Heart Wounds (A Miranda and Parker Mystery) (33 page)
Read Heart Wounds (A Miranda and Parker Mystery) Online
Authors: Linsey Lanier
“I agree,” he said. And he gave her hand a very businesslike shake.
Miranda let out a long breath of relief. He’d agreed. He didn’t want to dissolve the partnership as she’d feared he might. They could work together. They could do it.
“Oh.” She bounced to the edge of her chair as she remembered. “In the spirit of our new agreement, I have something else to tell you. I was walking the halls this morning, thinking about the case, going over all that’s happened and everything came together. I figured out who took the dagger.”
She grinned at him with pride. Then she saw him struggle to look expectant. “Who?”
Her shoulders slumped. “You knew?”
He looked away.
“Didn’t we just make an agreement?”
He sighed. “I figured it out before we left the hotel for Camden.”
That was w
hen he’d made the arrangement to meet Shrivel, no doubt. She shook her head and laughed. “Guess that’s what happens when you’re hitched to an ace investigator.”
“Guess so.”
She leaned in, let him pull her into a half embrace and dared to plant a kiss on his swollen lip. He didn’t wince this time. He would wear his wounds like the warrior he was.
“I made a call, and I think everything’s going to work out.”
“With the dagger?”
She nodded. “And Sir Neville.”
Ignoring the pain, he gave her a proud grin. “Excellent work, detective.”
The next day Parker was ready to get off the IV and onto solid foods, and that evening he took his first walk around the hall, though it was a painful trip with his bruised ribs. Miranda liked that he had to lean on her, even if he acted as if he didn’t need to.
Sir Neville and Lady Davinia came to visit
to thank them for all they’d done.
While Sir Neville stayed in the room
with Parker, Davinia took Miranda aside and told her everything. Including the news that she and Neville had made amends and had returned the dagger to the museum.
Miranda smiled at the understated way she summed up the two monumental events.
Neville, of course, wouldn’t press charges, Davinia told her. They weren’t sure yet what action the police would take, though. Miranda secretly hoped Inspector Wample had had enough of this case.
“What are you going to do now?”
she asked as they strolled past the nurses’ station.
Davinia turned to her with her regal air.
“Lionel’s going abroad. He says he needs to get away to pick up the pieces of his life.”
“Oh.
” She hadn’t expected to hear that.
“He’s talking about opening another real estate office in Madrid. It will keep him busy.”
“I guess it will.” She dared to ask the real question. “What about you and Neville?” Could they make it work?
Davinia’s look turned wistful. “We’re planning a new life, too.”
“Really?”
Her eyes grew intense. “I’m tired of my status. The
flower shows, the royal regattas, the dinner parties. I’m sick to death of it. Every bit of it.”
That was a shocker. Miranda had thought it was her life.
Davinia took Miranda’s hands in hers. “If all works out, if I’m freed of the charges, Neville and I are going away.”
“Away?”
She nodded. “He’s going to give up his position and hand the museum over to George. And we’re going to travel.”
Miranda had to blink at that.
“To where?”
“Everywhere.
Paris. Rome. Athens. The excavation sites in Alexandria. We want to see every relic, every painting, every work of art the world has ever produced. It will take us the rest of our lives just to make a start, but….Oh, Ms. Steele. It’s what I’ve always wanted.”
Miranda was stunned.
But she finally thought she understood Davinia. “And what Sir Neville wanted, too.”
“Yes. He’s delighted with the plan. After all
our recent sorrow, all the pain we put each other through, I simply can’t believe we can be so happy.”
Miranda squeezed the lady’s hands, knowing she might be in the presence of true nobility. And that
she was honored to be a part of setting things straight for this couple. For these friends.
“I’m happy, too,” she told her. “For both of you.”
###
Two days later, the hospital released Parker and they decided to head home. The flight would be dicey but it would be awhile before he was fully healed and Parker was anxious to get back.
As they left the hospital, the British newshounds accosted them, demanding a story. They wanted to know details about what had happened with Scorpion, the return of the dagger, how as an American he felt about the crime rate in Britain.
Miranda nearly told them all to go to hell but Parker managed
a dignified, “No comment.” Then they got into a cab and headed for Heathrow, while Big Ben rang out for the last time.
For
this trip anyway.
They were home. Time to get back to normal and get Parker back to health.
But after a couple
days of playing mother hen and nursemaid to him, Parker kicked Miranda out of the house and told her to take some time for herself. He would have told her to go shopping but that only would have gotten him a dirty look.
Instead, since the kids were out of school, she called Mackenzie and asked if the
girl wanted to go for a run in Chastain Park.
As they
jogged together over the rolling red clay path, the smell of wisteria and Georgia pines in the warm summer air, Miranda thought how good it was to be back in Atlanta. The place she now thought of as home. The place where she had people she thought of as family.
