by Jane Toombs
“Sylvia’s. It’s near the bridge. Well, good night, then.”
He hesitated, fighting the crazy impulse to kiss her in parting, then left the house. As he sauntered toward the cottage he saw the clouds had parted, giving him a view of the darkening evening sky where a single star shone. He glanced at the black barn and the other outbuildings with the feeling something was missing. A dog, that’s what. Most farms he’d been to in line with his job had dogs that threatened intruders. The Saaris didn’t. Yet here he was, the intruder.
Smoke rose from the cottage chimney, a welcome reminder it would be warm inside. In the morning, he’d have breakfast at Sylvia’s where, if he was lucky, he could begin the process of what his boss called “chatting up the townsfolk,” usually a good source of information if done casually enough. Most people loved to talk.
Once inside, he checked the place where he’d cached his gun to be sure it was there. This wasn’t the kind of case where he anticipated needing a gun, but he’d learned never to take chances. Easing down into the armchair, he stared into the fire, reduced now to half-burned logs licked by tiny flames. Knowing exactly where his gun was reassured him even though nothing threatened him here. Nothing but a long-legged gal with dark hair, warm brown eyes and a body that fit against his just right. He’d avoided brunettes since Yolanda—that treacherous woman from his past—but Rachel was so very different from the women he usually met—no sharp edges, no hidden agendas.
Careful about snap judgments, man, he warned himself. You don’t really know her, just like you didn’t really know Yolanda and your carelessness there damn near killed you.
But Yolanda was in the past. Behind him for good. There was no danger in admiring Rachel. He closed his eyes, imagining she’d come back to the cottage with him. All he had to do was pull her down onto his lap and….
Enough! Damned if he wasn’t fantasizing like a fool high school kid. One with a crush on his English teacher. Which probably every male student in her class did have. Relax. Savor the comfort you’re enjoying here and now. Most cases don’t set you up in such cozy surroundings. Take it easy.
He tried one of the breathing techniques he’d been taught, but Yolanda’s image returned to plague him.
He’d trusted her, been completely taken in by her act. No excuse. A special agent knew better. He’d been lucky not to get booted out of the agency for blowing the case. Would have been if Steve hadn’t stood up for him.
Two nights ago he’d had that blasted recurring nightmare about what had happened. He didn’t believe in dreams as warnings, but, as he eased into bed, he told himself maybe he ought to begin doing just that here and now.
Back from the hospital, Rachel got ready for bed, wondering why on earth Aino had insisted she bring Mikel to see him tomorrow. She’d reminded him only relatives could visit the ICU, but he’d insisted he’d be moving to a regular room first thing in the morning so there’d be no problem. Since this was no time to burden him with any kind of worry, she hadn’t said anything about why Mikel was in Ojibway.
Mikel had told her he didn’t want to question Aino while he was recuperating, but could she trust him to keep his word? Her experience with men other than Leo and Aino had been that they always looked out for themselves first. Why should Mikel be different? And why did she want him to be? What was there about him that appealed to her against her will?
Not his looks, great as those were. She felt drawn to him in a way she didn’t understand. Perhaps it was because they’d shared that worrisome time in the hospital waiting room while Aino was being examined. Whatever it was, she’d do well to forget about sharing anything else with Mikel. He was here only to find a missing girl, and when he discovered she was nowhere around, he’d leave.
Strange, though, she’d had the oddest feeling he was going to kiss her there at the back door when they said good-night. Naturally, she wouldn’t have let him. Would she? Shaking her head, she glanced from her bedroom window, seeing the light still on in the cottage. With a sigh, she slid under the covers, knowing sleep would take its time coming….
The path ahead wound through the trees where deep shadows lay in wait. If there’d been any other way to get where she needed to go, she would have chosen it. If only she weren’t alone, but she knew she had to be, part of the test was being alone. This time she wouldn’t fail, this time she’d reach her goal. Still, she hesitated before taking her first step into that dark woods. She hated not being able to see if any danger lurked in the shadows.
