by Regina Duke
Lulamae’s eyes sparkled with humor. She moved slowly to the wall and retrieved her cane. “Come on, I’ll show you to your rooms. We can take the tour after you’ve had a chance to freshen up. How’s that?”
“That would be lovely,” said Belle. “It’s so nice and cool in here.”
Lulamae turned and winked at Uly. “Come on, Gimpy. Don’t tell me there’s someone who’s slower than me. Are you in pain, darlin’?”
Belle put a hand to her forehead. “Uly, I’m sorry. We’re half an hour late with your pills. See what happens when I’m not wearing scrubs?”
Lulamae patted her arm. “There’s bottled water in your rooms. Uly can take his pills. And when you’re ready, the two of you can come back to the entry and into the great room and through to the pool. I’ve had Rita lay out some snacks.”
Uly took Lulamae’s teasing with affection. “I’m so glad to see you walking again, Lulamae. Did you sell your wheelchair?”
“No, Tex wouldn’t let me sell it. He says it helps us get to the front of the restaurant line. You can borrow it, if you want. Your Mama told me you were using one in Eagle’s Toe.”
“Did Thor tell her where I went?”
Lulamae halted at a slatted door. She pushed it open to reveal a lady’s bedroom, complete with a white and pink duvet and a lace canopy on the bed. “Here you are, Belle. May I call you Belle?”
“Of course. Oh, this is lovely!”
“I’m so glad you like it. I gave wing to the little girl fantasies that still beat in this old heart of mine. As for you, Mr. Garrison, no, your brother didn’t tell her. She called me when he refused to part with any information. She was hoping I’d had a dream.” Lulamae’s eyes widened with special meaning.
Uly leaned close enough to kiss her forehead, then asked, “And did you?”
“I’m not telling until the two of you are properly fed and cared for.” She winked at Belle. “Uly, your room is farther along the hall there. And Belle, if you need a bathing suit, there is a selection in the chest of drawers.”
“I’m sure I can do without,” said Belle graciously.
Lulamae gave her a knowing look. “That’s what they all say, until they see the pool.” She smiled mysteriously. “Here comes Kamal with your luggage. I’ll just get out of the way.”
Kamal nodded and smiled and deposited two suitcases in Belle’s room and a third in Uly’s. After he left, Uly stood awkwardly in the hall, peering into Belle’s room.
“It is certainly pretty,” he said. “Gee, I hope Tex decorated mine.”
Belle laughed softly. Maybe having family wouldn’t be so bad if it included characters like Lulamae. “She’s charming. She’s your godmother?”
“Yes. Her husband and my father have been friends for decades. They’ve partnered on some huge business deals, and both profited.” Uly shifted uncomfortably on his crutches. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to take my pills and give’em a few minutes to work.”
“Good idea.”
“How about you knock on my door in fifteen minutes? Then we’ll go find Lulamae.”
“Okay.” Belle turned away and hefted a suitcase onto a stand.
Uly paused for a moment, watching her move. She was so beautiful, but she didn’t even seem to know it. Every movement was fluid, every action full of grace. He cursed his stupid ankle. They could be having so much fun if only he wasn’t wearing that blasted cast. One more thing to thank Ahmed for.
He crutched to the door of his room and peered inside. Tex had definitely had a hand in decorating this room. The leather, the blues and greens, the longhorns on the wall, and a saddle on a stand by the chest-of-drawers all screamed Tex Franklin. Uly smiled fondly at the thought of his godfather. Tex and Lulamae had treated him like their own ever since he was a baby. What would they think of him if they found out what had happened in Kuwait?
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Belle took her time unpacking. She marveled at how comfortable she felt in the guestroom. There was an art to making people feel at home, and Lulamae had certainly mastered it. Her stomach rumbled and she was looking forward to snacks. Even a private plane needed time to travel from Eagle’s Toe to Vegas, and then there was the time it took to get from the airport to the house. It was almost five o’clock. She hoped snacks was a euphemism for dinner. Her lunch in the limo felt like a long time ago.
