If I timed things right and caught the very end of the rake, it could hit Olivia's arm and knock the gun free. If I timed it wrong, I'd get another knot. But another knot would be better than a shove off a cliff.
I focused on the tines and, at the perfect moment, I stomped on them. The handle sliced through the air and hit her arm. The gun went off and I heard the bullet thump into the dirt beside us.
I spun and after making sure she'd dropped the gun, I tossed aside the box and barreled into her, knocking us both into the gaping hole where the patio had once been. She clawed at me, scratching my bruised face. She yanked my hair, but I couldn’t back off and let her go. I tried to remember self-defense moves I'd seen on TV and the only thing that came to mind was to gouge her eyes. I lifted my fingers and aimed as I vaguely heard a noise behind us.
A quick thrust of my fingers was followed by an ear-piercing scream.
"It's over Olivia." A booming male voice sounded from behind.
I glanced back. Mitch stood with his gun trained on us.
Olivia didn't give up but clutched me around the neck and squeezed. I coughed and gagged..
"Cover 'em while I break it up," Mitch said to someone.
As my eyes felt like they would bug out of my head, big booted feet appeared near me and then strong hands pried Olivia's fingers off my neck.
I sucked in air and gagged as Mitch dragged Olivia out of the hole.
"Cuff her," he said, a huge scowl on his face.
Through watering eyes, I saw Officer Riley holster his gun and snap the cuffs on Olivia. Mitch squatted down and looked at me with relief flooding his eyes. "Are you okay?"
I couldn’t speak so I just nodded.
"As mad as I am at you for not letting this go, I need to thank you for giving away Olivia's whereabouts."
"Wait, what?" I croaked out. "You knew she was the killer?"
He gave a wry smile. "Stan Carson gave her up a few hours ago, but we couldn’t find her."
"So Olivia had him break into my house."
Mitch nodded. "He and Olivia were involved and they were supposedly going to take the money and run off together. She told him if Gary kept evidence on the computer that implicated Nathan in the embezzlement, there'd be no money to finance their life together."
Everything was now starting to make sense. "So he must be the guy she told me had gotten a little too amorous and hurt her."
"Suppose so." Mitch sighed and ran a hand over his face. "Promise me this is the last time you'll ever do anything like this."
"You sound like Adam," I said my voice hoarse. "I couldn't promise him, so I sure can't promise you."
He arched a brow and seemed to war with what he wanted to say. He probably wanted to say, I told you so and remind me of how he'd warned me this could happen if I butted in.
"We'll talk about this later," he finally said and, straitening his shoulders, he climbed out of the hole and went to Olivia.
She glared at me with venom in eyes that were watering far worse than mine were.
The magnitude of what had just happened hit me. I'd barely escaped with my life. I tried to climb out of the hole, and my knees buckled under me.
"Look's like she's heading into shock," Riley said, tipping his head at me.
"Look's like it," Mitch answered. "You transport Olivia and I'll get Paige to the hospital to be checked out."
Mitch came over to me and gently helped me to my feet. He supported me as I walked to his squad car and the reality of it all sank in. This was over. Finally, over. Gary's killer was in cuffs, but only by the grace of God, had it happened before she killed me.
Chapter Thirty
Outside The Garden Gate the following week, I watched Daisy dig into the lush soil, spilling thick clumps as she hefted her shovel into the wheelbarrow. It felt good to have things back to normal. Well, almost normal. Adam still wasn't talking to me and Daisy had miraculously become a better employee overnight.
"Never thought she could do it," Hazel said, nodding at Daisy. "But she's really coming around."
"Let me get this straight. You're admitting that I didn’t make a mistake in hiring her?"
"Maybe, but that doesn't mean you should keep hiring. We'll go bankrupt if you keep it up." Hazel laughed and my focus shifted to Mitch's police cruiser as he drove by.
He gave me a tight little wave.
"It's odd to see the two of you as friends," Hazel said.
"Truth be told, it's kind of odd to be friends again."
"Guess being friendly with Mitch has its benefits. Otherwise how would we keep up with Nathan and Cara after they were shipped off to Texas?" She grinned at me and I knew she was thinking about how they'd been arrested in a local motel that same afternoon that Olivia tried to kill me. Their affair that no one had known about ended that day and so had their freedom.