Since there was no choice but to go on, she took a fortifying breath and plunged into the darkness, trying not to panic, not to run lest she lose the trail. Her arms prickled with goose bumps as she felt unknown menace on either side. A noise from behind made her spine crawl with dread. If she turned to look, what might she see? Despite herself, she began to hurry faster and faster, her head turning from side to side as she watched the shadows.
Because she wasn’t paying attention to where she stepped, she tripped and started to fall. But something caught her, held her up. Rescuing her? As she stared at the dark figure who held her, a moonbeam slipped through the trees to light up his eyes. Green hunter’s eyes. She tried to scream but no sound emerged, tried to break free but couldn’t move. He’d trapped her….
Rachel sat bolt upright in bed, heart pounding. For a moment or two the dream clung to her so that she couldn’t orient herself, then reason returned. She was safe in her own room, in her own bed. Safe and sound.
But for how long?
Taking a deep breath, she brushed aside that thought. Rachel Hill could control her own destiny. Hadn’t she been doing just that for more years than she cared to count? She was secure in herself, which she ought to be, considering all the practice she’d had.
Mikel Starzov might be the most attractive and sexy man she’d ever met, but he was an outsider and would be leaving in a week or so. The threat he posed would be gone, and they’d all be safe again.
Why, then, did she remember so clearly how he’d comforted her in the ER waiting room, holding her against him, letting her draw strength from the contact. If she’d felt a tad more than comfort, that was her business. Certainly he’d never find out. It was as simple as that.
But in her heart she knew she wasn’t telling herself the truth. She’d never before encountered a man like Mikel and she was already certain he wouldn’t be easily forgotten.
Chapter Three
The next morning, Mikel found quite a crowd having breakfast in Sylvia’s and no empty tables or booths. A waving hand caught his attention and he recognized the gas station attendant.
“Got an extra chair right here,” the man said. “You’re welcome to it.”
“Thanks.” Mikel seated himself, giving his name.
“Hi, Mikel, I’m Bob and this here’s my buddy, Louie.” Introductions over, Bob asked, “How’s old Aino doing?”
“Pretty good, the last I heard.”
“Seen you with Rachel yesterday—you a relative?”
Mikel shook his head. Choosing his words carefully—questions didn’t work as well as offering small snippets of information—he said, “I knew Aino’s son, Leo. I wasn’t around when Leo died, so this is my first chance to visit Aino.”
Louie grimaced. “That Leo was some magnet for bad luck. First his wife dies, then her folks drop one after the other. Aino’s wife was next to go. Almost like the guy was cursed or something.”
After the waitress came over and took his order, Mikel brought the subject back to where he wanted by saying, “Leo died pretty young.”
“Got himself killed, that’s what he did,” Bob said. “Most often you don’t buy the farm when your car hits a deer, but like Louie told you, Leo was unlucky, poor guy.”
The waitress, bringing Mikel’s coffee, heard the last and said, “The one I felt sorry for was Aino’s cousin. Rachel had to take care of Eva after that. No one else left ’cept Aino. That’s why he took the two of them in after Leo got killed.”<
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“Heck, Dottie, Rachel must’ve been somewhere in her twenties when Leo died and she’d been taking care of Eva all along.”
“Yeah, but it was different when Eva’s dad was alive.” Dottie threw the words over her shoulder as, coffeepot in hand, she went to serve another table.
“You never get the last word with Dottie,” Louie confided.
“I lost touch with Leo when he moved back to the U.P.,” Mikel said. “Rachel told me he taught in several different towns up here.”
Bob nodded. “Never seemed satisfied in one place. He dragged them two kids around with him—Rachel wasn’t much more than a kid herself then, but she was old enough to look after Eva and that’s what he needed.”
“Just as well,” Louie put in. “Aino was too old to be raising young girls without a woman to help out. It’s different now the girls are old enough—they take care of him.”
Bob, through with his meal, pushed back his chair and rose. “Time to get going. See you around, Mikel.” Louie nodded to Mikel and followed Bob from the café.
Dottie brought the eggs and bacon Mikel had ordered, asking if he wanted more coffee. At his nod, she brought the pot. “You don’t want to believe everything them two characters tell you,” she said.
