Sun Catcher - Book Two

by Giselle Fox

  Jericho sat back in her chair and let that sink in. “Hmmm.”

  “That’s exactly what I thought,” Charlie said.

  Jericho shook her head and popped the cap off her bottle. “Cheers.”

  “Cheers.”

  “So, do you think granddad and Lexi are planning something else?” Jericho asked.

  “I guess we’ll find out,” Charlie said. “Should we go inside?”

  Jericho picked up her laptop and they both went inside the house.

  “The place is looking really sharp, Jay,” Charlie said as she looked around. “I would love a kitchen like that if I cooked.”

  “Thanks,” Jericho said. She held the basement door open. “After you.”

  “Seen any good movies lately?” Charlie asked as they passed through the TV room.

  “We watched a bit of Finding Dory with Max the other night. It was cute.”

  Charlie walked carefully through the back part of the basement toward the open stone door. “I want a lair,” she said wistfully.

  “Make yourself one.”

  “In the spare room of my condo? It wouldn’t be the same. I need a basement. I need exposed rock, secret passages, and fake walls. Maybe It’s time I bought a house.”

  Jericho punched her code into the panel on the steel door. They waited for the bolts to slide open. “Houses are a lot of work. I wouldn’t go down that road unless you plan on being home a little more often.”

  “I’m starting to like being home.”

  Jericho smiled at her sister. “Really? Well, well.”

  “I mean, being nomadic has its advantages but I like sleeping in my own bed the best.”

  Jericho smiled again.

  “And the coffee at Demitri’s is the best anywhere, I’m sorry. I’ve been everywhere and that’s just the way it is.”

  Jericho frowned. “Don’t you drink decaf?”

  “Yes and that’s the problem. No one takes you seriously when you order a decaf. I might as well wear a sign that says I can’t handle the truth. If they only knew what caffeine did to me.” Charlie simulated the sound of an explosion.

  “Well, just think - you could drink all the tepid brown water you wanted in the comfort of your own lair,” Jericho said.

  Charlie looked around. “I’m not going to bother until I know mine could be at least as cool as this.”

  “This is the original. Therein lies the cool,” said Jericho.

  “True. This room used to scare the gajeebers out of me when we were kids.”

  “Not enough obviously - given the way things turned out.”

  “No, not nearly enough,” Charlie giggled.

  “And hey, Lexi doesn’t have a lair.”

  “The world is Lexi’s lair. She just flips open her laptop and ...” Charlie made a few buzzing and popping sounds and then sunk back in her chair with an imaginary keyboard. “She’s browsing the FBI database before I’ve set up a new spreadsheet.”

  “Speaking of which, how’s the angel investing thing going?”

  Charlie sat back and put a foot up on the work bench. “You know, I really thought giving my money away would be a lot easier. It’s amazing how few good pitches I hear. So far, none have met my criteria and believe me it’s dead simple. Our lemonade stand would’ve made the cut.”

  “Maybe you should go into teaching instead. Help people figure their stuff out.”

  Charlie pondered that thought. “Yeah, maybe a night school class for wayward housewives and single mothers - like yours.” Charlie put her beer down and stared at her. “Tell me more about this woman of yours.”

  Jericho took a breath. “She’s new in town. Moved into the Proctor’s house last month.”

  “It finally sold?”

  “No, Al decided to rent it.”

  “A renter, how interesting,” Charlie said.

  “Anyway, her puppy ran into the road and I almost hit him. She came over and wham.”

  “Wham? Like … she hit you?”

  “No, like something happened when I got close to her. She’s ... I don’t know...”

  “Sexy as fuck?”

  “Well that too, but ... it was the way she looked at me ... it just did something.”

  “So you asked her out?”

  “I asked her to come to the workshop. I thought it would be a nice way to introduce her to some of the other women in town.”

  “Also a very convenient way to check out her derriere while she’s bent over the hood. Is Taylor of our persuasion?”

  “She is now,” Jericho grinned.

  Charlie looked impressed. “You recruited?”

