Rausch & Donlon - Can Be Murder 01 - Headaches Can Be Murder (18 page)

Mabel recited her vows in a strong, determined voice. She smiled sweetly at Iver as he stumbled his way through his vows, Pastor Henderson having to slowly repeat segments for him. Isabelle Johnson, the church’s oldest soprano, warbled her way through “O Perfect Love,” just a bit off key and with overdone dynamics.

When Isabelle got to
“Grant them the joy which brightens earthly sorrow; grant them the peace which calms all earthly strife,”
Chip looked over and saw a single tear overflow Jane’s lower eyelid and roll down her cheek. Seeing Jane’s sentimental side was a new revelation for Chip. Her softer side only served to loosen the control he was attempting to rein in on his own emotions.

Iver and Mabel kissed chastely and turned to the congregation. Pastor Henderson’s booming voice ended the ceremony. “Now for the first time as husband and wife, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Iver Ingebretson.” The pianist pounded out a jaunty version of “Oh, Happy Day” as the bride and groom marched down the aisle.

The aroma of roasted meat permeated the fellowship hall. “Smells good,” said Chip, as he and Jane stood in the buffet line at the reception.

“The women of First know how to put on a good spread, but it’s the same for every wedding I’ve ever attended here … roast beef and gravy, mashed potatoes, corn and coleslaw … the menu never varies.”

“I meant to tell you earlier, Jane. You look terrific.” Jeez. Way to sound like Mickey Rooney talking to Judy Garland in some corny Andy Hardy movie.

“You don’t look too bad yourself. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a suit, and I know I’ve never seen Iver in one. Poor guy, I bet he can’t wait to shed it, and his collar is so tight it looks like his head is going to pop off.”

They both laughed, and Chip put his hand on Jane’s lower back as they moved along in the buffet line. He bent down and whispered in her ear, “At least there’s cake for dessert.” And there was a cake, a dark-chocolate fudge cake with thick cream-cheese frosting, crowned with a plastic bride and groom, a couple that couldn’t look more unlike Mabel and Iver.

Mabel threw her bouquet of pink roses and baby’s breath to a cluster of unmarried women. She aimed for Jane, but it sailed over her head and was caught by Isabelle Johnson. Isabelle was delighted. At age seventy-six she was still hoping to snag one of Turners Bend’s bachelor farmers. Chip saw several of those bachelors make a hasty exit to the parking lot.

Chip thought that going undercover at AgriDynamics was as good of an idea as Jo going undercover at NeuroDynamics, although he didn’t expect it to be as dangerous. Dr. Goodman was sure a lot smoother with Jo than he was with Jane. What was it about her that turned him into a blithering fool? He wanted to be the tall, handsome, worldly Dr. Goodman, but instead he teeter-tottered between a greasy Don Juan and a clueless Beaver Cleaver. He always felt unbalanced in her presence. Why wasn’t his love life imitating his art?

Twenty-Two

Brain Freeze

Two Harbors, Minnesota

Caddy’s bark announced the arrival of Jo’s SUV. John opened the door to the condo and stood in the doorway, waiting for her. The cold air stung his cheeks, but the tension across his back and neck eased when he saw her. She climbed the steps and looked up at him with tired eyes. John reached for her hand and pulled her into the condo. He unzipped her coat and removed her hat and gloves. She stood like a young child, waiting to be cared for.

“Jo, what happened? When you called, you said you were on your way back to the condo. That was two and a half hours ago.” His words took on a sharp edge. “Why didn’t you answer your cell?”

She looked away from him and shrugged. Yanking the wig off her head, she set it on the table and ran her fingers through her hair. “I got a little hung up.”

His brows came together. He reached for her arm, turning her towards him once again. “Hung up? Jesus, Jo. I was worried.”

She raised her eyes to his. “You’re not my babysitter, John. You don’t have to worry about me. I’m a big girl, remember?”

John felt his cheeks grow warm with anger. “Yeah, I know. A big girl with a badge and a gun. Well, get used to it. I’m going to worry about you. Now, tell me what’s going on.”

