Secrets, p.6
Secrets, page 6
In less than ten minutes, Luna was transformed into what she considered presentable. She sniffed at her clothes. “I still smell like a day’s work is all over me.”
Chi-Chi reached for the lavender air freshener, sprayed a big cloud of it, and waved the mist in Luna’s direction. “He’ll never know it came from a can. Trust me.”
Luna laughed and gave Chi-Chi a big hug. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”
There was a loud rapping at the door. “You ladies finished in there? I called the restaurant. They’re expecting us. Move it!” Cullen feigned impatience.
Luna swung the large door open. “Wow. How in the heck did you do that?” Cullen was taken aback at the instantaneous makeover.
“Chi-Chi has magical skills.” Luna breezed past him. “Let’s go. What are you waiting for?” She was teasing, of course.
The three arrived at the restaurant as Gaines was getting out of his Jeep. He briskly walked toward them, trying to decide what to do first, shake Cullen’s hand or give Luna a hug. “Heys” and “hellos” filled the air. He instinctively opened his arms, and it turned into a group hug. Cullen patted him on the back. “Good to see you, man.”
“Likewise.” Gaines put his hand on Cullen’s shoulder, wrapped his other arm around Luna’s shoulder, and gave her an exaggerated side squeeze. It was effortless considering it was almost two months since they had been in each other’s company. Lots can change in a short amount of time. But it was if they had simply picked up where they left off. It had been that way from the start.
The hostess greeted the frequent diners, reminding Cullen she had an old china cabinet she wanted him to look at. Luna gave Chi-Chi an eye roll. Both women knew the perky hostess was always flirting with Cullen. But Cullen never took the bait. He had other interests, even if the “other” person didn’t know it. Yet. Soon. Maybe.
As they settled in their seats, Gaines began the conversation. “So, what kind of trouble are you getting yourself into these days?” Everyone knew he was joking. It wasn’t necessarily trouble, but there was always plenty of activity swirling around Luna. She was a force of nature. Yet she navigated through it with aplomb. She was the calming center when things got a bit lively.
All eyes went to Luna. “What?” She slumped back in her seat, faking a pout.
“Well, that certainly tells me there is something afoot.”
“Says Sherlock Holmes,” Luna teased back.
Cullen jumped in. “Yes, there is something very puzzling going on. I received a very old trunk. A steamer. I’m thinking maybe 1920s. There was no return name or address, but there was a letter and a money order.”
Luna couldn’t contain herself and sat upright. “And it had been near a fire!”
Cullen leaned in toward the others and described the mysterious delivery. He went on to describe the contents, what little there was of them, and Gaines immediately knew what was going to come next. Luna was going to try to solve the puzzle. Who sent it? Who owned it?
“Of course, Luna has already tried to get a vibe off the wood and the letter.” Now Cullen was being serious. They could tease her, but not question her.
“So what did you get?” Gaines turned his attention to her.
“I drew a sketch of peaks and a boy. He was unhappy. Abandoned. And at some point terrified.”
“Could have something to do with the fire that the trunk was exposed to.”
“Well, yeah, sure. But the kid. It was a very sad feeling. I didn’t get a vibe that he had crossed over. So I’m thinking maybe he was around the fire?” Luna stared off in the distance, then shook it off. “No shoptalk.”
“As if,” Cullen joked. He turned to Gaines. “But I do happen to have a nice wardrobe closet that would be great for Carter’s baseball equipment.”
“That might work. Right now the laundry room looks like a grenade went off from a sporting goods shop.”
Luna giggled. “No shoptalk.”
“For now.” Cullen began pouring everyone a glass of wine, starting with Chi-Chi. Cullen had called earlier and asked for a bottle of La Crema Pinot Noir to be opened and left on the table. It would give the wine a little time to “breathe.” Not that Cullen was a wine expert. Far from it. But he knew the basics. And the La Crema was reasonably priced at around $25 a bottle. No sticker shock there. He knew not to commit that faux pas again.
