I ran to the window. No smoke. No Joe. Apartment dwellers were starting to mill around in the parking lot.

  I ran back to the door and looked out the peephole. Only thing I could see was the strobe from the alarm directly across from my door.

  Still no smoke. Still no sirens.

  The alarm cycled off.

  “Why?” I heard a mother screech at her son. I could now see them walking through my breezeway. “Why would you do that? Do you know that if the fire department comes, they’ll probably put you in jail? What if somebody got hurt? Wait ‘til your father gets home. I wonder how much they’re gonna charge us for this. It’s coming out of your Christmas money. I just can’t believe you would do something like this.”

  The alarm cycled back on.

  Even though the noise was painfully loud, and I was comfortable that it was a stupid kid trick, not an attempt on my life, I stayed in the apartment and waited for the property manager or the fire department or the alarm company to turn the stupid thing off.

  Forty minutes later, the alarm was off, my fellow apartment dwellers were back in their apartments, my bathwater was cold, my blissful mood had deflated, and A.J. damn near killed himself trying to get in the door. The bad side of a maid lock is that you can open the door just far enough that you really jar yourself when it hits resistance, or in the case of A.J., slams shut in his face.

  I ran for the door apologizing all the way.

  “What scared you? You only put that stupid thing on when you’re paranoid.”

  “Joe-the-cop showed up. He tried to charm me. Last time he tried to bully me. I just get the feeling that something is really not right there.”

  “Maybe we need to do something. Maybe we should have done something about him a while ago. Have you talked to your brother?”

  “No. I don’t want to get him in the middle of this. He’s a cop. Cops don’t dance on the thin blue line.”

  “We need to do something. He’s starting to get more than creepy.”

  “I may have a fix. I talked to our across-the-hall neighbor. He bowls with the chief. If things don’t get better soon, I’m going to ask him to talk to the chief and frame it as if he is doing it friend to friend, but without my knowledge, so that my brother can’t be associated with it.”

  “I get it. I don’t like it, but I get it.”

  “I really don’t think he’s trying to do anything to hurt me. I think he’s just trying to manipulate me — into doing what isn’t clear.”

  “I agree, but if the manipulation doesn’t work, it could escalate to hurt, and if that happens, well, I don’t want to think about what would happen, but your brother the cop will have to go through me to get to that ass.”

  “You both would have to go through Teagan first. I’m pretty sure it isn’t going to come to that, so, instead of focusing on the negative, and bringing that down upon ourselves, I was kind of thinking we could either have trout for dinner and then watch a movie, or we could go out. Which would you prefer? Oh, and I saw Jovana today. She showed us the ballroom. I can’t believe the price she gave Morgan. I’m so grateful to her. I need to do something really nice for her, hope you can help me think of something.”

  “I’m really not good at that stuff.”

  “Well, I always thought it was important for Morgan and Liam to have a nice wedding, but then, today, I found out some things that make me want it all the more.”

  “What?”

  “Very long and totally disturbing story, but basically, when Morgan was a teen, she was working late at the college in the library, and she was beaten badly and raped. Jordan is the product of that rape. Her parents were not amused that she decided to keep the baby, and add to that that she is marrying Liam, and they have pretty much abandoned her. Her family, I’m not sure how big or small it is, won’t be at the wedding. It’s pretty much the O’Flynns and friends. They’re on a pretty tight budget, and if Jovana and her husband hadn’t been so generous, they never would have been able to do anything so beautiful, and, A.J., I think Morgan needs a little beautiful in her life.”

  “I had no idea.”

  “Me either. How would anyone know? You look at Morgan, and all you see is beautiful and serene and lovely. That ugly part of her life didn’t destroy her. I’m so proud of her I can’t stand it, and her own parents don’t want anything to do with her. I just don’t understand. I can’t think of a single thing I could do in life that would make my parents abandon me, but I’m positive that being the victim of a violent crime, and then having the internal fortitude to rise above it, and continue my life with grace and passion, wouldn’t cause them to run the other way. My parents would throw a parade.”

