Winter Winds (36 page)

Holding Trudy firmly against her chest inside her jacket, she hurried back to Ryan, finding him still on his knees beside Jack. Suddenly a flashlight beam struck them.

Blinking against the sudden light in her eyes, Maureen called, “Who’s there?”

“Clooney,” came the answer.

Clooney? The name meant nothing to her.

Ryan jumped to his feet. “Clooney? It’s Ryan Harper. Pastor Paul’s dog is sick.”

“Well, hello, young Ryan.” A man with a long gray ponytail halted in the light of Maureen’s flashlight beam. He wore a ratty green down ski jacket and jeans with a hole in one knee. A Phillies cap sat on his head, his ponytail pulled through the hole in the back, and he had on a pair of well-worn dark leather gloves. A huge sparkler, surely a cubic zirconium, pierced one ear.

“You know him, Ryan?” Maureen asked.

“Everyone knows Clooney,” Ryan said as the man dropped to his knees beside the boy. Ry jerked his thumb toward Maureen. “She’s Maureen Galloway, the new cop in Seaside.”

“Ah,” Clooney said. “I’d heard we had a lady on the force.” He looked over his shoulder at Maureen who hovered behind him. “Pleased to meet you, Officer Galloway. That a blanket you’ve got there?”

“We were going to get Jack on it and pull him to the car,” Ryan explained.

“Exactly the plan I would suggest.” He stood and reached for the blanket. Trudy’s little head lolling out of Maureen’s jacket caused him a slight jerk of surprise. “This one sick too?”

“Someone seems to have drugged them.” Maureen ran a hand over Trudy’s head.

He pinched his lips and shook his head. “Some people are cruel.”

Clooney shook the blanket open, let it fall to the ground beside Jack’s back, and pushed the edge as far beneath the animal as he could.

“Help me roll him, young Ryan.”

The two circled the blanket, took hold of Jack’s legs, and swung them over his body until he was lying on his other side and on the edge of the blanket. Then Clooney knelt and slid first Jack’s head and shoulders, then his hindquarters, until the animal was resting in the middle of the blanket. The only sign the dog gave of being aware of the people manipulating him was a deep sigh.

Clooney and Ryan stood. Clooney looked from Ryan to Maureen and back.

“Young Ryan, I don’t want you to take this wrong, but I think you should hold the little dog and Officer Galloway should help me pull.”

“I’m strong for my size,” Ryan protested. “I can pull.”

“Let’s put it this way, boy.” Clooney bent as he spoke and picked up a corner. “You can take over for her when she tires. After all, she’s only a girl.”

Understanding that Clooney was trying to save Ryan’s sense of self, Maureen puffed herself up and said, “
Only a girl?
What do you mean by that, mister?”

Ryan giggled and reached for Trudy.

“You have her tucked inside your coat?” Maureen asked as she bent for her corner of the blanket.

“Already done,” Ryan said.

They began their slow progress across the beach. It was astonishing how heavy Jack was, lying there unable to help at all. Maureen dragged first with one hand, then the other, then both, walking forward, then walking backward. Clooney pulled like Jack weighed as much as Trudy.

“What are you doing up here at this hour of the night?” Ryan asked as he walked beside them. “Isn’t this a bit late for beachcombing?”

“A bit cold, too,” Clooney added. “And I forgot my spade and detector.”

Maureen watched Clooney from the corner of her eye. He was well-spoken and intelligent, and her instincts told her he was safe. Ryan certainly trusted him. But had she heard right? A beachcomber?

When Clooney said nothing more, Ryan said, “So? Why are you here?”

Clooney cleared his throat. “Something just told me I had to come.” He sounded apologetic, as if they wouldn’t be able to believe him.

Not something
, Maureen thought.
Someone
.

“What do you mean?” Ryan asked.

“I don’t rightly know,” Clooney said, his voice still uncertain. “I was in my house watching some TV when all of a sudden I got the feeling that I needed to go to the beach. I tried to shrug it off. After all, it’s well after dark on a midwinter night. It’s not the best time or weather for detecting.”

“But the feeling wouldn’t go away?” Ryan’s voice was excited.

Maureen didn’t say anything, but she felt pretty excited too. It had to be God supplying an answer to her prayers for Jack before she even prayed them.

