Skein of the Crime

by Maggie Sefton

  Kelly shrugged, holding up both hands. “Hey, whatever works.”

  “What worked with this Patty girl?” Greg asked.

  “Patty was a challenge. I’d learned that she was a thief and an accomplished liar. So I had to sneak up on her.”

  Burt chuckled. “It was fascinating to watch. Kelly chatted her up for a while and waited for an opening, then she pounced. Grabbed hold and didn’t let go.”

  “That’s not a Rottweiler. That’s a pit bull,” Pete said.

  “Hey, my uncle has a pit bull. He’s a nice dog,” Greg added.

  “Kelly’s nice, too,” Lisa joked.

  Kelly noticed Steve observing her as laughter rippled around the half circle. He hadn’t said a word. Kelly decided to make her exit before someone asked her another question. She and Burt walked over to one of the few places in the yard that wasn’t filled with people.

  “So what’s happening?” she asked. “Yesterday afternoon you said Patty admitted to Dan that she picked up Holly from the apartment, gave her the pills, then dropped her off on the river trail.”

  “That’s right. She’s got a court-appointed lawyer and will be brought before a judge on Monday. Meanwhile, she’s been charged and is in custody now. There may be additional charges, too, because Dan got a search warrant for Patty’s apartment. Patty’s roommate let them in, and Dan found a whole stash of other people’s pill bottles. All of them prescription painkillers, obviously stolen. Vicodin, Percocet, and OxyContin, everything you’d find on the street. Plus, they also found a scale and plastic Baggies, which shows intent to distribute. All of that strengthens the case and leads to a longer sentence.”

  Kelly nodded. “That makes sense.” She was about to say something else when her attention was drawn to Megan’s frantic gesturing.

  “Kelly, Burt, come over here!” Megan beckoned, clearly excited about something. Kelly noticed Jayleen had joined her friends.

  “Looks like our presence is required,” Burt said as they rejoined the group.

  “You’ll never guess what Jayleen has done!” Megan cried, face flushed. “She’s offered to let Marty and me have our ceremony and reception at her ranch next year! In that gorgeous meadow! Isn’t that wonderful?”

  “Whoa! That’s fantastic news!” Kelly enthused, giving her excited friend a hug. “Those views are gorgeous from that pasture.”

  “That is really generous of you, Jayleen,” Burt said.

  Jayleen gave a dismissive gesture and smiled. “It’s my pleasure, believe me. I’d been hearing from Curt about the hard luck these kids were having trying to nail down a pretty place for their wedding. So I decided I’d give Megan and Marty their wedding gift early. Besides, you know how I love to have folks over.”

  “Well, you’re surely going to have a whole bunch coming for that occasion,” Kelly said. “Judging from how many are here now, even your big pasture will be full.”

  Jayleen gave her trademark hearty laugh. “The more the merrier, Kelly.”

  “Pasture means animals. Does that mean we’ll be stepping around alpaca piles while we’re there?” Greg teased.

  “Thanks for mentioning that, Greg. I’ll put you on poop patrol,” Jayleen said with a wicked grin. “You can be Head Pooper-Scooper.”

  Kelly stepped inside the darkened cottage and flipped on the lights. Steve followed after her and tossed his keys to the entry table beside the front door.

  “I’m thirsty. Do you want some milk?” Kelly asked as she headed to the kitchen.

  “No, I’m fine,” Steve said, walking to the patio door. He slid open the glass. “Hey, Carl, c’mon in, big guy.” Carl raced inside the cottage and immediately jumped around for pats and doggy rubs, which Steve provided—complete with doggy noises.

  Kelly brought out a mug filled with milk and settled into the easy chair across from the sofa. Her favorite sitting spot. Carl raced up to Kelly for a head and ear scratch, and she obliged.

  “That was so much fun,” she said as Carl thrust his head onto her lap for more. More, more. There was never enough.

  Steve sank into the sofa. “Yeah, it was. Marty and Megan make a perfect couple. They’re made for each other.”

  “I know. Nobody but Marty could have gotten past Megan’s shy barrier. He sneaked up on her.” Kelly slipped off her shoes and put her feet on the coffee table between them.

