porch.
“Adler’s shrink. McClane. Have you ever seen him before?”
Ethan’s attractive face flashed in Sam’s mind, and her stomach tightened at the memory of their time alone together in that closet. Of the way his body heat had surrounded her. Of how much she’d wanted to kiss him. Warmth rose in her cheeks. “No. Why?”
“I don’t know. There’s something familiar about the guy. I just can’t figure out what.”
Sam leaned against the door. “Maybe you ran into him in Portland. David said he used to work as a counselor for the state. I’m pretty sure he used to treat troubled kids.”
“Maybe.” But something in Will’s voice didn’t sound convinced. “It’ll come to me.” He flashed a smile and winked before stepping outside. “Lock your doors, Sam. You know I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if anything happened to you.”
CHAPTER FIVE
“Workin’ late tonight, Sam?”
Sam glanced up from the stack of labs she was grading and tried to hide her annoyance at the interruption. Ken Saunders pushed the broom around her classroom. His sandy-blond hair was in serious need of a cut, his dirty sneakers squeaked against the floor, and his keys jangled from the waistband of his worn jeans. “Trying to get some things done before the weekend, Kenny.”
“It’s almost six o’clock on a Friday night. Everyone else has already gone home.” He paused, leaned on the end of his broom, and studied her over the lab tables. “You’re either dedicated or way behind.”
He had no idea. Sam shifted uncomfortably under his steely gaze and glanced back down at her papers. She’d come in early this morning to get her room back in order, then spent the day putting out rumors over the break-in. There was no word from Will on the investigation, and she hated that she was agitated over the fact that she’d only seen Ethan for a few minutes when he’d been observing Thomas in her class. So she hadn’t gotten to talk to him. Big deal. Did that mean she had to think about him? Every hour?
Irritated with herself, she flipped a page and made a mark. She was obviously spending too much time with teenagers and their raging hormones.
“Sam?”
She jumped at the nearness of Kenny’s voice and looked up. He stood in front of her desk. “Yes?”
“You okay? You look kinda lost.”
Lost. Great. Like she needed the janitor thinking she was nutso too? No way .
“I’m fine. Just a lot on my mind. I have a few more papers to grade, then I’ll be out of your way.”
“Don’t mind me. I got other rooms I need to clean first. Take your time.” Kenny tugged his headphones back on and pushed his broom across the floor. The faint sounds of whistling drifted from the hall as he left.
As soon as he rounded the corner and disappeared out of sight, Sam dropped her head against the desk. Six o’clock on a Friday night and she was here, at school, with the janitor. God, her life was pathetic.
Okay, two more labs, then she was out of here. She went back to grading and made another mark. She didn’t want to take this work home with her on a long weekend.
The lights flickered, hummed, and went out.
“Dammit. Can’t one thing go right?” Sam pushed back from her desk and headed for the hall. “Kenny?”
The stupid breaker had a habit of going out when Kenny was running machinery in the other wing. She didn’t have enough money in her budget for decent supplies, and David was skimping on the electrical system, but the football team had spiffy new uniforms every year.
Great new career you picked, Sam.
When Kenny didn’t respond, she stepped into the darkened hall, missing her old lab at the pharmaceutical company she’d worked for before coming home. Unfortunately, there were no pharmaceutical companies in Hidden Falls, and the only job she’d been able to find that she was even remotely qualified for was the chemistry position at the high school.
Where the heck was Kenny? Frustration morphed to
“Adler’s shrink. McClane. Have you ever seen him before?”
Ethan’s attractive face flashed in Sam’s mind, and her stomach tightened at the memory of their time alone together in that closet. Of the way his body heat had surrounded her. Of how much she’d wanted to kiss him. Warmth rose in her cheeks. “No. Why?”
“I don’t know. There’s something familiar about the guy. I just can’t figure out what.”
Sam leaned against the door. “Maybe you ran into him in Portland. David said he used to work as a counselor for the state. I’m pretty sure he used to treat troubled kids.”
“Maybe.” But something in Will’s voice didn’t sound convinced. “It’ll come to me.” He flashed a smile and winked before stepping outside. “Lock your doors, Sam. You know I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if anything happened to you.”
CHAPTER FIVE
“Workin’ late tonight, Sam?”
Sam glanced up from the stack of labs she was grading and tried to hide her annoyance at the interruption. Ken Saunders pushed the broom around her classroom. His sandy-blond hair was in serious need of a cut, his dirty sneakers squeaked against the floor, and his keys jangled from the waistband of his worn jeans. “Trying to get some things done before the weekend, Kenny.”
“It’s almost six o’clock on a Friday night. Everyone else has already gone home.” He paused, leaned on the end of his broom, and studied her over the lab tables. “You’re either dedicated or way behind.”
He had no idea. Sam shifted uncomfortably under his steely gaze and glanced back down at her papers. She’d come in early this morning to get her room back in order, then spent the day putting out rumors over the break-in. There was no word from Will on the investigation, and she hated that she was agitated over the fact that she’d only seen Ethan for a few minutes when he’d been observing Thomas in her class. So she hadn’t gotten to talk to him. Big deal. Did that mean she had to think about him? Every hour?
Irritated with herself, she flipped a page and made a mark. She was obviously spending too much time with teenagers and their raging hormones.
“Sam?”
She jumped at the nearness of Kenny’s voice and looked up. He stood in front of her desk. “Yes?”
“You okay? You look kinda lost.”
Lost. Great. Like she needed the janitor thinking she was nutso too? No way .
“I’m fine. Just a lot on my mind. I have a few more papers to grade, then I’ll be out of your way.”
“Don’t mind me. I got other rooms I need to clean first. Take your time.” Kenny tugged his headphones back on and pushed his broom across the floor. The faint sounds of whistling drifted from the hall as he left.
As soon as he rounded the corner and disappeared out of sight, Sam dropped her head against the desk. Six o’clock on a Friday night and she was here, at school, with the janitor. God, her life was pathetic.
Okay, two more labs, then she was out of here. She went back to grading and made another mark. She didn’t want to take this work home with her on a long weekend.
The lights flickered, hummed, and went out.
“Dammit. Can’t one thing go right?” Sam pushed back from her desk and headed for the hall. “Kenny?”
The stupid breaker had a habit of going out when Kenny was running machinery in the other wing. She didn’t have enough money in her budget for decent supplies, and David was skimping on the electrical system, but the football team had spiffy new uniforms every year.
Great new career you picked, Sam.
When Kenny didn’t respond, she stepped into the darkened hall, missing her old lab at the pharmaceutical company she’d worked for before coming home. Unfortunately, there were no pharmaceutical companies in Hidden Falls, and the only job she’d been able to find that she was even remotely qualified for was the chemistry position at the high school.
Where the heck was Kenny? Frustration morphed to
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