Part 17 (1/2)

”Oh, hey. Um, we, she...” I stopped and licked my lips. ”It's Hollandaise sauce.”

Maggie glanced at the blus.h.i.+ng cook. ”My aunt needs you at the buffet table, Sharon. I'll finish cleaning up this mess,” she advised evenly.

The young cook smiled sheepishly and quickly skirted out the swinging kitchen door.

Maggie picked up the towel and stood in front of me, looking up, but avoiding my eyes. I stood there, obediently. What else could I do? She lightly wiped away the remains of the dastardly sauce.

”I'm not sure I like you flirting with the hired help, Ms. Ryan,” she scolded and only then did she look directly into my eyes.

”I'm a sucker for Hollandaise,” I said with a helpless shrug.

”I'll remember that, now go get cleaned up. Mac is tending bar and he has a maniacal look on his face.”

Mac was mixing some strange concoction at the bar. Teri was watching him suspiciously.

”What is he doing?” I asked warily as I joined them.

Teri shook her head. ”I have no idea, but when he gets that demented look in his eyes... He's been shaking that one drink for three minutes.” We watched as Mac checked his watch then nodded to himself. He picked up three small-stemmed gla.s.ses and poured.

Maggie came into the room and joined us.

”What did he make?” she asked.

Teri and I shook our heads as Mac pushed the drinks in front of us.

I stepped back and shook my head. ”No way.” He looked hurt.

”Katie, you're my best guinea pig.” Then he looked at Teri.

”I love you sweetie, but I'm thinking, no,” she said staring at the drink.

Finally, he looked at Maggie. She gave him a very doubtful look.

”Don't you dare make her drink that,” Teri scolded.

The three of us stared at the c.o.c.ktail then each other and then looked at Mac's pitiful face. I shrugged and picked up a gla.s.s, as did Teri and Maggie.

”A toast...” I started.

With that, Hannah came out of the kitchen and screeched, ”You're toasting without me?” She hurried over to the bar. She honestly looked hurt.

”Hannah, I apologize. Just a minute,” Mac said seriously. He turned his back to us and mixed another batch. Then shook it and shook it, and shook it again.

”Oh, will you pour the drink already,” I said quickly.

Mac sneered at me and poured Hannah a drink.

”A toast...” I started again and the doorbell rang. ”Oh, for Christ sake's, skip it. Cheers.”

We all touched gla.s.ses and very cautiously took a sip. Hannah drained hers in one gulp.

”Ooh, that was good. I have to see what they're doing in the kitchen,” she said and hurried away. The rest of us stood watching her.

I looked at my gla.s.s, took a deep breath and sipped it. I think it was a daiquiri. I nodded to Teri and Maggie. ”It's good, not poisonous. Go ahead.”

They did and we all applauded as Mac took the obligatory bow.

The caterers, after doing their job, quickly exited, leaving the cooks and servers. I went into the kitchen; it was humming with a couple of chefs. I was completely in the way so I made a hasty retreat.

Maggie was on the deck with Teri and Mac. It had gotten cool and no one had started a fire. Geez, these people. I got a fire blazing, sat down in the huge, overstuffed chair and put my feet up. I laid my head back and closed my eyes.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. Maggie came up to me with a gla.s.s of wine and I started to get up.

”Stay put. You look too comfortable.”

She wore a pair of navy tweed slacks with a navy sweater and white turtleneck. She had her thick long hair pulled back with a white silk scarf; she looked good, very good.

Mac and Teri came in and sat by the fire.

Teri looked at me. ”Uh-oh, Kate's by her beloved fire, she'll be asleep in ten minutes.”

We all laughed, knowing she was right and now that she mentioned it, I blinked a couple of times and yawned. We talked about nothing of any importance for a while and I was indeed getting tired.

I looked down at Chance. ”Wanna go for a walk?” I asked and the lazy cur laid there looking up at me.

I went out on the deck then walked down to what was left of the stable. It was pretty much a mess. The charred sh.e.l.l was still standing, well, leaning. Mac, Teri and Maggie came down to join me.

”We took a vote, no one goes anywhere alone anymore,” Maggie said sternly.

I frowned and looked at Mac and Teri. They nodded in agreement.

”Well, I vote no,” I said.

”Well, maybe you don't get to vote,” Maggie said frowning.

”Well, maybe you can't tell me what to do,” I said childishly.

Am I forty-three? She's irritating me again. One minute, I'm looking into her blue eyes, the next, I want to strangle her. This young doctor was becoming a thorn in my side and I think a judge might be lenient in my case.

I stood near the area where Maggie and I pulled Bedford out. He must have seen quite a bit. He had to see something and either threatened to expose whoever it was, or maybe he tried blackmail.

No, Bedford didn't look like the blackmailing type.

As I turned to walk away, I stepped on something. Looking down, I noticed it was a black leather glove.

”Why, Sherlock Holmes, what the devil are you doing over there?” Charlie asked in a ridiculous British accent.

I jumped. Teri and Maggie screeched.

”Dammit!” Mac groaned and grabbed his chest.