“And you were right,” Truman said. “I feel sorry for the old guy. Anderson Bowles was a real piece of work, and I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that the thought of capping him myself had crossed my mind.”
Chapter 26
It was a garden society meeting no one would ever forget. “First time we’ve had someone arrested before we were all the way through the agenda,” Mrs. Granger grumped at no one in particular as she cleared away the crumb-filled plates and put them on the seat of her walker. “I’m not sure there’s much more we can do to top that one for excitement.”
Mrs. Bitterman picked up some of the plates and excused herself, following her friend into the kitchen so they could talk privately.
As soon as she was out of earshot Amanda turned to James.
“So what happens now?” she asked.
He sighed, suddenly looking very tired. “I’m sure the judge will consider his age and background, as well the circumstances for why he did it. Still, I doubt he’ll be coming back. If you saw Mrs. Bitterman’s face, she knew it, too.”
“He didn’t even know her granddaughter. He may have met her a couple of times but that would’ve been it. Why would he risk murdering someone?”
“Can’t you guess?” James asked softly.
“He did it for love.” Amanda voice was bleak.
“Yes, he did.” James sat down beside her on Mrs. Granger’s antique setee, which squeaked alarmingly under his weight. “It sounds like he doesn’t regret his decision, and I’d bet good money that Mrs. Bitterman will be his most frequent visitor.”
He sighed, seeing the unhappiness on her face. “Well, you did it. You put all the pieces together.”
“If I did something so great, why do I feel so bad about it?” She tried to keep her voice from quivering. James suddenly stood up and held out his hand. “I’ve got a brilliant idea, detective,” he said, using his newest nickname for Amanda. “I have something I want to show you.”
“I’ll drive.”
By the time James had steered his car through the rich autumn colors of Main Street and down the winding road by the beach, Amanda had an inkling of where he was going, but she was still displeased when her guess proved correct.
Amanda had never gone back to the pier where she been attacked by Charles Timmins. It brought up too many painful memories of the horrible feeling of being choked and dragged while Charles desperately figured out a way to kill her so that his secret, that he was a cold-blooded killer, would not be revealed. When James said that he wanted to meet her at the same place she’d struggled for her life she’d been shocked.
“What are you doing?” She tried to keep her voice even, although her heart threatened to burst through her chest. “James, I think I’ve hit my target heart rate enough in the last few weeks. I’d like to go home now.”
James parked the car in the gravel parking lot, and turned off the ignition.
“Okay,” he said. “I just have one request. Please hear me out for two minutes and if you want after that, I’ll drive you wherever you’d like to go. Is that okay?”
She eyed him warily. She could see the sincerity in his face, in whatever he was doing.
“Two minutes.”
He smiled gently. “Thank you, Amanda. I brought you here to celebrate, not to upset you.”
At the word ‘celebrate’ Amanda raised her eyebrows, but James continued. “Since the first day you came to Ravenwood Cove you’ve been a survivor, sometimes in business and sometimes literally. This is a place that shows your strength and your brains.” He gestured to the abandoned pier. “No matter what has happened to you, you’ve always tried to move forward. You’ve come so far, and you’ve made Ravenwood your home. I think you have a lot to be proud of.”
“James, it still hurts to see this place. Sometimes I have nightmares.”
“I know, and that’s exactly why I brought you here.” He turned and reached behind his seat, pulling out a bottle and two wine glasses. Amanda laughed when she saw the label on the bottle; it was only sparkling grape juice. At her inquisitive look, James knew exactly what she was thinking.
“What did you think this was, champagne?” He mockingly shook her finger at her as he handed her one of the glasses. “You know me better than to think I’d be drinking and driving.”
He opened the juice and expertly poured her a glass, clinking his wineglass on hers. His face turned serious.
“This is your hometown now, Amanda,” he said. “You need to chase away the ghosts and not be afraid of anything around here because you’re going to live in Ravenwood Cove for a long time. We are all here for you, and it’s time to look back with pride and look forward with hope.”
She took a small sip and smiled. “Did you practice that?”
He laughed in return. “You think I could come up with such a brilliant speech on the fly? No way.”
They drank their juice and looked out into the empty parking lot, the sound of waves coming through the closed windows. Amanda closed her eyes and felt more relaxed than she had in a long time.
“I’ll try,” she promised, and James smiled.
“That’s all I ask.”
Chapter 27
Ravenwood Cove’s annual Harvest Festival was one of the high points of the year for the little beach town, and this time the unpredictable Oregon weather had actually cooperated. It had been dry and beautifully clear for the last four days, and a fat orange harvest moon shone like a huge lantern over the small carnival near the Grange Hall. The dark velvet sky was thick with brilliant stars and there was a hint of a warm breeze that seemed to bring out every person who lived within ten miles of the town.
The organizers and shop owners had used every bit of those dry days they could to set up the Festival. There was a lot to do, including preparing for judging the produce contest, getting the vendors’ booths set up, and decorating the Grange Hall for the dance that night. The carnival company had rolled in two days ahead of time, setting up a carousel and several fun houses for the kids, as well as an inflatable bouncy castle.
