by Madelyn Alt
“And you don’t think they are.”
“Of theft, yeah, sure. I have a feeling it wouldn’t be the first time. Maybe even assault. But murder? I don’t know what to believe.”
I was beginning to think that confusion was the natural state of things. “Ohhh,” I breathed as I remembered something that he’d told me in passing. “The previous attack on the Amish. You think they might have been involved?”
He shrugged.
“You went out to Blackhawk because the director had found something he wanted you to see. What was it?”
Tom pulled away from me and leaned his hip against Christine’s rounded hood. “A wallet and ID from the man who was attacked a few weeks back here in this county, buried in their footlockers with some contraband drugs they’d bought. Some cash. Surprised me. I would have thought they’d burn through all of that right away.”
“But nothing from Luc?”
He shook his head slowly. “No. Nothing.”
“Still, it doesn’t mean—”
“You know how you’re always talking about intuition and all that psychic mumbo jumbo? Well, cops have their own version of that. It’s nothing you can put your finger on, just a gut instinct that tells you when someone is trying to put one over on you. We’ve got them running scared—make no bones about that—but did they kill Luc? I just don’t know.”
“In spite of the other attack.”
“Yeah.”
Which left the investigation exactly where?, I wondered. If the boys were responsible for the other attacks but they didn’t attack Luc…who did?
“Your Mrs. Murray should rest easier now, though,” he commented offhandedly. “I have it on good authority these same boys were the ringleaders of the group who have been making trouble in the woods out by the Woodhaven addition.”
“Two birds with one stone. Well done.”
“Well, not quite. But at least it’s a start.”
“Well.” Junior was tugging, trying to reach a bush for a good, hearty sniff. I shifted the leash to my other hand. “I suppose I’d better let you go, since you have work to do. You won’t forget to call in the morning?”
“I won’t forget.”
“Okay. Oh, by the way, there’s something quick that I forgot about earlier.”
His eyes lit up with good humor. “Hm. Sounds interesting. Not quite sure about logistics, but—”
I pretended I didn’t know what he was implying. He knew as well as I did that teasing wouldn’t lead anywhere tonight. “The truth is, my mom is insisting that I bring you to lunch to meet the family. In fact, she’s asking about after church on Sunday.”
“Sunday? This Sunday?”
“I know it’s short notice, but she’s been after me for a while now, and I keep putting her off.”
“Now?” He didn’t look pleased. “I mean, I just got this promotion, and we’re right in the middle of a murder investigation. It’s just not a good time.”
“I know, I know. But you know how moms are—and my mom has it down to a science. Maybe I could convince her to bring Dad down to Annie’s after church and we could meet them there. That way you wouldn’t have to worry about changing or driving across town or anything. Oh, and one more thing. If she asks how long we’ve been seeing each other—” He narrowed his eyes, so I pressed on before I lost my nerve. “Well, could you just go along with whatever time line she puts before you?”
“Why would there be a problem with that?”
“Well, maybe because she thinks we’ve been seeing each other for longer than…well. And one last thing—”
“You already asked one last thing.”
“This is really the last one. Mom doesn’t know that you’re only separated from your wife, and…”
“You want me to lie to her about that, too.”
When he put it that way, I winced. “Yes.” When he still resisted, I cajoled, “Please, Tom. I don’t want to, either. Trust me on this, I know exactly how my mother is—but that’s the point. I’ll never hear the end of it if we miss it this time. If you like, we can have dinner with your parents sometime, to make up for it.”
He didn’t say anything.
“Okay, well, think about it at least.” I reached up and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “Talk to you later.”
Somehow I managed to coerce Junior into the car, despite her clearly communicated preference for staying at the station to wind around Tom’s legs. (I knew I should have tried harder to get him to keep her.) She sat in the passenger seat, her nose smearing the glass, and whined pitifully as we pulled away.
“Well, Junior my girl, I guess it’s just you and me, babe.”
She turned her head to look at me, her ears lowered dejectedly.
