CHAPTER 10
Cut to the Chick
The Mass is ended. Go in peace,” Father Burns intoned. The congregation responded, “Thanks be to God,” as they gathered their belongings and started to edge out of the pews.
Skye smoothed down her new blue linen dress. She had bought the dress to wear for Easter, but couldn’t resist this warm, bright Sunday. Looking around, she noted that a lot of people had had the same idea. Most of the women were dressed in spring pastels.
A snippet of conversation about the Ingels, coming from somewhere in front of her, snared Skye’s attention. As she merged into the exiting crowd, straining to hear more, the heel of her sandal caught on the edge of the carpet running the length of the aisle. She tripped, falling into the person behind her. Warm, masculine hands gripped her arms and steadied her.
Blushing, she turned to thank her rescuer. Goldenhazel eyes gazed into hers. Simon Reid smiled at her.
Instead of releasing her, he said, “Well, I wasn’t expecting to hold an angel in my arms today, even though it is Sunday, and I am at church.”
Skye’s blush intensified. What did he mean by that? He had broken up with her. Was he trying to make up? Did she want him to? She had to admit it felt good to be held by him again. “Sorry, new shoes.”
He looked her over seductively, ending at the offending footwear. The thin blue straps emphasized her high arches and nicely shaped ankles. “Very pretty.”
She wasn’t sure if he meant the shoes or her. Feelings that she had suppressed for the last nine months were fighting their way to the surface, and she forced herself to move out of his arms. “Thanks. I got them at Spiegel.”
As they reached the double glass doors, Father Burns stopped them. “Skye, Simon, just the people I’ve been wanting to talk to. Do you have a few minutes?”
The priest had saved Skye’s life last summer. Anything the man wanted, she was willing to try and do. “Certainly, Father.”
Simon nodded, and Father Burns said, “Good, good. Why don’t you wait for me next door?”
The housekeeper greeted them at the door to the rectory, guided them to the priest’s office, and offered them seats.
Once the woman left, Skye finally broke the silence. “So, how have you been?”
“Fine. And you?”
“Okay.” She tried to think of something else to say. “Play any bridge lately?”
“No, I haven’t found another partner. You?”
Her heart lurched at his words. They’d had a great bridge partnership—among other things. “No. If it weren’t for my little computerized handheld game, I’d forget how to play.”
“I bought one of those too—Nintendo for adults. Did you get yours at K’s Merchandise in Kankakee?”
“Probably. My parents got it for me for Christmas, and they shop there.”
“Mine has a cord to connect to another unit. Does yours?”
“Yes. Maybe we could try it out sometime,” Skye blurted out before she realized what she was saying.
Simon started to nod, then seemed to catch himself. A veil dropped over his features. After a long silence he remarked, “So, I hear you talked to Xavier’s daughter.”
“Who?” Skye was still going over her incredibly stupid gaffe and hadn’t followed what he meant.
“Frannie Ryan is the daughter of my assistant, Xavier Ryan. Frannie comes to talk to me when she needs a shoulder to cry on. Her mom’s dead, and since I haven’t had a mother since I was fourteen, we have a common bond. Xavier isn’t always the easiest person to confide in. Frannie liked talking to you.”
“I didn’t get the connection. Ryan’s a fairly common last name.” Skye remembered the teen’s hatred of Lorelei and her clique. “Was she upset by Lorelei’s death?”
“No. I’d say more half-afraid, half-thrilled. She doesn’t want you to think she killed Lorelei, because you’re so cool, but she was really psyched to finally tell someone how she was treated by that group of girls.”
“She’s welcome to talk to me anytime, about those feelings or anything else, although she will need to have her dad sign a consent slip,” Skye explained. “Unless it’s an emergency.”
“She’ll never ask her father.” Simon shrugged. “It’s really too bad. He’d do anything for her, but somehow he and Frannie just butt heads when they try to communicate.”
“Speaking of Lorelei, when will you have the results of the autopsy and tox screen?” As soon as the words left her mouth Skye experienced an “oh no, second”—that minuscule fraction of time in which she realized she had just blown the tiny chance she had to make up with Simon. Now he would never believe she was being nice to him for any reason except to gather information about Lorelei’s murder.
Skye was saved from trying to explain herself when Father Burns strode into the room and smiled beatifically at them. “Sorry to keep you waiting. Today the parishioners had many things to discuss.”
“No problem, Father.” Skye gazed fondly at the priest.
“I wanted to talk to you about helping out your church. Our youth committee is in dire need of leadership.”
“Oh.” Simon raised an eyebrow.
“You two would be perfect,” Father Burns continued, leaning forward. “We need someone young, with an understanding of teens today. Skye, you have the training, and Simon, I’ve seen how well the kids react to you.”
Skye was silent. Did she really want to take on another job? On the other hand, maybe it would do her good to be around “average” kids without major problems. It would give her perspective. Besides, how could she turn down Father Burns’s request after all he’d done for her? She slid her gaze to Simon. What would his reaction be?
“What does the job entail?” Simon asked.
“Planning monthly youth activities mostly, and chaperoning them, of course.”
“Is there a budget?” Skye asked.
“Not really. Mostly they fund-raise. For some of the activities we do charge a small fee, but that’s waived if a family can’t afford it.”
Skye and Simon turned to each other. Both gave slight shrugs. Simon answered, “Okay, we’ll give it a try.”
Skye nodded in agreement. How hard could it be? “Sure, we’ll formulate a plan, then get back to you.” She convinced herself that the chance of seeing Simon on a regular basis had nothing to do with her acceptance.
Father Burns thanked them and escorted them out of the rectory. They parted at the end of the sidewalk with a promise to get together in a couple of days and talk.
The church was located on the corner of Stebler and Basin. Simon headed toward the parking lot and Skye toward the street.
At the bench on the corner, Skye sat and exchanged her sandals for the Keds she had stuffed into her purse. She held her breath as Simon drove by in his Lexus. She squinted to read his bumper sticker: LOTTERY: A TAX ON PEOPLE WHO ARE BAD AT MATH. Typical of Simon’s dry sense of humor.
Skye sighed. He hadn’t even offered her a ride. Of course, he didn’t know she was without a car. Giving herself a mental shake, she bounced to her feet. She didn’t need a ride or anything else from anybody. It was less than a mile to her cottage, and a beautiful day to walk.
As Skye neared her house, she noticed several cars parked in the driveway. She recognized her parents’ white Oldsmobile, her brother’s Jeep, and Charlie’s Caddy, but the glimpses of aqua worried her.
Her father, Jed, greeted her enthusiastically and took her right arm. “Skye, we’ve got a surprise for you,” he exclaimed.
He was much more animated than she could ever remember seeing him. His deeply tanned faced was wrinkled with a smile, and his faded brown eyes were twinkling. Even his gray crew cut seemed to be standing at attention.
“Oh, today is full of surprises,” Skye remarked dryly, and tried to edge closer to whatever her family was
