“What’s not to like?” Sondra relaxed into her plump pillows. She’d been too cold the night before to enjoy their comfort. The house wasn’t an ice cave yet. “Why does Jade want her in a nursing home? Is it the stacking?”
“Jade doesn’t hang on to things. She doesn’t understand Granny’s thought process. She thinks she’s going senile, and yes, she worries about the cleanliness here. Granny has been like this since I can remember. I don’t think it’s hurting anything, and we can certainly afford to hire someone to come in and help.”
“Why haven’t you?” Sondra rolled over to catch Zack’s eyes.
He smiled. “After meeting her, you should know the answer.”
“She is very independent,” Sondra nodded, “but she’s eighty-three. Isn’t there some way to persuade her maybe help a couple of times a week would be okay?”
“I would feel much better if she had someone checking on her, that’s for sure.” Zack’s brows crinkled in a frown.
“From her discussion earlier, she welcomed people in her home while it was being built.” As she warmed to the idea, Sondra sped up. “Maybe you can make it seem like she’s helping someone else. That allows her her dignity but also gets her watched over.”
“That’s a great idea. I’ll see what I can do about it.” Zack reached over to pull Sondra’s head close, and he kissed her forehead.
When he released her, Sondra wished desperately the stupid rolled sheepskin was gone and she could just relax into his warmth without worrying about any temporary arrangement. She ached for something more. She stared at Zack a moment, trying to see if he felt the same. Not seeing any encouragement, she rolled over on her side and tried to go to sleep.
A few minutes later, Zack put his book on the nightstand and turned off the lamp. It didn’t take long for his breathing to indicate sleep. Sondra wondered how he could be so relaxed in their situation, but then she remembered this was his childhood getaway. Just being in this house probably felt like having loving arms around him.
She tried to focus on the peace and comfort of a haven and suddenly wished for her parents home from Norway. She didn’t ache for them often, but she had been through too much lately. She wished for the comfort of their presence and then pushed away the thought. How selfish of her to want them home.
They would be as tormented as she was. Watching both her and Nikki mourn over the lost twins would have been a trial. And besides, the people in Norway needed her parents as much as she did. She sighed and rolled over, watching Zack’s chest rise and fall in the darkness.
The steady rhythm of his breath lulled her to sleep.
Pounding on the door the next morning had her eyes flying open. She stared a moment. The shape next to her wasn’t familiar. It took her a moment to realize the sheepskin had somehow found different quarters and this time, it was her arm and her leg thrown over Zack. She glanced up to see Zack’s amused eyes staring into her own. She could feel the color rush up her face just as Granny burst through the door.
Zack noted her heightened color and her wide eyes before he turned to Granny. “I thought you said you wouldn’t bother us?”
“Excuse me, but I don’t care who you are, honeymooners aren’t doing anything at 7:30 in the morning.”
Sondra was working at extricating her limbs from Zack while they talked, unsuccessfully trying to keep her distance while moving away. Having his skin touch hers was unnerving, even if it was her fault. How was she supposed to know she was a cuddler? She’d never had a bed partner.
“Well, Granny,” Zack drawled, “that depends on the honeymooners.”
“Stuff and nonsense. You weren’t doing anythin’, and we all know it.” Granny stepped over to the drapes to let in the light.
“Maybe Sondra wanted to sleep in.”
“There’s too much going today, and you’re leaving first thing in the morning.” Granny turned to face them, her hands on her hips.
“What, exactly, do you have in mind?” Zack asked as he stepped out of bed, relieving Sondra of her mission to extricate herself.
“I don’t have built in help too often. You’re helping me finish the potpourri.” She was adamant.
Zack groaned. “Really?”
“No complaints, ya hear? The stuff is ready and I want it done.” She headed for the door and stopped to face him.
“Yes, Ma’am.”
Sondra bit her lip on a laugh. Zack’s meek tone and his amused eyes didn’t match.
