“Glen! I was about to come and get you, force feed you if I needed to.” Effie turned as if she’d barely noticed Glenna’s companion. “Well hell, no one gave me the hottie alert.”
Glenna burst out laughing, not because of her friends’ announcement but because the look on Patrick’s face was priceless. She wasn’t sure if it was Effie’s appearance or her declaration that he was a hottie. His gaze traveled from the top of her friend’s cone head of blonde curls, over her green checkered blouse, registering her overalls, with one strap dangling at her front, to her socks, one bright pink, the other electric blue clashing with her red chucks.
He turned his dazed expression in Glenna’s direction.
“Agent Patrick McGinnis, this is my person. Meaning she has saved my life and now and forever more is my best friend. Effie, Euphemia Kennedy.”
He held out his hand reluctantly, maybe he thought her uniqueness would rub off. Effie on the other hand ignored the hand and since he was sitting, wrapped her arms around his neck in one of her famous hugs.
“I’m so glad to meet you.” She straightened and turned her attention to Glenna. “Tell Tyler he did good.”
Someone in the kitchen called out to Effie, with a wave she was gone. Patrick stared after her for several moments then clearly bemused regarded Glenna, again.
“What the hell was that? And what does she mean Tell Tyler he did good?”
“That was Effie, I think she was Tinkerbell in another life. She means that she’s worried about me and I told her Tyler was sending someone.”
As he reached for the phone, their order came. He moved it back to his pocket, thanked the girl, then grinned at Glenna.
“I’m starved. We’ll finish after.”
She regarded her food. She hadn’t had an appetite since she’d found the body, but knew she should eat. She blew a breath out through her teeth and picked up the Turkey and Kale and tested it with a small bite. When it stayed put and didn’t try to make a return appearance, she tried a larger one.
“You okay?” He asked.
“Yes, I think I can finally eat. Want to try my turkey and kale?” She grinned at him.
He eyed it dubiously as if he may actually try it. “No, I’m fine with my turkey and bacon.”
They ate in silence for a few minutes. She wished she’d only ordered a half-sandwich. She’d take the rest to go. Apparently she’d have the same meal for dinner tonight.
“What did you mean by Effie’s your person?”
“I told you, she saved my life.”
“How? Did she give you CPR or something?”
If only that had been the case. “No. I moved to Calistoga right after graduation from Stanford. I didn’t know anyone, something happened and she helped me pick up the pieces.”
He took another bite and waited for her to continue. Glenna wasn’t sure she wanted to. She didn’t know him and the ordeal she’d gone through was such a private thing. But it still haunted her, and she had been keeping the worst part inside, telling her friends and family only part of it. Effie was the only one who knew the entire story. She’d encouraged Glenna to at least tell her family, but Glenna had refused and her friend had respected her wishes.
“There’s more to the story, but I respect that it’s private.” He took a deep breath dusting off crumbs at the same time. “That was good. Now before we get back to business tell me exactly what the person means.”
She decided to give him the abbreviated version, because without going into details of what had happened she couldn’t really answer his question.
“Apparently, I have poor judgment when it comes to men.”
He raised a brow at this bald statement but kept his thoughts to himself.
“As I said, I didn’t know anyone when I moved here. The ink wasn’t dry on my degree but I was ready to set up shop. I had no money, what was I thinking? I hadn’t been thinking and I’m glad, or I probably wouldn’t have the life I have now.” She grinned. “At the moment it’s a mess, but on a whole it’s been a wild adventure.”
“And your friend, what is her name?”
“Effie?”
“Yes, and Effie saved you from a wild adventure.”
A chuckle slipped through her lips. “No, as I said I had no money. However, I was determined to have my shop on the main drag of Calistoga. Way above my price range. I was lucky to find an agent who would even talk to me. We met at an art showing in the area, one of the things we had in common. Love of art.” She frowned. “That had been what drew me to Lance.”
He raised a brow, but refrained from voicing his thoughts. She swore she actually heard: Is there a pattern here?
“His name was Danny Collins. He was so helpful. I thought at the time it was because we did have something in common. He found my property and negotiated a deal. I’d hadn’t dared dream I would be lucky enough to find a place. After the papers were signed he asked me to dinner. I, in my naivety, thought we were going as just friends. After a few dinners he made an advance. Clearly he wanted more and I wasn’t attracted in that way what-so-ever.
“I let him down as gently as I could. And we parted friends.” She remembered the night she’d heard the key turn in the lock. “Or so I thought.”
“Bastard.”
She studied him through her lashes. “Exactly. Anyway, unbeknownst to me, he’d kept a copy of the key to the shop.”
The scrape of Patrick’s chair echoed over the conversation in the room, quiet settled in its wake. He glanced around, instead of standing as it looked like he had been about to do, he leaned forward and placed his palms flat on the table.
“What happened?”
She called upon the calm she needed to recite the details, she hadn’t been ready to divulge. As she had with the police, the hospital, and her family she distanced herself—telling the story as if she were repeating something that had happened to someone else. If she didn’t, all the emotions would come rushing in and overwhelm her. She couldn’t do that right now, not with Alex’s murder and Lance’s disappearance.
