Dead in the Water (Kate Ryan Mysteries Book 10) (6 page)

“Kate…” The voice was different but still familiar.

My body jerked, and I bolted up. I looked around in the darkness and found Maggie beside me.

“Kate, wake up, honey. You’re dreaming,” she whispered.

I flounced back against the pillows, feeling the perspiration on my forehead, which Maggie was now caressing. “Wow…”

“Are you okay?” She kissed my forehead, smoothing my hair back.

“Am I awake?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’m okay.” I looked at her and laughed. “Geesh. We have great sex, then I have nightmares. What does that tell you?”

“Want to tell me about it?”

She lay on her side, so I scooted over in that position to face her. “Well…it was horrible. There was this big green monster…” I looked at her and laughed. “Even in the darkness, I can see the glare.”

“If you’re not going to be serious.”

“Come here.” I pulled her back to me. “Sorry. Okay. I was in like a museum or somewhere old, I think. There were doors, and I couldn’t open them. Then I turned around, and I was in a forest or woods. It was all foggy, but then I think I saw you far away waving at me. So I tried to call you, but you know how in a dream you scream but nothing comes out?”

“God, I hate that. Like you have no voice or strength.”

“Right. So I started toward you, and these vines were wrapped around my feet and pulling me into the ground.”

“Good grief, Kate.”

“I know, right? I was scared to death. But then I heard a voice telling me not to struggle.”

“Whose voice?”

“I don’t know now, but it was familiar to me. But now, I can barely remember it. Then I woke up.” I sighed and pulled her close. “And now I’m happy.”

Maggie laughed and wrapped her arms around my waist. “That was a scary dream.”

“Not as bad as the ones I used to have,” I said through a yawn.

“Like the one about…”

“It’s okay, sweetie. I can talk about it. Like the one about Liz Eddington,” I said, holding her close. “I’m so glad I don’t have that dream anymore. After thousands of dollars in therapy. And you.”

“I am, too.” Maggie kissed the top of my breast. “You certainly have had your experience with unstable women. From Liz Eddington to Bridget Donnelly.”

“Don’t sound so worried, honey. The former is dead, and the latter has her crazy ass safely behind bars across the Atlantic. I’m so glad they extradited her and took her back to Ireland. You were much nicer to say she was unstable.”

Maggie grunted. “Either way, she’s nuts.”

I chuckled lazily; I yawned and cuddled Maggie close. “I’m falling…”

“For me or to sleep?” Maggie whispered.

“Already for you. Only you.”

“Always, only me.”

I felt the warmth of Maggie’s arms around me, and wrapped in a cocoon of love, I drifted off to sleep. But not before making a mental note to tell her in the morning of my sappy cocoon metaphor.

Chapter 6

“A cocoon of love?” Costello raised an eyebrow; she looked as if she had just swallowed spoiled milk.

I shrugged. “What can I say?”

Hannah laughed as she drank her coffee. “Not much. You’re in love. Hook, line, and sinker. Oh, by the way, Matt called. He got you a stateroom on
The Great Lakes Queen
. You drive to Sault Ste. Marie on Friday and board around three in the afternoon.”

“It does sound kinda romantic,” I said, scratching my head. “Hey, that’s only a few days from now.” I sat back, once again feeling nauseated. “Hannah, I need to go shopping for a ring. Right?”

“Well…” She reached down and picked up her purse. “I want to run something by you.”

“By me or over me?”

Costello laughed as we both walked over to Hannah’s desk. She pulled out a small black velvet box.

“Whatcha got there, Hannah darlin’?” Costello peered over my shoulder.

Hannah tentatively bit at her lip. I never recalled seeing Hannah apprehensive. She was usually the “damn the torpedoes” and “uh-oh, chips are falling” kind of gal.

“Hannah, what is it?” I sat on the edge of her enormous desk. There was room for three people on this mahogany monstrosity.

“Kate, you are absolutely under no obligation. It’s just an idea I had.” She opened the box and smiled. “This was my mother’s. Margaret’s grandmother. I’ve had this for decades.” She presented the box to me.

