“Freckles, we don’t know they were actually lovers. Let’s try not to be upset about facts we don’t know are true.”
“You’re such a cop,” she said then wiped at her tears with the back of her hand.
“I am,” I agreed, lifting my hands to brush away her tears with my thumbs. “That doesn’t mean I’m without feeling, Freckles. It simply means I reserve them until I know the right ones to feel.”
“Oh, you’re right.” She waved her hands in the air like she was being silly. “I’m off to work now. I hope you have a great day and find out who is stealing chickens. Maybe you’ll even answer one of those odd calls.”
“They won’t leave a message, so how bad do they want to talk to me?”
“Maybe they’ve worked up the courage to dial your number but are too afraid to leave a message.” She clearly thought it was someone in my family who wanted to repair a broken relationship. She wouldn’t be so eager for me to answer if she found out it could be a dangerous man who escaped prison because of corrupt cops and a broken system no one could fix.
“They’d most likely hang up if I answer.”
“You won’t know if you don’t try,” she added. “Now kiss me so I can get to work.”
We started out with a chaste kiss, but I couldn’t resist lingering longer until her lips parted for my seeking tongue. Every molecule in my body reacted to this woman, so I broke our kiss and stepped back before things got out of control. We softly exchanged words of love once more before she got in her SUV and drove to work.
Memphis and Lyric were still in the attic when I returned to the house. I wasn’t due at the station until nine, but I would probably go in as soon as they finished because I suddenly was restless. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and checked out my incoming call log. I had more than twenty incoming calls from an unknown person since Captain Barker told me Axel Washington was a free man. They started out as once a day but had grown in frequency during the past week. Maybe Maegan was right, and I should answer the next fucking time they called me. Maybe it was another Markham finding the nerve to apologize or maybe it was one of Axel’s henchmen. Wasn’t it better to know than to keep guessing? If he was coming after me, I was only delaying his next move, not blocking it entirely.
“We’re all set. Are you sure you don’t mind us coming back tonight to record another EVP session?” Lyric asked. Hell, I hadn’t heard them come downstairs because I was so lost in thought while staring at my phone like it contained the answers I sought.
“I’m positive,” I replied, hoping I offered a friendly smile and not a grimace. “I was just kidding earlier.”
“I know,” Lyric said. “My traipsing through the attic is still intrusive. I would understand if you preferred to wait.”
“Can I ask you a question about the investigation? Maegan seemed upset about something you said even though she tried to distract me with kisses.” Well, first she brought up the calls then she got my mind off Anthony once my lips met hers.
“Man, I’m sorry. I should’ve just kept my mouth shut until I had some concrete answers.”
“I’m not busting your balls, Lyric. I want to know what you suspect happened. It’s the detective in me. I want to be the one to break it to Maegan when the time is right.”
“You want to know what I suspect, or would you rather wait to hear when I have concrete answers? I don’t want to put you in a position where you’re keeping secrets from Maegan. I know you want to protect her, but I get the feeling she’s not a shrinking violet, and I bet she has one hell of a temper.”
I smiled because my Freckles was a real wildcat. “You can say that again.” I blew out a breath because he made a valid point. “You’re right. You can tell us at the same time. I’ll be there if she needs me, but I won’t treat her like she’s helpless and can’t handle bad news.” It wasn’t lost on me how ironic this statement was since I was keeping a pretty damn big secret from her. I reasoned the pros and cons again of telling her and stuck to my original decision. No good would come from worrying her needlessly.
“Good call, Elijah,” Memphis said.
We agreed that seven was a good time then I invited them over to grill out before they started the video recording of their next interview with Anthony. After they were gone, I made sure all the doors on the first floor were secure and our pets had plenty of food and water before I headed to work. I had an idea how to find out who was stealing chickens from Blissville residents. It started out as a funny joke, but then I realized it had real merit.
