Chapter 7

 

Beth and Leeanne piled into Jennifer’s minivan with the Larsons for the ride to Bible study Wednesday night.

“How you feeling, Beth?” Jennifer asked.

“Tired.”

“She’s been doing too much.” Leeanne snapped her seatbelt in place and leaned over to google at Connor, who sat in his car seat, solemnly staring at her. “Hey nephew. How you doing, pot pie?”

At the church they sat together, and Harvey held the baby.

“Let me hold him,” Leeanne pleaded, leaning past Jennifer toward him.

“Later. I’ve been working all day, and I want to hold my boy.”

“That’s as grouchy as I’ve ever heard Harvey,” Leeanne said.

“Not me,” Beth told her. “He used to crab at me all the time.”

Harvey smiled. “That’s before I was married and mellow.”

“I was afraid you’d all be working late again,” Jennifer said.

“Well, I’m the boss, so I can knock off whenever I want.” Harvey held Connor up so he could examine the baby’s tooth. “I don’t know where Eddie is. I told him to give himself time to get over here.”

“How’s it going for you?” Jennifer asked Leeanne.

“The last three days have been really rough. My editor wanted front page stories every day.”

“Which have been very lucid,” Harvey said.

“Thanks to what you and Eddie have fed me.”

He shrugged. “Some writers would take the same facts you’ve had and make hash of them.”

“Well, thanks. I turned my copy in early tonight and told them I am absolutely not working tomorrow. I have three classes tomorrow, and I already  have a ton of homework, even if it’s the first week of school.”

“Who’ll cover the murder story?” Beth asked.

“I don’t care. Ryan Toothaker’s my guess, though. He hates it how they keep assigning me the crime stories.”

“He’s had the police beat for quite a while,” Harvey reasoned.

“I know, and I’ve tried to tell him it’s not my fault. He figures it’s because I have connections, like I’m part of the Mafia or something.”

“You mean, if you weren’t related to me, you’d be writing obituaries?” Harvey asked.

“Something like that.”

“Forget it. I talked to John Russell. You’re a good writer, and he knows I won’t leak sensitive stuff to you, any more than I would to Ryan.”

“Well, Eddie’s been great, I have to admit. We’ve definitely had the most complete coverage of this case.”

“I’m glad you and Eddie can at least work together.” Jennifer squeezed Leeanne’s hand.

“Me, too.”

Pastor Rowland began the service, and they all turned their attention on him. As they stood for the first hymn, Eddie came in and slipped into a pew across the aisle with Beth’s brother, Rick Bradley, and his wife. Leeanne glanced toward him, then away. She refused to let herself look at him again, but she couldn’t help wondering if he had deliberately come late to church to avoid talking to her. She hoped he wouldn’t stop coming to church because of her. Her parents had started going regularly in Skowhegan now, with her youngest brother, Randy. Maybe she would go home for the weekend and go to church with them on Sunday. Then Eddie wouldn’t have to see her.

 

*****

Jeff had Thursday off, and Jennifer invited him and Beth to dinner, along with Carl and Margaret Turner and Eddie. When Leeanne arrived home from work and learned that Eddie was coming, she almost made an excuse to go out again, but something inside her told her that would be unspeakably rude to Jennifer and Harvey and the Turners, let alone Eddie.

She went to her room to change, and when Jennifer called her down, she chose a seat between Margaret and her nine-year-old daughter, Julia, and tried not to look at Eddie. She knew that if she did, her emotions would run riot. From the first time she’d laid eyes on Eddie Thibodeau, he had always evoked a strong reaction in her, and right now, catching a glance from him might drive her to tears.

“I’m so glad you invited us over,” Margaret said after Harvey asked the blessing. “It seems like we’re all so busy, we don’t get to see much of each other outside of church and doctor appointments.” She and Carl were both doctors, and busy was an understatement in reference to their lifestyle.

“Nice to see you all,” Carl agreed.

“You come over anytime you want,” Jennifer said with a big smile for Margaret. “Have you moved into your new office yet?”

“Not yet, but soon,” Margaret said. The Turners were having an addition built on their house, so that she could move her obstetrics and gynecology office close to home. She and Carl wanted to expand their family, but Margaret didn’t want to give up her medical practice.

