by Susan Shay
“Two women were found dead, and not too far out of town. Last people who talked to ‘em said they were headed for that bar, Revelry, after work. Ought to be shut down.”
“What should?” Keegan teased gently. “Work?”
“You only think you’re funny.” Looking at her watch, with its face as large as an alarm clock, Miss Marcie clapped her hands several times. “Well, it looks like Miriam isn’t coming. Let’s get this meeting started.”
“Can you tell us what this is all about now, Miss Marcie?” Vernon asked, clearly irritated that she hadn’t explained the meeting.
“It’s about starting a neighborhood watch.” Marcie folded her arms under her ample breasts. “It’s about being more careful, about keeping all the outside doors of the apartment house locked all the time, and paying attention when someone who doesn’t live here starts hanging around. It’s about taking steps to make sure everyone in the house is safe. You know, a lot of weird stuff has been going on around here lately.”
Vernon noisily cleared his throat. “Law of averages, Marcie. Check the records and you’ll find there weren’t any strange deaths in the area for years. Now we’re making up the average. Happens ever’where.”
“Well, it shouldn’t be happening here!” Miss Marcie snarled.
Miss Ruthy sat down in one of the kitchen chairs that had been moved into the conversation area. “I remember when we went for years without needing a police force. We just had one little old man who—”
“What used to be doesn’t matter, Ruthy.” Marcie picked up a stack of papers, then handed them to Cassie. “Pass these out.”
Cassie set her coffee on the low table, did as she was told, then sat on the arm of the couch. After retrieving his cookies, Keegan moved to stand close behind her.
“I made up this list of safety tips. Everyone needs to follow them to the last T.” Marcie sent a sharp glance toward Keegan. “You take an extra one so your sister can read it.”
Keegan nodded slightly, then glanced at the paper. Keep all doors and windows locked. Take note of any strangers in the area. Keep a list of license tag numbers and make special note of any that aren’t normally in the area. Check to be sure workmen coming into your home are who they’re supposed to be... Apparently Miss Marcie had written these herself.
“Now, there’s the question of a foot patrol.” Miss Marcie took time to look at each of them. “How do you think it should be done?”
“What in the hell do you need a foot patrol for?” Vernon barked. “We’re an apartment house, not a neighborhood. Are you going to patrol the halls? Check to make sure we remembered to lock our doors?”
“That is a little silly when you think about it.” Mack, always the voice of reason, agreed. “Keeping an eye out for one another is a good idea, but I think we do a pretty good job of that already.”
Keegan took a drink from his cup, balanced his plate on the back of the couch, and picked up a cookie. “Most nights, I take a walk around the building already, Miss Marcie. I’ll try to make it a point not to miss any from now on.”
Marcie beamed. “Good, Keegan boy. Now if these other men would agree to follow your initiative—”
“What the hell for?” Vernon’s face was growing red. “The apartment house isn’t that large. Miss Ruthy’s apartment, Cassie’s, Miriam’s, and yours are all snug as bugs in the main part of the building. Just Mack and me outside, and the way our wings face each other, there’s not much to worry about. It’s not exactly a mine field out there. I think you’re making a mountain out of nothing.”
Miss Marcie jammed her fists onto her hips. “What about the laundry and community room? We do use them every now and then, and we’d like to be safe when we’re there. In all my years in the department—”
“Aw, hell, Marcie. You were a dispatcher, not the chief of police. Don’t act like you ran things.”
Eyes sparking, the old woman leaned forward. “That’s not the point, Vernon. I was part of the team, and that’s all I’m trying to do here. Turn us into a team so we can all work together.”
“We’ve always been a team, Marcie,” Mack said before either of them could speak. “That’s the best part of living at Miriam’s. Group spirit.”
Ruthy raised her soft voice. “I think Marcie just wanted to remind everyone to be extra vigilant. The life you save might be your neighbor’s.”
As if Ruthy’s words touched a chord in him, Vernon nodded. “Well, I’ll check each evening to be sure the doors in my leg of the building are secure, if you’ll take care of yours, Mack.”
