Part 6 (2/2)
Now you see why I married Buck.
There were probably a few more words, but I don't remember them. My heart was pounding too hard, with the relief and the aftermath of tension, to allow me to care about much of anything until Pepper and Ella left the room, and Buck and I were alone. He glared at me for a long time, and he did not look pleased.
”I ought to throw your a.s.s in jail for withholding evidence and obstructing justice,” he said. ”d.a.m.n it, Raine, your uncle is not in charge anymore, and you can't keep doing this. What if you'd been talking to a real killer? What if he'd been dangerous?”
By the time he finished, my adrenaline level was back to normal and I could breathe again. ”You're welcome,” I said. I glanced toward the door by which Ella and Pepper had just left. ”You don't really think she'll go to jail, do you?”
He thrust a hand though his thick wavy hair and released a long breath. ”I'll do the best I can for her. Erickson ought to be able to do the rest.”
I nodded my approval. But I would have expected no less from him.
”By the way,” he said, somewhat reluctantly, ”it looks like you might have been right about those bodies in Bullard. I talked to the sheriff up that way this morning, and it was enough of a theory to get a forensics team to work on it.”
”Good,” I said.
He frowned a little. ”We were talking about something else, too,” he said. ”About how what this area really needs is a cold case team, maybe one or two guys from each county, retired officers, maybe, working old cases we never had the manpower to put to bed. Of course, it would have to be volunteer, part time, but I was wondering.... How do you think Roe would like being in charge of something like that?”
I couldn't help smiling. ”You'd have to ask him,” I said. ”But I think it's a great idea.”
I clicked my tongue to Cisco and we started to leave, pausing at the door to give Cisco and Buck a chance to greet each other. ”By the way,” I told him, when Buck straightened up from his whole-body rub-down of the wiggling Cisco, ”you handled that just like Uncle Roe would have done. He would have been proud of you.”
He looked at me, and for the first time in weeks, I saw him smile. ”Thanks,” he said. ”Now, get on out of here before I change my mind about arresting you.”
_____________________.
NINE.
It was close to five o'clock before I made my way down the curving, tree-lined drive of my aunt's neat brick bungalow. I heard the sharp report of a collie bark the minute I pulled in front of the house, and my heart sang in response. I told Cisco to stay, and slung Majesty's leash around my neck as I got out of the car.
Aunt Mart was waiting for me at the door. She had just had her hair done, a stylish silver white wave that swept away from her face to a razor cut in back. It was much shorter and far more fas.h.i.+onable than she usually wore, and she looked ten years younger.
”You looked fabulous!” I exclaimed as I hugged her. She smelled like an expensive salon. ”Did LeBelle do that?”
She primped proudly. ”Don't be silly, that woman is twenty years behind the times. Miss Majesty and I drove into Asheville today and we both got our hair done.”
It was at that moment that I looked beyond her into the living room and saw Majesty, sitting on a faux fur throw that Aunt Mart had spread over the sofa. A fire was crackling in the fireplace, and she was grinning proudly. Clearly, she had been to a groomer who knew how to trim a collie, and could afford to use high-end products. Her sable coat gleamed gold; her white mane was so bright it practically made me squint. Her coat was blown out so luxuriously that, if Cruella DeVille had been around, I would have feared for Majesty's life.Her paws were trimmed like fluffy little bunny feet, her hocks cut to perfect show standard.A tuft of fur had been gathered behind her ear and tied with a pink princess bow. I had never seen my girl looking more beautiful.
”You went to Asheville?” I repeated, still stunned.
”I hope you don't mind.” A note of anxiety crept into my aunt's voice. ”She really was a mess after the rain, and there aren't any groomers around here except you, and you had your hands full.”
”Mind?” I went over to my gorgeous dog, filled with wonder. ”Are you kidding me? Aunt Mart, she looks incredible!” I took Majesty's face in my hands and stroked her cheeks with my thumbs. I couldn't help noticing that her tattered rolled leather collar had been replaced with a brand new rhinestone one. ”Did you have the time of your life, my girl?Do you know how beautiful you are?”
Judging from the expression of ecstasy on her face, Majesty did.
”We had the best time,” my aunt confided, beaming. ”After we got our hair done, we walked down the street and every few steps somebody would stop and want to talk to us and make a fuss over Majesty. We found this little cafe that actually serves dogs! I never knew there was such a thing. I had a stuffed tomato with garlic bread and Majesty had tuna tartare in her own silver dish, and yogurt crunch for dessert. I tell you, Raine, it's a whole new world.”
