Page 25 of Hold a Candle

Chapter 7

When Jamie heard footstepson the second floor, he lifted his arm and glanced at his watch with a frown. It was only 5:30 in the morning. Why was Pauley up so early?

She’d retreated to the bedroom upstairs last night after eating about half of the plate he’d fixed for her. Just when he’d thought they were making some progress, she’d seemed to shut down.

The sudden humming of the water pipes told him that she jumped into the shower. Old houses always seemed to have a few groaning pipes. He swung his legs to the floor and slipped into the sweatpants hanging on his bed post and headed for his own loo. He might as well shower and get some breakfast started. He didn’t know what Pauley liked, but anything would be better than an unhealthy donut.

After his shower, he was perusing the hanging shirts in his closet when the banging on his front door interrupted him. Who in the world would that be at this hour?

Grabbing a black workout t-shirt, he slipped it over his head and made his way to the door. The pounding sounded again as if the person was impatient or had an emergency. He peered through the keyhole to see a young man resembling Pauley with a scowl on his face. Was this her older son? And if so, what the devil was he doing knocking on his door just as the sun was breaking over the horizon?

Unlocking the deadbolt and turning the doorknob, he opened the door. He didn’t even get a chance to say anything before the young man laid into him.

“Is my mother here?” he demanded, his russet eyebrows racing down to form a frown between his brown eyes. “I want to see her right now!”

“And who might ye be?” Jamie asked, eying the tall lanky lad with a crop of russet curls. He was wearing casual slacks and a gray bomber jacket with a company logo on the breast.

“I’m Elliot, her son.”

“How do I know if ye are her son if I don’t know who ye are looking for?” Jamie asked, his lips quirking. “And who said this unknown woman is even here? I’ll no allow just any hothead appearing on my doorstep into my house, ye know.”

“My mother is Pauley MacBride, and my sister Natalie told me she was here,” he replied belligerently. “Now stand aside so I can see for myself.”

Jamie held up his hand in a warning gesture. “Ye are no coming in here with that kind of an attitude, I don’t care who ye are. Settle down, lad, or I’ll settle ye down,” Jamie replied firmly.

The young man gawped at him and looked madder than ever, and then he heard Pauley’s voice behind him.

“Elliot, what are ye doing here?”

She came up to stand beside Jamie with a frown, her jacket over her arm.

“Mum, ye need to get yer things and leave this man’s house,” Elliott sputtered, putting his front foot inside the door way. “Ye shouldn’t even be here. Have ye lost yer mind?”

“That’s enough,” Jamie barked, pushing his hand into the young lad’s chest and putting his other arm in front of Pauley. “Ye’ll apologize to yer mother for yer tone and attitude, young man, or I’ll throw ye out this door. And don’t think I can’t do it either. I don’t care if ye are her son, she deserves yer respect for having given birth to ye if nothing else. She’ll nae be disrespected in front of me or there’ll be hell to pay.”

Pauley put her hand on Jamie’s protective arm. “It’s alright, Jamie, I can handle my son.”

He glanced back at her to see a grin hovering over her mouth. “I’m sure ye can, Pauley, but that’s nae the point.” He turned back to Elliott, who was now gawping at him. “Well?”

The scowl slowly left Elliott’s face and a glimmer of respect and understanding suddenly dawned in his eyes. “Ye are right, sir. I was worried when Natalie called me and I thought ye were taking advantage of my mum. I can see that’s not the case.” His eyes slid up to Pauley’s. “I’m sorry, Mum, I shouldn’t have yelled at ye like that.”

Jamie nodded and moved his hand. “That’s better. Now, I was just going to fix a bite of breakfast for yer mum before she heads off to work. Ye are welcome to join us if ye like.”

“I don’t have time for breakfast, Jamie,” Pauley replied, her mouth tightening as she slipped into her jacket sleeves. “Quinn called me earlier; I’m needed at a crime scene even as we speak. They think they’ve found the man who bombed my house last night, but he isn’t talking because he’s dead. Can ye take me to my car?”

Jamie shot her a worried frown. “Of course I can take ye, just let me get dressed.”

Elliott intervened. “I can take ye, mum, since I’m already out and about. I have some cheesy scones in my car that I just picked up from Oates, and ye can have one of those on the way.” He held his hand out to Jamie. “Thank ye, sir, for taking care of mum. I can see Natalie had it all wrong. She was just pissed because mum didn’t come over there last night.”

Jamie decided he liked Elliott after all now that the lad’s eyes were twinkling with a knowing look. He was surprised when Pauley impulsively reached up and kissed him on the cheek.

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