Death Sung Softly Page 12

  She switched to another screen and entered the numbers, letting Herman do his thing. Less than a minute passed before there were three lines of information before their eyes.

  “Check it out,” Indie said. “The first call he made after leaving that message was to Bill Miller, less than a minute later, and it lasted four and a half minutes. The second was to his wife, but that one only lasted a few seconds, and the third was about eight minutes later, to none other than Janice Peet, and it lasted almost four minutes. Kinda odd that neither Bill nor Janice ever mentioned those calls, isn't it?”

  “Especially since they both knew I was looking at Jimmy Smith as a suspect. Telling me about them would have made me even more sure I was after the right guy, but they kept quiet. Curiouser and curiouser, said Alice. I think I need to visit them both in the morning, before Barry's funeral.”

  “Sam,” Indie said, “when you go to see them, do me a favor, will you?”

  “What's that, Honey?”

  “Take your gun.”

  11

  They spent the rest of the afternoon watching movies on television, until Kenzie came home at seven.

  “She was a delight,” Anita said, and her husband Jim added, “She's welcome anytime! The twins are delighted to have another kid their age in the neighborhood.”

  “Well, we appreciate it,” Sam said, and then Indie showed Anita her ring, and the congratulations and hugs and back slapping began all over again. Kenzie jumped up and down when Indie told her that she and Sam were going to be getting married, and asked, “Now can he be my daddy?”

  Sam picked her up and hugged her. “You bet I can, sweetheart!” he said, and that got him the biggest hug she'd given him yet.

  Jim and Anita had to get back home, where her mother was watching their twins, so they said their goodbyes and left. Kenzie looked up at Sam after they were gone, and said, “Daddy?”

  Sam smiled down at her. “Yes, Kenzie?”

  She shrugged. “Nothing. I just wanted to say it.” She turned and went to get Samson, who was sniffing around as if wondering what had changed while he was gone. Sam and Indie laughed as they watched her go.

  “She's happy,” Indie said. “She's wanted a daddy for a long time, and me telling her that her daddy was in heaven didn't help. She picked you even before I did, I think.”

  Sam looked at her. “Here's a question,” he said. “Who all do we need to tell? I should call my mom and my sister, I guess, and Dan, and we'll tell the band tomorrow. What about you?”

  Indie sighed. “I guess it's time I call my mom,” she said. “I've been avoiding it for a while, because she always complains about how I live, but she doesn't want us staying with her, either. It's not that she doesn't love us, it's just—well, you'll get to know Mom, that's all I can say.”

  They sat down together at the dining room table, and Sam went first calling his mother on speaker phone.

  “Mom,” he said, “it's Sam.”

  “Like I wouldn't know my own son's phone number when you call,” she said, and Sam winced. “Even though I don't see it pop upon the phone very often, I still know it's you, cause it tells me its you. To what do I owe the pleasure of you taking the time to call your old mother this time?”

  Sam took a deep breath. “Well, Mom, I guess it's because I'm getting married.”

  “Married? You're getting married? Is it that girl you told me about, the one who moved in and took over cleaning your house, so I don't ge to come over and see my only son every week? Oh, I hop she's not like that one you were married to before, Sam, that woman was just never the right one for you, I do hope this one is better!”

  “She's better, Mom, I promise, and yes, it's the same girl I told you about a few weeks ago. Her name is Indiana, and we call her Indie, and she's right here listening, I've got you on speaker.”

  “Hi, Mrs. Prichard,” Indie said.

  “Well, hello, there, and what did you say her name was, was it Cindy?”

  “No, Mom, it's Indie, short for Indiana, like in the movies with Indiana Jones. Indie.”

  “Hello, Indie, it's nice to talk to you, and don't believe half the things he says about me, I'm really not that bad! This is awfully quick, isn't it, Sam, I mean, you only told me she moved in with you what, a week ago? Two weeks? How can you be getting married so soon?”

  “When it's right, Mom, it's just right, and Indie and I are very much right for each other. I just wanted you to know, and when we have a date set, we'll let you know that, too.”

