by CP Smith
A tear finally fell from her eyes and seeing it, I wanted to find my grandfather and make him pay for every single moment of pain Eunice was enduring.
When she swatted the tear away, I pretended not to see it. We Armstrong women hated showing weakness, and hated it more if someone saw it.
“How was Granddaddy blackmailing him?” I asked to distract her, running my hand gently up and down her arm for comfort.
“Oh, it started out as a loan,” she explained, clearing her throat. “Odis had a gamblin’ problem and owed big money to a loan shark. He approached Daddy about borrowin’ money to pay them off. Daddy agreed on the condition that along with the repayments, Odis owed him a favor of his choosin’. He said it was two years before he called in the favor.”
“What was the favor?”
“To distract me from the man I was datin’ at the time.”
“I don’t recall anyone before Odis.”
“Do you remember Elton Burrows?”
I thought for a moment and tried to pull up the man’s face. He was tall, good-looking, and a Northerner who’d just moved to Savannah.
“The Yankee? I thought he was just a friend.”
“That’s him, and no, not just a friend.” Eunice looked chagrined, so I rolled my eyes.
“Such a floozy,” I teased to lighten the mood.
“Butterbean, don’t say floozy. It’s not ladylike,” she chastised.
A sparkle had returned to her eyes, so I giggled in relief.
“So how does the Yankee figure into this?” I asked.
“Well,” she began, running a hand through her hair, “it turns out my daddy was concerned I might fall for the Northerner, and since I was still young enough to bear children at the time, he couldn’t stand the idea of the Armstrong name bein’ polluted with Yankee blood. So, enter Odis Lee, a handsome Southerner who charmed me with his good looks, manners, and his sizable assets.”
“TMI,” I shouted. “I don’t need to know this, Neecy.”
She grinned. “I was referrin’ to his bank account, but now that you mention it . . . “
“LALALALA,” I sing-songed, covering my ears.
Eunice genuinely laughed at my reaction, and it sounded like music to my ears.
“So, why did Odis continue after he got rid of Burrows?” I questioned, wanting to hear the whole sordid tale to the bitter end.
Eunice stood and walked around the center island and grabbed a mug out of the cabinet, so I settled on the stool next to hers.
“Daddy threatened to sell his loan back to the original holder if he didn’t keep courtin’ me,” she continued while pouring me a cup of coffee. “So he had no choice, you see. But this time, Daddy gave strict instructions to keep a close eye on you instead of me. After a few months, Odis said he fell in love with me, even wanted to marry me, but Daddy forbid it. Said he’d tell me he paid Odis to date me. Of course, he knew he’d lose me for good if I knew what he’d done, said he was damned if he did and damned if he didn’t. He decided he’d rather have what time he had with me than none at all, and keepin’ an eye on you seemed harmless until last night. Like I said, he didn’t like interferin’, puttin’ negative thoughts into your head about Devin.”
“Granddaddy told him to say that to me?”
“Daddy told him to do whatever he had to, to put a wedge between the two of you. Odis had overheard Bernie and me talkin’ about your fears, so he used them, hopin’ to put doubt in your mind.”
I nodded. “He scored a hit,” I admitted.
“I know he did, butterbean. That’s why I confronted him.”
“So where did you leave it with Odis? Are you done?”
Eunice tilted her head to one side and thought for a moment, her mouth twisting as she considered her answer. “To be honest,” she said looking back at me, “I wasn’t sure until this mornin’. You see, I’m not so desperate for a man in my life that I would hang on to him to keep from bein’ alone. But the more I thought about it, the more I knew I’d miss the old coot. It’s simple really; I love him, and he loves me, and if I end things with him, the only one who wins is Daddy. Don’t you think it’s about time the man didn’t get his way?”
A slow grin pulled across my mouth. “How long are you gonna make Odis suffer before you tell him he’s forgiven?”
Bernice walked into the kitchen as I asked my question and looked between the two of us. “Sugar, have you learned nothin’ while livin’ under our roof?” she asked.
