How about you two just come back to Rosewood Place with us and we can talk this over. Bo can have his lawyer’s draw up papers to give you the property if he doesn’t want it. Rory’s voice sounded tired. Annie realized with a shock that he sounded as though he was in pain. Samuel must have done something to Rory’s head--thus his earlier apology. She clenched her teeth and fumed in silence.
I don’t think we’ll be doing that, Samuel replied calmly. You see, I came by to see my long-lost nephew after my son called me and told me the blessed news. But apparently Adrian grew up to be just like his daddy. He attacked me and Bobby here had to shoot him with Frances’ very own gun.
Annie’s blood froze in her veins. Samuel was planning to kill Bo, and he surely wouldn’t let Rory be a living witness.
Why? Uncle Samuel, why would you kill me? I’ve said that I’d give you this land. Money is not an issue. Why would you kill me? Bo sounded both lost and angry, hurt and scared.
Because he killed your daddy, Rory replied quietly, and Annie knew at once that this was true. She realized now that the familiar smell of pipe tobacco had been in the house the morning that she’d found Frances LaRue’s dead body. It was the same smell that filled the house now, it poured from Samuel’s pipe and drifted into the hallway, filling up the nooks and crannies of the old house like a silent witness to his dirty deeds.
Bobby tried to get that stubborn old fool to sign over his Power of Attorney to me. I would have made sure he was looked after, you know that’s true. He kept refusing, and then when Bobby told him about his little boy--the one staying over at your place--he just laughed. Said Bobby probably wasn’t even the father, said a lot of nasty things.
He was a hateful old man, but you didn’t have to kill him. Bo didn’t sound sad or even angry. He simply sounded broken. Annie shuddered as she realized that Bo was prepared to die at his Uncle’s hand. He had no fight left in him, but she sure did.
She was trying to decide the best way to surprise Samuel, possibly disarm him, and save both Bo and Rory without getting any of them shot. She hadn’t quite figured out how that was going to go down when Samuel spoke again.
It didn’t have to happen like this, he continued. I came over here, tried to talk some sense into him. He wasn’t always in his right mind, you know. He’d been ranting about some woman in white, said she’d come to get him. Annie wondered if he saw visions of his dead wife, if he felt some sort of repentance for his violence towards her and Adrian all those years before.
He came at me in the kitchen. Bobby’ll tell you, he swung at me and missed, knocked Bobby’s fancy phone into the sinkful of dishwater. We were going to go then, but he grabbed this. Samuel lifted the gun. I had to wrestle it from him and he fell, cracked his head pretty hard on the floor. I didn’t do it on purpose, he added defiantly.
But you watched him die, didn’t you? Annie stepped around the corner and into plain sight. How could you let your own brother lie there and die? And how can you threaten to kill your own nephew? What kind of twisted, sick family are you if you can’t even look out for your own nephew?
Who are you? Samuel was confused by Annie’s presence. He stood abruptly, momentarily forgetting the gun, which toppled to the floor with a thud. Annie wasted no time in scrambling for the gun, which she reached only a half-second before Bobby did.
I’m the neighbor, she replied firmly. You have my--Rory--and I’d like him back now. Annie tried to make herself look as big as possible, but she was clearly the smallest person in the room. If she was going to make an impression on these men, she needed to exude confidence. As she hefted the shotgun awkwardly in her arms, she felt anything but confident. She glanced at Rory, who had a knot on his forehead that was roughly the size of an egg. You okay, Rory? Bo?
Rory grinned through his pain. Yeah, Annie. We’re good. I thought I told you to wait back at the house for me.
Well, I guess it’s a good thing I don’t always do what I’m told, she retorted.
Yeah, I’d say that’s a mighty good thing right now, Rory agreed. "I sure do hope you called Emmett before
you came over here, though."
She sure did, son. Emmett’s familiar voice carried in from the hallway and making Annie startle. He had his own gun drawn but lowered. Behind him stood two other officers, neither of whom was Delbert, but both familiar faces to Annie just the same. Annie, I suggest you hand that shotgun to me unless you plan on firing it, he said, stepping forward to receive the weapon.
Annie was happy to pass it on to him, but not before she confirmed that he’d heard Samuel’s confession. Chief, did you happen to hear any of that?
Emmett nodded, and passed the shotgun to one of his officers. I heard enough to resolve this case, but I will need these gentlemen to come to the police station with me.