Jo looked at the floor and shivered. Her voice was subdued. “I was in a small accident.”

“Accident?” John strode to the door and looked out the side window at the SUV. He whirled around. “The front grill is a mess. What the hell happened?”

“After I talked to you, I planned on leaving, just like I said. While I waited for the car to warm up, I saw the security guard head out the door, and I decided to follow him.”

John walked back over to Jo. “What made you do that?”

When she didn’t answer, he prompted her, “Jo …”

Jo sighed. When she spoke, her voice sounded weary. “I think he’s been following me.”

He struggled to keep his fears tamped down. “Maybe you should start from the beginning. C’mon, let’s get you by the fire to warm up.”

John settled her on the raised stone hearth. He turned down the lights in the condo, so that only the fire lit up the living room. The seasoned logs behind her crackled and popped. Wrapping a blanket around her, he rubbed her arms quickly, trying to warm her. Keeping busy to calm down. Caddy settled at her feet, her head leaning against Jo’s leg.

John finally sat on the couch across from her. “Now, tell me what this is all about.”

Jo gripped the edges of the blanket and held them under her chin. “I managed to take some pictures of the files in the chief surgeon’s office.”

“Well, maybe now we can figure out exactly what they are doing.”

“I hope so, but while I was going through the files, I heard a noise outside of the office. At first, I thought I imagined it. But then, when I was leaving, the guard told me to take care driving back to the condo. John, how’d he know I’m staying in a condo?”

He searched his mind for a reasonable explanation; anything but the possibility that Jo was in danger. “Lucky guess, maybe? Look, you’ve been cautious. Don’t you think that if they were on to you, they would have made their move by now?”

She shook her head, her curls falling into her face. “The more I thought about what he said, the more pissed off I got. After I finished talking to you, I kept thinking about the guy. I finally realized that his voice was familiar. Then I remembered why.”

Jo turned to John once more, the firelight causing shadows to dance across her features. Her eyes were hard pieces of emerald in the dim light. “He was one of the killers on the tape at Sid’s office. I’m sure of it.”

John sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. He closed his eyes briefly. “That’s why you followed him.”

Jo filled him in on the chase and the deadly crash. She told him about the tattoo.

There was a pain in John’s stomach that grew larger with each word.
Jesus Christ, what a mess …
He could no longer pretend that Jo’s life wasn’t in jeopardy. John ran a hand through his hair, making the shorter hairs stand on end. “Damn it. This is getting way out of hand. You and I could both end up like Sid.”

He stood up and began to pace. “They’re on to you now. They’re going to know you were in the accident. Your cover is blown. This has to end. Take what we’ve got to your boss and let’s get the hell out of here. Let someone else take the risk.” He felt helpless and frustrated. He knew what she did for a living, and he knew she was highly trained. None of that meant he liked it.

Jo let the blanket slide down her back. She stood up, squaring her shoulders. “No, John. The accident occurred in Frisco’s jurisdiction. He took my statement and knows I need more time. He says he can keep the victims’ names and my part in the accident out of the papers for a day, maybe two at the most. There were no witnesses. For now, it was a tragic accident on a snowy night, but I was never there.

“I’ve thought about this on the drive back. I want to see this through to the end. NeuroDynamics can’t win. I’m all right. I’m going to call my boss and give him an update.”

John gathered her in his arms. He needed to reassure himself that she was here and she was safe. Jo resisted at first, then wrapped her arms around his waist. Her voice was muffled against his sweater. He could feel her warm breath through the fabric. “I was scared, John. More frightened than I’ve ever been. I thought, ‘This is it. I’m going to die on this snowy road, alone.’ All I could think of was the life I hadn’t yet lived.

“After I’d escaped the accident, I was beyond relieved. Until I realized because of my survival, two others died. I know Kurt was a murderer and he probably deserved what he got, but that trucker didn’t. He was just in the wrong place. I couldn’t do anything to stop it. Do you know how that feels?”

An image of the young patient who had died before he came to Minnesota popped into his head. And the countless other deaths that he couldn’t stop. He held her tighter. “Yeah, I know how that feels.”

