Can You Picture This? (Sam Darling Mystery #3) Read online

  “Yep,” he yelled back. And it was just a moment before he came back into the bedroom and landed on the bed to give me a hug.

  He jumped up and said, “C’mon, Clancy, let’s go outside.”

  She reacted predictably, leaping off the bed and running around George until they finally walked out of the bedroom. I stretched luxuriously, content with my life. Well, except for the part where I couldn’t work and couldn’t go home. Couldn’t see my kids either. I guessed I wasn’t as content as I’d thought.

  “I betcha I’ll get to go home today,” I said aloud. Then, not troubled by anything for the moment, I got up and showered, and even sang while I did so. Today was going to be a glorious day.

  Or so I thought.

  TWELVE

  It wasn’t long before breakfast was finished and cleaned up. “Y’know, I don’t think I’ve ever cleaned off a table so much. Lots of times things sit there until I get around to it.”

  “I noticed,” George said.

  With the mood I was in, I couldn’t even get sarcastic with him, much less mad.

  “I need to know how Richie is. It’s stupid, but I feel partially responsible.”

  “I’m glad you realize that it’s stupid. You did nothing to hurt him. And I’ll check on Richie in a little while.”

  “Do you think I can go home today?” I asked him, changing the subject.

  “We’ll see. I’m going to check with the station.”

  He called and spoke to his captain, who told him they had no reason to think the suicide was the murderer, but no reason to think he wasn’t. In other words they didn’t know much of anything yet. George asked when the autopsy would be conducted and was told it would probably be today.

  When he hung up, George added, “At least that might tell us whether he was a suicide or a homicide.”

  I had no idea that they thought it might not be suicide. I felt a shiver that was part fear and part excitement. “Wow. That would make a big difference in everything, wouldn’t it? What makes you think it might not be suicide? And can I still go home today?” I stopped when George held up his hand.

  “You and your daughter with the questions…. Anyway, the answers are yes, it looked too perfect, and I don’t know.” Then he said, “Do you really want to leave here?”

  It was my turn to say, “I don’t know.” I added, “I don’t want to leave you, that’s for sure, but I’d love to be in my cozy little carriage house with my kids there…‌and you, of course.” I hugged him to let him know that I wasn’t trying to escape him, or his lovely home.

  I could see he was having an internal dialogue, trying to decide if it was safe for me to go to work and to stay at my own place. Finally he said, “I don’t want you to leave, but that’s just selfish. I’ve enjoyed having you and Clancy here the last few nights. But somehow it just feels like you’d be safe going home. And to work too.”

  I kissed him. Kissed him seriously and thoroughly.

  “Before I go, maybe we can get Clancy to watch the Animal Planet one more time,” he said, his eyes flashing. I looked at George and grinned back.

  After all, who knew when we’d be able to have some private time again? We’d both be busy with work, plus I’d have the kids, and I’d neglected the rest of my family since I had fallen in love with George.

  Clancy hadn’t watched so much TV since I’d gotten her. Now here she was, eight years old, and I was getting her addicted to the boob tube. But it was worth it.

  Later we had another cup of coffee while watching a show with Clancy on the migratory patterns of the Canada goose. She seemed enthralled. I leaned over Clancy so I could talk to George.

  “I keep wondering how Richie is doing. Can you check, please?”

  “Sure. I forgot to call, but I’ll do it now. Since he was a crime victim I can get some information from the hospital.” He called and spoke to the nurse manager of the floor Richie’d been moved to. He spoke for a few minutes, and his eyebrows shot up in disbelief, before thanking her and putting his phone down.

  “He’s doing really well,” he said before I could even question him about it. “And the thing that flabbergasted me was the reason he didn’t die.”

  “What. Tell me.” I couldn’t contain myself.

  “He was stabbed the same way as the first guy, but he has a rare condition called,” he looked down to consult his notes, “dextrocardia. It means his heart is on the right instead of the left side of his chest. So even though the knife went in the same place, it didn’t hit his heart. He’ll be fine. He’s going to be discharged in the next few days.”

