Disengaged (Terms of Engagement Book 3) Read online

  Samantha looked up at him in surprise, squinting against the sharply blowing snow.

  “Come inside,” Rob said, speaking loudly to be heard over the wind.

  Samantha hesitated, and her heart filled with dread. This couldn’t be God’s answer to her prayer for help, could it? But what other option was there?

  She fumbled to turn off her car, then slipped her arm through the strap of her purse and followed him.

  Rob waded back toward model home A. Samantha struggled to keep up, but the wind was merciless. In spite of the trail he blazed, it kept her off-balance. She was shoved back and forth, and it was all she could do to stay on her feet and make forward progress.

  Rob reached the door, and glanced over his shoulder. Samantha was several yards behind, struggling to catch up. She stumbled and almost fell, sending a momentary pang of guilt through him. He assuaged it by grasping the shoulder of her coat as she reached the steps, and pulled her inside.

  He shut the door against the storm, and turned to look at her. She was shaking violently.

  “Get your coat off,” he ordered. “And your boots.”

  Rather than argue, she did so. All the boots seemed good for was to hold in the snow, and her coat was imbedded with it. Rob took it from her, and shook it hard. Laying it aside, he pounded her boots to rid them of as much snow as possible.

  Samantha wrapped in the couch throw, tucking her feet under her. She shook so hard, her back ached. She wondered if she’d ever be warm again.

  Rob turned up the thermostat, then shook the snow off his own coat.

  “What were you planning to do, spend the night in your car?” he asked, his voice disapproving.

  Samantha shook her head. Until her teeth stopped chattering, speech would be impossible.

  “Your tailpipe was blocked by snow,” he decided to point out, as he pulled out the keys in his pocket and sorted through them. “That’s a good way to die of carbon monoxide. You’re lucky I saw you there.”

  She wasn’t talking, and he was out of material to monologue about. She did manage to glance at him, but her movements were too erratic for more than that. He masked his concern with a look of annoyance.

  “No one was expecting this cold front. I’ve got to get the faucets turned on in C, and the heat turned up, or my guys’ll have pipes to replace.”

  Rob pulled on his gloves and pulled up his hood, then opened the door. Samantha shivered anew at the cold blast of air that struck her.

  He stepped outside, and closed the door behind him.

  Chapter 2

  SAMANTHA huddled on the couch in model home A, wondering if she’d ever be warm again. She was relieved to hear the heating unit switch on, and to feel the warm air that poured from the vents. Slowly her teeth ceased to chatter, and her body trembled rather than shook. She stood and wrapped the throw tightly around her, then walked to the bathroom under the stairs. She turned the knob for hot water, and waited.

  The cold tile made her shiver again. Her socks were wet, and that wasn’t good. There was nothing she could do about that, right now.

  Except go barefoot. She stripped off her socks, then tested the running water. It was like ice. She hurriedly withdrew her fingers and dried them on the decorative hand towel, then dragged over the bathmat. It was much more satisfying to cold, wet feet, than the tile floor.

  Warm air flowed from the vent in the ceiling of the small room, and at last, the water was blessedly warm. She held her hands and wrists in the stream, and a sense of warmth stole over her.

  She was tempted to stay right where she was, until the storm passed.

  How long would that take? How long did she have before Rob would come back?

  Samantha glanced over her shoulder, and swiftly shut the door. She took her phone out of her pocket, and selected the contact she wanted.

  “Amber,” she said, as soon as her eighteen-year-old sister answered. “How is everything?”

  “Fine, you sound stressed. And what’s with the connection?” Amber wondered.

  “I’m on Pine Mountain, in one of the model homes my firm is decorating. It’s snowing like crazy outside. The wind is blowing so hard, it’s almost impossible to see, and I’m stuck. There’s no way I can get home tonight.”

  “How awful,” Amber frowned. The golden haired, blue eyed toddler on her hip frowned back at her, which almost made her laugh. Now he smiled, and she kissed his forehead. “Me and Caleb will be fine until you get back, so don’t worry about a thing. I’m on break right now, and Mom’s right around the corner.”

