Barbara could only imagine how Anne must be feeling.Being this far from home and knowing someone was looking for her must be terrifying.“What will you do?”
“After I found Theo, I was going to find a job in Polson for a few months.If I couldn’t find a job, a friend in Buffalo said I could stay with her.I don’t want to go home until Steve’s behind bars.”
Barbara glanced at Theo.He wouldn’t mind if Anne came home with them.“You could come to Sapphire Bay with us.My sisters and I own a Bed and Breakfast.If you want to, you’re welcome to stay with us until you find somewhere to work.”
“That’s generous of you, but I don’t want to be a nuisance.”
“You wouldn’t be.And don’t worry about paying for anything.What you’ve done for Theo makes up for everything else.”
Anne sent her a relieved smile.“If you’re sure it will be okay, then thank you.You don’t know how much it means to me.”
“It’s no problem.”Barbara turned to Claudia.“We should leave.Can you give Hans a hug from me?”
“You can give me one yourself.”Claudia’s husband stood in the doorway.
For a brief moment, Barbara’s heart squeezed tight.With his dark brown hair and clear gray eyes, Hans was so much like his son.They’d jokingly told Soren that all he had to do was stand beside his dad to see what he’d look like when he was older.
Opening her arms, she hugged Hans tight.“It’s good to see you.What happened to your beard?”
“Claudia finally got her way.I shaved it off a few weeks ago.”
“It suits you.”
Claudia laughed.“I told you it was an improvement.You arrived at the right time, Hans.Barbara and Theo have to leave.Can you give them a hand to carry Anne’s suitcases to their truck?”
“For my second-favorite girl, anything.”
Barbara smiled at Theo.“Hans is the biggest sweet-talker ever.”
“There’s nothing wrong with that.”He held out his hand.“I’m Theo Montgomery.”
“Welcome to the Mission Mountain Winery.You’ll have to come back to try some of our wines.”
“I’d like that.”
With the suitcases in their hands, they made their way out of the house.Anne was safe, Theo had even more proof that Steve was corrupt, and she’d spoken to Hans and Claudia.
Breathing in the sweet scent of the air, she smiled.Apart from not being able to do any marketing work for her clients, it had been a productive morning.
BY THE TIMETheo dropped Barbara and Anne at The Lakeside Inn, it was nearly lunchtime.Katie insisted he stay for lunch, but he needed to send his lawyer the documents Anne had given him.
As he scanned the last sheet of paper, he looked around his office.After writing ground-breaking stories throughout his career, sometimes being here was sobering.He enjoyed running the radio station and connecting with the community.But it didn’t give him the same rush of adrenaline that being a journalist did.
Shaking off a bad case of the blues, he sent his lawyer a quick text to let him know he’d sent the information.In an hour, he’d start broadcasting from KZSB.But before he did anything else, he needed food.
As he walked into the kitchen, sunlight bounced off the counter.He looked through the French doors at the sky, enjoying the peace and serenity he always felt when he was here.Outside, two young children laughed as they rode their bicycles around the lake.A man followed closely behind, pushing a stroller.
Sometimes, Theo wondered if he’d ever have children.With the way his life was going, there was a fairly good chance it wouldn’t happen.
He took a loaf of bread out of the refrigerator and smiled.The first time Barbara had been here she’d shown him a video of a singing parrot.He couldn’t believe so many people had enjoyed watching the twenty-second clip, but he did now.The videos he’d posted showing Charlie looking cute and adorable were gaining traction.Diana’s Golden Lab was firmly entrenched as the station’s mascot.His Instagram followers were growing each day and his Facebook posts attracted comments from around the world.
If the time Barbara had put into growing his social media presence didn’t result in more funding, nothing would.With that sobering thought, he found some sandwich fillings.Just as he was about to sit down, his front doorbell rang.
“I know you’re home,” Ethan said from the other end of the house.
“Come in.I’m in the kitchen.Do you want something to eat?”
“No, thanks.I’ve already eaten.”Ethan handed him an envelope.“John asked me to drop this off.It’s a list of all the community events for the next month.Did you find the woman you were looking for?”
