Rausch & Donlon - Can Be Murder 02 - Love Can Be Murder (34 page)

“I tried to re-create our first night together, darling. It was magical. I had to replace the Chardonnay with cider, wine and pain killers are not a good mix. If you’re up to it, I’d like to revisit that evening. She put her arms around him, and he felt her heat, as his began to rise.

He pulled away for a moment and gazed into her eyes. “And if I propose, will you say ‘no’ again?”

She moved back into his arms and whispered into his ear, “Try me.”

* * *

Over the next few weeks Chip’s road to healing and his road to romance were smooth sailing. With the wind at his back he breezed through his physical therapy. Jane resolved her indecision about marriage and accepted his ring. He finished
Mind Games
. Lucinda and Lance had their first newlywed’s spat. She was on Chip’s back like fleas on a dog. She wanted him to blog and do interviews with the media and resume his book signings, all the things he hated about being an author. Lance was in the dog house, but somehow Chip felt like he was getting the worst of it. Some things never change.

Chapter Forty-Four

Mind Games

Epilogue

Grand Marais, Minnesota

Early August

Dr. John Goodman woke up to the sounds of light snoring. Confused, he pried open his good eye and sat up in the bed. He looked across the room to see Jo sprawled out in the hospital room chair, sound asleep. He winced when he saw her hands bound in bandages, a result of the burns she received when she snatched the burning log out of the fire.The sunlight filtered in through the blinds and lit up strands of her red curls like flames. His heart felt lighter just being able to see her again. He grinned at her decidedly unlady-like snoring. Jo had had a rough couple of days and he was glad to see her rest at last.

He thought about all she had done, all she had sacrificed to rescue him. After Dennis Farley had died of the aneurism, she had re-dressed his gunshot wound and stoked the fire, making it easier to be located by air. Jo had told him about the trail she had left for the Bureau to find. An hour later, they were rewarded with the sighting of a sea plane which belonged to the BWCA ranger station. After the plane sidled up to the shoreline, Agent Daniels was the first to step out of the plane and helped load John aboard.

Jo finally fell into an exhausted sleep when they were on their way out of the Boundary Waters. During their flight, Daniels filled John in on all they had discovered about Farley and the extraordinary steps Jo had taken to save him.

“Knock, knock.”

John looked toward the hall and smiled at Detective Frisco, who hovered in the doorway. “Frisco! What the hell are you doing here?”

The detective stepped into the room and pulled up a chair next to John’s bed. When he sat down, he turned his head at the sound of Jo’s snores and laughed. “Wow. She’s really out, isn’t she? Well, guess she earned it.” He turned back toward John and said, “Just making sure the two of you are safe and sound. I heard some rumor that you managed to find some trouble, again.”

John felt good being able to laugh along with Frisco. “Yeah, well. All in the day of the life a neurosurgeon, you know. How about you? In between naps, Jo filled me in on the case the two of you solved just before she had to come and rescue me.” John shook his head. “What a shame. For everyone.”

“You can say that again.” Frisco shoved his hands in his pocket, and looking down at his feet, he said, “So, I really should be staying out of this, but …” The detective turned red.

While Frisco struggled with his thoughts, John said, “Mike. I think I know what you are going to say. You want to know what my intentions are toward Jo, right?”

Frisco grinned sheepishly and said, “Am I that obvious? She had a real rough time when you guys called it quits. Jeez, you would think I was her father or something …”

“I think you earned that right. You’ve been a terrific friend to Jo and I’m glad to know that you’ve got her back. But, here’s the deal. I fully intend—” John said.

It was John’s turn to be interrupted. “Yes, just what are your intentions, John? I’d be interested to know myself.” Both men turned toward Jo. They had failed to notice she had woken up while they were talking and John wondered just how much of their conversation she had overheard.

John cleared his throat, his chest suddenly tight. Frisco stood up and said, “Um … now that I know you guys are still alive and kicking, I really should be going. I promised the wife that I’d stop in and check on her mother while I was up here. I’ll be seeing you guys.”

Jo got up from her chair and gave him a hug before he headed out the door. “Thanks for everything, Frisco. Don’t know what I would have done without you these last couple of weeks,” Jo said.

“Right back atcha.”

Jo sat down in the chair Frisco had vacated. She carefully clasped John’s hand and pulled it to her lips. “Glad to see you smiling again, John. I’ve missed you.”

“Couldn’t compare to how much I’ve missed you.”

He looked at the bandages on her hands and said, “Do they hurt very much?”

Jo shook her head and said, “Not so much now. Leave it to you to ask me about a minor burn when you are the one who is in the hospital.”

John said, “So, what’s the latest verdict from the doctors in here? Seems like there’s been quite a few, coming and going.”

“The surgeon who removed the bullet from your leg said you should regain total use of your leg again. You might have a slight limp for a while, and physical therapy is going to be a bear, but he’s pleased.”

John pointed to his bandaged eye. “And what about this?”

“Your eye is healing nicely, and the swelling should be gone in another day or two, although you’re going to have a heck of a shiner for awhile.

