The Wedding Dress Yes (Crossroads Collection)

by Amanda Tru

  She flexed her knees, balancing on the balls of her feet. Her face glimmered with a sheen of sweat, and her hands curled into fists as she raised them again. He watched the flare of her eyes a split second before she shoved upward, spinning and kicking out with her right foot accompanied with a powerful yell. The solid smack rang through the empty room.

  “That’s it,” he said, slipping his hands out of the straps. “Perfect.”

  He felt as proud of her for hitting the target dead center as when he’d perfected that same kick. He walked over to the shelf where he stored the equipment and set the pads in their proper place. When he glanced at the clock on the wall, he turned toward her. “We have to go. I didn’t realize it was so late.”

  “Go where?”

  “Choir practice.”

  She looked at the clock, too. “Oh, right. I forgot it was Wednesday.”

  “You coming?”

  She put her hands on her hips and pursed her lips. He could see the internal debate, knew how exhausted she’d felt lately between work, wedding, and her mother. Go to choir practice or go home? He could hear her thoughts almost as if she spoke them.

  “Sure,” she said, surprising him. “Let me run to the back and throw something on instead of this.” She gestured at her dobak. “Won’t be a second.”

  He’d changed before she came over. Usually, he closed at six on Wednesdays, so he had time to close up the school and eat something before heading to church. Tonight, though, she’d wanted to work out, and he’d happily obliged her.

  He went to his office, making sure he turned everything off, left everything secure, and turned out the light. He locked his office door just as Traci came out of the locker room. She’d changed into a pair of jeans and a bright pink surfing tank top she’d bought when she attended a law enforcement conference in Florida.

  “All set?” he asked.

  “Yep.”

  They stepped out of the building together, and she paused with him while he locked the door. Holding hands, they strolled down Main and turned left on Fourth. Three blocks later, they walked up the steps of the church.

  He’d joined the choir as soon as he joined the church. He had always enjoyed singing. With a father as a full-time music director, church choirs had played a big part in his younger years. His mother sang in the church choir even after his dad died. The first time he heard Traci sing, he’d tried to convince her to join the choir with him, but it had taken almost a year. The first time she went with him, he could barely contain his excitement at sharing this vital part of his life with her.

  She admitted to enjoying it way more than she’d thought she would. The pair of them had even sung a couple of duets as Sunday specials a time or two. He believed his father would have very much enjoyed the sound of her voice and would have approved of their relationship.

  They walked through the side door and to the choir room. About half of the regular people were there, an average attendance for a last-week-of-school night.

  They stopped at the cubbies and grabbed their books, then made their way to their appropriate seats. Marla Thomas, who sat to Traci’s right, leaned toward her. “Girl, I know you’re getting excited. Just a little over three weeks away!”

  The pained look that crossed Traci’s face almost made Travis chuckle out loud. Traci smiled weakly. “Yeah. So excited.” Giving an enthusiastic thumbs-up sign, she looked at Travis. “Go wedding!”

  He actually laughed more. The poor long-suffering bride. “It will be four hours out of your life.”

  This time, she gave him a genuine smile. “I know.” Blowing him a kiss, she turned back to Marla. “How’s your week been?”

  “Okay. Well, almost. Listen,” she leaned closer, and Travis could barely make it out when she said, “can we meet after practice?”

  Traci looked around, then nodded. “Sure. Everything okay?”

  Marla pressed her lips together and shook her head. “Found something in Andrew’s room. Want you to confirm that it’s what I think it is.”

  Travis watched a look of concern cross Traci’s face just as the choir director went to the podium. “Good evening,” he said, rustling some papers. “Let’s go ahead and open in prayer.”

  Traci leaned closer to the high school sophomore. “Listen, Andrew, this is bad stuff. This isn’t just a good time. This is poison. It messes with your mind in a way you’re not looking for. People are dying.”

  He wouldn’t look her in the eye. She could see the muscle ticking in his jaw, and he kept swallowing as if trying to prevent tears. “We aren’t trying to get you into trouble. We’re just trying to locate the source of the Jellies here in Cooper County. That’s it. No one has to know you said anything. You have to trust me.”

