Third Strike

by Kathi Daley

  “As you probably know, I’ve taken over his care because Garrett isn’t able to have him at the senior home. To be honest, I don’t know a thing about birds. Garrett gave me a few instructions—what to feed him and what foods to avoid and that sort of thing—but I have no idea what sort of behaviors to be concerned about.”

  Kelly held out her arm and Blackbeard flew onto it. “What exactly is it that he’s done that you’re concerned about?”

  “He isn’t talking. No one has heard him say a word in several days and he’s usually such a chatterbox.”

  “Is he eating and drinking?”

  I nodded. “He seems to be.”

  Kelly offered me a soft smile. “I wouldn’t worry. Blackbeard will say something when he has something to say. As long as you’re here, though, I’d like to give him a checkup.”

  “That would be great.” I sighed with relief.

  “You can wait in the reception area if you’d like. I won’t be long.”

  I called Garrett while I waited. He assured me that while it was uncharacteristic for Blackbeard not to speak, it wasn’t necessarily a sign that he was sick. He said Kelly was an excellent vet; if she gave him a clean bill of health, there was nothing to worry about. While I had him on the line, I informed him that I’d bring Blackbeard by to see him the following afternoon.

  ******

  I headed upstairs to get ready for my date with Jack when I returned from the vet’s. After taking a quick shower, I stood in front of the open closet in my bra and underwear, deciding what to wear. Jack had asked me to come to his home so we could look at more of the photos he’d found and discuss the case; I supposed technically this was more of a business meeting than a date, so a dress seemed a bit much. On the other hand, jeans and a sweatshirt, my usual kick-around-the-house attire, seemed too casual for my first foray into Jack’s private space.

  “Jill, are you in there?” Vikki called from the other side of the door.

  “Yeah. Come in,” I called back.

  Vikki entered the room and sat down on the side of the bed. “Are you going out?”

  “Dinner at Jack’s house to discuss the case.”

  “Jack’s house.” Vikki raised an eyebrow. “Sounds intimate.”

  I glanced at Vikki, whose grin clearly communicated that she thought there was more going on than there actually was. “Not intimate; just business. Still, I can’t decide what to wear. A dress doesn’t seem right for a working dinner, but jeans and a sweatshirt don’t feel right either.”

  Vikki got up and joined me in front of the closet. She sorted through hangers for a minute before selecting a sweater that fell to my midthigh. It was soft and hugged my frame nicely, and the rich cinnamon color was perfect for an autumn evening.

  “Try this,” Vikki said, “with your black leggings and dark brown boots.”

  She was right; the outfit was perfect. “Thanks. I should have asked you in the first place. You always know the right thing to wear.”

  “Wear, maybe. Do, not necessarily.”

  I pulled the sweater over my head before rummaging around in my dresser for the pair of leggings. “What do you mean by that?” I asked.

  Vikki sighed. “Rick asked me out to dinner. I want to go, but I don’t know if I should. You remember what happened the last time.”

  I did remember. Rick and Vikki’s first date had turned into a night of passion so intense that love-’em-and-leave-’em Victoria Vance had been unable to handle the depth of her emotions and ended up leaving his house in the middle of the night, only to end up in another man’s bed.

  “I know your first date with Rick was a lot more intense than you’re comfortable with, but that doesn’t mean your second date has to end up the same way. It’s fine to slow things down. Go to dinner. Reconnect. Keep it casual, and whatever you do, don’t go back to his house.”

  “Easier said than done.” Vikki groaned. “There’s something about that man that makes me want to undress him every time I see him. He’s so sweet and kind, but he’s also rugged, with a look in his eye that lets you know that if pushed, he can be just a little dangerous as well. And his body…what can I say? He’s gorgeous.”

  “He is put-together rather nicely,” I agreed as I slipped on the leggings. “But if you want to have a relationship with him—a real relationship, not just sex—you need to let him in.”

