1022 Evergreen Place - Debbie Macomber [49]
“Does he do them?”
“Every night,” Mack said. “In fact, I think he and Mom have fun doing them together. I’ve caught them more than once dancing to old rock ’n’ roll tunes.”
Mary Jo smiled. “Do you want me to put on some music?”
Mack smiled back. “Maybe later.”
By the time she’d finished getting Noelle changed and ready for bed, Mack had cleaned up the kitchen. He turned on the television to the nightly news, keeping the volume low, while she fed Noelle. Then he sat down next to her and, after a moment, put his arm around her shoulders. Mary Jo felt the warmth of his affection and she was convinced Noelle did, as well.
Her daughter fell asleep in her arms and Mary Jo was far too comfortable to move. She rested her head against Mack and sighed deeply. “I so badly want Jacob to have survived the war,” she whispered.
Mack kissed the top of her head. “Me, too.”
They sat there, quietly watching television for the next hour. When he left, Mary Jo settled Noelle carefully in her crib. She almost didn’t hear the gentle tap on her front door ten minutes later. When she opened it, Mack stood on the other side, the look on his face exultant.
“I went online as soon as I got home.”
Mary Jo’s heart leaped. “Jacob Dennison made it?”
“I can’t say for sure, but I do know he didn’t die in France. His name isn’t on the list of Americans buried there.”
“Then maybe he was injured, after all, and sent stateside,” Mary Jo said. That, too, might explain why Joan had ceased writing immediately after the Normandy invasion. Somehow, Mary Jo conjectured, she’d made her way to the hospital where Jacob was sent. She’d left everything behind and didn’t want her sister finding her diary. Then, after Jacob had healed, they’d gotten married and Joan had never gone back to retrieve her diary and the letters.
Mary Jo felt giddy with relief.
“There,” Mack said. “Aren’t you happy?”
“I’m ecstatic!”
“The last time you were this happy it was because I found the diary—and you kissed me.”
Mary Jo laughed at his broad hint, then leaned forward and threw her arms around his neck.
“That’s more like it,” Mack said just before he lowered his mouth to hers.
Thirteen
Roy McAfee glanced up from his computer screen as Corrie let herself into his office, closing the door behind her.
“Leonard Bellamy is here to see you,” she said, frowning.
Roy looked at his desk calendar.
“He doesn’t have an appointment,” Corrie said, confirming Roy’s assumption. “He asked to see you right away.” The last two words were stated with more than a hint of disapproval.
Roy already knew his wife wasn’t impressed with Bellamy. His family, probably the wealthiest in the area, owned half of downtown Bremerton and several large properties on Bainbridge Island. Roy knew they had several holdings in Cedar Cove, as well. He’d done work for the man before, mostly background checks on potential hires.
“I can see him.” Roy was admittedly curious—it wasn’t every day Leonard Bellamy stopped by for a chat.
“He didn’t make an appointment,” Corrie reminded him.
“That’s okay. I’m available,” Roy said. Corrie was well aware that not everyone scheduled appointments with him; he always had a certain number of walk-ins. He wasn’t going to hold that against Bellamy, even if his wife did. Leonard Bellamy paid his bills promptly.
The last case Roy had worked on for Bellamy had concerned an employee who’d filed for workers’ compensation, claiming that due to a serious back injury, he was unable to continue in his current position. Having suffered from back ailments himself, Roy was in full sympathy with the employee—until he caught him training to climb Mount Rainier hefting a fifty-pound knapsack. Leonard had paid Roy a handsome bonus at the end of that investigation.
“He comes in without an appointment and just assumes you’ll see him because he’s the great and mighty Leonard Bellamy,” Corrie muttered. “In my opinion, he’s arrogant and demanding and a jerk.”
“Show him in, Corrie,” Roy said pointedly.
“I will,