  Jericho smiled proudly. “Well … it wasn’t her first time but … I did my part.”

  “And?”

  Jericho sighed happily. “She’s amazing.”

  “I see. Well isn’t that exciting news. I, myself, am on a hiatus from women for the foreseeable future.”

  It wasn’t the first time that Jericho had heard her sister talk that way. “Why is that?”

  “Too complicated. I’m just done.”

  “So, what now?”

  “I’m giving celibacy a go.”

  “Hmm. We’ll see how long that lasts.”

  “So, when did you talk to Lexi?” Charlie asked.

  “A couple of times in the last week,” Jericho said.

  “Is she still depressed?”

  “She sounded pretty good. Did you know she was in Barcelona?”

  Charlie shook her head. “No, I did not know that.”

  “And if I had to guess, she’s with a woman - at least she was the first time I talked to her.”

  “Reeeeeeaaaalllly?” Charlie grinned. “She actually listened to me for once.”

  “We didn’t talk much about anything job-related.”

  “Well, when we last spoke she told me she wanted us to make sure we had the door mechanism set before we moved ahead with the drill.”

  “I already have it.” Jericho pushed a button on the side wall and another panel opened up.

  Charlie shook her head. “You see, that’s what I’m talking about. I would never be able to do this in a condo.”

  “I wanted to make sure the drill worked. It cut the rock like butter.”

  Charlie stared at the metal rig inside. “So there it is.”

  “Yep. There it is.”

  “How much does it weigh?”

  “I got it down to ninety-two pounds. Think you can manage?”

  Charlie scoffed. “I’m up to 160 on my squats.”

  “Nice. I’ve hit 180 before.”

  “Shit! You’re a beast.”

  “But I’m bigger than you,” Jericho said. “No tight squeezes for me.”

  Charlie frowned. “I’ve started to trim down. That passage has me worried.”

  “We’ll slap some butter on you. You’ll pop right through,” Jericho chuckled.

  “I can drop another five pounds, maybe. The timing is actually quite perfect since I have a swimsuit shoot the week before.”

  “I thought you weren’t doing swimsuits anymore.”

  “I know, I had a moment but I’m over it. Besides, Warner Bros. saw my last one and now they want me in the next DC movie.”

  Jericho’s eyes popped open. “Are you serious? You know what this means?”

  “I’m going to be a movie star!”

  “Yeah and Lexi is going to freak.”

  “Oh poo on Lexi! No one is going to put it together. People think models and actors are bubbleheads. I can play the part.” She giggled and gave a coy, over-the-shoulder look to prove her point.

  “Have you told her?”

  “No, and I won’t until I see a contract. No sense in poking her for no reason. Let’s hope this friend of hers in Barcelona works out.”

  “I don’t know. People will be all over you, wanting to know your business, taking pictures, digging up your past,” Jericho said with emphasis on the last part.

  “So what? You’re going to be M
ayor one day. Imagine the dirt they’ll dig up on you.”

  “Like what?”

  “Oh, you’re not squeaky clean, Jaybird. You’ve had a few indiscreet encounters.”

  “Not for years and not with anyone that’ll talk about it. They’re all married.”

  “You’re right,” Charlie sighed. “If they do, it’ll probably just add to your mystique.”

  Jericho shook her head and took another sip of her beer. “Lexi’s going to have a fit.”

  “But why should she? I’m a swimsuit model. No one would guess I knocked over the Antwerp Diamond Exchange last year.”

  Jericho shook her head and laughed.

  “Well, they wouldn’t. They’re still running around looking for eight - possibly nine men,” Charlie snorted. “They have no clue. Literally! Besides, aren’t we retiring?”

  “I don’t think Lexi will ever retire.”

  “Like Granddad?”

  “Yeah, like granddad.” Jericho tapped her fingers nervously on her bottle and eyed her sister. “I have something I need help with.”

  Charlie sat up in her seat and frowned. “You’re not going to ask me to help you paint again, right? ‘Cause I’m happy just to pay someone to do it.”

