Unexpected Sparks

by Gina Dartt

  Later, Nikki wished she could live up to such hyperbole as she trudged through the snow toward the police station. Truthfully, she didn’t have the slightest idea what to get Kate, mostly because she hadn’t been with her long enough to really figure out her tastes and desires...at least outside the bedroom. She didn’t even know if Kate liked chocolate.

  Sandy smiled when Nikki pushed her way through the solid doors. “Go down the hall to your right. That’s where they’ll be giving the exams. Take a seat anywhere.”

  Nikki nodded her thanks and hung her coat on the rack before following instructions. She appeared to be the last one there, other than the proctor, and as she took her seat she surreptitiously appraised the others in the room. The three men and one woman returned the glance, checking her out in a polite, subtle way. Without recognizing any of them, Nikki couldn’t tell what kind of competition she would be up against.

  All she could do was her best, she decided philosophically. If that was good enough, she would get the job. Otherwise, someone else with more qualifications would. She didn’t believe her sexual orientation would be held against her, and besides, it was against the law in Nova Scotia to discriminate on the basis of that...assuming she could prove any such discrimination. She took a deep breath and focused on the task at hand.

  A few hours later, she had finished all the tests and was walking out of the room with a sense of accomplishment. She couldn’t really tell how she had done...the proctor had been inscrutable...but she was secure in her competence with the computer section of the exam, as well as her ability to type basic facts quickly while someone shouted contradictory instructions at her. That had to count for something.

  She felt her heart sink as she saw Katherine Rushton talking to a constable in the outer area of the station. Not really in the mood for another confrontation, she wondered if there was another way out. But to her surprise, Rushton was slumped in one of the chairs, her face haggard and fear still evident in her eyes.

  She didn’t even look up as Nikki walked past, and the air of total defeat surrounding her was a marked departure from her usual haughty demeanor. Sidling over to where Sandy was covering the desk, Nikki pretended an interest in the donation box for the SPCA before she finally caught the dispatcher’s eye. “Can I ask what she’s doing here?”

  “She had her car stolen,” Sandy said. “She’s here to do the follow-up report. Apparently it showed up in her driveway last night without a scratch on it, the keys still in the ignition.”

  Nikki knew that was as much as she dared coax from Sandy, and with a farewell nod, she shot a final glance at Rushton before leaving. As she walked outside, Nikki wondered if Rushton had finally run out of ways to hide her crimes...or had someone maneuvered her into exactly where they wanted her to be?

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Kate stood behind the counter, pleased by the inordinate number of customers in the store. Even for a Friday, this crowd proved that, whatever rumors were spreading around town, they weren’t affecting her business. Then it occurred to her that perhaps a few of them had come to look at her, as if she were an odd exhibit in the zoo. They were members of the golf club, or the Historical Society, who picked up one of the lesbian or gay novels with deliberate casualness, read the back, and then offered her a baffled look, as if they expected something in the blurb to explain her sudden change of status. Kate was torn between laughing at the sheer absurdity and being annoyed by the pettiness of people whom she had once considered friendly acquaintances.

  Shaking her head, she accepted the money from one of her regular customers, a gentleman who preferred cold-war thrillers, though how the genre managed to survive the dismantling of the Berlin Wall so many years ago was beyond her. As soon as he left, another joined the line. Of all the evenings for Sheila to take off, this was turning out to be the worst.

  At least the day’s profit margin would be spectacular, she thought, trying to consider the bright side. Though she had access to funds beyond the average Truro citizen, she tried to live within the means of what the store made and the payment she received once a month from her major trust. That way she didn’t have to touch her other accounts except in unusual circumstances and couldn’t be unnecessarily extravagant, something her parents had frowned upon. They had taught her that having money was not merely a privilege but a responsibility.