Looking at the fortyish woman, he noticed her eyes were an unusual aquamarine color. “I didn’t realize Rachel had lived with Leo and his daughter,” he said.
“Oh, sure. It was pure luck for him that the Saaris took Rachel in after her folks died downstate. There she was, waiting, so to speak. Otherwise he’d’ve had to hire someone, and I want to tell you, teachers don’t make all that much money. My sister’s one and I know.”
As he ate breakfast, Mikel wondered why Rachel hadn’t mentioned the fact she’d lived with Leo, raising his daughter until he died. On the other hand, why should she when she didn’t know him? He hadn’t asked her, so he shouldn’t make something from what was probably nothing. It did explain why she felt so protective of Eva.
He reminded himself she was an orphan, as he was. Aino had taken her in the way his grandparents had Mikel.
After he finished eating, he decided to drop by the hospital to ask how Aino was doing. When he did, the receptionist told him Aino had been moved to a private room. “Are you Mikel Starzov?” she inquired. When he nodded, she added, “Aino’s been asking to see you. He’s in room 224. Just down the hall and to the right.”
Mikel found Rachel with the old man and greeted them both, trying to ignore the unexpected leap of his heart when he saw her.
“Good to see you, young man,” Aino told him. “Come closer so I can shake your hand. Doc says if you hadn’t gotten me here so quick I might not be shaking hands with anyone for a while, if ever.”
“Yes, and he scolded you for not taking the medicine he gave you for your high blood pressure,” Rachel added.
Aino waved that away. “I know, I know.” Finished with the handshake, he gave Mikel an assessing once-over, finally nodding. “You’ll do. Call me Aino. Rachel tells me she’s got you set up in the cottage. That’s good.”
“Very comfortable quarters.”
“You did me a favor getting me here, now I got another to ask. Thought I’d be out of here by tomorrow, but Doc says not yet. He says I had a ministroke and that’s why my left arm’s so weak. The leg’s not as bad. So I got to have therapy for it and he’s still got some tests to run. I swear they’re going to drain off all my blood before I get out of here. The point is, I want you to stay at the farm at least till I come home. We lost old Fitzgerald last month and I don’t like Rachel out there all alone.”
“Fitzgerald?” Mikel repeated.
“My rabbit hound. Died of old age. Always name my dogs after someone I know.”
“Someone he knows and doesn’t like,” Rachel explained. She focused on Aino. “I wish you’d listen to me. I’ve told you over and over I’m perfectly all right out there by myself.”
“Don’t want me to get set back by worry, do you?”
She rolled her eyes.
“I’ll be happy to stay in the cottage,” Mikel said.
“Good boy. One more thing. I was supposed to give Rachel’s Girl Scout troop a talk about Johnny Appleseed and why all of us should plant trees whenever we can. Was going to demonstrate how and where to plant a tree. Got a bunch of apple seedlings in cans on the back porch. I’m thinking you could take over for me.”
Mikel had never planted a tree in his life. He hadn’t ever considered planting one, either. Before he could answer, evidently Aino saw the doubt in his eyes.
“Nothing to it, boy. I’d let Rachel do it, but she’s always teaching them things. They’ll take it more serious-like if you doing the talking and the showing. Right, girl?”
Rachel shrugged.
“You know it’s true, that’s why you got me to do it,” Aino said. “So Mikel will be my substitute.” He winked at Rachel. “Teachers know all about substitutes.”
“I’ll do what I can,” Mikel promised, “but I’m not Johnny Appleseed.”
“None of us are, boy. Just as well, what’d we do with all those apples? Rachel knows how trees are planted, she can tell you whatever you don’t know.”
A hospital worker arrived with a wheelchair to take Aino for therapy, so Rachel and Mikel left. Pausing by her car in the parking lot, he said, “How about letting me take you to dinner tonight? It’s my turn.”
“Do you like fish?”
Strange thing about women, they almost never answered precisely what was asked. “All kinds,” he told her.