Eddie sat quietly between Carl and Jeff. He answered an occasional question, and his eyes strayed often to Leeanne.

When Jennifer got up to serve coffee and dessert, Leeanne went to help her. As she distributed plates of blueberry pie, she was surprised to hear Carl bring up the topic of Sunday morning’s sermon.

“I get the feeling Margaret and I totally missed the boat on some things when it comes to marriage,” he said.

Margaret smiled ruefully. “Well, not completely, but yeah. Mr. Rowland talked about some things I never even thought of before—or if I did, I would think it was off the wall. But, you know, it kind of made sense.”

“You all heard her say that.” Carl looked around at them expectantly, waving his fork. “My wife said that Pastor Rowland’s remarks of the Christian home made sense.”

Harvey laughed. “I know how Margaret feels. When I first started hearing all this stuff, I wondered how people could really believe something so outmoded and pedestrian.”

“But the man is supposed to be the head of the house.” Carl’s eyes held a challenge.

“Well, yeah,” Harvey said, “but not the dictator. As I understand it now, the home is a model of the church. Christ is the head of the church, and the husband—if there is one—is head of the home. But that doesn’t make the wife a lackey.”

“Does he treat you like a minion?” Margaret asked Jennifer.

Jennifer’s eyes widened. “Are you kidding? Harvey treats me like princess.”

“Is that what it means when they say a man’s home is his castle?” Julia asked.

“Something like that,” Jeff told her.

Harvey grinned. “I’d be happy to serve as a kitchen slave in Jennifer’s castle.”

“Aw,” Beth said, and everyone laughed.

As the discussion went on, Leeanne allowed herself to look at Eddie once, then again. He was paying attention to the banter, but he seemed a little distracted. Was he thinking about what they were saying, and what the pastor had talked about on Sunday? She’d been thinking all week, off and on, about how her actions may have demoralized Eddie over the past couple of months. But his behavior hadn’t been stellar, either.

We should have learned all this months ago, in our counseling. Leeanne had wondered as she sat in the pew if the pastor was purposely targeting them with the topic, but now she saw that others were deeply affected by it as well.

“It makes so much sense,” Beth said.

Margaret nodded. “If we’d known God had a plan for families, our home would have been a lot different over the past fifteen years.”

Carl, who was a general practitioner, smiled ruefully. “There are a lot of things I wish I’d known fifteen years ago, but I was probably too hard-headed to learn them then.”

“That’s the way God is,” Harvey said. “He brings us along at our own pace. When we’re pliable, He’s always ready to teach us something deeper.”

Beth shifted in her chair, and Jeff smiled at her, reaching for her hand.

“I thought I knew a lot about being a wife,” Beth said. “My mom and my sister-in-law have been good examples. But since I got married, I’ve discovered there’s a whole lot I don’t know.”

“But you’re willing to learn,” Harvey said. “And Jeff is, too. It’s not all up to the wife to keep the home harmonious. In fact, I think the main burden is on the husband.”

I was always so tractable, Leeanne thought. Abby was the rebel of the family. But I had to have my own miserable rebellion at last, and it’s cost me dear. She glanced toward Eddie again. Lord, help me to be willing to just be his friend, if that’s what’s best. But her heart ached for more than that. He turned his luminous brown eyes on her again, and slowly a smile began on his face, sending a bittersweet hope shooting through her.

The Turners lingered after the meal, and Harvey suggested they all move into the living room.

“I’m taking Beth home,” Jeff said in Leeanne’s ear. “She’s tired. You get Harvey or—somebody—to walk you home when you’re ready.”

She nodded with a shiver of anticipation. Would she dare to ask Eddie? She shot him a quick look. He was sitting still, listening to Carl and Harvey’s animated discussion on the upcoming election. Jennifer helped Julia hold Connor, while she listened to Margaret talk about why the builders were behind schedule on her new home office.

When at last the Turners were out the door, Harvey looked at Leeanne in pretended shock. “Are you still here? You want to sleep here tonight?”

“I hadn’t thought about it, but I could,” Leeanne said. “Jeff’s got tonight and tomorrow night off.”