“Sorry?”
“One does not forgive a man for his transgressions. You make him earn it.”
I looked back at Eunice. “So you’re gonna keep him in the dark?’
“Of course, I’m not,” Eunice chuckled. “I just won’t tell him for a few months. That way he’ll have to work for it.” She winked.
“Like with dinner and gifts?”
“Oh, well, those are always appreciated.” She smiled.
Bernice snorted and moved to the refrigerator, opening the door to look inside.
“She’s talkin’ about sex,” Bernice called out. “She’s gonna make him work off his betrayal with orgasms.”
“Sister, don’t be crass,” Eunice hissed.
“She’s not twelve, for goodness sake.”
“She doesn’t need to know the intimate details,” Eunice returned.
“Guys,” I interjected.
“Sister, she had a man in her apartment last night for the exact same reason Odis stays the night. I think she can handle the fact that you and Odis Lee get on like rabbits in heat.”
I curled my tongue between my teeth and blew hard; the piercing sound of my whistle put an end to their fight. When they turned and looked at me, I smiled.
“Bernie, leave her alone. Neecy, it’s fine. I’m a big girl.”
“I was just tryin’ to explain,” Bernice groused, needing the last word like always, “that girls just wanna have fun like men do. Ask Cyndi Lauper.”
“Speakin’ of having fun,” I replied, turning to Eunice. “It’s obvious now that Odis knew Devin was with me, but how did he know?”
Eunice looked at Bernice and grimaced, and it hit me like a lightning bolt. “Bobby,” I hissed.
She nodded slowly. “He called Daddy, and Daddy called Odis Lee. He appears to have more than one spy.”
That was the last straw. Bobby may have been a pain in my ass, but I still thought of him as a friend. But no more. I was through with the both of them.
“He can spy all he wants,” I bit out, grabbing my coffee from the counter. “In fact, he can spy on my ass all the way to work, ‘cause that’s as close to him as I’m gettin’ from here on out.”
Both women smiled.
“Sister, I do believe we raised a smartass,” Eunice chuckled.
I rolled my eyes.
“Y’all are borderline crazy, you know that, right?”
“Borderline. Madonna. 1984. The first of her many top ten hits,” Bernice beamed.
“Please don’t start,” I begged, heading for my room to dress for work.
“Don’t Tell Me what to do, sugar,” Bernice quipped back, using another Madonna song title to answer.
I waved them off. “Unapologetic Bitch,” I shouted back, returning the favor with my own Madonna title. This was a game we used to play when I was little. Any time I asked a question, they would answer with a song title. We hadn’t played it in years, but the memory of happier times made me smile.
I dressed quickly for work then kissed my aunts good-bye, promising to call when I heard from Devin about Maria. When I stepped outside the back gate to retrieve my bicycle, I saw a stretch limo waiting in the side alley. I recognized the burly driver immediately and glared.
“You can tell Granddaddy I won’t be honorin’ him with a visit today. Not after the bullcrap he’s pulled.”
Jessie, my grandfather’s driver, stared blank-faced at me then opened the back door of the limo and waited. I shook my head and headed for my bike, igno
ring the unspoken order. It would be a cold day in Hell before I spoke to him again.
I’d managed to enter one of the digits into the combination lock when two brawny arms wrapped around my waist and picked me up. I began kicking at his legs, shouting, “Put me down, you big brute,” as he walked back to the limo and deposited me roughly into the back seat. He slammed the door and locked it before I could right myself and stop him. When I reached for the lock to let myself out, I realized there weren’t any. I was locked in.
Dammitalltohell. I was trapped like a fox in a hole.
“Guess I’m goin’ for a ride,” I grumbled.
Fine. He wanted to talk, we’d talk. But I doubted he’d enjoy it.
The limo rocked forward, heading up the ramp that would take us up to Bay Street. When he turned right instead of left, I sighed. Right meant we were headed to Hilton Head instead of Armstrong Corporate Offices. I’d have to call work and tell them I wasn’t coming in today, because I had no doubt my grandfather would keep me prisoner until he got his way.
