Drawing Close: The Fourth Novel in the Rosemont Series (3 page)

Chapter 6

Loretta Nash pushed through the
door of Haynes Enterprises shortly before eight o’clock. She hung her purse on
the back of her chair and stepped into the doorway of Frank Haynes’ office. He
was hunched over his computer monitor, and she was surprised to see that he
wasn’t concentrating on a spreadsheet. She knocked lightly on the doorjamb.

“Good morning, sir.”

“It’s Frank. You don’t need to call me sir,” he
said gruffly, but then looked up at her and smiled. “How’s Miss Nicole today?”

“She’s doing much better, sir … Frank. I was just
going to make coffee. Would you like some?”

Haynes stretched. “That would be great. I need
something.”

“What are you working on?” she asked tentatively,
half expecting him to bite her head off for poking around in his business.

“I’m trying to get in touch with an attorney.”

“That shouldn’t be too hard,” she ventured.

“He retired and moved out of the country more than
a decade ago.”

“That might be a different story,” she conceded.
“Do you know if he’s still alive?”

“I don’t. I found his bar association records, and
he retired at the very young age of forty-three, so it’s reasonable to think
so.”

“Lucky him,” Loretta remarked. “Do you know where
he moved to?”

“No. I’ve been searching on the Internet. I
thought you could find anything on the Internet. But I’m coming up empty-handed.”

“Would you like me to help? I’m pretty good at Internet
searches, and there are paid services that you can use to help, too. Genealogy
and skip trace websites. Stuff like that, if you don’t mind spending the
money.”

Frank Haynes beamed at her. “Loretta, you’re
brilliant. That would be super.”

Loretta turned aside before he could see her
blush. One thing was certain; she could never predict the moods of her boss.

***

Frank Haynes stood in front of
Loretta’s desk as she bundled the day’s receipts for deposit at the bank. “Any
luck finding Roger Spenser?” he asked.

Loretta shook her head. “Sorry. We’ve been so busy
here. Once I get through posting last month’s expenses, I’ll have more time.”

Haynes frowned. “When will that be?”

“Not until next week, I’m afraid. Are you in a
hurry to find him?”

“I might be.”

“I’ll work on it tonight, at home.”

“I’d appreciate it—very much.” He moved
toward his office and turned back. “Keep track of your hours. I’ll pay you
overtime.”

“You don’t need to do that. You were so
understanding about my time out of the office when Nicole was sick. I’m happy
to do this for you.”

Haynes nodded and a smile flickered on his lips.
“Even so, I’m going to pay you. When do you think you can start?”

“Tonight. Sean and Marissa are away at church camp,
and Nicole goes to bed early. I’ll work on it every night this week, if
necessary.”

“Call me the minute you find anything, okay?”

“Sure. You really want to find this guy, don’t
you?”

Haynes ignored her question and returned to his
office.

***

Loretta tuned to a Disney movie on
the television and opened her laptop while Nicole snuggled next to her,
drowsily watching the tale of a prince and princess that she’d seen dozens of
times before. Roger Spenser was a common name, and Loretta unearthed a lot of
entries to sort through. Knowing his age and that he had been an attorney in
Chicago helped narrow her search.

The movie was nearing its inevitable conclusion
when one entry on the third page of results caught her attention. There was a
Roger Spenser who had made a name for himself as a birdwatcher. As she scrolled
through the links, she learned that he was referred to as a “birder” rather
than a “birdwatcher” because of his more serious pursuit of the hobby. He’d
even lead international excursions and written a blog on the topic.

Loretta brushed the hair off of Nicole’s forehead
as the movie credits rolled on the screen. “Let’s get you to bed,” she
whispered as she clicked the remote to turn off the TV.

Nicole slowly lowered one foot to the floor.

“Are you feeling okay, sweetheart?” Loretta asked,
placing her hand under her daughter’s chin and raising her face to look at her
carefully.

Nicole nodded.

“Just tired?”

Nicole nodded again.

Loretta put her arm around her daughter’s
shoulders and steered her into the bathroom and then into bed. She tucked
Nicole’s favorite blanket around her and watched as her youngest child fell
quickly asleep. Loretta said a prayer of thanks that her little girl’s kidneys
were responding to the medication and working properly. She never wanted to see
Nicole hooked up to a dialysis machine again.

