Sweet Tea and Secrets (24 page)

She ran as fast as she could, but he was closing in, and his tie wasn’t the only thing flopping.

Her bare feet slapped against the travertine floor as she fled the horrifying scene. The pool stick clipped a vase on the hall table and sent the crystal shattering across the floor.

“Jill. It’s not what it looks like. Stop. I’m sorry.”

Jill stopped. Dead in her tracks.

“You’re sorry?” She spun around and marched right up to Bradley with a finger nearly slapping his nose. “You’re not going to talk your way out of this one. Don’t you dare apologize.”

“I’m sorry, babe. It was a mistake.” He reached toward her.

She swung the pool stick. A blue chalky smear marred the bare skin of his shoulder.

He slapped the stick from her hand.

She smacked his arm as hard as she could, then shook off the sting.

“Oh, yeah. It was a mistake alright,” she screamed. “A mistake I ever moved here with you. You are sick, sick,
sick
.” She clenched her fist in the air. “Stop saying you’re sorry. We both know you don’t mean it.”

“Don’t talk to me that way.” He jerked her arm as he spit the words in fury. “If you had been here this wouldn’t have happened.”

She tugged her arm from his grasp. “Don’t you blame me for that sick scenario.” Her words spewed. She trembled with anger. “It would’ve happened. It did happen. You’re not sorry for what you were doing. You’re just sorry you got caught. No wonder you would never fire her. Everything makes perfect sense now.”

She spun and ran for the door, snagging her purse from the front table as she headed to her car.

Bradley was only a couple of strides behind her. “You can walk your sweet ass wherever it is you think you’re going. That car is in my name. I won’t let you drive it off this property.”

“What are you going to do to stop me?”

“I’ll call the cops and report the vehicle stolen. They’ll throw your butt in jail.”

“Great. Fine. You know what? I don’t need anything from you.” She swatted at a mosquito buzzing around her head.

“I hope the mosquitoes are having a field day on your pecker.” Jill jogged toward the gate. “If they can even find it.”

Jill didn’t look back until she cleared the entry to the driveway. When she did glance back, Bradley still stood there, bare-ass naked except for that tacky tie, staring at her.

What now?
She knew lots of folks in Savannah, but the only real friend she’d made was Melanie. They’d met while walking last year, and she’d been thankful for the friendship. They’d made this two mile walk dozens of times. Of course, she was usually in a pair of sneakers. She had no idea how late it was, or if that scene had swallowed an hour or a minute, but she had limited choices at this point. As embarrassing as it was, Melanie was her best choice.

Jill tried to absorb everything that had happened as she walked the well known route.

Her bare feet had started to ache by the time she stood in front of Melanie’s house. A single light burned in the den. Jill drew in a deep breath and rapped hard on the door, three times.

The curtain moved, and then Melanie opened the door. The long-legged brunette was in her pajamas, but still looked picture perfect enough to step out on the town.

“Did I wake you? I’m sorry. I didn’t know where else to go.”

“Jill. I thought you were in Virginia burying your grandmother. What are you doing here? Is everything alright, sweetie?” Her deep southern drawl stretched each word.

Jill opened her mouth to repeat the story as she’d planned on the walk over. Instead, tears sprang out of nowhere and she could barely choke out a syllable.

“What’s wrong?” Melanie swung the door wide and hurried Jill inside. “Honey, get in here. What happened? That bastard didn’t hurt you, did he?”

Jill shook her head.

“What has you so shaken up?” Melanie grabbed her friend up by the shoulders and guided her into the kitchen. “Where are your shoes dahlin’?” Melanie asked as she started a pot of coffee.

When Jill regained her composure, she told Melanie the sick story, play by play. “He wouldn’t let me take my car. He said it’s in his name, and, you know, I don’t doubt that it is. I never even bothered to check. I’ve been such a fool.”

“Don’t be silly. We see what we want to see. And it looks like you might be seeing Mr. Bradley Kase clearly for the first time.”

“What else could go wrong?”

“Now, sweetie, it’ll all work out. Always does. I probably shouldn’t say it, but maybe this is all for the best. I mean, with the rumors floatin’ around about him and all.”

“What rumors? About Bradley and Annie? Am I the only one who didn’t know?”

“Oh, goodness no. About his business dealin’s. I guess a few of those investments he made aren’t panning out for folks all that well.”

Thank God.
If everyone in Savannah knew he was cheating on her she’d die of embarrassment. “No, the Kase Foundation is doing such great work. I’m sure he’ll get those investments turned around. He’d never risk the Foundation’s reputation.”

She patted Jill’s hand. “I’m sure you’re right.”

“I need to get back to Adams Grove. I know this is a huge favor to ask, but could I borrow one of the cars.”

“Of course, anything. The problem is that Vernon is out of town in his, and I need mine to take the girls to their cheerleading competition this weekend. The only vehicle I have to loan you is Lindy’s car. She’s back at Tech for the semester.”

“I’ll take it.”

“I’m sure it’s a mess. I swear that child uses that car as a second dresser most of the time.”

“I don’t care as long as it will get me back to Virginia.”

