Chapter Fifteen. Miranda was unafraid because she knew her killer." Everyone at the table looked at me and I continued

Miranda was unafraid because she knew her killer." Everyone at the table looked at me and I continued. "This wasn't a random robbery. It was a violent murder. He then made it look like a robbery and took everything. He missed the keys, though. He didn't take them because he didn't need them; robbery was not his motive. That was his only mistake, but it wasn't enough to continue the investigation. Was it, Tom?" I looked at him directly, knowing I was not wrong.

"No, believe me I tried, but then I didn't have the evidence you have now."

"Kate found my mother's watch and wedding ring," Maggie said. "And the most curious thing." She looked around the table. "She found a locket, with Uncle Nathan's picture and mine in it, with a lock of my hair."

Tom looked at Lily; they both looked at Doc and Hannah. "Does anyone have a clue as to why Mom would have Uncle Nathan's picture in her locket?" Maggie asked boldly.

This kid had guts. "I was wondering the same thing myself," I added. "What was happening back then, twenty years ago?"

Tom was the first to speak. "When Jon brought Miranda home everybody instantly fell in love with her. She was that type of person...always helping people. She was a volunteer at the clinic for a long time. That's back when Doc and Nathan were both working there, it was way before you were born Maggie." He smiled and, as he continued, I stole a glance at Lily. A faint sad, smile flashed across her face.

"You know we all grew up together...Doc, Nathan, Jon, Hannah and me. When we were kids I always said I wanted to marry Hannah." He looked at Hannah and smiled. "But, Hannah always said she wanted to marry Doc. Then a cute little blond girl moved into town, and she hooked me. Took her to a dance one year and that was that."

Husband and wife exchanged light laughter, then Lily continued, "Jonathan was gone a great deal of the time. Miranda was alone, in that big house. We all went out together quite often. She was a sweet woman. Such a tragedy...so young. Well, back then, Nathan and Miranda were very close. There was no secret about that."

I noticed a wistful smile flash across Hannah's face. "When Maggie was an infant," Hannah said, "I remember Nathan and Miranda taking her to the lake. We all had picnics by the lake back then."

"Um, so where does that leave Miranda and Nathan?" I asked and looked around the table. "And what does it have to do with the locket found in the woods?"

"So, maybe Miranda kept his picture for sentimental reasons," Lily offered with a shrug. "Miranda was like that."

But no picture of her husband?

"But no picture of my father?" Maggie asked. Fine, now she's in my head.

Maggie looked around the table for the answer I feared she would get. In my heart, I knew that answer.

"Margaret, your father was like my father, not very sentimental," Hannah admitted then looked at her watch. "Look at the time. The caterers are at the house by now. I should be going."

She walked away with Doc. Tom and Lily rose to leave. "Keep all the evidence in the bag and in a safe place. Steve will pick it up tonight at the party," Tom said.

With everyone else gone, I looked over and noticed Allison talking to Teri and Mac. I had forgotten she was even there.

The catering company was indeed there. They were all over the house. Bedlam ensued.

Decorated for Halloween, the house was festive from the inside out. The dining room was setup for a buffet. I went into the kitchen and found an attractive woman at the stove hovering over a pot that had a heavenly aroma coming from it.

"Wow, what's cooking? That smells wonderful." I sighed and sniffed the air.

"Hollandaise and I don't want it to curdle." She looked at me and grinned. "Would you like a taste?"

"Sure," I said and rubbed my hands together in anticipation.

She placed the sauce on a silver spoon and gently blew at it to cool it off. She looked up and winked.

"I wouldn't want you to burn your tongue and ruin your day," she said and held the spoon to my lips. She finished in a seductive whisper, "Or your night."

I started choking and the sauce spilled down my chin and onto my shirt. The sexy cook grabbed a towel.

"Hold still, you have sauce on your chin," she said, watching my lips as she wiped the tasty sauce away.

"You have a bit more right here," she said and took her thumb to run it across my bottom lip. I love Hollandaise sauce.

I laughed and looked up to see Maggie standing in the doorway, arms folded across her chest, sporting a smug grin.

"Oh, hey. Um, we, she..." I stopped and licked my lips. "It's Hollandaise sauce."