“Sure thing.” Mack glanced toward Keegan. “And it wouldn’t hurt for all of us to look out our windows and watch for suspicious behavior or someone we don’t know hanging around.”
“But if you see someone, don’t approach them.” Vernon pulled from his experience and took the role of advisor. “Just get a description—clothes, hair color, skin color, height, or car make, model, and tag number if they’re driving. Then call the police.”
“Everyone should have the department’s number posted by every telephone,” Marcie said sharply.
“Or you could just call 911 if it’s an emergency,” Ruthy reminded the group.
“Right, 911. But only if it’s an emergency. Otherwise, call on their regular number.” Marcie lightened her tone as the meeting drew to a close. “One more thing. Be sure to inform Miriam if any of the lights in the hallways or outside burn out. We must keep things well lit at all times.”
As they left the meeting, Ruthy stopped gathering used cups and plates long enough to press the remainder of the cookies into Keegan’s hands. “You take these and share them with your sister. I’m sorry she didn’t make it tonight.”
“Well, thanks, Miss Ruthy!” Keegan happily took the plate. “And I’ll try to save her at least one.”
Ruthy swatted his shoulder. “You scamp!”
After giving a peck on her soft cheek, Keegan followed Cassie out the door. “I’ll walk you home, then I’ve got to get to work.”
Was that disappointment or surprise that flickered through her gaze? “You’re working tonight?”
“Yeah. I have to write that article so I can get it to Pete right away.” He held out the plate of cookies so she could take one, then helped himself to another as they entered the main part of the building. “He’s holding space for it, but he wants it as soon as it’s written. Besides, you need to call your mother. Remember?”
Wrinkling her nose, she nodded. “Right. Guess I’d better do that. Keegan?”
At the sound his name on her lips, a hum started at his shoulders, then shimmied down his spine. As she looked up at him, her eyes widened, making them large and luminous. He swallowed hard and gripped the plate while he prayed it wouldn’t break. “Yeah?” The word was little more than a grunt, but it was the best he could do.
“You don’t have to go up those stairs with me. I’m sure I’ll be all right.” Had she had trouble finding her voice, too, or was it the noise of his heart pounding making it hard to hear?
“I want to walk all the way with you.” Then I want to go inside with you. Get naked with you. Make love with you.
Startled at his own thoughts, he touched the small of her back and turned her toward the building. After walking her quickly into the house and up the stairs, he waited until she had the door open and he knew everything was safe. He should say goodnight, but he couldn’t make himself cut things off so quickly. All he wanted was to stroke her face so he could feel the smooth texture once before he left her. Instead he made a fist, then gripped it hard. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.” Low and sweet, her voice called to him, begging him to stay. Or at least, the ache low down in his belly said she was begging him to stay. Dammit. He couldn’t just walk away. “How about breakfast in the morning?”
Her lips curved into a delicious smile—one he’d like to spend some time tasting. “Sounds good to me. What time?”
“Early. We’ll take the
copy past the paper office and get something to eat before we open the store.” He thought for a moment. “Unless you think Miriam will be around to do it.”
“No, I don’t imagine she will.” She reached up to grip the door’s edge as she leaned against it. “She worries me.”
“Yeah, me, too.” But right now, his sister was the last thing on his mind. What worried him was how to stop thinking about Cassie. How to get her out of his system when he moved out of Stone Hill to his next job. “So you don’t think we could both take the entire day off tomorrow, let Miriam run her own store?”
One corner of her mouth pulled down, turning her smile rueful. “I don’t think one person could run the entire store, even if it wasn’t this close to Christmas. And as busy as it is, I’m sure they couldn’t right now.”
He didn’t try to hide his disappointment. “Then we have a date for the day after Christmas. Just the two of us. Alone.”
Before Cassie could answer, Keegan all but ran for the stairs. Why? There in the courtyard, she’d thought he was going to take her in his arms and kiss her. But he didn’t. In fact, he hadn’t since the night they’d made love. And now he wanted a date with her?
