Spirited 1 (42 page)

“I told you she could see spirits,” Jones said, smirking. Pulling his red jacket off his body, he draped it over Hart in an effort to keep him from going into shock.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but did you just see—?”

“Sam, his wife, and his daughter?” Jones nodded, stood up, crossed over to where Gareth lay unconscious, and pulled out a pair of handcuffs. “Yeah.”

“Ever seen anything like that before?”

“Nope. Shelley, Jules’s sister, can talk to animals. She told me once that the dead can sometimes make themselves known to the living who
need
to see them and are willing to look.” He shrugged his massive shoulders. “Guess you were finally willing to look.”

Seth didn’t know what stunned him more, the idea of Jules having Dr. Dolittle for a sister or the fact that he was having this conversation as if they were discussing the NFL draft picks.

The sirens in the distance sounded closer. “How much longer?”

“A minute, maybe?” Seth replied.

Gareth finally roused to find himself cuffed and sitting next to the car he’d stuffed Jules into. He glowered at Jules, who’d also finally started to come round.

With her head in his lap, Seth smiled down at her. “Welcome back, precious.”

“Am I dead?” Jules mumbled.

“No, thank God.”

“Am I under arrest?” She eyed him, suspicion crinkling the corners of her eyes.

“No, love.” He shook his head. “You’re definitely not.”

“Good.” She shifted away from him and pushed to her knees. The oyster shells crunched as she moved. Rising to her feet, she swayed, and Seth hurried to her side to steady her. “Whoa, slow down. You’ve had quite a bump on the head.”

She glanced around as the ambulance came blaring onto the scene. Her gaze landed on Samuel’s dead body and she shivered. Then she glanced from Mason on the ground with a gunshot wound to Harmon in the trunk. Finally, she looked back at Seth just as two paramedics ran over.

“I didn’t—”

“I know,” he interrupted. Worried that she was referring to the diamonds or the ghosts, he didn’t want anyone else to hear their conversation. “We can talk about it later. You need to go to the hospital first.”

“Ma’am, do you mind if we take a look at you?” asked a paramedic as he led Jules toward the back of the ambulance.

Reluctantly, Seth released his hold on her, even though he didn’t want to. But as lead detective on the scene, he had a responsibility to fulfill. Still, when she glanced back at him with those wide emerald green eyes full of confusion and doubt, he didn’t give a damn what protocol demanded of him.

Striding across the parking lot, he climbed into the back of the ambulance next to her, gently pulled her into his arms, and kissed her. It was meant to be a soft, reassuring kiss, but she broke it off almost before it began.

“Seth, I can’t change who I am,” she said, clasping her hands together and placing them in her lap.

He turned to the two paramedics. “Would y’all give us just a moment?”

When they exited the vehicle, he reached out and pulled the door closed. The expression on her face was of resigned acceptance, then she lifted her chin defiantly.

He grinned.

“Precious, I wouldn’t ask you to change a thing.” He lifted her right hand to his lips and kissed her fingertips. “I love you, just as you are.”

“You love a nut case who
thinks
she sees ghosts?” She curled her fingers but didn’t pull out of his grasp.

Guilt ate at him. “I was wrong to call you that—”

“Yes, you were,” she agreed, no warmth or humor in her voice.

“But I know now what you can do, and it’s an amazing gift. One you should be proud of.”

Her eyes lit up. “Do you mean it?”

“Yes, and because of it, I was able to put this case to bed. If you hadn’t talked to ghosts, I wouldn’t have known where to find you in time. Gareth would have gotten away with four murders, including yours.”

The thought of Jules dead made his heart shrink.

“But he’s not going to get away with it?” she asked, thankfully pulling him from his morose thoughts. “Still, how are you going to explain how you found me?”

“We followed a tip about a kidnapping. It’s already covered. And as for Gareth, well, he confessed, didn’t he? Jones and I heard him.”

The ambulance doors opened and the paramedics returned, effectively ending that conversation.

Shifting closer to Jules, he wrapped an arm around her and did the one thing he told himself he’d never do; he begged. “Please forgive me, Jules. I love you. All of you. Just as you are.”

He waited a long, lonely lifetime as she stared at him. Then she leaned forward and brushed her lips against his. “I love you, too,
Lambkins.
”

EPILOGUE

“T
HANK YOU SO
much for throwing our engagement party here,” Jules told April as they carried bowls of potato salad and chips to the backyard.

“It’s the least we can do since you won’t let us pay for the wedding,” April replied, bringing up the same argument they’d been having for six months.

“It’s not meant to hurt your feelings, April,” Jules explained, setting the dish on the picnic table beside the chips April had just deposited. “It’s important to Seth that we do this on our own. I think it’s his way of proving he can provide for me.”

“Men are so odd.” When Jules laughed, April asked, “When does the English clan get here?”

Jules checked her watch. “In about thirty minutes. Seth’s mom took Theresa to pick up her bridesmaid’s dress, then they’ll be over.”

