Ring Around the Rosy

by Roseanne Dowell

  “Shoot.” Susan looked away. How was this going to affect their relationship?

  As if reading her thoughts, Dave smiled. “You know I don’t believe any of it. But the chief… well, let’s just say he’s skeptical. Anyway, he pulled me off the case and assigned Greenwood to it. They’re investigating me.”

  “I’m sorry.” Susan didn’t know what else to say.

  “Not that it matters. I have to leave for a couple of days.” He pulled away and looked into her eyes. “My mother’s ill. I have to go to Florida.”

  Susan’s heart dropped.

  What would she do without him? Lord, what was the matter with her, thinking of herself when Dave looked worried sick. Not to mention his poor mother.

  “I’m sorry. Is it serious?” Susan couldn’t believe something that stupid came out of her mouth. “I mean, what’s wrong? How bad is she?”

  “Serious enough for me to go. She might have to have surgery. I’d like you to come with me.”

  Susan stared at him. He looked almost as surprised as her. Had he meant to ask her to go along? Or was this one of those spontaneous things that surprised him, too? Heck, who cared? She wasn’t going to think twice about it. He wanted her to go along? She’d go with him to the ends of the earth. He wanted her with him.

  Not long ago, she was single, unattached, with no perspective males in her life, and happy and content with that fact. In the past few days, two men had asked her out, and now Dave wanted her to go to Florida with him. Her heart swelled. There was nothing to prevent her from going. No pressing feature stories, with the exception of the nursery rhyme murderer, and she’d like nothing better than to get away from it. Of course she’d go with him. How could he even doubt that she would?

  “We have to leave tonight.” He took a soda out of the refrigerator. “Since I’m off the case, anyway, there’s nothing to keep me here. Who knows? Maybe they’ll crack it while we’re gone. I’ll call the airline and get two tickets.”

  “Will the investigation be done by time we get back? I mean to clear you — put you back on the case?”

  “I don’t know. I hope so. There’s really not much to investigate. Greenwood worked on it with me. He knows you didn’t have anything to do with these crimes. And it was my call to book the bracelet or not. After I talked with you, I decided not. I knew you weren’t involved. How the hell did Hill get hold of that information? Unless Greenwood blabbed.”

  “I thought you gave it to him. At first I thought you still considered me a suspect.”

  Dave’s jaw tightened, and Susan cringed.

  “I thought that’s why you were hanging around.” There, she said it. It was out in the open now.

  “A suspect? You’re kidding, right?” He stared at her. Just for a moment, Susan saw something flash in his eyes. Distrust? Suspicion? She wasn’t sure.

  “Susan, I...” He pulled her to him and kissed her instead, squelching all her fears. “Get packed. I’ll be back in an hour.”

  Susan called her mother, sisters, and Ernie so they wouldn’t worry.

  “You’re going where, with whom?” Her mother’s voice reeked with surprise and skepticism. “I didn’t know you were seeing anyone seriously, Susan. How long have you been seeing this man and why didn’t you tell us about him?”

  Susan detected the hurt and disappointment in her mother’s voice.

  “Actually, you did meet him, Mom, at the hospital with Dad. And until recently, there hasn’t been anything to tell.”

  “Is that the nice policeman that came to the hospital with you?”

  Susan laughed at the hopeful inflection in her mother’s tone after hearing that she was going to meet Dave’s parents.

  “I’d like to talk longer, Mom, but I really need to pack. Kisses to you and Dad, and I’ll see you when I get back.” She ended the call and hung up.

  Kate and Clare were almost as bad, hurt that she hadn’t shared her good news with them.

  If Susan had known there was good news, she definitely would have shared it with them. Heck, she’d have shouted it from the rooftops. But this just came up, and... and what, she wondered. Why did Dave want her to go along?

  Was it because he cared about her? Or was this because he didn’t want to leave her at the mercy of the killer? No matter, she was going. Wild horses couldn’t stop her, especially after that last kiss. Something was building between them, and she wanted to explore it further.

