It was just as well, because I wanted to see with my own eyes that Mary Grace Flanagan, aka Alice Fairchild, was led away in handcuffs and thrown in jail for as long as possible. I savored the fact that, as she departed, she was snarling and feisty, no longer the demure princess she’d pretended to be for the past month.
And talk about snarling, Minka was still complaining to anyone who would listen. She told the police she planned to press charges and insisted they take pictures of her head wound for evidence.
The door was open and I could hear party sounds down the hall. Had anyone heard the gun go off or the window shatter? I almost hoped they hadn’t. I would hate for anyone to be fearful of coming to BABA, now that the true threat was gone.
“Stone.”
We both turned. Gabriel had his hand held out and Derek shook it firmly. “Gabriel. Well done.”
“Maybe,” he said. He appeared more tranquil. Tired around the eyes, but stronger physically. He’d acted so heroically, leading Alice into a perfect trap, then standing in front of me when she drew her gun. Now he glanced at the empty doorway and bared his teeth. “Mary Grace will have her lawyer cut her loose within hours and she’ll disappear again.”
“She’d better not,” I said intently.
Gabriel looked at me. “She did a number on you, didn’t she?”
I shrugged, trying to brush off the lingering sense of betrayal. “I was a little too trusting, but it won’t happen again.”
“Babe,” he said, and reached out to touch my cheek. “Trust looks good on you.”
I shook my head, not quite believing him, then grabbed him in a fierce hug. “Thank you for saving me.”
He chuckled without humor. “I almost got you shot.”
“I mean that first time. On Fillmore.”
He gave me a brief squeeze and I breathed in his distinctive scent of earth and spice. Then I stepped back, close to Derek, who put his hand on my back.
“Do you need a ride to Dharma, Gabriel?” Derek asked.
“Got it covered,” Gabriel said, then winked at me. “Nice little town you’ve got up there, babe. I might stick around.” He flashed me a sexy grin, then walked away. At the doorway, he stopped and turned, then held up his arm to show me he was still wearing my mother’s tacky herbal healing bracelet. We traded smiles, and I whispered a quick prayer that he would indeed stick around.
“Are you all right?” Derek asked, pulling me close in a protective embrace.
“Yes,” I said, staring at the now empty doorway. “Derek, was it my imagination or did you know Gabriel before two days ago?”
His mouth curved as he smoothed my hair away from my face. “Your imagination is vast.”
That was a nonanswer if I’d ever heard one, but I let it go for now. The police continued wrapping things up. One of the crime scene guys slipped the gun in an evidence bag and carried it away. Awhile ago, I’d seen both Ned and Naomi walk by the open door, accompanied by officers, to be interviewed. And Minka was still whining.
I gave Derek a meaningful glance. “I can’t take her anymore. Can we please leave?”
“I think it’s safe to go.”
But we stopped as the classroom door swung open and Naomi came running in. When she saw me, she gave me a gentle hug. “Oh, thank God you’re safe!”
“Thanks, Naomi.”
Then she saw Minka and gasped. She headed straight for her and grabbed her in a bone-crushing bear hug. “Oh, Minka, I just heard the news! Alice was arrested, thanks to you! And you saved Brooklyn’s life!”
“Get away from me,” Minka balked, pushing her back.
“But you’re the hero of the day!”
“Don’t you ever shut up?” Minka groused, then did a double take. “Wait a minute. What did you just say?”
“I said, you’re the hero of the—”
“No, before that.”
“You mean the part where you saved Brooklyn’s life?” Naomi asked. “I heard all about it. You could’ve been shot but you forged ahead anyway. And Brooklyn is alive, thanks to you!”
“Oh, screw a moose.” Minka flashed me a murderous glare. “I did not just save her life.”
“You did!” Naomi cried, and hugged her again. “You’re a hero.”
“Stop saying that!” Minka yelled, and squirmed out of Naomi’s grasp.
“But, Minka, it’s—”
“Shut up!” Minka slapped her hands to her ears so she wouldn’t have to hear the dreaded words, then shrieked again, “Shut up, shut up, shut up!”
“Jeez, Minka, scream a little louder,” I said, rubbing my own ear. “I don’t think they heard you in Saskatchewan.”
She shook her fist at me. “You shut up, too!”
“Look at the bright side,” I said, waving her off. “Now we’re even. I don’t owe you and you don’t owe me.”
“Well, that works, too,” Naomi said cheerfully.
On impulse, I gave Naomi a hug. Even though she’d tried to be the bitch and thief her aunt was, she would never make it. She was just too good-hearted to pull it off. “Thanks, sweetie.”
Naomi smiled tentatively as she let go of me. “I’m sorry about all the controversy. I’ll sell you the Oliver Twist for a fair price as soon as the police let me have it.”