by Jenn Sable
Tula pulled her rental car to the back of the inn and dramatically burst through the kitchen door. She wore a lovely, long, sparkly, dark-blue dress that matched her eyes. “Are you ready to shine, dear girl?”
I smiled. It was obvious why Winnie was drawn to Tula, and I was grateful that she'd sent Tula to Lamplight Teahouse.
“Jeremy, would you be a doll and help bring some of my treasures into the parlor from the car?”
“Certainly, Ms. Parks,” nodded Jeremy.
She asked Jeremy to bring in a tripod. Jeremy appeared moments later with a collapsed tripod and several foam board graphics under his arm. I raised a questioning brow, and Tula's sapphire eyes twinkled.
“Visuals are very important,” she said, as if I should've assumed that tonight's success hinged upon how much the ladies of Frost Forest learned.
“I'll be right back. There are still a few more poster boards in the car,” said Jeremy.
“Wait, Jesus, Tula, what topics are you delving into tonight? Will there be a quiz at the end or something?” I asked flabbergasted.
Tula's hand went to her hip. “A quiz . . . that's not a bad idea, now that you mention it.”
Jeremey appeared in the doorway a moment later looking perplexed.
“Jeremy, what’s wrong?” I asked, my eyes automatically went to the windows to scan the darkening yard for any signs of Devin Sharpe.
Troy walked into the kitchen and immediately followed suit.
“Did you see or hear anything suspicious?” asked Troy, brow furrowed when he didn’t see anything out of place in the yard.
“No, no, nothing like that. What’s this?” asked Jeremy and held up one of Tula’s images.
Tula smiled. “That’s a clitoris, Jeremy.”
I choked back my laughter until I looked at Troy. I’d never seen the man blush before, and who knew it would take a picture of clitoris to do it?
Tula walked over and took the poster-boards from Jeremy. “Jeremy, you’re welcome to stay tonight. Sit in. You just might discover a whole new world.”
Jeremy stood, one hand on his hip, eyes downcast, trying not to laugh at himself. “You know what, Tula, I just might.”
“No, nope. Not happening,” said Troy.
“Bob’s taking over the watch for a few hours, and you and I are going to Pay Everett Probst a house call. He’s now refusing to attend doctor appointments because he’s too stubborn to accept help to pay for his medical bills.”
Jeremy’s head fell back. “But I might serve more of the good people of Frost Forest, the ladies really, if I stay here with Tula. Plus, you’re the only person Everett likes anyway. The last time I went to see him, he jabbed a pointed shovel at me!”
Troy shook his head. “Come on, Romeo, you’ll learn about the clitoris another night. Tonight is the for the ladies, it’s Feminine Fire Night, and Bob just pulled up. Time for us to be on our way.”
Troy walked over and wrapped his arms around me, not even pretending that we were just friends anymore. He pressed his big, warm hand against my cheek and tipped my face up. “Have fun tonight, honeysuckle. I’ll be back in a couple of hours, tops. Call if you need me. I can be here in minutes.”
I lifted onto tip-toes and grazed a kiss over his lips. “Will do. And, I’ll be sure to give you all the highlights of Feminine Fire later tonight,” I said and winked.
Troy chuckled. “I can’t wait.”
“Not fair,” grumbled Jeremy. “I’m still single over here. I need this more than you do.”
Rolling his eyes, Troy picked up his trooper hat and turned to wink at me before he left with a complaining Jeremy following closely behind.
Almost as soon as Tory and Jeremy departed, the first car full of guests rolled up. Followed immediately by four more packed with Frost Forest Ladies. It was as though they all met somewhere and formed a chain of curious tea-sipping ladies.
“They're here. They're here!” Tula said.
I ran around, making sure that I had every little detail placed, plenty of hot water, plenty of tea selections, the house looking immaculate, and the parlor positively glowed.
Ms. Biddle led the group inside. “Hello? Anyoneー”
“Welcome, yes, come in! Welcome, ladies let's all go into the parlor. Make yourselves comfortable, choose a seat, and the first round of tea will be served momentarily,” said Tula.
