The Detective Bride

by Sylvia Damsell

  “Must you?”

  Susannah screwed her face. “I must.”

  “Surely they have work here you could do. You’ve already done two assignments.”

  “Albert sent a telegram asking when I would return. I don’t want to lose the job. I know I could probably do something here but I need more experience and I need to be recognised as someone who is wanted by a large agency like Albert’s.”

  “Yes, I suppose so. Can I help you pack anything?”

  “No. Just talk to me, that is, if you’ve got time.”

  “I’ve got all the time in the world. Will Noah return to New York as well?”

  “No. He wants to buy a ranch here. I need to go soon. I was only waiting because of the children.”

  “They love you very much.”

  “I love them very much. I’m not offended that they want to be with you. I wasn’t crying because of that. It’s just all the uncertainty of everything at the moment and I haven’t been able to help where their mother is concerned. Blair isn’t so good a detective though he’s good at other things.”

  “You don’t think he’ll carry through looking for their mother?”

  “No, I don’t think that. I’m just not sure he knows how, that’s all.”

  “Had you thought at all of going to assist him?”

  “It has crossed my mind.”

  “Noah could help you.”

  Susannah shook her head. “No. I’m not Noah’s responsibility and he wants to settle here, anyway. I just want to know really how Blair is doing where finding Mrs. Stanton is concerned.”

  “Then let’s do some delving together and see what we can find out. There must be more places we can go. The main thing is why Mrs. Stanton had to give up the children. How about you and I go to Los Angeles and make some enquiries?”

  “What about the children?”

  “I’m sure Samantha would help where that is concerned or else we can take them with us. We could have a holiday in Santa Barbara which is where Bruce originally wanted us to have our honeymoon. Samantha would love that and you and I could wander off to do our sleuthing. Noah could come if he wants to do so.”

  “Only if we pay for the holiday,” Susannah said.

  Hazel smiled. “We can manage the expenses.”

  “But not for Dan and Becky. I’ll pay for them. I’m not poor after receiving two rewards. I wasn’t poor before.”

  “Alright then. You pay for Dan and Becky and I’ll discuss it with Bruce tonight. We have talked about it a bit already.”

  “You’re a nice person,” Susannah said. “The nicest person I think I’ve ever met.”

  “You’re my friend and I care what happens to you. I’m also a sucker for solving problems.”

  “A lawyer and a detective.” Susannah felt decidedly better and a bit excited. “But I’ll have to contact Albert because I work for him. I’ll send him a telegram tomorrow. Do you think Dan and Becky will be unsettled by returning to Los Angeles?”

  “We’re going to Santa Barbara, not Los Angeles, and they’ll love the sand and the sea. We all will.”

  “Yes. Thank you.”

  “Now let me help you pack. The thought of going to the seaside is actually quite exciting.”

  “Why didn’t you go to Santa Barbara for your honeymoon and where did you go?” Susannah asked and the next thirty minutes was taken up with packing the children’s clothes and then with joining them in the barn where they were finishing their assignment with the aid of Bruce and Noah.

  Chapter 25

  The children tore down to the sand with the adults not far behind. The Pacific ocean, Susannah thought, and the sea seemed bluer and more exciting than on the east coast. They all went into the sea and she forgot to be frightened of the water.

  Maybe courtesy of Noah, she rather felt when she thought of it, who was very close to her. If there was any danger he would look after her, she felt sure. She looked at him in his swimming costume and thought how handsome he was. Tall, lean, his shoulders wide. Who could ask for more?

  Except that he wasn’t interested in her as a woman and she felt she looked a total wreck. Why was it that women had to wear so much? It was ridiculous. The first day she had worn a woollen costume which sagged immediately it hit the water and became very heavy.

  Hazel had swum over after a few minutes. “Let’s go shopping,” she said. “I’m not wearing this thing. It’s ridiculous.”

  Which gave them a chance to go shopping, something none of them minded though Susannah suspected that Samantha had less money than her and Hazel. Susannah had asked if she could buy them a costume each to celebrate the success of her last enterprise and Hazel accepted with alacrity, probably because she realised what Susannah was doing.

  So now they had on the trendiest costumes they had been able to purchase but the skirts still weighed her down and made her a bit unsure of herself in the water. It would be nice if they could wear what the men did.

  They had been in Santa Barbara four days and she and Hazel were going to San Francisco the following day. Susannah had also been given an assignment in Santa Barbara where she had to determine if a bartender was undercharging a certain group of men in a saloon. Joel and Samantha babysat while Bruce, Hazel, Noah and Susannah went to the saloon.

  Susannah spotted what was happening soon after they arrived. Really it was pretty simple, she told them all on the way home when they walked along the beach to their hotel, but she was sure the bartender was being blackmailed by the group. She told the bar owner that and was relieved when she was informed the following day, when she and Noah went in to check what had happened, that the bartender had his job back and the group of men had been arrested.

  The young man was profuse in his thanks which made Susannah feel good. She didn’t like spying on people, she told Noah, but obviously that was part of the job.

