and he hadn’t been able to locate her.
Ahead, Tina signaled for a turn. That snapped Zac out of his contemplative mood. He was glad she wasn’t speeding, because he wouldn’t have compromised Justin’s safety just to keep up with her. His days of risk-taking were over.
The road narrowed beneath a canopy of trees. Scraggly, dead tree branches stuck out here and there on both sides of the road like long, crooked fingers. If it had been dark, the scene might have seemed eerie. As it was, however, the lovely summer day lingered to bathe the countryside with rays from the setting sun. Lush growth on the healthier oaks and cedars softened the angles of their bare counterparts.
Checking Justin in the mirror, Zac saw that the boy had already fallen asleep. Good. The poor kid needed the rest. He sighed. Truth to tell, so did his daddy. Between the two of them, they’d spent many restless, nightmare-filled nights this past year. Maybe a new house, a new town, a new job were what they needed. Zac certainly hoped so. He was running out of fresh ideas.
Tina pulled into a driveway and parked. Zac followed, and couldn’t believe his eyes. He stared. There were flowers everywhere. Hundreds of them. In pots, in planters, coming up in bunches in the lawn. He’d never seen anything so naturally beautiful in his life.
Climbing out of the van, all he said was “Wow.”
Tina joined him in time to hear the comment. “I’m glad you like it. Gardening is a hobby of mine.”
“This is your place? I thought…”
“Sorry,” she said, pointing. “The one you came to see is three doors down. I turned in here by force of habit. Guess I was daydreaming. Come on. We can walk over.”
Zac cast a weary glance at his sleeping son. “I hate to wake him. He has a lot of trouble getting to sleep.”
“Then, leave him alone and move your car over in front of the other house where we can watch him. I’ll meet you there.”
She started off without waiting for him to agree. Watching her go, Zac was struck by her effortless grace and lively step. Always before she’d been inside the classroom when he’d seen her move. Now, she’d shed her shoes and was cutting across the lawn barefoot, like a child who’d just been let out of school.
What a fascinating woman. There was an easy goodness about her that spoke to his soul, made him miss the spiritual aspects of his former life. Maybe it was time to take her up on her invitation and make plans to visit her church. If even half the members were as amiable as Tina Braddock, it was a place he wanted to see for himself.
“The Nortons left their key under the mat so you could get inside,” Tina said, handing it to him. “Here. Go take a peek. I’ll stay out here and watch Justin for you.”
“You’re sure they won’t mind?”
“Nope. They’ve moved most of their furniture already. Doris told me to give you the key and turn you loose.”
“She’s not worried about letting a stranger poke through her home?”
“You’re not a stranger,” Tina told him. “I vouched for you. Besides, the Norton’s oldest boy is in high school, so they’ve already heard plenty about you.”
Zac arched an eyebrow. “Small-town gossip?”
“You’ll get used to it. Everybody means well. They like to keep an eye on newcomers, that’s all.”
“How long does it take to become one of the good ole boys?”
Tina laughed. “A couple of generations, as near as I can tell. A genuine southern accent helps, too. I’m working on mine.”
“I thought I’d noticed a drawl in some of the quaint expressions you use.”
“I’m not adding colloquialisms on purpose,” she explained. “They slip into my conversation because I hear them so much. When I first moved here, I used to always catch the unusual ways people talked. Now, it’s hard to pick up differences even if I’m listening for them.”
“Not for me,” he said, laughing quietly and shaking his head. “The other day one of the teachers I work with said he was ‘fixin’ to take a cold,’ and I had to stop myself from asking him where he was planning on taking it.”
He fitted the key into the lock and turned it till he heard it click. “Keep a close eye on Justin. I had to leave the motor running so the air conditioner would work. If he wakes up and sees I’m gone, he’ll be scared. This shouldn’t take long. I’m not fussy.”
“Don’t you worry one bit. I’m not fixin’ to leave till you’re as happy as a possum in a henhouse,” Tina quipped, grinning widely.
Zac rolled his eyes and turned away, laughing to himself. The woman was naturally humorous, whether she knew it or not. No wonder Justin had taken to her so quickly and blossomed in her class. Tina Braddock was more than a good teacher. She was a very special person, too.
Chapter Three
Concerned about safety, Tina strolled toward the van while she waited for Zac to return. She understood why he’d chosen to leave the motor running. Justin needed the cool air. The weather was typical of summer in the Ozarks: steamy and hot, good for flowers and veggies but not as pleasant as it would be in a month or so when fall arrived.
She shaded her eyes and peeked in the van window. Justin was asleep on the bench seat in the center, close enough to the driver to be watched, yet protected from the front air bag. It didn’t surprise her that Zac had chosen the best location for his son. The man didn’t miss a trick where safety was concerned.
The boy stirred. Holding very still, Tina willed him back to a deeper sleep. For a few minutes she thought she’d gotten her wish. Then the boy’s eyes fluttered open, and he realized almost immediately that he’d been left alone.
“Daddy!” Panicky, Justin began to struggle to undo his seat belt.
Tina rapped on the window and called to him. If he got loose, there was no telling what he might do. She made a grab for the door handle and gave it a wrench. It didn’t open!
“I’m here, Justin,” she shouted. “I’m right here. It’s okay. You’re fine. Daddy will be right back.”
The child began to sob. Tina pounded on the window with the flat of her hand, then ran around to try the doors on the opposite side. They were all locked. She knew she didn’t dare leave the van long enough to fetch Zac. If Justin managed to undo his seat belt while she was gone, he might inadvertently slip the van into gear and cause an accident. If only his idiotic, overprotective father hadn’t locked the blasted doors!
Close to panic herself, Tina shouted at the house. “Zac! Zac!” She needn’t have worried that he might not hear her. In seconds he was charging across the lawn.
“What happened?”
“He woke up and…”
Zac reached for the door. “Why did you let him get so upset? I warned you…” He jerked the handle. Nothing happened! He whirled. “Why did you lock the door?”
“I