  Responding to a customer request, she looked up the availability of a book on the store computer, filled out a special order for it, and then dealt with the next customer, a parent looking for some children’s books. After that, business lulled as traffic picked up outside with people leaving work to go home for supper, and Kate took a moment to gather her bearings. Making a quick tour of the store, picking up a few books that had been knocked to the floor, and straightening others on the shelves, she felt some of the tension leave her shoulders. She doubted this interest in her and her store would continue for very long, and in the meantime, she would simply have to work through it.

  The treble of the phone made her hurry to the counter, and she picked up the receiver, somehow knowing who it was before she answered, her heart thumping pleasantly in anticipation.

  “Hi, Kate,” Nikki said, the rich voice making a shiver ripple down her spine. “Are you busy?”

  “I have a moment to talk,” she said, suddenly hearing her own voice lower instinctively to a sensual inflection. “Especially to you.” Nikki chuckled, and again Kate felt her heart give a jubilant little twinge. “How did the exam go?”

  “I think I did all right. I won’t know until next week, of course, but it felt pretty good.”

  “I know things will work out the way they’re supposed to,” Kate said, then laughed. “I almost wish you could pop by tonight to help out in the store. It’s been crazy here.”

  “It would probably take more time to teach me how things work than any help I could provide. But if you really want me there—”

  “No, I was just joking.” Kate laughed again. “If you were here, I wouldn’t get any work done at all.” She paused. “I miss you, darling.”

  “I miss you, too. We’ll see each other tomorrow night.”

  “I’m counting the minutes,” Kate said, wishing Nikki would say that she would stop by once the store was closed, even though it would be late. Kate wouldn’t presume to ask her to come over at such an inconvenient time. The tinkle of the bell above the door made her sigh. “I have a customer. I have to go.”

  “Okay. I love you. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  “Until tomorrow,” Kate said and hung up, wondering too late if she should have told Nikki she loved her as well. She made a vow to do something extra-special for her, not only to make up for the overlooked endearment, but because it would soon be Valentine’s Day. It had been so long since she had celebrated it that she usually ignored it altogether, but this year she’d once more mark the date as a special occasion.

  Kate turned around to discover her customer was none other than Margaret Madison. She couldn’t remember her coming to her store very often, if at all, and she wondered what had brought her out. It couldn’t have been her new notoriety as a lesbian, she thought. Margaret would have far more occupying her mind than that little tidbit making the rounds.

  “Hello, Kate,” Margaret said, barely smiling as she stood in front of the counter, resting her gloved hand on top of the polished surface.

  Compassionately, Kate immediately covered it with her own, not knowing why, only aware that she seemed in a great deal of pain. “Margaret, how are you?”

  “I’m getting by.” Margaret hesitated and then lifted her chin, as if gathering her courage. “I’m not sure if you’re aware of this, but Sam’s death left me...in somewhat difficult circumstances. You’re one of the few women I know who owns her own business, and I was wondering...if perhaps you could provide me a letter of recommendation.”

  “I’d be glad to.” Kate tilted her head as she regarded the other woman, noting the haunted look in t
he eyes, the hollows of her cheeks. “I didn’t get a chance at the service to tell you how sorry I am for your loss.”

  “Yes, the service,” Margaret said, her voice a thin thread of hatred. “I still can’t believe that...woman...dared show her face.”

  Kate was grateful no one else was in the store. She envisioned another scene and was already preparing herself mentally for the onslaught. “Apparently, she was his business partner.”

  “Business? Is that what you thought when you saw her car parked there that night, when you saw the light in the upstairs apartment?”

  “Well, it’s in the past, Margaret.” Kate desperately tried to come up with something to defuse the moment.

  Margaret stared at her and then seemed to shiver before regaining her composure.

  Kate felt disturbed, aware of an indecipherable look in the widow’s eyes, a sort of darkness that she didn’t want to probe too deeply.

  “You’re right,” Margaret said in a calmer tone, “it is over. I’ve finishing cleaning out his stuff from the house. Now I suppose it’s time to start cleaning out his belongings at the cabin.” She grimaced. “Perhaps it’s fortunate that I didn’t have to clean out the office. That Rushton woman saved me that task, at least.”

