Die Me a River Read online

  “Mom is working. My dad would rather ride through town naked on his lawn mower than change a diaper. And your father wasn’t available.” Skye put her hands on her hips. “Would you rather I asked Charlie?” She couldn’t hold back a snicker at the thought of her cigar-smoking, whiskey-drinking godfather trying to handle the twins.

  “No!” Wally wrinkled his forehead for a second, then brightened and asked, “How about Trixie and Owen?”

  “Seriously?” Skye snorted. “They are childless by choice. Beyond a few minutes of cuddling, neither one of them is too keen on babies.”

  “Fine.” Wally returned to frowning. “This thing with the priest shouldn’t take too long, right? Forty-five minutes, an hour max?”

  “Probably longer.” Skye took her seat at the table and gestured for Wally to sit down. Bingo, their black cat, was already in his favorite dinnertime position next to her chair. “Father Burns is doing us a huge favor by conducting a private preparation session instead of making us attend the normal class that’s held once a month in Joliet.”

  “Well, we did make a huge contribution to the building fund,” Wally muttered, then asked, “What did we do with that teddy bear with the hidden camera Dad bought for us?” Wally’s expression conveyed his belief that the bear should magically appear in front of him.

  “I returned it.” Skye ate a bite of the mac-and-cheeseburger casserole May had given her when she’d picked up the twins. “Did you know that sucker was over five hundred dollars?” She took a swallow of water. “We do not need a nanny cam.”

  She slipped Bingo a tidbit of ground beef. The vet wouldn’t be happy with the cat’s weight during his next checkup, but then again, there was an excellent chance that neither would Skye’s doctor at hers.

  “We need the surveillance if you’re going to let virtual strangers watch our children.” Wally stabbed a bite of his dinner with a fork and then ate it as if the casserole had personally offended him.

  “Strangers?” Skye fought back a giggle. “The librarian that I see at least once a week and a police officer that you see every day?”

  “Your point?” Wally stared at her for a second before tucking back into his dinner.

  Her husband’s overprotectiveness was sort of cute, but they would need to hire someone to watch the twins when Skye went back to work, so she needed to nip his paranoia in the bud right now.

  Good gravy! He didn’t even have the excuse of postpartum hormones.

  Changing the subject, Skye asked, “How are things going at the PD?”

  “We’re still getting several reports a day about fraudulent repair companies and other rip-offs.” Wally tore off a piece of the warm Italian bread and used it to wipe up the tomato sauce remaining on his plate. “It’s like playing whack-a-mole. We shut one down and another pops us.”

  “I bet.” Skye tossed a cherry tomato from her salad into her mouth. After she swallowed, she said, “Homer mentioned his unhappiness with your lack of response to his complaint.”

  “Godda—!” Wally started to swear, then, with a guilty expression, amended, “I mean for crying out loud. Homer’s issue wasn’t even with a true scammer. He’s upset that his insurance company isn’t paying up.”

  “Hmm.” Skye gave Bingo one more morsel of the hamburger, then ate the last few bites of her dinner. “Trixie mentioned that a lot of folks who are insured by Homestead are having trouble with their claims.”

  “Yeah.” Wally wiped his lips with his napkin. “We’ve had to explain to several people that any issue they have with their insurance company is a civil matter.”

  “Sounds like we both had a stressful day.” Skye stood and began clearing off the table. “At least there’s always some humor to dealing with Homer.”

  “Oh, I had some comic relief, too.” Wally rose, walked over to the sink, and turned on the hot water. Squirting in dish soap, he continued, “Martinez is all bent out of shape about this woman who recently moved into town and claims to be a fairy godmother.”

  “Millicent Rose?” Skye’s skin crawled. She grabbed a dish towel and dried the plates as Wally washed them.

  “You’ve heard of her?” Wally flicked a sharp glance in Skye’s direction as he rinsed a glass and put it in the drainer.

  “More than heard of her.” Skye grimaced. “I’ve met her on several occasions.”

