Bunny Elder Adventure Series: Four Complete Novels: Hollow, Vain Pursuits, Seadrift, ...and Something Blue

by J. B. Hawker

  “Let’s not go into that now, Sis. I’m too tired. You run on up to bed. Good-night, and thanks for the grub.”

  Ellery drove Bunny to Olympia bright and early the next morning.

  The body shop had finished the work on her car and she was eager to get back to Bannoch and start the process of moving into her new home.

  She was determined to put this entire episode with the two mad men behind her.

  Ellery’s professor had promised to decrypt the files and Bunny really appreciated his willingness to do them a favor, but she wasn’t particularly interested in whatever he found, any longer. She would never tell him or Ellery that, of course, after they were going to so much trouble for her.

  The two women hugged before parting. To casual observers they might have appeared to be two stages in the life of a single woman, their resemblance to each other was so striking. Although Bunny’s hair had faded from the rich honey blond of her niece, they had the same heart-shaped face and wide-set gray-green eyes.

  After waving her niece off, Bunny paid the service bill and, with a sigh of relief, pointed her faithful Chevy toward Bannoch and home.

  “You see, Ljuto? I told you she would need to retrieve her car! And now she is alone, again. We will get her, this time.”

  “I hope you’re right, Grgur. This is a risky business.”

  The Croatians hung well back on the freeway so Bunny wouldn’t notice them. They were going to intercept her on the coastal highway, this time. Grgur planned to nudge her into a safety turnout where she could not avoid them without plunging into ocean.

  It was a good enough plan, as evil plans go, and it might have worked if the repairman in the body shop in Olympia had paid more attention to details.

  Bunny was enjoying the peaceful morning drive, relishing the beautiful ocean vistas and listening to a new CD created as a fundraiser by the University of Seattle Madrigal Singers. Ellery had given it to her aunt as a parting gift before they left the apartment that morning.

  Following a sustained high note from the sopranos, Bunny imagined she was able to pick Ellery’s voice out from the others. She thought she heard the high note echoing in her car until she glanced in the rearview mirror and saw a State Patrol car’s flashing lights behind her. She pulled into a convenient turnout and rolled down her window as the officer approached.

  “Did you know that your right taillight is out, Ma’am?” the trooper asked, bending over to peer in at Bunny.

  He asked for her license and registration just as Grgur and Ljuto drove past on the highway.

  “Slow down! He’ll chase us, Grgur, slow down!”

  Grgur slammed his fist on the steering wheel and slowed slightly. Ljuto was right; they could not afford to draw attention to themselves.

  “Are we going back when the policeman leaves?”

  After driving in angry silence for several miles, Grgur finally responded to his companion.

  “We won’t go back. That is not going to work. This highway is too well patrolled. We will go on to Bannoch and make a new plan.”

  “Maybe we could grab her on one of her many walks on the beach. Even if she does not carry the drive with her, we will be able to discover for Koslov whether his information is still safe.”

  “Perhaps. We are not giving up, yet.”

  Following her late morning class, Ellery dropped in on Professor Argyle to see how he was coming with decrypting the files.

  His secretary was just telling Ellery that the professor was too busy when Gilles walked up to drop something on her desk.

  “Ellery! Just the one I wanted to see. Come on in.”

  With the slightest suggestion of a forgivably smug smile, Ellery nodded to the secretary and followed the professor into his office.

  “Were you able to decipher the files on my aunt’s flash drive, Professor?”

  “You can call me Gilles when we are outside of the classroom, Ellery. We Aussies must stick together, ya’ know,” he quipped with an exaggerated Crocodile Dundee accent.

  Ellery blushed as a wave of pleasure washed over her. Gilles is so cute! But, come on. Get a grip El, she admonished herself.

  “I actually have all the files decrypted and I’ve saved the translations to the same drive, so you may take it back to your aunt,” he said while retrieving the drive from a drawer and placing it on the desk.