  She packed quickly and waited for Dave to pick her up. It was going to be great getting away for a few days. The tension from everything that happened lately really frayed her nerves. She only wished it was a pleasure trip, and hoped Dave’s mother would be okay. She wasn’t sure she could handle another tragedy.

  Dave said it had something to do with her heart. She shot off a quick prayer for his mother, and another that Dave’s partner would catch the murderer while they were away. Nothing would please her more.

  Ernie hadn’t liked the idea of her trip, either. “Who’s going to cover the story while you’re gone? You’re the main connection.”

  Susan laughed at the irony of it. First he had assigned it to someone ‘more experienced’ and even fired her, now he relied on her for the coverage. “Assign it to Hill,” she said, and hung up.

  She didn’t mean to feel smug about it, but she couldn’t help it. If Hill found out about the police investigating her, he’d have a field day with it. Thank God, she wouldn’t be around to see those headlines. But her parents would, and so would her sisters. She should probably tell them about it, but she didn’t want to deal with it yet. Besides, Dave would be here any minute. For the next couple of days, she didn’t want to think about any of it.

  * * *

  Dave hurried back to Susan’s apartment, whistling. What prompted him to ask her to go along, he’d never know. The words flew out of his mouth before he even had time to think. But heck, why not? If she went with him, he wouldn’t have to worry about her back here alone.

  Besides, he wanted her to meet his family. Well, he sort of did. He knew they’d make a big deal about it. He’d never brought a woman to meet them before. Susan had looked so… What was the word? Relieved? Excited? He couldn’t let her know he’d just made the decision. He took out his cell phone and, fortunately, booked her on the same flight and in the next seat.

  It bothered him that she thought he’d given that information to Hill. Dave could see by the look on her face she didn’t completely trust him. Okay. Maybe at first, he could understand it, but not now. Didn’t she know him better than that? Didn’t she know that he cared about her? Didn’t his actions speak louder than words? When he kissed her, she had relaxed against him. Just that small action assured him she understood. He had hated to pull away, but they needed to get going.

  He knocked on her door instead of using the key she gave him. Why, he wasn’t sure. Maybe he still felt the need to put some distance between them. The idea almost made him laugh. If he had his way, there wouldn’t be any distance between them at all.

  He didn’t like the way his mind pulled him back and forth, but he didn’t have time to analyze it further, because she opened the door.

  “Ready?”

  “As I’ll ever be.”

  Dave followed her inside and picked up her bag. “Just what I like — a girl who packs light.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Susan sighed when the plane landed smoothly onto the runway at the Fort Myers Airport. She hated flying, except when necessary, at times like this, and the benefit of traveling over a thousand miles in just a couple of hours — a trip that took a couple of days by car.

  “My brother, Rudy, is supposed to meet us. Hopefully he’ll be here, and we won’t have to wait,” Dave said.

  Her stomach flip-flopped as they neared the time she was to meet his family. When she accepted the invitation, meeting Dave’s parents and family, especially at a time of illness, hadn’t crossed her mind. The thought of Dave wanting her with him, and getting awa
y from the whole mess of murder, secret admirers, and investigations was uppermost in her mind. The reality of it hit her on the plane only minutes before they landed.

  Dave had talked nonstop about his family, apparently nervous, himself, and contributed to her jittery mood.

  What would they think of Dave bringing a total stranger to meet them at a time like this? Heck, what would they think of her at all? Had he told them about her? More to the point, what had he told them? How would his mother feel about her son bringing someone to meet her under these conditions?

  A man, looking enough like Dave to be his twin, approached them as they walked through the airport.

  He embraced Dave with a bear hug. Susan stood back amused at the distinct disadvantage Dave had, because both his arms were at his side, a suitcase in each hand. The poor guy looked helpless.

  Susan almost laughed aloud. Never had she thought of big, strong Dave as helpless. The luggage fell to the floor as Dave’s brother squeezed him in a grip that soon turned into horseplay. Punching each other in the arms, the brothers obviously enjoyed their playful teasing. She enjoyed watching the lighthearted, family affection. She finally coughed to draw Dave’s attention.

