MY PHONE RANG JUST AS I PULLED INTO THE driveway. I snugged the Jaguar in next to Red’s Bronco and shut off the engine. I didn’t recognize the caller ID. I glanced up to find Red standing in the doorway from the garage into the house, his face wrinkled in impatience. Out of nothing but sheer orneriness, I pushed the Talk button.
“Bay Tanner.”
“Miz Tanner? This is Peggy Watts. We met this afternoon?”
My mind ran through the women I’d encountered: at the hospital, at the little diner in Jacksonboro, next door to the Hatchers’ . . . That was it. I didn’t think I’d gotten her name, but this had to be the boy’s mother.
“Yes, ma’am. How are you?”
“Just fine. Listen, it’s the strangest thing, but I heard from Mae tonight. Right after supper, and I said to Jimmy—that’s my husband—I said how weird it was that you had just been here askin’ about her, and there she was.”
I sat up straighter and grabbed my bag off the seat. “That’s terrific! Did you give her my message?”
“Yes, ma’am, I sure did, but she says she doesn’t have a sister named Joline.”
I dropped the pen and notepad I’d finally located back into my purse. “Oh.” It was all I could manage to say around the crushing disappointment that stabbed my chest. I’d been so certain—
“But she did say that she knows of one other lady with her same first name.”
I jerked upright. “Really?”
“Uh-huh. A person from her church had a cousin or somethin’ like that. Said my Maeline was the only other one he’d ever heard tell of.”
I jumped as Red suddenly appeared at the side of the car, his scowling face filling the driver’s-side window. I held up a hand to keep him silent. “Do you have Mrs. Hatcher’s contact information?”
I scrabbled once more for pen and paper and copied down the number Mrs. Watts rattled off.
“She and Jessie are in Pembroke. That’s right by the big Army base. Jessie does somethin’ with computers, and I guess his company sent him over there. Mae says they found a cute little place, and the kids’ll be startin’ school on Monday.”
Red pulled open the door and leaned against it, his head ducked down so he could watch my face. I resented the hell out of his butting in on what was company business, which was definitely none of his, and I hoped my expression adequately conveyed my displeasure.
“Thank you so much, Mrs. Watts. This is very encouraging. I’m going to call Mrs. Hatcher as soon as we hang up.”
“I’m glad I could be of help. By the way, my boy said to tell you he thinks your car is the coolest, and you should see how fast it’ll really go some time.”
I laughed. “I’ll think about it. Give him my best. Thanks again, Mrs. Watts. You have no idea how important this information is.”
“Happy to do it. You take care now.”
“You, too,” I said and disconnected.
Red stepped back as I swung my legs out, the notepad and my phone clutched in one hand.
“What was that all about?”
“Business.” I climbed the steps and dropped my bag next to the console table in the foyer before continuing on into the great room. I kicked off my shoes and perched on the edge of the sofa.
“Bay, I need to talk to you.”
“Later,” I said, my fingers already punching in the numbers. “This is important.”
“And I’m not?”
I held up my hand again, and this time he spun on his heel and stomped up into the kitchen.
She answered on the second ring.
“Mrs. Hatcher? This is Bay Tanner, calling from Hilton Head. I’ve just spoken with your old neighbor, Mrs. Watts.”
“Of course. She said you’re lookin’ for someone with my first name. Sorry I can’t be a lot of help. Peggy says it’s important for you to find this person.”
“I can’t divulge the nature of my client’s business, but I think it’s fair to say that this is truly a matter of life and death. Can you give me some more information about this other Maeline?”
“No, ma’am, not directly. But you need to talk to Ellis Brawley in Jacksonboro. He’s the one told me he had a second cousin or some such called Maeline.”
The name rang a faint bell, but I couldn’t pull it up from the back of my mind. I shook my head and glanced up at the sound of pots and pans being banged around in the kitchen. Red was definitely in a mood.
“And how can I get in touch with Mr. Brawley?”
“I don’t have his number right off the top of my head, but he’s in the book. He and his uncle run a little grocery store in town.”
It hit me then, the reason the name had sounded familiar. Talking with Peggy Watts about the old mansion on the other end of Holly Hill Road. She’d said something about a Duke Brawley delivering groceries.
I hesitated before asking the next question, but it was a crucial one. “Is Mr. Brawley a man of color?”
Maeline Hatcher didn’t miss a beat. “He sure is. He and his family have been around Jacksonboro for more ’n a hundred years, I’d guess.”
“That’s terrific. Thanks so much for your help.”
“I don’t suppose you can tell me any more about this client of yours. I have to admit you got my curiosity stirred up.”
“No, ma’am, I’m afraid I can’t. Maybe when it’s all resolved I can let you know how important your information really was.”
“I’d like that. Well, you have a good night.”
“Thanks again,” I said and hung up.
I itched to trot right in to my office and begin tracking down the Brawley family, but I knew I needed to smooth things over with Red. I slipped the phone into my pocket, let a long exhalation of breath calm me, and mounted the steps to the kitchen.
“What are you cooking?” I asked, and my voice sounded falsely cheerful even to my own ears.
