True Bliss (34 page)

"Bliss!" Venus Crow enveloped her in a heavily sandalwood-scented embrace, then held her away while she studied her anx-

iously from head to toe. "Oh, my dear, they wouldn't call the police. I told them you could be lying dead somewhere, but they still wouldn't call them."

"I should hope not," Bliss said. "You all knew I left with Sebastian. That means you all knew where I was—if I'm supposed to keep you informed."

"Well, you are." Vic's bare chest expanded. Today his black leather pants were silver-studded at the sideseams. His gray hair hung loose. "We've got a family here, Bliss. Families look out for each other."

"They do, Bliss," Liberty said. Her eyes were puffy as if she'd been crying.

"Thank you," Bliss said. Their concern touched her, but today she was in the mood to love everyone, to embrace everyone. "Any problems Polly? Fab?"

The sisters grinned. "Not a thing," Polly said. "Prue called in a snit again, but I told her you were out."

Fabiola shook her head. Her eyes never left Sebastian. "We got calls from Zoya," she told him. "Polly and I did. We've got interviews tomorrow."

"That's great." He swung Bobby to the floor but kept a grip on his hand. "I'll stop by her office and find out what she's got in mind."

Polly crossed her arms so tightly Bliss hid a smile.

"The police came again just after you left," Fab said. "They keep looking around by the bluff, but I don't think they're finding what they want."

Venus made sounds that might have been a foreign language or an incantation. She wore magenta again. A wide band of black edged blue shadow around her eyes.

"Please, Mom," Polly said. "Relax, will you?"

Venus held up both hands. "I must be open to any messages they want me to receive."

"I want you to receive a message," Sebastian told her. "All of you. Bliss and I are getting married."

In the furor that followed, Bliss struggled beneath the hugs

that came from all sides—including from Sebastian, who took his opportunity to kiss her soundly. Cheers went up.

Bliss had noted that Vic wasn't brimming with enthusiasm at the announcement. She smiled at him. He looked at Sebastian and said, "Take good care of her."

Sebastian studied the other man speculatively. "I intend to."

Bliss hadn't noticed Liberty slip away. The kitchen door opened and she came back in carrying one of the large, gaudy fish she made to sell at local fairs.

"Liberty?"

She shushed Vic. "I want to be the first to give them a gift," she said, holding the pottery piece in both hands. "An engagement gift. I've always thought it would be great to get engaged and for everyone to be happy for you."

Bliss accepted the fish and examined its shiny green and yellow stripes, and popping purple eyes. "It's wonderful, Liberty. Thank you."

"Never be another like it," Vic remarked and Bliss frowned at him. He didn't seem to get it that Liberty loved him. He looked away and added, "Each of your pieces has a lot of energy and humor."

Liberty glowed. "Thank you, Vic."

An awkward lull fell.

"You forgot to tell her Lennox called, too." Liberty said. "Says he's at the Bellevue Arts and Crafts Fair if you can get by."

Bliss observed that Sebastian didn't even react to the mention of Lennox this time. He said, "We can stop by this evening if you feel like it."

Polly wiped her hands on her jeans and went to open the oven. The smell of roasting garlic escaped. "The poets are eating in," she said, shutting the door again. "How about you two?"

"I'm just picking up some things," Bliss said. "I'll be back later, but don't wait dinner for me."

Venus took up her incantation again.

Polly hummed, "So Long It's Been Good to Know You."

"Well," Fab said, too loudly. "Are you going to give up the Point, then?"

Everyone grew still.

She should have known they'd be worried about the future of Hole Point. "No, I'm not giving it up. This place is special to me. It always will be."

Even the air seemed to relax. "But you won't be around?" Polly said. "Dumb question. Of course you won't."

"I'll come and go," she told them. "I don't intend to stay home and do nothing. And I don't want to teach again. So Hole Point remains my thing."

Vic took the fish from Bliss and set it at the back of a counter. "Better take care of that. Could be worth something." He grinned. "Shit, if things get—"

"Vic!" Bliss frowned at him.

"Okay. Sorry about that. Shoot, if the shit—I mean, if the sugar gets any deeper around here I'm going to throw up." He opened the door to leave and Spike ambled in as Vic and Liberty left.