I had to admit it felt good to take her home with me, to not greet the darkness of my apartment by myself for once (because whatever lights I left on would not stay on, darn it). As soon as I had unlocked the door and twisted the knob, Junior barged through the door and spent the next twenty minutes sniffing out and exploring every inch of the small apartment. When she was done, she loped across the floor and took a flying leap into the middle of my bed, quickly turning herself around on her tummy and issuing me a mischievous appeal, quirky ears, glittering eyes, and all.
“Well,” I said, leaning my shoulder against the door frame. “I guess this means you don’t want to eat. Well, that’s fine, that’s fine. I’ll just have a hamburger all by myself, then. With cheese. Maybe even bacon. And I’m going to eat it, too. All. By. Myself.”
Whistling nonchalantly, I headed toward the galley-style kitchen. I didn’t even get a chance to bang a couple of pots and pans together before I turned around and she was there, looking up at me. Mouth open, tongue hanging at the ready.
“I thought that might tempt you. Subtlety isn’t really your forte, is it?”
Junior wagged her tail expectantly.
I fixed three hamburgers, one for me, two for the pooch, and set the plate on the floor before her. Junior had hers gone in seconds, then immediately laid her chin on my leg and tried to look appealing.
“Hey,” I told her. “You had yours. Let me have mine in peace, huh?”
I was about to take a bite of my hamburger when it occurred to me.
Wow. There I was, talking to a dog, and I was liking it. How sad was my life?
Hello, Universe? Girl needing a life down here. Ya got one in mind for me?
I heaved a sigh and stared at the hamburger on my plate with little interest.
Everyone else seemed to have a life. Even my little sister, who had been surprisingly quiet of late, probably due to the whole gestation process. My life depended all too much on the schedules of others, which I definitely needed to do something about. Not that I could do anything about anyone else’s schedule, but I could do something about forging a life that didn’t depend on anyone but myself.
Junior nudged my hand with her snoot as if to say, Hey, what about me?
I fluffed her ears for her. “Aw, poor girl. Don’t worry, we’ll find a nice home for you. You just have to show everyone how sweet you are, and you’ll charm them all. Won’t you? Yes. Pretty girl. Aren’t you? Yes, you are.”
So I was talking to a dog. Big deal. At least she was putting in face time with me. That made her all right in my book.
I was about to settle in for a night of TV when there was a knock at my door.
“Hey, Mags! Are you home?”
Steff!
Steff, my best friend, had been a little tied up for the last several months. Okay, so she has a boyfriend and a life. The truth was, I had been missing her like crazy, so tonight’s knock at the door was just what the doctor ordered.
I hurried to the door, Junior nipping at my heels, turned the locks, and swung it wide. “Hey!” I practically launched myself at her. “Oh, I’m so glad to see you!”
Steff laughed and hugged me back. She smelled like citrus and white flowers, happiness and sunshine. “Wow! What a welc
ome! Let me guess, you really wanted a shared Magnum moment tonight.”
I felt like Snoopy dancing, and it was only at that moment that I fully realized how much I’d been missing her company. “Magnum, Schmagnum. I’m just happy to see you. How have you been?”
She came in and closed the door behind her. “Tired. And who do we have here?” she asked, her auburn curls falling softly against her cheeks as she bent over to give Junior a double cheek rub and an ear ruffle. Junior basked in the extra attention, tongue lolling happily.
“This is Junior. She’s just spending the night.”
“Junior, huh? Aw, you’re a cutie. Um, did you say she?”
“Long story. Come on in, put up your feet. Don’t mind Junior, she’s obviously a people doggie. You don’t mind a little drool, do you? Want a pop?”
“Sure.”
I handed her a Diet Coke from the fridge and dropped down on the sofa beside her. “You’ve been working a lot lately. How’re things with Dr. Danny?”
The smile that curved her lips lit up her whole face. “Good. Very good, actually. He’s really special.”
“I know. I can tell. You’ve been with him for, what, six months now? Seven? That’s like forever for you.”
