to avoid, so he mustered up a generic reply. “It was something goofy, as usual.”
“But a useful one,” Mrs. Miracle added, seeming to have some sort of insider information. “Something you might well need, and soon.”
“Perhaps,” Zach said with a confused look on his face. She made it sound like she knew what he’d unwrapped at the office gift exchange that afternoon.
Mrs. Miracle laid aside her knitting. A serious look came over her face. “Zach, you do realize that God hears our prayers, don’t you?”
He stared at her, surprised by her question. Was she implying that she knew all about his prayer at his desk that afternoon? Maybe he and Laurel had taken this stranger at face value, never questioning her sudden appearance at their front door. Granted, Mrs. Miracle was doing a great job with Laurel’s grandmother, but that wasn’t the problem. This woman seemed to know far more than she should. Something wasn’t right. Zach silently determined that it was time to check into her background and find out who exactly this woman was.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
When Laurel awoke, Zach was already down in the kitchen getting their morning coffee ready, earlier than normal. Slipping out of bed, she quickly showered and dressed, then headed down to the kitchen.
“I’m surprised you’re ready this early,” Zach said as he fixed the collar on his shirt and threw a pull-on sweater over his head while she poured a cup of coffee.
“I need to get to the school early,” she reminded him. With the holiday program just days away there were several loose ends she needed to take care of, and mornings were her best time. By the end of the school day, she was rattle-brained, and she worried that she might overlook something. She wanted to kick herself for volunteering to oversee the entire program. What had she been thinking?
“How’s the production shaping up?”
Laurel took that first restorative sip. “About as good as can be expected.”
“I meant to tell you the other day—I got the time off, so I’ll be there.”
“You did?” For him to ask for time off at this time of year was big, and she hadn’t asked him to go, not wanting to put any extra pressure on him. Although he rarely spoke about his own commitments when it came to work, she knew he was heading up a large project with pending deadlines.
“I’m so glad.”
His bagel popped up from the toaster, and he offered Laurel a shy smile. He added cream cheese and took his first bite.
“I hate to put anything more on your plate, Laurel, but I need you to do something for me.” His forehead creased with a thick frown. “I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t feel strongly about it.”
“What do you need?”
Zach set his bagel aside and looked down at it like the poppy seeds on top were ready to offer him insight and wisdom. “That first agency you called, asking about hiring a home companion for your grandmother…”
“Yes, the Caring Angels. What about it?”
“Would you contact them again and ask about Mrs. Miracle’s references? Something doesn’t feel right about her.”
“You don’t like Mrs. Miracle?”
“Helen told me her real name is Merkel. Be sure and give that name to the agency.”
“I will. But why? What aren’t you telling me?” As far as Laurel was concerned, the woman has been nothing but wonderful. “Did something happen last night that I don’t know about?” Maybe this was why Zach had been acting so strange.
“Well, for one thing, she claims she’s an angel.”
“But did she make that claim?” Laurel returned, confused by his need to dig into their home companion’s work history. “It’s Nana who insisted on that. Not Mrs. Miracle or Merkel—whatever name she goes by.” Laurel didn’t mean to sound defensive, but the woman had been an answer to their prayers. The changes in Nana since Mrs. Miracle’s arrival were night and day. Hiring the companion had made all the difference in the world. Laurel could leave for school each day with all the worry lifted from her shoulders.
“Please, just call. I swear there’s something fishy about her. I think we need to find out what we can, just to make sure your grandmother is in good hands when we leave. We never checked her story or asked about her previous work history, not to mention all this hullabaloo about her being an angel.”
“But you were the one who told me that if Nana wanted to believe her caregiver was an angel, then