  “From your expression, you don’t like her.” Wally’s voice sharpened and he scrubbed the casserole dish with frenetic vigor.

  “I don’t exactly dislike her.” Skye forced herself to appear nonchalant and leaned a hip against the counter. “But she’s really pushy and there’s just something unnerving about her.”

  Wally dried his hands and turned to give Skye a piercing look. “Pushy how?”

  “Well…” Skye licked her lips. Wally wouldn’t be happy she hadn’t mentioned her encounters with Millicent Rose to him sooner. “The first time I ran into her was at Tales and Treats. I had the twins in their stroller and was chatting with Risé as I was checking out. Millicent commented on one of the mysteries I was buying, which is pretty common in a bookstore, then she spotted the babies and asked me if they’d been christened yet.”

  “So she’s religious?”

  “That was my initial thought, so I assured her that the baptism was scheduled, but she didn’t say anything about God.” Skye wrinkled her nose. “Instead, she asked if she could come to the ceremony.”

  “I hope you told her no.” Wally’s eyebrows disappeared into his hairline.

  “I said that I was sorry, but it was just for family and friends.”

  “How did she take that?” Wally moved closer, his stance more interrogator than affectionate husband.

  “She muttered something and walked away.” Skye hugged her arms around her waist. “But I’ve run into her on two more occasions. Once at the park and once after my Baby and Me group that meets at the church hall. She was in the corridor when the session ended.”

  “Oh?”

  “Each time, she asked to attend the christening.” Skye shivered.

  Wally leaned into Skye’s personal space. “And why didn’t you ever mention these encounters to me?”

  “I chalked up my discomfort to my overactive hormones.” Skye slid her arms around his waist. “And I’m still not convinced it isn’t exactly that.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” Wally hugged her, then frowned. “You always carry pepper spray in your purse, right?” When Skye nodded, he said, “Anyway, I’ll ask Martinez to keep an eye out at the church on Saturday and make sure this Rose woman doesn’t get inside.” He paused. “Did she ask any of the other mothers?”

  Skye shook her head. “But all the other babies have already been baptized.”

  Before Wally could respond, a loud knock interrupted them. Skye eased out of his arms and went to let Anthony and Judy into the RV. As she waved them to a seat on the couch, she and Wally sat on the chairs facing the sofa. While they got settled, Skye shot her husband a warning look. He’d better not say anything to insult the couple.

  Judy Martin was in her midtwenties, young to be running a library on her own, but the salary was too low to attract a more seasoned librarian. Tonight, she wore her light-brown hair in a ponytail, and instead of her usual vintage outfit, she’d opted for jean shorts and a purple T-shirt.

  “Thank you guys so much for offering to watch the twins,” Skye said, her hand gripping Wally’s knee. “Don’t be surprised if you find our cat guarding the bassinets. He might hiss a little when you go near him, but he won’t bite.”

  Skye mentally crossed her fingers that she was telling the truth. Bingo had never attacked anyone before, but he was almost as protective of the babies as Wally.

  “Animals like me,” Judy said, confidence radiating from her smile.

  “Yes, we do,” Anthony teased, slipping his arm around his f
iancée’s shoulder.

  Anthony was a nice-looking young man with sandy-blond hair, sincere brown eyes, and a shy grin. He was about as far from an animal as Skye could imagine.

  “We’ll probably be home by nine, but the babies will want to eat around eight thirty,” Skye hurriedly interjected, noticing Wally’s frown. “Just put the bottles that are in the fridge under warm running water for a few minutes.”

  “Got it.” Judy wrinkled her freckled nose. “How about diapers?”

  “There’s a stack on their changing table in the bedroom.” Skye gestured behind her. “I originally intended using cloth, but with two babies and the less-than-ideal living conditions, I switched to disposable so you shouldn’t have any trouble fastening them.”

  The men had been quiet, but Anthony chuckled. “And it’s not like you guys have to worry about the cost.” He waggled his brows. “Interesting article in the Star, Chief.”

  “Can it, Anserello,” Wally barked.

