by Debra Jupe
“Do share, dear. Explain your abilities to perform such a feat.”
“I made friends with the cop from the initial investigation of Hazel’s murder.”
He chuckled. “How friendly did we have to become to get this inside information?”
Vanessa sighed. “I had to let him put his tongue in my ear. And he got to touch.” She made a circle over her breasts.
“Ohhh. So the ladies had a little fun too.”
“Not exactly. I swear, if he handles a weapon the way he does boobs, we’re in big trouble if this city is ever in a crisis.”
“Remember, your sacrifice was for a good cause, and you were able to do what you set out to do. Bury the Nutt. I didn’t mean for her to die literally,” he shrugged, “but…”
“Her death wasn’t a part of the strategy either.”
“You sure?”
She laughed and picked up her glass. She wandered to the window and sat in a twin chair across from Rhett.
“To me her dying is like taking the lid off the cookie jar and finding it full,” Rhett said. “Instead of us bringing her down, someone did some real dirty work for us.”
“Things couldn’t have worked out any better.”
“I thought putting you on the inside was brilliant, but I couldn’t be more satisfied she’s dead.” He studied his wine. “I attempted to penetrate Hazel’s company and to sway Katherine Drapier over to Affair’s Amore a few months back. Bad move. I didn’t realize she was such a loyal goody, goody.”
Vanessa sighed. “Could’ve told you.”
“You did an amazing job sabotaging her. Without Katherine, the company was doomed, but the downfall would take a while. This way I can buy Weddings Fantastic outright.” He smirked. “Granted, Hazel’s time as the best party planner was over ages ago, I would’ve enjoyed assisting her business plummeting into oblivion. I’m almost sorry she didn’t live to see it collapse and me snatch it up.” He nodded at the envelope’s tip, peeking from Vanessa’s purse. “Like I said before, there’s plenty more. As soon as Weddings Fantastic is mine.”
“Plus the job of running Affairs Amore second store.”
“Part of our deal.” He sighed and relaxed in his seat. “I can’t help but wish you hadn’t involved Tara.”
“Couldn’t be avoided.” Vanessa raised a shoulder. “I needed someone on the inside to assist me. She’s sneakier than she looks.”
“She’s a liability now.”
“She doesn’t know that much. Pay her off.”
“I’ve given her a lot of money already. She’s hinted she wants more. And for me to employ her.”
“Will she fit in this organization? She can file. She’s great on computers, but she has absolutely zero creative talent.”
“I was thinking of making her your personal assistant.”
“What?” Vanessa straightened. “The last thing I need.”
“Only be for a short while, doll. She should be watched. We must make sure she remains mostly in the dark. Her closeness will ensure she doesn’t learn anything until we can decide what to do with her. But you are correct. She isn’t suitable for my establishment on any level.” He waved a hand and rolled his eyes. “And her box store attire is ghastly.”
Vanessa laughed. “Rhett, you’re so bad.”
“That’s a compliment coming from you.”
“I’m not bad.”
Rhett raised his brows. “From what I hear, you’re pushing for Katherine, an innocent woman, to go to prison for a crime she didn’t commit. That is bad.”
“We’re not sure she wasn’t the one who killed Hazel.” Vanessa kicked off her stilt-like heals and curled her legs underneath her. “Besides, Katherine’s been nothing but a pain in the ass since I entered this business. She needs to go away.”
“Such malevolence. I know you prefer not to hear this doll. She’s great at what she does.”
“So you say.” She flicked a lock of hair over her shoulder. “I can’t understand why Jack Pharrell is interested in her.”
Rhett stopped in mid-drink. “The luscious attorney who’s been in the news lately?”
“The same.”
“He’s got the hots for her? I thought you said he called you to meet for a cocktail.”
“Not exactly. He phoned me, but he didn’t invite me out. He mentioned he was going to a bar. I happened to show up at the same place.”