Annie rushed to Rory, who swore he was fine, but Annie was having none of it. Let’s just run you to the emergency room to make sure that crazy old fool didn’t do any real damage, she insisted.
Aw, Annie, I’ve had worse injuries that I’ve given myself, Rory protested, but you could just get me some aspirin. I’ve got a cracking headache, he joked. Pointing to the lump on his forehead, he asked, You think you could kiss it better?
Annie pressed her lips gingerly to the lump, then hugged him tightly. You scared the crap out of me, Rory Jenkins! I thought I was going to lose you to that maniac.
Rory pushed her away gently. I’m not going anywhere, Annie Purdy. I knew you’d follow me. I knew you’d listen to your gut.
Looking into Rory’s eyes, Annie saw something that she’d never seen in all her years of marriage to David. She saw trust and respect, clear as could be. Rory believed in her. Rory knew all along that she wouldn’t just let him walk into danger without a backup. Annie threw her arms around Rory once again and planted her lips firmly against his own. He let out a small yelp of surprise, then melted into her kiss.
It wasn’t the hot and passionate kiss of two teenagers who were infatuated with each other. It was the kiss of two people who loved each other enough to know that everything happened in good time. It seemed to Annie, that all those years ago, it hadn’t been the right time for her and Rory to be together. But now, despite the chaos that surrounded them, it felt to Annie like that time had finally arrived, and it felt just right.
26
Good Friends, Happy Endings
Melody carried most of what she owned with her in her battered old minivan. She had already loaded her bags from her room at Rosewood Place into the automobile when Annie brought her the bill. Annie had comped her more than a single night’s stay, which Melody accepted graciously.
You have been too kind to us, Melody cried, wiping a tear from the corner of one eye. I will honestly never, ever forget you.
Annie and Bessie had spent the morning fussing over Joshua, keeping him entertained while Melody packed. They’d done the same the evening before, when Emmett’s officers had questioned Melody extensively about her relationship with Bobby.
I guess I really dodged a bullet there, Melody joked, but her tears belied her true feelings.
Oh, honey, Bessie cooed, pulling her into a hug. You are better off without a man like that in your life. Women don’t need a man to take care of them these days, you know. They just need good friends and a good head on their shoulders. You certainly have both, Bessie pointed out.
Bo appeared behind Melody, peering over her shoulder at the bill. He reached around her and snatched it out of her hands. I’ll take care of that, he quipped.
Excuse me? Melody’s tears, temporarily halted by her surprise, glistened on her fair lashes. I don’t need your help or your pity, she added, her temper flaring through her tears.
Whoa! Bo protested. I never said you did. But, I did just blow your living arrangements and totally inconvenienced you and Joshua for the foreseeable future, right?
Well, yes, but that’s not really your fault now, is it? Melody pursed her lips and put her hands together as if she was about to
pray. Instead, she pointed the tips to her lips and tapped them for a minute while she gathered her thoughts.
My mama used to do that, Bo said suddenly. Whenever she was angry but trying to calm down enough to say something nice.
Melody hadn’t realized that was exactly what she was doing. Oh, she laughed. I never noticed I did that. She paused again. Thank you for offering to help us. You don’t owe us anything, no matter what you think, but I am grateful for the offer. She hesitated. You...you wouldn’t be willing to rent out that house would you? I know you said you didn’t want to live there, and I know about what happened to your father, but I’m not bothered by all that. I used to work in a nursing home and was around death all the time, she explained.
Bo held up a hand to cut her off. Sorry, Melody, but I’m having that place bulldozed to the ground. Too many bad memories, plus it really was a health hazard, he explained. But, as Joshua’s uncle--
Uncle? What? Melody looked at him like he had his rear-end on his forehead. That’s news to me.
Well, he replied sheepishly, I never had any brothers or sisters. Bobby, awful as he was, was the closest thing to a brother I’ll ever have. So I sort of look at little Joshua as my nephew, if that’s alright with you.
Melody hesitated, then nodded slowly. I guess that’s alright, she relented.
Then, as Joshua’s uncle, I’d love to invite you to come and live with me until we can figure out a better situation for you guys. I mean, I have a huge house in Nashville. It’s got a pool, it’s got WiFi, it’s close to lots of rich old people who might need a nursing aide… He let his speech trail off. Melody looked thoroughly overwhelmed by his offer.
