Into the Fire

by Margaret Daley

  Ashley hung back by the entrance into the hallway. “She said you were gonna take me and Kenny to the park.”

  “Yes, I even brought some food for a picnic and a Frisbee to play with.”

  “Where’s my brother?”

  “At Kane’s. We’re going down to get him.” Maggie picked up the backpack she had the food and Frisbee in and then held her hand out for Ashley.

  Slowly the child advanced across the room, but she didn’t stop where Maggie stood. She kept going and opened the door into the hallway.

  Sighing, Maggie slung the backpack over her shoulders and followed Ashley down to the basement. By the time Maggie reached the workshop, Kane had let the little girl inside and waited for Maggie in the corridor. He lounged against the wall, his arms casually crossed over his T-shirt-clad chest, sympathy in his expression.

  When she neared, he whispered, “She’ll come around. Do you want company at the park? I could use a break from working since six this morning.”

  Without his presence, she wasn’t sure how close Ashley would let her get. “Are you sure?”

  “Very. Kenny’s been talking about checking out the monkey bars.”

  “Great.”

  Kane turned back into his workshop. “Are you two ready to go play? I am.”

  “Yep,” both of them answered him at the same time.

  Fifteen minutes later, Maggie stood next to Kane near the multicolored play structure with slides, tunnels, climbing surfaces and two forts. The second they hit the park both children ran toward the equipment to join kids of all ages testing out the elaborate system.

  The grin on Ashley’s face sent joy through Maggie. Her sister found some children her age and was playing with them in one of the forts. Kenny met several friends from school, and they were scaling the small rock wall.

  Maggie spied an empty bench. “Let’s sit. I don’t think there’s much for us to do but watch.”

  “After sanding for hours, I’m game. Watching sounds nice.”

  Maggie took a seat, placing her backpack between them as though she needed that physical barrier to keep her on track with her mission. Kane had a way of diverting her attention with one simple smile. “Have you heard anything else from David? Earlier this morning when I had breakfast with Edwina, she thought David was out of leads other than to keep an eye on Dr. Maples.”

  “I’m still trying to figure out why Henry would want to blackmail Sam.”

  “Maybe he wasn’t.”

  “Then why did Henry have those photos hidden on a flash drive?”

  “Because he’s a strange man?” Maggie lifted her shoulder in a shrug, at a loss to what or who was behind Henry’s murder.

  A little blond-haired boy raced by them toward the big slide. A petite woman, overdressed for the park in a black pantsuit, stopped near Maggie’s side of the bench, calling out, “Tyler, slow down.”

  Kane glanced at the woman and smiled. “Beth, it’s nice to see you here. Is that your son?” He pointed toward the child who clambered up the ladder to the tallest slide.

  “Yes. He was eager to come to the park, and it looks like half the children in Seven Oaks decided to do the same thing.” When Tyler stood up on the top of the slide, Beth shouted, “Tyler, get down now.” Moving toward the playground equipment, she peered back at Kane. “Sorry I can’t talk. I’ve got to keep a close eye on my son.” For a second, the woman’s gaze skimmed over Maggie before she faced forward and marched toward the slide.

  “Who’s she?” Maggie watched the petite woman hoist her son down from the slide and direct him toward the tunnels where Ashley was crawling through with another little girl.

  “Dr. Beth Warren was recently promoted to dean of women at the university. Enough about her. Isn’t it time for lunch?” Kane tapped the backpack sitting between them. “So, what have you brought? Hopefully food.”

  “Lunch. I have enough for you, too.”

  He lifted the knapsack. “What did you put in here? The whole refrigerator.”

  “Ashley and Kenny are growing children, and I noticed last Sunday night they ate a lot. I wanted to make sure I had enough for them.”

  “When are we going to eat?”

  She chuckled. “Are you hungry?”

  “Did I tell you I got up and started working at six this morning and forgot to eat breakfast? Yes, I’m starved, and I’m sure Kenny worked up quite an appetite, too.”