“Was he glad to see you? Impressed by your boldness or at least flattered from your efforts?”
“Not so much. All we did is drink and he only paid for one of mine. I couldn’t get him to move any further.”
“Hmm. He must be smitten with someone else if one drink is all your endeavors brought on. Why do you think Katherine is the one he’s smitten with?”
“He showed up at her condo this morning, same time I visited. I’m not aware of anything between them, or if Jack even knows he likes her.” She shook her head. “A gut feeling. Either way, I hope she’s locked up and the key gets lost.” Vanessa smiled. “Jackson will recover from his professional faux pas and be a practicing attorney again.”
“I assume you’ll step in? Put the heavy moves on?”
She lifted her glass. “I’m mapping my strategy as we speak.”
****
“Get out,” Katie shouted. “I said get out. Leave.”
“I heard you.” Jack twisted for the seatbelt and glided the strap across his body, fastening the clip. “But as you can see, I’m not going anywhere. Unless you want to physically remove me.” He leaned over the console and grinned lazily. “Which could be interesting.”
“I don’t…” she sputtered and shook her head. “What are you doing here?”
He wiggled further into the seat, making himself comfortable. “You better get a move on. The police will be arriving soon with their warrant. Don’t want to them to catch you in the midst of an escape, do we?”
She whirled to him and stared. “How did you—ah. So much for attorney, client privilege. I’m advising my father to fire Cruz after this is over.”
“Don’t assume, Katie. I’m not the dumb country boy I once was.”
“Right, you’re a friggin’ expert in human nature.”
“Close. Need I remind you the cops are on their way?”
No he didn’t. Katie’s world was imploding. As if her circumstances couldn’t get any worse. Jack, of all people, involved made this current situation more severe. She was always in control. Some accused her of being emotionless when pressure barreled upon her, which was how she succeeded. But she was coming unglued, and if she spent another millisecond with Jack Pharrell who knows what she might say. She glanced at him. Or do.
“Look, I’m going to stay at my parents’ house. I’ll drop you off at Aaron’s and head that way. You can pick up your truck in the morning.”
“Liar.”
She jerked a glare at him.
“Try again.” He folded his arms over his chest, a corner of his mouth lifted. “Study of human nature, remember?”
She hesitated a moment. With exasperation, she turned the ignition and squealed her tires as she propelled out of the parking garage.
“Added attention in this situation isn’t necessarily a good thing. Might want to go easy on the getaway.”
“Again. Why are you here?”
“Our couple’s therapist suggested we take a vacation together.”
She released an infuriated growl. “How come you won’t leave me alone?”
“I enjoy your company?”
“Liar,” she said through clenched teeth. “Try again.”
“That’s my story.”
“There’s no reason for you to be involved in my situation.”
He released a huge sigh “Let’s say, I’m here because you’re a member of a family I care for.”
Not the explanation she’d hoped for. “I get it. Pops. He put you up to this.”
He didn’t answer, giving her confirmation. The idea should make her m
ad or madder because she was already riled about many other things. Except this new anger had to be put on hold until another time. Still, how did her father convince Jack to pull such an elaborate stunt, and how were they able to figure out her plans. Was she that easy to read?
What’s more, why did Jack agree to go along with the idea? She threw a glance in his direction. He was supposed to start work for Aaron in the morning, and she wasn’t intending on being anywhere near here by then. She hoped he’d called in.
Jack tilted his head toward the window, seemingly checking the side mirror. “So where are we going?”
“The less you know the better.”
“Ahhh. Leaving town in a shroud of mystery. How Sherlock Holmsish. I don’t suppose you can reveal as to how long we’ll be gone?”
“As long as it takes.”
Katie clutched the steering wheel and gunned the accelerator, nearly swerving off the road. The pickup that was following her had parked across the street from her complex.
Jack grabbed the dash. “Easy on the gas, dear.”
She checked the rearview mirror relieved to find the truck stayed put.
