The Root of All Trouble (29 page)

Perry hadn
't left Mario's side since the party started—they were camped across from me on the sun deck, sharing a loveseat. They were in deep conversation with several neighbors, gossiping about the newly sold house next door to mine and what kind of neighbors might be moving in. No one knew, and it was driving everyone crazy.

Mario had been home for only a day and had no recollection of the horrible things that had happened here. Of the danger he
'd been in. No one filled him in. Personally, I hoped those memories would forever be erased.

Tonight was all about celebrating. A homecoming. A new engagement. And a new baby.

Life
.

The party had been thrown together at the last minute, and I decided those were my favorite kind of celebrations. There had been no invitat
ions, no RSVPs, no pretensions, just a lot of people helping Mario create a
wonderful
new memory.

"
She looks good on you," Kevin said, stepping up onto the platform and taking the chair next to mine. "Maybe not as good as a wet T-shirt, but it's close."

Moonbeams fell across his face, highlighting the humor in his eyes—and the hint of heat, too. I continued rocking, holding my brand-new niece against my shoulder. Her name was Vivienne Celeste, her middle name after my mother, which had immediately silenced my mother
's very vocal long-distance distress over having missed the birth. Her nickname was Vivi, and I loved her with all my heart. I pressed my cheek against the warmth of her blond downy head and inhaled her sweet baby scent. "She does, doesn't she?"

With a soft touch, Kevin reached over and pushed aside a lock of loose hair that had fallen across my cheek, tucking the strand behind my ear. His hand then went to Vivi
's head, cupping it oh-so-gently. "I was wrong. She is better than the wet T-shirt."

"
Kevin Quinn, you big ol' softie."

"
Don't let it get around."

Maria hovered nearby, casting furtive glances my way. She
'd planned to stay only for a few minutes since a party wasn't the best place for a newborn. She was here long enough to show off her new daughter, collect some presents, and then be on her way with Nate.

One of my gifts to Vivi had been a toddler basketball set. Maria had immediately asked for the receipt.

Gracie was still staying with me. I wasn't quite sure why—or for how long—but I wasn't arguing with it, either. I liked the company.

I smiled at Ana as she and Kit danced on the lawn, laughing as he spun her around and dipped her low. Soft light from a lantern glinted off her new ring, making it sparkle like a bright star in a murky night sky.

I'd never seen her so happy, and I couldn't be happier for her. She deserved it. "They look good, don't they?"

"
Yeah. They do." He leaned back in his chair, drew his right ankle onto his left knee and crossed his arms behind his head. "So, do you have plans for the weekend? You don't have a date with the coroner guy, do you?"

Even though he tried to make the question sound casual, I heard the serious undertone.
"Not this weekend."

"
I guess I deserved that," he said.

I didn
't disagree. I thought about Cain.
Seth
. I'd received the all-clear from Ian yesterday. There was no threat on Seth's life. I didn't know what to do with the news and finally decided I'd take a wait-and-see approach. I didn't want to turn Seth's life upside down. It was enough for me to know he was alive. He was well. "And no, no plans other than to sleep and try to forget this past week."

Ethan was still under guard in the hospital recovering from the gunshot wound to his shoulder. The charges against him were numerous, pretty much guaranteeing the death penalty should he not make a deal to squeal on Honey.

So far, he wasn't squealing. In fact, he denied she had anything to do with what had gone down. That he acted alone. That she didn't even know him that well and that he was an obsessed stalker.

Honey, of course, denied everything, too. The police were trying their best to tie her to the crime, but at best their case was circumstantial. And it was a weak case at that. She
'd covered her tracks well.

Jean-Claude also refused to believe she was involved. They were still dating.

Delphine had been released from jail and hadn't left her sister's side. As soon as Plum was well enough she would be transferred to a mental health facility.

It never ceased to amaze me what kind of damage grief could do to a person.

I didn't want to think about any of it anymore, so I said, "Why do you ask? Does Riley have something going on?"

He laughed.
"Oh, he has something going on, all right. He has a date. He's meeting Layla's parents."

I shot him a look.
"Have you met Layla?"

"
Not yet. I get the feeling he doesn't want her to meet us."

I smiled—I
'd voiced the same concern. "I can't imagine why."

Kevin laughed.
"But it's because he's busy that I need some help."

Vivi gurgled and wiggled, and I set my hand on her back to soothe her. She
'd yet to unfurl her body for any longer than a second, remaining curled up in a jelly bean shape. She was the cutest little lump I'd ever seen. "Help? With what?"

"
Packing."

"
Packing? Are you going on a trip? Something for work?"

Uncrossing his arms, he stretched them out.
"I'm moving."

Every nerve ending in my body seized, and I stiffened.
"Moving? Where?" Riley was already farther away than I liked. And of course, I had no say in where Riley lived. He wasn't my biological child. A child of my heart, yes, but that wasn't going to hold up in a court of law.

I was working myself into quite a tizzy when I heard Perry say,
"I hope the new neighbor is nice eye candy. Someone who mows with his shirt off."

Mario nodded, playing along.
"Someone who looks like Mark Consuelos would be nice. Ha cha cha!"

