A Matter of Trust Read online

  If James did have anything to hide, he could lie easily. Victoria firmly believed that actions spoke louder than words. So instead of asking questions he wouldn’t answer anyway, especially after she had insulted him, she concentrated on listening and watching his expressions as he talked and his agile movements as he ate. Everything he said came out in purposeful, intelligent statements. He always listened intently as Gramps spoke, keeping eye contact with him. He seemed genuinely interested in what Gramps said and kept a smooth dialogue with him.

  Victoria absently ate her stew, watching how at ease James acted throughout dinner. Discussions ranged from sports and cars to gardening tips as they passed the evening meal in comfortable companionship. It began to feel like James belonged at their dinner table. He caught her eye several times during dinner, mostly keeping a neutral expression on his face. Once she caught a hint of a smile on his lips. She wouldn’t have blamed him if he had given her the evil eye, but he didn’t. Each time he glanced her way, her pulse quickened dramatically. Each time she wished she could get the apology over with, but couldn’t bring herself to say a word.

  ****

  James took note of how silent Victoria had been during the meal. She had guilt written all over her face and he held back a smile at the thought. She turned out to be the polar opposite of an ice princess. She wore her feelings on her beautiful face for the world to see. He decided she would be easy to work with. Sensitive, warm hearts were always easier to deal with than cold ones.

  She had been watching him, sizing him up throughout dinner. It’s what he would have done in her situation, and in fact had done all during dinner himself. Just from the evening’s conversation with Connor, James determined that the man was a down to earth, grandfatherly figure with old time values and ways of thinking. He judged Connor to be a family man who would do anything to preserve his way of life. He appeared harmless enough, but his illegal actions belied the innocent façade.

  The more time he spent with Victoria, the more she intrigued him. Her dossier held pertinent facts about her life, but her personality showed a dimension that could never be captured on paper. Her high level of education proved her to be an intelligent young woman. She seemed to be a dependable, caring person who enjoyed living a simple, uncomplicated life. But, her dossier didn’t explain the reason for her mistrust. He hadn’t counted on that being an obstacle. He would find out what had caused her fears and work on gaining her trust. He would unravel the secrets and mysteries of the Connors, with their cooperation or without it.

  After dinner, he helped clean up even though she said guests weren’t expected to clear the table. While they stood side by side at the sink washing dishes, Victoria looked at James and admitted, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said those things.”

  “It’s okay. My ego will recover with time.” James took a soapy finger and gave her nose a hefty dousing of bubbles.

  Victoria smiled. “Hey.” She swiped the bubbles aside.

  “Besides, I figure you have a good reason for not trusting people you don’t know well. Did something happen to you?” James saw her startled look before she quickly turned away with a shrug.

  Gramps walked in from the bathroom and as Victoria wiped the kitchen table clear of crumbs she asked, “Gramps, why don’t you have a dishwasher?”

  Apparently, their conversation had ended. James had no doubt that Victoria was relieved to not have to answer his question. His curiosity was peaked, but he held back any further questions.

  Gramps replied, “Don’t need one, with just me around. I don’t make much mess. Before that? Well, Mabeline never seemed to mind it. We’d always do dishes together.” Gramps continued as he sat at the table, “Then we’d sit out in the rockers and watch the day disappear into night.”

  Victoria returned the dishcloth to the sink and turned to look at Gramps. “We all miss her, Gramps.”

  “I know darlin’… I know.”

  After finishing the dishes, James watched the exchange between Victoria and her grandfather while sipping a mug of black coffee and relaxing at the kitchen table. Victoria busily rifled through Gramp’s refrigerator, searching for out-of-date food.

  “Gramps, honestly, do you ever throw anything away? This milk is three weeks out of date.”

  “Smell it. If it don’t smell rotten, it’s still good,” Gramps defended himself.