He peered out the window. “I need to stop by the guesthouse.”
“For?”
“Stuff for our trip.”
“You made the choice to crash. Not my problem if you didn’t prepare. I’m not changing my route for you.”
He squirmed farther into the seat. “I can live in stinky clothes if you can.”
“Why do you need clothing? Wouldn’t a case of beer work better?”
“Splendidly. But we’ll have to share your toothbrush.” He grinned. “Hate morning breath, don’t you?”
She sighed and rolled her eyes. She pointed her vehicle toward her brother’s home. Fifteen minutes later, she’d parked in the drive, and killed the motor. “I’ll wait for you.”
“I don’t think so.”
“You don’t trust me?”
He stretched across the console and snatched her keys from the ignition. “Not for a second.”
“Just so you know the lack of faith goes both ways. Thanks for telling on me to my parents. I thought we were past the sixth grade.”
“You weren’t going to tell them.”
“Not everything. From now on stay out of my business.”
“Noted. Won’t be easy considering the circumstances. Just keep track of my upcoming betrayals for later reference.” He opened the jeep’s door, stepped out, and peered inside where she remained with her arms folded across her chest. “If I called your folks once, what makes you think I won’t do it again?”
She huffed and rammed the door opened with her shoulder.
Jack didn’t take long to pack a duffle and within a half an hour they were back on the road. Katie raised her chin and glanced into her rearview mirror. Late Sunday, the streets were dark and empty. A fine mist hovered over the streetlamps giving this journey a perfect setting.
“No one’s following us.” Jack fished into his pocket and brought out his cell phone.
“I’m aware. Who are you calling?” Her voice screeched, high and shrill. “I swear if you’re alerting anyone my whereabouts, I’ll haul you out of this vehicle in a split second, and there won’t be anything interesting about it.”
He held the phone up, and slid off the back, took out the battery. “Needs to be removed.”
“Right. We can be traced by the waves pinging towers. Wouldn’t turning it off work just as well?”
“Not necessarily. Radio’s sendoff signals between the towers within the phone’s network, which is a way to track, or they may simply follow via GPS chips. Thought you watched Dateline.”
She glimpsed behind the seat. “Mine is my purses side pouch. Would you mind?”
He stuffed his back into his pocket, rotated toward the rear to get her phone. After he punched the key to make the screen disappear, he performed the same feat on her device as he had his own.
“So you believe the police might be tailing you?” he asked as he put away her cell.
Not sure if she trusted him, she debated whether to fill him in on her most recent events. He was her supposed ally, and to some degree, accomplice. Plus, he was all she had.
“Someone followed me earlier. I think. After I left Cruz’s office.” She went on to tell him about the truck and the knife is missing. “I wondered if my thief broke in and took it back,” she suggested after she finished explaining.
“Yeah. Because that’s what people who are setting you up, do.” He shook his head. “Doesn’t make sense. Unless they wanted to ensure you didn’t stash it somewhere so the police couldn’t find it, which I’m sure you wouldn’t,” he added with a dash of sarcasm. “Did you look around? Maybe they hid it. Concealed will make you appear a lot guiltier.”
“I started to search, but Cruz called and told me to expect the detectives to show up with a warrant. So I high tailed it out of there.”
“Good call,” he interjected dryly. “Not only are the detectives watching you, a possible killer is on your trail too.”
She checked her mirror again. “I think whoever this is wants me to take responsibility, not kill me.”
“Leaving town as the police are closing in will only help their cause.”
She ignored his observation and drove out away from the city, veering onto the interstate. Eyes bonded to the road, her heart bumped up a beat, her white-knuckled hands gripped tighter to the wheel each time they encountered another vehicle.
They journeyed many miles in silence. The only conversation came when she informed him they were heading into a more remote area and if he needed to use the bathroom, or wanted a snack, they’d have to stop now.
