The call this morning had opened the possibilities of two separate large locations available. One parcel between Mark Twain National Forest and Fort Leonard Wood. The other one set a little south of Interstate 44 between Springfield, Missouri and Fort Leonard Wood. The agent said both were prime locations and reasonably priced, so he needed to see them as soon as possible.
She’d listened to his plans and his excitement at the prospect of owning his own business. But when he asked her to go look at the land with him, her reaction had been no. He asked her for her opinion on his plans; she tensed and mumbled something about how she really couldn’t say. He asked what she planned to do once this case was over, and she pretended not to hear him.
After a minute of no response, Cain had gone to shower. She’d gone to make coffee. The happy carefree moment they’d awoken to had suddenly disappeared.
Before they left the house, he loaded his motorcycle into the back of his pickup. Tossed his winter riding overalls, gloves, boots and face mask in the rear seat along with his helmet. Her instincts told her he was preparing to move on after this brouhaha was all settled.
Glancing in his direction at the counter, she met his eyes watching her. He winked. She smiled. In that moment, she realized how much she wanted him to stay. Wanted him to be part of their own little family. Wanted him to keep discovering all the ways to please her while they cuddled in that big king-sized bed every night for the rest of their lives.
“Well, will you look at that? Betsy’s blushing.” Marcy glanced over her shoulder toward the front counter, then slightly laughed as she turned back to the table. “Looks like you and Cain have been doing more than evading the bad guys.”
Summer pointed to the security mirror positioned in the corner a few steps from their booth. “All I know is…I’ve been keeping an eye on the front of the café. And that hunk of a man called Cain has been looking at Betsy as if she’s a tall glass of water.”
Betsy lightly kicked her sisters beneath the table. “Don’t start with that, sisters of mine.”
“Ouch!” Sadie kicked her back. “That was my foot, not Summer’s.”
“Sorry,” Betsy said as she rubbed her shin, then quickly tapped Summer’s foot.
“Wish I had someone who looked at me like that. Guess he’s taken, though.” Summer teasingly popped her fingers on Betsy’s hand. “The men I meet are either already taken, aren’t really worth my time, or they turn out to be wonderful friend material.”
“Don’t give up.” Betsy lovingly patted Summer’s hand. “You’ll find someone.”
“Well, I’ll never give up looking, that’s for sure. Doesn’t mean my happily-ever-after will arrive. And?—”
“Maybe you should move to Crayton,” Sadie said as she placed her napkin on the table and stood. “You never know what might be waiting for you in this little town.”
“Like who?” Marcy asked as she slid from the booth.
Betsy could think of a few. One in particular. “I think Sadie’s onto something. A change of scenery might be just the thing you need.”
Summer stood and stepped to the side. “You forget I’ve got a thriving…” She raised her finger for a pause. “Make that a somewhat thriving private investigator business in St. Louis.”
Betsy took up the rear and the women laughed and teased all the way out the front door. Cain and Truman followed, and JB just happened to pull to the curb right then. That was after he’d made a good ten circles of the block while they’d had breakfast.
“Looks like everyone had a good time,” Truman said. “What’s next?”
“Mr. Crestfall emailed that the adjusters got an early start this morning and have already inspected the showroom and main offices. He gave me the okay to start my cleanup, so I’m going straight to the dealership and start cleaning.” Betsy said, her look and her tone daring Cain to disagree.
Crossing his arms, he narrowed his eyes and frowned. Truman followed suit.
Summer looped her arm across Betsy’s shoulder. “If you want some help, I’ll go along.”
“Me, too.” Marcy smiled sweetly at her husband.
JB’s jaw tensed. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Well, I do. So there you go.” Marcy stepped to the other side of Betsy and looped arms with her.
“Sounds like a plan.” Betsy felt an overwhelming joy that they had banded around her. “What about you, Mama? You coming with us?”
“No. I love you all dearly, but I’m going to pass on this” She tugged on her gloves. “After all our talking last night out at the house, I didn’t get to sleep till two in the morning. I’m tired now. Think I’ll?—”
“See? Sadie knows this is a bad idea.” Cain lowered his arms and stepped forward as JB and Truman followed his lead and nodded agreement.
Betsy had to agree that time had flown by last night as the entire family discussed everything from the dead body at Peyton’s to the vandalism at the dealership and Betsy’s house. From Cain and Betsy’s meeting with Mr. Crestfall to the two-million-dollar insurance payouts—including the fact Sadie had not received any of that money and had no idea why her husband would have been named on the policy in the first place. From their brief trip to New York to where Betsy was staying and why. At least, the why-version they gave her mama and sisters, which she doubted any of them believed for even a minute.
She’d noticed that nothing was said about Shadow, or Phillip, or the body in the dumpster being an undercover agent. No doubt, Cain and JB probably considered that confidential information. Although she suspected they had shared that specifically with Truman when it had taken all three of them to unload the SUV last night—had taken them almost an hour, and most of that time outside.