After Granny stepped out of the room, Sondra asked, “How long does this process go?”
“It can be hours, depending on what she wants added and what containers she wants it in.” He sounded resigned.
“What kinds of things does she add?”
Zack shrugged. “I’m not sure. A few spices and the flower petals. I just do what she tells me.”
“Have you helped her before?”
He nodded, this time with a glum expression. “More times than I’d like to admit. I think she holds out to finish it until I come out to visit.”
“What does she do with it all?”
Zack snickered. “I think she gives it away as gifts. She’s sure it’s the most popular stuff on the planet. I’m not going to guess what happens to it after she drops it off.”
Sondra joined in his laughter, then grew serious. “Is there anything I need to know about the process?”
“You might want to wear gloves. Some people are allergic to orris powder.”
“What’s that?”
“Ground dried iris root.”
Sondra’s brows grew together in a puzzled frown. “What’s that used for?”
“It’s a preservative and also has a scent of its own. Granny swears by it.”
“Does she grind her own?”
“She used to, but one year Jade got involved. It was an unholy mess.” Zack laughed. “I think that persuaded Granny to buy it instead.”
“Was that on purpose?”
“I have my suspicions, but I’m keeping them to myself.”
“Wise man.” Sondra approved.
They headed down the stairs for another taste of Granny’s waffles. This time, the topping was strawberries and fresh whipped cream.
They walked into the room with the rose petals. The dried flowers filled the room with their scent. “I swear they smell stronger than any bouquet I’ve ever had. I didn’t realize the scent intensified when they dried,” Sondra observed.
“I prefer using the cabbage rose or sweetbrier rose. They’re older varieties, but in this neighborhood, they’re easy to find. The new roses just don’t keep their scent.” Granny walked over to the wall where there were stacked boxes. She opened the lid to reveal glass lidded bowls. They were big enough to fill Zack’s hand.
He held one up and asked, “How many of these do you want filled?”
“I’m hoping we can get all seven boxes done this morning.”
Sondra pulled on the rubber gloves Granny had found for her. “Let’s get busy.”
After a morning of mixing rose petals and spices and then filling glass jars, Sondra was happy when Granny announced, “I’m hungry. Let’s go do lunch.”
They ate at a small eatery. When they stepped out of the restaurant, Granny said, “You can’t visit here without taking at least one official tour of the city. I’ve hired a horse and carriage ride. That’s around the next block.” She peered at Sondra with questioning eyes. For the first time, Sondra realized Granny had felt some stress over their meeting.
“That sounds like fun.” Sondra enthused. “The sun is out, so it shouldn’t be too cold.”
Zack smiled. “I call dibs on keeping you warm.”
“You just do that.” Sondra echoed his smile.
The carriage ride only lasted about half an hour, but it gave Sondra a taste for what it might have felt like during the revolutionary war. Some of the roads were still cobbled, so the ride then wouldn’t have felt much different than it did now.
As the
y were settling into their car, Nikki’s tone rang. Sondra picked up the call. “Hello?”
“Sondra, we just got the results back from the vet.” Nikki paused, and the pause caused Sondra’s heart to congeal. “He was poisoned.”
“Poisoned? What? How?”
“It was strychnine mixed with tuna.”
“Who would do this?” Sondra shook with rage. She’d had her tears. Now she wanted revenge.
She could almost hear Nikki shake her head. “We don’t know.” She often used the plural when speaking, as if she was always aware she and Brad were together. “We’ve turned the matter over to the police.”
When she hung up the phone, Sondra realized Granny and Zack were staring at her. He hadn’t started the car.
“What happened?” Zack’s voice only slightly overshadowed Granny’s “Poisoned?”
Chapter Eighteen, Armor
Someone poisoned Dewk.” Sondra repeated.
“Who would do such a thing?” Granny asked simultaneously with Zack’s “Why?”
Sondra slumped. “I have no idea. Nikki has already contacted the police.”
