Chapter 53

CHAPTER 53

I woke up, for once without feeling that doom was approaching. Max's side of the bed was still warm. I thought for a minute about how William curls up purring to keep Poppy warm at night. A cat is good, but Max is better.

I got up and slathered more arnica on my bruise, which was now an ugly yellow. Then I went downstairs to eat breakfast with Poppy, but she told me she was going out to Pike's with Darius to get ready for Ozzie's celebration of death.

"School," I said.

"It's Saturday," Poppy said.

Which was a valid point. I'd lost track of things because the week had been nuts. "The funeral isn't until five this evening."

"We've got a lot to do to get ready. Reggie and Marley started a couple of days ago, but there's still a lot. Darius is going to pick up Mei and me and Owen so we can go help."

"All day?"

"It's a big deal, what we've got planned," Poppy said, "but isn't it backwards? Shouldn't it be a celebration of his life?"

"Discuss that with Pike. I have no idea what's going on anywhere anymore. What is this thing you have planned? "

Poppy beamed at me. "It's going to be wonderful. Don't tell anybody, but it's going to be a zombie Viking send-off!"

"A what ?"

"Pike says it's what Ozzie wanted. Reggie, with Marley's help, has already made the ship. Mei and I are responsible for the zombie part. You know how he loved watching that zombie show on TV."

Actually, Ozzie had hated that show, complaining about every aspect of it. Hated it so much he'd watched it every week—about the only TV he did watch other than Clint Eastwood movies and westerns—just to complain about how stupid the living were. I think part of him identified with the zombies. He'd hated it so much he wanted zombies at his funeral, which made sense in an Ozzie sort of way.

Viking ship. Zombies. "Right."

Poppy stopped for a minute and looked closer at me. "Your bruise is better. Are you okay, Mom?"

"Just fine. Still waking up." I gave her a Cheery Boost smile, and she rolled her eyes, not buying it. Then she refused my offer of overnight oats, which meant that Darius would probably be stopping by Coral's to pick up take-out breakfasts for everybody.

Poppy picked up her backpack, which was stuffed full of fabric—a red dress maybe?—and stopped when she got to the back door. "What happened to the glass?" she said, looking at the missing pane.

"A Russian broke in, and I shot him in the legs." I did not mention that the legs weren't what I'd been aiming for. "And then he ran away and Norman killed him."

Poppy blinked. "Really?"

"Yes. So be very careful and stick with people until you get home safe again and Max is here. Stay especially close to Mei, please."

"I know, you told me. We'll be with Darius and Marley. You shot somebody?"

"He was going to shoot Max. Stay with more than one person. As many as possible."

She nodded. "I told you, we'll be with Darius and Marley and Reggie and Owen. We'll be fine." Poppy paused, trying to process what I'd said. "Norman killed a Russian who tried to break in here? "

"Yes."

"Why did the Russian try to break in here?"

"I don't know." I tried to sound cheery, but you know. Shooting.

"Where were Max and Maggs? Why did you have to shoot him?"

"They were here, but I had the shotgun handy. Max had his gun, but I shot first."

"You shot first." Poppy nodded. "Way to go, Mom. Why did Norman shoot the Russian?"

"We're not sure," I said. "It might have been an accident. Norman doesn't see too well anymore. And the Russian was running away after I'd shot him. So."

"Do we have to worry about more Russians?" Poppy asked.

"Max doesn't think so."

"Okay." She accepted that so easily, leaning over to rub Maggs' head. "Take care of my mom, Maggs." Then she looked up at William on the shelf. "You, too, William."

" Stay together ," I said, and she rolled her eyes, and then Darius honked in the alley and she went out to him, her backpack bumping against her shoulder.

I paid attention because I was running out of the days when she'd do that. I wanted my kid to have a full life, I wanted her to go out into the world and dazzle it as only she could do, but I also wanted her with me. So I was sitting hard on that second want. No hobbling my kid on her launch to adulthood. But I still paid attention while I had her with me.

When she was gone, I thought about the two things I wanted most and went next door to Coral's to find them, Maggs trailing along with me.

