from the kitchen table and pulled up a search on the web. Within minutes, she stared at images of .38 Specials. “Too morbid,” she mumbled. She exited the website and began scrolling through sites about lost and found pets.
The day crawled to a close. After eleven, the Mad Moose closed for the evening, and the downstairs noise quieted. Lucy sat in the cushioned chair Liam had insisted on bringing from the storage unit. She gazed out on Main Street. The floor lamp next to the couch gave off a soft yellow glow. Outside, the streetlights glinted off the flakes from the Alberta Clipper, which was dumping a couple of inches on Barley. No one roamed around in this weather.
The stillness yanked on her nerves. Was Liam asleep? In her pocket, she fingered the key that unlocked her doors.
Movement on the street caught her attention. She leaned forward and focused on a dark form hovering on the edge of the streetlight’s reach. The figure looked up at her window.
Lucy squinted and peered closer. The person moved to stand beneath the lamppost. Matt?
She gasped and ducked out of sight. Was it him? Was he smiling over the holy card he’d left Liam? Thinking of cutting off his head? She shivered in panic and snapped off the light. What should she do?
Be sure. Look again. Don’t let him get to you.
She tiptoed across the room. Sweat broke out on her forehead. Standing a few feet from the pane, she stared at the spot where the shape had lingered. No one was there.
She grabbed her phone to take his picture if he returned. The minutes ticked past. She stood near the window, her mind bouncing back and forth between certainty and uncertainty. Please, let me see you again . Then she prayed he’d never show.
Chapter 13
March 20
The next morning, Lucy searched the online version of the Barley newspaper on her phone. At least nothing came up about her brother’s possible affair with a student. She’d keep her fingers crossed.
Loud knocking on the door carried up the stairs and into her apartment. Lucy pocketed her phone in her jeans and rose from the sofa. Who was here? Matt’s face popped into her mind. She’d spent most of her night lurking near her window, watching for the person.
The only activity outside had been the plow lumbering past before dawn. Maybe she’d imagined the figure. Lack of sleep sent people over the edge.
She glanced out the window. Last night’s snow squall had left three inches on the sidewalk. The sound of a shovel scraping the pavement carried to her apartment. No one lingered on the walkway. The banging on the Moose’s front door persisted. What if it was an emergency?
She ran down to the first floor. At the bottom step, she called out, “Who is it?”
“Lucy, it’s Bella Jackman. Can I come up?”
“Wait a minute.” Lucy unlocked the door to find the young woman on the other side. She wore a navy jacket, and in her gloved hands she held a dish covered with foil.
“This is for you.” Bella thrust the dish at Lucy. “Welcome home. I’m sorry you’re here for such a sad occasion, but the happy news is, you’re in Barley.”
Welcome home? “I won’t be staying, Bella.” That sounded harsh. “Thank you for the plate of goodies. Want to come inside?”
Bella nodded. “I’m not expected at work for another thirty minutes.”
Lucy led the way upward and into the kitchen. “You’ll recognize the extra chairs and table from the restaurant. Sit down, please. Would you like a drink and a…” She peeled up a corner of the foil. An unusual scent hit her. “Cookie?”
“No thank you, and they’re chocolate chip. I use an old recipe with a special ingredient.”
Bella draped her jacket over the chair and stuffed her gloves in a pocket. “I baked them last night. Hank ate half of them already.” She sat across from Lucy. “I heard about Liam’s truck.”
Had she come for gossip? “Liam wasn’t happy, but who would be? At least the insurance will pay for the replacement
The day crawled to a close. After eleven, the Mad Moose closed for the evening, and the downstairs noise quieted. Lucy sat in the cushioned chair Liam had insisted on bringing from the storage unit. She gazed out on Main Street. The floor lamp next to the couch gave off a soft yellow glow. Outside, the streetlights glinted off the flakes from the Alberta Clipper, which was dumping a couple of inches on Barley. No one roamed around in this weather.
The stillness yanked on her nerves. Was Liam asleep? In her pocket, she fingered the key that unlocked her doors.
Movement on the street caught her attention. She leaned forward and focused on a dark form hovering on the edge of the streetlight’s reach. The figure looked up at her window.
Lucy squinted and peered closer. The person moved to stand beneath the lamppost. Matt?
She gasped and ducked out of sight. Was it him? Was he smiling over the holy card he’d left Liam? Thinking of cutting off his head? She shivered in panic and snapped off the light. What should she do?
Be sure. Look again. Don’t let him get to you.
She tiptoed across the room. Sweat broke out on her forehead. Standing a few feet from the pane, she stared at the spot where the shape had lingered. No one was there.
She grabbed her phone to take his picture if he returned. The minutes ticked past. She stood near the window, her mind bouncing back and forth between certainty and uncertainty. Please, let me see you again . Then she prayed he’d never show.
Chapter 13
March 20
The next morning, Lucy searched the online version of the Barley newspaper on her phone. At least nothing came up about her brother’s possible affair with a student. She’d keep her fingers crossed.
Loud knocking on the door carried up the stairs and into her apartment. Lucy pocketed her phone in her jeans and rose from the sofa. Who was here? Matt’s face popped into her mind. She’d spent most of her night lurking near her window, watching for the person.
The only activity outside had been the plow lumbering past before dawn. Maybe she’d imagined the figure. Lack of sleep sent people over the edge.
She glanced out the window. Last night’s snow squall had left three inches on the sidewalk. The sound of a shovel scraping the pavement carried to her apartment. No one lingered on the walkway. The banging on the Moose’s front door persisted. What if it was an emergency?
She ran down to the first floor. At the bottom step, she called out, “Who is it?”
“Lucy, it’s Bella Jackman. Can I come up?”
“Wait a minute.” Lucy unlocked the door to find the young woman on the other side. She wore a navy jacket, and in her gloved hands she held a dish covered with foil.
“This is for you.” Bella thrust the dish at Lucy. “Welcome home. I’m sorry you’re here for such a sad occasion, but the happy news is, you’re in Barley.”
Welcome home? “I won’t be staying, Bella.” That sounded harsh. “Thank you for the plate of goodies. Want to come inside?”
Bella nodded. “I’m not expected at work for another thirty minutes.”
Lucy led the way upward and into the kitchen. “You’ll recognize the extra chairs and table from the restaurant. Sit down, please. Would you like a drink and a…” She peeled up a corner of the foil. An unusual scent hit her. “Cookie?”
“No thank you, and they’re chocolate chip. I use an old recipe with a special ingredient.”
Bella draped her jacket over the chair and stuffed her gloves in a pocket. “I baked them last night. Hank ate half of them already.” She sat across from Lucy. “I heard about Liam’s truck.”
Had she come for gossip? “Liam wasn’t happy, but who would be? At least the insurance will pay for the replacement
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