The Best Is Yet to Come (19)

“Thanks. I’m glad to be back. Preston thinks I should be able to take Shadow home next week. He’s gotten all his shots, been neutered, and has gained the weight he so badly needed.”

“Yeah, he’s ready,” Cade agreed.

“Thanks again for stopping by. That medication helped me over the worst of the bug.”

He ignored her gratitude.

“If you’re ever sick, let me know,” she added. “I make a mean chicken soup. It was my grandmother’s recipe and she claimed it cured just about anything.”

“Will do,” he said, nonchalantly.

He wouldn’t call. He didn’t need to say it; she could read it in just the casual way he answered.

Because she had a couple errands to run, Hope didn’t stay with Shadow long. It would be much more convenient once she was able to take him home. She needed to get the house ready for Shadow to come live with her. To that end, she stopped off at the pet store and got him a big fluffy bed, dog dishes, food, and play toys to entertain him while she was at school. She’d need Preston and Mellie’s permission to add a doggie door, but she didn’t think they’d object. It helped that the yard around the cottage had a fence.

After getting the essentials for Shadow, her next stop was for groceries. Her cupboards were bare and her refrigerator empty. It’d been nearly three weeks since she’d last shopped. An hour later, she checked out with a full cart.

A boy she recognized as a junior helped her carry out her groceries. His name badge told her his name was Pete.

She opened the trunk, and Pete unloaded the bags as they discussed the weather and the homecoming dance.

“Thanks, Pete.”

“Glad to help, Ms. Goodwin. I hope I’m in one of your classes next year.”

“Me, too,” she answered, and opened the driver’s-side door, more than eager to get home and settle in for the evening.

“Ms. Goodwin.” Pete stood in front of her vehicle and frowned.

“Is something the matter?” she asked.

He nodded. “It looks like you’ve got a flat tire.”





Chapter 7




Hope groaned as she walked around to the front of her car where Pete stood looking at her flat tire. She was convinced the teenager must be wrong. Those tires were practically new. Less than an hour ago she’d driven without a hint of a problem, running errands from one end of the town to the other.

“Can you call someone?” Pete asked, looking to be helpful.

Hope nodded and dug inside her purse for her phone and her AAA card. Pete returned to the store, and Hope leaned against the side panel of her ten-year-old vehicle to make the call.

The woman who answered was helpful and said it would be up to an hour before a tow truck would be available to respond.

“An hour?” Hope repeated, thinking about the freezer items in her trunk that were sure to thaw before help arrived. The tub of ice cream would be liquid by the time she got home.

“I apologize, there was a four-car pileup on the highway…all our drivers are involved in cleaning up that mess.”

“I understand.” Not that she had a choice.

Ending the call, she tossed her phone into her purse and covered her face with both hands. Could this day get any worse? She was concerned about Spencer, fearing her advice would do more harm than good. She didn’t trust Scott not to terrorize Spencer in further retaliation. Why hadn’t she considered the consequences to Spencer?



* * *



—

Absorbed in her thoughts, she didn’t notice the truck that pulled up to the parking spot next to her.

“What’s the problem?” The question was barked at her in a voice that was all too familiar.

“Cade?” She whirled around, surprised to see him, and at the same time so grateful she resisted the urge to hug him.

He climbed out of his truck. “I was driving by and noticed you standing here with your hands over your face.”

“I’ve got a flat, AAA can’t come for another hour, and my ice cream is melting,” she blurted out all in one breath. “These tires are new…I don’t understand how this happened.”

Cade squatted down next to the side of her vehicle to examine her tire. When he looked up, his face was marred by a deep frown. “You piss anyone off recently?” he asked.

Her thoughts instantly shot to Scott Pender. “Why?”

“This tire was deliberately cut.”

“What?” she cried, hardly able to believe what he was telling her.

“Take a look for yourself.”

Hope crouched down beside him to examine the spot on the tire Cade pointed to. Sure enough, there was a slit in the thick rubber. “Oh dear,” she whispered.

“You didn’t answer my question. Did you have a run-in with anyone recently?”

She mulled it over, unsure how to answer. The only person she could think of who had reason to cause her trouble was Scott. “He couldn’t have done it.”

“?‘He’?” Cade pressed.

“A student. One of the seniors. Scott failed a test and was upset with me. He’s not the only team member on probation, though, so it could be anyone. Only…”

“Only?” Cade pressed.