Page 128 of Just Say Yes

Unless he sneaked out.

No, Arthur wouldn’t just disappear without telling someone. Right?

The memory of him grinning like a mischievous kid flashed through my mind, his voice playfully defiant:Rules are more like suggestions around here, don’t you think?

Oh, hell.

I didn’t want to make a scene. The thought of calling Logan and admitting that his grandfather was AWOL? That was a spiral I wasn’t ready for. And alerting the staff would just lead to panic and half the team mobilizing. No, I could find him. I just needed to think.

Arthur was a creature of habit. He had his favorite spots: the front porch, the sunroom, sometimes the garden when the weather wasn’t too miserable. I’d start there.

I retraced my steps to the common areas, scanning the faces of the residents and staff as I passed. “Seen Arthur?” I asked Carol, one of the nurses on duty.

She frowned, shaking her head. “Not since breakfast.”

Great.

The garden was empty except for a pair of robins hopping through the flower beds. The sunroom was filled with chatting residents, none of whom were Arthur. The front porch? Nada.

My pulse thrummed louder as I headed back inside, my sneakers squeaking against the tiles. Where would he go?

Then it hit me.

Red Sullivan.

Arthur had mentioned visiting him more than once, and it wasn’t like I hadn’t seen the two of them plotting over coffee before. Red’s condo wasn’t far—it was on the Haven Pines property in the semi-independent living section. If Arthur had gone anywhere, that was my best bet.

I detoured to the break room, grabbing a box of coffee and a couple of pastries from Sylvie’s spread. If I was going to barge into Red’s place to drag Arthur back, I figured I’d better come bearing gifts.

The box of pastries balanced precariously on one arm as I juggled the coffee. My keys clinked against the box, my footsteps quick and purposeful. The chill of the morning air hit me as I stepped outside, the bright scent of pine and damp earth grounding me for a second.

“I swear, if you two are sitting there debating pie crusts again ...” I muttered under my breath, the corner of my mouth tugging upward despite my frustration.

The path to Red’s place was quiet, lined with bare trees that swayed in the gentle breeze. By the time I reached the condo, my nerves were buzzing, half with irritation and half with relief that I might have solved the mystery of Arthur’s disappearance.

The familiar sight of Red Sullivan’s residence eased some of the tension in my chest. The white shutters were gleaming, and the flower beds had faded with autumn’s chill, but it was homey in a way that felt unshakable.

I pounded on the door, balancing the coffee box against my hip. “Arthur? Red? If you’re in there and you’ve kidnapped one of my residents, now’s your chance to surrender peacefully!”

The door opened a crack, and Red’s familiar face appeared, his expression a mix of amusement and suspicion. “Well, look who’s here.”

The condo smelled like fresh coffee and something faintly sweet—probably the remains of whatever breakfast Red had whipped up. Arthur sat at the kitchen table, looking entirely too pleased with himself as he stirred sugar into a mug of coffee.

“MJ!” Arthur greeted, like he hadn’t just caused my blood pressure to spike. “What a happy surprise. Come in, come in.”

“I’m not here to stay,” I said, setting the coffee and pastries on the counter with a clatter. “Do you have any idea how much trouble you’re causing me?”

Red leaned against the counter, crossing his arms. “He’s not causing trouble. He’s having coffee with an old friend. What’s the harm in that?”

I shot him a look. “The harm is that I thought he was missing. You couldn’t have called? Sent a carrier pigeon? Smoke signal?”

Arthur grinned, entirely unrepentant. “Didn’t think it was necessary. You’re always saying I need to socialize more.”

“You can’t go wandering off without telling someone, or we’ll have to put a bell on you like a cat.”

Red chuckled, motioning toward the coffee I’d brought. “You came prepared, though. Good instinct.”

I sighed, plopping down in a chair across from Arthur. The weight of the morning lifted just slightly as I watched the two of them bicker about which flavor of pie was superior.

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