by Deborah Noel
Everyone pitched in to help clean up with dinner dishes, and then Sam made his famous root beer floats for dessert. This time it was Sam who captured Mattie’s attention. He told tales of when Declan and I were younger. He told her about our wedding “just before you climbed into your mommy’s belly to grow…”
With that line we all howled with laughter.
I ended Mattie’s night by telling her it was past her bedtime. She kissed and hugged her father and great uncle and took my hand as I walked her to her room. I helped her change into her pajamas and held up the covers for her to crawl under into bed. She laid her head back on her pillow. I tucked the blankets around her.
“I’ll be fine, Mommy,” she whispered to me.
I smiled and leaned in for my kiss. She wrapped her little arms around me. We squeezed each other tight.
We exchanged I love yous, whispering softly in each other’s ear.
As I headed back down to Declan and Sam, I noticed a new picture frame on the nightstand on Declan’s side of our bed as I passed by the bedroom. Of course, my curiosity got the better of me.
The frame was a simple border made of pewter. Protected by glass was a picture of Declan and I exchanging a kiss at our wedding. This image was watermarked on the page. Etched by ink on top of watermark was the poem I had written to Declan many years prior.
I’ll tell you why…
When I watch you work, you demonstrate power and strength.
And I am in awe.
When I listen to you talk, you speak with wisdom, sense, fairness and truth.
And I am filled with admiration.
When I am with you – wherever you go, it is because you want me with you;
Not because you feel obligated to have me there.
And I am grateful for that.
When you hold my hand – in the supermarket, car or alone in bed,
You share your affection for me with me.
And I feel like I am special to you.
When you hold me in your arms, you make me feel protected, secure and loved.
And I have never been so at peace.
Whenever you say my name (whichever one) or call me “girl”,
Hearing it from your lips always makes me smile.
When you lie next to me at night and gently brush the hair from my face,
Look into my eyes and tell me you love me,
I have no doubts about your sincerity – I can feel it, I can see it and I can hear it.
You want to share everything in your life with me,
And you want to partake in everything in my life.
I have never experienced that unselfishness before and I appreciate that.
You make me laugh.
You listen to what I have to say (when you can hear me).
You are an incredibly handsome man, whom I find difficult not to touch when you are near me.
The passion in our kisses is raw and meaningful – a wonderful combination that melts my heart and warms me inside.
Your generosity, sincerity and demonstration of love are second to none in this world over.
You are everything I ever wanted in a man, that I thought I would never find in one alone.
And that, Declan, is why I love you.
I stood there sliding my thumbs up and down the sides of the frame as tears welled up in my eyes. I didn’t know he saved this poem, let alone watermarked it and framed it. I put it back in its place and bounced downstairs like a giddy teenager.
When I entered the kitchen, Sam looked at Declan and laughed. He reached into his left front pocket and pulled out a twenty-dollar bill and handed it to Declan.
“You were right.”
Declan took the twenty, never leaving my gaze.
“Nice doing business with ya, ol’ man. I know my girl,” Declan gloated as he opened his arms to greet me.
Without hesitation I bounced against his chest as he encased me with his arms.
“I told him that you were taking so long because you saw the pewter picture frame and that you would come in here with a HUGE smile on your face,” Declan explained in my head.
I blinked once and kissed him.
“Ugh, get a room!” Sam sighed and slinked into the family room to watch the news.
Declan escorted me outside and we walked through the garden, hands entwined.
Softly he said, “I saved them all, Cianna.”
I smiled.
“What are you buttering me up for, sweetheart?” I asked.
He chuckled. “Fair enough, so we know each other THAT well.”
He stopped and faced me.
“Sam needs me to come and help him in the office. He’s had a rash of break-ins that need to be investigated.”
“And?”
“I think you know what is coming next,” he held my eyes. “Are you ready?”
“I think so. If you will be at the office a few hours a day and Mattie will be at school during the day, I can spend that “alone” time reviewing the files.”
He questioned me with his eyes.
“I’ll be fine, Declan. I used to go to the scenes in person, remember?”
“It’s not that, Cianna, you are finally sleeping, and your nightmares are gone. I don’t want them to be retriggered.”
“As sweet as you are in wanting to protect me, I am a big girl, and I’ve lived through the nightmares. And, I promised Sam I would do it.”
“Good enough.”
Silently we paced the garden taking in all the wonderful scents. Bullet trailed behind us. We snaked our way along the trail just inside the wood line and made our way back toward the house on the opposite side of the yard where we had started. We made small talk along the way, knowing the other was worried about getting back into the chaotic world of crime and murder. We agreed that we would go over my notes together at night once Mattie was in bed and that we would give this our best shot. By the time we got to the French doors leading into the kitchen, we had a game plan in place and a compromise we were so good at making. We were at peace with everything.
Sam was snoring away on the recliner. I covered him with the throw cover from the sofa and put the sleep timer on for the TV. Declan kissed my forehead and said he wanted to play for a short time and suggested I take a nice hot bath.
It sounded good to me.
