Just One More Temptation (The Sterling Family Book 4)

“Clara! You’re awake,” Fallon said, as she walked into the hospital room and found her boss and mentor sitting up and alert. “I brought you your favorite blend of tea.” She held the large cannister in her hands. “I didn’t think flowers that would make your allergies go crazy were a good idea. And I’m sure they’re monitoring your food. So… tea.”

“Thank you! I was running out at home. Don’t tell Oliver but I really prefer my own blend to his special tea. But enough about that. I understand you found me? I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t come by.” She held out her hand for her to clasp.

She put the tea on the moveable tray and took the older woman’s fragile hand in hers. “Clara, I adore you. I’m just glad you’re going to be okay. Was it your heart?”

“No, actually. The tests came back the same as last time I had a checkup. My own cardiologist stopped by. But they’re rerunning blood tests. There was an abnormality or something and they want to retest to be sure. I didn’t pay much attention. I do know they’re giving me saline and flushing out my system. They want me to stay a few days but I’m just glad I’m finally feeling better.”

“Good. Make sure you follow the doctor’s orders. Has anyone contacted Oliver?” Or maybe the doorman told him about his mother’s collapse and to what hospital she’d been taken.

“No. I haven’t heard from him. When I sat up and was dizzy, I tried calling for him but he didn’t answer. And I passed out before I could get to my phone.”

“Well, you’re on the road to recovery and that’s what matters. Oliver will turn up.” He always does, she thought, but didn’t say as much out loud.

They sat and talked about the work that had been done in the gallery. “The insurance company promised to cut the check soon and as you know, I had workers in last week. You can see it today if you’d like to stop by,” Clara said.

Fallon nodded. “In the meantime, when I leave here I’ll call Sylvie and tell her we can open tomorrow!” Excitement fluttered in her belly at the thought. “I missed the place while we were gone.”

A knock sounded on the door. “Time to take your vitals, Mrs. Morganville,” a young nurse said.

“That’s my cue. You should nap when she’s finished.” Fallon bent over and kissed her cheek. “Take care and I’ll talk to you soon.”

She left the hospital and took an Uber to the gallery, unlocking the door and letting herself in. Since she wasn’t ready for customers, she locked the door, flipped on the lights, and walked through the gallery, pleased with the changes. Clara had obviously taken the opportunity to have the entire gallery side painted and new sconces put in over where the artwork would hang. For someone who’d been laid up in bed, she sure had been working behind the scenes or her decorator friend had. Either way, Fallon was in love with the new look.

Tomorrow she’d get started on checking in with their usual artists but today, she had some painting of her own to do. She set up at her favorite easel, turned music on loud on her cell phone, and settled in to paint for the girls.

As usual when she worked, she got lost in the color mixes, choices, and strokes. By the time she looked up and glanced at the clock on her phone, hours had passed and she had messages from Brooke, her brother, Remy, who she hadn’t spoken to in too long, and Dex’s wife, Samantha, who wanted to make lunch plans and catch up.

She spent a few minutes rinsing the brushes off in the back and setting them out to dry before walking back into the room. Something smelled off and she sniffed, then sniffed again.

She smelled smoke.

A glance at the door to the gallery, a door she knew she’d left open, was now shut and she rushed over and turned the knob. To her relief, it hadn’t self-locked and she flung it open only to see the room filling with smoke.

Slamming the door closed because the paints and removers in this room were flammable, she grabbed her bag and jacket and ran to the front door. She unlocked it and tried to push but it wouldn’t budge. Using her body weight, she flung her shoulder against the door to no avail.

She wasn’t panicked… yet. The smoke had begun to seep under the small door to the gallery but she was still safe in here. She looked outside and had trouble seeing why the exit was jammed but it felt like something heavy was blocking the door and preventing it from moving. And the emergency exit in the back was on the gallery side.

One thing she knew: she had to get out of here.

Grabbing her phone, she dialed 911 and reported the fire, and the fact that she was locked inside the gallery. Then she called Noah because his apartment was close by. He answered on the first ring and she quickly explained her situation.

The fire alarm went off at a deafening level while she continued to do everything she could to move the door but it was jammed tight. Soon, her shoulder couldn’t take the pain of hitting against the glass. Giving up, she grabbed a towel and wrapped it over her nose and mouth, then lowered herself to the floor near the entrance and settled in to wait for help, praying it got here before the fire broke through the wall.

* * *

“Let’s go, girls! Katy’s mom is going to be here any minute to pick you up,” Noah called out. He’d been waiting for them for ten minutes, knowing to start early. God help him when they became teenagers.

A little while later, he’d had them put their jackets on and took them downstairs where their friend and her mom waited to take the girls to the movies. They’d asked if they could have their friend over and when he’d called, Jan, Katy’s mom, asked if she could bring them to the theater. He’d planned to spend the day in the office while the girls hung out with their friend but he was happy to hand them off for a few hours.

He returned upstairs to get himself together and then he planned on going to the hospital where Fallon said she’d be visiting with Clara. He’d felt guilty leaving her yesterday, the only thing making him feel better had been the fact that Clara was stable. At least he hadn’t left Fallon distraught and worried.

Once upstairs he took a quick shower and dressed, then grabbed his car keys just as his phone alerted him to a call and he saw Charlie’s photo on the screen.

He answered her FaceTime call, hoping he could get her off quickly since the girls weren’t here. He was eager to see Fallon.

He swiped to accept the call. “Charlie, hey!”

“Hi, Noah. How are you?”

“Everything’s good. You just missed the girls, though. They went to the movies with Katy and her mom.”

“What did they go see?” she asked, obviously eager for even the smallest detail about her girls.

He told her and she sighed. “I really wanted to take them to see it next time I’m home.”

“I’m sure you can catch it on streaming with them. You know they love to watch the same thing over and over.”

