Page 88 of Fortune's Control
She watched the pack of boys run off with sad, dark eyes.
I took the seat beside her. “I’m Shane. What’s your name?”
“Aliyah.”
I heard that name before. “You’re Brittany’s little girl, aren’t you?” I asked and kept going after her shy nod. “Can you play?”
“My mama taught me.”
Brittany owned one of the downtown antique shops. “Then come join us. We’ll warm up our arms first and practice hitting.” It was years ago, but I remember running some hilarious drills as a kid.
“Why don’t you have a leg?” Aliyah poked the silicone where the prosthesis and the skin below my knee met. “My mama said you lost it in an accident, and everyone feels bad for you.”
I stiffened at her brutal assessment. Many townsfolk worried over me or expressed shock the first time they saw me. I stuck to long pants, even during the warmest parts of summer, because of it. I shed those now, opting for comfort and practicality instead. The people here didn’t see me as a curiosity, which I knew, but that didn’t mean I wanted to share either.
Lilah hadn’t moved, other than to put a baseball hat on. I smiled upon realizing it was the same hat I wore when we first met. She flashed a subtle wave and continued speaking to Lainey. I’d bet her eyes stayed on me the entire time.
“The accident was a long time ago, and now I wear this.”
“Does it hurt?”
“Sometimes, but not much anymore. It helps me do everything I enjoy, like playing baseball and running. Everyone who wants to play should be able to, including you.” I stood and offered my hand. “Run a couple of laps, and then we’ll start on drills. What position do you play?”
“Second base.”
“Perfect. We’re putting you on second.”
*****
“Why is our baseball field covered in Kid McNuggets?” Dean asked.
“You’re late.”
“Alex called me, and you’re lucky I didn’t know kids were here.”
“They came just for you. You missed the part where they screamed your name.” I nodded towards the dugout for a private conversation. “Did you learn anything important?” I asked after confirming we were alone.
“He found someone who may be a hit. I sent the information to your phone.” I held up my empty hands. “You don’t carry your phone?” he asked with genuine shock.
“I left it with Lilah. Anyone who ever calls or texts me is already here.”
He lowered his voice. “We’re lucky I didn’t send this part to you then. Are you still staying quiet about her grandmother?”
Keeping it a secret was not my intention. After learning about Lilah’s toxic mother, I wanted to vet the woman first. Lilah didn’t deserve to be hurt, and her timidity regarding our search efforts said she worried that would happen. If I could protect her from heartache, I would. “Until I check her out. In person.”
“Evelyn Carter still lives around here,” he started, before I raised my hand to cut him off.
Too late. Lainey Jensen walked past, carrying several bottles of water to the kids. “Evelyn Carter?” she asked.
Shit. “Do you know her?”
“She attends the library book club. Are you looking for her?” Lainey covered her mouth with a bottle before pulling it back. “Is that her grandmother? You found her, didn’t you? Oh, does Lilah know? I can’t believe it’s true. Another mystery solved.”
“Maybe. Don’t tell her.” Her brows drewtogether at my order. Directing people was preferable to polite requests. I aimed for a more pleasant tone. “I want to speak with her before telling Lilah. She’s been through enough. Will you keep the secret for me?”
“She’s told me about her mother, and everything else,” Lainey said with an appreciative nod. “You’ll like Evelyn. She’s…a personality. The next meeting is tomorrow, so drop by. Oh, goodness. A mystery solved.”
“Damn, asking the librarian would have saved me some work. I’ll send you her new address later. Also, I won’t be at the library tomorrow. That’s tons of people at once.” Dean stared out at the field. “Why are all these kids here again?”
