blonde mentioned the high-profile athlete arrested for importing drugs the previous year. The Sandberg trial was set to begin on Monday, presided over by the Honorable Mackenzie S. Timberlake.
Ali sat up in bed and glared at the television set. So it was about to start. Another high-profile trial right on the heels of the first. She folded her arms as her pulse spiked for the first time in days. She’d known he’d been assigned another flashy case because he’d groused about it. He’d never mentioned it was about to start. Since the Sandberg trial would consume his life for the next five or six months, you’d think he would have said something, but no. She had to hear it from the news.
Commence round two. After living through the Desai case, Ali knew that high-profile cases added an extra burden to an already difficult job. Seating a jury would be a chore, witness lists would be a mile long, and the media would do their best to turn the trial into a circus. Mac would spend a lot of time dotting i ’s and crossing t ’s. He had excellent clerks, but Ali knew her husband. In this case, he’d be detailed in his oversight and his ordinarily long hours would stretch into marathon days.
With the Sandberg trial looming, he most assuredly wasn’t lying around their bedroom today feeling sorry for himself because his marriage had imploded.
“So why am I?” she murmured.
The more she thought about it, the more annoyed she became. What in the world was she doing? She hadn’t come to Eternity Springs to fall apart and feel sorry for herself. She’d come here to work. To help make the Bristlecone something special again. She should get started today. Celeste had given her the keys. She would begin by making a complete inventory of the Bristlecone’s kitchen.
Actually, she should start with a shower. She really needed to start with a shower. And a toothbrush.
Twenty minutes later, clean and dressed and feeling marginally human once again, she exited the bedroom. For the first time since her arrival, she took a good look at her surroundings. On her other visits, she’d rented a room up at the main house. She liked the idea of having more space during an extended stay. The remodeled Victorian carriage house truly was a darling little place, with two bedrooms and a bath upstairs plus a kitchen, a living room, and a half bath on the ground floor. The furnished rooms were tiny but welcoming. “You will be happy here,” she told herself, trying hard to believe it.
She grabbed a banana and an apple from the bag of groceries she’d left on the counter upon her arrival, then stepped outside. The day was still and quiet but for the bubble and rush of the waters of Angel Creek a stone’s throw away. Cool, pine-scented air swirled around her as she stepped off the porch and downinto the yard. She lifted her face toward the sunshine, and in that moment she experienced a glimpse of the peace that she had come searching for in this valley. Surprising herself, Ali smiled.
A rumble of thunder caused her to look around. Behind her, a thundercloud was building up over Murphy Mountain. Maybe she should grab her umbrella out of her car before walking over to the Bristlecone.
She’d covered half the distance to the garage when suddenly a male voice called from behind her. “Stop. Don’t go any farther.”
Ali gasped a breath as she froze in midstep. Before she could manage a word, the man continued. “Sheriff’s office, ma’am. A bear went into the garage a few minutes ago. We need to give her some time to find her way out.”
“Oh.” Surprise widened Ali’s eyes. “Okay. I’ll just go back inside the carriage house.”
“That’ll be good. I’ll let you know when the coast is clear.”
Ali retreated to the carriage house and stood watching the garage while she ate first her banana and then her apple. She’d seen deer in the middle of town on prior trips and heard stories of a mountain lion who had parked herself in
Ali sat up in bed and glared at the television set. So it was about to start. Another high-profile trial right on the heels of the first. She folded her arms as her pulse spiked for the first time in days. She’d known he’d been assigned another flashy case because he’d groused about it. He’d never mentioned it was about to start. Since the Sandberg trial would consume his life for the next five or six months, you’d think he would have said something, but no. She had to hear it from the news.
Commence round two. After living through the Desai case, Ali knew that high-profile cases added an extra burden to an already difficult job. Seating a jury would be a chore, witness lists would be a mile long, and the media would do their best to turn the trial into a circus. Mac would spend a lot of time dotting i ’s and crossing t ’s. He had excellent clerks, but Ali knew her husband. In this case, he’d be detailed in his oversight and his ordinarily long hours would stretch into marathon days.
With the Sandberg trial looming, he most assuredly wasn’t lying around their bedroom today feeling sorry for himself because his marriage had imploded.
“So why am I?” she murmured.
The more she thought about it, the more annoyed she became. What in the world was she doing? She hadn’t come to Eternity Springs to fall apart and feel sorry for herself. She’d come here to work. To help make the Bristlecone something special again. She should get started today. Celeste had given her the keys. She would begin by making a complete inventory of the Bristlecone’s kitchen.
Actually, she should start with a shower. She really needed to start with a shower. And a toothbrush.
Twenty minutes later, clean and dressed and feeling marginally human once again, she exited the bedroom. For the first time since her arrival, she took a good look at her surroundings. On her other visits, she’d rented a room up at the main house. She liked the idea of having more space during an extended stay. The remodeled Victorian carriage house truly was a darling little place, with two bedrooms and a bath upstairs plus a kitchen, a living room, and a half bath on the ground floor. The furnished rooms were tiny but welcoming. “You will be happy here,” she told herself, trying hard to believe it.
She grabbed a banana and an apple from the bag of groceries she’d left on the counter upon her arrival, then stepped outside. The day was still and quiet but for the bubble and rush of the waters of Angel Creek a stone’s throw away. Cool, pine-scented air swirled around her as she stepped off the porch and downinto the yard. She lifted her face toward the sunshine, and in that moment she experienced a glimpse of the peace that she had come searching for in this valley. Surprising herself, Ali smiled.
A rumble of thunder caused her to look around. Behind her, a thundercloud was building up over Murphy Mountain. Maybe she should grab her umbrella out of her car before walking over to the Bristlecone.
She’d covered half the distance to the garage when suddenly a male voice called from behind her. “Stop. Don’t go any farther.”
Ali gasped a breath as she froze in midstep. Before she could manage a word, the man continued. “Sheriff’s office, ma’am. A bear went into the garage a few minutes ago. We need to give her some time to find her way out.”
“Oh.” Surprise widened Ali’s eyes. “Okay. I’ll just go back inside the carriage house.”
“That’ll be good. I’ll let you know when the coast is clear.”
Ali retreated to the carriage house and stood watching the garage while she ate first her banana and then her apple. She’d seen deer in the middle of town on prior trips and heard stories of a mountain lion who had parked herself in
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