She was walking out the back kitchen door to drop the mouse in the Dumpster at the side of the house that had been delivered for the rehab when she heard a horn from up front. She dropped the bag in unceremoniously and headed around to the front.
As she’d hoped, the first to arrive was Megan. She was stepping out of her new prepped-for-baby Enclave, which she’d agreed to after reluctantly parting with her trusted but seen-better-days RAV4.
Watching her longtime friend and supervisor navigate the merging of her life with Craig, her older and much-better-off-financially fiancé, was an experience for Kelsey. Not only had Craig made an enormous impact on the shelter with a critically timed big donation, but he was a really good guy and great with Megan.
“I missed you yesterday,” Kelsey declared as she and Megan met and hugged. Megan’s doctor’s appointment had run long, and then she’d gotten stuck at the shelter—probably dealing with the aftermath of Kelsey’s fiasco of an interview—and hadn’t been able to join her and Patrick here.
“I’m sorry I didn’t help clean. I saw Patrick as I was leaving the shelter this morning. He said yesterday was productive, but more productivity awaited.”
Kelsey laughed. “That’s a good way of putting it. I’m holding my breath that Mr. Tommy Sintras doesn’t take a look around and hightail it out of here. Especially considering he’s actually going to be living here the next few months.”
“You know, with a bit of money and elbow grease, this place could look really nice again.” Megan eyed the old mansion appreciatively. “However many years it is from now when Mr. Longtail passes away and we sell the place, I really hope it’s to someone who’ll restore it, not knock it down and put up something new.”
“Me too, but whoever attempts it is half-crazy. It’s such a giant mess.”
The estate was on a double lot at the end of a quiet street. Kelsey’s attention was drawn to the street by a set of commercial vans approaching. Her stomach rolled like she’d swallowed a goldfish. This was really happening.
Megan glanced at her watch. “Looks like they’re early.” She gave Kelsey a hopeful smile. “You ready for this?”
Kelsey took a practiced, slow breath and joked, “I thought I was, but now I’m worried I may fail, and after yesterday’s fiasco of an interview, the world will know.”
Megan draped an arm across Kelsey’s back. “You’re going to rock this, Kels. You know how you’re always saying I should trust my instincts? Well, something tells me this is going to be really good for you.”
Kelsey’s mouth went dry as the first van pulled into the circular drive and parked behind the Enclave. She’d worked at the shelter for seven years and would bet she was immune to most levels of barking. The noise erupting from the first van was different. Even through the enclosed vehicle, it was a sound she’d associate with a Category EF5 tornado, not a dog. And from the sound of it, it was coming from a single dog. Few dogs she’d met were capable of producing the level of sound that was blasting into the afternoon. Kelsey Sutton, what on earth did you get yourself into?
Swallowing a titanic wave of fear, she headed over to greet Rob and his passengers. Then she spotted a sports car pulling in behind the second van and did a double take. A classic red Mustang was pulling into the circular drive of the Sabrina Raven estate. The red Mustang. “What’s he doing here?” The words came out in a whisper, but somehow Megan heard over the din of barking. She must have been reading Kelsey’s lips.
“Who?”
Kelsey worked to shrug it off, to draw in enough air to clear her head. “No one.” Her heart was thumping wildly. He was supposed to have driven back to Fort Leonard Wood the other day.
Engines shut off, and the barking quieted a decibel or two. Kelsey dug her thumbnail into her palm as everyone piled out.
Rob, lanky but confident Rob, made introductions. Kelsey managed to hold on to none of the helpers’ names but hoped Megan did. In addition to Rob and Kurt, three people had gotten out of the vans. Two were guys and neither looked like the guy she’d Googled who was supposed to be helping her, the one whose name suddenly escaped her. Maybe he was coming later.
Rob seemed to be saying something important, but Kelsey’s ears were buzzing, and the intense barking of that single dog was distracting. She tried not to gawk at Kurt as he studied the old mansion after giving her a long look. She’d almost swear he was assessing it the same way he’d assessed her at the warehouse. She got the sense that the way he read people, the way he related to them, was entirely different from that of anyone she knew.
Megan brushed Kelsey’s elbow, trying to get her attention. Kelsey struggled to play back her friend’s last few words. If she was correct, Megan wanted them to head inside for a quick tour before unloading the crates. Kelsey nodded in agreement. “Yeah, of course.”
“No one, huh?” Megan whispered as Rob motioned for two of his helpers to open the back van doors before they headed inside. “The way you two were looking at each other, I’d say that’s anyone but no one.”
* * *
Maybe it was the light breeze sweeping across the tall, ancient oaks that spanned the yard, causing the leaves to chime in the wind. Maybe it was a trick of the mind on seeing the historic home. Kurt could swear he heard his nana’s
