“What did you get Riley for a gift?” Kimber asked.
“I have to get her a gift, too?” Lacy said.
“You must be joking,” Kimber said. “She’s your sister, and she’s getting married.”
“I gave her a house,” Lacy said.
“That doesn’t count. You need to give her something small, expensive, and personal,” Kimber said.
Lacy groaned. “I don’t have time to go shopping. I barely have time to put the party together.”
“Call Cindy. She can pick something from her shop. She’s good at that and she carries nice stuff,” Kimber suggested.
Lacy wrinkled her nose.
“What was all that about trying not to be jealous and possessive?” Kimber said.
“Cindy is so pretty and nice,” Lacy said.
“And yet Jason chose you,” Kimber said.
“Do you think she’s ever had a fat day where she couldn’t zip her pants?” Lacy asked hopefully.
“No,” Kimber said. “She’s one of those people who forgets to eat.”
“You’re not helping me not hate her, but at least you’re right on one thing. She has good taste.” She swallowed her pride, pulled out her phone, and called Cindy who not only promised to pick the perfect gift, but also offered to wrap it and deliver it to the party. Lacy stuffed the phone back in her pocket. “What is wrong with her? Why can’t she be evil?”
“Life’s not fair sometimes,” Kimber agreed. “Where to next?”
“We’re going to Riley’s house to help her manage Tosh’s sisters.”
“Why do Tosh’s sisters need managed?” Kimber asked.
“There are four of them, and they’re all…I don’t know how to describe it. They can be overwhelming, especially when they’re feeling protective of Tosh. I should have known I wasn’t in love with Tosh when his sisters didn’t terrify me.”
“I have a hard time picturing Riley terrified of anyone,” Kimber said.
“That’s only because you haven’t met the sisters,” Lacy said.
“Now I’m even more anxious to meet them,” Kimber said.
“Hold on to that sentiment,” Lacy said. When they arrived at Riley’s house, no one was there. At least no one was inside. Sounds from the backyard drew them in that direction. They rounded the corner and saw the women playing baseball. Riley was at bat. The pitcher, Tosh’s sister, Bede, caught sight of Lacy and waved.
“Hey, Lacy!” she called. “Grab a glove. We need an outfielder. How is your friend at being a catcher?”
“Terrible,” Lacy said. “What are you guys doing?”
“Making sure Riley gets lots of exercise,” Bede answered.
Riley glanced plaintively at Lacy. Lacy had one of those rare moments of sisterly protectiveness, the kind that made her forget every rotten thing Riley had ever done to her. “I sort of need Riley’s help. I have to consult with her about the party.”
“Oh,” Bede said, disappointed. “I guess we’ll have a pinch hitter. Betsy, you’re up.” Another one of the sisters threw off her glove and took the bat from Riley. Riley walked quickly over to Lacy, linked elbows, and dragged her inside.
“I have never been happier to see you in my life,” Riley said. “Those women are insane.”
“What happened?” Lacy asked.
“They showed up from the airport, found me puking my guts out in the bathroom, pulled me outside and put a bat in my hands. Apparently Tosh’s sainted mother—who’s had eight children, or so I’ve been told about a million times—believes the best cure for morning sickness is vigorous activity. I hate them. I hate them all.” Once inside, Riley sat and pressed her forehead to her knees.
“Where is Tosh?” Lacy asked.
“Hiding at the church. He’s barely seen his family since we got married because they’re mad. So he left me to greet his sisters. Sometimes I really want to punch his face in.”
“You’re starting to sound like a real married woman,” Kimber said.
The sisters came inside. “It’s hard to play ball with only four people. What are you guys doing? Can we help?”
Riley looked up at Lacy with real tears in her eyes. “Actually, I’m going to steal Riley away for a while. Why don’t you guys settle in? We’ll see you in a bit for the party. Did you get your invitations? I’m sorry they were a generic text. It’s been sort of a crazy week.”