“The only thing keeping you here right now is that slight concussion you got when Farley whacked you in the head.”

John smirked and said, “Good thing I have such a hard head, then.”

Jo smiled back. “You can say that again.”

He looked around the room. “So, when am I supposed to get out of here?”

Jo tilted her head, and then continued in a quiet voice, “Why, do you have someplace to go?” Her eyes were deep green and he knew what she was really asking from him.

John studied her and said, “Yeah. I do. I gotta get back to Baltimore, because I have a lot of packing to do. Caddy and I need to get settled here before the snow starts flying. I have a feeling I’ll have to learn how to shovel snow.”

Jo pulled back and her eyes grew wide. “You mean … you mean you are going to move here?”

“Yup. You got a problem with that?”

Jo shook her head, making her curls dance. A smile lit up her face. “And just when did you come to this conclusion?” Her smile faded a bit and her eyes narrowed. “It didn’t have anything to do with your trip to the Boundary Waters, did it?”

“No, not at all. The minute Sally handed me that plane ticket to Minneapolis, I made up my mind. I realized what a total ass I’d been when things got complicated. Jo, I can do my job here as well as anywhere else. Hopefully, Minneapolis has room for another neurosurgeon. If not, maybe I can take up snow plowing.”

Jo’s laughter sounded wonderful to his ears. She swooped down and gave him a long, deep kiss. And all he could think about was waking up to her every morning for the rest of their lives.

Epilogue

Turners Bend

April

Hal Swanson slipped out of the bright sunshine into the dimly lit bar. He waited as his eyes adjusted and then scanned the interior of the Bend. It had been a while, but his old stomping grounds remained unchanged. Still the scarred tables, the scuffed floor, the tattered beer posters and the malty, smoky aroma reminded him of the days and nights when he moved from beer to the hard stuff.

It had been hours since his last drink and he felt edgy, his skin itching for alcohol. “A little hair of the dog would calm the nerves,” he said to himself.

His physical appearance had changed in the past year. He had lost twenty pounds and grown a beard and mustache. His facial hair was darker than the hair on this head had been. That hair was gone and his shaved head was smooth and shiny.

The place was empty, except for the bartender. He was thankful it wasn’t Joe, who would probably recognize him despite his changed appearance. The guy behind the bar was not someone he remembered.

“What’ll you have?”

“Bourbon on the rocks. Make it a double.”

“Sure thing.”

The bartender put the drink in front of Hal, and studied his face.

“You new in town?”

“Just passing through. Place is empty. Where is everyone?”

“Big doings over at the café. The owner of this place is over there. It’s a celebration for two local guys … one of them just got home from the hospital. Maybe you heard about them. They captured the Iowa serial killer. Made the national news.”

“You don’t say.” Hal lifted his empty glass. “I could use another double before I hit the road.”

Hal downed the second drink, paid the tab and walked down to the Bun. He stood outside and looked through the window. The café was full of familiar faces. All seemed to be having a good time. He did not see his ex-wife or son, but he secretly watched as his daughter approached the crime writer and hugged him.

Hal knew the story, had followed it on the news. That guy may have helped Iver save his daughter, but that didn’t change how he felt about him. The little creep screwed him and was probably screwing his wife. His gut began to boil. He vowed to be patient and wait for just the right moment. He stuck his hand in his jacket pocket and wrapped his fingers around the cold metal.

He glanced up and down the street, the same street that had been a bustling business center when he was a boy. The Bijou had been brought back to life, but there were still abandoned and boarded-up shops on both sides of Main Street. His eyes glimpsed a shadow in the window above the old butcher’s shop, the apartment where Hans Mueller had once lived with his wife, Greta. He shook it off. Get a grip, Hal. You ditched those two hombres who were tailing you way back in Florida, there’s no way anyone could have followed you to Turners Bend. Relax and keep focused on your target.

1. The Hunter is a stalker. Have you or anyone you know been stalked? What happened? How did it make you feel? Is tracing someone’s whereabouts and activities on social media a form of stalking or not?

2. Both Lucinda and Lance and Jo and John are attempting long-distance romances. What are the challenges involved in a long-distance relationship? How successful do you think they can be?

3. Revenge is fueling the murders in both stories. How do you feel about “getting even” when you feel you have been wronged? Is it healthy or destructive?

4. Detective Frisco has made a job change for his wife’s career. What makes a successful dual-career household? What are the pitfalls that can lead to failed relationships?

5. Maribelle Collingsworth finds it difficult to be the wife of a prominent husband and the mother of two successful sons. What advice would you give her?

6. In both Turners Bend and the Twin Cities, the characters have favorite eating places and foods. Where would you go for the best pizza? The best hamburger? The best hot roast beef/turkey sandwich?

7. The series titles,
Headaches Can Be Murder
and
Love Can Be Murder
, each have a bit of whimsy. If you were one of the authors, what fun name would you give to the third book?

We love meeting with groups, sharing our books and the story of how we became authors and a writing duo. If you would like us to attend one of your meeting in person, via speakerphone or skype, please contact us on our website,
http://
www.rauschanddonlonauthors.com