Maggie glanced at the blushing cook. "My aunt needs you at the buffet table, Sharon. I'll finish cleaning up this mess," she advised evenly.

The young cook smiled sheepishly and quickly skirted out the swinging kitchen door.

Maggie picked up the towel and stood in front of me, looking up, but avoiding my eyes. I stood there, obediently. What else could I do? S he lightly wiped away the remains of the dastardly sauce.

"I'm not sure I like you flirting with the hired help, Ms. Ryan," she scolded and only then did she look directly into my eyes.

"I'm a sucker for Hollandaise," I said with a helpless shrug.

"I'll remember that, now go get cleaned up. Mac is tending bar and he has a maniacal look on his face."

Mac was mixing some strange concoction at the bar. Teri was watching him suspiciously.

"What is he doing?" I asked warily as I joined them.

Teri shook her head. "I have no idea, but when he gets that demented look in his eyes... He's been shaking that one drink for three minutes." We watched as Mac checked his watch then nodded to himself. He picked up three small-stemmed glasses and poured.

Maggie came into the room and joined us.

"What did he make?" she asked.

Teri and I shook our heads as Mac pushed the drinks in front of us.

I stepped back and shook my head. "No way." He looked hurt.

"Katie, you're my best guinea pig." Then he looked at Teri.

"I love you sweetie, but I'm thinking, no," she said staring at the drink.

Finally, he looked at Maggie. She gave him a very doubtful look.

"Don't you dare make her drink that," Teri scolded.

The three of us stared at the cocktail then each other and then looked at Mac's pitiful face. I shrugged and picked up a glass, as did Teri and Maggie.

"A toast..." I started.

With that, Hannah came out of the kitchen and screeched, "You're toasting without me?" She hurried over to the bar. She honestly looked hurt.

"Hannah, I apologize. Just a minute," Mac said seriously. He turned his back to us and mixed another batch. Then shook it and shook it, and shook it again.

"Oh, will you pour the drink already," I said quickly.

Mac sneered at me and poured Hannah a drink.

"A toast..." I started again and the doorbell rang. "Oh, for Christ sake's, skip it. Cheers."

We all touched glasses and very cautiously took a sip. Hannah drained hers in one gulp.

"Ooh, that was good. I have to see what they're doing in the kitchen," she said and hurried away. The rest of us stood watching her.

I looked at my glass, took a deep breath and sipped it. I think it was a daiquiri. I nodded to Teri and Maggie. "It's good, not poisonous. Go ahead."

They did and we all applauded as Mac took the obligatory bow.

The caterers, after doing their job, quickly exited, leaving the cooks and servers. I went into the kitchen; it was humming with a couple of chefs. I was completely in the way so I made a hasty retreat.

Maggie was on the deck with Teri and Mac. It had gotten cool and no one had started a fire. Geez, these people. I got a fire blazing, sat down in the huge, overstuffed chair and put my feet up. I laid my head back and closed my eyes.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. Maggie came up to me with a glass of wine and I started to get up.

"Stay put. You look too comfortable."

She wore a pair of navy tweed slacks with a navy sweater and white turtleneck. She had her thick long hair pulled back with a white silk scarf; she looked good, very good.

Mac and Teri came in and sat by the fire.

Teri looked at me. "Uh-oh, Kate's by her beloved fire, she'll be asleep in ten minutes."

We all laughed, knowing she was right and now that she mentioned it, I blinked a couple of times and yawned. We talked about nothing of any importance for a while and I was indeed getting tired.

I looked down at Chance. "Wanna go for a walk?" I asked and the lazy cur laid there looking up at me.

I went out on the deck then walked down to what was left of the stable. It was pretty much a mess. The charred shell was still standing, well, leaning. Mac, Teri and Maggie came down to join me.

"We took a vote, no one goes anywhere alone anymore," Maggie said sternly.

I frowned and looked at Mac and Teri. They nodded in agreement.

"Well, I vote no," I said.

"Well, maybe you don't get to vote," Maggie said frowning.

"Well, maybe you can't tell me what to do," I said childishly.

Am I forty-three? She's irritating me again. One minute, I'm looking into her blue eyes, the next, I want to strangle her. This young doctor was becoming a thorn in my side and I think a judge might be lenient in my case.

