On the plane, Cora had read quite a bit of Newbie Blog Dad's blog. She found his writing to be charming, yet still down to Earth. Sometimes there was a bit of melodrama there, especially early on. She didn't know all that much about blogging but she assumed it was just a matter of finding his style or voice. There were elements of sadness too, Eliot Spencer was a single father because his wife had died of cancer when their son was only two. She wasn't mentioned very often on the blog and when she was, on Mother's Day and what appeared to be other important dates in their relationship, it was almost as if a different voice was talking about her. But then she supposed that his usual cheerful breezy tone wasn't appropriate. Oddly enough she found that more solemn side of Eliot to be more attractive. Wasn't sure what that said about her.

Cora shook her head. She wasn't supposed to be after a love connection. Her job was to sweet talk a man into writing a book. She honestly didn't understand why he was such a hard sell. He was a great writer and books by popular bloggers were bestsellers. Eliot's blog seemed to be his sole source of income and she knew her boss. Sophie Deveraux would get me a lucrative deal that would greatly help secure his son's future.

Cora could understand why he might not do talk shows, it was far easier to be outgoing behind a computer screen. But the book wouldn't necessarily need that kind of promotion.

She sighed as she prepared to exit the plane. Unlocking the mystery of why Eliot Spencer wouldn't sign a book deal was her job now. Which is exactly why she was almost glad he lived in Tulsa. The perfect person to help her solve a mystery lived in a suburb not far from the one Eliot lived in.

"So," Sophie was saying as they entered the terminal. "I've arranged a driver to take us to the hotel downtown. We'll need to arrange for a car to hire for you as Mr. Spencer lives out in the suburbs."

"Oh," Cora said, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. "I'm not going to the hotel. My uncle is picking me up."

"Your uncle?" Sophie raised her eyebrows. "You didn't mention an uncle living in Tulsa."

Cora chuckled. "He's technically my cousin, my mother's cousin. But they were practically like siblings growing up, so I call him uncle. Uncle Nate. Nate Ford."

Sophie stopped dead. "The Nate Ford? The crime novelist?"

Cora grinned. "One and the same. He's . . .well ever since his divorce, he's been kinda wandering. He was doing research for a book in Oklahoma and bought a ranch. It's one of those 'used to be in the middle of nowhere but now is surrounded by the suburbs' kinds. So he actually lives a few miles away from Mr. Spencer."

"Interesting," Sophie mused. "He looking for a new agent?"

Cora laughed and Sophie continued. "Never mind. Actually this could work well, visiting your uncle is a perfect excuse when our blogger asks why you're in town." Sophie rubbed her hands together. "Oh I'm so glad I asked you!"

Cora took a deep breath and forced a smile but said nothing else.

Sophie's driver was waiting as soon as they entered baggage claim and she was whisked away after ensuring that Cora would be alright. Cora checked on what carousel her bag was on and then heard her name being called.

"Cora!"

"Uncle Nate!" Nate was always a bit of an awkward hugger, but they hugged anyway.

"You got a bag?" Nate asked after a minute.

She nodded and after the usual bit of a wait, they were on their way.

After dinner, sitting in his living room, Nate looked over at his niece. "You gonna tell me why you're really in town?"

Cora's eyes were a bit wide. "I came to visit you."

Nate shook his head. "Come on Cora, don't kid a kidder. Not that it's not great to see you, but your mom tells me you've got a great job at an agency in New York City. Somehow I doubt you're just going to randomly appear on my doorstep for a month. So what's really going on, kiddo? You in some kind of trouble?"

"No!" Cora exclaimed then lowered her voice, shaking her head. "It's nothing like that."

"But it is something, you're nervous and you won't look at me."

Cora grimaced. "I'm here for work."

"In Oklahoma?" Nate looked very confused and took a sip of Scotch. "How so?"

Cora took a sip of the wine that she'd been slowly drinking. "It's all my boss' idea. Sophie Deveraux . . . ."

"The Sophie Deveraux?" Nate asked, in the same tone that Sophie had used in the airport, followed by a slow whistle. "She's a shark. Does it have something to do with me? I'm quite happy with my agent."

