Cry in the Night (14 page)

Bree studied the man’s back. Something about him held her attention. His walk maybe. She couldn’t put her finger on it. He stopped by a truck, and she caught a good look at his profile. A gasp escaped her.

“What’s wrong?” Kade asked.

“No-nothing,” she stammered. He’d think she was crazy if she said the guy reminded her of Rob. It was probably because she’d smelled that pipe tobacco. Her mind was playing tricks on her.

“Hey, there’s a wife-carrying contest going on,” Kade said. “You game?”

“If you want to risk a hernia,” she said, deciding to put the worries away for a while. She wanted to devote the day to Rob and Davy. Er, Kade and Davy.

Why had her mind slipped Rob’s name in like that? The fertility hormones she was taking were making her crazy and reminding her of when she was pregnant with Davy—and married to another man.

“I think I’ll pop in and see Anu,” she said.

“Good idea. I’ll take Dave over to watch the polar plunge,” he said.

“Meet you at the Suomi in half an hour,” she promised. She watched Kade take her son’s hand and lead him and Samson off toward the lake. He’d been a good father to her boy, even though Davy had given him a hard time at first. Davy hadn’t wanted anyone to take his father’s place. Kade had patiently worn down the boy’s defenses, and Davy rarely mentioned Rob until just lately, and then only in the context of being afraid. Bree found she was a little sad about that. She’d hoped to keep Rob’s memory alive for his boy, but it was a good thing that Davy trusted and loved Kade.

The traffic had nearly stopped with cars and trucks jamming the street. Lugging Olivia in the carrier, she jogged between the vehicles to the other side of the street and pushed open the door into Nicholls’ Finnish Imports. Shoppers filled the store, lines in every aisle. Anu wouldn’t have time to talk.

Anu saw her and waved from behind the cash register. “A break I am needing,” she told her assistant. “I will be back in fifteen minutes.” She slipped around the counter and took Bree’s elbow. “Back here,
kulta
. I have coffee and rolls just out of the oven.”

“I smelled the
pulla
the minute I opened the door,” Bree said. Her tummy rumbled. “Coffee sounds good too.”

“Never have I known you to turn down coffee.” Anu led her to the break room and had her sit. “Rest. You are having a good time, yes?”

“Wonderful, though Kade is trying to talk me into the wife-carrying contest.” Bree laughed at the inner picture it conjured. “I can’t imagine him even being able to lift me, let alone carry me,” Bree said, laughing. “Not in all these winter clothes. They have to weigh at least fifteen extra pounds with my boots.” She accepted the bread Anu offered and took a bite of the warm, yeasty goodness. “Delicious,” she muttered through her full mouth. “I’m famished.”

“Eat, eat,” Anu urged. She poured out the coffee and handed the cup to Bree.

“Thanks.” Bree took a sip and set it down. “Anu, I’m having the weirdest sensations today.”

Anu settled into the chair at the table. “What is wrong?”

“I keep thinking about Rob. Just now I smelled that pipe tobacco he used and thought I saw a guy who looked like him. Very strange.”

Anu’s smile faded. “I, too, miss him. Every day I think of my son. How he would look if he had lived. What he might have done with his life. Always, I carry this sadness.”

“Me too,” Bree said softly.

Anu watched her. “What of your house guest?”

“She’s still with us.”

Anu pressed her lips together.

“What?” Bree demanded.

Her mother-in-law shrugged. “This murder her brother is accused of, Pia’s death. And you, right in the thick of things as always.”

“It’s where I like to be.” Bree swallowed the last of her coffee. “I’d better go find my family.” She rose and dropped a kiss on Anu’s powdered cheek, then grabbed the baby carrier.

Walking back across the street, she found herself watching for the biker again.

11

KADE HELD TIGHT TO DAVE’S HAND. “YOU DID REALLY well in the outhouse race. I’m proud of you, son.”

The boy gave a little skip. “I wanted to win.”

“Next year. Mom was glad you didn’t win that Newfoundland puppy.”

“He was cute. I want to get one.”