  Skye rolled her eyes, then looked at Judy and said, “We need to get going. The twins should wake up anytime now. Text or call me if you have any questions.”

  “Will do.”

  Judy and Anthony walked Skye and Wally to the door. Skye had already started down the steps when she turned and noticed Wally lean close to Anthony and murmur something in his ear.

  Once Wally and Skye were in the Hummer heading toward town, Skye asked, “What did you say to Anthony?”

  “I told him that if anything happened to my children, he’d never live to see his own.”

  “Wally!” Skye thwacked her husband’s muscled bicep.

  “I also told him that under no circumstances was he to allow Millicent Rose anywhere near the twins.”

  Skye leaned back and sighed. “Now that’s an order I can totally agree with.”

  Chapter 5

  Baby, Baby

  Despite everything, Wally and Skye arrived for their appointment with the priest ten minutes early. The rectory was in a midcentury brick ranch that was located next to St. Francis Catholic Church. The living room had been converted to Father Burns’s office, and the parish secretary’s desk was in what had once been the dining room. She worked from ten to two, so had gone home long ago.

  Skye and Wally took a seat on a bench in the foyer and waited for Vince and Loretta to show up.

  After several seconds of silence, Wally said, “I’ve been thinking some more about this Millicent Rose woman.” His expression was sober. “When Martinez was telling me about the situation, I thought she was exaggerating. But now, my gut says I was wrong.”

  Skye felt her chest tighten. She’d been able to discount her own wariness about the woman, chalking it up to new mother syndrome, but if Wally’s cop instincts were kicking in, she was worried.

  “Can you run some kind of background check on her?” Skye leaned forward with her hands clasped on her lap.

  “I can ask around.” Wally blew out his cheeks. “But since there’ve been no complaints, I don’t have any probable cause to investigate her.”

  “Which, I gather, is a deal breaker for an honest cop.” Skye chuckled. She thought for a moment, then asked, “Could I make a complaint? It almost feels like she’s stalking me.”

  “‘Almost’ is the problem.” Wally rubbed his neck. “Have you seen her following or watching you on at least two different occasions?”

  “Not exactly.” Skye considered fudging the truth but couldn’t bring herself to lie. If Millicent was nothing more than an eccentric busybody, Skye couldn’t, in good conscience, sic the law on her.

  “Do you feel your safety or well-being is at risk in some way?” Wally questioned.

  “No.” Skye sighed. “She just asks about attending the christening, and when I tell her it’s only for friends and family, she walks away.”

  “Then she’s not considered to be legally stalking you.” Wally ran his thumb down Skye’s cheek. “But call me immediately if she approaches you again. I can, and will, talk to her as a husband and father rather than as the Scumble River chief of police.”

  “I will.” Skye made a wry face. “Having the twins has made me über-cautious.”

  “Good.” Wally checked his watch. “Vince and Loretta are late.”

  “While my brother may be late,” Skye said, “Loretta’s delay is doubtlessly only collateral damage.”

  Prior to motherhood, Loretta had been an ambitious, detail-oriented, successful criminal attorney in Chicago, while Vince was a laid-back hairstylist and former garage band musician. If anyone was at fault for the couple’s tardiness, it was Skye’s brother.

  Loretta and Skye were both alums of Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority, and when Vince had been accused of murdering an ex-girlfriend several years ago, Skye had contacted Loretta. Once Vince was cleared of the charge, despite Loretta’s often-declared aversion to small towns and their citizens, she had fallen in love with Skye’s brother, married him, and agreed to live in Scumble River.

  When a second pregnancy surprised the couple a few months after their daughter had been born, Loretta had left her Chicago firm and opened her own law practice in Scumble River. Instead of felonies, she now handled everything from wills and estates to divorces.

  “Well, whoever’s at fault, Vince and Loretta aren’t here.” Wally looked at his watch. “And we need to get this show on the road.”

  “Uh-huh.” Skye yawned and leaned her head on Wally’s shoulder. She was so tired. Getting up to feed the twins was taking its toll on her.