The CLOSED sign at Ecstasy was facing out and I could see through the window that Coral was back in her mourning black, although not with the hat yet, thank God. Max and Pike were sitting at the counter, an empty stool between them, talking quietly, and they seemed relatively relaxed for having dealt with a dead Russian last night. At least Pike didn't have that "make my day" look he usually had with Max .

Max looked tired but calm. Possibly the aftermath of making peace with Pike and then making love with me. Well, not love. We'd just met. But passion? Yeah, we had that.

Lian was off to the side, talking with Coral. Probably a more interesting conversation than Pike and Max.

I pushed the door open, and Max looked up, alert, and then gave me one of his rare smiles as I came in with Maggs. Pike watched Max smile and then grinned into his coffee, looking pleased with himself, the old bastard.

"Good morning, Rose," Coral poured hot water over a Lemon Zinger tea bag she already had in a cup waiting for me.

I thanked her and then went over and sat down between Max and the wall. He didn't seem to mind, and he was a big, warm shield against whatever was coming through the door next.

I nodded at Lian. "Good morning. Poppy just left. They're going to pick up Mei for the ceremony."

Lian nodded, too. "Mei borrowed one of my old suits. A good one. I heard you had a big night."

I looked at Max, then Pike, then Coral, wondering if she was referring to the Russian or Max making me come my brains out.

The Russian. Max wouldn't talk about us.

Max stepped into the breach. "We were just discussing our friend from last night. We're not sure if Serena or the Russians sent him or if he was alone."

I looked at Max. "Do we care where he came from since he's not going anywhere now?"

"It's complicated," Max said, which would have annoyed me as ducking the question before, but things really were complicated, and he was trying to drink his coffee.

I nodded. "So how do we stop more Russians or anyone else from trying to break in?"

"It probably won't happen again," Pike said, "especially given how this one turned out. Shotgun Rose."

That didn't sound right. I glanced at Max and he gave a slight shake of his head, so I looked at Coral's mourning outfit instead. The hat still needed a crow. "So what's the plan for today?"

"Max and I are going to keep an eye on the town today," Pike said, and Max pulled back a little, so I figured that was news to him. "Then we convoy out to my place before five. The boys are out there now getting everything ready. There's a lot to do. Celebration starts at five, and finishes as the sun goes down, just like Ozzie wanted."

I frowned. "And we leave the shop unguarded?" That seemed like it was handing Serena what she wanted.

"I'll stay here and—" Max began, but he stopped when I shook my head.

"No, I want you with me and Poppy. This is important."

"It is important," Lian said, backing me up.

Something in my voice must have told him how worried I was because all he said was, "Right," and went back to finishing his coffee.

"The Ferrells will maintain surveillance of the town," Pike said. "They'll call me if they see anything hinky."

"How are they going to watch Oddities?" I asked.

"They've got video coverage of State Street and the highway," Pike said. "They can track anyone coming into town. Plus, they can put up a drone."

"A drone?" I repeated.

Pike waved vaguely upward. "Patrol from the air. They've got a thermal imaging one."

I wasn't sure that was enough, but if Serena found her damn microfilm, she'd go away, which was fine by me. As long as Poppy was safe, I was good.

And Max. I wanted Max safe, too.

"We'll convoy from out front." Pike pointed at Max. "Come on. Let's get some coordination done."

Max looked at me and sighed and then got up to go with Pike.

"Stay here until I get back," he said, and I started to object because I do not like being ordered around, and he bent and kissed me and said, quietly, "Please."

"You bet," I said and watched him go out the door .

Lian came and sat down beside me and Coral was there on the other side of the counter like a flash.

"We want to know everything," Lian said.

"This Russian broke in last night?—"

"Not that, " Lian said. "About Max. About you and Max."

Coral nodded, helpful as always.

"I already told you—" I began.

"That was yesterday," Lian said. "So what's going on now with the two of you? Is he staying?"

"I just met him five days ago," I told her. "I really have no freaking clue."

"So you tell us," Coral said brightly, "and we will figure it out for you."

"Right," I said and gave up and told them everything.