Her Only Hero (7 page)

North pointed with his pen to the buildings that lined the
opposite side of the alley. “The first thing is we talk to everyone who might
have seen something.”

“The police already—” Ryan began.

“We don’t accept someone else’s investigation, Flanagan. The
fact that you probably personally know the investigating officer doesn’t mean
anything to me. We do it again.”

“Yes. Right.” He wasn’t exactly doing a sterling job of
impressing the man on his first morning on the job. “I’ll get started on that.”

The back door of the house creaked open. Laura looked out at
them, her eyes wary at their presence. “Ryan. What’s going on?”

“I’m sorry if we disturbed you. We’re checking out the scene of
the fire.”

“I see.” Laura’s gaze was guarded as she glanced at Lieutenant
North.

He took a step closer. The shadows under Laura’s eyes were
darker today, her stance more tense. The news he’d given her about the arson
investigation had probably kept her up most of the night.

“You look like you had a rough night of it.”

She
grimaced. “Jumping at every sound, I’m afraid.”

“I’m
sorry.”

“Not your fault.”

No point in saying he wished he hadn’t had to bring her the bad
news.

“I did get the lights you recommended,” she said. “And someone
from the church called to say he had an alarm system he could put in for me at
cost.” Her eyebrows lifted. “I take it you’ve been interfering again.”

“Hey, don’t blame me because people want to help you. Just
accept it.”

“Not when I can’t repay them.” Her jaw tensed. “That’s not
right.”

“Has anyone even told you that there’s a difference between
being independent and being just plain stubborn?”

Anger flared in her face, but he just shook his head.

“I don’t have time to fight with you, Laura. I’m on duty. If you
want to get to know the people from church who helped you, just go to service
on Sunday. They’ll be glad to know that their friendship brought you there.”

She still looked ready to argue, but apparently she realized
this wasn’t the time. She swung the door partly closed.

“I’ll let you get back to work.” There was a snap in her voice.

Right. She didn’t like his advice. Well, fine. The best thing he
could do for Laura was to accomplish this task and find the arsonist. Let her
make her own decisions about accepting help.

He spun on his heel. North stood several feet away, notebook in
his hand. But he wasn’t looking at the notebook. He was looking toward Laura
with a cool, almost inhuman assessment in his eyes.

A wave of emotion swept over Ryan, so strong it almost rocked him
back on his heels. He wanted to step between that look and Laura. Wanted to
protect her from anything and anyone that might threaten her.

Whoa, back off. He wasn’t interested in commitment, remember?

Besides, Laura had made it only too clear that she didn’t
appreciate his interference in her life. Feeling anything stronger than
friendship toward her could only lead to complications neither of them wanted.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Seth shot a glance at Ryan
as they turned down Laura’s street that evening. “Laura didn’t exactly say she
wanted our help, did she?”

“If we wait for Laura to say she needs help, we’ll both be old
and gray.” He gripped the steering wheel tighter. Laura needed assistance, from
them or someone else, whether she was willing to admit it or not.

“What if she tells us to take a hike?”

“Then I
turn on the famous Flanagan charm.” He grinned at his sober older brother.
“You’re just jealous because it skipped you.”

“I have Julie. I don’t need to charm other women, thanks very
much.”

No, Seth didn’t. He had, somewhat to his surprise, found the
love of his life where he least expected her, and he and his Julie were so
happy in love that it almost made a man think he ought to try getting engaged,
too. Almost.

Ryan pulled to the curb in front of the brick building. “I’ll
talk her into it. You’ll see.”

Seth raised an eyebrow. “Maybe you will, at that. Has it
occurred to you to wonder why you’re so intent on helping this woman?”

“Because it’s the right thing to do.”

“Yeah, right.” Seth slid out of the car and followed him to the
door. “Not because you’re interested in her, by any chance?”

Ryan gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the comment as he rang
the bell.

“Well?” Seth’s soft-voiced question made it clear he wouldn’t give
up easily.

“Mind your own business, big brother.” He treated Seth to a
glare. “I don’t need any advice.”

“Maybe not, but—”

The door swung open, and Seth shut up. But judging from the
mulish set to his jaw, he wasn’t finished. That was the trouble with older
brothers. They never stopped thinking they had the right to give you advice.

“Ryan.” Laura sounded more resigned than surprised. “What brings
you here tonight?”

He hefted his toolbox. “We’re here to install the lights. You
remember my brother Seth, don’t you?”

She nodded to Seth. “I also remember telling you I could handle
the installation myself.”

“Why would you want to, when you’ve got two willing helpers standing
on your doorstep?” He tried the smile that usually softened female hearts.
“Aren’t you going to at least ask us in?”

Laura didn’t look noticeably softened, but she did step back.

“Wow, this looks great.” Seth looked around the freshly-painted
room. The rich burgundy on the walls glowed softly against the pristine white
woodwork. “You’re really making progress.”