“Oh, we got them,” Bede said. “We’re looking forward to it, aren’t we, girls?” The other sisters nodded their agreement.
“Aren’t they all crazy weeks for you, Lacy?” Bridget said. Somehow Tosh’s sisters had gotten the idea that Lacy was wild. She had no idea where that notion came from because she was as tame as tapioca pudding, but she sort of enjoyed the assumption so she let it lie.
“Kind of,” Lacy said. “Anyway, I can send someone to bring you to the Stakely building in time for the party.”
“We’ll find it,” Bede said. She was the oldest sister and therefore the group’s spokeswoman. “In the meantime, we have some work to do here.”
“What work?” Riley asked.
“Oh, don’t worry about it. It’s a surprise. Tosh has a sledgehammer, right?” Betsy said.
“Uh,” Riley stammered. She looked panicked.
“Forget it. We’ll find what we need,” Bridget said. “You girls have fun, and don’t worry about a thing here. We’ll have this place fixed in no time.”
“Fixed?” Riley said. Lacy tugged her out of the house before the situation could decline.
“What are they going to do?” Riley said. “The house doesn’t need fixed. It just underwent a complete remodel.”
“They’re just trying to get to you,” Lacy said. “They’re testing you. Let it roll off your back and laugh about it.”
“That’s easy for you to say. It’s not your house that’s about to be demolished by four crazy Amazons with sledgehammers.”
“They are tall,” Kimber said.
“The whole family is freakishly tall,” Riley said. “When they’re together, I feel like their house elf, like if someone hands me a sock, I’m going to win my freedom.”
Lacy snickered, proud of her sister for using a Harry Potter reference. Riley liked to pretend she was a brainless airhead, but she liked to read almost as much as Lacy did. “You’re still adjusting to each other. It’s going to get better.”
“They hate me,” Riley said. “They all hate me, except Keegan, and I’m pretty sure the only reason he doesn’t is because he’s a priest and not allowed to hate anyone.”
“They don’t hate you,” Lacy soothed. “It was a shock, but they’ll get over it.”
“They like you,” Riley said. “That’s all I hear when I’m with them. Lacy this, and Lacy that. Whatever you did made an impression.”
“What I did was not marry their precious son and brother on a whim,” Lacy said. “You have to give it time, Riley. Take a step back and give them some breathing room. Besides, you’re about to give them their first grandchild. After the baby arrives, there’s no way they’ll continue to be upset.”
“It’s a long time until the baby arrives,” Riley said.
“We’re about to have a party. Try to let it go and have fun tonight. Maybe tonight and the rehearsal tomorrow and the wedding Saturday will work wonders on bringing everyone together.”
“Or maybe they’ll learn to hate me more,” Riley said.
“That’s the spirit,” Kimber said. “C’mon, girl, cheer up. It’s your party.”
“There will be cupcakes and cookies, Riley,” Lacy said.
Riley rolled her eyes, but when she looked away, she was smiling.
Nearby someone watched the parade of women with a smile that was tinged with tragedy. They were so happy. It was such an unfortunate shame that Lacy had to die. It was really too bad. The women disappeared, and the figure retreated farther into the shadows. There was work to be done, and not a lot of time to do it. Tonight, it had to be tonight.
&n
bsp; Chapter 15
While the women were upstairs in the Stakely building, decorating and setting up for Riley’s bachelorette party, Jason was downstairs preparing to eat crow. He showed up at Michael’s store with his figurative hat in hand. Michael was busy with a customer, so Jason wandered around a while, pausing in front of a vintage guitar display. Some of them were outrageously expensive. Jason couldn’t help but wonder if he had come by them honestly or if they had been stolen.
“Thinking of making a purchase?” Michael asked as he eased up beside him. He gave Jason a sideways smile that pinged on his annoyance meter. The man always seemed to know what he was thinking. He hated that.
“I don’t have a musical bone in my body,” Jason said.
“Pity,” Michael said. “Music makes the world go round.”