  “Wow. I’ve heard of that, but don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who had it. And I sure didn’t know what it was called.” I had to think about it for a while. What amazing luck Richie had. “We need to visit him.”

  George agreed. “We can go this evening or tomorrow. I have lots of work to catch up on.”

  Later that morning, after checking with the station again, George said I could probably stay at my house safely. As he drove me home, my mind was cluttered with useless facts, and my vibes had deserted me…‌at least for the moment. Even Clancy wasn’t able to help me. Our connection was lessened when there was an abundance of people around.

  I realized it was too late for me to go to work because the agency would have already called my clients to cancel for today. But I did phone in a message for the receptionist, Clara Schmidt, to let her know I’d be there tomorrow.

  George said he’d pick me up later so we could go to visit Richie at the hospital, then dropped me and Clancy off at my house. I sighed as I walked through the door to my domain. This was my very first home ever where I’d had a bedroom to myself, not to mention the luxury of a bathroom attached. When I was young, I had shared with my sisters, and of course I shared with Joe while I was married.

  There was something so right about having a place of my own. I wondered if I ever could share a place with someone again. My kids didn’t count. They were part of me, plus they were seldom home anyway. Adam would graduate after one more year and he’d most likely move out as soon as he could. Sarah had a few more years at school and I hoped she would consider this place her home until she finished.

  I dropped my bag on the floor and plopped my body onto the couch. And there I sat with my feet on the coffee table until my kids walked in. Without any prompting one sat on either side of me. I took both their hands and held them close for a short time. We didn’t even talk. Just sat in silence until Clancy let me know she needed to go out.

  “I’ll take her,” Adam said.

  “No need, hon,” I said, getting up, “I want to take her for a little walk.”

  “I’ll go with you,” said Adam and Sarah at the same time.

  I smiled at how sweet they were both being.

  “Nope. I need to be by myself a little and enjoy my freedom.”

  Clancy got excited at the sight of her leash, because it meant she was going for a real walk and not just a pee in the courtyard. As we exited my house, the mansion’s back door opened and out walked Georgianne in her loud, flowered housecoat.

  “Yoo-hoo, Sam!” Even though I was standing a few feet away from her back porch she still yelled as if I couldn’t see or hear her.

  “Good morning,” I said, happy with the world for the moment, and that world included even Georgianne’s housecoat.

  “Are you home for good?” she asked. “Gus has been worried about you.”

  “Welcome home, Sam. I missed you and Clancy.” Gus stuck his head out of the door and yelled his greeting.

  Seeing the two of them, Clancy pulled on her leash until I let go, and she ran up the stairs to greet her friends. After she gave them each doggie kisses, she rolled onto her back so they could apply some well-placed belly rubs.

  Georgianne looked up, “I wanted to ask you, Sam, if you would like to play cards tonight. My regular group is playing, but it’s a special night because my sister is here and she adores card games. Please say
you’re free.”

  Normally I’m quick enough with the excuses, but not this time.

  “Sure, what time?” All was right in my world. I could afford to spend time with Georgianne. Plus, I’d get to see Gus.

  “Come over at seven. Would your children like to play?”

  Thankfully, for them, I was able to say that I thought they were both busy. They loved Gus and Georgianne, but I thought the card game with old folks might be asking too much of them.

  I was finally able to extract Clancy from their ministrations and took off. Today we went on our normal walk through the lovely neighborhood we lived in. It seemed it had been a long time since I was able to talk to Clancy like I’d always done.

  “So, girl, what did you think about staying with George?”

  I had to grin at her smile.

  “Me too, Clancy. Me too.”

  I marveled at the blooming flowers and the squirrels and bunnies scampering on the park-like lawns. Even though these sights were almost daily occurrences during my summer walks, I still felt immensely lucky.

