didn’t still have the effects of the fire on her. That part was normal.
She couldn’t spend the next few days scrutinizing every difference.
Unless the changes were the key to the puzzle.
“There shouldn’t be any differences,” she said as she pulled her red pony car into her soon to be old apartment complex.
To see her apartment complex on fire. “Oh, no.”
Fire trucks blocked her access. Where there weren’t trucks there were hoses to the various hydrants. Parking a block away, she then hiked back and searched out her work partner, Glen Gery. He was also a volunteer firefighter.
“Grace,” he said then embraced her in a Nomex hug. “You’re place is wrecked.”
“Nothing to save?”
She hadn’t brought much with her to Glen Hills, but she did have some photos that had meant something to her.
“No, sorry.”
“The cause?”
“Don’t know. I was inside and it looked set.”
She didn’t think her landlord would do it, but who knew what lurked in men’s hearts. With nowhere to go and no desire to watch the firefighters battle the fire that left her homeless, she returned to Dolores’ place.
Zach was just leaving. He paused before getting into his car as if memorizing her license plate. With no moving violations she didn’t care what he searched for. On the other hand if he read about the last place she’d lived and the murder he’d become suspicious again.
She frowned while pulling into her new home. Dolores agreed to let her move in early. Tonight.
So Grace went shopping for new clothes thankful that her uniform stayed at work. Fatigued from an activity she didn’t enjoy she stopped mid-afternoon for cup of coffee.
Settling into a plush seat by the window she realized someone was staring at her. Zach rose and moved to sit at her table.
“Hi,” she said trying to sound like she never met him.
“You’re Grace.”
She motioned for him to sit. Maybe this time she’d get to know him better. “Find anything out from my license plate.”
“You haven’t applied for your New Jersey license, yet,” he said, dropping into the seat and placing his coffee in front of him.
She smelled vanilla and cinnamon from his cup. Hers was a straight, unadulterated cup of coffee with a little artificial sweetener. Interesting that he was a former cop and went for the fancy stuff. “I have some time. I haven’t decided I’m staying.”
“Oh, will you go back where you came from?”
She shrugged. She had no idea what her latest “job” would bring her or even if she’d be successful. “Doubt it.”
“Problems back there?”
Did he know already? “Why would you think that?”
He was in full cop mode, even if he wasn’t a cop anymore. Or had that changed? She didn’t see a badge on his belt so maybe not.
“Usually that’s the reason people move.”
She leaned back in her chair, her finger tracing a line around the top of her oversized coffee cup. “People move around for lots of reasons. Wanderlust. Better jobs.”
He leaned his elbows on the table his gray gaze taking in all of her. She wouldn’t have been any more vulnerable if she’d been naked.
“Do you have wanderlust?”
His voice came out low and gravelly. The sound touched a primeval part of her, saying, “This is your mate.” This was as if she’d met her other half. Oh. My. God. Should she do things differently with Zach this time?
She smiled, pushing away her scary feelings. “Yes, I think I do.”
With his head cocked, he flashed her some teeth. The gesture wasn’t actually a smile, but something more predatory. “What would make you settle?”
“Hm. Good question.”
“You don’t have the dream of the picket fence and kids in the yard?”
She did, but never expected it to happen. “Not sure that’s in the cards for me.”
His smile this time was softer as if what she’d said appealed to him. “So what do you do, Miss Harmony?”
“Grace, please. I have a feeling we’ll be getting to know
She couldn’t spend the next few days scrutinizing every difference.
Unless the changes were the key to the puzzle.
“There shouldn’t be any differences,” she said as she pulled her red pony car into her soon to be old apartment complex.
To see her apartment complex on fire. “Oh, no.”
Fire trucks blocked her access. Where there weren’t trucks there were hoses to the various hydrants. Parking a block away, she then hiked back and searched out her work partner, Glen Gery. He was also a volunteer firefighter.
“Grace,” he said then embraced her in a Nomex hug. “You’re place is wrecked.”
“Nothing to save?”
She hadn’t brought much with her to Glen Hills, but she did have some photos that had meant something to her.
“No, sorry.”
“The cause?”
“Don’t know. I was inside and it looked set.”
She didn’t think her landlord would do it, but who knew what lurked in men’s hearts. With nowhere to go and no desire to watch the firefighters battle the fire that left her homeless, she returned to Dolores’ place.
Zach was just leaving. He paused before getting into his car as if memorizing her license plate. With no moving violations she didn’t care what he searched for. On the other hand if he read about the last place she’d lived and the murder he’d become suspicious again.
She frowned while pulling into her new home. Dolores agreed to let her move in early. Tonight.
So Grace went shopping for new clothes thankful that her uniform stayed at work. Fatigued from an activity she didn’t enjoy she stopped mid-afternoon for cup of coffee.
Settling into a plush seat by the window she realized someone was staring at her. Zach rose and moved to sit at her table.
“Hi,” she said trying to sound like she never met him.
“You’re Grace.”
She motioned for him to sit. Maybe this time she’d get to know him better. “Find anything out from my license plate.”
“You haven’t applied for your New Jersey license, yet,” he said, dropping into the seat and placing his coffee in front of him.
She smelled vanilla and cinnamon from his cup. Hers was a straight, unadulterated cup of coffee with a little artificial sweetener. Interesting that he was a former cop and went for the fancy stuff. “I have some time. I haven’t decided I’m staying.”
“Oh, will you go back where you came from?”
She shrugged. She had no idea what her latest “job” would bring her or even if she’d be successful. “Doubt it.”
“Problems back there?”
Did he know already? “Why would you think that?”
He was in full cop mode, even if he wasn’t a cop anymore. Or had that changed? She didn’t see a badge on his belt so maybe not.
“Usually that’s the reason people move.”
She leaned back in her chair, her finger tracing a line around the top of her oversized coffee cup. “People move around for lots of reasons. Wanderlust. Better jobs.”
He leaned his elbows on the table his gray gaze taking in all of her. She wouldn’t have been any more vulnerable if she’d been naked.
“Do you have wanderlust?”
His voice came out low and gravelly. The sound touched a primeval part of her, saying, “This is your mate.” This was as if she’d met her other half. Oh. My. God. Should she do things differently with Zach this time?
She smiled, pushing away her scary feelings. “Yes, I think I do.”
With his head cocked, he flashed her some teeth. The gesture wasn’t actually a smile, but something more predatory. “What would make you settle?”
“Hm. Good question.”
“You don’t have the dream of the picket fence and kids in the yard?”
She did, but never expected it to happen. “Not sure that’s in the cards for me.”
His smile this time was softer as if what she’d said appealed to him. “So what do you do, Miss Harmony?”
“Grace, please. I have a feeling we’ll be getting to know
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