Claws for Alarm

by Karen MacInerney

  It was Francine. She was no longer soaked in soy milk but still looked madder than a wet hen.

  "Hi, Francine. What can I do for you?"

  "Where is your husband?"

  "He's busy right now," I told her.

  "I need to see him."

  I really wanted her to cool off for a bit—maybe overnight—but I could tell by the set of her jaw that that wasn't going to happen. "If you'll wait here, I'll see if I can grab him," I told her, gesturing to the bench in the front hall as I scurried back to the dining room.

  John was serving a bowl of fresh berries to Willow when I walked into the dining room and touched his arm. "What's up?" he asked.

  "Francine's in the front hall looking for you," I said in a quiet voice. "She doesn't look happy."

  His own eyebrows shot up. "Tell her I'll be right there," he answered, but he didn't have a chance. Francine, as usual, had taken matters into her own hands.

  "I hear you're the island deputy," she trumpeted. The dining room went silent, and all eyes turned to Francine. "I want to press charges against the woman who assaulted me."

  3

  John put down the bowl of berries and let out a sigh. "Unless it's an emergency, I'm not on duty at the moment, Ms. Hodges."

  "It is an emergency," she said. "I was assaulted."

  I scanned the room, wondering how this unusual version of dinner entertainment was going over.

  "Assaulted?" Kellie asked, her eyes wide. "I thought this island was supposed to be safe."

  "It was soy milk," I said. "Not usually a lethal weapon."

  As I spoke, Francine glanced around the room. Her eyes widened briefly, in something like recognition, but the flash was gone as soon as it appeared. "I can see you're busy," she said shortly. "I'll come by tomorrow."

  John nodded. "That would be best."

  But she'd already turned around and headed for the front door.

  "What the heck was that all about?" Kellie asked. "Is it an emergency or isn't it?"

  "It's not," I told her. "It was just a tiff at the general store... it happened hours ago, and everyone is fine." I smiled at her. "How's the sorbet?"

  "It's not chocolate, but it's pretty good anyway," she replied.

  "Chocolate's tomorrow," I told her.

  "I don't know if I can wait that long," Blue, one of the three Texas women at the retreat, said. "What was the tiff about anyway?"

  "Island beautification, if you'll believe it."

  "Wow," Blue said. "I guess when you live on a small island, you have to make your own drama."

  I grinned. "Something like that."

  "How's everyone feeling?" Sequoia said brightly, drawing everyone's attention. "Ready for one last session?"

  The response was lackluster. My eyes darted to Ravi; he was sitting in the corner with his arms crossed.

  "After I finish this," Kellie said. "Thanks so much, Ravi, for helping me out with that pressure point." She arched her back, pointing her chest in his direction. "My back is so much better!"

  "I'm glad," Ravi said with a small smile, then averted his eyes as Rainy glowered at him. Sebastian and Gage, I noticed, were conferring in the corner; Sebastian looked unhappy, and Gage was swinging one leg in what looked like irritation. His eyes, I noticed, flicked to James more than once.

  "All right, everyone," Willow announced. "Fifteen-minute break, and then meet us on the back lawn for our sunset session. It'll smooth things right over!"

  From the look Rainy flashed Ravi, I was guessing she was being optimistic, but I wasn't about to argue. I gathered the few empty bowls and hightailed it to the kitchen just as Charlene's truck bumped down the driveway.

  A moment later, she exploded into the kitchen in a blur of rainbow-colored spandex. "Am I too late for the yoga session?" she asked breathlessly.

  "They just went out to the backyard," I told her.

  "Guess who's coming to visit?" she asked, eyes sparkling.

  "The tooth fairy?"

  "No, you nut. Only my favorite naturalist in the world.”

  Alex. "That's awesome, Charlene. When does he get here?"

  "Tomorrow," she told me. "He just called to surprise me tonight!" My friend was absolutely giddy. "But I've got to run... don't want to miss tree pose, or whatever it is."

  "When you get back, we need to talk; Francine stopped by earlier. She wants to press charges."

  Charlene rolled her eyes. "I wish she'd just go back to Florida."

