by Vikki Walton
“I’m sure that’s true. But if I had waited, it may have caught the wall behind the stove on fire, and the whole place would have gone up.”
Trish smeared some plum jam on her toast and took a bite. “ Mmm. I love your jam, Pop.”
He grunted and kept eating.
“So, any more thoughts on Hector or Kimberly?”
Christie set her fork down. “I think it was just an accident with Hector. Kimberly may have been having an affair with him. But that’s not for me to judge.”
“Then, Kimberly gets off, scot free. Again.”
“What do you mean?” Christie stared at Trish.
“Don’t you ever feel like she has everything handed to her on a silver platter?”
“No. Trish, what’s up?”
Pop wiped his mouth with his napkin and stood up. “I’ll leave you to it.” He went out to the front.
Christie heard the truck start up. “Hold on, Trish. He doesn’t need to be driving yet.” She rushed out front, yelling, “Pop! Pop!” She waved her hands in the air, and he stopped the truck. She ran over to his window. “Where are you going? Your arm isn’t healed. You shouldn’t be driving.”
“I’m going to see Curtis. I’m a grown man, and no one tells me what I can or can’t do, not even you.”
“But—”
“No buts.” He swiveled to face her better. “I don’t give advice, and you can throw mine out, too, but sometimes we’re so close to something, we can’t see the trees for the forest.”
“You mean the forest for the trees?”
“Nope. But you’ll have to figure it out on your own.” He tipped his hat, and Christie backed away from the truck. She watched as he drove off, then made her way back into the kitchen. Trish stood at the sink, washing up the skillet.
“Thanks for doing that. I appreciate it.” Christie wiped down the table and put the condiments in the refrigerator.
“Happy to help.” Trish turned the heat on under the skillet to dry it.
Christie stared at the skillet.
“What’s up?”
“The skillet.”
“What about it?” Trish looked back at the stove.
“My Pop always uses the left front side.”
“Okay?”
“You put it on the right side in the front.”
Trish cocked her head. “Sorry. I’m not getting your meaning. Do I need to move it over?”
“No.” Christie shook her head. “I’m just thinking out loud here.” She walked over and put the skillet on the left hand side. Then, she pushed it to the back burner. She stared at the stove.
“Am I missing something here?” Trish looked from the stove to Christie.
“No. Just trying to figure things out.”
Trish smiled at Christie. “Girl, I think you are tired. That fire business, along with everything else, has gotten to you. Should we take another horseback ride?”
“I’d love to, but not today. How about a walk over to the creek?”
“Sounds nice.”
The pair walked and talked about high school antics, what had been happening in the years since, and Christie shared about the experience in Colorado getting snowed in with a killer college classmate. “That’s why I had to take a break. I’m used to death in my profession, but it was the final straw as they say. I needed to get away for a while.”
“I’m glad you’re home. It’s nice having you back here,” Trish quipped.
They reached the crest of the hill, then started down the path to the creek. A vehicle was parked at the bottom, close to where Hector’s truck had been.
Trish huffed. “The nerve of that woman!”
The two strode toward Kimberly’s truck. The woman looked up and wiped her eyes as they approached. “Hi. I just felt the need to come see where…” She stifled a sob.
“Where Hector died?” Trish spat out.
Christie turned and looked at Trish, who bit her lip.
“Kimberly, I—”
“I told you to stay away from Cole.”
“What are you talking about? Wait, were you spying on us the other day?”
“I thought Cole was cheating on me, and it turns out I was right!”
Christie stepped forward. “I don’t know what you think you saw, but nothing, and I do mean nothing, is going on between me and Cole. Anyway, I think that’s a bit like the pot calling the kettle black, don’t you think?”
Kimberly pushed her hair back from her heavily made up face. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Trish chimed in. “Hey, let’s calm down. We’re all friends, remember? How about we all take a breath?”
“You’re right,” Christie said. She looked around. “Remember when we all used to come down here in the summer?”