  His head shot up. He looked all around, the whites of his eyes almost glowing against his dark skin. “I don’t trust you. You think this drug will kill me? What do you think they’ll do to me if word gets out?”

  She shrugged and sat back. “I’m just having a casual after-church chat with my friend and her son. I’m not on duty. I’m not in uniform. I’m just looking for your supplier. What your mama does to you after is up to her.”

  Marla leaned toward her son. “Son, you better tell her right now, or your life is over in ways you cannot even imagine.”

  He swallowed three times before he finally said, “EJ Crawford.”

  Traci calculated names and faces. “Son of—?”

  “I don’t know.” He slapped the table and sat back. “He’s one of them Crawfords that live out off of Miller Farm road. He said he got it from his uncle’s stash.”

  She reached over and covered his fisted hand in hers. “Listen, Andrew. Thank you. No one will ever know you gave me a name. But you have to promise me, in return, that you leave this stuff alone.” His eyes shifted, and she squeezed his hand and gave it a small shake. “Promise me. I know there’s this curiosity inside of you to try it, but you’ll hurt yourself or hurt your mom, and I know you don’t want to do that.”

  A tear escaped his control and streamed down his face as he glanced at his mother, who sat quietly next to him but slightly behind him. She reached over and put a hand on his shoulder but kept her promise to Traci and didn’t say another word about it. Traci let him go and sat back. “We love you, Drew. I remember holding you the day you were born. Our moms go way back to high school. Trust me. I’m not trying to make things hard for you. I just want you safe.”

  He looked her in the eye, and another tear slipped down his face. “I promise.”

  “If you get word that anyone suspects you, come find me.” She looked at Marla. “You did the right thing. Let me know if you need anything.” As she stood, she looked at her watch, then at Travis. “I don’t think I can do dinner tonight.”

  “That’s okay. I’ll just walk Marla to her car.” He brushed his lips over her cheek. “See you tomorrow.”

  “Yeah.” She waited about ten minutes after they left, then called Ben Hughes. “Hi, Sheriff. Sorry to bother you so late.”

  “What’s up?”

  “I just got information from a reliable source that EJ Crawford took Bubba’s stash. Probably at some point between him locking his wife in the bathroom and us arriving. He’s the supplier here in town.”

  After a moment’s pause, the sheriff asked, “Who’s your source?”

  “Confidential. Kid I know.”

  “Hard to get a warrant with an anonymous CI.”

  “Confidential, Sheriff. I gave my word.”

  Traci could almost hear Sheriff Hughes purse his lips. “How old is EJ?”

  “Eighteen or nineteen. He’s a senior this year.”

  “Adult, then. In a school full of minors. Okay.” Another long pause. “We’ll get with the school before students arrive in the morning. Search his locker. Let me call Principal Jefferson and see what I can arrange. Principal can search without a warrant.”

  “Roger. School starts at seven-forty. What time do you want to be the
re?”

  “Let’s do six-forty-five.”

  “You got it.”

  By the time she left the empty church classroom, the rest of the building was dark. She guessed whoever locked it up thought everyone had gone. Security lights guided her to the side door. She just hoped she didn’t trigger an alarm when she opened it.

  Safely outside, no ringing alarm bells, no sudden flashing of blue lights, she walked home. She thought it unlikely that anyone could identify Andrew as their informant, but she worried slightly that his behavior would somehow clue them in. All she could do was pray for him, at this point, and hope he came to her if he needed her.

  At 6:45 a.m. Sheriff Hughes, Tiny, and Traci walked into the blue hallway of Cooper County High School. Signs proclaiming the mighty Eagles covered spare wall space. Quiet hung in the air with an energy that anticipated five hundred students bursting through the doors in thirty minutes.

