Murder for a Rainy Day (Pecan Bayou Book 6) (6 page)

That didn’t sound right, somehow, but I liked Benny too much to say anything.

"How much longer?" Sasha asked.

"Oh…" I ran my hand along the curve that was my baby. "…not too much longer. Probably a couple of weeks."

"Is this your first?"

"No. I have a son and a stepson."

"The new America. Blended families," Benny said, as if explaining current sociological trends was also something she needed to know to be a waitress.

Sasha, who had been leaning on the counter, bosom spilling over, now stood up straight. "Yeah, well at least my ex and I didn’t have any kids, although there were times I thought it might be nice."

"Children are wonderful," I said.

"Maybe so, but my ex-husband was a real head case. Always kept talking about how much he wanted to go live out in the country somewhere. Wanted to homestead or something. Like, who does that in this century? I told him, if I’m not within five miles of a mani-pedi it just ain’t worth it. You know, you never know who you're married to until you're married to him."

"Ain't that the truth," Benny said.

"I thought I was marrying some up-and-coming artist. Then I saw his work. All I had to do was see how he signed every painting to know that the guy wasn’t firing on all cylinders."

"How did he sign his work?" I asked.

"He signed it with his initials and a smiley face. A smiley face? Seriously? What professional artist signs his work with a smiley face? A third grader? I finally told him to pack up and go live out in the country somewhere. Paint by candlelight in a log cabin. That’s what he wanted. Where did we live? A lousy rental house on the other side of town. When he wouldn’t leave, I packed up and left. I’m in a better place now." She kissed Benny on the cheek and went into the kitchen.

Benny and I exchanged glances. "Well, at least now you can give Hooters a run for its money. Thanks for the free pie!" I said, grabbing my bag and heading out the door. 

As I unlocked the door at home, I decided to go upstairs and sit in the newly decorated nursery to eat my pie in private. Yes, not all of the furniture was assembled and in place yet, but it still felt like a special room. This would be the baby’s room and sitting in it made me happy, peaceful even. Once I got myself situated in the rocker, Butch came over and put his large head on my knee. His big brown eyes gazed adoringly up to me—or the pie. I couldn’t be sure.

"Not for you, boy. Sorry." All for Mama, I thought. I took one bite of Benny’s pie and sighed. He was right. It was the cocoa. My sigh turned into a yawn. The house was quiet and still. As I glanced up at the decals of teddy bears on the wall, I wondered what this child would be like.

This pregnancy was so different from my last. My first husband, Barry, was haunted by the idea of Down Syndrome. He had never been comfortable with having Danny in the family. I would catch him staring at Danny when he didn't think anyone was watching him. As we came closer to the due date, Barry became distant, working long hours and rarely returning a phone call during the day. By the time I was ready to have our baby, Barry was long gone, disappearing into the night on the premise of making an unnecessary trip to the drugstore. I didn't see him again until years later.

Leo was a distinct contrast to Barry. Where Barry could be very secretive, Leo was open. Barry feared the unknown; Leo welcomed it.

I thought about Sasha Holman and her comments about her ex-husband. It was true; you don't always know who you are marrying until you’ve lived with them for a while. She didn't know her husband wanted to live a more simple life in the country. I felt sure I knew Leo, but still in the back of my mind I questioned if he missed living in Dallas. He was a part of the weather bureau in this area and he was closer to the action of hurricane season, but did he miss his job up there?

In our marriage, so far he had made all of the significant compromises. When we met he had a job in Dallas, and I had a life in Pecan Bayou. I could have written my column anywhere, for any newspaper willing to carry
The Happy Hinter
. Still though, he found a job in meteorology in this part of Texas with the weather bureau. That was Leo, willing to give up something dear to him to make our lives work together.

After finishing the mouth-watering pie, I returned the container to the bag. I stood up and turned the white plastic knob on the baby's mobile. The gentle tinkle of the music box filled the air. I watched the little stars appliqued on the blue denim squares go around and around. The mobile could have been pink or blue, but I didn’t want to reveal the sex of our baby. It was our little secret. As I listened to the lilting notes of the lullaby, I sat back in the rocking chair and hummed along. I found myself getting sleepy as I rocked back and forth. I drifted off to sleep.

"Betsy?" I heard a gentle voice in my ear. I lifted my head and Oliver Canfield came into focus. He was my husband's old business partner and the first body I ever stumbled upon.

Aunt Maggie and I had been in the old tuberculosis hospital hunting for ghosts when I found Oliver Canfield’s shoe. I screamed when I realized his foot, a ghastly gray-green, was still inside it.

Today, he wore the same suit he had on the day I found him dead, but today it looked clean and ironed. Obviously there must be a vibrant dry cleaning business on the other side. He turned his head slightly to the side and then grinned, a twinkle in his eye. Oliver had been a con man extraordinaire, and I was sure this must have been the smile he used to bilk women out of their life savings.

"Oliver?"

"You remember me. That's so kind of you."

"Aren't you dead?"

"Technically, yes. But, you see I'm right here now."

He was right. He was standing in front as solid as any living person. I still wasn't sure if I trusted myself with his powers of persuasion. He squatted down, putting his hands over each arm of the rocking chair. I felt surrounded and began to panic.

"You did me a favor bringing my killer to justice. I wanted to thank you for that. We both know I didn't really deserve it. I wasn't such a good guy in life. Never thought my wrong would be made right by a woman."

"Uh. You're welcome."

"Your baby will be here soon."

"Yes."

"Barry
never had the heart of a father. I'm glad you've changed course and have a new life."

"Yeah. Thanks."