  “Well, that’s wonderful! And so quickly done, too.”

  Ellery was a bit disappointed that there would be no further excuse, now, to drop in on Gilles, except about class work.

  “It was not a particularly sophisticated encryption, so this was no trouble. I’m afraid your aunt will be disappointed, though. The files contained only random sets of numbers and a list of names. Without knowing the context it is all pretty meaningless.”

  “Oh. But, at least the mystery is solved. I know Bunny will be pleased about that. Thank you so much for doing this for her.”

  She picked up the drive and stood to leave.

  Gilles came around from the back of his desk to escort Ellery to the door. He grasped her elbow, sending electric shocks up her arm from the point of contact directly to the center of her being.

  Ellery fought to maintain her composure.

  “Well, thanks again. See you!”

  “I certainly hope so,” Gilles murmured as Ellery walked through the outer office, “I certainly do hope so.”

  Back in her apartment, Ellery plugged the drive into her laptop computer and emailed the decrypted files to Bunny, asking her if she wanted the flash drive returned.

  She felt just a bit deflated, with her mission accomplished. It had been exciting to be even briefly touched by a bit of mystery and drama. Having a chance to spend time with Gilles had been nice, too.

  She sighed wistfully and began working on that day’s assignment for her class.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Your dwelling place is secure; your nest is set in a rock – Numbers 24:21

  Bunny tapped on the door and stepped into the utility room at the back of the parsonage. She heard sounds coming from the kitchen, so she looked in to let Rosamund know she was back.

  She found Scott at the sink rinsing out a coffee cup.

  “Hey, Bunny. Glad you made it home, safe and sound. No more adventures on the way, I hope.”

  “Well, I was pulled over and given a warning about having a taillight out, but I suppose that doesn’t measure up to what you would call an adventure. Especially after what we went through. Thanks again, for coming to my rescue.”

  “I’m just glad I was able to be there for you,” Scott stepped closer and put his hand on Bunny’s shoulder.

  “The bad penny has finally turned up, I see,” Rosamund announced loudly as she entered the kitchen, crossing between Bunny and her brother and getting herself a glass of water.

  “How soon will you be able to move?” she asked bluntly.

  “Now, Rosie, Bunny’s been through a lot. She may not appreciate your humor, just now.”

  “But, I wasn’t kidd…”

  “Come on into my study, Bunny, where you can catch your breath a little.”

  Scott ushered Bunny out of earshot of his sister’s sputtering.

  “I’m fine, Scott. Really. And Rosamund is right. It’s time I move into my new place.”

  “Well, you don’t need to do anything today, except relax. If you wait until tomorrow I will be free to give you a hand.”

  “Thanks, Scott. I appreciate that. Actually, I need to buy a few pieces of furniture before I can stay there, but I’ll have them delivered to the townhouse. I won’t have much to move from here. Most of my stuff is still in boxes and suitcases; just a carload. Nothing I can’t handle.”

  “Well, if you won’t let me help, you can at least let me treat you to lunch at the Boatworks. You haven’t eaten, yet, have you?”

  “That sounds wonderful. Now that you mention it, I’m starving.”

  After lunch Bunny went on a round of second-han
d furniture stores to find a few pieces for her new home. She planned to furnish the place over time, but she needed some things right away.

  At the Goodwill store she found an overstuffed loveseat that would be quite charming with a chintz slipcover.

  Living on a pastor’s salary Bunny had learned many cost-cutting skills, and making custom slipcovers was one of her favorites. She was looking forward to choosing the colors and fabrics for soft furnishings that would turn her townhouse into a real home.

  After splurging on a new mattress set from the local furniture store, she dropped in on Naidenne to let her friend know what had been happening.

  “Oh, Bunny! How awful! What an ordeal you have been through. What has happened to those men who were after you?”

  “I wish I knew. The police said they would keep an eye out for them, but I haven’t heard that they were apprehended, or anything. I’m sort of hoping that they have just gone away.”

