Page 588 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

He chuckled and Sydney flushed. Was he laughing at her? “You’re not from around here, are you?”

“No, not exactly.”

“If your Texas plates hadn’t given you away, your question would’ve.”

Sydney shook her head. “I don’t follow you.”

“Around here, people stop and help each other ’cause it’s the right thing to do.”

“Oh, I see.” She rewarded her rescuer with a brilliant smile. “Thank you.” She extended her hand. “I’m Sydney Lassiter.”

He gave her a firm handshake. “Kendall Fletcher.” He studied her with open curiosity, characteristic of a Southerner. “Are you passing through?”

“I’m moving here, actually.”

“Oh?”

“I am going to be working at the sawmill.”

He raised an eyebrow. His look of surprise both annoyed and amused Sydney.

“I’m the new safety consultant.”

His recovery was quick. “Well, let me be the first to welcome you to Stoney Creek. I work at the high school.”

“Are you a teacher?”

“I coach football.”

Syndey nodded. That explained the muscular physique.

An awkward silence passed. “Well, thank you again.” Sydney got in her jeep.

“Anytime.” He turned to go and then in what looked like an afterthought, turned to face her. “Would you like for me to ... I mean, if you’d like for me to show you around sometime, I’d be happy to.” He became interested in some spot on the ground as he shuffled his boot in the dirt.

It was an obvious attempt to ask her out, but he’d turned the words around to sound like he was doing her a favor. Her first impulse was to decline his offer, but seeing the discomfort on his face made her soften. There was something childlike and simple about him that was different from the polished, confident men she’d known in Ft. Worth. “I’d like that,” she said.

His genuine smile sent a blanket of warmth over her.

Before driving off, she looked in her rearview mirror and watched him get into his truck. She couldn’t wait to tell Ginger about the renegade cowboy who’d come out of nowhere to rescue her.

The shrill soundof the train whistle made Sydney question her decision to rent a house a mere two blocks from the railroad tracks. She had a hard enough time sleeping as it was. Adding a train to boot would make it impossible. She edged her Jeep Liberty up the steep, narrow road leading to the one-lane viaduct. Twenty feet below, the train was whizzing past. She waited for the car in the other direction to cross over. Now it washer turn. Was it her imagination, or did the rickety thing creak under the weight of her jeep?

Once on the other side, Sydney’s fears eased at the sight that greeted her. The house she had rented was nestled on a cozy street in the historical section of town. The big stately trees lining the road reminded her of the TCU Colonial District where her aunt had lived. An overwhelming feeling of loneliness surged as she thought of her aunt, and she pushed it away.

Sydney’s house was yellowish beige with dark green shutters and a matching painted door. From the first moment she’d seen it, she’d been impressed with its large windows and wide front porch. She walked up the cobblestone path leading to the door and up the steps. She lifted up a nearby planter that was empty and found the key that Tess Lambert, her realtor, had promised to leave.

Tess had wanted to meet Sydney at the house when she first arrived, but Sydney declined her offer. Tess was fine with that but told Sydney that she would be by next week to check on her.

Sydney was glad Tess wasn’t here. The realtor was nice enough, but nosy. Sydney wanted to get to know her house alone, on her terms. She stepped into the front room. Her footsteps echoed on the hardwood floor as she walked around the empty room.

Tess had shown Sydney this house last because she’d been certain that Sydney would prefer one of the newer ones with central heat and air. Dust particles went flying when Sydney turned on the wall air conditioning unit, and she wondered if Tess had been right. She spent the next few minutes wandering through the downstairs part of the house as she inspected the kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom. Next she walked back into the living room and then up the steps where there were two more bedrooms and a bathroom.

The movers would arrive the next day with her things. Tonight, she would sleep in a sleeping bag in one of the bedrooms. A shrill ringing caused her to jump, and she ran downstairs to answer the phone. She’d forgotten that it had already been installed.

“Hello?”

Ginger’s warm voice came over the line and without warning, Sydney’s eyes blurred. She dabbled them with her sleeve.

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