Page 110 of To Believe In You
“Whatever it is, you’ll find it faster with my help.”
He flung aside her now-empty suitcase. “The stamp book.”
Her last great reminder of Grandpa? “Why?” There was more to the question, but the words fizzled as he headed toward her.
Shedidstand at the exit. Maybe he wanted to leave.
But as he neared, his grim focus rested on her, not the hallway. “Where is the stamp book?”
“I don’t know.” She’d packed the keepsake in her luggage. Or so she’d thought. If the book had been there, Shane would have it. “I must’ve forgotten it. Why is it important?”
“Where is it?”
Had she placed the album in her car? No, she’d only carried her suitcase, purse, and laptop out of Gannon and Adeline’s. He would not be happy to learn the stamps weren’t on the premises, but she’d thought them in love once. He must have a soft spot for her.
“Shane.” She touched his arm.
With force like a bear trap, he caught her hand. “Don’t test me.”
“You don’t want stamps. You’re mad at me. I get that. And you probably need money, right?” Given the amount he’d blown through in their joint account, he could go through it quickly. Maybe he’d fallen in debt with the wrong people, hence the jewelry theft. “The stamps aren’t here, and they aren’t worth it, anyway. I’ll give you cash. How much do you need? Let me—”
“A million dollars.”
“What?”
“That’s how much the collection is worth.”
“What?” She’d carried the leather-bound book from one room to another, one place to another, dozens of times. Cumulatively, she’d spent hours paging through it, always thinking more of Grandpa than the little squares in their tiny acrylic holders.
Howard’s little stamp collection, Grandma had said.
When Lina had been through the estate, had the stamps been insured? She didn’t think so. They certainly weren’t insured now.
“You’re mistaken. I’m sorry, but they’re not worth all that. The collection is sentimental.” Why hadn’t her phone rung yet? Had it really been under two minutes since Shane had entered the house? “They’re worth something to me, though. How about ten thousand dollars?”
“You have that here, sunshine?”
“No, but—”
“Where are the stamps?” Shane’s grip on her wrist cinched tighter.
“They’re not here.”
The microwave beeped. How could only seven minutes have passed since she’d started it? Was help on the way? Would she be okay until it arrived?
Shane yanked her arm to send her stumbling ahead of him into the hall. “Liar. I saw them right next to the jewelry case.”
“Why didn’t you take them then?” If only he had, her return home would’ve been peaceful. Except she’d be missing another important memento of her grandparents.
“I thought about it. Even paged through. Then decided to benice”—he said the word with a sneer—“and leave you with something from them.” A doorknob rattled behind her, and Lina turned to see him scanning her linen closet. “You always made the book sound worthless.” He shut the closet, and his glare sliced into her. “Imagine my surprise when I got curious after, found out they’re worth a fortune, and came back just in time to see you leaving with them clutched to your chest. You knew their value all along.”
“I didn’t. I swear.”
Jaw pulsing and mouth a menacing line, he prodded her to move.
She ran her hand along the wall to keep her balance while walking sideways and watching Shane. “Is my dad involved in this? If he told you how much the stamps are worth, he’s using you to scare me.”
“Your father is a tool of mine, not the other way around. Got it?” He shoved her arm, moving her along.