Polly and Fab busied themselves around the kitchen while their mother moved into a tinkling, tummy-rolling dance.

"How are the repairs coming on your place, Venus?" Bliss asked. "You must be looking forward to going home."

"I don't have a place anymore." The woman didn't miss a step. "They raised the rent and I couldn't afford to pay it. There aren't any allowances for extraordinary people with extraordinary talents, unless they make a lot of money. I no longer have a home."

Sebastian, Bliss noted, avoided meeting her gaze. "There's room at the bungalow," she said. "I'm sure Polly and Fab will be glad to have you as long as you need to stay."

If Venus was grateful, Bliss noted no sign of it, but the twins stopped working and flashed her their pretty smiles. "I'm going to pick up a swimsuit," she told Sebastian. "You promised me

a dip in that beautiful pool of yours before the sun decides to quit again."

Bobby went with Bliss and Sebastian into the great room.

"Leave them alone, Bobby," Polly called.

Sebastian ruffled the boy's hair and said, "He's okay."

Promptly, Bobby ran ahead and up the stairs.

"He's getting very attached to you," Bliss said. "He's needy, Sebastian."

"Of course he is. Not a problem. Not to me. I've been there." He went ahead of Bliss, taking the stairs two at a time. "I want to make sure you understand some things about Maryan and Ron."

"We do need to talk some more," Bliss agreed. "Later, though, huh?"

"Yeah, later."

Bobby stood in front of Bliss's door, a brown paper sack in his tanned arms. "I put it up here until you came."

"What's this?" Sebastian settled a hand on one of Bobby's thin shoulders. "Another engagement present?"

"Uh-uh."

Bliss and Sebastian exchanged a look and Bliss said, "Okay."

In her rooms, the boy put his parcel on the recliner. "I found it. Then I was scared."

A tightness squeezed Bliss's stomach. "Can't be that bad."

He drew up his shoulders. "Nan said there's bad stuff around here and we shouldn't let it get close to us."

"Your nan means well," Sebastian said. "But she's got a big imagination. It's probably because she's so creative."

"So, what's in the bag?" Bliss reached for it.

Bobby snatched it up again. "Nan says the police are always bad news. That's what she calls them, bad news. That means they're bad."

"Not always." If Bliss had her way, Bobby Crow wouldn't look so troubled. He'd have more carefree moments, more chance to just be a child.

Bobby set down his bag again, opened it, and drew out what it had hidden.

"Oh, God," Sebastian murmured. He found Bliss's hand.

She asked, "Where did you find it, Bobby?"

He scrubbed his eyes with his fists. "I was going to throw it away."

"Why?"

"So's the police wouldn't get mad at you."

"Bobby?" Sebastian dropped to his haunches and looked into the boy's face. "Tell us where it was."

"In the back of your truck. Under Beater's blankets."

Bliss stopped breathing. "Sebastian," she whispered. "It's Nose's, isn't it?"

"I'm sure it is," he said, staring at a badly scratched miniature camera, its back gaping open. "Exotic little number. Too bad the film isn't still in it."

Another hour or so and the sun would set.

Bliss sat beside Sebastian on the side of his pool and splashed her feet. Mary an and Ron lay side by side on chaises. Using an economical crawl stroke, the beautiful super-model, Zoya, did lazy laps.

Sebastian and Bliss had decided not to talk to anyone about the camera, or the subsequent lengthy session with the police, until forced to do so. Bobby had made his find the day before and hidden it because he feared Sebastian would get into trouble for "fibbing and stealing." His fears had been quickly put to rest, and his absolute faith in Sebastian rapidly restored. Bliss and Sebastian weren't so certain the police were equally convinced.

"This is a beautiful house," she told him. "I grew up on the

lake."

"Yeah, I know." He settled a hand on her thigh. "I didn't." With the discovery of the camera, from which the police

clearly assumed the film had been deliberately removed, the joy had gone out of the day.

"You're not really worried about the police, are you?"

He stroked her leg absently. "I meant it when I said I don't want you out of my sight."

She linked her fingers with his on her leg. "No one's going to hurt me."

"No, they're not. I'll make sure of that."

Nearby, Zoya pulled herself from the pool and picked up a towel to blot her hair and skin. "Can I get anyone a drink?"

