“So what’d you find out?” Rio asked the following afternoon.
Kevin leaned back in his desk chair. “Noelle Kringle was born and reared in Houston. Her parents were Bert and Norma Smith. They died eight years ago in an automobile accident, when Noelle was just nineteen. Bert was an electrical engineer, employed with the same company for twenty years. Her mother was a homemaker. The family owned one modest home in Houston that has since been torn down to make way for a shopping mall.” Which made it impossible to go and talk to any of the Smiths’ former neighbors—easily, anyway. “There’s nothing to report on any of them. No traffic tickets, criminal records, legal disputes or credit problems. Nothing on her late husband, Michael Kringle, Sr., either.”
“How about Miss Sadie’s nephew?”
“Dash Nelson is a respected member of the Texas bar, an ace litigator who also does a lot of pro bono work for disadvantaged youths. He’s got plenty of money of his own, and a close relationship with his aunt, so there’s no motive there. If he wanted or needed money from Miss Sadie, all he would have to do is ask.”
Rio pulled up a chair. “What financial shape is Noelle Kringle in?”
“Not great.” Aware that Noelle had had a harder time than she let on, Kevin frowned. “Her parents left her only a few thousand dollars when they died, after their estate was settled. She worked minimum wage jobs—waitress, banquet server—before getting on with a catering firm as an event planner. She stopped working for that company when she married, and became self-employed, doing solo events for Miss Sadie and several other prominent families. She lives in a town home in a respectable neighborhood with her son. Her bank account shows no unusual activity. She seems to have enough to get by, but nothing that would indicate she’s involved in any kind of scam.”
“So she’s off your suspect list?” Rio asked.
“Not quite.”
Rio cocked a brow.
“Something about her just doesn’t feel right,” Kevin added.
“You think she’s a crook?”
Kevin’s wary nature kicked in. “I think she’s hiding something.”
“Like…?” his buddy pressed.
Kevin shrugged and stood, feeling ready for action once again. “I don’t know. But I’m going to find out,” he vowed. “It’s the only way I’ll be able to rule her out as a suspect, once and for all.”
NOELLE WAS SITTING at Miss Sadie’s bedside, finishing up the latest round of notes for the parties Miss Sadie was planning to have in Laramie, when Kevin McCabe strolled in.
He was in full uniform again today. The starched khaki shirt and dark brown pants molded his athletic frame. He’d had a haircut and a shave. The faint hint of cologne clung to his skin. Her pulse quickened as their eyes locked, and then it leaped again as he hunkered down and gently greeted her son. “How you doing, sport?” Kevin said as he watched the boy play with his cars and trucks on a race track rug Noelle had brought in.
Mikey lifted the truck in his hand for Kevin to see. “Tick-up-puck!” The little boy looked at him, obviously wanting to be sure Kevin understood what he had said.
Noelle noted with amusement that the deputy hadn’t a clue.
“Mikey is showing you his pickup truck.” Noelle enunciated carefully, for benefit of her toddler son.
Recognition dawned. “That is a very nice pickup truck,” he agreed emphatically, looking Mikey straight in the eye.
The little boy beamed.
Kevin patted him gently on the shoulder, then stood up again.
The mood shifted as electricity arced between him and Noelle, generated no doubt by the memory of that sizzling kiss they had shared. She did her best to ignore it. As did he.
Smiling, Miss Sadie looked at the large cloth sack Kevin held in one hand. “What have you got there?”
He shrugged, his attention focused now on the genteel elderly woman. “A little elf told me you and some of the other ladies here at Laramie Gardens know how to sew.”
Miss Sadie nodded. “Why, yes, we do. It was an art taught to all the ladies of my generation. It was part of the school curriculum.”
Relief etched his handsome features and he handed her the sack. “We have a lot of baby doll clothing in need of tender loving care. And time is short, I’m afraid.”
Miss Sadie plucked a torn dress from the bag. “I see what you mean.”
Kevin regarded her hopefully. “Any chance I could get you to be in charge of the task, Miss Sadie?”
“Consider it done, Deputy McCabe. When did you need them?”
“By the morning of the twenty-third? That would give us the afternoon to get the dolls put back together and ready to give out to the children.”
“I’ll talk to the other ladies at dinner this evening.”
She handed the bag back and Kevin set it in the corner, out of harm’s way.
“Now,” Miss Sadie continued, “what have you been able to find out about my identity theft since we spoke yesterday?”
