by Keene, Susan
He kissed me first on the forehead and neck before he gave me a loving one on the lips. “Be right back,” he said as he turned and headed for the stairs.
The conversation I wanted to have with Ryan would not go over well. I knew it wasn’t a case of I’m your husband and I said no. In the years we had been together my husband, Michael, and three of our friends had been murdered. I had found a twin sister I didn’t know I had, got kidnapped by a New Jersey crime family and saw to it my so-called mother and uncle were sentenced to live the rest of their respective lives in Federal custody.
He had every right to be worried. Like every other red-blooded person on the planet who didn’t have some horrible illness, I thought myself invincible.
Ryan bounded down the stairs with Chili dog right behind him barking at his heels. I looked up. He had Chili’s favorite toy just high enough above her she couldn’t reach it. She showed him her displeasure by barking loudly. He stopped on the bottom step, gave the dog her toy and played tug-o-war with her for a few minutes. She sounded ferocious.
“You two are going to have to resume playtime later, dinner’s ready.” I fixed his plate and poured him a glass of Rosé.
“This looks wonderful and smells even better.”
“After I had all those groceries delivered, I decided I should cook. I looked this dish up on Pinterest.”
He raised his glass. “To Pinterest.”
I toasted with him.
“Are we going to call the FBI today about the Tucker case and Ivy’s drawings?”
I looked at him over my fork and said nothing.
“You aren’t, are you?”
“No. I want to sleep on it. Don’t you think if I call them and tell them we are going to widen our investigation, they might think I believe myself to be a better detective than they are? Didn’t I hear the agent in Chicago say they would not reopen the case?”
“Then don’t tell them, but remember, the officer in Mexico said they did reopen it. We can find out everything we need to know without leaving the house. Give it two weeks and then if we haven’t found any new clues we will go on with the book. Those people have been around for the last fifteen years and haven’t gone anywhere; I doubt they will in the next two weeks.”
“I know you are right. Amy and I will talk to everyone again, ask different questions and add people to our list if need be. The pictures are so amazing. I’d love for the public to find out, through Ivy’s eyes, what really happened.”
He finished the food on his plate. “Do we have jelly? I haven’t had biscuits and jelly since I was a small child.”
I headed for the pantry. “Blueberry, blackberry, or grape?”
He was up before me headed toward the pantry. “Blackberry is my favorite.” He said nothing else until he lathered half of the baked treat with jam.
We cleaned the dinner dishes as we drank the rest of the wine. My mind was on making a list of things to ask the Chicago neighbor, then I remembered. “Want to head over to Amy’s and Nathan’s and look at the new land and garden? They are expecting us.”
“Sounds good, I’d like to see what they’ve done.” He picked up Chili and asked her, “Want to visit Digger tonight?” She barked. Ryan tucked her under his arm and said, “Okay, let’s go.”
On the way over we stopped at Ted Drew’s and picked up a carton of black walnut frozen yogurt.
We went through the gate into the backyard and found Nathan and Amy. I sat Chili on the ground, Digger met her halfway. They met to chase one another around the huge space.
“We come bearing gifts.” Ryan held out the ice cream.
Nathan looked up. “Hi guys. We could use a break.” He put his hoe down. Amy, who had been kneeling on a garden pad, stood and stretched.
We all went inside. Amy and Nathan dished out the black walnut yogurt. We carried our desserts outside to the patio.
Amy handed me a spoon. “What have you decided to do about the book?”
I answered readily. “It is one reason we came over. The other being to see all the improvements you two have made.”
Nathan spoke up. “Let’s talk about the book first.”
I looked at Ryan before I said anything. He shrugged his shoulders. “We had a long discussion about it. We decided there might be another reason why these men wanted to kill the Tuckers and it would be better to put the book on hold and investigate a little more.”
I took over. “Yes, we assumed the Tuckers were in the wrong place at the wrong time. It might not be the case. Maybe they were on the run from something they couldn’t fix. They made some permanent decisions before they left on their trip.”
Amy held her spoon full of ice cream suspended near her mouth and said, “After what happened at the restaurant, Nathan and I came to the same conclusion. At this point what possible difference could it make if the story comes out. We checked and unless the people involved are dead, we can’t use their real names. They would have to give written permission and we know that isn’t going to happen.”
I played with my ice cream, swirling it in the bowl. “I hadn’t thought of that. Amy, let’s me and you take a closer look at Mrs. Caulfield, the staff at the hospital, and what else went on in the Chicago area when the Tuckers decided to take a three-month cruise.”
“I like it. We can start in the morning and use our new equipment to run background checks.”
I took a bite. “What is the low-pitched hum I hear?”
Nathan grinned. “It’s a device that keeps people from listening to our conversations. All they hear within a fifty-foot radius is a low annoying hum.”
“Ryan,” I said, “we need one of those.”
He reached in his pocket and came out with two small boxes. He opened one and handed the other one to me. “Carry it in your pocket. You don’t need to remove it for it to work. Reach in, push this button and talk away. We all four have one. The only thing we need to do now is remember to use them.”
Nathan sat his bowl on the patio table between them. “You know we love and respect you two, but they did more than intimidate Amy. They could have killed her. We talked about it and we think she and I should sit this one out.”
