The Scotland Yard Exchange Series

by Stephanie Queen

  Grace stumbled to Mabel’s back door, juggling Nibbles and three bags filled with the doggy accessories they’d bought. She couldn’t believe Pixie had left David’s townhouse in such a hurry, leaving her with all this stuff. As she turned the key in the door, it was pulled open and a rush of warm cider and cinnamon-scented air wafted out to embrace her and drag her inside. The feeling of family, that elusive belonging, surrounded her as she breathed deep, stepping into the kitchen. The weight on her heart lifted a small but gratifying amount, and she knew this was what she’d always been looking for.

  She laughed as Mabel and Marsha appeared in the doorway with welcoming smiles because she felt a little like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz—only much sillier because she was a full-grown woman, not to mention a real person rather than a fictional character.

  “Welcome home.” Mabel rushed toward her to give her one of her world-class hugs. “Who have we here? A playmate for Noodles? She’ll be jealous.”

  “This is Nibbles—at least that’s his temporary name. He’s a gift for…”

  Mabel took the puppy and Marsha took her bags and grabbed some newspapers to lay on the floor.

  “A gift for who, dear?”

  “For David,” she said bravely.

  “How extraordinary!” Mabel looked up from the puppy, patted her cheek and gave her that kind, knowing smile she was in the habit of bestowing.

  Then Grace remembered she was family and of course Mabel would understand and accept whatever she did. The feeling of warmth suffused her all over again.

  “Is Dan O’Keefe here yet?”

  “Yes, he’s just arrived. Esther, Jason and Sophia, er Pixie, are all in the den. Shall we go join them?”

  “No—I mean not yet. I have some official police business to get out of the way first…”

  “Are you in trouble, dear?” Mabel asked with interest more than concern.

  She laughed. “I don’t think so, but ask me again later.”

  Grace sat at the kitchen table with Nibbles on her lap for comfort as she waited for Dan to take her statement. He was not necessarily part of her makeshift family, and that made her apprehensive. What would he think of her after all this? Of course it mattered, because he was David’s brother as much as if they’d actually had the same mother. And of course, David would always matter to her.

  Dan stopped on the threshold with a leather-bound notebook in hand. “I guess the kitchen table is as good a place as any. Cute dog.” He sat down opposite her. He slipped a small digital voice recorder from his pocket and put it on the table next to his folder. Then, with pen in hand, he pressed a button and started the recorder.

  “This statement by Grace Rogers is being recorded with her permission. Tell me what happened. Start from the minute David and I left the hotel,” he said.

  Grace told him everything and watched him frown as she admitted she never intended to keep Esther company after all. “When I heard Theresa inside I opened the door lock with a pin and…you know the rest,” she finished. Nibbles licked her fingers.

  He nodded and jotted and then clicked the recorder off. “Tell me one more thing. Why the hell did you do such a fantastically foolish thing as follow us to the warehouse? What the hell were you thinking?” He watched her with piercing eyes.

  She opened her mouth in surprise at the comment, and it was a moment before she realized this was not a rhetorical question. He was waiting for her to answer him. The puppy yawned. She looked down at the fluff ball for a beat before looking back up at Dan.

  “I couldn’t help myself. I know it was crazy, but I couldn’t let him go into danger like that without being there with him.” She paused to take stock of his response. He listened but didn’t speak, and his face, although not as blank as David’s face could get, didn’t give away his thoughts. “I feel stupid. My stupidity ended up costing our relationship. It proved—to David at least—that we’re unsuited after all. Esther would never have done anything crazy like that. She waited patiently and calmly behind the scenes.”

  Dan shook his head. She wasn’t sure what that meant, so she went on.

  “I’d rather be in danger with him than feel helpless sitting at home—no offense to Esther—she’s much smarter than I am about this kind of thing. Maybe David is right. I’m not cut out for handling his lifestyle.”

  “I wouldn’t go so far as to say that.” Dan spoke with brusque confidence.

  “Really? What do you mean?” She held her breath.

