37

Kelli pulled into the driveway, wondering why she’d accepted this invitation. She was dead tired after a long Tuesday at work, and all she wanted to do was to go home, grab a gallon of chocolate ice cream and a spoon, and maybe watch some mindless action movie on TV. Still, Kenmore had been so upset when the doctor insisted he take it easy for another week before returning to work, she couldn’t have refused him anything. If it would make him feel better to cook her dinner again, then she was going to enjoy it. The steak she’d had with the two men last week had certainly been delicious. She wondered if Shane would be here this time, or did he even know that his father had invited her?

She climbed out of the car and moved toward the house just as the door opened. Shane yelled back over his shoulder, “Okay, Dad, she’s here.” He turned toward Kelli and grinned. “He wanted to put the steaks on as soon as you arrived, so he’s had me watching the driveway for the past half hour. I feel like one of those snoopy neighbors that’s always peeking out of their curtains.” He jumped over the porch steps and landed beside her, offering an elbow. “Help you up the stairs, ma’am?” Shane knew how to use his boyish charm to full advantage, there was no doubt about that.

“Thank you, kind sir. I don’t think I could possibly manage without your assistance.” Kelli took his arm as they started up the three small steps. “Tell me, did you see anything interesting while you were watching for me? Some sort of neighborhood crime ring or anything?”

“Not unless Mrs. Jones walking her dog, and the Carmichael twins riding their bikes without training wheels would qualify as interesting. I’m pretty sure neither activity was of a criminal nature.” He opened the front door and held it for her.

“You’re not much of a detective, are you?”

“Apparently not.” He looked at her for a few seconds longer than necessary, then reached up and rubbed his stubbled chin with his free hand.

Kelli walked all the way through to the kitchen before she trusted her voice. “Your dad’s lucky he has you.”

He reached for the back door but turned before opening it. “You okay?”

She nodded but didn’t look at his face. “Just tired.”

“Well, come on out back. I’ll fix you something cool to drink, and you can sit and watch us men wait on you.” He pushed the back door open.

“Ah, the world as it was intended. Women sitting, men waiting on us.”

“Ha.” Shane continued to study her as she walked past him toward the backyard. “You’re a strong woman—much more so than I would have given you credit for when we first met.”

Kelli hurried out the door to find Kenmore standing beside his grill, cane leaning against a nearby patio chair.

“There you are. I hope you’ve worked up a good appetite, because as you already know, my steaks are second to none, if I do say so myself.”

“And believe me, he will say so himself. Over. And over. And over.” Shane gestured toward a padded chair. “What can I get you to drink?”

“Just some cold water sounds great.”

“You got it.” He made for the house, and Kelli was glad for his absence.

“How you holding up?” Kenmore came to sit beside her.

“Good. I mean, I’m tired, don’t get me wrong. It’s amazing to me that you work this many hours, on your feet, and have done so for years—especially with a bad hip. I’m surprised you waited as long as you did to find Frieda’s replacement.”

“I like doing things my own way in my own time.”

“Speaking of which, I hope you’re not too upset about me moving things around while you were gone.”

“Truth is, you’ve done a nice job with the place.”

“Thanks. I’m surprised how much I enjoy it. I never really pictured myself working in retail, but the people are so friendly, and I don’t know, something about figuring out the best way to arrange things for full effect is sort of like working a giant puzzle.”

“Never been much good at puzzles myself. Maybe that’s why I never move things.” He stood up and limped over to the grill. When he flipped a steak, it sent out a loud sizzling sound and a puff of steam.

“Here you go.” Shane handed her the glass of water and took the seat beside her.

“So, Shane, last week you told me that real estate was your grown-up job—what made you choose it?”

He shrugged. “I like the people, and it’s interesting work. Originally, I was thinking of insurance.”

“Insurance?”

“I got interested in it back when a family friend—well, Beth’s mom, Alison, you’ve met her . . .”

“Yes.”

“Well, after her husband and daughter died, the coroner wouldn’t issue a death certificate without a body, and life insurance wouldn’t pay without a death certificate. Dad got involved in trying to help her, and I found all the red tape frustrating. When I started looking for a real career, I thought maybe if I went into insurance, I could be that person who could help people wade through all the red tape and get the help they need. What I discovered is, I find that all too frustrating to do it day in and day out. Life insurance is a complicated business.”

“Sounds like it.” Kelli sat silent, thinking about her father and stepmother living in comfort, after leaving his wife, kids, and mother to face devastating financial consequences. She wanted to change the subject, to move on to something else, but a thought began to niggle at the back of her mind and would not let go. She knew she could ask the question in the guise of this conversation and no one would think anything of it. If she asked at a later time, that would not be the case. She pulled up some courage from somewhere deep inside, forced a nonchalant look on her face, and said, “Okay, so from your previous training, let me ask you a hypothetical question—just because.”

“Shoot.”

“Suppose that after Alison had her husband and daughter declared dead, suppose they turned up somewhere. Maybe in a hospital with amnesia after their accident, something like that. What would happen to the insurance money?”

Shane looked over at his father, stared hard for a few seconds, then took a sip of tea and shook his head. “That’s a good question. I’m pretty sure they would have to give it back. Seems pretty cut and dried.”

“Okay, let’s say this amnesia lasted for a long time, and they didn’t discover him for several years—long after she’d spent the money. What would happen then?”

“Your hypothetical questions are farfetched, aren’t they?” Again he looked at his father, and Kelli looked at him, too, wondering if Kenmore had said something. From the look on his face, he had no idea what they were talking about. Hopefully, Shane thought so, too. “To tell you the truth I don’t know the answer for sure.”

Kelli took a sip of water, then changed the conversation to Mrs. Chandler. She came into the store every single Friday, bought six cans of tuna, and complained bitterly about the price and how it was much cheaper in town at Kroger. And yet, every single Friday, there she was again. Thankfully, Kenmore jumped right in on this change of subject.

When Kelli got in her car to drive home later that night, she pondered the insurance situation and the threat to Alison, who had used her insurance money to support the sick mother Daddy had left behind. Revealing the truth could ruin her financially. Kelli couldn’t allow that to happen.