Kevin’s expression grew serious. “What happened to you was part of a big, elaborate scam, Miss Sadie. Twenty-five other Houston families, all socially and financially prominent, were hit. Same M.O. for all of them. New credit card accounts were opened. In some situations, the victims were traveling. In others, accounts were begun under the name of a person in a nursing home, or at a college.” He folded his arms in front of him. “Multiple e-mail accounts were then set up in each victim’s name on free e-mail servers on the Web, and goods were ordered from there as ‘holiday gifts’ for other people. Three addresses were used as drops for the goods—all rental houses whose residents have since moved out, if they ever really moved in. The ordered merchandise is probably being sold, or used to get store credit, as we speak.”
“Can you track it?” Miss Sadie asked.
“Not easily,” Kevin replied regretfully, “given the fact it’s the Christmas season, and much of the merchandise ordered on your account was for things like watches and iPods and laptop computers that are sold in high volume this time of year, anyway. But we are tracking the origin of the e-mail accounts. The host companies have pinpointed a public library close to a university in southwest Houston where the requests for credit cards originated, and they’ve set up a sting there to catch anyone who might come back to continue their criminal activity.”
Miss Sadie pressed a frail hand to her throat. “Well, that’s good to know. Isn’t it, Noelle?”
“Yes.” Noelle looked Kevin straight in the eye, letting him know once again she had absolutely nothing to feel guilty about. “It is.”
“Thieves simply should not be able to operate during the Christmas season,” Miss Sadie declared emotionally. “And speaking of the holiday, did you hear my news?” she asked Kevin.
He shook his head.
“I’ve talked Noelle and little Mikey into spending the Christmas holiday with me at Blackberry Hill!” she announced enthusiastically. She clapped her hands and glanced at Noelle. “Dash is going to be so pleased when he hears you’ll be joining us this year for the entire event.”
Mikey stopped playing long enough to clap his hands, too. They all laughed. He grinned and clapped again, before returning to his trucks.
“I can’t wait to tell Dash this evening,” Miss Sadie said.
Noelle flushed. She didn’t know what it was about the yuletide season, but it seemed like everybody wanted all single people to be hooked up. She wondered if Kevin McCabe was getting the same pressure from his family and friends.
Eyes twinkling, Kevin scratched his ear. “Sounds like you’re doing a little matchmaking there, Miss Sadie.”
“I admit I wouldn’t mind if the two of them finally stopped dawdling and made a match,” Miss Sadie replied with customary frankness. “In fact, I can’t think of a better Christmas present for me.”
Noelle cleared her throat. “Back to your investigation, Deputy McCabe,” she said in a low, strangled voice, ignoring the faint hint of disappointment in his eyes. She was not taking advantage of Dash and Miss Sadie! “What else is being done to wrap this investigation up as soon as possible?” she queried, making it clear that she wanted the thieves caught as desperately as Miss Sadie did.
His expression all-business, Kevin directed his answer to both women. “The rest of the families are filling out the same questionnaire I brought you this morning, Miss Sadie. When we get them all back in, we’ll be comparing them, looking for similarities.”
“Such as…?” Noelle asked.
“What event planners and caterers they used.”
Okay, now he was really getting under her skin, Noelle decided. She leveled a warning glance his way and thought she saw a glimmer of amusement in his eyes.
“Surely you’re not hinting that Noelle had anything to do with this!” Miss Sadie declared, incensed.
“I’m not hinting anything,” Kevin said. “I’m just explaining the way a theft investigation works.
Baloney, Noelle thought. “Don’t let him fool you, Miss Sadie. He’s investigating me. He told me as much last evening.”
Miss Sadie lifted an indignant brow. “That really isn’t necessary, Detective.”
“I’m afraid it is.” Kevin watched Mikey drive his pickup truck across the floor. “I’d be remiss in my duty if I left any stone unturned. Although you’ll both be glad to know—” Kevin smiled as Mikey passed him and continued toward his mom “—Miss Kringle appears completely innocent thus far.”
“I could have told you that,” Miss Sadie huffed.
“Don’t fault him for doing his job,” Noelle soothed. She reached down to pick up her son and hold him on her lap. “Detective McCabe has to look at everyone if he hopes to find the culprit.”
“I’m glad you understand,” Kevin replied as Mikey wreathed both arms around his mother’s neck and rested his head on her shoulder.
She stroked his downy curls. “I do understand.” It didn’t mean she didn’t resent it.
“Hungee, Momma,” Mikey interrupted, with quiet urgency.
Guilt flowed through Noelle as she realized time had gotten away from her. “Oh, goodness,” she said, consulting her watch. “It’s dinnertime.” She stood with Mikey cradled on her hip, and began gathering up her things.
