‘‘It’s okay.’’ She turned back to her husband. ‘‘I probably shouldn’t have told Dee-Dee to wink at Annie. I thought it would be endearing, but the wink is exactly why Jeremy thinks the lake monster’s not real. It’s not all your fault, Ambrose.’’
‘‘Right,’’ he said eagerly. ‘‘Like if you hadn’t suggested to Annie that she might want to stay longer, Jeremy might never have come to the conclusion that we—’’
‘‘But it’s mostly your fault.’’ Dorcas had thought Jeremy would be delighted with her suggestion that Annie should hang around. She’d thought he’d either agree or have the good sense to keep his mouth shut.
Instead he’d assigned himself the role of protecting Annie from being misled. Noble, maybe, but in the process he’d truly shot himself in the foot. When she’d left a few moments ago, Annie had sounded as if romance was the last thing in the world she wanted to think about.
‘‘What do we do now?’’ Ambrose asked.
‘‘I’m not sure.’’ Dorcas walked over to the kitchen table, tasted her tea and made a face. ‘‘Cold.’’
‘‘I’ll brew more.’’ Ambrose went to the stove and picked up the teakettle.
He really was a good man, she thought. In some ways Jeremy reminded her of a younger version of Ambrose. Ambrose had been an earnest young man, too, and he would have been willing to fight anyone who threatened her happiness.
Dorcas understood exactly why Jeremy was upset, and it only proved that he was very much in love with Annie. Annie was probably also in love with Jeremy, although she would go to any lengths to deny it. The campaign was so close to success that Dorcas couldn’t see herself throwing in the towel yet.
‘‘Dee-Dee is still the answer,’’ she said. ‘‘But I’m not sure Annie’s willing to listen to me anymore on the subject.’’
‘‘Or me.’’ Ambrose turned on the flame under the teakettle.
‘‘That leaves only two other people who know about Dee-Dee and could talk to Annie about the lake monster. I can’t send Maggie, because she works for us and Annie could easily think we’d instructed Maggie to parrot the company line.’’
‘‘Tell me you’re not going to sic Isadora on her.’’
‘‘You have a better suggestion?’’
‘‘Anybody would be a better suggestion than Isadora.’’
‘‘We don’t have anybody else.’’ Dorcas measured a half inch with her thumb and forefinger. ‘‘We’re
this
close, Ambrose. We can’t give up, not when we have one more move on the chessboard.’’
‘‘But do we? I don’t see how you can manage a meeting between them. Isadora can’t very well knock on the door and announce she’s there to talk about the lake monster.’’
‘‘No, the meeting has to be more coincidental, and it should be away from Annie’s mother’s house. That place will be chaos tomorrow. Let me think . . . I have it! I’ll do a spell tonight that affects some of the flowers Gwen’s planning to use for the bouquets.’’
‘‘Like what?’’ Ambrose poured hot water into the teapot.
‘‘I’ll give the roses large, inappropriately shaped stamens.’’
Ambrose chuckled. ‘‘You definitely have a flair for this kind of thing.’’
Dorcas smiled at the praise. It was true, if she did say so herself. ‘‘Gwen will call Annie over to figure out what to do, and I’ll ask Isadora to drop by on some pretext.’’
‘‘You won’t need a pretext. Just tell her about the stamens and she’ll be there in a New York minute.’’
‘‘I know, but she needs an excuse for going there in the first place.’’ Dorcas tapped a finger against her chin. ‘‘Maybe she’ll decide to get a bouquet of flowers to give the Danburys because they’ve been so hospitable. ’’
‘‘Hospitable? Last I heard, Madeline was threatening to short-sheet her bed.’’
‘‘Then Isadora will be buying a bouquet to win Madeline over.’’
‘‘Fat chance of that ever happening. She’d as soon flip Madeline off as give her flowers. Besides, why would Isadora agree to help? Except for viewing your magically enhanced stamens, there’s nothing in it for her.’’
Dorcas was well aware of that. It was the biggest flaw in her new plan. ‘‘I’ll think of something,’’ she said.
Annie didn’t feel like talking on the way over to her mother’s house. She didn’t know who to believe, Jeremy with his indisputable logic or the mysterious Dorcas, who had been secretly matchmaking even though Annie had told her she wasn’t in the market. Believing Jeremy made the most sense, because he had nothing to gain and something to lose by insisting the monster was a hoax.
