Troubled Treats (19 page)

I failed.

Carl Descent managed to step back out of my swing’s arc, and the next thing I knew, Phillip was charging him full steam, and head on.  The gun in Descent’s hand exploded once, and I saw my stepfather jerk backwards with the impact of the bullet.

He’d been hit.

Without thinking, I launched myself at the killer.  Descent was stronger than I was, but he wasn’t expecting an all-out attack.  I managed to knock the gun out of his hand, but I couldn’t quite get control of it.  As we both dove for the weapon, I knew that I had to stop him, or I’d join Phillip in his fate. 

I wasn’t even thinking as I drove my thumbs into his eyes, hoping to blind him with the fury for what he’d done raging through me.

He suddenly forgot all about the gun and started fighting me off, breaking my grip before I could do any substantial damage to his vision.

As his hands found the gun again, I knew that I was probably going to die.

And then, just as he started to lift the weapon to eliminate me as well, Phillip roared and dove onto him!  He wasn’t dead!  As Descent went down in a heap, I joined Phillip on top of him, and the two of us finally managed to contain him when the former police chief finally managed to gain control of the handgun.

“Are you okay?” I asked him breathlessly as we both stood.

“Besides being shot, you mean?  I’m just peachy,” he said as he grimaced a little.  “Luckily he caught me in the fleshy part of my upper arm.  I’ll be healed up in no time, but it’s still no picnic.  Take your phone out and call the police chief.”

“There’s no need to do that.  I’m already here,” Chief Grant said as he stepped out of the shadows.  “Griffin saw you two going in, and then he watched Descent follow you.  He called me, and here I am.  Sorry I didn’t get here any sooner, but it looks as though you two managed just fine without us.”

“I didn’t think you were watching the building anymore,” I said as the police chief called for an ambulance for his former boss.  Phillip handed the gun over to the acting chief and applied a handkerchief to his wound until the paramedics could arrive.

“I wasn’t planning on anyone doing it,” Chief Grant said, “at least not officially.”

Officer Griffin explained as he joined us, “I had a hunch that something was about to happen here, so I decided to hang around some on my own time.”

“And you spent your time off here, looking out for us?” I asked.  “Don’t get me wrong; I’m more grateful than I can say.  Thank you.”  As Griffin pulled Descent to his feet and handcuffed him, I turned to my stepfather.  “How bad is it, really?”

“Relax, Suzanne, it’s no big deal.  He just nicked my arm,” the chief said as he continued to apply pressure to the wound.

“It looked much worse than that at the time,” I said.

The chief grinned at me.  “That’s what I wanted him to think, too.  That way he wasn’t prepared when I jumped him a few seconds later.”

“Thanks for doing that, by the way,” I said.

“Hey, it wouldn’t have worked at all if you hadn’t spilled those coins on purpose and then went after him yourself.  It turns out that we make a pretty good team.”

“You know what?  I think you’re right,” I said with a smile as the ambulance arrived.  My stepfather was whisked away to the hospital, and Descent was led to the waiting squad car before I even realized what was happening.  As everyone started to leave the scene, Jake burst in and wrapped me up in his arms.

“Suzanne, are you okay?” he asked breathlessly.  “I just heard what happened.”

“I’m fine,” I said.  “Phillip got shot, but it doesn’t look that serious.”

Jake frowned.  “I don’t have to remind you that I’ve been shot myself, and I can tell you from personal experience that it’s never not serious.”

“It was a through-and-through in the fleshy part of his arm,” Chief Grant said.  “All in all, if you have to get shot, it’s a pretty good place for it to happen.”

“I’m still not clear on what went down,” Jake told me.  “Start from the beginning, and don’t leave anything out.”

“I wouldn’t mind hearing the details myself,” Chief Grant said.

“Fine,” I said, and I retold my story to both of them, a performance that I’d repeat several times over the next few days.  After I was finished telling them what had happened the first time, I looked at the coins on the floor and asked, “Shouldn’t someone pick those up?”

“We need to get some photos first,” the chief said.  He whistled as he looked into the cache Phillip and I had found.  “There appears to be quite a bit of gold down there.  So, the rumors were true after all.”