  “I miss him so much,” Samantha said, her heart wrenching. “How is he?”

  “Great. He’s right here. Caleb, your mommy’s on the phone.”

  Amber held the phone to his ear, and he babbled into it. Amber had no idea if he was trying to talk, or make up his own language. Samantha smiled.

  “I love you too, Caleb. Mommy will be home as soon as she can.”

  “You’re stuck on the mountain in a snow storm,” Amber said, taking the conversation back. “Is anyone with you? Do you have everything you need?”

  Samantha rubbed her forehead, and glanced at the door again.

  “I’ve… got more than I need.”

  “And that means, what?” asked the perceptive Amber.

  Samantha sighed, and ran her fingers through her damp hair. She didn’t want to stress out her sister.

  “Rob was here. I had no idea, and then—”

  “What?” Amber snapped, her blue eyes flashing. Caleb patted her cheek and looked concerned.

  “I know, I had no idea, and then I ran into him—”

  “Please, tell me it was with your car.”

  “No!” Samantha said indignantly, then she couldn’t help laughing. Caleb heard, and laughed along. Amber set Caleb on the carpeted floor of their shared apartment, and handed him a soft picture book.

  She stood and ran her fingers through her blond curls as she moved to the nearby couch.

  “Did he blow up when he saw you?”

  “No… he was cold. And angry, but I think underneath it, he’s hurt.”

  “Okay, fine, well he ought to be! Everything’s his fault, even that little guy,” she nodded to Caleb. “And that’s the one thing I’ll forgive him for. But Sam, you can NOT be thinking of letting him back in your life! You’ve got to think of Caleb. It’s better for him to have no dad at all, than one who doesn’t want him.”

  “Amber, calm yourself,” Samantha said, rolling her eyes a little. “I haven’t lost my mind. I don’t know what he’d do if he found out about Caleb. But it wouldn’t be good, and…”

  “And what about his horrible mother?” Amber continued. “You don’t want what woman in Caleb’s life!”

  “Amber, seriously, I’m going to call Uncle Ryland and have him prescribe you some sort of tranquilizer, if you keep this up.”

  Amber laughed, as her sister knew she would.

  “Just don’t tell dear Aunty Ryland that I need more therapy,” she retorted.

  “Alright, I won’t. I don’t know how long I’ll have cell service,” Samantha warned, as the line crackled. “And I don’t have my charger.”

  “Okay, well—we’ll hold the fort until you get back. And I’ll pray for you, until you are.”

  “Thanks,” Samantha replied. “I’m happy to have as much of that as I can get.”

  “So… how are you?” Amber asked in concern.

  “I’ll have to think about that, and get back to you,” Samantha sighed. “Do you mean how am I doing, stuck here in the storm, or how am I, after seeing him again?”

  “Both, of course. Do you have everything you need? Food, shelter, heat?”

  “Yes. I’m in the model home we staged today. The agency provided sub sandwiches for lunch. There were so many leftovers, we can get by for at least a couple of days, if we have to.”

  “Is he still there?” Amber asked, highly suspicious at the use of the word we.

  “Well… no,” S
amantha said honestly.

  “Good,” Amber replied firmly. “Now. How are you, after seeing him?”

  “I don’t even know. The things he said were meant to be hurtful, and they were. He was trying to get me to engage. It was hard, but I didn’t let myself get sucked back into that. I wish I knew everything five years ago, that I do now. Maybe it would’ve been different,” Samantha said wistfully.

  “Yeah, you never would’ve ended up with him,” Amber replied shortly.

  “I did end up with him, and maybe it would’ve been different if I refused to engage.”

  “Like I said, you never would’ve ended up with him,” Amber repeated. Samantha rolled her eyes, and wondered why she expected her little sister to understand. She’d never had so much as a steady boyfriend.

  “Do you want to hear how I’m doing, feeling, and thinking, or do you not?” Samantha asked calmly. “Can you stop reacting to everything I say? It’s been a tough afternoon, and I don’t have it in me to do this right now.”

  Amber sighed.

