me what’s going on with Olivia. I care for the girl, even if she’s not going to be my future daughter.”
“She’s turning six and they’re having a party for her in the city. We’re invited, but Greg and I aren’t going. I’m sending a gift with Evie. Sasha said she’d leave it to me to tell you. Or not.” I studied his face. “I know her leaving hit you hard.”
“Jill, it’s okay. I’m a big boy. Sasha never said she was going to stay with me forever. She never made promises or vows. But there’s something you’re not telling me. Why wouldn’t you tell me?” He cocked his head and studied me. “Oh, I get it. Sasha’s dating someone and he’ll be at the party. Maybe I should go.”
“Toby,” I started to warn him about going off on a guy just because he was dating Sasha, but he held up his hand.
“I was kidding. Can you tell Evie I’d like her to take up my gift too? I’ll bring it to the shop next week and help her load it. She drives an SUV, right?” He paused at the side of the road and looked both ways. Emma turned her head and followed his directions. Sometimes my dog is more human than some people I know.
“Why? How big is your gift?” We crossed the road and started walking up the hill.
He ignored my question and pointed to Esmeralda’s house. “Isn’t that Steve Gunter trying to break into Esmeralda’s? The guy never learns. Stay here and call it in.”
He sprinted across the road as I pulled out my phone. Toby won. He had Steve on the ground, his hand behind his back before I could even dial Greg’s number.
Greg answered on the first ring. “What’s going on? Where are you?”
“Outside watching Toby hold down Steve Gunter. He was trying to break into Esmeralda’s house.” I explained the situation.
Greg sighed. “Bring Emma into the yard and tell Toby I’m bringing over the handcuffs.”
Chapter 11
Greg stopped back at the house before going into the station. He went to the kitchen, chose a soda, and then dropped on the couch next to me, where I was trying to work on a book review for the newsletter. In truth, I’d mostly been watching the excitement through my front window. Tim had already loaded Steve up in the police cruiser and had left a few minutes ago. I’d watched Toby and Greg talking to Esmeralda for a while on the porch.
“What a mess.” He sank into the couch and opened the can.
I waited for him to finish drinking before I asked the question that had been worrying me. “How’s Esmeralda?”
“Scared, but she won’t show it. I’ve worked with her long enough that I can see it in her body language. I’m just happy she keeps the front door locked now. If he’d been able to get inside, I’m not sure she’d be okay. He was ranting again about how it was all her fault. Then, when Toby had him cuffed, the guy broke down in tears. He’s a mess. When I left him in Bakerstown I thought he was going to head back to the bed-and-breakfast to get some sleep.”
“He really blames her for his wife’s death? What about the girl he was having drinks with? Maybe she killed his wife to get her out of the way of their happily ever after?” I didn’t have much sympathy for a guy who was that callous with his marriage.
“Jill, there’s something you need to know….” Greg’s phone beeped and he glanced at the display. “That was quick. I need to get to the station. Steve’s lawyer’s already there.”
“Of course she is.” I turned back to my laptop where I stared at the three lines I’d actually written in the last hour. “Home late?”
“Home late.” He kissed me and gave Emma’s head a rub. “Keep an eye on our Jill, okay, girl?”
“I don’t need a protector,” I called after him.
He paused at the door and grinned. “I think of Emma more as a therapy dog. Maybe she can keep you out of trouble.”
“Go to work.” I looked around and considered throwing a sofa pillow at him, but Emma would take that as an invitation to play and chew on the thing, and I kind of liked the new ones I’d bought last month, after the last unfortunate incident.
“Love you too.” Greg locked the door, then pulled it shut. That was the one thing about living with someone