“It looks that way,” I said.  “I still can’t believe Carl Descent would kill just to get his hands on some shiny gold coins.”

“Do you have any idea how much it’s probably worth?” the chief asked me.  “People have killed for a lot less.”

“I realize that, but I don’t have to understand the motivation.”  I took Jake’s hand.  “We’d better get going.  Momma is going to need us at the hospital for moral support.”

“Let’s go,” he said as more police officers started to show up on the scene.  “Can I do anything to help you here?” he asked Chief Grant before we left.

“No, I’ve got it covered.”  He paused, and then he added to me, “I’m glad you’re okay, Suzanne.”

“That makes two of us,” I said with a grin.

As we drove to the hospital, Jake said, “You realize, don’t you, that I’m never letting you out of my sight again.”

“That’s not very realistic, is it?” I asked.  “Is there a chance you’re overreacting?”

“Suzanne, I could have lost you today.  Is that overreacting?”

“No,” I said, “I think that’s exactly the right amount of reacting.  It’s going to be fine, though.”

“Just don’t go looking for any more hidden gold without me, okay?”

I grinned at him.  “I can promise you that.  What do you think Momma’s going to do with her new fortune?”

“Your guess is as good as mine,” he said as he drove.  “I’m just glad that you’re okay.”

“So am I,” I said.

As Jake pulled into the emergency room parking lot, I realized that I had everything in the world I needed, and no amount of gold or any other kind of material wealth would make the slightest bit of difference in my life.  After all, I was richer than I had any right to ever expect, with a career I loved, a man to share my life with, and a community of family and friends that meant the world to me.

And in the end, what more could anyone ever ask for?

Chapter 22

“Jake, do you have a second?” Chief Grant asked him a little later as we waited in the hospital emergency room for them to patch Phillip up.  Momma was back with him, pulling strings somehow to make sure that she saw every step they were taking to fix him, and we were waiting patiently for them to join us.

“What’s up?”

“We need to speak with you,” the acting chief said.

Jake looked around and grinned.  “Is that the royal
we
you’re using, or do you have some imaginary friends hiding behind you?”  He was giddy from the relief that nothing had happened to me, and I enjoyed his silly side, mainly because I knew how fleeting it would be.

“I’m here,” Mayor George Morris said breathlessly as he joined us.  “How are you doing, Suzanne?”

“I’m as good as gold,” I said with a grin.  “How about yourself?”

“Ask me again in ten minutes.  Jake?”

“I’ll be right back,” he said, and then he kissed me before he walked away with George and Chief Grant.

I couldn’t help wondering what they were up to, but I knew that I’d find out soon enough.  Jake and I didn’t keep any secrets from each other, a rule I’d insisted upon after sharing my life with ex-husband Max the first time around.

I didn’t have to wait by myself, though.

Grace showed up less than thirty seconds later.  As I stood, she hugged me so tightly that I had trouble struggling for my breath.  “Easy, pal.  I’m okay.”

“I had to see for myself when Stephen called me.  Are you really all right?”

“Aside from a few scrapes and a bruise or two, I’m just dandy.  You didn’t have to rush over here on my account.”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” she said as she finally released me.  “Suzanne, I was wrong.”

“About what?” I asked, not making the connection yet.

“I should have been there with you this evening, not Phillip.”

I took her hands in mine and looked into her eyes.  “Grace, it was exactly what you wanted to avoid.  A killer was holding a gun on me, and it could have just as easily turned out to be tragic.  You were right to take yourself out of the line of fire, and I respect your decision.”

“Well, I don’t,” she said.  “If something had happened to you, I never would have been able to forgive myself.”

“What makes you think the outcome would have been any different?” I asked her.  I wasn’t trying to be mean, but she’d reached her earlier decision for a very good reason, and nothing had changed to impact that.

“If you’re going to get yourself killed, I plan to be right there beside you from now on,” she said.  In a more timid voice, she asked, “If you’ll have me, that is.  Can I come back to the team?”

“Are you absolutely certain that’s what you want to do?”