  “When you say things like, ‘I think underneath it he’s hurt,’ I am terrified you’re going to forget what those three years with him were like, lose your resolve, and go back to him. I feel sick at the thought of seeing you torn up again. I feel like nephew-napping Caleb, to protect him from it.”

  “I’m sorry you’re scared, Amber,” Samantha said, but her sister wasn’t done.

  “Don’t forget how he promised to divorce you if you ever ended up pregnant,” Amber said with intensity. “Don’t forget how it felt to have him cheat on you.”

  “He says he didn’t.”

  “And you believe that?” Amber shot back.

  “I know what he did for certain, is bad enough. I know he’s not sorry. I know he blames everything on me. I have not forgotten, Amber. How could I? Those are my most painful memories! I wish I could forget. I don’t need you reminding me. I might as well be living it, if you’re going to make me relive it. I don’t want to do either.”

  Samantha took a calming breath, and so did her sister.

  “I’m sorry,” Amber apologized. “Is it okay if I call Mom later, and rant to her?”

  “As long as you don’t worry her,” Samantha cautioned. “And don’t you worry, either. The storm can’t last for long, they never do.”

  “Okay, well don’t worry about us. Caleb is in good hands. Mine, and Mom’s. Dad’s, too.”

  “I know he is,” Samantha replied. “I better go, I don’t want my phone to die. I don’t think there’s a landline here.”

  She also didn’t want Amber hearing Rob’s voice, which she would, if they were still on the phone when he got back. If that happened, her well-meaning, intense little sister really would need a visit from Uncle Ryland and his prescription pad.

  She returned her phone to her pocket, and put both hands under the stream of hot water. She wasn’t certain she’d ever be warm again, but it helped.

  She wondered where Rob was, and what he was doing. She wasn’t in a hurry to see him again, but it felt like he’d been gone an awfully long time.

  ERIK followed the road down the mountain. As the elevation decreased, visibility improved. When he passed the large Private Property, No Trespassing sign that arched from one shoulder of the road to the other, he slowed and gave it a good look in the rearview mirror.

  The words were clearly visible, and impossible to miss. Even if someone somehow did, anyone with any sense would turn around once they ran into the heavily falling snow. So why did those two guys drive to the top of the mountain, and all the way to the end of the road? How long were they there?

  The more Erik thought about it, the more uncomfortable he became. He wondered if Rob was headed back yet. He wondered if he’d head back at all. Samantha touched a nerve, and Erik did too. Rob might be more in the mood to stay alone and be mad, than go hang out at a ski resort with friends.

  Erik hoped so. He also looked irritable. Then his phone’s ringtone sounded.

  He slipped the Bluetooth headset over his ear, and tapped to answer.

  “This is Erik.”

  “Hello Erik, this is Graham Henry.”

  “What can I do for you, Mr. Henry?”

  “I tried calling Rob, and didn’t get an answer. I was hoping for an update.”

  “I can help you with that, I’m on my way back from Pine Mountain right now. Rob was still there when I left, but he may not have cell service. An unexpected cold front moved in, and it’s dumping snow like you wouldn’t believe. We sent everyone home, rather than risk them being stuck in a blizzard.”

  “Yes, we’re feeling the cold here too,” Graham Henry replied. He sounded concerned. Erik doubted it was over the cold he was feeling in Ocotillo.

  “Model A was staged today, and C, E, and F are ready for staging once the storm lets up. B and D are behind the others, but ahead of schedule.”

  “I’m glad to hear that,” Graham Henry replied. He also sounded surprised.

  “The cabins were finished, furnished, and stocked, last week. I haven’t seen them myself, but Rob has. The lodge is ready for guests, as long as they don’t mind parking in the dirt. Or snow. I can’t say when the parking lot and the rest of the road will be completed, since we’re not contracted for that. I did call and inquire last week, and was told there’d been a delay.”

  “Yes, I’m… glad to hear it’s the only one,” Graham Henry replied.

  “You sound surprised, Mr. Henry,” Erik remarked. The Pine Mountain development’s owner hesitated in answering, and Erik’s eyebrows knit. “Is there a reason for that?”