  “I’m sure Rick Johnson has the case well in hand. If she’s behind this, Margaret, then he’ll bring her to justice.”

  The door opened as more customers entered the store, and Kate felt relieved, despite her earlier wish not to involve other people in a possible scene. “I’ll get that letter for you as soon as I can.”

  “I appreciate that, Kate.” Margaret turned, hesitated, and then looked back. “Ah, I don’t mean to pry, but is it true that you’ve...met someone?”

  Kate resisted the urge to sigh. “That’s the rumor.” Firming her jaw, she inhaled deeply to prepare herself to utter the truth. “I’ve never been happier.”

  Margaret regarded her for a few seconds. “Then I’m glad for you, Kate,” she said in an oddly flat tone. “It’s rare that one can find such happiness. Don’t be afraid to take it wherever you can find it, no matter what anyone else says. And never let anyone take it away from you.”

  “Thank you.” Bemused, Kate watched Margaret leave before she glanced back at her other customers, two teenagers browsing the young adult section. Idly, she wondered why Margaret had come to her. Somehow, she didn’t quite buy the excuse that she was the only business owner she knew. What about all her husband’s associates? Which led back to Katherine Rushton, and Kate decided that perhaps it wasn’t so strange after all.

  More customers filtered into the store, and she was forced to put the conversation aside, along with the questions it raised, as she waited on them. She noticed a run on her lesbian and gay books and realized that if some of the townspeople were coming by out of sheer inquisitiveness, others were there to silently support her. She didn’t know how many of the new customers were gay...though sometimes it was obvious when she was waiting on two women or two men who had that certain comfort level with each other...but unquestionably she was suddenly part of a community.

  She did notice that certain people who normally came in Friday night didn’t, for whatever reason. She didn’t know if their absence was significant or coincidental, but in the end, she supposed it all evened out.

  By nine o’clock, she was exhausted and glad to lock up. Upstairs, she found an apple in the crisper and took it along with a mug of tea into the living room, where she turned on her small television, something she rarely did. Switching it to the local news station, she caught up on the events of the day, finding little that was new. Restlessly, she flipped through the rest of the channels, searching for something to quiet her mind to the point where she could go to bed, finally finding an animal documentary.

  Around eleven-thirty she shut off the television and stood up, stretching to ease the kinks from her shoulders. She went into the bathroom and prepared for bed, smiling as she saw the second toothbrush, now used, sitting in the holder. In the bedroom, she found the T-shirt tucked beneath the pillow, pulling it on before she slipped between the sheets and turned off the light. She had barely settled down before the phone rang, and she bit off a curse as she picked up the receiver, remembering that she had neglected to set the answering machine. Her annoyance immediately dissipated when she heard the voice on the other end.

  “I’m sorry to call so late,” Nikki said. “Did I wake you?”

  “No.” Kate relaxed against the pillows, a soft smile on her face. “I just went to bed. Now I’m lying here missing you more than I can say.”

  “Me, too. I crawled into bed a half an hour ago, but I can’t go to sleep without saying good night.”

  “Well, I’m glad you did.” Kate’s voice dropped to the husky trill that Nikki evoked in her. Lying in the darkness, her lover’s voice in her ears, she was abruptly aware of an ache in the lower part of her abdomen, and she turned onto her side, drawing up her legs. “Oh, dear.”

  “What?”

  “Nothing,” Kate said, embarrassed. “I’m...aroused, just hearing your voice.”

  “Really?” Nikki’s tone rose significantly. Kate could almost see the leer on her face.

  “Fiend,” she murmured affectionately. “How dare you call me, set my senses aflame, then leave me here alone to suffer the consequences?”

  Nikki’s chuckle was low and sensual. “They say deprivation is good for the soul.”

  “Who says?”

  “Those who are deprived, I suppose. That means us, at the moment.”

