by Lena Gregory
“Did you tell Tank about this?”
“No. I meant to, but then I forgot, and I was going to call him back, but things were crazy today and I never thought of it.”
The chief patted her hand. “It’s all right. Is that all you remember?”
“Yes.” Cass stood. “Right now, anyway. If I remember anything else, I’ll call you, but I can’t answer any more questions right now. I have to tend to my dog, and I have to get to the hospital to see Bee.”
She started to walk away, then turned back, ashamed she hadn’t given any thought to her other guests before that moment. “Is everyone else all right?”
Chief Rawlins stood, folded the paper, and tucked it into her skirt pocket. “Yes. No one else was down here at the time, and the upstairs wasn’t hit.”
Cass nodded. “Thank you.” She picked her way across the mess to the back room. Beast’s whimpers had finally died off, but she had to see him, had to reassure herself he was all right. She pulled the curtain aside.
Beast scrambled to his feet the instant he spotted her.
“Hey, boy. You okay?” She moved the chairs, took one of the gates down, and stepped over the other. She still needed to keep him confined so he wouldn’t hurt himself.
He jumped up on her and whined.
This time, she didn’t reprimand him. Instead, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him close, then sank down on the floor next to him.
He plopped down with her and lowered his head into her lap.
Thankfully, the windows in the back room actually faced the side of the building, not the beach where the suspect had fired from. “I’m sorry, boy. I know you were probably scared, but Bee got hurt, and he needed me.”
Beast rolled over for a belly rub. Apparently she was forgiven. Not that she deserved it.
“I don’t deserve you, or Bee for that matter. I put everyone I love in danger.” Her tears dripped onto his thick fur.
“Is this a private pity party, or is anyone welcome?” Luke stepped over the gate and sat down next to her. He petted Beast’s head, then picked up the front of Cass’s shirt between his thumb and forefinger. “Please tell me this isn’t yours.”
She looked down at the blood she hadn’t even noticed on the front of her shirt. “It’s Bee’s.”
Luke nodded and settled beside her, leaning against the wall and wrapping his arms around her. “I told Chief Rawlins I’d take you to the hospital.”
She laid her cheek against his chest, letting the strong beat of his heart steady her. “Thank you. I just have to drop Beast off at home first.”
“No problem.”
“You’re sure you don’t mind? This isn’t exactly how I’d envisioned this weekend.”
“No, me neither.” His soft laughter caught her off guard. “But I will say this, things are never dull with you around.”
Cass huffed out a breath.
He gripped her chin and tilted her head up until he stared into her eyes, his expression unguarded in a way it rarely was. “I know life has interfered with us getting to know each other better, but I have deep feelings for you, Cass. When I heard those shots fired . . .” He shook his head, released her chin, and pulled her back into his embrace, resting his chin on her head. “My heart just about stopped.”
She snuggled closer to him, inhaling the woodsy scent that would always remind her of Luke, enjoying one moment of losing herself in him.
“But we have plenty of time to figure that out.” He stood and held his hand out to her. “Right now, let’s get to the hospital.”
Tank poked his head around the corner.
She stiffened, expecting him to be furious with her for putting everyone, especially Stephanie, in danger.
“You okay?” He hugged her and dropped a kiss on the top of her head.
She nodded against him.
He set her back and studied her. “Chief Rawlins told me about Artie Becker—”
“I’m sorry, Tank, I meant to tell you—”
He held up a hand to stop her. “I know, Cass. The chief already told me. It’s okay. It’s partly my fault you didn’t feel comfortable talking to me about this stuff, as the chief reminded me . . . not so gently.” He glanced at Luke, humor lighting his eyes. “And I’m sorry. I should have taken you more seriously.”
She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him.
“Now come on.” He started toward the door. “Stephanie went to the hospital with Bee, so I haven’t seen her since all of this started, and I really need to.”
25
Cass stood on the front porch of Cayden and Sophie’s weekend rental home and rang the bell. She glanced over her shoulder at her car parked in the driveway.
Bee waved to her from the passenger seat. After spending the remainder of Saturday night in the hospital, he’d been released Sunday morning and had spent the day at Cass’s with her and Luke. She’d meant to go to Southampton alone, since it turned out Luke had to go to work once they got off the ferry, but Bee had balked, saying he was looking forward to getting away and spending some time on the beach. While that could possibly be true, she’d also overheard him telling Luke he didn’t want her to be alone.
Tears threatened, and she thought about skipping Sophie’s mother’s reading and heading straight for the beach.
The front door squeaked open.
“Hi, Cass.” Sophie greeted her with a hug. “Thank you so much for coming. Mom’s out back in the garden.” She led Cass through the breezeway toward the back of the house. Though the house was beautiful, it lacked the cozy feeling of home. Generic paintings on the walls, sparse furnishings, and the lack of personal belongings left her feeling cold. Or maybe that was just her own mood.
The garden was a different story, though. A gorgeous array of colors surrounded a kidney-shaped, in-ground pool. A small waterfall poured over stacked rocks in the far corner; the soft sound of rushing water was soothing.