She hung her new clothes in the closet and had fun spreading them out. She’d never had a closet that big, wall-to-wall and walk-in all at the same time. Her clothes had a room of their own. She wondered if she and Uly would spend their year in the Cattleman’s suite or if it would look more real for them to buy a house. It would be fun to pick out a mansion or even just a bungalow. Of course, it wouldn’t be fun to find something she loved and then have to leave it.
She thought she’d loved something in Denver, but not a house. Two months ago, she thought her future happiness was guaranteed. And then came the betrayal. She felt the old feelings knotting up inside her, and she shoved those memories aside. In the end, Dr. Zivo had walked all over her feelings and then blamed her for his own mistakes. Well, she was going to take care of herself from now on. She wasn’t going to let another man break her heart.
Uly was handsome, but more importantly, he could offer her financial security. Being his bride for hire wasn’t that much different from being his nurse for hire. She’d make sure his lawyers drew up appropriate safeguards in their contract. She needed to make sure that she would come out of this thing unscathed, and with legal help if she needed it.
A light knock at the door startled her from her reverie. She’d gotten lost in her own thoughts, and fifteen minutes had turned into twenty. She opened the door to find Uly standing there, looking much more comfortable. His pain pills were working.
“You forgot all about me, didn’t you?” he teased.
Belle smiled. “Not exactly. I was enjoying the walk-in closet, though.”
“Did you pick out a bathing suit?”
“No, of course not.”
“Oh, really? You didn’t pull your drapes back? Didn’t look out the window?”
“No. Should I?”
“Mind if I come in?”
Belle waved him inside. He crutched over to the drapes and pulled the cord to reveal sliding glass doors that looked onto a courtyard ringed with plants. And just a few feet from the doors, the pool glistened in the afternoon sun.
“Oh, my!” Belle pulled the sliding doors open. “It goes on forever!”
“Well, it goes around the corner. But I don’t think it goes on forever. That would be a really big house, even for Tex and Lulamae.”
“Smarty pants.” Belle nudged him with her elbow. “This is stunning. It looks like paradise.” She tried to take it all in at once, the wooden chaises with their colorful cushions, and each with a towel perched at the foot, rolled and tied with ribbon. Some of the courtyard tiles were made of glass and concealed lights underfoot. Belle was sure the pool would be glorious after dark with lights of its own. “Lulamae was right. I’ll need to borrow a suit.”
Uly grinned from ear to ear. “I guess I’ll just have to watch, at least until my cast comes off.”
“I’ll swim for both of us,” said Belle.
“Shall we go find our hostess?”
“Yes,” said Belle. “I’m starving.”
Once they returned to the entry way, they followed Lulamae’s instructions and moved through the formal room to the right, then through a formal dining room, and finally into the much more relaxed atmosphere of a cozy family room where a long table sported a lush buffet.
Lulamae greeted them from the door of the kitchen. It was on the outside wall of the house, with no view of the pool. “There y’all are. I was just about to send a hunting party looking for you. Belle, dear, won’t you help yourself? You, too, Gimpy. Rita has outdone herself on short notice. Isn’t she a treasure?”
Belle was ready to agree wholeheartedly. “She prepared all of this?”
&n
bsp; “Well, she had a little help, but they’re the day staff. They’ve left already. Rita sleeps in. She’s the best cook in Texas, and when we decided to spend half the year here in Vegas, I insisted we bring her along.”
Rita gave them a big smile, then disappeared into the kitchen.
“She’s shy,” said Lulamae. “Well, go on. Let’s eat.”
“We’re not waiting for Tex?”
“He’s entertaining business guests on the Strip. He’ll see you tomorrow.” She put up a hand to stave off Uly’s protests. “You are not flying in here and out the next day. No. I put my foot down. You are staying until I say different. Now let’s have dinner.”
Belle hid a smile behind her hand. Maybe having unusual relatives wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Uly seemed to resign himself to Lulamae’s edict. Belle didn’t mind. Between the pool and the food, she was happy to hang around for a while. She selected salmon, fruit salad, and tiny slices of bread. The rest she enjoyed with her eyes. After all, she wanted to swim later.