Bliss and Sebastian declined, as did Maryan and Ron. Zoya strolled into the house.

"I think Maryan's relaxing with me," Bliss said. "It was sweet of her to buy me more flowers."

"Place is beginning to look like a funeral parlor."

She bumped him with a shoulder. "Don't be a cynic. She's trying."

"Sorry. She is trying. She's also drinking less, thank God."

Bliss didn't pursue that. "I'm going to take that dip. How about you?"

"Me, too. Then we'll take a wander around the fair and find some dinner."

"Sebastian," Zoya called. "Phone for you. Sounds important."

He said, "Damn," and hopped lithely to his feet. "I'll be right back."

Bliss slid into the water and watched him move toward the conservatory. His shoulders swung with the natural grace he'd always possessed. She took in every inch of him and her tummy contracted with the desire she'd started to expect whenever she as much as thought about him. Desire? Or lust? She smiled and pushed off the wall with her feet.

Lust was allowed. Lust was okay.

She swam to the middle of the pool and heard almost twin splashes as Maryan and Ron dove in to join her. They still made her uncomfortable, but she smiled as she slicked her hair back.

With his right hand, Ron smacked the surface of the water and sent spray over her face. He laughed. Bliss returned the favor.

Maybe they'd all be able to get along after all.

"I've never seen Sebastian look so happy," Maryan said. She wore an embarrassingly low-cut pink swimsuit. "You're good for him."

"Thanks." Bliss felt a flush of warmth toward the other woman, and gratitude. "He's good for me, too. Isn't it funny how life is? Who'd have expected this after so many years."

"Not me," Maryan said, smiling.

"Race you two for the bottom," Ron said and promptly flipped up his bottom and shot downward.

Maryan looked bored but obligingly followed.

Bliss, who loved the water, dove after them.

The center of the pool was deep. She reached the bottom and touched with a hand. Ron's face turned toward hers, a distorted grin stretching his mouth. He twisted over and caught her ankle, and she swatted at him.

Her head touched the bottom.

Ron tickled the bottom of her foot and she kicked out at him. In the future she'd call him Iron Lungs. She wanted to go up.

He saluted and headed upward. Bliss saw Maryan's pink swimsuit headed in the same direction.

She made to revolve herself. Her scalp hurt.

Reaching for the top of her head, she pulled.

Something trapped a length of her hair.

Looking up, pumping her legs to stay in place, she vaguely saw the bottoms of Ron and Maryan's feet. Then they paddled until she couldn't make them out.

She pulled again, but couldn't turn to see what held her.

Panic, deep and dreadful panic swelled. And her lungs swelled.

The blue water took on a hazy quality. Working frantically, she grappled with her hair.

Caught in a drain.

Her brain clamored. Her hair had snagged on a drain. Pulling, tearing, she squirmed. Too much hair.

Her swollen lungs began to release their air. She mustn't let them.

Burning in her throat.

She wanted to scream. Inside her head she yelled for help.

Bubbles streamed upward from her nose.

The hair was under the drain, under the rim, battened down there. Desperately, she groped for some way to release the grill and found a screw.

She managed a turn.

No air.

The water pressed in, pressed her body, her insides.

No air in her lungs.

She had to take a breath.

Chlorine burned her eyes, stung her nose. Her fingers stopped working.

Drowning.

A roar filled her ears, seeped over her brain. If she breathed, she'd drown. The roaring got louder. The water crushed her, then cradled her. Warm water.

Her eyes closed. It grew more quiet. No need to fight anymore.

She opened her mouth to breathe in the warm, cradling water.

Twenty-four

Sebastian slammed down the phone on Morris Winters. Warning him to stay away from his daughter! As if they were both still kids to be manipulated.

The phone rang again. He looked at it, turned away and walked outside. Mentioning the call to Bliss would only upset her. Damn it, they were going to be happy. No one would get in the way of that.

Scooping water into each other's faces, Maryan and Ron shrieked and shouted in the shallow end of the pool.

Sebastian smiled and looked around for Bliss. She must be swimming. He walked to the edge and scanned the surface. Not a sign of her. And she wasn't on one of the chaises. Lowering sun glittered off the nearby lake.

He glanced down, hesitated an instant, and dived. Bliss! She was on the bottom of the pool.