Chapter One
Jessica hurried inside to answer her phone. Why is it the phone never rang unless her hands were full and she couldn't find her keys? It was all Seth's fault for making her lock the doors now that the influx of summer people and the rising crime rate was entrenched in Cabot Cove.
"George!" she exclaimed. "Dearest, it's wonderful hearing from you."
"Lass, I have a proposition for you," he teased.
"Now George, it's ten in the morning. It's too early for propositions," she laughed. Her heart did beat faster though and she was tempted to issue a proposition of her own.
They joked with each other for a few minutes before George told her the reason for his call. He was assisting in investigating a murder that had grown into a drug ring investigation and needed an authentic backstory.
"Since you've been biking around your town for years, I thought you might want to join a bike club here. It's a beginner class just starting and it's for overweight, middle-aged, elderly, or simply people interested in giving cycling a try."
Jessica listened attentively. Murder always piqued her interest.
"There's a two week biking tour next month. It isn't anything too strenuous. We ride about twenty or thirty miles daily, through the countryside. The scenic routes obviously and we camp in tents at night. The guides will rally around us and provide meals when needed and security for the bikes at night. There will be a lot of sightseeing and stopping to see local sites. It's in the Cotswolds mostly."
"But how does this relate to your homicide?" she asked. She was already interested as she had only seen the Cotswolds briefly years before.
"Lass, we believe either the guides or the cookstaff are moving the drugs and using the biking club as a cover. The man killed made the mistake of telling his girlfriend, who has since disappeared."
Jessica made noncommittal noises as she listened.
"We think it's better if I let them know right off the bat that I'm an Inspector at the Yard. We won't mention I'm a Chief Inspector though. It's thought that if they're aware of my job that they might stay away from me but are prone to tipping their hat in another way."
Jessica didn't comment.
"Since you're already used to biking around and I'll be known as an Inspector, your appearance will lend me credibility that I'm not snooping but on vacation. It will also be interesting to see if anyone actively avoids 's no actual investigating for us. We just have to watch and observe. Others will do the difficult work. I'll mostly be documenting when the staff is with the group and when they're not. This has been going on for nearly a year without much luck and will probably take a few more months at least so this trip is only to verify some of the information we've been speculating over."
He went on to explain several particulars about the case. There would be forty bikers traveling plus about twelve staff members. The first five nights we're roughing it but then there are two nights in a row of staying overnight in rooms above a pub before a full seven nights of camping again.
"Lass, it's a fairly intimate situation. I don't feel comfortable staying in a tent with one of the female officers," George admitted. "We'll have our own sleeping bags but it's well known that you and I are friends and if you use biking as a possible story idea, I think it would work."
"I did just finish my latest novel and have some free time. Could you send me the itinerary and list of things needed?" The idea had its appeal and spending two weeks with George was certainly a pleasant thought. She would have to increase her bike rides in order to be in shape for all the riding required as well. She didn't think about why George spending two weeks in a tent with a female officer bothered her. She was excited about the prospect but didn't spend too much time analyzing it.
George faxed everything over to her the following morning. Jessica perused the list before realizing she would have to buy a lot of the items needed. George said he would purchase the sleeping bags and other camping materials in England, as well as the bicycles, but she would still need clothing. She decided a trip to Portland was in order.
Normally she would have taken the bus but she assumed she would need quite a bit for two weeks so she took a cab. The sporting goods shop had what she needed. She wasn't certain about the form fitting leggings but there were other biking materials that were a bit more in line with her comfort level. She was told the fabric on her legs was important to stay plastered so it wouldn't get caught in the chain while riding. She bought five pairs of pants with the fabric tapered on her leg from the knees down.
The saleswoman in the cycling department was an avid cyclist so she was able to help Jessica with everything she would need. In fact, Jesssica had her in stitches when she brought out the sporting bras. After finally finding something she found supportive as well as covering her assets fully, she purchased several of the sport bras. She didn't want chafing and friction rubbing her in awkward places. She was shown how to layer her tops to wick away moisture.
She found the fabrics that boasted this invention to keep perspiration away particularly fascinating. They would be traveling from mid July through the end of the month so she knew there would be hot days as well as wet ones if the rain made its frequent appearance. She purchased a cap she could secure to her head as well as a sporty pair of sunglasses that attached to the cap when not needed.
