Helga gave Gideon an ambiguous look, then replied, “Bradley Forth has been taken into custody for assault, battery, and attempted murder. Thanks to Gideon here, he was apprehended before he could escape—or perpetrate his ultimate goal.”
It was Helga van Hest’s very straight face that told Fiona that was only part of the story. But before she could ask more questions, a medic was there, poking and prodding on her everywhere.
Finally—once pronounced well enough to go home and, thankfully, not to the emergency room—Fiona demanded, “What happened, Gideon?”
He told her that Iva and Hollis had been worried about her, and that was why he’d tracked her down at the shop—only to be accosted by Brad Forth.
“How did you get the gun away from him?” Fiona asked.
Gideon looked uncomfortable, as though he couldn’t find the words. “He got—er—uh—distracted, and I smashed him on the head with that Buddha statue.”
“Distracted?” But Fiona was already beginning to suspect what had happened.
Gretchen’s Lamp—perhaps even Gretchen herself—had helped them out.
She reached to touch Gideon’s cheek. It was warm and prickly from the stubble that had already begun to spring up, and she slid her hand around to cup his jaw. How she’d missed touching him!
Then she remembered Rachel, and jolted back from him.Oh God.
“Where is she? Rachel?” Her joy drained away.
“She’s not here, Fiona. She’s not going to be here…it’s over between us.”
“No, Gideon, you can’t—” With every last remnant of strength and integrity, Fiona turned to look at him, fierceness in her eyes. She wouldn’t let him do that.
“Shush, baby…shhh…It’s over.” He pressed a kiss with exquisite tenderness to her forehead. “Rachel and I—err—agreed it would be best if we didn’t get married after all. I’ll still be involved in the baby’s life, of course—my child’s life—but not with the mother. Not with Rachel.”
“Gideon…” She realized her face was buried in his broad shoulder. It smelled sogood.So familiar, so delicious…so likehim.“Are you sure?”
He nodded against her, his face bumping into the top of her head. “Yes. We both agreed, Rachel and I. Fiona, I’ve been lost without you…I want you in my life. I told you tonight, Iloveyou. I…I want to be with you.” He stopped suddenly, then plunged on, “I know you were scared, and things were moving too fast before. We can slow things down, but—”
“No,” she said quickly. “No to slowing things down. I love you, Gideon. I could barely get through the words, telling you to be with her…”
He held her for a long moment there on the floor, in the corner and away from Helga and Captain Longbow, and the sheriff’s team, who’d come in to help with gathering evidence.
Suddenly a familiar peremptory bellow reached their ears. “Gideon! Fiona!”
Gideon Senior and Iva burst upon them, both demanding to know if they were all right. Gideon’s grandfather’s glasses were askew, and Iva was wearing some sort of house slippers…and they both carried worried and concerned expressions on their faces.
“For God’s sake, sit down, Iva.” Gideon Senior yanked a chair over for them and propelled her into it. “You can see they’re all right now, so you can stop your yammering.”
Fiona saw that despite his harsh words, his attention raced over Gideon and herself to make sure they were, indeed, all right.
Trying to make light of the situation, she looked at Iva and grinned. “Reading Tarot cards now, are you?”
Iva flushed and looked down at her hands. “Well, I thought I’d give it a try. My first time, and since you were on my mind…and Gideon, and the whole situation with Bradley Forth…well, I just meditated on you and pulled a few cards.”
Gideon Senior rolled his eyes, smiling broadly now that all was well. “Foolishness.Such foolishness I never heard, eh, Gideon? What are we going to do with these two women and their penchant for the mystic?”
Fiona felt Gideon shift beside her, and she looked to see a very sober expression on his face. “Grandfather, I have to say…I’m never going to poke fun at them again.” He hesitated, then glanced at Fiona and closed his mouth.
She took a quick look at Iva, who was watching intently, and then reached to touch Gideon’s face. “You saw her, didn’t you? Gretchen?”
He nodded and Iva gasped in what could only be described as disappointment. “Do you mean she showed herself toyou?” She looked around as if to catch sight of the Ghostly Presence herself. “After all the research and work we did, she didn’t even show herself tous?”
Gideon Senior’s mouth was hanging open. “What are you saying, son? You think you saw a ghost?”
Gideon bit his upper lip, raised one eyebrow as though he didn’t believe it himself, and nodded. “I saw a ghost.” He said the words and looked over at Fiona. “It was definitely Gretchen, and she looked just like you—except for the hair.”
