Flying in Shadows (The Black Creek Series, Book 2) (26 page)

Chapter 21

Andy remained still as beams of morning light lined the air in the cabin of the boat.
He would never let go again. She was his now.

With their legs twined, Rose lay sleeping, using his shoulder as a pillow in the chilly
morning. He watched the rise and fall of her back as it moved with the slight sway
of the boat. Closing his eyes, he rested his chin on the top of her head. How did
this happen?

He was able to tell the moment she woke from the change in her breathing. Brushing
the bits of hair from her face, he tucked the short pieces behind her ear. With her
neck now exposed, he set his lips on the side of her neck and whispered, "Good morning,"
then rolled to his side, propping himself on his elbow.

"Mmm." Her eyes lit when she opened and saw him. "Good morning."

He heard her breath catch, just a little, as he crawled over her and walked naked
to the small fridge, taking out two bottles of water.

Sitting up, Rose blurted out, "Jeez, I left Grace, Gracie, Grace. I left both of them."

Kissing her forehead, he sat back next to her. "I left the carpenter. They'll live.
Today's the Fourth." He twisted the cap off the first bottle and handed it to her.

Rose sighed. "Your folks' party, yes. We should start with food, though. I'm thinking
I'm famished." Looking down at her naked body, then next to the floor at her torn
shirt, she added, "And I need a shirt."

He let his gaze travel to her breasts. "That would be a shame." He grinned. "I don't
remember these."

"I was one of the few that benefitted from the freshman fifteen."

He got up and sauntered to another compartment. He had a small stash of clothes and
an extra toothbrush for reasons he wasn't about to confess.

"Thanks." She wrapped their blanket around her and headed to the tiny bathroom with
things in hand.

He dressed and waited on the couch with his legs propped on the secured coffee table.
Surreal. She didn't seem to take any more time getting ready than she ever had and
came out quickly still looking loose and lazy.

"I know an incredible little dive that I remember has the best French toast this side
of the great lakes," he said.

She adjusted an earring and smiled. "I'm hungry. Let's do it. Then, we should pick
up Charcoal before heading to your folks'. He'll be so glad to see you."

They found the place just before starvation hit. Debating, he argued they hadn't replaced
the tables or chairs, while Rose thought they'd rearranged the layout.

Eating dripping French toast, he noticed her watch the owners working behind the long
counter. Although elderly and slow, they had a rhythm and seemed to work as a unit,
a team. No one but Andy would have noticed the slight change in her expression.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing." Her eyes softened as she looked at him. "Nothing at all, actually."

"I've got to put in a few hours at work today and I'd like to get to Gracie's pad.
That's what Delores and I like to call it."

Rose lifted her eyebrows as she dipped a bite in syrup. "Delores?"

"Mmm, yes. She'll be brokenhearted that I'm two-timing her now. Except, she has had
her eye on a man in her Silver Sneakers class."

Rose took her coffee in both hands and propped her elbows on the table, sipping as
she listened.

"...worked for me going on three years now. She's a gift. A good-luck charm and is
one of the prettiest ladies I know." He picked up his mug and drank. "As I was saying,
I'd hoped to finish Gracie's pad soon." He smiled wide. "But I was pulled off the
job yesterday."

* * *

In Rose's pickup, they rounded the corner onto the cul-de-sac.

"Look, the neighbor's flowerbeds are in full bloom. My mother takes care of these
over here...blue hydrangeas, yellow day lilies, creeping petunias. This is one of
the prettiest times of the year," she said. "Sometimes I miss working in the dirt."

The next thing she mentioned was Dave's unmarked car in the drive. "Uh, oh," she mumbled.
"This can't be good." She turned to him sheepishly. "I should see what's up. You don't
have to be here for this."

He shook his head at her. "I just got you back." They opened their doors at the same
time and walked around to the front of her truck.

"Together then," she said and reached out her hand.

It was quiet as they climbed the handful of porch steps. No barking. No arguing. Rose
used her key. Slowly, she opened the door halfway. Stopping, she softly called out,
"Mom? Dad?"

They could clearly hear murmuring from the kitchen. With Rose by his side, they headed
in that direction.

Sounding annoyed, Rose spoke up, "I know you can hear—holy shit!" Her hand covered
her eyes like she'd been blinded by the sun.

Her stepdad stood in his boxers, partially hidden by her mother, who was wrapped in
a bed sheet. She was sitting on the kitchen counter with a carton of cookies and cream
between them and the oddest expression on her face that Rose had ever seen—even if
from between her fingers. Her frigging parents.
Divorced
parents. Eating ice cream. Half naked. In the kitchen. "What the hell?"

"Hello, Andy." Her mother shifted her posture as if that would make a bit of difference.
"Charcoal's in the yard, Rose dear. If you wouldn't mind going back to get him, your
dad and I could... you know. Get dressed."

* * *

Rose paced as they waited, frustrated with Andy's easy demeanor. He sat on the floor,
scratching the hundred-twenty-pound Lab's belly. They both made male purring noises
of bonding and macho shit.

Looking up to her, he smiled. "Don't look to me for shock and disgust, my folks are
like rabbits."

Men.

Dave came down in wrinkled work clothes, her mother in a coral no-sleeved mock turtle
neck and ivory slacks with no-toe pumps.

Andy joined them and they all sat at the kitchen table. This was one of those times
she wished she couldn't read him so well, because she could tell Andy was ready to
burst out laughing. Traitor.