They reached the Suomi Café. The bell on the door jingled when they entered.

“There’s Jenna,” Dave said, pointing to the blonde woman in the booth in the back corner.

Molly saw them and waved. Samson started toward her, but Kade stopped him with a word. The dog fell in at their heels as they walked back to join Jenna. Her reddened face and tear-filled eyes made him pause.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Fine,” she said.

Davy tugged at his hand. “Can I go pick out a roll?” he asked.

“Sure.” He watched the boy run to the display case, then slid into the seat across from Jenna. “You’re crying. Anything I can do?”

“Boyfriend troubles,” she said, dabbing at her eyes.

“I’m sorry.” He shifted uneasily. “Bree is a good one to talk to about stuff like that. I’m hopeless.”

His hands were on the table, and she reached over and cradled one of his hands in hers. “It helps just to know you care,” she said.

He started to pull his hand away. Surely she didn’t mean anything by it. At least that’s what he told himself until he caught the come-hither expression in her eyes. It shocked him so badly, he sat there like a lump and left his hand in hers.

“What’s going on here?” Bree asked to his right. Her gaze was on their linked hands.

Kade snatched his hand out of Jenna’s. “Jenna is upset. I told her she needed to talk to you.”

Jenna smiled. “Kade is such a sweetheart to try to comfort me. You’re so lucky, Bree.”

“What’s wrong, Jenna?” Bree’s eyes remained skeptical.

“Just boyfriend trouble. Not all men are like Kade.”

“No, he’s one in a million.” Bree’s words held a cold edge.

Davy ran from the pastry case and tugged on his mother’s hand. “Mom, can I have some grilled cheese?”

“Sure, honey.” Bree stepped over Samson, who had plopped on the floor, then slid into the booth beside Kade. “Sit down by Miss Jenna.” She set the baby carrier on the floor.

Jenna scooted over to make room for Dave, but she wore a sulky expression. Molly came up to take their order. She put down a plate of food for Samson, who began to gobble it up.

“Hi, Molly, what’s the special today?” Bree asked.

“How about some nice borsch, eh?” Molly said. “And I know your man. He’ll want some smoked trout.”

“I’ll have both,” Kade said, grinning. “You know me too well.”

“Blech, borsch,” Davy said. “Can I have grilled cheese?”

“You got it, little man,” Molly said, scribbling down the order. “And that pastry with thimbleberry jam, right?” Davy nodded.

Bree ordered borsch. Jenna studied the menu. “Nothing sounds very good. What are all these weird things? Cabbage rolls, pickled herring. Ick. I’ll have grilled cheese too,” she said, folding the menu and handing it back to the waitress.

Kade could sense Bree’s displeasure coming off her in waves. He was relieved to see Mason’s burly form enter the café and head straight for their table. He grabbed a chair and dragged it to the edge of the table, then sat. “Having a good time?”

“The best,” Bree said. “Hilary around with Zoe?”

“They’re over at the kids’ games.”

“Any word on my brother?” Jenna asked. “Is he talking this morning?”

“Nope. He did some more puzzles.”

“It must be his way of coping with his circumstances,” Jenna said.

“I went through your brother’s room at the Blue Bonnet right after we arrested him. I sorted through it again this morning. Nothing much there. More puzzles. His clothing. An iPod shuffle and a few Madonna CDs. His toiletries. Nothing else.”

“He hates clutter, and he prefers to spend his time outdoors.” Jenna gawked at the men walking by the big plateglass window in Speedos. “He loves winter festivals. I’m sure he’d like to be here now.”

“I managed to get him moved to a cell with a window,” the sheriff said. “He seems more calm. No more head banging at any rate.”

“Oh, thank you so much!”

Kade watched her glow at the news. Poor kid. She loved her brother very much. Mason glanced at Bree. “Hilary wanted me to invite you to dinner next Sunday. It’s Zoe’s third birthday.”

“We wouldn’t miss it!” Bree’s smile was warm.

Mason rose and returned the chair to the table from where he’d taken it.

“Nice guy,” Jenna said, watching him walk away. “He’d be nicer if he’d let my brother out of jail. It sounds like you’re related or something.”