Kimberly moved away from the truck and over toward a bank of trees. “We had such fun here. Everyone would bring something to eat and drink, and some nights, we’d have a campfire. It was the best time of my life.”
“If stealing people’s boyfriends is what you call ‘the best times.’,” Trish snapped.
“Whoa, there.” Christie was stunned by the sudden change in Trish. “What happened to ‘let’s take a break?’”
Trish and Kimberly glared at each other.
“I have to go.” Trish turned on her heel and strode back to the house, leaving Kimberly and Christie behind.
“As always. Trying to get attention and have the last word.”
“I don’t see—” Christie swatted at a fly.
“Of course, you don’t. You never saw her for who she really is.” Kimberly turned and faced the creek. “It’s really hot. I think I’m going to stick my feet in the water.”
“I’ll join you and you can tell me more about what you mean.”
The pair sat in companionable silence. Finally, Kimberly faced Christie.
“Okay. I do owe you an apology. I did steal Cole from you in high school. It was wrong, but at the time, I was just hung up on all that head cheerleader, quarterback garbage. I’m sorry.”
“Thanks. Yes, back then, it was hurtful, but to be honest, I really prefer having my own space. I don’t think I’m the marrying kind.”
Kimberly splashed her pink-tipped toes in the water. “I think I’ve always wanted to be married. I would buy the big books of wedding dresses and envision my wedding day.”
“And yet, here you are.” Christie moved to a more comfortable position against a tree.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Christie motioned back to the field. “Hector.”
Kimberly shook her head. “I’m sorry. What are you talking about?”
“Do I have to come right out and say it?”
“I guess so, since I haven’t a clue what you’re talking about.” She picked up her shoes and put them back on.
“You were having an affair with Hector.”
“What?” Kimberly rose and stood on the creek’s bank. “Are you insane? I’d never cheat on Cole.”
“Someone’s been having an affair with Hector. We figured out that it was either Emma or you. You both have the same fair coloring, the same build, same hair color…”
Kimberly broke down laughing. “Oh. My. Gosh. Just like I said! You are so blind. Same build, same hair color…” She lifted a perfectly arched eyebrow. “Everyone in town knows that when Mike’s away, the cat comes out to play.”
Chapter Fourteen
Christie paced back and forth across the yard.
Why? Why? Why?
The question repeated in her mind.
“You’re gonna dig a trench with all your pacing back and forth, girlie.”
She sighed and joined her father on the porch. “Pop, I have a big decision to make. I don’t want to lose a friendship, but I can’t let this stand, either. I have to know the truth.”
“You’ll figure out the best way forward.” He stood as a white truck pulled up into the yard. Two people were inside. The Websters.
&nb
sp; Geez. If this is how they were before I arrived no wonder Pop is acting as he has.
Tyler strolled up to the porch, and Emma followed. “Mr. Taylor?”
“That’s who you’re speaking to.”
“Emma has informed me that you don’t want to sell any of your property for an easement next to the Altgelt property.”
“Correct.”
Christie held back a smirk. Her Pop wasn’t one to mince words.
“Mr. Taylor, I can certainly understand your hesitation. As such, I’ve increased the offer for that area of land.” He held out a piece of paper, but Pop did not take it, so Tyler then turned and handed it to Christie, who gave it a cursory glance.
Whoa, that’s a lot of zeros.
She handed it back to Tyler. “I don’t think you understand, Mr. Webster. As my father has told Hector, Cole, Emma and now you, this place is not for sale, nor is any part of it.”
Tyler Webster handed the paperwork to Emma, who folded it up and stuffed it into her large purse. “We’ll be creating a wonderful development on the Altgelt property, and you can keep your property but have a nice nest egg for your retirement.”
Pop rocked back and forth in the chair but said nothing.
Tyler continued. “We’ll be closing on the Altgelt property soon.”