I was stunned. It was a beautiful ring. The small sapphire sparkled, probably due to the diamond chips set around it. “Hannah…”

“I think Margaret would love to have this as an engagement ring. When she was a child, I would always find her at my dresser looking at all the jewelry. God bless her, she never touched a thing. But I could tell she was mostly looking at this ring.”

I held the box reverently in my hand and examined the old ring. I looked up to see Hannah smiling through her tears as she nodded.

“It would look beautiful,” she said. “But I know you want to get Margaret something that’s from you. So if you don’t want this, please, don’t feel obligated. It’s just an idea.”

“No, Hannah. You’re right. This is from Maggie’s family. It belongs on her finger. It matches her eyes. I was thinking how I wanted to find something for her that wasn’t the ordinary engagement ring. I think this is it,” I said, trying not to start bawling over this. I raised an eyebrow when Costello sniffed and swiped a finger under nose. “Relax.”

Costello laughed and wiped her eyes.

“As I said, please don’t feel as though you have to do this,” Hannah said, pulling out a hankie from her purse. She sniffed and dabbed at her nose. “It’s just that it would make me so happy.” She burst into tears, which stunned me and Costello. We didn’t know what to do as Hannah continued, “Which really doesn’t matter. I just w-want you two to be h-happy, and you’re s-so in love.” She sobbed through her tears while she waved the hankie in the air. “And it’s a marquise cut!”

God help me, I started to cry.

“Don’t cry,” I said, running around to her. I knelt in front of her. “I love you, Hannah. And I’d be honored to give your niece that ring. It’s a wonderful gesture.”

Hannah reached for me and pulled me into her arms. “This is the happiest day of my life!”

It was supposed to be the happiest day of
my
life, but what the hell. I held on to her as we both babbled incoherently. I looked over Hannah’s shoulder to see Costello wiping her eyes and laughing at the same time. Hannah reached back for Costello, who ran around the desk. Hannah wrapped her arm around Costello’s waist.

We were officially our own ridiculous cocoon.

“I love both of you,” she cried on.

“What’s going on? What’s happened?”

We all jumped when we heard Maggie’s frantic voice. I whirled around to see Maggie; she looked horrified and worried. I tried to block Hannah and Costello as I knew they were scrambling to hide the ring.

Maggie started in our direction, so I ran up to her and pulled her into my arms. I didn’t know what else to do, so I kissed her; it wasn’t the worst idea I’d ever had. I held the impromptu lip-lock all the while backing her up to the door.

“Kate, are you insane?”

It was muffled, but I think that was what she said; I couldn’t be sure, my lips were pressed so firmly against hers, my teeth ached. Finally, she pushed me away and held me at arm’s length.

“Have you lost your mind?”

“Yes,” I said quickly. “Uh, over you. I was just telling Hannah how much I loved you, and we all got kind of emotional. Don’t mind Costello. She’s menopausal. Besides, I got a surprise for you. I’m glad you stopped by. Let’s go for a cup of coffee and…and a cinnamon roll over at Toni and Alana’s...” I was talking so fast, I nearly bit off my tongue.

“Huh?” Maggie said, swiping her hair from her face as I dragged her to the door. “I stopped by to see if you wanted to meet me later for lunch.”

“Oh, that’s too far away. Why wait? Let’s go now,” I said, pulling her by the hand.

“Well…Aunt Hannah, I’ll talk to you later. I—”

I pulled her out the door and practically dragged her down Devon Avenue to the Rising Sun Café.

“Kate…what in the world’s gotten into you?”

As I opened the door, the bell jingled, and the owner, Lidia Walinski, looked up and smiled.

“Goot morning!” she called out from behind the counter. I loved her Polish accent. “I have not seen you in long time.”

The heavenly aroma of fresh-baked anything wafted over me—I was ravenous.

“Lidia, it’s good to see you,” Maggie said, still giving me the stink eye. “And now, with that wonderful aroma, I’m starving.”

“Goot,” she said with a nod. “Go sit. I bring coffee and pastry.”

“Thanks, Lidia,” I said.

We sat at the only vacant table in the front of the bakery. I was acutely aware of Maggie watching me.

“I love this place. Remember when we met Toni and Alana? When they came to our office at Halloween and we thought they had the problem and it...” I stopped rambling when Lidia brought our coffee and pastry to the table. My mouth watered.