  “No, I’m not going to ask you to paint.”

  “I really thought that would be a lot more fun than it was.”

  “I want you to help me expose a dangerous federal informant to an even more dangerous organized crime boss in order to save my new girlfriend.”

  Charlie finished the rest of her beer and put the bottle down on the floor. “You just said the G word.”

  “What?”

  “Don’t what? me - you said girlfriend. You’ve never said girlfriend.” Charlie dropped to the floor and knelt at her sister’s feet. She started poking her in the ribs.

  “Stop,” Jericho laughed.

  Charlie kept poking and then wrapped her arms around her sister’s waist. “So you want to save your girlfriend, hey?”

  “Yeah. She’s in a jam. A colossal one.”

  “Sure! What do I do? Wait a second - have you told Lexi about this?”

  Jericho was silent.

  “You have to tell her. We don’t do anything without the team.”

  “Lexi works without us all the time,” Jericho protested.

  “That’s because she’s a 99.9999 percentile smarty pants and those kinds of people are just wired differently. We’re the muscle, not the brains.”

  “I have a very good brain and so do you.”

  “But not like Lexi’s and you know it. Even Granddad said it.”

  Jericho kept silent as Charlie sat back in her chair and looked back at her.

  “Hang on, you already have told Lexi and she told you to stay out of it, didn’t she?”

  Jericho sighed. “I see her point. If the feds are involved, it’s crazy risky for us.”

  “So? Did you tell her it was important?”

  “Of course ...”

  “Do you really care about this woman?”

  “Yeah, I do and she has a kid, Charlie.”

  “Then tell Lexi she’s not allowed to say no,” Charlie said simply.

  As serious as her sister was trying to look, Jericho’s eyes were drawn back to the wild blue hair and sparkling silver dress. “Have you actually ever tried that?”

  “No. But if she’s in Spain with the same woman she’s been crying over for the last six moths, it’s the perfect time to appeal to her sense of romantic duty.”

  Jericho leaned forward in her chair and put her head in her hands. She felt Charlie’s hand on her shoulder.

  “I’m sorry, Jaybird,” she said softly. “Lexi calls the plays, we all run - that’s how it goes. Tell her I’m with you, maybe it’ll help.”

  Jericho looked up. “I’ll call her right now.”

  “Good. Then just let me know where and when. I’m looking forward to it.”

  “There might be guns,” Jericho said and held her breath.

  Charlie shook her head. “Nuh uh. I don’t do guns.”

  “But these guys do, Charlie.”

  “I don’t do guns and neither should you. We’re smarter than that.”

  “These guys are killers. Like seriously bad men. Her ex-husband has a record that goes back to when he was fifteen.”

  Charlie shrugged. “Hey, I would too if there was a sheet, but there isn’t because I’m smarter than that. No guns. I hate violence. This is supposed to be fun, remember?”

  “You can’t bring charm to a gunfight.”

  “Don’t be silly! Nobody’s going to a gunfight. We’ll meet them where we say, when we say - that’s how we roll. No guns and nothing pointy or sharp either. The most I do is taze, capisce?”

  “Fine,” Jericho grumbled. She pulled her phone from her pocket and scrolled to Lexi’s number. “Wish me luck.”

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  “Hey, what are you doing here?” Taylor asked. “I thought you were setting up at the fairground.”

  “I was but then I remembered I forgot to give you this,” Jericho said. She unfurled the long vinyl banner in her hand and held it up proudly.

  “Taylor’s Jams, Love in Every Bite,” Taylor read out loud. She looked up into Jericho’s proud face. “You might be the sweetest thing ever. When did you have this made?”

  “Last week,” Jericho said. “I picked it up yesterday. It’s nice isn’t it?”

  “It’s beautiful!” She slung her arms around Jericho’s waist and pulled her in for a kiss. “Mmm. You smell good,” she said as she inhaled the skin below her ear instead.

  “I’m sweating,” Jericho said.

  “Not for long,” Taylor grinned. “When does the dunking start. I want to come watch.”