Milo made a noise in the bassinet he shared with Maeve. Jules followed April over to the portable crib that was sitting in the shade of a magnolia tree. At four months, the twins were small, but growing and happy. As for April, she glowed.

“Family is everything.” April sighed, staring at her infants.

“Yes,” Jules agreed, wrapping an arm around April’s unfairly-trim-since-she-just-had-twins body.

April gave her a quick hug then headed back to the kitchen to bring more food. Jules followed. The front door opened to reveal Diana.

She smiled and hurried over to hug Jules. “Hi, Jules!”

“Hi, Diana.” Jules tried not to stare but it was hard.

The Goth clothing was gone. Diana looked like she’d stepped out of 1985. Crimped hair, teased bangs, denim miniskirt, lace fingerless gloves, a pink button-down shirt with the collar turned up, and lacy socks with high heels.

“Is Dev here?” Diana grinned wide.

Jules blinked, surprised at the complete lack of black on Diana’s body and face. It took Jules a moment, then she replied, “Um, no, not yet. He’s picking up Shelley. They should be here in about an hour.”

“Oh, I hope he gets here soon. I can’t stay long. I’ve got a hot date later with a guy I met at the community theater. I’d hate to leave without seeing Dev.” Diana shrugged. “What can I say, I miss seeing Dev in the shop. That is one fine EOMP. Oh well, where’s the food?”

“Out back,” April said with a laugh.

Diana waved and hurried to the backyard. April stared after her, then looked back at Jules in obvious confusion. “EOMP?”

“I’m not sure, but I think it stands for
example of masculine perfection
.”

“Ah, makes sense.”

Jules grinned. “By the way, I love her new look.”

“Last week, I let her borrow a couple John Hughes DVDs from the eighties. Guess they really inspired her.” April laughed again.

She sobered and asked quietly, “How’s the search for Hannah coming?”

Jules shook her head. So far, TSS hadn’t been able to locate her baby sister, but she wouldn’t give up hope. “The private detectives are still searching for her.”

“They’ll find her, just like they did Shelley.” April gave her a conciliatory hug, then picked up the bowl of Watergate salad from the counter and strode to the door.

“Dev found Shelley, but I’m not sure who benefitted more there.” Jules had to smile. Life was so much better than she’d ever dreamed possible. And soon Hannah would be found and their family reunited at last.

Jules picked up the tray of cucumber sandwiches and followed April. They made their way across the freshly cut lawn to the food tables.

“I think that’s the last of it,” April said, brushing her hands together. She glanced around the yard. “Now where did Ernie and Seth get off to? They need to bring out the coolers and fire up the grill before the guests come.”

Seth and Big Jim came from around the corner of the house. But they weren’t alone; another older man and woman followed them. Jules and April headed toward them.

Seth wrapped his arms around Jules and tugged her close. She couldn’t resist playing with his curly locks. They were a little longer than usual, because when he hadn’t been at the station or home making love with her, he’d been studying for the sergeant’s exam. He kissed her quickly on the lips then turned to greet the new couple.

“Jules, this is Captain Dave Peterson and his wife, Dora,” Seth said with a smile.

“Pleased to meet you,” she said. She shook their hands and continued the introductions. “These are my parents, April and B— um, Ernie.”

“We’re pleased to meet you too, young lady,” the captain said. “We thank y’all for the invitation but we can’t stay long. I had some important news to share and felt it couldn’t wait.”

“What news?” Jules asked, hoping it was what she thought it was.

“Why don’t I let Seth tell you?”

“You must stay and have a bite to eat, there’s really too much food.” April gestured toward the picnic table.

Before they could answer, Maeve started crying. Mrs. Peterson’s eyes widened and she asked, “Do you have a baby? I just love babies.”

“I have twins,” April replied. “Would you like to meet Jules’s baby brother and sister?”

The moment April and Ernie led the captain and his wife away, Seth pulled Jules into his arms and kissed her. It wasn’t a simple, we’re-in-front-of-your-parents kiss. He claimed her mouth as if he were starving and she was the only food for miles. He tugged her close as if he couldn’t bear to let her go. Her heart swelled.

“I love you, Seth,” she said, leaning back and staring into the melted-chocolate eyes that had stolen her breath the night they met. “Are you going to keep me in suspense? What’s the good news?” When he didn’t answer right away, she added, “Come on,
lambkins
, you can tell me.”

“Ah, precious,” he chuckled. “That’s Sergeant Lambkins now.”

Read on for a sneak peek at the next Tidewater novel from Mary Behre

GUARDED

Coming in Summer 2014 from Berkley Sensation

“S
OMETHING’S WRONG WITH
Mr. Fuzzbutt.” Beau’s angelic voice rang out seconds before the backside of his long-haired, black guinea pig bounced before Dr. Shelley Morgan’s eyes. At almost the same moment a cry went up from the back room of the small veterinary clinic.