Sixteen
We were on our way out of town when a vehicle pulled onto the road behind us and a set of police lights sprang to life.
“Son of a … !” Booker looked resigned when he flicked his turn signal to pull to the side of the road.
“What are you doing?” Lilac asked, glancing over her shoulder. She sat in the middle seat, refused to put on her seatbelt no matter how many times Booker ordered her to do just that, and made a face when she realized what was happening. “Why are you stopping?”
Booker was incredulous. “Why do you think?”
“Because you’re a weenie.”
Booker growled. “I’m going to leave you in a ditch if you don’t shut up.” He put the bus into park and risked a glance in my direction. “Let me do the talking.”
I thought that was an absolutely terrible idea, but I was willing to see how things played out. “Okay.”
Booker’s gaze held mine for an extended period, almost as if he didn’t believe me, and then he turned his attention to the window as he manually rolled it down.
“I didn’t even know they still made windows like that,” I mused. “I can’t remember the last time I saw one of those … um, handle things.”
“I believe it was in an old episode of MacGyver,” Lilac replied dryly. “Seriously, I can’t believe you stopped, Booker. You’re like a little old lady. Please don’t arrest me, Sheriff Hottiepants.”
“Yes, that’s clearly what I’m going to say.” Booker blew out a sigh as Galen sidled to the driver’s side of the bus. The sheriff didn’t look to be in a good mood and I didn’t miss the way Booker’s spine stiffened when Galen leaned his head into the vehicle. “What a pip of a day, sheriff. Is there something I can help you with?”
“I haven’t decided yet,” Galen replied, his eyes touching on Lilac before landing on me. “What’s going on?”
“Did we do something wrong, Sheriff?” Lilac asked, shifting toward the lip of the seat and offering what can only be described as a saccharine smile. “I believe you have to tell us why you pulled us over. It’s the law.”
“Shut up, Lilac.” Galen clearly wasn’t in the mood to play games. “Where are you guys going?”
“We’re taking a ride,” Booker replied, his voice smooth as satin sheets. “Hadley didn’t realize that there was more to the island than just the city.”
“Really?” Galen cocked a challenging eyebrow. “What did she think was beyond the lights?”
“Empty land.”
I don’t know why I initially thought Booker was a poor liar. In truth, he was quite masterful. He had the ability to make the obvious seem blasé.
“She thought we built a city and left the rest of the island to collect dust?” Galen queried, dubious.
“I didn’t really think about it,” I supplied, happy to find my voice strong and my gaze steady. “I want to see some of the stuff that’s out here. We’ve been running errands for a bit, and I wanted a chance to look at something beyond the lighthouse. What’s the problem?”
“Did I say there was a problem?”
“No, but you’re walking around as if you have a stick shoved up your you-know-what,” Lilac muttered.
“Shut up, Lilac,” Galen ordered, his eyes never leaving my face. “Tell me about these errands you ran.”
I opened my mouth to explain about shopping and then narrowed my eyes. “What business is it of yours?”
“I’m the sheriff.”
“Dude, you should really put on one of those ten-gallon hats and spurs if you’re going to say things like that,” Booker chided. “It makes you sound like a douche.”
Instead of being angry, Galen merely shook his head. “I heard it the second I said it. There was no reason to point it out.”
“That’s why I’m here.”
“We’ll get to why you’re here in a second,” Galen countered. “Hadley, what errands did you run?”
He was clearly trying to make a point. I had a feeling I knew what that point was. If Lilac found out about my visit to the construction office it was only a matter of time until Galen did the same. I wasn’t ashamed of my actions, but I wasn’t in the mood to kowtow to Galen either. He did drug me. He also forced me to sleep next to his naked chest and I couldn’t remember any of it. That was so unfair.
“I went to the grocery store, but I didn’t realize you could rent carts to walk your groceries home, so I only got a few things,” I volunteered. There was no way I was giving him what he wanted without a fight. Wait … that came out wrong. “So I was a complaining mess when I got back to the house and Booker explained about the carts.”