  “That doesn’t sound likely from what you’ve told me. Have you checked in with the sheriff to see about some protection? What if they come after you again?”

  “None of the authorities even took me seriously, Naidenne. I haven’t the heart to face their dismissive attitude, again. And if it was really serious, I think they would have done something more to help, don’t you? I mean, they are the professionals.”

  “Well, I don’t like it. You had better be on the alert for any signs of these guys and call the sheriff, right away if you see them. Don’t take any unnecessary risks. No long solitary walks on the beach for a while.”

  “I won’t. But, I don’t even want to think about any of that, right now. I have great news! I’m moving into my new place. My furniture won’t be delivered until the day after tomorrow, but I am so excited to know that in only two days I will be in my own home, again. Let me tell you about the cute lamps I found at the Salvation Army thrift store this afternoon. The shades were dented, but I can repair them to coordinate with the other things I’ve bought. I’m thinking of decorating with a sort of eclectic French farmhouse feeling.”

  “What colors will you use?”

  The two friends drank tea and conspired over the feathering of Bunny’s new nest for the rest of the afternoon, only occasionally being interrupted by Naidenne’s real estate customers.

  When Bunny headed back to the parsonage her head was happily filled with decorating plans and color schemes. She didn’t give another thought to the men who had caused her so much trouble.

  “Aren’t we going to follow her, now?” Ljuto asked his partner.

  “There’s too much traffic around. We know where she lives and can grab her tonight, while the others are sleeping. We have been hasty before and our plans have failed. Now, we take our time and do this right.”

  “Then let’s go get pizza and go back to the motel. I want to watch that Pay-per-View. I cannot believe my eyes what I see on that thing.”

  “Rosie, let’s sit down and talk,” Scott addressed his sister, solemnly.

  “What about?”

  “Bunny will be moving out soon and I want to make certain that for the remainder of her time here you will be nice to her.”

  “I am sure that I am always nice to everybody. I can’t imagine why you are saying that.”

  “What about that crack today about how soon she could get out?”

  “I was simply asking about her plans. There’s nothing wrong with that, is there? Why are you getting so touchy about it, anyway? Is there something I should know about her and you? What happened while you two were alone all that time, anyway?”

  “Rosamund, don’t be ridiculous! Just be a good hostess from now on, okay?”

  “Of course, Scottie, I always am.”

  When Bunny returned, Rosamund made a special point, in front of Scott, to ask her to come along to the church women’s meeting that evening. Bunny was in such a good mood that she agreed to go. When she learned that Maureen was holding the meeting in her home, Bunny began to look forward to satisfying her curiosity about this woman who so annoyed Rosamund. It would be like spending an evening with Scylla and Charybdis… dangerous, perhaps, but never boring.

  Maureen’s home was situated in a neighborhood of nondescript midsized older homes with fading paint and overgrown yards. The front door was open as the two women approached. Cars were pulling up with other members of the group as Bunny and Rosamund entered.

  “Come on in, ladies!” Maureen boomed out from the kitchen doorway. “I’m just finishing up the coffee. Rosamund, you set out the TV trays around the living room. I’ll be there in just a minute.”

  “Is there anything I can do to help?” Bunny offered.

  “Maureen, have you met my lodger, Bunny?” Rosamund interjected.

  Maureen entered the room, drying her hands on a crocheted tea towel with a pattern of birds on the border.

  “I saw her in the choir, but we haven’t been introduced, yet,” Maureen responded to Rosamund then turned to Bunny.

  “Nice to meet you. Sit down…no not there, that’s Shirley’s chair. No, that one’s mine. Just find a spot and settle, anywhere. Welcome to the group.”

  As other women were arriving, pouring their coffee and finding chairs, one of the group was sharing photos of her newest great-grandchild and regaling her audience with all the lurid details of her granddaughter’s difficult delivery. This sparked a general “I can top that” sharing session of long ago labor and childbirth horror stories.