  “Is that your way of telling me to set up lunch?”

  “Yep. I’ll go get the kids while you find a place for us to eat.” He stood quickly and hurried toward the play equipment.

  Taking her cue from Kane, Maggie gathered the backpack and checked out the park looking for a place to set up her feast. To the left was an area with lush grass and several large oaks that offered some shade. But in the middle was a wide-open space where they could throw the Frisbee. She staked out a place under one of the trees near the field. As she spread a king-size blanket over the ground, Kane and the children approached her.

  “We’re eating here, too?” Kenny plopped down near Maggie. “Neat!”

  Ashley stood on the edge of the blanket slightly behind Kane, who had sat slowly, stretching out both legs. It took all Maggie’s control to tamp down her anger that she hadn’t been a part of her sister’s life from the beginning. Each time Ashley shied away from her, Maggie’s heart twisted.

  “What are we having?” Kenny tried to peek into the backpack.

  “Your mom told me you two like ham and cheese sandwiches.” Maggie dug into the backpack and pulled out a sandwich for Kenny then Ashley.

  The little girl stared at it a moment then hesitantly took it from Maggie, mumbling, “Thanks.”

  As Kane grabbed his, he said, “C’mon, princess. Sit and join us.”

  Reluctantly Ashley did, flanked on both sides by Kane and Kenny.

  “I brought lemonade and tropical punch. Which do you all want?” Maggie removed several cans.

  Kenny and Kane took the lemonade while Ashley grabbed the tropical punch. For the next ten minutes, the two kids stuffed their mouths and drained their drinks as if they were in a race.

  When Kenny finished, he squeezed his leftover foil into a ball and tossed it at Ashley. She grinned and did the same with hers.

  “I have a Frisbee you two can throw around if you want.” Maggie retrieved it from the backpack.

  Kenny snatched it and leaped to his feet. “C’mon, Ashley. I’ll show you how it’s done.”

  “Stay near,” Maggie said as they left, jogging toward the open area.

  Maggie watched them play. For all his complaining about Ashley, Kenny did a good job as a big brother. She wanted the chance to be a big sister.

  “Maggie, they’re good kids. You don’t need to worry they’d go off without saying something first.”

  “I’m not worried.” Maggie kept her gaze trained on the children.

  “Then why the concerned look?”

  Ashley finally caught the Frisbee in midair and pumped her arm in victory. Maggie smiled and shifted her attention to Kane.

  “I thought Sunday night at dinner there was a little softening toward me on Ashley’s part. But today you would think we were strangers meeting for the first time.”

  “You should have seen her with Henry. He lived across the hall for two years, and she would go to great lengths to avoid him.” Kane took a swig of his drink. “She’ll come around. She got separated from Vicky once at a department store. It was traumatic for Ashley as well as Vicky. They found Ashley cowering behind some clothes crying.”

  “When was that?”

  “Two years ago. Things changed after that. She would hardly leave Vicky’s side for months.”

  “How long have you known them?”

  “Around four years. When my reserve unit was called up for deployment, I met John Pennington in the Middle East. We became friends because we’re both from Seven Oaks although he’d been living in other places for years.”

&n
bsp; “When did you convert the house into an apartment building?” Maggie finished the last bite of her sandwich.

  “Six years ago.”

  “I understand it’s been a popular place to rent, that you don’t have a lot of vacancies.”

  “True. When I came back from the Middle East, I had one. I contacted John, who was till overseas, and explained that I had a place for him and his family to live if he wanted when he returned. He’d talked about doing that while we were serving together. He saved my life. I wanted to repay him.”

  “He saved your life?”

  “Yes, he’d pulled me from a bombed building before the ceiling collapsed on me.”

  Edwina had hinted at a close relationship between John and Kane, forged by the war they had served in together. Although she was getting to know Kane, there was still so much she didn’t know. And she shouldn’t spend her emotional energy trying to figure him out.