  Out of the blue the hair stood up on my neck. Something was wrong somewhere. My stomach was tied up in knots and I felt dizzy enough that I had to sit down on a bank. It was daylight, so I shouldn’t have felt threatened, but I did. Clancy’s low growl told me she was getting the same vibes I was.

  I looked back and forth, back and forth, but nothing was there. Just the cars on Maine Street, a busy thoroughfare as usual. The sidewalks were empty, which was kind of strange, but not too much out of the ordinary on a work day in a residential neighborhood. I willed myself to relax my shoulders, which were up around my neck.

  Breathe deeply, Sam. Just breathe deeply.

  That calmed me enough that I was able to stand up. I brushed the grass and dirt off my butt and told Clancy everything was going to be all right. My vibes were still telling me something was wrong, but I couldn’t see anything.

  Starting to walk again, I felt Clancy pull behind me and she began barking frantically. I couldn’t hold her, and as I turned around to see what she was going after, I saw a blue hoodie on a figure escaping over a high wooden fence in a side yard. Clancy stood at the fence barking, but she couldn’t jump over it. I was okay with that. If something ever happened to her, they’d have to bury me along with her.

  “Clancy, get over here right now!” I seldom used that commanding tone of voice with her, because she usually knew how to behave. And it seemed that once more she might have saved my life, or at least saved me from something unpleasant. She looked at me, barked one more time for good measure in the direction the blue hoodie had taken, then came back to me. I knelt and hugged her, telling her over and over how much I loved her. She’d been with me since she was a pup that my kids picked out at the Quincy Humane Society. I couldn’t imagine my life without her.

  A few months ago, Clancy had been poisoned, along with many other dogs, some of whom died. I’d been frantic, and George had comforted me. It was the moment when I first knew that I loved him. I wasn’t able to explain it.

  Clancy accepted my love and my thanks. Once I was able to walk again, I turned around to go home—this time we didn’t walk all the way to my job at the Quincy Community Clinic, like we typically did.

  “Omigod, girl. I wish I knew what just happened.” My mind was full of confusion. “I have to trust our instincts and figure that the guy was up to no good. Right? Even though he didn’t do anything to us. I mean, you barked, and I felt my vibes. It had to be a dangerous situation. Plus, he ran away.” Clancy was looking at me with her most alert expression.

  “What a weasel.” As usual, while we walked, I kept up a running commentary with Clancy. “Should I tell George? I mean the guy did have on a blue hoodie.”

  Clancy thought I should tell him. But she was more of a worrywart than I was.

  “I don’t know, Clance. I don’t want to have to be under protective custody again. It was glorious being with George, but I hate being confined.” I thought for about a half block. “Nope. Not going to tell him. Not just yet anyway. And if you give me away, you will be in big trouble, young lady.”

  At that time, an out-of-breath cop in a blue uniform ran up to me. I recognized Jimmy Mansfield, who had been assigned to me earlier.

  “I saw what happened,” he said, in between gulping breaths. “I was sitting at the light and got out of my car and chased the guy a few blocks. He had a big head start, and I couldn’t catch him. Sorry.”

  He took another deep breath, then seemed to breathe more normally rather quickly.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, thanks,” I answered, feeling tired just looking at him.

  Clancy gave a low growl again. I couldn’t feel whether it was left over from the crisis or whether she was growling at Jimmy. Sometimes our psychic connection seems to flow only one way.

  Then it hit me.

  “Oh shit. You’re going to tell George, aren’t you?”

  THIRTEEN

  “Well, of course I am,” he answered in a Dudley Do-Right manner. “That’s the right thing to do.”

  I nodded, as if I agreed, and he didn’t ask what the “oh, shit” was about. So I played along and was pleased that at least George wouldn’t have an excuse to get mad at me.

  I thanked him again for trying to help us, and walked the short distance to my home. I knew it wouldn’t be long before George called me or came over. I expected a lecture from him, so I didn’t tell the kids because I didn’t need a lecture from them too.