  They followed the assistant principal, Nancy Childers, to locker 448, where the principal, Dr. Abraham Jefferson, waited for them. “Good morning, Sheriff,” Dr. Jefferson said. “Since you do not have a warrant, my understanding is that Ms. Childers and I are the only ones allowed to search the locker unless we find something suspicious and report it.”

  “That is my understanding as well, Abe. Go ahead. We are looking for what looks like jelly candies. They are likely wrapped individually, but that is only an assumption based on the evidence we’ve recovered at crime scenes.”

  “Understood.” Dr. Jefferson slipped on a pair of blue nitrile gloves and inserted a key into the keyhole in the center of the dial of the locker. Once opened, he started removing items from the top shelf, handing each item to Nancy, who organized everything on the floor. From the second shelf, stuffed in the back, he pulled out a worn paper bag. Inside, they found several dozen Jellies in small, individual zip-lock bags.

  Sheriff Hughes nodded. “That’s it. Deputy Winston, call in and confirm the warrant. We’ll arrest EJ when he gets here. Preferably in the parking lot.” With gloves on, he took the bag from the principal and held it out to Tiny. “Get this processed. I want the identity of every person attached to every fingerprint on every bag.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  The Sheriff looked at them. “Clear out of here. Park the extra vehicles out back. I don’t want even a sliver of a hint that we’re here for anything outside of the routine morning traffic work. Don’t do anything, and don’t let anything happen that might spook any of the Crawfords.”

  Traci confirmed the warrant, then walked with Nancy down the hall. “I’m glad this happened when school was still in session. In another week, catching him would have been much harder.”

  “Glad we could help.” She glanced at Traci. “How did you know it was EJ? Did someone tell you?”

  Why would she ask? “It’s not my place to say, really.” She studied her face for a reaction, “And it’s not your place to ask.”

  Her cheekbones blushed red, and Traci decided to stick next to her until school started. She did send Tiny a quick text while they walked.

  VP acting odd. She connected to Crawfords? Might want to send a car out to their farm.

  Seconds later, a reply came in:

  Roger. Will check and get back w you

  She followed Nancy into her office. The vice-principal looked surprised. “Do you need anything more, deputy?”

  Traci hooked her thumbs into her utility belt, her right hand comfortably close to her weapon and her left hand within inches of her Taser. “I guess I’m just curious why you wanted to know who tipped us off.”

  Nancy sat in her chair and said, “I was just making small talk.”

  “Sure.” Traci settled into a chair facing her. “I’m just keeping you company until everything’s settled.”

  With a raised eyebrow, Nancy said, “You think I’m going to call EJ and tell him not to come to school today?”

  Her phone vibrated, and she glanced at the preview of the text.

  Maiden name Crawford

  “Can’t say. My maiden name isn’t Crawford. I’m guessing he’s your nephew? I’m not an aunt, so I wouldn’t know how one would act knowing a felony drug charge was headed for my nephew.”

  Nancy stammered and said, “I wouldn’t warn him. I know you could charge me with obstruction.”

  “True. But you asked who told us. I’m not comfortable with you seeking knowledge like that. I feel like you know way more about certain business going on in your school than what you’ve let on. So, I’m going to keep you company here until school starts, then you’re going to come with me, and we’ll get down to the bottom of it.”

  Nancy opened her mouth, then closed it again and pressed her lips together. She leaned back in her chair and interlaced her fingers, bringing her hands up to her mouth and closing her eyes. For the next twenty-five minutes, she sat still like that. The chirp of Traci’s shoulder radio startled both of them. “Suspect is in custody.”

  Traci stood as she pressed the call button and said, “Roger. Suspect two in custody as well.” She gestured with her hands. “Go ahead and stand up and face that wall. Put your hands flat against it.”

  A few minutes later, after securing the two cell phones she found on Nancy’s person, she escorted her in handcuffs down the busy hallways. The students stopped talking in a wave as they parted and let them pass.

  “You could have arrested me before the students got here,” Nancy said through clenched teeth as Traci put her into the unmarked car.

