must have felt it, because she quickly added, “He’s not. But your grandfather had complained the day before he died about having a headache, and Josh thinks he should have suspected a carbon-monoxide leak. As if people never get headaches for any other reason!”
Numbness crept over Becki’s limbs. “Gramps never got headaches.”
“Please don’t remind Josh. He’s already beating himself up enough over not questioning that. I mean, your grandparents had a carbon-monoxide detector. And it was the middle of summer. Whoever heard of a hot-water tank causing carbon monoxide?”
The screen door slammed shut, and Josh strode into the room.
Becki and Anne sprang apart, but Josh didn’t seem to notice. He dropped her suitcase at her feet and waved a note in front of her face. “When did you get this?”
She caught his arm long enough to get a look at the paper. “It was in the mailbox when I got here.” She squared her jaw and fought to keep her tone even. “Courtesy of my sister.”
He frowned. “Why would she say you don’t belong here?”
“Because if I sell, she thinks she’ll get more money.”
Anne picked up the envelope that had fluttered to the floor. “Where does your sister live?”
“Toronto.”
Anne flapped the envelope against her palm. “The stamp on this envelope was never canceled. It looks like someone hand delivered it.”
Josh took the envelope from her. “You’re right.” He passed it to Becki.
So Sarah hadn’t been lying. Unless... “She could’ve asked someone to put it in the mailbox for her.”
“Who else knew you were moving in today?”
“I don’t know.” Becki rubbed her worsening headache. “My boss, my roommate, my mom.”
“No one from around here?”
“Not that I know of.”
“Could be those developers,” Anne chimed in.
“What developers?”
Josh blew out a breath and paced. “A conglomerate of investors who want to see our farmland turned into subdivisions and shopping malls.” His scathing tone told her exactly what he thought about their plans. “Have they approached you with an offer to buy?”
“No!” Becki folded her arms over her chest. “Even if they had, I wouldn’t sell to them.”
Josh nodded, his expression grim. “The trouble is you couldn’t trust anyone who offered to buy the place not to turn around and pass it on to the developers for a tidy commission.”
“Well, like I told my sister, I’m here to stay.” Sarah had hated being dumped here every summer. Unlike her big sister, Becki didn’t have a life to speak of in the city, and she wouldn’t miss it in the least. She happened to like the slower pace of rural living. Maybe she’d even start writing again in her spare time.
“Where will you work?” Anne asked.
“Huh?” Becki shook her sister’s voice from her head and focused on Anne. “I haven’t figured that out yet. But I’m sure I can find something before my savings run out.”
Anne let out a sigh. “Not many new jobs around since the economic downturn.”
“Never mind that for now.” Josh sat beside Becki on the sofa, and her heart jumped at the touch of his knee. “Who else might have sent this note?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean...who didn’t want you moving here badly enough to attack you?”
She dug her fingers into the seat cushion. “You think the note and incident in the barn are connected?”
Obviously he did. Which meant whoever was slinking around the property had been expecting her.
TWO
What would Sarah say if she saw her now, sleeping under Josh’s roof?
Well, trying to sleep. Becki flopped over in the unfamiliar bed. Shafts of moonlight shone through the edges of the drapes, highlighting a pair of 4-H trophies perched on the bookcase of Josh’s old bedroom.
Her sister would probably feel bad to learn that Josh never got over her. That is...if Sarah was who Anne had meant. Maybe not, since he’d still had a couple of years of high school left after their last summer visit. But he’d sure had it bad for her then.
Becki rolled over and punched the pillow. She didn’t want to think of Josh mooning over her sister, especially considering how unreasonable Sarah had been acting lately. Despite her denials, she must’ve sent that note. Who else?
The two of them were the only living relatives.
Josh was blowing the whole situation way out of proportion. The note and prowler couldn’t be connected. She’d probably just surprised a couple of teens who were afraid of getting caught fooling around in Gramps’s car. As a cop Josh must see that sort of thing all the time.
But then why was he getting so worked up?
Josh feels responsible for your grandparents’ deaths.
Becki’s heart clenched. That had to be why Josh wasn’t taking any chances.
If only he’d...
She squashed the wishful thinking. If she let her thoughts go there, she’d never get to sleep.
Closing her eyes, she tried not to think at all. An hour later, she was still awake.
A glass of milk might help. She listened for sounds of Anne and Josh still milling about. Hearing none, she pulled on her bathrobe and stole downstairs.
The computer and desk lamp were on in the otherwise darkened living room, but there was no sign of Josh.
She tiptoed to the desk to see what he’d been working on. His internet browser was open to a page about an antique-car theft. Did Josh really think some sort of theft ring had targeted Gramps’s car?
She skimmed the article but couldn’t see any similarities between that theft and her situation.
A beam of light flashed across the window.
She flicked off the desk lamp and peered past the curtain.
A tall figure disappeared around the corner of the house.
Was that Josh?
The kitchen door banged open.
She shrank deeper into the shadows. It had to be Josh. An intruder wouldn’t be so noisy. The glow of the computer screen cast eerie shadows on the walls.
Tripod
