“So it turns out, your bathrobe-clad pet owner has solved our party dilemma,” Leo said as he poured me a glass of ice tea. “Where are your lemons?”
I shook my head. “No lemons. And I didn’t realize the party thing was a full-fledged dilemma. Can’t we just have an informal thing, no surprise, no baby shower, just a gathering?”
Leo gave me a dry look. “This isn’t a meeting of the Highland clans. Although that would be a terrific theme…”
I was tired, sore, scraped up, and pissed off. Even the thought of men in kilts wasn’t enough to keep me from biting Leo’s head off. “So, bathrobe lady?”
“Oh, her name is Doris and she sells, ahem, marital aids.”
I blinked. “Say what now?”
“You know, whips and chains, leather and lace, fuzzy handcuffs and sexy lingerie. Of course, you wouldn’t be able to tell from that bathrobe of hers—”
I snapped my fingers. “Leo, focus.”
“Yes, well I thought we could host a Sizzle and Sins party.”
“Sizzle and Sins,” I repeated. “You want me to throw a sex toy party for my brother’s postpartum suffering baby mama?”
“Of course not,” Leo gave me a don’t be ridiculous look. “Sarah’s going to throw it.”
“Sarah?” I blinked, sure I’d misunderstood. “You asked Sarah Dale to host Penny’s party?”
“She volunteered.” Leo insisted.
That made no sense, but then again, nothing about my life recently did. “Why would she volunteer? She’s never even met Penny.”
“A, because she likes our little group here. Did you know her grandfather kept her locked away by herself in that house? She didn’t attend school, just had hordes of private tutors. No friends or siblings. Only her dogs. She’s never even been to Boston, for crying out loud.”
I leaned back in my chair, stunned “You sure about this?”
Leo nodded. “So she tells me. I think she likes the idea of hosting something she considers risqué. Gives her a little thrill.”
“I had no idea her grandfather was so controlling.” I’d been about to put the kibosh on the entire scheme, but hearing about Sarah’s isolated childhood made me pause. Who was I to say what she could and couldn’t do? “If she really wants to. We’re going to have to step up our game on cleaning out the downstairs parts of the estate.”
Leo rubbed his chin. “Do you know when Penny’s due home?”
“Tomorrow. Her relatives will be here on Friday.”
“You guys are going to be like sardines in a can around here.” Leo leaned back, smirking.
“They’ll be staying in the RV.” Penny’s mother and two sisters were coming into town to meet Mae. “Will Sarah’s place be ready on time?”
“We can probably get the main rooms cleared out. The fire department cleared it for occupancy, so Sylvia took her to get her pooches and is driving her home. Donation truck is scheduled for Thursday morning. Is there any way you can get away from planning Ralph’s B.S. retirement party to help?”
Leo stared at me. “It’s not B.S. He really is retiring.”
I shook my head. “Neil said he does this all the time.”
“Yeah, well this time it’s for real. Doctor’s orders and all that. He had a mild heart attack.”
I stared at him. “What? When?”
“A few weeks ago, when we were in New York. They didn’t want you and Neil to know. I just found out about it because I overheard them fighting.”
Was he serious? “You’re screwing with me, right?”
“Scout’s honor. Ralph is retiring and the two of them are already bickering like cats and dogs. Why do you think I’ve been hiding out over here?”
I closed my eyes and put my head down on the table. “Too much to process.”
Leo patted my back. “Hey, I’m the one dodging passive-aggression so dense you could fillet it and serve it with Au Jus. What’s with the drama, mama?”
I blew out a breath. “Someone tried to abduct me yesterday.”
Leo’s chair hit the wall with a bang. “What?”
“Ssshh, keep your voice down,” I said, glancing toward the open screen door where Marty, Mae, Josh, and Kenny clustered around the picnic table.
Leo rose and moved to the slider, shutting it to give us some privacy. “Why is this the first I’m hearing about it?”
“I didn’t want you to worry.”
“You better dish. And be warned, if you leave anything out, I will sic your mother-in-law on you.”
I told him everything, including my meeting with McKenzie, her involvement and Neil’s reaction.
“I can’t believe he’s not here, guarding you personally,” Leo said when I was done.
“Believe me, he wants to but we really can’t afford it.”
“That’s so scary,” Leo shook his head.
“You have no idea. When Atlas vanished from the yard, I thought that maybe…” I shook my head, not wanting to voice the thought.
Leo’s hand covered mine, his blue-gray eyes full of sympathy. “You thought that whoever had tried to snatch you had grabbed your pup.”