Uly’s appetite seemed healthy enough, and she watched him pile his plate with sliced beef, macaroni and cheese, and a wedge of watermelon. Lulamae took tiny servings of a dozen different dishes.
“I just love variety,” she said. “Let’s all sit here at the table. It’s way too hot to eat outdoors. But it’ll be perfect out there in a couple of hours.”
“It’s so delicious,” said Belle. “How do you stay so slim?”
Lulamae blushed. “In my youth it was easy. I was quite the equestrienne, and I used to be a competition swimmer. But my secret of late has been eating like a bird. So you can imagine how testy I get.” She looked serious, but her eyes danced merrily.
Belle laughed. “I’ll remember your advice when I get older, but for now I plan to enjoy that beautiful pool after dinner, so I’ll tell myself I’m swimming off the calories.”
Lulamae reached out and patted her arm. “Good thinking.” She turned to Uly. “Now tell me all about the baby.”
“Baby?” Belle’s brows shot up.
Uly said, “Thor and Ashley’s baby boy. Mother staying at their cabin? Remember?”
Belle shrank back with relief. She and Uly were only pretending to be man and wife. Even though they were going to be legally wed, there was no pressure to plan a family, thank goodness. And no need to reveal the heartache that had haunted her for years. Zivo had taunted her about it. She wouldn’t take that chance with Uly.
“Cabin?” Lulamae threw her head back and shook with silent mirth. “Is that what they call it?” She leaned toward Belle. “Have you seen it?”
“Not yet,” said Belle. “I was under the impression it was a small place.”
“Because they call it a ‘cabin,’ you mean? Oh, these Garrisons have a sense of humor.” She chuckled, then changed the subject. “Rudy has Tex involved in the expansion of the hotel in town. What’s it called again?”
Uly swallowed, then said, “The Cattleman’s Inn. I’m staying in one of the new suites.”
Lulamae nodded.
Belle watched the two of them interact. She couldn’t help but feel that Lulamae wasn’t so much asking questions as she was testing Uly on his knowledge of family details. It made for an interesting meal.
“And how is the big development deal going?”
Uly blinked at her. “You mean, the luxury homes?”
Lulamae wagged a finger at him. “You should know these things, Uly. Especially since you won’t be going back to foreign soil.”
Uly stopped with his fork halfway to his mouth. He glanced from his godmother to Belle and back again, then set his fork down and cleared his throat. He looked uncomfortable. “You’ve been talking to my father, haven’t you?”
Belle could see Uly bristling at the thought.
“Why, no, of course not,” said Lulamae. “You know me, darlin’. I have a much more direct source of information.”
Uly wiped his mouth with his napkin. “No offense, but you know I have my doubts about that second sight stuff.”
“Second sight?” asked Belle. She’d heard about it, of course, but she thought it was all old wives’ tales. “Are you a medium, Mrs. Franklin?”
“Lulamae, dear. Mrs. Franklin, God rest her soul, was my mother-in-law. And no, I’m not a medium. I don’t talk to dead people. I don’t even talk to living people, unless I like them a lot.” She sat back in her chair and looked Belle in the eye. “I have dreams. And sometimes they tell me a lot about what’s going on. Or what’s going to happen in the future.”
“Oh, I see.” Belle smiled politely. Inside she was wondering just how crazy Lulamae really was. But she seemed so sweet and hospitable, Belle decided it was the kind of crazy that made for interesting conversation. “And your dream told you that Uly wouldn’t be going back to Kuwait?”
“That’s right.”
Uly relaxed enough to take another bite of macaroni and cheese.
Belle speared a perfect bite of watermelon with her fork. “Did your dream tell you what the future has in store for him?” She kept her tone light.
Lulamae closed her eyes and leaned her head back as if trying to remember something. She stayed that way for several seconds.
Belle caught Uly’s eye and gave a little shrug. They shared a smile. Lulamae was certainly entertaining.
A moment later, Lulamae sat up straight and said, “Uly, darlin’, pass me a piece of that coconut cake.”
Uly did so. Lulamae took a spoonful of frosting and her eyes rolled back in delight at the delicate flavor. “So good,” she said. Then out of the blue, she looked at Belle and asked, “Was it you who killed that man in Denver? Or was it your boyfriend?”