James and his family had lent their pair of beautiful Belgian draft horses and big flatbed trailer for the hayride, which looped through the small town and down through the woods by the beach, then circled around to start all over again by the Grange Hall. It had been a pleasure to meet James’ father, Donald, who once he found out who she was had brightened up and seemed overly eager to shake her hand.
Amanda made sure to walk through the entire carnival before it was actually open, ensuring it was ready for the influx of townspeople and tourists that had been talking nonstop about the festivities. The caramel apples and popcorn balls were all ready, and carnival rides and old-fashioned games waited for the crowds to arrive.
By the time the festival had officially started, there were already couples happily drifting into the Grange Hall, ready to dance. Amanda had worn a new dress, and it felt good to get out of her normal working clothes and dress up a bit. She felt kind of girly, and that was rare. Scanning the room she looked for Meg and Lisa and quickly spotted them by the refreshment table, setting out platters of cookies and filling the huge punch bowls with spiced cider. Meg put out a glass canister next to the drinks, and Amanda already knew that the small sign taped to it would ask for donations for victims of domestic violence. There’d been some debate about what charity to choose to receive the money, but the committee had finally decided that after all the ugliness of having to deal with the death of Anderson Bowles, a good-sized contribution to a local women’s shelter was needed and very appropriate.
The raised stage was packed with the band’s equipment and music stands, and Amanda was surprised to see James leaning over, connecting some cables for the microphones.
“Hey, cowboy, what are you doing here?” she asked, trying to sound casual. He looked really nice, wearing a new Western shirt and his dark hair brushed back.
He looked up, surprised, and immediately smiled, his eyes taking in her out
fit. “Wow! Great dress. Looks like you came to dance,” he said with a grin.
She was getting used to the laugh lines around the corner of James’ eyes, and she liked them. More than that, she liked it when she was the reason she made him smile.
“Well, I’m not a very good dancer,” she admitted.
James shrugged. “Neither am I, but we can give it a try, right? I have some things to do, but I’ll be back in a bit after the band’s started playing, so save me a dance, okay?”
The dance floor was softly lit with strings of Christmas bulbs, both white and harvest colors. When the band got started Amanda could understand why so many people came to dance. The band was great, effortlessly switching from fast dance music to sweet slow dances with practiced ease. Halfway through the second song, Amanda was surprised to see James back on the stage, reaching over and pulling out a dark wood violin. Tapping his foot and waiting for the right moment, he started to play an Irish jig, the sound of the fiddle perfect with the beat of the music. Dancers swarmed onto the dance floor, drawn by the irresistible rhythm and lively tempo. It sounded like he had been playing for years, and suddenly something clicked in her head.
By the time he had played two jigs, she’d formed the question in her mind to ask him, and as soon as he hopped off the stage and came her way, she was ready.
“So, this is why you blew me off the other day?” He took her hand and moved with her onto the dance floor, smiling.
James shrugged and effortlessly twirled her, her skirt flaring around her as she spun. Drawing her close again, he confessed. “I’ve been playing Irish fiddle ever since my Mom taught me as a kid. When the town band needs a fiddler, I’m their guy. Used to play violin in the high school orchestra, but I love traditional folk music.”
Amanda pulled back, surprise showing on her face. “Orchestra? Really? I thought you were more of a football player sort in high school.”
He grinned. “Who says you can’t be both? Hope there’s more to me than some jock stereotype, lady. Otherwise, I’d be a pretty boring guy.”
The music slowed in tempo and Amanda was pulled closer to James’ chest, her hand holding his as they swayed to the beat. She looked up and caught a glimpse of his extraordinarily smug expression, until he looked down and saw her observing him.
“What? Can’t a guy just dance and be happy once in a while?”
She smiled. “Looks good on you.”
At the end of their dance, James was back on stage for two more numbers, much to the delight of the crowd. At the end of the second jig, he motioned to Amanda.
“I’ll meet you at the hayride, okay?” he said, stashing his fiddle back in its case. “Be just a few minutes.” She nodded, then headed outside and stood on the stairs of the Grange Hall overlooking the carnival and the throngs of happy people enjoying a beautiful autumn night. She could hear the music from the merry-go-round, and there were clusters of people walking from booth to booth, enjoying the rides and eating corn on the cob or ice cream.
This is a million miles away from LA, she thought, and for the first time she could honestly say that she loved her new life more than anything else she’d ever done. There were things in her past she regretted and there were things in the past she’d like to forget, but it felt like a brand-new in Ravenwood Cove, and the smiling people had made it all happen.
She felt a large hand on her elbow and turned to see James smiling down at her. “You ever been on a hayride before?” he asked.
She grinned. “What do you think? This is the first time I’ve ever been to a carnival like this, let alone a hayride.” The horse-drawn trailer had just pulled up and about a dozen teenagers were hopping off the back, several of them holding hands with their high school crushes. James’s father still held the reins, but he looked over his shoulder at his son and the pretty girl climbing into the back of the hay-strewn wagon.