I stood near the area where Maggie and I pulled Bedford out. He must have seen quite a bit. He had to see something and either threatened to expose whoever it was, or maybe he tried blackmail.

No, Bedford didn't look like the blackmailing type.

As I turned to walk away, I stepped on something. Looking down, I noticed it was a black leather glove.

"Why, Sherlock Holmes, what the devil are you doing over there?" Charlie asked in a ridiculous British accent.

I jumped. Teri and Maggie screeched.

"Dammit!" Mac groaned and grabbed his chest.

"Charlie, come here, look what I found." I showed him the glove. We all knelt down and stared at it.

"What is it?" he asked. "Why, it's...it's a glove!" he said in mocked astonishment.

We stared at the glove for a minute.

"Is it going to do something?" he whispered, hopefully, and Teri laughed again.

She liked him and I knew why. Charlie definitely had our father's sarcastic sense of humor.

"You idiot, can you go up and get a plastic bag? I'll put it in there," I asked.

"Yes, inspector, I shall return," he said eagerly and walked away.

I stared at the glove. The murderer could have been wearing it. Perhaps during a struggle, the glove came off.

Charlie came back and I carefully placed the glove in the bag.

Back at the house, we examined the bag under the lamp on the desk.

Maggie looked at it. "It looks like a woman's glove."

"How can you tell?" Charlie asked.

"It's too small to be a man's glove. I can't be sure, but it looks leather, maybe expensive," she said and Teri and I agreed.

"Be right back," Maggie exclaimed and dashed upstairs.

I went to the desk, opened the bottom drawer and reached way into the back. I took out the plastic bag of jewelry from where I had placed it earlier for safekeeping.

Hannah came into the room and Mac explained what had happened. Hannah's eyes were as big as saucers.

Maggie came down breathless and smiling. She handed me a pair of gloves that looked exactly like the one we found.

"I got these three years ago. They're actually riding gloves."

Teri and I looked at them. "These are expensive," Teri the shopper said.

"Where did you get them?" I asked.

Maggie hesitated. "From Allison. They were a birthday present."

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Kate?" Charlie asked.

"What are the odds of that happening, Charlie?" Maggie snapped at him rudely.

There was a moment of extreme tension between the two.

Hannah was watching them. "That's enough, children," she said sternly.

"You know, cousin, you and I need to clear the air and we need to do it now," Charlie said, almost fatherly in his tone.

"Why, what's the point? I saw you both so let's drop it."

I knew that look, she was getting angry. Mac, Teri and I busied ourselves with the bags of evidence.

"Well, I think I'll go into the kitchen and..." Hannah started to say, but she was interrupted by Charlie and Maggie. We all stepped back to a safe distance.

"You saw us doing what? There was nothing going on, Maggie."

"Oh, please Charlie, don't play the innocent, it doesn't suit you. Allison told me exactly what happened." She stared right at him.

He looked confused. "What did she tell you? Never mind, I can only guess. Let me tell you what happened in London," he started but Maggie interrupted him. Why should he be special?

"I don't want to hear about it, Charlie," she said, angrily.

"I've had enough of this, Maggie. You've been riding me for a year. Look, I know you and I have never gotten along, but like it or not, we're family. Now, I'm going to tell you and you're going to listen."

I waited for the blow up. Boy was he in for it. She said nothing. I was shocked, I must admit.

"Make it fast," was all she said.

"I was in London on business when she called me. She said she was there buying antiques. She did not tell me you were there as well. I went over to her hotel and she was crying. I will be honest with you. I was attracted to her. She's a gorgeous woman." He looked to Mac and me for help.

We nodded stupidly, agreeing with him.

"She's very attractive," Mac offered.

"Really gorgeous," I said, trying to help him.

Charlie continued. "Whatever you're thinking didn't happen. I walked into her room and she hugged me. That was all. Believe it or not, when you walked into the room, I was shocked. You didn't even wait long enough for me to say anything. You've been pigheaded ever since, cousin." He looked at her affectionately. "It's the truth Maggie. I don't know what she told you, but if it was anything different than what I just said, then, I'm sorry, she's lying."

Maggie was standing with her arms folded in front of her, staring at the fire. I could tell by her face she knew that Charlie was telling was the truth. I felt bad for her, so much was happening, all at once.