  When old soldiers get together they relive their battlefield experiences. These women’s childbirth memories came straight from the trenches. Bunny was suddenly thankful to be childless, even though it meant she could not contribute to these heroic sagas of travail.

  Eventually, Rosamund called the meeting to order and the dozen or so women, mostly late middle-aged or older, settled down to business. As predicted, the two younger women who Maureen had treated so badly were not in attendance.

  Rosamund led the gathering through the usual items of business with a firm and practiced hand.

  Quickly losing interest in the details of the treasurer’s report and minutes of the prior meeting, Bunny began to look at her surroundings, taking in the decorating details that were on her mind just then.

  Apparently Maureen was a bird lover. Bird figurines nested on her shelves and tables, birds flew across her curtains and pillows, even her paper napkins featured a bird motif. Finally, Bunny’s eyes alit on the only live bird in this avian décor. A sweet little canary perched in a fancy antique cage hung from a filigree wrought iron stand in a corner of the dining area adjacent to the living room.

  Why do people always want to cage the very creature God made to fly through the limitless skies? Bunny could not avoid feelings of distress whenever she saw the freest of living things imprisoned for someone’s pleasure. Her opinion of Maureen dropped another couple of notches in light of this new offense.

  Following the business meeting, the women had a brief devotional lesson followed by prayer requests.

  Group prayer can so easily devolve into a gossip session. When asking others to pray for a neighbor’s difficulties it is often tempting to give in to the urge to repeat all the juicy details, just in case God isn’t quite up on all of them. Some folks rationalize that it is necessary to give all the intimate facts so that the rest of the group will know how to pray.

  This group’s prayer time was blessedly free of salacious gossip presented in the guise of Christian concern. Bunny was reassured by the women’s restraint, until the prayer circle got around to Maureen, whose turn was last.

  Maureen began to pray, in a pious singsong nothing like her normal brash voice, opening with a prayer for the two younger women who had “so grievously disappointed the group by backing out on their commitment to do the decorations at the luncheon.” She asked God to forgive their immaturity and grant them greater wisdom, then launched into a paean of praise for all the wonderful gifts she had been given to use for his glory, wrapping up wi
th a grocery list of petitions for everyone in her immediate and extended family, including the canary, before breathing a dramatic, “ah-men.”

  This seemed to be the starting gun for a race to the dining room table for refreshments. There was an amazing array of calories in the form of cream puffs, meringue pies and other showy desserts. A little stack of recipe cards lay beside each offering, for those women willing to attempt a recreation in their own kitchen.

  Presented with such a rich assortment, Bunny opted for a handful of cashews and a cup of tea. It was sometimes difficult for her to resist a single tasty dessert, but when there were so many, her senses were so overwhelmed that she sometimes completely lost her appetite.

  “Goodnight!”

  “Thanks, Maureen!”

  “See you Sunday!”

  The ladies called their good-nights and Rosamund and Bunny drove home in silence, each wrapped in her own thoughts.

  Ljuto and Grgur had been crouched in the rhododendron bushes outside the parsonage for over an hour waiting for the lights in the house to go out and the people inside to go to sleep.

  “I’ve got bugs crawling up my pants and dirt in my shoes! When do we get to move?”

  “Shut up! The lights are still on. Be quiet or they will hear.”

  “Hush! Someone’s coming!”

  The screen door at the back of the house squeaked, the sound followed by footsteps and a cough.

  “Do your business, Reacher. That’s a good boy,” Scott encouraged the dog.

  Reacher sniffed and scratched at the back gate, trying to get out of the yard, then began to bark and growl.

  “What is it, boy? What’s the matter? Is Timmy down the well again?” Scott joked as he clipped the dog’s lead onto his collar and opened the gate to investigate the cause of Reacher’s anxiety.

  The pastor had learned to trust his faithful pet’s instincts, and took them seriously, in spite of his little joke.