The Miss Fortune Series: Overdue (Kindle Worlds Novella) (11 page)

An hour and two cups of coffee later, the fog of the tranquilizer had almost lifted. Gertie, Ida Belle and I sat in the plush chairs in the magazine section giving our statements to Carter as Deputy Breaux led Mayliss and CJ out of the library in handcuffs.

Not only had my fog lifted, but Lila Rose’s book-character personalities faded away soon after Carter and Deputy Breaux arrived. Lila Rose was back to being Lila Rose, the author, and sat at one of the library’s computers reading all the reviews that her plagiarized
Pancake Junction
had garnered.

I would have thought she’d be enraged reading all the wonderful reviews CJ received. But, instead, they seemed to energize her. She realized these were her reviews, not CJ’s.

“RaginReader0789 from Kansas City writes, ‘Pancake Junction is a winner,’” she called to us from the computer. “Five stars from Sylvia J. from Pennsylvania. ‘The writing reminds me of Lila Rose Fontaine. Wonder what happened to her? I miss her.’ Well, Sylvia J.,” she said, pointing at the monitor, “you’re in luck, because I’m back. I have five file drawers filled with novels and I’m publishing every last one of them.”

Carter flicked his head toward Lila Rose. “It’s true? She’s going back to publishing?”

I nodded. “When she heard how well CJ was doing with her material, she said it was time she became her old self again and share her unpublished works with the world.”

“That means she’ll just go back to being mildly kooky,” Gertie whispered.

“She’s even going to write a follow-up to the
PB&J Murders
and bring Jelly back from the brink of death,” I added.

“My mom will be happy to hear that,” Carter said. “She’s read every one of Lila Rose’s books.”

Ida Belle smiled. “Even though she can’t remember saving Fortune as Poppy Boone, I think somehow, deep inside, it made an impact on her. She’s been racked with guilt all these years over killing Jelly in the book, and tonight she was able to save her. Maybe now she can move on.”

The front door of the library was pushed open. Janice rushed inside, her head bobbing frantically, searching for her mother. Gertie pointed to the computer.

“Mom!” Janice ran to Lila Rose and wrapped her arms around her, the tears streaming from her eyes. “I was so worried about you.”

Lila Rose hugged Janice. “I am so sorry I put you through another episode.”

Janice pulled away and wiped at her tears. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

“Well, I’m okay,” Lila Rose said. “But I hear I shot at poor Fortune and stuck her with Gracie’s tranquilizer.”

Janice’s hand flew up to her mouth. She turned and flashed me a horrified look.

“It’s okay,” I said. “Your mom’s a bad shot. And she did help save my life. So, it’s a wash.”

Janice turned back to Lila Rose. “Mom, please tell me you’ll go back to therapy. I spoke with a new doctor and she told me all about this relaxation technique she’d like to try with you. Said it has good results. So you don’t have to… you know…”

“Go bonkers?” Lila Rose asked.

Janice nodded.

Lila Rose kissed Janice’s forehead. “I’ll call her tomorrow.”

Gertie dabbed at her glistening eyes. “I’m so glad Janice wasn’t the one who killed Waddell.”

Carter closed his notebook. “I guess that’s everything. I’ll call if I have any more questions.”

“I’ll walk you to the door.”

We passed by Lila Rose and Janice as Lila Rose was pointing out another five-star review. Carter nodded to them. “You ladies take care.”

We stopped at the front door of the library. I had an overwhelming urge to wrap my arms around Carter and let my tears flow. But I held back. He lifted his hand to my face and caressed my cheek with his finger.

“I wouldn’t blame you if you shed a tear or two. I mean, I know you’re a badass agent and all, but…” his voice cracked as he said, “you came close to leaving us tonight.”

I didn’t tell him that I’d come close to dying so many times in my life that I stopped counting. But, yeah, tonight was close. If I hadn’t connected with the Poppy Boone character and Mayliss had been able to inject me with her poison… I shook the thought out of my head.

“I’m so sorry I wasn’t here when you needed me.”

“Don’t,” I said. “You see what guilt did to Lila Rose. You were responding to a call.” A call that Mayliss admitted making to take Carter away from the area. “You were doing your job. You can’t be everywhere.”

“But I should have been here.” His phone signaled he was receiving a text. He took it out of his pocket and read it. “Deputy Breaux. Seems CJ is blaming Mayliss for everything. Said he was ‘coerced’ into helping. I’d better get down to the station.”

He opened the door. “I could come by later tonight and check up on you.”

Oh, God, how I wanted him to. But I didn’t want him to come back to me under these circumstances. I had no idea if we were ever going to be together again, but if we did decide to give it another go, I didn’t want him coming back because I almost died.

I shook my head. “I’ll be fine. The effects of the tranquilizer are wearing off.”

“You need to have a doctor look at your leg.”

“The bullet just grazed me. Gertie cleaned and bandaged it before you got here. I’ll be fine.”