“The feelings wouldn’t go away,” Clooney agreed. “I even knew I was to come to this area of the beach.” He shrugged. “So I did.”

“Wow!” Ryan was clearly impressed. “It’s like ESP!”

Maureen stopped and turned to Ryan. “It’s like God, kiddo. It’s like God.”

B
ARNEY
J
OANNE, AND
V
INNIE
sat in Barney’s black car parked in the drive of a summer house across the street and three doors down from Trev’s. Joanne was toasty sitting in the curve of Barney’s arm, except for her feet. The boots with the stiletto heels might make her legs look great, but they were no good at keeping her feet warm.

The three of them had been sitting here for a couple of hours now, except for when Vinnie delivered the doped meat. She grinned. Barney had warmed her up very nicely while Vinnie was gone. Now he was back, and the cold was beginning to seep up her legs even though she wore jeans over tights.

“Can you turn on the heat for a few minutes, Barney?” she asked. “I’m getting cold.”

He shook his head. “We can’t because the cops would see the exhaust.”

“What cops?” She leaned forward and scanned the street. It looked completely empty to her.

“See that hedge?” He pointed in the direction of the house they were watching, the one where Dori MacAllister now lived.

She didn’t, but she nodded. She didn’t want Barney to know her eyes were so bad. Like her mom always said, guys don’t go for girls with glasses.

“There’s a cop behind it,” Barney said. “He’s been there ever since it got dark.”

Joanne was surprised, but she didn’t question Barney’s statement. Barney knew everything. “He must be freezing!”

Barney looked at her, and she could hear the amusement in his voice when he said, “You worried about him?”

“Not really worried.” Joanne tried to wiggle her toes again. “But being cold’s no fun.”

“He’s wrapped up in a sleeping bag,” Vinnie said, looking straight ahead out the windshield. Joanne knew he was doing his best to pretend she wasn’t there. “He’s probably warmer than we are.”

“A sleeping bag?” Joanne blinked. “Wow, what a good idea. I wish I had one.”

“There’s also a cop in the alley,” Vinnie said. “He showed up just as I was leaving the meat.” He held up a hand and said quickly, “But he didn’t see me.”

Joanne looked at him. “You didn’t hurt the dogs, did you? I told Barney I didn’t want them hurt.” She turned to Barney. “I don’t want you to hurt that girl either. Or the kid. Or the minister.”

Barney gave her a squeeze. “It’s sort of hard to do my job if I can’t hurt anyone.”

“Well, you can’t. You’re way too nice to keep doing mean things like you used to.”

Both Barney and Vinnie made choking sounds.

“Well, you are,” she said with passion. “I know.”

Barney leaned over and kissed her temple. “And you, baby, are a wonder.”

“Yeah?” She felt herself puff with pleasure. “That’s really good, isn’t it? Being a wonder, I mean?”

“If you don’t mind, how about we get back to business,” Vinnie interrupted. He sounded like he’d just tasted something very bad. “After I put out most of the dog food, I left the gate open behind me. I put the rest outside the gate to lure the big dog out.”

Barney nodded, looking impressed. “Not bad, Vin.”

Joanne smiled at her ex-boyfriend. She was glad he had done well, but she was also glad she was now with Barney. She snuggled
closer to the big man, wishing there was some way he could hug her feet.

“Yeah,” Vinnie continued, still not looking at Joanne. “He ate most of the stuff in the yard. The little dog—its name is Trudy; can you believe it?—got some too. Then Jack—that’s the big dog—came through the gate, ate the rest, and took off just as the back door opened. Trudy went in when they called, but Jack kept running. He was heading for the beach.”

Joanne tried to wiggle her toes but couldn’t feel them. She sighed and wanted a sleeping bag real bad. Barney’s arm tightened around her as if he understood her problem and sympathized.

Suddenly the front door of the house they were watching flew open. The kid and a lady who was not the suitcase lady but the cop lady raced out. The kid—skinny little thing—held something crushed to his chest. Joanne squinted, trying for better focus. She hated not seeing things far away.

Last night at the casino, she wouldn’t have known it was Barney who came into the restaurant if it wasn’t for his size. She was able to smile her welcome way before she could really see him. Sometime she was maybe going to have to get glasses in spite of what Mom said, but not until she had to, like when she couldn’t read a stop sign anymore.

