by J C Fuller
“Getting there. Once the trial is over, I might get my life back.” Lane watched as Jerry pulled at his mustache again, recognizing the nervous tick. “You okay, Jerry?”
Jerry gave a jittery laugh and nodded his head. “Yeah, I’m great!” He stood up, moving a stapler to the side before sitting back down on the corner of the desk. “I’m really great.”
“What’s happened?” Lane smiled at his anxiousness, curious to what had him so giddy. Whatever it was, she couldn’t help but smile along with him.
“The completely unexpected.” Jerry ran a hand over his smile, “And hopefully…you’ll understand.”
“Jerry, for goodness sake, tell me already!” Lane chuckled. He was clearly trying to keep his excitement toned down.
“My ex-wife and I…. we’re…”
“You’re going to be grandparents?” Lane’s mouth split into a huge smile, “Oh, how exciting!”
“No! …No, at least…not yet. Or…I hope not. Not for a few more years.” Jerry put his hands up as if to ward off Lane’s good wishes.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Lane said, mystified. “You were saying you and your ex-wife…”
“We’re back together.”
“Oh!” Lane sat back in her seat, not expecting that particular piece of news.
“I didn’t mean for it to happen. Never dreamed it would happen!” Jerry leaned towards Lane, his tone apologetic. “With Amy living with me and doing so good, Heather and I started talking more. And then she came over and we sat down as a family. I took her to dinner a few times after that and next thing I knew…”
“The old flame was lit.” Lane smiled softly, “That’s great, Jerry. It is, really.”
“You mean that?” Jerry stood up, straightening his white coat.
Lane stood up with him, “Of course! Does that mean Heather is coming back to the island?” She started to make for the door.
“It’s a bit soon for that, but I’m hopeful.” He leaned past her, opening his office door. “I’ve told her what a great friend you’ve been. Think we could get together for dinner some night? Maybe Philip would like to tag along?”
Lane turned her head, looking back at Jerry with a wisp of a smile, “Maybe.”
Chapter 46
Philip pulled up to the cottage, spotting Lane’s patrol truck parked by the backdoor. He hadn’t called a head, but being it was a Saturday morning, guessed she be at home. He opened his driver’s door and gingerly stepped down before pulling out a cane.
His thigh still pained him a great deal, his limp a constant reminder. According to his doctor, the pain would dissipate over time along with his minor limp. That is, as long as he continued his physical therapy. Though his thigh was healing up, his ego was a little bruised. Here he’d gone running into danger trying to save the damsel in distress…and she ended up saving him. With a little help, of course.
Looking back now, all things having come to light, he was grateful for Lane’s insistence to investigate the twin’s deaths. He’d doubted the two accidents had been anything other than coincidence and Lane…per usual, had proved him wrong.
Though maybe if he had paid closer attention a year ago, he might have been able to prevent what happened. Struggling with guilt, staring up at his hospital room’s ceiling, he had asked himself…
“What could I have done differently? What could I have paid closer attention to? Why didn’t I ask more questions? Why didn’t I notice more? What if I had…” On one of her visits to his room, Lane had warned him of the dangers of thinking in circles.
“You could bury yourself in what-ifs…and it won’t change a damn thing.” She’d reached over, taking his hand, careful to not bump his IV and continued, “The future is what matters. So, focus on that, Phil. I need you around.” That for some reason had made him feel much better. And maybe that was why he was at her cottage now? Well, the second reason he’d come to visit…. But the most important.
Tonight, was Miss Hattie’s big birthday party. The whole of the island was gathering down at the high school gym, where there would be cake and punch, streamers and balloons, and dancing. Thinking of Miss Hattie reminded him, he owed her an apology. She’d practically solved the whole thing from the very beginning. Philip could still hear her words and see the intensity in her runny blue eyes.
“It was silly for her to put herself in that kind of danger.” and “Danie… Janie... Same girl.”
Philip turned his head at the sound of the cottage door opening.
“Phil?” Lane stepped out onto the small landing, a wide smile on her face.
“Hi! Hope you don’t mind me just dropping by?” Philip carefully stepped back and grabbed a small carrier, along with a plastic bag from the back of the pickup. “I wanted to drop something off.”
Lane, her hair pulled up in a messy bun, wearing a sweater over a cotton t-shirt and jeans, took the first step to the backstairs, her arms crossed over her chest. It being mid-October the weather had turned chilly, especially in the early morning.