Soft music from Declan’s fingers and the piano keys drifted its way to join me during my bath. I couldn’t help but melt into the hot water. The stress of life disappeared.
When I was as relaxed as I could be, I climbed out of the tub and wrapped myself in my robe. The music had ended as well. When I walked into the bedroom, Declan was sitting on the edge of the bed holding a single rose. In a swift movement, Declan was kneeling before on one knee. He tucked the rose in the belt of my robe. He took my hand and smiled.
“Cianna, will you marry me?”
I struggled to keep my composure, “I … I can’t.”
Declan’s expression turned to a look of confusion.
“I am already married to the most wonderful man in the world,” I smiled.
The corner of lips curled upwards. “Po’saim me’ Cianna.” It was more of a command this time.
I couldn’t keep the tears from welling up in my eyes.
“It is important to me, Cianna. I know we never ended our marriage, but I want to start out right.”
I tightened my grip on his hand. “Ta’ Declan. Yes, I will marry you again.”
He scooped me up in his arms hugged and kissed me. We were bouncing on top of the bed. Well, I was after being tossed onto it.
We couldn’t stop ourselves from giggling like school children. Our bliss was euphoric. Of all the tender moments we had shared, this was the best. We fell asleep snuggled in each other’s arms.
I spent the morning in the normal routine of getting Mattie ready for Marcy to take her to school. Sam was in the kitchen making a huge breakfast of eggs, bacon, toast, orange juice and fresh picked fruit from the
garden for everyone. Declan was getting himself together to accompany Sam to the office for the day.
We were cleaning up when Marcy rang the doorbell.
Mattie ran to greet Marcy. I could hear them exchanging small talk. Mattie ran into the kitchen dragging a very handsome young man by the arm behind her. Marcy was laughing trying to keep up.
“Mom,” Mattie began her introductions. “This is Marcy’s cousin Shane.”
The young man with a striking chiseled baby-face and short dark hair sporting wispy bangs hanging carelessly over his forehead stuck his hand out for me to shake.
“Mrs. Fitzgerald, nice to meet you,” he greeted me with a thick accent as he smiled showing his sparkling white teeth. His brilliant blue eyes barely met mine, exposing his innocent shyness. He stood about eight inches taller than my own 5’2” height. He wasn’t muscular in the body-builder sense, but was toned and proportioned properly. You could see the curves of his muscles under his shirt. Something strange struck me as our hands touched. I struggled to keep my composure. I couldn’t quite understand the bizarre feelings coursing through me. It felt as though my throat was swelling up.
Declan quickly was by my side with his own hand extended for a shake and introduction. With his other arm behind me, he gently held me on my feet.
In my head Declan’s voice was panicked, “I can’t get a read into his thoughts. I could feel your troubled emotions whizzing in my head. That has never happened before. Who is this guy?”
I reached my hand behind my back and grabbed Declan’s. I squeezed it tight. I wasn’t scared, just out-of-sorts with the feelings that ran through me. I didn’t know what to make of this.
Mattie bounced around Shane like a bee buzzing around a flower ripe with pollen.
“Ci, I can’t read him. Why can’t I read him?” Declan demanded in my head.
Mattie abruptly stopped in her tracks and looked up at us, “What does that mean, Daddy?” She asked in my mind.
I squeezed Declan’s hand tighter. Mattie let go of Shane and pleaded for an answer with her eyes.
Marcy chimed in, unaware, of course, of the inaudible conversation going on and the turmoil her cousin had caused, “Shane is from Wales. He is staying with us for the summer.”
Declan shook his hand with greetings of welcome. All the while, never giving his discomfort away.
“Hello, Mr. Fitzgerald. No need to worry about me, I’m just here to look after Marcy, while her parents travel abroad for a few weeks. If it is okay with you, I’d like to be a quiet observer of how things work in your small town,” Shane leaned into Declan and lowered his voice, “Besides, I don’t know how to keep a teenage girl who is related to me occupied, if you catch me drift, yes?” His Wales accent poking through in his words.
Declan chucked, tightened his grip on Shane’s hand, “Ah, I only tortured my siblings, and my Mattie isn’t quite there yet!” He let go of Shane’s hand and gave Mattie a noogie on the top of her head. She giggled.
In my head Declan spoke so that even I could barely hear him, “Keep thy friends close and thy enemies even closer.”
I blinked once at him.
Mattie introduced Sam to Shane. Declan and Sam exchanged glances - detective instincts at their finest. When the firm handshakes were completed, Sam excused himself saying he needed to get his stuff together for the return trip to the office.
After about a half hour of underlying scrutiny and males sizing each other up, Declan kissed Mattie goodbye and sent her off to school with Marcy and Shane. Mattie again took Shane’s hand after kissing me goodbye.
Shane had asked permission to take the girls to the ice cream parlor after school and promised to have them back promptly at 4:00. Declan caved in to Mattie relentless pleads and said that she could go if she agreed to be my best little helper and do whatever I asked of her when she got home. Mattie enthusiastically agreed.