  “Only until tomorrow night,” Kate said. “I’m counting the minutes.”

  “The seconds.”

  “You should have come over tonight.”

  “I would have.” There was a touch of surprise in Nikki’s voice. “Why didn’t you ask me?”

  “I...I didn’t think you’d want to that late.”

  “You’re kidding, right?”

  Kate didn’t have a response. For a few seconds, she listened to Nikki’s respiration on the other end of the line and then laughed, unable to help herself. “I’m a fool.”

  “No, I should have asked if I could. I’m not...I don’t always know where the line is, you know?”

  “I know,” Kate said softly. “It’s hard to figure it out when all we can think about is being with each other.”

  “It’s as if by deliberately staying away from you, I can tell if it’s really love. That’s stupid, isn’t it, Kate?”

  “No, it’s being in love. It makes us so vulnerable, and a part of us tries to hold back so that we’re not hurt.”

  “Yes, that’s exactly it.”

  Kate cradled the phone closer to her ear. “I’d never hurt you, my darling,” she whispered. “Not deliberately, at any rate.”

  “I know,” Nikki said in a barely audible tone. After a long silence, she finally sighed. “I’d better let you go.”

  “Until tomorrow night.”

  “Tomorrow.”

  “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  After gently hanging up, Kate lay awake for a long time, the ache inside gradually subsiding until finally she fell asleep, wrapped around a pillow that still bore Nikki’s scent, dreaming of warm skin and an even warmer heart.

  Chapter Thirty

  The Tidal Watch Inn on the outskirts of town, located on the shore of the Salmon River, always required a reservation. Not because people were fighting to get in, Nikki suspected, but simply because they wanted to project that sort of image. In any event, it was supposedly the best place in town to eat, not to mention the most expensive, and she wanted to do something very special for Kate on Valentine’s Day. Running over from Keebler’s Building Supplies during her lunch hour, Nikki made a reservation for what would certainly be a busy day.

  After she spoke to the maître d’ in the foyer, she glanced through the arches leading into the dining room and noted what kind of patrons regularly dined there. She was not surprised to
see Terry Bishop, along with his partners from his law firm, nor to recognize Art Ryan, the owner of the largest grocery superstore in the area. But she was truly astounded to see Katherine Rushton having lunch with a woman Nikki couldn’t identify from the back. They were seated next to the partition separating the foyer from the dining area, a half wall topped with a lattice that ran to the ceiling, vines growing decoratively over it to further shield the dining room from prying eyes. Not from equally inquisitive ears, however.

  Nikki paused by the rack containing brochures for various tourist attractions in the area. She picked out one about a walking tour of historical sights in town and pretended to read it as she cocked her head and listened intently, trying to pick out their conversation from all the others. Fortunately, it wasn’t difficult, the partition offering little soundproofing.

  “I didn’t try to run that girl down, Diane,” Rushton said, desperation coloring her otherwise cool and haughty tones. “I came out of my condo Wednesday morning, and my car was gone. I reported it immediately.”

  “Well, it didn’t help that it showed up in the parking lot later that evening with the keys in the ignition.”

  Nikki realized she was hearing Diane Miller, a junior partner in Bishop’s law firm. Apparently, she had been assigned to keep their client occupied. Or perhaps Diane was a friend, and it was highly unlikely Rushton had many at this point, the two commiserating over Katherine’s problems. Nikki wondered why women always desired to confide in each other, even as she was grateful for the characteristic as she listened closely.

  “Maybe the girl lied,” Katherine said, sounding dissatisfied. “She’s of questionable character. All those types are. So is that woman she’s with—”

  “I wouldn’t pursue that line if I were you.” Diane’s tone cooled. “You’re not from around here, so maybe you don’t know this, but Kate Shannon is one of the few truly influential people in Truro. She’s not obvious about it, and people tend to forget who her maternal grandparents are, but she can pull strings that the rest of us only dream of having access to. She is not someone to trifle with.”