2 On the Nickel

by Maggie Toussaint

  I had no gun, no large Saint Bernard to save me this time. I was in a deep pot bunker with no easy way out. Evan stalked closer. The only way to avoid him was to walk closer to Monty’s cage.

  Oh god. Oh god. Oh god.

  The golf ball in my pocket.

  I could throw it at Evan.

  It wasn’t much, but it was something.

  My fingers closed around the familiar dimpled ball just as Evan grabbed my left arm. “You can’t leave, Cleo. I’ll kill you and hang your death on the dumb golf jock.”

  A golf ball to the noggin wouldn’t phase someone as crazy as Evan. Luckily I’d come up with a plan B. I spun around and hurled the ball at Monty’s cage, striking it soundly in the center. The glass broke with a loud pop and splinters of glass flew everywhere.

  “Monty!” Evan released me and ran to save his precious pet.

  I bolted out the door and called the cops.

  Chapter 16

  The storm came out of nowhere. A black whirling monster of epic proportions. I walked faster and faster on the unfamiliar golf course. A black snake fell from the sky. Startled, I steered clear of it. But a striped snake fell to the right. Then a rattlesnake dropped on my left. Oh, God. It was raining reptiles. I clutched my collar close and hurried along the narrow fairway bordered by ominous woods.

  The light dimmed to twilight levels. More snakes fell. They hissed as they landed and slithered to cover. One gray snake hit my shoulder as it fell, and I yelped with fear.

  I had to get out of here, fast.

  Why couldn’t I get my bearings?

  Lightning arced across the leaden sky. A giant python coasted down the lightning bolt in a thunderous roar. Its bloodred eyes fixed on me. I froze. Oh God, I was going to die.

  A chime sounded.

  Angels? Would I be rescued?

  The chime sounded again.

  I surged from sleep, blinking in the drowsy sunshine of late afternoon. With one hand on my racing heart, I scanned my surroundings for slithering creatures. Nope. No snakes.

  Just me and the living room. I sighed in relief.

  The doorbell chimed insistently. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I padded to the front door and opened it.

  “I brought the beer.” Dean and Jonette strolled in arm in arm. Dean looked strong enough to best a lumberjack. More importantly, he was smiling. Who wouldn’t smile with a “Moore for Mayor” button pinned on his ball cap and another on his black T-shirt?

  Jonette looked smashing in her wild pink getup. Infused throughout her steady regard of me was a liberal dash of happiness and relief. She waved a bag of donut holes at me. “This will cure what ails ya.”

  “I’m not sick,” I protested. “My arm’s a little sore, but other than that I’m fine.”

  “You need donut holes,” Jonette said.

  I groaned. I could eat the whole bag, and she knew it. “Maybe I should rethink my decision to quit the gym.”

  “You look fine to me.” Dean regarded me warmly. “Not as fine as Jonette, but I’m slightly prejudiced.”

  “You better be.” Jonette gave me a brisk hug and glanced around. “Where are the puppies?”

  I waved in the direction of the kitchen. “In there.”

  Jonette’s hips twitched as she strolled to the kitchen. In her bright fuchsia sundress, she was a vibrant orchid amidst the dark neutrals in my house. I couldn’t imagine how blah my life would have been without her friendship.

  “You guys all right?” I asked Dean.

  His gray eyes gleamed. “Never better.”

  His statement sparked my curiosity. In the space of a few days they’d gone from being on the verge of breaking up to making gooey eyes at each other. “What turned the tide? How come things are good now?”

  The corners of Dean’s lips twitched. “I’m not dull.”

  I’d been called dull plenty of times, by Mama and Charlie. Jonette had worked her magic on my life, and I’d become less dull. See med she’d transformed Dean, too. He stood tall, radiating confidence. I smiled. “You’re getting a lot of mileage out of running naked in the street, aren’t you?”

  He rolled up on his toes and back down. “I’m milking it for all it’s worth. Then I’m getting me a Harley.”

  The image of Jonette in fringed white leather, seated on a big hog rumbling over the lush Maryland countryside, came to my mind. She’d love the freedom of the bike. “Live the dream, Dean. Life is short.”

  “Don’t I know it.” His expression sobered. “I’ll take good care of her. You don’t have to worry about that.”

