Unexpected Ties

by Gina Dartt

  Nikki tried not to smile at Irene’s brief hesitation as she tried to find a term for her relationship with Kate. She especially tried not to smile at the consternation on Hannah’s face. Beyond the Elliot matriarch, Tiffany and Andrew looked on like spectators at a tennis match, eyes shifting rapidly back and forth between all the participants. Nikki thought Andrew looked upset, but Tiffany had a small smile on her generous mouth, as if the whole situation had been arranged for her own private amusement.

  “We’ve met,” Hannah managed in a grating voice.

  “Ah, so you have,” Irene said, as if the matter of the Historical Society Dinner had slipped her mind entirely. “Can I get anyone some wine? It’s fabulous.”

  After distributing glasses to the new arrivals, who were regarding Kate and Nikki warily from their place on the sofa facing the fireplace, Irene smiled placidly. “Hannah was telling me that you were involved in a murder over the winter, Nikki,” she said with considerable charm and very little tact.

  Kate looked horrified, the Elliots appeared disconcerted, and Nikki had an extremely difficult time not laughing out loud. She was actually starting to like Irene. Perhaps being old granted a sort of social immunity, or perhaps Irene had just decided it did and everyone else was too afraid to challenge her.

  “There was a murder. Kate and I discovered who the killer was.” She looked with admiration at her lover. “Actually, Kate captured her. I stupidly got bopped over the head and was in the hospital emergency room at the time.”

  “Rick Johnson made the arrest.” Kate was clearly not enjoying the conversation. She glared at her grandmother. “I just happened to be present. Is there a point to this?”

  Irene smiled beatifically at her. “Of course there is. Obviously you and Nikki have a knack for this sort of thing.”

  Kate frowned, not liking that remark either.

  “As you may or may not know,” Irene continued. “Stephen Elliot was murdered. It’s not been in the newspaper yet, but the police have shared that conclusion with Hannah. Perhaps if all of us work together, we can discover who did it since the police are taking such an inordinate amount of time to do their job.”

  Nikki couldn’t decide which was more priceless—the expression on Kate’s face or the look on Hannah’s. “Are you hiring us?” She could barely suppress the laughter in her voice. A host of favorite fictional detectives filed through her mind, and she immediately quoted the first line that came to mind. “Our fee is five hundred a day plus expenses.”

  “Nikki!”

  “Irene, this is completely inappropriate.”

  Hannah was louder than Kate, but only marginally. Tiffany didn’t say anything, but Andrew frowned mightily and cast a dark look at Nikki that she found intriguing. What did he have to worry about? Her finding out that Martin and Tiffany were having it on behind Andrew’s back? She filed the question away as something to pursue later. Irene listened to all the protests with a bemused expression, as if not sure why her perfectly logical suggestion was being met with such disdain. She glanced at her friend.

  “Hannah, you were the one who told me all about Kate and Nikki’s adventure.” Nikki sincerely doubted that Hannah had described the incident in such positive terms. “I’m sure they could help if you’d give them the chance.”

  “I’m sure you think this is amusing, Irene.” Hannah’s voice was laced with anger. “But I don’t appreciate the joke.”

  Irene sighed. “It wasn’t a joke, merely a suggestion. If you don’t want to avail yourself of their talents when they’ve proven them so aptly, then I’m certainly not going to force you.” She smiled brightly and changed the subject. “Shall we have dinner?”

  In the dining room, Nikki sat next to Kate, across from Andrew and Tiffany. Hannah took a spot at the opposite end of the table from Irene. Evidently the Elliot matriarch didn’t want to give up any more territory, and this was her way of asserting herself. Nikki wondered how close the two women actually were. She hated to think any friend of hers would spring something like this on her.

  From that point on the conversation seemed deliberately vague, centering on the weather or the current headlines, avoiding any controversial opinions, and questions about Irene’s winter in Florida. Nikki didn’t talk much, just listened intently as she ate what was in front of her, most of which she didn’t recognize but decided was quite tasty. Kate displayed little appetite, replying with cold politeness to anything directed her way, but not volunteering anything. Nikki suspected she was just waiting until the others had left so she could tear into her grandmother.

