Gypsy Spirits (33 page)

Annamarie smiled. “Wonderful idea.”

Annamarie and Daniel ate breakfast in bed, and Annamarie chattered on about plans for the house. Since they decided to redo the master bedroom and the kitchen, they had a lot of plans to make. Annamarie agreed with Daniel about the gold appliances. Tearing out magazine pages, she wanted to save the ones she liked for decorating ideas.

“I’ll try my best to help.”

“You can’t hammer a nail without hitting your thumb,” she teased.

Daniel laughed. “I never had to learn.”

“You aren’t going to practice on grandpa’s beautiful house.”

Munching on a piece of toast Annamarie asked, “Do you want to redo the nursery along with the master bedroom, or should we wait until we need it?” 

“Nursery, you said
we’re not having kids for a long while. I’m worried about children and the spirits. Don’t they like to terrorize children?” 

“Stop talking like that. There are no spirits and our children will be safe. I’m not planning on having a baby for a while. I only wondered if you want to get all the work done at once.” 

“Let’s stick to the kitchen and bedroom. I can’t think beyond that.” 

“Sure thing, sweetie,” Annamarie said, kissing his cheek, hoping to lighten his mood. 

“I know what that means. You already have plans.” 

“Just a few, it’ll all be wonderful. I only work until noon again this week. On Monday afternoon, I’ll pack my car as full as I can get it with our things, and move them into grandpa’s house, and then come back for more. I’m not spending another night in the house your mom purchased,” Annamarie said.

“Neither am I. We’ll move and not let my parents know until we’ve moved in.” 

“You’re a genius,” Annamarie said knocking him over, kissing him, and spilling plates onto the bed from the breakfast tray. 

“Oops,” she giggled. 

“Let’s get ready and spend some time in the pool. First, I better call housekeeping.”

***

The rest of the afternoon was quiet, at the hotel and in Timmus Woods. It seemed like an average Saturday afternoon to the sheriff and Greta, who stopped by to let him know everything was going well with Nancy. She also apologized for bringing her to Ray’s the night before. 

“No harm done this time, but the plate on that guy’s truck was stolen so be careful, and if you see him again you call me immediately.” 

“Will do,” said Greta.

***

Annamarie and Daniel spent an enjoyable day sunbathing at the outdoor
pool and decided to try the family-style restaurant for dinner.

“It’s nice not cooking or doing any housework for a few days,” Annamarie said. 

“We can afford to hire Elaine if you want.” 

“That seems extravagant, but maybe we could have her come in part-time the way she did for grandpa. That way everyone could be happy and Elaine wouldn’t feel so lost.”

After dinner, Daniel called Elaine and asked her if she would be willing to work the same hours for them that she did for his grandfather. Elaine was thrilled and agreed to be there Monday afternoon to help Mrs. Logan any way she could. Thanking her, he hung up.

“Elaine told me the outbuilding has been torn down and all the wood hauled away,” Daniel said.

“I think it’s for the best. We would only feel sad whenever we saw it. The flowerbed we planned will be much nicer.”

“I agree, sort of a memorial for Garret.”

“That’s a nice thought.”

“I think you should get used to Elaine calling you Mrs. Logan.”

Annamarie groaned, “I’ll get Elaine to change because Timmus Woods isn’t big enough for two Mrs. Logans, and your mom is going to hold on tightly to that label.”

“You’re right.”

***    

Sunday morning broke bright, hot and humid, unusual even for August. Churchgoers brought hand fans or used the weekly bulletin to try and cool themselves. They were thankful both Father Mueller and Pastor Anders kept their sermons short.

***

Greta was complaining to Ray that he needed to get more fans, or add additional air-conditioning to keep the kitchen cooler.

***

Maureen grumbled Daniel was an ingrate for not coming to Sunday lunch. George told her Daniel and Annamarie were probably having a nice lunch in a peaceful and cool restaurant. He also reminded her they were still newlyweds.

***

Steve walked up behind Deb and hugged her tight, telling her how much he loved her and he’d been thinking about what the sheriff told him. He was beginning to see if he hadn’t shot Garret, he’d be the one dead. He knew that would be so unfair to her. She turned with tears in her eyes, her voice breaking. “That would be more than I could bear. I feel sorry for Garret and the
Frants, but oh so happy you’re alive.”  

***

The sheriff sat in his kitchen sipping coffee and thinking how he was going to find the man in the black truck. Since it had stolen plates, he wasn’t going to be able to trace the owner.

***

Watching two kids across the street running through a sprinkler, Nancy saw a black pickup truck coming down the street. She hid behind the curtain but was able to get a license number. She called Greta, Greta called the sheriff at home, and Sheriff Richardson called Nancy for the plate number. The sheriff contacted the State Police again and asked them to hurry. He told them to call his office with the information, and relay it to his deputy. The sheriff was out the door and in his personal car to hunt for the pickup, as inconspicuously as possible. He’d start at Greta’s.

***

Paging through the hotel brochure, Annamarie discovered there were a lot of things in the hotel they didn’t know about.  “They refer to the hotel as ‘an escape from life’s pressures without leaving town.’ That’s true. There’s a laundry, dry cleaners, florist, candy shop, and even a chapel. We should stop in since we missed church this morning.”

“We’re on vacation, and have been in church more in the past two weeks than the previous month,” Daniel said. 

Annamarie let out a little squeal, picked up the phone and dialed. That worried Daniel. All he could hear from the conversation was “three o’clock is perfect.” 

“What’s all that about?”  