“She didn’t get any snacks at all,” Booker lamented. “It was pitiful.”
“I did get steaks,” I said. “I knew you’d be coming back to tell me about your day, so I got steaks, corn and pasta salad for dinner.”
“And we’re both invited as a thank you,” Booker said. “Isn’t that nice of Hadley?”
“Yes, it’s delightful,” Galen drawled. “What else did you do?”
“Well, after I found out about the cart, I mentioned that I wanted to add shrimp to the mix and Booker suggested we go back to the grocery store.”
“She also needed a better class of snacks,” Booker added.
I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing at Galen’s annoyed expression. “We spent a decent amount of time in the store, and Booker taught me how to shop. Apparently I’ve been doing it wrong my entire life and didn’t even know it. Then we ran into Lilac, and she said something about wanting to show me the countryside and here we are.”
“Really?”
I bobbed my head in affirmation. “Really.”
Galen took a long, steadying breath as he stared. He didn’t believe me. He knew I went to the construction office. He even knew what I asked. He obviously didn’t want to call me on my behavior, though. If I had to guess it was because he thought I would be uncomfortable about everyone on the island knowing my business. I already knew that and was definitely uncomfortable, but he wasn’t saving me from anything by keeping the information to himself.
“How long do you plan on being out here for your ride?” Galen asked, shifting his eyes to Booker. “Not after dark, right?”
Booker shook his head. “I still have to finish the upstairs window, although it’s mostly done. It just needs a few finishing nails and a coat of paint. We’ll be back in plenty of time for dinner.”
“A dinner that you’re expected for because you owe me information,” I said.
Galen ran his hand over the back of his neck, his face showing hints of fatigue for a few moments before he caught himself, smoothed his expression, and nodded. “Okay. Dinner sounds nice. I will be there by six.”
Really? That was easy. “Great. I’m looking forward to grilling. I can’t really cook, but I’m a whiz with the grill.”
“And I’m looking forward to eating.” Galen’s smile was back, although it didn’t make it all the way to his eyes. “Keep an eye on Hadley, Booker. She’s new to the area and I don’t want her getting separated.”
Booker mock saluted, causing a muscle to tremble in Galen’s jaw. “I’m on it, boss.”
“I’m looking forward to dinner, too,” Lilac announced before Galen could walk away. “I have a lot of questions about how you guys stayed under the same roof with Hadley and yet she got absolutely zero action.”
This time Galen and Booker spoke at the same time.
“Shut up, Lilac!”
THEY SAID “FARM,” but I don’t know what I was expecting. The sprawling expanse of land featuring cows, pigs, horses and even a full field of chickens certainly wasn’t it.
“Holy moly!” I exhaled heavily as I leaned forward to get a better look at the multitude of barns dotting the landscape.
“Nice, huh?” Booker smiled as he navigated the dirt driveway, being careful to avoid ruts. The bus was so old it was probably one good jolt away from completely disintegra
ting.
“It’s so … big.”
“Too bad you couldn’t say that last night,” Lilac interjected.
“Knock it off!” Booker ordered, his temper fraying. “You’re on my last nerve.”
“That’s so unlike you,” Lilac argued. “Usually you love it when I start laying on the sexual innuendo.”
“Usually we’re not dealing with a dead body in the cove and a local breaking into a house with an ax.”
I wasn’t sure she was capable, but Lilac instantly changed her expression and looked properly chastised. “I’m sorry. I keep forgetting about that part. To me this is all an adventure.”
“And to Hadley she was almost killed in her sleep,” Booker said. “We need to focus on the important thing here.”
“And what is that?”
“We need to talk to Wesley,” Booker replied. “You know how he gets.”
Lilac sobered. “Yeah. I didn’t think about that part either.”
My interest was officially piqued. “What is he like?”
“A grizzly bear with a poor attitude,” Lilac supplied. “He’s very growly. I’m sure he was handsome and romantically rugged back in the day – he has that look, you know – but he’s more rough than romantic these days.”