  Steve did the same. “It was fun to watch. I almost couldn’t believe he had a strategy. He was such a total klutz, he made it look completely natural. Megan never saw him coming.” Steve relaxed against the sofa cushions and took a turn stroking Carl’s head.

  Carl was clearly in doggy heaven. He had his beloved owner Kelly and his beloved Steve in the same room again. Consequently, Carl was ping-ponging back and forth between both “beloveds” in an orgy of doggy rubs and pats.

  “Boy, I hope they put a lid on those wedding expenses,” Kelly said in between sips. “It makes much more sense to save up money for a down payment on their first house. Especially now when prices have dropped.”

  “Oh, yeah,” Steve agreed, rubbing an ecstatic Carl’s belly. “I’ll definitely give them a great deal. I’ll even shave off some bare-bones costs.”

  “Can you afford that?” Kelly peered at him.

  He smiled at her. “Not really, Ms. CPA. But I want to do it anyway. It can be my wedding present.”

  “That’s nice of you, Steve. Financially crazy, but nice,” she teased.

  “Hey, I’m a nice guy.”

  He certainly was, Kelly agreed. That would be a very generous wedding present, given that Steve was holding on by his fingernails right now. Maybe by next year, though, the housing market would pick up. One could only hope.

  Carl rested his chin on Steve’s knee, and Steve continued to stroke his shiny black head. After another minute of quiet patting, Steve looked across at Kelly. “So, what do say, Kelly? Why don’t we get married? We’ve been seeing each other longer than Megan and Marty.”

  Kelly was about to take another sip of milk, but Steve’s question stopped the mug halfway to her lips. She stared at Steve, stunned by the question. It came out of nowhere.

  “What?” she said after several seconds.

  Steve leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “We could move into one of the vacant houses over there at the Wellesley site with Megan and Marty and Greg and Lisa. It would be fun. You know . . . getting together for movies and barbeques.”

  Kelly’s head started buzzing with images. Marriage? Fun? Movies? Barbeques? Marriage? Thoughts tumbled over one another in total confusion. Speech deserted her. She kept staring at Steve, wide-eyed.

  Steve peered at her. “Kelly?”

  “Uhhhh . . .” was all she could manage.

  Steve sat back. He studied Kelly’s shocked expression, not saying anything.

  Kelly realized she needed to say something. Steve was looking at her with an expression she’d never seen before. Disappointment.

  “I . . . I don’t know what to say,” she stammered.

  “I think you just did,” Steve said in a flat tone. “Total shock.”

  “That’s . . . that’s because it was so . . . so sudden . . .”

  He arched a brow. “Sudden? We’ve known each other over two years and been living together for over a year.”

  Feeling uncharacteristically clumsy, Kelly sought to explain her reaction again. “Not that kind of sudden. I . . . I mean out-of-the-blue sudden. . . .”

  “Out of the blue,” Steve repeated in a cool voice.

  “I mean . . . you’re fighting to keep your business afloat. And you’re working two jobs in Denver. Not getting enough sleep . . .”

  “You think this is a sleep-deprived suggestion?” he barbed.

  Kelly realized she was digging herself deeper and didn’t have a way out. Everything she said, all the justifications she pointed out couldn’t erase her look of total astonishment when Steve asked if she wanted to marry him.

  “No . . . no . . . I don
’t mean . . . Steve, you’re hanging on by your fingernails! And you want to get married?” she cried, honesty overcoming moderation.

  Steve studied her for another long minute. “I guess not.” He rose from the sofa. Carl brushed against his hand for a pat, but Steve ignored him. “I think you and I need some time to think about our relationship.”

  Kelly stared at him, thought processes beginning to function once more. Brain cells coming back online. “What? What’re you talking about?”

  “I’m talking about us, Kelly. I thought we were building a future together. Apparently I was mistaken.” Steve fixed her with a stranger’s gaze.

  This time, Kelly’s mouth dropped open. But speech didn’t desert her this time. “What? Steve! You’re misinterpreting my reaction. I . . . I was just surprised, that’s all!”

  “I didn’t misinterpret anything, Kelly. Your answer was written all over your face, and it was no.”

  Steve turned and walked toward the front door, Carl tagging behind. Kelly jumped out of her chair and followed after him. “Steve, wait! Don’t leave! Let me explain. . . .”

