Chapter One
Lesley Brown watched as her newest employee struggled to maintain her poise. Fifty-year-old Charlotte Lewis had been hired
at Statewide Savings Bank last month and had proved herself capable of dealing with every aspect of banking. But today was
her first day handling new accounts. The older woman looked red-faced and flustered. Frustration drove deep grooves into her
smooth brow as she cast Lesley a pleading glance.
Lesley’s natural reaction was to respond to Charlotte’s silent plea, but that wouldn’t help either of them. Every employee
was left to deal with an impatient customer occasionally. Like everyone else, Charlotte would need to learn to react courteously
and politely. Lesley realized this could sometimes be difficult, but she prided herself on the ability to keep a cool head
and a calming demeanor.
Centering her attention on the loan application on her desk, Lesley ignored the raised voices from the other side of the room.
With experienced skill, she ran down the printed form, checking to see that all the information had been completed.
“I’m sorry to bother you.” Charlotte stood at Lesley’s desk, her hands clenched tightly at her sides. “But Mr. Daniels has asked to speak to the manager.”
“What seems to be the problem?”
“Actually, there are several. Mr. Daniels has recently moved into the area and wishes to open an account with a check issued
from Indiana. I explained the bank’s policy regarding checks issued from out of state, but he insists upon talking to someone
in authority.”
“I understand, Charlotte. Don’t worry, you did the right thing.” Lesley rolled back her chair and stood. Her high heels tapped
against the tile floor as she moved across the room.
“Mr. Daniels.” She extended her hand and introduced herself. “I’m Lesley Brown. Is there something I can do for you?”
His handshake was short and barely civil. “I want to speak to the manager.” The dark eyes became narrowed slits.
“Mr. Fullbright is out of the office. I’m the assistant manager.”
“I’ll wait for Mr. Fullbright,” he stated dismissively, and glanced at his watch.
“Mr. Daniels, I’m sure I can settle any problem.”
His dark eyes ran over her. Boldly she met his glare. He was tall and lean, his jaw angular and sharp. But his eyes were what
drew her attention. Dark and ruthless, they seemed to possess the sharpness of a hawk’s. Lesley doubted that much escaped
his notice. If it hadn’t been for the contempt in his eyes and the tightly reined impatience about him, she might have thought
him attractive. She noted he wasn’t wearing a wedding ring. He looked like the type who would prefer to play the field than
settle for one woman. Definitely not a man who would interest her.
As if aware of her censure, his mouth formed into an unyielding, hard line, his displeasure stamped on every feature.
So be it, Lesley mused. She didn’t particularly care for the way he was arrogantly appraising her either.
“Mr. Daniels would like to open a checking account with an out-of-state check,” Charlotte inserted, handing Lesley the check.
“I’m sure Mrs. Lewis explained that we must allot ten days for this to clear before issuing you checks for your account.”
The question was directed to him.
“She’s explained that several times,” he returned with marked patience, his tone sarcastic and dry. “But if you’d simply place
a phone call, you’d be assured that the check is good.”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Daniels, but that’s not the way things are done. Coeur d’Alene isn’t a vast metropolis; we move cautiously
here. The check must—”
“When will the manager be back?” he interrupted her angrily.
“Mr. Daniels.” Lesley could feel her own impatience rising. “Let me assure you Mr. Fullbright will say the same thing.”
One corner of his mouth edged up in cynical amusement. “Now, that’s something I doubt. I’ll wait for someone with real authority.”
“I assure you, in Mr. Fullbright’s absence, I have full authority.” Lesley could feel her calm facade evaporating with every
sharp word.
“Still, I’ll wait for someone who doesn’t have the word “assistant” in their title,” he declared in cutting tones that aroused
the attention of customers, who turned to stare openly at the small group.
“I can see that it isn’t going to do any good to explain the bank’s point of view. If you prefer to speak with Mr. Fullbright,
then you’re encouraged to do so. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” Seething, she pivoted and stalked back to her desk.
Boorish, ill-mannered beast. Her fingers were shaking as she sat down and picked up her pencil. That man had a chip on his shoulder so big it made a California redwood look like an acorn.
The indignation persisted when Lesley pulled into her driveway that night. Her confrontation with Daniels had weighed heavily
on her most of the day, and she sat quietly in the car an extra minute, enjoying the unexpected warmth of an Indian summer
afternoon.