Adrian was already at his desk when I arrived which rarely happened since he was the father of two small children. During the school year, Sally Ann’s teaching position required her to be at work before Adrian, and he was responsible for taking the kids to childcare. Sally Ann was still on summer break for a few more weeks, so Adrian was able to arrive earlier. I could tell by the serious look on his face he was cooking up a chicken plot too. No pun intended.
“I have an idea,” I told Adrian excitedly. “We need to set up a sting operation.”
“A sting operation? Was there a bank heist I didn’t hear about?”
“Are you no longer worried about Elvis, Aretha, and Gaga?” I wanted to know.
“You forgot Patsy, and no, I’m still worried about them. That’s why I’m here early looking for solutions. So far, I’ve only come up with offering a reward and setting up a tip line like we did when the Christmas bandits attacked. Damn, that was pure chaos with every lunatic calling the number at all hours of the day. Want to take a bet on how many people would report seeing Henery Hawk in the area before the crimes occurred?”
I shook my head but couldn’t wipe the grin off my face. Fuck, I loved small-town living. “I was thinking about a slightly more aggressive approach, partner.”
“Yeah?”
“Decoys and hidden cameras,” I said with pride. “What’s the one thing all of these chicken owners have in common?”
“They love chickens?”
“They advertised they had free-range eggs for sale with a sign in their yard.”
“Yeah, they did.”
“Do you know who has chickens, access to video equipment, and hasn’t advertised he has chickens on his property yet?”
“No way,” Adrian firmly said, shaking his head. “You want me to invite criminals to the home I share with my family to steal our beloved birds?”
“Can you think of a better way? We could wire their pens for sound. Maybe put little tracking devices around their legs.”
“You think the captain will go for something that extravagant?” Adrian asked.
“I think he might consider it if his best friend’s prized birds were in jeopardy.”
Before we could talk to Gabe, another citizen called to report their chickens were stolen. “Fine! We’re going to do it your way even if I have to pay for this out of my pocket,” Adrian said as he strode for the door. “There’s a war on chickens in this town, and I won’t stand for it.”
A war on chickens? I managed to contain my laughter until Adrian lifted his hand and flipped me off once more. His crude gesture pushed me over the edge, and I had a pissed-off partner when I got to his car.
“You’re lucky I even waited for you,” Adrian said once I lowered myself to the seat and shut the door.
“Oh, what can I do to soothe those ruffled feathers?”
He wanted to stay pissed but couldn’t in the face of my pun.
I COULDN’T SHAKE THE SADNESS I felt after hearing Anthony was the one who’d been locked in the attic. My thoughts and emotions were on a riotous ride lately, soaring to the highest highs only to drop to the saddest of lows. I was ecstatic to learn Anthony was the ghost in my house but then felt guilty because it would seem he never made it to San Francisco after all. Everyone deserved to be with the ones who made their lives complete. Why would they lock him in the attic? Did Melanie Bliss find out about her husband’s love affair with his best friend? Did Anthony die
in the attic, lonely and heartbroken? What then? Did his family secretly bury his body on the land in the dead of night and report him missing?
By the time I got to work, I was an emotional mess. Instead of entering through the kitchen at Books and Brew like normal, I unlocked the rear door to Curious Things and hid in my office. I turned on the desk lamp and turned off the blindingly bright florescent light hanging above my desk. I hated that damn thing on a good day because it created a horrendous glare on my computer screen, but the harshness of it felt like someone took a whip to my already frazzled nerves. I should’ve let Milo know where I was so he wouldn’t worry, especially if he saw my car parked outside.
I couldn’t bring myself to do anything but cry. I propped my elbows on my desk, leaned my face forward until my forehead pressed against the tips of my fingers, and released my heartache. I cried for whatever Anthony and Wallace had gone through—the love, the hope, and the shattered dreams. Having finally experienced what love truly felt like made my sorrow more acute. I stayed that way until I heard the soft sound of someone setting something on my desk. I looked up and met the familiar blue eyes of the person who would always know me best.