“I know! Isn’t it wonderful?”
It was, at that. “I’m happy for you. I won’t lie and say I don’t miss you, but I’m happy for you. So. Is it True Love, do you think?”
She shrugged, but I saw the truth of it in her eyes. Junior had climbed on the sofa between us and rolled onto her back. Steff reached over and played with one of her paws. “How are things progressing with you and Tom?”
I shrugged. “Okay, I guess.”
“Any new developments?”
“Well, because of everything that’s been going on in town, he’s been promoted to Special Task Force Investigator.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means he has a lot more responsibility, for one thing. Which kind of goes along with more hours, unfortunately.”
“Oh. I’m sorry.”
I nodded. “It comes with the territory, and it’s important to him. To the whole town, really.”
“Mm. How is he doing with the whole, you know, woowoo thing? Any better?”
“He thinks Satan is responsible.”
“Ah. Pretty much the same, then. I’m sorry for that, too. But maybe he’ll surprise you, Mags. You never know.”
“Maybe.”
She lifted her Diet Coke and waited for me to meet it with my own. “Well, here’s to our guys, long hours and quirks and all. And here’s to us, for having the patience to deal with it.”
I laughed. “Hear, hear.”
Steff and I had been in and out of each other’s lives so often since we were ten years old that catching up never took long. She was the sister of my soul—how many times had we looked into each other’s eyes and known what the other was thinking? Too many to count. And as we talked and giggled and shared tonight, I kept getting the feeling that she was going to have an announcement to make someday very soon. I wondered if she realized that. Was it something I was picking up from her, or from the universe itself?
“Mags! Check this out.” She was holding Junior’s paw in her hand, running her thumb over the pooch’s paw pads.
“What?”
“This. Junior is polydactyl.”
“Polywhat?”
“Polydactyl. She has six toes. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a dog with six toes. How cool is that? Junior, you’re special!”
Junior, who had made herself right at home, lifted her head about two inches and blinked sleepily as if to say,Well, of course. What else would I be?
Really, it must be nice being a dog, I thought as I marveled over her unusual feet. They are so secure in themselves. You never find a dog staring at its reflection in a mirror, wondering whether it looks fat, or turning up its nose at food because it’d eaten a little too much the day before. They don’t obsess over boyfriends, or wonder what they are going to do with their lives. And when they’re feeling blue, all they have to do is turn on the puppy dog look, and no one can keep their hands off ’em. What a life.
I wanted one. A life, that is.
“You heard about what happened the other night?” Steff asked.
“You mean Luc Metzger? Yeah. I was there, actually. Marcus and I happened to come across the scene just before the cops got there.”
Steff sat up straighter. “You didn’t tell me that!”
“I just did! Besides, I was going to, but you had to work last night, and, well, yesterday was a bit busy.”
She sighed. “You’re right. I guess I’ve just been really missing our talks lately. Life, the universe, and everything has been getting in the way.”
I was so relieved to know I wasn’t the only one. “I’ve missed you, too.”
Junior blinked herself awake—kind of—and stretched her body across the two of us.
Steff laughed. “Wow, it must be nice to be a dog. Have you ever seen anything as relaxed as this? Goofy thing.” Turning back to the subject at hand, she said, “So, you were there. How creepy is that? And what, exactly, were you doing with Marcus, pray tell?”
“Yes, very, and it was totally innocent.” Well, nearly innocent. The kiss, as blazing as it was, didn’t count. Much.
“Hmm.”
“Honestly. Marcus and I…we’re just good friends.”
“I’ve always enjoyed being friends with hot guys.”
“Hot guys who are taken,” I reminded her. “He’s seeing Liss, remember?”
Steff smiled, taking a delicate sip of her Diet Coke before licking her upper lip the way she always did right before divulging a particularly juicy bit of info. “Right. So that would be why I saw your boss with a really nice-looking older gentleman at La Chanteuse, that French restaurant on the north side of Fort Wayne, looking absolutely chummy.”
