Page 72 of The Secret of Emerald Cottage

She tapped the photo album in his lap with a stern look that was all for show. “Get busy, mister, or that Coldstone sundae I promised is history.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, wondering how in mere months, she’d become the best friend he’d ever had.

And yet, so much more ...

Digging in, he labored over three humongous albums his mom had obviously put together of his dad’s youth, and for one brief shocking moment, he could almost imagine her fawning over his father’s childhood pictures like Molly had over his. Because deep in the recesses of his mind, he suddenly remembered things. His mother kissing his father under the mistletoe, their laughter through the thin walls of his adjoining room when they thought he was asleep. An impromptu dance in the kitchen … Head bowed, Brec suddenly understood that at one time, his parents might have truly loved each other.

And that love had created him.

“Well, that’s it,” Molly said a while later, closing the last album in her box with a loud thud. She leaned over to check his progress, lips rolled into a thin line of disappointment. “Nothing?”

“No. Lots of pictures of the Lads, but none featuring a belt with a coin. And this is the last album, Blaine’s teen years, twelve to twenty.”

“Mmm.” Molly grabbed her purse from the floor and dug around till she pulled out a magnifying glass, dropping Brec’s jaw when she jerked his album onto her lap. “Let me take a look. Did you get all the way through?”

“Almost,” he said, jaw still distended as he stared at her Sherlock Holmes’ posture with the glass. “Let me guess. You were a Nancy Drew and Bobbsey Twins freak, right?”

“To the core.” She never even looked up as she started at the beginning of the album, holding the magnifying glass over every picture on the page. “Mmm … you’re right, lots of belts, but nothing identifiable.” She continued to flip page after page until he finally heard a harsh catch of her breath on the very last one. “Bingo!” she said as she leaned closer, practically pinning the glass onto the photo.

Right before she caught her breath all over again ...