  “It’s not that simple. There’s more than one way for a couple to get along. And more than one way to handle problems. They’re all difficult and messy. And every couple has problems.”

  She felt herself warm up and her heart started beating faster. His words made sense.

  “I was impressed with the way you handled yourself—even though it was unbelievably stupid for you to follow us and go in there and try to rescue Theresa.” He paused again and cleared his throat. “And aside from Esther, it was also the most extraordinary thing I’ve ever seen a woman do for a man. And I’m pretty sure that deep down David feels the same way—underneath his baggage. You shouldn’t give up on him.”

  She almost felt dizzy at his implication. “I didn’t give up on David—I bought him Nibbles after all—but I had to give up on us as a couple. David insisted.”

  “I love the puppy. You never know about David,” Dan said with a smile as he stood. He walked from the kitchen out to the family room area where the TV was set up and Esther and Jason were sitting with Pixie. She didn’t know what to do and automatically squeezed Nibbles to her breast until the puppy yelped and squirmed. She heard Noodles yap from the other room and smiled. She took hold of her squirming bundle and joined the others in the family room—where she belonged.

  The six o’clock news blasted from the seventy-inch TV Mabel insisted she bought to compensate for her dwindling eyesight. The reporters repeated their upcoming feature all about David Young, the new crime-fighting hero in town. The newsman actually referred to him as big shot from Scotland Yard.

  “The so-called big shot is late for dinner,” Mabel commented.

  Grace’s insides fluttered unnaturally at the knowledge that David was expected any minute. She hadn’t allowed herself to contemplate seeing him again. It would be okay. They would all have to learn to share Aunt Mabel. They all belonged here. She might not have much longer, after all, and she’d been an aunt not only to David, but also to Dan and Oscar, and Grace and Pixie too.

  She picked up her chin and walked over to where Pixie sat, when the front doorbell rang.

  “I wonder why he’s ringing the bell?” Mabel said as Marsha shrugged her shoulders and went for the door down the hall.

  “Probably to warn us,” Pixie said.

  Grace bopped her scowling friend on the arm and took a deep breath. Nibbles squirmed some more, and Noodles yapped until the puppy finally escaped Grace’s hold and jumped down to the floor.

  When he walked in the room all eyes were not on him as he’d feared, but on a couple of yapping white fluff balls romping around on the floor with Jason rolling around and laughing. He felt the warmth of the quaint brick fireplace burning brightly in the corner and smelled the cinnamon spice from the kitchen. The TV news stayed in the background, though his picture flashed on the giant screen.

  The overwhelming sense of comfort enveloped him and drew him into the room toward the most complete feeling of relaxation and well-being he’d ever known. The moment his eyes settled on Grace’s tousled curls, he found himself moving in her direction like he always had, drawn in by her special gravity.

  She hadn’t seen him yet. Mabel appeared at his side and handed him a glass of what looked like Scotch, giving him her usual kiss on the cheek. He knew she’d left a spot of lipstick—it always delighted her to do so.

  “You deserve this drink after your successful mission. It’ll calm your nerves—and fortify you for the evening ahead,” she said for his ears only.

  “Y
ou know my nerves are always perfectly calm.” He didn’t bother denying he might need the fortification.

  Mabel laughed. Everyone in the room turned to where he stood, just halfway to Grace who was kneeling on the floor next to Jason and the fluff balls. Then it dawned on him to be curious about the one who wasn’t Noodles, but a miniature version of the already miniature dog. Grace was the last one to turn and look up at him, as if she dreaded seeing him.

  He smiled at her, took a step closer and squatted down to pet the puppy.

  “Who is Noodles’s friend?” The so-called friend nipped at his fingers. “Ouch,” he chuckled.

  “Nibbles,” she said.

  “Naturally.”

  Grace looked as if she was about to say more when Jason snatched up the puppy with one hand and grabbed his arm with the other. “David—look at this—you’re famous now—they’re calling you the real-life version of Sherlock Holmes in Boston.” He gestured to the TV with the energy and excitement of his youth bubbling forth. Not to mention his innocence, David thought. He was probably the only one in the room who didn’t feel the tension.