“I am, one hundred percent.  Do you want to know the truth?  I missed being in the middle of things.  It turns out that my life is kind of predictable when I take you, and our investigations, out of the equation.”

“I don’t want to push you, but if you’re sure, then I’d love to have you by my side again.  Hopefully it won’t come up for a long time, or maybe even forever.”

“Well, if it does, I want to be in on it from the start with you.”  She stopped, looked over my shoulder, and then she added, “Why does Jake look as though he’s the one who just got shot and not Chief Martin?”

I turned around to see what she was talking about, and sure enough, Jake looked stunned as he rejoined me.

“Hey, Grace.  Suzanne, do you have a second?  We need to talk.”

“Why don’t I like the sound of that?” I asked him.  “Grace, whatever he has to say to me, he can say it in front of you.”

“That’s okay.  Stephen’s motioning for me to join him.”  She hugged me once more before she left.  “Thanks.”

“It’s my pleasure,” I said.  After she was ten steps away from us, I asked Jake, “What’s going on?”

“Something’s come up, and I need your advice before I make my decision,” he said solemnly.

“I’m listening.”

“Stephen Grant feels as though he’s in over his head as acting chief of police, and the mayor has asked me to step in and take over until he’s ready to assume the job on a full-time basis.”

“I thought you were finished with law enforcement,” I said in my most level manner.

“I thought so, too, but working this murder case with you told me that I wasn’t quite done with it yet.  Would it be too terrible if I took over for a year or two until Grant is ready to assume the position permanently?  He’ll be my deputy chief, and I’ll have him ready to go by the time I’m ready to hand the department over to him.  If you don’t want me to do this, just say so, and I’ll tell them that I’m not interested.”

I took his hands in mine.  “Jake, the only thing that matters to me is that you’re happy, so the real question is, would you be happier being idle, or working at something you love doing?”

He grinned at me.  “When you put it that way, there’s really not much of a decision to make, is there?”

“Not in my mind, Chief,” I said with a grin.  “Look on the bright side.  You get to go back into law enforcement and still sleep in your own bed every night.  It’s a win/win in my book.”

He kissed me soundly before he said another word.  “Marrying you was the best decision I ever made in my life, bar none.”

“Right back at you,” I said.  “Now go tell them the good news.”

“Thanks,” he said, with more joy and enthusiasm than I’d seen in him since he’d quit the state police.  He’d been getting restless, and this would make the perfect transition for him.  I doubted that it would be his forever job, but it was exactly what he needed right now.

And I wouldn’t have to retire my own amateur sleuthing either, now that Grace was back on board.

Maybe I’d even have more success, now that I was so close to someone on the inside.

One way or the other, we’d have to find some middle ground between Jake’s new job and my penchant for investigation, but I had faith in us.

After all, no matter what, we would find a way to make it work.

RECIPES

A SIMPLE LEMON GLAZE

In two of the recipes below, I like to use a simple lemon glaze to ice the donuts when they’re finished.  Adding a little fresh lemon juice and zest to the glaze makes the donuts really pop.  Truth be told, when I’m in the mood for the taste of lemon, this goes on just about anything I’m making at the time, including Belgian waffles!  The recipe couldn’t be simpler, so don’t be afraid to try this one at home!

Ingredients

1 cup sifted powdered confectioner’s sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Directions

In a medium-sized bowl, mix the confectioner’s sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest, stirring well until you have the consistency you desire.

Use immediately, pouring the glaze over any donuts or other bready treats you happen to have handy.

Glaze will cover 1-2 dozen donuts, depending on how heavily you apply it

MOMMA’S HOMEMADE CHICKEN SOUP

This soup recipe is not just for when someone gets sick in my family, it’s also perfect on a cool day in spring, summer, or autumn.  We love the soup alongside a grilled cheese sandwich made with hot and gooey sharp cheddar cheese!  This recipe has been tweaked over the years until it’s near perfection, at least in our opinions.  I give you my word that once you taste this soup, you’ll never go back to anything that comes in a can!

Ingredients

1-2 cups cooked chicken, cut, diced, or chopped