  Hannah and the rest of her family excused themselves as soon as it was polite to do so. Nikki wasn’t sure how that was decided, but in this instance, it was shortly after they had returned to the living room to be served coffee and cake. Hannah pleaded fatigue, and as her grandson helped her on with her coat, Tiffany drifted over to where Nikki was seated on the sofa.

  “You know, you don’t want to be messing around in this.” The brittle blonde spoke in a low voice that only Nikki could hear. “I’ve seen you watching Martin and me at the tennis courts. Don’t go sticking your nose in where you might lose it.”

  Startled, Nikki looked over her shoulder to see if anyone else had heard the warning—or had it been a threat? Irene was speaking intently to Hannah as Andrew hovered over them, while Kate was near the fireplace, jabbing fretfully at the logs with a thin iron poker. Tiffany hurled another ominous glance at Nikki before she proceeded to the foyer to join the others in offering somewhat chilly farewells.

  “Well, that didn’t go as well as I had hoped,” Irene announced when she returned to the living room. “Hannah can be so short-sighted at times.”

  “Hannah is short-sighted?” Kate dropped the poker and glared at her grandmother. “What were you thinking? Not only did you misrepresent us as the kind of people that would involve ourselves in such a thing, but did you ever once stop to think how Nikki might feel being around those homophobes?”

  Irene lifted a thin eyebrow. “Nikki handled herself admirably. Perhaps you’re underestimating her, Kate.”

  “That isn’t the point.” Kate’s voice became icy. “You know Hannah doesn’t like her or approve of our relationship.”

  “I’ve taught you the root causes of bigotry,” Irene said in a patient tone. “Do you remember?”

  “I know. It comes from fear,” Kate said. “Fear of the unknown. Ignorance of the truth.”

  “Exactly. The more Hannah gets to know you, the more she sees both of you in social situations, the less she will fear you, and, correspondingly, the less she will be offended by you.”

  “I don’t give a damn what Hannah thinks.”

  “Then why are you so upset that she doesn’t like Nikki?”

  “I’m upset because you placed Nikki and me in an awkward and uncomfortable situation.”

  Irene gave a nonchalant shrug that frustrated Kate even more. “You’re certainly going to have to get over that attitude if you insist on investigating murders.”

  Kate raised her voice, something Nikki seldom, if ever, heard her do. “We’re not investigating any murder!”

  “If Hannah doesn’t want to hire you, then I will,” Irene announced as if there was nothing to discuss. “I want to know who killed Stephen as much as she does.”

  While Kate was still stuttering the beginnings of a reply, Nikki thought it was time to step in.

  “Mrs. Taylor,” she said with suitable gravity, “you seem to have the wrong impression. What happened last winter was purely a matter of us being in the wrong place at the wrong time. We didn’t set out to track down a killer and we don’t choose to get involved in these things intentionally.” She paused, floundering as she tried to explain an incident that still confounded her, particularly since it had brought her and Kate together. “I mean, it just sort of happened. Stephen’s death is something else altogether. I’ve been following the case at work. It’s really something for the police to handle.”r />
  Irene looked disappointed. “But I can afford five hundred a day plus expenses.”

  “Uh, that was a joke.” Nikki said. “I’m not a detective, Mrs. Taylor. I have no idea why Stephen was killed, or who did it. I’m not even sure how they did it. All I know is that somehow he drank, or was injected with, a chemical that they use in the factory. It acted quickly, so it must have been slipped to him at the Historical Society Dinner. Anyone could have done it. A member of his family, a waiter, a cook, or just someone passing by the table.”

  The catfight between Kate and Hannah had presented the perfect opportunity for a crime to be committed while no one was looking, but Nikki didn’t add that.

  “You’ve obviously thought about this a great deal,” Irene observed pointedly.

