by Jane Cousins
Chapter Eight
Berry opened her eyes to find filtered morning light coming through the curtains. A frown rippled across her forehead, her eyes bleary, both her head and shoulder throbbing. Grrr, she’d had a restless night tormented by strange dreams, all of them starring Ramsey Hughes. Though why she should have Hotshot Hughes on the brain she had no idea. It was not as if the man had even bothered to visit and check on her welfare since she’d entered his home. Not that she wanted him too. It just would have been the… polite, yeah, the polite thing to do.
Hmmm, she tried to recall exactly what her dreams had been about. The details were all hazy, she just remembered Ramsey featuring front and centre in them. Looming over her, holding her hand, protecting her. Every time she’d sunk in to unconsciousness he’d been there, waiting for her… or had it been the other way round? Every time she’d woken, he’d been there? Not possible. That would mean he’d been in her room. No, talk about dazed and confused, she was being fanciful, they had just been dreams. But then why did her palm still tingle in memory of Ramsey’s Hughes thumb skating back and forth across it? Maybe fanciful was too kind a word, perhaps delusional was more fitting.
“Hey there.” Nell’s head popped around the door. “How’s the patient doing this morning?”
Berry glared at her cousin, who looked way too elegant and put together for so early in the morning. Honey blonde hair secured up in a chignon, her eyes looking particularly blue today thanks to the long sleeve hunter green dress she was wearing. Of course, as always with Nell, it was all about the footwear, even in her weary to the bone state, Berry couldn’t help but cast a quick covetous glance down at Nell’s black suede ankle boots. “Your patient wants drugs. Lots and lots of drugs. The knock out kind that can ensure a good night’s sleep.”
“Restless night?” Nell placed her medical bag on the floor beside the bed. Her healer’s eye instantly cataloguing the lines of tension and pain around Berry’s dark eyes and mouth. “That’s not good. I’m sure I have something in my bag of tricks that can rectify that.”
Berry blinked, Nell had capitulated all too easily. “No! No way. I want drugs. Real drugs from a recognised pharmaceutical company. None of your foul tasting herbal teas and no more slimy salve.”
Nell shook her head, a warm, amused smile on her pretty face. “I’m going to put all those negative ungrateful comments regarding my teas and salve down to lack of sleep and pain.” She lifted out two items from her bag.
Berry’s eyes instantly went to the small pouch of tea leaves. “No. I told you. I’m holding out this time for real drugs.”
Nell waved her other hand to get Berry’s attention. “If you drink the tea you get the sling. If you are wearing a sling I can sign off on you getting out of bed… maybe having a wash… or a bath.”
Berry rolled her eyes. “Blackmail? I don’t know why everyone thinks you’re so nice and sweet.”
Nell’s lovely smile never wavered. “Now, now. Don’t think of it as blackmail. Think of it as being backed into a corner by a foe of superior wit and intelligence.”
Berry laughed, and then groaned as she jostled her shoulder. “Ouch. How am I supposed to manage a bath even if I’m wearing a sling?”
“Reinforcements are on their way.” Nell assured, heading for the door, the pouch of tea leaves in her hand. “I’m just going to go put the water on.”
“You’d better hope you don’t appear in my court room any time soon cousin. I’m talking jail time here, so you’d better not even think about jaywalking anytime soon.”
Nell’s husky laugh drifted back through the door.
* * *
Hmmm, for the second time that day Berry swam upwards to consciousness. This time though it was from a deep peaceful sleep. She was guessing by the light filtering passed the curtains that it was late afternoon. Wow, she felt good, better than good. She felt rested. The pain in both her head and arm having receded. She supposed she owed Nell and her foul-tasting magically concoctions a grudging apology. She was feeling so good she considered getting up but… if she did that, she might bump into Ramsey Hughes. She’d sworn to herself never to bury her head in the sand again or avoid a confrontation but surely being shot at least gave her some temporary reprieve from having to face reality.
Honestly, avoidance thy name is Beryl Louise Malone.
