“See you around,” he said with a wink through his open window. It had been hard to sit through the game with her so close, yet so completely off-limits. Jenny had no idea what was going on between them, and in an effort to play it cool, Mitch and Maggie had hardly spoken to one another. That also meant no touching, which he found himself longing to do. He couldn’t remember if he’d ever been so intrigued by a woman.
“Bye, Mitch,” she responded with a friendly wave.
As he drove to his mother’s downtown condo, it dawned on him that Toby was the same age now that Mitch had been when he’d losthisfather to an unexpected brain tumor. Inthe months following, he’d thought about his dad all the time, relishing fond memories of him teaching him to ride his bike, coming to his Little League games, and tucking him in at night. He’d always felt cheated that he didn’t have his dad growing up. To a nine-year-old boy, it didn’t seem fair.
Years later, his oldest brother, Sam, taught him how to drive and told him about girls and sex. Not just the basics, but the good stuff his mother had left out. Sam did his best to step up, but it wasn’t the same. His mother was fantastic. Beautiful, smart, and funny, she could easily have remarried, but never did. Mitch knew that was one thing she regretted not being able to give her boys—a good example of what a loving husband and father should be like. He’d found that in Jimmy.
Now Jimmy’s boys were in the same boat. He thought of the way Toby had run to Adam for a hug after his home run and wondered if Adam was looking to fill that role. Maybe he would be good for all of them. The boys needed a dad, and he begrudgingly had to admit, Adam might make a halfway decent substitute in Jimmy’s absence. But if he got cold feet and left and hurt this little family? New friend or not, Mitch would kick his ass for real.
***
Maggie opted out of going to Jenny’s in order to make an appearance at Sunday dinner. Her parents cooked a huge meal every Sunday, and there was a standing invitation for her and her siblings. With such a large family, it was easy to skip a Sunday or two and have it go unnoticed, but she hadn’t been in a while and figured they’d want to hear about what happened at the store. She needed to tell them what she knew and warn them to be careful, too.
She gave them an abbreviated version, telling them what she’d witnessed at the bank and who the bank robber was. To downplay the danger, she didn’t mention the potentialbreach in the police department or the message left on the wall at the store.
“Oh my, sweetie. That’s horrible,” her mother soothed as she pulled three loaves of garlic bread out of the oven. The buttery aroma sent Maggie’s stomach into a fit. She tried to grab a chunk but instead got a light slap on the hand.
“Do you think it was Manuel or his people that trashed the store?” her mother asked. “Why don’t you come stay with us for a while?”
“The police think there may be a connection, yes. They’re working extra hard to catch him soon, so thanks for the offer to stay, but I’ll be fine.” What Maggie didn’t say was that she had no idea how far Manuel planned to take his threats and had no intention of putting her family in any danger.
Dinner was as delicious as it was loud. It was nice to catch up on all the comings and goings of her siblings and their families. Her mom’s lasagna was her favorite, and she was bummed when there were no leftovers.
She left her car at her folks and took a cab back into the city, relishing the quiet. She loved her large family, but was glad to leave the crazy behind. Even though it was late, she had plans for a long, hot bath and a glass of wine.
What she got instead was another kick in the gut. Approaching the door to her apartment, she noticed it was ajar. She was immediately on guard but just like a sorority girl in a horror movie, she inched up to the door and pushed it open with her foot. Oliver bolted out and took a flying leap into her arms. She screamed, turned to run, and ran smack into her neighbor, Mr. Greene.
“Geez, Maggie. What’s the matter?”
“Oh, Mr. Greene. Thank goodness.” She was breathing heavily. “I, um, I think I need the police. Again.”
“I’ll call 911,” Mr. Greene said chivalrously as he pulled out his phone.
It was late, and she knew Adam wasn’t on duty but figured he’d want to know, and quite frankly, she could usea friend. When she called his cell, she could hear Jenny in the background.
“I’ll be right there,” he said. “Have you called Mitch?”
“I don’t want to bother him,” she said. The thought had crossed her mind, but she’d be much more comfortable with Adam. “My neighbor did call 911, though, so some other officers will be showing up.”
“All right. I’ll call him on my way over. See you in a few.” He clicked off, leaving her alone with Mr. Greene. They had moved to the end of the hall, and he was waiting for the police with her, bless him.
Finally, two uniformed police officers arrived and entered Maggie’s apartment, hands on their weapons. They came out a few minutes later, more relaxed and declaring that the place was empty but trashed.
“Someone made a hell of a mess,” stated one of the officers. “You can go in and take a look. We’ll need to know if anything’s missing.”
She hesitated to go in without Adam but felt silly standing in the hall. As she was about to enter, she looked up to see Mitch striding purposefully toward her.
His intense stare paralyzed her. He’d come. And apparently left whatever he’d been doing immediately to get here so quickly. Her heart did a little flutter. Maybe he did care.
Just before reaching her, he broke eye contact, diverted right, and stopped to talk to the officers. She couldn’t hear what they were saying but could tell his tone was serious. He was all business.
Duh. Of course he hadn’t come forher. He’d come to see the latest on his case. See what Manuel and his goons were up to. She was kidding herself if she thought otherwise.
Still holding Oliver, she stood straight and marched boldly into the apartment, only to be stopped dead in her tracks. They must have taken their time on this job. Nothing was where it was supposed to be. The couch was upsidedown, and someone had taken a knife to it. Stuffing protruded from long gashes. Vases were broken, water seeping into the carpet, the flowers strewn about. All the dishes were on the floor, mostly in pieces. Pictures had been thrown across the room. The dining room table was tipped on its end, and the legs were broken off.
She stood, unmoving and in shock, taking it all in and not believing any of it. The store was one thing. Nothing at the store had any personal value. It was just merchandise and easily replaceable. But this. This was her home. Her personal property. She felt Mitch come up behind her. So close she could feel his heat. Oh, how she wanted to lean back into him, but she didn’t.
Without looking back, she tiptoed through the debris minefield, finally making her way to the bedroom where the destruction continued. Not one room had been spared. The linen closet was empty, most of its contents shoved into the toilet. Extra toilet paper and hand towels hung out of the bowl.