Unless . . .
Pulling out my phone, I hit Call Poppy. It went directly to voicemail, so I spit out, “Mayday. Mayday. I need a Wallflower rescue at the Armstrong estate on Hilton Head Island. Pronto!” Then I worried that the message was too bossy, so I added, because really, it was just good manners to do so, “Or at your earliest convenience would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!”
Nine
Just Be
“I’M FINE,” DEVIN GRUMBLED at the EMT, pushing the blood pressure cuff away from his arm.
“Are you refusing further medical attention?” the EMT asked.
Devin ignored the tech. His focus was on Strawn as he examined his Harley.
His brakes had been fine riding to the morgue. No hesitation engaging, no grinding. Complete failure without advance warning was rare.
He watched Strawn’s face as he traced the rear brake line. When Strawn paused, his face growing darker with anger, Devin muttered, “Taft.”
Strawn stood and headed in his direction, his jaw taut, his eyes sweeping the crowd as he approached.
“Sir, I recommend you get further evaluation at the hospital,” the EMT tried again.
“I said I’m fine. Just give me the damn form to sign, and I’ll get out of your hair.”
The tech nodded and handed him an AMA. “Sign here, please. If your condition worsens or you change your mind, seek medical attention immediately or call 911.”
Devin grabbed the metal clipboard and signed his name without answering the man, handing it back before standing from the back of the ambulance.
“Line was cut,” Strawn confirmed.
“Add Charles Taft to our short list. If he cut my lines, I want his head on a platter.”
“You said he was at Poe when we found Stutter?”
“Yep. And waiting for me to leave the morgue this mornin’.”
“If he’s a journalist with the Register, he could have heard about Maria on a scanner. It may be a coincidence.”
“I don’t believe in coincidences and neither do you,” Devin answered, twisting his neck from side to side. He’d need an aspirin the size of Georgia and a hot shower before he’d feel close to human again.
Strawn nodded. “I’ll add him to the list.”
“Did you call a wrecker for my bike?”
“Yeah. You gonna try and fix it or scrap it?”
Devin looked at his hog and cursed. “Scrap it. Can you take me to get a loaner?”
“I’ll take you to the airport. You won’t find a rental agency in town.”
A patrolman walked up, carrying his citation book, and ripped off a ticket, handing it to Devin. He took it and cursed under his breath again.
“Welcome to Savannah,” Strawn chuckled.
“I’d rethink my decision to move here,” Devin grumbled as they headed for Strawn’s truck, tossing his broken helmet in a dumpster as they passed, “if it weren’t for Calla.”
“You get her sorted?” Strawn asked as they climbed inside the cab.
“She’s as sorted as she can be with baggage the size of a steamer trunk.”
“You tell her we’re investigatin’ her grandfather?” he asked as he pulled out and headed west.
“Not yet.”
Strawn looked at Devin and grinned. “Got sidetracked, did you?”
Whenever he was near Calla, his brain function shut down and his baser needs kicked in. So, yeah, he got sidetracked in a big way.
“You’ve seen her,” was the only answer he could give.
“That I have,” Strawn chuckled.
Talking about Calla reminded him he’d yet to give her the news about Maria.
“Are we close to Poe?”
“About ten minutes north.”
“You care if we swing past on our way to the airport?”
Strawn made a quick U-turn at the next block, his mouth twitching as he asked, “It’s her eyes, isn’t it?”
He didn’t have to think about why he was attracted to Calla. It wasn’t a single thing, but the whole package, so he answered without hesitation. “No. It’s her heart, her courage, her ability to be so fuckin’ innocent in a world full of shit that bein’ around her is like steppin’ inside a goddamned shower, makin’ you feel clean for the first time in your life.”
Strawn turned his focus from the road and looked at Devin. He held his eyes for a moment then turned his attention back to the asphalt and mumbled, “Jesus. All that and looks to boot?”