  “Well, well, well, what have we here?” The man walked toward her, followed by Dave. “Who is this beauty? Surely she couldn’t be with you?”

  His quick, easy wit, and his grin, as contagious as Dave’s, put her at ease. When she accepted his outstretched hand, he raised her hand to his mouth and brushed his lips across her fingertips.

  Whoa, she thought, what’s this? Where Dave had irritated her at first, his brother put her completely at ease. Not that the compliment hurt. Of course, she met them under different circumstances.

  “Hey!” Dave yelled, grinning from ear to ear. “That’s my girl. Hands off.” He pushed his brother away and took Susan’s hand. “Susan, this half wit is my brother, Rudy. Obviously, he has no manners and doesn’t know any better.”

  Dave called her his girl. She couldn’t help but smile. His girl, she liked the sound of it. She had never been anyone’s girl before, even in high school or college. Sure, she dated, but never anyone steady.

  “Look who’s calling the kettle black. Talk about no manners. I sure wouldn’t have had the bad taste to leave such a beauty standing there by herself.” Rudy extended his hand again. She accepted, and this time he shook it.

  Their quick, easy banter relaxed Susan. If all of the family acted as friendly and accepting, she had nothing to worry about.

  “So tell me about Mom,” Dave said.

  “She had a heart attack. Right now, she’s listed in serious condition. The doc even mentioned surgery.”

  Susan hoped her visit wouldn’t intrude on a private family moment. But she had appreciated Dave’s presence when her father was in the hospital. A smile sneaked onto her lips, when Dave tightened his arm around her, pulling her closer. She had tried to sit in the back seat, but Dave insisted she sit next to him in the front.

  Rudy laughed, slapped Dave on the back, and mumbled something sounding like, ‘damn, about time,’ Susan couldn’t quite hear, but Dave grinned and said, “Yeah, it is”.

  * * *

  Dave relaxed. He’d made the right decision bringing Susan with him. Besides getting her away from that maniac running around, he liked having her around, and he wanted his family to meet her. No doubt in his mind, they’d like her, and it was important to him that they accept her.

  Why, he wasn’t sure. He still didn’t want a serious relationship. Too many marriages with cops failed, and he didn’t want to become a statistic. His own brother, Michael, was divorced. Nope, no marriage for him; he’d seen too much hurt. But still, Susan was important to him, and the thought of leaving her behind didn’t set well with him, especially with the new investigation.

  Greenwood would do a thorough investigation, and he’d be fair. There was nothing to tie Susan to the murders. Dave knew it as well as he knew his name. Greenwood would come to the same conclusion.

  He’d still like to know how Hill found out about the bracelet. That made two things that had leaked under his watch, and he didn’t like it. He still didn’t know who told Dunsmore about the phone calls, either. Someone was leaking information, and he’d love to know who. Only person he could think was Greenwood, and he was pretty sure it wasn’t him. He was his partner. Partners didn’t leak information.

  Hell, he had to quit thinking about the case. He had other things to worry about, his mother, for one.

  Rudy proved him right when he introduced Susan. His family had been waiting for years for him to find the right woman. It was the topic of all the family get-togethers. “When are you going to settle down, Dave? I have someone I’d like you to meet Dave.” They all meant well, but until Susan, no one even came close to being someone he wanted to spend any time with, let alone a lifetime.

  In this short time, Susan had worked her way into his head and his heart. He had always said he wouldn’t marry, and he hadn’t changed his mind. He couldn’t, wouldn’t take that big a step. Right now he wanted her near, wanted to keep her safe. Hell, he wanted to spend some time with her on a personal basis.

  Before he knew it, Rudy eased the car into the hospital parking lot and found the closest spot.

  * * *

  Dave went in to visit his mother while Susan sat in the small waiting room with Rudy. Only two visitors were allowed at a time, and Mr. Morgan wouldn’t leave his wife’s side. Susan’s stomach tumbled at the thought of meeting Dave’s parents. But Rudy was almost as comfortable to be around as Dave, making small chitchat and putting her completely at ease when she asked about the family.