She was allowed one knapsack and everything she needed had to fit inside so she was taught how to roll her clothing and since she would need to carry it at times, she made sure not to overload it. She had been cautioned not to exceed forty pounds. Several of the campsites were a few miles from the road and they would have to hike to reach it. Her knapsack was well shy of the allowed weight.
Leslie, the saleswoman, gave her tons of advice about stretching before and after cycling, keeping her potassium level up as well as staying hydrated. She bought a bottle she could fill with water to attach to her bike as well as a fanny pack to hold anything she might want to carry with her. She decided on a small camera to take pictures of what she hoped would be incredible views. Lip moisturizers, tissues, and two rain ponchos that folded up so small she couldn't believe it and hoped if used she would be able to fold them just as compactly. A money clip that could hold a couple of credit cards and identification was purchased as well.
Leslie was thorough. She chose socks that she swore were very important for Jessica to wear. The shoes were extremely lightweight and she was told to switch them out if she was going to do a lot of walking. Sunscreen was added and impressed upon her to put on every day, rain or shine. She was even talked into buying a waterproof sports watch.
Several hundred dollars later, a satisfied and grateful Jessica called the cab company to take her back to Cabot Cove. She would fly to Great Britain several days before the tour so she could get acclimated to the bike she would be riding as well as familiarizing herself with the rules of the road since it was a different country with different laws, not to mention they drove on the wrong side of the road!
She was also told to practice riding up and down hills because England had a lot of roads that weren't flat as in Maine and it could be steep in the Cotswolds.
Jessica spent a lot of time in her garden since she would be away for three weeks. She also took to riding a few miles each morning and again in the afternoon. She wore her new clothing which caused quite a stir in town but she explained about her trip and possible new novel. There was still a lot of gossip about it in Loretta's beauty parlor however.
Jessica loved the clothing, it was very liberating. She always covered her top with a loose fitting shirt though. She knew she would be happy later for breaking in her shoes and getting used to riding for longer distances.
Dinner with Seth, the night before she left for England, was not their usual send off. He was rather put out that she was embarking not only on what he called a grueling excursion but that George lured her there with the promise of a murder investigation.
"Seth, we aren't going to be doing anything other than watching. George already explained we won't be actively investigating. They just want his experience nearby." She tried to smile reassuringly at her dear friend. He meant well. He was just overprotective.
Seth harrumphed and dished up servings of veal piccata that was tantalizing to their senses.
The topic eventually changed to local gossip. Seth promised to write daily notes for her so she would be up to date on the news of Cabot Cove on her first day back. She laughed at his eagerness. He wouldn't admit it but he loved a juicy story as well as the women at Loretta's beauty parlor did. Jessica had gone there earlier in the day for a trim. Her goodnight hug and kiss on the cheek was met with gruff well wishes before he told her to have fun in moderation.
Her flight was smooth and the landing one of the better ones she has had. Her baggage arrived promptly and customs were quick. If she were superstitious she would be worried that everything had gone too smoothly so far.
George Sutherland was outwardly calm but could hardly contain his excitement. He would have Jessica to himself for two weeks. He had been trying to bike for the past few weeks but it was a struggle to find the time. Fortunately he kept himself in good shape so he hoped it wouldn't be too difficult to keep up with the group. He had gotten bikes with extra padding on the seats, just in case.
He hoped the nights would be equally exciting. He wasn't planning on shagging her on the hard ground but holding her in his arms would be nice. He bought camping gear with a focus on comfort. His old bones would not appreciate trying to sleep in a tent without a few bits of pampering. He also didn't want Jessica to suffer. He had been dropping not too subtle hints about wanting to spend more time with her over the past year. He also declared his love for her on more than one occasion.
He looked up just in time to see Jessica enter the terminal. What a sight for sore eyes to see. Dressed in a lightweight pantsuit with heels and plenty of jewelry, she smiled when she saw him.
"Lass, you're a beautiful sight," he greeted with a warm hug and a light kiss on her lips.
"George, it's so good to see you. I am excited about being here." She returned his hug and kiss and beamed at him.
"I wanted to get an extra large tent for us but apparently they supply the tents for use since they're responsible for setting them up. I spoke with one of the lads that went a couple of years back and was told they break down the tents after we head out and take a truck to our next campsite and set up the tents so they're ready when we arrive."
"This sounds like a pretty exciting trip, George. I think we'll be in fine shape after it ends." Jessica smiled at him.