Ten minutes later, the parlor was filled with the Frost Forest Ladies and a few of their friends from Axe Hollow. The ladies sat in a circle and glanced nervously around at one another and giggled while they sipped their tea.
Tulah looked extra shiny tonight with additional gems and jewels hanging from her ears and neck; even a jewel-encrusted belt graced her waist. I stood in the far reaches of the parlor, keeping track of who needed tea and watched with a mixture of genuine curiosity and alarm. I wondered if this would be the first of many Feminine Fire meetings that would take place in the parlor of the Lamplight Teahouse or if this would be the first and last meeting that would close the doors forever. Both outcomes felt as though they had an even chance.
The ladies were nearing their second cup of tea when I almost went to check on Tulah to see if everything was going as planned, but she burst through the parlor doors and started shaking her hips.
“Ladies of Frost Forest and Ax Hollow, welcome! Are you ready to experience an evening of total self-empowerment, whole-bodied enlightenment, and Feminine Fire?”
A cheer swept across the parlor, and all the ladies either fist-pumped or stomped their feet. Sweet Lord.
Tula's eyes sparkled, her jewels and gems twinkled, and her pearly buck teeth gleamed. “That is the spirit, ladies! Let me be the first to tell you that you are in control of your sexual power. No one can give it to you. You give it to yourself! A man doesn't give you an orgasm. You allow yourself to receive one.” Oh my God. I thought the British were tight-lipped about sex? Apparently, Tula's second home in California served her well when it came to forward-thinking in her career field. However, Frost Forest and the Northeast in general was a bit more akin to England.
I nervously bit my lip while I watched several women sitting in the circle spontaneously burst out in a hot flash when Tula introduced the topic of different types of orgasms. Where did I put the first aid kit? We might need the smelling salts by the end of this evening.
Thankfully, things calmed down a little bit once Tulah wheeled out the tripod and started showcasing her educational posters. We learned that the clitoris was not just a little nub. In fact, it had legsーinternal ones that were highly sensitive. Our guests watched with rapt interest, and I considered their requests for notepads and pens as a mark that things were going well.
“Does anyone have any questions?” asked Tula. “And there's no such thing as a stupid question. Ladies, we're sitting amongst friends here in the tree of trust in our feminine power.”
Mary Ann raised her hand. “I can't find my clitoris.”
Tula nodded sympathetically, then glanced at me. “Eloise, dear girl, draw the curtains closed.”
Now I might need the smelling salts! Why in the hell is Tula asking me to draw the curtains? No. No. Oh goodness, Candice is getting up and doing it herself!
Candice reached the window. She paused with her hands on either of the curtains, then aggressively closed the curtains. She whirled around to face the circle. “There's a man outside with a gun, pointing it at the house.”
My heart lurched and then I immediately relaxed. “Candice, it's okay. That's officer Bob out there. He's dropping by to make sure we're safe.”
Candice shook her head, eyes wide with worry. “Officer Bob is lying face down in the yard.”
There was a pregnant pause in the parlor before a bullet shattered a window in the back of the house, and it sounded as the though kitchen door had been kicked open.
The parlor turned into a silent movie. Teacups were placed on chairs, hands were thrown in the air, and with the grace of cooperative effort, all
the women filed out of the parlor straight up the main staircase. Tula rushed over to me and whispered harshly. “Find a phone and call Troy! I'll tend to the ladies upstairs and hide them in the attic! And for God's sake, Eloise, don’t die! You're the heiress to Winnie's tea empire!” She slapped me on the shoulder and disappeared at the steps.
Chapter 14 - Troy
“Everett, put down the shovel. We’re not here to take you to the doctor’s office, it’s nine in the evening, and Doc Rosen’s office has been closed for two hours,” I said and rubbed a hand down my face.
“Why did you bring him?” asked Everett Probst, jabbing his shovel into the air toward Jeremy.
Jeremy stepped back a foot and glared at me. “Yeah, why did you bring me? Clearly, I’m a bee in this old-timer’s bonnet.”
“What’d you say?” asked Everett, glaring at Jeremy.