Kevin helped by retrieving toys and slipping them into her diaper bag. “I’ll walk you out,” he said, taking the child in his arms while she put on her coat, and then Mikey’s, too.
“Thank you,” she said grudgingly before taking Mikey over to kiss Miss Sadie goodbye. “We’ll see you tomorrow,” she promised.
“I’m looking forward to it.” Miss Sadie beamed.
Kevin bid her adieu, too.
“I don’t suppose I could get you to look at the community center this evening,” he said as they left the building and walked toward Noelle’s white van.
She hit the remote button on her keypad and heard the locks click open. After Kevin got the side door, she settled Mikey in his car seat. “I already looked at it earlier this afternoon and took notes. As soon as you tell me what budget you have in terms of decorations, I’ll let you know what I think you should do.”
Kevin watched while she made sure the safety strap was centered just right across Mikey’s chest. “How about we discuss it over dinner?”
Noelle handed her son his blanket and a book to “read” while she drove. “I can’t get a sitter.”
“Bring Mikey with us. Mi Casa Mexican Restaurant is right down the street.”
Noelle shut the rear door and climbed behind the wheel. This man sure was persistent. As were a lot of men, when it came to wanting her to go out with them. What was different about this was that she actually wanted to go. Keeping her guard up, she smiled up at him pleasantly. “Mikey doesn’t eat Tex-Mex.”
“Doesn’t have to. They have a children’s menu with all the standard items. Grilled cheese, hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken fingers and fries.”
“Fries!” Mikey echoed eagerly from the back.
Noelle knew time was of the essence if she didn’t want to have a meltdown on her hands. Still… “Mikey can be a rather impatient diner, especially when he’s tired and didn’t have much of a nap, as was the case today.”
Kevin shrugged. “Luckily for us all, I can be very patient.”
“Fries!” Mikey said again, even more urgently.
Oh, what the heck… “You’re paying?” Noelle said, just to get under his skin.
“Of course.” He shut her door, then waited until she started the van and put down her window. “I am a gentleman.”
Noelle snorted, aware they were flirting again, even though they really shouldn’t be. “Could have fooled me last night,” she muttered, snapping her own safety belt into place.
His eyes held hers. “Because I kissed you.”
And had me kissing you back, Noelle thought, aware how just thinking about that embrace made her tingle. “That can’t happen again,” she warned.
Kevin smiled and made no reply.
“I’M CURIOUS,” Kevin said as soon as they had placed their orders—beef fajitas for him, sour cream chicken enchiladas for her.
“Now, that’s a surprise,” Noelle quipped.
The waiter brought out Mikey’s dinner in advance of theirs, as requested.
“Just what is your relationship with Dash Nelson?” Kevin asked, watching the sparks come into her pretty eyes.
Noelle handed Mikey his sippy cup of milk, then concentrated on cutting up the grilled cheese sandwich and fries into toddler-size pieces. Kevin knew he had annoyed her, but her voice was relaxed. “We’re just friends.”
Mikey put down his cup and pushed grilled cheese bites into his mouth with the flat of his palm. When the toddler dropped one on his lap, Kevin reached over to help him retrieve it. “Miss Sadie seems to want you married,” he observed.
Noelle cut up a few green beans, too. “That doesn’t mean it’s going to happen.”
Kevin watched Mikey arrange and rearrange his food on the child-size plate in front of him, all the while taking occasional spoonfuls of applesauce from his mother. “Are the two of you dating?”
This earned him the reproving look he expected. “No,” Noelle stated clearly, letting him know she did not appreciate his probing. Not all of which, Kevin admitted ruefully to himself, was police-work related. “Not that it’s any of your business,” she finished, shifting in her chair and inadvertently nudging one of his knees under the table.
It was if he intended to pursue her. Or if—worst case scenario—what she turned out to be hiding from him was somehow relevant to his ongoing investigation. “But you do go out together.” Kevin shifted, too, so they wouldn’t be crowding each other.
Noelle handed Mikey a green bean. “From time to time, yes. Platonically.” She leaned back to let the waiter put her plate of steaming food in front of her.
“And Dash doesn’t want anything more,” Kevin pressed, surprised to find he was a little jealous of the proximity the successful attorney enjoyed to the beautiful woman across from him.
Satisfied that Mikey was well-occupied with his own food, she began to eat her enchiladas. “Dash knows how much I loved my husband, how devastated I was when Michael died.”