I nodded and ran my free hand through my hair. “Yeah. And he’s so friendly, he’d go along with anyone who gave him attention. You know what the worst part about all this is?”
Leo shook his head. “What’s that?”
I held up my hand and started ticking items off on my fingers. “I’ve got a murder that might not be a murder, a break-in that might not be a break-in, attempted homicide that may or may not be an accident and an attempted abduction that might have only been a carjacking. I can’t tell if this is all some sort of master plot or if I’m just jumping at shadows.”
“Bad shit does tend to happen around you,” Leo spoke in a soothing tone. “No one would blame you for being on edge.”
I huffed out a breath. “On edge doesn’t describe it. I feel paranoid.”
“Well, you know what they say. Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean the whole world isn’t out to get you.”
“Thanks a bunch,” I said dryly. “So, where do I go from here?”
“That’s easy. The same place you always go—forward. Look, don’t worry about the party stuff, I’ll take care of all that. And Marty’s got Penny, he knows enough to ask for help if he needs it so there’s nothing you need to do on that score either. Just go to the Dale estate, do your job, and wait for McKenzie to get back to you about the relatives. And I agree with Neil, don’t go over there alone, just in case it is all connected somehow.”
I blew out a sigh. “Thanks.”
“Anytime.” Leo pushed back his chair. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to head out.”
I walked him to the door and watched him drive off. My cell phone rang just as I’d shut the front door. The number was unfamiliar but had a Boston area code. “Hello?”
“It’s McKenzie.” The voice on the other end of the phone said. “I think I found something. Is now a good time for me to stop by?”
“As good as any.” I gave her my address.
A half an hour later, McKenzie’s black Challenger was parked behind Marty’s crappy motor home at the curb. Her long red hair was pulled up in a messy ponytail and it bobbed as she strode purposefully toward the house.
Marty had taken Mae next door and Kenny and Josh were camped out for yet another video game marathon, so I showed McKenzie into the kitchen. “Can I get you anything? I just made a batch of iced tea.”
She accepted and I poured her a tall tumbler full then frowned at the ungarnished glass. Leo was right, I should buy lemons.
She’d spread out a mess of papers and photographs on the table and pointed to each in turn. “First place I went was to Donald Dale’s ex. Estranged spouses are the best source for dirt, even though you have to take everything they tell you with a grain of salt. Seems Donny boy was screwing around with Janet Leeds before the divorce and only moved in with her after. She’s of age and he wasn’t her professor directly so the college wouldn’t step in, which chafed the former Mrs. Dale’s hide something fierce. He’s scum, but it doesn’t look like he’s murdering scum, so you can probably cross him off your list.”
I nodded, impressed. “Fast work.”
There was a flash of white teeth as she grinned up at me. “You ain’t seen nothing yet. Okay next up, I spoke with Linda Dale-Regan’s retired neighbor. She says that Linda and her husband have parties almost every weekend and seemed a bit put out that she had never been invited.”
“Maybe they are just social people.” Considering I’d been discussing a Sizzle and Sin event with Leo five minutes ago, I had no room to judge. Those who squatted in glass houses and all that.
McKenzie’s grin spread. “Oh, they’re social all right. Seems that Linda and her husband are swingers.”
My jaw dropped. “No way.”
“Yes way. I guess she was hiding the fact up until her father died because she didn’t want him to find out about it. According to her executive assistant, Linda and Chip have been into the scene for years but she was worried her father would cut them off completely if he knew about it. Since his death, they’ve been bed-hopping with a vengeance and don’t seem to give a fig who knows about it.”
I was starting to form a new picture of Chester Dale. “Do you think his cutting her out of the will would be a motive for murder?”
“I doubt it. From what Yvette, the assistant, said, Linda’s been at it a long time. I guess it’s possible that Mr. Dale found out, hired someone like me to look into what his kids were up to and threatened to change his will. But both Linda and Chip were away in Vegas when he died. If they arranged for his death, they covered their tracks well.”
“What about the other aunt? Theresa.”
McKenzie shook her head. “Nothing yet, she’s definitely a loner at home, none of her neighbors knew a thing about her. I’ll keep digging and let you know if I find anything. Mmm, something smells good.”
“It’s just a casserole. Would you like to stay for supper?”
“Sounds great. The only thing in my fridge is a jar of mustard and a withered lime.”
Like mother, like daughter I guessed. The doorbell rang and McKenzie excused herself to use the restroom.
I laughed when I saw who was at the door. “I was just thinking about you.”
Mac gave me a shy smile. “Is that my mom’s car?”