“Stay,” Jennifer said eagerly. “Just call and tell Beth. I’ve missed you so much. I’ll lend you pajamas.”

Leeanne smiled. “You talked me into it. I wanted to talk something over with you guys, anyway.” She went to the kitchen to use the phone, regretting slightly the imagined walk across the yards with Eddie. There’s time. If it’s right, and if it’s in God’s plan, there’s time.

“All set?” Harvey asked when she reentered the living room.

“Yeah, as a matter of fact, I think they’re glad to be rid of me.”

Jennifer laughed. “Well, they haven’t been married that long.”

“That’s right,” said Harvey. “With Jeff’s schedule, they need privacy when he’s home.”

Leeanne shook her head. “How come nobody clues me in on these things?”

Eddie stood up. “Guess I’d better get going.”

“Hey, no,” Jennifer cried. “You’re not leaving, are you?”

He looked at Harvey, fidgeting a little with his shoulder holster. He had worked late again and come straight from the office. “Well, I, uh, thought it was a family conference thing.”

“You’re family,” Jennifer protested.

He stood uncertainly, looking from her to Harvey, avoiding Leeanne’s eyes.

“Sit down, Ed,” said Harvey, and Eddie sat.

“So, what are we talking about?” Jennifer asked Leeanne brightly.

“Well, if you guys don’t mind, I’d like to show you the book offer Bob Hoffsted got for me. It’s pretty good for an unpublished author, I think. He says it’s a good advance for someone new.”

“You’ve decided you want to do the book?” Harvey asked.

“I think so.” Leeanne sat down on the edge of the hearth and faced Harvey earnestly. “See, this is what I thought: the advance would pay off my student loans. I’d give that to Mom and Dad. They’re having a rough time, with Travis in UMO this fall. They said they’d help all of us kids through, but with Abby and me in college together for a couple years, they had to get these loans. I really want to pay that back. Then later, if there are any royalties, I’ll have that. And I’ll have a published book as a credit.”

“That will look good on your résumé,” Harvey agreed.

“Well, if I ever need it,” she countered. “I think … ” She studied the wool braided rug at her feet, then met Harvey’s look. “I think I want to do it.”

“And what about the job?”

She shook her head. “I know I can’t do both at once. Not with school, too.”

“You can’t give up school,” Jennifer said firmly.

“No, I won’t. I’m too close to finishing.” Leeanne frowned down at the rug. “It’s been a really tough decision, and I’ve been putting it off, praying about it and trying to figure out what’s best. But Mr. Hoffsted said if I don’t get the book contract signed really soon, the publisher might withdraw the offer. The case is getting older.” She looked squarely at Harvey. “I want to quit the paper.” She didn’t dare look toward Eddie, but he was sitting very still.

“Quit, as in resign forever?” Jennifer asked.

“I—well, I don’t know. They want a two-year contract, but I don’t want to box myself in like that.”

“Very wise,” Harvey said.

“Really?” She was suddenly unsure. “I mean, job security is worth something, isn’t it?” She twisted the edge of her cardigan in both hands.

Harvey leaned forward and covered her hands with his. “If you feel you need to support yourself for the rest of your life, then job security is probably a good thing. It’s kind of like investing in municipal bonds.”

Leeanne stared at him blankly, and Harvey chuckled.

“With a municipal bond, you know exactly what you’re getting. The rate is steady and sure. You’re not taking any risks. No unexpected losses, no surprise dividends.”

She nodded slowly. “Do you invest in bonds?”

Harvey scowled at her. “What do I look like?”

“Don’t you know what his latest investment is?” Jennifer asked, smiling.

“I guess not.”

“He’s putting fifty thousand dollars into Mike and Sharon’s hunting camp.”

Leeanne stared at her. “Wow.” She turned to Harvey. He smiled complacently. “What if Mike blows it?”

“Then I’ll buy him out and sell the property to some millionaire.”

Leeanne laughed in delight.

“But Mike won’t lose on this,” Harvey said. “I’ve made him do his homework to make sure the enterprise will succeed. He and Sharon are going up this weekend with an architect. They’ll use Peter’s drawings as a starting point and take it from there. Mike’s already researching where he wants to place his ads in January.”