I couldn't help grinning at that. How many times had I heard that same sentiment expressed by gus.h.i.+ng new dog owners?
I kissed Majesty atop the head and said affectionately, ”Looks like everything turned out all right for you, you bad dog. But I was worried to death.”
Aunt Mart folded her hands and looked at Majesty adoringly. ”Well, you needn't have been. She knew right where to come, didn't you, sweet girl?”
You know that expression, a goose walked over your grave?That's what I felt just then. And I heard Sonny's voice: She's looking for something... I tried to ignore it.
I glanced around. ”Where's Uncle Roe? Not still in Bullard?”
My aunt's expression faded into annoyance. ”No, he got back a couple of hours ago. Tonight's his lodge meeting. And you won't believe what he's done now-he's gone and taken a part time job, if you can believe it, with the sheriff's office again! Not even a paid job, but volunteer! The man is like a firehouse horse,” she admitted, but now her spark of anger was tempered by resignation. ”He'll never retire.”
I felt guilty, I'll admit it, for encouraging Buck in his idea of putting Uncle Roe in charge of the cold case team. But he was the best man for the job, and the job was the best thing for Uncle Roe. I said gently, ”Aunt Mart, Uncle Roe was a policeman when you married him.”
She smiled a little wanly. ”I know that, honey. And I've been a good policeman's wife all these years. But I've got to tell you, it's a lonely thing. I just thought by now...” She sighed, and looked tenderly at Majesty. ”Well, I'll just say that it's been years since I had such a good time as I did today, and that was because of a dog. Isn't that a sight?”
She straightened her shoulders, made her smile even brighter, and said, ”Well, I've got a nice chicken pot pie in the oven. You'll stay and have supper, won't you? There's no telling when Roe will be back, and at least I can spend a little more time with my pretty pup, here.”
I looked at my aunt. I looked at my dog. I touched the pink bow in her hair. I felt my heart start to tear into two pieces.
I kissed the sweet-smelling spot on Majesty's head once more, and I lingered to breathe in her scent until my eyes were dry again. When I was able, I looked at my aunt, and I said, ”Aunt Mart, I hate to ask, but I need a huge favor. Everything is such a mess at my house, and I don't know when I'll have things back to normal, so I was wondering... would it be too much trouble for you to keep Majesty with you for awhile?”
My aunt's face lit up like a child's on Christmas morning. ”Trouble? Why, it's no trouble at all, is it beautiful girl? I'll make her a bed right next to mine, and I just happened to pick up a few toys at the pet shop this afternoon, and I hope you don't mind but I got her a new leash and collar and it will be good for me to start walking again, so you just leave her here as long as you need to and don't worry about a thing. Now, how about that chicken pot pie?”
It was hard to feel sad when my aunt was so happy, and when my collie, clearly, had found what she was looking for. I hugged Majesty one last time, told her to be a good girl, and stood up. The smile Majesty gave me broke my heart, and made it sing. She just wanted to be needed.
”Thanks,” I said, ”but I promised to have dinner with a friend.”
”Well, you go ahead,” my aunt said, still beaming at Majesty. ”This sweet dog and I will have supper together. No salt, no sugar,” she a.s.sured me.
Majesty jumped down from the sofa, walked to the center of the room, sat beautifully and lifted one paw, just like La.s.sie. Aunt Mart burst into laughter. I wanted to burst into tears.
”Look at that!” Aunt Mart exclaimed. ”She's waving goodbye! Isn't she the smartest thing ever? Do you know what I think I'll do? I think I'll take her to my Sunday School cla.s.s social, won't the children get a kick out of that? And maybe she'd like to go around with me when I deliver the turkey baskets for the food drive. I tell you, Raine, it would break your heart to see the way some of these children live, and a smart dog like that would surely cheer them up.” She bent to hug Majesty, leaving a light brush of lipstick across her head. ”What do you think about that, girl? We're going to be busy, aren't we?”
I hugged my aunt hard. ”I love you, Aunt Mart.”
”I love you, too, sweetheart. You go on and have a good time, now. We'll be fine.”
I knew they would be.
Outside, I swiped my weeping eyes with my hand and dialed Miles's number on my cell phone. Okay, so he programmed it in a month ago. We're neighbors, after all.
”Hey,” I said when he answered.
He must have heard the sniffles in my voice because he said, ”You okay?”
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