  “Probably around 11:30. We want to get the folks in the beer garden to participate. It should be full by then.”

  “Where’s Charlie?”

  “Sleeping in last time I checked. She’ll be there.”

  “Do you have to give a speech?”

  “I think Mayor Donaldson is going to handle all that stuff today. I’m just there to raise money.” Jericho swung around the bar to Max’s high chair and gave him a pat on the top of his head. “Hey, buddy. Becoming one with the oatmeal, I see.”

  Max gave her a sloppy smile.

  “So I set up your table already and I fastened some clips and ties to the banner posts so you just have to strap this on. Should be easy but text me if you need help.”

  Taylor reached for her hand. “You take such good care of me, thank you.” She peered down the hall and listened for the shower. “What can I do to repay your kindness?” she asked.

  She watched a dirty grin spread over Jericho’s face. “Whichever way you choose to repay me will be just fine,” Jericho whispered.

  “How about something involving a little peach preserve? I saved you a jar.” Taylor pointed to the jar on the opposite counter.

  “That would be very… very appreciated,” Jericho whispered.

  “Morning Jericho,” Taylor’s mother said suddenly behind them.

  Jericho jumped back a foot. “Morning, Lucinda.”

  Lucinda eyed her daughter briefly and headed straight for the coffee pot. She held up the carafe. “Want some?”

  “Um ... no thanks. I’m good,” Jericho said.

  “Mmm hmm,” Lucinda said and eyed them again. They watched her replace the carafe and then disappear into her bedroom.

  “She offered me coffee - that’s a good sign right?” Jericho whispered when they heard the door shut.

  Taylor reached up and kissed her again. “She likes you, don’t worry. She’s a hard ass with everyone. She does it on purpose.”

  “I’ll try to remember that,” Jericho said. “Okay, I should get back to the fairground.”

  “I’ll see you there in a bit,” Taylor said. She clasped Jericho’s fingers and gave her a look from head to toe.

  “Everything okay?” Jericho asked.

&
nbsp; “You’re gonna wear a white t-shirt and booty shorts into the dunk tank?”

  Jericho grinned. “I have a bikini underneath.”

  Taylor smiled back at her. “This is for charity, right?”

  “Hey, it’s a good cause,” Jericho said.

  ***

  Taylor, her mother, Max and the dog arrived at the fairgrounds with enough time to set up. Fair goers were already wandering around, scoping things out before the festivities began.

  “That looks great,” Taylor said once the banner was up. “That should help get a little more traffic.”

  Her mother began to stack the jars in a pyramid. Her display of flowers and old wooden crates made it look charming and rustic. “It almost looks like we know what we’re doing.”

  “I know what I’m doing - sweating,” her mother grumbled.

  “You been practicing your smile?” Taylor called.

  Lucinda’s eyes shot up and then a pretty smile spread across her face.

  Taylor smiled back at her. “We’re going to need more jam.”

  A second later, her mother’s face settled back into its usual scowl. “Gonna give me a god damned face cramp.”

  Taylor set up Max’s toys around the little tree behind them. She secured Digger on a rope so he could move about a little.

  She looked out over the field hoping to catch a glimpse of Jericho again. “Okay,” she said and rubbed her hands together. “Bring it on.”

  By eleven, they’d sold enough to pay for all their supplies and then some. By eleven-thirty, they were beginning to run out. But Max was already nearing his end. Taylor pulled him onto her hip and walked him around while her mother did most of the selling. Then she saw Jericho weave through the crowd toward them.

  “Jay Jay,” Max said.

  “Hey, little man,” she said. She looked into Taylor’s eyes. “Hey, gorgeous.”

  Taylor felt the little butterflies in her stomach do somersaults.

  “How are sales going, Lucinda?” Jericho called.

  “Turns out we got some serious jam lovers in this town,” Lucinda said. “Go figure.”

  “Good. I’ve been sending everyone I know over.”

  “How come you’re still dry,” Taylor asked as she tugged on the bottom of her white t-shirt.