He kept grinning at her until she shrugged.
“You thought I missed that? It wasn’t exactly a professional break-in.”
“That thing should have been easier to pop,” she said with a frown.
“I’ll be sure to order a more accommodating filing cabinet next time.”
The credits were rolling on the TV show when she crossed the room to the twins. Both were already rubbing their eyes.
“Can Mr. Mick read us a story tonight?” Carissa pointed to Mick in the dining area doorway.
“No, honey. Remember, we agreed that the show wasinsteadof books.”
“But,” Carly started to argue, then slumped her shoulders, too tired to make the effort.
“Maybe we can do that next time,” he said.
When Rachel guided the girls to the stairs, Mick started toward the back door. Though leaving her was the last thing he wanted to do, it would probably be best for the both of them. At least for her. He needed to be a better man than he wanted to be right then, especially since they’d both agreed to their rules.
“I’ll see you three soon,” he called to them as they reached the landing.
Only Rachel glanced back at him and held up a finger, asking him to wait. He nodded, swallowing, his better angels floating off on feathered wings.
Minutes later, she met him in the kitchen doorway.
“I’m sorry I tried to break into your filing cabinet.”
“Tell that to the Mount Isabel PD.”
“Wouldn’t I already be wearing silver bracelets if you were planning to turn me in?”
“Guess we’re making a habit of not reporting things to the police.” It was supposed to be a joke, but his words landed heavily, bringing back the memory of the white SUV and dousing any embers that threatened to reignite tonight.
“We still don’t know who to trust,” she said.
Except each other. He willed her to say those last words, but she let it go at that.
“I might need to check Dad’s place, too,” she said after a few seconds. “I told you that Riley still lives at the house.”
He nodded, glad that she’d come to that conclusion herself. “But you aren’t going there alone, are you? That’s not safe, if someone is watching you. You said it’s out in the country, right? I can go with you.”
“You don’t need to do that. I won’t even look there unless I don’t find anything about Bilton online.”
As he started to argue, she held out a hand.
“And I definitely won’t do it until next week while the girls are at school. If you’re so worried, you can come out there with me then, if you can figure out how to get time away from the station.”
“Fine,” he began and then frowned. “That’s going to be tough, isn’t it? I’m under a microscope there, both from the crew and from the village leadership. Davison made sure to tell me that my employment was probationary.”
“Skipping work during your second week on the job might not be in your best interest.”
“Probably not.”
Mick sensed there was something off about her relenting so easily to his suggestion that she shouldn’t visit her father’s house alone. In the short time he’d known her, she’d never given up a single point without an argument. Then it hit him. She’d agreed to let him join her at a time when she knew he couldn’t get away because she wouldn’t be waiting until then to go snoop there.
“Okay, let me know when—I mean if—you decide to look around at your dad’s place. I’ll see if I can make the time work.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