I had no idea what that meant. “Is he going to throw me around or something?”
“Probably not,” Lilac answered. “Just in case, though, hide behind Booker.”
“Yes, that sounds like a great idea,” Booker muttered. “Everyone hide behind me.”
Lilac refused to rise to the bait. “That’s what I plan to do.”
WESLEY DURHAM WAS exactly as Lilac described him. He was a big bull of a man, broad shoulders giving way to a solid middle that looked as if he drank a bit of beer during his off hours. Still, he was a muscular man, especially for a guy pushing seventy. I couldn’t help being impressed.
“Wesley, how are things?” Booker led the initial approach once we found Wesley oiling a saddle in one of his barns. Despite the size of the farm, as far as I could tell, Wesley was the only inhabitant.
“Well, I had a mare give birth this afternoon and no one wanted to put it on the news because it wasn’t a giraffe, and then I had part of the fence in the eastern pasture go down, so that took three hours to fix. I got a big splinter while doing it, and I just found out I’m out of strawberries, so there will be no shortcake for dessert.”
“Oh, you should’ve called,” Lilac said. “We just came from the market.”
Wesley knit his sparkplug eyebrows and shook his head, barely sparing a glance for me before focusing on Booker. “What are you doing out here? I didn’t think you and I were on friendly terms.”
Uh-oh. Were they about to fight?
“I didn’t realize we were on unfriendly terms,” Booker countered. “I simply thought we disliked each other on the surface but deep down we really wanted to bond. You know, go fishing and hunting and stuff. Pump fists. Bump chests. Pee while standing up.”
Despite his gruff exterior, Wesley cracked a smile as he shook his head. “You’ve always had a bit of your mother’s charm.”
“Thank you.”
“I didn’t say it was a compliment,” Wesley said. “You still haven’t answered the question. What are you doing out here?”
“I don’t suppose you’ve heard about what happened at the lighthouse last night?”
“May’s lighthouse?” For the first time since we arrived, Wesley registered a full facial expression other than a scowl. “No. What happened?”
“Someone broke in and attacked Hadley.” Booker jerked his thumb in my direction and when Wesley looked at me I offered a lame wave because … well … I have no idea why. I felt the need to do something with my hands, but I’m sure it came off as spastic.
“Attacked how?”
“With an ax,” I answered. “Thankfully I saw movement right before it happened and rolled off the bed.”
“I see.” Wesley’s eyes were thoughtful as he continued massaging the saddle. “I don’t understand what that has to do with me.”
“We believe the man responsible was Mark Santiago,” Booker supplied. “He was found dead in a ditch a few blocks away this morning.”
“And you think I killed him?”
“No, we want to know if he was still working for you.”
Wesley shifted from one foot to the other, some internal debate going on behind his eyes. “Can I ask how you know it was Mark who broke in?”
“Well … .” Booker, clearly not anticipating that question, looked to me for help.
“Whoever it was got blown through the upstairs window,” I volunteered. “Galen – I mean the sheriff – said that he hit hard, but managed to limp off afterward.”
“I see.”
“When Mark’s body was found, he had multiple injuries,” Booker added. “Those injuries looked to have been sustained in a fall. He wasn’t very far from the lighthouse, so … we believe it’s him. Galen is still doing some investigating on the subject, but that looks to be the case right now.”
“Well, I don’t know how else you could look at the situation and think otherwise,” Wesley said. “I knew that boy was going to get himself into trouble. I tried to put him on the right path, but he refused to walk in that direction. It’s sad.”
“Was he still working for you?” I asked.
Wesley shook his head. “Several weeks ago I had to cut him loose. It wasn’t just that his work was bad. I could’ve put up with that if I thought it might help him. I have a lot of help that comes in and out of this place, so I wouldn’t have had a problem making up for his slack.”
“But?” Booker prodded.
