She Waits (15 page)

"Perhaps you're getting to know me," I blurted out but quickly recovered, "and I should keep my mouth shut and go to bed. Good night."

As I sat on the bed, I heard a soft knock on the door. Letting out a small groan, I took the long hike, all of three feet, to the door.

"Didn't we just say good night?" I asked with a wide yawn.

Maggie stood there and motioned me into the bathroom. I obediently followed her; she had forgotten to check my shoulder. Her hands were shaking and I could tell she'd been crying, which wasn't surprising since so much had happened in the past two days. I could only imagine what her life had been like for the past twenty years, growing up alone and scared.

She fumbled with the gauze and tape and then dropped it on the floor.

We both bent to pick it up and clunked heads. God, what a weekend we'd been having.

"Boy, I'm running out of body parts here," I said chuckling as I rubbed my head.

She laughed almost too hard. It'd been my experience that when someone laughed that hard at seemingly nothing, especially one of my jokes, crying is not far behind.

All at once, the crying started. It sounded as though it came from her soul as she covered her face with her hands.

I instinctively put my arms around her and whispered, "Maggie, let it go."

She sobbed openly and I said nothing. What could I say? Her tears subsided after a moment or two then she stepped back and I let her go. I picked up what she dropped and placed it on the sink, then handed her a Kleenex and she dried her eyes.

"Okay now?" I asked.

She nodded, taking a deep, quivering breath. She finished re-taping my shoulder.

"Thanks, Doc."

"You sure you're all right?" she asked, fidgeting with the first-aid kit.

What a little woman she was, I thought as I watched her. A little woman with a fiery temper. Something pulled at my heart then. It was something I hadn't felt in a long while, and I didn't even dare put a name to it. I realized I was staring at the diminutive doctor.

"Just a flesh wound, ma'am," I joked again.

She rolled her eyes and pushed me into my room. She came out of the bathroom with a glass of water and a capsule.

"No arguing. Take this, you'll sleep better," she said with authority.

I grumbled childishly and took it--and slept like a baby.

I don't think I moved once all night. It was only six-thirty when I hauled my aching body out of bed. A hot shower revived me and I felt ready to tackle this mess.

Being the only one up, I went into the kitchen and made a pot of coffee. Okay, I thought, let's get started. I got a pencil and paper, and wrote down Miranda's name on one side and Jonathan's on the other, and then I got to work. I poured a cup of coffee and began.

Miranda is murdered on Halloween, 1986. Made to look like a robbery. She was stabbed several times. No sign of a struggle, all wounds in her chest.
That doesn't sound like a thief to me. This was a brutal act for Christ's sake.
The criminal was smart enough not to leave fingerprints or any evidence of any kind.
Why in the world be so methodical, and then take the time to bury the jewelry and run the risk of getting caught.This doesn't make sense.

My daffy mutt sniffs around, finds jewelry. That night we have an intruder and it's a woman. I am sure of that.
It's the only thing I'm sure of, right? Shit!

I shook my head in disbelief as I continued with my list. Miranda's wedding ring her watch and her locket, which contains a photo of Maggie at about five years of age and her Uncle Nathan. The way the pictures are situated, it's as if they're looking at each other.
Why does would Miranda have a picture of her brother-in-law in locket with her own daughter?

Then I started with Jonathan's list. He died in a hit-and-run six months ago. Three months later, all this starts happening to Maggie. This list is shorter, than Miranda's, but I know his death has something to do with all this.

I wrote down: Who gets his business? Who gets the clinic? It's a family thing. Does Maggie get it?What could that mean?

I sat back and looked at my list. These two people die twenty years apart but they are never closer than they are right now. It's all connected. I could smell it, as my father used to say. I sat there drinking my coffee feeling every bit of my forty-three years and then some. I looked outside. The sun was coming up and would soon burn off the light fog that hung over the yard. It was beautiful and the fall colors were radiant. It was so peaceful.

"Good morning."

I jumped and spilled my coffee on the table. Christ, my nerves, I thought as I looked up to see Maggie. She looked tired but her blue eyes still sparkled.
Why am I constantly noticing those eyes?

"Good morning," I said.

