NOT What I Was Expecting (26 page)

Ah-ha, I thought.  He
told my mother what she wanted to hear so she wouldn’t give us or him a hard
time.  He’s actually brilliant, but I’ll never tell him I think that. 

I glanced over at
CeCe, who looked bewildered and disappointed at my mother’s announcement.  I
smiled and gave her a single knowing nod to reassure her that all was not as it
seemed and not to worry.

After dinner, we
insisted the sisters go home and get some rest.  They coerced a promise that we
would keep them informed by threatening to call the police if they hadn’t heard
from us by 9:30 tomorrow morning.  They assured us that as long as things were
following the plan to get Fry back, they wouldn’t interfere.

Once the sisters
headed home, Luke turned to CeCe and me to ask, “Hey, what happened to Peso and
Sassy Cat?   I don’t think I’ve seen them since before your mothers arrived.”

CeCe and I looked
around, muttered agreement noises, and began to search throughout the house. 
Luke and I were still in mid search when CeCe came up behind us and whispered,
“I found them.  Follow me, but be quiet,” she warned.

We followed CeCe
through her bedroom and into her bathroom.  There, curled up on her super-plush
bath mat, Sassy Cat slept quietly.  Lying alongside her with his nose tucked
carefully into her long fur for warmth was Peso.  We all suppressed our desire
to laugh, and in the silence heard Peso’s soft snores (mainly because they were
muffled by Sassy Cat’s fur).  We eased back out into the hall before we spoke.

“Do you think she
knows he’s there?” CeCe asked, amazed that out socially inhibited cat would
allow such liberties from the tiny, big-eared interloper.

“Not necessarily,”
Luke and I responded at the same time.

“Maggie and I have
already experienced how sneaky he can be when he switches to stealth mode,” Luke
explained.  “I don’t think the little guy likes being alone, and since we were
preoccupied, maybe he transferred his affections from us to the cat.”

“Oh, I hope not,”
I interjected.  “I mean, yes, I want him to like Sassy Cat, but I’ll also miss
him if he isn’t in bed with me tonight.”

Luke raised his
eyebrows, smiled and asked, “I’m sorry, I missed that first part.  Were you
talking about me?”

CeCe giggled and
slapped her hand over her mouth.

“What did I say
about encouraging him, CeCe?  Don’t do it,” I ranted and then turned my
attention to Luke.  “You can sleep in CeCe’s room tonight, and she’ll sleep in my
room with me.  Does that answer your question, Slick?”

“No problem,” Luke
said with his smile losing none of its wattage.

“Wait a minute. 
Why is he sleeping in my room?” CeCe wanted to know.  “Why can’t he sleep in
your room and you can sleep in with me?”

“CeCe, can I speak
to you in the kitchen for a minute,” I asked physically hauling CeCe behind me
down the hall.

“I’ll go get our
bags out of the car,” Luke said as he headed toward the door, “but she’s going
to tell you she doesn’t want me going through her drawers, CeCe.  Which, by the
way, I would never do,” Luke added over his shoulder just before he was out of
shouting distance.

“He’s so smug.  He
thinks he’s so smart,” I said through gritted teeth with my arms crossed across
my chest.

“Yeah,” CeCe
agreed as she nodded and smiled, still staring where Luke used to be standing.

“CECE!” I barked.

“What?  I’m
listening to you,” she said looking at me now but still smiling.  “I just think
you guys make such a cute couple.  But okay sorry, you were going to tell me
why you want me to sleep in your room.”

I stood there with
my arms folded, my toe tapping, and a little burst of steam probably coming out
of my ears.  I had nothing.  I had to say it.

“I don’t want him
going through my drawers.  There!  I said it!  Can we please just get on with
our lives now?”  I was feeling more than a little childish, but I was also
convinced I’d NEVER get to sleep if Luke was alone in my bedroom. 

CeCe had turned
her back to me as she was getting something out of the refrigerator.  I started
to say goodnight and leave but noticed her shoulders jiggle.  Oh, no she better
not.

“CeCe,” I asked,
inching my way around to get a side view of her face, “are you laughing at me?”

“I’m sorry.  I’m
so sorry, Mags,” CeCe tried to enunciate between guffaws of laughter.  I guess
since she’d been caught she saw no point in trying to hold it in.  “It’s just –
it’s just – you guys are so perfect for each other.  Please tell me you still
see that.  I know you were all infatuated with him when you left, and I know
you’ve both had a rough few days, but I have never, EVER, met anyone I feel
would – ah, work harder on that sunroom than he would.  Oh, hey, Luke.  Here,
let me help you with those bags.  I was telling Mags I have a friend who wants
a sunroom addition, if you have some guys to send to her place, you know, when
everything gets straightened out.”