Cora giggled. "No, she didn't even know I had a relative here." Cora sighed, suddenly serious. "There's this blogger, Newbie Blog Dad. . . ."

"Newbie Blog Dad?" Nate made a face.

"That's what I said," Cora laughed briefly and then composed herself. "His name is Eliot Spencer and he's a widower with a small child. His blog is apparently the latest thing in the blogsphere. My agency wants to represent him in a book deal."

"Well that makes sense," Nate nodded, taking another sip. "Blogger books are hot commodities. But I'm unclear as to why you're here."

"He lives in Lancome. Which is why we're here. But he's really reluctant to write a book. I mean, reluctant. No one can make headway with him. Sophie's pretty much at her wit's end. Which is why I'm here." Cora rung her hands. "She wants me to go undercover. Befriend the man and talk him into wanting to write a book. Then I deliver him to her."

Nate was silent for a while. Cora took a big gulp of her wine then looked up at him. "It's awful I know. Unethical, sneaky, underhanded. I don't know why I let her talk me into this. I can't do it."

"Nonsense," Nate said, his eyes lighting up and what her mother called his "scheming face" locked on. "You're a Ford, Cora, don't ever forget that."

Cora snorted, their families had Chicago mob roots going back decades, even though they'd been descended from younger sons and daughters who'd landed in the corn fields of Indiana to escape their family name. Still though, the art of the con flowed through their veins.

"I know," she shook her head. "As much as I deny it. Served me well in drama club. But you're okay with this? It isn't honest."

"No, but he's a single father? Blog his only income?"

"Seems that way, I haven't read the file that Sophie gave me."

"Blogs can be flashes in the pan. He's probably raking in the revenue now, but in a year? They'll be on to the next big thing. A book, that's big money, especially with Deveraux repping him. He's probably afraid the blog is all he's got in him. You just gotta build up his confidence and draw him out. Give me that file and we'll hatch a plan in the morning."

Dash was asleep, the dog was out in the yard and Eliot was prepping breakfast for the next day. It would have to be something quick because he was opening his sister's candy store tomorrow. She'd called him an hour ago with a convoluted excuse that only made sense to her. It also took 20 minutes for her to tell when she could have simply asked him to open the store for her. He shook his head as he started cutting up fruit for overnight oatmeal. Dash would want cereal, but this was way healthier.

He loved his sister but she was . . . .Well, they always chalked up Parker's personality to whatever had happened before his mother had caught a 12 year old street kid trying to steal from her purse. Instead of calling the cops, their momma had brought the girl home and they eventually got through the red tape to adopt her. Parker was fiercely devoted to her family and had a huge heart, but there was no denying that she was odd.

Odd made her fit well with her husband. Hardison (not even his wife used his first name and Eliot had heard it for the first and only time at their wedding) was a genius, there was no doubt about that. But while he was the King of the Internet, he didn't really do well with actual in person social interaction. It made him perfect for Parker, really, they were the perfect match. But sometimes they both drove Eliot up a wall.

He owed them, he owed them big. He would never have survived losing Aimee and raising their son on his own without them. Which is why he'd do anything for them, including run their store whenever they asked. But just because he loved them and owed them, didn't mean that he didn't wish they were a little less Hardison and Parker. Or maybe, just maybe, that he could have an actual face to face conversation with an adult who was a notch below odd. Normal was probably asking just a bit too much after all.

Oatmeal finished, he put the jars in the refrigerator and filled up the coffeepot to have it ready to go. He stood in front of the laptop, mentally going over what he still needed to do. He'd already got Dash's clothes ready for the next day and was thawing something from the freezer for lunch when they got home from the store. Dishes were done, still had to let the dog in.

He grabbed a post it and scribbled a note about "chili recipe and quick breakfast ideas" and slapped it on the laptop.

"Gotta publish or perish, or whatever the hell they say."

"Trevor! C'mon boy!" he yelled out the sliding door and the dog reluctantly came in.

"You can terrorize the squirrels tomorrow. Time for bed."

The dog bounded up the stairs, heading for Dash's room as Eliot chuckled behind him. He was ready for bed himself, being a stay at home parent was more exhausting than he'd ever thought it could be. And tomorrow was going to be a long day.