After they toasted seeing each other, Cullen told them the story of when he was just out of college and on a date with a debutante. He wanted to impress her. He ordered a bottle of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, not realizing the price could range anywhere from $30 to $900 per bottle depending on the vintage. Luckily, that particular restaurant’s highest priced bottle was $135. Still, he almost vomited when he got the check.
Everyone roared with laughter.
“Boy, do I know that feeling.” Gaines added his own story about the time he was best man at a wedding. After the festivities, the wedding party went to the hotel where many of the guests were staying. They had congregated in the lounge area when he told the waiter to “bring the most expensive bottle of champagne you have! That’s when I was introduced to Dom. Dom Pérignon. I had to call my credit card company and ask them to raise my limit. I think I’m still paying it off!”
Cullen was almost in tears. “Men can do some very stupid things to puff up their egos.”
Luna and Chi-Chi looked at each other and nodded in agreement.
“Oh, and I don’t suppose either of you have done anything stupid?” Cullen mocked back.
“Nothing like that.” Luna smiled.
“Oh, I can think of... ouch!” Cullen was stopped short by Luna’s foot on top of his under the table.
“Something wrong?” Chi-Chi asked innocently.
“Nah. Just a little charley horse.” Cullen replied by kicking his sister in return. But this time it shook the table.
Chi-Chi placed both hands on the table. “I do hope we are not having an earthquake,” she said with a straight face.
“I think it’s called a sibling seismic situation.” Gaines chuckled.
Both Cullen and Luna sat up straight. It was reminiscent of when they were kids, after their parents would scold them during a squabble at the dinner table.
Then Luna got a flash. “Hey, Christopher, based on the letter, it seems as if the person who sent the trunk is looking for someone.”
Cullen interrupted. “Weren’t you the one who said, ‘no shoptalk’?” Luna tapped his foot again, to which he responded, “Continue. Please.”
Gaines smiled at both of them. “And you surmised there is a missing person involved? How?” He stopped and reversed his approach. “Why do I ask? I should know better by now.” He laughed quietly.
“It was something in the letter. Something about the contents, and if they were in good order to please return them,” Luna said. “I would think that was a given. You return items contained within. But he made a point of it, so it had to be on his mind.”
“OK. But how do you know it’s a he?” Gaines mused. “Never mind. Dumb question.”
“And, so, maybe you could help us find the missing person?” Luna spoke in an innocent, childlike fashion.
“We don’t know if it has anything to do with a missing person.” Cullen jumped in, hoping to save Gaines the headache he was about to inherit.
Gaines leaned back in his chair. “As much as I would love to join the Jessica Fletcher Committee, I have to get back to Charlotte.”
“Tonight? But it’s getting late,” Luna said, disappointed. Disappointed for a couple of reasons.
Cullen decided to take a flying leap. “Hey, man, why don’t you crash at my place tonight? I have a foldout in my den. Then you can get a fresh start in the morning.”
Luna almost choked on her drink. Gaines staying at her brother’s house. That could go in many different directions. She wished she had the guts to ask him to stay in her spare room, but she still wasn’t ready for the totally awkward moment. If there would ever be one.
Gaines perked up. “Sure you don’t mind?”
“Not at all. Give us a chance to catch up. I have a few new fishing flies I’d like to show you.”
“You tie them yourself?” Gaines was truly interested.
“I wish I could take the credit, but I’m learning.”
“I’ve taken Carter fishing a few times, but I’d like to get him into fly-fishing. Something we can keep doing as I get older.” He snickered. “Touch football is going to be out of my range soon enough.”
Luna jumped in. “Don’t be ridiculous! You’re in great shape!”
“Yeah, now. But in twenty, thirty years, I’d still like to have something in common with my son.”
“Christopher makes a very good point,” Chi-Chi added to the conversation. “It is important to have strong roots and bonds at an early age. Too often children grow up and grow out of the family unit. Even if they move away, it’s important to have something in common that can keep the threads of the family fabric strong.” Everyone stopped for a moment to digest what Chi-Chi had imparted. “Take the two of you, for example. You have restoration and design in common, as well as the soul of an artist.”
