Mischief in Mudbug (Ghost-in-Law, #2)(52)

“Okaaay,” Beau said, deciding it was easier to let however she’d gained access to the room slide. “And did you find out anything?”

Sabine told him about the missing files and the corresponding list.

“Wow.” Beau shook his head, trying to wrap his mind around the information Sabine had given him and the repercussions it had on his investigation. “I don’t even know what to think.”

“Me either.”

“I don’t like it.” Beau turned to face Sabine. “You’ve been looking for your family for years. Even if someone has always known you’re related to the Fortescues, why go after their medical records right before you hired me? I could understand if this had happened after I started poking around, but this makes no sense at all.”

“I wish I knew, but I’ve run through every possible scenario and there’s simply nothing I’ve done recently or in the past to warrant this kind of action. Unless it was a past life.” She gave Beau a shaky smile.

“You’re not safe in your apartment,” Beau said. “Until we figure out what’s going on, I don’t think you should stay there.”

“It’s my home, Beau. I have to stay there.”

Beau shook his head, ready to argue. “I couldn’t find a single sign of forced entry. That means whoever got in had a key. Even if I installed deadbolts only on the inside of the doors, I still wouldn’t think it was safe. Someone is too close…their access is far too free.” He took in a breath and before he could change his mind said, “Let me stay with you. I can sleep on the couch.”

Sabine instantly shook her head. “No way!”

“I promise I won’t do anything to make you uncomfortable. I won’t even tell you you’re beautiful.”

“I can’t. I can’t have you in my space that way. My apartment is tiny. There’s no way I could feel comfortable staying there with you even if you were a mute. This isn’t about you, Beau, it’s about me. You scare me.” She ran one hand across the top of her head. “Not like the someone trying to kill me scares me. The way you make me feel scares me. I’m afraid if I cross that line with you, there’s no return, and a future between the two of us is filled with impossibilities, most of which you don’t even know about.”

“So explain them to me.”

“No. There are certain things I can’t talk to you about.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

“Doesn’t matter. You’re going to have to take my word for it.”

Beau struggled to hold in his frustration. Why was she making things so hard? She felt the same pull that he did. Why was she struggling so hard against it? And why are you pushing so hard for it? “Fine. Then at least consider staying at the hotel until this is settled. That way you can have your own private space, but Mildred and I are close by to keep watch.”

Sabine was silent for a moment, then nodded. “I’d feel better knowing you and Mildred were close.”

“Just not too close and only me.”

Sabine looked down at the bed. “No,” she said, her voice barely a whisper.

Beau rose from the bed. “Then I guess since we got all that decided, I’ll take off. I’ve got to drop off the stuff for testing at a lab in New Orleans, and then there’s a couple of other things I want to look into before I come back. I’ll see you sometime this evening, okay?”

Sabine looked up at him and nodded. “Thanks, Beau. For everything.”

“You’re welcome,” he said and left the room before he did something even more stupid than telling her how beautiful she was. Like kiss her.

Again.


[page]
It was after noon before Sabine was ensconced in a room at the hotel. It had been a relief to find that Beau had kept the Mudbug police’s destruction of her apartment to a minimum, but it was still going to take hours to get everything back where she wanted it. Since she wouldn’t be living there anyway for the time being, she supposed it shouldn’t matter. She’d endured almost an hour of Mildred’s puttering around the hotel room, bringing her some soup and crackers for lunch, fluffing her pillows, and generally treating her like an invalid, but Sabine understood that Mildred wouldn’t feel good unless she thought she was doing something to help.

Finally, Mildred had gone downstairs to balance the books, and Sabine was left in the peace and quiet she’d been waiting for. She grabbed one of the four tote bags she’d packed and pulled out the hospital files that Helena had stolen. Raissa had gladly agreed to loan her the scanner and would meet Beau somewhere in New Orleans so that he could bring it back with him that afternoon or evening, whenever he managed to finish up and return to Mudbug. Sabine figured as long as the files were already stolen she might as well get a copy of everything. If nothing else, it would save the trouble of ever having to break into the hospital records room again.

Sabine already knew what Maryse was going to say. Maryse had warned her nine ways to Sunday about Helena and her shenanigans, and Sabine was just starting to get a clear view of the problem. Helena was definitely a pro. She came out with these outlandish requests when she knew you were at a personal low and somehow made them seem completely logical and necessary. Then when the dust had settled, you were left wondering how you’d gone temporarily insane.