  “Well, Sam, I have to say it's about time you found someone you really care for, you're just too nice a guy to be single, don't you think so, Indie?”

  Indie laughed. “Yes, Ma'am, I sure do!”

  “Oh, my God, what's with this 'ma'am' stuff, we can't have that! I'm just 'Mom,' sweetheart, let's keep it simple. Oh! Wait a minute, Sam, you told me she had a little girl! Does this mean I finally have a grandchild? That's it, I'm coming over! I'll be there in an hour!” The line went dead instantly.

  Sam looked at Indie sheepishly. “Mom's got a memory like and elephant, I'm, afraid, and she never forgets anything! She's been begging me and my sister to make her a grandmother for as long as I can remember, so she's gonna latch on to Kenzie as fast as she can!”

  Indie smiled. “Don't worry, Kenzie will have her wrapped around her little finger in no time flat!”

  Sam dialed again, and called his sister. “Carrie, it's Sam,” he said when she answered, and his sister responded with delight.

  “Sam? And you're calling me? Uh-oh, Buddy, what kind of trouble are you in now?” Indie could hear the smile in her voice.

  “No trouble,” he said. “I just thought you'd want to know that your big brother is gonna be getting married soon. I just got off the phone from telling Mom, and wanted you to be the next to know.”

  Carrie squealed through the phone line. “Married? You're getting married? Okay, tell me everything, like who is she, and how long have you known her and everything!”

  Sam laughed. “He name is Indiana, and she goes by Indie, just like Indiana Jones, and she's gorgeous and has a beautiful four year old daughter named Mackenzie, but we call her Kenzie for short. We've known each other about three weeks, but it's been the most intense three weeks you can imagine, and we just came to the conclusion today that we're right for each other, and this is what we want. We don't have a date yet, but we'll let you know as soon as we do so you can come to the wedding. Say hi, I've got you on speaker.”

  “Oh, hi, Indie! I'm Carrie, Sam's little sister, and I'm not nearly as bad as he'll tell you I am, well, maybe I am, but it's all good, anyway, right? Oh, my goodness, this is so exciting! And you've got a little girl? Mom will go absolutely crazy over that!”

  “Yeah,” Sam said, “she's actually on the way here right now. If I know her, she's probably gonna get a speeding ticket on the way.”

  Carrie laughed. “Yeah, probably! Indie, tell me all about it! How did you guys meet?”

  Sam looked at Indie and let her take the conversation. “Well, he actually ran across me when he needed help with something, and me and my little girl were not doing so well. We were actually homeless, and Sam had this big old house, so he said we could stay with him for a while, and the more we were around each other, the more we just knew there was something special going on. I knew I was in love with him a week ago, and today he surprised me with a ring and popped the question, and I said yes. Kenzie is so happy she's about to bust, she's been wanting him to be her daddy since the day we met him, I think.”

  “Oh, I can tell already we're gonna get along great! If there's one thing I love, it's being impulsive, and if you guys are getting married this fas,t then you're probably as impulsive as I am! I cant' wait to meet you! Are you on Facebook?”

  The two girls exchanged facebook info and promised to friend each other, then Sam managed to get them off the phone. He called Dan and told him, and that set off another round of excitement. He said he'd spread the
word around the PD the next day, and that he'd better be on the list for Best Man. Sam promised him that he was at the top of that short list, and they ended the call.

  Then it was Indie's turn. She said she had very few friends, and most of those were only on Facebook, so all she needed to do was call her mother. She dialed the number nervously, and like Sam, she putit on speaker.

  “Hello?” came a voice that was surprisingly similar to Indie's.

  “Hey, Mom,” Indie said.

  “Indiana? Hey, Sweetie, how are you? Where are you? I haven't heard from you in weeks! Are you okay? Is Kenzie okay?”

  “Yes, Mom, we're fine. I'm actually calling to tell you some good news. Are you sitting down?”

  “Good news? I can stand some of that! Yes, I'm sitting down, go ahead.”

  Indie took a beep breath of her own. “Mom—I'm getting married.”

  “Married?” her mother echoed, incredulous. “Did you just say you're getting married?”