  Victoria took a whiff and scrunched up her face. “Oh, yuck,” she said as she poured the chunky liquid down the sink. “And this package of lunch meat is slimy. Oh, I worry about you. You know how you always say you get upset stomachs? This is why,” Victoria stated as she dumped it into the trash. “And this…eww, Gramps! What is this?” She held up something in a vegetable bag that resembled a diseased cactus. “Wait, I don’t even want to know.” She shook her head and tossed it away.

  Bemused, James sat quietly watching her. He enjoyed watching her move gracefully about the kitchen. She fluttered about, kind of like a mother hen, looking after her chicks. He had a glimpse of what she might look like as a mother, looking after her children. He quickly shook off that idea and continued watching. After cleaning out the refrigerator, she went to the coffee pot and poured a cup for Gramps. She also topped off James’ cup, and he noticed her hands shaking a little. He absently wondered if she had something to hide or just had a case of jittery nerves.

  “Thanks. No coffee for you?” James peered up at her.

  “Never touch the stuff.”

  Gramps interjected, “The little squirt never did like the taste of it. I tried years ago to get her to like it, you know, as a social thing. But she’s a stubborn one.”

  “So, I’m stubborn because I don’t like coffee?” she asked.

  “Well, that and because I told you I didn’t need no one looking after me. I’ve taken care of myself for nigh on seventy some years, way before you were even born darlin’. So don’t be getting any ideas I need a sitter.”

  James watched Victoria as she slipped into a chair at the table. “I know you’re tough as ever Gramps. Maybe it’s me that needs looking after.” She leaned in for a hug. He hugged her back briefly. Connor’s eyes got a little misty before he straightened to stand up. James admired the way Victoria carefully kept her grandfather’s pride intact.

  “Well, it’s past my bed time. You young folks have a good night now,” Gramps said as he moseyed off to lock up the front door. “Lock up the back as you leave.”

  “Don’t you want some ice cream?” Victoria asked.

  “Naw, it’d give me heartburn this late at night,” Gramps commented as he headed upstairs. “‘Sides, it’s not good for my diabetes.”

  “Diabetes? What diabetes?” Victoria gasped.

  “Doc Howard discovered it when I had the stroke. Night now,” Gramps said continuing upstairs.

  Victoria sighed, placing the palms of her hands on her closed eyelids. “That was weeks ago. He should have told me before now. I was worried enough about him as it was, now this.”

  “Maybe that’s why he prolonged telling you.”

  “Maybe. I wonder if he’s been put on pills or if he’s seen a nutritionist. He wouldn’t know how to eat right for having diabetes.”

  “I’m sure he is capable of taking care of himself. You can talk to him more about it tomorrow, no use worrying about it tonight.”

  “Yeah. It is getting late.” Victoria looked at her watch.

  “I’ll bring us each a bowl of ice cream out on the porch, you go ahead. I’ll catch up,” James said as he stood and reached for the freezer door.

  “Okay,” Victoria said and walked outside.

  James saw Victoria jump as he stepped out on the porch a few minutes later with two bowls full of ice cream in his hands. He cautiously approached her and handed one of the bowls to her. He didn’t want to frighten her. He motioned for her to sit in one of the rocking chairs.

  “Thanks,” she said without looking at him.

  “You really love your Gramps don’t y
ou?” James asked between bites of heaping spoonfuls of ice cream.

  Victoria nodded her head. “Of course I do. We’re very close. I feel closer to him than even my own parents sometimes.”

  “Would you do anything for him?” James asked.

  “Anything,” Victoria confirmed with a nod.

  James believed her. He wondered what anything could include. Would her loyalty to her grandfather prod her into breaking the law? She didn’t strike him as the type of person to be money hungry. No. If she was helping Connor, it was for his benefit, not hers.