  “We have another brother and a sister,” Rudy said. “I’m the youngest. Dave’s next, then our sister, Emily, eighteen months older, and Michael’s the oldest brother. They’ll all be here later. Emily with her two kids, Josh and Jake.”

  “How old are Josh and Jake?”

  “Eight and six.” Rudy answered. Then he went on as if she hadn’t said anything. “Michael’s divorced, not an uncommon status for a policeman. I, like Dave, have vowed never to take the plunge.”

  So Dave vowed never to marry, then why had he invited her along? Had she read something into his kisses, his reason for asking her to come along? Had her imagination been working overtime again? It certainly appeared so.

  Well, she could handle that. She didn’t want to get married either.

  Or did she?

  Susan knew she cared for Dave more than she should. Could she change his mind? Did she want to? Right now, she wanted to enjoy her time with him. She’d worry about the rest later.

  A few minutes later, Dave joined them, followed by his father, a mature-looking mirror image of Dave. Now she knew where the sons had gotten their good looks and the silly grin that so often infuriated her.

  Mr. Morgan didn’t wait for introductions; he hugged her. “I wish we could have met under happier circumstances.”

  Susan smiled and endured the bear hug. Obviously, these men didn’t know their own strength. She liked his family, at least the ones she had met so far.

  “Ahem,” Dave cleared his throat and laughed. “Now that introductions are out of the way, Mom wants to meet you, Susan. We won’t stay long, but she insisted I bring you in to see her.”

  “Ah, and a finer medicine we couldn’t hope to give her,” Mr. Morgan said as Dave and Susan turned to go into the room.

  Mrs. Morgan, a petite, frail-looking woman with gray-streaked reddish-brown hair, sat up in the dimly lit hospital room. Her pale complexion blended with the sheets. Susan felt a moment’s unease as they neared the bed. Maybe she shouldn’t have come.

  Mrs. Morgan reached a thin, wrinkled hand out to her. “I’m so happy to meet you, my dear.” Her weak voice stunned Susan.

  “I do hope you’re planning on staying with us for a while.” Her smile reached her gray-green eyes.

  Susan held the cool hand and smiled at the warm, sincere welcome.
She liked this woman, wanted to get to know her better.

  “I’m happy to meet you, too, Mrs. Morgan.” What else could she say? That she’d stay as long as Dave wanted her? That she wanted to stay for a very long time, wanted something permanent. The thought surprised Susan. Did she want to stay with Dave? Did she want a permanent relationship? This was all happening too fast.

  Mr. Morgan sneaked back in the room and hid in the folds of the curtain at the head of his wife’s bed and stoked her forehead.

  Susan smiled at the tender, loving gesture. Mrs. Morgan’s eyes flitted closed. The poor woman looked exhausted. She nudged Dave and looked at her watch. He took the hint and kissed his mother goodbye. “We’ll come back in the morning. We need to get settled, and it’s been a long day. Besides, you need your rest.”

  “That’s fine, dear. I understand,” Mrs. Morgan said.

  Rudy drove them to their parents’ small house to pick up his mother’s car, and then Dave drove to a motel. He booked their rooms, walked Susan to hers, and set her suitcase inside. “I’ll be right next door. After you freshen up, would you like to get some dinner?”

  Susan, reluctant to call it a night, wasn’t ready to be separated from Dave. “Sounds good. I’m starved.”

  “Good. I’ll pick you up in about fifteen minutes. Is that enough time to freshen up?”

  She reached up, boldly kissed him, and whispered, “It’s more than enough time.”

  “Okay, then, see you in a fifteen.” He grabbed her to him and planted a passionate kiss on her lips. He pulled away and grinned, then turned and went into his own room, leaving Susan to stare after him.

  Well guess that would teach her to be so bold. What had come over her, anyway, pulling him to her like that? She touched her lips and closed the door. But darn, she liked it.

  Chapter Sixteen