Free 02_The Hero Next Door by Irene Hannon Page B

ten minutes before dinner, after his mother had told him he couldn’t have one. Shamefaced. Guilty. Aware he’d stepped over the line.
    But at the moment she didn’t care.
    “Go upstairs.” Her voice shook.
    After a brief hesitation, he did as she told him.
    Heather didn’t know how long she knelt on the floor beside the shattered porcelain that represented so many memories. But when, at last, she rose, she marched over to the phone and punched in her sister’s number. She’d been afraid all along she’d find herself in over her head with the rebellious teen. And everything that had happened since he’d stepped off the plane had validated those fears. It was time to send him home. He was Susan’s problem, not hers.
    Her sister answered on the second ring.
    “Susan…it’s Heather.”
    “Hi. Can you hold a minute?”
    Susan didn’t give her sister a chance to reply. Instead,Heather was treated to some odd thumping sounds as she waited for Susan to return to the phone.
    Thirty seconds later, Susan’s frazzled voice came over the line. “Sorry about that. I just walked in, and I had to shut the door. You’re never going to believe what happened today.”
    “Try me.” Her sister’s day couldn’t have been any worse than her own, Heather thought, tension continuing to coil in her stomach.
    “For starters, I got handed a huge project at work this afternoon that will require lots of overtime. Klutz that I am, I also sprained my ankle last night and am now hobbling around on crutches. And I just found out that a bunch of the kids in the group Brian was hanging around with got busted for smoking marijuana last night. I am so glad he’s out of here for a while.”
    At Susan’s download of information, Heather wavered. Especially after the last piece of news. Fortunately, Brian hadn’t yet gotten into any serious trouble. But if he’d been in that group last night…
    “So how’s everything going out there?”
    Heather drew a resigned breath. “It’s been a little rough. But I’m coping.”
    “I’m sorry for putting you to all this inconvenience.” There was a hint of tears in Susan’s voice. “But he really is a good kid. This separation has torn him apart, and he’s taking it out on everybody. I’m hoping once he adjusts to the new reality, he’ll settle down. Keeping him in line in the meantime, though, has been a challenge. Is he around?”
    “He went up to his room a little while ago.”
    Susan sighed. “I doubt he wants to talk to me, anyway. But tell him I called, okay? And give him my love.”
    “Sure. Take care of yourself, Susan. Put that foot up.”
    “Yeah. That’s what the doctor said.” A disgusted sound came over the line. “I wonder if physicians know how unrealistic some of their advice is? Listen, I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay? And call me if Brian gives you any real trouble.”
    “Right. Take care, Susan.”
    As Heather gave the end button a frustrated jab, she wondered how Susan defined the term real trouble. In light of the marijuana news, she doubted her sister would apply that term to broken teacups.
    But Heather viewed the episode differently. By her definition, when it came to real trouble, Brian was up to his neck in it.
    And she didn’t see how things could get any worse.

Chapter Seven
     
    T he money was gone.
    Puzzled, Heather inspected the kitchen counter again. She was certain she’d left the eight twenty-dollar bills she’d gotten at the ATM this morning near the telephone. But they were nowhere in sight.
    She searched her purse, on the off chance she’d tucked them in there during a distracted moment today. And there had been plenty of those, thanks to Brian.
    Brian.
    Heather closed her eyes. She didn’t want to believe her nephew had taken the money. Yet where else could it have gone?
    He’d had the opportunity, too, when she’d gone to sit in her garden at twilight, hoping the peaceful ambiance would help calm her after the distressing incident