by Noelle Hart
Will let out a long breath. “I can see where you're coming from and I guess I'd be making the same speech if things were reversed. So I'll say this: don't do anything to hurt my boy and I'll be happy to share him with you. But I'll always be his Dad, and I expect you to honor that.”
“Agreed. The way it should be. Okay, here comes Max. Take care, Will. We'll be in touch.”
Max came onto the screen, his eyes lit with excitement. “Dad! I got an A on my science test. Miss Carolyn says I'm gonna make a great biologist. See? I can even say it right now.”
Will's heart soared with his son's triumph. “Alright! That's so cool. High five!”
They slapped palms on screen and Will felt a tug on his heartstrings. “I miss you, Maximus. I can't wait to see you again.”
“Did they catch that bad guy yet?”
Will searched Max's eyes for ghosts and shadows and saw none.
“Not yet. But they will. In the meantime I have some news, so get ready to hear it.” He paused as Max seemed to brace himself. “Kylie and I want to get married. What do you think about that?”
Max's eyes went huge. “You're asking me?”
“Your opinion is important to us.”
The weight of the question had Max leaning away from the screen as he thought the idea through. Will could see he was giving it fair consideration.
“You're gonna live together?”
“Yes. We'll build a life together, and maybe even give you some brothers and sisters. Does that sound good?”
“It sounds like what Mom's been saying about her and Tom.”
Uh oh. Slippery ground here.
“Are you still having a hard time getting used to having Tom around?”
“Nah, he's alright. He makes Mom happy so I'm okay with it.”
If Max's therapist had anything to do with his new attitude, then Will was silently grateful. Sometimes all it took was some authoritative input from a neutral party.
“Same goes for me and Kylie. You like Kylie, don't you?”
“She's pretty brave for a girl. She wouldn't let that bad guy hurt me. How could I not like her?”
It did sound like something his therapist might have drummed into his head, but he wanted Max's approval to come from his heart.
“Okay, but let's say none of that happened. Would you still like her?”
He digested it for a few seconds, then began nodding his head. “Yep. Still like her. She's cool. She sent me some soapstone animal figures. I like the seal the best. It has real whiskers.”
“Did you thank her for them?”
“Not yet.” Then, shyly, “Is she there now? Can I talk to her?”
Will waved Kylie over, who had remained out of sight until now. She took Will's place.
“Hi Max. How are you?”
“I'm good. I forgot how pretty you are. Dad says he wants to marry you and make brothers and sisters for me.”
Kylie nearly choked. “Uh, something like that. Are you okay with it?”
“If it makes Dad happy, it's all good. Oh, and thanks for the little carved animals. I really like the seal, but the other ones are cool too.”
“You're welcome. Still want to be a biologist?”
“More than ever! It's the coolest job on the planet.”
“Guess what? We thought it would be great to take you and all our family members out for a whale watching tour. Does that sound good?”
Max bounced in his seat. “Yes! When do we go?”
“It'll be a part of the wedding stuff. That's one of the cool things about weddings, you get to have all kinds of parties first.”
“And a big one right after,” said Will, joining them.
“Cool!”
After they'd signed off, Kylie commented, “That's a lot of cools. Lingo for this decade I guess.”
“Took the place of groovy.”
Will's phone went off. Watching his body language as he listened to the caller, Kylie's heart sank.
Clicking off, Will rubbed his face, suddenly weary. “That was Crane,” he announced. “There was a double murder in Nanaimo. He's one hundred percent convinced it was Hammond.”
A tremor passed through her. “Nanaimo's an hour and a half from here. He's still on the island but branching out. What happened to them?”
Will gathered her in. “Crane said it was done imaginatively. I don't even want to imagine what that means.”
Kylie clung and they stood for some time in contemplative silence as Will enveloped her in a protective embrace.
The Langford Diner was ready.
Strategic ads had been placed. Local TV channels, radio, digital and stationary billboards. Topping this off were newspaper inserts and pamphlets handed out at mall entrances. They'd posted on the various social networks via the internet with links to their upcoming menus and a contact for making reservations.
The grand opening gala was open to all ages, a glamorous affair with open bar service and a scrumptious buffet of gourmet foods produced by their kitchen.
The new staff was trained and Kim had a new sous chef assistant with whom he felt comfortable. Young Tyler Bailey was fresh out of an elite cooking school in Vancouver and was eager to integrate his new profession into his life on the island. His specialty was desserts, which suited Kim's entrepreneurial mind just fine.
Will spent time in his new office above the restaurant fussing with last minute details. Closing out files on his computer, he paced over to the two way mirror overlooking the floor below and spotted Kylie. He headed down. Her tight body language spelled out her all too constant tension. A diversion might help.
“How about we decorate the shit out of this place and give the biggest, baddest party Langford's ever seen?” he spouted.
She tried to shake off her repressed anxiety. “Did you get that band? Can't have a kick ass party without a live band.”
“Their contract is signed and sealed. They have yet to deliver, but I'm sure they'll put on a helluva show. How about balloons? Glitzy ones.”
