Lucky Break (Lucky 3)

His protectiveness warmed her.

“Anything interesting in the report?” she asked.

“The wiring was tampered with in a way that no one would know when sparks would catch. Just that at some point, they would.”

“So we can’t narrow down time, other than after the electrician signed off, right?” Lauren asked.

“Exactly.” He leaned back in the chair, kicking his legs out in front of him. “Which brings us back to my list of people with access to the house. It just doesn’t make sense to me that one of my guys would do this. What would they have to gain?” His frustration was obvious.

She lowered herself into a chair beside him. “Maybe it’s not one of your guys. Like you said, you hired other people who have been in and out of the house.” She rubbed her hands up and down her arms, chilled again by the thought of someone plotting against her.

“According to Mike’s quick check, none of my crew had any specific dealings with your grandmother or sister. Neither did their families, which in my mind clears them.”

Lauren nodded. “Agreed. Plus I trust your judgment. If you hired them, they must be good guys.”

He treated her to a wry smile. “Thanks for that.”

She shrugged, not wanting to make too much of her feelings for him. She was barely hanging on to her promise to keep him at an emotional distance. She’d already seen firsthand how impossible it would be to join their families in any way. And of course, once she sold this house, her life and career were in New York.

Lauren cleared her throat. “I called Sharon and ran the names on the list by her, too. She spoke to Richard, who as mayor definitely knows most families in town.”

He glanced at her. “Did she offer any insight?”

“Just that Richard plays poker with Gary Willet, the drywaller, and swears he’s a decent guy, a family man, and in poker his tells are always obvious. She said he couldn’t hide a thing if he wanted to.”

“Okay, that leaves the plumber. I’m still waiting for J.R. to call me back with information on him. And I’ve got Mike running a background check.”

As if on cue, Jason’s cell phone rang. He glanced down and grinned. “Bingo. It’s J.R.”

While Jason took the call, Lauren fed the cat and cleaned the coffeemaker, keeping busy until she heard him say goodbye.

“Well?”

“Not sure what we’ve got. Brody Pittman is a new employee. He also worked on Mrs. Hawley’s corroding pipes last week. He doesn’t know much about him. Oddly he hasn’t been able to get in touch with him since the fire here.”

Lauren frowned, unsure what to make of that. “He isn’t finished with the pipe restoration, is he?”

“No. So his sudden disappearance is odd considering the guy is usually chomping at the bit to get to work.”

“I guess we have to wait and see if Mike comes up with anything on the guy. In the meantime, I am going to see Clara and talk to her about the journal. Want to come?”

He shook his head. “I’d rather keep working.”

Lauren took one look at his tense expression and decided he needed a break. She rose and walked behind him, placing her hands on his shoulders.

“Your crew is working,” she said, massaging his stiff muscles, working her fingertips into the tight knots. “You can take a break and come with me. It’ll do you good to get out of here for a little while.”

He groaned and tilted his head forward, giving her better access to his neck and shoulders. She pressed into his muscles, then released, taking her cues from the appreciative noises coming from the back of his throat.

“So you’ll tag along with me to Clara’s?” Lauren asked once she had him more relaxed. “And maybe grab a quick lunch at The Diner before coming home to deal with this place?”

“I’ll do anything you ask as long as you don’t stop touching me.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned down, pressing a kiss against his cheek. “Much as I’d like that, there are workmen in rooms all over the house.” Straightening, she walked around to face him. “Let’s go talk to Clara. I bet she’ll have some insight into the diary.”

“Oh joy,” he said sarcastically. But a smile tugged at his lips.

She’d obviously relaxed him, but she doubted it would last long. Not once he discovered that instead of accepting his offer of a loan, she’d made arrangements with a friend in New Yor