"Well?" Juvenilely, Rose crossed her arms. "Are you two sneaking the hell around?
What the hell happened to your eye?"

Dave and Andy looked at each other in some kind of silent understanding.

Men.

Her mother placed her hand gently on Rose's. "That's a lot of 'hells,' honey." Nodding
over to Andy, she just as juvenilely responded, "Hypocrite much?"

Rose looked back and forth between the three of them, then rubbed her hands over her
face. "Okay, okay. Andy and me later. You two, now."

Dave interrupted with what sounded like his detective's voice. "It's a holiday."

Her mother looked at him much like Rose might toward Andy if they were having one
of their silent conversations, then turned back to her and Andy.

"Yes, it's a holiday," her mother said to them all, "and it looks as if we both have
some explaining to do." She dropped her head on Dave's shoulder, then up again. "But
you'll need to come by this weekend, then I'll explain. Saturday? Please? It's important.
You pick the time."

Rose looked at her through the corner of her eyes. Sighing heavily, she nodded. "All
right. Early afternoon. I have a publicity shoot for the new enclosure with Gracie
in the morning." She turned to Andy. "So, no pressure for you," she said sarcastically.

* * *

Standing in front of the police station, Amanda sighed as Dave ran a hand over her
hair and her cheek, then lightly kissed her bruised eye. "I'm so sorry. Some detective.
Right under my damned nose."

"Stop saying that. This is on me." She took his hand and kissed his palm. "Me." Then,
placed his hand on her cheek. From her small purse, she took out a large pair of sunglasses.

Dave took them from her hands and placed them gingerly over her eyes. "This is the
last time you'll ever have to wear these."

She saw something terrifying in his eyes and it made her feel strangely safe.

"He will never lay a hand on you again. Never. Promise me one more time."

"I promise." She reached up to kiss him. "To never keep anything from you again as
long as I live." Then deepened the kiss before letting him take her hand and walk
into the tall, brick building. She was self-conscious and nervous, embarrassed and
ashamed. Those were familiar feelings. Yet, she also carried a newfound strength.

He led her first to the sketch artist, stopping outside the door. "He came in on the
holiday as a favor. Can you do this? He's good. He'll help you."

Flashes of Michael's face ran across her mind. "It won't be a problem. I should tell
you, though, he changes his appearance. Hair color, style. Colored contacts."

"Yes, we'll go through all that. Get us a face, Amanda."

She gave his fingers a squeeze before parting with him.

Dave went directly to Lieutenant Tanner's office, knocked on the open door before
entering the large room and shutting it behind him. Promptly, he sat in one of the
smooth chairs across from his boss' desk. Then, impatiently rested his forearms on
his thighs.

Dave Nolan and William Tanner went way back to when Tanner was the detective and Dave
just an officer. In the nearly thirty years they'd known each other, Dave had never
entered his office so disheveled. Not really knowing where to start, he decided on
the beginning.

* * *

Rose stood next to an eight-foot, plastic folding table that was set up just outside
the main building. The male bald eagle brought in during the night would like the
outdoors, she decided. It was drizzling, but the eagle didn't care. Not just cold
proof, eagle feathers were nearly waterproof thanks to a gland near their tail feathers
that excreted an oily substance. Strangely, she didn't mind the rain either. The smell
of fresh rain after the long dry spell was soothing and carried its own unique scent.

The bird was weak, yet could stand. Although, at the moment, he preferred to lie on
his belly much like a hen sitting on her eggs. Tearing off small pieces, she hand
fed him bits of frozen rat meat.

At the rumble of the engine, her hand stopped inches from the eagle's mouth. Andy.
Her heart raced. Adrenaline rose. Andrew Reed. He was hers for good this time. Taking
a deep breath, she gave herself a few seconds to take in the thought. She was a little
old for running around the building to jump into his arms, so she focused on the bird.

He must have been frustrated that his food dangled just out of reach, because he rose
up from his belly enough to grab the meat from her hand.

"Good, boy. You're not too weak to get annoyed with me, now are you?"

She heard the car door shut, then saw him make his way around the corner from the
front. She felt like a teenager but made herself keep working. Mature. Professional.
Head over heels. He made worn jeans and a faded polo look like he was on a catwalk,
and she knew that walk minus the jeans and polo. Looking to him slyly, she nodded.

His responding wink stirred her insides. It didn't take him long to pause at the sight
of the bird. Lifting his chin, he walked sideways around to her, then narrowed his
eyes at the eagle. She could have sworn they were having a male testosterone moment,
staring each other down. After what seemed to be an appropriate length of posturing
glares, Andy continued his sideways walk to her. While keeping his eyes on the eagle,
he wrapped a hand around the back of her neck and kissed her forehead with the side
of his mouth, before turning quizzically to look at her.

Answering his unspoken question, she explained, "Lead poisoning. Bullets. Damned hunters...
and I'm not against hunting per se."

"Says the woman who gathers up a loose spider from my boat and sets it free on the
dock." This time he kissed her quickly on the mouth. "Hello."

"Hello back." She thinned her lips. "Several grants and conservation efforts come
from wildlife and gaming groups. They're useful and appreciated. Hell, Dr. Gray is
an avid hunter. It's the careless ones that get to me. And I do mean the ones who
could care less. They claim to be humanely saving animals from overcrowding and starvation.
Do they aim for the ones that would starve? The sick? The old? Never. They go for
the biggest, healthiest buck with the most points they can find, so they can stuff
its head and put it over their fireplace mantle."