Still, she couldn’t picture Dorcas and Ambrose going to so much trouble to hook her up with Jeremy. If the monster already existed, they might not be above using it to their advantage, though. That much she could imagine.
That left her mulling over her encounters with the monster. The first time she’d been too scared to notice much, but the second time had been more controlled. She’d evaluated the size of the head and neck. She’d cataloged what the creature smelled like. The monster was extremely lifelike.
A professional model builder for a movie studio could have created something that realistic, but Annie had a tough time accepting that Dorcas and Ambrose were that talented. She supposed they could have hired someone to create it, but why? Surely not for the single purpose of fostering a romance between her and Jeremy.
‘‘I’ve thought about this some more,’’ Jeremy said as he pulled up in front of her mother’s house. ‘‘It’s a stretch to think Dorcas and Ambrose concocted this scheme just to keep you in Big Knob.’’
‘‘I know.’’ She turned to him, relieved that he’d come to the same conclusion. ‘‘No matter how someone did it, they’d have to spend lots of hours and quite a bit of money.’’
‘‘Exactly.’’ He met her gaze.
‘‘So you think the lake monster’s real?’’ If he did, then he might help her document it. The timing would be tricky with all the wedding events, but maybe they could figure out something. She wanted him on her side.
‘‘No, I don’t think it’s real.’’
Her hopes plummeted.
‘‘I hate that look of disappointment in your eyes, Annie. I wish I could agree that it’s a real monster and you’re sitting on an amazing story, but I can’t.’’
‘‘I wish you could, too.’’ It would mean more than he knew to have him with her on this. ‘‘So what’s your theory?’’ She was almost afraid to ask.
‘‘I think Dorcas and Ambrose are after money.’’
‘‘Money? That’s the last motive I’d connect with them.’’
‘‘People aren’t always what they seem. Think about it. They create this monster and make sure you see it. You’re a reporter for a major newspaper. You break the story, and suddenly everyone heads for Deep Lake. Who owns the house closest to the lake? Who could set up a gift shop and a restaurant right next to the main attraction?’’
Annie shook her head, rejecting the whole scenario. ‘‘That doesn’t fit. Not with their personalities, and certainly not with their religion.’’
‘‘What religion? I didn’t see anything religious in their house.’’
‘‘I’m almost sure they’re Wiccan.’’
Jeremy frowned. ‘‘I’m not clear on what that is.’’
‘‘I’m not totally up on it, either, and you have to promise not to spread this Wicca thing around town.’’
‘‘I don’t know why I should feel an obligation to protect them. They’ve been manipulating you, and I—’’
‘‘Maybe.’’ She touched his arm, the first contact she’d made since they’d climbed in his Suzuki. ‘‘And I appreciate how you came to my defense. I do.’’
Jeremy looked down at her hand. ‘‘Why do I feel as if this is the kiss-off speech?’’
Reluctantly she removed her hand. ‘‘I don’t think we’re on the same page anymore.’’
‘‘You think this monster is for real? It’s not! It’s a huge scam, and that might be your big story, how an enterprising couple moved into a small town and figured out a way to turn their lakeside property into a gold mine.’’
‘‘Sorry, I don’t buy it.’’
‘‘Because you think they belong to some religious group you don’t completely understand? That’s crazy, Annie. You don’t have enough information to make that kind of judgment.’’
She could hear his frustration, and she didn’t blame him. He was a logical guy, and logic was on his side. ‘‘Dorcas told me to trust my gut, and that’s what I’m going to do. I think the monster is real. I’m still not sure how I want to deal with that, but I’m going forward on that assumption.’’
Jeremy turned away and stared out the window. ‘‘And I think you’re playing right into their hands. I hate to see you do that.’’
‘‘I’m sure you do.’’ She swallowed. This was more painful than she’d anticipated. She’d counted on having him as an ally, but that wasn’t realistic. She’d enjoyed having him as a lover, but that wasn’t fair. ‘‘Jeremy, it’s been . . . I’ve had a great . . .’’
‘‘Please.’’ He opened his door. ‘‘Save the speeches.’’ Then he came around and opened her door, because he was, no matter what the circumstances, a gentleman.
She managed to get out of the car without touching him. The night had cooled, and there was a hint of rain in the air. ‘‘We still have to pretend to be on good terms for the next two days.’’
‘‘I can do that. It’s not like I hate you, Annie.’’