“They’ll start advertising in January?”

“Yup, and taking reservations for next fall,” Harvey said. “They plan to open August thirtieth.”

“I wish I was that confident.”

“Well, Mike’s got thirty-five years of experience that you don’t have. He knows what’s realistic and what’s not.”

“Do you think my plan is realistic?”

“Go get the contract, little girl. Let me see it.”

Leeanne hopped up and retrieved her purse from the floor beside the sofa.

“I’m going to put Connor down,” Jennifer said. The baby was asleep in her arms, and she got up carefully to take him to his crib.

Leeanne handed the folded papers to Harvey. “I told Mr. Hoffsted I’d bring him this tomorrow.”

Harvey studied the text thoughtfully. “There are two different issues here, and as I told you before, I think you should keep them separate. If you want to write the book, well, I’m not an expert, but Bob Hoffsted is. I’d take his word on this. It seems fair, even generous, for a beginner. Of course, it will be a massive project. Things like that always take longer than you expect. And your agent will take his cut.”

Leeanne nodded soberly.

“The second issue is the newspaper. Do you think if you turn down the two-year contract, they won’t want you to work for them anymore?”

She blinked, thinking about it. “When Mr. Russell talked to me about it, it seemed like an all-or-nothing deal.”

“He knows you’re young and inexperienced,” Harvey reminded her. “He’s told me how highly he rates your work. I’ll bet if you said no, he’d still try to get you to come back to the paper after Christmas, on any terms.”

“Really?”

Harvey shrugged. “How important is it?”

“I’m not sure. I mean … maybe I’d just write books.” She looked at him questioningly.

“Write up the Joey Bolduc murder next spring?” Harvey asked.

“I wasn’t really thinking of that.”

He smiled. “Leeanne, honey, listen to me. You can write anything you want. John Russell can’t tell you what to write or who to write for. If you want to write crime books, do it. If you want to write news stories, do it. If you want to write science fiction, or romance novels, or children’s picture books, do it. Need I go on?”

“I guess not …”

Harvey looked at his watch. “Listen, I need to make a phone call. Would you excuse me for just a couple of minutes?”

He went into the study, and she glanced across at Eddie. He was sitting still in his chair, watching her pensively.

“Eddie, what do you think about all this?”

He stirred. “I’m probably not the one to ask.”

Of course you’re the one to ask, her heart screamed. You’re the only one who really counts anymore. She took a deep breath and tried to keep her voice calm. “I’d really appreciate your opinion.”

He leaned forward, clasping his hands on his knees. “I think Harvey’s right.”

Leeanne tossed her head, sending her dark hair shimmering. “Well, natch. He’s always right.”

“No, no, I think he’d be the first to dispute that. But … he’s never wrong.”

She laughed.

“Seriously, I think what he said about your writing is true. If God has put it in your heart to write, then you should do it. But don’t let other people tell you what to write.”

“I think I can do a good job on this book. I’ve already made some notes and an outline, and I’ve got the news stories I wrote when it happened. I want to try it.”

“Then do it. Let Hoffsted handle the business end for you. Did Harvey tell you we did a background check on him?”

“No.”

“He’s clean as a whistle. We couldn’t find any dissatisfied clients. I went and talked to Thelma Blake, too. She says he was always straight with her and Martin. She figures she’d be several million poorer if it weren’t for him.”

“You guys went to all that trouble for me?”

He turned his huge brown eyes on her, and she held her breath. If only he would give her some indication that he still loved her. She knew he cared, but he cared about her sisters, too. She didn’t want to be Eddie’s little sister. And she had hurt him badly, there was no denying it. He might not want to lay himself open to that again.

“If you do the book, you’ll have to rehash the whole hostage thing,” he said quietly. “Beth was badly traumatized—you were, too. Can you handle it?”

She made herself look away from those eyes that made her want to sing and cry at the same time. “I think maybe writing about it would help me put it in perspective.”

“I had to see the department’s shrink after,” Eddie said.

“Because you shot Marcus Rutledge?”

“Yeah. But you never got any counseling.”

“You think that’s still affecting me?”

