Touched by Death (30 page)

Jade wiped her forehead, reaching again for her water
bottle. "Huh? What? Oh nothing."

"Nothing? That's like the fifth heavy sigh in
the last ten minutes. Call the man for heaven's sake."

"Call? Nah. He's busy." She took a long
drink and recapped her bottle then stared out the open door. Dust swirled
outside in the breeze. Too bad it wasn't swirling inside the trailer
exchanging the old air that sat in there from the weekend, with fresh
air.

"You're supposed to be working too, but apparently
this isn't half as interesting as wondering what Dane's up to."

Jade turned back to her, and gave a small laugh. "That
obvious?"

"Hell, yeah. Just be happy the men aren't around,"
Meg teased. "They'd be hassling you constantly."

She gave a mock shudder. "Nasty. Okay, I'll stop."

Meg straightened from the close-up examination of
a leg. "Why don't you just call him? You're an adult not a teenager."

"So why do I feel like a schoolgirl again?"

With a delighted grin, Meg walked over and nudged
her shoulder. "Be the one to make the first move. Call him."

Feeling like an idiot, but unable to stop herself,
she dialed Dane's number. It rang once then twice.

"Dane, this is Jade?" With a half smile
at Meg, Jade walked out into the afternoon sun to speak more freely.
"I'm just calling to say 'hi,' and see how you're holding up. How's
John doing?"

"I'm fine. And I'm glad you called." His
heavy sigh came through the line. "John's adjusting. He's already
concerned about Tasha and now with this Peppe business..." Dane
groaned painfully. "I don't know what to do for him. His repair
business closed after the last earthquake just before you arrived, but
apparently it had been failing for a while. He rented a storefront a
few months ago in an effort to get more customers, but never even got
set up before the earthquake. I've been helping him along financially
but he's proud and it's awkward. Now with Emile's funeral and Tasha's
long-term care issues, I just don't know."

The sun's rays beat down. The big rocks around the
trailers seemed to soak up the heat and radiate it outwards. Shadows
of light and dark played over the ground. Jade wandered from one splotch
of sunshine to another. It was a beautiful afternoon.

"So what now?" she asked.

"Bury Emile. Wait for word on Tasha. And I don't
know what he wants to do about the baby."

"Oh dear. I never thought of that. A child born
alive is buried if they die. I don't know what would happen in this
case." That decision might rest with the parents, but she didn't
know. Also in this case the mother wasn't capable of making any decision.
"John has to sort through this. It was his child."

"A daughter." Dane's voice thinned slightly.
"The nurse at the front desk told me, in private."

Jade winced. That made it real. She'd never known
her own child's sex. "Does he know that?"

"I imagine so. We've never spoken of it."

Jade wanted to cheer him up. "Dr. Mike is doing
much better. He's back at work. This last weekend has changed the atmosphere.
We're liking the idea of working harder and going home earlier."

He sighed heavily. "Yeah, I have to admit going
home is looking pretty damn good from my perspective, too. I just can't
leave John like this."

"Is that place his?"

"No, it's Peppe's and then Emile and Tasha's."

"Except with Emile gone, it will be Tasha's and
as long as she's incapacitated, it's still his place… Right? Meaning
he still has a home?"

"Oh yes. Look I'm just about ready to leave off
work for the day. Are you at the hotel or at the lab?"

"I'm still at the lab. We're almost ready to
go home now. Meg is locking up." Meg did just that and then walked
over to the reefer and checked the thermostat. She turned to face Jade,
the SUV keys dangling in her hand, waiting for the call to finish.

"Are we still on for dinner on Friday? And coffee
any time between now and then would be great?" Dane asked.

"Sounds perfect." Smiling, she hung up the
phone and hopped into the SUV, feeling like a schoolgirl again. "Dinner
is definite for Friday."

"About time."

He'd kept watch all week. Waiting. He had a place
outside his house where he could keep an eye on everyone's comings and
goings. Right now he was more interested in the lab trailer.

He'd waited, but she hadn't been left alone. It's
as if she knew. And maybe she did.