“We'll put on the Ritz with the glitz. Since there will be children we should have a special corner for them to play in while their parents indulge in adult fun. We'll get toys and games, hire some qualified babysitters to interact with them.” She paused, suddenly on a roll. “You should alert a taxi service to have a fleet on hand for afterward. Can't have any drunks behind the wheel thanks to us, can we? We can put up a sign at the entrance stating if they're too tipsy to drive, they're welcome to leave their vehicle in the parking lot overnight. What do you think?”
He thought her enthusiasm was a seduction all its own. Better yet, the diversion was chasing away the shadows in her eyes.
“I think you have some winning ideas.”
*
Detective Ethan Crane brooded over his coffee.
The young couple in Nanaimo had been found by a woman out walking her dog. Hammond had tied the young male to a tree where he'd been forced to watch the unspeakable things done to the female. Her defensive wounds indicated she'd tried to run, had been stopped in her tracks and dragged back to the site. The severing of the calcaneal tendons just above her heels had assured her attacker she wouldn't run again. It had been their horrific fate to be targeted by a monster, tortured until their bodies had given out. Most likely death had been a blessed relief at that point.
Crane tried not to focus on their names. Dehumanizing them helped to keep him from falling apart emotionally. If he allowed himself the luxury of a breakdown it was in the privacy of his home with a bucket of ice and a bottle of malt liquor. Working this case however did not afford him the indulgence of fogging his mind. He had to keep a clear head, had to harden his heart and think like a killer. Not easy. He saw what this was doing to Kylie Lambert and her clan, but wearing a badge meant you had to maintain a neutral demeanor.
Sipping his coffee, Crane realized that Hammond was a showman. A role player. A controller who got his kicks by prolonging any given situation, then ending it with
a flamboyant display of carnage.
The highway incident hadn't panned out for him. Nor had his plan to sequester Kylie Lambert in the cabin or at Saxe Point. His attempt to kill Will Delaney had been thwarted by a stranger walking into the washroom just in time. All of these failures meant he acted on impulse, taking reckless chances.
His first victim, Lilian McFarley; had it been a practice run or a case of mistaken identity? And Gina Kirby? Their logistics told them she'd surprised him in the act of performing a dog-napping or murder. His other victims had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time, including Stacie Hoyle. Or had she? Crane had noted how Hammond had taken offense to her when they'd visited him in his apartment.
Some actions thought out, most a blind fury. Hammond's mind seemed to be a swinging pendulum over a dark, unpredictable abyss.
The grand opening gala was coming up on Saturday night. Hammond had performed his latest scenario away from his usual haunts after the incident at the coffee shop. Was his need to kill escalating? Would he attend the gala in some kind of elaborate disguise?
Crane got on his cell and called the police psychologist to discuss the probabilities.
* * * *
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
“I'm not wearing that!” declared Kylie.
Jolene slumped in exasperation, then tossed the frilly garment on the bed along with several others. They were in their apartment going through each others closets for ideas on what to wear to the gala.
In bra and panties and posturing in front of her full length mirror, Kylie frowned, examining her too slim figure.
“My ribs are showing. I look like a leftover from Hallowe'en.”
Jolene silently disagreed, eyeing Kylie's white blonde tresses as they flowed down her back having grown out throughout the summer. There were shadows under her eyes but the violet irises glowed as vibrantly as ever. Her skin looked flushed and healthy, undoubtedly from so much quality time spent with Will, she mused.
Kylie went to Jolene's room and dug into the recesses of her closet. And came out with the tight red dress she'd worn to seduce Drew so many months ago.
She dropped it like a hot coal.
Then hesitantly picked it up and held it to her body. Jolene came in and they both stared at her reflection in Jolene's mirror.
“I've never worn it,” said Jolene softly, mesmerized by its rich cranberry color and sleek fabric. “The color clashes with my hair. I didn't figure that out until after I'd bought it. It suits you so much better. That's why I offered it to you in the first place.”
“It's an inanimate object. It's not its fault if it reminds us of you know who.” She threw the dress down. “Too bad. Now that I've lost weight it won't be so snug and probably look pretty damn good.”
“Maybe this is what you need, to defy the reminders and say to hell with him, I'm not going to let him decide what I'll wear or not wear. A thumbing of the nose, even if we're the only ones getting the joke.”
Kylie picked it up again. Slowly she pulled it over her body and felt the silky fabric slither over her curves and fall into place. It fit like a glove, not too tight now but perfectly aligned to each aspect of her body and her persona. She felt sexy and alluring, and best of all, classy. Definitely Vogue.
She turned to catch Jolene's admiring smile and asked, “Do you still have those shoes that go with this little number?”
*
At sundown on Saturday evening, most of the pertinent people to the diner's success were present, already decked out to the nines.
Tonight the Village Diner staff would join forces with Langford's new team to work the floor, circulating with trays. Their new bartender was setting up the long mahogany bar, giving instructions to two assistants brought in just for tonight.