Luna was thoughtful. “True, but he still thinks I’m zany.”
Gaines laughed. “I don’t think that is something you can learn, or teach, for that matter.”
“I know I’ve said this before, but you should think about being a comedian if this marshal thing doesn’t work out.” Luna wrinkled her nose at him.
“Well, if I’m not intruding, that would be great. I am a little beat, and two more hours on the road would probably finish me off.”
“Good. Then it’s settled.” Cullen poured another round of wine. “Cheers!”
Luna tried to keep her thoughts under control. What would they talk about? Me? Him? Would Cullen be audacious enough to ask Gaines how he felt about their “relationship”?
She smiled in agreement. “Brilliant idea. You can stop by the center in the morning for a scone and cappuccino.”
“Oh, but you wouldn’t think of asking me to look at the letter, now would you?” Gaines teased.
“Only if you have time.” Luna was being sincere. She could try to lure him back to Asheville once she got the project underway.
“Let’s see how the morning unfolds. As long as I can be back in my office by one. I have a debriefing about the case in Louisville.”
The rest of the evening passed by with anecdotal stories, jokes, and laughs. The four of them got along like old friends. Luna once joked that maybe they all knew each other from a previous life. But when Gaines gave her a sideways look, she decided to zip it. It was enough he had accepted her intuitive skills. She didn’t want to ruin it by going all weirdo on him.
When the check came, Cullen immediately grabbed for it but Gaines protested. “Oh, no you don’t. You’re giving me a place to stay. Please let me take care of dinner.”
Luna thought it was rather chivalrous of the two men to argue about who would pick up the tab. She was absolutely all in with equal rights, equal pay, equal everything, but if someone was going to be generous, she was not about to take that feeling of goodwill away from them. It took her a long time to accept a compliment with a simple thank-you, rather than an offhanded statement such as “This old thing?” Or gratefully accept a gesture with “I appreciate this very much” instead of answering with “You didn’t have to do that.” Using positive words in response to a positive word or deed elevates the intention even further. Luna was all about “living in the light.”
“Thank you, Christopher. It is always a delight to spend time with you. This was lovely.” Chi-Chi placed her hands in a prayer position and bowed her head in respect.
Luna mimicked Chi-Chi’s acknowledgment. “Yes, Marshal, always a pleasure. Thank you.”
Gaines smiled, stood, and pulled out Luna’s chair. Cullen did the same for Chi-Chi. It was a traditional courtesy that was always appreciated.
As they headed toward the parking lot, they had to decide who was going to drive whom and where. Gaines strained his brain to figure out how he could get Luna in his Jeep alone, not for nefarious reasons, but simply to spend some time with just her. Fortunately, Cullen made a suggestion. “Chris, why don’t you drop Luna at her house, and I’ll bring Chi-Chi back to her car. We can pick Luna up in the morning on the way to the center. You know how to get to my place, right? It shouldn’t take more than twenty minutes to jockey everyone around.”
“No problem. Give me your address again, and I’ll put it in my GPS.” Cullen gave him the info and Gaines punched it into his phone. He would transfer the information when he got in his vehicle.
“Cool. See you in a few, bro.” Cullen did a slight jog to the passenger side of his SUV to assist Chi-Chi. Gaines did the same with Luna, who was now shivering. And it was seventy-eight degrees outside.
When Gaines touched her elbow, he could feel her trembling. “You OK?”
“Yes. Just got a little chill.”
He took off his jacket and placed it over her shoulders. Luna relaxed into his powerful yet gentle hands as he massaged her arms. “Better?” he asked.
“Much.” She hoisted herself into the Jeep. Funny how a simple touch could warm one’s entire body. As Gaines moved to the other side of the Jeep, she tucked her head inside the flap of the jacket. She inhaled his masculine scent. She rested her head back and closed her eyes, immersed in the touch and fragrance of him. It wasn’t cologne. It was simply him.
He jaunted over to the driver’s side and bounded in. “Should I turn up the heat?” he asked innocently.