“Like I said the other day,” Devin returned, “Worth lyin’, stealin’, or killin’ for.”
When they reached the brick building that housed Poe Publishing, Strawn parked in front and put his hazards on.
“I’ll stay with the truck,” Strawn said.
“I’ll make it quick. She hasn’t heard about Maria yet, and I don’t want her hearin’ about it on the news.”
“Hold up,” Strawn called out as Devin crawled out of the cab slowly, his muscles screaming at him to stop moving and lie down. “You move like you’ve been plowed over by a semi, and your shirt’s ripped down the back. Take this.”
Devin tagged the leather jacket Strawn tossed, mumbling, “Thanks,” before inching into it through gritted teeth.
He checked his reflection in the window and knew he wouldn’t fool anyone. The butterfly bandage above his eyebrow told the tale.
He checked the directory and found what floor she worked on then took the stairs to the third floor, trying to work out the kinks in his muscles. When he exited the stairwell, he found Poppy and Sienna leaning against a desk near a picture window and headed in their direction. Poppy saw him first and pushed off the desk, a quizzical look painting her features.
“What are you doin’ here?” Poppy asked. “Holy moly, what happened to your face?”
“I’m here for Calla. Where is she?”
“We were just wonderin’ the same thing. She hasn’t shown up for work yet.”
“Why are you here for Cali?” Sienna asked suspiciously.
“I take it you Wallflowers don’t spend half your life textin’ each other?”
“Meanin’?” Poppy questioned.
“Meanin’, after two days of hidin’ from me, I finally caught up with the woman and got a few things straight.”
Sienna grinned and looked at Poppy.
“Such as?” Poppy asked.
Devin’s mouth pulled into a slow, sexy grin. “Such as, no more harebrained schemes to help with my investigation, or I’ll tan her hide. But mostly, since she belongs to me now and I don’t share, no more harebrained schemes lookin’ for men.”
Both women burst out laughing then high-fived each other.
“I knew that dress would do the trick,” Sienna laughed.
“Told you she was S.O.S where Devin was concerned.”
Devin looked at his watch while the women congratulated themselves and saw it was now after nine.
“What time does she normally show
?”
“Normally? An hour ago, I’d say. But office hours are nine to five,” Poppy replied. “I was just about to call her to see why she’s late.”
A tickle of unease surfaced, and Devin ordered, “Do it now.”
Bugging her eyes at Sienna, Poppy pulled her phone from her pocket and mumbled, “Shit, I forgot to turn it on this mornin’.”
When the phone opened, a beep sounded, indicating she had a missed call. “Yep, missed a call from Cali about ten-minutes ago. Hold on, I’ll listen to her message.”
Devin watched Poppy’s face as she listened to the message. Her brows pulled together for a moment then she snorted, mumbling, “Why does she need a Wallflowers rescue from her own grandfather?”
His unease escalated twofold.
“Replay the message,” Devin barked. “Put it on speaker.”
Startled, Poppy looked at Sienna then fiddled with her phone and laid it down. Calla’s frustrated voice called out Mayday, asking to be rescued from her grandfather’s estate. She didn’t sound frightened, so Devin relaxed by degrees as she continued. When her ever-present manners kicked in and she thanked them for their assistance, he couldn’t help but grin. After the voicemail ended, an automated voice informed them there was one more message waiting, so Poppy hit next and Calla’s voice rang out again.
Since I have forty-five minutes to kill, thanks to being kidnapped by my grandfather’s brawny henchman, I thought I would inform you that Devin found me last night and things got—
Poppy muted the phone, looking chagrined, but Devin stopped listening after kidnapped by my grandfather’s brawny henchman. He pulled out his phone, swiped Call Strawn, and headed for the stairs.
“Devin?” Poppy shouted. “Are you going after her?”
At the stairwell door, he turned his head and responded in the affirmative. “Yeah. If she calls again, tell her I’m on my way.” And then he was gone, taking two stairs at a time, ignoring the pain that jarred his body as he connected with the concrete steps.