CHAPTER TWELVE
Belle’s pupils shrank to pinpricks. All the turmoil of her last weeks in Denver threatened to overwhelm her again, and her heart pounded so loud, for a few moments she couldn’t hear what was being said.
Uly cocked his head to one side. “Belle? Do you know what she’s talking about?”
Belle knew, of course, but she couldn’t figure out how Lulamae learned of it. The hospital certainly hadn’t publicized anything about the incident. It wasn’t even talked about among the staff. And she certainly hadn’t murdered anyone. Neither had the traitorous Dr. Zivo. But the patient did die later, at home. And Belle was still suffering, knowing that by following the doctor’s explicit instructions, she might have contributed to that death. But how could Lulamae know anything about it? Her brow furrowed with confusion.
“There are a lot of men in Denver,” she began carefully. “But I certainly haven’t killed any of them.” Although there was one she’d like to kill, that was certain.
Lulamae nodded slowly. “That’s what I thought. I get a very good vibration from you, Belle. Sometimes my dreams are hard to read. It must have been that man you were dating. What kind of name is Z?”
Belle felt a tickle of panic. “What? Where did you hear that? You had a dream?”
Uly patted the air with both hands. “Don’t worry. She just as often gets things wrong.” He pinned Lulamae with a warning glare.
But she wouldn’t let it go. “Sometimes,” she conceded, “my dreams are misleading, but this dream had that special clarity I get when I’m being sent information. And I’m pretty sure that Belle was dating a man named Z back in Denver.” She took another bite of frosting. “Mmmm, I’m so glad we brought Rita with us this year. Uly, darlin’, try this coconut cake.”
Uly’s mind was whirling. He suspected his mother had done some behind-the-scenes research on his Supernurse. She probably called Belle’s supervisor, and any information she got there, she might have shared with Lulamae. But how could he ask Belle about that without making it sound like his mother was checking up on her behind her back?
It turned out he didn’t have to explain anything. A look of realization dawned on Belle’s face. “Oh, I get it.” She turned to face Uly. “Your mother must have called the Board of Nursing and my former supervisor for a
recommendation. Smart move. That’s how she learned about Z. Dr. Zivo and I went out a couple of times.” No need to paint the whole picture. She was trying not to think about how badly Zivo had hurt her.
Uly saw the sadness in her eyes and deflected the conversation. “You see, Lulamae? Nothing to it. What else did mother tell you?”
Lulamae was taken aback. “Don’t be silly. I had my dream before she called. She did tell me about your nurse.” She raised a suggestive brow. “But she didn’t know anything about this Z person. That came in my dream.”
Belle was a bit shaken. She’d never met anyone with psychic powers of any kind. In fact, she wasn’t sure she believed in that sort of thing. But Lulamae certainly did, and so did Uly. So she picked her words carefully, while trying to keep the tone light. “I don’t suppose you could dream tonight that Z was hit by a truck, could you?”
Lulamae gawked at her for a second, then threw her head back and laughed heartily. When she finally caught her breath, she said, “My dreams can be prophetic, but unfortunately I can’t order up predictions or move the Earth or the Heavens. Has this Z fellow been a problem for you?” She lifted a small silver bell and rang it. The chime was barely audible, but half a moment later, Rita appeared at the kitchen door. “Coffee, please, Miss Rita.” Lulamae turned back to Belle, waiting for an answer.
Belle took a careful breath. Her first impression of Lulamae had been one of kindness and acceptance. And though Belle didn’t believe in second sight, she had great faith in her ability to read people. In her heart, she’d already placed Lulamae on the list of people who could be trusted, so she spoke openly.
“I thought Dr. Z and I were developing a relationship, but evidently he thought we were just dating casually. And then one day, he wrote an order incorrectly in the ER. I was trained to follow the doctor’s orders as written, but later he claimed I should have second-guessed what he really meant. It made things very difficult for me. Even though my supervisor took my side, in the end I had to leave.” She shrugged, as if the whole incident were nothing more than an inconvenience.