“Are ya now?” Pop stood and shook his head. “You know what I can’t abide? Liars.” He shooed the Websters off with a flick of his wrist. “You know you may think I fell off the turnip truck. But I’ll tell you this, it certainly wasn’t yesterday. Now, get off my property before I sic these dogs on you.” Mutt and Jeffrey raised their heads, tails thumping.
Tyler scoffed and said, “I’ll take my chances.”
“I bet you won’t take your chances if I grab my eight gauge.”
“Are you threatening us to shoot us?” Emma’s eyes widened.
“I don’t threaten. You are trespassing on my property. You’re threatening me by getting out of that there truck and coming up to my porch.”
The pair took a step back.
Pop rose and his voice was calm as he said, “Here’s how I see it. Curtis is no more selling his property than I am, so you can just tell those greedy kin of his to crawl back under the rock they came from. I’m not selling you one blade of grass. So, git—and don’t come back!”
Emma and Tyler moved toward the truck. “This isn’t the end of this.”
After they left, Christie spoke to her father. “Pop, do you know for a fact that Curtis isn’t selling? I mean, he’s hurt pretty badly, and at his age, the property would pass to those boys since they’re the only relatives.”
“Not to worry. Me and Curtis, we got it all figured out. We talked the other day when I visited him in the hospital. It’s all taken care of.”
Christie sat back in the rocker. “What did you do?”
“You needn’t worry your pretty head over it. Just know it’s safe from those buzzards. Now, back to what we were talking about. I feel like you’ve come to a decision about something, am I right?”
She nodded her head. “Yes, I have to do something, and while I’m not sure I want to, it’s the right thing to do.”
He nodded. “You know in your heart what you have to do. The best way to pull off a bandage is to yank it off. It hurts a lot, but it’s better that way.”
“Okay.” Christie picked up her phone and punched in a number she never wanted to call. “I need to speak to Sheriff Clauson, please.”
***
“I’m so glad you invited me out for another ride. I needed a break from the house.” Trish shifted in her saddle. They’d ridden across the property and were now back by the creek.
“Me, too. With dad’s accident, then the fire, it was just a lot to deal with.” She dismounted and led Champ over to the water to drink.
Trish followed suit with Scout walking behind her.
“You know, I talked with Kimberly the other day. She apologized for stealing Cole in high school.” Christie fed Champ part of an apple.
“Really? That’s a shocker.” Trish led her horse to the creek. “She always thought she could take whatever she wanted. Do whatever she wanted. She’s one of those people who the sun always seems to shine on, ya know?”
“Yes. Remember that time in school with her cat? How she got all that attention after it scratched her? Then, it died?”
“Do I? I hated that cat. It scratched me too, if you remember. I think Kimberly was pulling it away when it scratched her.” She sat on the grass. “But who got the attention? Not me! It was always Kimberly.”
CRACK. The sound came from the brush pile near them. Trish peered over that way. Christie motioned toward the creek. “Must be a momma deer. Been seeing quite a few lately with their fawns coming down to drink.”
Trish nodded, “Yep, lots of deer on the Altgelt place too.” She hesitated. “I mean, I’d think there were.”
“Makes sense.” Picking at a piece of tall grass, Christie quipped, “Back to what you were saying, Kimberly always did get the attention in our group. I would be surprised if she didn’t kill that cat, herself. I mean, who could blame her? That cat was mean. Besides, look at all the sympathy she received.”
“Yeah. I didn’t expect that.”
“What?”
“Nothing.” Trish leaned back on her elbows, closed her eyes, and lifted her face toward the sun. “Let’s not talk about Kimberly.”
“Okay.” Christie crossed her legs and said quietly, “You know, Cole made a pass at me the other day. I think he wants to leave Kimberly.”
Trish shot upright. “What did you say? He made a pass? At you?”
“I know, right? I’m so different from Kimberly. She’s petite, I’m substantial. She’s a blonde, and I’m a brunette. You’d think if he had a type, he would have made a pass at you.”