  “Yes, and I admit, I find it interesting,” Nicky said, earning a frown from Kate. “I would like to know who did it. I would like to know how they did it. Mostly, I’d like to know why they did it.”

  “So would I.” Irene placed a frail hand on Nikki’s forearm. “I liked Stephen. He was a bit wild as a teenager, but he had a good heart. He deserved better than to die this way. Find out who did it for the both of us.”

  “Grandmother!”

  Both Nikki and Irene turned to look at Kate, who had folded her arms across her chest. Her face was etched with old fear, her voice tight. “You don’t know what you’re asking. Nikki was almost killed in a fire set by the very person who murdered Sam Madison. I don’t want her anywhere near a similar situation.”

  “If she works at the police station, she’s already near it.” Irene glanced at Nikki. “You will be careful, won’t you, dear?”

  “I’m always careful,” Nikki told her cheerfully.

  Kate just threw her hands up and walked away.

  *

  Kate didn’t look at Nikki as they drove back to her building, aware that she kept glancing at her, but refusing to acknowledge her. She wasn’t sure whom she was more upset with, her grandmother for her ridiculous machinations during dinner or Nikki for indulging her. As they pulled into the alley behind her apartment, she got out of the car, barely waiting until it had rolled to a stop. She slammed her door with unnecessary force and headed for the back of her building. Nikki got out of her side and leaned against the roof, the engine still running.

  “I suppose this means you don’t want me to come in.” she called after Kate.

  “Does it matter what I want?” Kate ignored the hurt she heard mixed with Nikki’s anger. She fumbled with the lock. The key didn’t seem to fit properly, or perhaps her hands were shaking too much. “You’ll just do whatever you want anyway.”

  Nikki stared at her in silence, and Kate blinked back frustrated tears as she finally got the door open. Inside, and with none of her natural poise in evidence, she glared back at the car. Nikki was still staring, her face set. Kate’s eyes were drawn to hers and she had the strangest feeling that this was one of those moments that could dictate the future. She was balancing on the edge of a choice, considering certain actions and discarding them in a heartbeat, driven by emotions running so hot that she knew they could impact their relationship far beyond this night.

  To her great surprise and relief, Nikki seemed to understand exactly what was happening even better than she did, and turned off the car engine.

  Walking toward Kate, she said, “Can we talk about this?” Her voice quivered, but she was obviously trying to maintain her composure and not burst into tears.

  Kate still hesitated, hurt warring with common sense. She wanted so much to say no and indulge her resentment, but between one breath and the next, she chose not to give into the confused feelings churning her stomach.

  “Fine,” she said with scant grace. “Let’s talk.”

  They moved inside and sat down in the living room, one on the sofa and the other on the chair, eyeing each other with raw hurt and lingering anger. Eventually Kate decided she had better say something or they would be there all night.

  “I don’t want you involved in this,” she said, as evenly as she could, which wasn’t very even at all.

  “I know.” Nikki’s face was pale. “You’ve made that clear, but I’m already involved.”

  “You don’t need to be.”

  “It’s something I have to do.”

  “Why?” Kate’s cry of uncomprehending dismay came from her heart, and she felt a little more of her carefully wrought composure crumble. “Why do you feel you have to?”

  Nikki looked startled at the question, as if she had never really considered her reasons. “I just have to know, Kate. I don’t know why, but something about putting all the pieces together in this kind of situation makes me feel alive and useful.”

  Kate shook her head. “Your job at the hardware store must have been boring, but this one is a lot more interesting, isn’t it?” She was trying very hard to understand Nikki and failing miserably. “Why do you need more?”

  Nikki frowned. “It’s fun, Kate.”

  “It’s dangerous.” Kate tried to calm her outrage at what seemed to be a flip response.

  “But I’m not really doing anything. I’m just keeping my eyes and ears open.” Nikki studied the hands lying limply on her lap, as if she didn’t want to look at Kate. “Why are you so afraid for me?”

  Kate felt her heart clench. “You don’t know what it was like,” she said, feeling as if the memory of that night would shatter her, “when I jumped out of Rick’s truck in front of the burning cabin, believing you were in there. I don’t want to ever feel that way again.”