  Vikki fell back onto the bed so she was staring at the ceiling. “I know. You’re right. We should slow things down. I do want to see if we can have something together and I know I’ll have to allow him in emotionally if I want to do that, but I’m scared.”

  “Of what?” I asked.

  Vikki paused. She sat up and looked at me. “I don’t know. Falling in love. Being hurt. Losing the part of me that makes me who I am. Sex is easy when it isn’t all wrapped up in deep emotions, but when you really care about the person you’re with, it gets complicated.”

  “Complicated isn’t always bad,” I reminded her.

  Vikki laughed. “Look who’s talking. You have this great guy who wants to date you—I mean really date you—and even though I can see you’re totally in to him, you continue to resist him at every turn. Why exactly is that?”

  I frowned but didn’t answer. Vikki had a point. I knew Jack would like to explore the idea of our becoming intimate, and while I cared for him deeply, I blocked his every attempt to expand the parameters of our relationship beyond that of casual friendship. In the beginning, it had seemed I had valid reasons for doing that, but I’d totally forgotten what they were.

  “Look, you don’t have to answer,” Vikki said. “We’re both messes, just in different ways. The reason I came in here in the first place was because Clara told me about the letters you found. The romantic within me was more than a little intrigued.”

  I handed Vikki the box with the letters, photo, and locket. “Jack will be here any minute, but feel free to look at all this. Maybe we can talk about it tomorrow. I’m trying very hard not to get distracted by this mystery because I promised Alex I’d help him.”

  “I don’t have a lot to do regarding Alex’s case. Maybe I can work on this a bit. We’ll chat tomorrow. Tonight, just try to relax and enjoy your dinner with this great guy who really seems to care about you.”

  “Okay.” I hugged Vikki. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  ******

  I knew Jack’s house would be amazing, but even with my high expectations, I wasn’t prepared for how truly awesome it was. Not only was it huge, but it was laid out ranch style on top of a wide bluff overlooking the ocean.

  “It looks like you’ve been working on the case,” I said as I noticed a pile of file folders on the dining table.

  “I’ve been setting up interviews for tomorrow. Will you be available in the morning? I thought maybe we’d try to speak to Hudson and Candy Dickerson next.”

  I nodded. “Yeah, I can be available. I’m taking Blackbeard to see Garrett, but we aren’t going until two. Are you planning to speak to them together or separately?”

  “I’m hoping separately. I called and spoke to Hudson today. He said if I came by the marina around nine he’d be available to answer any questions I have. His boat is down for repair, so he’s leaving to visit a friend at around ten.”

  “I can be ready. Do you want to pick me up at eight-thirty?”

  “That’ll work. I still need to nail down a time to speak to Candy. She’s working at the market these days, but when I spoke to her earlier she said I could come by on her break. She’s going to text me in the morning to let me know what time that will be, though she said she’s usually off in the late morning.”

  “Sounds fine to me.” I picked up a folder and thumbed through it. “I’m anxious to hear what they have to say.”

  “Me too.” Jack took the folder from my hand and set it back onto the table. “But tonight isn’t about working the case. Tonight is about us getting to know each other a little better.”

  “It is?�
�� Suddenly, my heart started to pound and my legs began to shake ever so slightly. I wanted to argue that the whole reason I was there was to work the case, but I remembered Vikki’s words of advice.

  “It is.” Jack took my hand and led me out onto the deck, which had been built on the other side of a wall of windows that seamlessly separated the indoor and outdoor living areas. He offered me a glass of wine as I settled into the soft folds of the outdoor sofa. He sat down next to me, close enough that I could feel the heat from his body. I found I rather liked it.

  “This view is spectacular,” I said after a moment. “If I lived here, I’m not sure I’d ever leave.”

  “Your own home has a pretty spectacular view,” Jack pointed out.

  “True. I guess any view, no matter how amazing, becomes part of your everyday scenery after a while. How long have you lived here?”

