by Nan Dixon
Kaden asked, “Do you want me to check your house?”
“Doris is handling it.” Granddad sighed. “It’s been weeks since I’ve heard the water through my window. I don’t sleep well without it.”
“To get home, you need to heal.” But maybe he could spring his grandfather for an afternoon. He’d check with the staff.
Whenever Kaden ran into Josh, the boy asked about fishing. Maybe Granddad could handle a little fishing off the dock. Josh and Issy could come along. His fingers clenched at the thought of being responsible for the safety of the kids.
“Nigel.” A woman in a wheelchair rolled into the room and headed right for his grandfather. A heavy knee brace encased her leg, making it stick out like a torpedo. “I missed you at breakfast.”
“Grandson stopped by.” Nigel made introductions. Smiling at Kaden, he touched his heart.
“I love you, too,” Kaden whispered, brushing a kiss on his grandfather’s head. “I’ve got to go.”
He was still smiling as he entered the psychologist’s office. After greeting Dr. Rebecca, he opened the folder he’d been authorized to show her. “The pictures are...graphic. But Nathan hoped they might help you with Issy’s care.”
The doctor pushed back her salt-and-pepper hair and examined the crime scene photos. With each picture, her face grew paler.
When she flipped to the one with the blood trails on the floor under the body, he explained, “We think the victim fell on Issy. Somehow she ended up underneath him and was dragged out.”
The doc swallowed, then shoved the last picture into the folder and pushed it back to him as if it was toxic. “It explains the pictures she draws.”
He set the folder on his lap. “There were three bodies at the crime scene.”
“No children, please, God,” the doctor whispered.
“No.”
She curled her arms around her stomach. “From what Issy’s been able to communicate, her other papa was a victim.”
“Yes. Magnussen. Has she said who shot who?” This would be an incredible break.
“I haven’t asked.” Her eyes went cold. “A four-year-old can’t be clear on cause and effect.”
“Too bad.” He tapped his fingers. Any facts could help. “I’d like you to ask her at your next session.”
“What you’d like me to ask and what’s good for Issy aren’t compatible.” Her eyes narrowed. “I won’t interrogate a child. She’s just getting over her nightmares and starting to speak.”
He held up his hands. “But...”
“No.” She straightened. “You can go to Nathan, but I would strongly—strongly recommend that she not be questioned.”
The doctor reminded him of a she-wolf protecting her den of cubs. Not something Kaden’s mother would have done. He regrouped and pulled out his card. “If she gives you any information on the murder of three people, I would appreciate a call.”
“If—if she volunteers something, and since Nathan has authorized me to discuss Issy with you, I’ll call.”
It was all he could ask for. Except an eyewitness who wasn’t four years old and traumatized. Dealing with minors was impossible. He held out his hand. “Thank you. And I need you to keep the fact that I’m with the FBI secret.”
“Of course.”
He texted Nathan he was on the way to the day care. Nathan would meet him there.
“How was Dr. Rebecca?” Nathan asked, when Kaden approached the day care door.
Kaden searched for the right description. “Protective.”
“I’m glad.” Nathan smiled.
The director led them back to a crowded office. After introductions, he and Nathan each took a chair.
Kaden’s knees banged against the desk as he sat. “Have you thought of building shelves to give yourself extra room?”
“That’s what I thought the first time I walked in here.” Nathan pulled out a pencil. “Do you have paper?”
The director pushed over a pad.
“I would dump the credenza and build shelving around your file cabinets.” He made a quick sketch.
Kaden watched as Nathan’s vision came to life. “You could also extend to the corner.”
Nathan handed him the pencil and Kaden added the remaining details. His shoulders relaxed as he drew.
The director looked a little shocked as she took in the drawing. “It would solve the small space issue.”
Nathan flashed a grin at her. “Maybe we could barter tuition for carpentry work.”
“We’ll talk.” The director looked up. “How can I help you?”
Nathan nodded to Kaden. He pulled out pictures of Bole and Salvez. “It’s possible Issy’s mother, Heather Bole, might try to take Isabella. Bole has been seen with this man recently.”
The director stared at the photos. “May I have copies of these? I’ll make sure the teachers are all aware. We’ll keep them at the front desk.”
“Those are for you,” Kaden said. “I’d also like to review your security.”
“And what is your connection to all this?” The director waved her hand.
“I’m here to capture Heather Bole, Issy’s mother.”
Nathan nodded.
“Who do you work for?”
“The FBI.” He flashed his badge. “But that needs to be kept secret.”
Her eyes widened. “Of course. Let me show you our security.”
After the walk-through, Kaden said, “Your doors are strong enough. But anyone can enter the lobby. Once in the lobby, a perp could force the receptionist to open the interior door.”
“I’ve asked the owner to put a keypad on the external door,” the director said. “She’s thinking about it. We have a panic button at the front desk, but it only notifies the back rooms.”
The security was adequate, but Kaden hated having Issy in day care all day.
He and Nathan left together. Mission accomplished. He could turn off his FBI persona and become handyman again. Time to find out what Courtney had destroyed this morning.
