The Private Eye

with a fond look. “Reminds me of my early days with Ricky,”
    “You know, dear,” Odessa said lightly to Maggie, “I hate to say I told you so, but I did tell you that I thought you and Josh were made for each other. Didn't I say that, Colonel?”
    The Colonel nodded, his eyes on Josh. “I believe you did say that, my dear.”
    Odessa smiled again. “And here they are engaged already. I think it's just lovely.”
    Maggie's initial embarrassment was giving way to a sense of panic. She realized she'd been waiting for Josh to take control of the situation, but he was making no move to do so. A quick sidelong glance out of the corner of her eye revealed that he was just hanging out there in the doorway, one shoulder propped against the wall, his arms folded across his chest. She wanted to yell at him, order him to stop the teasing before it got out of hand. But evidently he wasn't going to do a dam thing.
    “All right,” Maggie said, trying for an indulgent little laugh. “You've all had your fun. I think this has gone far enough. No more jokes, all right? It's too early in the morning for this kind of humor.”
    “Who's joking?” Shirley asked with perfect innocence. “We're all happy for you, honey. It's time you found yourself a real man. Nothing against that nice Clay O'Connor, mind you, but anyone could tell he wasn't for you.”
    The Colonel gave Josh a steely look. “Set a date yet?”
    “No,” replied Josh in an astonishingly calm voice. “But we'll get around to it one of these days.”
    The Colonel nodded again, looking satisfied. “Well, then, congratulations to you both. We'll see you at breakfast. Take your time. We can get things going without you for one morning. I used to make a fair cup of coffee in my military days. My fellow officers told me you could float horseshoes in it.” He held out his arms to Shirley and Odessa. “Shall we go, ladies?”
    “Yes, indeed.” Odessa took his right arm. “I'm famished.”
    “So am I.” Shirley took the Colonel's other arm with a flourish. Then she gave Maggie a teasing grin.
    “And I expect you two have worked up quite an appetite yourselves. See you in a few minutes,”
    Maggie stood rooted to the floor until her three tenants had vanished from sight. Then she whirled around to confront Josh. He cocked a brow when she pinned him with a frosty glare.
    “Just what in the world do you think you're doing?” Maggie hissed. “They think we're engaged!”
    “Yeah, I got that impression.”
    “Well, why did you let them get that impression?” she retorted. “Why didn't you say something?
    Why didn't you try to explain?”
    “And just how the hell was I supposed to explain the fact that you were coming out of my room at six-thirty in the morning wearing your nightgown?”
    “You didn't have to go along with the notion that we're engaged,” Maggie wailed softly. She was feeling trapped. “Why are you standing there like a bump on a log? Doesn't this bother you just a teensy bit? Aren't you the least bit concerned by the fact that those three believe we're halfway to the altar?”
    “What should I have said?” Josh asked softly. “Should I have told them I spent the night with you but my intentions weren't honorable? That would have been a little hard for them to handle, Maggie. They're from a different generation, remember.”
    “Since when do you worry about other people's approval?” Maggie's eyes widened as a thought struck her.
    “Josh, you're not really afraid of a shotgun wedding, are you? I know you joked about it, but you can't possibly think the Colonel would try anything like that. Not in this day and age.”
    Josh glanced down at his folded aims and then back up to meet her anxious gaze. His own gray eyes had gone cold and unreadable. “Maybe I didn't feel like upsetting everyone, Maggie. I'm supposed to be doing a job here, remember? There's a little matter of professionalism involved. Lord knows my behavior has already crossed the line. I should never have let you into my room last night. But what's done is done, and I'd just as soon be able to complete this job without getting everyone hostile. It would complicate matters a whole lot. I need cooperation to solve this case.”
    Maggie felt as though he had struck her. She instinctively retreated a step as she realized just what he was saying. “You're allowing them to think we're engaged just so you can complete this case?”
    He frowned. “It's the best way.