  His promise confirmed what I suspected. Dean was the best Jonette had ever landed. I couldn’t keep my smile inside. “How do you feel about Saint Bernards?”

  He nodded. “Anything Jonette wants.”

  Lucky woman. I hoped they’d always feel this special connection. I took his arm and guided him to the kitchen. “Let’s get that beer refrigerated.”

  Charla, Lexy, and Jonette each held slumbering puppies in their arms at the table. Mama manned the stove, stirring and baking. Cinnamon and nutmeg perfumed the air as two apple pies cooled on the counter. Before I could sit down, the doorbell rang again. No one else moved to answer it. I sighed. “I’ll get it.”

  Despite the boxes of chocolate in his hands, Bud Flook’s voice trembled with uncertainty when he greeted me. His glasses tilted to the right, and his rumpled business suit looked like he’d slept in it. “Is Delilah home?”

  I stepped aside to wave him in. “She sure is. Would you join us for supper?”

  “I wouldn’t want to put you folks out. I wanted to borrow your mother for a few minutes.”

  “Good luck with that. I haven’t been able to pry her out of the kitchen all afternoon, but you’re welcome to try.”

  He handed me a box of fancy chocolates, his cigar-scented clothing rustling as he moved. “This is for you.”

  “Thank you.” My mouth watered at the pictures on the box. “That’s so sweet.”

  Bud blushed. “You’re welcome. I’m glad this matter is settled once and for all.”

  “You and me both.” I tore open my chocolates and offered him one.

  “No thanks,” he said.

  “Mama’s in the kitchen, Bud.” As he ambled away, I selected a chocolate for myself. I’d earned this reward, even if I did ruin my supper. The decadent treat melted in my mouth. I hummed with delight, savoring the rich flavor. All too soon it was gone. But there were eleven more. Which one would I try next?

  Another car stopped on the curb in front of my house. A bright red convertible. My pulse leaped with joy at the sandy-headed, lanky man who strode my way. I stepped out on the porch and closed the door. With any luck, the crowd inside wouldn’t miss me for awhile.

  Rafe approached with a giant crystal vase of roses. Dark red roses. Twelve of them. Lots of white babies’ breath and fern leaves in between. I liked.

  The flowers and the man.

  “Thank God you’re safe.” His lips met mine.

  We’d only been apart for a few hours, but it felt like days. My body basked in his strength, warmth, and passion. I wanted a lifetime of his kisses. I needed our relationship to mean more to him than flowers or sex. Though I wasn’t complaining about either one of those things.

  I reached for the beautiful roses, but the chocolate box was in my hands. Placing the box on the porch railing, I accepted his roses and inhaled deeply. Heady floral elixir filled my lungs, my heart, my soul, fueling my dreams.

  “Open the envelope,” he urged.

  Anticipation rioted in my blood. Carefully I set the vase on the wicker table. His expression sharpened, causing me to tense as I plucked the white envelope from the fragrant bouquet. A thin red ribbon the color of the roses was bunched inside. Tied to the ribbon was a gold key.

  My breath hitched. Chirping birds and passing cars faded until we stood there alone, a universe of two. His brown eyes glittered. “For you.” He placed the ribbon around my neck, the metal k
ey sliding under my shirt to rest against my skin. His light caress shivered through me.

  He’d given me the key to his house. My heart raced a mile a minute. Two months of dating, and he’d given me his house key. I pressed the key against my breast.

  “Come see me anytime.” He cradled my hand in his.

  My heart swelled with emotion. A key implied commitment. It wasn’t a ring, but it indicated trust and dedication. Energy surged. I jumped him. “Thank you.”

  Our teeth smacked together. He caught me, centered me, and chuckled at my eagerness. “Easy, Red. We’ve got all night.”

  After dinner, Charlie had the girls overnight. I planned to spend the entire night with Rafe. “You’ll stay for dinner?”

  His arms hugged me close. “I’m not leaving here without you. Did you cook?”

  “It’s all Mama tonight.” I caressed his clean-shaven face. Frissons of awareness flashed between us, rioting my heightened senses. Tonight would be the best ever between us. “We have regular food, too. Dean brought beer, and Jonette brought donut holes.”

