Home to Sparrow Lake (Harlequin Heartwarming) (22 page)

She hardened her lovely jaw. “That wouldn’t be a bad idea. These heels are made of steel.”

He would laugh if the circumstances weren’t so serious. He had to give it to the woman. She had guts.

Another reason he loved her.

* * *

K
RISTEN
REMAINED
QUIET
as they drove a few miles down a length of country road. White dust rose behind them. She tried not to worry, but she couldn’t help imagining her brother in trouble just when things had been looking up. What if they were too late?

Finally, Alex spotted the farm he’d been seeking. “Here we go.”

As Brian had said, the place seemed deserted, the house gray, its white paint peeling. The outbuildings were skeletal and close to falling down. As they turned into the farmyard, they could see several people sitting or standing on the large porch outside. All faces turned in the police car’s direction, clearly registering surprise.

“There’s Brian,” Kristen said, spying her brother and his friend on the porch.

As the cruiser rolled to a stop, a man and a woman broke from the group and climbed into a pickup. They took off, leaving dust in the air.

“Great,” said Alex. “The fewer to deal with, the better.” Again, he tried to tell Kristen what to do. “Stay in the car.”

He should have known better.

Kristen opened the passenger door. “I’m coming with you.”

“Then stay in back of me, at least. I don’t want anyone grabbing you.”

Grabbing her for what purpose? Kristen wondered. As a hostage? These people already had Brian here against his will.

Despite her bravado, she was happy to let Alex take the lead. He strode past a broken gate into the yard and stopped at the bottom of some steps leading up to the porch. He placed his hands on his hips, staring right back at the group glaring at him.

A particularly mean-looking guy in a black leather jacket seemed to be in charge. “What do you want?” he asked.

Not a very respectful way to address a policeman, Kristen thought.

“I’m here to pick up some minors from Sparrow Lake.”

“No minors here that I know of.”

“Let me be more specific,” Alex said, his voice calm, authoritative, not wavering. In no way did he appear alarmed or afraid. “I’m here to get Brian Lange and Andy Eccles.” He looked directly at the boys before turning his gaze back at the leader.

The man in the jacket definitely wanted to seem threatening. He stood on the edge of the porch so he could tower over Alex. “What if they don’t wanna go?”

Brian didn’t speak up, though he was watching everything closely. He glanced at Kristen where she stood, his expression apprehensive. She felt a thrill of fear herself, since the people occupying the farmhouse didn’t seem inclined to back down easily.

Alex stated, “They’re coming whether they want to or not.”

Mr. Leather Jacket wasn’t impressed. “Who gave you the right to come and arrest guests on my property? Got a warrant?”

“This lady can identify the boys as troublemakers who vandalized some property,” said Alex.

“Yes,” Kristen spoke up, as the man’s attention swung her way, his gaze insolent. Glad Alex could make use of her presence, she pointed at Brian and Andy standing on one side of the porch. “Those are the kids.”

Alex told the boys, “Get a move on. We’re getting in the car.”

“Yes, sir,” said Brian. Instead of taking the steps, he jumped off the low porch, Andy following.

The man in the jacket wasn’t about to shut up. “I don’t like this.”

Alex didn’t bother responding, just turned to walk away casually, flanking the boys.

Kristen stayed where she was for a moment, wondering if the group on the porch would pull something. She had no idea if they had weapons or not. As Alex neared her, he reached over and took her arm. She turned to accompany him.

Unbelievably enough, some creep in back of them made a kissy sound and said, “Hey, Momma.”

She ignored the remark, relieved Alex had Brian and Andy. Alex opened the cruiser’s back doors and the boys got in. She made haste to climb into the vehicle herself, and Alex slid into the driver’s seat. He backed up the cruiser and headed out onto the gravel road.

They were at least a mile away before Kristen let out her breath. “Whew!”

She looked back at Brian, and his expression suggested he felt the same way.

“That guy was unpleasant,” she told Alex.

“He’s pushing his luck,” Alex said. “I think I heard about somebody like him and his group being wanted by the state police. Maybe they’ve even got a sting set up.”

“They seemed up to no good,” Kristen agreed.

Alex glanced in the rearview mirror at Andy, who was sitting quietly in the backseat. “Know much about that guy?”

“Only that his name is Jerry,” Andy said. “They’re selling small electronics out of that house. Don’t know any specifics about how they got the stuff. They didn’t talk in front of me. But it was a truckload.”