“His wife is my first husband’s sister,” Bree said. “And they adopted Kade’s niece. His sister, Lauri, had a baby at sixteen.”

“Where is Lauri now?” Jenna asked.

“College at Houghton.”

Molly brought their food, and nothing more was said as they dug into their lunch. When Jenna was done, she excused herself, saying she needed to run an errand. As soon as she was out of sight, Bree opened her mouth, glanced at Davy, then shut it again. Kade knew she wanted to ask what the hand-holding was all about.

He smiled at her. “It was nothing, babe.”

Her green eyes clouded. “It looked like something.”

“I know, and I’m sorry for that. She was just upset.” His cell phone rang and he took it out, then smiled. “Lauri. I was just thinking about calling her.” He punched the talk button. “Hey, sis, how’s school?”

Lauri’s voice was high with excitement. “Great, just great. But even better, Kade, I got a job! It’s working for the top accounting firm in the UP. And I’m getting paid really well. No need to worry about your baby sister anymore. I can take care of myself from now on.”

A pang squeezed in the region of his heart. “I never minded taking care of my baby sister. I kind of liked it, in fact.”

“I’m grateful, too, but my life is changing for the better. No more pinching pennies. As soon as I get paid, I’m buying a different car. This old rattletrap is about to fall apart.”

At least that would be one financial burden he wouldn’t have to carry. His thoughts went to the grant application. The lies he’d told on it gnawed at him.

The chatter around the café faded to a distant hum. Bree knew this was her problem, not Kade’s. He’d just been comforting Jenna. His kindness was one of the things that had drawn her from the beginning. She sipped her coffee, which had grown lukewarm. Was that happening to her marriage? Was the passion between them fading to a humdrum routine?

She dared a peek at her husband. He picked at his smoked fish with an absent expression. This was Kade, not some stranger. He’d never do anything to hurt her.

“Honey, I’m tired. Could we go home?” she asked.

He glanced up with worry in his eyes. “You okay?”

“I’m fine. Just ready for a nap.”

Kade looked at Davy. “While Mom’s napping, you and I will go make a snowman.”

“Yay!”

Kade reached over and picked up Olivia in her carrier. She was wide-awake and looking around with big eyes.

Bree slipped her coat on and followed her husband and son into the driving wind. The fine day had turned more frigid. The sun slipped behind the gathering snow clouds, and a cold front blew from the northwest, bringing moisture from the lake. Kade held her hand so she wouldn’t slip on icy patches. The sense that he cherished her calmed those nagging doubts.

The truck was like an icebox when she slid across the frozen seat. Davy got in the club seat behind her and she heard his seat belt snap into place. He was good at remembering to buckle up. Kade secured the baby in the middle of the backseat while she fastened her own seat belt.

Kade drove slowly out of town, and Bree stared out the window at the frozen landscape. As they rounded the curve out to the lighthouse, she saw the man in the biker gear along the side of the road. He was beside a white truck. Her heart jumped to her throat, and she strained to see him better.

“You should probably stop and help him,” she told Kade, pointing to the stranded man.

“Yeah, you’re right.” He eased the truck to the side of the road. “I’ll leave the truck running so you’ll stay warm.” Kade got out and went to talk to the man.

Bree watched them through the window. The man had taken his glasses off, and she caught her breath again at the sight of his profile—so much like Rob’s it was scary. But this guy had dark hair and a dark beard. Rob’s were light brown that turned blond in the summer.

Then the man smiled at Kade, and her breath froze in her throat. That crooked smile. She stared harder, and the guy turned and looked straight at her.

Rob. It was Rob.

The certainty coalesced in her head, her heart. She couldn’t breathe past the constriction in her lungs. When she stared harder, she became less certain. Didn’t they say everyone had a twin somewhere?

Was she totally going crazy?

It was all she could do to swallow the fear in her throat. She watched Kade go around to the back and retrieve his gas can. He poured some into the biker’s truck, and moments later, the big vehicle roared to life. The man drove off as Kade returned.