Chapter 65

Jordan quickly confirmed this, hoping it was going somewhere promising. She was not disappointed! Garrett's next comment earned him a place in her heart for all time. "Well if you promise to keep him out of my hair, you could bring him to the office until this guy is caught."

While Jordan was doing mental cartwheels that Riley would be able to stay close to her she was still able to wonder why Lily was giggling like mad. She threw her friend an inquiring look and was startled when Lily reached out and rubbed Garrett's head. "Keep him out of his hair! Easy to do when he is bald!"

That set everyone off laughing. Garrett even joined in after a minute. They arrived back at the apartment and got everything safely inside. Lily and Garrett only stayed a short time knowing that the other three were tired from their flight as well as the stress of having Clark Palmer in their lives.

After good-byes were said to Lily and Garrett, Woody checked the answering machine for messages while Jordan gave Riley a quick bath and then put him to bed. He was surprised by message from Colonel Sarah Mackenzie, saying that since the date of Magnolia Orly's death fell on this coming Saturday and she would not have to take off work to be in Boston, she planned to help Woody stake out her grave to see if her son showed up as long as that was something he still wanted to do.

With everything that had been going on with Palmer as well as their trip to Wisconsin, he had forgotten that the date was so close. He wrote down her cell phone number and tucked it into is phone case. It was too late to call her then, but he would do so tomorrow.

Sunday they settled back into life at home. It was a peaceful day except for the argument they had over who would do they grocery shopping. The fridge was bare and they badly needed to restock. Woody believed he should go because of the ongoing threat to their lives. Jordan countered with the logic that if Palmer had wanted to kill any of them he had made it more than clear he'd had the opportunity. So his desire had to be just to mess with their minds or to kidnap Riley and since she planned to go alone, leaving Riley home with Woody, nothing would happen.

Woody sighed and had to agree that her logic was true, so it should be safe for her to go even though he felt that he had to add that he would have felt better is she would let him go. Jordan smiled and kissed his cheek. His concern for her was touching. She left a short time later armed with her purse and a very long list of necessities.

While Jordan was at the store Woody called Colonel Mackenzie to tell her that he did want to keep a watch out for Clematis Orly, and offered to pick her up at the airport if she needed it. Mac told him that the only flight she could get after work on Friday would put her in very late. She would meet him at the cemetery at 4am with coffee and donuts.

Arriving home from the store with her arms full of groceries, Jordan was heading for the elevator when she heard her name called. Looking towards the voice, she saw Mrs. Crowley, their neighbor from the apartment across the hall from theirs, standing near the mail cubbies.

"My dear, you have a package here. I saw it while I was picking up my newspaper," the elderly lady told her.

"Thank you, Mrs. Crowley. I will get it on my second trip to the car, I have more groceries out there."

Mrs. Crowley joined Jordan in the elevator saying, "I know I am a bit long in the tooth, my dear, and I know you young people are all liberated and such, but in my day a man did that kind of thing when his wife had just had a baby!"

Jordan smiled and said she would let Woody get the second load. That had been her intention all along that was until Mrs. Crowley had mentioned the package. They weren't expecting anything, especially right after two weeks in Wisconsin, so the only person it could be from was Palmer. She didn't want Woody any more over protective than he already was, so she dropped the bags on the counter when she got into the apartment, asking him to unpack them and was out the door again before he had a chance to say anything.

She wanted a chance to see what was in the package before Woody saw it. Anger filled her as she opened the note laying on top of a black lace negligee in the box addressed to her. Palmer had written; "Since it has been six weeks since our son was born, I am guessing you will be able to resume the activity that we enjoyed so much. I hope this gift spices up your night."

To be continued…