  Indie laughed. “Yes, Mom, I said I'm getting married. I've met a wonderful man who loves me and Kenzie, and we just adore him, and he's asked me to marry him. His name is Sam, and he's a private investigator. We met when I went to work for him.” She held a finger to her lips to tell Sam to be quiet.

  “Oh, that's wonderful, Indie! But when did this happen? The last I heard from you, you were homeless and out of work!”

  “Um—well, about three weeks ago, Sam needed some help with something, and I answered an ad he put out, and when he found out we were living in shelters, he said he had a big house with extra rooms, and let us stay with him, and we just—hit it off. I really love him, Mom, and he loves us. This is a good thing.”

  Her mother was quiet for a moment, and then said, “Yes, I can feel that it is. This Sam is a good man, and he'll be a good husband.” Sam raised his eyebrows, and Indie signaled to wait, that she'd tell him later, but her mother blew that. “You did tell him about Beauregard, didn't you?”

  “Um, well, I hadn't quite got around to that yet. You're on speaker, Mom, Sam can hear you.”

  “Hello, Mrs. Perkins,” Sam said.

  “Well, hello, Sam! I am so happy for Indie that she's found you! Beauregard says you're a great man, and that he knew you in a past life, when you fought at Valley Forge together! He says you'll make a wonderful husband to my daughter, and a terrific father for little Mackenzie!”

  Sam looked at Indie, who made pleading eyes at him. “Well,” he said, “I don't remember that, but tell Beauregard I said thank you for the endorsement!”

  “He says you're welcome, and most people don't remember their past lives, so it's okay. He says not to worry, you'll know him again one day; he's scheduled to be reborn sometime in the next year or so.”

  Sam's eyebrows went up another notch. “Oh, well, that's great, then,” he said, looking at Indie for guidance.

  “Well, anyway, Mom, I just wanted to let you know, and when we get a date set, I'll let you know that, too. We'll make sure to send you an invitation!”

  “Okay, sweetie,” he mother said. “I'll keep you both in my meditations!”

  “Bye, Mom,” Indie said, and cut the call off before her mother could say anything else.

  She looked sheepishly at Sam. “I probably should have warned you about that,” she said, “but I was sort of hoping she wouldn't mention Beauregard this soon. Sometimes she doesn't, til she gets to know you better.”

  “Uh-huh,” Sam said. “And Beauregard would be...”

  “Remember I told you Mom was sort of a throwback hippie? Well, she's into a lot of their new age stuff, and Beauregard is her, um—her spirit guide. She says he's an old soldier from the civil war, but he tells her about a lot of other past lives too. And he seems to know a lot about just about everyone, because she always says he knew someone in a past life somewhere along the line. You're lucky he didn't say he knew you during Roman times, or even in the dark ages. Valley Forge is at least part of American History.”

  Sam looked at her for a minute. “And do you have a spirit guide?”

  She rolled her eyes at him. “No! I've never bought into that crap, not even when I was a kid!” Then she shrugged. “Although, I can say that there have been times when Beauregard's told her things that turned out to be right. She says he told her that I'd never be married to Jared, even though he thought Jared was a great guy, too. All he would say was that something would keep us from ever being married, and he turned out right about that.”

  “You sound like you almost believe in him.”

  Indie shrugged again. “I don't, not really. I think maybe my Mom has a touch of second sight or whatever you want to call it, but I think Beauregard is just a figment of her warped imagination, y'know? He's the way she deals with things she knows that she doesn't understand how she knows.”

  “Well, as long as he likes me, I think we'll try to stay on his good side, right?” A car pulled into the driveway, then, and they heard a door open and close. Sam closed his eyes for a second. “That would be Mom,” he said, and got up to go to the door. Indie called Kenzie to come back in from the back yard.

  “Sam!” His mother said as she came onto the porch and found him standing there. “Sam, you’ve made me the happiest mother on earth! I just couldn't wait another minute to come and meet this wonderful girl and your new daughter!”

  Sam gave her a hug. “Come on in, Mom, Indie's inside with Kenzie.” She followed him in, and they found Indie in the living room, holding Kenzie in her arms.

