he presented it to them to be signed.

John explain
ed the
terms
of their deal. One item was
that they had one week to clean out the farmhouse.

At that, Jan drew a sharp breath and said,
“
No way!
”
in a very definite tone.

Kyle jumped and turned to stare at her.
“
But, my whole project turns on tearing down the farmhouse and building houses along the perimeter of the property,
”
he explained patiently.
“
The strip mall I
’
ve planned, with a grocery store at one end and a large health club with swimming pool at the other end will come later.
I haven
’
t finalized the deal with the new owners yet on those.
”

Laura
was looking at her disapprovingly.

Jan frowned at them both, and said,
“
I don
’
t pretend to understand what you are trying to do here, Kyle.
”