  “Two of my favorite food groups. I’m in.” He glanced over at chocolates on the railing, and his expression clouded. “Where did those come from?”

  “Bud Flook. He’s over here courting Mama.”

  Tension ebbed in Rafe’s face. “Sounds like you’ve got a full house in there.”

  “It’s a little crazy inside. You want to sit out here for a bit?”

  “Sure.”

  The setting sun cast long shadows across the lawn, but on the porch it was all sunshine. We cuddled in the creaking swing, Rafe’s arm around my shoulder. His masculine scent filled me with wonder and hope. I could get used to this. I could so get used to this.

  Rafe cleared his throat. “About this afternoon—”

  I put my fingers to his lips to cut him off. “Hey, no fair fussing. It’s over and done. If it weren’t for me, Evan Hodges would be getting ready to kill again.”

  He brushed my fingers aside. “Why didn’t you take me with you to Evan’s? I could’ve taken him out easy.”

  Big macho-man talk. “You had golf lessons to give. Besides, it was a spur of the moment thing.”

  Rafe cupped my chin, held it fast. “Red, you almost got yourself killed.”

  Suddenly the key around my neck weighed a ton. It felt less like a precious gift, more like a ball and chain. In accepting the key, had I given away the freedom to make my own decisions? I pulled away from him. “I got myself out of there. I called the cops. Everything turned out fine.”

  He stroked the length of my hair, his hand coming to rest on my shoulder. “I don’t want to fight, sweetheart. I want you to be safe.”

  I thought of Monty in his glass cage and shuddered at the prospect of being similarly caged. “This is who I am, a woman who thinks for herself.” I slipped the ribbon off my head. My voice broke. “If you don’t like it, take this back.”

  I dropped the key in his lap. Commitment, or trust in this case, wasn’t enough after all. I wanted an equal partnership. If we weren’t in accord on a basic level, this would never work. We had no future together. Despair kicked me hard in the gut.

  Rafe blinked rapidly. “You’re mad at me? For caring about you?”

  “For trying to control me. I want to be with you, Rafe, but not at that price.”

  He stared right through me. I prayed he didn’t get up and walk out of my life, but this heart-to-heart talk was long overdue. For once I held my tongue. Silent winds tore at my heart. I braced for the worst. I hoped for the best.

  “One of the things I like about you, Red, is the starch in your spine. You don’t let anyone walk over you. That’s worth a lot in my book. I want you. I’ve made no secret of that. But I want you safe. That’s not going to change, either.”

  “We’re deadlocked? Both of us too stubborn to compromise.” I didn’t purposefully shift in my seat, but somehow my boatneck top slipped off my right shoulder. My black bra strap stayed firmly in place. Rafe traced my neckline with his fingertips, his languid touch setting fire to my skin.

  In a flash, the key was back around my neck and he held me tight. “We can work this out. I care about you, Red. I don’t want anything to happen to you.” Rafe’s breath warmed my throat.

  Hope rushed over the dam of frustration. “We’re back to being a couple?”

  “Definitely.”

  “You can’t sleep over here routinely. I have the girls to think of.”

  “We’ll make it work, Red.”

  I tucked the key under my shirt, hardly believing my good fortune. My opinions and convictions mattered to him. The new Cleo rocked. Even better, Rafe respected me for who I was. I’d dreamed of having someone accept me for who I was all my life. We held each other in contentment.

  Dreams did come true. I happy-danced inside my head, twirling and humming with joy, until an unexpected sound caught my ear. A door slamming. The door of the vacant house. I had new neighbors? I strained forward to catch a glimpse, then wished I hadn’t.

  Charlie exited the vacant house next door. He strolled across my front yard, swaggering like royalty. His size-ten feet made short work of my steps. “Evening,” he said.

  With a heavy heart, I intercepted him. “What now, Charlie?”

  The skin at the corners of his blue eyes crinkled. “I rented the house next door. We’re going to be neighbors.”

  Alarm closed my throat. I gasped for air. “This is not a good idea.”

  “For you, maybe. It puts me right next door to my daughters.”

  Rafe pressed in close behind me. “Jones.” Rafe’s arm circled my shoulder.

  “Golden,” Charlie said.

  I fisted my hands at my sides. “What are you doing here, Charlie?”