Before she actually made it to the door, Declan called to her, “Banphrionsa, bí curamach.”
She giggled, “Ta!”
Then in my head for only us to hear she said, “I will be fine, stop worrying, sheesh!”
And with that she was out the door.
Sam walked back into the kitchen and informed us that he found nothing on Shane. In the criminal world, Shane MacMartin didn’t exist.
Declan and Sam left to go back to the new secondary Frystown office. Frystown, Pennsylvania was a small little town with approximately 15,000 people in an almost 46 square mile radius. About 20 miles away from there was my parents’ house in Hershey; the house I inherited when my father disappeared. Declan and I moved into my parents’ house and rented out the one we owned in Bristol, Pa. When I left with Mattie four years ago, I move here to Shamokin.
I had decided that I would take the case reviews to the Castle where it would be quiet and I wouldn’t get distracted. When I had told Declan about it, he thought it was a great idea. He actually cleared a section off of the bedroom at the Castle and set it up as an office for me. He scanned all the pictures into the computer and burned them onto a CD. He also did the same with the notes. All I would have to take with me was a few CDs.
Declan also took my office stuff over for me and told me that the office was ready for me whenever I was ready for it.
Today was the day I told myself.
I grabbed my backpack. I stuffed it with my essentials, each packed in sealed plastic bags. I had my camera, which I felt lost without. I had my notebooks, my favorite pens and my MP3 player. I was ready.
Bullet followed me outside and jumped in the Jeep as soon as I opened the door. He opened the door to his cage and moved the terrycloth towel we had in there around until he was comfortable. He plopped down. I jumped in and reached around to latch the door on his cage. I tugged on it too to make sure it was secure.
I fastened the five-point safety harness securing me to the driver’s seat and started the Jeep. I put it in gear and headed down the road towards the Castle.
About three miles outside of town, I noticed that there was another Jeep following me. I watched in my rear view as the driver stayed far enough back as to not be obvious, but with my background, I knew the drill.
I made a few turns that I wouldn’t have normally made and watched as a couple of minutes later the same Jeep appeared in my mirror. I headed towards the highway and in the direction of the gas station I knew was there. The Jeep always hung back at the proper “tailing” distance. He was far enough away that I couldn’t really make out who was driving and whether or not there were any passengers.
The gas station was a half a mile up on my right. I signaled to switch to my right lane and turned into the gas station. I positioned myself to get a good look at the license plate if he drove by and also pulled out a map from the glove box to make it look like I didn’t know I was being followed. A rule of thumb in tailing someone is to go by them if they pull off and let another unit pick up the trail.
The green Jeep drove right by me, a little slower than the rest of the traffic, which made it easier for me to jot down the license plate number so I could have Declan and Sam check into later.
I was so concentrated on making sure I got the plate number, I didn’t get a good look at the driver. It was a “he” and he didn’t have a familiarity to him. I couldn’t place his profile to match anyone in my memory.
Once I was sure that a second trailing vehicle wasn’t in place, I headed back down the highway. I made a few out-of-the-way turns to make sure I still wasn’t being followed. Eventually I made my way to the dirt path that led to my destination.
I flung my backpack over my shoulder and put Bullet’s collar and leash on. I locked up the Jeep and we headed down the trail. As usual, Bullet led the way.
When we got to the clearing, Bullet stopped first. I almost tripped over him. His hackles rose up all the way down his back. He backed up so that his backside was touching my leg and a slow rumble of a growl escaped his throat. I looked in the direction he was growling.<
br />
There on the beach was a small crowd of people. Three men hovered around two young ladies lounging on a couple of chairs at the water’s edge. One of the men was kneeling between the two chairs with his arms draped over the back of each. He was whispering to each of the girls, who were answering him in giggles. The other two men stood one at each of the sides of the chairs. They looked comical in their arrangement: boy-girl-boy-girl-boy.
The men were tall. The one standing on the left had jet black hair that hung straight down just above his shoulders. He was clean shaven and had a muscular build, sporting a muscle shirt and knee length shorts. He was tanned to perfection.
The man kneeling in the middle was a little smaller in stature. He wore similar attire as the first. His hair was a few inches longer but bleached blonde with a wave that most women would spend a few hours and a pretty penny in a beauty salon to have.
The third man was huskier in build then the others and seemed older and more reserved. His hair was cut tight to his head and hugged the nape of his neck meticulously. It was brown with sun-made golden highlights. His eyes were the brightest of all, a color of blue I had never seen before. There was something different in his eyes, a sharper edge, less readable, but more powerful. Even his beach wardrobe showed his maturity; clean cut jean shorts and a polo shirt. I watched as he sniffed the air then smiled coyly at the young women beside him.
The girls seemed to be in their early twenties. Their bodies were as sensual as a gorgeous twenty-year-old body could be. The fluorescent pink bikinis they wore flaunted their tan bodies, making their blonde hair look an even lighter hue. My guess would have been they were twins. They were looking at each other and giggling at the attention these men were giving them. They didn’t seem to be strangers.