“I’d rather be drinking tea and reading a sonnet back at El’s teahouse. They are having a meeting there tonight, and we really should get going,” said Jeremy in an extra loud voice.
Everett Probst’s bushy, white eyebrows pinched together, which caused some of his extra-long hairs to spike out like a porcupine. “Tea and a sonnet... What kind of people are they allowing into the academy these days?
If I weren’t so anxious to return to the Lamplight, I would’ve allowed Everett and Jeremy to continue nettling one another so I could quietly collect all the shovels from the barn, but I had other things on my mind. I’d radioed Bob several minutes ago and hadn’t heard back from him yet, which was odd. And anything odd needed to be checked out.
“Everett, I confiscated all of your ladders, and so help me, I will take all your shovels too if you don’t stop threatening people with them,” I growled.
Everett widened his stance. “Fine! I’ll just get my pistol then.”
“Oh Jesus, let the man keep his shovels,” muttered Jeremy.
I took a deep breath and looked Everett straight in the face. “Everett, I see you for who you are.”
“You do?” asked Everett, cautiously.
“You do?” asked Jeremy, incredulous.
I ignored them both. “I know that you’ve got the heart of a protector, and you’re just trying to protect your farm . . . and your dignity. I know that because I’d do the same damned thing if I were in your shoes.”
The anger and fear etched over the farmers' features softened. “If you know that, then, please, leave me alone. I’m doing the best that I can with what I’ve got,” said Everett, letting the shovel head hit the ground.
I nodded. “I know that us showing up at your property and pulling you off your barn roof, taking your ladders, and asking you to meet with your estranged sons probably looks and feels like we’re picking on you. In reality, we’re here because we’re worried about you. Christ, Everett, we care about what happens to you.”
“It’s true, we do,” said Jeremy, and Everett started to lift the shovel head slightly.
“Shut the hell up, Jeremy, you’re the bee, remember?” I whispered.
“I’m just going to go wait beside the cruiser,” grumbled Jeremy and stalked off.
“I take care of what needs to be taken care of,” said Everett, defensively.
“You’ve got to include your health in the list of what you take care ofー”
“Troy! We gotta roll, El texted that she and the ladies need help. Someone is at the inn with a gun,” yelled Jeremy.
A white flash of blind terror momentarily robbed me of my senses, and the only thing I could see was El and her sweet smiling face. My El. Then, my adrenaline spiked. I didn’t remember leaving the Probst Farm. I didn’t remember the drive down Preacher Road. My memory snapped back online when I pulled into the inn’s lane and parked just before the tree line of the lawn in order to stay out of sight from the inn. Jeremy radioed for backup and an ambulance.
“El must’ve lost access to her cell phone because she’s not responding to any more of my texts. She said there’s a man with a gun inside the house, wrecking the office and Bob’s laying in the yard not moving,” said Jeremy.
“Check on Bob, get on the radio with Dolly, and tell her everything you know so she can disseminate the information,” I said, opening the driver’s side door.
“Wait, where are you going?” asked Jeremy
“I’m going in,” I said.
“Inside? Wait, you don’t know enough about the situation, and we don’t have any backup yet,” said Jeremy, looking nervous.
“I know the woman I love is inside that house, and you are my backup,” I said and stepped from the cruiser. I ran down the side of the house close to the tree line then darted for the back porch where there weren’t as many lit lanterns.
I scaled my way against the house, moving toward the kitchen but heard voices coming from inside the downstairs office that El and Chloe shared. It was a big room filled with desks, chairs, cabinets, and tables piled with boxes. Approaching from the side, I carefully peered through the window, and my blood pressure spiked when I saw Devin Sharpe hovering over El while she sat at her computer with a gun pressed into her back. I didn’t have a clear shot to take without compromising El. I cursed inwardly. El was talking with Devin, and from the looks and sounds of things, she was not a cooperative hostage.
“Devin, I don’t know what you’re talking about. If Winnie isn’t in St. Tropez, then I don’t know where she is,” said El.
