Sunset Over Misty Lake

by Margaret Standafer

  With her free arm, Sam pulled Karen in for a hug. “That’s how they operate. You know that.”

  “I know. Still…”

  Karen took another sip of her wine and sighed again. Sam nodded at it.

  “First wine since the babies?”

  “Yep.”

  “Probably a good time for it.”

  “That’s what I thought. Do you want some?”

  “No, I’m driving tonight.”

  Karen looked toward the living room. “I suppose I have to go back in there.”

  “You don’t have to. I’ll cover for you if you want to make a getaway.”

  Karen chuckled. “Thanks, but I’d better see what sort of crazy schemes they’re coming up with now.” She started for the living room. “What about you? Are you going to tell me you’re going to Vegas too?”

  It was Sam’s turn to laugh. “As much as I’d like to, I need to stay home with this one.” She bounced Claire on her hip and Claire responded with a hearty cheer. “And I have the camp kids.”

  “Then I guess we can keep each other company while everyone else is playing cops and robbers Las Vegas style.”

  “No one I’d rather hang out with,” Sam said as she linked her arm with Karen’s and together, they went to hear the latest.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  THERE WAS A lot to be said for flying in a private jet. Joe stretched out his legs and didn’t bump into a seat in front of him. He’d gotten up to stretch those legs earlier without having to climb over other passengers, he’d used the restroom without first waiting in line, he’d enjoyed some crackers with cheese that had not gone through an extruder and been squirted into a cellophane wrapper, and he hadn’t been told once to turn off his cell phone.

  Now, if he could only enjoy it.

  While he was determined—and confident—they’d achieve their goal in Vegas, the task ahead weighed on his mind. He felt they were prepared, at least as prepared as they could be, but whether that preparation would be enough, he had no idea.

  Cort was scheduled to meet with Dave later that day. Or, the next day, Joe supposed, since the meeting was for some unholy hour. Jake was scheduled to meet with Bud the following afternoon once they knew what, exactly, they could give Bud from Dave. That was one source of concern: Dave wouldn’t cooperate, would insist nothing he told Cort could be turned over to the police, and they’d have to, on their own, come up with enough evidence to convince Bud there was even a case to pursue.

  The other source, or sources, of concern surrounded him. Jake, Joe knew, could handle himself. Cort had a laser-like focus when it came to Karen’s situation, almost to the point of being frightening. Joe knew enough about the circumstances surrounding Cort’s sister’s death to understand Cort’s need to do whatever he could to help Karen, but Joe held onto the belief that Cort was level-headed enough not to do anything drastic. Joe turned his head to look at Frank and Riley and sighed. They meant well and desperately wanted to right the wrong that had been done to Karen, but Joe knew them. He knew them well. They could be reckless, especially Riley, and Joe worried that, unlike Cort, neither would think twice about doing something drastic.

  And then there was Shauna. And Cassie. Joe had fought hard against them coming along, Karen even more so, but they’d been overruled. Shauna, who’d rarely in her life taken no for an answer, had finagled coverage at the yoga studio and spa and had happily announced just the day before that she could be away for up to a week, if necessary.

  Cassie had been especially affected by Karen’s story, understanding all too well what it felt like to be the victim. She was going to help in whatever way she could, she’d said, and taking a page from Shauna’s playbook, hadn’t taken no for an answer. She’d even gone so far as to book a room at Mystique, the casino where they’d learned Joshua currently worked, under the name Cassandra Ray, the name she’d used while modeling, explaining that she was more than willing to serve as bait, and she had to make sure that when Joshua checked her room number, he didn’t see the name McCabe. They weren’t certain Joshua even knew Karen’s last name, but Cassie wasn’t taking any chances. Joe had absolutely no intention of letting Cassie get anywhere near Joshua, but he’d clear one hurdle at a time.

  Joe used the cell phone that no one bugged him about to call Karen. He missed her and the kids already and he knew she’d be missing him too. More, she’d be worried.