“Who is Nikki?” Granny looked lost.
“She’s Sondra’s sister and was watching Dewk for her.” Zack answered.
“Oh.” Granny reached forward to touch Sondra while Zack turned on the car and headed back to her home. “Was she watching him at her house?”
“No.” Sondra took a calming breath. “He was at my house.”
“So it might be someone you know?” Granny sat back, horrified.
“Possibly, but it could’ve been someone wanting free access to the house.” Sondra paused and stared out the window for a moment, not seeing the stately homes they were passing. “But I have a security system in place outside of Dewk, so that wouldn’t give anyone free access, anyway.”
“Do you have security cameras?” Zack asked.
Sondra shook her head. “I don’t like my own life being filmed. It’s too easy for the system to be hacked and have the film going when you don’t want it on. I have movement sensors for when I’m gone, but I don’t have any in the yard. Dewk is―was,” she corrected herself, “always moving around, so it wouldn’t have worked having any sensors there.”
Zack nodded. “That makes sense. So would there be a record if anyone tried to get in your house?”
“Yes. I can call the security company. They would have the information.” Sondra flipped open her phone and dialed. After a short conversation, she shut the phone.
“Any news?” Zack asked.
Sondra shook her head. “I’m afraid not. Nothing since we left.”
“So that could mean a couple of things. Either the person was scared off by the alarm system or they had a vendetta against you and your dog.” Zack turned to catch Sondra’s eyes and then turned his attention back to the road.
She tried to puzzle out what his quick look meant and then hid her gasp with a cough. The broken dinnerware had been a clear warning. Is Dewk’s death tied to that? What did the note say? I am shattered. You will be too. What better way to shatter my life than to take Dewk out of it. Is this the end of it? Or will whoever is behind both continue to stalk me?
Sondra trembled, and Zack reached over to touch her hand. “It will be okay. Don’t worry. It’ll be okay.”
Sondra wanted to believe him, but when the result of the threat was the death of her beloved pet, it was hard to see how everything would be okay.
* * *
Even Granny seemed subdued the rest of the day. After dinner at another restaurant, they settled in to watch another one of Granny’s reruns. This time, Granny seemed too distracted to concentrate. When she walked out of the room for the second time, Sondra leaned over to whisper, “Do you think you can talk Granny into leaving the heat up tonight? I just can’t face another frigid night. I haven’t ever been so cold, not even during our recent trip to DC.”
“That’s because you served your mission in Hawaii.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“If you’d served somewhere else, you’d know what it was like to tract in the cold.”
“Well, I never planned on freezing to death visiting a relative. Can you please talk to her about keeping the heat up? It’s just one night. I’m willing to pay for the entire month of heating. I just can’t do another frozen night.” She shuddered.
“I’ll talk to her, but no promises. She swears the cold night air is good for her lungs.”
“It seems to have done her a world of good. She looks amazing. I’d never guess she’s eighty-three.” Sondra paused. “But can you please ask her for just one warm night?”
“It’s awfully hard to get Granny to change anything, even for one night, but I’ll talk to her.”
“Thanks.”
Zack stepped out of the room and returned a few minutes later.
“Well?” Sondra asked.
“Granny has turned in for the night. She said she has a headache. She also said she’d keep the heat turned up just for tonight, but she won’t be responsible for the outcome.”
“What did she mean by that?” Sondra’s brows grew together in a puzzled frown.
“Hopefully, we’ll never know.” From the look on his face, that was all the information he was willing to give.
* * *
“Since Granny has agreed to keep the heat on, I’d like to soak for a bit, if that’s okay with you.” Sondra headed into the bathroom with her change of clothes, not waiting for Zack’s reply.
She settled into a mountain of sandalwood bubbles, closed her eyes, and let her mind go blank. She could feel the release of stress. Breathing deeply, she settled deeper into the suds.