  "You and me both," I said.

  "And about half the island, too," she said dolefully.

  * * *

  "Well, that went well," John said when we climbed into bed, exhausted, at nine o'clock. Biscuit and Smudge, our two cats, deposited themselves between us, creating what we called the "wall of cat." Despite not getting along at first, they'd become fast friends; in fact, Biscuit had taken on the role of Smudge's protector.

  I reached over and stroked Smudge's head, and she started purring. "Are you kidding me? You could have cut the tension with a butter knife."

  "I know," he said. "I talked with Willow about maybe getting everyone outside into separate groups tomorrow. There's a lot of tension."

  "And romantic intrigue, from what I can see."

  "Thank goodness we don't need to deal with that," John said.

  "I hope not anyway. Kellie was giving you the eye tonight, I noticed."

  "She's more interested in James, I think," he said. "And Ravi."

  "Where's Ravi sleeping tonight anyway? He didn't come to ask me about a room."

  "I don't know," he replied, "but he must have worked something out."

  "Either that, or he's pitching a tent on the lawn," I said.

  "Can you imagine what Francine would say about that?" John asked, rolling his eyes.

  "I'm sure we'll know by tomorrow morning," I said. "Hey... have you heard anything from Gwen, by the way?"

  "She called earlier and said she'd be back late tonight."

  "Is she going to have time to help out the next few days?"

  "She'll be around a bit tomorrow afternoon, but she's superbusy."

  "We're going to have to work something out. With a full inn, you and I can't do all of it and stay sane. Catherine's hardly been here either," I said, referring to his mother.

  "She's been sailing with Murray this week, but she promised she'd be back by the weekend." Not long after moving into the carriage house behind the inn, my mother-in-law had embarked on a rather surprising romance with Murray Selfridge, one of my least favorite islanders. They'd been going steady for quite some time. He seemed to be completely enamored of her, and she seemed happy, though, so I kept my opinions of Murray to myself. Besides, she seemed to have had a bit of a softening effect on him.

  "Everyone's busy," John remarked. "So much for quiet island life."

  We had settled in and I was starting to doze off when a door slammed downstairs. I jerked awake.

  "Think that's Gwen?"

  He and I both waited for the sound of her footsteps on the stairs, but they didn't happen. After a moment, I got up and put on my bathrobe, then padded downstairs.

  The kitchen was empty, and there was no sign of Gwen. I pushed through the swinging door into the dining room. There was a flashlight shining in the backyard, heading away from the inn. Was someone out for a late-night walk? I wondered. I stepped into the parlor and turned on the light. Someone sat straight upright on the couch, and I stifled a scream.

  It was Ravi. His suitcase was next to him, with his toothbrush sitting on top of it.

  "What are you doing here?" I asked.

  "Rainy kicked me out," he said.

  "You can't sleep on the couch," I said.

  He spread his hands. "Where else am I going to go?"

  "I'd book you into another room, but I'm afraid the inn is full."

  "What's wrong with the couch?"

  "It's my living room," I said. "It's a common area. People can't sit down here if you're bunking on the couc
h."

  He was undeterred. "No one is up at this time of night."

  I sighed. "That's not the point.” I looked at Ravi. In truth, there really wasn't anywhere else he could go; the mail boat wouldn't run until morning, and there were no other inns on the island. "Look," I said. "you can stay here tonight, but I need you up and off the couch by six, and you've got to make other arrangements for tomorrow."

  "I knew Willow shouldn't have had the retreat here," he said. "This island is so small, it's limiting."

  "You're welcome to leave now if you'd like," I said tartly.

  "We both know I can't, unless I swim."

  "Fine, then," I said. "Let's make the best of it.” I turned and saw a flashlight bobbing in the distance; as I watched, it winked out, probably hidden behind a boulder. "Did someone go out for a walk?"

  "I heard someone go out the front door," he said, "but I didn't see who it was."

  "Has anyone else come in?" I asked, wondering if Gwen had come back.

  "Not that I know of," he said, and lay back down on my couch. "Do you mind turning off the light?"

  "You're kidding me, right?"