  “You’re calling me from inside some swanky plane, aren’t you?”

  Joe laughed. “Why, yes I am.”

  “Is it really swanky?”

  If Joe could take her mind off what was happening, even for a short time, he would. “It’s really swanky. Plush carpet, comfy leather seats, a couch, plenty of room to work or to relax, a huge screen for movies or satellite TV, the food’s incredible. Really, the whole thing’s pretty incredible.”

  “Is Riley behaving himself?”

  “Why Riley?”

  “Why Riley? Well, let’s see. Shauna’s been on the plane a bunch of times already so she’s over the initial thrill. Cassie’s too polite and polished to act foolish. Jake, I’m sure, is working and too busy to notice much of what’s around him. You’re impressed, but you’re determined not to love it too much because you feel bad that I’m not there with you. That leaves Frank and Riley. Frank’s a bit of a wild card, he lets Riley egg him on sometimes, but given Cassie’s there, he’s keeping a level head. Riley has no one to hold his reins. He’s like a kid in a candy store. A kid who just found fifty bucks on the floor of that candy store. Is he making a fool of himself?”

  “Wow, you know us well, don’t you?” Joe looked at Riley, who chose that moment to don a robe he’d found somewhere, sit, prop up his feet, and pretend the pencil he was holding was a pipe. He ordered champagne and caviar in an indistinguishable accent from an imaginary flight attendant then proceeded to laugh his head off.

  “Um, yeah, he’s making a bit of a fool of himself.”

  “Figured. But you know, for as much of a goof as Riley can be, my guess is he’s trying to distract all of you to keep you from worrying.”

  “You really do know us well. I love you, babe.”

  “I know. Be careful, Joe.”

  “I will be. And for the record, you’re right about me not enjoying the plane all that much. One of these days we’ll find a way to take a trip on here together. Then we’ll enjoy it together.”

  “I love you too.”

  An hour later the plane landed in Las Vegas and Joe again appreciated the perks that came with travelling via private jet. No endless wait to disembark, no making his way through a crowded terminal, and no fighting through a congested baggage claim line.

  Cort had cars waiting to get them to the hotel. Another perk. A hotel owned by Mackenzie Industries, yet another perk, and another thing for which Joe wasn’t paying. It got under his skin, taking what he saw as a handout from Cort, but Shauna had cornered him a few days ago and sensing he was uncomfortable, had cautioned him against letting it bug him.

  ‘Cort’s generous,’ she’d said, and no matter what Joe might think, Cort didn’t see what he was doing as a handout. He didn’t take what he had, or what he’d been born with, for granted, but neither did he live his life as if it might all be taken from him at any minute. He worked hard and believed that by continuing to do so, things would work out. And by no means was he keeping score, Shauna’d told Joe. Take what Cort offered, thank him, and move on. The day would come, she’d said, when Joe would have the chance to do something for Cort, and whatever that gesture may be, to Cort it would be just as valuable as the trip was to Joe.

  At some point, when he wasn’t looking, his little sister had grown wise.

  “Holy crap!” that little sister said when they climbed from the cars and stood outside their hotel. “Could it be any hotter? I feel like the air is scorching my lungs. How do people live here?”

  “It’s a dry heat, haven’t you heard?” Frank said. “When we left home, the air was
so heavy I felt like I needed a machete to cut my way through it.”

  “Trade-offs, I guess,” Cassie said. “Although I don’t think I could take this heat for long, at least my hair won’t frizz.”

  Shauna frowned. “Dry or not, it’s still heat. Lead the way, Cort, before my shoes melt to the sidewalk.”

  Joe had to agree with his sister. He already felt the sweat beading on the back of his neck. When he walked through the giant, revolving door into the hotel lobby, he wanted to focus on how good the cool air felt, but it was hard not to give in to the opulence and just gawk.