“I didn’t say that. It’s just—well, sometimes you think a thing is over, but months later you’re still dreaming about it.”

“I had a lot of support then.” His eyes darkened, and she said hastily, “Not that I don’t now, I didn’t mean that. I just meant—well, I don’t think talking to a psychologist is a magic pill that makes everything better.”

“No, you’re right. Since I got saved, I can see that spiritual healing is more critical. Emotions and mental images can be controlled if your spiritual life is right.”

She sat very still, thinking about what he had said and very aware of his presence. What would he do if she walked over and put her hand out to touch him?

Eddie broke the eye contact first, and looked off toward the Murillo print on the side wall, where the Christ child stood with his hand on the back of a woolly lamb. “I’m glad we’re talking again.”

“Me, too,” she breathed. “Harvey’s right about another thing. We need to be friends. I’m sorry … ” She couldn’t list all the things she was sorry about, so she let it hang there.

Eddie stood up slowly and walked to the large window that fronted on Van Cleeve Lane. He shoved his hands into his pockets and stood with his back to her, looking out across the street, toward the light in the kitchen of Bud and Janice Parker’s ranch house. The strap of his holster was dark against his blue shirt. Leeanne watched him, wondering if somehow she had set them back a notch or two. She shivered and pulled her cardigan close around her.

 

*****

Eddie came to the house early to run the next morning, and Jeff joined them. Harvey watched Eddie carefully as they stretched in the driveway.

“How you coming on the Bolduc case?” Jeff asked, bouncing a little to touch his toes.

“It’s a slow process,” said Harvey.

“We’ve ruled out the immediately family,” Eddie said. “That narrows it down to about a million suspects.”

“Are you still negotiating for better hours?” Harvey asked.

“I think we’ll take the four days on-three off schedule,” Jeff said, “but we’re not giving up the idea of twelve-hour shifts.”

“Beth will need you more than ever when the baby’s born.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m hoping Leeanne will stay for a while.” Jeff glanced at Eddie. “Sorry, Ed, I didn’t mean—”

“One man’s loss, another’s gain,” Eddie shrugged. “Come on.” He set off, jogging onto the sidewalk.

Jeff looked at Harvey contritely. “Did I—?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Harvey said, starting off after Eddie. “But Jenny and I will help out all we can. We’re used to the 2 a.m. drill.”

After the three-mile run, they ended up in the Wainthrops’ yard. Jeff walked slowly across the back lawn, panting, and sat down on the back steps. “Eddie, I didn’t mean anything before. I’m not glad you broke up. We’re friends, right?”

Eddie laughed. “Oh, yeah, I’m friends with everybody. Even Leeanne.”

Enlightenment dawned on Jeff’s face. “She gave you the friends spiel?”

“Yup. I’m persona non grata now.”

Jeff shook his head. “I used to think she was tenderhearted. All those baby goats and everything. How wrong can you be?”

“Hey, friends isn’t so bad.” Harvey thought he could see hope there, but Jeff and Eddie’s expressions said otherwise.

Eddie kicked at a tuft of grass beside the steps. “It’s like she demoted me in July, from general to private, and now she’s promoted me to private first class. Sorry, but I don’t think I can stand trying to work my way up through the ranks again.”

“It beats the alternative,” Harvey said.

“What, mustering out? Do I get an honorable discharge?”

“I think you deserve a Purple Heart,” Jeff said. “Wounded in combat.”

“Or a Black and Blue Heart,” Eddie muttered.

“Well, if you re-enlist, sometimes you get a signing bonus.” Harvey felt the metaphor was wearing a little thin. “Look, you want my advice? I know you didn’t ask for it—”

“You’re right, I didn’t,” Eddie said. “You’re the one who told her we should be friends.”

Harvey sighed in exasperation. “I didn’t mean it that way. I basically said you and Leeanne need to make peace, because you’ll be seeing each other for the rest of your lives. Church, family gatherings, whatever, and it affects everyone around you. You can’t fight forever.”

Eddie sat down on the grass. “We’re not fighting now. We’re friends.”

“All right, forget it.” Harvey turned toward the gate between Jeff’s yard and his.

“Harvey, come back,” Jeff said lazily.