“Thanks.” Her face relaxed in a smile. “Actually, the place is
starting to look so good that I’ll hate to part with it.”

“Your buyer’s going to love what you’ve done,” Ryan said. “How
about the plastering? Did you get the arrangements made with my buddy?”

“Your friend is coming to do it in a few days.” Unfortunately,
that seemed to remind her that she owed him, or felt she owed him, for his help
with the plasterer. Her smile vanished, to be replaced with a stubborn
tightening of her jaw. “I have the lights under control.”

“Are you telling us to go away?”

She blinked at the blunt question. “No, but—”

“Besides, you don’t want to get into trouble with the fire
inspector over the installation, do you?”

“You wouldn’t.”

He grinned,
unrepentant. “Let us take care of the installation, and you’ll never have to
find out.” He turned at the soft sound of footsteps on the stairs. “Hi, Mandy.
I’m glad to see you.”

His awkward signing brought a slight smile to the little girl’s
solemn face. She looked toward Seth.

“You remember my brother, don’t you?”

She nodded. Then, to his surprise, she came to give him a hug.

He knelt, feeling her small arms tight around his neck, and
discovered a lump in his throat. He looked up at Laura.

“You don’t want Mandy to see us arguing, do you?”

The soft smile she had for her daughter seemed to include him.
“I guess not.”

Mandy signed something to her mother, too quick for him to
catch. Laura hesitated a moment before nodding.

“Mandy wants you to come up and say good night before you
leave.” There might have been a faint flush on her cheeks at the words.

“Sure thing.” He gave the child an okay sign, and she grinned.

“Why don’t you both come up? I’ll make some coffee, and we have
homemade cookies.”

He raised his eyebrows in exaggerated surprise. “You baked for
us?”

“No. Your mother was here today.” She gave a reluctant smile as
she turned to follow her daughter up the stairs. “I couldn’t turn her away,
either. You’ll find the new lights on the counter in the back room.”

He waited until mother and daughter were out of sight before
turning to Seth with a cocky grin. “See?”

Seth gave him a friendly push toward the door. “I see plenty.
Let’s get to work before it’s too dark to figure out what we’re doing.”

Seth began unpacking the new lights, laying the pieces out
neatly on the scarred countertop. That was Seth, always organized. He set his
toolbox next to them and flipped it open.

“We’ll need a ladder,” Ryan said. “I want these fixtures high
enough that no one can easily disable them. At least the motion lights are
sensitive enough to let her know if anyone sets foot in that alley.”

Seth nodded. “You’re taking this plenty seriously, aren’t you?”

A chill snaked down his spine. “I don’t want to miscalculate.
Not if we really have a firebug on the loose again.”

Seth’s face went grim. “I’m with you there. I remember what it
was like. You think North is good enough to catch this guy?”

“He’s good.” He shot Seth a glance. “You might give your brother
a little credit, though. I’m on the job, too, don’t forget.”

“Hah.” Seth’s scornful expression told him only too clearly what
he thought of that. “Just don’t make any rookie mistakes.”

“I don’t plan to. Not where Laura and Mandy’s safety is
concerned.”

Seth planted his hands against the countertop. “Try not to make
any rookie mistakes where Laura and that little girl’s
happiness
is concerned, either.”

Obviously Seth thought he was duty-bound to interfere, just like
he always did.

“We’re friends, okay? That’s all.”

Seth shrugged. “Just pointing out the problem. You can’t do your
usual love ’em and leave ’em routine when there’s a child involved. That little
girl could get hurt if she starts to depend on you.”

“Especially since everyone in Suffolk seems to know how
undependable I am.” One thing about broth-ers—they knew how to hit you where it
hurt.

“Look, bro, there’s nobody I’d rather have backing me up on the
fireground. You know that.” Seth clapped him on the shoulder. “But emotional commitment’s
a whole other game. I’m just saying that this time, you’ve got to be careful.”

“You don’t need to worry.” He tried to keep the irritation out
of his voice. Seth meant well, even if he was as clumsy as a bull in a china
shop. “Laura’s not looking for a relationship any more than I am.”

Seth grinned, turning back to the lights. “Sometimes that’s the
most dangerous thing of all.”

L
aura
arranged a smile on her face and opened the apartment door to the Flanagan
brothers. But only one Flanagan stood there, and it was Ryan. It was positively
demoralizing how her stomach did a little flip at the sight of him. She might
as well be fifteen again.

“Hi. All finished?”

He nodded. “You’re now the proud possessor of mo-tion-detector
lights that will go on if so much as a stray cat enters the area behind the
house.”

“I’m not sure I’m worried about stray cats.” She stepped back
for him to enter and closed the door. Appalling, the way the man’s height and
breadth seemed to fill up her small living room.