“Good. Because this, like every Friday, is fish-fry night in the U.P.”
“In that case, you choose where.”
“Metrovich’s is usually good But we’ll need to get there early before they run out of perch—it’s their specialty. Say five-thirty.”
He nodded. “I’ll drive. About this Johnny Appleseed deal. I’ve never talked to a Girl Scout troop before.”
She smiled, rather smugly, he thought. “Don’t worry, the girls will hang on your every word.”
He eyed her dubiously.
“As for the tree planting,” she added, “I’ll give you a quick run-through ahead of time. You can read up on the original Johnny later tonight.”
“My bedtime story? Okay, but I’ve never been one for planting things.”
“Tell them that. They’ll listen to you, watch you plant a seedling and be impressed that this cool guy is interested in trees. You’ll make a great role model.”
His eyebrows rose. “I’ve been called lot of things, but never that.”
“Consider it from their point of view. They may like me, but I’m just their predictable Scout leader who’s always going on about what’s important. You’re a—well, let’s say a noticeable man from somewhere other than the U.P., as they can tell by the way you talk.”
“A ‘noticeable’ man? Because I’m a stranger?”
She eyed him levelly. “You’re the kind of man girls notice. Especially since you always wear black—or at least you have since I’ve known you.”
He blinked. Wearing black had gotten to be a habit without him noticing. Bad for a special agent to do something that identifiable. He’d get some other clothes when he left here. Smiling at her, he asked, “So you think girls notice me? How about a particular young woman?”
“Under the circumstances surrounding your arrival, I could hardly help it.” Her words were cool enough, but he noted her flush with interest. So the attraction wasn’t only on his side.
Rachel, unhappily aware of her blush, tried to ignore it. “I assume,” she continued, “since you’re searching for a missing girl, you’re some kind of private investigator, which will also fascinate the girls.”
Though he didn’t say yes, he didn’t deny it, so Rachel decided she’d hit the nail on the head. She couldn’t help wondering who’d hired him to hunt Renee Reynaud down. And why, after fourteen years? If she was careful and clever, maybe she could fin
d out.
“I have errands, so I’ll see you back at the house later,” she said. He promptly opened the driver’s door for her and she slid in, saying, “Bye.”
While doing her grocery shopping, she kept reviewing her clothes, trying to decide what to wear tonight. There was no decent place to shop for clothes in town and she certainly wasn’t going to drive forty miles just to buy an outfit to go to Metrovich’s, which was a casual kind of place.
Still, it mattered to her how she’d look. Because of Mikel. Surely the man knew he appealed to women. He had to be the sexiest man she’d ever met. And, just possibly, the most dangerous. But she’d rather not dwell on that.
She pictured him planting seedlings with the girls in her troop and snickered. He was the least likely Johnny Appleseed in the world. Aino tended to outlandish notions, such as the black barn, but using Mikel as a substitute was one she could appreciate.
Arriving back at the farm, Rachel noted Mikel’s car was not parked by the cottage. She was carrying in the last grocery bag when she noticed him pull into the driveway and watched surreptitiously from the kitchen window as he lifted a small box from his car and took it with him into the cottage along with a plastic grocery bag. Shrugging, she turned away. There was no reason and probably nothing to learn from spying on him. If she didn’t label it spying, then she’d have to admit she liked to look at him.
He moved like an athlete, no wasted motion, graceful and purposeful as a wolf. Since wolves had been reintroduced to the U.P., she’d spotted one or two and been impressed. Predators. Beautiful predators. Like Mikel.
A predator she was having dinner with tonight. What should she wear? Everything she owned could be classified as respectable. For most of her life she hadn’t wanted to attract undue attention. She sort of camouflaged herself—like prey. Which she was not!
Upstairs, she riffled through the hangers in her closet and sighed. Nothing. Heaven knows anything at all would be okay for Metrovich’s, but she was determined to look different tonight in some way or other. Struck by a thought, she hurried into Eva’s bedroom. Eva was a tad more buxom than she, top and bottom, but just maybe there was something Eva hadn’t packed when she left for Finland.