  She was aware only of David as he sat down on the floor next to her, with his glass of Scotch in hand, to watch himself on the evening news. Marsha bustled over to her and handed her a purple hooter.

  “Here you go, Miss Grace—the old lady thought you might want this,” she whispered as she stooped to give her the drink.

  “Where’s my drink?” Pixie said, half joking.

  Grace laughed. It had a nervous edge so she took a big gulp of her drink. She wanted to tell David that the puppy was a gift for him, but she hadn’t envisioned doing that in a crowded room. Pixie, sitting on the couch behind her, nudged her in the back with her booted foot.

  “Isn’t Nibbles adorable, David?” Pixie prompted.

  She turned and mouthed “not yet.”

  “Ssshh!” Jason said to them all when the advertisement ended and the screen flashed back to the news report.

  She sighed and they all watched as Dan and David appeared on the evening news, escorting the villains to the squad car while the lovely young newscaster spoke to the FBI SAC. Grace recognized the hall outside the conference room where they were earlier that day.

  “Tell me why you needed the help of a Scotland Yard investigator to crack this case? Didn’t you have enough manpower in Boston?” the reporter asked.

  “Of course, but Detective Chief Superintendent Young has top-notch experience as commander of Scotland Yard’s Flying Squad for many years. The Yard’s proposal for an exchange program is a brilliant opportunity for both organizations. The mayor and the Yard agreed this case was the perfect opportunity for Chief Young to take charge.”

  “Is he really as spectacular as Boston’s police chief made him out to be earlier today?”

  The SAC chuckled. “He’s good. I’m sure he’ll do well.”

  “Did he break the law to rescue Mr. Racer’s fiancée, Theresa Torini, the mayor’s daughter?” the reporter pressed.

  “Of course not. Maybe you should talk to Detective Chief Superintendent Young—”

  The scene cut back to the studio where they announced an exclusive interview with Rick and Theresa to be aired the next day on the morning news show.

  “I’d say that went well, wouldn’t you?” Dan said with a cheerful note in his voice. Esther piped in her agreement, then took a large sip of her drink.

  “It’s settled then. My first order of business is to set up my new office space,” David said without a trace of strain in his voice.

  “I could help you decorate it,” Grace volunteered without thinking. She immediately felt herself turn pink at her presumption.

  “Excellent idea,” Mabel added immediately before David could respond. He simply smiled.

  “Anyone else need a cocktail?” Mabel clapped her hands.

  Grace’s anxiety ratcheted up a level. She needed to tell David that Nibbles was his—a gift from her. His reaction to finding out that she’d bought the puppy for him took on a monumental level of importance since her talk with Dan. Her shoulders tensed as she scooped both the dogs into her arms. There was so much more in the air than the scent of cinnamon and a few friends and family members getting together for a celebratory dinner, even though that felt monumental enough by itself. She felt like she was on the edge of a cliff and about to fall off or fly.

  “Dinner is ready,” Marsha announced. Everyone responded by instantly moving to the dining room.

  She felt desperate to catch David’s attention and pull him aside. Her hands were full and she felt awkward and at a loss what to do next.

  “You’re not planning on bringing the dogs into the dining room to eat with us, are you?” Pixie leaned over and whispered to Grace. “Though I’d rather have the puppies for company than that ungrateful—”

  “I don’t know what to do. I want to give David his gift, but I need the right moment.”

  Pixie scoffed. Grace took a detour to the kitchen to deposit the dogs for safekeeping while they were at dinner.

  Despite whatever seating arrangement Mabel had planned, Grace gripped Pixie’s arm and pulled her into the chair next to her, with Jason on her other side. She was satisfied that she’d get through dinner, whether she ate anything or not.

  What she didn’t plan on was David sitting directly across from her, flanked by Dan and Esther. Mabel, naturally, was at the head of the table and the maid, her dear friend Marsha, would sit at the end of the table nearest the kitchen.