“How are Toni and Alana?” Maggie asked.

“Oh, they are on vacation for another week and very happy. How are you two doing?”

“Very well,” Maggie said with a smile, though the odd look she gave me was unmistakable.

“How is PU business?”

I frowned deeply. “PI…”

“Oh, no matter. How is it doing?” Lidia asked.

“Fine. We’re hanging in there.”

“Finding bad guys. Goot. Enjoy,” she said, and off she went to another table.

“I love that woman,” I said, taking a bite of pastry. “And she knows how to bake.”

I knew now who should make our wedding cake. I made a mental note to strike that off the wedding list; I made a mental note to start a wedding list.

“Yes, she can. Now tell me what’s going on,” Maggie said, pouring cream into her coffee. “And don’t try anything. I know when you’re lying. Just tell me the truth.”

I laughed at the smug, knowing expression Maggie sported as she stirred her coffee.

“Don’t you want to eat your pastry first? Lidia went through all the trouble…”

“Kate…”

I loved to hear the exasperated tone in Maggie’s voice. It was perverse I know, but the little imp in me loved to irritate my beloved. But as I said before, I may be dumb, but I ain’t stupid. So when I saw the telltale signs that I’d gone a wee bit too far—like the left eye twitching or when she stirred her coffee so fast it made a whirlpool in a cup—I knew playtime was over and it was time to be an adult.

“What have you got planned for the weekend?” I asked through a mouthful of icing.

“Kate,” Maggie said in a warning voice, but I saw a wisp of a smile cross her lovely face. The dimples started.

“I’m serious.” I took a drink of coffee. “What are the plans?”

“I have no plans.”

“No hospital?”

“Nope. How about you?”

“Maggie, if you have no plans, I have no plans.” I took another healthy bite. “My plans are your plans. Pretty disgusting, huh?”

Maggie laughed along with me. “So why are you asking?”

I leaned over my coffee cup. “How about a romantic cruise over Lake Superior?”

“Huh? Are you feeling all right?”

“Of course, I am. Really.” I told her about Matt and Simon and the whole idea. I watched Maggie as I explained, and she seemed interested, which was a good sign. “What do you think?”

“I don’t know. It sounds like fun. Champagne and caviar, huh?”

“The works.” I excitedly held up my coffee cup to her. Lidia was immediately at my side, replenishing my coffee. “Oh, Lidia. I didn’t mean…I mean, thanks,” I finished with a sheepish grin.

“So we leave Friday morning. Drive to the U.P., and we cruise Lake Superior? It does sound intriguing. And Simon Merriweather,” Maggie said wistfully. “I’d love to see him again. So he has his hands in this? How did he do that?”

“A friend of a friend, I guess. He’s a silent partner. But my money is on Simon being bored with the inn. This is a new adventure for him, I suppose. Matt said he talked to Simon, who was thrilled as only Simon could be. He can’t wait to see us. He’ll be there in Michigan to see us off.”

Maggie laughed. “Oh, now we really have to go. Okay. I think it’s a great idea. Why not? Let’s do it. What do we have to do to book it?”

I sat back, feeling very self-satisfied. If I had been wearing a vest, the buttons would be popping all over. “All taken care of, Dr. Winfield. You have nothing to worry about but packing. And knowing you, that’s a big worry. So you’d better start now. You only have two days.”

“Very funny, Ms. Duffel Bag. So that’s what you all were crying over?”

I heard the suspicion in her voice. My gal was no dummy. So I did the only thing a mature loving partner would do in this type of situation—I lied.

“I told you. I was telling Hannah how I felt, and we all got to crying. Must be menopause or something.” It was not a big lie.

“Hmm. Why don’t I believe you?”

“I can think of a million reasons. But let’s not belabor that point. Let’s just have a fun weekend on Lake Superior.”

“Okay, deal. It does sound like fun.” Maggie leaned in then, sporting a very sexy grin. “And I can’t wait for the romantic part, Miss Ryan.”

The idea of what was going to happen on this romantic cruise had me elated and nauseated at the same time. I smiled and absently stretched my neck.

Is the AC working at all in this place?