know he misses me, and my letter will cheer him up.”
Peter could only nod. He didn’t really want to think about Jack. He honestly didn’t care about what would make the old man happy. But the light in his daughter’s eyes told him it made her happy, and that was all that mattered.
Even if it meant making his wife angry.
The phone in his pocket vibrated once again.
CHAPTER SEVEN
M egan thought she’d given herself enough time to make some stops along the way and still arrive before Laurie. She always used to come to Brewster’s Bakery for her morning coffee after dropping the girls off at school, until the Safe Walks program took up more of her time. As the school year ended and after Emma was found, well, she’d kind of preferred to stay close to home.
She opened the door and the bell above it jingled. She immediately looked down to see whether Shelly Belle was there. Sure enough, the old dachshund raised her head and huffed. Megan bent down and scratched the dog’s big ears and then glanced up at framed photos of Jan’s three dachshunds when they were all young—her babies. Two had died in the last few years, and Megan worried about what Jan would do when Shelly died too.
Megan couldn’t stop the smile that grew when she thought of Jan Brewster, the owner of the shop who’d helped to raise funds when Emma first went missing.
During those first few weeks, Megan had lived in a perpetual fog. Jan had come to her rescue. First, she’d brought over treats like chocolate croissants or almond scones, coaxing Megan back into the land of the living. Then, she started leaving pamphlets aboutorganizations for missing children in Megan’s mailbox. It took one brainstorming session over coffee and cookies to come up with a plan beyond the local authorities’ to ensure that Emma’s photo was plastered everywhere. Jan was the driving force, and set up the fund-raising barbecue in the town square. Megan would forever be in Jan’s debt.
She dropped her purse at the corner table and headed to the counter. She smiled as she heard the slight shuffling behind her. On the corner of the counter, Jan kept a basket of homemade dog treats for Shelly Belle. She put out only a few each day, but it quickly became a favorite thing for customers to do. Megan picked out a flower-shaped treat, turned on her heels, and waited for Shelly to sit before offering her the treat.
“Well, good morning, darlin’.” Jan pushed open the swinging door from the kitchen, holding a tray of fresh muffins. Megan leaned over the counter to see what type Jan had made. Today was her lucky day—banana nut, her favorite.
“These look delicious.” She inhaled the sweet smell.
Jan smiled as she set the tray down. “They taste good too.” She poured coffee into two mugs and placed a small plate on the counter.
Megan picked a muffin and headed over to a table.
“It’s been a long time since you joined me for morning coffee. I’ve missed you.” Jan lowered herself into a chair and sighed.
Megan glanced around the bakery. The place was homey. The walls were lined with shelves of wooden birdhouses and pictures of people and events special to Jan. One of Megan’s favorite photos was a shot of a cloudy sky over the lake. The way the wind had blown the clouds and the way the light shone through them made it look like angels’ wings in the sky. Seeing it always calmed her.
“I’ve missed you too.” Megan smiled and briefly touched Jan’s hand.
The moment Megan had met Jan, there was a connection. It had been more than five years ago on a cold winter night in the town park. The locals had been putting on a nativity play, and Jan was passing out Styrofoam cups of hot chocolate. Seeing that she was shorthanded, Megan had offered to help. The day after the play, Jan showed up at Megan’s door with a basket full of freshly baked muffins as a thank-you. They’d been friends ever since.
“Where’re the girls?”
Megan leaned back in her
Peter could only nod. He didn’t really want to think about Jack. He honestly didn’t care about what would make the old man happy. But the light in his daughter’s eyes told him it made her happy, and that was all that mattered.
Even if it meant making his wife angry.
The phone in his pocket vibrated once again.
CHAPTER SEVEN
M egan thought she’d given herself enough time to make some stops along the way and still arrive before Laurie. She always used to come to Brewster’s Bakery for her morning coffee after dropping the girls off at school, until the Safe Walks program took up more of her time. As the school year ended and after Emma was found, well, she’d kind of preferred to stay close to home.
She opened the door and the bell above it jingled. She immediately looked down to see whether Shelly Belle was there. Sure enough, the old dachshund raised her head and huffed. Megan bent down and scratched the dog’s big ears and then glanced up at framed photos of Jan’s three dachshunds when they were all young—her babies. Two had died in the last few years, and Megan worried about what Jan would do when Shelly died too.
Megan couldn’t stop the smile that grew when she thought of Jan Brewster, the owner of the shop who’d helped to raise funds when Emma first went missing.
During those first few weeks, Megan had lived in a perpetual fog. Jan had come to her rescue. First, she’d brought over treats like chocolate croissants or almond scones, coaxing Megan back into the land of the living. Then, she started leaving pamphlets aboutorganizations for missing children in Megan’s mailbox. It took one brainstorming session over coffee and cookies to come up with a plan beyond the local authorities’ to ensure that Emma’s photo was plastered everywhere. Jan was the driving force, and set up the fund-raising barbecue in the town square. Megan would forever be in Jan’s debt.
She dropped her purse at the corner table and headed to the counter. She smiled as she heard the slight shuffling behind her. On the corner of the counter, Jan kept a basket of homemade dog treats for Shelly Belle. She put out only a few each day, but it quickly became a favorite thing for customers to do. Megan picked out a flower-shaped treat, turned on her heels, and waited for Shelly to sit before offering her the treat.
“Well, good morning, darlin’.” Jan pushed open the swinging door from the kitchen, holding a tray of fresh muffins. Megan leaned over the counter to see what type Jan had made. Today was her lucky day—banana nut, her favorite.
“These look delicious.” She inhaled the sweet smell.
Jan smiled as she set the tray down. “They taste good too.” She poured coffee into two mugs and placed a small plate on the counter.
Megan picked a muffin and headed over to a table.
“It’s been a long time since you joined me for morning coffee. I’ve missed you.” Jan lowered herself into a chair and sighed.
Megan glanced around the bakery. The place was homey. The walls were lined with shelves of wooden birdhouses and pictures of people and events special to Jan. One of Megan’s favorite photos was a shot of a cloudy sky over the lake. The way the wind had blown the clouds and the way the light shone through them made it look like angels’ wings in the sky. Seeing it always calmed her.
“I’ve missed you too.” Megan smiled and briefly touched Jan’s hand.
The moment Megan had met Jan, there was a connection. It had been more than five years ago on a cold winter night in the town park. The locals had been putting on a nativity play, and Jan was passing out Styrofoam cups of hot chocolate. Seeing that she was shorthanded, Megan had offered to help. The day after the play, Jan showed up at Megan’s door with a basket full of freshly baked muffins as a thank-you. They’d been friends ever since.
“Where’re the girls?”
Megan leaned back in her
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