Page 57 of Fourth Heartwarmers Trilogy
“I most certainly did not, young lady. And watch your tone. All I did was say thanks.”
“That’s strange.” Angie suddenly appeared tired and her earlier glow had disappeared. “I think all the excitement has been too much for this old gal. I’ve arranged for the decorators to come tomorrow to set up our Christmas arrangements, the three trees and all the lights. I guess I’d better rest now, so I have enough strength to deal with all that.”
Mia wrapped an arm around Angie’s waist while Mark held out his arm to steady her. “Not to worry, Angie. Maisie, Markand I will be here to arrange everything just the way you like it. Let’s get you settled in your room for a nap.”
It wasn’t until after they’d seen Angie sleeping that her and Mark had a chance to catch up after all the excitement.
“Mark, did you see Jack’s truck earlier?”
“No. Things were too busy in the workroom and then with Angie’s arrival, it’s been kind of crazy. Why?”
“The whole driver’s side was dented badly, scraped as if he had multiple run-ins with a black vehicle that left paint samples. His back end was bashed in slightly also.”
“Man, I hope the dude wasn’t driving it at the time. He could have been badly injured.”
“That’s what I was thinking. When I tried to get close enough to open the conversation, he shied away like I had leprosy and left.” She was still miffed at his treatment.
Mark stared her down and his lifted eyebrow spoke volumes. He waited for her to acknowledge his reason for acting like this.
She finally gave in and answered, “I know. I’ve been a bit stand-offish to him after our trip here, but when I saw the close call with the truck, I’d decided that life was too short to play games and intended to show him my interest in a relationship.”
“Yeah? And how did that work for you?”
“Truthfully? It bombed.” She leaned her head on Mark’s shoulder and the self-doubt began creeping in. “Could be, he just isn’t into me.”
“Could be. But then, I never took the dude for being a lunatic.”
Chapter Thirty-four
Jack stayed away. Even after the phone calls from Angie demanding he visit her like usual to help her decide on the holiday decorations. He claimed overwork, and when she pushed him, he reminded her whose fault it was that he was so busy.
The elections were being held in the first week of December, a month out from the usual date. A fire in the government office where all the ballots had been created and were waiting for distribution through the post office had been destroyed a week before being mailed. Their regular November date had been moved forward. Every four years they held an election for the mayor and some of the councilmen and so it had given Jack a slight reprieve, which he intended to use wisely.
With a million things that needed to be done, he spent more time in the old pink City Hall building than he ever imagined. Plus, he began doing visits from door to door along with manyothers on his team and met amazing constituents he now hoped to serve.
Thankful for all his helpers, he still visited every area of the county, held rallies where the crowd sizes shocked him, but at the same time, they also made him aware of the necessity for there to be an accounting of their local council.
Just that morning, Chief Driver had given him yet another update on his earlier run-in with the two black trucks only to learn they had nothing. How two large dented trucks could disappear off the face of the earth, he’d never know, but it seems as if that’s exactly what happened?
The police finally came up with the explanation of them being driven into a transport vehicle and hauled out of the state. There was no way of making arrests because they had nothing to go on. And so, he had to be continually on his guard. After he’d had a meeting with his staff, Brian and the boys rigged up a dash cam for him and decided he should be followed everywhere he went.
Though he’d tried to dissuade them from taking things too far, almost every time he was on the road, he’d look in his rear-view mirror, and sure enough, one of his company trucks would be close by. Considering that a lot of the men were campaigning with him when they weren’t on a job, this wasn’t too hard to organize. And no doubt, he had Brian to thank for his babysitters.
Heading to his office after a particularly trying day, driving along in his repaired truck, he thought about how long it had been since he’d seen the girls. Cussing, his head full of words he seldom voiced, he opened to the loneliness always waiting to engulf him. God, he missed them, Ange and Maisie, but most of all the golden-haired beauty who’d stolen his heart.
Not paying attention to the road, he took one of the hairpin turns slightly faster than he normally would and had to push on the brake hard.
Except there were no brakes.
None.
Jesus… the truck began swerving from side to side as he fought the wheel.
Not again! Bloody hell, what was it with him and trucks?
Lucas, help!
This time there was no calm voice to help him through the dreadful fear. He knew at any time the traction of the wheels could force him over to the other side of the road. There was a lot of traffic on this road, some that would probably be coming just around the bend. He made a last-minute decision, called out Mia’s name, and purposely swung the wheel to smash the truck into the side of the hill.