Hmm… so get up and deal with the possibility of bumping into Ramsey Hughes and battling her unwanted attraction to the man or roll over and try and go back to sleep? Well, they did say rest was the best medicine of all and she was particularly cosy and her feet were extra warm. Um, speaking of which, what was that weight? And just what had woken her anyway? Lifting her head she noted the dark curled up form of Limbo at the end of the bed. His black fur a stark contrast to the white cotton blanket. She relaxed. It was only Great-Great-Aunt Adelaide’s cat. Instantly her head came up again, shit!
“Limbo…”
His green eyes blinked her way. Eerie how luminous and clear they were. Before she could say his name again the cat was mid-air, those wickedly sharp claws aimed straight for her face. She screamed in alarm and then groaned as pain shot up her arm to her shoulder.
Her cousin Zeke raced into the room, gun drawn, head swivelling, searching the shadows. “What’s wrong? What is it?”
Berry sat upright, her heart racing, cradling her sore arm carefully. “Cat.”
“Dream?” Zeke, holstered his weapon. “Or real?” A scowl crossing his handsome face as he noted the glass sliding doors were still closed and locked.
Berry huddled in the middle of her bed, trying to peer over the side. “Limbo, I wouldn’t get too…”
A hiss sounded, Zeke jumped back from the bed. “Little bastard. How did he get in here?” He pulled up his trouser leg to examine the damage done to his shin.
“I don’t care how he got in here. All I’m concerned is how you’re going to get him out of my room.”
“Me?” Zeke’s bright blue eyes widened with surprise. “Why me?”
“You’re the one with a gun for starters. I’m just a helpless invalid.”
“I can’t shoot him Berry.” There was a regretful tone in Zeke’s voice.
“I’ll turn my head and everything, no witnesses, it will never come back on you.” Berry promised, enjoying the fact that her 6.2ft, built like a line-backer cousin was obviously just as wary and scared of Limbo as she was.
Zeke bobbed and weaved, trying to catch a glimpse of the feline invader. “Very funny. You must be feeling better you certainly sound it… for that matter you’re looking better too… less day old fish left out in the sun.”
Berry chuffed a laugh. “That’s a lovely description. With charm like that it’s a wonder you’re still single.”
“And loving every moment of it.” Zeke flashed a grin, sweeping a hand absently through his short black hair. “Well that book I bought with me isn’t going to read itself.”
“Hold it right there. You are not leaving me alone in here with that… that monster.”
Zeke shrugged. “Berry, I’m a brave man but I’m not stupid. No way am I going to attempt to drag Limbo out of here. He’ll leave when he’s good and ready.”
“Then you need to take me with you.” Berry awkwardly crawled to the end of the bed, damn thankful for the sling keeping her arm steady and supported.
“Take you where exactly?” Zeke frowned.
“Out of here for a start. We can just close the door and ignore the problem until one of your brothers turns up. Then we can trick them into coming in here and they can deal with Limbo.”
Zeke grinned. “Smart thinking. Okay, how do you want to do this logistic wise?”
Kneeling at the very edge of the bed Berry eyed the gap between her and her cousin. Hmmm, if she… and then he, um... she froze as there came the sound of movement from under the bed. Oh-no, Zeke looked ready to bolt. She did the only thing she could think of, she flung herself across the gap, straight at him, counting on h
is excellent reflexes to catch her.
Thirty seconds later she was ensconced on the comfy sofa in the living room. The door to the guestroom firmly closed. Zeke had resumed his post in the foyer by the front door, promising to keep an eye on both doors.
Resting her head back on a cushion Berry worked hard on getting her breathing back under control. After a few minutes she began to relax and take in her surroundings. Similar to the guest bedroom, the floors out here were a light coloured hardwood but the walls were painted a soft grey that complimented the darker grey sofas set up around a low pine coffee table. There were no paintings on the walls and the room itself though comfy, was only saved from feeling sterile by the magnificent view out passed the large balcony. The sky a stunning clear blue today, the ocean darker, but calm. Out on the Bay itself, sail boats, their colourful sails billowing, chased the wind and each other.
Okay Berry my girl, no more hiding, no more using your injuries as an excuse. You are staying in Ramsey Hughes’ apartment and you are just going to have to learn to live with the man… the fact, learn to live with the fact.