Sophie approached her mother, who was sitting on a wrought iron bench at the far end of the pool, leaned over, and kissed her cheek. “Mom, this is Cass. Remember I told you about her?”
She smiled, her eyes filled with sadness. “It’s nice to meet you, Cass. I’m Estelle.”
“Hi, Estelle.” Cass sat in a chair facing her. “How are you?”
“I’ll leave you two alone.”
Estelle watched Sophie close the door gently behind her before speaking. “I’m okay. Sophie said you can talk to ghosts. Is that true?”
That wasn’t exactly how Cass would describe it, but if that’s what would allow Estelle to accept her help, then so be it. “Sort of.”
She frowned. “What do you mean, ‘sort of’?”
“Well, it’s not like having a conversation . . .” She gestured back and forth between them. “I can’t just sit and talk with them like this. It’s more like, I get . . . impressions . . . of what spirits want me to know. Then it’s up to you to help me interpret them. Would you like to try?”
“It’s been ten years since the last time I talked to my Tom.” Tears welled in her eyes.
Cass’s heart ached for her. “Just because someone is gone doesn’t mean we can’t still talk to them, can’t still feel their presence.”
Estelle lowered her gaze to her clasped hands, and the tears spilled over.
Cass slid her chair closer and gripped Estelle’s ice-cold hands. “What would you like to say to Tom?”
She jerked back. “Is he here?”
Cass nodded. She figured in some way he probably was.
“Oh, Tom, I’m so sorry. I love you so much, and I am so, so sorry.” Violent sobs tore through her. “It was all my fault, and now you’re gone, and I can’t fix it.”
Cass continued to hold her hands, rubbing warmth into them. “What’s your fault, Estelle?”
Her sobs
died off into soft cries, and Cass wasn’t sure she would answer. She waited, studying the deep lines years of pain had etched into her face.
“We were married for sixty years, through lots of good and lots of bad. But through it all, we loved each other deeply.” She sucked in a deep, steadying breath. “That day . . .”
Cass didn’t say a word; she barely even breathed.
“We had a terrible fight. I was so angry I blurted out . . .” Anguish twisted her features. “I blurted out that I couldn’t stand him anymore. It wasn’t true. I loved that man with every ounce of my being for more than sixty years. I would have done anything for him. I would have died in his place if I could have.” She broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.
Sophie and Cayden peeked out the back door.
Cass shook her head and waved them off. Being interrupted was the last thing Estelle needed just then, especially by the people she loved most, the people she’d feel guilty for still being with while her husband was gone.
Once she regained her composure, she spoke softly, as if drained. “He stormed off in a huff, as he was prone to do when we argued.” She stared into Cass’s eyes. “And I let him.”
Cass remained silent but squeezed her hands.
“There was an accident . . .”
Cass got up, moved to the bench, and wrapped an arm around her.
“He never came home. I never got to tell him I loved him.”
“He knows.”
She glanced at Cass, her red-rimmed eyes swollen almost shut.
“He knows you love him. And he knows you didn’t mean what you said. He forgives you for it, Estelle.”
“How can you be sure?”
Cass smiled. “It’s what I do, remember?”
“Is he really here with us?”
How could she answer that without lying? She couldn’t. Not really. Because she had no idea if Tom was there or not, but she did know he’d forgive her. She couldn’t explain how, but she was very sure. If he loved his wife even half as much as she loved him, how could he not? “His spirit is here, his essence, however you look at it. But it’s more a feeling I have in my gut, a feeling of . . . acceptance, of love and forgiveness, and . . .” She frowned. There was something else, something odd. “Concern. Is something wrong, Estelle?”
She ignored Cass’s question. “Are you absolutely positive he forgives me?”
“I am.”
She leaned into Cass’s arms and cried softly.
“Now you have to forgive yourself, Estelle.” Guilt gripped Cass. Would she have forgiven herself if Bee had really been shot? What if he’d died because of her? Would she have been able to forgive herself then?
This time when Sophie looked in, Cass waved her over.
Cass got up and let Sophie take her place, then left them talking quietly as she strode through the house in search of Cayden. She found him in the living room feeding the baby.
He set the bottle aside and stood. “How did it go?”
Cass shrugged. “I think it went well. It’s a start anyway, but she’s going to need more help. I’ll call you later with the number of a good counselor for her.”
Cayden swallowed hard and nodded. “Thank you.”
“Call me if you need me. Anytime.”
He nodded and started toward the front door.
She put a hand on his arm to stop him. “Go to them. I can see myself out.”
The sudden need to get to Bee battered her. She had no doubt Bee knew how she felt about him, but what if she’d lost him? She’d have never gotten the chance to tell him how much he meant to her.
• • •
Cass and Bee walked barefoot along the surf. Unlike the gentle bay waves that caressed the shore, the ocean waves pounded against the sand, ripping it out from beneath their feet as they receded. If they stood still for a few minutes, they’d begin to sink into the sand.