  "Sorry," he said. "I'm just... it's been a long day." As I stood there, he burst into tears. Which was just about the last thing I needed right then.

  I stifled a sigh. "Do you need a drink or something?"

  "I shouldn't, but... I'm having a hard time sleeping. Maybe a little something will help." He swiped at his eyes.

  "The only things I've got are wine and tequila." The tequila had been a gift from my friend, Lucy Resnick, the last time she came up to visit from her farm in Texas.

  His eyes lit up. "Tequila, please."

  "I'll be back in a minute," I said, heading into the kitchen. I cut up a lime, grabbed the salt, and put them on a tray with the bottle of reposado tequila. The last thing I wanted was to knock back tequila with a jilted yoga instructor, but it felt like the right thing to do. Besides, I was hoping to see Gwen when she got home. I picked up the tray and went back into the parlor.

  "This looks terrific," Ravi said as I set it down on the coffee table. "I love reposado." His hand darted out for the bottle, and he filled the shot glasses with expert ease, then squeezed a bit of lime on his hand.

  "You look like you know what you're doing," I remarked as he sprinkled on some salt and then downed the shot, chasing it with the lime/salt combo.

  "I used to be a bartender," he informed me as he poured me a shot and refilled his own. "Shall we toast?"

  "To what?"

  "To... greener pastures," he said, tossing back the second shot.

  I took a sip of my own and put the glass down unfinished. "How did you get involved with the yoga retreat anyway?" I asked when he’d set down his empty shot glass and followed it up with a squeeze of lime.

  "I fell in love with Rainy," he said. "She liked yoga, so I got in to it, too. She begged me to go to the retreat, and now that I'm here, she kicks me out. It just doesn't seem fair."

  "How long have you two been together?"

  "Two years," he replied, eyeing the tequila bottle. "But things haven't been great lately. I lost my job, and we've kind of moved in together. And she's really a lot more jealous than I realized."

  "Does she have a reason to be?" I asked, thinking of his "trigger point" massage with Kellie.

  He shrugged. "Maybe. The magic isn't quite what it used to be."

  "But you still seem to care for her."

  "I do," he said. "But... she's changed. She used to be about the yoga itself. Now it's more about branding, and money, and social media. She and Willow are talking about starting up a yoga channel on YouTube."

  "I guess we all have to make a living," I said.

  "Yes," he said. "But it's just... it feels different. Not genuine, you know?" He sighed. "I guess I thought coming here would kind of fix things between us, but I may be wrong. I probably just need to get a job and move out."

  "You live in Florida, right?"

  He nodded. "Rainy goes to Willow's studio."

  "Do you have any idea why Willow and Sequoia picked Maine for the retreat?"

  He gave me a look. "Have you ever been in Florida in August?"

  "I'm from Texas," I told him. "I totally understand."

  "Yeah," he said, reaching for the bottle and pouring himself yet another shot. "I drove up. It's pretty up here; maybe I won't go back. Maybe I'll just find a job here somewhere." He gave me a hopeful look. "Are you hiring?"

  Although I was definitely in the market for more help around the inn, I wasn't sure Ravi was quite the right fit. I totally got the impetus to move to Maine, though; I'd taken the leap myself, and was still grateful I'd done it.

  "Why don't you talk to Sequoia and see how the rest of the retreat goes?" I suggested.

  "I don't have anywhere to stay," he pointed out.

  "See how it goes today," I said. "I'll ask around on the island; maybe someone can rent you a room."

  He was about to answer when there was a creak on the stairs; someone was coming down the steps. I turned to see Rainy, her eyes red from crying.

  "Oh," she said, spotting me.

  "I was just heading up to bed," I said, standing up and reaching for the tray with the tequila bottle. "I'll let you two talk."

  "Thanks," she said as Ravi eyed her hopefully. He cast one last wistful glance at the tequila as I padded back to the kitchen. I was hoping they'd patch things up enough to at least get through the rest of the retreat.

  I glanced at the clock in the kitchen; it was midnight, and I still hadn't heard from Gwen. I put up the tequila, then headed back upstairs to text her.

