Fudge-Laced Felonies (21 page)

“You silly goose. You’re what’s important.”

Uncle Roy clapped me on the back. “The house will be fine. I’ll build a new porch and buy a new window. You can’t be replaced.”

The firefighter strapped an oxygen mask to my face. I must look a sight with all my scrapes and bruises, let alone smelling of smoke and wearing a mask.

A fit of the giggles overtook me. I tried stifling them and ended up coughing. I pulled the mask from my face and waved the firefighter aside. “I’m fine.”

“She’s hysterical. She always acts like this when she’s scared.” Aunt Eunice peered into my face. “The strain’s been too much for her.”

Uncle Roy looked down his bifocals at me. “I think you’re right.” He turned back to the paramedic. “Give her a shot of something.”

Their comments only served to increase my giggles. Ethan stood a few feet away, staring at me with his arms crossed. Then he stepped forward, grabbed my face in his hands, and kissed me. Not a brotherly peck. A long, breath-stealing, lip-smashing kiss.

The giggles stopped. And a fire burned in my stomach. I stared bug-eyed at his back as he stalked away. Who was this man, and what had he done with Ethan?

Once the firefighters, police, and paramedics had disappeared, Uncle Roy propped a panel of plywood over some cement blocks before he allowed me and Aunt Eunice to cross the burned, blackened porch and go into the house. Aunt Eunice took my arm and led me up the stairs as if I were an invalid.

Uncle Roy headed out to the shed and returned with a large roll of plastic sheeting, which he taped across the front window. Ethan watched the proceedings with hooded eyes.

Aunt Eunice supervised. Her brow wrinkled. “I’m not sleeping in a house with nothing between me and a killer but a sheet of plastic.”

I plopped on the sofa and gathered my trembling dog to me. I should be trying to figure out who wanted to kill me, but my traitorous mind kept replaying Ethan’s kiss. I ran a finger over my lips.

“Are you listening to me, Summer?” Aunt Eunice stood over me, her hands planted on her hips. “Is there something wrong with your lip? Did you burn it?”

“What?” My hand dropped to my side faster than a falling stone. “I didn’t hear you.”

“Obviously. I asked whether you felt safe sleeping in a house with plastic on the windows.”

“Not really. But I’m too tired to drive twenty miles to a motel.” And there was no way I’d stay at Ethan’s house.

“I’ll sit up with my shotgun. You ladies will be fine.” Uncle Roy stomped upstairs, apparently to fetch the weapon.

Aunt Eunice plopped next to me. “What’s on your mind, girlie? I can tell something is.”

“I’m bothered by all the cars with the busted windshields.”

“Were they similar or the same car?”

I shrugged. “You know me and cars.”

Aunt Eunice tapped her bottom lip with her finger. “You should have said something at church. We could have asked somebody. Mabel’s new Caddy has a broken windshield. Said a drunk tossed a bottle at it. So does Mrs. Hodge’s old Continental.”

“A man dragged Terri’s body out of a large-model car.”

“Mrs. Hodge has a son and a new beau. Could be Mabel has a man hiding in the wings, too. And then

there’s Duane Parker. He’s been a rascal in the past.”

“Do you know what he drives?”

“Duane drives a big old boat of a car.”

I traded the dog for a cushy sofa pillow, wrapping my arms around the soft fleece. “Have you ever seen Mrs. Hodge’s son? I didn’t know she had one.”

“I haven’t seen that boy since he was a little bitty thing. Mrs. Hodge lived away until earlier this year.” Aunt Eunice played with the hair around the dog’s ears. “She did mention she didn’t see much of Ricky.”

“Mrs. Hodge mentioned that about her son to me, too.”

I gnawed my lower lip as I replayed the conversation between April and me. Someone must have listened outside the kitchen window. Had we said anything of importance? I thought we’d only mentioned suspects, but. . . I jerked as someone barged into the room. Ethan.

“You scared us.”

“Sorry.” Ethan carried a sleeping bag over his shoulder, unrolled it under the plastic on the window, and stretched his frame on top of the bag.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“I’m sleeping right here. Roy told me y’all weren’t going anywhere, so I’m spending the night.”

Ethan folded his arms beneath his head. His profile was chiseled. Determined and unbelievably handsome. His chin showed traces of soot. Blond curls, begging for my fingers, lay tousled around his head. I could see the boy the man had been. A boy with the face of an angel and the temperament of a scalawag. My heart went out to his mother. Well, the small part left over that didn’t belong to him.