“I thought maybe you could use a cup of coffee, your favorite peanut butter and jelly muffin, and a shoulder to cry on,” Milo said. “Knowing you, you’re probably about cried out. You’re seconds away from pulling up your glittery, superhero boots and kicking ass. Whose ass needs kicking?”
“How’d you know I needed these things? You felt my sorrow through our twin link?” It’s what we called our ability to feel one another’s moods. Of course, I called it a twink link when I knew something was bothering Milo or if he wasn’t feeling well.
“Well, I did feel a certain tingling in my spine.”
“That was remnants from Andy’s goodbye kiss,” I teased.
“There will never be a goodbye kiss shared between Andy and me ever again,” Milo said firmly. “I experienced the worst twelve years of my life after the last goodbye kiss we shared. We have see-you-tonight kisses and until-later kisses, but never goodbye.”
“That’s so sweet,” I said then burst into tears again.
“Then why are you crying?” Milo asked gently, scooting a chair over from the corner so I could lean my head against his shoulder. “Is this about Anthony?”
“Did Memphis call you?”
“No, Elijah did.”
“He did? I tried not to show how upset I was by my ghost’s story.” That was the thing. I had stopped thinking of Anthony being the Bliss House ghost; he’d become my ghost and hearing about his fate felt so personal to me.
“Mae, you’ve loved that house and the mystery since we were little kids. The house and its ghost were always meant to belong to you.” Milo was so full of sass most of the time that I forgot how tender he could be. “Memphis told me what they learned so far. The don’t have any conclusive proof, so please try not to think the worst.”
“I’m trying, Milo. You know how I can’t stand an injustice.”
“Boy, do I ever. You couldn’t sleep for a week after Grace Atkins beat me for student body president our sophomore year in high school.”
“She didn’t win the election fair and square,” I reminded him. “A person shouldn’t win because they’re skilled with their hands and use their mouth for things other than stating their positions on critical issues.”
Milo snorted. “You know how rumors spread in high school. I’m sure her sucking and jacking activities were blown way out of proportion.” We giggled over his blatant pun usage. “Why are you hiding in your dark office and crying when you have that sexy beast with the broad shoulders at home? Not that I mind lending you a shoulder.”
“You know I don’t like to cry in front of people, Milo.”
“Maegan, I know that better than anyone. Don’t you think I heard and felt your tears when you were so sick? You don’t think the wall between our bedrooms was thick enough to drown out the sounds of your sorrow and pain, do you? I wanted to come to your room every time so we could cry together, but I knew you were trying to spare us by putting on a brave front. I wouldn’t be the person to take that away from you. But you know what? There’s nothing wrong with expressing your feelings and pain. Who better than Elijah to help ease those hurts? Don’t hide from him, Mae. Let him see all the sides of you, not just the sexy, tough girl.” Fresh tears threatened from hearing the anguish in Milo’s voice. I had thought I’d fooled them all, and knowing I hurt him filled me with so much regret.
“You’re so smart when it comes to relationships now,” I teased, wiping the drying tears from my face. I sat up and kissed Milo’s cheek before sitting upright in my chair again. “I know you’re also right. I just don’t want to add to Elijah’s burdens.” I took a sip of my salted caramel coffee and a bite out of my muffin. I admit I felt better when the familiar, favorite tastes hit my tongue.
“Something going on with him?” Milo asked, furrowing his brow in worry.
I wouldn’t discuss Elijah’s past or his estranged relationship with his family. I knew my parents and brother were curious since the only family he ever talked about was his grandfather who left him the old truck he drove every day and the cabin in Tennessee that Elijah cherished. Therefore, I couldn’t mention the ever-increasing calls from an unknown caller since I suspected they were from a Markham family member. I was very tempted to answer his damn phone that morning, but it would’ve been an egregious breach of privacy.
“Earth to Mae,” Milo said, waving his hand in front of my face. I hadn’t realized I’d taken so long to answer him.
“Mostly it’s the case of the stolen chickens.”