  She didn't reply.

  We often had a hard time getting phone service on the island, so that wasn't unusual, but I was worried. As I climbed back into bed, John turned over. "What's going on?" he asked.

  "I can't reach Gwen," I told him. "Should I call Adam?"

  "She often spends the night over there," he said.

  "But she usually tells us if she's not coming home.” I bit my lip. "I don't know; I just have a bad feeling tonight."

  He sighed. "Let's call Adam," he said. I picked up my phone and dialed.

  He picked up on the third ring.

  "I'm sorry to bother you," I said, "but is Gwen there?"

  "She is," he said. "I'm just about to drive her home."

  "Thanks," I said, feeling relief flood me. "I couldn't reach her, and I was worried."

  "She dropped her phone off the mail boat today," he said. "We're going to the mainland to replace it tomorrow."

  "Got it," I said. "Thanks so much. I'll be able to sleep now!"

  "She'll be home in ten minutes," he promised. "I'll walk her in."

  "Perfect," I said, and hung up.

  "Everything good, then?" John asked as I plugged my phone in.

  "He's driving her home shortly," I said, and closed my eyes. Ten minutes later, just as Adam had promised, I heard Gwen climb the stairs and slip into her room, which should have relaxed me enough to go to sleep. I tossed and turned, but sleep eluded me; something still felt wrong.

  Unfortunately, it wasn't until the next day that I found out what it was.

  * * *

  When I headed downstairs to start breakfast the next morning with Smudge in my wake, my couch was empty, and Ravi's suitcase was gone from the parlor. One crisis averted, I told myself as I headed to the kitchen and measured coffee into the grinder, inhaling the rich, nutty aroma as the little blades whirred. By the time the pot had finished brewing, I had whipped up the batter for a batch of Morning Glory muffins.

  It was a quick recipe, fortunately, except for shredding carrots and chopping apples. It wasn't long before I poured the batter into muffin cups, sprinkled the dark batter with large-crystal Turbinado sugar, and then slid the pans into the oven. I quickly cut up a cantaloupe, then fixed myself a cup of coffee and headed out to the back porch to enjoy a bit of cool morning peace. Smudge, who had grown quite a bit since I rescue
d her earlier that summer, padded out onto the porch after me; I'd left Biscuit upstairs to snuggle with John.

  Smudge jumped up onto my lap as soon as I sat down on my favorite rocking chair, and I stroked her silky head as I sipped my coffee. She'd gotten much bigger and healthier since I found her mewling under the porch, half-starved and only weeks old. She was just another of the good things that had come into my life since I moved to Cranberry Island.

  I gazed out over the blue expanse of water behind the inn, and the craggy, ancient mountains of Mount Desert Island, the pink granite glowing in the morning light. Dark green trees blanketed the lower parts of the mountains, and a few wisps of mist played around the coastline, not yet burned off by the sun.

  It was a beautiful view, and one that I greeted with delight every morning. Smudge kneaded my lap as I took another sip of coffee. I gazed out at the multicolored buoys studding the water; the thrum of a lobster boat's motor reached my ears, growing louder as it came closer. I waited for the sound of an idling motor as the boat's captain stopped to check a trap, but the motor didn't pause. I squinted as the white boat came into view, trying to make out the buoy on the bow. Once I spotted it, I didn't need to see the name on the back of the boat to know who was captaining.

  I stood up and waved, expecting Adam to wave back, but instead, he turned toward the inn's dock. I put down my coffee cup and walked down to greet him as he tied up the lobster boat.

  "Good morning!" I called out. "I just made a pot of coffee... want a cup?"

  "I'd love to, but probably not now." He ran a hand through his dark hair. "Is John around?"

  "He's still asleep. What's up?"

  "There's a body down by the co-op," he said.

  "What?" My heart raced. "Who is it?"

  "Francine Hodges," he said. "Somebody bashed her in the head with a brick."

  4

  Adam waited in the kitchen while I raced up the stairs, Smudge at my heels.

  "John!"

  Biscuit glared at me as John sat up, looking bleary. "What's wrong?" he asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.