The Private Eye

him to realize—” Maggie broke off as she caught sight of the couple out on the porch. “Who on earth is that with Shirley? She's kissing him.”
    “Ricky Ring,” Josh explained. “I had McCray check him out. He's been clean for years. Turns out he never forgot Shirley. Just figured he wasn't good enough for her. That's why he hasn't contacted her.”
    Maggie's eyes widened in astonished delight. “So you arranged to bring him here to be reunited with Shirley? Josh, that was wonderful of you. You are so sweet. Isn't he sweet, McCray?”
    “Sweet enough to give you cavities,” McCray agreed. “Would somebody mind pointing me in the direction of the champagne?”
    “Straight down the hall,” Josh advised. “The other groom is pouring. You can't miss him. He's wearing the same kind of funny suit I've got on. You can call him Colonel.”
    “I'll find him.” McCray slapped Josh on the shoulder and ambled off to find the Colonel.
    Maggie turned to Josh. “Shirley looks so happy out there. It really was nice of you to go to the trouble of tracking down Ricky Ring. Do you suppose she'll be leaving us to go live in Portland, now?”
    “Wouldn't surprise me. I think we'd better go cut that wedding cake. Odessa and the Colonel will be waiting.” Josh took Maggie's arm, aware of a satisfying sense of possession. She's Mrs. Joshua January now, he reminded himself. She was his wife. Life couldn't get any better than this.
    “You know, Josh, I've been thinking.”
    “About what?”
    “About our partnership,” Maggie said. “It's got so many possibilities.”
    “Yeah, I think the inn is going to do just fine.” Josh already had a lot of plans for the place. McCray was buying him out of BIS, and Josh planned to invest some of the cash in Peregrine Manor.
    Maggie looked up at him, her eyes bright. “I wasn't talking about the manor. I was talking about opening Peregrine Point's first private-investigation agency.”
    Josh came to an abrupt halt. “What the hell are you talking about?”
    “Josh, I'm sure I've mentioned this before.”
    “No. I don't believe you did,” Josh said grimly.
    “Well, why not?” Maggie smiled enthusiastically.
    “We can give you an office right here in the manor. You can work on your Adam Carlisle mysteries when you aren't working on a case—which will be most of the time, because there won't be many cases to work on here in Peregrine Point.”
    “Oh, I expect we'll get the odd job now and again. Human nature is the same in small towns as it is in big dries. And once in a while you're going to feel the urge to play hero. It's your nature.”
    “Maggie...”
    “I was thinking we could call the agency January Investigations. When I'm not busy running the manor, I'll give you a hand on your cases.”
    “Gosh, thanks.”
    “I'm really looking forward to learning the ropes of the private-investigation business. Josh.”
    Josh couldn't help it. He started to laugh. He was still grinning a few minutes later when Maggie cut into the wedding cake and found the little box hidden inside.
    The look on her face when she opened it and discovered Agatha Gladstone's emerald brooch was priceless.
    “Josh!” Maggie's eyes were shining as she looked up at him. “You found it. You found Aunt Agatha's brooch. How on earth did you do it?”
    “I keep telling you, I'm a trained investigator. I'm real good at spotting clues.”
    She threw her arms around his neck as the crowd of reception guests cheered. “You're a perfect hero,” she whispered against his throat as she hugged him tightly.
    “Yeah. Well, I've learned that once in a while it pays.”