14. Chapter Fourteen #2
“If it wasn’t for me lying, they’d still be alive. If they knew it was a party, they never would have let me go.” Her heart ached as she peeled back the old scabs.
“I’m positive the accident wasn’t your fault. And I don’t think your parents would want you blaming yourself for what happened. They loved you. They’d want you to be happy.”
“And if I had been honest and kept my word to my parents, the accident wouldn’t have happened.”
He was quiet for a moment. “I’m sorry that all of this is bringing up bad memories for you.”
“Me too.”
But she’d made a decision. She was going to keep her word to the dognapper and do exactly what he’d asked of her. She knew how severe the consequences could be when she broke her word. And that sweet, loving puppy was counting on her to get this right. She wouldn’t let him down.
They were almost to her house when Parker said, “There has to be something in the jewelry box.”
She shook her head. “There isn’t. I looked in all of the drawers and stuff.”
“I’m telling you there has to be something in it. Nobody goes through what the suspect has done without searching for something important. When we get to the house, I need you to get the jewelry box. We’re going to find out what is so important.”
“Okay.” She just wanted this to be over. She wanted Odie home and this person to go away—far away.
Two minutes later, Parker wheeled into the driveway. The pickup hadn’t even come to a full stop, and she already had the door open. She had less than an hour to find the jewelry box and get back into town. Tonight, she was getting Odie back. She refused to accept any other outcome.
She ran to the detached garage. The side door was locked. She reached for her keys, only to realize that she’d left her purse in Parker’s truck. With a groan, she turned and ran back to the pickup.
Parker stopped in the driveway. “What’s wrong?”
“I forgot my purse.” She stomped past him.
After she retrieved her purse, she ran toward the garage. She slipped on some ice and fell on her butt. Ouch!
Parker rushed up to her. “Are you okay?”
No. She wasn’t okay. Frustration pumped through her. This was important, and she couldn’t even stay on her feet. When Parker held a hand out to her, she grabbed it and pulled herself to her feet.
“Thank you.” She headed to the side door on the garage.
When she stopped in front of the door, she reached into her purse. Why did she have so much stuff in it? She never really noticed before, but now it was impeding her search for the keys. Blindly, she moved her hand around in her purse. It appeared her keys had sunk to the bottom of her bag.
“What’s the matter?” Parker asked.
“Nothing.” At the very bottom, her fingers wrapped around her keys. “I’ve got them.”
She pulled the keyring out. Next was sorting through the keys. At last, she had the right one. But when she went to insert it into the lock, she noticed that her hand was trembling. She stabbed at the lock a couple of times and missed each time.
Parker’s warm hand closed over hers. “Here, let me give it a try.”
There wasn’t time to argue. She relinquished the keys. On his first try, he inserted the key and turned. The door opened. He flipped on the lights. Inside were stacks of cardboard boxes, so much so that she could no longer park her car in the garage.
Parker didn’t say anything, but he paused at the doorway like he wasn’t sure what to do. Heat warmed her cheeks as she brushed past him. And yet when she was in the garage, she wasn’t even sure where exactly she’d put the jewelry box.
When she glanced over her shoulder at Parker, she felt compelled to say something. “After my parents died, uh…my therapist suggested that I make some room for myself in the house. It wasn’t easy. In fact, it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.”
“I can’t imagine.”
“Anyway,” she rushed on, “I wasn’t ready to get rid of the things. Losing them was still too fresh, so I moved the boxes out here. I promised myself that in a few months, I would go through them. But a few months turned into more than ten years, and I still haven’t gone through them.”
“Maybe you just need some help so that the weight of it all isn’t on your shoulders.”
Was he offering to help her clean out her garage? It sure sounded like it to her. Her gaze moved over the big boxes that were piled three and four deep. Maybe he was right. With a little help, it could distract her from all of the memories encapsulated in each box.
She tucked away the thought and moved to the boxes. Time was quickly ticking down. She ripped open the first box and peered inside. It had clothes that should be donated. Another day. Not today. She closed it. When she went to move it, Parker appeared by her side and took the box for her.
