A Matter of Trust

Chapter 50





Mia watched Eli walking toward her, toting the table saw. It was heavy, but he handled it easily. He set it on the card table Gabe had put up in the yard this morning, then handed Mia three crisp twenty-dollar bills. Brooke was under the table, leaning against Mia’s leg and whispering to herself. She seemed to be pretending she was in some kind of hideout.

“That’s a good deal.” Eli tapped the side of the saw blade. “It doesn’t look like it’s ever been used.”

“My husband was going to add on to the deck, but I think buying that saw is as close as he got to doing it.” Scott had been great at starting things.

“You sure you don’t want to hold on to it?” Eli pushed it toward her a half inch, and the card table rocked a little bit.

“Positive. You’re saving Gabe from sawing off his fingers. Or at least me from worrying that he will.”

Mia thought about her own fingers. Had Eli noticed the pale band of skin on her left hand, the one poking out of the blue cloth sling? The bullet had cut a clean path through her shoulder, missing any vital structures. At the hospital they had removed her wedding band, worried that her hand might swell. The ring had been returned to her in a plastic envelope, and she hadn’t put it back on. Last night she had held it in her palm for a long time and then locked it in the fire safe.

“If you’re sure.” He hefted it under his arm.

“I am.”

“I still owe you that cup of coffee,” Eli said. “Maybe I can buy it for you over lunch sometime.”

She didn’t know what to say, so she was surprised to hear herself answering, “I’d like that.”

Eli stepped back to let a woman deposit all of Mia’s mismatched plastic storage containers and a stack of paperbacks on the card table. She gave him a wave with her good hand, which he returned before turning and carrying the saw to his car.

In quick succession she sold a step stool, more books, and a game of Monopoly with London place names. The garage sale was doing brisk business. A lot of purchases were being made by curious neighbors who wanted to know more about what had happened. Gabe was talking to one of them now, a girl who lived down the street and who seemed to have shot up three inches in the last three months. By the way he was swinging his arms, Mia guessed he was retelling the story of how he had fought off Katrina with the help of his skateboard.

Katrina was sitting in jail, as was the man she had offered a plea bargain to in exchange for providing the gun and pulling the trigger. Ben McFadden had thought he was trading Colleen’s life for his freedom, but now both were gone. Mia’s co-workers had been combing through Tami’s and Katrina’s files, looking for more plea bargains that might have been the result of bribery. Katrina wasn’t talking, and Tami claimed she had had no knowledge of any, but Mia suspected that this was as spurious as the idea that Tami had only been hugging that inmate. She had always been willing to claim anything in the courtroom in the hopes that her clients might go free. Now it looked as if she had been willing to let anything happen outside the courtroom as well.

Ronni put down two of Mia’s old sweaters and then reached into her pocket.

“Your money’s no good here, I’m afraid.” Mia started to put the sweaters into an old brown paper grocery bag, but it was hard to do. It was amazing how much you needed two hands to do things well—or at all. Cutting up food, using a computer, getting dressed, driving. Even sliding a sweater into a grocery bag was nearly impossible. Mia promised herself that when she got this sling off she would be forever grateful for the use of both of her hands.

“I owe you too much already,” Ronni said. Thanks to Mia’s suggestion that Ronni house-sit for Violet while she was at college, the girl now had a place to live.

“You don’t owe me anything.” Mia had to raise her voice over the sound of the shop vac, which an old man in high-waisted jeans had turned on to see if the homemade sign that read Works Fine was really true. “Except to keep your grades up.”

“Then all I can say is thank you.” Ronni took the grocery bag from her, folded the sweaters neatly, and placed them inside. She smiled at Mia before stepping aside for an older woman who was toting Brooke’s old high chair.

“That will be seven dollars,” Mia said.

“That’s my chair.” Brooke stood up with her lower lip pushed out.

“But you’re a big girl who sits in a big chair now,” Mia said. “Can you press the buttons on the cash register for me? It’s a seven and then zero, zero.”

Distracted by her new adult role, Brooke did as she was asked. She hadn’t had a single night terror since Mia had adjusted her bedtime. With a ding, the red plastic drawer popped open. Mia told Brooke where to put each of the bills. Scott had bought the cash register a year ago, when paying thirty dollars for an “educational” toy had seemed like a good deal.

While Mia was recuperating, she had gotten started on refinancing the house. Yes, she would be sixty-seven when she finally owned it free and clear, but a re-fi would allow her to pay off the debts and give her some breathing room.

A familiar figure walked into the yard. Charlie. While Mia was being treated at the hospital for her gunshot, he had gruffly admitted that he had thought the worst when he pulled into the driveway and saw the blood.

He shot her a crooked smile, waved at Gabe, and then began to browse. Finally he came up to her card table with a cast-iron frying pan.

“I really didn’t figure you for the cooking type, Charlie.”

He shrugged. “Things aren’t always what they seem.”

She thought of Katrina. “I guess we both learned that, didn’t we?”

He looked away. If she didn’t know it was impossible, she would have said Charlie was acting shy.

“I also wanted to see how you were doing.”

“Pretty well, all things considered. The doctor says I can go back to work on Monday. And the sling can come off in another week.”