Instincts had been bred out of most people –
unless they were hunters like him. Peppe huddled deeper into the hollow.
He'd kept an eye on the house, waiting for his kids. They hadn't come
home. He didn't know where they were. He didn't know how to find them.

John might tell him… And John might just laugh
in his face and call him crazy.

Maybe he was crazy. He couldn't remember anything
straight. The days were mixed up. His wife's face swam through his mind.
He thought he'd seen her yesterday but when he'd spoken to her she was
gone again.

Maybe he was crazy.

But he had kids.
Emile and Tasha. Emile and Tasha.
He kept the mantra going
over and over again. He had to believe they'd come home.

If they didn't, then what? It was Tasha's house, but
John and his brother lived there now. That wasn't right. It was still
Peppe's house.

They'd taken over. John was even driving
his
truck. At least he thought it was his truck. Except he
didn't remember the last time he'd driven. He'd driven his wife to work
sometimes. He remembered that. Then again, he remembered the farm full
of healthy green trees and fruit pickers working the place too. Was
that last year? He studied the dead trees, the cut off stumps and dead
grass.

Couldn't have been.

He wiped his hand over his face. So many memories.
So much time gone. All he wanted was to join his wife. But there was
something he had to do first.

John's truck – his truck – drove into the yard
and parked outside the main house.

Right. Now he remembered.

He turned his attention back to the lab trailer.

F
riday dawned bright and clear. Jade couldn't be happier.
She'd been focused and dedicated to getting the job done. The week had
passed quickly. She'd spoken with Dane several times and he'd delivered
coffee two mornings in a row. She'd come to love those little surprises.
He kissed her when he saw her. He kissed her when he left her. She was
coming to love those gestures too. She was coming to care for Dane –
at least a little bit.

Okay, more than a little.

Emile had been buried in the family tomb on Wednesday.
The team had been told on Thursday.

She hadn't had a chance to call Dane all day as the
pace had picked up and with Dr. Mike's help, they'd accomplished the
workload of two days today. Now, walking into the lobby of the hotel
with Meg at her side, Jade was looking forward to a hot shower and dressing
up.

"In a hurry I see." Meg grinned. "Finally
it's Friday!"

"Finally. We're going out on the water."
Jade bounced as she raced to the stairs.

"Ohhh. I am so jealous!" Meg's astonishment-turned-envy
made Jade perk up.

"What do I wear sailing?" Mentally, she
ran through her minimal wardrobe. She'd done no shopping here other
than in that first week and clothes for dating hadn't been on her list
of priorities then.

"Good question." Meg stared at Jade, "Pants,
maybe? When is he coming?"

Jade smiled, that's what she'd been thinking. "Fivish.
So in an hour."

Meg glanced down at her watch. "You mean in fifteen
minutes."

"Oh my God. No. That can't be." Jade grabbed
Meg's watch and checked for herself. "Oh no. I'm so dead."
She bolted up the remaining steps to her room. Where had the last hour
gone? She'd have sworn she still had time. She glanced through her limited
wardrobe. She really didn't have much choice. It would have to be layers.
First she needed the fastest shower possible. Then she dressed in cotton
pants, t-shirt with sweater and sandals. It might be warm out now but
there could be a wind out on the water. She'd freeze within an hour
if she didn't have something to cover up with. Her sweater would have
to do.

She grabbed her purse and raced down to the front
door. Even as she stood and caught her breath, Dane drove up.

"Perfect. Hop in."

Jade opened the front door of the truck and waved
good-bye to Bruce, driving up in the SUV. Dane honked as they left the
drive and moved onto the main road.

She glanced at him. Damn he looked good. "Are
you doing okay?"

He took his gaze off the road to send her a quizzical
look. "Yes. I'm fine." He refocused on the road. After a moment
he looked at her again. "Don't I look fine?"

She studied his profile. This man always looked good.
In a light teasing voice, she said, "Fishing for compliments?"

"Hell, no." He grinned. "I don't have
to fish, normally."

It was her turn to grin. "No, I bet you don't."

He reached across and caught her hand, squeezing gently.
"Hey, I'm not a womanizer or anything like that."