"You're already in fine shape," he murmured for her ears only.
Jessica blushed delightedly and gave his hand a squeeze. They walked out of the airport and George escorted her to a taxi cab.
"You didn't drive? I thought you loved driving?" She settled in the back seat and leaned into George when he wrapped an arm around her.
"I wanted to give you my full attention," began George. "I want you to know that I didn't reserve you a room at your favorite hotel."
"Why not? Were they full?"
"I thought it would be better to stay at my place and get the awkwardness out of the way." George stared into her eyes. "We've never shared a room, or a tent for that matter. I think we can give my living room floor a try for a couple of nights, sleeping in the sleeping bags."
Jessica stared at him. It made sense in a way but she never thought about staying at his house before.
"Lass, you trust I won't take advantage of you?" He asked, looking directly into her eyes.
"Oh no, of course not, I just never thought about it." What if I can't keep my hands off of you, she thought.
The rest of the ride was silent and within another half an hour, the cab driver parked in front of a large building.
"There's seventy-odd flats in the building," remarked George as he picked up her two suitcases. Jessica carried her overnight bag and her knapsack.
George ushered her into his apartment. "Let's have the grand tour," he smiled at her.
She looked around curiously. His foyer was small but it opened into a fairly large living room. A massive fireplace took up most of one wall and bookcases lined another. Two leather couches formed a ninety degree angle. Jessica peered at the artwork on the walls and looked down at the rug cautiously. She was tempted to take off her shoes but George didn't seem to mind her standing on it.
He led her into the dining room which flowed into the kitchen. The kitchen was roomy and there was a table for two set up near a back door. Large windows let in natural light.
"This is a glorious kitchen, George. Did your wife decorate it?"
"Yes, she chose this apartment for all the light from the windows and put the frou-frou curtains and what-nots around."
"You obviously have a cleaning lady because the curtains don't need washing and I can't fathom you doing them yourself." She smiled at him to let him know she was teasing.
"I went through several cleaning women before I hired my current one. She took one look at my curtains and scolded me. I felt like her errant son but she's been with me for eleven years now. She comes whenever she wants but she cooks me a meal, even though she doesn't have to and buys groceries for me when I'm too busy."
"She sounds like a godsend." Jessica opened the door which led to a walkway and she saw all the apartments had kitchen doors. She came back inside and George locked the door again.
He led her back to the living room and this time down a hallway. His bedroom was large with a king sized bed and several large pieces of furniture.
Jessica opened his closet door and was happy her own closet was at least five times larger. The ensuite bathroom was also small. Shower, toilet, and sink but no tub. It was spotless but not from a recent cleaning. She had a feeling George was just fastidious about putting things away.
"Let me show you the things I bought for our trip," suggested George. He opened the sliding door of the bedroom that led to a balcony. Two bikes stood there. Jessica's eyes grew large. Somehow she didn't think of racing bikes but something similar to her own.
"George, this is different from my bike. I hope I can ride it." She looked at the hand brakes and the gears with concern.
"We'll go out for a ride in the morning and get used to it. I've been out and it literally is like falling off a bike and getting on again. Only took about an hour before I was comfortable." He showed her some of the features and also her name engraved on it. "So no one steals it."
"Well, it looks like everything is in order. I guess we can try sleeping on your floor," said Jessica weakly. "I am grateful we have indoor plumbing and showers."
"There's showers where we're going, lass. I'm not certain about the loos though. They've been doing this tour for a number of years so I think we'll be dandy." He went to his closet and brought out the sleeping bags and his own knapsack, which was filled to overflowing.
"Goodness, that looks like more than forty pounds," observed Jessica. "Why don't we repack everything and make sure we aren't duplicating items unnecessarily."
Jessica's knapsack had been packed neatly and was twelve pounds lighter than the maximum weight. George's belongings had been crammed inside so she pulled everything out and began repacking.
"I don't think you'll need fourteen separate outfits. My clothing is washable and surely we can wear things twice." Jessica was very practical although George seemed unsure. "We'll be outdoors and I'd rather shower at the end of the day and sleep in clean clothes."
"I hope the wind is blowing away from us," teased George. "What's this?" He pulled a small object from behind her knapsack.
"It's an automatic air pump. It will blow up the air mattress I bought." She informed him. "It takes about thirty minutes to deflate completely so when we wake we have to start deflating it immediately."