Kate reached over and touched Amy’s arm. “I don’t blame you. No hard feelings. We have cases stacking up at the agency. Maybe you could focus on those.”
Amy looked at Nathan. “It’s a good idea, but I can’t work by myself.”
Ryan looked at Nathan. “Do you want to work with her?”
“I’d love to,” Nathan answered, “but we can’t live on what the agency pays, and you said you needed me at the office.” He stopped and looked toward Amy; she shook her head yes. “We’re pregnant,” he added.
I scurried to her chair and knelt beside her. “How wonderful!”
“We think so,” Amy said, the joy evident in her voice. “The baby’s due in January.”
Ryan stood and offered his hand to Nathan, changed his mind and walked around the table to give his friend a hug. “I’m happy for you Nate. And so far as the money goes, you will draw your regular salary until this Tucker case is over. Then you can come back to your regular job and Kate can go back to hers.” Ryan tried to act unconcerned, but he couldn’t hide his uneasiness. “This shouldn’t take over a week or two, unless they kill us right off the bat. Then it will only be a few days.”
We looked at one another and the chatter stopped. We all knew how true his words could be.
CHAPTER 20
R yan called the next day from his office. I could tell whatever his reason for the call, it wasn’t good. “What happened?” I asked.
“I received a graphic text today. It describes in detail what they intend to do to you if you don’t stop.”
“Oh no, Ryan, who sent it?”
“Jacob can’t track it. He has done everything. I called Roger. He is coming to get my phone later this evening.”
“Someone is at the door.”
“Kate. Don’t take any chances. I
know it’s important to you to get Ivy’s pictures off your phone and on to paper, but be careful. Two of my men are on the way over. They have a password. Its Red feathers don’t bend. If they don’t know it, shoot them and call the police.”
“How do you come up with those?”
“I pick the most random words I can. Stay safe, I’m almost done here and should be home by six.”
“Be careful. Do you have a bodyguard?”
“Yes, two actually.”
I walked to the door and looked out the side window. I recognized both men, but I did as Ryan asked. They knew the password and I let them in.
“Hi Jeff, hi Matt, sorry to have to bring you over here.”
“Not a problem, Mrs. Meade, it’s what we do. What can we help you with?”
I picked up the manila envelopes I had to put my work in. “I need to take my phone to the office store. There are some cell phone pictures I’d like to have made into prints. I’d like to wait for them and bring them back with me,” I added, “safely, and please, call me Kate.”
“Are you ready to go, Mrs. a-a-Kate?” Jeff asked.
“Ready as I’ll ever be.”
No matter how many times I had bodyguards in my life, I never became comfortable with the concept. Both men were tall and lean, each had an ear bud I assumed kept him in contact with the other, or perhaps a third man out of sight somewhere.
Matt walked one step in front of me. His eyes and head never stopped moving. Jeff walked a half step behind me and to my left. Both men wore well-fitting suits with bulges where their side arms rested in shoulder holsters. I had my Glock and resisted the urge to pat it to reassure myself.
We stepped up to the SUV. It was new, shiny, with bullet proof windows and dark tint. After the ordeal we had in New Jersey with my sister, Ryan put extra armor on all his company cars. This one had Meade Surveillance and Security in small gold letters on the driver’s side door.
Matt put me in the car. Jeff walked around the back of the vehicle before entering on the passenger side.
When we arrived at the store, we did everything in reverse. Inside we walked to the printer counter in the back. The men stood one on each side until we were finished. Their eyes continually scanned the store for danger.
It could have been my imagination, but it seemed the man worked quickly on my order and asked several times if I was happy with his work. His hands shook as he handed me my package.
Before the men left me, they checked every room in the house, the garage, basement, and back yard.
I went into the nifty office Ryan and his techs set up and laid my work out on the table and desk. I began to work on the text.
I knew the book I worked on may never see the light of day, but I intended to finish it no matter what.
It was important I didn’t accuse anyone of a crime. I needed to lay the story out, describe it with the aid of the drawings and let others draw their own conclusions. I would only give names to Ivy, her mom and dad, and her siblings.
The others I would identify as panganero, cook, captain, boat rental manager, and whale guide.
I knew if I did it correctly, it would help bring the murderers to justice, or at least bring the possibility of foul play to the forefront.
Ryan came in as I worked. “Did the men take good care of you today?”
“Yes, I felt like a dignitary or royalty. Thanks. So, who do you think wants to kill me?”
“Anyone and everyone whose business will be interrupted or destroyed by this book, knowing you are not going to stop. I say we get it done as soon as possible and get it out in the open. Once it is all public, it won’t matter. If they kill us then, it would be for revenge. Some of these people would murder their own mother for five dollars.”
I panned the house with my hand. “How many bodyguards are out there?”
“Several,” he said nonchalantly.
“How many?” I asked again.
“Six here and four outside Amy’s― just in case.”
I stood and walked away from my work. “Are you hungry? We could order a pizza.”
