She’d never forget the night she’d told her parents about Macey’s death. Her father had suffered a stroke just moments later, and he hadn’t been the same since. He couldn’t talk, and he was paralyzed in his left arm. Since her parents were getting on in age, and her work took her all over the country, Marlee had hired a nurse to be with them. Pam was the best thing that had ever happened to the Framptons. They both adored her and did everything she asked of them—the exact opposite of what they did for Marlee.
“How do you do it?” Marlee asked. It wasn’t the first time she’d posed the question, and she knew it wouldn’t be the last. “These aren’t your parents. I just—”
“We’ve had this discussion before,” Pam said, a smile in her voice. “This was my calling. I love it, as odd as that sounds to some. You have your purpose, and it’s one that does a lot of good. If I can help make your life, as well as your parents’ lives, easier, then I’m happy.”
“I honestly don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“You just take care of you. If I’ve learned anything about you over the last five years, it’s that you don’t take care of yourself enough.”
Marlee chuckled. “Point taken.”
“I get updates on your mom every couple of hours. I’ll make sure I pass those on to you.”
“You’re amazing, Pam. Thank you.”
She made a sound. “Just eat. You’ve lost too much weight. And please tell me you’re getting a massage. You know what happened last time.”
Marlee winced, remembering the pain she had suffered from the knots in her neck. “I’m getting one today. Promise.”
“Good. Talk later.”
After she hung up the phone, Marlee immediately went to make an appointment with a masseuse. She was lucky enough to get one a couple of hours after lunch. It gave her time to sort through some emails and do more research. In an effort to take better care of her body, she even put in an order for a salad to be delivered to the room for lunch.
She drank the motel’s horrible coffee made from the beat-up pot in her room and downed a bottle of water as she looked through the various photos she’d taken of anyone around Naomi and Brice. Marlee hung them on the wall, looking at each one in detail. She always got consumed by the task, which was why she often forgot to eat. Time got away from her while looking for the bad guys.
When she moved to the next photo, one of Cooper Owens, she hated to think that anyone who looked that good was one of the villains. But she knew all too well how often that was the case. Though, from what she’d discovered, Cooper Owens was a good guy. So, maybe he really was. She’d probably never know.
By the time the knock on her door came, she was famished and in need of some time away from the computer screen. She pulled up one of her audiobooks and hit play as she settled in to enjoy her salad.
Her greatest joy—and something she and Macey had gotten from their mother—was romance novels. While her mother preferred historicals, Marlee loved them all. There wasn’t a sub-genre of romance that she didn’t devour. As she listened to the narrator, she allowed herself to fall into the world as she ate.
Finding time to read was difficult. And while she still loved books, when she was traveling, packing, following someone, or even digging into their lives, her audiobooks became a necessity. They were her escape, the things that got her through each day.
She listened far longer than she should have. When she glanced down at her salad, it was gone. She had become so engrossed in the story that she hadn’t realized she’d eaten the entire thing. Then she looked at the time and gasped.
“Dammit,” she said as she stopped the audiobook and jumped to her feet.
Marlee hurried to put on her boots before she grabbed her jacket, purse, and keys and ran out the door. It wasn’t until she was nearly at the massage place that she looked down and saw that she’d left her phone behind. There was no time to get it now. It’d have to wait until later.
She’d just put the car in park when it started to rain. Marlee grimaced as she got out and ran to the building, a shiver running through her. She preferred the moderate temperatures of California. While she had gotten used to hot and cold places, she didn’t particularly like them.
Marlee paused when the hairs on the back of her neck rose. She swallowed, the feeling that someone was watching her too strong to ignore. She glanced over her shoulder as she opened the door, but she didn’t see anyone. A receptionist greeted her when she walked into the building, and she smiled, though she kept glancing out the door to see if she could locate what had alarmed her.
She was filling out the paperwork for her visit when the door opened on the side of the room, and the massage therapist walked out with her client. They spoke briefly, and Marlee waited until the client made her way to the counter to pay before she glanced up. Her eyes landed on none other than Abby East.
“I hear congratulations are in order,” the woman behind the counter said, a wide smile on her lips.
Abby laughed and nodded enthusiastically. “It’s taken Brice and Naomi so long, but they finally have a child. We spent yesterday with them.”
“It’s all anyone can talk about around town. What did they name the baby?”
Abby beamed with pride. “Nathanial, but they’re calling him Nate.”
The worker cooed. “That’s adorable. Don’t forget to remind Naomi that she still needs to take time for herself. She shouldn’t pass up her monthly massages.”
“Trust me, we’re all reminding her of that. She’s just so taken with Nate that it might be a while before she gets back to normal. Brice, too, for that matter.” Abby shook her head, her brunette locks secured in a ponytail. “Although, I can freely admit that Nate stole my heart the moment I saw him. He’s adorable.”
The worker handed Abby the receipt to sign. “How are your three liking their cousin?”
“Wynter and Brody couldn’t care less. But Hope is utterly enthralled. She cried when we left yesterday.”
Marlee finished her paperwork and rose to hand it to another worker. By the time she answered all the questions posed to her, Abby was gone. They brought Marlee to a waiting room with soothing music that was likely supposed to relax her. Instead, her mind was focused on her current job. If she were just anyone, she’d probably think like everyone else and be happy for Naomi and Brice. But Marlee knew the ugly side of adoptions.
There was no way she would be able to relax enough for a massage. She had a list of things she needed to look into. She got to her feet just as a tattooed man with a long beard and perfectly coiffed hair called her name. Since she was the only person in the waiting room, she couldn’t ignore him.
“That’s me,” she said.
He held out his hand. “I’m Chris. I’ll be your therapist today. Tell me what you’d like to work on.”
She shook his hand. “I’ve got some pretty bad knots in my neck and shoulders.”
Chris led her into a room. “I can definitely take care of that. I’ll let you get undressed, and I’ll be back in a moment.”
Even as Marlee removed her clothes and got on the heated bed and beneath the sheet, she wondered if she was wasting her money on the massage right now since she was too wrapped up in the case. At least that was her thought until Chris began to work out the knots. It wasn’t long before her mind quieted, and she was able to relax.