She said nothing. I looked at Charlie. He gave a disappointed shrug and shook his head. He turned and went over to Hannah.

"Well, I'm going to go get ready for the festivities," he said to her. "I'll see you later, auntie." He bent down, kissed her cheek and started for the door.

"Charlie, wait," Maggie called, and went to him. "I'm sorry. I should have asked you long ago. I do believe you. I just didn't want to believe it." She looked down at the floor.

"I know and I don't blame you. Realizations can be hard to take." He gave her an affectionate hug. "I'll see you later," he said and was gone.

She turned, wiping away her tears, and went out on the deck. We stood watching her as Hannah came up behind us.

"She's lost. So much has happened to her." She sighed and went into the kitchen.

Mac and Teri were sitting at the bar talking. Guests would be coming soon and this place would be buzzing.

"Maybe I should go out and talk to her," I said.

"I think that would be a good idea," Teri agreed.

I grabbed Maggie's sweater and went out on the deck.

Maggie stood looking out at the woods, shivering.

"You forgot your sweater, Maggie."

She threw the sweater over her shoulders. "Thank you," she said.

"I think Charlie's telling the truth, don't you?"

I didn't know what else to say and I felt awkward. I'd been out of the loop, as it were, for four years, emotional detachment and all. I wasn't always so detached. But regardless, I made an inept attempt to rejoin the world.

"I mean, I can see where he'd be attracted to Allison," I said.

That was definitely the wrong thing to say. I should have stayed in my own detached loop.

"Hell, is that all that matters? That she's attractive? Christ!" she said and put a hand to her forehead.

"No, no. Hell, you're much more attractive than Allison and you're much more appealing." I stopped abruptly as I realized what I said.

Maggie shot a surprised look at me, which I avoided completely.

I tried to make conversation but stumbled over every word. She watched me as I continued in agony.

"Sorry, I'm not very good at this Maggie," I said. "Been out of the loop too long. I'm better with my camera and nature." I fought the pang of emptiness.

"Ah, I see," she said softly and looked up at the moon. "It's safe behind the camera lens and nature is always a constant."

I didn't know how to reply to the truth Maggie had spoken. I felt the scar on the back of my neck and remembered the last woman I was involved with. I shook my head.

"What's wrong?" Maggie said, not looking at me.

"Oh, nothing. I was just remembering a past incident. I lost myself in someone, who as it turned out, was not quite all there...if you get my meaning."

"What happened?"

I didn't know why I'd brought it up. "Crap," I mumbled and Maggie smiled slightly. It seemed my awkwardness amused her. "Some other time. Suffice it to say, I allowed myself to be taken in and I paid for it dearly."

Maggie gave me a curious look, but thankfully let it go.

"So I know how you feel," I said. "I know what it's like to be in love and then betrayed."

"Well, this is a first for me," she said shakily, tears welled up in her eyes.

We heard the doorbell and Maggie quickly dried her eyes.

"I am sorry, Maggie. Truly I am," I said, surprising myself at the tenderness in my voice. I pulled out a hanky and handed it to her.

She gave it a surprised look, and then took it from me.

"Well, you don't see these much anymore. Thank you," she said, wiping her eyes.

"My mother taught us well. Never leave the house without a hanky." I put my arm around her small shoulders, fighting a wave of contentment. "C'mon, company's coming."

In moments, people were everywhere. Maggie was telling me who was who as everybody from town came. She and I were passing out candy as if we were some kind of assembly line. I never saw so many children in my whole life. Maggie recruited a youngster to take over.

I leaned against the stair railing and watched in amazement. "Is it like this every year?" I asked.

"Just about. Although, I don't remember this many people," Maggie said.

Hannah appeared from the dining room. "Goodness, I hope I have enough food. Where did all these people come from?"

I looked out the door and saw Doc coming up the walk. He stopped at the door.

"Trick or treat." He smiled wickedly at Hannah and she blushed.

"Walt, get in here before you scare the poor children," Hannah said, smiling. Doc looked down at her and kissed her cheek.

"How's my gal?"

"She's doing fine, now that you're here. Now, let's get this evening started."

This was going to be some evening, in more ways than I cared to think about.