Her eyes flew open at a scratchy sound. A small beady-eyed creature with long whiskers was staring at her from the edge of the tub. As it cleaned a drop of water off its face, Sondra launched herself out of the tub and onto the closed toilet while emitting a continuous sound the same decibel of a fire alarm. “EEEEEEEEAYAAAAA.”
The door flew open and Zack stared at her a moment, taking in the bubbles that just barely covered what was necessary. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?”
“Mouse. There’s a mouse. Get it. NOW.”
Zack handed her the robe and then searched around and under the tub. “I think you scared every mouse for the next mile into outer darkness. I don’t see anything.”
“I don’t care what you see. I know what I saw.” She tied the robe securely and made it to the bed in three long leaps. “I’m not getting down until I know that mouse is gone.” She settled into the middle of the bed and frantically pulled the covers up off the floor. “Mice can’t climb wood, can they?”
From Zack’s shaking shoulders, she could see he was having a hard time taking her seriously. He shook his head. “You probably gave that mouse a heart attack.”
“Where did it come from? I haven’t heard any mice until tonight.”
He scratched his chin, trying valiantly to hide his amusement. “Granny swore the mice come in if she keeps the heat on at night. This is a bad time to prove her right.”
“Turn the heat down, then. I’d rather freeze to death than face another one of those.” She shuddered.
“Are you sure?”
She nodded vigorously. “And can you hand me my clothes? I’m not stepping back onto that floor.”
“Do you want me to carry you back to the bathroom?”
Sondra’s eyes went big. “I’m not ever going back in that room.”
“You might change your mind by morning.”
“I doubt it.”
“Would you feel better if I ran out and bought some traps?”
She nodded. “Thanks.”
He handed her the stack of clothes she’d left next to the empty sink and headed out the door. She hoped the room was icy post haste. Staring a mouse in the face had nearly done her in.
She pulled on her clothes as quickly as she could, given she was dressing in the middle o
f the bed. Her hair was still wet, and she desperately wanted to dry it so she would have some chance at being warm in the soon-to-be frigid room.
She scooted to the edge of the bed and peered under it, scared she’d see another pair of beady eyes. The only thing under the bed were some undisturbed dust bunnies. She scooted back to the center of the bed and wrapped her arms around her legs. Maybe Granny would have an extension cord so she could dry her hair right where she was.
When Zack returned about half an hour later, Sondra was still seated in the middle of the bed, knees to her chin, her arms securely wrapped around her ankles. He stopped and stared a moment. “I would have never guessed you are scared of mice.”
She looked up from her intense stare at the bathroom door. “Terrified. I’m terrified of them,” she corrected.
“I stand corrected.” The corner of his mouth twitched. She appreciated the effort to control his humor, even if it wasn’t entirely successful.
He pulled out three gray rectangular boxes. They had an opening on one side.
Curious despite her fear, she asked, “What are those?”
“These are mouse traps.”
“They don’t look anything like the traps I’ve seen. Are they environmentally friendly or something?”
He grinned. “You could say that. They are live traps.”
“Live traps? What are you going to do, release them in the yard?”
“I was thinking a mile or so down the road. Maybe the farm where Granny gets her syrup.”
“As long as they’re far enough away not to make their way back.”
“My guess is the farmer has a few cats.”
Sondra shook her head. “So we catch some live mice to feed the neighborhood cats? I don’t get it.”
Zack gave her a hard look. “Given all the… events… we’ve been through lately, I didn’t want to add to any numbers, and I didn’t think you would, either.”
She rocked back and stared at Zack a moment. “You’re right, of course.” Then she giggled.
He tilted his head to the side. “Okay. I’ll bite. What’s so funny?”
“I don’t know why, but this reminded me of that time several years ago after an oil spill when several thousand had been spent to rehabilitate a seal. When the seal was released to the sea, a killer whale jumped up and ate the seal.” She laughed again. “After all that effort, the whale had a good meal. I guess a cat will have one tomorrow.”
Lined With Silver Page 18