  “Doesn’t this all look delicious?” Esther said.

  Jason nodded his agreement and jumped in, serving himself a healthy portion from the platter in front of him.

  “It’s David’s favorite meal, to celebrate his new career. Isn’t it wonderful that I’ve found Grace a new apartment right around the corner from here?” Mabel said to Pixie.

  “What?” Grace and Pixie said at the same time. Grace would have laughed at Mabel’s left-field comment on any other occasion.

  “Oh, I didn’t know that. I was hoping she’d stay with me for a while.” Pixie looked at Grace for guidance.

  “I haven’t seen it yet…I’m not sure.” Grace looked back at Mabel, trying to avoid David’s eyes from across the table. Too bad her peripheral vision was so good. She noticed that his expression couldn’t be further from neutral. He looked concerned. Her pulse picked up and she tried to clamp it back down, to no avail.

  “Of course, dear,” Mabel said. “I suppose you want to move to the suburbs now—and find a young gentleman there to raise children with and live in that charming Cape Cod house with the white picket fence you’ve always talked about.”

  “Now wait a minute—” David interrupted, but Mabel interrupted him right back.

  “Isn’t that still your dream?” she asked, and not in a dinner-conversation tone of voice. Grace felt like she should be having this discussion alone somewhere with her closest friends, but when she looked around the table, except for the absence of Oscar and the rest of Pixie’s family, these were her closest friends, after all. She breathed a sigh and spoke from her heart without thinking.

  “No.”

  “What?” David and Pixie said simultaneously. Dan and Esther’s eyes widened and they put down their silverware, abandoning any pretense at eating. Jason looked at her with mild interest as he stabbed a piece of meat with his fork and put it in his mouth.

  She looked straight at Mabel. “I don’t have that longing anymore for a white picket fence. I can’t even envision it, and when I try to think about a family of children, I don’t feel any pleasure or warmth or the desire I used to feel. Somewhere along the way I lost my dream—or it lost me.”

  “It’s only temporary—you’ll bounce back. You’re just feeling a little down right now,” Pixie said with a pointed glance at David. Grace stared at her plate. She was too chicken to look up at him. She knew David was staring at her.

  “Pixie is right, you know,” he said in a quiet but
confident voice.

  Grace looked up at him and felt a flash of anger.

  “What do you know? You didn’t want to stick around and talk about it. You think you know what’s best for me? You have no clue.”

  “Now we’re making some headway,” Mabel said with a smile. She clasped her hands together.

  “Wait a minute here.” Dan made a feeble attempt at coming to the defense of his friend before Esther nudged him under the table.

  David looked around the table at each person and smiled when he got to Jason, who gave him a thumbs up as he chewed his food. Then his eyes rested on Grace. Pixie reached over and squeezed her arm.

  “I’d like to hear what you have to say, Grace. I’d like to know what will make you happy. Because as it happens, I’ve been miserable thinking that I’ve caused you more than a moment’s unhappiness. If I could—”

  “Would you?” she challenged him.

  “I would try with every ounce of my being.”

  His words stunned her, and she felt like all the air whooshed out of her lungs. She believed him. The look on his face was determined and kind. Then the cloud of an unspoken “but” appeared in his face.

  “Maybe you two should talk in private,” Dan said and he stood.

  Esther stood also, and then Pixie looked at her with a question. Grace nodded okay.

  “Well, Jason, it looks like we’ll have to miss the important stuff, but maybe it’s time to leave Grace and David alone.” Mabel looked at the young man as he reluctantly put down his fork, still chewing some meat.

  “Maybe Grace and I should leave and you all stay and eat.” David rose.

  Grace jumped to her feet and Jason nodded, unable to speak with his mouth full. Before anyone had a chance to contradict the idea, Grace stepped away from the table and out the door to the kitchen as Marsha came in.

  “Finished already?”

  “I believe we may be just getting started, actually.” David smiled and put his hand on the small of Grace’s back as he caught up to her. She felt the instant shock to her system. It was as if her world had been realigned to its rightful axis.