They
trotted along slowly since they were still both supposed to be recuperating from old injuries, while Miranda told her daughter about what London was like and the less violent parts of the case.
“That sounds interesting,” Mackenzie said
as they curved around a duck pond. “I might become a detective some day.”
Miranda had to look away
and pretended to concentrate on a preening goose near the water. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that idea. “You mean it?”
The girl just shrugged. “
I’m just toying with the thought.”
“Sure.” Of course.
Kids imagined themselves in twenty different careers before they settled on one. Or life made the choice for them. There was plenty of time to think about it. Mackenzie was only fourteen.
When they reached the other side of the pond
they slowed to a walk to cool down, and their conversation turned to skating and Wendy and the upcoming Atlanta Open.
Mackenzie wiped her b
row with her towel. “Wendy’s sit spins are getting better. I think she’s got a real chance at finaling.”
“That’s great.” Miranda couldn’t help breaking out in a smile. They’d both be proud of her.
They passed a man walking a big white dog. After he was gone Miranda stopped and faced her daughter. “Mackenzie, I want to say something to you.”
Her dark brows drew together in that ultra-serious adult look. “What is it?”
“Before I left for London, you mentioned something to me....”
“What?”
Didn’t she remember? “About finding your father.”
“Oh, that.” She
turned her head and studied a nearby willow tree. “What about it?”
“Well.” Miranda hesitated.
She wasn’t sure how to say it, but she thought of the promises she and Parker had made to each other. No more lying. No more hiding things from each other. And what was good for the goose and the gander, was good for the goose and her chick.
“
I want to say I wasn’t completely honest that day.”
Mackenzie turned back her
, eyes glowing. With expectation or anger Miranda couldn’t tell. “What do you mean?”
Miranda took a deep breath, sucked up her nerves and spat it out. “I don’t know if I could find your father. Maybe I could. The truth is....I don’t want to find him. I don’t want you to know him. He’s a criminal. Probably rotting in prison somewhere.” She hoped. “But it doesn’t matter what he is or was. You’re your own person. You don’t have to worry about him. You’re going to make your own life.”
Mackenzie stared at her as if she couldn’t understand where all that had come from. But her deep eyes glistened with tears.
Finally she swiped at her cheek and shook her head. “That’s okay,
Mother. I told you before I understand. I really do.” Smiling mostly to herself, she looked at the running path. “C’mon. I think I can go a little farther. And I want to tell you about this guy.”
“Guy?”
But Mackenzie had already taken off and Miranda had to gather herself quick and catch up to her. “What guy?” she asked when she did.
“I met him in
biology class last year. He’s been hanging around the skating rink. I think he’s cute.”
“Cute, huh?”
“I kind of think he likes me.”
Uh oh. She wondered what Mackenzie’s adopt
ive mother was going to say to this.
As she listened to
her daughter describe the young fellow and the sound of their running shoes pounding against the red clay, Miranda decided the adventure of parenthood might turn out to be more harrowing than facing down a shopful of killers.
###
Feeling happier and more carefree than she had in months Miranda pulled her car into the drive and hurried up the walkway to the massive front door of the Parker estate.
She’d dropped Mackenzie off at
home and now she was back at the big house in Mockingbird Hills. Home. Even though it didn’t seem so big now after the museum and all the castles she’d been to. It might even be taking on a homey look. She liked that.
Humming a tune, she stepped inside and smiled at the familiar
entrance hall with its not-so-huge crystal chandeliers and its not-so-ancient marble tile. She hurried to the mahogany staircase.
Parker should be napping in bed. Time to check on him and fuss at him if he wasn’t.
As she took the first step, her cell buzzed. She pulled it out of her pocket. Text message. Was he turning motherly now and checking on her? She began to read.
Her whole body went cold as she froze on the step.
I know where you are.
What the hell? She’d gotten almost the same message right after their last case.
Like that one, this was anonymous. What did it mean?
Stalker was her first thought. She should tell Parker. They should look into it.
Then she shook her head. She’d been on the news. People as far away as London knew who she was. This was a prank. Or maybe someone wanting money. Somebody looking for notoriety or fortune on someone else’s coattails.
“Miranda?” she heard Parker call from upstairs.
She hesitated on the steps. No more lying. No more hiding things from each other.
If she told Parker about this, he’d only worry and he needed to rest. She wasn’t going to do that to him. She wasn’t going to spoil their evening together because of some jerk who just wanted attention.
“Coming,” she called out.
This didn’t count.
She deleted the message, shoved the phone back into her pocket and hurried up the stairs.
She couldn’t wait to give her he-man a great big welcome home kiss.
THE END
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Heart Wounds
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THE MIRANDA’S RIGHTS MYSTERY SERIES