Damn, shifting, she adjusted her sling slightly before trying to rake her hair back in to some semblance of order. Double damn, she should have had Joanne at least pull the mess back into a pony-tail. Though who was she kidding, her head had throbbed like crazy when Joanne had done no more than run a gentle soft bristled brush through it.
With nothing to do but think, Berry snuggled down further on the sofa and contemplated her mother-in-law’s visit earlier in the day. It had been good to see her, better still when Joanne had insisted upon helping Berry to bathe. Though sitting in three inches of tepid water was not exactly Berry’s idea of bathing, but at least she’d felt clean and fresh after the experience. Even though her legs had wobbled like a new born foals.
Joanne had taken it all in stride. Despite her timid nature she was a born nurturer and since coming to the Sanctuary had really come out of her shell. She’d been a recent widow when Berry had first met her just after she’d gotten married. Drifting along in those early days, leaning heavily on her only child Robert, looking to him for support and advice.
It had been Berry’s idea that Joanne join the Sunshine Senior’s club when they first arrived at the Sanctuary. Thinking it a good way for her mother-in-law to socialise and if she witnessed anything weird, she hoped Joanne would just dismiss it as eccentric old people stuff and not well… magic.
With shoulder length greying blonde hair, large pale blue eyes and a petite trim figure, Joanne had hit the senior social scene with quite a splash. Widowed for over five years now, she appeared finally ready to dip her toe back into the dating pool. Though as yet, she’d shown no favourites. Insisting that she was having too much fun to settle on just one beau at the moment.
It was funny really, how her timid, sit at home mother-in-law had become quite the social butterfly here at the Sanctuary. That much was made very clear as Jo recounted her weekend activities. Friday night cooking class with Berry’s third cousin Bertram. Saturday spent at the Reverie Valley market having coffee with Colin, a visiting artist from Sydney. Saturday night, movie on the beach back at Haven Bay with a group of friends and then Sunday, at the town square for the jazz band, escorted by Kenneth, Berry’s cousin by marriage.
Berry let Joanne do all the talking. Mainly because all her energy was focused on not falling down as she brushed her teeth, bathed and dressed but also because Joanne chatted when she was nervous. There was no point in pushing her, or asking what was wrong. She needed to get to it in her own time.
It had been sheer relief to collapse back on the bed.
“There.” Joanne sat down next to her on the bed, beaming. “Much better. And I just love this outfit Berry. When I was younger we would have called these lounging pyjamas.” Joanne ran a gentle hand over the dark red material of the silk crepe PJ’s Berry was wearing. Thank the Goddess Great-Great-Aunt Etta had been of a rather decadent nature. Half the trunk Berry had co-opted as her own appeared to be full of clothes more suited to the boudoir than for public viewing.
Berry let Joanne fuss over her and fetch her some tea that she didn’t particularly want. Drinking it slowly as Joanne bustled about the room unpacking her things from two suitcases that someone had kindly fetched from her Great-Grandparent’s place. She really didn’t want her things unpacked… it made her stay here at Hotshot Hughes’ apartment feel too permanent, but she understood Joanne’s need to keep busy, to keep her mind off whatever was really worrying her.
“Where are you staying?” Berry asked between sips of tea.
“At the retirement village. There is so much to do there, every evening they have movies, dances and activities.” Joanne smiled broadly.
Berry fought not to wince. She so couldn’t afford the cost of Joanne living at the retirement community full time. Though she was extremely grateful to the centre, since coming to the Sanctuary her mother-in-law had begun to thrive. She’d lost that haunted look she had for far too long… since the day she’d arrived home from her cousin’s daughter’s wedding to find her house repossessed and her only child in custody, having stolen everything from her, leaving her nothing but the suitcase she had in her hand.
“And I’m having such a ball staying with your Great-Aunt Daphne, she’s promised to show me how to make some earrings to match my blue dress.”
“Big date?”
“Maybe.” Joanne smiled over her shoulder as she hung the last of Berry’s clothes in the large closet.