Bessie jumped in and tried to help. Oh, Melody, that’s awfully kind of Bo, don’t you think?
And I promise you, I’m not asking anything in return. I just, well, I just miss having a family, to tell you the truth. And you don’t have to stay any longer than you want to. Just until you get back on your feet, then you guys can be all independent again, okay? Bo looked so hopeful, Annie didn’t think she’d be able to bear it if Melody said no.
Why don’t you two talk about it over dinner? Bessie suggested. I can cook something nice, you two can stay one more night, or you can try to drive all the way to Nashville after supper, but you know how heavy my fried chicken is. Y’all will be falling asleep at the wheel after a big meal.
Bo laughed out loud. "Miss Bessie, you sure know how to sweet-talk a man! Emmett better make an honest
woman out of you before I snap you up myself, he teased her. I can’t stay another night, I’m afraid, and I think you deserve a night out of the kitchen. Of course, I can’t answer for Melody here."
Melody looked at Annie. I trust your instinct, she said quietly. What does your gut tell you?
Annie smiled. My gut tells me that you are going to be just fine, Melody. And I think Bo’s offer is completely innocent. You could do a lot worse than having a friend like him in your life.
Melody relaxed visibly. I think you are right. I guess I’ll go and tell Joshua that we’re going to Nashville, she replied, a cautious smile finding its way to her face.
As Bessie and Melody wandered off to finish gathering Joshua’s things, Bo and Annie found themselves settling up more than just the bills.
I want to know you’re going to be alright, she confessed to him as she swiped his credit card. I mean, you dealt with a lot of stuff this week. Have you really made peace with your past?
Bo looked at her for a long moment. Not all of it, he admitted finally. But I’ve made peace with the parts that count. I can’t change how things turned out with my dad or my uncle, but I can make sure that Joshua and Melody have people they can count on.
Annie smiled and handed him his receipts--one for his stay, one for Melody’s--before she spoke again. I’m going to miss you, Bo Michaels. I mean, I meet a lot of people in this place, but you were almost my sort of neighbor, and I think that would have been really neat.
Bo grinned at her. Would have been? Shoot, I’m not selling my dad’s old place. I mean, I’m tearing it down, but that’s only because I need the space for my new business venture, he beamed.
Oh, please don’t tell me it’s a chicken farm, she begged him.
Actually, I was thinking that it’s time that Coopersville got its own vineyard. I mean, it’ll be a small one, at least to start with, but I can see it growing, especially with all the traffic from this place.
Annie couldn’t help but smile. That is awesome news. I can’t wait to be your neighbor, she added. Everything seemed to be falling into place in the most unexpected ways, and it felt almost too good to be true.
Annie contemplated the nature of running Rosewood Place. Some guests, she realized, were like prickles under her skin. They were a little annoying, tolerated for the duration of their stay, but it was such a relief to see them go. At first, she’d thought of Melody and Joshua in this way, but now she realized that they were a different type of guest. They, and Bo, were the type of guests who arrived as strangers but who left as dear friends.
As Annie and Rory stood on the front porch, waving the latest guests--and their newest friends--goodbye, she couldn’t help but feel like a piece of Rosewood Place had gone with them.
Do you think those two are going to wind up together? Rory asked her, no doubt expecting her to have some sort of instinct about the pair’s future.
Well, how should I know? Annie replied, leaning her head against his shoulder. I mean, I didn’t ever foresee us getting back together, did I?
Rory cocked a questioning eyebrow at her. You didn’t? he asked. I did, he teased her. I guess I trusted my gut when I came here to work on this place. I’d say it’s paid off.
He wrapped one arm around her and leaned down close enough to kiss her, but he stopped before their lips met.
He whispered something softly to her, so soft, that only she and the wind could hear. Annie smiled, happy, content, before her lips were greeted by Rory’s kiss.
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Other books by this author include:
Rosewood Place Mysteries
Bodies & Buried Secrets
Corpses & Conmen
Greed & Deadly Deceit
Carly Keene Cozy Mysteries
Dead Before the Wedding
Gravely Dead
Love, Death & Christmas Cookies
Can't Beat A Dead Horse
Hedgewood Sisters Paranormal Mysteries
That Witch Doesn't Kill You
Greed & Deadly Deceit Page 16