He pulled me to him. “No, I don’t want to take a chance of any more foreign objects making their way into the house. I’ll make something. Neither of us needs the stress. I want this over with. Nathan is so excited about the baby he came to my office to talk to me. His opinion is it doesn’t matter what he and Amy do. So long as this case is active, they are in danger. The bad guys have no idea they aren’t working with us, even if they are off doing something else.”
“I understand that,” I said. “Maybe he will let Amy come help me with the grunt work and we can wrap it up. I’m okay with putting the work in the safe until later.”
“Nathan should be okay with that arrangement so long as we have bodyguards. Let’s find something to eat.” He pushed me away so he could look into my eyes. “We guys have macho poured into our DNA. I don’t mean to try to control you. Whatever we decide to do, let’s do it quickly. When projects take too long, the other side tends to get antsy and they might do something else stupid.
“Whoever killed Ivy might think, what’s one more? Where’s Chili? She didn’t come to greet me?”
I pulled away. “My goodness, I don’t know. I took her with me to the store and I remember bringing her back into the house, I haven’t seen her since.”
“How long ago was that?”
“A couple of hours, I thought she found a good place to take a nap.”
Ryan’s phone buzzed at the same instant someone knocked on the door. “It’s Matt. He has Chili. He saw a man put her down at the end of the block. She came running toward him.”
I ran to the front door and threw it open. Chili had cuddled up against Matt, but she shook all over. I grabbed her. “Is she okay? She’s not hurt, is she?”
“No.” Matt answered and handed a piece of paper to Ryan. “This was attached to her collar. See how easy this is?
Ryan turned the note toward me so I could read it. I hugged Chili tighter. He turned to Matt. “How do you think he got her? This place is tighter than Fort Knox.”
Matt talked into a walkie-talkie on his sleeve. “Butch, take a light and go around the fence. Focus on the bottom. We need to find out how the dog got out.”
Matt said, “I’ll check the inside.”
Ryan followed him. “I’ll help.”
A half-an-hour later, they came back inside. Matt talked. “Looks like someone dug a hole under the fence behind the forsythia bush and filled it with fresh meat. Chili must have gone after it and he grabbed her.”
Ryan looked up at me. “How did she get outside in the first place?”
I was ashamed. “I opened the door a crack so she could come and go as she wanted so I could work on the book. I feel horrible.”
Neither man said a word. It was obvious no one could make me feel worse than I already did.
I went to the office, turned off the lights and closed the door. For the rest of the night, I held Chili close to me, sat next to Ryan, and contemplated my actions.
I realized the death of the girl always occupied my mind. It would stay there until the people responsible paid for what they did. Even though I knew putting a few people in jail wouldn’t stop the drug trade, maybe it would slow it down for a while. Or as Ryan suggested, maybe the doctors did something, or even one of the kids. It could have nothing to do with drugs.
My mind went wild all night. I woke up sweaty, took a shower, changed my gown and went back to bed. When I awoke again, I was as hot and sticky as before.
I showered a second time, put on a robe and sat in a chair to watch Ryan sleep. I took Chili out, fed her and took her to the office with me as I worked. She slept quietly on my lap as I shuffled, wrote, erased, and wrote again, until I had the manuscript the way I wanted it. I was about to put it into the safe when Ryan tapped on the door and opened it. “You’re at it early. Have you had breakfast?”
I looked him up and down. He must not have been goi
ng to work, he was dressed in faded jeans with one knee almost worn through, a Cardinal’s tee-shirt from the 2011 World Series, and loafers with no socks. “I haven’t had coffee either. The sooner this task is done, the sooner we won’t have to look over our shoulders all the time.”
Chili had jumped from my lap and pawed at his leg until he picked her up. “Are you sure it will end there? The Mexican, well, American drug trade is huge. You might go after a bee and wake up the entire hive.”
“I know you’re worried. I spoke with Roger yesterday and he says when people are caught doing especially heinous deeds, they back off until the publicity dies down.”
He tucked Chili under one arm and turned to go. “I’ve given up trying to get you to stop this. I’ll get some coffee and bagels and be back to help you.”
“Thanks, but I’m done. I was about to put my finished work in the safe, call Amy and see if she is going to help me with the background checks. But I’m not in such a hurry I can’t have breakfast with my two-favorite people.”
He walked over and kissed me. Chili, still in his arms, licked both our faces.
Together we made coffee for Ryan and latte for me. He took them to the patio, and I followed with bagels and cream cheese. I looked down at myself. I had on the gown I slept in with one of Ryan’s shirts over it. “Maybe I should run and get dressed.”
He looked at me thoughtfully. “No one can see us here. Enjoy your breakfast.” He went back into the kitchen and returned with apples and orange juice.
The way the house sat on the lot; the morning sun hit the patio. It warmed it nicely before the heat of the day. I picked up my cup just as something whizzed by my head and went straight through the French door into the kitchen sending glass everywhere.
I slid off my seat and on to the concrete under the table. Ryan did the same on his side. Chili tucked herself under me with her tail between her legs. “Where are my men?” Ryan whispered. Before he got it out of his mouth, we heard shouting, two gunshots, and something hitting the fence with enough force to knock a board loose.
Brian, one of the men on guard stuck his face in the open spot and yelled. “You two all right?”