“Yeah, let’s hear it,” said Eddie. “Tell us what you’d do if Jennifer suddenly told you she wanted to be friends.”

“How did this come about, anyway?” Jeff asked.

“Oh, Harvey left us alone for two minutes last night, and she laid the speech on me.”

“I had to make a phone call,” Harvey protested.

“Yeah, yeah, an urgent phone call.” Eddie flopped back on the grass.

“Can I help it? I thought you two were ready to talk.”

“Who did you call?” Jeff asked.

Harvey stooped and worked at his shoelace. “The weather,” he growled.

“You had this urgent need to call the weather?” Jeff said.

“I knew I should have left when Jeff did,” Eddie moaned.

Harvey eyed them both testily. “You guys are trying to push me over the edge, aren’t you?”

“Not far to go,” Eddie said.

Jeff laughed. “The trouble with you is, you never had brothers. You need to be picked on once in a while, Captain.”

“That’s right,” Eddie agreed.

Harvey stared at him, then slowly walked closer. “You don’t have to listen to me, Eddie. At the office, you’re pretty good at taking orders, but out here, you don’t have to. I’m your friend, that’s all.”

Eddie sat up straight. “Harv, you know I respect you more than—” He broke off. “Look, I’m sorry. This whole thing has thrown me off balance. I guess I’ve let my pride get in the way. Again.”

Harvey looked back toward his house. Jennifer and Connor were safe inside. How could life be so sweet for him, and so hard for Eddie? In his mind he could see Jennifer, fixing him with her solemn gray eyes and saying, This is not your fault.

“Come on, Harvey.” Jeff stood up. “Let’s get breakfast, and you can tell us what your strategy would be.”

“Isn’t Leeanne in there?” Eddie asked looking toward Jeff’s back door.

“Yeah, she came over this morning,” Jeff said.

“If she’s around, we can’t discuss this over pancakes.”

“Maybe we should eat at my house,” Harvey suggested.

“No, it’s my turn,” Jeff insisted. “Beth was getting up when I left. Come on. We eat, we pray, we plan a campaign of reconquest.”

“Well, let’s eat somewhere, or we’ll be late for work.” Eddie brushed off his shorts, and they went up the steps.

“Hey, fellas.” Beth was placing coffee mugs on the table. “Sit right down.”

Leeanne set a carton of orange juice on the counter. “I’ve got to get to class. I’m out of here.” She kissed Harvey on the cheek, then Jeff. “Ooh. Sweaty brothers. When you pray, remember me. I’ve got a test in interviewing today.” She went briskly into the living room. “I’m going to Skowhegan right after school, so I’ll see you all Sunday night. ’Bye, Beth. ’Bye, guys.”

The front door closed, and the three men stood looking at each other.

“Sit down,” Beth repeated.

“That girl is cracked,” Jeff said. “She just ignored Eddie.”

“It’s okay when you’re friends,” Eddie said pointedly. “What I don’t get is why she needs a class in interviewing. She does it every day for a living. She could probably teach that professor a thing or two.”

“She needs the piece of paper,” Beth reminded him.

Jeff pulled her close and kissed her temple. “Eddie’s right. It would be like you taking a class in being a good wife.”

Beth smiled and pushed him toward his chair. “Or you taking Flattery 101.”

Jeff asked the blessing, and she poured coffee for them all, and a glass of milk for herself.

“Jeff gets three days off next week,” she confided to Harvey as she sat down.

“Terrific. You want Leeanne to move back in with us?”

“No.”

“Sounds good to me,” said Jeff.

Beth swatted his shoulder. “She’s sweet, and she’s been a big help to me. I’m very thankful she’s been here nights while you’re gone.”

Jeff shrugged. “Yeah, but she’s been a brat lately.”

“I think she’s past that,” Beth countered. “She’s been very open the past couple of weeks. I think she’s really trying to get things right with the Lord.”

“What about with Eddie?” Jeff asked.

Beth smiled sadly at Eddie. “One thing at a time.”

“Well, this is a tactical session,” Jeff said. “If you don’t want to hear our plans, you’d better not listen.”

“Plans for what?”