  His chest puffed out. “Charla invited me to dinner.”

  I shook my head. Charla and her matchmaking were driving me crazy. I pointed to the front door. “The girls are in the kitchen. Go on inside.”

  He did.

  A glance at Rafe’s scowling face confirmed what I knew in my heart. Charlie’s dogged persistence was more than a nuisance to Rafe. I found my voice. “I’m as stunned as you are. I had no idea he planned to move next door.”

  Current pulsed through the air. “Do you love him?”

  Charlie was my past, Rafe my future. I gazed directly in Rafe’s eyes and willed him to believe me. “No. I’m crazy in love with you.”

  Rafe searched my face for the longest time. His scowl faded, and he clasped my hand. “Then there’s no problem.”

  * * * * *

  Jonette scraped the rosemary-flavored popcorn stuffing out of her purple pork chops and over to the edge of her plate. “I don’t understand how you knew Evan was the real killer. What gave it away?”

  I swallowed a mouthful of stuffed pork chop. The stuffing wasn’t bad. I rather liked the unusual flavor combination. “Great stuffing, Mama.”

  She beamed her pleasure. “Thanks, dear.”

  “To answer your question, Jonette,” I said, “I didn’t go there to grill him about the murder. I went to tell him why I’m dropping my gym membership. Only once I got there, things didn’t feel right.”

  “Are you psychic?” Light glinted off Bud Flook’s rimless glasses.

  “Absolutely not.” I shook my head vehemently. “I’m too much of a by-the-numbers person to believe in woo-woo stuff. All I can tell you is that it felt wrong.”

  “Sounds to me like you’re psychic.” Jonette leaned forward, a grin pasted on her elfin features.

  Dean scraped Jonette’s popcorn stuffing onto his empty plate. “Let her tell the story,” he prompted.

  “Yeah, Mom.” Lexy gestured with her fork. “What happened next?”

  After spending the afternoon at the police station telling and retelling the same story, I wanted to put this behind me, but I understood my family’s need to make sense of today’s events. “Evan was celebrating. That was the first thing that hit me wrong. He had Ji
mmy Buffet cranked up so loud I could hear it outside his door. It’s a wonder his neighbors weren’t complaining.”

  “Nothing wrong with a little Jimmy Buffett,” Dean observed. “The best music of the century came out of the 1970s.”

  “When I think of Evan Hodges,” I said, “I don’t think Jimmy Buffett. I’ve never seen Evan wear anything festive his entire life. Even his body building clothes are drab colors. But today he wore an aloha shirt.”

  “You’re a fine one to comment on Evan’s boring wardrobe.” Jonette waggled a finger at me. “You and I need to have that shopping trip.”

  I blushed. My navy-blue slacks and a burgundy boatneck couldn’t hold a candle to Jonette’s low-cut fuchsia sundress. Jonette had been threatening a wardrobe makeover for months.

  “That is a really good idea, Red,” Rafe said. The heat in his voice reminded me he’d glimpsed the black bra strap. Did he remember Jonette selected the black lingerie set?

  “We’ll see.” I tore off a piece of my sprinkle-coated roll. “Anyway, the music was loud, his clothes were loud, and he didn’t act like a man whose mother had been murdered by his sister. Everything about Evan shouted party time. He wanted the junk food I’d brought for breakfast, so he invited me in.”

  “Anybody want that last pork chop?” Charlie interrupted. When no one responded, he forked it onto his plate and sliced it up.

  That was his third pork chop. I glanced around in hostess mode, assessing the dishes on the table. Charla’s rainbow salad had hardly been touched. “I’d like some of your beautiful salad, Charla.”

  Charla perked up and passed the dish. I helped myself and passed it over to Rafe. He took the hint and loaded up on salad. By the time the bowl got back to Charla, it was empty. She beamed radiantly. “What happened next, Mom?”

  “The more I talked to Evan, the more I realized something was up. From the extreme neatness of his apartment I knew he was detail oriented. He had good credit, good looks, and great taste in furnishings. I couldn’t figure out why he was single. You know how it irritates me when things don’t fit together. Evan was a puzzle. But I got a big piece of his puzzle when I saw his calendar. He’d been following you around for two months, Mama.”