* * *
COURTNEY JERKED THE cart filled with breakfast dishes to a stop. She had a goal for this Thursday. Same goal as yesterday. Get through without another screwup. She couldn’t stand the looks that passed between Marion and the Fitzgeralds whenever something happened.
She set her hand on the swinging door.
Someone inside the kitchen said, “I don’t suppose you could use Courtney’s help in the greenhouse?”
She froze. That was a Fitzgerald. Talking about her. She leaned closer.
“Are you kidding? I have thousands of dollars’ worth of orchids in there.” That had to be Bess. “You’ve talked about the Courtney path of destruction. I won’t have her near my plants.”
Courtney’s face heated in embarrassment. She couldn’t help the accidents that had occurred during the week. She hadn’t been bred to change beds and clean up other people’s messes.
“Is she improving at all?” Was that Dolley’s voice?
“The broken mirrors before last weekend’s wedding weren’t her fault. Kaden ran into her,” Abby said.
She knew her sister-in-law’s voice the best. At least Abby recognized everything wasn’t her fault.
“That was a mess. Any chance you can find a use for her, Dolley?”
“No way!”
Mother and Father didn’t want her in Boston. No one from her circle of friends bothered to call or text. Her brother had pawned her off on the Fitzgeralds. They didn’t want her, either.
She bit her lip. Why couldn’t she head home? There she could lock herself in the library. She’d read, relax. Be happy.
“Those dishes don’t belong in the hallway.” Marion walked toward her.
Courtney blinked. “I...�
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“Let’s go.” Marion pushed open the door and held it.
The dishes rattled as she guided the cart into the kitchen. She stared straight ahead, pretending not to notice the witches gathered at the table. The sisters stopped talking. Right. Now they had nothing to say.
Josh’s mom was with them, too. It wasn’t enough that the Fitzgerald sisters thought she was worthless. Cheryl did, too.
She dumped the scraps into the appropriate can. She wasn’t going to make that mistake again. Let the pigs enjoy the B and B’s leftovers. Then she sprayed and loaded dishes, ignoring the group at the table.
“I’ll have to bring Josh and Issy here for tonight’s event,” Cheryl said. “Nathan has his dyslexia group and my regular sitter is having surgery.”
Courtney turned and moved toward the table. “I’ll watch them.”
“What?” Cheryl’s eyebrows went straight up into her hairline.
Oh, God, what had she done? Hadn’t the women just been reciting all her screwups? What parent would let her watch their precious kids after hearing all that?
But she was good with Josh and Issy. She stood a little taller. “I’ll watch them tonight. I’m not on the schedule.”
Cheryl’s brown eyes were huge and round in her thin face. “I know the kids love playing with you—”
“I was a nanny for my cousins when I was in high school,” she interrupted. She refused to be rejected for the one thing she knew how to do. “Actually, I stayed with them when their parents were in Europe. Two summers.” The words flew out of her mouth.
“You were a nanny?” Disbelief painted Dolley’s face.
“Yes.” No Fitzgerald would make her feel inferior. “I’m good at it. And I didn’t leave a path of destruction.”
Abby’s mouth dropped open. Bess looked at her hands and Dolley gave a small nod.
“What time do you need me?” she asked Cheryl, wanting to spend time with the kids.
“Nathan has a meeting at five, so four thirty?” Cheryl said. “I can’t pay much—”
“I’ll be there. You don’t need to pay me. I can’t wait.” She turned back to the dishes, her movements more confident.
Finally something to look forward to in this hot, humid, horrible place.
* * *
COURTNEY SHOULDERED HER bag and called out, “I don’t know when I’ll be home.”
Of course, no one answered. The place was empty. Gray was at Fitzgerald House, probably drooling over his wife—or his wife’s food—or helping with the wine tasting.
She rubbed her forehead, smoothing away the ever-present grooves. Not tonight. Tonight she would have fun with Josh and Isabella.
After climbing the carriage house stairs, she knocked at the second-story door. This was the first time she’d been inside this building, even though the restaurant was almost complete. A restaurant Gray was financing for Abby.
Resentment began to boil, but petered out. Hating took so much energy and tonight was for the kids.
The door popped open.
“Hi, Miss Courtney,” Josh said.
“Hi.” She stepped into a room that was slightly cooler, but not by much. A sofa faced a flat-screen TV. Dolls and cars covered the floor. A rocking chair was set in the corner.
Nathan came into the living room, Issy hanging on his back like a monkey with her arms around his neck. “I don’t know where Issy’s gone.”
The little girl giggled.
“I hear her.” Nathan turned, pretending to look for his daughter. “Where could she be? Courtney, have you seen her?”
Issy grinned and shook her head.
“I don’t know where she is.” Courtney smiled.
Josh rolled his eyes. “Look behind you, Papa.”
Nathan spun so hard, Issy’s legs swung wide. He tugged her around to his chest and hugged her. “Found her!”
“Daddy!” she squealed.
“I’ve got to go, but you be good for Courtney.” He tossed her in the air and set her on her feet. “Dinner’s in the oven. Phone numbers are on the fridge. And Cheryl detailed out their evening routine.”