  Steve opened the door, then leaned down to give Carl another pat. “Gotta go, big guy.” He glanced up at Kelly. “You’ve explained enough, Kelly. I’m going to bunk in with Greg and Lisa.”

  “What? Steve! Wait a minute!”

  But Steve had already closed the door behind him.

  Twenty

  The shower spray hit Kelly right in the face. Hot, hot water. It felt good. Maybe the heat could warm up the cold feeling in her gut.

  Kelly had tossed and turned the entire night in fitful, restless sleep. Images of Steve walking out the door and the expression on his face kept waking her up.

  It was obvious that Steve had interpreted her shock and surprise at his sudden proposal as rejection. Rejection of the proposal—and rejection of him. But that was wrong. She wasn’t rejecting Steve. Just the crazy idea of getting married in the midst of chaos.

  Kelly lathered the shower beads over her body and let the water rinse them away. She knew she’d blundered badly when she didn’t respond to him right away. But . . . she couldn’t. She really had been shocked. And she couldn’t hide it.

  Steve’s idea of getting married when he was in the midst of a career meltdown and financial disaster made absolutely no sense to Kelly. It was crazy. And her reaction reflected only her opinion of the idea—not her feelings for Steve.

  Kelly rinsed shampoo from her hair while other responses came to mind—more moderate responses. Less shock, more sympathy. Unfortunately, it was too late. Kelly’s natural response to most things was direct, forthright, and honest—not moderate. That direct approach had always served her well, until last night.

  Turning off the shower, Kelly stepped out and toweled dry. Her insides were still churning. She knew she had screwed up. Steve didn’t want sympathy last night. He wanted affirmation, and he didn’t get it. And it stung.

  But why did he have to overreact and walk out? That was so extreme. Steve knew she loved him. How could he doubt her?

  Kelly checked her watch and grabbed the blow-dryer. She wanted to grab some coffee before she headed off for Warner’s retail development near Brighton. Warner had scheduled a Saturday meeting with his staff and wanted her there. She’d be up to her neck in business all day, and that was good.

  There was no time to brood over what had happened last night. Plus, it would give Steve some time to think and realize he’d overreacted. It was so out of character for him. Steve wasn’t like that. Not at all. He’d come to his senses and call her. Surely he would.

  However, no matter how hard Kelly’s logical side tried to script a reasonable, sensible conclusion to her misunderstanding with Steve, the cold feeling in her gut didn’t go away.

  “Hey, Kelly. You have time to chat?” Megan beckoned from the café alcove.

  Kelly noticed Megan sitting at a table with Lisa in the quieter section of the café. Since Steve had bunked in with Greg and Lisa last night, Kelly figured her friends were curious as to what was going on. She glanced at her watch. The interstate was fifteen minutes away.

  “I’ve got five minutes, guys,” she said as she approached their table. “I’m on the way to a client’s Brighton development.”

  “On a Saturday?” Megan asked.

  “Yeah, my new developer client called a staff meeting.”

  “Okay, we’ll make it short,” Lisa jumped in, her face registering her concern. “What in hell is going on with you and Steve? He showed up at our house last night right as we were getting into bed. And boy, was he in a black mood. He didn’t want to talk at all, not to Greg or to me. He just asked for some blankets and a pillow and slept on the sofa. He was up and gone this morning before we woke up.”

  “Did you guys have an argument or something?” Megan asked, her pretty face pinched with worry.

  “Not really. It was more of a . . . a difference of opinion.” Kelly took a sip of the scalding hot brew.

  “What! That’s crazy!” Lisa exploded. “What could you two possibly disagree about?”

  Kelly paused for a second. “Steve asked me if I wanted to get married. And instead of answering him, I just stared at him in total shock. I mean . . . it came out of nowhere.”

  Both Lisa and Megan took in their breaths and sat back.

  “You said yes, right?” Megan asked.

  “No, she didn’t,” Lisa said softly, worry claiming her face now.

  “You’re right, I didn’t. I was so stunned by the idea that I couldn’t answer at all. Not at first. Unfortunately, Steve took that as rejection. Of him.” She took another big sip. “I wasn’t rejecting him, just the idea. I mean, it’s crazy! He’s watching his entire career go down the tubes, and he’s in the midst of financial chaos, and he wants to get married?” she said, incredulously.