  They continued to rock side by side in the old wooden rockers, each lost in their own thoughts. The stillness of the night was broken occasionally by a boat passing by in the lake. The tree frogs and crickets chirped out their songs as a slight breeze tinkered with the wind chimes down on the cottage’s deck. James relaxed and enjoyed the simplicity of sitting on a porch in the company of a beautiful woman. His gaze drifted over to Victoria. He wouldn’t deny his attraction to her. She had a rare kind of natural beauty that was enhanced by her overflowing compassion and concern for others. What would it be like if they were in different circumstances? What if he had met her somewhere outside of an assignment? As his thoughts drifted, he almost forgot he was working. Almost.

  After finishing dessert, James cleaned up the bowls and locked the door to the farmhouse before clicking it shut. He noticed Victoria had seemed to relax a little too. The guilty expression she had worn throughout dinner had disappeared.

  “I’ll walk you down the hill.”

  “I can manage on my own. Thank you,” she replied to his offer.

  “I insist.” James placed a hand behind the small of her back and ushered her down the steps. As they reached the cottage, James stopped at the bottom step as she climbed up the small front porch.

  “Thanks for dinner,” he said taking care not to step up on her porch steps, trying to stay at a distance. He couldn’t afford to frighten her. If he got closer, she might think he would try to kiss her, and that might just send her running to the hills.

  “I’ll be by early in the morning. I’m going to finish replacing the boards on the deck then start on the new steps,” he said casually.

  “New steps?”

  James saw curiosity spark in her eyes. Her body language had been sending off warning signals to stay back since he met her. He liked seeing the slight change in her as she relaxed and let down her guard a notch.

  “Yes. I thought you might enjoy a larger set of steps on the front of the porch. It would give you more convenient access to the dock than the original steps to the side had. Is that okay with you?”

  “Fine,” she said, showing a hesitant smile. “Thank you.”

  He nodded as he started to back away. “Goodnight, Vic,” he said softly and turned toward his truck.

  His smile faded as he walked away.

  He hadn’t lied when he said he was used to getting what he wanted. He wanted her to trust him, soon. He began planning his next move as he drove away into the night.

  A Matter Of Trust

  A Matter Of Trust

  Chapter Three

  Victoria woke up early enough Monday morning to preserve her morning run before the movers arrived. It had been a few days since she had been able to exercise and she felt a little sluggish because of it. She stepped outside into the early morning and looked around. Dew hung heavily on the blades of grass in the yard and covered her car with a glossy sheen. The damp, chilly air enshrouded her as she watched fog swirl through the trees creating an eerie atmosphere. She wrapped her arms around her waist to ward off a shiver and reminded herself the weather forecasters called for a hot day with the fog lifting before mid-morning.

  As the sun peeked its way up across the lake and over the mountains to the east, Victoria breathed in the fresh air and started walking toward the woods to the south to warm up her muscles. It always amazed her how quickly the chilly morning air could turn into a hot and humid summer day in the mountains and foothills of Virginia.

  Anticipation coursed through her as she began to run along her usual route through the dense acres of the Connor’s land. Thankfully, none of her kin had sold off any part of the farm in the past. It had been in the family for generations. A large piece of property on the lake had become extremely rare with tourism in full force and the value of the property had skyrocketed in recent years. Still, no amount of money could be worth what the land and farmhouse meant to her and Gramps.

  Unfortunately, at the rate the developers built houses and condos on the shoreline, there wouldn’t be much natural land left within the next few years. The lake’s natural beauty combined with the surrounding mountains, trees and foliage had attracted nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts to the area for over thirty years. Victoria hoped it wouldn’t all be ruined by the money hungry real estate developers. One thing was certain, the Connor’s land would remain unspoiled.

  As she ran amidst the forest filled with pine, oak and dogwood trees, she felt a freedom that she couldn’t gain from running on a treadmill in the gym or even down city blocks. With that sense of freedom came the reality that she was in the woods alone, in the dense morning fog. She kept her senses on high alert, and though she had never had any trouble on their land before, she vowed to bring her pepper spray next time.

