Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Despite Emma’s hopes, the Powell farm construction site was far from deserted. While the earth-moving equipment sat idle, large pickups and workers surrounded the three unfinished houses. When Matthias parked his Jeep just off the main road, one of the men from the closest site strode their way.
“If you folks are interested in purchasing a lot,” the man said as they climbed out, “you’ll need to contact North Star Developing during normal business hours.”
Emma began to protest. “We’re not—”
Matthias put an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. “We’re not sure about building here yet,” he said, pouring on his Oklahoma good-ol’-boy drawl. “We were hoping we could walk around and get a feel for the place, if y’all don’t mind.”
The workman scoffed. “Fine. Just stay on the paved roadways. Those boots of yours weren’t designed for the mud from last night’s rain.”
The guy made a good point. Emma looked at her hiking boots and wished they were waterproof.
“If you don’t mind me asking,” Matthias said, “why are y’all out here working on a Sunday? You and your crew must be truly dedicated.”
“We’re only dedicated to getting paid. The weather’s put us behind, although you’d think our boss would’ve taken it into consideration.
This is southwestern Pennsylvania, after all.
Not Los Angeles. Anyhow, we’ve been ordered to do whatever it takes to get back on schedule.
” He muttered something under his breath, most of which Emma couldn’t make out.
She did catch the phrase, “son of a bitch,” though.
“We’ll leave you to it, then,” Matthias said before bringing his face close to Emma’s ear. “Let’s get your pictures,” he whispered, “and get out of here before they decide to call the cops.”
“You are the cops,” she said.
“I’m a cop with no authority in Washington County.”
“Still, you’re a brother in blue, right? No one’s going to arrest you.”
“I’d rather not find out.”
Emma dug her Nikon from her camera bag and fell into step beside Matthias.
They stopped on the band of asphalt that snaked around the acres of vacant lots and mounds of damp clay. She looked up the hill and spotted a figure sweeping a metal detector from side to side. “Is that Fran?”
“Looks like her. Where’s her car?”
Emma located it farther up the hill and pointed. “There.”
They ambled along the road, heading in Fran’s direction. Emma stopped every hundred yards or so to take a photo of the barren terrain.
“I know you don’t want to hear this,” Matthias said, “but while it looks pretty crappy right now, it might turn out to be a nice neighborhood once the houses are built and the landscaping is done. I bet Eric’s community used to be someone’s farm property, too.”
He was right. She didn’t want to hear it. “Even so, there won’t be any trace of my grandparents’ or my parents’ lives left. It’ll be like burying them all over again.” She choked on the words she hadn’t meant to say… hadn’t even considered until they poured out.
Matthias took her hand. “You want to know what I think?”
“I don’t know. Do I?”
“I think you should keep the property. All of it. Everything that’s happened to it—to you—is still too fresh. Maybe a few years from now, the emotional ties won’t be as strong, and you can reconsider your options.”
Emma studied his perfectly imperfect face and thought he was the sexiest, most handsome man she’d ever encountered. “Have I ever told you I love you?”
“Maybe once. Twice,” he said, his voice low and sensuous. He leaned in for a kiss.
The manic beeping of the metal detector pierced the air and put an end to the moment. Emma drew back, ignoring the heat flushing her cheeks. “Sounds like Fran hit the mother lode.”
They strode the rest of the way to the spot where Fran was on her knees in the wet clay, digging frantically with a small trowel. By the time they reached her, she was wiping dirt from her discovery.
“What’d you find?” Emma asked.
Fran flinched and twisted toward them. “Good lord, you scared the life outta me, sneaking up on me that way.” She closed her fist around whatever she’d dug up and clenched it to her chest. “You aren’t planning to steal my treasures again, are you?”
“We didn’t steal anything,” Matthias said. “You were on Emma’s property. And, no, I couldn’t care less about what you dig up around here.”
Fran relaxed her grip, opened her mud-caked palm, and revealed a large ring. “I don’t know what it is.”
Emma leaned in for a closer look. “I do. It’s a nose ring from a bull.”
Fran eyed her. “You’re joking.”
“I’m serious. It’s a safety measure. If the bull gets cantankerous, the farmer jerks on the ring to make him mind. If the bull’s really nasty, they attach a chain to it.”
Fran shuddered. “Ouch.” She gave the ring a closer look before tucking it in her pocket. “Gruesome, but cool. I’ve been all over this property, and that’s the most interesting thing I’ve found.”
“We’ll leave you to your digging.” Emma turned to walk away.
“Did you hear from Eric yet?”
Emma turned back. “No. Have you?”
Fran shook her head. “Sorry.” She climbed to her feet, picked up the metal detector, and walked away.
Emma and Matthias continued up the hill until she decided she had a good view of the overall site. She raised her camera and snapped more than a dozen shots. “They call this construction,” she muttered. “Looks more like destruction, if you ask me.”
Below them, Fran’s detector started screeching again. Emma glanced over to see her once again on her knees, digging. To Matthias, she said, “I think I have enough photos to prove my point to Nell. That is, if we can track her and Eric down.”
Before Matthias could respond, a scream pierced the morning air. Emma wheeled to see Fran on her feet, staggering backward. She spun but stopped when she spotted Emma and Matthias. “Help!” she shrieked. “I think I found a dead body!”