Midsummer Sweetheart (29 page)

“Okay, first, did Flathead mean anything to him? Like, was it a favorite place?”

Katrin nodded. “I don’t know about favorite, but he had a friend in college who had a fishing cabin on Flathead Lake. He went up a few times to fish and hunt.”

“Okay…So, if he was up there, it’s possible he saw you.”

“No, Erik.” She thought of the angry key marks on her side of Erik’s car. “I think he saw
us
.”

“Right.” Erik drew the word out slowly and nodded thoughtfully. “Okay. So, let’s see. You’ve left Choteau. He’s frustrated. He goes up to Flathead Lake to do some hunting with a college buddy and he sees us together in the parking lot. Sees us kissing, right? So, he waits until we get on the boat and he keys my car. Then he probably notices the DOJ sticker, gets freaked out and speeds home, afraid he might have been seen by someone and he’ll get caught.”

Katrin nodded. “It totally makes sense. Wade’s leery of cops. He’s been arrested enough times, mostly for misdemeanors, but he always knew if he was charged with a felony he wouldn’t be able to teach again. So, he would have been freaked out when he realized you were a cop.”

“Okay. So, he leaves Flathead, but he’s mad now. So, he gets home and goes on a bender, ending up a day later—Monday night, right?—on Ingrid’s lawn yelling about horses, probably because he wanted to know where you were, but he was too drunk to make any sense. Anyway, Ing and Kris have him arrested, where he stews in jail for several days before getting out, still wanting to know where you were. That’s what I don’t get. How did he find out where you were?”

“I have no id—oh, no,” Katrin murmured, her face collapsing. “I sent my mother a postcard. It had a picture of Skidoo Bay on the front. She never got it.”

Erik inhaled, then blew out through his mouth, nodding. “That had to be it. He intercepted it. Okay. So, you sent your mom a postcard. After Flathead?”

“The same day. That morning you picked me up.” She shook her head, tears filling her eyes. “How could I have been so stupid?”

“No, stop. No, Kat, don’t do that to yourself. You were just being a normal person. Normal people don’t over-think sending a postcard. Stop.” He leaned down and kissed her gently as tears spilled over her eyes and he used his knuckles to swipe them softly away.

“Come on, let’s figure this out. So, you sent a postcard to your mom, he intercepted it, and then he knew where you were. But, he was running out of time. He had to be back in Choteau to go to rehab on Monday, or Ing and Kris wouldn’t drop the charges. So, he went up to see you on Sunday probably, right? What were you doing that Sunday before I picked you up? He was parked across the street. You didn’t see him?”

“I wasn’t at home. I was barely home all day. Paca and I went to church, then out for crepes and coffee. Then I got my hair and nails done. I was gone all day. I got home 20 minutes before you picked me up.”

“So Wade finally sees you come home from the beauty salon and decides to make his move. He’s standing in front of the clinic, about to knock on the door, and then I show up and ruin it for him. He knew who I was. He had seen me at Flathead Lake and knew I was a cop. So, he shoved the flowers at me and drove home to go to rehab in the morning. I ruined his only chance to see you.”

“It all makes sense, Erik. It fits together.”

“He probably waited for you for hours across the street. Must have been pretty frustrated to miss seeing you.”

“How did he seem?”

“Like a nervous kid about to give a girl flowers.”

“Wade’s pretty disarming. He has a baby face.”

“He didn’t wait for us to come home,” Erik mused.

“He couldn’t. For all he knew, I was going to be with you all night, and he couldn’t risk seeing us together. You didn’t know who he was, but if he confronted me in front of you, you would have arrested him.”

“So, he waited all that time, then turned around and went home?”

Katrin shrugged, shaking her head, tears of fear and frustration burning her eyes. “He didn’t have another choice. Erik, you’re the only reason he didn’t…you’re the
only
reason he didn’t get to me…he said he’d kill me if I moved on…”

She was breathing so fast, she felt dizzy, even standing in Erik’s strong arms. Her body felt so cold, trembling, realizing how close she came to being confronted by Wade. Erik was the only reason Wade had run home.

She rubbed her forehead, feeling frightened and despairing. “This isn’t over yet. It’s not. I know it. What am I going to do?”