  “I’m not sticking up for her family, because there’s no justification for what they’re doing. But remember, Cara, we weren’t there, we don’t know all the facts, and people can only do the best they can do with the knowledge and life experience they have to work with.”

  “Oh my God, you sounded just like my mother.”

  “Ouch.”

  “That’s a good thing. I like my mother. She’s a smart person.”

  “I know your mom is a great person, but no guy wants to be told that he reminds the woman he loves of her mother.”

  I stood very still. Woman he loves? Did I hear that right? He kept on going as if he hadn’t said what I thought he said, so I decided not to say anything.

  “I think I’d like to eat at home tonight, then maybe we can watch a movie, and then I have some pictures to sort. I’d also like to make a couple of phone calls. I want to see if I can pull something off, and if I can, it’s gonna be great.”

  He kissed me, smiled, kissed me again, and then headed off for the shower.

  I went into the kitchen, rinsed off the two trout, sprayed cooking spray on a nice baking sheet, and placed the trout on it. I sprinkled white pepper and finely ground salt on the inside and outside of each of the little swimmers, then some white Worcestershire inside and out, and popped those puppies in the oven. I put the kettle on, peeled some potatoes, and had them on to boil in record time. I even steamed some veggies, not that I will eat them, but A.J. will. Some nice rolls I had in the house, really cold Pepsi, table set with the good Corelle.

  My evening was taking a definite turn for the better.

  A.J. was ready about the time dinner was.

  A.J. took one forkful of potatoes, trying to decide something. I waited. Finally he said, “You’re not a professional model.”

  “Thanks for pointing that out.”

  He chuckled. “Listen to the whole thought first. You’re not a professional model. If I asked you to do a photo shoot for me, would you do it?”

  “I’m not qualified.”

  “That isn’t what I asked. I asked if you’d do it.”

  “You would be mightily disappointed. There have to be a million more qualified girls out there. Why don’t you have one of the regular girls you use do it?”

  “Again, that wasn’t the question. If I asked you to do a photo shoot, would you do it?”

  “I guess.”

  “Good.”

  “When?”

  “When what?”

  “When do I have to do this photo shoot?”

  “Oh, there’s no photo shoot. I just wanted to know if you would do it.”

  “Some kind of photographer girlfriend qualification test? See just how far I’ll go?”

  “No. Girlfriend test? Just how far?”

  “You know what I mean.”

  “I’m not sure what you mean, but I’d love to about hear it. In great detail.”

  It’s hard to talk when you’re blushing bright crimson, and redheaded Irish women can blush better than most. “You know what, I can’t have this conversation today. I’ve had a very emotional day. Plus, I’ve already hit my quota of commitments. I committed to Jovana. I committed to Morgan. I committed to Teagan. That’s three. I only do three commitments in any one day.”

  “I wasn’t really asking for a commitment, Cara. I’m a guy. We’re actually terrified of the concept, remember?”

  “Okay. I’m sorry. Bad choice of words.”

  “No problem. Change of subject. Jovana told me about the meeting she had with you guys. She said she had a great time. She told me that she volunteered me as a part of the wedding photography team.” He smiled. “She’s really excited about this. She said she fully expects Morgan and Liam’s wedding to be absolutely stunning, and that’s a quote. She didn’t say anything about Morgan being raped.”

  “Morgan didn’t tell us until after we’d left the ballroom.”

  Suddenly A.J. looked angry. His jaw was so tight I was expecting broken teeth any second. “Do we know what happened to the asshole? Is he in prison? For how long? Where?”

  “I don’t know. We didn’t talk about that part of it. There’s nothing we could or should do about the guy. We’re looking forward.”

  “Not true. There wasn’t anybody to protect her that night, but she has the family to protect her now.”

  “The family?”

  “Yes, your family.”