Kevin could see it was true. “That doesn’t mean Dash doesn’t want you for himself, or already assumes he has your total devotion,” he remarked, layering sizzling strips of beef, pepper and onion in a warm flour tortilla.
“What makes you think that?” she asked.
Kevin met her eyes. “The way you fixed coffee for him the other night before he hit the road. He appears to take you for granted, the way married couples do each other.”
Noelle sipped her iced tea slowly, then put her glass down. “If that’s the case, it’s a two-way street, since I guess I have depended on him in some ways ever since my husband died.”
Because Dash served as extended family, Kevin wondered, or because he effectively kept other men away? Noelle’s emotional reaction to his question suggested that he hadn’t been the first to hint that this setup was not a good situation for either her or Dash.
“You’re sure you want to work on the steps tonight?” Noelle asked a short time later, after settling Mikey back in his car seat.
Although she had been very polite during the rest of their meal, Kevin knew she would like nothing better than to get rid of him now. Unfortunately, he had committed to help her and Miss Sadie with the repair…and McCabes always kept their promises. “You know what they say—never put off until tomorrow what you can do today,” he replied, aware he had another motive as well. He was hoping she would stop being ticked off at him before the evening’s end. And that reaction puzzled him, too. Usually he didn’t care whether the people he was investigating liked him or not.
The drive took twenty minutes. Kevin followed Noelle and used the time to check his voice mail messages, on his cell and at the station. To his relief, all calls related to other investigations or family matters. No incriminating information on Noelle. Which meant, he hoped, that his gut instinct was right. She might be hiding something from him, but she was no threat to Miss Sadie, or others in the Houston community.
When they arrived at Blackberry Hill, Kevin parked behind Noelle and got out. By the time he reached the van, she was already trying to get a diaper bag, her purse and a rather uncooperative Mikey out of the vehicle. “Want me to take something for you?” Kevin asked.
“Play!” Mikey demanded, squirming in Noelle’s arms. “Now!”
“No, honey, it’s dark and cold out here. We have to go inside,” Noelle said firmly.
Mikey let out a rebel yell and promptly went limp in her arms.
Noelle sagged under twenty-eight pounds of dead weight.
Kevin slid his arms beneath hers and lifted. Mikey was so surprised that he forgot to stay limp. “Thanks,” Noelle said.
“Want me to carry him the rest of the way?”
Still struggling to catch her breath, she relinquished the recalcitrant toddler. “If you wouldn’t mind…”
“So, Mikey. Guess you’ve had a pretty long day,” Kevin observed as they strolled toward the house.
Noelle had her key ready when they reached the front steps. Made of the same pink brick as the mansion, they were probably sturdy enough to last a hundred years, Kevin mused, eyeing them critically.
As they crossed the porch, Mikey put his thumb in his mouth and stared at Kevin consideringly.
“Mikey, it’s time for your bath,” Noelle said as they entered the foyer.
Another rebel yell. Louder than the first.
Noelle looked at her son, maternal love fighting with exhaustion in her eyes. Mikey wasn’t the only one who’d had a long day, Kevin noted. “If you want me to help, I’ll be glad to lend a hand,” he said.
“You’re serious.” She seemed stunned.
Kevin shrugged. “Nothing I haven’t done before for my nephews and nieces. My sibs don’t hesitate to put me into service.”
“Then you’re on,” Noelle agreed. “Could you sit and entertain him for a few minutes while I run his bath and get out his pajamas?”
“No problem.”
Mikey picked up a plastic tow truck similar to the one he had been playing with earlier. “T’uck,” he told Kevin soberly. “Tuck-up-pick.”
Half an hour later, Mikey was bathed and ready for bed. Noelle brought out a cookie shaped like a banana, a sippy cup of milk and a Christmas story about a black-and-white dog. Kevin, seeing all was in order, went to change into his work clothes. When he came out of the guest bathroom, Noelle was reading “’Twas the Night before Christmas” to Mikey. Seeing Kevin, the child eased out of her lap, picked his half-eaten cookie off the plastic dish and toddled over to Kevin. He held it up. “Eat!”
Kevin hunkered down, not sure what it was about this kid and his mother that got to him. He only knew that when they were near he couldn’t take his eyes off either of them. “Thank you! Mmm!” He pretended to nibble on the treat.
Mikey pushed it against his lips. “Eat!” he demanded.
Kevin looked at an amused Noelle. “Up to you,” she said. “But he knows the difference between really doing something and pretending to do it.”
Kevin took a small bite off one end and gave the rest back to him. Mikey chortled in delight, then ran to his mother and pushed what remained of the cookie at her lips.