I stepped back and waved her in. “Sure is. You’re just in time for dinner.”
If one thing could be said about the two McKenzies, those ladies ate like bosses. Even Josh and Kenny sat in stunned amazement as our guests went for third helpings of my uber filling macaroni and cheese casserole. There was normally enough left over for a whole meal but we’d be lucky if I had enough set aside for Neil.
“This is awesome,” Mac said as she scraped her fork along the side of the plate. “You should give my mom the recipe.”
Mackenzie’s fork paused halfway to her mouth. She snorted and muttered, “Good one. I’m all stocked up on bookmarks, but thanks.”
“You don’t do any cooking?” I asked the redhead. “At all?”
One eyebrow rose and she looked to her daughter. “What is this cooking she speaks of?”
Mac shook her head. “I’m pretty sure we own exactly one pot and it’s holding a collection of wine corks.”
McKenzie nodded. “I can open bottles like a champ.”
“But what do you do for food?” I couldn’t even fathom their existence.
“Mooch mostly,” Mac said. “From our upstairs neighbor, Nona. I’m still trying to convince her to adopt me. Or have Hunter Black marry mom. He can grill at least.”
McKenzie rolled her eyes dramatically. “I’m eating here.”
“What else is new?” Her daughter replied cheerfully. “Better watch your weight or Hunter won’t like you anymore.”
McKenzie cleaned the forkful of food then reversed the utensil and brandished it like a weapon. “I brought you into this world and so help me I’ll take you right back out of it.”
I couldn’t help grinning at their antics. Clearly, they had a hard-won dynamic and a bevy of inside jokes, but their volleys of wit and sarcasm were fun to watch.
The Taylor women helped me clear the table before taking off. Dishes done and kitchen freshly scoured, I poured myself a glass of wine and took Atlas out into the back yard to enjoy the warm evening air.
Sylvia’s blonde head popped up over the fence. “Hey, you got a minute?”
I waved her over. “What’s up?”
Sylvia sat down at the picnic table. “I…um, I don’t know how to say this.”
I drained my wine glass and leaned forward. “Talk to me, Sylvie. What’s going on?”
“I think,” she swallowed and then started again. “I’m pregnant.”
I tried to figure out how I’d handle the news if Leo hadn’t already tipped me off. I swear that man was a mind-reader. Or maybe he was psychic too. My thinking time must have been a fair imitation of stunned silence because she nudged my hand. “Say something.”
I blinked, pulling myself out of my own inner landscape to deal with the here and now. “Congratulations.”
Sylvia moaned and put her head down on the table.
“Or not?” I added weakly.
“How did this happen?” She asked.
I bit my lip. “Um, do you want me to draw you a diagram?”
She lifted her head and glowered at me. “I know how it happened, but it shouldn’t have. I was always careful.”
Putting my hand over hers, I squeezed lightly. “There’s no method that’s one hundred percent effective. Not even abstinence. Look at what happened to the Virgin Mary, for crying out loud.”
“I’m pretty sure we can rule out Immaculate Conception,” Sylvia’s tone was dry.
I hesitated, not wanting to offend her. “So, you went to the doctor already? Do you know how far along you are?”
“No, I haven’t been to the doctor. Sarah told me it was going to be a girl.”
“Sarah?” I frowned. “You did a home pregnancy test at least, right?” I was hoping she wasn’t going to pin all her hopes on the psychic horse. Sure, Sarah Dale had made some predictions for us, but they hadn’t been as monumentally life-altering as Sylvia becoming a single mom.
“No, not yet.”
I barely bit back a groan of frustration. “I thought you didn’t believe in psychics.”
She shook her head. “I didn’t, but Sarah is different. I can’t believe it, Eric and I tried for years, but nothing happened. I thought maybe it couldn’t happen, like it wasn’t meant to be. And now this? I don’t even have my life together and now there’ll be someone else to think about. Oh, Maggie, what am I going to do?”
I took a deep breath and squeezed her hand. “The first thing you do is go to the doctor and get it confirmed. Psychics are all well and good but you need medical care, too. And after that, we’ll take it from there.”
“But—”
I held up a hand, stopping her. “Sylvia, you’re the most even-tempered person I know. Don’t let this rattle you. Yes, your life will change with a baby. You’ve had a front-row seat to the new parent show, featuring Marty and Penny. You know I’ll help you any way I can. You want a Lamaze partner, I’ll be there. Need me to run errands, I’m on it. Just say the word.”
She nodded, then looked me square in the eye. “Will you adopt my baby?”