“Okay, then.” He took my hand in his and squeezed it. “But don’t get mad if I call and check on you tomorrow.”

“Sure.” I squeezed his hand and released it, so wanting to pull him back as he walked through the doorway. Instead, I turned and walked back into the library, passing Lila Rose and her daughter.

Lila Rose stood. “Janice, do you mind if I have a word with Fortune before we leave?”

“Of course.”

Lila Rose watched as Janice walked over and plopped down in a chair next to Gertie.

“Jelly…” Poppy Boone was back. “We had ourselves one hell of an adventure today, didn’t we?”

“Yes, we did, Poppy,” I said, going along with her change in personality.

She took my hands. “Ever since finding you on my doorstep when you were just a little thing, all I ever wanted was to find your mom. Or maybe some other family member. Someone who could give you what I couldn’t.” She nodded toward Janice. Gertie had her arm around her, giving her a hug as Janice wiped tears from her eyes. “But something tells me you’ve already found your true family. Now, old Baptist witches aren’t my type of people, but they were there for you.”

I nodded. “I think you’re right, Poppy.”

She wiped at her teary eyes. “I wanted to also say that you’ll be seeing less of me. I think Lila Rose is starting to get her mojo back, so I don’t think she’ll need me helping her anymore.”

I smiled. “Maybe Lila Rose is stronger than you thought, huh?”

She nodded. “I think it’s time for Janice to get her mom back, even if it means I fade into the woodwork. But that’s okay, we’ll be back in her next book where we belong, having another great adventure.”

I raised my eyebrows at this revelation. “You mean, you know you’re a book character created by Lila Rose?”

“Well, of course I do. Hell, I’d be insane if I didn’t, right?”

I nodded. As crazy as it was, it made sense. “And what about Nurse Vickie? And the other characters who pop up? Are they going too?”

Lila Rose nodded and touched me on the shoulder. “We defeated them tonight. Something tells me they’re gone for good.” She gazed at her daughter again. “Anyway, Janice has been the caretaker of that nut job for too long. Time for her to go back to being a daughter. Would that be okay by you, if I came around less often so Lila Rose can get herself well and be a mom again?”

Now it was my turn to choke up. “Yeah, I think that would be good.”

She squeezed my shoulder. “You take care, then. Oh, and I don’t know what’s up with you and that hot deputy, but something tells me that will all work out in the end as well. I hope it does. You two remind me of me and that handsome park ranger, Rhett Baker, in book four. Before crazy Lila Rose had him killed by that bear, she wrote some sizzling bedroom scenes for us. Yes she did. Makes me blush to even think about it. So I know a thing or two about chemistry, and you and that deputy have it.”

Her voice took on a lighter pitch as she looked over at Janice. “Janice, honey, I’m ready when you are.”

Janice hugged Gertie and Ida Belle goodbye and she and Lila Rose walked away arm-in-arm, crossing Head Librarian Lucy as she raced inside.

“I saw Deputy LeBlanc. He said there was an altercation in my absence.”

“You might say that,” I answered.

She scanned the area, her gaze resting on the archway to the children’s library. Pieces of Curious George were scattered on the carpeting. She screamed. “Curious George!”

“I was almost killed, but I escaped death, just in case you were wondering.”

Apparently she wasn’t. She raced over to the bits of George and fell to her knees, scooping an arm here and a foot there and cradling them to her chest. Ida Belle and Gertie came up beside me.

Gertie whispered, “We should leave before she discovers—”

“Winnie the Pooh! Not you too!” She looked up at me. “I didn’t leave you alone for more than two hours and look what you’ve done!”

“We could stay and help you clean up,” Ida Belle said.

Lucy pointed her finger at us. “You destroyed them! Out! Get out!”

Once outside we piled into Gertie’s ancient Cadillac.

“I think I’ve had enough drama to last the rest of my life,” Gertie said as she peeled away from the library. “I mean, that whole New Orleans adventure was just a few days ago. I’m tired.”

“Yeah, maybe we should just take it easy the next couple of weeks,” Ida Belle said.

I blew out a breath. “You won’t hear an argument from me.”

Ida Belle’s phone buzzed. She read the incoming text. “It’s from Babs Babineaux. The underwear thief struck again. She said she saw him leaving Cora’s house and he’s now climbing the fence and heading toward Celia’s house.”

“So, if we caught him in the act…” Gertie began.

“We could photograph all Celia’s unmentionables and post them on Facebook,” Ida Belle said, finishing Gertie’s thought. “We’ll feign ignorance and ask if anyone knows who they belong to.”

Gertie laughed again. “And embarrass the heck out of her.”

She took a sharp ninety-degree turn at the next stop sign and headed toward Celia’s street. “Oh, this should be fun. Who’s up for a stakeout?”

“Me,” Ida Belle said.

“Me,” I added.

What the heck. We could rest tomorrow.

THE END