Berry finished her tea and placed the empty cup down watching as Joanne searched for some new activity to keep her busy.
“Jo… what’s up?” Berry asked softly, not wanting to scare her.
“Nothing. Everything is fine.” She straightened the sheets and blankets, something she’d already done twice.
“Jo.” Berry captured her small hand, surprised at how cool and fragile it felt under her touch. “You’re making me nervous.”
“Sorry.” Joanne sank gracefully to sit on the edge of the bed, turning her hand so she could clasp Berry’s fingers. “I… I… Do you think Robert could have had anything to do with your accident?”
Berry wasn’t sure she’d term getting shot an accident but she didn’t think now was the time to correct terminology, especially since this was the first instance Joanne had voluntarily bought up the subject of her son by herself in over two years. Berry performed a one shouldered shrug. “How could it… Robert is in prison? Besides, why would he try to hurt me?”
Joanne frowned. “I don’t know. Perhaps he was hurt… the divorce…”
Berry couldn’t help but laugh. “Jo, I’m really not sure if Robert ever really loved me but I certainly don’t think he would be behind someone taking pot shots at me with a gun.” Especially since she was pretty confident the gun had been aimed at Chief Hughes, not her.
“But he was always said the two of you were perfect together. That you were the perfect wife.”
Berry fought not to flinch, she hated that word, perfect. Yes, Robert had used it a lot, trying to convince her that they belonged together when what he really meant was that she’d been the perfect patsy, the perfect blind fool. The perfect means to an end for him. “Joanne, Robert’s in prison. I’m sure he didn’t have anything to do with the… accident.”
Joanne didn’t look entirely convinced. “I hope you’re right.” She squeezed Berry’s hand. “You know his father always used to refer to me as the perfect wife.” Her blue eyes dimmed in memory. Heavens, Berry hoped she wasn’t going to cry. Then Joanne’s eyes cleared and she gave Berry a fierce smile. “I always hated that word… no one’s perfect. Least of all Randolph, not me and certainly not our son.” Joanne leaned over, pressing a soft kiss on Berry’s cheek. “Well I have to go, I have a date tonight.”
“Of course you do.” Berry smiled in real amusement, pleased beyond measure at the feisty strength Joanne was displaying these days.
“Call me if you need
anything, anything at all.” Joanne swept up her bag and her pashmina then paused. “You know darling, it might do you the world of good to consider finding someone new… I’d hate to think you’re letting what happened with Robert stand in the way of your future happiness.”
Thankfully Joanne had already breezed out so she didn’t have to witness Berry’s mouth dropping open in complete shock and surprise. Damn those shit stirring seniors, they’d converted Joanne to their wicked interfering ways.
Even hours later, watching the boats turn and head towards the marina as the lengthening afternoon shadows stole across the bay Berry couldn’t get her head around Joanne’s defection. The one person who knew how much damage Robert had laid waste to her life… her self-esteem. She had whole heartedly believed her mother-in-law was her staunchest supporter when it came to how she chose to lead her new, single life. Bloody Hell, she was really starting to regret encouraging Joanne to join the sunshine seniors’ club. No good had come of it so far… cats… Joanne’s defection. Bunch of shit stirrers, the lot of them.
* * *
Zeke shot to his feet. “Problem?” Facing Ramsey as he entered the apartment.
Ramsey nodded, unable to keep the scowl off his face. “Yeah. I’ll take things from here. Head to the station, Mac will fill you in on what’s going on.” After a day spent combing through public records concerning all the court cases Berry had presided over for the last eight months with no leads popping, Ramsey’s day had just gone effectively from bad, to defcon worse.
Ten minutes ago the Head of the minimum security prison where Robert Granger was incarcerated had finally returned Ramsey’s call, and the news was not good. Nine days ago there had been a storm, a nearby river had flooded and in the confusion Robert Granger, his cellmate and five others had escaped.
Ramsey was lucky he’d been able to pry that much information out of the warden. Egotistical fool had been hoping to keep everything on the down low until all the prisoners had been re-captured, but only three had been found so far and with the press sniffing around and Ramsey’s call requesting information it seemed like the cat was out of the bag.