Dangerous Relations. Carol J. Post

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       TWO

      Shelby pulled into a parking space at Safeway and killed the engine. The wiper blades came to a stop, forming two diagonal lines across her windshield. Outside, the usual Seattle-area drizzle fell from gray skies.

      She reached for the door handle and drew her jacket’s hood over her head. A folded umbrella lay on the back passenger floorboard. Other than a few times when she’d held it over Aunt Bea’s head while walking her into the doctor’s office, Shelby couldn’t remember when she’d last opened it. Sporting an umbrella was a sure way to look like a tourist. Anyone who’d lived in the Pacific Northwest for long was used to the weeping clouds and had invested in at least one good rain jacket.

      Before stepping from the Town Car, she scanned the area. She’d done the same thing driving in but hadn’t seen any threats. She didn’t see any now, either. No one lurking. No older, four-door cars.

      She stepped from her vehicle and walked toward the store. She’d closed the diner at three. By the time she and her small staff had everything cleaned and prepped for tomorrow, it had been four. Now she was beat.

      Last night had been rough. Every time she’d fallen into a sound sleep, she’d been jolted awake as one shock wave after another rippled through her. Mia was gone. It still didn’t seem possible.

      She walked through the automatic glass doors and snagged a shopping cart. She’d made a list at lunchtime. Fortunately, the detectives had allowed Addy and her to go in and gather some belongings before they’d headed back to North Bend.

      Chloe’s sleep seemed to have been as fitful as hers. Several times during the night, she’d awoken crying for her mother. Shelby’s heart had twisted with every pathetic plea. One part of her wanted to keep Mia’s memory alive. Another part hoped Chloe would forget quickly. When the memory faded, so would the pain.

      Her ringtone sounded from her purse. She brought the cart to a halt and scrambled for her phone, her pulse in overdrive. Once she settled into the role of motherhood, maybe she wouldn’t fear that every call was an emergency, a problem with Chloe.

      It wasn’t that she had her doubts about Addy as a caretaker. In fact, Addy hadn’t called once all day. And all four times Shelby had slipped upstairs to check on them, Addy had had everything under control.

      Instead of Addy, Ryan McConnell showed up on her phone’s ID. After she’d gotten home last night, she’d pulled up the text she’d sent him and saved his information in her contacts.

      She swiped the screen and said a curt hello.

      “Hi, Shelby. It’s Ryan.”

      He had a nice voice, rich and smooth. She hadn’t noticed last night. At first, she’d been too busy dodging his accusations and trying to keep him from taking her niece. Then she’d been too shaken about almost being shot. She still didn’t know whether it was a random drive-by shooting or if someone was targeting her. If the latter, the shooter hadn’t followed her away from Seattle. Ryan had made sure of that. He’d insisted on escorting them all the way to North Bend.

      “How is Chloe?”

      “Fine. Addy said she did well today, all things considered. I checked on her several times, too.” She wished she could say Chloe was starting to warm up to her, but she didn’t seem to want anyone except Addy.

      “I’m glad to hear that. I’m off duty now and would love to stop by and see her, if that’s okay.”

      Great. She hoped he wasn’t planning to have daily contact. Adjusting to motherhood was stressful enough without having critical eyes on her.

      But after seeing them together yesterday evening, how could she refuse him contact with his niece? His love was almost palpable. Chloe obviously adored him, too.

      She sighed. “I just arrived at the grocery store. Give me an hour.”

      “I’ll see you in an hour and a half.”

      She ended the call and dropped her phone back into her purse. Once she arrived home, she’d work on dinner and let Addy entertain their guest.

      Actually, he didn’t need entertainment. He was there to play with his niece. But Shelby would have to invite him to stay for dinner. She couldn’t send a single guy away at mealtime without feeding him.

      She assumed he was single, anyway. But she hadn’t looked for a wedding ring. Frankly, it didn’t matter. Maybe he was a nice guy under normal circumstances. She just hadn’t gotten to experience the relaxed, cordial side of him.

      Whatever happened between them, they’d eventually have to settle into some kind of a mutual understanding. Like an annoying ex forever in her life because of a child between them, Ryan McConnell wasn’t going away.

      Thirty minutes later, she hurried to her Town Car and loaded her groceries into the trunk. The silver Lincoln didn’t exactly say “single young lady,” but it had originally belonged to Aunt Bea. Although almost a decade old, it was in pristine condition. When her aunt had become too sick to drive, it had made more sense for Shelby to sell her high-mileage Corolla and keep the little-used Town Car.

      Before reaching the building that housed the diner on North Bend Way, Shelby took a left, then turned into the alley that ran along the back. Addy’s Camaro was parked in one of the angled spaces opposite the stairs leading to the diner. Shelby pulled in next to her.

      As she climbed from the car, a sense of uneasiness swept through her. She’d never given the seclusion a second thought. Now, hemmed in by the building on one side and railroad tracks and woods on the other, she felt suddenly vulnerable.

      After retrieving her groceries from the trunk, she made her way up the wooden stairs, two plastic bags looped over each arm. When the diner was open, she used the interior stairwell off one side of the kitchen. After hours, the exterior entrance was more convenient.

      She stepped under the awning covering the top landing and inserted her key. When she swung open the door, an older couple sat on the couch, Chloe in the woman’s lap. Addy occupied the love seat. All eyes went to Shelby, and conversation ceased. Whoever Addy’s guests were, they’d apparently parked in front or around the side of the building.

      The woman spoke first. “You must be Mia’s sister.”

      Shelby pushed the door shut with one hip. “I am. If you’ll give me a minute, I’ll be right with you.”

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