“Uh, that’s okay,
CeCe, I’ve got these, but you can take the bag with Peso’s gear if you want,”
Luke insisted, without relinquishing either his duffel or my overnight bag. 
“I’ll just stick Maggie’s bag in her room.  Look, CeCe, why don’t you stay in
your room, and Maggie can stay in hers.  I’m fine crashing on the sofa.  I’m
not sure I can sleep anyway, so this way I’m close to the kitchen in case I
need another pot of coffee,” Luke concluded with a tired smile.

I don’t think he
saw me watching him from the kitchen, but I still found it difficult not to
study him when he wasn’t aware he was being observed.  As much easier as it
would make my life if it weren’t true, CeCe was right.  I was still convinced
he was wonderful, although maybe it was buried a little deeper down inside him
than I originally suspected.  To tell the truth, I wasn’t always that easy to
get along with either, so if he was slightly difficult at times, maybe he did
deserve me.  That thought made me smile.

CHAPTER 20

I woke up Tuesday
morning to the sound of muffled voices and the smell of something sweet.  What
is that, I wondered – maple syrup?  Whatever it was it smelled good.  I was
glad to be back in my own bed.

The warm and fuzzies
I was feeling didn’t last long, as yesterday’s events came back so fast they
took my breath away.  Fry.  We had to get Fry back.  I sat up, looked at the
clock which read 7:08 a.m. and jumped out of bed.  I dashed into the bathroom,
took a quick shower, did the hair and makeup thing, pulled on jeans and a pink
hoodie t-shirt, and made my way to the kitchen.

If I expected to
be ahead of those early birds, at least in the clean and dressed department, I
was sadly mistaken.  CeCe and Luke sat at the table, both already showered and
dressed, and CeCe’s hair and makeup looked spectacular.  Their plates indicated
they had already eaten what looked like pancakes with syrup.

“What time did you
people get up?” I asked as I looked around for Peso and found him sleeping
under the kitchen table at CeCe’s feet.

“Well, I woke up
around 5:30, and I couldn’t go back to sleep because I was thinking about Fry. 
I decided to get up and get some coffee started, but I was too late,” CeCe
informed me with a big smile.  “Luke and Peso were already up.  At least Luke
was up, and Peso was out here with him,” CeCe explained as she glanced under
the table at the sleeping Peso.

“What time did you
get up?” I asked Luke.

“Let’s just say it
was early,” he answered with a strained smile.

“Yeah, he wouldn’t
tell me either,” CeCe said with her smile still set at full wattage. 

Something was up
with her, but I would have to give that a thought later.  Right now I needed
coffee.

“Luke, are you
worried about the plan to get Fry back?” I asked as I poured my coffee.  “Do
you want to talk about it?”

“Thanks a lot,
Maggie,” CeCe said in mock disgust.  “I’ve spent the last hour steering his
mind away from that subject.  He and I talked it out when I first got up, and
although he’s worried about Fry’s safety, he has a wonderful plan.  It’s going
to work, and we’re going to get Fry back.  Then we’ll all be able to
concentrate on other important things,” CeCe concluded with a giggle.

“Yeah, CeCe, high
five – uh, have you been drinking this morning?” I asked carefully.

“No!” she
replied.  With that shocked declaration, her smile did leave her for about five
seconds.  Then it was back as she stood, walked to the counter where I was
doctoring my coffee, and threw her arms around me.  “I just love you so much.”

When she noticed
the puzzled look on my face, she brought it down a notch or two.  “And I’m just
really glad you and Luke are here with me while I navigate this emotional
roller coaster I’ve found myself stuck on since Fry was abducted
right in
front of me.
”

If the emphasis
she placed on the last part of her explanation was intended as a subject
closer, it worked.

Luke fixed me some
pancakes, and then we all sat around talking while I ate.

When CeCe
announced she was going to take Peso out for a quick spin around the yard since
he just woke up (again), Luke and I were alone.

“What,” I asked as
soon as CeCe was out the door, “is up with CeCe this morning?

Luke smiled at me
but didn’t say anything for a minute.

“What?” I
demanded.

“I think she just
wants to be encouraged about our prospects of getting Fry back.  She’s kind of
overwhelmed by how things are going with Ben, but doesn’t feel like she can
really be happy, or excited about anything until Fry is safe.”  When I raised
one eyebrow to question that statement, Luke continued, “She was telling me how
wonderful Ben’s treated her the over last few days, and she’s all — didn’t she
tell you any of this?” he asked me with a devilish grin.