***

Despite staying up until after
midnight researching noted birder Roger Spenser and making a record of her
findings, Loretta was waiting at Haynes Enterprises when Frank Haynes arrived
at seven thirty the next morning.

“Sorry to keep you standing out here,” he said as
he hurried up the steps and inserted his key. “Why are you here so early?”

“I have some things to attend to,” she said
cryptically.

“Find anything about Spenser last night?” he asked
as he held the door open for her.

“Yes. That’s actually why I came in so early. I
want to make a couple of calls before the phones start ringing off the hook
around here.”

Haynes turned to her. “Tell me.”

Loretta arched a brow and smiled. “Not yet.”

“When?”

“I should be finished this afternoon.”

“I’ve got meetings out of the office from
lunchtime on,” he said, frowning.

“It’ll keep until tomorrow.”

Haynes shook his head. “Can I call you at home,
tonight?” His head came up. “Better yet, why don’t I take you and your daughter
out to dinner and you can tell me then?”

Loretta stared. Frank Haynes never ceased to
surprise her.

“Where would you like to go? What does Nicole
like?”

“With Nicole in tow, we’ll need to go to a place
with a play area. One of your restaurants would be fine.”

“Ahhh …” Frank rubbed his hand over his chin. “Can
you get a babysitter? Would you like to go to The Mill?”

Did Frank Haynes just ask her on a date?
No,
get over yourself, Loretta. He just doesn’t want Nicole to interrupt.
Haynes was looking at her, waiting for her reply. She cleared her throat. “I’d
love to. Let me see what I can do.”

“Good, it’s settled. I’ll pick you up at six thirty.
Can you make a reservation?” He tossed the office key on her desk. “And make
yourself a copy of this key. It’s ridiculous that I have to always be here to
open and lock up.”

Would wonders never cease?
Loretta thought.
Frank Haynes was taking her to the nicest place in town for dinner, and he was
finally giving her a key to the office. Maybe she was making progress with him
after all.

***

Loretta locked up Haynes
Enterprises at four o’clock and attached her new key to her key chain. She
wanted to have enough time to get Nicole fed and over to Mrs. Walters, the
babysitter, so she’d be home by five thirty. She’d like to touch up her makeup
and change her clothes before Frank picked her up.
This isn’t a date,
she reminded herself. She hadn’t been on a date in years—not since before
Paul died. This was a business dinner, but she wanted to look her best.

When she stepped into her closet an hour and a
half later, she pulled out the strapless red dress that had been Paul’s
favorite. Loretta pulled it over her head and turned side to side, scrutinizing
herself in her full-length mirror. It still fit perfectly, and she looked like
a million bucks, if she did say so herself. But it didn’t suit her anymore. It
was a dress for a carefree, fun-loving, seductive woman. Loretta wasn’t that
person anymore. She pulled the dress down around her ankles and kicked it
aside. It was time to put it in her donation box.

Loretta stepped to her closet and worked her way
through the hangers, passing over the scores of expensive garments that Paul
had bought for her. It was time to put all of this behind her. High time.
Loretta swept the clothes onto her arm and carried them to her kitchen table.
She’d bag them up when she got home and donate them on the way to work the next
morning. Before she lost her nerve.

With a lightness that was palpable, she returned
to her now much-depleted closet. Shoved into the far corner, one shoulder
perilously close to slipping off the hanger, was a plain black sheath. She’d
had the dress for more than a decade. It was the first “good” dress she’d ever
bought herself. The fabric was lovely, with a soft sheen that glowed in
candlelight. Loretta had balked at the price, but the saleslady had insisted
that this was a dress that she could be proud to wear for the rest of her life.
Loretta pulled it off the hanger. She was going to see about that, right now.

***

From the admiring look in Frank
Haynes’ eyes when she opened her door to him precisely at six thirty, the
saleslady had been right. Loretta looked beautiful, and she knew it. She was
also sure that Frank thought so, too.

“We’d better get going,” he said after an awkward
silence in her doorway.

