all take time. How about changing the wording to, ‘ as soon as reasonably possible, ’” Kyle said, meeting Jan ’ s gaze. “ Will that be all right? ” He ’ d get her some help, or even help her sort out stuff himself if he had to, but the house had to be ready to go soon. He was pleased to see her waver, then nod hesitantly.
Laura smiled and patted Jan ’ s hand. “ It ’ ll be okay, Jan. You ’ ll see. ”
Jan nodded and Laura smiled and went back to signing.
Kyle wondered what he ’ d gotten himself into as he listened to John explain the next set of papers. A wave of pleasure ran through him at the thought of spending time with Jan at the house, helping her clean it out. On the other hand, she didn ’ t look pleased with the idea at all. And when would he find time with all the things that kept going wrong with this project?
When they finally finished all the legal details and stepped back outside, rain was falling steadily. The June day had turned hot and muggy. As t hey dashed across the street to his car , he pressed the remote to unlock it and quickly opened the doors and helped them inside. They stopped at the store in town for cardboard boxes and cleaning supplies, then drove back to the farmhouse.
There, they got the supplies they’d bought from the trunk . He helped them carry it all inside. They thanked Kyle for the ride and ducked inside out of the rain . He went back to his car, watched them disappear in to the house and let out a sigh. Was he going to look back on this day ’ s happenings with deep regret? He hoped not, but doubt remained.
As he backed out of the drive, he notice d Jan’s red Chevy looked odd. It sat low to the ground. Yikes. All four tires were flat! No way was that an accident!
He eased back into his parking spot and got out to investigate, careful to not get close enough to the car to destroy any possible evidence. Though the rain coming down was sure to obliterate any tracks the perp might have left. A definite slash in each tire told him this was definitely done on purpose. He pulled out his cellphone and called the sheriff, who promised to send an officer to investigate very soon. “Your project is definitely giving me trouble,” he told Kyle.
“Then the sooner you catch whoever is doing this nasty stuff, the sooner you’ll have less work, right, S heriff?”
“Humph,” the sheriff said, and hung up.
Kyle went back inside to tell Jan and Laura about it while he waited for an officer to respond.
“Bad news,” Kyle told the women. “Someone slashed all the tires on your car.”
“What?” Jan asked. They hurried out to the porch and stood staring at the damage. “Why would they pick on my car? What do I have to do with all this?”
“I’m sorry,” Laura said. “I shouldn’t have gotten you into this.”
“ Is vandalism covered in your insurance policy?” Kyle asked.
“I have no idea. I’ll call my agent and ask.” Jan looked up the number on her cellphone and rang her agent in Chicago. After talking a minute, she hung up and said, “Yes, it’s covered. She says to have a garage replace the tires and send her the bill.”
“Good,” Kyle said. A police car pulled into the farmyard and a slim uniformed young woman stepped out, clipboard in hand. “I’m Deputy Carol Hendricks.”
After answering all the officer’s questions, Kyle gave Jan the number of the town’s only garage and she called for a tow truck.
The garage promised to put on a new set of tires and return her car by the end of the day. Thank goodness for small town service.
“So who do you think is the perp?” Deputy Hendricks asked.
Kyle stared at her. “You think I should know who did this?”
“Well, all these dirty tricks are apparently connected to your project in some way,” she snapped back, her dark eyebrows dipping at him.
“If I knew who was behind all this , I’d be happy to press charges so you could lock the guy up.”
“Oh, then it’s a
Laura smiled and patted Jan ’ s hand. “ It ’ ll be okay, Jan. You ’ ll see. ”
Jan nodded and Laura smiled and went back to signing.
Kyle wondered what he ’ d gotten himself into as he listened to John explain the next set of papers. A wave of pleasure ran through him at the thought of spending time with Jan at the house, helping her clean it out. On the other hand, she didn ’ t look pleased with the idea at all. And when would he find time with all the things that kept going wrong with this project?
When they finally finished all the legal details and stepped back outside, rain was falling steadily. The June day had turned hot and muggy. As t hey dashed across the street to his car , he pressed the remote to unlock it and quickly opened the doors and helped them inside. They stopped at the store in town for cardboard boxes and cleaning supplies, then drove back to the farmhouse.
There, they got the supplies they’d bought from the trunk . He helped them carry it all inside. They thanked Kyle for the ride and ducked inside out of the rain . He went back to his car, watched them disappear in to the house and let out a sigh. Was he going to look back on this day ’ s happenings with deep regret? He hoped not, but doubt remained.
As he backed out of the drive, he notice d Jan’s red Chevy looked odd. It sat low to the ground. Yikes. All four tires were flat! No way was that an accident!
He eased back into his parking spot and got out to investigate, careful to not get close enough to the car to destroy any possible evidence. Though the rain coming down was sure to obliterate any tracks the perp might have left. A definite slash in each tire told him this was definitely done on purpose. He pulled out his cellphone and called the sheriff, who promised to send an officer to investigate very soon. “Your project is definitely giving me trouble,” he told Kyle.
“Then the sooner you catch whoever is doing this nasty stuff, the sooner you’ll have less work, right, S heriff?”
“Humph,” the sheriff said, and hung up.
Kyle went back inside to tell Jan and Laura about it while he waited for an officer to respond.
“Bad news,” Kyle told the women. “Someone slashed all the tires on your car.”
“What?” Jan asked. They hurried out to the porch and stood staring at the damage. “Why would they pick on my car? What do I have to do with all this?”
“I’m sorry,” Laura said. “I shouldn’t have gotten you into this.”
“ Is vandalism covered in your insurance policy?” Kyle asked.
“I have no idea. I’ll call my agent and ask.” Jan looked up the number on her cellphone and rang her agent in Chicago. After talking a minute, she hung up and said, “Yes, it’s covered. She says to have a garage replace the tires and send her the bill.”
“Good,” Kyle said. A police car pulled into the farmyard and a slim uniformed young woman stepped out, clipboard in hand. “I’m Deputy Carol Hendricks.”
After answering all the officer’s questions, Kyle gave Jan the number of the town’s only garage and she called for a tow truck.
The garage promised to put on a new set of tires and return her car by the end of the day. Thank goodness for small town service.
“So who do you think is the perp?” Deputy Hendricks asked.
Kyle stared at her. “You think I should know who did this?”
“Well, all these dirty tricks are apparently connected to your project in some way,” she snapped back, her dark eyebrows dipping at him.
“If I knew who was behind all this , I’d be happy to press charges so you could lock the guy up.”
“Oh, then it’s a
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