“I came to talk to you,” Jason blurted. The task wasn’t easy; the sooner he got it over with, the better.
“With your mouth or with your fists?” Michael asked.
Jason supposed he had that coming. “I…I wanted to apologize. What I did was out of line and unprofessional. I shouldn’t have broken in here. I shouldn’t have tried to hit you.”
“Of course you should have,” Michael said. His placid expression didn’t tell if he was joking or not.
“No,” Jason said. “That wasn’t the way to handle it.”
“Says who?” Michael asked.
“I’m a police officer,” Jason said.
“But a man first. You thought your girlfriend was in danger. You did what you thought was best to protect her.”
“No, I broke the law. I went against everything I believe in.”
“You don’t believe in getting to the bottom of something, no matter the cost?” Michael said.
“Not if it breaks the law,” Jason said.
Michael tsked. “I may have lost all the respect I temporarily had for you.”
“I don’t understand,” Jason said.
“Clearly. Look, there are some things in life more important than the law. The law isn’t perfect; the law is a guideline.”
“Says the career criminal,” Jason said.
“I told you I came here to turn over a new leaf. But I’ll also say this: I never broke the law without good intentions.”
“Good intentions don’t matter much in front of a judge,” Jason said.
“Maybe they should,” Michael said. “Look, I’ll accept that most people should probably abide by the law, but occasionally law-abiding citizens need to break the law to make things right.”
“I disagree,” Jason said.
“And yet when you were desperate, you did it,” Michael said.
“Which is why I’m here to apologize. I made a mistake,” Jason said.
“No, you didn’t,” Michael said.
“I did. And I came here to tell you that if you want to file a complaint with the department, I wouldn’t contest it. I’ll sign off on whatever and resign if that’s what they want me to do.”
“Are you mental?” Michael said. “Why would I file a complaint? And why would you resign?”
“Because I broke the law,” Jason said.
“This is becoming a circular, tiresome conversation,” Michael said. “Suffice it to say that I have no intention of filing any sort of complaint, now or ever. Aligning myself with The Man isn’t exactly my style.”
“You sound like Rain,” Jason said.
“We have more in common than you might believe,” Michael said.
“I’d believe it,” Jason said. “Do you think it’s possible that she hates Lacy enough to kidnap her and break into her house?”
Michael laughed until he realized Jason was serious. “What? What are you talking about?”
“I’m beginning to believe that Lacy’s disappearances weren’t random. I think someone took her, and I think it was the same person who murdered the reporter and then broke into her room last night,”
“Someone broke into her room? Is she all right?” Michael asked.
“She’s fine,” Jason said tersely. How did he convey that Lacy was his responsibility and his alone? He didn’t mind the fact that they were friends, but if anyone was going to protect Lacy, it was going to be him. “What I need to know is if you think it might have been Rain.”
“I don’t think so,” Michael said. “But then we only had one date. What would be her motivation?”
“Jealousy? I think she followed you here in a bid to get your attention and be near you. If she thought you and Lacy were having a thing, then maybe in her warped mind she needed to take out the competition.”
Michael sighed wearily. “You’re still seeing the world through the filter of love and jealousy. Not everyone is in love with your girlfriend, and not everyone is jealous of your girlfriend. If you want my advice, you might try looking at her enemies instead of her admirers.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jason asked.
“It means that I have never seen Lacy more frightened than she was the night you were shot, the night she met with the group in the big house.”
“Did she tell you what it was about?” Jason asked. It bugged him that Lacy edited events that took place when he was in the hospital. No amount of persuasion had convinced her to come clean.
Michael shook his head. “I think she was under some misguided notion to protect me. To this day, I believe those men have no idea I was involved that night. But I’ll tell you this, if someone wanted to harm Lacy, I would start with that group and look no farther.”
“Why now, though?” Jason mused. “This all started when the protesters arrived, and their arrival seems to have been facilitated by either Rain or Carl Whethers. If Rain arranged for the protest, then it was to have an excuse to follow you. If Carl Whethers arranged for the protest, then it was to have an excuse to watch Lacy.”