“I was in my office working on the startup business plan the bank needed for my loan. Then I heard the key in the door to the office, not the front door. I may have had time to think of something if he’d come in that way. He was on me before I could stand.”
Even though she planned to distance herself, it never completely worked. She swallowed the panic she’d felt, and the initial shock at seeing someone she trusted step through the door with the purpose to attack her.
“Effie was leaving work and saw Danny leave my office. We hadn’t met yet, but she had a gut feeling something wasn’t right. She found me laying in a pool of my own blood from the broken nose he gave me. She’s the one who called the police, the ambulance, and Tyler.”
“Bastard,” he repeated.
“Then she set about helping me put the pieces of my life together again. I had trusted Danny. I truly thought of him as a friend and I was so grateful to have someone to introduce me to the community.”
“How long ago was this?”
“About ten years ago, I believe.” Though she knew the exact date. Why she didn’t tell him, she didn’t know.
“Anything else happen? He just broke you nose?” he asked as if he knew there was.
“No.”
“So he’s probably out of prison by now. Do you want me to check?”
“Danny never went to prison. He was never charged.”
This time he shot to his feet and towered over her like an avenging angel. “Why the fuck not?”
She glanced around and nodded toward his chair. “Patrick, please sit down.”
He followed her gaze around the room and finally returned to his seat. “I’m having a hard time understanding why he’s not. Did he run? I’ll find him. I can’t believe Tyler didn’t.”
This was the part that was the hardest about her story, she hadn’t told anyone because she knew she’d relive it during the telling. Most sane people would have r
eported who had attacked her. Now that she’d confided Danny’s name as the real estate agent, she realized her mistake.
“Tyler doesn’t know his name,” She confessed. “I refused to identify him by name to Tyler and when the police came, against Effie’s advice. I told them and the hospital that it was an unknown assailant. That I’d been working late and neglected to lock the door. He had intended to rob me, but Effie yelling had run him off. That was the story I stuck to.”
Damn, damn, damn.
The expression on his face told her he suspected something else had happened. Well, she wasn’t going to appease his curiosity. She couldn’t believe she’d actually confided in him as much as she had. He must be very good at his job. He had an air about him that invited confidences. He would probably be very good with children. She had no idea where that thought had come from.
“To answer your initial question...”
“What?”
Obviously he’d been distracted by her story. “Effie is my person, remember?”
“Oh, yeah. You’re not going to tell me more, are you?”
“No. I will explain the best I can what a person is and why Effie is mine. Because she saved my life even if it was more emotional than physical, she now feels responsible for me. She has my back and I have hers, and we’ve been as close as sisters since this happened. I miss my sisters back east, so it’s nice to have Effie. And someday, I hope to save her in some way, hopefully not the same way. Basically she’s my person and I’m her person.” She stood and gathered her plate, she always bused her own table. “Let’s get back to business. I’m sure you’re busy.”
He followed her example but she knew there was more he wanted to say. She hoped he wouldn’t.
“I’m going to say goodbye to Effie,” she said.
He followed. She thought he’d wait.
“Thanks for the lovely meal, as always it was excellent.” Glenna gave her friend a hug.
“Thank you, Ms. Kennedy, the meal was delicious.”
Glenna laughed. “Especially since it didn’t have spinach or Kale on it.”
Effie tilted her head to regard Patrick who stood a head and shoulders over both of them and then to Glenna in confusion. Glenna just gave her friend another hug and turned and left with the agent close on her heals. Once they were settled in her office, the smell hit her anew. Maybe they should have stayed at the bistro.
“Whew, the smell isn’t getting any better. Is there somewhere else we can finish in private?”
She wasn’t sure she wanted him at her place, she barely knew him, but she couldn’t think of any place else, except... “We can return to the bistro.”
“Let’s go to your place, I want to check it out.”
“Why?”
“If the vic’s death, and your missing fiancé are connected then you may be in danger also.”
She hadn’t even thought of that. And why not? She’d been around Tyler and her brother-in-law’s enough she should’ve at least suspected it. That she hadn’t, proved how upset she was over Alex. She tried to appear calm, but her insides were a gooey mush. She couldn’t think straight and she just wanted to sit down and cry.
“Are you okay?”
“What? Oh yes sorry. I don’t know why that thought had never occurred to me.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
“No, I should have figured it out on my own. Knowledge is better than going into something being surprised. I know that better than most. You are more than welcome to come and check things out. Hopefully the only thing you’ll find is Mr. Grumpy Pants nosing around.”
“Who?”
“My neighbor, Mr. Barlow. He watches my cat. He hates me and my cat. But he offers to watch Agnes while I’m gone.” She gave a shrug. “It’s beyond me why.”
As they left, she locked her office. Since she’d walked to work that morning, she rode with him to her small house a few streets over.
When he pulled in the drive he let the engine idle a moment while he looked over the property. “This is your home?” He sounded surprised.
“Yes, not much but it’s mine.” She smiled. “If you count making monthly mortgage payments owning. I seriously love it. It’s the perfect size for me.”