  Victoria soon broke into a sweat as the morning quickly warmed into the promise of another hot day. She hoped she had time for a shower before the movers arrived. She glanced at her watch and set her pace a bit faster. It felt good to get her endorphins revved up again and her senses came alive as her heart rate increased and her muscles screamed for oxygen.

  As she came to the end of her run and stepped through the last of the trees, a sudden movement caught her eye. To the left, she saw a shadowy figure hunched over, close to a pile of rocks. At first, she thought she might have been looking at a bear. Then she saw it move. The shadow ducked behind a tree quickly as if it heard her. She hadn’t seen a bear, or any other animal, she had seen full grown man. She would almost have rather encountered a bear than a man who didn’t belong on the property. Her heart hammered in her chest. A sharp cry escaped her lips. With labored breaths, she came barreling out of the dense trees onto the maintained lawn. Relief surged through her at the sight of the farmhouse and cottage. The sun came out brighter now; the fog seemed to lift instantaneously. She wondered briefly if she had imagined seeing someone. But her instincts told her otherwise, her hair still stood on the nape of her neck.

  She searched for any sign of James. She didn’t see his truck or his boat. She ran and locked herself in the cottage. She immediately picked up the phone to call the sheriff’s office, but dropped it right back down, remembering her run in with Sheriff Randolph and his son years ago. He probably wouldn’t even respond to her call.

  She saw the movers drive up the long driveway and let out a pent up breath. She decided she would be safe with the movers here when two husky men erupted from the large truck. The trespasser would be long gone by now.

  She let the movers in and directed them as to where to put the boxes and furniture. With the commotion and distractions from the movers, she soon forgot about the man in the woods. After the movers left, she grabbed a quick shower and spent the rest of the morning focused on unpacking and organizing her things. Each box had ended up in the correct room so that saved her time. She didn’t have a whole lot of items to unpack, but deciding where to put everything would take a while.

  “Hey.” James slid the sliding glass door open after a brief knock.

  “Hi.” Victoria jumped only slightly.

  “I see I’m not scaring you as much as I did before.”

  “Yes, well, I’m getting accustomed to you popping up here and there.”

  James smiled. “Good. You got a minute? I could use a hand with something.”

  “Sure.” Victoria stood up with stiff knees. As she stood, she realized her right foot had fallen asleep. Too late. When she p
ut pressure on it, it gave away. She would have fallen on her face if James hadn’t reacted so quickly. He reached around her just in time to keep her from taking a nose dive. His strong arms encircled her waist to steady her.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, pressed against her side. Victoria had grabbed a hold of his strong arm on instinct. She now released him and stomped on her foot trying to shake out the tingles and regain circulation, but he didn’t let go.

  “Foot fell asleep,” she said sheepishly. “Thanks. I’m okay now.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yep. I’m sure.”

  James slowly removed his hands from her waist. Victoria saw a glimpse of amusement in his eyes before he turned to walk out to the deck. She knew her cheeks were stained pink with embarrassment already, and was grateful that he hadn’t further added to the blush with a comment.

  Victoria followed him outside. She turned her face up to the sky, enjoying the warmth of the day and the fresh mountain air. She took a deep breath before she noticed James observing her movements. He had jumped off the deck to the ground. She looked around and noticed the stairs to the left were gone, and in front of the deck, the hand rail had been removed.

  “Wow! You work fast,” Victoria commented.

  “I’ve been out here at dawn for a few days now. I like to take my time. Do things right the first go ‘round,” he said as he meticulously stored tools away in a long metal tool box.

  She studied his profile for a moment, trying to figure him out, and then looked at the deck. He seemed competent enough, so far the work he had done impressed her. He hadn’t cut any corners. He used top quality boards that precisely fit. He had adjusted the boards, evenly spaced across the whole deck, just the right space apart. He left room for the expanding and retracting boards to adjust for change in temperature throughout the seasons. He might prove to be handy after all. She absently wondered just how much money Gramps was putting into all these repairs, but she wasn’t about to ask.