Uncle Roy pounded down the stairs, his rifle cradled in the crook of one arm. “I told you there ain’t gonna be no man spending the night under this roof that ain’t married to a woman under the same roof. Christian or not. I bent the rules the other night and didn’t sleep a wink for it.”

Ethan continued to stare at the ceiling, although I could detect the twinkle of a dimple near his mouth. “You and Eunice can chaperone. I’m staying, Roy. Accept it or shoot me.”

I don’t think I’d ever felt more frightened, or more elated, in my life. Uncle Roy waving his rifle around was scary. Accidents happened all the time. I didn’t want the man I loved shot and killed.

The elation came from Ethan’s willingness to take a bullet to protect me. I wanted to cry from sheer joy. I also wished for a bowl of popcorn. This scenario was better than any movie I’d ever seen.

“I’m not going to shoot you.” The barrel of the gun dropped to point at the floor. “I’d already planned on sleeping down here. I guess two is better than one.”

I got to my feet and planted a kiss on his weathered cheek. “I’m going upstairs, Uncle Roy. My virtue is safe with you around.” I reached my room and realized this was the first night in several I didn’t hear Duane’s whistling. Had I heard it on the evening of our other break-ins?

Seventeen

Ethan nursed a coffee at the kitchen table, his large hands wrapped around the porcelain mug. The sun shone through the parted curtains, highlighting his hair with a halo of gold and casting his unshaved chin into a thatch of yellow fuzz. I’d swear I lost my breath at the sight of his gorgeousness. I clenched my fists, wanting to caress his cheek to feel the stubble.

A vision of a young tousle-headed boy copying the moves of his father appeared to me. My heart yearned for that boy to be my son. Ethan’s and mine.

“Didn’t sleep well?” I opened the refrigerator in hopes of spotting something for breakfast.

“Not really.” There must have been something fascinating in his mug, because Ethan still hadn’t raised his eyes. Definitely not a morning person. I made a mental note.

I grabbed a carton of orange juice. How did a woman talk to a man after a kiss like the one he’d given me. “Uh, thanks for staying last night.”

“You aren’t doing a very good job of looking out for yourself. I feel responsible for you, Summer, but it’s like I’m fighting a losing battle trying to keep you safe.”

I ran my tongue over my lips, unsure of how to respond. Was he serious, or was this another not-being- a-morning-person type of thing? The Bible says a kind word turns away wrath. “Well, thank you anyway.”

And not being a morning person myself, I couldn’t help but add, “But considering I’m still alive and kicking, I’m not doing too bad a job of taking care of myself.”

He raised his head, fixing me with a cold blue stare. I flinched. What happened to the golden boy? He’d frozen as solid as an iceberg. “And, uh, not that I’m not grateful or anything. I am. Really. You always show up when I need you, but I’m getting close to figuring out who the murderer is. That’s the only reason someone is after me. Once they’re behind bars, everything will be fine.”

“You don’t get it, do you?” Ethan rose, shaking his head. He glanced at me, his eyes hooded and filled with sadness. “Try to make it through the day, all right? I’ve got work to do.”

I nodded, and he disappeared out the back door. That man was moodier than any woman I’d ever met. I lifted the orange juice to my lips.

Aunt Eunice marched in. “Don’t drink out of the carton, Summer. I taught you better.” She snatched it from my hands and poured the juice into a glass. “What did you say to Ethan to run him out of here? Man looked like he wanted to strangle a bear.”

“I said thank you. That’s all.”

“Had to have been more.” Aunt Eunice poured a glass for herself. “Are you coming to work today? I’m getting tired of running things myself.”

“Have they hired anyone to take over the jewelry store yet?” A change of subject seemed wise. It wasn’t as if I chose to be injured. To put myself in harm’s way. Had I?

“I don’t know what that has to do with the question I asked you, but I believe Mrs. Hodge is taking over. At least temporarily. Seems she’s got some background in retail.”

Really? “I’m going to grab my purse, and I’ll be ready to go.” My mind moved faster than my healing body. I must have looked like a ninety-year-old woman moving out of the room, every joint stiff and sore. If someone had listened closely, I’m sure they would’ve heard my bones creak.

Stress evaporated as I opened the door to the shop. Breathing the sweet aroma of chocolate soothed me.