“No,” I kind of
pouted, although I didn’t mean for it to come out that way.  “So she filled you
in on where she stands in her relationship, and that’s all you two talked
about, huh?”

He tried to stop grinning
at me and look serious but failed.  “Uh, I think there might have been
something else, but I’m having trouble remembering . . . ,” Luke faked
concentration, but it was obvious it wasn’t something he did often, because he
looked more constipated than contemplative.

“You’re leaving
something out,” I accused suspiciously.  “You know it, and I know it, so
spill.”

“Let’s see,” Luke
still pretended to be in deep concentration mode.  “We did talk about you for a
while after that, and she told me several amusing anecdotes starring Maggie as
the goddess of love and every man’s dream.”

“Oh, no she
didn’t.  Did she?” I asked, but even before Luke was busy trying to hide his
guilty grin I knew the answer to that question.  I’m sure CeCe felt she was
helping my cause and pushing Luke closer to me, but sometimes I wish everyone
would just stop helping me.  This was one of those times.  As I reached out and
turned his watch face toward me, so I could see what I might possibly have time
to squeeze in before we had to go, Luke apparently looked at his watch at the
same time.

“Oops, we’ll have
to discuss this later,” Luke announced as he looked at his watch and stood to
take his dishes to the sink.  “Time to hit the road.”  When he turned away from
the sink, he said, “Be right back.”

Although the tone
of his voice was light, the strain on his face indicated he wasn’t taking this
lightly at all.  Since CeCe, with Peso in tow, was coming in the door just
before he headed down the hall, I assumed his cavalier attitude was for our
benefit.

“Are you ready,
CeCe?” I asked as I rinsed out my coffee cup.  “Luke’s about ready to head to
his house for the call.”

“Correction,” Luke
said so forcefully that his tone made me jump when he came in behind me.  “I
am
ready, and I’m heading out.  Wish me luck.”

“What do you mean
wish you luck?” I asked grabbing his arm so he couldn’t take another step until
we cleared up this confusion.  “CeCe and I are coming with.”

“Oh, no you don’t.” 
While he chuckled, he shook his head.  “You are not pulling that on me again. 
I’m just going to run to my place, take the phone call from Fry’s thugs, and
come right back here to finalize the plan.  You and CeCe do not need to be
there for that.  I already told your mother you would not be anywhere near that
phone call.  End of discussion.”

“Hey,” CeCe said
calmly, “you two can do whatever you want about Maggie going, but I’m the one
who just stood by and allowed Fry to be grabbed.  I’m definitely there.”

Luke took a deep
breath and lost the chuckle.  “Look,” he began slowly and calmly.  “This is
what I need you both to do.  STAY HERE.”

Okay, that last
part was a little louder than necessary.

“Please,” Luke
continued more gently.  “I can’t concentrate on what these guys tell me if I
have to worry about making sure you’re both safe.  Maggie, just let me do this
my way, okay?”  His eyes might have pleaded with me, but his tone sort of
repeated his earlier
end of discussion
comment.

I genuinely did
not want to make this harder for him than it already was, and he obviously felt
strongly about it, so I said, “Okay.  CeCe and I will stay here, but you come
straight back and tell us what they said.  Deal?”

Luke looked
shocked for only a moment before he adopted his controlled expression once
more.  “Deal,” he agreed, turned and bolted for the door before anyone else had
any other objections.  When he was almost to the front door, he smiled at me
over his shoulder and yelled, “Peso, you’re in charge until I get back.”

“Be careful,” I
whispered, but he was already gone.

“So what do we do
to pass the time until he gets back?” CeCe asked as she looked around for
ideas.

“Oh, I have a
great idea,” I told her as I headed for the foyer to retrieve my car keys from
the basket on the table.  After I grabbed them, I dangled them to show CeCe
what I had.

“Uh-oh,” CeCe said
so quietly I almost didn’t hear her.  “Maggie, what are you doing?”

“My car hasn’t
been run for days.  I think it would be best if we took it for a spin, don’t
you?” I asked CeCe innocently.

“Um, that depends,
Mags,” CeCe answered slowly.  “In which direction you feel your car might be
spinning.”

“Well, probably in
a direction that would prevent someone from having to face an ambush alone
should a couple of murdering kidnappers show up at a location they are supposed
to phone.  Come on, CeCe,” I encouraged, “we have to make sure Luke is okay. 
With us around, it’s three to two in our favor.”

“I’m not so sure
you and I would count as two whole people, but when you put it that way, I’m
in,” CeCe caved.

I slowly brought
my car to a stop on the street behind Uncle Barney’s house.  “Okay, let’s go,”
I said and grabbed the door handle. 

“Wait a minute,”
CeCe said nervously, “We need a plan.  How are we going to sneak around the
house without Luke seeing us?” 