Issy ran to Courtney and hugged her knees. Courtney picked her up, setting her on her hip. “We’ve got it.”
“You help Courtney.” Nathan picked up Josh and tossed him in the air, too. “And be good.”
Josh laughed as his father tickled him. “I will.”
“I’m not sure who’ll be home first,” Nathan said. “My meeting usually goes until around nine.”
“Don’t worry.” She winked at the kids. “We’ll try not to burn down the carriage house.”
Nathan jerked, and then dimples popped out as he smiled. “Sounds like a solid plan.”
She could see why Cheryl and Bess had been attracted to the twin brothers. They were handsome.
“Let’s check what’s for dinner.” Courtney pulled out a dish of enchiladas. “This looks good.”
“I chopped the lettuce and tomatoes.” Josh grabbed them from the fridge while she poured their milk. Then they all sat at the table.
The kids put their hands together. They were going to pray? Okay.
“Josh, will you lead us?” she asked.
He said a prayer she’d never heard. And they all said “Amen” together.
“What did you do at school today?” She dished portions onto each plate.
Josh bounced in his seat. “Zach threw up. All over the swing.”
Courtney grimaced. “That’s not a conversation for the dinner table.”
“It looked like this.” Josh opened his mouth and gave them a view of his chewed-up dinner.
Issy cried, “Yuck.”
“Josh,” Courtney warned.
But it was hard to scold the little boy, who grinned at her. “What about you, Issy?”
“I pet a bunny.”
“We got to play with him, too.” Josh crunched on lettuce. “I fed the bunny lettuce.”
The kids talked about wanting a bunny. And then the puppy they were going to get when their house was finished, but how the puppy could hurt the bunny.
Courtney had forgotten how kids’ conversations swirled around. Only a little food ended up on the floor from Josh swinging his fork as he talked.
“Did you have a pet?” Josh asked.
Courtney set the last plate in the dishwasher. “My brother had a dog.”
Her parents assumed one pet in the family was all they needed, ignoring the fact that she’d wanted a kitten.
“Mr. Gray is your brother, right?”
She nodded and wiped the table. “Yes, he’s my older brother.”
“I’m Issy’s older brother.”
The little girl gave him a hug.
“Yes, you are.” Courtney looked around the kitchen. Why was it more satisfying cleaning here than at the B and B? “I think that’s good.”
She checked the schedule. Cheryl suggested starting to get them into the shower or bath around seven thirty. They had plenty of time for fun. “I brought art supplies.”
“Where?” Josh demanded.
She brought her bag into the living room and sat on the sofa in front of the coffee table. “Would you like to make your mom a bouquet of flowers?”
Josh shook his head. “We’re not ’llowed to pick Miss Bess’s flowers.”
“Of course not. This will be a permanent bouquet.” She pulled out tissue paper, pipe cleaners, scissors and a clear vase she’d gotten from the B and B.
She let them pick the colors for their flowers. Issy picked pink and purple tissues. Josh chose primary colors. Then she helped them fold the paper. “Good job, Issy. Press hard.”
They worked together to place the pipe cleaners. Then she cut Issy’s folded tis
sue papers into a fringe while Josh cut his own. “You can round the edges.”
“I want to do that.” Josh tucked his lip between his teeth as he cut.
“Sure.” Courtney swept up the scraps and dumped them into the vase.
“Pretty,” Issy said.
“Just like you.” Courtney tapped her nose. “You’re such a pretty girl.”
Her stomach twisted. Mother and Father’s words had come out of her mouth. The words that had made Courtney believe her only value was as a pretty little ornament. Appalled, she blurted out, “You’re smart, too.”
Issy smiled and nodded.
“Now the magic happens.” Courtney held each pipe cleaner stem and showed the kids how to pull the folded tissue petals open.
“I can do that.” Josh grabbed his first flower and immediately tore the tissue. He wailed, “It ripped.”
“That’s okay. Just be more careful.”
“My mom will hate it.” Josh frowned at Issy’s flower. The girl was treating the paper as if it was glass. “She’ll like Issy’s more.”
“It’s going to look beautiful,” Courtney said. “Just pull the paper apart slowly. No one will see that tiny tear.”
They each made three flowers. There were more rips, but Josh admitted, “You can’t see the tears.”
“I told you.” Courtney folded the pipe cleaners so the flowers filled the vase. “What do you think?”
“I like my colors the best,” Josh said.
“Mine are pretty.” Issy patted the pink and purple flowers she’d made.
“They’re all beautiful. Where should we put them?” Courtney asked.
“Mom puts flowers on the kitchen table,” Josh said.
Issy nodded.
“Then that’s where they should go.”
Issy pulled out a bright yellow place mat and Josh set the vase in the middle.
“That looks gorgeous.” And homey. It was nothing like the Smythe mansion, where exotic flowers graced most rooms. This was kid-friendly and fun.
There was a knock on the kitchen door.
“Mr. Kaden!” Josh tugged a chair from under the table and pulled it over to flip open the deadbolt lock.
“Hey. You’re supposed to ask who’s at the door.” Kaden picked up Josh from the chair and set him on the floor.
