It's Never too Late

“Permanently,” Addy said. She told the sheriff about her immersion in campus life. “I suppose if I stayed longer something could present itself,” she allowed. “Wrongdoing isn’t immediately obvious, but I haven’t seen or heard of even a hint of impropriety in all the time I’ve spent on campus. And the historical research I’m doing, the computer work, could just as easily be done from my home in Colorado.”

Home. With the drive out to the desert, followed by a conversation that was much longer than she’d expected, she was way past soup time. After Nonnie had made the soup especially for her.

“I’m not sure that’s true,” Sheriff Richards said. “By your own admission, the case against Randi grew stronger after your meetings with her.”

“That’s true, but—”

“And you collected evidence to counteract a possible suit involving Matt Sheffield.... I’ll do this,” Richards said, straightening. “I’ll talk to Will and get back to you.”

Addy nodded, wanting to leave immediately, but not willing to jeopardize her relationship with Will Parsons to do so. She might have given Mark Heber her heart, but she’d given Will her word first.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

ADDY HAD NOT YET returned by the time Mark had to go to work. Leaving Nonnie with instructions to call him if Addy showed up, he climbed into his truck and headed out. He was overreacting, he was sure.

It just wasn’t like Addy to tell Nonnie she’d be over and then not show up. It wasn’t like her to skip class, either.

At least not in the weeks he’d known her.

Before that, he had no way of knowing if Addy was the reliable sort or not.

What did he really know about her at all, except what his gut told him?

Out on the freeway, heading toward the cactus jelly plant, he pressed his foot to the gas pedal until the needle was teetering over the eighty mile an hour mark. He didn’t usually get so worked up. About anything.

The move across country had messed him up, or his next-door neighbor was doing so. Either way, he didn’t like it.

Going as fast as he was, he almost missed the little old sedan pulling out of an entrance into the state park. He’d never seen the driveway in use—the scenic views, picnic tables and facilities were located at two other entrances. But he knew Addy’s car—looked for it in the drive next to his truck every single night and every single morning, too.

He had driven past before he could think to wave, or in any way acknowledge that he’d seen her. But he watched her pull out onto the freeway from his rearview mirror.

And that was when he also noticed the sheriff’s car pulling out directly behind her. Two cars, one right behind the other, on a drive that had been otherwise deserted every time he’d driven past it for weeks.

Addy and a cop.

Which meant trouble no matter how you looked at it. Either she’d had to call the police. Or she’d been pulled over.

Pulling his phone out of the holster at his belt, he started to call her. And stopped. She had his number and wasn’t calling him.

He wasn’t going to trespass where he wasn’t wanted. No matter how much he cared. It wasn’t right.

Clearly she was fine enough to drive. Or dial her cell if she needed him. Knowing that, he turned his focus to the things he had in his control.

Like work.

* * *

MARK WAITED FOR Addy’s call while he worked—not that she’d ever called him at work before. The only time his cell vibrated was when Nonnie phoned just after he’d clocked in to tell him that Addy had pulled in the drive.

By the time his first break came around, he’d talked himself into making a friendly call. Just to put his mind at rest. If she didn’t want to hear from him, she didn’t have to answer. She picked up on the first ring.

“Are you okay?” He didn’t mean to sound territorial, but damn it, they had a future. Sometime in the future. She was a friend—one of the few he had in this town.

He was one of her few friends, too. She’d told him so. It was his job to look out for her.

“I’m fine, Mark. I’m sorry I missed your earlier call.”

“And Nonnie’s soup.” Not a big deal, except that it wasn’t like Addy. Which was why he’d been concerned.