“Eggs,” he said without turning around. “I brought a couple of steaks home to grill, but I’m sure you’ve already eaten.”
Uh-oh, I said to myself. I’d definitely screwed up this time. “I’m sorry I’m so late. I should have called.”
“Yes, you should have.”
I bit back the retort that sprang so easily into my mind and swallowed my aggravation at his tone. I’d gotten out of the habit of being answerable to someone—anyone—for where I went and what I did. I needed to work on that. I didn’t want to fight, but I’d be damned if I’d grovel. I clamped my lips shut and pulled the toaster from the cupboard, then carried a plate and cutlery to the small table set in the bay window of the kitchen. We worked in silent unison until Red slid the eggs onto his plate. I placed the toast alongside them and sat down across from him.
“The Judge looks better,” I said. “Harley wants him to stay in bed for a few days, but his color’s improved, and he’s cranky as ever. I stayed to help Lavinia get dinner into him.” It was as close to an apology as I was prepared to offer.
The scowl on Red’s face relaxed, although he couldn’t yet bring himself to smile. “That’s good. I bet he drove them crazy in the hospital.”
“No doubt. You said you needed to talk to me. What’s up?”
Red scraped up the last of his eggs and leaned back in the chair. “I’m going to quit the department.” He said it softly, almost as if he were talking to himself. “I’ve made up my mind.”
I knew he’d been turning the idea over for quite a while, but the finality of his decision surprised me. “Are you sure that’s what you want to do?”
“Why? You think it’s a bad move? I’m not going to live off you, Bay, if that’s what’s worrying you. I’ll get another job.”
The barely concealed venom in his voice shocked me. “Where the hell did that come from?”
“If we’re getting married, I expect to support you. And my kids.”
The if sent my stomach plummeting to my feet. “Red, let’s both calm down a little, okay? I know you’re angry that I didn’t call, but you should be used to that by now. When I get embroiled in a case, I sometimes forget to eat.”
My conciliatory tone eased some of the tension from his shoulders. “I wanted us to have a nice dinner and talk this over,” he said. “I know it’s a big step, and you should have some input.”
I covered my confusion by carrying the used dishes to the sink. Over my shoulder, I said, “It’s entirely up to you. I just want you to be happy.”
I jumped as his arms encircled my waist, and I felt his warm breath against my hair. “I’m sorry. I worry when I don’t know for sure that you’re okay. So many bad things have happened lately.”
I turned and leaned back so I could look into his eyes. “I know. I’ll try to do better.”
I finished loading the dishwasher, and we walked hand in hand down into the great room. Red flopped on the sofa and pulled me down beside him. Tucked into the curve of his arm, all my aggravation and indecision evaporated. We sat quietly, the open French doors letting the cool night air drift around us. An owl hooted somewhere off in the distance, and out on the ocean the deep horn of some passing vessel sounded its mournful note. I snuggled down closer and pulled the afghan over my legs.
“So what are you going to do?” I asked.
For a long moment, Red didn’t reply. I glanced up to see if he had dozed off. His crazy hours, split shifts, and the constant exposure to crime and its miseries over the years had taken a toll. I suddenly found myself completely at peace with his decision.
“Want another partner in the inquiry agency? I have some pretty good experience in investigating.”
My head snapped up, and I pulled away to look directly at him.
“Just kidding,” he said, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. They held a wary, questioning look I couldn’t quite interpret. “Actually, I have a line on a business venture I’m pretty excited about. An old buddy of mine from the Marines.”
“What kind of business?”
“Charter boats. Fishing. He operates out of Broad Creek Marina. It’s seasonal, mostly during the summer tourist months, but he makes enough to tide him over through the winter. He’s looking to expand, and he needs someone he can trust to run the other boat he’s buying.”
I ordered myself to keep my voice neutral. “You know anything about running a charter service? I mean, you and Rob didn’t grow up on the water. I don’t remember either one of you being into fishing and all that.”
I hadn’t thought how mentioning my dead husband—Red’s brother—would affect him, but I could tell from the stiffening of his arms around me that I’d put my foot in it again.
“I know it’s not as glamorous as being a hot-shot lawyer for the attorney general’s office, but I’ve never been cut out for the suit-and-tie routine.”
I sighed audibly. “I know that, Red. I wasn’t suggesting you work in an office. I’m just saying that I ran into a lot of clients back in my CPA days who got involved with business ventures they didn’t know a whole lot about. Too often they ended up losing their shirts. I’m just asking.”
I could feel him pulling away, emotionally as well as physically. “I have some money saved. I’m not asking you for a loan.” Suddenly he stood and stared down at me. “And I’m not asking for permission. I just hoped you’d be a little more supportive.”
“God damn it, Red! Why are you so determined to pick a fight? I said I didn’t care what you did, and I meant it. I didn’t agree to marry you so you could take care of me in my old age. I’m perfectly capable of looking out for myself.”
I gazed up into his angry face, and we stared at each other for what seemed like an age.
“I know. And that’s the trouble,” he said softly and turned away.
A few moments later, I heard the roar of the Bronco’s engine receding down the drive.