  The floor was marble, an intricate pattern of swirls and angles, and shiny enough to shave by. Elaborately framed mirrors and paintings vied for space on the walls. But the centerpiece was a huge fountain. Cherubs danced on its many tiers, spraying water high into the air and at one another while countless flowering plants surrounded them, offering them an oasis of calm in the middle of a city that was anything but. Joe felt a little of that calm seep into him as he listened to the tinkling and gentle splashes. If things got crazy, if he felt it was all too much, he’d come here, he told himself, and let the fountain work its magic on him.

  “I’ve got our room keys,” Jake said. “Bunking together just like old times.”

  Joe turned away from the fountain. “Yeah, except we’ve got Riley with us. Think we can lock him out of this room like we used to lock him out of our bedroom at home?”

  “We can try, but even back then he figured out how to get in using everything from Mom’s hair pins to something he concocted out of a nail file and a paper clip. He’s a lot better with tools these days. I’d say our chances of keeping him out are slim.”

  “Well, he’s sleeping on the pullout, that’s for sure.”

  “He’s the youngest. It’s only fair.”

  The elevator arrived, and the doors slid open.

  “Where is he, anyway?” Joe asked.

  “Over there,” Jake indicated with a nod of his head, “trying out the slots.”

  Joe winked at Jake. “If he’s last to the room, he’s for sure on the pullout.”

  They hooted with laughter as Riley dashed for the elevator. “Wait!” he demanded as the door closed in his face.

  Names they hadn’t been called since they’d locked him out of their bedroom followed Joe and Jake to the next floor.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  KAREN DIDN’T EXPECT minute-by-minute updates from Las Vegas. She didn’t even want them. She wanted to enjoy the park with her kids. She wanted to see Dylan wriggle with joy when she pushed his swing higher and higher. She wanted to gaze at her twins and delight in their discoveries as they sat in their stroller, blinking in wonder at the world around them. She wanted to savor every moment, every smile, every sunbeam that enchanted her babies, and every rock, leaf, and twig that enchanted her toddler.

  And darn it if she didn’t want to grab the phone and call Joe.

  “Nope,” she said out loud, “not going to do it.”

  Joe had called three times already though there’d been little to report. She knew they were gathering that morning to get a report from Cort on his meeting with Dave. She couldn’t help it. She grabbed her phone and peeked at the time.

  Right now. They should be listening right now to what Cort had to tell them. Her stomach flipped. She worried he would have nothing to report. She worried more that he would.

  Guilt continued to eat away at her as it had been since seven of the people she cared most about had boarded a plane. For her. They’d dropped everything and put their lives on hold with no guarantee the trip would accomplish anything. For her. It was at once flattering, comforting, and impossibly worrisome.

  She needed to walk. Scooping up Dylan and situating him in the stroller that through some engineering marvel held all three kids snug and secure, she stowed the diaper bag, shouldered her purse, and started to walk.

  After three fast-paced laps along the path that circled the park, Evan and Julia were sound asleep and Dylan was growing restless.

  “Are you ready to go home, bud?”

  “Peppy.” He bounced in his seat and kicked his feet.

  Karen mentally kicked herself for mentioning a visit to see the puppy when Dylan hadn’t wanted any part of getting dressed earlier that morning. The park hadn’t held much interest for him, so she’d bribed him with a stop at Grandma and Grandpa’s house on their way home. She was the adult, she was entitled to change her mind and to skip the visit, but the feeling that she’d skipped too much lately had her sighing and trying to work out how she was going to handle facing her in-laws.

  She’d finally talked to her family and told them what had happened in Las Vegas. There’d been the expected outrage, some hurt feelings that she hadn’t come to them earlier, and, mostly from her father, a rapid-fire stream of questions on what was being done to find the guy and see that he got what he deserved.

  As she’d selfishly hoped, though, the topic had soon changed to her grandfather and the latest report from the staff at the care center. She’d left feeling it had gone better than she’d expected.

