Ghost Road Blues (Pine Deep 1)

He settled himself on the side of the bed and his eyes were searching her face. “I’m okay,” she said, forcing a smile. “No more bad dreams. ”

“Did you sleep much?”

“For a bit. They must have really knocked me out, because I don’t remember anything. If I dreamed it wasn’t—”

“It wasn’t about him?”

She nodded. “No, thank God. ”

“Me neither. I had just that one about him sneaking into my room. I wonder if everyone who goes through stuff like this has these kinds of dreams. ” He kissed her forehead. “Well, whether or no, I don’t think we’ll need to worry about him for real. ”

He told her about his conversation with Head, and how the officer confirmed that he had seen Ruger take several hits.

“Most likely he’s dead out there in the fields, or at best made it across the road to the Passion Pit. ”

Val’s eyes were hot but her voice arctic as he said, “I hope he fell over the edge of the pit all the way down into Dark Hollow and is lying down there in great pain, bleeding to death. ”

The venom in her words did not shock Crow in the least; he couldn’t help but agree, but it was a conversation stopper and for a while they held each other and thought ugly thoughts of revenge as the bedside clock ticked closer to midnight. In half an hour it would be October 1. Maybe the season of bad luck would end with September and the Halloween winds would blow their usual good fortune into the town.

“I had a long talk with Saul,” Crow said at last. “He said that we could both get out of here tomorrow. Connie and Mark, too. ”

Val nodded, said nothing. Crow could imagine how little she wanted to go back to that farmhouse now. The whole place would probably have the feel of violation and grief about it. While Val had slept Crow had called her farm foreman and instructed him to replace the front door—the one with the bullet holes was to be turned over to the cops if they wanted it or otherwise burned—and the living room put back to rights. Crow had been very clear when he said that there were to be no signs at all of the events of the night before, including the removal of all of the crime-?scene tape and any mess left by the hordes of officers and lab technicians who had been swarming over the place all day. The foreman, a smart and capable fellow, had entirely agreed and said that he would see to everything.

Even so, Crow had no intention of taking Val there when they were released in the morning.

“I have a plan,” he said.

“Oh?”

“The cops say we can’t go back to the farm yet,” he lied. “So instead I’ve booked a room at the Harvestman for Mark and Connie. It’s where the cops are staying, so they’ll be safe, and it’ll be easier for them to come back here for treatment and, um…therapy. ”

Val just nodded. Saul Weinstock had explained to her the kind of treatment Connie would need. Mark, too, in all probability.

“What about us?”

“We’ll be moving into the Pine Manor Inn for the next night or two. ”

Her eyebrows rose. “Wow!”

“A little elegance won’t hurt us, baby. Sunken tub, Jacuzzi to massage away our aches and pains. Great food. A nice bottle of wine for you and an equally nice bottle of Pepsi for me. ”

She closed her eyes and leaned against him. “God, it sounds wonderful, but—”

“No buts, sweetie. I ran it by Saul and he approved, so this is on the level of doctor’s orders. ”

“But the Pine Manor costs an arm and a leg! That’s too much to—”

“Not at all, not at all,” he said smoothly. “Nothing’s too good for my fiancée. ”

He felt her stiffen against his chest as she processed the words. Then she opened her eyes and raised her head, staring with puzzled uncertainly into his eyes. “What did you…?”

Then she saw what he had taken out of his bathrobe pocket while her eyes were closed. He held it flat in the palm of his hand. A square blue-?velvet box.

Val’s eyes were as wide and huge as any painting by Keene, and her mouth formed a perfect O.

Since she had only one arm free, Crow opened the box for her and showed her the diamond ring.

“I wanted to do this over dinner at some fancy restaurant in New Hope, but things got a little crazy and…well…I want this whole thing to end on a happy note. For me it would be the happiest note of my life, Val, if you would agree to be my wife. I love you more than anything in the world and if you say yes I’ll be the happiest man who ever walked the planet. ”