  “You think?” She pursed her lips and looked around. “I’m just not sure I could have.” She gestured with her finger. “Watch yourself. Shutting the door. Wouldn’t want to hit you with it.”

  Tiny walked up just as the door shut. “Think she’s in on it?”

  “I think the phones will tell us.” She held up the evidence bags. “We need another warrant, obviously. How’d it go with EJ?”

  “He is shocked and outraged and cannot imagine who would put those illegal substances in his locker.”

  Laughing, she shook her head. “Let’s hope he was dumb enough to handle the bags with bare hands.”

  “Exactly.”

  “We’re also pulling security footage. Hopefully, Nancy wouldn’t have thought or have had time to erase it or anything nefarious like that. She didn’t know we were coming and didn’t have time to cover any tracks.”

  “One hopes that people who sell dangerous drugs to children aren’t ever smart enough to fully cover their tracks.”

  Traci sat on the bench next to Travis and lifted her face to the sun. He watched her soak in the heat and bask in the warm rays. She rarely relaxed like she did when she sat in warm sunshine.

  They sat in the center of the town square. Next to them stood the “Brothers Against Brothers” statue commemorating the War Between the States with a Confederate soldier standing back-to-back with a Union soldier. Historical data showed that Cooper County had been exactly evenly divided in the war, with half the men who went to war fighting for the north and the other half fighting for the south. It had taken decades after for the county to right itself and for the relationships to heal.

  “In three weeks, we’ll be on the beach,” she said lazily. “Can you even imagine?”

  “Actually, I changed those reservations. I planned a surprise trip,” he admitted. “Your mom knows the location and is helping me with your packing.”

  “What?” With a sideways glare, she said, “Wherever it is had better have a beach.”

  “Hmm.” Intentionally noncommittal, he said, “You all the way ready?”

  She sat up and straightened her uniform shirt, then picked up the strawberry and banana smoothie he’d brought her and took a sip. “I am as ready as I know how to be. I’m supposed to get together with my mom one night this week and go through my checklist with her.”

  He looked at his watch. “Ready?”

  She held up the cup. “You think I can take this in with me?”

  �
��I’m sure.” In deference to her wearing her uniform, they didn’t hold hands walking into the church. But as soon as they crossed the threshold, he put his hand on the small of her back. “Everything go okay this morning?”

  “Yeah. Smoothly. No unexpected problems.” She glanced over at him. “I did receive a veiled threat from the Crawford family. Apparently, I’m out to get them, and I need to back off.”

  “Really?” He raised an eyebrow. “For stopping a drug dealer panhandling a deadly designer drug that has been wrecking our community?”

  “That about sums it up.”

  “Huh.” He rapped his knuckles on the door, and they walked into the office of Gary Dixon, senior pastor of Charula Bible Church. “Hi, sir,” Travis said, holding out his hand. “Thanks for rescheduling this morning.”

  “I understand the call of work,” he said, gesturing toward the couch that ran along the wall opposite his desk. He sat in the flanking chair. “Happy to accommodate.”

  As they took seats, Traci shifted and pulled at her shirt. He wished he knew how to ease her discomfort. “Let’s get started,” Gary said. “I must say that I wondered if I’d ever marry you two. You seemed just fine with the status quo.”

  Traci answered. “I didn’t think I wanted to get married until Travis asked me. My yes surprised me.”

  Travis chuckled. “Surprised me, too.”

  “There’s more to a relationship when marriage is there. It’s deeper. It’s spiritual. It’s permanent, or should be.” He took his glasses off and looked at Traci. “Traci, tell me, what do you think is Travis’ best trait?”

  He gave her half a smile, hoping to reassure her, but curious about what she’d say. Finally, she said, “He goes out of his way to accommodate me. I’m not easy. I get that. I work crazy hours. I don’t sleep a lot. I have issues with my family. But, if there’s something he can work around, shift, or move, he does it for me.”

  Gary nodded, then steeled his gaze onto Travis. He’d already formulated his response to the same question about Traci, so what he actually asked him surprised him. “Is it your intent to lead your household, Travis?”