It Happened One Night

“If you and Emmie need anything, don’t hesitate to let me know,” he said, standing up. He took her hand to help her to her feet, then led her over to the door. Brushing her perfect lips with his, he smiled. “I’ll see you when I drop by the day care center on Friday afternoon, Kiley.”

Seven

The following day, when Kiley parked her car outside the Royal Diner, she checked the time on her cell phone. She was running a little late and she hoped that Piper had already found them a booth.

“Over here, Kiley,” Piper called to her.

Spotting her friend, Kiley smiled and made her way toward the back of the newly renovated diner. A paramedic working out of Royal Memorial Hospital, Piper had been the instructor for the first-aid and CPR classes Kiley had arranged for the TCC employees. She had wanted to make sure that in case of an emergency with the children at the day care center, everyone knew exactly what to do and how to administer aid if it was needed.

“Sorry I’m late,” she said, sliding into the booth on the opposite side of the table from her friend. “I had to wait for one of my volunteers to arrive to help Carrie with the children’s afternoon activities.”

Piper shook her head. “Don’t worry about it. I just got here myself.”

“So what’s up?” Kiley asked, picking up the plastic-covered menu. “When you called the other day you sounded a little panicked.”

“I need your help,” Piper said, looking a bit uncomfortable. “I know I’ve probably put it off way too long, but I need a dress for the Christmas Ball and we both know I’m a lot more comfortable in jeans and a flannel shirt than I am in an evening gown.” She grinned. “I was hoping you’d go with me this afternoon to help pick it out.”

“Of course I’ll go with you,” Kiley answered, relieved that nothing was seriously wrong. “In fact, I was going to look for a dress for the ball myself this afternoon. Josh Gordon asked me to be his date.”

Piper grinned. “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer?”

Kiley grinned sheepishly. “Something like that.”

“I knew there had to be something going on between the two of you,” Piper said, nodding. “Your reaction to him a few weeks back was just a little too strong for there not to be.”

“Well, at that time I thought he was about as trustworthy as a snake,” she said, laughing. “But I’ve recently discovered that he isn’t all that bad.” Even her parents had revised their opinion of Josh and didn’t seem to question her decision to start seeing him after her sister confessed her role in their breakup three years ago.

“Josh is a really nice guy,” Piper agreed. “In fact, most of the members of the TCC are basically good guys. Some of them might have a few rough edges, but they really do try to live by the TCC code.”

As they continued to chat about who they thought would be attending the ball and the type of dresses they wanted to look for, Kiley noticed a woman with dark brown hair sitting at a table close by. She had finished her lunch, but seemed to be taking great interest in what they had to say. So much so that Kiley could tell she was delaying her departure. Only when the conversation turned to the shopping trip they were planning to find dresses for the event did the woman get up to go pay her bill and leave.

“Did you notice that woman eavesdropping?” Piper asked as they watched her walk up to the counter to pay for her meal.

Kiley nodded. “I wonder who she is.”

“I don’t know, but I intend to find out,” Piper said, motioning for Amanda Battle, the manager of the diner, to come over to their booth.

“How can I help you two?” Amanda asked, smiling.

“Who was that woman sitting at the table next to us?” Piper asked, cutting right to the heart of the matter.

Amanda glanced toward the front of the diner where the woman was just leaving. “That was Britt Collins, the detective in charge of investigating Alex Santiago’s kidnapping.”

“That explains why she was so interested when we started talking about the TCC,” Kiley commented.

Suddenly distracted by the tall, dark-haired man entering the diner, Kiley placed her napkin on the table. She had tried to phone her ex-husband the day before to inquire about his blood type, but he hadn’t returned her call. She wasn’t going to let him get away without answering her question now.

“If you two will excuse me, I see someone I need to talk to,” she said. “I’ll be right back.”

Walking over to his table, Kiley wasn’t surprised when he looked around as if trying to find a way to escape.