  “And what did Steve say to that?” Megan asked, chewing her nail.

  “Don’t ask,” Lisa said in a flat tone. “I gather he didn’t take it well.”

  “Ohhhh, no. Steve told me we needed some time to think about our relationship.” Kelly took a big drink before adding the rest. “Then he said he thought we were building a future, but now he guessed he was wrong.”

  Megan made an anxious noise and kept chewing.

  “Oh, brother,” Lisa said, glancing to the side.

  “I mean, I was stunned. He came out of nowhere with this idea . . . and I know I screwed up by not answering him right away, but . . . I was so shocked my brain wouldn’t work and no words came out. I tried to explain, but he said my answer was written all over my face, and it was no. Then he walked out.”

  “Oh, no . . .” Megan’s face puckered. She looked like she might cry any minute.

  Lisa took a deep breath and placed both hands flat on the table. “Okay, okay . . . Steve’s under a lot of stress now, we all know that. And you know that suggestion was inspired by—”

  “By his feelings of insecurity, yes. I know that, Ms. Psychologist. Steve was looking to me for affirmation and reassurance and . . . I dropped the ball.” She sighed. “Unfortunately, there’s no ‘do over’ here.”

  “Actually, I was going to say that Steve was inspired by Megan and Marty’s engagement party. You know, happy and carefree. But I have to admit your answer is closer to the truth. Listen, Steve will calm down, I know he will,” Lisa reassured her. “I’ve known him since grade school. He’s an even-tempered guy—”

  “Not anymore,” Kelly interrupted. “I hadn’t told you two, but Jennifer knows. Steve’s been really short-tempered and snapping at me for weeks now. Last Monday he got positively snarky with me and blew up over a little thing.” She stared out into the café. “Part of me believes Steve will come to his senses once he was some time to think. Then again . . . part of me isn’t so sure. And that’s got my gut all twisted in a knot.”

  Neither Lisa nor Megan said anything else. They simply watched her.

  Kelly glanced at her watch. More than five
minutes had passed. Deadlines pressed. “Thanks, guys. I really appreciate your letting me talk, but I’ve gotta go now. It’s a long drive to Brighton.” She pushed back her chair.

  “Kelly . . . it’s going to be all right,” Lisa said in a quiet voice, looking into Kelly’s eyes. “The stress is obviously getting to Steve, and it’s affecting him. He . . . he just needs some space. Just give him some space . . . and be patient.”

  “Lisa’s right. It’ll be all right,” Megan reassured, her eyes bright.

  “Thanks, guys,” Kelly said, then turned and walked toward the café’s back door, giving a wave to busy Jennifer as she did.

  Everything Lisa and Megan said made sense. But . . . they hadn’t seen the look on Steve’s face. She did. And every time she remembered, her gut twisted.

  Kelly pulled her car into the parking area in front of her cottage. No sign of Steve’s truck, she noticed. But then, it was only four o’clock in the afternoon. Too soon for Steve to be here . . . if he decided to come home.

  She grabbed her briefcase and bag and headed for the front door. Maybe there was some leftover pizza in the fridge. Hunger had gnawed at her all the way home, but she hadn’t stopped. Something kept urging her to drive. Drive.

  Tossing her keys onto the nearby table, Kelly dropped her briefcase and bag into a chair and headed for the kitchen. She only took a few steps before she stopped.

  Something was wrong. The living room looked different, somehow. She couldn’t tell what it was, but it looked . . . off. She glanced around the cottage’s small living room and dining area. Everything was in place. Carl was outside the patio door waiting to be let in to greet her.

  Kelly decided she was probably tired from the long day and continued toward the bedroom to get out of her business suit and into some sweats. Then, scour the fridge for food. She was starving. . . .

  Kelly walked into the bedroom, then stopped and stared. The bedroom closet door was wide-open. Her clothes were hanging on the right side, neat as usual, but Steve’s clothes were gone. All gone. Shoe boxes from the top shelf were gone. Ties hanging on the rack. Gone. The cold feeling in her gut spread.