Page 17 of A Flower for Angus

“A bonnie lass like that and ye have no interest? Verra hard to believe,” Angus scoffed.

“She can no hold a candle to my Rhonda,” Jamie assured him suavely.

Angus studied the retired traveling businessman now running his daughter’s housekeeping business. Surprisingly enough, they’d hit it off pretty well when Lucerne had become engaged to Darro. He and Jamie actually had quite a bit in common, both being raised around sheep. Neither of them was one for gossip, but something felt off about Macy, so Angus plowed on in the conversation.

“Did ye know that she’s actually American and not Canadian? And that she’s fromChicago?”

“Nay, I didn’t know that, but what does that have to do with anything?”

Angus drummed his fingers on the table. “That city doesn’t have the best reputation in the world, ye know. And I get a definite feelin’ that the lass is afraid of somethin’.”

Jamie’s head shot up. “Beyond the fact that Chicago has been voted the number one best US big city as a world class travel destination six times in a row, why would ye think she was afraid?”

“So what?” Angus argued with a worried frown. “Chicago also has the reputation for bein’ one of the most dangerous cities in America. Mayhap she got involved in somethin’ she shouldna been involved in. I know ye aren’t supposed to talk about yer clients, but that lass is hidin’ somethin’. I can read people a lot better than most, if ye ken my meanin’. Somethin’s up with her.”

Jamie rolled his eyes, and then nodded with a sigh. “All I’ll say is that she asked for complete privacy, and that if anyone should come around asking about her, that we don’t know her.”

“So, she is runnin’ from somethin’...or someone.” Angus leaned forward eagerly. “And has anyone come around asking fer her?”

“Nay, no one.”

Angus huffed and sat back in his chair. “Bugger.”

Jamie sat back and folded his hands behind his head, his blue eyes gleaming. “Ye’re the one with the highland gossip network, do some digging.”

Angus eyed the chair Jamie was leaning back in with the two front legs off the floor and wondered if he’d be quick enough to push it on backwards. “I don’t gossip. I have family and friend connections in places that provide all sorts of interestin’ information should it be needed,” he retorted. “And fer yer information, we call it the Sinh, short for Sangster’s information network hub.”

Jamie chortled. “Sounds more like the telephone tree for the Ladies Aid Society.”

“Make fun if ye want, but it works.”

“So, show me.”

Angus huffed and started typing in something on his phone, his fingers flying, then set his phone down, a grin playing on his lips. “I put the word out.”

Jamie rolled his eyes and got up to grab some biscuits to go with their tea. While he was up, Angus’s phone began dinging.

Angus studied his phone for a minute, then looked up. “Macy Kennedy checked into the Travel Lodge and rented a car at Budget Rentals on the same day, both with cash. Her name isn’t to be given to anyone per strict instructions. She only spent one night at the hotel, the car hasn’t been returned yet, no one has been askin’ about her, and no one knows where she is.”

Jamie’s mouth dropped open and he flopped down into his chair, spilling the biscuits as he did so. “Cripes,” he swore softly, impressed. “I have to hand it to ye, Angus, it does work.”

Angus grabbed a few biscuits from the pile lying on the table and smirked. “It also tells me the wee lass is on the run.”

Jamie nodded. “It does sound that way. No cards, just cash, the first job she could find in a remote location...it all adds up.”

“And barely in town for 24 hours,” Angus added with pride. “She’s a smart one. The question bein’...is she on the lam?”

“On the lam?”

“Don’t ye know anythin’?” Angus scoffed. “It means is she runnin’ from the law?”

Jamie frowned. “I can’t see a wee thing like her being a criminal. She doesn’t fit the profile.”

“How many criminals have ye known?”

“None personally.”

Angus nodded. “Exactly. Now that ye know the basics, what did she tell ye about herself?”

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