They stood together. He heard the sizzle of overheated sap from a log in the fireplace. He tucked his finger under her chin and forced her to look up at him. “I don’t know if you’re fearless or reckless. Maybe a bit of both. When I think of what might have happened …”

John’s finger trailed along her jaw line. She quivered at his touch. He could hear the huskiness of his own voice when he said, “Are you still cold?”

Her voice was low, “No, not anymore.” She reached a hand behind his head and pulled him down to her lips. Her kiss was an almost savage assault on his mouth, as if she wanted to prove to them both that she had survived.

What am I getting into here?
John wanted this to happen. Hell, he had wanted it practically from the first moment he met her. But this would be more than just a casual relationship. She was giving him a gift by trusting him, and he felt humbled by it. Then the thought vanished, and he kissed her with an intensity that matched hers.

She ground her hips against him. Raising his head in surprise, he gasped. He walked her to the couch and then settled her on his lap. Lowering his mouth to the hollow beneath her throat, he caught the scent of vanilla. The vibration of her moan was on his lips. He buried his hands in her hair, feeling its silkiness, the curls wrapping themselves around his fingers.

Jo reached up and grasped his hand, putting it to her left breast. His thumb teased the erect nipple through the thin fabric of her shirt. Her breath was coming in small, shallow pants. “I want to take this off.” She tugged at the hem of her shirt.

“No, let me.” He pushed her hands aside and lifted the shirt over her head, tossing it to the floor. Unhooking her lacey bra, he slid it down her arms. Her full breasts glowed in the firelight. A prayer escaped from him, “God, you’re beautiful.”

Jo ran a hand through his hair and guided his head down to her chest. He gently pushed her off his lap and onto the couch. Partly lying across her, he sucked on her nipple. He teased it with his teeth, until she arched her back, moaning deeply. Jo reached down to his crotch. His body jerked in response. It was difficult to draw a deep breath. She whispered, “Take off your clothes. I want to touch you, to see you.”

John eased himself off her and tugged the sweater over his head. He slowly unbuttoned the shirt beneath, wanting this to last. Her eyes glittered in the dim light. Sitting up, she watched as he unbuckled his belt. She roughly shoved his hands aside and said, “My turn.”

Jo stood up and kissed his chest. Her hands trailed along his flat stomach. Fingertips traced the whorls of hair above his belt line. He inhaled sharply when she ran the tip of her tongue across his nipple and then blew on it, the wetness reacting to the cool air. The pleasure of her touch was almost painful.

Hooking a finger in his belt loop, she pulled him toward her bedroom. “Come with me.” He went along willingly, already missing the feel of her hands on him. Aching to touch her again.

Caddy stood up, ready to follow them into the bedroom. John gently pushed her aside and closed the door on her. “Sorry, old girl. I think I can handle this by myself.”

Twenty-Three

Wednesday, March 8, 2:13 p.m.

Chip,

Atta boy! Have you been practicing with that Nowhere-ville vet? Keep it up (no pun intended). Your readers want sex, sex, and more sex. They aren’t getting it at home, so you’ve got to give it to them full blast in your book. What about a shower or tub scene for Jo and John? Soap and sex are so delicious! The two of them have to go at it passionately, with a capital ‘P’ … nibbles, licking, sucking right through to multiple orgasms. Show how those Iowa bulls do it! Or I’ll personally castrate you!

Lucinda

Twenty-Four

Brain Freeze

Two Harbors, Minnesota

Jo waited until John had closed the door and she had his full attention. She shimmied out of her jeans, taking her time. Panties soon followed, and she kicked them off the end of her toe.

John stood still, his eyes roving freely over her body. She felt feverish, as he seemed to take in every inch of her. She hadn’t felt this vulnerable for a long time and she was surprised to find that she wasn’t afraid to trust him.

In a slightly strangled voice, he said, “You’re incredible.”

Feeling anything but incredible after the night she’d had, she wrinkled her nose. “I need a shower, to wash away tonight. Come with me?” Without waiting for an answer, she turned on her heel and walked to the master bath.