“Look, fellas, maybe this isn’t such a great idea.” Harvey was a little embarrassed. “I wasn’t saying it’s a surefire cure. I was just going to tell you what I would do in this situation, that’s all.”

“Let me guess,” said Beth. “You’d pray a lot first.”

“Well, of course.”

“And if you felt you should proceed?” Jeff asked.

“He’d think about how he won her the first time,” Beth answered for him. “I seem to recall him hanging around night after night when Jennifer and I were roommates. Flowers, fireworks, and maybe a little poetry thrown in for good measure.”

Harvey weighed that, remembering the rush he had given Jennifer. “Well, maybe. I don’t remember the poetry. But Leeanne and Jennifer are two different women.”

“Ha!” Jeff cried. “You can say that again. Anyone want more bacon?”

“I’m just saying, Eddie’s got to move slowly here. It took time to court her the first time. You’re back at Square One, buddy, and you’ve got to take it easy.” Harvey eyed the bacon plate regretfully and passed it to Eddie.

“I think Leeanne wants to be sure she does whatever she does for the right reasons now,” Beth said.

“So, what do I do?” Eddie asked.

“Wait for her to grow up,” Jeff said.

“Have you really had enough of Leeanne?” Harvey sat back in his chair and waited while Eddie took a bite of his pancake and chewed slowly.

Finally, Eddie swallowed. “My ego is telling me to say yes, but the truth is, I’d do anything for her, Harv. I guess you know that.”

Harvey smiled. “Then be patient.”

 

*****

“Now, Sarah, just tell me a little bit about Deborah.” Harvey sat across the table from patrol officer Sarah Benoit in the Priority Unit’s interview room. He liked Sarah and had known her since she joined the department. She had proven herself competent and was now senior partner to Deborah Higgins.

“Debbie’s doing all right,” Sarah said. “I think she has good instincts.”

“I’ve looked at her personnel record. Just tell me about her as a person. Do you get along? Do you go shopping together? Any double dates?” Harvey smiled, remembering the day Sarah had gone to the lighthouse at Portland Head with him and Jennifer and Eddie.

“No, we don’t mix much outside the station.” Sarah smiled ruefully. “I miss Cheryl.” Her old partner, Cheryl Yeaton, had been promoted to night patrol sergeant.

“She’s doing a great job,” Harvey said.

“Yeah, she’ll probably have your job in a few years.”

He smiled. “You never know. Probably some other town will tap her as their first female police chief.”

“Wouldn’t that be something? She could do it.” Sarah sobered. “I’m not sure what you want to know, Captain.”

“You used to call me Harvey.”

“That was when we went to auctions and picnics together.”

He winced. “Guess we don’t mix much anymore.”

She searched his face intently. “Well, anyone as tight with Eddie as you are …”

“I thought you two buried the hatchet,” Harvey said.

“We did, long ago, but … you know. We don’t socialize.”

Harvey nodded. He didn’t want to think about Eddie dating Sarah again, or anyone else, for that matter, except Leeanne. Still, he liked Sarah and hoped to see her happy.

“Look, I don’t want to offend you by telling you this, but Jenny and I have had you on our prayer list for over a year now. We pray for you often. I know we don’t have much contact, but we haven’t forgotten you. I hope things are going okay.”

“Thanks. I’m all right.”

“You seeing anyone?” he asked. “I thought there was a game warden in the wings.”

She shrugged. “It didn’t last. He couldn’t take my wearing a Kevlar vest every day.” She hesitated. “Am I allowed to ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Is Eddie … I heard he and Leeanne broke up. First they were saying she postponed the wedding, then I heard she dumped him for no reason.”

Harvey began to feel it hadn’t been such a good idea to bring Sarah up to the unit for the interview. He should have had Nate or Jimmy interview her. He was aware that he had paused too long before replying, and Sarah watched him keenly.

“Sorry,” she said. “I know she’s Jennifer’s sister. I shouldn’t have put you on the spot.”

“Right. Well, let’s talk about Deborah.” Harvey opened the file folder he’d brought with him. “She’s twenty-three, never been married, and she’d been seeing Joey for two to three months.”

“About that, I’d say.”

“She thought a lot of him?”