“That is a disadvantage, I guess.” He gave her that easy smile.
“Actually I was exaggerating. We set them high enough that they shouldn’t go on
for anything that low to the ground. We didn’t want to have you jumping out of
bed to check every five minutes.”

“Thank you. So much.” She realized her hands were clenching and
pressed them flat against her jeans. “What happened to your brother?”

“Seth was in a hurry to get home and see his fiancée.” He shook
his head. “Sad, the things that getting engaged do to a man.”

Was there an edge to his voice on that subject? She wasn’t sure.

“According to your mother, you’ve had quite a spate of marriages
in your family in the past year.” Siobhan had been clearly delighted about that
fact when they’d chatted over the cookies that afternoon.

“It’s pitiful. First Gabe, then my cousin Brendan, and next
comes Seth.”

“But not you.”

“Hey, there has to be at least one Flanagan left to play the
field.”

“And you’re the expert at that.” At least, according to his
mother he was.

He shrugged. “So they say.” He raised an eyebrow at her. “You
got married right out of college, I guess.”

“Yes.” She clipped the word off and then feared her short
response had betrayed too much. “Jason and I met in college.” And she’d been
swept right off her feet by his assurance and the flattering attention he’d
paid her.

“I’m sorry for your loss.” Ryan’s words were conventional, but
his deep-blue gaze was intent, as if probing for what she didn’t say.

“Thank you.”

He was a charmer, like you, Ryan. Unfortunately there wasn’t
much character beneath the charm.

She cleared her throat. “Mandy’s in bed already, but I’m sure
she’s still awake, waiting for you to say good night.”

He flexed his fingers. “I’ve been practicing my sign language
for the occasion.”

“This way.”

She was very aware of him close behind her as she led the way
into Mandy’s bedroom. The playful jungle animals in the mural she’d put on the
far wall seemed to smile at them.

“Mandy, look who’s come to say good night.”

Mandy looked up from her book, her small face lighting with a
smile. Her fingers formed the sign for R and brushed her chin.

Ryan glanced at her, eyebrows lifting. “Okay, I’m in trouble
already. What does that mean?”

“It’s a name sign. Mandy made it up for you. The letter R,
touching her chin. For the cleft in your chin.”

She hoped she wasn’t blushing. Well, he must know the appeal
that had for women of all ages, apparently.

“Oh.” He looked disconcerted, and for a moment she actually
thought he was the one who blushed. “That’s really nice, Mandy.” He went to sit
next to her on the bed. “What are you reading? A book about puppies.”

Mandy held the book out to him. That didn’t need translation.

He took it. “You want me to read? I probably can’t sign all the
words.”

“That’s okay,” Laura said. “I’ll do the signing along with you.”

Ryan nodded, putting the book on his lap so that he and Mandy
could both see it. He began to read, his deep voice a counterpoint to the
hesitant movement of his hands.

Actually, he did pretty well with the signing. Either he knew
more than he’d shown them so far, or he’d been getting some coaching.

The idea touched her, but it disturbed her almost as much. Ryan
wasn’t a part of their lives. She didn’t want Mandy to begin to depend on him.

Still, she could hardly deny her child the opportunity to have
friends just because those friends might not always be there. She struggled
with the idea while she automatically signed the words to the short picture
book.

“The end.” Ryan closed the book and tucked it next to Mandy.
“Good story.”

She nodded, settling back on her pillow.

“Night-night, sweetheart.” Laura bent over to kiss Mandy’s soft
cheek.

“Night. Sweet dreams.” Ryan stood, his arm brushing Laura’s
warmly.

Breathe, she ordered herself, and got busy tucking the covers in
and switching off the light. The room was bathed in the soft yellow glow of the
nightlight, and the zebras and elephants smiled protectively.

“Sleep tight.”

By the time they’d covered the few steps to the living room,
Laura had managed to get her breathing under control. She turned to Ryan.
“You’ve learned some more sign language, haven’t you?”

“Nolie taught me.” He shrugged it off. “It seems like a useful
thing to know.”

“I
suppose.” As long as that was all there was to it.

“By the way, she and Gabe have some new puppies at the farm.
Since Mandy likes puppies so much, you ought to bring her out to see them.”

“We’ll see.” That was a useful phrase for avoiding something she
wasn’t sure she wanted to do. “Please, sit down. I’ll get the coffee.”

The cups, sugar and cream were ready on a tray in the kitchen.
All that remained was to set the coffeepot on its trivet. She had no excuse to
delay going back to Ryan.

When she pushed back through the swinging door, she found he’d
made himself comfortable on the couch.

He looked around the small room. “This is nice. I suppose you
did it all yourself.”

“Of course.” She’d loved filling the apartment with the warm
glow of chintz and patchwork, so different from the sterile modern furnishings
her husband had preferred. She’d taken the red, white and blue color scheme in
the living room from the patchwork quilt she’d thrown over the back of the
couch to disguise the worn places.