‘‘I don’t hate you, either.’’ A nearby streetlamp gave just enough light for her to see how terribly sad he looked. She resisted the urge to throw her arms around him and say that she agreed with him about the monster and the larcenous plans of Dorcas and Ambrose.
But she didn’t agree, and besides, she and Jeremy had no future, anyway. Maybe emotionally parting ways now would make things easier in the long run. She hoped so, because this moment was excruciating. They’d come to mean a great deal to each other in the past few days. Even though she’d known it couldn’t last, she’d avoided thinking about what it would be like to end everything between them.
‘‘You’ll talk to Donald Jenkins?’’ She didn’t like asking, but Jeremy had the most leverage.
‘‘I said I would.’’
‘‘Right. I didn’t mean to question your word.’’
He rubbed the back of his neck and gazed up at the cloudy sky. ‘‘And I didn’t mean to bite your head off for bringing it up. In the beginning, I told you I’d take what I could get. But I suppose it’s human nature to be greedy.’’
‘‘Jeremy, if I had any intention of getting involved with someone, you would be the—’’
‘‘Don’t say it.’’ His look was forbidding. ‘‘You’ll only give me hope that someday things will change.’’
She nodded. ‘‘That would be cruel, to leave you hanging with a maybe.’’
‘‘Yeah.’’ His voice was husky.
‘‘Good night, then.’’
‘‘Good night, Annie.’’
Clutching her purse to her chest, she ran up the walk. So she was crying. So what? A few tears never killed anyone.
As Jeremy unloaded the kayaks and the picnic supplies, he came across the corked bottle of wine. He didn’t want it, but it was good wine. Someone should get use out of it, and delivering the bottle gave him an excuse to see Sean.
He thought Sean should hear his reservations about Dorcas and Ambrose. After all, Maggie worked for them, and Sean wouldn’t want her dealing with a couple of shysters. He wondered if Sean had heard anything about this so-called lake monster. Time to find out.
First he let Megabyte out to do her business, and then he called Sean. With a couple like Sean and Maggie, a person was wise to call before dropping in. Just because Jeremy’s sex life was in the dumper didn’t mean he had to interrupt Sean’s.
But Sean answered and told him to come on over and bring his dog, too. Sean had just finished the baby’s room and wanted to show it off. Jeremy hoped he’d be able to work up some enthusiasm for the renovation project.
Maybe Megabyte would be enthusiastic enough for both of them. His dog was pathetically happy to be going anywhere with him. Ever since Annie had hit town, Jeremy hadn’t paid much attention to the Irish wolfhound. Fortunately Meg was an easygoing dog, but Jeremy felt guilty all the same.
Driving up to Sean’s house, Jeremy thought again about what a transformation Sean and Maggie had made to the old Victorian. They’d taken a run-down wreck and made it into a home. With lights glowing from the tall windows and fresh paint on the ginger-bread trim, it looked like a picture in a magazine.
Jeremy’s apartment above Click-or-Treat was fine while he was baching it, but he couldn’t expect a wife to live there with him. He certainly couldn’t expect Annie to do that. But of course that didn’t matter, because Annie wasn’t even a slight possibility.
Seeing Sean and Maggie’s house made him finally admit that he’d had unrealistic dreams when it came to Annie. No matter what she’d said or he’d told himself, he’d begun weaving fantasies about marrying her. He’d even started thinking about what houses were available for sale in town. Talk about delusional.
Grabbing the bottle of wine, he climbed out of the Suzuki and let Megabyte out before mounting the steps to the front porch. Sean must have heard him coming, because he opened the door before Jeremy could use the brass knocker.
Sean took one look at the bottle of wine, the cork sticking partway out of the neck, and rolled his eyes. ‘‘This can’t be good. That wine was supposed to be for you and Annie.’’
‘‘Yeah, well.’’ Jeremy shrugged and handed it over. ‘‘You can put it to better use, I’m sure.’’
‘‘That’s a damned shame.’’ Sean stood back so Jeremy and Megabyte could come in. ‘‘What happened?’’
Jeremy glanced around. ‘‘Is Maggie here?’’
‘‘As a matter of fact, she’s not. She and Denise Woolrich are on their way back from Evansville. There was some shoe sale going on over there, and Maggie was going to look for cribs, too.’’
Jeremy raised his eyebrows. ‘‘You two will look a little silly if the process takes another year or so.’’