Oh, if he only knew how much he already had. Without thinking, Luna easily rested her hand on his thigh. “I’m good. Thanks.”
Gaines was pleasantly surprised by the gesture and did nothing to dissuade her. It felt natural to him. He would have preferred if the invitation had been to stay at her place, but he knew she wasn’t ready yet. To break the silence, Luna asked, “So how much was that bottle of champagne?”
“It was $299,” Gaines said sheepishly.
“Wow! How long ago was that?”
“About twenty-four, twenty-five years ago. I was young and stupid. Sophistication was not in my wheelhouse.”
“Well, you’ve come a long way, Marshal Gaines.” Luna smiled.
“Me? Sophisticated? Hardly.”
“I beg to differ. And you know better not to differ with me.” Luna gave him one of her brightest smiles.
“Yes, I am a quick study. Or so I’ve been told.”
They drove in silence for the next few minutes. When they pulled into her driveway, she said, “If you weren’t meeting up with Cullen, I’d invite you in for a drink, coffee, whatever.” She knew it was safe to say it because Gaines had to get over to Cullen’s place. But it opened a door for a future opportunity.
“Rain check?” Gaines asked.
“Absolutely.” She leaned over and gave him a peck on the cheek.
He took her face in his hands and brushed the few strands of hair from her cheek. “You are one special lady. Woman. Luna-tic. By the way, you look lovely tonight.”
Then he kissed her softly. She felt the heat rising in her chest until she was completely flushed. It was all she could do to break free of the magical spell. But this was not the time or place for a tryst. She wanted it to be special. Secretly, so did he. He kissed her on the forehead and unlocked both their seat belts. He went to the other side of the vehicle and opened the door and walked her to the front porch. He took her hand and gently brushed his lips across the back of her fingers. “Good night. Sweet dreams.”
Luna was dumbfounded. Speechless. She simply stood there, immersed in the pools of his deep blue eyes. No other words needed to be said. When she unlocked her front door, she glanced in the hallway mirror. “Lovely? If he only knew! Thank goodness for Chi-Chi!” Inside, Wiley was patiently waiting for a hug, his tail wagging to beat the band.
* * *
Several miles away, Cullen was transporting Chi-Chi to her car when it occurred to him that they were rarely alone together. He strained his brain to think of the last time it had happened. He drew a blank. The ride back to the center was about ten minutes. He had to fill up the air with something. Sitting next to her in silence was unnerving.
Chi-Chi broke the ice. “I think your sister is sweet on Marshal Gaines. Do you not agree?”
“And vice versa.” Cullen nodded as he kept his eyes on the road.
“So what do you think they should do about it?” Chi-Chi was as baffled as anyone as to why the relationship between Luna and the fine marshal hadn’t moved ahead.
Cullen thought it was ironic that he should have to answer that question since he was in a very similar situation. At least on his end. “Huh. In today’s world, men have to be very careful with their approach.”
“Please explain.” Chi-Chi was highly aware about the growing number of sexual harassment claims. Chi-Chi was also curious about Cullen’s take on American male-female interaction. Where she came from, many marriages were arranged. And under Sharia law in the Zamfara State, a man could take up to four wives provided he treated them equally. Thankfully, her father had had the presence of mind and a decent enough education to know that was not what he wanted for his daughter.
“Ha. Where do I begin?” Cullen laughed nervously. “Over the years, there has been a tremendous amount of sexual harassment. Probably since the beginning of time, actually. But only recently has it become major news, with a deluge of lawsuits. Major executives losing their jobs, celebrities, you name it. And I can’t blame the women for blowing the whistle on them.” Cullen paused at a STOP sign to check the traffic. “Now men are overly cautious to approach a woman in any way so as not to offend them or have their intentions misconstrued.”
“I understand. So if a woman wants a man to kiss her, she needs to invite him to do so?” Chi-Chi was playing coy with him.
Cullen chuckled nervously. “Pretty much. Sorta takes the romance out of it, though.”