  “But I wasn’t in the cabin. I had escaped long before you and Rick ever showed up.”

  “That was pure luck! You could have been in there! You could have died!”

  “Kate, I’m not going to do anything that will put me in that kind of danger ever again,” Nikki said gently. “I’ve learned my lesson. I’m just going to ask a few questions and see what I can discover, but I’m not going anywhere I’m not supposed to.”

  “Why can’t you just leave it alone?”

  Nikki shrugged, somewhat helplessly. “I just need to know, Kate. I can’t explain it. I need to know how things like this happen, and what makes them happen in the first place.”

  “Then become a police officer,” Kate retorted, though the concept of Nikki being officially dispatched to dangerous situations didn’t seem much better than having her unofficially dispatch herself.

  Nikki smiled ruefully. “I’d hate that kind of job, Kate. Do you know what the police in this town do most of the time?”

  “What you want to do, only they have the training and support to do it properly.”

  “No, they fill out paperwork and get caught in the middle of domestic disturbances. They write traffic tickets. They track down local drug dealers, but they have to let the Mounties deal with the big ones. They drive around town in the wee hours of the morning and never see anything more exciting than a cat. Sometimes they have reports of stolen property or vandalism, and once in a very brief while, they might get involved in a short car chase. Mostly, they have to clean up after accidents. I don’t want to be the one to knock on someone’s door and tell him or her that their child is dead because someone was drunk or just plain careless. A case like this is unusual and different, and that’s why it interests me. Besides, Kate, I’ve found myself a part of these murders only because I happen to know the people affected or, rather, because you know the people affected.” She smiled faintly, as if suddenly struck by the incongruity of her words.

  Kate felt an ice dagger pierce her soul. “So it’s my fault, is it?”

  Nikki held up her hands defensively. “I’m just saying that I happened to be in the vicinity of a really exciting puzzle. Sometimes, you just have to run with the ball you’re tossed, Kate.”

  “Or run away from it.”

  A serious expression darkened Nikki’s eyes. “I don’t like running away. I’ve done it a little too often in my life. I almost did it tonight
downstairs, but it wouldn’t have solved anything.”

  Kate inhaled slowly, shaken as they returned to the topic at hand. “No, it wouldn’t.”

  Nikki reached out for Kate’s hand. Kate vacillated only briefly before, entwining her fingers in Nikki’s in a painfully tight grip neither pulled away from. “I’m sorry if it seems as if I’m taking this too lightly,” Nikki’s voice was infused with sincerity. “Kate, I swear, whatever I find out, I’ll share it with you immediately and let your common sense figure out the next move. And I won’t investigate anything on my own without your knowing about it ahead of time.” She tilted her head. “We did a pretty good job solving the Madison murder when we worked together. It was only when I went off on my own that things got dangerous. I won’t do that anymore.”

  Kate reluctantly allowed the point. If Nikki had not been in the woods poking around by herself, then perhaps she wouldn’t have been accosted by the arsonist, tied up and left to die in the fire that ended up destroying Sam Madison’s cabin. On the other hand, if Kate had been there, the arsonist might have tied them both up, they both might have been killed, and this whole conversation would be moot.

  Kate rubbed her temple with shaking fingers, feeling the beginnings of a headache. She still couldn’t believe her grandmother was trying to muscle in on the act, inciting Nikki to take new risks.

  “Here, let me.” Abruptly, Nikki left her chair and crossed the space between them to sit on the sofa beside Kate, reaching up to massage her temples.

  Her fingers were gentle on Kate’s skin, making slow circles to draw out the ache and subtly urge her closer. Kate resisted at first, still angry, but she finally relaxed and before she was quite sure what was going on, she was leaning back against her lover, her feet up on the couch as Nikki extended the massage down to her neck and shoulders.

  “You don’t fight fair,” she grumbled.

  Nikki sighed. “I was sort of hoping that the fight was over.”