“But he wasn’t in the barn as I expected one day and I happened to come across him inside the house,” Wesley explained. “The men aren’t allowed in the house. I have facilities in the barns, including a kitchenette and refrigerator.
“He was going through a chest in my office,” he continued. “When I asked him what he was doing, he fumbled through an answer that made absolutely no sense. He said he was looking for toilet paper because they were out in the barn.”
“What happened then?”
“I fired him on the spot and told him not to come back,” Wesley replied. “I want to help, but my giving spirit only goes so far.”
“Was that the last time you saw him?” I asked.
Wesley nodded. “He hasn’t been around since. I thought there was a chance he might try to break in, so I made sure the security system was up and running, but he never did. Er, well, at least to my knowledge.”
“So he was unemployed at the time of his death,” Booker mused. “Maybe he was desperate for money. Just out of curiosity, what was in the chest? What did you find him looking at?”
“It was just some of my ex-wife’s stuff,” Wesley said. “Some old photographs and a few folders full of divorce documents. There was nothing in there worth stealing.”
Mention of an ex-wife stirred my curiosity. “Who is your ex-wife?”
“May Potter.”
I stilled, my stomach doing a somersault. I heard him wrong, right? “I’m sorry?”
Booker blinked several times in rapid succession, his face draining of color. “I thought you knew.”
“Knew what?” My heart pounded so hard I thought I might pass out. “Is he saying what I think he’s saying?”
“He’s saying he’s your grandfather,” Lilac supplied happily. “Congratulations! It’s a really crabby bear.”
I did my best to ignore the joke and looked to Booker for help. “But … why didn’t you say something?”
Booker held his hands palms up and shrugged. “I thought you knew.”
Right. That should be the new Moonstone Bay motto. Crap on a cracker.
Seventeen
“You’re my grandfather?”
The question felt alien coming off my tongue, like I was stuck in a dream and part of the rules included saying the most absurd thing
that comes to mind. Sadly, I’ve had dreams like that.
Wesley didn’t look nearly as flummoxed as me. “You’re Hadley, aren’t you?”
That wasn’t much of an answer. “But … .” I broke off, unsure what to say or feel. This wasn’t what I expected. This entire place wasn’t what I expected. I needed time to decompress and do … something, though I had no idea what that something entailed.
Booker leaned in my direction, his eyes unnaturally wide as he waved a hand in front of my face. “You’re not overloading are you? If you think you’re going to pass out, sit down.”
“I think we broke her,” Lilac announced. “She couldn’t take another surprise, yet you insisted we come out here so she could get one. I blame you, Booker.”
“I thought she knew,” Booker hissed. “I just assumed she didn’t want to talk to Wesley because May and Wesley hated each other.”
“I hated May,” Wesley corrected. “She deserved it. She was bitter about our breakup and hid her broken heart in mean statements and name-calling. There’s a difference.”
Lilac snorted. “Okay, if that’s what you need to tell yourself. She’s the one who dumped you.”
“Who told you that?” Wesley challenged. “It happened thirty-five years ago. That was long before your time.”
“I know things.”
“You don’t know jack,” Wesley fired back.
Booker ignored their argument and focused on me. “Would you like me to help you sit down?”
“Not in the least.” I found my voice and slapped his hand away. Wesley stood with his arms crossed over his chest as he waited for me to get my bearings. “Did you know who I was when I came in here?”
Wesley shook his head. “Not at first. It’s not as if I recognized you with my heart and soul or anything. I realized a few minutes in who you were.”
“Why didn’t you say something?”
“Because I didn’t know if you wanted me to do that,” Wesley replied. “You were playing it cool.”
“I didn’t know!” I barked out, frustration bubbling up. “How could I possibly know that?”
“How could you not know that?” Lilac challenged. “I mean … he’s your grandfather. My papa is one of my favorite people. He wears black socks and sandals no matter how hot the day is. He also sexually harasses random waitresses when they wear short skirts and actually yells at kids to get off his lawn. He’s hilarious.”
Witchy Dreams Page 91