Page 5

Chapter Five

Working on his current restoration project, a neglected E-scow he’d picked up for a song, Miles heard the sirens. Police and ambulance. A moment later another siren wailed as the fire department joined the party. The island was small enough that whenever there was action around town—good or bad—news spread quickly.

Much as he’d like to, he couldn’t ignore the full emergency response. He set his tools aside and picked up his cell phone to check the police-scanner app. He had a real scanner in his office that he tuned into like most folks listened to the radio. Smart precautions were essential after his undercover assignment. Knowledge was power and he was all about staying a step ahead of any threats from the Vedras clan. Staying alert could mean the difference between life and death.

Not long ago, he wouldn’t have cared if his enemies caught up with him, as long as Gamble and Swann could use that kind of dumb aggression to see justice done.

Little by little, that cavalier attitude had changed since moving to Brookwell. At first he blamed the shift on the scenery, the friendly faces, and laid-back pace. The views were spectacular, especially the sunrise over the water during his morning runs on the beach. He found satisfaction and peace in the muted sounds of his steps on the sand. The breeze off the ocean filled his lungs with air clean enough to sparkle—a rejuvenating contrast to the busy urban landscape of his previous assignment.

Sharing paved paths through city parks with strangers coming and going would never be enough for him again.

That new awareness had set off an earthquake in his soul, restoring a measure of his hope and faith in the world at large. The folks here in Brookwell had immediately set out to include him, long before he was ready. It had been great for business and eventually—after his buddy Knox dropped the hammer and called him out for being a jerk—Miles stopped resisting.

More than all of that, more than anything or anyone else in town, Molly’s son Bryce had won him over. Made him appreciate surviving. That kid had been the spark that reignited Miles’s determination to become his best self.

Again.

Restarting was becoming the central theme of his life. Granted, life happened and adapting to circumstance was part of surviving. Still, at this point he probably qualified for some kind of restart lifetime achievement award.

Was he grateful for overcoming the crappy hurdles of his early life? Absolutely. He was equally thankful for the help he’d had along the way. But he kept looking in the mirror, wondering why he never seemed to find a way to stick in one place.

One career. One team.

Bryce’s unwavering passion for all things boats had stirred something long-buried inside Miles. The kid made Miles want to stick with sailing and do it here in Brookwell. The little guy’s enthusiasm recharged Miles’s excitement for teaching others about the joys of being on the water. There was nothing better than flying over the surface, sails full, under a clear sky.

And then he’d met the kid’s mother.

Molly made him long for all the things he thought he didn’t want. Things he’d never dared hope for: a wife, kids, a big house and all the responsibility that went along with it. The unexpected yearning had been a shock to his system, one he’d tried to write off as a passing infatuation.

But a year had come and gone and “passing” didn’t fit anything about the way he looked at Molly.

He’d never put any stock in the love at first sight theory… Until he’d spotted her.

Just his luck that she didn’t seem the least bit interested in him. Or anyone else for that matter. That last factor was a small comfort, but one he clung to like a lifeline. She was friendly whenever they met, if a little shy. Occasionally, she was distracted, but he suspected that was the norm for a single mom. Of course, she got nervous and fidgety the closer they got to the water. She didn’t like boats much, only tolerating them for the sake of her son’s fascination. Those curious details only made him want her more.

And knowing she’d been drawn into a custody battle? Well, that only pissed him off. She was a shining example of good mom behavior. He would do whatever he could to make sure Bryce stayed with her. Right here in town.

The ambulance siren started up again and a moment later, the driver’s voice came over the app, relaying patient details to the clinic doctor. “Incoming. Female, twenties, motor vehicle accident, stable. Male child, stable, no visible injuries.”

What the hell? It couldn’t be Molly and Bryce. Plenty of families called Brookwell home. For all he knew, it was a nanny and her charge. But he was already stowing his tools. He only had to lock up the cabinet and set the cameras and he could head over.

And say what?

Well, he’d figure that out when he got there. Wouldn’t have to say anything if he was overreacting. He was at his car before he caught himself. He pulled his phone from his pocket, ready to call Molly or Sharon when the screen lit up.

Sharon was calling him. He answered as he slid into the driver’s seat. “What happened?”

“Everyone is okay,” Sharon replied. “I just thought…” She cleared her throat. “Forgive me for overstepping. We were in a minor accident. A hit-and-run, actually. Bryce was asking for you.”

“Those sirens didn’t sound minor.” He hit the speaker button as he pulled out of the marina parking lot. “What can I do?”

“We just made it to the clinic,” Sharon said. “They tell me I can see Bryce in a minute.”

“I’m on my way.” The clinic was a good sign that things weren’t too serious. That Molly and Bryce were indeed stable. “You’re not hurt?”