Trish bolted up, and Christie quickly followed, while she continued speaking. “In fact, you and Kimberly, and even Emma Webster, are all similar in looks. From a distance—”
Trish clenched her fists tightly as vitriol poured forth, “I’m not stupid. You can stop your innuendoes.”
Christie took a step back. “You were the one having the affair with Hector, not Kimberly, and not Emma. You tried to make it look like it was Kimberly by leaving things you knew she used at his house. You wanted her to look guilty.”
“You think you’re so smart. I didn’t want to kill Hector. I wanted to kill Kimberly!” Her hand flew to her mouth and then she laughed loudly. “Whoops. Didn’t mean to say that aloud. Oh, well. Too late now.” She laughed hysterically. “Christie, look at your face. I’m kidding, silly. Why would I want to kill anyone?”
Christie kept talking. “Kimberly stole Cole from you. You wanted her out of the picture. Who could blame you with Mike gone all the time and so much responsibility on your shoulders at home.”
Trish shook her hands and paced back and forth. “That’s right. I’ve had a hard time. How could anyone blame me? I’ve loved Cole my entire life. I wanted him. First, I had to stop you all from dating in high school. That was easy.”
This shocked Christie, but she didn’t want to stop Trish from continuing.
“Before I even had a chance, Kimberly swooped in and grabbed him. That was okay. I had found Mike at the time, but that soon fizzled. He’s worthless. So, I waited. I knew they were unhappy and that it would only be a matter of time. But then Kimberly had the girls. I tried to get Cole to think Kimberly was a bad mother, but even that didn’t work.” She stopped pacing and her eyes narrowed as she spoke.
“Hector was a diversion. That was all. One night Hector told me he and Cole were thinking of starting up their own firm. It was Kimberly’s idea. He said they’d found a great opportunity for them in the Austin area. She was going to take him away from me again!” Trish spat out, her fists clenching again. “I couldn’t let her take Cole. He was close to leaving her, then, we would be together. Mike’s gone all the time. He makes good money in the oil field,
or I would have left him sooner. No, I had to stop her. I knew what to do.”
“You’ve always been clever.”
Be quiet. Let her talk.
Trish glanced at her like she’d just realized Christie was there. “Yes, I’m smart, all right. Kimberly drinks these stupid electrolyte drinks. She says they give her energy. I didn’t know she’d gotten Hector hooked on them.” She shrugged. “I mean, how was I to know, right?”
Christie nodded but said nothing.
“But that was even better. Now, I could really get rid of Kimberly. I started rumors, knowing they’d get back to Hector, by telling Marie about Cole possibly starting a business without Hector. That’s why he and Kimberly were fighting in the parking lot. Marie’s a huge gossip and I knew she’d confront Hector as soon as she could. Then, I planted things of Kimberly’s at his house and started the rumors about the affair. We look enough alike that people would easily believe she was the woman they’d seen with Hector.”
An idea formed in Christie’s mind. “Like the woman who lives across from Hector.”
“Lived. Past tense. Poor dear. But when you said she was the only witness, well, I couldn’t let her say something, now, could I? I told her when I went to her door that you loved that color pink but were too embarrassed to ask about the shade. Later, I took her a pie—from you, of course. But I had to get a pie pan from your house. You know, just in case someone decided she died of something other than old age.”
Christie felt her stomach clench. She’d sealed a woman’s death warrant. “So you started the fire in our kitchen?”
Trish jerked back. “What kind of a person do you think I am? Of course not.” She glared at Christie. “I thought we were friends.”
She’s insane.
“We are. I was just trying to figure out the fire. You know, loose ends.”
Trish took a step toward Christie. “Ahhh, Christie. I always thought we were BFF’s, but Cole making a pass at you? You shouldn’t have told me that.” She took another step.
“What are you, five-two? You think you’re going to fight me?” Christie asked.
“Oh, I have something that makes our height not an issue.” Trish reached down and pulled a knife from her boot. She switched it open.