“They have a beauty shop. It’s open every day, even Sunday, and I have a three o’clock appointment to get my hair done. I love this place,” Annamarie said with such joy in her voice it made Daniel happy, too. 

“What am I supposed to do while you’re getting your hair done?” 

“They have a barber shop, too and, you could get a shave or haircut.”  

“No thank you. I think I’ll sit by the pool and watch the girls in bikinis.” 

Annamarie winked and said, “Okay, but remember who knows how to make you happy.” 

Daniel smiled and said, “How could I ever forget.”

She kissed him and said, “You’ll never forget because I’ll always be here to remind you.”

***

The sheriff never found the elusive black pickup and went back to his office to check on the call from the State Police. 

“Hi sheriff,” said the new deputy, “Sorry, but no luck. The State Police said those plates were also stolen.” 

“I was afraid of that. If this guy is part of that stolen parts ring, he probably has a box full of stolen plates in his truck to change when he pleases. We may never find him. Black pickups are common around here.”  

***

Annamarie had her long hair done up in curls, her nails manicured and even treated herself to a professional makeover. She felt like a princess. 

Walking up to Daniel at the pool, she said, “Hi, good looking. Need a dinner date?” 

“Wow! I didn’t think you could get any prettier. I was wrong.” 

Annamarie beamed and sat down in a chair next to him.

“It’s a bit humid here by the pool. I don’t want my hair to get limp, so think I’ll go back to the room.”

“I’m right behind you. Anyway, I’m hungry.”

***

  Daniel dressed in his best blue suit, white shirt and blue striped
tie while Annamarie donned a lavender-blue bubble-knit dress with short sleeves. She added a string of white pearls with matching earrings that had belonged to her grandmother. They were a gift from her mom on her wedding day. White heels and a white clutch purse finished her ensemble. She didn’t like to wear any ring except her engagement and wedding band. She didn’t want anything to take away from the brilliant round diamond Daniel had given her. 

Daniel chuckled, saying, “We look like an insurance salesman and a receptionist.” 

“We can’t help what we do for a living. Besides, I think we look pretty good.” 

Daniel silently agreed. Taking her hand, he said, “Let’s have dinner, Mrs. Logan.” 

“Okay, but if you call me Mrs. Logan in public, I’ll call you snookums loud enough for the entire restaurant to hear.”

The restaurant was lovely, and they were given a table with a view of the river with its lighted
riverwalk. At night, it was more picturesque than during the day. The table reminded Annamarie of lunch at Maureen’s with the white linen tablecloth, napkins to match, white china with gold trim and crystal water goblets. 

Daniel said, “They have grilled salmon.” 

Annamarie shuddered. She detested any type of seafood. 

“They also have lobster,” Daniel said. 

Annamarie made a face, wrinkling her nose, and Daniel laughed at her. 

“You don’t have to eat it. They also have grilled chicken and steak.”

“That sounds better,” Annamarie answered. 

They began their dinner with tomato juice, onion soup, warm rolls and a green salad. Daniel settled on the salmon and Annamarie on sirloin steak. Both were served with a baked potato and asparagus. There were several desserts to choose from. Daniel chose warm apple cobbler with caramel sauce and Annamarie opted for chocolate cream pie. She’d never had a more delicious piece of
pie.  

The
band had been playing soft music, and Daniel noticed a small dance floor. 

He said, “C’mon. We haven’t danced since our wedding.”

Annamarie wondered if the night could get any better as they floated across the floor in each other’s arms. She felt all her troubles drift away with the music.

The
wake-up call from the front desk ended the beautiful night and their vacation. They ordered breakfast from room service but ate at the little table this time. Their bags packed and breakfast eaten, they left the room behind them and headed for the front desk. Daniel paid the bill while Annamarie took one more look around. 

“We have to come back here,” she said.

He agreed, but added, “Hawaii will be like this except it has an ocean and beach.”

Dreamily, she answered, “I can’t wait.”

The drive back to Timmus Woods wasn’t as exciting as the drive to Oaklin, and the closer they came, the more the anxiety grew. The one thing that kept Annamarie going was she was moving out of the ranch house today and into grandpa’s house.

“Drop me at home so I can pick up my Jeep. Dad and I didn’t do much work on Friday, and I might not be able to get out early.” He glanced at her sadly and added, “Who knows what kind of mood they’ll be in, especially mom.”

Smiling gently, she said, “Try your best to get through the day.”

“I will,” he kissed her when he got out of the car.

***

Mr. Hanson was already behind his desk at the dairy.

“Good morning, Mr. Hanson.”

“Good morning, there isn’t much for you to do today. When you’re finished with the invoices and
bills, you can leave. Business is slow.”

Annamarie knew if she worked steady, she could have all the paper work finished by eleven o’clock and start moving early.    

***

Daniel arrived at the office shortly after his dad. His mom arrived an hour later. Approximately a minute after she walked into her office, she screamed. The last time she screamed that way she swore she had seen a mouse.

Before Daniel or George could get to her office, she came running out, screaming, “Call the sheriff. We’ve been robbed.”

George tried to calm her down, and they went into her office. 

“What’s been stolen? We’ll need to know to tell Richardson when we call.” 

Daniel was staring at his mom and she said sheepishly, “My birds. All my birds are gone.” 

“Father’s birds?” asked George.

Maureen stood still with the look of a caged animal.  

“They weren’t stolen. I packed them up Friday after you left. I dropped them at my father’s house where they belong.”

Daniel raised his eyebrows at his mom. She looked at him, then George and said, “Get out of my office. I have
work to do.” 

George and Daniel went back to their offices. Maureen slammed her door.