“I guess they got that Trudy dog wrapped in that blanket,” Vinnie said, staring like he had x-ray vision or something. “She should be out cold. Taking her to the vet’s, you think?”

“I think.” Barney looked over Joanne’s head and smiled at Vinnie. “That means an empty house.”

Vinnie nodded. “Give me twenty minutes. It probably won’t take that long, but I’d rather have too much time than not enough. I’ll stay hidden until the time’s up.”

“Be careful.” Joanne couldn’t help it. The words sort of slipped out. Some habits were hard to break.

Vinnie looked at her for the first time all night. “You too,” he said stiffly and reached for the door handle. He glanced up at Barney “Dome light still off?”

“Still off. Your car just around the corner?”

Vinnie nodded and opened the door. “See you at Mr. J’s house.”

“You mean Mr. Jankowski’s house?” Barney’s voice was ice.

Vinnie glanced back. “Yeah. Mr. Jankowski. Whatever.” Dressed entirely in black with black stuff smeared on his face, he disappeared into the night almost immediately.

Barney stared after him. “I don’t know about that guy. He’s not too smart, and he’s disrespectful. Bad combination.” Barney glanced at his watch. “Twenty minutes.” He looked at Joanne. “Come here, baby.”

Joanne went willingly. She was starting to shudder with cold and knew he’d fix her in no time flat. Maybe he’d even rub her feet to get them warm.

Barney pulled her into his lap, and she twisted to face him. She wrapped her arms around his neck even as she curled her legs up so she could tuck her toes, boots and all, behind him. When he pulled back and said, “Time’s up,” she was toasty all over, even her feet.

She blinked. “That’s twenty minutes?”

“Ten. And it’s time for you to do your bit.”

She uncurled herself and picked up the black watch cap that had fallen on the floor. She hated the hat and what it did to her hair. She spent so much time getting every little strand just right, and now she had to crush it, but she understood that she had to hide the blonde curls. They were too visible even on a dark night like tonight. She crammed her hair up inside the cap, trying not to flinch at the thought of how ugly she’d look when she took it off. When she was finished, Barney reached over and adjusted it for her. Then he gave her a quick kiss.

“You look just like a longshoreman.” He grinned. “A cute longshoreman.”

She grinned back, uncertain what a longshoreman was but knowing he was teasing her. He teased so nicely, not with the edge that Vinnie had always had.

“You know where the suitcase is hidden?” he asked.

“Behind the shrubs on the left side of the porch.”

“I want you to go down to the end of the block before you cross the street.” He pointed to the left, away from the hedge where the cop was hiding. “I don’t want him seeing you prematurely.”

She nodded and climbed out. “But it’s okay if he sees me when I get close?”

“I hope he doesn’t, but if he does, it’ll be okay.”

“See you in a few minutes.” She got out of the car, crouched low, and ran as fast as her boots would let her, keeping to the shadows of the trees and shrubs and houses. Five houses down she took a deep breath and raced across the street. Her heart was beating so fast she felt almost as light-headed as she had on the plane. But Barney was counting on her, and she would keel over dead before she’d disappoint him.

She hid in the shadows again as she slipped ever closer to the Trevelyan house. When she dashed across the last bit of lawn to hug the side of their house, she rested a minute. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d run on purpose. As she felt nervous sweat trickle down her spine, she remembered why. “Never let ’em see you sweat,” Mom always said. “Nobody likes a sweaty woman.”

Oh, Barney, please don’t mind. I’m doing this for you
.

She felt behind the shrubs, found the suitcase, and pulled it out. With a mighty heave, she pushed it over the porch rail. It was a good thing no one was home because the thud when it landed would have brought everyone running. She climbed over the rail after it. She pulled up the handle and wheeled the case to the front door, lost in the shadows of the porch roof, grateful that the lady and the kid were in such a hurry that they had forgotten to turn on the porch light. She pulled off her watch cap, stuffed it in her pocket, and with her free hand fluffed her matted-down curls back to life.

Taking a deep breath, she pulled the suitcase to the edge of the porch and looked down the road toward Barney. She waved her hand in signal. With a roar he pulled into the street and screeched to a stop in front of the house. She raced down the front walk, pulling the suitcase behind her. She ripped open the car’s back door and stuffed the suitcase in while Barney leaned across the seat and threw open the passenger door. She jumped in, and they took off.

She couldn’t stop laughing.