Erik looked down at her, the tenderness in his eyes balanced by the no-nonsense rigidity of his jaw, and then pulled her into the safe embrace of his arms. “
We’re
going to make sure this ends.
We’re
going to make sure he doesn’t come for you again.”

***

They finished cleaning up the bottles and Erik tied up the garbage bags while Katrin showered and got dressed. She wore a traditional white, Swedish peasant blouse with delicate embroidery and a traditional lace-up red bodice over the blouse. To complete the costume, she would have worn an apron with the bodice, over a long striped or patterned skirt. But, the revelations about Wade had taken the shine off the morning, and she didn’t feel like wearing the full, cheerful costume. She tugged on jeans and black ballet flats instead.

While she got dressed she heard Erik on the phone, first with the local police, whom he updated on Wade’s nightly sojourns in Katrin’s backyard and his suspected trips up to Skidoo Bay. The police cautioned that they would note Erik’s suspicions, but without actual proof of Wade’s trespassing, they couldn’t do much of anything. Erik assured them that he and Kat would be in to file the paperwork for a restraining order that morning. Erik called Ingrid next, and explained what they’d found behind Katrin’s apartment. She gave Erik the name of the rehab center where Wade was getting treatment in Great Falls. Next he called the rehab center, and Katrin overheard him confirm that yes, Wade was there, and yes, they were keeping a close eye on him.

For now, there was nothing to worry about and nothing else they could do.

With that news, Katrin finally started to feel the tension ebbing out of her as she sat on her messy bed, which smelled of her and Erik, and last night. It made her happy and made her feel safe and sexy, and she tried to let go of her fears and discomfiture. Erik was here. He would keep her safe. She braided her long blonde hair into two, intricate Swedish braids from her crown to the nape of her neck, where she joined them into a long braid that trailed down her back. When she finished braiding, she looked up to see Erik watching her from the doorway.

“I could watch you do that forever,” he said simply, gesturing to her braids.

I love you, Erik. I love you so much. This morning would have been unbearable without you here.

Her face softened and she tilted her head to the side. “Play your cards right…”

“
Det är dags för Midsommardagen, Katrin Svenson
.”
It’s time for Midsummer.

“
Ja, Kärlek
,” she replied to her love, standing up and taking his hand. “Let’s go.”

***

After a stop at the police station in Choteau to file the restraining order against Wade, Erik dropped her off at Paradise, where her mother and aunt would weave tiny spring flowers into her braids. He made his way to the porch off the main Lodge where Lisabet told him he could find his father, brothers, Sam, Sam’s father, Sean and Kristian. He wasn’t exactly looking forward to it. It was time to settle things with Katrin’s brother.

He parked in the main parking lot and made his way through the great room of the lodge, which was decorated for the holiday: there were wreaths and garlands everywhere he looked, festooning every possible surface. His eyes followed a garland of yellow and blue blossoms up the main stairs, and he smiled at the yellow, blue and white flowered wreath settled carefully around the neck of an elk head over the massive fieldstone fireplace. Traditional Swedish folk tunes were being piped in through the main speaker system, and Erik hummed along softly, grabbing a
Kringla
cookie from a platter as he opened the door that led to the porch balcony where his father and Uncle Sean rocked in rocking chairs, and the younger men leaned on the banister, catching up with one another.

“Erik!” Nils raised his massive hand in greeting. “Wondering when you’d get here!”

“Had to drop off Kat at Paradise.”

He shook his brother’s hands, and smiled warmly at Katrin’s Uncle Sean, whom he had met several times when the Kelleys visited Jenny and Sam. “Good to see you again, Erik.”

“When’d you get back from Egg Mountain yesterday, Sean?”

“Ah. It was good and dark and I caught hell from Margaret.”

“I bet,” chortled Carl, giving his daughter’s father-in-law a sympathetic smile. “You missed the big news at dinner.”

Sean looked at Sam, smiling with approval. “I heard this morning. Couldn’t be happier.”

“That makes
two
happy grandfathers,” agreed Carl beside him, slapping him on the back.

Erik noticed Kristian leaning against the thick wood railing at the edge of the group, arms crossed, face cold. His eyes said it all:
You’re sleeping with my sister and I have no idea if I can trust you.

Erik could only imagine how he would feel if it were Jenny.

