Page 13 of The Secrets We Treasure

Treasure’s throat iced as she processed Kevin’s words. “What do you mean by, ‘You weren’t sure at first?’”

Helen reached for Kevin’s hand and squeezed it. “Go ahead.”

“Yesterday, we got news from Howard that Leo has gone missing. He left work last Friday and hasn’t been seen since.”

“What?” Treasure exploded. Her stomach roiled with apprehension. “Do you think he’s coming here?”

“We don’t know,” Kevin answered somberly.

For a second, Treasure could hardly breathe. She had to force her throat to relax. Her brain raced to come up with a plan as she started talking fast. “Should we rehire the bodyguards? We can get the alarm company out to make sure everything is in topnotch condition.”

“The alarm system is fine,” Kevin answered, his voice calm.

“Leo’s disappearance could be totally unrelated to you,” Helen added. “We don’t want to jump the gun and assume the worst.” The edges of her eyes tightened. “It was tough to have bodyguards under foot. I don’t know if I can go through that again.” She looked at Kevin. “If it comes to that, then maybe you and I should go to Manhattan and stay with Clarissa for a while.”

Treasure wanted Helen and Kevin to stay here with Tray and her. She needed them now more than ever. Her thoughts must’ve shown on her face because Kevin eyed her with compassion.

“I don’t think that’ll be necessary,” he assured Helen before turning his attention to Treasure. “Other than Leo being in the neighborhood on the night of the break-in, there’s no connection to you.” Kevin tipped his head thoughtfully. “I’ve often wondered if the break-in was a random burglary. Maybe Leo was the one who busted the window, but that doesn’t mean that he’s the stalker.”

Frustration popped like a string of firecrackers along the lining in Treasure’s stomach. “If the stalker’s not Leo, then who is it?” She’d lost count of the number of times she’d asked herself that same worn-out question. Treasure looked from Helen to Kevin for the answer, even though she knew they were as clueless as she was. “The whole thing is so frustrating,” she spouted, jamming a hand through her hair. “I wish it would all just go away.”

“There’s a good chance that it has gone away,” Kevin deduced. “We debated about whether or not to even tell you about Leo’s disappearance.” He paused. “But at the end of the day, we felt it was best to keep you apprised of the situation. We want to always be up front with you.”

“I’m glad,” Treasure punched out. “You really don’t have to keep paying Howard. I can take that over.”

“No,” Helen inserted. “We don’t mind. Like I said, it’s the least we can do.” A tender smile curved her lips as she caught Treasure’s eyes. “We couldn’t love you any more if you were our own daughter.”

Tears prickled Treasure’s eyes. “I love you both too. I’m so grateful that you’re a part of mine and Tray’s lives.”

Kevin’s jaw worked, and he cleared his throat like he was uncomfortable with his emotion. His voice grew practical. “My gut tells me that our best option is to stay the course and live our lives as normal.”

The certainty in Kevin’s tone helped ease Treasure’s worry. “Okay, let’s stay the course.” She drummed her fingers on the table. “However, just to be safe, why don’t you call Howard and give him the directive to go searching for Leo? I’d certainly sleep better if we knew Leo’s whereabouts. Howard could rack up an expensive travel bill in his search. I’ll pay for that,” she added.

“Are you sure?” Helen asked.

“Absolutely.”

Having settled that, Treasure felt a little better about the situation.

“There’s one more thing we need to discuss,” Kevin inserted.

Treasure’s shoulders tightened. “Okay,” she said carefully.

“Last night, when Tray thought you were engaged, he broke into a puddle of tears.”

Treasure’s heart clutched. “The whole thing is so infuriating. I wouldn’t hurt Tray for the world.” Ben died when Tray was six months old. He’d never known a father. His world was Treasure, Helen, and Kevin. No way would she ever just up and get engaged without prepping Tray beforehand. Ethan tolerated Tray, but the two of them weren’t close. More reason for Tray to have panicked about the engagement.

“We know you wouldn’t,” Helen soothed.

The question she’d pondered over earlier came rushing back, demanding to be asked. Treasure moistened her lips, trying to figure out a delicate way to phrase it. “Someday, when I do eventually find the right person, I hope to get married again.” Putting herself in their shoes, she could understand how tough it would be to see her get remarried. They would feel as though she were replacing Ben. “If that happens, I want you both to know that you’ll always be a huge part of Tray’s life.”

Kevin and Helen looked equally surprised.

“Oh, honey,” Helen began, “Kevin and I want what’s best for you and Tray. When that time comes, we’ll support you one hundred percent.”

Treasure’s throat thickened. “Thank you.” She would forever be grateful to God above for bringing Kevin and Helen into her life.

“We just want to make sure you marry the right guy, for the right reasons,” Kevin added.

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