“Easy,” I said.  “The
houses are so far apart that there are no fences in this neighborhood.  We’ll
just cut straight through this yard into Uncle Barney’s backyard.  Then we just
have to get under that broken window you told me about.  That way, we can hear
the phone call and keep an eye out for the kidnappers.”

CeCe stared at me
for a moment.  “When you say it like that it almost sounds like we could do
it.”

I started to get
out of the car, but CeCe grabbed my arm.

“Almost,” she
emphasized.

“Luke is going to
have all his attention focused on the phone,” I pointed out, “We could probably
have a party in the back yard, and he wouldn’t notice.  We can’t let him do
this alone.  We don’t want him outnumbered if they show up, remember?” I
pleaded. 

“You’re right.  I
know you’re right,” CeCe said, and took a deep cleansing breath.  “Let’s move
out.”  We quickly tiptoed across the neighbor’s lawn.  When we reached the edge
of Uncle Barney’s yard, we decided to try scooting along the perimeter where
there was a line of hedges for cover.  We tried to move quickly as we hugged
the hedges, but the darn things kept grabbing onto our clothes and snagging our
hair.

“Oh, no,” CeCe
screeched in a strangled whisper.

 “What’s the
matter?” I asked quickly. 

“I ripped my
sweater on this stupid bush!” she exclaimed.

It was one of her
favorite sweaters, and the look on her face told me she intended to make that
bush pay dearly for its crime.  She grabbed the top of its skinny trunk, gave
it a few shakes, and finished with four or five swift kicks to the bottom of
its trunk.  She was muttering something about seeing the Karate Kid movie 50
times and it had better watch out, as she inspected the hole in her sweater.

 “Are you done,
because I think we might as well just ring the doorbell at this point,” I said
bitterly.

 “Oh, he didn’t
see us or he’d be out here by now.  Come on,” she said still cranky about the
sweater.  We actually managed a little stealth as we reached the left side of
the house and flattened ourselves gently against the outside wall.  We
slithered along the wall a few feet, and then needed to make our way around the
extra tall bird feeder pole Uncle Barney had set up at one of his kitchen
windows.  I looked up to make sure I was not shaking anything, when a very
inconsiderate bird kicked down a rain of birdseed on my head.  Of course my
mouth was open when I looked up – I mean, it’s me.  I automatically coughed,
hacked, and spit a little before I looked up into CeCe’s horrified face.

 “How loud was
that?” I whispered.  The back door creaked open in answer to my question. 
“Run!” I whispered.  As we both turned to dash back to the hedges my nose bumped
the end of a long gun barrel or at least it looked really long from my angle. 

“Maggie,” Luke
said it like a curse word. 

“I . . . ,” I
began, but Luke stopped me with an upheld hand.  He turned away from us and
swore at the ground for a minute.  He looked at me for a second, but then
returned to swearing at the ground.  CeCe and I both waited patiently for him
to finish, appreciating his restraint. 

Finally, he said,
“Inside.”

“I think I’d like
to stay out here where there are witnesses,” I said.  Instead of arguing with
me, he took me by the arm and firmly led me inside. 

CeCe followed us as
she explained, “This was all my idea.  Maggie did not want to come.  She wanted
to do what you asked.”

Good ol’ CeCe. 
She didn’t want Luke to be mad at me.  Unfortunately, he didn’t buy it for a
second.  He pulled me quickly through the kitchen and plopped me on the sofa in
the living room. 

“Sit,” he
commanded CeCe as he pointed at the sofa.  He laid the gun on the coffee table
as he started pacing.  “You do realize I was pointing a loaded gun at you two,
right?” 

We both nodded. 

“I got that out of
Uncle Barney’s gun cabinet on the off chance the kidnappers decided to show up
in person.  When I heard someone outside, I was fully prepared to use it.”  He
stopped pacing.  “When I shoot, I don’t miss.  Do you understand what I’m
saying?” 

We nodded.

His anger drained
away, and he replaced it with concern.  “Do you two even – don’t you think . .
. .”  He stopped short when the phone rang. 

He quickly picked
up the phone next to the recliner.  “Luke Becnel,” he answered.  He listened
for a moment and then said, “Yes, I have it.  I understand.”  I heard a deep
voice talking on the other end and saw Luke’s eyes tense.  “I was thinking more
along the lines of a drop.  Once I see Fry is free, I’ll leave it somewhere for
you.”  Luke listened again.  “I am not trying to find a way to keep the
painting,” Luke asserted calmly.  “I have zero interest in it.  It’s yours.  I
just need a guarantee that my friend will be returned unharmed.”