They took a quick break at an isolated convenience store. As a precaution Katie parked far away, in the dark, a long distance from any prying cameras while Jack went inside. Antsy, she waited for him, constantly checking the surroundings. Though it seemed like hours, he returned within minutes, carrying water for her, and a soft drink.
He settled into his seat and popped the lid of his soda can. “Don’t suppose I might convince you to do the right thing. The legal thing. Let’s turn back Katie. It’s not too late.”
“I’m a suspect. If the police find a bloody knife in my possession, I’ll be arrested. The fact someone is trying to railroad me into a life sentence or worse, doesn’t thrill me. I need to get away and think for a while. Figure out who’s doing this to me and turn this situation around.”
She curved onto an obscure, unlit gravel road and pushed the floor peddle hard enough to show her frustration.
“How do you propose to do that when you have no clue as to whose behind this? Especially out in the middle of nowhere?”
“I have no idea. All I do know is I don’t belong in prison, Jack. So if your assignment was to bring me back to be thrown in jail, and then consider your efforts a failure. I’m not returning until I have some answers.”
He let out a loud sigh. “I could always call your folks. Tell them where you are.”
She slammed her foot onto the brakes. The car swerved left, then right and skidded to a stop halfway into a ditch. She twisted the interior lights to on and stared at him, her eyes, large and moist.
“Give me a chance, Jack. This nightmare has been thrown at me. I haven’t had the time to process any of it. Someone is gunning for me. I feel it.” To her own ears, her voice sounded shaky. Like she was about to break.
He appeared to consider her request. “I’ll give you two days, three tops. Then I’m calling in reinforcements. Neither of our reputations can withstand the implications any longer.”
“I don’t know if I can figure this out in such a short amount of time.”
“I’ll help,” he stated softly. “But for only three days, Katie.”
Chapter 12
The bumpy road swayed the jeep back and forth like a cradle rocking a baby. Katie pushed to keep her mind on the drive, but her thoughts reeled. Jack gave her three
days to find out who set her up. She’d argued her point for over an hour to only have him stick to his guns.
They’d been quiet for a while, mainly because she decided to let the subject go until she could come up with a better solution. For the moment, she had just seventy two hours to work with. Three days. Unless she convinced Jack to give her an extension or find an alternate method.
She glanced in his direction. He appeared to be at war with his eyelids. His head rocked with the automobile’s shift. Finally, his neck relaxed and his chin dropped to his chest. A low snore whirred from his side of the car. With him fast asleep, she could center on driving, which was where her concentration needed to be. They’d left the smooth blacktop a long time ago, and the rutted narrow stretch commanded her complete focus.
A blanket of clouds covered the moon, altering the night sky into an ashen gloom. The only light were the bright, reedy beams streaking in front of her car reflecting a rise of dust from the road’s grit.
She hadn’t met another motorist in almost an hour. They were alone. She eased her clutch on the wheel. For the first time since they left, she felt secure. Despite the perilous roadway, she was safe. How long had she’d sensed such a freeing relief. Two days ago. Her life turned upside down only forty-eight hours before, yet the short span seemed like years.
The soft wheeze beside her triggered a reminder of the man asleep to the right. She stole another peek. Forget about peacefulness. Why he was here? Yeah, her dad probably asked him keep an eye on her. But to enlist him in helping her escape? Pops would insist Jack do everything in his power to prevent her from bolting. So what were his motives? She dared to hope for the best, but only for a second, then she pushed her optimism from her mind. She needed to let the past go.
He was scheduled to start work at her brother’s company tomorrow. From what she gathered, he was hurting for cash. Jack wouldn’t turn away the opportunity, and she couldn’t imagine him standing up Aaron.
She returned her attention to the road. A fine mist had covered the windshield and obstructed her view even more. She turned the handle prompting the wipers to swish in front of her, clearing the condensation from the glass. The vehicle bounced into a pothole as her hand left the steering wheel. Katie gripped tight, holding the jeep steady to keep them on course.