“I put the jewelry box in one of these. I didn’t want it to get damaged before I had a chance to work on it. But I can’t remember which box.”
“We’ll find it.” There was a note of confidence in his tone.
She hoped he was right because Odie was counting on her not to mess this up.
She continued opening box after box. After she’d worked her way around the garage, she was exasperated. “Why does everything have to be so hard?”
Tears burned the backs of her eyes. Parker reached out and gently pulled her into his arms. Her head came to rest on his broad shoulder.
“I’m sorry you’re going through this.” His deep voice was soft and comforting. “But it’s all going to work out. We’re so close to getting Odie back. You just have to keep going.”
He was right. She could do this. And hopefully, by the time she went to bed, Odie would be by her side.
She pulled back. Her gaze scanned the garage, and then she spotted some boxes on her father’s workbench. She went there. They were too tall on the bench so Parker lowered them to the ground for her.
When she opened the second box, she gasped. At last, she’d found the jewelry box. There wasn’t anything fancy about it. It had more classic, subtle lines.
She lifted it. “This is it.”
“Great.” He reached out for it. “Let’s take it in the house and see what we’re dealing with.”
As they stepped out of the garage, big snowflakes fluttered down, landing on them. Even though she normally loved a wintry evening, this evening she didn’t love. Not at all.
She glanced into the darkness and wondered if the dognapper was watching them. Did he see that they’d found the jewelry box? And if so, did that mean he’d bring Odie to the park? He better or he wasn’t getting the jewelry box.
In the kitchen, she flicked on the lights. They kicked off their boots by the door. While he placed the jewelry box on the kitchen island, she slipped off her winter coat. She flung it over the back of one of the stools.
She quietly watched as he examined the jewelry box.
He opened each drawer and door. There was nothing inside, just like she’d said.
Belle sat up straighter when he once again pulled out each drawer.
She leaned in close as one by one, he felt around in each opening, searching for a secret compartment. Please, let there be something there.
“I don’t understand,” Belle said. “Why does he want this?”
Parker continued to stare at the jewelry box. “We’re missing something.”
She checked the time. She only had nineteen minutes to get back to the park and leave the jewelry box. “It doesn’t matter. We have the jewelry box. And now I can get Odie back.”
Parker nodded as he continued to stare at the box.
“I’m going to change my jeans.” When Parker sent her a puzzled look, she added, “They got wet when I fell in the snow.”
He once more nodded. “Then we can go.”
“We?”
He arched a brow. “You didn’t think you were going alone, did you?”
“Yes.” She pressed her hands to her hips. “Yes, I did.”
He shook his head. “Not going to happen.”
“But I have to. Didn’t you hear the guy on the phone? He told me to come alone or no deal.” Standing no more than a foot from him, she looked into his eyes—dreamy brown eyes. In their depths, she saw his concern. She spoke softly. “You don’t have to worry. I’m going to be all right.”
“Belle…”
“This is just going to be a quick exchange.” She reached out, resting her hand on his shoulder. Her gaze never left his. “It’s sweet of you to worry, but this is Kringle Falls where nothing ever happens.”
“Well, something has happened now. And we still don’t know anything about the suspect.”
“As long as I give him what he wants, he’ll give me Odie.”
Parker shook his head. “It might not be that easy. You have no idea what might happen.”
“And you worry too much. I appreciate all of your help, but I have to do this alone.”
A muscle in his jaw flexed, as though he were trying to hold back his disagreement. He stared into her eyes, making her already racing heart beat faster. “I can’t let you go alone.”
“You can’t stop me. I have to do whatever is necessary to get Odie back.” Knowing that time wasn’t on her side, she didn’t wait for his response. She turned on her heel and headed for the stairs.
She glanced over her shoulder and noticed him staring at the jewelry box like he was expecting it to reveal its secrets to him.
She hoped that was the case, but either way, it was her ticket to getting back her sweet puppy.
Tonight, she’d be fussing over Odie and tucking him in for the night. She couldn’t wait.