“I don’t think you should wait for anyone else this time, do you?” he asked with a twinkle in his eye. James grinned broadly and shook his head, and his father started off even though there were other people walking toward the pickup point.
The back of the trailer was packed with bales of tied straw, the railings around the edge of the trailer keeping them in place, and lots of fresh hay thrown into the middle so it would be comfortable to sit on the floor.
Amanda turned toward James, who had stretched his long body out and had his hands clasped behind his head, stretched out and perfectly at ease.
“You set this up, didn’t you, James?” she asked suspiciously, one eyebrow raised. James had the good sense to try to appear embarrassed, but just as he was about to say something, maybe to defend himself, the cart hit a pothole and she rolled toward him as she bounced off the bottom of the dray.
He put an arm around her shoulders. “I thought you could use some time to relax. You’ve had a tough time lately,” he answered, looking up at the stars.
Amanda sighed. “It seems like all I’ve done recently is work and try to solve other people’s problems.” She turned to him, her mouth twisted in regret. “I’ve ticked off some of the people that I care about the most, and I just hate that.”
“Which people?”
“You were mad at me when I didn’t tell you that I knew Mr. Peetman, and Meg was mad at me because I questioned her about maybe killing Anderson Bowles. Mrs. Granger still is hardly speaking to me because of how I talked to Mrs. Bitterman the day Owen was arrested, and that one really hurts.” Amanda tried to keep the emotional waver out of her voice but it was hard. She’d come to think of Mrs. Granger as family and with some of her other friends ticked off, too, it really hurt.
James drew her soft hand into his and brought his head down so that he could look her directly in the eyes. “Mrs. Granger loves you and so do your friends. Part of being in a small town means we get into each other’s business once in a while. You learn that you don’t have the luxury of walking away from relationships when you’re going to bump into that person at the grocery store or on Main Street and have to say hello to them. It just doesn’t work that way. She’s probably gotten over it by now but even if she hasn’t, give her a couple of days and then show up at Petrie’s with chocolate eclairs and your best apology and you two can talk about it.” He patted her hand reassuringly. “Meg knows why you had asked those questions about her relationship, and even though I didn’t like it that you didn’t tell me about Mr. Peetman I can understand you were wanting to protect him since he had saved your life. It’s okay.” He paused, and added “I’m just glad you’re safe.”
Amanda smiled, but the sudden spark in James’ eyes wasn’t about friendship or making amends. It was hunger and appreciation and longing, and even before he dipped his head toward hers she knew what was going to happen.
The kiss was warm, soft, and perfect. His lips slid over hers, the simple touch of his mouth sending little shivers through her as she kissed him back, her hands sliding around the back of his neck without her even thinking about it. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her toward him as he continued the kiss, his mouth now exploring and seeking hers.
This was unlike any kiss she’d had before. It wasn’t about possession or someone trying to convince her to fall into bed with him. It was about controlled passion and absolute appreciation for who she was, and what she meant to him. When James finally came up for air and pulled back a bit, she could see a sense of deep satisfaction in his eyes.
She gulped, trying to catch her breath and slow her racing heartbeat.
“Wow.”
James laughed, a chuckle of absolute joy, and gave her a quick bear hug. “You said it, lady. Wow.”
Amanda could hear James’ father carefully whistling a random tune while he pretended to ignore them and made sure the horses stayed on the right path. She leaned her head against James’ broad chest, hearing the rapid thud of his heartbeat through his flannel shirt.
“Does this mean I finally get to ask you out?” he asked, his tone teasing bu
t his eyes deadly serious.
“I guess it does.” She gave a little chuckle and sighed, thinking back to her wish to find a life here in Ravenwood Cove. With all the chaos and craziness that had happened since she’d moved to the little beach town from LA, snuggling up to James in the back of a hay wagon was the most relaxed and safe she’d felt since she’d arrived. Maybe that feeling was worth exploring, or even risking showing her true self to other people. Maybe it was worth gambling her heart, this time on a place and a man who were unlike anything she’d ever known before. The thought was both thrilling and frightening, but with everything she’d been through perhaps it had made her a bit more brave.
Donald had slowed the horses to a lazy walk, but even with that pace the hayride eventually looped back toward the Harvest Festival. As they got closer to the music and lights of the carnival, Amanda slowly extracted herself from James’ arms and sat up, brushing off the hay from her clothes. James watched her silently, a small smile playing around his lips and she could feel a flush of heat wash across her face as she saw him just looking at her.
“What?” she asked, trying to keep a straight face.
“I just like looking at you, that’s all,” he said, sitting up as they pulled up to the pile of pumpkins marking the stopping place for the hayride. There was a line of people already waiting, Lisa and Meg among them and when Lisa saw Amanda’s lipstick coloring the edges of James’s mouth, her eyebrows went up in surprise and she grinned broadly.
“I knew it!” she said. “There had to be a reason that the hayride was taking so long and now I know why. About damn time!”
Meg seemed confused. “What? What did I miss?” she asked, looking around.
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