"Good. I don't do those." She'd said it
flippantly, then realized how he might take it. She stared out the side
window, feeling the heat climb up her throat.

His gaze burned once and then twice. She refused to
meet it. Damn her quick tongue.

"I'm really enjoying our time together. We've
known each other what...a month now. I'm serious about seeing you when
we're back home."

She flushed, smiled brilliantly at him yet responded
shyly, "I'm serious, too."

They drove in companionable silence for several miles.
Jade sat up, realizing they were heading toward the water. "This
town is so pretty. I never saw anything this nice when I was here last
time. The architecture, the palm trees, the blue water..." She
sighed happily as they drove along the streets.

He pointed to a large marina she hadn't seen before.
"Our boat is down here. I've booked a dinner tour. This sailing
company was recommended by someone who works for me. This couple will
take us out on the harbor and serve a full dinner while we get to enjoy
the scenery." He drove the truck into a small lot and parked.

She smiled with delight. "What a great idea."

Laughing and holding hands, they ran the length of
the big dock. The yacht was huge. White with golden trim, the name
The Painted Lady
was proudly proclaimed on the bow. It gleamed chrome and steel and quietly
stated money – and class. At the ramp, they were greeted by the
owners, a native Haitian husband and wife team sporting big smiles and
friendly faces. As soon as Dane and Jade boarded, they were offered
a choice of wine or coffee. Jade suggested coffee first and wine a bit
later.

Dane grinned. "She needs her caffeine fix."
Up on the top deck there was a large couch in a brilliant white that
almost blinded her in the sun. It was perfect. They had the space all
to themselves, with their hosts staying below to give them privacy.
Jade leaned back and sniffed the salty air. "Oh wow. Now this is
nice."

"Happy?" He wandered the small space looking
at the activity going on around them as they slowly motored into the
bay.

"Oh yeah. It's a great way to end the week."
She slumped lower and tilted her face to let the warm sun and the cool
breeze waft across her face. It had been a long week. "I can't
believe how much I needed this."

"Now here's something to make it even better."
Grace, the woman who'd initially greeted them arrived with coffee topped
with whipping cream and cinnamon, in big Spanish mugs.

"Thank you." Jade almost swooned at the
rich coffee aroma hitting her nose. "I could take this every day."

"Then we'll have to find time to repeat this."

She settled back to enjoy the ride. Jade didn't know
anything about boats, and this one was huge. They had perfect service.
Small sailboats sauntered by with their cheeky brightly colored sails.
The odd powerboat bounced across the water. The coastline drifted by.
Jade just drifted.

She asked Dane a ton of questions about Haiti and
couldn't believe that he seemed to have most of the answers. When there
were a couple he couldn't answer, he went and asked their hosts. Several
times, Grace came up the stairs to ask if they wanted the tourist spiel
for different attractions.

Both of them said 'yes' and stood while she pointed
out the various highlights as they cruised slowly through the water.

The magic continued with the delivery of the promised
red wine, followed by a dinner of fresh fish. Jade had no idea what
kind but it was wrapped in large green leaves and baked on coals in
a brazier. There were bowls of rice and veggies to go with it. The smells
were heavenly, the taste divine. The longer they cruised the lower the
sun slipped. Deep oranges and pinks blanketed the evening in a peaceful,
intimate cover. Replete, and caught up in the enchantment of the evening,
Jade settled back onto the couch with another glass of red wine while
Grace efficiently cleared their table.

Dane sat down beside her. He lifted one arm, and she
slid over to cuddle closer. A wonderful meal, gorgeous scenery, company
that made her heart lift – it was magical.

Hours later, the cruise returned to port. Not ready
for the evening to end, they stood and watched the lights flash on the
rippling water. "We'll do this again. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."

"I more than enjoyed tonight. It was perfect."

Dane slung is arm over her shoulder. "It's only
eleven. Bedtime? Or sit by the water?"

"Oh let's sit by the water. I don't want the
night to end."

"Hmmm." Dane, his arm still wrapped around
her shoulders tugged her in the direction of a large circular dock with
benches all around. They walked past many other couples. At the end,
they sat on a small bench they had all to themselves.