  “You make us sound like the mafia.”

  “Well, I would have said you guys are a clan, but the same difference. I sure as hell wouldn’t go up against you guys.”

  “Wise man, but I doubt you would wake up with horse parts in your bed.”

  “I’m not worried about horse parts. I’d be more worried that I wouldn’t wake up with all my parts. Your mother always seems to have a sharp object in her hand.”

  “That’s because she is always cooking.”

  “Great cover story for the police.”

  Dinner was great. Dessert was better. Dancing around the apartment in candlelight was even better than that.

  There are nights that just go from great to outstanding. Sometimes they even get better than that. It was definitely a ‘better than that’ night.

  SEVEN

  THE PHONE RANG.

  “Hello?”

  “Just how pushy are we going to be with Morgan?”

  “Good morning to you too, Teagan.”

  “Fine. Good morning. Answer my question.”

  “I’m not even sure what the question means.”

  “It means that she doesn’t have family to back her up for all this stuff for the wedding, and nobody should have to plan a wedding alone.”

  “She has Liam.”

  “Like I said, no one should have to plan a wedding alone.”

  “We need to talk to Liam. We can’t get too pushy. She might decide to run and hide. She’s smart, you know, and if she runs away we’ll never be able to find her; then Liam is gonna kill us, and Mom will help.”

  “You want to talk to him or should I?”

  “I will. You’re supposed to be working.”

  “You’re supposed to be creating a new career. How’s that coming?”

  “I haven’t done a damn thing.”

  “Just how long are you going to put off the inevitable?”

  “The inevitable being?”

  “Getting a real job and acting like a grown-up.”

  “I’m going to put it off until after the wedding. I have enough money in the bank to make it several months. I’m not going to starve or be homeless. I’ve been careful with my money. I’m good.”

  “Okay. You talk to Liam. Then call me. We don’t want to be too pushy, so I think we should figure out who is going to do what, and I’m volunteering for all things beautification.”

  “Morgan doesn’t need beautification.”

  “True, but I still want to play in the area of dress, hair, makeup, and flowers.”

  “Sounds about right. How practical is that? We don’t even have a cake or chairs, but you want to play with makeup.”

  “Don’t start with me, Cara. Each of us has our strengths. Mine is hair and makeup. You and Mom always do all the catering stuff, and if Jovana is going to take care of that, then you’re off the hook. You don’t have to do anything.”

  “I didn’t do anything? I’m the one that got the ballroom and the photographer.”

  “Be honest. That was accidental and more barter than ability, on both accounts, and I don’t think you’re going to mind paying up, at least to A.J.” Her eyebrows danced all around her head, and even on the phone, I knew it, which isn’t really saying all that much. Teagan seems to have moved on from rolling her eyes all the damn time to wiggling her eyebrows all the damn time. I have no idea what her next trick will be; I’m just trying hard not to pick up on her last one.

  I responded without even snarling or anything. “Very funny.”

  Teagan’s voice immediately shifted to concern. “Why are you in such a mood?”

  “Joe-the-cop showed up, he’s on my mind, I can’t seem to shake him, and I’m not sure what to do about it.”

  “Cara, I’m not kidding around. Either you sit down and figure out what’s going on, or I’m telling Mom and Dad that that idiot showed up again and they need to do something because you won’t.”

  “I’m not twelve, Teagan.”

  “I know, so stop acting like you are. You have two choices. You can do something about all of this, or you can step back and let us do something about it. Either way, something needs to be done. Today.”

  “Don’t threaten me with Mom and Dad. I am going to sit down today and figure out what’s going on.”

  “Good, ‘cause Morgan and Liam already had to put the wedding off once due to a death in the family. It would suck if they had to do it again because you didn’t want to face the fact that you stepped in it.”

  “Nobody’s going to kill me, Teagan, although I may kill you.”

  “You can’t. You don’t know how to do Morgan’s hair.”