“Thanks.” He took the mug she handed him and snagged two cookies
from the plate. “Chocolate peanut butter chip oatmeal. I’d recognize my
mother’s cookies anywhere.”

“It was nice of her to bring them over.” She hesitated. “She
really seems to remember me from when she taught my church-school class. She
mentioned a lot of things that happened when we were in high school.”

“Mom has an encyclopedic memory for detail.” He shuddered.
“Especially for things you’d rather she forget. Did she bring up the time I got
suspended for kidnapping Winston High’s mascot before the homecoming game?”

She smiled. “As a matter of fact, she did. Said she never could
understand why you did such a thing. I didn’t enlighten her.”

His eyebrows lifted, and he turned toward her, stretching a long
arm along the back of the sofa between them. “You think you know?”

“Sure. Your brothers had done it. You were just carrying on the
family tradition.”

“Hey, my brothers just tried to do it,” he corrected. “I
succeeded.”

Something in his voice alerted her to the truth, and she was
surprised she hadn’t seen it before. “It was important that you do better than
they did.”

He shrugged. “When you’ve got two big brothers— actually three
counting my cousin Brendan—you’re always coming along at the tag end of
everything. They never let you forget that you’re the runt of the litter. I wanted
to rock the boat a little.”

“Show people who you are,” she suggested.

“Something like that.” His lips curved in a smile. “Dad always
had to go through the whole list of names before he got to me when I was in
trouble. Gabriel-Brendan-Seth-Ryan, he’d yell.”

“Is that why you want to go into arson investigation? To stand
out from the rest of the Flanagan firefighters?”

He looked a little startled. “Maybe so, partly anyway. I guess
I’m still looking for the thing that’s just mine, no one else’s.”

He was confiding in her, and it felt surprisingly natural.
“Maybe you’ve found it.”

“I hope so.” His fingertips brushed her shoulder. “What about
you? What do you want beyond fixing up this place to sell and seeing Mandy
through her surgery?”

Her mind went blank from the combination of the question and his
nearness. She’d been so focused on her immediate aims that she hadn’t really
thought beyond them, except to envision a vague, happy future. What did she
want?

The telephone rang, saving her from an answer she didn’t know
how to make.

“Excuse me.” She picked up the receiver. “Hello.” Her heart sank
at the sound of her mother’s high-pitched voice. “Hello, Mom. How are you? How
is Dad?”

As usual, it was impossible to find out how her father really
was. Her mother seemed to consider his emphysema a tedious excuse for not doing
what she wanted him to do. And if she asked her father, of course he’d say he
was fine because he didn’t want to worry her.

Laura interrupted a long string of complaints about the retirement
complex in which her parents lived in Arizona. “I have someone here right now,
Mother. May I call you back later?”

Her mother switched gears immediately, getting abruptly to the
reason for her call. Money. She persisted in believing that only selfishness
kept her only daughter from funding her every whim.

“I’m sorry,
Mom.”

She turned away from Ryan. He was pretending interest in a
magazine on the coffee table, but he’d have to be stupid not to realize
something was going on.

“I wish I could help you, but I can’t.” She thought of her
dwindling bank account with a moment of panic. “I’ll call you back later.
Goodbye.” She hung up quickly, before she could say something she’d regret.

She stood staring down at the phone for a moment, not ready to
face Ryan yet, aware that her palms were damp and her stomach churning.

He let the silence stretch for a few minutes before he spoke.
“Family troubles?”

She took a breath. “You could say that.”

He patted the couch next to him. “I bored you with mine. The least
you can do is to return the favor.”

She managed a smile as she sat down. “It’s not much of a favor.”

“Your parents are out in Arizona, I remember.”

“For my
father’s health.”

“Is he doing all right?”

“He’s been better since they’ve been out there.” She rubbed her
forehead. “At least I think so. He always puts up such a good front when I talk
to him that it’s hard to be sure of that.”

“You worry about him.” His palm settled on the back of her neck,
moving in slow, soothing circles. “Won’t your mom level with you?”

How to explain her mother in a few well-chosen words?
Impossible, but she had to say something.

“Mom seldom thinks of anything except as it affects her, I’m
afraid. She sees my father’s illness as a personal inconvenience.” Her fingers
were curling into a tight ball, and she deliberately relaxed them. “She’s never
stopped blaming Dad for selling their house here and moving into a smaller
condo out there.”

“I’m sorry.” His tone was gentle. “I guess that kind of puts you
in the middle.”

The movement of his hand was easing the tension away. “There’s
always something. This time she wants me to put up the money so that they can
move into a ‘real house’ instead of the condo.” She shrugged. “I can’t,
obviously.”

“Doesn’t she understand that?”

“She’s convinced that my husband couldn’t possibly have left me
as badly off as I say.”