She nodded, tucking her dark brown hair behind her ear. “How is… Fallon’s her name, right? The twins said she watched them last week and the new nanny is starting tomorrow.”

At Fallon’s name, he stiffened but nodded. “Listen, she’s good with them. Took them to educational fun things every day. I trust her and if I trust her, then you should too.” He hoped that would stave off any argument over last week’s babysitting arrangement.

“Relax, I’m not going to give you a hard time. Of course I trust your judgment. I just wanted to say I’m happy for you. Even a little jealous of the time she’s spending with the kids.” Charlie let out a nervous laugh at the admission.

“There’s nothing wrong with you following your dreams. And I understand how much you miss the girls. I would too. But I can promise you, Fallon is not trying to replace you in their eyes. She just genuinely likes spending time with them. They’re fun to be around… when they’re behaving.” He chuckled.

“Actually, that’s part of why I’m calling. I’m coming home for a long weekend. I really miss the kids.” Tears shimmered in her eyes and he nodded in understanding.

“Just email me the dates and I’ll clear our schedules so you have all the time you want with them,” he promised.

“Thank you. Can they come sleep at the hotel with me?”

“Of course.”

She let out a relieved breath. “You’re a good man, Noah. Giving me this opportunity and not holding it against me.”

“I may not have followed any dreams but I can understand having a passion for something. I watch Dakota and she’s so much like you. Curious to learn and find out about everything. Go back to your dig and relax. Your girls love you. I’ll see you soon.”

She smiled, her mood obviously lighter, and said goodbye. When he cleared the screen, he saw he’d gotten a message from Fallon. She’d gone to the gallery for the day so instead of a trip to the hospital, he settled into his office to work.

No sooner had he cracked open a brief when his phone rang again. This time he was pleased with the incoming call.

He swiped the screen. “Fallon, hi!”

“Noah, quick. I’m trapped in the gallery, on the painting side. Something’s blocking the front exit. I can’t get out and there’s a fire next door. I called 911 but if you’re home, you’re so much closer.”

“I’m home and I’m coming.” He was out of his seat and running, phone still in his hand. “Stay calm and try not to panic. Wait by the door and I’ll be there soon.” Grabbing his keys, he slipped into his shoes and rushed down to his car.

No way a car would get him there quickly so he decided to run. Sheer adrenaline and fear drove him. He didn’t know what he’d do if anything happened to the woman he loved. She’d become such an intertwined, important part of his life, he couldn’t imagine not having her as part of his world.

He arrived to see two heavy cement blocks, one on top of the other, obstructing the door to the art studio side of the gallery. No wonder she couldn’t make it budge.

Inside, Fallon sat on the floor, one arm wrapped around her knees, a towel over her nose and mouth.

Sirens sounded in the distance as he attempted to lift the first block but it wouldn’t move. He braced his legs and pushed and the block fell over to the other side.

One down.

Sirens sounded in the distance but he smelled the smoke and wasn’t wasting time. He assumed the same position and lifted the second block enough to roll it to the other side.

By now, Fallon was aware of his presence and the moment he removed the obstacles, she pushed open the door, stepped outside, and flung herself into his arms, sobbing.

“Shh. I’ve got you.” He hugged her tight, ignoring the smell of smoke clinging to her clothes until finally she stepped out of his embrace, still breathing heavily.

“Oh my God, Noah, thank you!” Tears streamed down her face, and her hair was wild and falling over her shoulders. “I couldn’t move it and the alarm was going off, the smoke got heavy on my side and…”

“It’s okay.” He brushed her hair off her face and looked into her eyes. “You’re okay.”

But he might never be the same, the panic he felt running here and the fear lodged in his chest felt like it would never go away. He couldn’t show her his terror if he wanted to calm her down.

“Come on. Let’s move away from here to where it’s safer.” He led her a short distance away, hoping the firemen got here soon.

“The whole time I sat there, I kept thinking, who would want to destroy the gallery?”

“It couldn’t be faulty wiring?” he asked.

She shook her head. “It’s unlikely. Clara is meticulous about the building being up to code. She owns the property. And she adores the gallery. First the vandalism, now a fire?” She turned toward the building that now had smoke billowing from the top.

“Okay, so who stands to gain?”

“The only person who would benefit from insurance money is Clara and the gallery is her baby.” As she spoke, her eyes opened wide.

“Her baby,” Noah said, reading her mind. “Her son.”

“Oliver. He’s been missing lately. Never around when he should be. He hasn’t been to the hospital to visit his mother. She hasn’t even heard from him.”

Before he could reply, a fire truck pulled to a stop in front of the building.

A man jumped out of the front cab and they rushed over to him, ignoring the small crowd that had gathered.

“What happened?” he asked.

Fallon explained how she’d been painting on one side and the fire started on the other. How she’d been deliberately barricaded inside. “There are flammable liquids inside,” she informed him.

With a nod, he rushed off to talk to his men. Another fireman strode over and instructed them to clear the area and they crossed the street, waiting and watching with the other onlookers.

The paramedics and the police arrived shortly after. Though Fallon hadn’t been out of breath nor had she exhibited any worrying signs of smoke inhalation, the medical team had insisted on checking her out.

Once she’d been cleared, she’d given her statement to the police and fire investigator on scene, also mentioning what she knew of Oliver’s behavior. They’d both taken notes and said they’d be in touch if they had more questions.

Noah and Fallon walked back to his apartment, his arm around her shoulders.

“I didn’t outright accuse Oliver,” she said. “I just pointed out his suspicious behavior, his constant need for money, and how he wasn’t a fan of the gallery. But I hope the police rule him out. For Clara’s sake,” she murmured.

“So do I.” But Noah’s gut told him the other man had a lot to answer for before that could happen.