“Mmm!” she said, taking the offered gift. “Thank you, honey. Finish your milk and then say good night and thank you to Kevin.”
Mikey took a drink, then looked at Kevin. “You’re welcome!” he chirped.
“Anytime.” Kevin winked.
Appreciating what a tender sight mother and son made, he ruffled Mikey’s hair and waved good-night as Noelle carried him toward the stairs. More aware than ever of what was missing in his life, Kevin headed out to his truck to get his tools. Okay, so he didn’t have a wife and kids of his own to love. But he still had a lot to be thankful for, he reminded himself sternly, refusing to give in to the holiday blues. He needed to get busy, not stand around lusting after the sexiest, most enticing woman he had ever kissed.
Forty-five minutes later, he had ripped off all the rotten boards and stacked them in the back of his SUV for transport to the dump, when Noelle came around the corner of the house, serving tray in hand. She had put on her black wool coat and ivory cashmere scarf, and her copper curls made a tousled halo about her face.
“Oh, my!” she exclaimed, seeing the progress he’d made.
Kevin grinned, amazed at how happy she made him just by being herself. He had to wrap this investigation up fast, so he would be free to explore what was developing between them. “Not much left, is there?” he murmured, ambling toward her.
“There isn’t!” She paused to look where the wooden steps had been.
Kevin ripped off his work gloves and stuck them in the waistband of his jeans. He set his tools inside the SUV and closed the tailgate. “It won’t take long to rebuild. I’ll get my brothers out here to help me tomorrow morning. With five of us working, we can get it done in a couple of hours.”
She waited while he shrugged on the sheepskin-lined jacket he had abandoned earlier, when it got too hot. “Is Laramie always like this? Everyone helping everyone else? Or is that just because it’s Christmas?”
Kevin accepted the mug and two frosted sugar cookies she gave him. The cocoa was hot and delicious. “I think Christmas inspires everyone to be generous, but Laramie is a great place year-round. People here take care of each other.” It was why he had come back. Why he intended to stay.
Noelle took a sip of her own cocoa. “I’ve never seen anything quite like it.”
“You being a big-city girl and all,” he teased. Deciding to make himself comfortable, he settled his weight on the rear bumper.
Noelle sighed wistfully and sat down next to him. “Houston has its perks, but a small town feel is not one of them.”
They sipped the cocoa in silence, enjoying the starlit winter night. “Mikey asleep?” Kevin asked eventually.
“Yes.” She rolled her eyes in maternal exasperation. “Finally. It took four more stories than usual to get him relaxed enough to be put down. He gets hyper, rather than sleepy, when he’s overtired.”
“Or in other words,” Kevin guessed, chuckling, “once that second wind kicks in…”
She drew a deep breath. “Watch out.”
They exchanged understanding smiles. “Do you have to work tomorrow?” she asked after a few moments of companionable silence.
Aware this was beginning to feel like a date, Kevin shook his head. “Nope. I’m off Saturday and Sunday this week.”
She continued gazing at him.
“What?” he asked.
Noelle stood and faced him once again. “You look so different in these clothes versus your sheriff’s department uniform,” she explained finally.
“More disreputable?” he teased.
She let his joke pass without comment. “I didn’t think detectives wore uniforms.”
Surprised to find he wasn’t the least bit tired despite the long day he’d had, Kevin stretched his legs out in front of him. “That’s true in the big city. In low-crime places like Laramie, detectives do double duty—take patrol as well as answer calls for assistance.”
“What other cases are you working on now?”
“Well, let’s see.” Kevin drew out the suspense while he munched one of the cookies she had given him. “Yesterday, there was the case of the missing leaf blower,” he reported with exaggerated seriousness. “Turned out to be in the caller’s backyard. He’d just forgotten to bring it in, and panicked when he didn’t see it in his garage.”
Noelle giggled. Kevin found it was all the encouragement he needed.
“Then there was the catnapping a couple of weeks ago. Turned out ‘Tomcat’ had a couple lady friends in heat. He returned home when that excitement ended. And let’s not forget the case of the missing street signs from Hickory and Main. That remains unsolved, although I suspect the signs are in the custody of one or two of the town’s teenagers and will be returned as soon as their parents stumble on them.”
A mixture of amusement and respect sparkled in her eyes. “That all sounds…”
“Pedestrian? I guess it is. But compared to things I saw when I worked on the Houston police force,” he said in all seriousness, “let’s just say I prefer small town problems.”
“And small town women?” Noelle asked. “Do you prefer them, too?”