My mouth fell open. “Liss wouldn’t do that to Marcus.”
Steff looked me pointedly in the eyes. “Are you very sure that the two are an item?”
“Well, of course, I…they…” Confused now, I thought back to when I had first met Marcus through Liss. Even though it felt as though I had known both of them for years, in actuality it had been less than seven months. Liss had introduced me to Marcus the morning her sister had died. But had she introduced him to me as anything in particular? Or was that a case of my perception coloring my reality again?
Had either of them actually said that they were together in anything other than a magical partnership sense?
“I’m not sure,” I admitted, as much to myself as to Steff.
“Mmhmm. The only reason I ask is because, well, I get this feeling…”
Far be it from me to discount feelings.
Oh, this was so not helping. I shook myself mentally, determined not to let myself get that far off track. “Anyway, Saturday night, Marcus and I were visiting with Liss, and he was following me back to town. Luc Metzger had already been found at that point.”
If Steff noticed the slight change of subject, she allowed it to pass without mention. “Did you see anything?”
I shook my head. “Marcus wouldn’t let me. Not that I wanted to. I don’t think it was pretty.”
She took a sip of her pop. “I heard about it at the hospital, of course. Nurses talk shop from floor to floor, you know. Whoever it was did a number on his head—there’s no way he survived more than a few minutes.”
“There’s more,” I told her, knowing I could trust her with anything without fear of judgment. “A lot more, actually. I met Luc Metzger the day he was killed. I saw him at the farmers market, and I can honestly say I don’t think I’ve ever seen another Amish man like him. He was…beautiful. Truly. Half the women around the auction area were too busy staring at him to even think to bid on anything.” And I had the oddest feeling that he had known that. Maybe he wasn’t as immune to the tuggings of earthly pleasures as a man of peace should be. Maybe tha
t was the cause of the discussion between him and his wife. Maybe it was him and women in general.
Hmm.
“I’ve never thought of Amish men as beautiful. Solid and quiet and solemn, yes. Almost asexual in a way, although I know they’re not. No one who’s ever seen their large families could truly believe them that,” Steff said with a twinkle in her eye.
I laughed, too. “No, I suppose not. Maybe we’ve just been blind all this time, eh? Anyway, after that happened on Saturday, Liss and I kinda sorta ventured out to the crime scene area late Sunday afternoon with Eli Yoder. You know, from the N.I.G.H.T.S.? Luc worked with him, and I think he was kind of torn up about the whole thing, even if he wouldn’t directly admit it.”
“What is it with men not wanting to admit when they’re hurting or confused? Honestly! So, what did you pick up at the crime scene? I assume you felt something.”
I shook my head. “I was trying not to.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. I guess it makes me nervous. This whole empath thing. I mean, you know my mom. And the Church. It’s not like this kind of thing was ever encouraged. And while I know in my heart that it’s not something that comes from the Devil—and I’m not even convinced the Devil exists anyway—it still makes me feel a little…”
“You’re scared.”
“Yeah.” I met her gaze. “I am.”
“Maggie.” She took my hand in both of hers. “You’re one of the best people I’ve ever known. Nothing you could do would convince me otherwise. Regardless of what the Church says, this ‘whole empath thing,’ as you put it, is a gift. From God, from the universe, from whatever you want to call it. And I think that by not using it in the way it was meant to be used, by running scared…well, aren’t you really turning your back on what was meant to be? On who you are meant to be?”
I bit my lip. “Maybe. Oh, great, yet another thing to feel guilty about.”
She laughed at me. “So, what did you turn away from at the crime scene?”
“Well, it wasn’t just me. Liss gets feelings about things, too, and Eli is a master dowser for spirit energy. There’s a lot of energy out there. Chaos energy, Eli called it. And we found something. A sign on a tree. Liss said it was a symbol used in some magical circles. We haven’t figured out what it means yet, but she thinks her nephew might be able to help in that regard.”