I thought I'd take some satisfaction in seeing the two of them arrested for embezzlement, but it was just another sad day in Serendipity, a town that had not so long ago boasted jaywalking as its most serious crime. At least, they'd been taken back to the state where they'd committed the crime and people around here weren't consumed with their trial.
"We're setting a bad example for Daisy," Hazel said and nodded at Daisy who'd taken a break. "We should get back to work."
"You are so right." I waved at Daisy then went inside to do some paperwork. I'd rather be digging in the soil like Daisy, but she couldn’t do the paperwork so that left me tied to the desk. I stepped into my office to the ringing of the phone.
"Thank you for calling The Garden Gate," I said in a singsong tone.
"Paige, this is Yolanda."
"Yolanda," I said, genuinely glad to hear from Karen's mother. "How are you and Karen doing?"
A long intake of air followed by a slow hiss filled the phone. "We're okay. The news of Gary's embezzlement hit her hard, but she's turning to her faith to get through it."
How I could sympathize with taking this hard. From the other end of the spectrum. Gary's deceit was much like mine. Though I hadn't committed a crime, I imagine Adam felt much the same way as Karen did. "Is there anything I can do?"
"That's why I called. Karen is using the insurance money and proceeds from the house to pay back Gary's theft. You once offered to complete the landscape project for free. Since her financial resources are now limited, I was wondering if you would still be willing to do this."
I stifled a laugh. Karen's predicament wasn't funny, but I was grateful that I could help Karen with a one-time financial favor, not by providing her with a job at my shop. "Be glad to."
"Thank you, Paige. You're a true friend." The relief in her tone declared the stress she'd been under. "One more thing. Would you mind not telling Karen I called? And maybe send her a note so she knows it was your idea?"
Another secret involving Karen? Was this wise? How could it not be wise? It would help Karen and hurt no one. "Sure, Yolanda. I'll get a card in the mail today."
"Say, Yolanda, since you called I have a question to ask you. This might sound kind of tacky, and I would never ask Karen, but my curiosity is getting the best of me. So if you don't want to answer it, you don't have to. Okay?"
"Well, you've certainly piqued my interest. Go ahead."
"The neighboring business is a scrapbooking place that Karen spent a lot of time at. The owner saw Karen cut Gary from a picture of him and Cara Long in front of the Alamo. I can't for the life of me figure out why Karen would have a picture of the two of them and why she didn't just shred it."
Yolanda chuckled. "I can see why you didn't want to ask. Karen knew about Gary and Cara's relationship if that's what you're asking."
"I figured as much," I said. "But I really do want to know why she had that picture."
"I know which photo you mean. Karen told me all about it. Pacific Pickles had a corporate meeting in San Antonio a year or so ago. Cara insisted on having her picture taken with Gary. Since Karen knew Cara did this to cause a scene, Karen
went along with her and took the shot. Then she was so mad, she made Gary take her to the hotel. When they got back to Oregon it was the only photo they had with the Alamo in, so Karen cut out the offending woman and kept the picture."
"I think I would have shredded it, Alamo or not."
"Karen was very secure in her relationship with Gary. Nothing could shake it. Not even death."
Wishing I had a similar relationship with Adam, I thanked Yolanda for her candor, and we ended with pleasant goodbyes.
In my desk, I kept a supply of cute gardening cards. I retrieved one and penned a quick note to Karen then sat back and sighed. Seemed like I was so good at fixing others people's problems, but I hadn't yet reconciled with Adam. He remained as elusive as the perfect orchid bloom. And it also seemed like he was planning to play hard to get for all of eternity.
With the shop fully staffed, overstaffed in fact, I settled in behind my desk and completed mounds of paperwork that I'd ignored for far too long. Once I'd done as much as I could stand without going batty, I exited out the back door and climbed into my truck to go to Lisa's house. She'd asked for my help in getting ready for a garage sale that she wanted to hold to be prepared if they moved. Not that it was imminent. Perry had finally made a decision. Slightly in my favor for now. He decided not to accept any of the current job offers and they'd stay in Serendipity. At least until that perfect job came along. Until then, he and Lisa would remain close enough to keep me sane.
Lisa greeted me at the door, her arms filled with toys. "Man, I never knew we had so much stuff to get rid of. I'm so glad you're here to help."
She left me to close the door, and she dropped to the floor beside a large moving box. My mind on Gary's murder and all the players, I knelt next to her and started loading items she'd already priced into another box while letting my mind drift to Adam as it had most every free moment this last week.