  I heard them upstairs, so I slunk to my bedroom and quietly closed the door. Of course I had my cell phone with me, so I could answer George’s call and get what was coming to me. I took off my jeans and pulled the covers over my head. What had happened finally hit me, and the tears started.

  Clancy tried to wiggle under the covers to comfort me, but had to do it from on top of the bedspread. I uncovered my head, tears flowing down my face, and let her give me a kiss. She only gave me one, because I’d taught her not to lick my face—unless it was an extreme emergency. Guess she thought this qualified. And I agreed.

  We cuddled until my phone buzzed.

  “Hello,” I said, knowing who it was.

  “Sam, are you okay?” George asked.

  “Perfectly fine,” I lied.

  “I’m outside the house, and I’m coming in.”

  “No problem. It’s probably unlocked.”

  It was only a second later he came into my bedroom, yelling.

  “Unlocked? Why in the hell would you leave your door unlocked after what just happened?” He jumped on the bed, on the opposite side of Clancy, and hugged me.

  I couldn’t help it. I cried again. His yelling was because he was scared for me and he loved me. I knew he wasn’t horribly mad, just upset at how stupid I am sometimes.

  After I calmed again, I apologized.

  “Sorry about the door. You know it’s one of my many bad habits. And you don’t have to worry about what happened today. Clancy saved me, then Jimmy chased the guy. I don’t know what would have happened, but I felt safe. Clancy is amazing.” I turned to her. “Aren’t you, girl? You are freakin’ amazing.”

  She finally smiled and that relaxed me because it meant there was no danger around right now. I told George I wanted to take a nap and then I was going to play cards at Gus and Georgianne’s. He could come along and keep Gus company if he wanted.

  “Well, I’m certainly not going to leave you alone, even walking the few steps to their house.” He gave me a kiss on the forehead. “Take your nap, and then you are moving back to my house again after your card game.”

  “No,” I begged, “please can we stay here? You can get some things while the kids are here with me. But no need to tell them what happened.”

  “Too late,” Adam said, standing in my doorway.

  “George called me before he called you, Mom,” Sarah added. Then, turning to George, she said, “We’ll watch her while you go home and get s
ome things.”

  Reluctantly George agreed, warning me one last time, “Stay put. Don’t even leave your bedroom.”

  I didn’t have to agree. My kids did it for me. Sarah lay down by me when George got up, and Clancy stayed on her own side. Adam said he’d be in the living room, with the door to my bedroom open. I felt very safe and very loved.

  During my short nap, I dreamed in color of blue hoodies everywhere. Ballet dancers wore them, people riding unicycles wore them, police, firemen, priests, everyone. Everyone had on a blue hoodie. They didn’t scare me. Blue hoodies weren’t threatening. But that all changed when I looked down and saw that I wore one too. My scream echoed in my head, but no one heard me.

  It wasn’t long before George returned, waking me as he walked into my room. I felt my pulse start to slow and hoped that my fearful heavy breathing didn’t cause him concern.

  “What time do you play cards?” George put a duffel bag on the floor, and looked pleased that all was well.

  I looked at the clock and yelped, “Now.” Then sweeping aside my covers I said, “Move on out everyone, I need to get dressed.”

  “Sorry. I said you weren’t to be left alone. Sarah, will you stay with your mom while she gets dressed?”

  Sarah nodded without speaking.

  I loved that George was sensitive enough to not flaunt the fact that he’d seen me undressed before. Sarah sat on my bed and talked to me while I put on a clean, and non-wrinkled, shirt. I used the same jeans I’d discarded to the floor prior to my nap.

  I heard George and Adam raise their voices in the living room, but didn’t think much of it. Maybe there was a baseball game on or something.

  While Sarah and I were still alone, she took advantage of the momentary privacy.

  “I’m going to work tonight. No one is going to stop me.”

  And I knew that was true. Short of hogtying her, George wasn’t going to keep her from work any longer.