“When I get back to the station, I’ll put a call in, see if someone doesn’t want to clear out that viper’s nest.”

Brian looked directly at Alex via the mirror and said, “Whatever. Thanks, man.”

Alex half smiled, but he didn’t press for more.

Kristen realized he would have to deal with Andy and the problems the kid had gotten into when they returned to town.

The farther they traveled, the more relief Kristen felt. The police car was a refuge, an area of safety provided by Alex. He had come to her rescue, to her brother’s rescue, without a moment’s pause. No matter how he felt about her, or whether or not he was still interested in pursuing a relationship with her, he had taken responsibility for a situation that was above and beyond his job.

She couldn’t help but be moved.

CHAPTER TWENTY

B
ACK
IN
S
PARROW
L
AKE
, Alex took Andy and Brian to the police station, where he and Owen went with them into a private office for a talk. Kristen waited in the small seating area outside. Cars and pedestrians passed by. She tried to read a magazine but finally tossed it aside.

In about a half hour, Brian emerged from the office alone. He walked over to Kristen and gave her a hug. “Thanks, sis.”

She was also pleased that he’d thanked Alex in the car. “I’m happy you’re all right. And that your friend is all right. Is Alex questioning him?”

“He’s doing paperwork, signing Andy up for community service. Andy also needs a place to stay, other than with his family. Just in case that guy Jerry decides to come to town looking for him. He probably needs to keep off the streets for a while.”

“Should you be careful, too?”

“I’ll watch out, though I wasn’t really hanging with that bunch,” he explained. “Jerry demanded that we do some errands for him today. What, I don’t know. He told us we’d be sorry if we didn’t do what he said. That’s why I called you.”

“I’m so proud of you,” she said. He seemed to be growing up in just days. She hoped it was the family’s influence, but she knew it was also Alex.

Brian seemed a bit embarrassed by the attention she was giving him. When she reached out to hug him again, he said, “Let’s not get too sticky about it. I’m almost a college freshman, after all.” But he smiled. “You know that I’m going to be attending the same community college as Heather, right?”

“You are? When did this happen?”

“Aunt Margaret said I could stay in Sparrow Lake if I wanted to. I think I’d like to have a more familiar place to begin with.”

So Aunt Margaret had been talking to him, too. “That sounds great, Brian.”

“It’ll be good to have some family around.” He looked at her. “I know I told you if you want to go to Chicago, you should...but, well, if you want my vote on it, I hope you stay here.”

“Thanks for your input.” In the past couple of hours she’d made a decision herself, but she wanted to talk to Alex first.

Brian and Kristen turned to look when a small redheaded woman in glasses came in the front door. She was sniffling as if she had been crying. “Is Andy Eccles here?”

Janet, at the front desk, told her, “He’s talking to Chief Novak, Mrs. Eccles. Just have a seat. He should be out soon.”

Probably noticing that she’d arrived, Andy came out of Alex’s office to hug his mother. Kristen thought about introducing herself but decided to give the pair some room. They had personal issues to work through.

Alex and Owen also emerged from the office. Alex stretched, looking tired. No wonder. Kristen had learned on the ride back to town that he’d gotten off the night shift just before she’d come to find him. “Can you give me a lift back to my car?” she asked Alex.

“Sure.”

“I’ll walk home,” said Brian. When the police chief frowned at him, he pointed out, “It’s broad daylight.”

“I think you should be escorted home,” Alex told him.

“I’ll take him,” Owen offered, perhaps to give Alex and Kristen some time to talk privately.

Because Kristen certainly intended to talk. She had so much to say, the air seemed filled with tension. She only hoped it wasn’t a bad sort of tension.

The first thing out of her mouth when they climbed into the cruiser was “I truly appreciate your courage.”

“It’s part of my job.”

She’d known he would say that, so she insisted, “You didn’t have to do what you did. As you said, that deserted farm isn’t even in your territory.” Just as coming to the aid of the elderly couple in Chicago hadn’t been his responsibility.

“It’s still my job.” He looked stern as he drove toward his house, passing shady streets and green lawns. Quite a few people were out mowing today. “Though it wasn’t your job, Kristen. You shouldn’t have been out there when I picked up the boys. You wouldn’t even stay in the car. But then, you’ve been skirting danger all day.”

