Life Rewired (Aspen Friends, Book 3) (22 page)

“Mr. Mayor,” Cherise addressed him as he stepped up onto the porch.

“Why are you conducting a search of my neighbor’s home?”

“Sir, with all due respect, we have a warrant.”

His eyes narrowed. “Does this relate to the burglary last evening?”

“Yes, sir,” Kevin inserted.

Spencer took another step until he was right in front of them. Jeez, he could be intimidating if he wanted to be. “Did you question Ms. Shaw before getting the judge to sign off on a warrant?”

“If you knew about this case, you’d know we have very good reason to be here right now,” Cherise told him.

“I do know about this case. I was briefed on it this morning by your boss’s boss. If you’d bothered to question Ms. Shaw, you’d know she has an alibi for the time of the incident.”

Cherise went pale, but she bucked up quickly. “Alibi’s aren’t always reliable, sir. Friends are willing to lie at first.”

Spencer shook his head, his mouth a grim line. “Falyn was at my house at the time. She and Owen, here, were helping me grill most of the night.”

Holy hell. The mayor just alibied me out. When Cherise brought up the address, I assumed the burglary happened while I was there or shortly thereafter. If they’d asked me where I’d been last night, I would have told them.

“Pull your people out of her home now.”

“But, sir,” Cherise started. “She might have been working with someone.”

“Do I need to get your chief and the judge on the phone?”

I swallowed hard, tears of relief springing to my eyes. I knew the relief would be short-lived because they’d find some reason to come back, but it felt so good having someone stick up for me.

Cherise called everyone off the search. She brushed past me, bumping my shoulder on the way. Juvenile and as bad as some of the antics I had to endure in prison. I didn’t care, though. She was leaving, and I had a legitimate alibi for one of the two burglaries they wanted to pin on me.

“Spence,” I started but didn’t know how to finish.

Owen joined us and settled an arm around my shoulders. “Being prejudged doesn’t feel any good. I put up with it in the military for years. No matter what the police think, I know you wouldn’t do these things. You are in a good place here with good people, and you’d never betray your friendship with Natalie.”

Tears filled my eyes as this man I didn’t really know somehow seemed more sure of my actions than I was. I turned and hugged him fully, thanking him first then Spencer. For a night, I could relax. I wished it could be with my closest friend, but having these guys for support would suffice.

Things were tense on the jobsite. Natalie was stressed for me, Vivian fed off her stress, and the rest of the crew kept throwing glances my way. After last night’s search, I had to tell Curtis and Cole about prison when I saw them at breakfast. They reacted casually but were curious. Like all guys, they wanted to know the nitty-gritty of prison life. I cut the discussion off after a half hour and offered to move out. I had enough saved to swing something on my own until Vivian’s house was done, but I was relieved when they backed off and told me to stay. The rest of the crew found out by morning break as I secretly hoped they would. At least I didn’t have to tell anyone else.

Luis came into the master bedroom with a light fixture. He passed it up to me on the top step of the ladder. “Did Harp know before you got here?”

“Yes.” I was keeping to one word answers so as not to encourage those other questions.
Did you have to beat anyone up in there? Ever run into trouble in the shower? Was it easier since you’re a lesbian?
Did you join a gang inside?

“You cased the houses you worked then ripped them off later, and Natalie still hired you? Did you have dirt on her or something?” He wasn’t being an asshole. He was asking the same questions all the contractors asked when I applied for jobs after prison.
You stole from the homes you worked on. What makes you think I’d ever hire someone like that?

“Natalie has a way of seeing the good in everyone.”

“Verdad, chica.”
He snickered and gripped the ladder I was on. “We used to work for a real dick. Harp could always make him be more reasonable. After we left, the guy was stupid enough to vandalize the first house we worked on. She didn’t even get mad. Can you believe that?”

Thankful we were off the prison topic, I grabbed onto this one. “Yeah, actually. Nat tends to internalize. She probably thought her actions brought on the vandalism somehow. Plus, she doesn’t waste energy getting angry about things she can’t change.”

“Wish I was like that,” Luis said. “I punched the dude as soon as he made bail.”

I gave a short laugh then sobered up. Not a wise move on his part, but I could see it wasn’t just a reaction to the vandalism. He’d probably wanted to punch his old boss many times.

“Listen, Fos,” he said as I secured the wiring to the new fixture. “I like you. Like having you on the crew because we’re bringing in more money with you being an electrician and all. More money means bonus pay for us.”

“But?” I offered for him.

“If this goes wrong for Harper—”

“I’m gone,” I cut him off. “She’s my friend first and has been for twenty years.”

He glanced up at me with earnest brown eyes. Luis was maybe five-seven but hauled more than Tyler at two inches over six feet. “
Bueno
.”

Vivian came in to check on our progress. She took a long look at the height of the fixture before nodding. “Looks good.”

“Thanks, Viv, I’ve been working out,” Luis joked, flexing the bicep on his free arm.

She tried not to smile, but it was pretty difficult. “Natalie wants a word when you’re done, Falyn.”

I finished securing the faceplate and came down the ladder. “Will you take the sconces out of their boxes, Luis?”