She handed me a napkin and poured herself a cup of coffee. "Mind if I join you?"

"No, not at all," I said moving my notes. She watched with raised eyebrows. "I was making a list of what we know." I handed it to her and she read it, thoroughly.

"Did you sleep well?" I asked.

"Honestly, no. How about you?" she asked and gave me a worried look.

"I was drugged, so yes, I slept fine. You witch, what was that?"

"It was a very mild sleeping potion. I perfected it at the Witch's Convention. You needed it," she said. "You know, you have a very good sense of humor." She laughed and drank her coffee.

"When all else fails, get 'em laughing," I said, reading the notes. "Maggie, I am sorry about Bedford. I don't know what he was doing in the stable. I wish we could have saved him."

"I do, too, Kate. I remember the day Bedford started working for us." She stared out the kitchen window absently and continued. "He's the one who taught me to ride. He was an excellent horseman back then," Maggie said sadly. "Who would want to kill Bedford?"

"It's speculation, but like I said last night, Bedford knew something and somebody killed him to shut him up. The fire in the stable was supposed to look like an accident."

With that, Hannah came into the kitchen. "Good morning, my darlings. I thought I smelled coffee." She poured herself a cup. She looked terrible. I could tell she'd had a rough night as well. She sat down with a groan. "These old bones."

Mac and Teri came down soon after. Mac looked rested but Teri looked tired.

Hannah said, "I feel horrible about Bedford. He was like part of the family."

We were all silent for a moment before Teri spoke. "Bedford must have known something. What do you think, Kate?"

"I think that's a given. He told me it doesn't pay to ask questions. I think he knew too much. This is no coincidence. There is a connection between the fire and what's happening to Maggie. I
will
find out what it is."

Out of the blue, Hannah let out a small cry. "Goodness, I almost forgot the Festival! Perhaps I should cancel in light of all this."

"No, don't cancel," I said quickly. "It might be a good idea to go to this festival. Besides, Steve said his father would be there. I'd like to talk to him."

"Let's get ready and go into town. The festival starts in two hours." Hannah sounded excited and a little life came back to her face.

We went up to our rooms. Thank God, I'd been planning to be away for the entire weekend so had enough clothes. It was a beautiful Indian summer day, so I threw on my favorite flannel shirt with a white turtleneck and jeans. I grabbed my tweed blazer, just in case, and looked at myself in the mirror.

"Hmm, not too bad, I've looked worse. I think," I said. I instinctively grabbed my camera case as I headed downstairs to rejoin the others.

Of course, I was the only one ready. I went out on the deck and watched Chance dart around. I looked around, reminded again of the beauty of the area. I could see the lake not too far off. I opened my bag and took out my camera.

I put on a stronger lens and scanned the lake for a good shot.

As I was scanning the lake, I thought I saw something on the other side. I took the camera away from my face, and looked again. In a panic, I reached in my bag for the strongest lens I had with me. It took me a second, but I attached the long, heavy lens. I scanned the lake again and I saw it much clearer. It was the woman--the same woman.

My heart was beating like a drum as I tried to swallow, but my mouth had gone dry. I took several deep calming breaths to steady my hand. I stood, frozen as I took the picture. I let the shutter go several times. She stood there dressed in white. Her long, dark hair blew with the gentle breeze. Hand her arms were folded in front of her as she gazed out at the lake. When I took the camera away and then looked again, and she was gone. I stood for a second and then I felt something behind me.

"Boo!" Maggie and Teri said.

I must have jumped ten feet as I screamed like a woman.

"I'm sorry."

At least that's what I thought Maggie said. Who could understand her, with her laughing so hard?

Teri looked at my camera. "Wow. Now that's a lens. What in the world are you looking for?"

"Maggie, Teri I..." I stopped and swallowed hard.

"What?" Maggie asked.
Now she stops laughing.

"Are you all right?" Teri asked. Mac came out on the deck.

"What a beautiful morning." He stopped and looked at us. "What the hell is the matter with the three of you?"

"I saw the woman on the other side of the lake. I must have taken ten pictures of her," I said.

"You're kidding!" Maggie looked out into the woods. "Who
is
she?"