"I didn't even think of that," admitted George. "Maybe my back will be spared after all." After repacking and putting their knapsacks near the front door, George turned to her. "Let's say we go out to the pub. I have a hankering for shepherd's pie and a pint."
Jessica agreed and a pleasant evening at the pub ensued. Returning home, Jessica showered and dressed in a pair of cotton pajamas and her robe. George used the shower after her while she rolled out the sleeping bags.
"The temperature for our first night is supposed to be in the seventies so hopefully we won't be too hot. I turned off the thermostat and opened the windows so we'll know what it feels like in our sleeping bags." George said as he came into the room.
Jessica removed her robe and got inside her bag. It was roomy and long enough for her to stretch out. She thought she would fall asleep immediately due to the time difference but she didn't. The sleeping bag was rated for extreme temperatures and she was too warm. She glanced over at George. He appeared to be asleep already. There were two feet of space between them. She unzipped her sleeping bag to allow some cool air inside. She slowly pulled her pajama pants down and left them at the bottom of the sleeping bag. Now she was cooler.
George listened to Jessica shifting around. He hoped she wasn't as uncomfortable as he was. His floor was hard. He had wanted to try sleeping without the air mattress but that was a bad idea. He slid his pajama pants down his leg before taking off his t-shirt. It was good to know the sleeping bag would keep them warm if necessary but it was a fairly warm night.
The warm weather changed as it began to rain. The temperature dropped and they began to cool down. George got up silently to make sure rain wasn't coming inside from the open windows when he turned around and noticed Jessica buried deeply in her sleeping bag but shaking slightly. He moved his bag up next to hers.
"Jessie, love, let's connect our bags so our body heat will warm us up," whispered George. This made perfect sense at one in the morning. Since her bag was already unzipped it only took a moment to connect the two bags.
Jessica had been cold only a little while ago and now she was toasty warm again. She dreamed she was snuggled next to a warm body but it failed to wake her up. Her eyes were so heavy. She felt an arm on her waist and decided it was safe, even welcomed. The fingers were caressing her softly. The hand drifted across her waist, back and forth, rubbing her soothingly. It felt so good when the hand went higher and began to fondle her breast. It was heavenly.
Clouds rolled in and the rain fell harder. The temperature fell to the mid fifties, not cold but just cool enough to bury deeper in the sleeping bags. George hadn't realized how much he missed lying with someone, moving gently against them, inhaling their scent. As he dreamed he felt smooth long legs gliding across his. He fell into a deeper sleep welcoming the strong sense of security and love he felt.
Jessica woke up slowly. The floor had seemed so hard last night but she was comfortable now. Her legs were tucked between another pair and the hand moving over her breast felt so good. Her eyes popped open. She could feel George pressed up against her. One arm was above her head and the other was across her body with his hand on her breast, stroking, caressing.
"George," she called softly.
He moaned softly, shifting his hips and pressing forward. "Jessie," he murmured. His thumb brushed her hardened nipple and then suddenly stopped. Lifting his upper body up, he looked down on her, withdrawing his hand. His eyes widened. "Oh my dear."
Blue eyes stared into green. "How are we in one bag now?"
George blinked and tried to remember. "It got cold and you were shivering. I told you I was connecting the bags so our body heat would warm us but we weren't any closer than before." He lay on his back and let out a sigh. "I don't think I can dredge up even an ounce of feeling sorry for touching you."
"George!" She turned on her side and faced him. She pulled the sleeping bag higher. "You … you..it did feel nice," she admitted shyly.
"And I wish I didn't stop, lass." He remembered how soft and warm she was. "I'm not sorry, only sorry that once I realized what I was doing I stopped."
Jessica fumbled for her pajama pants and tried to put them on.
"Lass, what are you doing?"
"I'm trying to put on my pants." She struggled to get them on but they were twisted somehow. She blew out a frustrated breath of air.
"You're not wearing your pants?" he asked in a strangled voice. "Your legs are bare?" He looked over at her. Moving slowly he lifted the top of the bag and peered inside. He saw those long legs that had been entwined with his and smiled.
"George!" exclaimed Jessica. She brought her hand down and the sleeping bag covering them went down to stop her exposure. George was already on the move though.
He moved closer and touched her face gently. Staring into her eyes he waited to see if she would object. He slowly pulled the top of the bag away, revealing her chest to his eyes. He lifted her pajama top before his mouth descended.