Cass slid her hand into Bee’s.
“Are you okay, sweetie? You’ve been quiet since you came out of Sophie’s. Did everything go okay?”
She’d been upset when she’d gotten back into the car, but she hadn’t wanted to talk about the reading. It wouldn’t be fair to Estelle to share her grief with anyone else. Even though Cass was no longer bound by doctor-patient confidentiality, she still respected her clients’ privacy. Always. Without exception. Unless they told her something she thought might put someone in danger, like Artie Becker had. Bee respected that, and she loved him for it.
She laid her head against his arm. “I love you, Bee. You’re my best friend. And I’m so sorry you got hurt because of me.”
He stopped walking and turned to face her. He wiped a tear from her cheek and tucked the hair that was blowing across her face behind her ear. “I love you, too. You are the best friend I’ve ever had. Heck, if I wasn’t gay, I’d have asked you to marry me long ago.”
Cass laughed with him. “I don’t deserve you.”
“Oh, trust me, honey, you deserve me.” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, resting his chin on her head.
Hugging him back, she rested against his chest as they looked out over the seemingly endless expanse of ocean. The sheer power and enormity of it usually made Cass’s problems seem insignificant. This time, not so much.
“And I didn’t get hurt because of you. I got hurt because I was standing in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Cass couldn’t hold back the tears.
He hugged her closer and rubbed circles on her back. “Do you remember when I was going through that tough time, back in the fall?”
She nodded and sniffed.
He stepped back, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a black tourmaline. He turned the stone over in his hand, then smoothed his thumb over its surface. “You gave this to me at a time when I desperately needed help. When I really needed a friend, you were there. You told me it would protect against negative energy.” He placed the stone in her hand and closed her fingers over it, then cradled her hand in both of his. “It comforted me, if for no other reason, because it reminded me of a friend’s love.”
“Oh, Bee.”
“Keep it for now.” He wiped her face and kissed her cheek. “You can give it back to me when things get better. In the meantime, who knows? Maybe it’ll help.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He grabbed her hand and started up the beach. “Now come on, let’s get ice cream.”
Cass tucked the stone into her pocket, her mood lightening more than it had in a while. “I want chocolate . . .”
“With hot fudge . . .”
“And whipped cream.” She laughed, enjoying the feel of the cool sea breeze and the warm sand between her toes. The salty, briny scent of the sea had always brought her comfort. It would forever be the scent of home.
They got into the car, and Cass rolled down the windows.
Bee turned on the radio, a soft rock station rather than the upbeat dance music he usually favored.
They drove in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Mansions lined the stretch of road, contemporary designs of all shapes and sizes, alongside older, more traditional homes. All of them with the enormous expanse of ocean in their backyards.
As they headed toward town, they left the stretch of beach road behind, but not the mansions. Walls of shrubs with large gates in their centers blocked many of the homes from view, although an occasional dormer or rooftop peeked over the tops.
Bee pointed out an empty parking spot beside a small park, and Cass pulled in.
“Do you want to walk in the park while we eat our ice cream?” she asked.
“Sure, if you want.” Bee stared out the window, seemingly distracted.
“Is something wrong?”
“No, I just . . . That’s him.”
Cass lean
ed across the car to look out Bee’s window into the park. “What are you talking ab—”
“I’ll kill him.” Bee’s face turned beet red, and he reached for the handle and started to open the door.
Cass grabbed his arm. “Kill who? Bee, what are you talking about?”
“Look.”
She twisted and leaned across Bee for a closer look.
“There. By the fountain.”
Someone who looked an awful lot like Tank stood in front of the fountain talking to an attractive woman with long, black hair. “Is that Tank?”
“Yeah. The creep. And just when I was starting to like him.” Bee got out of the car and started across the grass.
Cass jumped out and ran after him. By the time she caught up, she was out of breath. “Bee. Stop right now.” She yanked his arm. “I’m not kidding, Bee. You have to stop.”
Keeping his gaze locked on Tank and the woman, he stopped.
She had no idea what he was so worked up about, but she didn’t need to be psychic to know if she couldn’t calm him down, this encounter was not going to end well. “What’s the problem?”
“Before you saw him, he hugged that woman.”
“So?”
“It was a big hug, Cass. And he and Stephanie have seemed . . . I don’t know . . . off, lately.”
Stephanie had definitely been off. Cass had no doubt something was bothering her, and something between her and Tank was definitely not right. But Tank cheating on her? Cass found it hard to believe. She wasn’t a naïve woman, nor was she trusting, and yet, she just didn’t buy that Tank would be unfaithful. And she was a great judge of character. Usually. Except when it came to husbands. And maybe friends. Well, some friends. Bee and Stephanie had turned out okay. An image of Luke, his lips hovering over hers a moment before kissing her came to mind. Heat flared in her cheeks. Hmm . . . maybe her judgment was improving.
Bee started moving again, jerking Cass back to reality. “Calm down, Bee. You can’t just go storming over there making accusations. At least watch them for a few minutes and see what’s going on.”