Free A Treasure Worth Keeping by Kathryn Springer

going to shower and work on my math for a while, okay?” Faith took one more shot from the makeshift free-throw line and did a little victory dance when it swept through the net. “You played a great game, Evie. Don’t let anyone tell you you’re just a science geek.” She gave her a cheeky smile and dashed into the house.
    “Did my niece just say she was going to work on her math? Without empty threats or shameless bribes?”
    “She did.” Evie took a folded tissue out of the pocket of her khakis and blotted her forehead. “She’s a great kid, Sam. You’ll get through this.”
    Sam had a feeling she wasn’t referring only to adolescence and her next words confirmed it.
    “I know about your brother. Dad asked me to pray for your family when it happened, but I didn’t realize it was you. Not until yesterday.”
    “You’ve been praying for us?”
    “Since March,” Evie confirmed.
    Three months ago, and Dan was still on a downward spiral. His lips twisted. “I wish I could tell you it’s helped. Dan isn’t walking yet.”
    “God is more interested in healing hearts than bodies,” Evie said.
    The simple words blindsided him.
    “I’ll be back tomorrow afternoon.” Evie walked toward the car but Sam beat her to it and opened the driver’s-side door.
    “I’m going to toss some steaks on the grill. Why don’t you stay for supper?” Sam had no idea which wire in his brain had short-circuited and disengaged his mouth from his brain.
    Evie shook her head. “I can’t.”
    No apologies. No excuses. Maybe he’d been impulsive to ask her to stay, but Sam still felt a stab of disappointment at her blunt refusal. He told himself it wasn’t unusual to want to know a little more about the woman he’d hired to be Faith’s tutor—but part of him chided himself for not being completely honest.
    The truth was, Evie McBride intrigued him.

     
    Sam reached the phone on the third ring. It was within Faith’s reach but she was stretched out on the sofa with her eyes closed, headphones firmly in place.
    After Evie had left, she’d retreated back into her shell. Lake Superior, for all its changing moods, had nothing on adolescent girls.
    “Hello?”
    A harsh crackle grated in his ear.
    “Sam? This is…Patrick…Evie…needs help…Think we’ve…got a problem on your end.” Static distorted the words and Sam frowned. “Take care…her.”
    “Patrick, I can barely hear you,” Sam said. “What did you say about Evie?”
    Patrick’s voice broke up again and Sam felt a surge of frustration. “One more time, Patrick. The connection is terrible. Are you and Dad at the lodge yet?”
    “Go…Evie. Might…danger.” The line went dead.
    “Patrick?” Sam hit Redial and got a busy signal.
    Now what?
    Sam tried to convince himself he’d imagined the word danger. But why had Patrick called him instead of Jacob?
    Sam glanced at his watch. Seven o’clock. Evie had left half an hour ago. She’d think he was crazy if showed up out of the blue to check on her. And he’d have a lot of explaining to do if he told her Patrick had called him. He still hadn’t found the right time to tell her what their fathers were up to. The truth was, he’d been hoping he wouldn’t have to.
    Ten minutes crawled by as Sam paced the living room, waiting for Patrick to call back. Finally, he shook Faith’s knee to get her attention.
    “I’m going to drop you off at Sophie’s for a few minutes, okay? I’ve got an errand to run.”
    Faith, eager to play with Rocky, didn’t question him.
    When he got to Evie’s ten minutes later, he saw a van parked close to the house. His stomach knotted. Beach Glass was closed for the day, and he doubted Evie had made friends in the short time she’d been staying at the house.
    He knocked on the door but didn’t wait for someone to answer it. Giving in to an overwhelming sense of urgency, he turned the handle and went inside.

Chapter Seven

    “M iss McBride?” Seth poked his head into the