“What do you have there?” Lane squinted at the animal carrier unable to make out what was inside. She turned her eyes back to Philip, his gait hampered by a limp, a wrinkle of pain crossing his forehead with every other step.
“I hope you got some coffee on?” Philip ignored her question, reaching the bottom of the stairs.
Lane bent over trying to see into the carrier. Whatever was in there was furry. She smiled and held the door open, taking a step back into the cottage.
“Need help?” she asked, watching Philip take the first step.
“Nah, I got it. Do this all the time in therapy,” he said confidently, managing to get up the three steps with no difficulty.
“What do you have there?” Lane asked again, taking another quick look at the pet carrier. “Did you get me a cat?” she asked eagerly, her excitement apparent. Philip put the carrier onto the kitchen table and turned it so Lane couldn’t see inside.
“Can I have a cup of coffee first?” Philip asked, pulling out a chair from the kitchen table, carefully lowering himself into it. He dropped the plastic bag onto the floor, before hooking his cane to the back of the chair.
“Yes, sorry!” Lane quickly made her way over to the coffee pot, filling up a large mug. “You look good, Phil. How are you feeling?” She pulled open the cabinet door above her head reaching for a container of powdered creamer.
“Good. Glad to be back home on the island. Planning on returning to work on Monday.” Philip turned the animal carrier back towards him, sticking his fingers in through the metal grates, giving the occupant a light pet on the forehead. “Doctor finally released me to full duty.”
“So, are you done with physical therapy as well?” Lane brought the steaming mug over and carefully placed it in front of him.
“No, not by a long shot. Got a standing appointment once a week for the next three months or so. Though…” Philip took a sip of coffee. “They say I’m making great progress. Gave me a gold star on my last visit.”
“You hungry?” Lane asked, heading towards the fridge.
“No…uhh, I had something to eat before I headed here.”
“Oh, okay.” Lane sat down at the table, eagerly looking between the animal carrier and Philip. “So, what’s in the carrier? What did you bring me?”
Philip took a deep breath, an apologetic smile crossing his lips.
“You know when you said, you thought there was a catch to living here?” Philip began to unlock the cage door on the carrier.
Lane’s smiled disappeared.
“Uh-huhhh.” Lane’s eyes squinted into a cautious slit.
“You weren’t exactly wrong.” Philip opened the small door, giving the animal inside a rub under its chin. “Uncle Chuck is needing someone to not only take care of the cottage, which I know you will do. But he also needs someone with a BIG heart and a KIND soul, to take care of his little buddy. His daughter Julie isn’t allowed to have pets at her condo.”
“
Oh! Is that all?” Lane sighed in relief, shaking her head. “What kind of cat is it?”
Philip winced as he reached in with both hands, gently grabbing the occupant.
“It’s not a cat.” Philip smiled, pulling out a puffed furball. Lane stifled a yelp and instinctively scooted her chair back across the tile, standing up in alarm.
“Careful, you’re gonna scare him!” Philip held the animal across his forearm, its large tail fluffed in the air. “He can’t hurt you.” Philip chuckled at her reaction, scooting his chair closer to her. “Here. Just pet him.”
“I don’t know, I’ve never petted one before.” Lane slowly reached out, tilting her head to catch the animal’s eye, before running her hand along it’s back. “He’s so soft!” she whispered, her fingers trailing down to its fluffy hindquarters. “OH, it’s rough at the tail, I see.”
“Yeah, their tail is coarse compared to the rest of them.”
“Phil! I can’t keep a skunk!” Lane sat back in her chair, realization coming to the fore front of her thoughts. “Aren’t they illegal in Washington state?”
“Well….” Philip lowered the stripped skunk to the kitchen floor. It quickly pounced its way into the small dining room. He sat back up, “They are if you take them from the wild…which this one was.”
Lane started to shake her head. “If it’s against the law.”
“Just hear me out, please?” Philip put up a pleading hand, reaching for the coffee mug with the other. “Uncle Chuck found him when he was just a baby. His mother had been run over in the road leaving four pups behind. At first, he was going to let nature take its course. One by one, they got picked off, being too young to defend themselves. There was just this one left.” Philip put both hands up, Lane starting to interrupt. “Now, Uncle Chuck decided to rescue it…which he shouldn’t have done…but he did.” Philip put his hands down, moving the carrier from the kitchen table, putting it on the tiled floor. “He originally had planned to return him to the wild, once he was old enough. But…Well…”
“He got attached,” Lane finished, hearing a loud thunk as something heavy was knocked over in the living room.