Why was he doing this to her? Was he the sort of man who, when they’d conquered one goal, had to find another, then another? Saddened at the thought, she closed the door. Then she remembered the day after Christmas she was supposed to be in Kansas City.
After locking up, she went to the answering machine and checked the time of her mother’s call.
Six-thirty. They’d been at the paper office at six-thirty, then Miss Marcie’s meeting. Since it was only nine-thirty now, she didn’t see the harm in returning the call. Picking up the phone, she dialed.
After four rings, the answering machine picked up. “Please leave a message after the beep.”
Hoping they weren’t playing an interminable game of phone tag, she took a breath. “Mother? This is Cassie. I was re—”
“Cassaundra, darling! What a surprise to hear from you.” Her mother’s voice was just a little too bright, too cheery for that time of night.
Cassie tried not to let the frustration show in her voice. “You called earlier and left me a message to call as soon as possible. Remember?”
“Oh, yes, darling! It’s wonderful to hear your voice, too, but it’s late.” At Janneth’s odd reply, Cassie realized that someone must be listening. “Your father and I were just going to bed.”
Cassie gritted her teeth. “Then you didn’t want to talk to me tonight?”
“Christmas?” Janneth squealed, her voice arcing as if surprised. “Of course, we’d love to have you for the holiday. What a surprise, and how wonderful it will be. I know how much Christmas means to you girls.”
Cassie tried without success to understand what her mother was doing.
“Yes, it is late, darling. But I’m so glad you called. I’ll talk to you later. Kiss, kiss!”
Cassie held the phone until the dial tone buzzed in her ear. What was going on? Why was Janneth acting as if they hadn’t talked recently? As if she hadn’t demanded Cassie come home for Christmas and stay for Alexandra’s wedding?
It must be more than simply wanting to see Cassie. Her motive most certainly had Janneth at its heart, rather than either of her daughters. Shaking her head, Cassie stripped off her clothes, tossed them in the hamper, then pulled her nightshirt over her head. After washing her face, she opened the couch, turned down the blankets, and crawled in. Picking up a book, she tried to focus on the words so she could fall asleep. But thoughts of her mother kept creeping back.
****
Trying to quiet the desperate scrambling inside, Miriam eased open the front door of the apartment house, then eased it shut behind her. After a glance at her watch, she realized how late it really was. Why hadn’t she set the alarm? Coming home at this time of the morning could prove disastrous.
At the sound of steps coming down the stairs, she hurried to her own door. Fumbling in her rush, she dropped the keys, then picked them up and sorted through them as she looked for the square brass one.
“Good morning, Miriam.”
Dammit. Why was Cassie up so early? She was never down before eight. Trying to fix an excuse in her mind, Miriam turned to face her friend, but when she saw Cassie dressed for work, she frowned. “Are we having an early bird sale I forgot?”
Before Cassie could answer, the door swung open beneath Miriam’s hand. “You’re out rather late, aren’t you, Sis?” Keegan asked, sending Miriam’s plummeting stomach to her knees.
“Uh, yeah. I got a call from my lawyer yesterday. The divorce has been granted, so I went out with, um, some girlfriends. I had a few too many margaritas, so she asked me to stay over. No big deal.” She stopped babbling and stared at the door next to Keegan’s head. No way she could look him in the eye.
“Damn, Miriam. I didn’t know. Well, I guess staying over was the smart thing to do. Wasn’t it, Cassie?” As he watched Cassie coming the rest of the way down the stairs, there was something in his gaze that made Miriam feel sorry for him. Almost. But he was the one with the perfect life. He was the one who’d left Stone Hill to become practically famous. He was the one who had a new relationship with the woman who was perfect for him. He was the one who still had a chance at happiness.
“Yes. It was.” Cassie’s concern for her was thick in her voice. “Are you okay?”
