A Time & Place for Every Laird Angeline Fortin (read full novel txt) 📖

“We’ve found what look to be traces of bloodin the shower drain, sir.”

Was it Claire Manning’s or the anomaly’s,Jameson wondered? It didn’t matter. The blood was enough. For himat least. “That’s it! Let’s get a BOLO out on Mrs. Manning’s car. Iwant to know where they are and where they’re going!”

Nichols raised a brow. “On what grounds? Alittle blood? Gut or not, in my opinion, you’re barking up thewrong tree here, Jameson.”

“And when I find Claire Manning harboringour anomaly you will be proven wrong.”

Chapter 14

Claire punched the four-digit code into thegarage door opener mounted on the wooden frame of the door and wasrewarded by the whine of the small engine as the door began torise. Rushing back to the car, she pulled Goose into the empty baynext to her Uncle Robert’s bulky Chevy Tahoe before turning off theengine.

“Well, here it is. Our hideaway until we canfigure out how to get away.”

“Again, I cannot thank ye enough, Sorcha,”Hugh said solemnly.

“You can thank me by hauling in thegroceries,” Claire said cheerfully, determined to keep theatmosphere as light as possible following Hugh’s heart-rendingconfessions aboard the ferry. That sudden vulnerability had torn ather heart and she had nearly given in to the impulse to hug him, tosoothe away his fears. For the remainder of the trip, they hadstood side by side at the rail with their backs to the city skylinewhile Hugh had ruminated on his troubles. All Claire had been ableto do was absorb the warmth of his blazer and fight the urge tobury her face in the collar, breathe in the manly scent, and baskin the warmth in his eyes.

Now, she got out of the car and went to theinterior door, hitting the button to lower the garage door,effectively hiding the car from plain sight. “I’ll go turn on somelights and then, before you even need to ask, I’ll cook you somedinner.”

Hugh’s dazzling smile flashed in the dimlight provided by the garage door opener. “It pleases me that weare getting tae know one another so well.”

Claire shook her head with a chuckle, gladthat he was retaining his sense of humor through all this. “I hateto disappoint you, but you’re really not that much of a mystery,Hugh.”

The Scot merely grunted humorously at thatand went to the back of the Prius to retrieve their meager luggageand the groceries they had stopped to buy at a market not far fromthe ferry depot before Claire had guided her car through thewinding, wooded roads that led to the north end of BainbridgeIsland.

‘Uncle Robert’s’ home was just north of FayBainbridge State Park, looking out over Puget Sound to the east andPort Madison to the north. The style of the house itself was alittle modern meets Capetown chic. The exterior that wasn’t coveredin plate glass was sided with cedar shakes. That was about astraditional as it got.

The inside was pure modern luxury, with anexpansive kitchen of dark walnut, granite, and stainless steel thatwould make any chef weep with joy. It had all the best toys, fromthe 60” Wolf range and 72” Sub-Zero refrigerator to the built-incappuccino maker. Claire fanned her fingers over the cool graniteof the enormous center island and looked out the huge bank of plateglass windows that faced Puget Sound. The windows were blackagainst the night beyond, with not a streetlight to pierce thedarkness, but they did reflect her image as clearly as a mirror andClaire stared at herself in wonder.

She was alone in the veritable wildernesswith a man she had met—she used the term loosely—just thirty-sixhours before, a hugely powerful, yet oddly gentle Scotsman fromanother time. She had basically ordered Robert to make sure no oneelse knew about it and was entirely comfortable with that.

Wowzah, how her life had changed.

“Are ye well, Sorcha?” Hugh asked as hedropped the grocery bags on the counter.

“Fine. Fine. I’m fine,” she intoned, wavingher hands, moving around the island to put the perishable groceriesinto the fridge and simply arranging the others off to the side.She didn’t want to infringe on Aunt Sue’s kitchen more thannecessary. “Just tired, I guess. It was a long drive.”

“If ye’d care tae instruct me, I couldassume that duty in the future,” he offered.

“Ha! Don’t hold your breath,” she sallied asshe searched for a cutting board and knives to start slicing thezucchini and squash she planned to grill along with some mushroomsand cherry tomatoes. “I imagine you have a hell of a speed demonburied deep in you. There’s a wine fridge over there,” she said,pointing with her knife. “Why don’t you pick us out something? Iknow I could use a drink.” She’d have to remember to reimburseRobert later, Claire thought, making a mental reminder. “Or theremight be some beer in the fridge in the garage.”

Hugh shook his head. “Yer beer tastes likepiss.”

Claire choked on a bubble of laughter.“Don’t hold back, tell me how you really feel.”

With a broad grin, Hugh turned as directedtoward the wine bar but paused and asked with blatant curiosity,“What is this?”

The question was so common between them bythat point that Claire barely looked up. “It’s a jigsaw puzzle.Uncle Robert loves them and always keeps one out on the table towork on. He usually picks the hardest ones and never finishes them.I think he bronzed the only one he ever completed as some kind oftrophy.”

Silence prevailed, drawing Claire’sattention more fully than the question, and she looked up to findHugh thoughtfully studying the puzzle before he picked up a piece,setting it neatly—and accurately—in place. Claire’s brows rose, buther jaw sagged when he immediately placed another. “Are you kiddingme?” she said, then snapped her mouth shut. “How the hell are youdoing that?”

Hugh just shrugged. “I’ve always been goodwi’ puzzles of all sorts. Wi’ seeing patterns in things.” He pickedup another and then another, putting them in place.

“Remind me after dinner tohave you watch a little movie called RainMan. Somehow I think it’s right up youralley.”

“It troubles ye, this skill?” he asked,tilting his head inquiringly at her tone.

“Nope, it just puzzles me,” Claire quipped,then smiled at