"You didn't get a good look at her yesterday did you?" I asked.

She shook her head. "There were too many trees."

"Well, do you have a photographer in town? Maybe I can drop off the film so they can get it to me as soon as possible."

She told me of an editor of the town paper, he was an amateur photographer and had a dark room. We could see him this morning.

I gathered my camera equipment and we went inside. Maggie took a step back and gave me an appraising look. I felt the heat rise to my face, under her smiling gaze. She looked as if she might say something when Miss Bubbly came downstairs.

"Well, I'm ready. Kate, you look good. Green is definitely your color, that shirt almost matches your eyes perfectly," Hannah said approvingly.

"I was about to say the exact same thing," Maggie concurred in a low voice.

That tone made my heart skip, dammit.

Teri beamed. "Ha! Great minds..."

"...Are obviously not in this room!" I finished, slightly embarrassed by their compliments.

Mac laughed and gave me a good slap on the back as Hannah laughed wildly and slipped her arm in mine.

"Come, Kate, let us away!" she called out happily.

I laughed as I held onto her hand.

"Yes, madam, as you wish," I replied obediently.

For a little while, we were all relaxed and carefree. However, the gods would not let that feeling linger for long.

Chapter Fourteen

It turned out to be a gorgeous day. The sun was shining and there was a hint of fall in the air.

Mac and Teri took their own car so they could do some shopping before meeting up with us at the beer garden. Maggie parked in front of the little photo shop, to see Maggie's editor friend. He was a tall lanky redhead, with his sleeves rolled up and a pencil behind his ear and freckles everywhere.

Maggie introduced us as we shook hands. He gave me an odd look. "Do I know you? Your name sounds familiar. What'd ya do, fall out of bed?" He looked at the bandage on my forehead.

"I don't think we've ever met," I said politely.

He hadn't let go of my hand yet.

"Oh, sorry. What can I do for you?"

I explained my predicament and in the middle of what I was saying, he snapped his fingers. "I knew it. Wait a minute."

He disappeared behind a huge desk that had papers and a magazine covering it in what I assumed was his organized mess. It looked like my desk at home. I admired the lad.

He came back with a magazine and leafed through it, found a page, and slapped it with the back of his hand.

"This is you, right?" he asked hopefully, as he showed the magazine.

I went cold. I looked at the page and gave him a sick smile. "My, my, I thought that no one would ever see this. Wherever did you find it?" I asked.

Hannah squeaked. "Let me see!" She took the magazine from me. "Yes, this is the article I read too, Jack. Kate, you're very photogenic. Isn't she wonderful?"

I was completely embarrassed.

"Okay, can we get on with--?" I started.

Maggie interrupted by taking the magazine from Hannah. She looked up at me amazed. "You took these pictures?" She looked impressed.

Now, suddenly, for some reason I didn't mind the attention.

"And you wrote the article too, right?" the redhead asked.

"Yes, I did. Now, if you could--"

Interrupted once again; it is now my goal to be interrupted by everyone in this town.

"I want a copy of this magazine. Jack, where can I get one?" Hannah beamed happily.

I gave a glance at Maggie, who was reading and not saying anything.
Why did it matter what she was thinking?

"Oh, keep it. I have a couple others. They did a whole layout of you in this issue. Boy, if I could take pictures like these," he sighed and motioned to the magazine.

"Thanks, but could we get back the matter at hand?" I asked and actually managed to finish without one interruption.

Jack eagerly agreed. He would try to have the film developed by late afternoon. If not, then in the morning.

He shook my hand and, for one horrifying moment, I thought he would want either my autograph or a kiss. I was extremely grateful he wanted neither.

We walked down the main street. There were people and vendors everywhere and Hannah was buying everything in sight. I had brought my smaller camera that was easy to carry and was ready for a good shot.

"Where's my magazine?" Hannah asked.

"I've got. I've got it," Maggie assured her, patting the pocket of her blazer.

It was almost noon when we met Steve. "Mom and Dad are over at the beer garden. I told them to save a few seats." He took me aside. "I told Dad about what was going on, he'd like to talk to you, too. We'll meet you over there later."