“No. We, um…”

He figured she didn’t want to be overheard. Considering the whole custody mess, he understood it. “Tell me when I get there. I’m five minutes away.” Less, actually, but why freak her out?

Miles pulled up to the clinic a few minutes later and found a parking space. He jogged into the clinic on a fresh wave of worry. Sharon hadn’t mentioned her own injuries. Or specified Molly’s. He had to remind himself if things were severe, they would’ve been rushed to Charleston.

Sharon crossed the lobby. “Thank you for coming.” She gave him a quick hug. “Bryce was so scared after we were hit.” She glanced around and steered Miles to a coffee station set up in the corner. He didn’t think either of them wanted coffee, but he assumed Sharon wanted some semblance of privacy.

He turned slightly, so he could watch the entire waiting room and registration desk while Sharon filled him in. At the moment, they were the only people in the lobby. “You said it was a hit-and-run?”

She nodded. “We were T-boned on the way to Parker’s for dinner,” she explained. “Molly stopped at the three-way stop. The intersection was clear when she started through.”

There were a couple of intersections like that, but Miles had a good idea of where it had happened, considering the likely route between their house and the fish camp.

“So, not her fault.” That was great news considering the custody situation.

“Absolutely not,” Sharon said. “It was a big pickup. Dark blue. Came out of nowhere and rammed us. Driver’s side.” Her eyes brimmed with tears before she blinked them away. “I’m so thankful for airbags.”

Miles agreed. Molly’s sedan was no match for a pickup. “Molly’s okay?”

Her chin bobbed a couple of times. “Mostly. Yes. Dr. Nyland is with her now. The other driver drove off. Obviously.” Sharon twisted her hands together. “I’m furious.”

“But you’re okay?”

“Not a scratch.” She looked more irritated than pleased. “It shook me up, that’s all.” Sharon glanced around the empty lobby, then leaned closer. “I’m sure Bryce is fine too. But his car seat came loose,” she whispered. “Lieutenant Frasier had to write her a ticket.”

Miles registered that. In isolation it wouldn’t have been a big deal, especially since Bryce wasn’t injured. Within the context of the custody situation… Not so good. Call him a cynic, but he was immediately concerned this wasn’t an accident .

“You think someone set her up,” he said.

“It’s paranoid, right? I must be overreacting.”

“Not from where I’m standing. I don’t like the timing.”

Sharon sighed with relief. “Me either. I know it’s a lot to ask, but you’ll keep the theory between us. Please? I know that seat was installed properly. How do I prove it?”

“I won’t say anything,” Miles promised. “Frasier knows Molly. I’m sure he’ll look into it.”

“He said he would,” Sharon confirmed. Her lips parted and closed and after a moment, she smiled. “You’re a friend, Miles. Molly needs those right now. We both do. I don’t want to see this hit-and-run turn into a major crisis for her. I can’t imagine how the driver got away.”

Miles intended to look into that himself. “You said Bryce asked about me?”

Sharon’s lovely smile widened. “He did. He wanted out of that car seat so badly. Who could blame him? When he reached for the buckle we reminded him it was like a life preserver on a boat. Thank you for teaching him that. You’re such a good influence. You have no idea how grateful I am that you’re a part of his life.”

Miles swallowed, uncomfortable with the praise. “Community is everything,” he said, echoing what might as well be the town slogan.

“Mm-hm.” Sharon patted his arm. “I have eyes. Bryce loves his mother and me and this place he calls home. He is fascinated by the marina and all things boats, ocean, and waterways. You nurture his interests. You’re a big part of his confidence and I appreciate how careful you are with him. How focused you are on keeping him safe.”

He snorted. “Molly would have my head on a spike if I did things any other way.”

“Well, that’s true enough.” Sharon looked over his shoulder. “ There’s Diedre.” The nurse waved them over. “Let’s go see Bryce. He’ll be excited to tell you the whole story.”

“I’ll be sure to commend him for doing the right thing,” Miles said.

“He’ll soak that up.”

“He’s not scared to be back there alone?”

“Not a bit. When I stepped out, he was chattering with the paramedics,” she said. “He’s been to the clinic plenty of times and Dr. Nyland knows him well.”

“The kid barely knows a stranger.”

“I used to think that was a good thing,” Sharon admitted under her breath as they followed Diedre to the exam room.

Miles heard Bryce chattering, though he couldn’t make out the specifics of the story he was telling.

Sharon eased the door open. “Hey there!”

“Aunt Sharon!” Bryce moved to scramble out of the bed, but Diedre stopped him.

“You can’t run off quite yet,” the nurse said. The paramedics wished him well and said goodbye and as they walked out, Bryce spotted Miles.

“Mr. Miles!” He scrambled to sit on his knees and Diedre gave up on a laugh.