“Oh, it’ll get you there. Vernon wouldn’t let Lindy drive it if it weren’t in safe running condition. Why don’t you stay here tonight and get some rest first? You can head out in the morning. How long a drive is it?”

“About six hours.”

“That’s a long way. Stay the night,” Melanie tried to reason with her.

“I’m wide awake. I’d never get a wink of sleep even if I tried. Besides, I just want to get out of here.”

“Well, let me at least get you some shoes and pack the rest of this coffee for you.” Melanie got a thermos out of the pantry and added hot coffee, cream and sugar.

Jill hugged the thermos to her chest and followed her to the garage.

Melanie took a set of keys from the key rack next to the door and tossed them to Jill.

“A troll doll keychain,” Jill said. “How appropriate.”

“Lindy’s got a style all her own,” Melanie said.

“I like that license plate.” Jill smiled as she read the plate IW84NO1. “Maybe that should be my new motto.”

“Works for Lindy.” Melanie shared the story about how her daughter had gotten the car with her own money despite her parents telling her to wait until she finished school. “She’s an independent one, that girl.” Melanie raced back inside. “Oh, I almost forgot. You can’t leave barefooted.” She came back with a pair of leather flats and a newspaper tucked under her arm.

“How am I ever going to thank you?” asked Jill.

“Don’t be silly, it’s what friends do.” Melanie dropped the shoes in front of Jill. “I will get you to meet up with Lindy when you’re done with the car though. She’s closer to you there in Adams Grove than she is here.”

“That I can do.” Jill stepped into the shoes and got in the car.

Melanie handed her the newspaper. “I saved a copy of the story about the Foundation party for you.”

“Thanks. I haven’t seen it.”

“Are you sure I can’t talk you into resting up and leaving in the morning?” Melanie pushed the button to lift the garage door.

“Nope.” Jill started up the old Mustang and slowly pulled out of the drive.

During her drive, she had a hard time keeping her mind off the billiard room scene. The evening replayed itself over and over until she turned into the driveway at Pearl’s house.

She sat in the car wondering how everything had become so complicated in such a short time. Here she was with no clothes, no car, no home and no Pearl. No Bradley, either, and that meant no job. How could she have lived with him all that time and not have any idea what kind of man he really was? He’d told her that she was the only one for him. He’d said exactly what she’d wanted to hear and she believed him.

She was thankful to be there and hoped it would be the last time she’d have to make the drive from Savannah to Adams Grove. Home. She was finally home.

Jill lifted the door mat and used the key to get in the door. Under the mat wasn’t a much better place to hide the key than the flower box, but she’d been in a hurry and she wasn’t one to break promises. Under the mat had been the best she could do at the time.

Too tired to bother with getting undressed or turning on a light, she pushed the door closed behind her and climbed onto the sofa. In the quiet darkness of the empty room, she said, “Pearl, I need you.” She never would have told Pearl all the details of the despicable scene between Bradley and the hired help, but she sure could use Pearl’s strength.

She let out a long sigh and drifted off, exhausted and defeated.

Chapter Thirteen

Pounding echoed through the room. Jill sat up, startled.
Am I dreaming?
Her hands reached for anything familiar in the darkness.

“Sheriff’s department. Open up!” The deep voice boomed through the night, then the front door slammed against the wall.

Jill squealed and cowered back into the couch.

A light flooded over her face, blinding her.

She shielded her eyes. “Clyde,” she yelled. But Clyde was still at the kennel. “No.”

“On your feet.”

“Wait. Who are you? What do you want?” she cried.

“Hands where I can see them,” the voice ordered.

She couldn’t see a thing past the bright light.

“What?” Jill reached for the lamp on the end table.

“Freeze.”

She threw her arms in the air, eyes wide and darting.

“Anyone else in the house?”

“No.” Jill splayed her fingers wider.

The unexpected guest flipped the living room light switch.

Jill squinted, her eyes adjusting as slowly as she was to the situation at hand. “Just me. This is my house. Wh-who are you?”

“We got a report of a strange car at this location. I’m going to need to see some identification.”

“What?”

“Identification ma’am. Where’s your ID?”

“Um. I don’t have it. It’s in the car…I think. My purse? I’m not sure.”

The officer stepped forward and twisted her arms behind her cuffing them together at the wrist. “Just until we sort this out, ma’am. This house was broken into earlier in the week. Know anything about that?”

“Who are you? Where’s Scott Calvin?” Jill swung around, trying to understand her predicament. “Am I under arrest?”

The officer snickered. “Know the sheriff, do you?”

“Yes. Call him,” she pleaded.

“So, you’ve been in trouble with the law before.” He spun her around and pushed her to a seated position on the couch.

“No. I’ve never been arrested. That’s not how I know him. I live here.” Footsteps hurried across the front porch.
How many of them are there? Did they send the whole SWAT team after me? Was Bradley behind this?

Garrett ran into the room. “Thank God. Jill. I thought that was your voice. Are you okay?”

“What are you doing here? What’s going on?” Jill asked.

“Where’s your car, and who does that Ford belong to?”

“Mr. Malloy, please step aside. We asked you to stay outside.” The officer gestured him back toward the door.

Garrett hesitated to step back and the officer gestured him out of the room again as he turned his attention back to Jill.