In a corner a contemporary band was setting up their equipment and tuning their instruments. They would set the pace for the early evening with easy listening music, turning up the heat with dance tunes later on. The main dining area had been cleared of tables and chairs for this express purpose.
In the rear was a cordoned off section for kids where presently two adult sitters prepped the area for a small invasion with games, books, and kid friendly snacks. Dino and Cookie wore bold blue and gold neckerchiefs in keeping with the décor and danced about their feet in anticipation.
Will, Lyle, Kim and Tyler all wore suits and ties. Tyler, their newest, flashed Kim a grin. “Never thought I'd see the day a First Nations dude dresses up like Men in Black.”
Kim flipped his long ponytail behind his back and tipped his beer at Tyler. “Missing the dark glasses, dude. Thank God Carrie and the kids are off island with her Mom. She's into tradition. She'd have a fit if she saw me in this get up.”
Will slapped him on the back. “Then drink up pal, 'cuz we're gonna be in the papers, suits and all, and Carrie will see what you're up to then, won't she?”
“I think you look very GQ.”
Kylie's comment came from the front door where she and Jolene had just stepped in.
Everyone went still.
They looked like a pair of models straight off the runway. Kylie, in her sleek red dress with matching stiletto heels, her blonde hair fashioned into a French twist that trailed down her spine in back, and Jolene in deep forest green, the color complimenting the tamed copper curls that tumbled over her shoulders.
They strode toward the gaping group and it was Will who stepped forward first to take Kylie's hand and spin her around.
“No words do you justice,” he murmured into her ear, bringing her in close. He wanted to nibble on her power-red lips but thought better of it.
She took in his tailored black suit and tie over a crisp white shirt, his shoes gleaming in the low light, his hair neatly trimmed and lightly slicked back. A sigh rippled through her.
“Not too shabby yourself, buster,” she tossed out, then turned to the group. “At the risk of sounding cliché, let's get this party started!”
Will ceremoniously uncorked a bottle of champagne and poured flutes for everyone. He held up his glass. “To our illustrious chef Lyle, his brilliant side kick Kim, and newbie Tyler for working like hellions for the past three days so we can all take a night off!”
Everyone cheered and toasted, then dispersed as the first guests began to arrive.
Will steered Kylie to one side. “Are those your jitters or mine I'm feeling? Promise me you won't stray far. I'll need to know you're safe.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Is that because of our ghastly nemesis, or is it this dress doing its job?”
“What job is that?”
“To make you crazy with lust.”
His eyes never left hers. “Oh that part works dress or no dress. But now that you ask, my sixth sense is tingling. Just stay close, okay?”
She respected his earnest plea and decided not to play the vixen any longer. This was serious stuff. Looping an arm through his, she said, “Champagne gives me a headache. Got a good red at that fancy bar of yours, Mr. Delaney?”
“Coming right up.”
From their vantage point at the bar they watched their invited guests arrive with others in tow, Lyle and Jolene greeting them as they came in. Those who knew them drifted over to say hello.
Rita and Joe stepped up with Lydia and Frank Barrymore.
“Frank,” marveled Kylie, “your ear looks perfectly natural.”
He winked at her. “It should. It's an original, after all.”
Brad Humphrey introduced them to his wife, Carla, with sons Jay and Steve, and their daughter Teresa who was indeed around Kylie's age.
Al Saunders, looking uncomfortable in a too tight blue suit loosened his tie and toasted Will with his beer glass. He waved his wife over. “Will, you know my better half. Kylie, meet Missy, my guiding light in this crazy world.” An elegant woman by comparison to her toughened work-worn husband, it was clear they adored each other.
“Missy's an interior decorator,” Al explained. “I put up buildings,
she makes them look snazzy.”
“I understand you did the decorations here,” Missy told Kylie. “I love what you did with the driveway. All those blue fairy lights; it's like driving through a mystical night sky.”
“I got the idea from one of our employees at Valley Farms. She works wonders with her own garden at home.”
“Well you know what they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” Missy purred, warming up to shop talk.
“Here she comes now,” Kylie said, spotting Olivia and Stanley Hammond through the developing crowd. Olivia was all elegance in shimmering silver, while Stanley stood militarily erect in his tailored dark gray suit. Arm in arm, they made a tight unit. If there was one good thing their son had done, it was to bring these two misguided souls together.
Kylie murmured to Will, “I hope you don't mind that I invited them. They're good people who deserve a break.”
Will met her gaze. “It's just another thing about you to love. You're forgiving. I'm glad you thought to invite them.” He held out his hand as they approached. “Hello Mr. and Mrs. Hammond, so good of you to come.”
Stanley shook his hand, then Olivia. “Nice place, Mr. Delaney. I think you'll do well here. Our firm handles your accounting and our numbers show that your Village Diner is a success. We'll be checking you out for dinner there soon.”
“I'm surprised we haven't met before now, sir.”
“My partner handles your account, but I have a finger in each of our pies.”
Missy turned to Olivia. “I understand your home gardens are the inspiration for the driveway lighting. What other tricks do you have up your sleeve?”
“Well, I... I've done some work with arbors...”