  When it came to Sean and Anna, however, she’d chickened out. With all of their children headed to Las Vegas, there’d been no way to keep her story a secret. Not that she wanted to, exactly. She owed them an explanation, just as she’d owed the others one. But she hadn’t been able to do it. Joe hadn’t hesitated when she’d finally asked him to talk to them. So, while she stayed home and paced, he’d spent an hour with his parents telling them the entire story as well as their plan, such as it was.

  Joe reported back to her that the conversation had gone well and had brought back hugs and love from his parents. Karen had spoken to Anna on the phone since but hadn’t seen either Anna or Sean in person. She felt a little queasy.

  Head down and concentrating on convincing herself everything was going to be okay, she didn’t see Susan, Sam, and Claire until she nearly bumped into them.

  “Finally,” Susan said. “We’ve been waiting forever.”

  Sam elbowed her. “We have not. It’s only been a few minutes.”

  Karen tickled Claire’s tummy and got a giggle in return. “What are you doing here? Who’s with your camp kids?” Karen turned toward Susan. “And who’s minding the inn?”

  “Jennica and Jordyn are both there. Breakfast is over, they can handle things for a while.”

  Karen was impressed when Susan flinched only slightly with those words. She might put on a confident front, but Karen knew Susan wasn’t entirely comfortable leaving the teens alone, no matter how responsible and how much experience they had.

  “And my kids aren’t coming today. They have some midsummer meetings and check-ins at the camp today. They’ll be back tomorrow.”

  “And you’re here because…”

  “Because we guessed how you’d be feeling. Based on the pace down that path and the sweat, I’d say we were right,” Susan said.

  “They should be hearing from Cort right about now and figuring out what Jake can take to the police. We’ll wait with you for the call from Joe,” Sam said.

  Karen swallowed over the giant lump in her throat. “You guys.” There was so much she wanted to say, but when she looked at her sisters-in-law, she knew they already knew. “Thank you.”

  “So, day drinking?” Susan asked.

  It felt good to laugh.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  THEY WERE ALL crowded into Cort’s suite. No, crowded was the wrong word, Joe thought, as they could easily fit a couple dozen more people and still not feel crowded. If he thought his room was nice—and he did, and it was—this room needed a far bigger adjective. Spread out over the amount of space that would usually hold four rooms—Joe knew, because he and Riley had counted the entrances from the hall—the owner’s suite, or presidential suite, or rock star suite, or whatever they wanted to call it, was gigantic.

  And gorgeous. While he hadn’t gotten a look at the bedroom he assumed was at the top
of the spiral staircase, what he could see was stunning. A huge, stone fireplace dominated one wall. To Joe, that seemed an odd use of space in a Las Vegas hotel room. The temperature that morning was already ninety-two. He’d heard rumors of temperatures dropping into the thirties in the winter, but he had serious doubts. The artsy display of candles inside the fireplace opening made much more sense. Smooth, soft, leather furniture the color of melted caramel was arranged around the fireplace with a wide coffee table boasting a huge bouquet of lilies, in the center.

  On the other end of the long room was a bar dotted with silver ice buckets, crystal decanters and glasses, and an intricate swirl of wrought iron that held several bottles of wine. Floor to ceiling windows and sliding glass doors filled the exterior wall and led to a private balcony that offered a stunning view of the city. Provided the viewer could handle soaring heights.

  The center of the room held a dining table that seated ten. That’s where all seven of them sat, eating a breakfast of eggs, bacon, toast, fruit, pastries, and coffee so good that, coupled with the fact Joe had hardly slept and had already let his brothers, sister, and sister-in-law goad him into a grueling session in the hotel gym, almost brought tears to his eyes.

  After a little small talk—most of it about the heat—and a little boasting about who’d outperformed whom in the gym—Cassie had left them all in the dust—the conversation died down and eyes turned toward Cort. Joe began to worry when the usually unflappable Cort Mackenzie seemed tense.

  “Were you able to talk with Dave?” Joe decided to get the ball rolling. Even if bad news was headed his way, knowing was better than not knowing.

  “I was. Yes. He was more cooperative than I expected him to be.”

  Joe breathed a little easier. “That’s good.”