“Or someone else arranged for Carl Whethers to write an article on Lacy and therefore arranged for the protest,” Michael said. “It was awfully convenient that the mayor was able to assemble a council meeting so quickly after the protesters arrived in town.”
“Are you suggesting that the mayor hired Carl Whethers to write a salacious article about Lacy and then arranged for the protesters to be here to cause more trouble for her?”
“Before I answer, let me say that I have never heard a cop use the word ‘salacious’ before, and I’ve encountered more than my fair share of cops. You sound like Lacy. To answer your question, I don’t know. But if I were the mayor, that’s what I would do. Also, it may not be the mayor. He doesn’t strike me as the one in the group who pulls the strings. I’ve been studying them, and I believe your friend Detective Arroyo wields more power.”
Jason released a drawn out breath. With it, he seemed to deflate. “How am I supposed to investigate him? Or any of them, for that matter.”
Michael busied himself inspecting his nails. “Sounds like you need someone to break into their houses and do a little snooping.”
“No,” Jason said, his tone vehement. “No way. That is not what I am suggesting at all.”
“Of course it isn’t,” Michael said with the same casual disregard.
“You cannot do that,” Jason said. “And if I caught you doing anything like that, I would arrest you without a thought and throw away the key.”
“Well, whoever does it will have to make sure not to get caught then,” Michael said.
Jason pressed his palms to his temples. “I don’t think we’re having the same conversation.”
“Of course we are. You are officially ordering me not to break into anyone’s place of residence, and I am officially agreeing not to.”
Jason blinked at him, confused. It wasn’t in his nature to be anything other than forthright, but he got the feeling that he couldn’t take Michael’s words at face value, as if what he was saying was that he had every intention of breaking into houses and no intention of getting caught.
“Don’t look so worried, mate,” Michael said, t
humping him in the arm. “We never had this conversation. You were never here. In fact, as far as I’m concerned, we’ve barely met. I do have a bit of work to do, so cheers.” He slapped Jason on the arm again and ambled away. Jason watched him go, more than a little disturbed. What had happened here? Somehow he felt like he had just hired a criminal to do his dirty work. That wasn’t actually the case, was it? He had no idea. He left the Stakely building and went for coffee, hoping the caffeine would ease the pervasive nausea he now felt after talking to Michael.
Upstairs in the Stakely building, the party was coming together. Riley wasn’t much help, but Lacy hadn’t really expected her to create her own party. Almost as soon as they arrived, she curled up on a tarp and fell asleep, leaving Kimber and Lacy to do all the work. Lacy was glad she had roped Kimber into helping, both because she needed the extra hands to get everything done in time and because she had an eye for decorating. Lacy wasn’t hopeless when it came to making things look pretty, but she wasn’t as quick about it as Kimber was. She had the ability to whip up a party scene from what was basically a blank canvas.
“Let’s borrow Cindy’s crystal chandelier, the one that hangs over her counter,” Kimber suggested. The chandelier wasn’t attached to the ceiling, but it was still no easy feat to get it upstairs and hung on a twenty foot ceiling. Kimber had been hoping to rope Michael into helping, but his shop was closed and he was mysteriously absent. Instead she got Fred, one of the owners of the ice cream shop, and Joe, who held the ladder in shaky hands. Somehow, they did it, and the party scene looked feminine and charming, a quaint oasis in the middle of the fourth floor warehouse atmosphere. Riley slept through it all, only rousing when Lacy woke her to go home and get ready.
After she left, Cindy arrived with her present. It was wrapped so beautifully that the box looked like it was the gift. Since she had done so much and since they were using her chandelier, Lacy invited her to stay.
“Oh, no, that’s okay. I wouldn’t want to intrude on your special family time. You ladies have a wonderful evening. Maybe we can grab a cup of coffee sometime soon,” she said, waving as she walked away with a cheery smile.
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