  Now, as they went in the sea again, he trod water beside her. “Bruce wants me to go with you and Hazel tomorrow,” he said.

  She looked at him briefly. “Why?”

  “In case there’s trouble. You may not worry about your safety or think you can do everything without help but Hazel has children who need her. You may also think Blair is perfect in every way but I don’t trust him.”

  She didn’t like the shortness of his tone, she had to admit, but he had answered her sharply a few times since they came to Santa Barbara. Was he tired of acting nursemaid to her? But he always seemed to go with her voluntarily and never complained about it.

  Except that he wanted to be a rancher and he had told her he would be putting a deposit on the land he was interested in when they returned to Lower Pine. That in itself made her feel rather bleak because once she left she wouldn’t see him again.

  She had considered staying a bit longer in order for her parents to come for the holiday they mentioned. Now she wasn’t at all sure. It would just be best to go after this investigation and leave Blair to get on with the search if they didn’t find Mrs. Stanton.

  Because it was too emotionally exhausting loving Noah and knowing he would never be interested in her, also wanting to continue to be a detective and knowing she would probably have to give it up if she stayed in Lower Pine. Now he was being short with her and that upset her.

  “I don’t think Blair is perfect in every way,” she said. “He’s not detective material and doesn’t think things through. He even lied about the children.”

  “Pardon?”

  “Hazel found out he didn’t actually adopt them. He took them with a view to adoption.”

  “And would have returned them if you hadn’t intervened. That is despicable.”

  She started to swim as best she could and he had to follow her. “He’s not despicable. He just didn’t think, that’s all.”

  “And that excuses him?”

  “I don’t want to talk about him,” Susannah said. “And I don’t want you to come tomorrow. Hazel and I are quite capable of looking after ourselves.”

/>   “Then Bruce may go and he shouldn’t put himself in danger either.”

  “The Bible says our times are in God’s Hands.” She felt a bit proud of being able to quote something, not sure that she should have such a feeling but unable to stop it. “What ever we do God won’t allow us to die unless He wants it.”

  “Humph.”

  She had a desperate urge to kiss him at the way he looked at her. He didn’t deserve it. He didn’t want it. However, she still had the urge, that and wanting to pat him in the way her mother would do to her father if he was being obstreperous. The thought brought a flush to her cheeks and she dived underwater without thinking of what she was doing.

  She came up and wasn’t spluttering which was a wonderful feeling. Could she open her eyes under the water? She went under again, opened them and it felt alright. There was nothing much to see but maybe if they went a bit further out there would be. Once again without thinking she started to swim away from the shore, not realising how close Noah was to her. She did not realise either the way he was feeling at this moment.

  If she was his wife he would.... He paused in his thoughts. What could he do? Absolutely nothing and if she knew what he was thinking she would be very verbal. Her head appeared above the water and he grinned at the thought.

  “What’s so funny?” she asked.

  “Nothing. Is there anything good under there?”

  “I saw a couple of fish and some seaweed. Come under and look.”

  He went under with her and it was fascinating. He had dived under many times but doing it with Susannah made it wonderful. He went to catch a fish with his hand and she pushed it away. Help! That was really tactless, just when he was feeling a bit nearer to her.

  They came up again and he wondered what she would say. Nothing, he discovered, and she went under again. How badly he wanted to put his arm round her in the water. But he mustn’t take advantage and she obviously had feelings for Blair by what she said. Four pairs of little legs came into view and they surfaced again.

  “There’s pretty fish down there,” Susannah said and they all went underwater again which they kept doing for about fifteen minutes before the children were sidetracked.

  When they came out of the water Susannah sped towards the bathing hut. She didn’t want Noah to see her because the swimming costume was the most unglamorous article of clothing she had ever seen. She dried herself, changed into a dress which had sleeves that went to just above her elbows and jumped down onto the sand.

  “I want less on,” Hazel said, walking over.

  “Me too. Could we bathe with nothing on?”

  Hazel giggled. “Good idea. If Amos is allowed to wear virtually nothing why can’t we?”

  “Do you have any friends in the fashion business who could design swimwear for women which would be more skimpy?”

  “Unfortunately no. Maybe we could ask Vivien. She seems to know everyone.”

  “Shall we eat soon? I’m starving. This sea air makes me really hungry.”

  “Good idea.”

  They ate sitting on a blanket on the sand from a huge hamper the hotel had made up for them. Fish, which was an insult to the fishes swimming nearby, Susannah said. Bread, with cheese, eggs and salad. Chicken sandwiches with their crusts removed. A total waste of bread, Hazel added. Cakes of various shapes and sizes with some pastry.

  “Now that was food,” Bruce said, lying back after they finished.

  “And what do you get at home?” Hazel asked.

  “An apology.”

  He rolled away as she dived at him and they went over and over together with their arms round each other. The children jumped on top of them and Noah desperately wanted to do the same with Susannah.

  He met her first, not Blair. He had more right to her attention and love. Except, of course, that he’d been a real baby when they were in the cave which wasn’t something which would endear a man to a woman. The children screamed with delight as Bruce lifted them in turn into the air and Susannah reached for Amos and lifted him.