They drove through the midsummer countryside to
the old sawmill, now repurposed as an inn, restaurant, and spa, as the last
rays of sun slanted through the thick canopy of trees lining the route. Frank
expertly navigated the twists and turns of the country road while Loretta
relaxed and enjoyed the unexpected treat of being a passenger and not a driver.

Not more than twenty minutes later, the courteous
hostess ushered them to a table by the window. “As requested,” she said.

Loretta turned to the woman. “I didn’t request a
window table when I made the reservation. This must be meant for someone else.”

“I called to arrange it,” Haynes said.

Loretta turned to him in surprise. “Thank you.”

“The sunset over the river should be spectacular
tonight.” He pointed to the sky as he held her chair for her. “Clouds always
magnify the colors of a setting sun.”

Loretta placed her purse on her lap and began
removing a small stack of papers.

“I’m anxious to hear what you’ve found,” Haynes
said as he sat down, “but let’s order, first.”

Loretta laid the papers aside and picked up her
menu.

The waiter approached and offered to take their
drink order. Loretta shook her head. “I’m fine with water.”

“You like red wine, don’t you? Malbec?”

“You’ve got a good memory,” she replied.

Haynes studied the extensive wine list and pointed
to one of the offerings. “That’s an extremely nice choice, sir,” the waiter
said. “You have very good taste. I’ll get it right out.”

“I remember your penchant for salads, but they’re
known for their steaks. The fillet is superb.”

Loretta perused the menu. It was the most
expensive thing listed.

“That’s what I’m having,” Frank said, folding his
menu and putting it on the table.

“All right,” Loretta said. “Sounds good.”

“Why don’t you pick out the sides? You’re more
interested in vegetables than I am.”

Loretta smiled. “What do you like?”

Haynes shrugged. “Whatever you pick will be fine.”

Loretta looked at him over the top of her menu.
Frank Hayes actually had “game,” as Loretta and her girlfriends in Arizona used
to say about the men they dated who knew how to flirt.
That was such a long
time ago,
she thought.

The waiter approached and made a dignified show of
displaying the bottle to Frank, uncorking it, and waiting for him to approve
the sample. He poured them each a glass and took their orders.

“Garlic mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus to
your liking?” Loretta asked as the waiter retreated.

“The potatoes, yes. I’m sorry to say I’ve never
tried asparagus.”

“What? Why didn’t you tell me?” She turned in her
chair to summon the waiter back to them.

Frank leaned toward her. “It’s fine. High time I
tried new things. And if I don’t like it, I don’t think they’ll make me clean
my plate.” He smiled at her and she smiled back.

He leaned back into his chair and Loretta felt an
invisible curtain fall between them. “So. Tell me. What did you find?”

Loretta drew a deep breath and gathered her notes.
“Roger Spenser is a fairly common name, so this took a bit of time. And I’m not
certain I’ve found the one you want.”

Haynes nodded, impatient for her to proceed.

“I found a Roger Spenser who was an attorney in
Chicago. The Illinois bar records show he retired from the practice in 2001. So
the timing of that is good. He’s an avid birdwatcher and moved to the Lake
District in England to pursue his hobby. His wife was even more serious about
it than he was.” She looked up at him. “Did you know that if you just like to
look at birds, you’re a birdwatcher, if you’re really serious about it, you’re
known as a birder, and if you’re studying them for scientific purposes, you’re
called an ornithologist? Who knew …”

Haynes shifted in his chair and resisted the urge
to make a rolling motion with his finger, telling her to move her story along.

“Anyway, both of the Spensers were considered
birders. They went bird-watching all over the globe for the next ten years, and
his wife even led birding expeditions. When she died in 2011, he took over and
continued to lead at least two trips a year. He even wrote a monthly blog
called
On a Wing and a Prayer
.”

“He’s still in the Lake District, leading folks
with huge binoculars slung around their necks through field and forest and
writing about it?” Haynes could hardly believe his good luck.

“Not really. That’s what I found last night, but
his blog abruptly stopped six months ago, and the website where his tours were
booked doesn’t list any to be led by him. The trail came to a screeching halt.”