“What do you take me for, a fucking fool? It doesn’t matter. I’m here now and you’re going to log into Winnie’s account and transfer funds to the account number I wrote down,” said Devin, angry.
“I don’t know her bank account information!” cried El.
Devin pinched the bridge of his nose. “Listen, El, you can’t be this fucking useless. I didn't fly the whole way over here just for you to tell me that you don’t know where Winnie is or what her passwords are. If I weren’t so excited to burn this place to the ground, I would just have shot you. Instead, you can sit here, zip-tied to this chair, and burn like a witch. And so can your little motley crew, cowering upstairs.”
“Why are you doing this?” cried El, exasperated and scared; it made my stomach roll.
“Because Winnie stole money from me, so I’m just returning the favor. She and my uncle were married for six years, six measly, fucking years! And that bastard left her over half of his fortune, which should’ve been mine. No, instead, Winne gives him a little ass and steals my future. She used my money to help further her tea business. It’s still my money. Winnie acts like my logic doesn’t make sense. Well, maybe it will once she has a gun shoved in her face. Wouldn’t you agree, Eloise?” asked Devin.
A loud bang sounded from the front lawn area, and Devin straightened and quickly exited the office. I tapped on the window, and Eloise looked over at the window, wide-eyed.
“Troy!” she said, and I quickly pressed a finger to my mouth to quiet her and made a hand motion to stay still and quiet.
There was a commotion outside the office door, and El started to yell at Devin to leave someone alone. He reappeared dragging a limp Tula Cooper Parks by the legs. I ducked my head and ran toward the office door.
The exterior door to studyーthe room where El had planned to run her tea shop out ofーwas thankfully unlocked. I swiftly entered the inn and made my way toward the hall when I heard another set of heavy footsteps. Damn it. Is Devin working with someone?
I peered around the corner; the hall was clear, and I walked silently, keeping close to the wall until I reached the office where El was being kept hostage and Tula’s limp body lay on the floor.
I entered the office, gun drawn, ready to take out Devin but only saw El and Tula.
“Troy, thank God. He walked out of the room after that noise outside. Tula is alive and breathing. I see her ribcage rising and falling, but I don’t know how badly she’s injured. Is backup and an ambulance on the way?”
I nodded, staying silent, and rushed over to El to quickly cut th
e zip ties. Devin had put two around each of her arms and legs. What a twisted, sick asshole! I scanned the desk for scissors and found a pair laying on top of Chloe's desk and immediately set to work to free El. I almost had all of the zip ties cut that pinned her down except for two on her right arm. Her wrist and her elbow remained tied to the wooden chair.
“Troy! He's back,” cried El.
I concentrated so hard on removing the zip tie that I hadn’t realized Devin Sharpe had returned and was standing right outside the door.
“Aw, isn’t this cute? The trooper is trying to be a hero for the girl he’s fucking. Yeah, that’s right, I know that you’re fucking because I’ve been watching you for days. It’s kind of hard to safeguard a house surrounded by woods, isn’t it?” Devin laughed, shrugged, and then leveled his pistol right at me.
“Take out your gun, Officer Troy, empty the bullets and then slide the pistol, with the chamber open, over here along the floor. If you don’t cooperate, I’ll press this trigger, and Eloise will be riddled with bullet holes before you can even lift your weapon.
The man is a fucking psycho path. I slowly started to empty my chamber, one bullet a time.
“HURRY UP, ASSHOLE. Yeah, that’s right. Now slide the pistol on the ground to me. Nicely done,” said Devin.
I had no choice but to do as Sharp asked. I refused to put El’s life in danger, and I was banking on there being one more distraction so I could unholster the other pistol I carried in the small of my back and hoping that backup was on the way. “If you stop while you’re ahead, Sharpe, you can keep the charges low. This doesn’t have to end badly.”
Devin laughed. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me? I’ve already killed stupid fucking Nigel Phillips because he wouldn’t do what I asked. Had he transferred the funds, I’d already be living my island dream life. But apparently, Winnie likes to befriend morons. Once I killed him, I knew that there was no turning back and hiding out like I did for years after I accidentally blew up Tula’s husband instead of her.