“Hey, bud. Take it easy.” He moved to the bed, getting Bryce settled once more. “I heard you had an ordeal.”

Bryce frowned. “Momma called it a small emergency,” Bryce replied. “I did super good. Kept my car life jacket on and everything.” He leaned toward Miles. “I wanted to unbuckle really bad.”

“I bet.” Miles reached back and fluffed the pillow behind the boy’s shoulders. Relief poured through him to see Bryce unharmed. “That’s great that you did the right thing.”

“The police said they would find my fire truck,” Bryce said. “It got lost in the crash.”

“I’m sure you’ll have it back soon.”

Bryce’s chin bobbed. “And I rode in the ambulance.”

“Sounds like you were super brave and a good patient.”

“I was,” he confirmed. “Miss Diedre says I get ice cream.”

“After dinner,” Sharon interjected.

Bryce turned to her. “Are we going to Parker’s?”

Sharon brushed his hair. “As soon as your mom feels better.”

“You mean it? And ice cream tonight.”

“I’ll do my best,” Sharon said.

Bryce looked to Miles. “Will you come too? Will you drive?” His small hands curled around the edge of the blanket.

“We’ll see. Your mom’s a great driver,” he reminded the boy. “Can you hang here for a second? I need to talk to your aunt. Is that okay?”

“Can’t you talk in here?” An edge of a whine crept into his voice. “Please. I don’t want to be alone.”

Miles glanced at Sharon and then smiled at Bryce. The thread of fear in the boy’s voice pissed him off. “Sure, we can wait,” Miles said. “Do you want to talk about what happened?”

Bryce shook his head. “No. I don’t want to think about the bad guy.”

“Bad guy?” Sharon arched an eyebrow. “What do you mean, honey?”

“It had to be a bad guy, right?” Bryce fidgeted under the blanket. “My teacher says people here help each other. But that guy didn’t stay and help us,” Bryce said.

“The person in the other car definitely made a mistake,” Sharon said. “The police will find him and handle it.”

Miles appreciated her effort to reframe the situation for the kid. “That’s right,” Miles agreed. “The police will do their job. Your job is to feel better.”

“I already feel better. Dr. Nyland says I’m a real trooper.” Bryce turned to Sharon. “What’s a trooper? ”

“It can mean a lot of things,” Sharon began. “In this case, I think the doctor means that you’re doing the right thing really well in a tough situation.”

Bryce seemed to contemplate that for a bit. “When can I eat?”

Miles laughed. “Why don’t you tell me what sounds good and I’ll go check with the doctor about when you can eat.”

Bryce bounced around over that idea. He listed off a few of his favorite things and, with a nod to Sharon, Miles went in search of the doctor’s permission to get food.

He found Dr. Nyland in the hallway. “Any food restrictions for Bryce? The kid’s got a hollow leg.”

“That’s a good sign,” the doctor replied with a chuckle. “I’m about to discharge him.”

“Great,” Miles said. “How is Molly? I’m not family, but can you tell me anything?”

“She can have visitors,” Dr. Nyland said. “She can share what she wants to. Just keep it quick and don’t stress her out.”

“Got it.” He let the doctor give Bryce the good news and headed for Molly’s room.

Would she be happy to see him? Probably not. She was so private. He sent Jess a text message about the accident. He wished he could give her something more helpful about the other vehicle.

Tucking his phone away, he took a second to gather his thoughts. He didn’t want any of his concerns to freak out Molly. He definitely didn’t want to trouble her with his anger at the other driver.

Once Molly, Bryce, and Sharon were safely home, he intended to take a look at the scene himself. The Brookwell PD was solid under the guidance of Chief Ray Caldwell, but another set of eyes, a fresh perspective couldn’t hurt.

As he told Jess in the office earlier, he wasn’t going to let Molly deal with the custody nonsense on her own. Schooling his features, applying the polite smile he’d mastered during his last years of foster care, he walked into her room.

The lights were dialed down low and he assumed that meant she had a concussion. It was obvious she’d taken the brunt of the accident. Steri-strips marched in a line from her left eyebrow toward her hairline. Bruising was already showing around the wound and her eye, down to her cheekbone. The brace on her left wrist wrapped around her palm and stretched up to her elbow. That would worry her more than anything else. Molly was responsible to a fault. If she couldn’t work, she’d be miserable and worry about becoming a burden.

He knew better. Her friends loved her dearly and would gladly support her through this crisis.

Personally, Miles had to breathe around the knot in his chest. He’d never wanted to care for anyone the way he wanted to tend to Molly. He vowed to stay close and protect her for as long as she’d allow it.

“Miles?” She closed her eyes. “Great,” she grumbled. “Now I’m hallucinating. Concussions suck.”

