All A Heart Needs B&N by Barbara Freethy Read Free Book Online Page A

meet the right person. And sometimes they don't seem like the right person at first. I didn't like Max at all in the beginning. He was arrogant and territorial about his cases."
    "And you're not?" he challenged.
    "I might be territorial, but I am not arrogant. Of course, I soon found out that Max was just being a jerk because he was trying not to fall in love with me. Why do guys do that?"
    He could not begin to answer that question, especially since he'd been guilty of it himself, and recently, too. But he was not falling in love with Jessica. No way. That wasn't going to happen. He slid off the stool and stood up. "Thanks again for the help."
    "I haven't helped you yet."
    "You'll call me when you find out anything?"
    "Yes, but it won't be until Monday."
    "That's fine."
    "I'll see you tomorrow though."
    He sighed. "What's tomorrow?"
    "Wow. You really don't listen to anything that includes the word family and event, do you?"
    "Just tell me."
    "Tomorrow Ryan is throwing Nicole a birthday dinner at their house. It starts at six. Everyone will be there." She gave him a mischievous smile. "Including Jessica. But since you're just friends, that won't be a problem, will it?"

Chapter Five
     
    Jessica spent the rest of Saturday setting up Kyle's bedroom and then her own. Despite the headache of having to move again, she was happy to have a house in a good neighborhood with a yard for Kyle to play in. Even though the house had been touched by tragedy, it had all happened a long time ago, and she couldn't let herself get caught up in that. She was determined to make a good home for Kyle and for herself.
    It was close to midnight when she was finally done unpacking her clothes. She grabbed two empty boxes and took them downstairs. There was a side door off the kitchen that led to the driveway and the recycle and garbage bins. As she put the boxes in the plastic container, she heard a voice on the other side of the fence. She couldn't see through the shrubbery, but it sounded like Sally was talking to someone.
    She moved a little closer, hearing only Sally's voice and no one else's. Maybe she was on the phone.
    "I don't know if there's anything to be found," Sally said.
    The odd tense words caught Jessica's interest. What was Sally talking about?
    There was silence for another moment. Then Sally said, "I know it's been years, and nothing has ever come to light, but I can't help but worry now that someone else is in the house and going through Helen's things. Maybe Helen never really looked through Robert's belongings." She paused again. "Yes, I asked Helen a bunch of times if I could help her, but she always said no."
    Jessica frowned. What on earth was Sally talking about? And why was she having a conversation on the phone while standing in her driveway a little before midnight? The only answer was that she didn't want her husband to hear.
    "I thought this was over," Sally said, frustration in her voice. "I am not crazy to worry. Maybe you should be a little worried. I'm not the only one with secrets." She paused again. "Okay, I'll talk to you later."
    A moment later, Jessica heard footsteps, then a door closing. Sally had gone into the house.
    She let out the breath she'd been holding, not sure what to make of what she'd heard. Sally was worried that she was in Helen's house, going through Helen's things? Why? What was there to be found?
    And to whom had Sally been speaking? Because according to Sally, she wasn't the only one who had a secret or who should be worried.
    A shiver ran down Jessica's spine. What on earth had she landed in the middle of? Was this about the fire? But it was so long ago, and Sally had had years to get into Helen's house, to find whatever she was worried about being found. Still, what else could Sally have been talking about? She'd mentioned Robert's name. If it had to do with him, then it had to do with the fire.
    Did Sally know something about that fire that Sean didn't? Or was Jessica just letting her