  “You’re exhausted.” Wally put an arm around Skye. “Maybe we should look into that list of nannies that Dad’s HR department put together. I think it’s time we got you some help with the twins.”

  “Probably. But you don’t even like leaving them with our friends.” Skye laughed softly and nestled closer. “How would you feel about an actual stranger taking care of them? And where would she live?”

  “The list of nannies only includes women who live within driving distance of Scumble River.”

  “Oh. Good.” Skye sat up. “That reminds me; where is your dad staying? I never see his truck at the motor court anymore.”

  “Dad said he found an apartment, but didn’t tell me where it’s at.” Wally stroked his chin. “In fact, he was cagey when I asked.”

  Before Skye could venture a guess, the front door opened and Loretta hurried toward them, with Vince trailing at her heels. Well, “hurried” might be a charitable description. At nearly eight months pregnant, “waddled” was a better word, but not one any of them would dare utter in Loretta’s presence.

  Skye leaped to her feet and hugged her sister-in-law, then said, “How come I never looked this good when I was pregnant?” She stepped back. “You’re gorgeous.”

  Loretta wore a stunning tangerine linen maternity business suit and her dark-brown skin glowed with health. At six feet tall, the only change to her lean-muscled body was her baby bump. As usual, her coal-black hair was impeccably coifed in a crown of braids.

  “She sure is.” Vince slipped his arm around his wife. His butterscotch-blond locks brushed the collar of his bright-blue polo shirt as he tilted his head. “She could walk any fashion show runway in the world.”

  Wally stood and nuzzled Skye’s neck. “You looked just as beautiful.”

  Both women snorted at their husbands’ flattery and Loretta said, “Right. We’d stay pregnant all the time except for the fact that we can’t sleep, can barely get up from a chair without help, and have to pee constantly.” Loretta took a breath, then jeered, “But we’re sooo glad you think we look pretty during this process.”

  Clearly, Loretta had not forgiven her husband for his part in her unplanned pregnancy. Their daughter, April, had only been a few months old when the little pink plus sign had appeared on the test stick.

  Lucky for Skye’s brother, Father Burns chose t
hat moment to open the door of his office and usher them all inside. He was a tall, ascetic-looking man who had been the priest at St. Francis for as long as Skye could remember. He had to be close to seventy, but he had an ageless face that hid his age. His flock dreaded the day when he either retired or was reassigned to another parish.

  His desk was against the far wall, bracketed by built-in bookshelves. The other end of the room held a leather sofa, which Skye and Wally chose, leaving the matching chairs for Vince and Loretta. After picking up a folder from his desk, Father Burns sat in the throne-like wingback chair that faced all four of them.

  Nodding at the quartet, the priest said, “I know you’ve had some unusual circumstances, which is why I was happy to conduct a private preparation session for you. But despite the informality, it is important to enter into this as a prayerful meditation on the significance of the sacrament. Try to attain a spirit of awe and reverence and allow it to transform your viewpoint. This is not about being a passive participant, but actively reflecting on the deeper meaning of baptism and seeking a new awareness and passion for this encounter with God’s grace.”

  They all murmured their agreement and settled in for the lesson.

  Father Burns flipped open the file and shuffled through the papers inside of it. “First, all the documents you’ve provided have been found acceptable.” He looked at each of them to see if they understood the gravity of the situation. “And although Loretta is not Catholic, she is allowed to serve as a Christian witness to the baptism along with Vince, who is the actual godparent.”

  “In other words, being a Christian isn’t good enough.” Loretta narrowed her golden-brown eyes. “I’m not recognized as the twins’ godmother?”

  “Not in the church.” Father Burns’s expression was composed. “But that would not prevent you from gaining custody should something happen to Wally and Skye as long as you are a legally named guardian.”

  “There’s nothing to worry about, sweetheart. It’s a Catholic thing.” Vince stroked Loretta’s arm. “Don’t you remember? Skye was April’s actual godmother and your brother was the Christian witness?”