  She was so beautiful. She was so lovely. She was so unavailable. Samantha’s baby crawled over to them and he lifted him.

  They played ball afterwards and the afternoon was a full one as sand castle making followed. When they finally started back to the hotel the children were healthily tired and slept quickly after the evening meal.

  In the evening Susannah suggested that Bruce and Hazel and Joel and Samantha go out. They could go to the theatre or walk along the sand or do whatever they wanted, she said. The children would be fine with her. “I’ll be here too,” Noah said.

  Susannah frowned. “You could go out also.”

  “No. I’m happy to stay. We could play chess or a game of skill or something, or else we can read. I’m getting old. I need to do something that doesn’t involve any effort.”

  “Definitely old,” Hazel said. “You mustn’t exert yourself in any way.” She looked at Bruce. “I’d like to go dancing.”

  “What do you want to do?” Joel asked Samantha.

  “Walk along the seafront and maybe dance later. What time must we be home, Susannah?”

  “Whenever you like.”

  The two couples left soon afterwards and had not argued at all about the babysitting. They loved their children deeply but the occasional reprieve was more than acceptable. After they left Noah squatted in front of a cupboard to look inside.

  “There’s chess here and other games. Do you want to play one of them?”

  “Chess sounds okay.”

  He lifted it out and sat opposite her on the luxurious armchair in the living room of the suite where they were all staying. “I’m good at it.”

  “So am I.” She walked to the window where they had a view over the sea and the sand below. “There are people on the sand. I wonder if they have jellyfish. I read somewhere that you can be stung quite badly with them.”

  “I don’t know.” He walked over to stand next to her, desperate to be close and the urge to hold her almost like a pain. “Maybe it’s better not to go on the sand at night then.”

  “I wouldn’t want to be stung. You really don’t have to come tomorrow. It’s not because I’m being independent but I think it would mean a lot to Hazel.”

  His voice was gruff as he replied. “Bruce didn’t ask me to go. I shouldn’t have lied about that. I would have told you eventually but I’ve been feeling guilty about it.”

  “That’s alright. Probably Bruce and Joel would be glad of the help with the children. I have a feeling Samantha would like to come with us. You could take turns to babysit while the other two go out in the evenings.”

  They were going to be a long time, Noah thought, and maybe being with the men would be nice, even with the children who were no chores. “Alright,” he said.

  “It’s not because we don’t want you. I always feel secure when you’re with me.”

  He turned away from the window, knowing he would put his arm round her if he didn’t move. “Thank you.”

  “You should have become a detective, not just been a bodyguard. Bodyguarding is necessary but you’d earn more as a detective and you certainly work things out.”

  “Not as well as you.” He started to set out the chess figures on the board.

  “Well, maybe you’re right.” She giggled as she walked over.

  He screwed his nose at her. “Modesty is not one of your greatest features,” he said.

  “Sorry.”

  He would kiss her. Maybe just one little kiss on her forehead? He leaned forward, pushed her hair back a bit and kissed her slowly before virtually dragging himself back to his seat. She bent her head and moved a couple of the chess pieces a fraction.

  “Do your worst, sir.”

  Chess or kissing her? If only. “You can go first,” he said.

  “No. We’ll toss a coin. You toss it and choose which side you want.”

  “Tails.”

  He tossed, it was tails and they played a few games while
they chatted.

  Chapter 26

  “It’s a big place, isn’t it?” Samantha said.

  Susannah looked at the many buildings around them. “Not as big as New York but big enough. Actually you don’t notice size so much when you’re in a place because you can only be in one spot at a time. I wonder what the crime rate is.”

  “Quite high,” Hazel said. “Shall we enquire of someone where the orphanage is? If it’s a distance we’ll need a cab but if it’s not too far we can walk. What do you think?”

  “Fine by me. Samantha?”

  “Equally fine. Are we going to come away with loads of adopted children?”

  Hazel laughed. “Could be. How many do you want?”

  “I’ll probably want them all when I see them.”

  “I felt like that in New York at the orphanage,” Susannah said.

  “Maybe we could start an orphanage in Lower Pine. Vivien said Tara told her that is what they should do.”

  “It would give work to people. I’ll just ask directions from that lady over there.”

  Not far so they could easily walk, Susannah was told. They had dropped off their carpet bags at the hotel which made walking easy and all of them were enjoying a new experience. They made their way to the orphanage and were ushered in to see the matron of the establishment.

  “Are the children alright?” Miss Stevenage asked. “We haven’t received a file for adoption yet.”

  “”They’re fine,” Susannah replied. “They’re being well looked after but Mr. Wilde has been a bit busy lately. What we wanted to know is a bit about their family.”

  “We gave details to Mr. Wilde.”

  “Yes, and they were well documented. However, we do need to know if there any relatives in case of repercussions after the adoption. Do you have those kind of details?”

  “What kind of details?”

  “How their mother died, for instance. There was nothing about that. As I will be raising the children I need to know that at the outset. I don’t want to become really fond of them and then have them taken away.”

  “Their mother is still alive. She relinquished all responsibility for them.”