Moments later, she was inside.
“Hello, the house,” Katie said softly, eyeing the gas fireplace that would be cozy come winter and the built-in bookshelves on either side of it.
She moved across the foyer into a small hallway, then straight into the kitchen and smiled.
White cabinets. An island with storage below and three barstools on the other side. The countertops were white quartz with a faint silver and gray veining. The appliances were stainless steel. A gas stove, dishwasher, and microwave. The ice-maker refrigerator was huge, with freezer drawers below. The flowers waiting for her on the island were a surprise, as was the note beneath them. She read it, then moved to the refrigerator and looked inside. The thoughtfulness of the gesture brought tears to her eyes. She was so tired. And this was so kind.
Food. Drink. Enough to tide her over for a day or so.
She sent Louise a quick text to let her know she’d arrived and to thank her for the flowers and food. Then she continued to explore the house, quickly locating the utility room where she saw more storage space and the newer-model washer and dryer that came with the house.
Her footsteps echoed as she moved toward the hall leading to the bedrooms. The first bedroom on the left would be the perfect office space. She backed out and headed for the room at the end of the hall. When she pushed the door inward, she paused on the threshold and sighed.
Pale-blue walls with white trim. Pine floors so shiny they looked wet. Huge windows with blinds open to the sunlight, and sills only inches from the floor. She walked in, checked out the walk-in closet, and then moved to the en suite bathroom with white walls, pale-blue trim, a huge claw-foot tub begging for hot water and bubbles, and a separate walk-in shower with pale-blue tiles and silver and blue tiles on the shower pan.
“Gorgeous,” Katie said, then pointed at the tub. “I’ll be back for you later,” she said, and went to her car to bring in her suitcase and sleeping bag.
She spread the sleeping bag on the floor of her bedroom. Leaving her suitcase against the wall, she grabbed a cold can of Pepsi and went out the back door. The porch swing beckoned, so she plopped, popped the top on her can, and lifted it in a toast.
“To me and new beginnings,” she said, took a quick sip, and then pushed off in the swing.
When it squeaked just slightly on the downswing, she smiled. Just like the swings out on the playgrounds. There was always one that squeaked. She felt right at home.
As she was finishing her Pepsi, she heard a string of firecrackers go off, popping in rapid succession like the shooter at the school. She broke out in a cold sweat and went back inside. It was just a holiday, and this would pass. But without anything to do, she slipped into her sleeping bag and closed her eyes. One of her last thoughts as sleep pulled her under was wondering where her furniture was and hoping it wasn’t too far behind.
***
A couple of hours later, Sam brought Beth home with the cut glued shut and bandaged, and a half gallon of ice cream for the house. She was exhausted from all the crying and the drama of getting the cut cleaned out, so he put her to bed. Roxie showed him the piece of glass they’d found out in the yard. It looked like a piece from an old Coca-Cola bottle.
“Damn it,” he said. “I’ll be calling the mowers on the way back to work.” As soon as he got back in the cruiser, he did just that.
“Hello, this is Melvin.”
“Melvin, this is Sam Youngblood. I have a question. By any chance did your crew happen to mow over a glass bottle in my yard last time they were here?”
“Yes, sir. They sure did. Dennis was on the riding mower and didn’t see it until it was too late. It messed up a tire, but we got it picked up.”
“Not all of it,” Sam said. “Beth fell on a big piece today and has a bad cut on her shoulder. I just got back from the ER with her. Next time something like that happens, let me know immediately.”
“Oh, man, I’m so sorry,” Melvin said. “That just makes me sick. I’ll talk to the crew for sure and make sure you’re not left in the dark about anything like that again.”
“Thanks, Melvin. I appreciate it,” Sam said, and disconnected.
It was all he could do to focus on work for the rest of the afternoon, and as soon as the officers for the night shift came on duty, he headed home.
He noticed the car under the portico at Louise’s house the moment he turned down the street. It appeared the new teacher had arrived. Without thinking, he turned up the drive at her house, got out and went to the door, rang the bell, then waited.
Then the door opened, and she was not what he expected. She was at least five foot nine, wearing jean shorts and an oversize T-shirt, and barefoot. Her eyes were dark, as were the circles beneath them. But then she almost smiled, and those dark eyes twinkled. It reminded him that he was the one who’d knocked on her door, and now it was time to speak.
“Sorry to bother you, but since we’re neighbors, I wanted to welcome you to Borden’s Gap. I’m Sam Youngblood. I’m also the police chief here in town, and I live across the street.”
He’s really tall, Katie thought, and the dark-blue uniform he was wearing made his blue eyes shine.
“I’m Katie McGrath. Nice to meet you,” she said.
He looked past her shoulder to the empty house.
“Did you beat your furniture here?” he asked.
“Yes, but only for one night. I got a text about an hour ago that they’ll be here before noon tomorrow.”
“I have a folding cot I’d be happy to loan you,” Sam said.
“I have a sleeping bag. I’ll be fine, but thank you,” she said.
Another string of fireworks went off like a semiautomatic strafing a yard. Katie jumped like she’d been gut-punched and then took a slow breath.
Sam hid a frown. Her face had lost all hint of color at the sound.
“Fireworks abound but they’ll be over after tomorrow,” he said.
“Good to know,” Katie said.
Sam pulled a business card out of his pocket. “Here’s my card. My cell phone and the phone to the station are both on it.”
Katie’s fingers were trembling as she took it out of his hand.
“Thank you again. That’s very kind of you,” she said.
“Yes, ma’am. Now I’d better get home so my babysitter can leave. Nice meeting you, Miss McGrath.”
“Katie,” she said.
He nodded, tipped the corner of his Stetson, and then jumped back in his cruiser. After backing out of her drive, he pulled up in front of his house and got out carrying an armload of uniforms.
Katie was still watching from the window when two little girls came running out of the house. One had a sizable bandage on her upper arm, but even from this distance, she could see that they were identical twins.