He didn’t say anything, she got the idea he was thinking about someone else in that moment. Finally, he turned off the engine, climbed out, and walked around the car and opened the door for her. When was the last time that had happened? Even Lance in all his gallantry, had never opened her car door.
He surveyed the neighborhood, nodded his head to the left.
She turned and saw Mr. Barlow standing on his walkway, in all his scowling glory. “Good evening Mr. Barlow. How are you this evening?”
His frown deepened to the point his eyes almost disappeared. Then he sniffed, huffed, turned and stomped to the screen pulled it open and let it slam in his wake.
Patrick looked down at her. “Nice fella.”
“That’s why we call him Mr. Grumpy Pants.”
“We? Do you have a roommate?”
“No. I meant my cat, Agnes, and I call him that.”
“You have a cat who calls people names?”
She just grinned at him and led the way to her small porch.
“Hang tight.” He took her elbow and led her back the way they had come. “I don’t know what I was thinking? I’m going to check the perimeter. Wait here, it will only take a moment.”
As promised it had only taken a few minutes before he was at her side again.
“Things look clear.”
Together they returned to her door, he waited while she slipped the key in and as the door opened a low forlorn meeeeoooow echoed.
“Agnes?”
She called out for the cat several times and heard another mournful meow. Her home was just a cottage really, not that big where could Agnes have gone?
She tossed her keys and purse on the table and hung her coat on the rack and went to search in earnest. When she entered her bedroom she stopped cold.
Patrick, close on her heels bumped into her. “Whoa.”
There in the center of her bed was Agnes. Thank god she seemed to be all right. But who had put her in a cage and placed it on her bed? She never kenneled the feline.
“Ms. Beckett, what’s wrong?”
Ms. Beckett? Where had that come from? Come to think of it, she hadn’t heard him use her name yet. She glanced around the room but didn’t answer or move. Agnes was looking at her in disapproval.
“Do you keep her in a kennel all day?” By the tone of his voice, he had an idea this wasn’t her doing.
“What do you think?”
“Have you touched anything?”
“What do you think?” She repeated and raised a brow.
“Sorry, routine question, just slipped out.”
He stood as still as she had and did a sweep of the room with his gaze. He bent at the waist to look at floor level. “Do you see anything out of place?”
She couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary. “I don’t think so, but I can’t really tell from here, I have a lot of antique jewelry on my dressing table.”
“The table looks like an antique itself.”
“It is.” She let her gaze wander around her room and land on the table again. “It’s a Golden Walnut Victorian Antique Dressing Table circa1860. I need to sell it soon, but I can’t seem to part with it. Maybe in a few years I’ll be able to keep a few pieces for myself. I didn’t want to have it in the inventory while I was gone. It’s too valuable. Now that I’m back I’ll have to take it to the shop. I’m sure it will go fast.”
She would be sad to see it go. Someday she would furnish her little cottage the way she’d envisioned when she purchased it.
“Let’s back out and I’ll call the local PD to do a dusting and when they’re done, they’ll do a sweep. Adding this break-in to the other things that have happened, I can’t help but assume they’re all connected.”
<
br /> As she started to follow him, Agnes let out another mournful entreaty. “I can’t leave her in that thing.”
Patrick looked from her to the cat, then he pulled a couple of latex gloves from his back pocket, and whipped them on. Luckily her bedroom wasn’t that large and they’d been standing at the end of her bed so all he had to do is lean over to open the kennel door. He was careful not to move the cage as he picked the cat up and then backed out of the room.
He stroked the cat’s fur. “So you’re Agnes, aren’t you a beautiful Tabby?”
To Glenna’s point of view, he just kept getting better. A man who liked cats. “Do you have a cat?”
“No, my parents have a couple. We had some while my sister, Margaret Kathleen, and I were growing up.” He held Agnes toward her, and once the cat was safely in her arms he removed the gloves. “I wouldn’t mind having a cat now, but Horace rules the household and I’m not sure a cat is in our future.”
He called his sister by her full name, how endearing. “Horace?”
“Our dog, he’s a hulking English Mastiff. He’d eat little Agnes for dinner. He’s Finn’s dog.”
“Finn?”
He paused as if that last part had slipped out. She thought maybe he wouldn’t answer.
“Finnegan Kendal McGinnis my sixteen year old son. He’s my person you would say. He saved my life and then I saved his.”
He had a son, she hadn’t seen that one coming. Instinctively her gaze sought his ring finger and found it bare. He’d notice and grinned.
“Joyce isn’t in the picture.”
“Oh I’m sorry, did she pass away? Is that why you said he’d saved your life?”
They had moved to the kitchen and were sitting at her table waiting for the department to dust for prints. She’d assumed he’d get back to questions about Lance, but he’d kept up the chatter. He still hadn’t answered about his wife, anyway she assumed she had been his wife or Finn’s mother.
Before he had time to answer, a black sedan pulled in, she recognized it as the same car Officer Beckworth drove. He stepped out the car at the same time Officer Jones got out. Both turned their heads to the right Mr. Barlow must be outside. She could only imagine what he thought. The worst, she was sure.
Abandoned (The Beckett Series Book 6) Page 5
