Small-Town Secrets

“What about a large dog?” someone else asked.

“They’re a good deterrent and make for good company,” she agreed.

“I can see our time is up.” Joshua stood up and moved over to stand next to Bree. “I’d like to thank Detective Fitzpatrick for coming here and giving us some good ideas on how to protect ourselves.” He started clapping and the others joined in.

What Bree noticed most was the tall man now standing in the back of the room.

“I’ve brought some magnets for you to put on your refrigerator or by the phone,” she said, holding one up. “Please, help yourselves.”

Bree stood by the podium as many of the seniors made their way to the front. She smiled and spoke to each person Joshua and Renee introduced her to.

“Thank you for explaining who we need to beware of,” one frail silver-haired woman said, laying her trembling hand on Bree’s arm. She lowered her voice. “Sometimes I feel very frightened.”

Bree had only to look into her eyes to see that she wasn’t speaking lightly. Fear spoke a stark message in her gaze. Bree didn’t hesitate. She plucked the magnet out of the woman’s hand, dug a pen out of her pocket and quickly wrote on two of the empty lines.

“This is my cell phone number and this is my home number,” she said quietly. “If you need to, call me directly, all right?” She tucked the magnet back into the woman’s hand and curled her fingers over it. “I am very serious. You call me anytime, day or night.”

The woman offered a tremulous smile, then turned away to walk slowly to the door. Bree watched her thoughtfully.

“Estelle Timmerman,” Renee murmured in Bree’s ear. “Poor dear. She used to be such an incredible woman. She was in the Women’s Army Corps during World War II. She faced each day with a smile. She and her husband did everything together. After his death, she seemed to change overnight. Became timid. Quiet. I’ve tried countless times to find out what’s wrong, but she tells me it’s nothing. I’ve been able to persuade her to go on some of our day trips, but it hasn’t been easy. I worry about her.”

“Sometimes what someone sees as something very wrong, we would see as nothing,” Bree murmured back, making a mental note to check on the woman.

She was meeting the last of the group when her senses picked up Cole Becker’s presence. She turned and offered him a brief smile that wasn’t the least bit friendly.

“I found your talk informative, Detective,” he drawled. “I think our senior citizens will feel safer after knowing their options. I know I do.”

“Something tells me that most criminals would run the other way if they ran into you,” she said.

He nodded sagely. “True. Power of the press and all that.”

Bree suddenly realized that everyone else seemed to have disappeared, leaving her and Cole alone. He appeared to have realized it, too.

“Lunch tomorrow?”

“I’m busy.”

“Dinner tomorrow night?”

“Busy,” she said glibly.

“March 7, 2004?” Cole asked without missing a beat. He reached for the box of magnets, but she beat him to it.

She smiled. “Dentist in the morning. Seeing my psychic in the afternoon, and I’ll be washing my hair that evening.” She headed for the door. “Have a nice day, Mr. Becker.”

As Bree entered the reception area, Renee approached her.

“Don’t tell the sheriff, but I believe I got the better deal, too. I didn’t have to familiarize myself with mountains of paperwork,” she confessed with a big grin.

“Next time you must show us what your dog can do,” the older woman requested.

“He’s a working police dog. He doesn’t do tricks,” Bree warned.

Renee chuckled. “Don’t worry. We don’t expect him to shake hands or sit up. Perhaps you could show us how he catches a suspect.”

“Now that he can do,” she assured her.

“Come back anytime,” Renee invited.

“I’m not exactly in the right age group.”

Her eyes twinkled with laughter. “Don’t worry, we’ll give you a special dispensation.” She laid her hand on Bree’s arm. “Perhaps you’d be free for lunch one day. I’d like the chance to get to know you better.”

“I’d enjoy that,” she said sincerely.

Renee’s smile was sly. “Poor Cole must not have said the right words.” She turned away when one of the women called her name. “Thank you again, dear,” she said to Bree as she took her leave.

Bree walked out to the truck with the box nestled in her arms.

She disarmed the vehicle alarm and set the box on the floor of the back seat. She expected to see Cole Becker in the area and found herself feeling strangely disappointed that she didn’t.

“I am not going back there!” Sara’s strident voice could be heard as Bree pulled the Expedition into the garage.

She could hear every word even with the vehicle’s windows closed.

Jinx whined and pawed at the back of the seat.

“I hear them, too,” Bree said with a deep sigh.

“What are you complaining for? I was the one who got the dork of the year award,” David yelled back.

“When’re we gonna eat? I’m really hungry!” Cody wailed.

Bree shut off the ignition and pulled the key free. Her fingers hovered over the garage door opener button.

“Maybe we should go out for a hamburger,” she mused. Before she could give in to her first thought, she pushed the button. As she climbed out of the SUV, she listened to the whir of the garage door sliding downward.

When Bree opened the back door, the first thing she noticed was the sudden silence that dropped over the room. Then the spicy scent of garlic and oregano tickled her nose.

“Spaghetti?” she asked, walking through the room. “It smells good. Thanks for starting dinner, Sara.”

The girl shrugged her shoulders.

“Mom?” Cody was right on her heels as Bree headed for her bedroom.

“Give me a minute.” She pulled her lock box off the closet shelf and deposited her weapon inside. “What is it, honey?”

“I got to feed the parakeet today,” he told her.

Bree dropped onto the bed beside him and wrapped her arms around him.

“So it’s not so bad, after all?” she asked.

He gave a fleeting grin and shook his head. Before he could say anything, shouting erupted from the kitchen.

“I don’t give a—!” David yelled at his sister.

“Cuss jar,” Cody whispered, burrowing closer to his mother. “That’s a dollar word.”

Bree urged him onto his feet and together they walked back to the kitchen. She found brother and sister facing off in what she knew was only the beginning.

“Did you pay your dollar?” she asked her stepson.

David muttered something under his breath as he reached into his pocket, then pulled the cork top off a large earthenware jar with Cuss Jar engraved on the front.

“Add another dollar to it,” Bree instructed.

“He’s being a sh—!” Sara’s complaint was cut off by Bree’s upheld hand.

“Dollar from you, too. Want to go for two?”

“But I didn’t say it!”

“No, but you were ready to.” Bree pulled open a cabinet door and withdrew a bag of dog kibble. She filled the large plastic dish set by the refrigerator. Jinx wasted no time heading for his bowl. “Dare I ask if anything good happened today?”

Sara swiped her hand across her eyes. “They’re all lame at school,” she complained.

“You’re the one who’s lame,” David muttered.

When the kitchen timer dinged, Bree felt as if she was listening to the gong announcing the next round in a championship fight.

“David, drain the spaghetti and pour the sauce over it, please,” she directed. “Sara, you want to get the garlic bread out of the oven?”

Bree watched her stepson set the bowl on the table as they all sat down.

“It looks good,” she said cheerfully.

Her rule regarding no battles at the table held true. The children’s conversation was chillingly polite.

After dinner, Bree loaded the dishwasher while the three children disappeared into their rooms to do their homework.

She enjoyed the peace and quiet in the kitchen as she rinsed off dishes and placed them in the machine. For the next half hour, her only companion was Jinx, who lay sprawled on the floor.

“If I could get you to do the dishes, you’d be the perfect partner,” she informed the dog.

She should have known her quiet time wouldn’t last long.

“Mom!” Sara yelled. “Where’s my pink lace top? I want to wear it tomorrow.”

“Mommy!” Cody joined the chorus.

Bree threw up her hands. She looked down at the dog, who looked back at her with a quizzical expression on his face.

“Who are these children and why do they call me Mom?”

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