As Lesley slipped out of the driver’s seat, she noted a sports car parked in the driveway on the other side of the duplex.
She couldn’t identify the make, but it looked fancy and expensive. Apparently the place had been rented. Swinging the long
strap of her leather purse over her shoulder, Lesley wondered how long it would be before she met her new neighbor.
The duplex was in a quiet section of town, her nearest neighbors half a block away. Lesley didn’t even bother to lock her
front door. What did she have that anyone would want? Besides, if someone was determined to steal her things, they could rip
out the door lock. In some ways her view of life could be looked upon as dangerously simplistic. But this was a small Idaho
town, and she knew and trusted everyone.
At least once she was home she could remove the ambitious businesswoman facade and be herself. Changing into jeans and a red-checked,
short-sleeved blouse, she slid open the back door to inspect her garden. Large tomatoes weighted the vines. Many of the green
ones wouldn’t have time to ripen before the first frost, and she picked several to take inside. The zucchini were still abundant,
and she bent down to retrieve one. The pumpkin was large and turning orange. Dinner tonight would consist of a fresh vegetable
salad, cheese and leftover roast.
She placed the vegetables in the sink and poured herself a glass of iced tea.
Amid the loveliness of the afternoon, the world seemed filled with good things.
The grass felt cool and welcoming as she sat, crossed her knees and leaned back to rest her weight on the palms of her hands.
She chewed on a long blade of grass and tried to guess what kind of neighbor God had sent her.
Not that anyone could replace her sister, brother-in-law and niece. She was going to miss Terry, Robert and baby Lisa. The
little family had become a big part of her life over the past year. Times like now, when she would normally have shared the
tea with her sister, made it seem as if Terry was across the world instead of across town. But they had quickly outgrown the
one-bedroom duplex after Lisa was born. It was so convenient living next door to one another that Terry had delayed the move
for as long as possible. With mixed feelings, Lesley had helped her sister look for a house. They had hugged each other and
cried when the last box had been loaded onto the rented moving van and the time had finally arrived for Terry and Robert to
drive away.
But before Terry had climbed into the van, the two sisters had walked around the vacant apartment. Together they had prayed
for whomever God would move into the duplex. The words of the prayer returned to Lesley now as she stared at the closed sliding
glass door of her neighbor’s apartment. Terry had promised to continue praying for Lesley’s new neighbor. They prayed that
whoever the Lord sent to the second half of the duplex would be someone special in her life. Now, alone on the grass, Lesley
echoed that prayer.
Whoever had moved in would soon realize that the walls were paper-thin. Terry and Lesley often had to laugh because it was
apparent, just from the sounds echoing through, what the other was doing. Countless times they had borrowed things from each
other, shared the clothesline and weeded the communal garden. Water pressure had been a problem, but they’d learned to coordinate
usage. Lesley would consider herself lucky to find someone as compatible as her sister.
The glass door that opened into the common backyard was closed, the drapes pulled. Lesley wondered who would want to keep the sun out on such a glorious afternoon. But whoever it was, Lesley felt God had specifically sent that family or person. Hadn’t she and Terry prayed for just that?
The radio was playing softly in the background as she ripped the lettuce leaves apart for her salad. On an impulse, she pulled
out an extra bowl and made two huge salads: one for her, one for her new neighbor. She would take it over as a way of introducing
herself.
Adding a dab of gloss to her full mouth, she did a quick inspection of her five-foot-five frame and shoulder-length chestnut-colored
hair in the bathroom mirror. No one was going to call a Hollywood producer, but she looked presentable.
She pushed in the doorbell and listened to the buzz.
Nothing.
Lesley rang the bell again. The fancy sports car was still in the driveway, but that didn’t necessarily mean there was someone
inside the house. She was about to return to her apartment when the door was jerked open.
In retrospect, Lesley didn’t know who looked more shocked, Daniels or herself.
“You!” she gasped, her mouth dropping open.
“Well, if it isn’t Little Miss Bank Executive.” His voice was low and filled with mocking amusement. “Have you come to apologize
and request my business?”
“Oh, hardly.” She jerked the salad behind her back. Lettuce leaves fell onto the concrete step.