I sat at the dipping machine, my mind drifting over the day’s to-do list. During lunch, I wanted to visit the jewelry store to see Mrs. Hodge and, hopefully, her Continental. Same with Mabel’s Cadillac. Although Ruby had moved to my number three suspect position because she wasn’t driving a vehicle with a busted windshield, I still wanted to know where she’d gotten the rock on her finger.

Aunt Eunice passed the machine and grabbed the tray of dipped creams. She frowned. “I thought we made chocolate creams. According to your little swirl, these are vanilla.”

“Oh no.” I held out my arms to take the tray back. “I’ll have to fix them. They are chocolate.” Lord, could we please solve this case? I need to get back to my life.

“Must be thinking about the kiss Ethan planted on you last night.” Aunt Eunice winked. “Worked better than a slap at shutting you up.”

“You saw that?” The hated heat rose up my neck.

“Honey, everybody saw it.” Aunt Eunice’s cackle followed her to the storeroom.

My mind flashed to last night. The whirling red and blue lights. The sprinting firefighters decked out in fire gear. My hysterical giggles. Everyone staring at me. The kiss. The hoots and hollers.

I gasped. Horror. I’d pushed aside the hoots and hollers, believing, in my naïveté, that everyone cheered because they’d put out the fire. I lowered my head into my palm. What a dope.

“Embarrassed?” Aunt Eunice still laughed as she passed me on her way to the front of the store. “I thought we were going to have another fire to put out. That was a hot kiss. Red-hot.” She fanned her face with her hand. “Steaming hot. I’ll tell you who else was steaming—your uncle Roy. I thought he was going to shoot that boy right then and there.” She clutched her side. “Then when Ethan announced he planned on staying the night. . . Whoo-ee. I haven’t had that much excitement in years.”

“That’s enough, Aunt Eunice.” The bell over the door saved me. Thank the Lord. Aunt Eunice waddled, doubled over, snorting her amusement. A customer occupied her, so I grasped the opportunity to leave. I yelled that I would be back in a half hour. Then I snatched my purse from a nearby hook and ducked out the rear.

I had laid claim to a set of keys for Aunt Eunice’s truck, and although I didn’t enjoy driving a stick shift without power steering, the Chevy was all that was available. First stop, the jewelry store.

Being as stiff as I was, it had take a Herculean feat to climb behind the wheel, but being determined, I gritted my teeth and hauled myself in. I had no desire to walk the few blocks to the store. Not unless someone wanted to carry me back.

I turned the key three times before the engine sputtered to life, and I pulled slowly out of the alley, expecting Aunt Eunice to come charging out to stop me. I should have asked to take her baby, but she’d told me I could drive the truck anytime I wanted to. I didn’t want to; I needed to.

Mountain Shadows wasn’t a big city by certain standards, but come lunchtime, cars flooded the streets. It took several minutes before traffic cleared enough for me to drive from my alley to the one across Main Street. The less I used the surface streets, the less chance of something happening to the Chevy.

I spotted the back of Shadow Jewelers. Mrs. Hodge’s black Continental sat shining like an onyx, washed, waxed, and complete with a busted windshield.

Not set up for parking, the alley had limited options. I could drive around front, but I didn’t want to give my neighbor warning, just in case she was the guilty party. I chose a space between the Continental and the brick wall of another building.

After shutting off the engine, I cracked open my door. There wasn’t enough space. Now I remembered why I hadn’t driven this big boat of a truck before.

No way I’d fit through the few inches allowed. I glanced to my right. Nope. Too close. I should have parked in the delivery spot in front of the door. I groaned and restarted the engine, preparing my retreat, when April’s car pulled behind me and stopped horizontal to the truck, blocking my exit.

“Hey!” I laid on the horn and glared in my rearview mirror. I opened the truck window. “April, get out of the way! I’m trying to back up.” Her tinted windows were shut. Funny, the shape of the person inside didn’t look like April.

Her front door opened. “April—”

My heart stopped as a man in a ski mask exited. This wasn’t April. I rolled up my window as he walked toward the truck. I turned in my seat. He sauntered as close to the driver’s side door as he could squeeze, eyes glittering from the slits of a ski mask. His lips curled into a grin. I don’t know how long we stared at each other. Long enough for my lungs to hurt from the breath I held.

I released it and reached for my cell phone. He watched while I flipped the cover to dial the police. Oh no! I’d forgotten to charge the phone last night. But I couldn’t let him suspect anything.