  “Like you’re actually going to do the work yourself. You’re more supervisory level. Or maybe a consultant.”

  “I was thinking about that actually.”

  “You’ve decided to become a beauty guru?”

  “Don’t start with me, dingleberry. What I was thinking is, instead of a shower, which Morgan said she didn’t really want to do, I’d have the girls at the shop come over to my apartment, or Mom’s house, or maybe we could all go there after hours a couple of days before the wedding, and we could do manicures and pedicures and wax whatever needs waxing, and that could be our shower type thing.”

  “You really think Mom’s going to get a pedicure?”

  “I already mentioned it, and she said she thought it was a good idea.”

  “Really?”

  “I think she’s willing to do just about anything to make Morgan feel comfortable and loved.”

  “Sounds good to me, but won’t that be really expensive?”

  “I’ll check with the girls. The way the economy’s going, a bunch of women that want to pay for services, I don’t think the girls are going to have a problem with it. Besides, if it weren’t for me, they would have closed years ago. Between the small fortune I drop in there and all the people I send their direction, I pretty much keep the place going.”

  “I believe that. It’s a little disturbing, but I believe it.”

  “Disturbing? How is supporting a small business disturbing?”

  “Supporting a small business isn’t disturbing. The fact that one or more people are dependent on your freakishly accelerated rate of toe nail growth for their very livelihood, that, is a little bit disturbing.”

  “You know what, Cara? My nails might grow a little fast, but that’s a sign of good health, and at least I don’t have fur growing out of my toes.”

  “Here we go. Hairy toe comments. You know what, Teagan? Hairy toes are a sign of intelligence.”

  “Yeah, right.”

  “Quick, name three stupid people with hairy toes.”

  “Fred Flintstone, Sasquatch, and you.”

  “Fred Flintstone does not have hairy toes, he has three toes. Get your facts straight.”

  “Fine. Sasquatch has hairy toes.”

  “Perhaps, but Sasquatch is not stupid. He has been hunted for decades, leaves virtually no forensic evidence, yet keeps himself in the news just enough to stay interesting, but not so much that the bounty on his head attracts sane people.”

  “I guess that leaves you.”

  “I am many things in this life, Teagan, but stupid is not on the list.”

  “I agree, but how do we prove that? Your actions don’t really advertise your intelligence lately.”

  “Don’t be a jerk. I can prove it. Exactly what is your tolerance limit for stupidity?”

  “Oooh, very good. I have no tolerance for stupidity. Yet I have an infinitesimal amount of tolerance for you, so you’re at least dim, if not brilliant.”

  “That’s all I’m saying.”

  “How did we get here?”

  “Hairy toes.”

  “Right. Did you call Liam and Morgan and find out what we can do to help with the wedding?”

  “Why me?”

  “Because I’m going to talk to Mom and find out what she’s doing. I figured I’d run interference. If you call Mom, she’s going to want to know what you’re doing about Joe-the-cop, and she’s going to want to know what you’re doing about a job. But, hey, if you want to call Mom, I’ll be happy to call Liam.”

  “I like your plan. It’s much better. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear you have hairy toes. You’re just that smart.”

  “Cara, if I did have hairy toes, you wouldn’t know because unlike you, I actually have pedicures.”

  “That’s because your toe nails are best described as hooves.”

  “Don’t start.”

  “I didn’t. You pulled the hairy toe card.”

  “Call Liam.”

  “Yes, ma’am. You want to come over for food?”

  “Actually, I would. Jessie is out of town, but I can’t stay late.”

  “Call me when you’re leaving your office. I’ll do something easy.”

  “You sure it’s okay? A.J. won’t mind?”

  “He’s working late tonight. I think he’ll like the fact that I’m not here alone.”

  “Well, Teagan the Terrible will be there to play body guard.”

  “If my call to Liam and your call to Mom don’t turn up anything earth shattering, we’ll just talk tonight.”