  “Just over a year. I love the view and I have a lot of privacy, but it’s occurred to me that the house may be a tad big for just one person. I’ve actually been kicking around the idea of selling it and looking for something smaller.”

  I could see how living in such a huge house all by yourself might get lonely at times. I’d lived alone in a series of tiny apartments for much of my adult life, but now I found I enjoyed living at the resort as part of a family. “If you ever get tired of all this space, I have cabins available,” I teased.

  Jack turned and looked me in the eye, his gaze quite serious. “Thanks. I may take you up on that one day.”

  “I was kidding. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to downsize quite that much. The cabins only have one bedroom.”

  Jack shrugged. “I was quite serious. This house is amazing, but it’s just a house, and one I don’t spend very much time in. The cabins at the resort might be small, but you’ve created something exceptional at Turtle Cove. You’ve created a family. At times, I envy that you have people to go home to at the end of the day.”

  I wasn’t sure what to say to that, so I didn’t say anything at all. I leaned back against the sofa and let myself enjoy the perfection of the moment. The sun was setting in the distance, the wine was delicious, and the music Jack had on in the background provided a setting designed for romance. I thought about my conversation with Vikki and wondered if she wasn’t right and the time had come to allow Jack in. I wasn’t sure we necessarily had a future. In my mind, we were both enjoying a temporary break from our real lives, and I had no reason to believe one or both of us wouldn’t eventually decide to return to what we’d left behind. What I did know was that I felt attracted to a man who seemed to be attracted to me in return, and not embracing this time we could have together seemed like such a waste.

  “What do you have planned for dinner?” I asked after coming to that decision.

  “I picked up some Chinese food, which I’ll reheat when we’re ready. Are you hungry?”

  “Not really. Are you?”

  Jack shrugged. “I could wait a bit.”

  I stood up and held out my hand to him. “Great. Then how about a tour of the house before dinner?”

  Jack looked surprised but stood up and took my hand. “Okay, if you’d like. Is there anything specific you’d like to see? It’s a big house.”

  I leaned in and kissed Jack on the neck. “How about we start with your bedroom and take it from there?”

  Chapter 6

  Saturday, November 18

  I woke with a smile on my face. Last night had been the most perfect of my life. Jack and I had made love and then we’d gone into the kitchen together to heat up the Chinese food, barely eating half of it before we’d abandoned our meal to make love again. Jack had wanted me to stay over, but I needed time to process everything, so I told him that I preferred to go home to be ready for our sleuthing date the following morning. Jack being the intuitive guy he is, graciously drove me home and left me at my front door with a very sweet kiss that lingered in my mind as I drifted off to sleep.

  My instinct in this situation was to obsess about what the change in our relationship would mean, but I made up my mind to trust Jack to know me well enough to realize I would need a little distance to get used to things. When he picked me up, he seemed happy and relaxed and greeted me with a tall cup of coffee and a very sisterly kiss on the cheek.

  “Thank you,” I said as he handed me my coffee.

  Jack winked. “Can’t have my co-sleuth sleeping on the job.”

  I grinned. “I did have a bit of a late night last evening.”

  Jack brushed my hand with his as he helped me into his car. “I don’t suppose you might be up for another late evening tonight?”

  I turned to look at him after buckling my seat belt. “I might.”

  Jack glanced at me out of the corner of his eye as he put the key in the ignition and started the engine. While Jack tried to blend into the Gull Island lifestyle and tended to dress casually and dine in local establishments, it was apparent by the brand-new Maserati he’d bought just a few weeks ago, he drew the line at living a middle-class lifestyle when it came to his car. Well, there was his mansion as well; while he’d expressed his interest in selling the lavish home, I had a feeling the car was here to stay.

  “Did you confirm with Hudson and Candy?” I asked as we sped toward the marina.

  He nodded. “We’ll meet with Hudson at nine and Candy at eleven. If we have time between, we can grab a bite to eat.”

