In the Cradle Lies by Olivia Newport

Author:Olivia Newport [Newport, Olivia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781683229957
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2019-10-15T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Nolan adjusted the shades on his home office windows. As much as he hated to do it, he had to shut out some of the glare. A sunny day mixed with last week’s snow still freshly adorning the mountainside equaled distracting brilliance streaming through the windows and bouncing off his laptop screen and reading glasses. He settled into a comfortable chair with a mediation file to try to find the heart of the story. What had alienated this family to the degree that a disagreement became legal strife? If he could find that answer, he could bring tempers down and the needful emotions forward to find a solution during next week’s face-to-face meeting.

His cell phone jangled.

“Hey, Tucker.”

“Beautiful day to ski!”

“Sorry, nose to the grindstone for me.”

“All day?”

“’Fraid so.”

“I might run out for a quick ski,” Tucker said, “but I was hoping you could meet me later at the Heritage Society.”

“Oh?”

“Marilyn still needs help, right?”

“I’m sure.” Nolan tapped his pen against his yellow legal pad. “If I hustle for a while, I could probably meet you there midafternoon.”

“Good. I don’t think she thought I was serious when I said I wanted a list of what she needs. She’ll believe you if you vouch for me.”

“Perhaps.”

“Three o’clock?”

“I’ll be there.”

Nolan wasn’t the only one having a nose-to-the-grindstone day. He hardly heard movement from Jillian’s office below his all day. Occasionally the back stairwell, just outside her office off the kitchen, carried the clatter of her printer as it spat out a page or her indistinct voice on the phone for a couple of minutes. More often he heard the spatter and hiss of her coffee contraptions. At lunchtime he offered to make her something to eat, but she said she wasn’t hungry. Coffee yes, but not food. She was like her mother in that way. He made her a sandwich anyway and set it on her desk.

At a quarter to three, Nolan marked where he would want to pick up in his own work when he returned and popped into Jillian’s office. He was glad to see she’d eaten the sandwich and picked up the plate.

“Thanks, Dad. I’ll bring you an apple or something tomorrow.”

“I’ll hold you to it,” he said. “I’m leaving now.”

“Where?” She glanced at him and then back at her monitor.

“Meeting Tucker at the Heritage Society.”

Now she turned around. “Well, that’s interesting.”

“We did leave things rather a mess the other day, and I doubt Marilyn has much help.”

“True.”

“He also wants to make a donation.”

“Also interesting. Try to bring me back some information.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“And I’m glad you’re doing something where I don’t have to worry that Tucker is going to break my father.”

Nolan laughed.

“Don’t laugh, Dad. I don’t want him to break Kris either—her body or her heart. He bought her those ridiculous skis.”

“Kris has a good head on her shoulders.”

“I always thought so. But Tucker does something to her. Now they both have the right skis for Hidden Run.”

“Do you want to come along?”

Jillian sank back in her desk chair.

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