"A better life. I heard once our existence is but a crack between two eternities. Who said that?"

"Uh. I don't think I know." The phone ringing down the hall jolted me out of my sleep. Oliver's hands were no longer on the arms of the chair. When I looked down, Butch’s head was resting on my lap. I pulled myself up out of the rocker and headed for the telephone. Butch trotted along behind me.
I grabbed the phone.

"Hey is Leo there by chance?"

"No," I said stifling a yawn. "He's not. Can I take a message?"

"This is J.J. over at the weather service. We have the okay from the Air Force 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron for him to go on the ride into the cloud. I know he’ll be happy. It's quite an opportunity." I froze as I listened to J.J.'s excitement.

"I see. I hope he has a very good parachute."

"The only thing that gets a parachute is the dropsonde, the little device that will measure the wind speed. If they get into trouble they are better off ditching the plane."

"I’ll be sure and let him know. He's been difficult to stay in touch with because the battery on his cell phone keeps running down. I'll tell him you called."

"Great. Thanks Betsy." After hearing this, I wondered if a new pint of Ben and Jerry's was warranted.

I heard the creak of the door opening downstairs. "Bets? Are you up there?"

What was Leo doing home this time of day? Had something happened with the boys?  Maybe there was something going around with the men of Pecan Bayou, and he wanted to rent a room at the Super Stay Motel? Between the sleepiness and the pie crumbs all over me, boy was he going to be disappointed.

"Yes, I'm up here."

"Well, come on down," he said, in his best Don Pardo voice. "Do I have a surprise for you."

I made my way downstairs to find Leo in the living room surrounded by a number of pastel gift bags and boxes.

"What's this?"

"They had a baby shower for me."

"Who did?"

"The weather bureau. They have a policy that it doesn’t matter if you are a man or a woman, if you are expecting a first baby they give you a shower."

Their generosity was wonderful, but after Aunt Maggie’s shower for me, all I could think about was another set of thank you notes to write.

"Wow. I can’t believe they gave a baby shower." I wondered if they made him play the stupid games. I could just see the egghead meteorologists playing pin the diaper on the baby doll.
Don't get me wrong, I was grateful, just tired.

"Between the two showers, there’s nothing we need to buy for the baby."

"You're right. I think we're good to go."

Leo came up behind me and placed his hands on my rounded stomach. As his touch lingered on my skin, I felt the baby kick.

"Wow," he whispered into my ear. "We either have a football player or a Rockette in there."

"The baby has been very active today, probably due to my daily piece of Benny’s Cocoa Pecan Pie."

"I'm going to have to buy a percentage of Benny's Barbecue with all the trips you're making down there."

"Money well spent. So…" I hated to tell him. "J.J. called.
"

"Really? So soon?" His excited tone reminded of a kid at Christmas.

"Yes. You’re approved to fly into the storm." 

He rocked both fists in the air. "Yes!"

"Leo," I tried to sound patient. "You know how I feel about this.
"

Leo turned me around and took my hands and squeezed gently.

"I know, but an opportunity like this doesn't come along every day. These guys are flying right into a hurricane. How can I pass that up?"

My patience was about to leave the building. "I'll tell you how. I don't know if you've noticed this, but we are about to have a baby. I need you here and not up in the clouds hanging out with some crazy pilot with a death wish."

"And I will be here, sweetie. Believe me, I am so ready for this."

"So you're putting your life in danger? Is this how you're ready for this?"

"Bets … It’s just one day. I’ll be back before you know it. The baby is a couple of weeks off yet. What are the chances? Eat your pie, take naps, and visit Aunt Maggie."

If it were only that easy. I really wanted him to pursue his dream, but I just couldn't deal with the idea of him being in so much danger right before our baby was to be born. I'd done the single mom thing, and I wasn't ready to jump back into it. I didn't think what I was asking was too much of him. It was a perfectly realistic request, and in my present state it was more than reasonable.

He held my hands close to his chest. His blue eyes peered into mine, weakening my determination. "Betsy, if this upsets you this much I can tell them no. But things like this are going to happen in our lives. Sometimes, you just have to trust me. I'm not planning on leaving you. There is no place I would rather be than right here at your side, and I'll fight through a thousand storms to get back here. I just really need you to be okay with this."

I was sure of it now. My husband was out of his head. Still though, I understood what he was trying to tell me. It was the same kind of drive that I had when I was told to stay away from a crime scene. Sometimes, you just can't help yourself. As if insanity was contagious, I muttered one word.

"Okay."

"What?"

"I'm giving in."

Leo pulled me closer and kissed me tenderly, helping me to forget for just a moment the unbridled fear I felt with him flying into a hurricane. When he gently released me, he spoke softly. "This is why I love you, Betsy Livingston Fitzpatrick."

I could only hope we made the right decision.

The next morning, I slept in after staying up late to finish Rocky's grilling-with-the-candidates article. I awoke alone since Leo had left during the night to reach Biloxi, Mississippi by eight o’clock the next morning. It felt so much like the day Barry left.

To keep my mind off of Leo flying into a hurricane, I started to assemble the changing table I had ordered online. It appeared to be a pretty simple do-it-yourself job—one that any respectable Happy Hinter should be able to handle.

Once I tore the box open, I determined the task wasn’t as simple as I expected, since the foreign manufacturer who sent it to me hadn’t included enough bolts. As I pieced together furniture components, I bounced between worrying about the baby, fretting about Leo, and wondering whether the boys had given up poker and were paying attention during weather drills. Putting this piece of necessary baby furniture together was the only thing that was keeping me from breaking down with a Hallmark movie and half the refrigerator.