She wasn’t surprised by the lecture. “What do you mean, skirting danger?”

“I saw you doing wheelies in the street in front of Sew Fine this morning.”

She snorted. “I wasn’t doing wheelies. Though I guess I did make an illegal U-turn.”

“I heard that car beep at you. You were being reckless. Then you jaywalked all over the place, could have gotten yourself run over. What got into you?”

“I’m not sure.” She shrugged, giving a mock sigh. “But being a lawman and all, you should know I’m rotten to the core.”

“Your safety isn’t a joke.”

“I just was trying to figure out whether or not I should talk to you.”

“You didn’t have to act crazy. If you needed to talk, you could have come into the restaurant and faced me.”

“My, you’re prickly.” And he wasn’t making it easy for her.

“I’m tired.” He looked it, the tiny lines at the corners of his eyes appearing deeper and more numerous. They reached his home and he turned the cruiser into the driveway, which was shaded by a big elm. Her car waited in front. “And I don’t want to play games anymore.”

“Well, neither do I. Though games can sometimes be fun,” she teased.

He slid his arm across the back of the seat. “You didn’t act like it was that much fun when I had to arrest you.”

She was happy he didn’t seem eager to get out of the car. “Right, I definitely needed to be arrested.”

“According to the law—”

She broke in, “Oh, come on. I know you had ulterior motives. Well, maybe not for the shoplifting incident or the 911 call.” She admitted, “But I like your sense of humor, Alex. I always have.”

He seemed to be suppressing a smile. “Sometimes we need to be serious.”

“At the moment, I think you’re just trying to be grouchy.”

“I told you I’m tired. I haven’t even slept in...well, a long time.”

“That makes it even more impressive that you threw everything aside when I needed your help.” From the corner of her eye, Kristen noticed a neighbor working on a flower bed and watching them.

“Oh?”

“I could trust you to do whatever was necessary. You take responsibility.”

“We’ve talked about this before. I’m a responsible type of person.”

“Which others are sometimes not. Responsible, that is.” She told him the truth, “I’ve been thinking about my father a lot these past few days. He ran off and left us, you know.” She might have mentioned it before. She couldn’t remember.

“I heard something about that, but I don’t know the particulars.”

“Having a family to support was too much for my dad.”

“That’s terrible,” he said, disgust in his tone. “I would never desert my family.”

“I know.” She had realized that even more profoundly in the past few hours. “Dad just took off when my brother was still little. My mom had to work several jobs to keep us afloat. She was always working. She came home late at night a lot.”

“And so you took care of the younger ones.”

“To the best of my ability, which you’ve seen is limited.”

“I don’t think so. They turned out pretty good. Even Brian—he’s going to be okay now.”

She hurried on, wanting to get everything out in the open. “When I was a teenager, I swore that what happened to my mom was never going to happen to me. I was going to earn a degree that would make me independent and enable me to get a good job.”

“Which you had.”

“Until the recession. But I was able to find another.” She added, “More than one. I have choices. I always wanted to make a lot of money.”

“Which you can.”

Alex still made no move to get out. Neither did Kristen.

She admitted, “I thought money and a fancy condo were my goals.”

“
Thought?
As in past tense?” He looked very interested. At least she hoped he was still interested.

“I’ve changed my mind, Alex. I would be even more of a stubborn, crazy person than I already am if I wasn’t able to recognize my opportunities.” And recognize who she wanted to be with.

He just watched her. Waiting.

“Why not stay here and manage my aunt’s business?” she went on. “And get to know my siblings all over again?”

“You know I’ve always thought that was a good idea.”

“It doesn’t matter if I live here or in the city.” She went on quickly. “I like both equally. What I really have to consider is the people I care about.”

His expression shifted, became expectant.

“You’re one of a kind, Alex. I know I won’t find you anywhere else.”

His smile broadened.

“I hope your offer is still open.”

“Which one?”

“Dating a lot. Maybe 24/7.” She touched his face and met his warm gaze. “I want you to know I have serious feelings for you. I—I love you, Alex.”

He let out his breath slowly, his eyes speaking volumes. “Wow. Something I never thought to hear. You continue to surprise me.”

“Is there an ordinance against public affection?” she asked, noting that the curious neighbor at the flower bed was still watching them.

“I’m not sure. Why?”

“Because I want to sit here and make out in your driveway.”

They might as well fuel more gossip, she thought, as his lips covered her own.