  “Indie, Kenzie, this is my mother, Grace; Mom, this is Indie and Mackenzie, but we call her Kenzie for short.”

  His mother threw her arms open and wrapped both girls in a hug. “Oh, my God, I'm so glad to meet you both! This is a dream come true to an old woman!”

  “Mom!” Sam said. “You're not even fifty yet!”

  “But I feel sixty, so it counts!” she let them go and stood back looking at both of them. Kenzie was smiling widely, but Indie's smile was a little nervous. “Oh, what a preciously adorable little girl! Indie, I hope you understand, dear, but I've wanted to be a grandma forever, and so I'm planning to spoil this child completely rotten, is that okay? Because if it's not, then you're just marrying into the wrong family, sweetheart, that's just how it is! Kenzie, I'm gonna be your new Grandma, is that okay with you?”

  Kenzie smiled and said, “Yes!” and then surprised both Indie and Sam by reaching her arms out to Grace, who squealed with delight and took her from Indie. “Oh, Sam, she's wonderful, they both are! You are such a lucky man, Samuel Prichard, to have found this wonderful young woman and gotten the chance to bring them both into your life! Don't you ever forget to count your blessings, young man, and I mean, don't you ever forget it!”

  Sam chuckled. “Trust me, Mom, I won't! And I know just how lucky I am to have both of them!”

  Grace took Kenzie to the couch and sat down, holding the little girl on her lap. Kenzie showed no sign of wanting down, so they sat there together, Kenzie on her new Grandma's lap, while Sam and Indie sat together on the love seat across the room.

  “Okay, tell me everything,” Grace said, and Sam and Indie looked at each other in confusion for a second. Grace cleared it up by adding, “I want her clothing sizes, her shoe size, what her favorite colors are, what kind of toys she likes, all of it! This is my first grandkid, and I plan to enjoy myself! Or can I just come get her sometime and take her to the mall? Would that be alright?”

  Indie looked at Sam, and he nodded with a grin. “Sure, yeah,” she said. “I'm sure Kenzie would love it, but don't let her get away with too much...”

  “Nonsense, there's no such thing as too much for a first grandchild! One of the joys of being a grandma is that I get to take the child out and buy her goodies, then bring her home and let you deal with the aftermath!”

  “Mom,” Sam began, but Indie stopped him.

  “Sam, it's okay, I know what she means,” she said with a grin. “My mother always said the same thing.”
>
  “Of course it's okay, mothers understand these things, don't they, Indie?” Grace turned her attention to Kenzie. “So, tell me, Kenzie, what kind of things do you like to do?”

  Kenzie thought for a minute. “I like to go to the zoo,” she said, “and I like to play with Samson.”

  “Oh, is Samson your doggie?” Grace asked, but Samson picked that very moment to come running into the room, which naturally resulted in him tumbling halfway across the living room floor. When he came to a stop, he shook his head like always, then stood up and looked around. When he spotted Kenzie sitting on Grace's lap, he walked over and jumped up to join her.

  Kenzie said, “This is Samson! He's a kitty cat!” She started petting Samson, who immediately began to purr.

  “I see that,” Grace said, “and a very mice kitty cat he is!” She looked at Sam. “Does he always fall like that? Is he okay?”

  “That's normal for our Samson, Mom, he's fine. He just has a problem getting his back legs to work with his front legs when he's running.”

  Grace looked at Kenzie, at Samson, then up to Indie and Sam. “I've got to say it, Sam,” she said. “You've got yourself a beautiful little family here. Dare I hope that there will be more children in the future?”

  Sam and Indie looked at each other, both realizing that they hadn’t discussed how either of them felt about having more kids. Indie smiled at him and turned back to Grace.

  “I think so,” she said. “I want more kids, and Sam needs kids of his own, as well as Kenzie, don't you think?”

  Grace looked at Sam with a huge smile. “Samuel!” she said. “Why couldn't you have found this one before you ever met that other one?”

  Sam looked at Indie and grinned. “Um, well, Mom, that might not have worked out, cause Indie would have been about thirteen, then, and I'm not sure how her mother would have taken to her dating a cop who was twenty one.”