“I don’t know. Joey had a goofy side, you know? I’m not sure she knew what to make of him yet.”

“So, they weren’t serious?”

“Well, it’s hard to say. We talked some, in the car. I tried to tell her not to get too involved too soon. You know how it is. A guy gets divorced, and then the next thing you know, he’s hitting on the cute rookie.”

Harvey sat back and thought about that. “Well, everybody’s different. I’m guessing Joey’s marriage was in trouble a long time ago.”

“Maybe, but still, I don’t think it was very smart of Debbie to start dating him so soon.”

“Let’s say I agree. Still, he was a very likable guy.”

“Oh, yeah. But not like—” She stopped short. “Do I sound like a broken record?”

“Some guys are likable, some are …”

“Lovable. Everyone loves Eddie. I guess that’s been scientifically proven.” She gave him a rueful smile. “When it got around that Joey Bolduc was available, the women were cautious. He’d flirt anyway, before, but now he had license, you know?”

Harvey blinked. “What’s that got to do with Eddie?”

“Are you kidding? There are a dozen women in this building just dying to hear Eddie’s engagement is off. He’s not only great looking, he’s smart, sweet, and polite. You don’t find a package like that often. When he held the press conference on Labor Day—” She broke off and smiled guiltily. “Sorry, Captain. I don’t usually gossip about my fellow officers.”

“Go on,” Harvey said with amusement. “What do they say about Winfield?”

“Tony? Oh, he’s cute, but nobody quite dares to take him seriously. I mean, would you want your first date to be tea at the Blaine House?”

“He does have a boyish charm.”

“Spoiled.” Sarah waved her hand dismissively.

“So, Deborah and Joey. Serious or not?” Harvey asked.

Her brow creased. “I’d say, potential for seriousness. She liked him a lot. She didn’t like the specter of the ex, but Roxanne moved out of town almost immediately.”

“To Auburn.”

“Does she have a new boyfriend?” Sarah asked.

“Who’s interviewing whom?” Harvey said with a smile. “No, by all accounts there’s no one special in Roxanne’s life.”

“Well, I wish I could help you. Debbie and I were on traffic that morning, though. There’s no way she was directly involved.”

“Mm.” Harvey studied the papers in the folder. “Who was she seeing before Joey?”

“Well, she went out with Brad Lyons once.”

Harvey’s eyes whipped to hers.

“I told her it was a bad idea.”

“It’s worse than that, Sarah. It’s against regulations for a sergeant to date his subordinates.”

She looked down at her hands, picking at one fingernail. “I know, Captain. Sorry. I probably should have turned her in. But I couldn’t exactly tell my sergeant, could I?”

“You could have come to me, Sarah.”

“It was way back a few months, after she first came on. I—I didn’t feel I could at the time. I’m sorry, I ought to have known better. But I was uncomfortable about the whole thing with Eddie, and—well, I wasn’t sure how it was going to go. I considered telling Cheryl, but then I thought maybe it would backfire, and somehow Brad would—” Her eyes were wary. “I guess I’m really in trouble now.”

Harvey shook his head. “No, Sarah. I wish you’d told me immediately, but you’re not the one this will backfire on. You’ll have to make a report, though.”

“It’s been what, six or eight months.”

“It’s still an infraction. Brad knows better.”

Sarah stared at him woefully.

“Is there more?” Harvey asked quietly.

She fingered her badge and shifted in her chair, then cleared her throat. “I told Debbie if she saw Brad again I’d have to report it. I knew I should have anyway, but … do you remember Deidre Cleridge?”

“Cleridge,” Harvey mused. “The name is familiar.”

“She came on board when I did. She was on the evening shift.”

“Oh, yeah. Redhead? Didn’t last long.”

“That’s right,” Sarah said significantly.

“Sarah, what are you telling me?”

“Nothing. I’m not telling you anything.”

Harvey made himself sit still and hold her gaze until she looked away. “Sarah, you know I’ll look into this now.”

“Good,” she whispered. “Can I go now?”

“Sure.”

He sat in the interview room for ten minutes after she had left, going over the conversation in his mind. He wished he had run the recorder, but he hadn’t expected to need it.