  “A voicemail message was left at the office. It gave the impression that you’ve been unable to obtain the necessary building materials, and that the project is significantly behind schedule.”

  “Who left this message?” Erik asked, frowning in concern.

  “The connection was poor. Parts of the message were garbled, and that included the caller’s contact information. Neither I, nor my office assistant were able to understand who left it.”

  “Let me assure you, Mr. Henry, that we are ahead of schedule and within budget. I’ll have our office assistant fax over the inspections that have been completed, and the permits granted, for each of the projects thus far. I hope that will not only reassure you that we’re ahead, rather than behind, but also of the quality of the work that has been done.”

  “Thank you, Erik, I appreciate it,” Graham Henry replied.

  He sounded reassured. Erik was glad of that, but grim that there was someone out there trying to cast doubt on his and Rob’s ability to follow through on their commitments. He could think of several reasons why someone might want to do that, and just as many ways in which someone could benefit if they succeeded.

  The more he thought about it, the more certain he was that the order and supply glitches were intentional, rather than coincidental. Then there were those two guys…

  Erik reached the base of the mountain, and followed the road toward Ocotillo. He parked at the first gas station he came to, and reached for his phone.

  ROB felt his phone vibrate, and glanced at the screen. He felt impatience at being interrupted in the middle of draining home B’s pipes. He swiped the screen to answer.

  “Who turned on the water in B?” he demanded.

  “No idea,” Erik frowned. “Just as important, why would someone turn on the water in B?”

  “How should I know,” Rob snapped.

  “You’re in a lovely mood,” Erik replied. “Hold onto it, because this is important. You can explode after I hang up.”

  “What?” Rob wondered.

  “Three things. The glitches we’ve had are intentional. I’m certain. Mr. Henry called, someone left him a message informing him that we’re behind schedule and unable to acquire the materials to finish the job. As I was on my way back after sending Pete and the rest of the guys home, a dark SUV passed me on the road. I didn’t recognize it, or the two guys in it. Pete and his
guys were in D, cleaning up after installing the blinds. The SUV had to be at the end of the road when I went in. I didn’t see it, you know how the road curves. But there were no tire tracks in front of D until Pete drove out.”

  “I’ll call you back after I check the rest of the houses.”

  ERIK looked at his phone. He wasn’t surprised to see that Rob ended their call. He took the opportunity to call their office assistant, and instructed her to fax over the inspection reports and permits to Mr. Henry. That done, he drove to the extended-stay hotel where he and Rob spent most of their off-hours. Driving back and forth to Ashland every day was out of the question, unless they wanted to spend more time on the road, than they did on the job.

  He was a little surprised to see snow in Ocotillo. It was still coming down, but there was no wind, and it wasn’t being dumped out of the sky by the truckload like it seemed to be on Pine Mountain. He wondered if conditions had improved any since he left, and when Rob intended to call back. Considering the weather, he felt concerned. Erik tried calling his brother, and got sent to voicemail for his trouble.

  ROB skipped homes C, D, and E, and headed straight to F. He didn’t bother checking for tire tracks or footprints on the way. His own were erased by the wind as soon as they were made. He didn’t bother trying to investigate the outside of the house, either. Considering the poor visibility, he was more likely to miss an act of vandalism than he was to find one.

  He fought his way to the front door, and forced the key into the lock. Try as he might, the bolt wouldn’t turn. Rob didn’t waste time wondering why. Instead, he moved to the garage door, and punched in the code. The door slowly rolled open.

  Rob headed straight for the door into the house. He reached for the knob, then froze for half a second as he realized...

  Rob kicked aside the paint can that held the door open, and closed it firmly. His heart racing, he examined the water heater.

  The pilot was lit.

  Rob ran back into the storm and around the house to the gas meter, which was on, but it shouldn’t be! He fought to turn the valve to the off position, but it was impossible. He raced back to the garage, and looked around, desperate—he fell to his knees in front of the toolbox and threw it open, grabbed the wrench, and ran back to the meter.