He chuckled and let the door close behind him. “You’re not hallucinating. Sharon called me.”

“Bryce wanted to see you,” Molly said. “Thanks for coming.”

“He’s doing great,” Miles said. “Aside from the hunger issues.”

Her laughter sputtered. “Diedre promised him ice cream.”

“I heard.” Miles stepped to the end of the bed. “Bryce might’ve made the request, but once I got here, I wanted to see you.”

Her legs shifted under the blanket and her gaze slid away from him. “I don’t know why.”

“Don’t you?” he challenged gently. The query probably didn’t fall under Dr. Nyland’s definition of zero stress. But seeing her like this lit a fire inside him. He was suddenly tired of hanging back and giving her room. “I care about you Molly. You and Bryce. Sharon too.”

“We all appreciate that. Thank you.” She still didn’t quite look at him. “Bryce idolizes you. I’m sure seeing you was a highlight of a crazy night.”

“He told me all about keeping his car life preserver on.”

“That’s right.” A smile flickered across her face, there and gone too quickly. “He was getting anxious. Distracting him with your boat safety lessons worked like a charm. Thanks for that.”

“You’re thanking me an awful lot,” he observed. “How bad is it?” He nodded toward her arm.

“Tender.” She lifted her arm, studying the brace. “Could’ve been so much worse. I guess the airbag and impact combined for some soft tissue damage. They expect it to heal without any trouble.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” He wasn’t sure what else to say. Fumbling, he blurted, “You’re gonna thank me again in a minute.”

“Why is that?”

He sank down on the chair beside the bed. “Because I’m going to handle dinner for y’all tonight. What did Dr. Nyland say about your discharge?”

“I have to stay overnight for the concussion protocol,” she replied. “Diedre told me they’d give me a light meal in a little bit.”

“I’m sure the Jell-O is excellent today.” He felt heroic when that earned another smile.

The clinic dealt mainly with day-to-day medical care and they were equipped to handle moderate urgent needs and emergencies. Although they weren’t a full-service hospital, they were fully staffed and had several rooms available for overnight stays.

“I’m glad you’ve got Sharon,” he said. “And me. ”

“Miles, you really don’t need to worry about us?—”

“Wrong. I really do.” He decided to lay his cards on the table. Or the bed, in this case. Reaching for her hand, he said, “The accident was a serious shock for all of you. And you need to rest comfortably. So I’ll keep an eye on them and make sure your family’s okay.”

“At this rate, I’ll be thanking you for months.” She swiped a tear that rolled down her cheek. “Forgive me. I am feeling a little weepy.”

“Adrenaline fallout,” he said, easing her embarrassment. He’d never seen Molly cry. The woman was tough as nails. When she seemed steadier, he continued. “Molly, for a long time I’ve wanted to ask you out. This might not be the best day, and you don’t have to say anything right now. I care about you as a friend, of course. I’m here to help. End of story.

“But I am interested in more,” he admitted softly. “Will you think about it once you’re feeling better?”

“You’re serious?” She frowned but the expression went awry due to the minor injuries. She’d probably be annoyed that he found it cute. “I’m… I’m not sure that’s smart. Especially not now.”

“Good, because I haven’t asked yet.” He grinned. He wouldn’t let her off the hook that easily. Did he have any chance with her? “For tonight, I’m just a friend. Ready and able to help out. Can you accept that?” His breath backed up in his lungs while he waited for her response.

“All right,” she agreed. “As long as we’re not putting you out.”

He shook his head. “Not a chance.” Wasn’t like he had lessons to teach at this hour. And he didn’t have a hard timeline on the E-scow rehab. “You’ve got your phone?”

“Yes.” She pointed to the bedside table. “It was in my purse behind the seat.”

“Good.” He pushed to his feet, wanting to kiss her. Instead, he handed her his phone. “Add your number and I’ll send a text so you can add me back. Then you can call me. Anytime.”

“Mm-hm.” She entered her phone number and held out the phone to him.

Their fingers brushed lightly, enough to give him a little spark. He sent her a text, urging her to call. On the table, her phone lit up. “We’re set then. I mean it, Molly. Call me anytime. Whatever you need.”

“Okay. Thank you. Again.”

“You’re welcome.” It took everything he had to back away without touching her. “I’ll take care of Bryce and Sharon, you rest up.”

He walked back to Bryce’s room, filled with a weird hope about the woman and serious worry about the situation. Something was wrong in every hit-and-run, but this one was setting off all kinds of alarms in his head.

It was just too close to the timing of the custody challenge to be unrelated. As soon as possible, he’d ask Jess to dig into the Graingers. If they were planning to use dirty tactics to get their way, they were about to realize Molly had allies willing to do the same for her.