“Actually . . .” Charlie glanced down at Brooke and back up at Mia. “I’ve been looking into an old case and I’d like to talk to you about it.”

“Sure.” He probably wanted her opinion about whether it could be prosecuted. There was no sense in reopening a case if the prosecutor felt there was little or no chance of winning a conviction.

“Maybe over lunch?”

Two requests for lunch in one afternoon? Then again, it was only lunch. With people she worked with.

She realized Charlie was still waiting.

“I’d like that.” She held out her good hand. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

Gingerly, he took it. His fingers were cool. “What?”

“You owe me two dollars.”





READING GROUP GUIDE





1. On her eHeartMatch profile, Colleen lies about her weight and age. Vincent lies about his appearance and occupation. Do you feel that you have a different level of trust for what you read on the Internet as opposed to what someone tells you or what you see in the newspaper or on TV? Do you think that the truth has become more malleable in your lifetime? Or is it perhaps easier to discover?

2. Her husband’s death made it necessary for Mia to go back to work. Many women juggle duties both at home and at a job. Is it really possible to have it all? How can we find balance? Have you ever felt torn between competing needs?

3. Nate says about his son Darin, “A long time ago, I realized I could spend all my time wishing for the son I never had or I could love the son who was standing right in front of me.” Have you ever struggled with loving someone just the way they are? Do you think in some cases it’s not possible?

4. Teens these days interact with so many different kinds of social media: Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest. They can access social media on their phones, computers, tablet computers, or netbooks. If you have kids, how have you tried to manage or oversee this? Have you put the computer in a common area? Do you look at their texts, their Facebook posts, their e-mails—or is that any different than eavesdropping or reading their diaries? Is it even possible to successfully monitor their interactions? Would you ever consider putting spyware on your child’s phone or computer?

5. Darin was bullied. Were you ever bullied as a kid—or perhaps even on the other side? Do you think that bullying is more prevalent today or is it something we are simply more aware of? What do you think are the best ways to help prevent bullying?

6. Gina’s and Martin’s adopted child might be autistic. Doctors say he needs thousands of dollars worth of therapy. Have you known anyone who has struggled with autism?

7. Gabe’s coach keeps him on the bench instead of putting him in to play. Do you think high school sports should focus on winning or on letting more kids on the team play? Does that change if you’re talking about a JV team?

8. Mia discovers that Scott has left their family in debt. Do you think she should have pursued bankruptcy? Do you know someone who has been affected by foreclosure or overwhelming debts?

9. Brooke has night terrors. Have you ever known a child with night terrors? Have you dealt with a child who had a mysterious illness?

10. One of the main themes of A Matter of Trust is that appearances can be deceiving. Ronni is homeless yet determined to finish school. One of the boys who tormented Darin turns out to have also been his friend. Do you think as you have gained more experience in life that you have gotten better at seeing below the surface? Or are we all so busy that we are often forced to rely on the surface and to make snap judgments?





ACKNOWLEDGMENTS


Dear “Mia,” even though you are a figment of my imagination, thank you for letting your story be told. In some ways, you are more truth than fiction, and so near and dear to my heart. Telling your story brings me closer to you and will, I hope, inform women who see themselves in your proverbial shoes. Tread wisely, my friend.

Speaking of friends: Thank you, O’Reilly, from Wiehl. And Roger Ailes, an intrepid leader. And Dianne Brandi, daughter of Dolores.

Research is the key to any good story, so thank you, Joe Collins (paramedic and firefighter), Robin Burcell (author and former cop and forensic artist), and all our friends in law enforcement who consulted and advised without attribution.

Thank you to the amazing team at Thomas Nelson! Their spirit for the story never ceases to amaze. It is with much gratitude that we thank Daisy Hutton, Vice President and Publisher (spirit, charm, and smarts all wrapped up in one amazing person); Ami McConnell, Senior Acquisitions Editor (she was the first to really “see” Mia . . . I will always love her for that); Amanda Bostic, Acquisitions Editor (I love how she thinks); LB Norton, line editor (with her keen eye, quick pen, and great sense of humor); Becky Monds, Associate Editor (I don’t ever think she doesn’t have a smile on her face, love that); Jodi Hughes, Editorial Assistant (and destined for great things, I feel it in my bones); Kristen Vasgaard, Manager of Packaging (she makes book covers sing); Ruthie Dean, Marketing and Publicity Specialist (she gets it all done . . . not quite sure how, but she does); Laura Dickerson, Marketing and Publicity Specialist (so glad to be part of her team); Kerri Potts, Marketing and Publicity Coordinator (the inspiration behind my Facebook); and, finally, with special thanks to Katie Bond, Director of Marketing and Publicity (I’m so proud of you, friend. We have shared so many stories, and have many more ahead). We love this team!

Special thanks to our book agents, Todd Shuster and Lane Zachary of the Zachary, Shuster, and Harmsworth Literary Agency, and Wendy Schmalz of the Wendy Schmalz Agency—you made the Mia novels happen.

To my mom and dad. I still aim to follow the moral compass you set years ago.

All of the mistakes are ours. All the credit is theirs. Thank you!