The Fall Of Shane MacCade - MacKade Brothers 4 Part 10

"No, that's fine." Distracted, Rebecca peered through her gla.s.ses. "I'm trying to find Abigail's lover-if she had one."

"Oh." Obviously fl.u.s.tered, Ca.s.sie ran a hand through her hair.

"But how would you be able to?"

"Process of elimination-ages, marital status." Remembering, she took the gla.s.ses off, and Ca.s.sie popped into focus. "You seemed awfully sure he didn't have a wife."

"No, he couldn't have."

"And he wasn't in the army, but you said something about him resigning some kind of post when he left town." "It's so odd to hear you talk about it, about them, as if they were real and here."

Rebecca smiled and leaned back in her chair. "Aren't they?"

"Well, yes, I suppose they are." Ca.s.sie shook her head. "I get caught up in the story. I came to tell you I have to run to the hospital."

"Hospital?" Alarmed, Rebecca shot out of her chair. "Is one of the children hurt? Sick?"

"Oh, no, no. Shane-"

"He's had an accident." Rebecca's face went dead white. "Where is he? What happened?"

"Rebecca, it's Savannah. She's in labor." Curious, Ca.s.sie watched Rebecca sink bonelessly back into her chair. "I didn't mean to frighten you."

"It's all right." Weakly she waved a hand. "I'm supposed to know better than to jump to conclusions."

"Shane called a couple of hours ago after Jared called him. I needed to arrange for a sitter before I could go. I'm going to drop Connor and Emma off with Ed at the diner. You haven't met Ed yet. She's just wonderful. She can't handle Ally, tot), but there's day care at the hospital."

"Uh-huh." Rebecca had nearly recovered.

"I didn't want you to think you'd been deserted. There's some cold cuts and a pie in the kitchen, if you get hungry. I have to take the car, but I'm supposed to tell you that you can go over tothe cabin, or the farm, and borrow one if you need to go out."

"I don't need to go anywhere." Calm again, she smiled.

"Savannah's having her baby. That's wonderful. Is everything all right?"

"Fine, at last report. It's just that we all want to be there."

"Of course you do. Give mother and father my best. I'd be happy to keep Ally for you, if you like."

"That's awfully nice of you. But I'm nursing, and I don't know how long I'll be." Ca.s.sie nibbled her bottom lip as she began to organize things in her head. "We're not expecting any new guests, and I've left a note for the ones who are out and about today. I usually serve tea in about an hour, but..."

"Don't worry, we'll fend for ourselves. Go on, Ca.s.sie, I can see you're dying to be there."

"There's nothing like a new baby."

"No, I'm sure there isn't."

When she was alone, Rebecca tried to concentrate, but she could visualize it all. The whole MacKade family would be pacing the waiting room, probably driving the nursing staff to distraction. They'd be noisy, of course. One of them would pop into the birthing room to check the progress, and come out and report to the others.

All of them would enjoy every minute of it. That was what close families did, enjoy each other. She wondered if they had any idea how lucky they were. She put in another two hours at the computer, easily eliminated half the male names on her list before hunger had her wandering down to the kitchen.

Some of the other guests had already sampled the pie Ca.s.sie had left. And someone had been considerate enough to leave coffee on. She poured a cup, thought about building a sandwich, and settled for blueberries baked in a flaky crust.

When the phone rang, she answered automatically. "h.e.l.lo. Oh, MacKade Inn."

"You've got a good, s.e.xy voice for the phone, Rebecca."

"Shane?"

"And a good ear. We thought you'd want to know the MacKades just increased by one."

"What did she have? How is she?"

"A girl, and they're both terrific. Miranda Mac-Kade is eight pounds, two ounces and twenty-one inches of gorgeous female."

"Miranda." Rebecca sighed. "That's lovely."

"Ca.s.sie's on her way back, but she might be a while yet, picking up the kids, telling Ed all the details and all. I thought you might be wondering."

"I was. Thanks."

"I'm in the mood to celebrate. Want to celebrate with me, Dr.

Knight?" "Ah..."

"Nothing fancy, I didn't have time to change before. I can swing by, pick you up. Buy you a beer."

"That's sounds irresistible, but-"

"Good. Half an hour."

"I didn't say-" She could only frown at the rude buzz of the dial tone.

She wouldn't primp. Sheer vanity had her doing a quick check in the mirror and giving her makeup a buff, but that was all he was getting. The leggings and thin fawn-colored sweater she'd worked in that evening were comfortable, and would certainly do for a casual beer.

If she dressed them up with big copper-and-bra.s.s earrings, it was for her own benefit. She'd begun to enjoy the ritual of decorating her body over the past few months.

She left a note for Ca.s.sie on her door, then walked out of the inn to wait for Shane.

Hints of the coming fall brought a tang on the air. The day had been hot and still, but now the air was cool. The darkness was soft and complete, as it was meant to be in the country.