Cassie’s kindness made Miriam want to blurt everything. Spill her guts. Get it all out in the open and over with. But she couldn’t. She had to think. “It’s not like I wasn’t expecting it. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“We haven’t talked much lately. I’m not used to...” Rather than finish the sentence, she tipped her head, forcing a smile. “I miss you.”
Miriam forced an edge to her voice. “I don’t know what your problem is. I haven’t been gone all that much. Besides, we all have our own lives to live. Don’t we?” Shoving past Keegan, she stomped into her room, slammed the door, then leaned against it, her heart pounding like a jackhammer. After listening for several moments, she decided the pair had taken her advice and minded their own business.
Once more, she was alone. And no matter what she did or how hard she tried, it seemed she would be that way for the rest of her life. But she’d tried. Dear God, how she’d tried.
Because, although she didn’t want to be alone, there was only one person she’d really wanted to be with. Despairing of ever having a real relationship—one like she could see developing for Cassie and Keegan—she stripped off her clothes as she walked toward the shower.
What could she do to make him know how very much she loved him?
****
With the morning sunshine streaming through the restaurant’s red-checked curtains, Cassie carefully sipped her coffee. As she did, she watched Keegan over the rim. Was he ready for this? Could he help her now that she’d made her decision? Unsure, she set down the red-checked mug.
“Good stuff, huh?” Keegan asked as he drained his first cup, then poured himself another from the carafe on the table. “Ready for more?”
“Not yet.” She took a breath rich with cinnamon as she tried to think where to start. “Keegan—”
“Cassie—” Speaking at the same time, they both chuckled, then she nodded toward him.
“I was just going to say that it felt good being back at the Sentinel. Pete hasn’t changed a bit, except his hair’s a little grayer.” He slid down on his spine as he waited for his coffee to cool. “Of course, he looks as if he’s still active as ever. I wonder if that man will ever retire.”
“Not willingly.” She wondered where his mind was. What he was thinking. “Maybe, if he had someone to take it over, a son or daughter he trusted to run the paper the way he has, he would consider it.”
His gaze returned to her, warm as melted chocolate. “Yeah, that’s too bad. He deserves to retire one of these days. Now what were you saying?”
Taking a breath, she held i
t for a moment, then blew it out. How could she tell him so he wouldn’t think she’d lost her mind? “I need a sounding board, Keegan. I wonder if I could talk to you, maybe get your opinion without being held accountable for anything I say.”
He lifted one eyebrow. “Off the record, so to speak?”
Wishing he hadn’t put it that way, she swallowed, then nodded. “Yes. Off the record.”
“I guess so.” Picking up his mug, he watched her, his gaze speculative. “What is it?”
“It’s the dream. I-I had it again last night.”
His brow puckered in a frown as he dipped his chin, then looked up at her. “I thought, since the authorities found the two women dead, the dream would be gone.”
“I know. It should be, but it’s not.” The fear she tried to keep at bay expanded, taking up most of the space inside her and making her voice shake. “I dreamed it three times last night, but I don’t know what it means. I don’t know if it’s the killer’s memories as he plays the murders over in his mind, if I’m focusing his dreams, or if it’s an echo of something in my head. A glitch, maybe.” She gripped her fists hard, hoping he’d be the voice of reason, her anchor to hold to.
“What have they meant in the past?”
Clearing her throat, she worked hard to stop the shudders before they began. “Usually it means that this thing is going to happen.”
He narrowed his gaze. “I don’t understand.”
“I don’t either.” She waited as the waitress brought their food and was a safe distance away before she spoke again. “I-I don’t know if it’s a true prediction, a prophecy, or if I’m close to the murderer in some way. Maybe it’s someone I interact with on a daily basis whose memories and emotions I’m picking up through contact so casual that I don’t read them until I’m asleep.”
“You mean like the mailman?” Keegan asked, his frown deepening.
“Or the UPS man, or a regular bookstore customer. It could be anyone.” She thought for a moment of their brush with Miriam. Her throat clogged. She spoke slowly, giving him time to fully grasp her words. “What if it was proximity causing the dreams to funnel to me? What if it was someone in our apartment house?”