Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 126823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 634(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 634(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
Charlie had been dragged well off the nearly nonexistent trail. He’d been treated just as the other murdered men had. He’d been fully clothed. All damage had been done to his skull. The amount of bare ground scraped free of vegetation around his body was extremely small and had to have been difficult to manage due to the thickness of the thorny berries growing on the spot the murderer had chosen to construct his altar.
There was a wide, flat rock which might have determined his choice, but looking at the ground cover, the rocks and thick brush, it wouldn’t have been easy to set up whatever the ritual called for. The altar was covered in feathers, stones, candles, gourds of water, sticks and flowers. The site had also seemingly been chosen to keep the altar out of the wind.
Charlie’s body had not only been attacked by insects, but predators had gotten to it as well. It wasn’t the first time Vienna and Sean had found bodies in that condition, but it was never pleasant.
The body was found the day before Shabina’s two days off, and she was grateful the café would be closed. Having the townspeople mourning Lucca and now finding Charlie felt overwhelming. She knew everyone who knew them would congregate at the Grill during the evenings and at her café during the mornings. She was thankful she would be closed that day.
* * *
—
Rainier drove her to the courthouse in Independence to obtain their marriage license. “You’re certain you want to marry me, Shabina? There’s not one doubt in your mind?”
Shabina glanced up at him from under her long lashes, trying to guess if he was asking because he was having second thoughts.
When she didn’t answer him immediately, he reached over and took her hand, threading his fingers through hers. “It’s a yes-or-no question, Qadri. In a few years, I don’t want you to suddenly wake up and realize I railroaded you.”
“Is that what you’re doing?”
“I haven’t yet, but I’m considering it. We can get our license and go to another window and get married. It isn’t a big wedding like you probably dreamt of, surrounded by your friends and family, but it affords you protection.” He paused. “And it will make me feel a hell of a lot more secure.”
“Wait. Are you saying you think we should get married today? Can we do that? Is it legal?”
“I called and asked. California has a same-day marriage policy. It’s called an express marriage and can be done at the courthouse if you request it ahead of time. The Clerk-Recorder’s Office can provide a witness, and we can be married right there. Today.”
Shabina touched the tip of her tongue to her upper lip. Rainier had checked into an express marriage. For some reason that shocked her because it meant he really did want to marry her. He’d put thought into how they could be married quickly.
“A license is only good for ninety days. We would have to get married in that time frame. If you prefer, I can arrange a service at the house with your friends attending. I have a friend who could marry us.”
She shook her head. “We could ask them to come to the house in the evening and we’ll tell them we got married. We don’t want gifts, so we can’t tell them ahead of time why we’re inviting them.”
“That’s a good idea.”
“Unless this isn’t a very good time. Vienna is going to be decompressing. It’s so hard on her when she finds the people she’s searching for dead. In this case, two of them, and she knows the Delgotto family very well.”
“She may need her friends around her, Shabina. It’s been a couple of days. She will have talked to the people she needs to. She might just want to go somewhere safe with the people she loves and trusts the most.”
He was correct about Vienna. She practiced self-care. She not only made certain her volunteers were taken care of, but she made certain she followed protocol herself.
“If we let Vaughn, Tyrone and Patsy know, they’d cater for us.”
She shook her head. “No, I wouldn’t want them to have to work. If they come, they’re guests. I can pull the food together for a small gathering, or we can have one tomorrow night, which will give me more time to put things together.”
“Thanks, baby.”
Shabina tilted her head up to look at him. “For what?”
“For being willing to marry me.”
“Rainier, I want to marry you. I want to be with you. I’ve always wanted to be with you.”
“When you call your parents, they’re going to be very angry with you.”
“I’ve never understood my parents’ objection to you, and frankly, I truly don’t care. It’s unreasonable. They’ve never taken the time to know you.”
“Your father knows me—don’t kid yourself, Shabina. He sees the real me, and more than once he’s come up against my ruthless side. When it comes to protecting you or taking care of you, I put you first. He found that out very early on.”