Jessica enjoyed the sensation. She was fully awake now. His hands roamed her body and she didn't stop him. He didn't hesitate to arouse her. She felt her underwear being lowered before the warmth of his mouth created pleasures inside her that were blossoming into something even larger.
She couldn't focus. His fingers stroking her breasts while he remained down below was overwhelming. He held her hips in place with his arms even while she wanted to buck and thrust until she stilled before she was rocked by an intense orgasm. She was in the throes of passion when George entered her, stoking the fire higher. The haze left her eyes and she looked at him. He hovered over her but kept his weight on his forearms. His green eyes were still filled with desire. He leaned down and captured her lips with his. Their kisses left her panting. He moaned as his orgasm filled her.
He settled her in his arms and tucked her into his chest. "Darling? How are you?" He wanted to ask her if she was okay, if she had any regrets but he was afraid of her answer.
Jessica tried to unscramble her thoughts. This was a welcome, unexpected event. This was her first time having sex with someone she hadn't married. There was no mention of marriage or an engagement even, this time. She loved George though, very much. She certainly didn't feel like she had committed a sin or a moral transgression. She missed the closeness of intimate relations with someone she cared about deeply. A stray thought entered her mind. What would Frank think about it? He hadn't even entered her mind before or during the act. She closed her eyes. She had done it. She had moved on. She still loved Frank but he was gone and she was here. A tear slipped out. She blinked furiously. She needed to answer George. His arms wrapped her closer to him and he rubbed her back.
He didn't need her to tell him she hadn't had any lovers since her husband died. "You will always love him, my dear," he whispered in her ear. He continued to whisper in her ear until teardrops stopped falling on his chest and she pulled away slightly to look up at him.
"I do love you, George and I don't have any regrets." She gave him a watery smile. Stretching, she leaned up and kissed his lips. He leaned back, taking her with him, and kissed her shoulders. He held her until she made moves to get up.
They soon rose and began their day with showers, breakfast, and laundry. It was nearly eleven when they took the bicycles down to the street and rode to the park. The rain had stopped and there wasn't much traffic on the side streets. Jessica followed behind George so she could follow all traffic laws. Once they reached the park, he led her over to a quiet area and he showed her how to properly change gears. He went to a sandwich shop and picked up lunch while she stayed outside watching the bikes. They ate inside the park and enjoyed the beautiful day.
George explained that there were several sites along the tour that would give them plenty of opportunities to look around the villages, shop for small souvenirs or arrange delivery of larger items. They would also be lunching at restaurants and on a couple of occasions having dinner at them. One day they would spend several hours fishing with poles provided by the touring company.
Throughout the day Jessica was hyper aware of George. Whether he was holding her hand or had his hand on her waist as he guided her through a door. When she was in front of him cycling, she couldn't help wondering if he was staring at her rear end while she was leaning forward on the bike. She knew she stared at his behind when he was in front. In fact, the first calamity of the day occurred when she was focused on his anatomy instead of the road. He stopped at the end of the curb and she wasn't paying attention and plowed into the back of his bike.
George barely managed to remain standing when Jessica plowed into him. He quickly propped his bike and went to make sure she wasn't hurt. Jessica wasn't hurt but she was red in the face from embarrassment.
"Darling, what happened?" He was checking her over and noticed a tear in her pant leg. Pulling up her pants to check over the scratch on her leg was quick. It wasn't bleeding but there was a red bruise forming already. He took a pouch from his fanny pack and hit it against his seat. It was an instant ice pack which he applied to her leg. He looked up at her but she was avoiding his eyes.
"I hadn't realized you stopped, George," she muttered.
He cocked his head at her before looking away trying to stop a grin from forming. He guessed correctly that she had been staring at him.
Dinner was a home cooked meal. He wanted to show off his culinary skills and she figured they wouldn't see a home cooked meal for two weeks. Yankee pot roast with potatoes, carrots, and celery was her contribution. He made Yorkshire pudding and braised Brussel sprouts in addition to her dish.
After cleaning up the kitchen, they took a walk to work off their meal. The stroll took an hour as George pointed out interesting buildings and other highlights of his neighborhood.
Jessica wasn't certain what sleeping that night would entail but outside of George zipping the sleeping bags together, he pulled her into his arms and drifted off to sleep with a contented smile on his face.