Free Always and Forever by Kathryn Shay Page B

vulnerability.
    “Jamie,is there anybody else I can call to go to the hospital with you?”
    “Nobody but Grandma, and this would upset her.”
    Nodding, he walked with them to the ambulance, where they got Ben situated. Pat helped Jamie into the rig. “Where are you takin’ him?” he asked the medics.
    “Memorial.”
    “I’ll meet you there.”
    “What? No, no, you don’t have to. I can handle this.”
    “Obviously youcan. But I’ll be there just the same.”
    The ambulance sped away. He walked into the pub, put up the closed sign and called the day care to inform them of the accident. Then he phoned Liam. No one answered. He left by way of the back, locked up tight, and got in his Volvo. He’d call Liam again on the way. Maybe Gale could come in, too. Or Joe Sweeney.
    Pat knew he didn’t have to go to thehospital, but this was an emergency. Just because it wasn’t his didn’t mean he shouldn’t step up.
    oOo
    As Brie drove to the Carson house to assess the job, sun brightened the yards, which were filled with huge trees and bursts of flowers. She pulled up to the small, old residence. The professional in her smiled—she bet it contained all kinds of gems. But she was nervous, too, soshe fidgeted with the strap on her purse while she waited by her car. She’d rather not have this face-to-face meeting, but she assessed all of InPlace’s work and she wouldn’t change that because Pat was jealous. No, that wasn’t fair. Pat had reason.
    A big black SUV pulled into the driveway, and Phillip got out. He looked like the stereotypical FBI agent on TV. Wearing a meticulous dark suit,white shirt and muted tie, he even had on sunglasses, which he removed as he came up to her.
    “Well, hello, at last.” Leaning down, he kissed her cheek. She was surprised and stepped back. “I hope I’m not late,” he added.
    “Nope, I’m early.” She’d been up at dawn, supervising the children’s schedule today with Irene. “I’m anxious to see the inside.”
    “Try not to get overwhelmed. She wasa pack rat.”
    “How long ago did she die?”
    “Six months. It still…bothers me.”
    Gently, she squeezed his shoulder. “I’m sorry that you lost her.”
    “Yeah, me, too.” He glanced away. “Before we go in, can you explain to me why you won’t be handling this? I thought that was our deal.”
    “I’m busy with a house on Long Island, Phillip. I overestimated the needs of that job.”
    “We couldwait to do this. There’s no hurry.”
    “I think it’s better all-around for Annie to take the lead. If she needs help, one of the other employees can be made available.”
    His green eyes darkened. She’d forgotten the…magnetism of them. “Are you sure that’s all this is?”
    “It’s not all of it.” Damn, it, she wasn’t going to cower from the truth. “Patrick doesn’t want me seeing you.”
    “Whatabout your other jobs? Is he jealous of those, too?”
    “No, and I wouldn’t say this is simply jealousy. He’s entitled, Phillip.”
    “That’s a matter of opinion.”
    “Well, it’s mine. Shall we go inside?”
    He held her gaze for a moment longer, then said, “Sure.”
    When he opened the door, she saw he hadn’t exaggerated. There was
stuff
everywhere. The musty smell of dust and the stalenessof a closed-up home assaulted her.
    “What a mess.”
    She walked around the living room. The square footage was miniscule compared to Jonathan Forbes’s parlor, but it had the same, timeworn feel to it. And sense of history. Because she was still unnerved, she chattered. “I’m working on another house like this. Jonathan Forbes is a dear, sweet old man whose wife died, and he’s pretty inconsolable.”She picked up a magazine from a stack piled three feet high in the corner. “Wow. This is an old copy of
Life
Magazine
.” She glanced up. “Phillip, it’s worth money. Norman Rockwell’s on the cover.”
    “That’s why I wanted
you
to do this. I know some of her things are valuable, but