Occasionally a car would rumble by on the road below the steep lane. Then silence would fall again, beautifully.

She'd been sure she would miss the noise of the city, the comforting grumble of life, the periodic and cheerful rudeness of it. In New York, she'd finally taught herself to join in that life, tospend time in the stores and museums, to brush up against people instead of shying away from them. It was a kind of therapy she'd prescribed for herself, and it had worked.

She'd stopped walking with her eyes on her own feet, stopped hurrying back to her own apartment, where she could be safe and alone with her books.

But she didn't miss it. She liked the quiet here, the slower pace, and the opportunity to get to know people. Now she was going to have a drink with a very attractive man.

All in all, it wasn't a bad end to a productive day.

She watched the headlights come and veer toward the lane.

Shifting her shoulder bag, she headed toward the truck.

"That's what I like to see, a woman waiting for me."

"Sorry to disappoint you." She hiked herself up and into the cab of the truck. "I wanted to enjoy the incredible weather. It's starting to smell like fall."

"You look pretty." Reaching over, he flicked a finger over her earring and sent it dancing.

"So do you." It was absolutely true-the stubby ponytail, the faded work shirt, the easy grin. "Where are we going?"

"Just down to Duff's." Shane slung an arm over the back of the seat and set the truck in reverse. "It's not much, but it's home."

It certainly wasn't much, Rebecca decided at first study. The tavern was badly lit, with glaring fluorescent lights over the pool table that were only softened by the clouds of smoke fromcigarettes. A jukebox that blared out whiny country music. The decorations ran to scattered peanut sh.e.l.ls, posters for beer, and an oddly charming print of dogs playing poker. The air smelled stale, and a little dangerous.

She liked it.

On their way to the bar, a scarred affair guarded by a scrawny man with an irritable look on his face, Shane introduced her to half a dozen people.

She got the look outsiders are greeted by in a close-knit community-a combination of curiosity, distrust and interest.

Someone called out for Shane to pick up a cue, but he shook his head and held up two fingers to the man behind the bar.

"How's it going, Duff?"

The skinny bartender grunted as he popped the tops of two bottles. "Usual."

"This is Rebecca, a friend of Regan's from New York."

"New York City's a h.e.l.lhole."

"You've been there?" Rebecca asked politely.

"Couldn't pay me to set foot in it." He slid the bottles over the bar and went back to scowling at his customers.

"Duff's a real chatterbox," Shane commented as he led the way to a table. "And the happiest man in town."

"I could tell right off." She took her seat. "After all, I'm a professional." Grinning, Shane tapped his bottle to hers. "To Miranda Catherine MacKade."

In concert, Rebecca lifted the bottle and sipped. "So, tell me all about it."

"Well, the couple of times I got in to see her, Savannah was a little cranky. She said MacKade men should be locked up-among other things that had to do with specific parts of the anatomy."

"Sounds fair, coming from a woman in labor."

"Yeah, well, Regan and Ca.s.sie weren't quite so nasty. Then again, Savannah's a little more out there. Anyway, she spit nails for a while. Then, after it was over, she was cooing rose petals."

"And Jared?"

"Went from sweating bullets to grinning like a demented fool.

That's the way it goes every time we have a baby."

"We?"

"It's a family affair. You could have come."

"It sounds like Savannah had enough company." She tilted her head. "So, does it give you any ideas?"

"Huh? Oh." He leaned back, grinning. "It gives me the idea that my brothers are doing a fine job making families. No need for me to horn in. What about you? You thinking about settling down and hatching a brood?" "Hatching a brood?" She had to laugh. "No."

Shane took a peanut from the plastic bowl on the table, cracked it. "So, what do you do when you're not shrinking heads or chasing ghosts or giving lectures?"

"I live in a h.e.l.lhole, remember? There's always plenty to do.

Muggings, murders, orgies. My life's very full."

He skimmed a hand over hers. "Anyone in particular helping fill it out?"

"No. No one in particular." She smiled sweetly, leaned forward.

"How's Darla?"

He cleared his throat and bought himself a little time by sipping his beer. "She's fine. Dandy."

It wasn't worth mentioning that he'd nudged good old Darla along, despite her invitation to fix his supper-and anything else he might like. "Any progress on the hunt?"

"That's not a very subtle avoidance of the topic."

"I wasn't trying to be subtle." He laid his hand over hers again, snagging her fingers before she could draw them away. "Find any good ghosts lately?"

"Actually, I did." She had the pleasure of seeing the smile fade from his eyes.

"That's bull."

"No, indeed. I have some very nice doc.u.mentation of an event.

Registered a forty-two-degree temperature drop in less than twominutes."

He took another drink. "Your fancy equipment needs to be overhauled."

His reaction amused her, intrigued her. "You're very resistant.

Do you feel threatened?"

"Why would I feel threatened by something that doesn't exist?"