“I need to talk to you,” Erik said.

Kristian rubbed his jaw with his thumb and forefinger and nodded.

“Want us to come with you?” Lars at Erik’s elbow.

“This is between me and Kristian.”

Lars backed off, but he didn’t look happy. Nor did Nils, who stood shoulder to shoulder with his middle brother, eyeing Kristian with menace.

Erik led the way, down the length of the porch, turning around the building to an empty side porch. He turned to Kristian.

“You better speak fast, Erik, because my fist is dying to—”

“I love her.”

Kristian looked flummoxed. Of all the things he had expected to hear, this must not have been one of them.

“You what?”

“I love her. I love your sister. I love Katrin.”

“You love her.” Kristian looked down, but Erik could hear the softening in Kristian’s tone and in his shoulders. He looked back up, eyes narrow. “Why should I believe you?”

“Because it’s true. Because you’re looking at me and you
know
it’s true.”

Kristian nodded slowly, searching Erik’s eyes.

“What’re you going to do about it?”

“I haven’t gotten that far yet.”

“Okay. But, if you’re lying…if you’re just using her, if you hurt her again, I’m coming for you.”

“Then I guess you won’t be coming for me.”

Kristian grinned at Erik. “What’d she say when you told her?”

Erik shifted uncomfortably, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“Oh, Erik. Oh,
no
. You told
me
before you told
her
? Whew. You’re going to be in trouble. Oh, man, I sure wouldn’t want to be in your shoes.”

“Then keep it to yourself, Kristian. I’ll tell when the time’s right. It’s still new. I don’t—I don’t want to rush her. Wreck things.”

“I guess I can keep a secret. For a
little
while.” Kristian’s smile faded, as he regarded the younger man seriously. “Can I give you some advice, though?”

“Sure.”

“Speaking from experience, don’t wait too long. Don’t assume she knows.” Then he clapped Erik on the arm and walked away, back to the other men.

Erik mulled that over for a moment before realizing he never brought up the subject of Wade to Kristian, as he had intended. He wanted Kristian to be on his guard too. He’d make a point to speak to him later.

***

The ladies joined them on the porch soon after and it surprised Erik a little to see that Lisabet and Margaret wore traditional Swedish dress, including white caps, peasant blouses, long skirts and aprons. Ingrid, Jenny and Katrin were more toned down than the older generation, although all three girls wore some manner of traditional Swedish peasant blouse, and Erik recognized Jenny’s as one his mother used to wear, which made him happy and sad all at the same time.

“What do you think?” Katrin asked, turning her head from side to side so he could see the tiny flowers.

“
Skön
,” he answered, putting his arm around her possessively.
Beautiful.

She smiled at him and reached up to kiss his cheek, but he moved his face at the last second, catching her lips with his for a quick kiss. It was only a peck, but as she drew back, her eyes widened, and she shook her head.

“My mother’s right there!” she whispered, dimples deep and merry.

He leaned down and put his lips as close as possible to her ear without actually kissing it, and whispered, “I haven’t seen Paradise yet.”

As he drew back, she swallowed and her face was serious, but her eyes betrayed her.
You want me, too
. “We can’t just leave.”

“Why not?”

“They’ll notice.”

“Notice what? Do you think they all thought we were playing checkers last night?”

She tried not to smile, but it didn’t work. “You are very naughty.”

“You haven’t seen anything yet.”

Katrin bit her lip, staring at him.

“Show me. Show me Paradise,” he insisted, flicking his eyes to her breasts, which were full and lush in her peasant blouse, squeezed together by the tightly laced bodice. His tongue darted out to wet his lips before he looked back up at her.

She rolled her eyes, but her breathing was heavy and he felt her resistance slipping.

“Quick, Erik.”

“I’m multi-talented. I can do quick too,” he grinned.

She glanced around to be sure no one was watching, then look his hand, and led him to Paradise.

***

A huge circle of about fifty people had taken hands around a traditional Swedish maypole, and were circling it jauntily as familiar Swedish folk songs played. Erik was distracted watching Katrin from sidelines as she held hands with her mother and aunt, moving left then right, she was sometimes surprised by the shift in directions which made her giggle, dimples creasing her cheerful, still-blotchy cheeks.