  I hung on to my seat as Jack zipped around a corner. “Do you have any idea what sort of approach we should take with them? They were close to both Trey and Heather. It seems they could have a lot of insight into what happened, but they could also feel the need to protect what they know.” I glanced at Jack’s hands on the steering wheel. They were strong and tanned and I found myself blushing as I remembered them on my body the night before.

  “I think we do what we’ve done in the past,” Jack answered. “We take it easy in the beginning and see where the conversation takes us. I know there’s a time for the direct approach, but Trey’s death is still fairly fresh in everyone’s mind, so I think we’re likely to get more information with sympathy than confrontation.”

  “I’m sure you’re right.”

  Jack glanced at me and smiled. I was smiling back as he turned into the marina parking lot. I realized in that moment that if we weren’t careful, everyone was going to know how our dinner had gone the previous evening, and for reasons I couldn’t quite define, I wasn’t ready to share our new relationship status with anyone quite yet.

  Hudson Dickerson was a tall man with broad shoulders who looked like he could have had a career in football if he’d wanted one. He had longish brown hair that stuck out from beneath his baseball cap and a smudge of grease on his cheek, which I assumed came from the engine he’d been working on. He seemed friendly enough, greeting us with a smile and offering us cups of coffee so thick I was sure we’d have to chew it to get it down.

  He motioned us to seats on one of the benches near where he was working. I found myself glad I wasn’t wearing white; the bench looked to be almost as greasy as the engine.

  “You wanted to talk to me about Trey?” he asked at last.

  “Yes, we do,” Jack confirmed. “A friend of ours is writing a book about his life and death, focusing on his baseball career. We’re helping him to gather information pertaining to the last weeks before his death.”

  “His kin know you’re doing this?”

  “Yes,” Jack assured him. “Feel free to call them if you like.”

  Hudson shrugged. “Don’t see why you’d lie. What do you want to know?”

  Jack started out slowly, asking him about his relationship with Trey and the years they’d spent together, growing up as best friends. He asked about the Little League teams they’d both played on and the trouble they’d gotten into when left to their own devices over summer vacations. It was obvious Hudson had cared very much about Trey and the conversation wasn’t easy for him, but I sensed he’d begun to relax and even begu
n to trust Jack by the time he got to the more difficult questions about his death.

  “What can you tell me about the party?” Jack asked.

  “What do you mean? Like who was there and stuff?” Hudson asked.

  “Sure. Who was there, who was getting along, who wasn’t?”

  “Me and a couple of the other guys we went to high school with were the ones who decided to throw the party to celebrate Trey’s success. It seemed likely he was going to be drafted into the Major League, and we were all proud of him and the recognition he brought to our high school. Most of the people we invited knew him from before he went to college, but he brought his girl with him, and there were a couple of friends of his I didn’t really know.”

  Jack narrowed his gaze. “I know his girlfriend at the time was named Rena Madison. Were the friends you referred to Jett Strong and Parker Wilson?”

  “I don’t think Jett was a friend of Trey’s. In fact, Jett and Trey seemed to have a pretty fierce rivalry going on. But Rena was his girlfriend, and she invited her friend, Quinn, and Quinn’s boyfriend, Parker. I sort of got the idea Parker and Trey weren’t all that close, but I didn’t sense the hostility I did between Trey and Jett.”

  “So you think Quinn came to the party as a friend of Rena’s and Parker came as Quinn’s date?”

  “That would be my take on things. Trey had words with Rena about inviting them, but she basically told him that they were her friends and she’d invite them if she wanted to. I don’t know if this was widely known, but Trey planned to dump Rena after they got back to college, and it seemed to me that Rena might have somehow gotten wind of that and decided to bring reinforcements to the party.”

  “And how did Heather take it when Rena showed up?”

  “Heather was pissed at first, but I told her what Trey had told me about breaking up with her, and Heather felt sorry for the bitch. I couldn’t believe how friendly she was being, although I guess that helped Trey out because Rena basically ignored him once Heather introduced her around a bit.”