“Yeah. He then approached Jerry and had him de-scent the little guy, making him an official pet.”
“Jerry should have turned your uncle in. He’s supposed to report things like that.”
“You’re right.” Philip shrugged, “But, you know that nice x-ray machine Jerry likes to brag about?” Philip didn’t need to expound on the question.
“Phil, I don’t feel good about thi—” Lane started, hearing another crash come from somewhere inside the house.
“He’s super old. He’s only got like a year left. I’d keep him, but Uncle Chuck is insistent he stays here in his home.” Philip picked up the bag by his feet. “Here, I’ve already got some food for him and this is the internet website, where you can order more.” Philip pulled out a small vanilla folder, handing it over. “He’s had all his shots and my uncle will pay for all the vet visits.”
The black and white stripped puffball waddled into the kitchen, it’s little nose twitching. It was bigger than Lane had realized.
“Oh, and he’s potty trained for a litter box. And here’s a book about skunks.” Philip placed it on the table by her elbow. “Also, you won’t want to let him outside to wander by himself. They have a tendency to get lost. Uncle Chuck use to keep him on a long tether in the front yard.”
Lane shook her head, realizing why Philip mentioned people avoided the place. Seeing a skunk scampering around in someone’s front yard would surely deter visitors.
“I still don’t think this is a go—”
“Just…think about it…” Philip gave her a pleading smile.
Lane lifted her foot as the black and white ball of fluff skidded under her seat, smacking into the chair leg. She suddenly remembered reading somewhere about skunks having bad eyesight. She flopped the vanilla folder down on the table and picked up the book by her elbow, starting to flip through it.
“Hey, I heard about Jerry and Heather getting back together.” Philip deftly changed the subject, giving her a small smile as he tried to coax the skunk from under her chair. “You doing, okay?”
Lane frowned, flipping the book closed. “Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”
“Well, you and Jerry…” Philip left the assumption linger in the room.
Lane shook her head, “I told you, he was just a friend.”
Philip nodded, a smile twerking his lips.
“Harry tells me Hattie is going to have quite the birthday party tonight. Cake, games…dancing? You going?”
“Was planning on it.” Lane’s eyes were lingering on the walking plush toy wandering around her kitchen.
“Need a date?”
Lane looked up, her blue eyes a little wide. Philip smiled slowly, a steady red flush making its way up his neck.
“Yeah, actually…I do.” Lane smiled back, her hand absently going to her lips.
“Pick you up at six?”
“I’ll pick you up,” Lane countered, unable to resist. Philip shook his head, ever amazed.
“Okay, but I’m driving,” Philip agreed, lowering his arm to the floor, trying to garner the skunk’s attention.
“Phil, you sure it’ll only be for a year?” Lane sighed, still unsure.
“Might not even be that long.” Philip carefully bent over and scooped the skunk up into his arms, giving it a rub under the chin before snatching his hand back. “Oh, and he bites…so, don’t get your fingers close to his mouth.”
“Great.” Lane frowned, slouching in her chair.
She’d fallen in love with the cottage and couldn’t imagine moving back to the tiny upstairs apartment above Hattie’s. She was stuck and she technically owed Philip. She was in no position to decline.
“Here, try holding him. He’s a little grouchy in the mornings if he hasn’t eaten, but other than that, he’s just fine.” Philip leaned forward, handing Lane the fluffball.
Lane looked down into its beady little black eyes and smiled. He was awfully cute…for a skunk. How much trouble could the little critter be?
“What’s his name?” She lightly ran her hand down its back, stopping short of its tail.
“Stinker.”
Lane sighed. Of course, it was.
“You know…” She suddenly swiped the small animal up from her lap, lifting him high in the air, carefully twirling him around so they were face to face. She spoke directly to it, “You know, I should be mad about this, don’t you?” She shot Philip a playful smile before facing the skunk again, it’s little noise twitching in her direction. “But I just can’t be. He’s so dang cute!”
At her smile, Philip’s heart skipped and he suddenly wondered. Was she speaking of the skunk or talking about him? A playful smile of his own twitched his lips. Probably both.
THE END
Thank you for reading "The Push" A Rockfish Island Mystery, Book 2.
If you enjoyed it, would you be so kind as to put a review on Amazon or Goodreads. It is so greatly appreciated!