“Copy that,” he acknowledged.

I followed Vivian outside to the project tent. Natalie was sorting through the plumbing fixtures, checking them off the list. She smiled at us when she looked up.

“How’re you doing?” She wasn’t asking about my progress on hanging the lighting fixtures.

“Okay.” It was an automatic response. I was still upset about the coincidence of a burglary occurring at two homes I’d been in, pissed that the cops were trying to convict me without any evidence, and heartbroken that my now closest friend in town was disappointed in me.

“I want you on this crew.”

My mouth nudged open. This was an unexpected discussion.

“Permanently, in case you were thinking otherwise.”

Had Molly told Vivian that I was worried about the burden I posed to Natalie’s company? If these accusations kept happening, her reputation was at stake. She already had to carry a bigger insurance bond because she’d hired an ex-felon. I really didn’t want to jeopardize her business.

“I appreciate that, Nat, but we’ll have to reevaluate when the house is done.”

“Vivian just picked up another major renovation starting in October. It’ll take six months, then we’ll be back to smaller jobs. With an electrician, we’ll be able to pick up more work. You’re part of this team, and I would like you to stay.”

“Nat,” I started, knowing I had to have the conversation that would doom my spot on her crew. “What if this happens again? Think about it? Some bratty teen might borrow her mom’s jewelry, lose it, and blame it on the construction crew who was in the house.”

“Without evidence, they can’t do anything to you. And they’ll never find any evidence.”

She seemed so sure of that. Cherise was pretty determined last time. I wouldn’t put it past her to make evidence appear in my place. It was a lousy thing to think about a police officer, but she wouldn’t want to be embarrassed again.

“Tessa has a small job for us if you’re up for it.”

Panic bloomed in my chest. Nothing would happen as long as I kept working on Vivian’s house. The two thefts occurred on separate jobs. I didn’t want to tempt fate again. “It’s electrical?”

“She’s got a sale pending on rewiring a media room. I’ll go with you.”

I felt better about having Natalie along. At least she’d get proof of her faith in me. “If you want to take the job, yeah.”

“Do you mind if we go after hours? I don’t want to be away from this project. I’ll give you comp time later.”

I didn’t have any evening plans, hadn’t for a while, so I was all for working. “Sure.”

“Great.” Natalie nodded. “My graphic designer is coming by later to take your order for winter shirts. I always go with Henleys and fleece pullovers, but the guys like long sleeved t-shirts and sweatshirts. David will show you everything that’s available. Choose what you want so you’re geared up to stay on.”

When Natalie made her mind up about something, I guess she made it happen. I let out a breathy laugh, not believing how lucky I was to have this woman looking out for me.

Making the turn onto my street, I spotted someone sitting out on the porch at home. I wasn’t in the mood for company tonight, especially not if the person was a police detective. After three days of extra hours on Tessa’s job, I was bushed. Even thinking about how I might avoid the person was too tiring. I could only hope it was one of the boys’ friends.

Cole’s van wasn’t in the driveway. I had just enough time to rethink the effort to avoid when I spotted a brick red Tacoma parked at the curb. Molly’s pickup. My heart started pumping faster. God, I’d missed her. She might be here to yell at me, but she was here. We had to work this out. If we didn’t, even as much as I loved working for Natalie, I wasn’t sure I could stay here. Not if I kept running into this wonderful friend who wanted nothing more to do with me. It was hard enough sticking to our agreement to keep my hands off her. Not being friends would be that much harder.

She stood to meet me when I came up the steps. “Hi.”

“Hi.”

She swallowed and looked away. The hard lines of her face got harsher in the dipping sun of the evening. “Do you have time to talk?”

“Always.” I set my toolbox in the mudroom and gestured her inside.

She shook her head and pointed over her shoulder to the side porch. Her eyes darted past the open door where I could hear Cole speaking on his cell.

I followed her and took my usual seat. My mouth felt all cottony, and I needed to wash away the sweat and grime from the workday, but my eyes were riveted to the sight of her. “I’ve missed you.”

Her brown eyes became shiny. She nodded, which I hope meant she agreed. She had on long khaki shorts, the only pair she had that weren’t cargo style, and a short sleeve button-front shirt. It was her dressiest casual look. That she was wearing it to visit me made my heart skip.

I let out a deep breath. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” I didn’t know what else to say.

“I can’t understand why you didn’t.” Her fingers fiddled with the hem of her shirt. “I mean, I can, sort of. It would have been scary and hard, but you should have trusted me.”

I ached to grab her hand and feel it squeeze mine in return. “I do trust you, Molly. Please believe that.”

“It felt like it, but then this happened.”

“I want you to understand.” I stood to pace, a calming habit that I picked up in prison where space was a luxury. “Everyone has regrets and some people even make major mistakes. Only a few of us do things that we’re ashamed of. Not embarrassed or guilty. I’m talking about real shame.” My hands started to shake when I felt the shame creeping over me again. “I’m disgusted by what I did. I didn’t want anyone to know about it, but it’s part of me. I know I can’t run from the shame forever.”