Milo had just torn off a piece of my muffin and popped it into his mouth. It must’ve lodged in his throat because he started coughing and reaching for my coffee. Once he finally had himself under control, he said, “Excuse me? A case of stolen chickens? Like a box of frozen ones from the Sac-N-Save?”
“No, as in live chickens are being stolen from back yards in Blissville.”
“Wait, how many people living in town have chickens?”
I shrugged and snatched back my coffee for a drink. “I don’t know all the particulars, but Elijah mentioned it to me last night before bed. Raising chickens for eggs is a thing now.”
“Huh,” Milo said. “You ever feel like you’re never in the loop when it comes to important things? I mean, I know Martin Sowden likes black coffee with no sweetener and has a foot fetish according to Edna Browner. We have some kinky widows and widowers in this town.”
“Mr. Sowden and Mrs. Browner are a thing?”
“No, Mr. Sowden and Mrs. Ravenor are a thing. Mrs. Ravenor told her neighbor, Mrs. Browner, what Mr. Sowden was into after Mrs. Browner came right out and asked Mrs. Ravenor why Mr. Sowden was in her bedroom the previous evening.”
“She just told Mrs. Browner he has a foot fetish?” I asked.
“No,” Milo said calmly, but the wicked sparkle in his blue eyes let me know he was about to drop a delicious bomb of Blissville gossip. “According to Mrs. Browner, her exact words were, and I quote, ‘Well, Edna, if you must know, he was licking my toes.’ I guess there was a pregnant pause before Mrs. Browner asked her to close her bedroom blinds in the future.”
“Oh, I bet Mrs. Ravenor had a witty comeback for that too.”
“She told Mrs. Browner that she should close her own blinds if she didn’t like what she saw.”
Milo and I had a good laugh then thumb wrestled for the last bite of muffin. I won, of course, but I suspected he hadn’t put his full heart into beating me. “How am I just hearing about this with Mrs. Ravenor and Mrs. Browner?” I asked.
“I just learned about it today. The two ladies had a showdown just this morning. I was trying to show how quickly that kind of gossip spreads but not a peep about the residents’ stolen chickens. How long has this been going on?”
“I think he said a week.”
“A week?” Milo asked.
“That’s equivalent to ten years in Blissville-gossip time.”
I snorted. “True. Anyway, I guess stolen chickens aren’t salacious enough.”
“Well, I’ll keep an eye out for chicken hawks or giant roosters running around saying, ‘Boy’s gotta mouth like a cannon, always shootin’ it off.’”
His Foghorn Leghorn impersonation made me giggle. “Let’s get back over to Books and Brew before our employees decide to kill us for leaving them alone during the morning rush.” We both rose to our feet and headed toward the door. I stopped Milo by touching his sleeve. “Thank you, Milo.”
“Always, Mae.”
Staying busy always made the day go by faster and kept my mind off sad things, like my ghost and the stolen chickens, and gross things, like Mr. Sowden licking Mrs. Ravenor’s toes. I had to convince myself that Mrs. Ravenor had only said that to get a rise out of Mrs. Browner so I wouldn’t blush, cringe, or hide the next time any of the them showed up in our stores.
Elijah sent me a text late morning to let me know we were having guests for dinner. He told me not to worry he’d grill out hot dogs and hamburgers. Who did he think he was living with? I replied that I had dinner under control. During my lunch break, I made a quick trip home to put a pork roast in the smoker out back. I decided crockpot macaroni and cheese was easy and would go perfectly with the roast. Luckily, I had everything I needed for it and coleslaw. I set the crockpot on high, whipped up a batch of coleslaw, and returned to my store.
Not long after I arrived, one of my favorite people showed up to do a bit of shopping for her first grandbaby. “Any news, Mama Richmond?” I asked.
“Not yet,” she replied, shaking her head. “I think Meredith is doing this on purpose because she knows how badly I want to get my hands on that baby.”
“Come now, Mama,” I teased.
“Okay, my baby girl is ready to welcome her baby girl into the world even more than I am.”
The Lady Stole My Heart (The Lady is Mine, #2) Page 5