Home > Chance of a Lifetime(8)

Chance of a Lifetime(8)
Author: Jude Deveraux

   “I’m so very glad we met,” she said softly. “I wish...” A deep blush suffused her cheeks, and she bit her bottom lip.

   Liam’s gaze lowered to her mouth. His throat went dry, and his fingers ached to pull her toward him. “What is it you wish?”

   “I wish...” Her voice faltered for a moment, and then she seemed to catch herself. She straightened her spine and lifted her chin. “I wish you well.”

   Liam swallowed hard. “And I, you.” He turned and marched across the grass before he did or said something foolish.

   “Farewell, thief.” Cora’s soft voice floated on the breeze.

   He spun around without thinking and called out, “Liam.”

   Cora blinked in surprise.

   “My name is Liam O’Connor.” Maybe he was a damned fool to tell her, but he didn’t care. His name was all he had to give, and he wanted her to have it.

   “Liam.” Cora smiled. “I’ll keep your secret.” Then she closed the door and was gone.

   A dull ache settled in his chest as he made his way home in the dark. The realization that he’d probably never speak to her again left him feeling hollow inside. What irony! He’d gone to the squire’s house that night to steal something, and he left feeling as though something had been stolen from him.

   Liam crossed an open field and climbed over the low stone wall that bordered the edge of the squire’s land. Stopping for a moment, he reached into his pocket, gripping the tangle of necklaces she’d given him. He drew them out, studying the crudely cut stones with a mixture of wry amusement and uneasiness. Even in the weak moonlight, it was clear they were just cheap replicas made of paste. He’d known it the moment she’d placed them into his hands. Cora’s father must have sold the original jewelry long ago to keep his estate running. And Cora had no idea. She thought she was giving him a fortune to help the poor, and Liam didn’t have the heart to tell her they were worthless.

   He shoved the jewelry back into his pocket and continued walking. Boyd and the Bricks were going to be furious when they found out the legendary jewels were worthless. There was no telling what they’d do. A prickle of fear slithered down Liam’s spine, and he picked up his pace. The sun would rise in a few hours, and he needed a plan. After tonight, he was more determined than ever to keep the squire’s house safe. Because it wasn’t about the squire anymore. It was about Cora McLeod.

 

 

2


   Providence Falls,

Present Day


   Police investigator Cora McLeod crossed her arms and stared in exasperation at the lanky teenager who was doing his utmost to impress her with his street swagger. “For the last time, Billy, this isn’t about me.”

   She’d been grabbing lunch at her favorite diner in downtown Providence Falls, just minding her own business—sort of—on her day off, when she happened to see the kid. Billy was a wealth of information, and on more than one occasion he’d tipped her off and helped put criminals behind bars. If she’d been driving past the seedier end of the city today specifically looking for him, she’d never admit it. Hey, it was a lovely summer afternoon. Why not take the scenic route home? But now that she’d finally found him outside the Gas n’ Go, she might as well try to get some information.

   Billy MacCarron, or “the Mac” as he liked to call himself, was wiser than his fifteen years. He’d been in and out of foster homes his whole life, and he was no stranger to the streets of Providence Falls. As a police investigator, Cora often relied on her connections to help track down people of interest, and even though it was a Saturday and officially her day off, the previous week had been a headache. Three reports of aggravated assault on Friday, and still no one could find the attacker. Nero Polinsky, a petty criminal with an ever-growing rap sheet, was in the wind. But Cora was determined to change that.

   “Nah, girl. It’s about you and the Mac.” Billy wagged a finger between them with a crooked grin. “When’re you going to admit we got something going on?” His boyish face, along with the peach fuzz on his chin and freckles across his nose, reminded Cora just how young he really was. He drew a cigarette from behind his ear and pulled a lighter from his pocket. With an expert flick of his fingers, he lit the cigarette and took a long drag.

   “Billy, I’m practically old enough to be your mom.” It wasn’t exactly true, since she was only ten years older, but it sounded good. She gave him her best stern-parent face, which might’ve worked better if she wasn’t so much shorter than him. At five feet three inches tall, the top of her head barely came up to his chin. “And I don’t have time to talk. I’m looking for Nero Polinsky. He’s been on a rampage since last week, and we need to bring him in before he does any more harm.”

   Billy’s gaze slid away, and he shrugged a bony shoulder. “I ain’t seen him.”

   Right. The kid might smoke with the practiced ease of a Vegas slot machine addict, but he sure as hell didn’t have a poker face. “You sure about that? Because I just came from Rock & Bowlers and the manager saw you talking to him an hour ago.”

   Billy took another drag on the cigarette. “I guess I saw him earlier, yeah. But that don’t mean I know where he is now.”

   Cora fought for patience, knowing from experience she’d get a lot further with Billy if she gave him a little time. At heart, he was a good kid, even though he tried his best to portray the image of a tough bad boy. “Look, this isn’t the first time Nero’s been in trouble, and you know it. He hit up a convenience store yesterday. Beat the owner with a baseball bat. Did you know that?”

   Billy’s face blanched, making his freckles stand out even more. He shook his head.

   “He’s been getting worse, and if you have any idea where he is, you need to tell me. It could be a matter of life or death, depending on whose path he crosses next.”

   Billy swallowed visibly. “I didn’t talk to him for very long. He just wanted to know if I had any weed—” He glanced up sharply. “Which, I didn’t. I swear.”

   Cora nodded encouragingly. “Okay. Did he say where he was going?”

   Billy looked worried. “If I tell you, do you promise not to rat me out?”

   “I would never do that,” Cora said with feeling. The last thing she’d ever do is put a kid like Billy at risk, or anyone in her city, for that matter. Cora had lived in the small North Carolina city tucked in the Appalachian foothills her entire life. It wasn’t nearly as big or as cosmopolitan as the larger cities to the east, but what it lacked in glamour, it made up for in charm. Providence Falls had a small university known for its creative arts programs, and the town was often a summer vacation destination for state residents who wanted to go “glamping.” It had all the benefits of city life, with the perk of being surrounded by forests, lakes and state parks. Cora couldn’t imagine living anywhere else, and her job of keeping the peace and protecting the people meant everything to her.

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