Near You (Montana Series #2) - Mary Burton Page 0,14
have been worse than it was last year.
As the clerk rang up her order, she noted the young man kept glancing at her as if he recognized her. She injected her steady gaze with challenge until he stopped sneaking looks. When her total rang up, she suppressed a grimace. Until she sold the house on Beech Street, finances were going to be tight.
The shopping cart’s wheels rattled as she pushed her purchases across the parking lot and loaded them in her trunk. At the university, she parked outside the building where Nate was attending a computer camp. She still had a minute to spare.
She savored the warmth of the sun on her face as she watched the side of the gym door, waiting for it to open and the kids to be released.
Her phone rang. She did not recognize the number. Wondering if it might be from the police department, she took a risk and answered. “This is Dr. Bailey.”
“Dr. Bailey? Ann Bailey?” The springs of a chair squeaked as if the caller were shifting forward.
“That is correct.”
“This is Paul Thompson. I’m working on a story about Elijah Weston.”
“How did you get this number?” she asked.
“I’m good at what I do.”
His arrogance scraped her nerves. “Good for you. Don’t call me again.”
“I want to talk. You name the time and the place. I have a few questions.”
Ann hung up and then blocked the number. Her hands were trembling as she thought about Elijah Weston. She had known him in college, slept with him twice, and then, when he was charged with arson, she had testified against him.
Elijah had been out of prison a year, and not a week went by that she did not spot him at least once. He rarely approached her, but his mere presence was a message: “I haven’t forgotten. And you won’t, either.”
The gym door burst open, and the ten kids, ranging in age from ten to thirteen, strolled outside. Some carried their backpacks, others dragged them, all with a tired but contented expression suggesting it had been a good day.
She did not see Nate immediately, and whenever he dallied, adrenaline rushed her body and her relaxed status switched to a full-blown red alert.
Her heart was fast-tracking to fifth gear when she saw her son making his way out of the building. He was sporting his new wire-rimmed glasses and a short haircut that was identical to his cousin Kyle’s and uncle Gideon’s. The combined effect made him look older than the ten-year-old boy standing in front of her.
He spotted her, raised his hand, and tossed her a halfway smile. Not the full-on grin he had a year ago, but not the dismissive smirk of a teenager.
Ann waved back and watched as the other boys hurried to their rides. A couple of twelve-year-olds, Roger and Ben, rushed up to speak to Nate, and her boy actually grinned. Then the boys looked toward Roger’s mother, who shook her head no. There were some exchanged words between the trio, and then Nate nodded, adjusted his backpack, and headed toward Ann’s car.
Her heart twisted. He opened the back door and tossed in his backpack.
“How did it go today?” she asked a little too brightly.
“Fine.” He clicked his seat belt.
“Did you make your solar system presentation?” she asked.
“Yes.” He pushed up his glasses and looked out the window.
“Want to get ice cream?”
“No. Did you get my fishing lures from the house?”
“I did. They’re in the back.”
He glanced over the seat at the bags of newly purchased items. “What about my globe from the house?”
“No, did you want it?”
“Yes. I told you that.”
“I don’t remember. Sorry.”
“You didn’t get it?” he challenged.
“I’ll go by tomorrow.”
“Why can’t we go now?” He shifted his gaze, his eyes ripe with a dare.
“What’s the rush?” she asked.
“What’s the big deal?”
“What’s with the attitude, kid?”
His shrug was not as surly as his defiance. “I told you—I wanted to see the house, Mom, but you went by without me. I’m not a baby.”
“I didn’t say you couldn’t see it.”
“Then let’s go now.” He cocked his head. “I want to get my globe.”
“I have a house cleaner there now.”
“How much mess can we make retrieving a globe?”
He was not arguing about a globe; he was asserting his need for closure. She’d thought that by going to the house alone, she was protecting Nate, but in reality, there was no foolproof way to do it.
“Okay, but we can’t get in the cleaning lady’s way.”