Perry laughed.
"I'm okay with that."

I tipped my head as I looked between Perry and Kevin, Kevin and Perry.

Moonlight lit the mischievous spark in Kevin's eyes. A confirmation if I ever saw one. "You didn't."

"
Someone has to restore law and order to this neighborhood."

Dumbfounded, I continued rocking.

"Now, I can't guarantee I'll mow shirtless, but if you ask me nicely... I might consider it. I wouldn't be opposed to you mowing shirtless, either, but then I'd be encouraging the unlawfulness and disorder around here, and that probably wouldn't do."

I didn
't know what to think about this turn of events. On one hand, Riley was moving in next door. Next door! It was almost as good as living with me. But on the other hand, Kevin was moving in next door. And I wasn't sure how I felt about that at all.

"
So?" he asked. "You think you'll have time to help me pack?"

I glanced over at him, feeling like I was agreeing to much more. So much more.
"I can spare some time."

His head dipped in a subtle nod.
"Good."

I caught a flash of movement and looked up in time to see Maria headed my way.
"Nina, you're becoming a baby hog."

"
Can you blame me?" I asked.

A smile spread across her face, making her glow from within.
"Not at all. But it's time for us to go."

Gently, I shifted the little jelly bean into her mother
's hands. Instinctively Maria curled her arms upward, protecting Vivi. I already missed the flutter of her heartbeat against my chest.

"
Maria," Perry said, "I just heard about a beautiful baby contest running in the paper. You should enter little Vivi."

Slowly, Maria shook her head.
"Not yet."

I knew that tone. She meant not ever.

Maria saw me watching her. She shrugged. "I don't really like the idea of strangers having easy access to her."

"
But the pageants..." I said.

"
Oh!" She lit up. "I had the best idea. A granny pageant! We can hold it here in the Mill, get the neighbors involved."

"
Dear Lord," Kevin muttered.

Perry clapped.
"I'll help!" Maria crossed the deck to talk details with Perry.

"
They're joking, right?" Kevin asked.

"
I don't think so."

"
Riley's never going to bring Layla around, is he?"

"
Doubtful."

"
I need a drink. You?"

I nodded and stood up.
"I'll get them. I want to check on Mr. Cabrera."

He sat opposite us, near the outdoor fireplace in a chair next to the libation station. He had a glass in his hand that looked suspiciously like a cocktail and a dour look on his face. He wore a plain polo shirt and drab gray shorts.

The sun had gone down on Mr. Cabrera.

I sat next to him and said,
"Are you hungry? There's plenty of food."

"
No. Thanks."

"
Is that gin you're drinking?" I checked what shoes I had on—cheap flip flops—and let out a breath of relief.

"
It's a Manhattan. Perry made it for me."

I gave Perry the Ceceri Evil Eye, but he was oblivious as he chatted with Maria.
"He's a bad influence."

"
Nah. He's okay."

I wasn
't sure what to say to cheer him up. There was no denying the obvious—that Brickhouse hadn't come back when she heard Mr. Cabrera had been in the hospital. And she had heard—her daughter Claudia confirmed it.

"
I asked her, you know," he said.

"
To marry you?"

He nodded.
"The morning after she left. She was so mad she wouldn't even open the door. I had to slide the ring through the mail slot."

I bit my cheek to keep from smiling. This wasn
't a humorous situation, but that visual...I wanted to laugh. "Did she slide it back out?"

With a sudden jerk, he faced me full-on.
"Are you laughing?"

Pressing my lips together, I shook my head.

"No, she did not. She kept it. Said she'd think about what I said while she was away and give me an answer when she came back."

"
So she didn't say no."

"
But she didn't come back when I was in the hospital, either."

Yeah, that was pretty bad.
"Well," I said, trying to spin it, "she was really upset with you, rightfully so. You've been taking her for granted."

"
You're quite the cheer squad," he muttered.

"
And by the time she heard you were in the hospital, you were already home and doing fine."

He shrugged and grumbled.

"Look, do you have email?"

"
Like on the computer?"

"
Yes, that's usually how it's done."

"
No. I don't even have a computer."

Glittering stars twinkled overhead.
"We need to get you a laptop. And you're going to start emailing Ursula every day, telling her how much you love her and miss her."

"
I am?"

"
You are. You're going to stop moping, accept responsibility for your actions, and start making up for them. It's never too late to right a wrong. You'll beg for a second chance, a third if needed. You'll do everything it takes because love isn't something that comes along everyday and you should be thanking your lucky stars you have it at all."

He perked up a little.
"Never too late, eh?"

"
Never."

"
A computer, you say."

I nodded.

He puffed up. "I'll give it a try. On one condition."

"
What's that?"

He motioned behind me.
"That you take your own advice, Miz Quinn."

I glanced over my shoulder, found Kevin watching me intently. Heat flooded my neck, my ears.
"That's not what I—"

Mr. Cabrera wagged a finger at me.
"A deal's a deal."

"
You don't play fair."

Chuckling, he stood.
"I play to win." Reaching out, he held out his hand for a shake. "Do we have a deal?"

I remembered the thought I had as I watched Mrs. Krauss drive away last week.