“Actually...” Nora turned from the stove top. “I suggested that the two of you go on back home and leave me here to handle things. Once Gram turns up, I can stick around and help her with the house.”
Emma smirked. “Good ol’ Nora. Always taking control of the situation.”
Nora straightened. “I was merely thinking you might like to get back to your jobs,” she said in a measured tone.
“And you should stay, since you don’t have to worry about plebian things like weekly paychecks?”
Nora’s left eye twitched. “Why must you always read so much into everything I say? Might you consider the possibility I was trying to be helpful?”
“How generous of you.” Emma crossed her arms. “I think I’ll stay and help with the house too. I have some vacation time coming.”
“It’s a plan then. We’ll all stay.” Maddy was eager for some time away from Charlotte. “Let’s just get lunch on the table. Maybe we can split up this afternoon and cover more ground. We have to focus on finding Gram. And that would be a lot easier if you two put your differences on hold for now.”
“Differences?” Emma scoffed.
A knock sounded on the door. Their eyes collided for a long moment before Maddy took off toward the living room.
Please, Lord, let it be good news about Gram.
She caught sight of Connor through the screen door. “Any news?” she asked hopefully.
His face fell. “I was about to ask you the same thing.”
Her spirits flagging, Maddy pushed open the door, letting him in.
“I had to stop at the house and thought I’d check in and see if you’d heard anything.”
The light from the windows illuminated his face. His eyes were definitely gray. He hadn’t shaved this morning—or for several mornings for that matter. His golden-brown hair tumbled over his forehead, and he wore a fitted blue T-shirt, worn jeans, and sandals.
He had the careless look of a beach bum. She wondered what he did for a living that allowed him to come home in the middle of the day—or take the previous day off entirely—never mind that he’d been searching for her grandmother.
He lifted a brow, and Maddy realized the pause had grown uncomfortably long.
She grabbed an empty coffee mug from the end table. “There’s nothing to report, I’m afraid. We spent the morning looking and stopped by the sheriff’s office.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. I’d hoped...”
When his words petered out, she turned toward the kitchen. “We’re putting up fliers this afternoon and running over to Bald Head Island.”
“Good ideas.” Connor followed her into the kitchen and greeted her sisters as he stooped to pet a curious Pippy. Nora was stirring the soup, and Emma had finished setting the table.
The phone rang, and since Maddy was the closest, she grabbed for it. Maybe the sheriff had news.
“Hello?”
“Maddy! Oh, good, you’re there.”
The sound of her grandma’s voice nearly made her knees buckle. She grabbed for a chair back. “Gram!”
Three heads spun her direction.
“Where are you?”
“I’m in Boise, dear. For my high school reunion—our sixty-fifth! I can hardly believe it’s been that many years. Why, I still feel as young as a spring chicken.”
“Gram, what— We’ve been so worried! No one knew you had a trip planned! Your neighbor Connor called us all worried and—”
“Oh, that Connor... He’s such a dear boy, so helpful. I don’t know what I’d do without him. It was sweet of him to be concerned.”
