Chapter 5

“How can you be behind schedule?” Sam stepped over to Alan.

He shrugged. “I don’t make or keep the schedule. I just do what I’m told.

“I noticed.” Sam stepped closer to him. She wanted to touch him, rub his arms, and try to help him to warm up. That jacket looked nice on him but wasn’t appropriate for this weather. Now it was covered with snow. “You really need a bigger coat.”

“I think we are turning in now, anyway.” His teeth clattered. “I have one back at the inn.”

“I think, for right now, you need some hot coffee or tea. Could I take you to the diner and...”

Alan smiled that brilliant smile. “That would be very humane of you, Miss Gladstone.”

“I’m right over there.” She pointed at her white car buried in white snow. “And it’s Sam.”

They walked together. When she got about thirty feet from it, she clicked the autostart, and the engine revved to life. Alan walked to the passenger side and Sam to the driver’s side. She clicked the unlock and they both got in as quickly as possible.

“Brr,” Alan exclaimed.

Sam giggled. “I know, the heater will warm up quickly.”

“Good,” Alan said through chattering teeth.

She felt so sorry for him. Why had Paul insisted he stand in a blizzard without a proper coat? Another red flag about that Paul Hourton. He really had fooled her into thinking he was a nice guy. Now she seriously wondered.

Sam drove to the diner and parked near the front door. The few people who were still in the diner seemed to be waiting for a take-out order like Sam had originally thought to do. The storm had driven almost everybody to their homes. She and Alan entered and Ellie leapt off of a stool. “What’re you two doing out on a night like this? We were about to close up.” She looked them over. “Come on in, sit down. I’ll get you some hot coffee.”

“Tea for me, Ellie.” Sam led Alan to a booth.

Ellie’s eyes met Alan’s in a question.

“Same for me, thank you, Ellie.”

She smiled. It seemed every female in Gladstone was affected by Mr. River’s charisma. Even if he was nearly frozen to death.

Ellie soon placed a small box of an assortment of teas and two small aluminum pitchers of hot water on their table. “There’s plenty more where that came from.” She nodded to emphasize she meant what she said. “Can I get you two anything to eat while you’re warming up? How about some soup? We got beef and bean and cream of potato.”

Sam licked her lips. “Um. Cream of potato sound wonderful, and maybe a grilled cheese sandwich.” Sam leaned over to see if Leanne was still cooking. She wasn’t at the grill located just behind the window, so Sam thought she might be cleaning up to close down.

“You got it, and for you, hon.” Ellie’s eyes landed on Alan. He held both hands around the tea mug and sipped it gingerly. “Yeah, I’ll have the same.”

Sam scratched her neck. “Boy, you’re sure agreeable tonight.”

She squeezed the tea bag against the side of her mug with a spoon and placed it on the tea bag wrapper. Lifting the mug to her lips, she watched Alan over the steam.

He shrugged. “Yeah, well. I really don’t care about much, right now.”

“What happened back there? I’ve never heard Mr. Hourton talk to you or anybody like that. Of course, I really don’t know any of you.” Sam sipped her tea.

“Yeah, well, I guess you don’t really know somebody until you: A. Marry them, or B. Work for them.”

“Oh. So you two are married.” Sam giggled.

Alan’s eyes widened. “No ... Oh. Yeah, ha ha.”

“I thought you two were partners, co-investigators.”

“Well, I-we are—it’s just that Paul started this investigation gig, I mean business. Then he hired, er brought me on. So I suppose he assumes seniority, but the truth is, he can’t do what I do and I can’t exactly do what he does. So it is a partnership, of sorts ... you know?”

“I think I understand. And that’s certainly like being married.” Sam sipped more tea. “It’s a lot like me and KatLynn.”

Alan’s eyes went blank. “She’s my co-teacher. She has her talents and I have mine. Together we teach the whole class of fourth through sixth graders. But I couldn’t do it all and she couldn’t do it all. Together, we are just right. Like Baby Bear.” Sam chuckled.

Alan tilted his head. “Yeah, like Baby Bear. You have a beautiful laugh.”

Sam cocked her head back. “Oh?” Nothing else came to her. He had caught her off guard. “Uh. Thank you.”

She stared at the table.

Ellie saved the awkward moment by bringing their soup and sandwiches.

“Tell Leanne thank you, please, Ellie.”

Ellie nodded. “She said it’s on the house.”

Sam smiled, paused a moment, and then lifted her spoon. The soup was hot and tasted so good. Even though her cousin was bound to Uncle Hal’s greasy-spoon menu, Leanne made the best-tasting soups on earth. She refused to use pre-packaged when she could whip out more and better, and it cost less to boot. Hal really couldn’t argue with that. Well, he could but, Leanne won that argument.

Sam finished the last bit of soup by sopping what was left with her last bite of sandwich. She sighed. A yawn forced itself on her and she stretched, with no control. She blinked heavily and exhaled again. “Goodness. Hot tea and a warm meal. I’m afraid I’m ready to go to bed.”

Alan’s eyes lit up. “Um, sounds good to me, too.”

“No!” Sam set up straighter. “No, you misunderstood what I meant to say. I wasn’t saying—Oh lord, no. I didn’t mean—”

Alan smiled. “It’s okay, Samantha. Calm down. I never force myself on a woman. I don’t have to.” His eyes twinkled. “Come on, take me to the inn. I believe you know where we are staying?”

“S-sure, Harry’s Bed and Breakfast.”

“That’s right, he’s your cousin. Is there anybody in this one-horse town who isn’t related to the Mayor?” He chuckled.

Sam lifted her chin. “This town has over five thousand residents, only a handful are directly related to the Gladstones.” She lifted her key fob and pushed autostart. The lights flashed twice. She knew it had started.

“Oh, Baby Bear, I didn’t mean to insult you. I just meant it seems every time I turn around, I’m running into a cousin, or aunt or uncle of yours.” He licked his lips. “It’s hard to get you alone where someone isn’t trying to chaperone you.” His smile sparkled.