  “I was discharged early because I was injured from the blast. That’s behind me now. But there isn’t much I wouldn’t do for the Penningtons,” Kane said in a fervent tone. “Even if I hadn’t had a vacancy, I would have found a place for them to live. I owe John.”

  “The house is beautiful. I can see why you don’t have much trouble renting your apartments.” She spread her arms wide. “Just look at me. Even with Henry’s murder, I was on your doorstep before your ad appeared in the newspaper.”

  “I’ve only had two vacancies in the six years since I converted the mansion—the family in the Pennington’s and the person who had the place before Henry. Charles Wentworth up and left suddenly.”

  “He did?” Was the apartment jinxed? The thought chilled her. “Where did he go?”

  Kane shrugged. “Beats me. He left behind his five-hundred-dollar deposit. He was Dr. Johnson’s assistant. Vicky got that job after Wentworth left.”

  “Was 2A vacant long?”

  “No, only a day. Henry appeared and moved in immediately. He’d just gotten the job as head of the science department and needed a place to stay. The old department head had died after a short illness. The school year had started, and things were hectic.”

  “Where did Henry live before coming to town?”

  “At a university in Nashville.”

  Maggie saw Beth and Tyler walking away from the playground and smiled at the petite woman. Kane waved at the pair, and Beth detoured toward them.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to speak much earlier.” Beth stopped near Kane, her gaze shifting to Maggie. “I’m Beth Warren.”

  “Maggie Ridgeway.”

  Tyler tugged on his mother’s arm. She glanced down and the boy asked, “Can I go play with Ashley and her brother?”

  After the child dashed off, Maggie peered at Beth. “He knows Kenny and Ashley?”

  “Ashley and Tyler are in the same kindergarten class.”

  Kane scooted over next to Maggie. “Sit. Join us. It looks like the kids are playing together.”

  Beth stared at her son for a few long seconds then sank down on the blanket. “With all that’s happened lately, I’m glad.”

  “You mean Henry’s murder,” Maggie said, spying Bradley Quinn striding toward them.

  Beth frowned. “Yeah.”

  The woman’s look closed off any further discussion of the subject of Henry. Obviously, Beth Warren wasn’t a fan of Henry’s either.

  “Beth, I’m sorry I’m late.” Bradley paused next to where the woman sat.

  She smiled up at Bradley. “That’s okay. I’ve been talking to Kane and Maggie. Have you met Maggie?”

  Bradley folded his long length beside Beth. “Yes, she lives in Henry’s old apartment.”

  Beth’s eyes widened. “Oh. I didn’t know.”

  “Did anything pan out about the flash drive? I assume you turned it over to David.” Bradley clasped Beth’s hand between them.

  “He hasn’t said anything to me.” Kane stuffed the trash into the backpack. “Have you heard anything? He’s your cousin.”

  “Nope.”

  “What flash drive?” Beth looked at the man next to her.

  “Maggie found a flash drive in her apartment. It wasn’t hers so they speculated it was Henry’s. There was a password-protected file on it.”

  Beth swung her attention to Maggie. “Where in the world was it? I thought they had cleaned out all Henry’s possessions.”

  “In a toilet paper dispenser.”

  “Odd.” Beth frowned.

  “My dear, but doesn’t that sound just like Henry?” Bradley slipped his arm around Beth and pulled her against him as though protecting her.

  “What was on it?” Beth asked, her voice raspy. She swallowed several times.

  Maggie didn’t know what to say to that question. She peered at Kane, silently wanting him to intervene.

  “Since Henry’s murder is an ongoing investigation, we don’t feel we should say anything about the flash drive’s contents. David is dealing with it.”

  The color leached from Beth’s face. She quickly averted her eyes and glanced toward her son in the open area. “We’d better go, Bradley, if we’re going to take—take Tyler to the library.”

  Bradley stood and helped Beth to her feet. As she hurried toward her son, Bradley said, “As I said before, if you need my help anytime in the future, just call. I think it’s neat being a part of Henry’s murder investigation.”

  “What was that all about?” Maggie asked as she watched them gather Tyler and begin to walk toward the parking lot.

  “Beth dated Henry when he first came to Seven Oaks. It didn’t end well, and although she avoided him as much as possible, she had to work with him sometimes.”

  “Which makes for an uncomfortable situation.” She knew that firsthand having dated a man who she had to work with at a hospital. Their breakup was one of the reasons she decided to leave St. Louis and finally come to Seven Oaks. His harassment had been difficult to dodge when he purposely pursued her at work.

  “I’m glad to see she’s finally dating again. She didn’t for a long time after Henry broke it off.”

  “Do you think she was in love with Henry?”

  “I guess it’s possible. He could be charming to women. He didn’t want for dates.” Kane’s full attention riveted to her. “But she doesn’t look like she’s grieving his loss, so obviously she’s moved on.”

  Maggie found the woman at the edge of the park. Tyler ran ahead to a car while Bradley and Beth hung back. Bradley grasped the petite woman’s arms and drew her close. Even at a distance, Maggie felt the intensity generated from their conversation. Interesting. Would Beth have had a reason to kill Henry?

  Chapter Seven

  “Thanks for helping me set up for the housewarming party. You’re a lifesaver.” Maggie pulled a relish tray out of the refrigerator.

  Edwina arranged the paper plates and napkins in an arc on the counter. “Didn’t Vicky offer to help, too?”

  “Haven’t you heard the saying that too many cooks in the kitchen make for total confusion?” She’d already spent more time with Vicky than she had ever thought she would when planning to come to Seven Oaks. She certainly didn’t need to add any more.

  “Dear, it’s spoil the broth,” Edwina said with a chuckle, moving on to prepare the coffee.

  “You get the picture.”

  “How was the picnic yesterday at the park?” Edwina loaded the coffeemaker with a filter, grounds and water, then plugged in the machine.

  “It was nice. Toward the end Ashley started warming up to me. She tossed me the Frisbee a few times, and on the walk back to Twin Oaks, she didn’t hide like she did on the trip to the playground.”

  “You’re making headway. That’s actually quite fast.”

  Fast! We’re sisters. There should be much more between us than not fleeing at my sight. “That’s what Kane said to me last night.”

  “Last night?” Edwina’s eyes gleamed. “Is there something you want to tell me?”

  �
��No. And quit getting any ideas. There’s nothing between us.” If she said it enough, it would be true. Maggie finished getting the last dish out of the refrigerator and turned toward Edwina. “Did you start the coffee?”

  Edwina checked the machine. “Yes. It should be perking.”

  “I was afraid of this. It’s old, and I think it got banged up during the move. I should have bought a new one the other day at the store. Do you have one I can borrow?”

  “No, I only drink tea, but Henry has one. Remember? I doubt he would care that you borrowed it for the afternoon, and neither will anyone else since there’s no one to claim his possessions.”

  “I don’t know. Maybe I could go to the—”

  “Hush, child. I’ll take care of it and be back in a sec. It’s brand-new and should be used. Besides, you’re only borrowing it for the afternoon.”

  Before Maggie could say anything, Edwina scurried away. The sound of the door closing stopped any last second protest of using a dead man’s coffeepot. She swung back to the counter, laden with prepared—mostly store-bought—food.

  “I came a few minutes early to see if you needed any help.”

  Kane’s deep baritone voice surprised her. Maggie gasped and spun around to face him in the doorway into her kitchen.

  He grinned. “Where’s Edwina rushing off to?”

  “To get Henry’s coffeemaker. Mine’s broken. Do you think he’ll mind if I borrow it?”

  “Henry? After what he’s put us through, he’d better not.” Kane gestured toward the trays filled with all kinds of goodies from cookies to a cheese ball. “What army is coming?”

  “Okay, I may have gone overboard just a tad, but I wanted to make sure I had enough food.”

  His grin grew, lighting his eyes. “Yep, you have enough for three or four housewarming parties.”

  “Then I’ll be eating leftovers for a while.”

  “What can I do to help?” Kane lounged against the counter.