"Earth to Paige." Lisa waved her hand in front of my face. "What're you thinking about?"
"Adam."
"Time heals most wounds."
"That's easy to say, but hard to do."
"Just give it time, sweetie. God will give you the strength to get through this."
"Even with God, I'm not sure I can do it."
"You're stronger than you think, Paige."
I snorted.
"You are." She dumped a load of toys out of a box. "Look at the last week. There are a lot of things that happened to you and in the past, you would have obsessed about them nonstop. Then tried to control them and make things happen on your schedule. But you're at least trying to go with the flow. That makes you better able to take what life throws at you."
I thought about the week. There was no way I'd admit to having pushed and shoved so many things this week to make them work out for me. Though, she was right in some respects. I didn't push Adam. He'd abandoned me, and I hadn't forced the issue. Not that I didn’t still think about it.
"Oh, I know that look. You're thinking about showing up on Adam's doorstep. Don't go there, Paige. Give it time. It's only been a week since you talked to him. This is a good situation to learn to trust God in."
She was right, but I didn't want her to be. "But Olivia had me at gunpoint. You'd think Adam would at least call to be sure I was okay."
"Perry told Adam you were fine. He doesn't need to call."
"But still. I wish he would."
She gazed into my eyes. "Has anything changed? Are you ready to meet his terms? Give up acting like a PI whenever anything happens around here?"
I shrugged. "How can I tell him I won't go off the deep end again when I don't know what'll happen tomorrow?"
She sat back on her haunches. "Then unless he's changed his mind, there's no point in talking to him."
I pouted and crossed my arms. "That's not what I want to hear. You're my best friend for goodness sakes. You're supposed to tell me what I want to hear."
She threw her head back and laughed. "Since when have the two of us operated that way? I tell it like it is, not how you want to hear it. Nothing's changed, Paige. I've told you the truth ever since you cut off Kady Jones's ponytail in second grade and wanted to believe you wouldn't get in trouble."
She was right again. As usual. For the hundredth, millionth time in our friendship. We didn't dash each other's hopes, but we never gave each other false hope either. And that's what thinking Adam wanted me back was, false hope.
I stood. "Let's forget about everything and just get this done."
To Lisa's chatter and the girls running circles around us, I settled into the task of filling boxes, schlepping them to the garage and emptying them onto tables Lisa had borrowed from church. By late afternoon, a record high of ninety-eight degrees zapped all my energy, and I reached a record output of perspiration. Couple that with the dusty garage and I was so ready for a long shower.
I left Lisa to feed the girls an early dinner and rushed home to clean up and return to babysit. In return for helping with my landscaping, I offered them a dinner, movie and little people sitting tonight. Helping prepare for tomorrow's garage sale was thrown in for free.
After a trip through my sweltering second floor apartment, I relished the delicious cool water spraying off the grime. Lisa, one of the few locals with central air, had offered to let me spend the night in the coolness, and I jumped on the offer. I packed an overnight bag, grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, and, as fresh as a newly mowed lawn, I hopped into my truck for the return trip to the Winkle house.
I'd driven only a few miles when my cell rang in Lisa's tone. Great. I'd taken too long and she was checking up on me.
"Don't nag," I said. "I'm on my way."
"Where are you?" she whispered.
"Almost there."
"What're you wearing?"
I sighed and glanced at my cutoffs and baggy t-shirt. Sometimes she was as bad as my mom when I was little. Always wanting me to look my best. "My usual babysitting garb."
"Turn around now. Put something nicer on."
I laughed. "There's no way I'll let your girls ruin something good."
I heard a commotion in the background. "Look, I gotta go. Don't argue, Paige. For once in your life, listen to me and go change. Now!" She disconnected.
I pulled to a stop at the corner. At three years of age, Laci and Lori wouldn't be influenced by my sloppy clothing choice, so Lisa had an ulterior motive. Probably spurred on by our conversation this afternoon. Maybe she convinced Adam to come over and talk to me. No, no, she was adamant—ooh, even the sound of that word made me miss him—that he come to me without any interference. So what was she up to?
A horn behind me sent my brain and my hand shifting into gear. She wasn't going to make some lame attempt at a blind date, was she? Maybe casually have a friend drop by while I was babysitting. Oh, yeah. That was so her style. Well I'd show her. I'd keep on my ratty clothes and leave my wet hair clipped above a face devoid of makeup.
Thinking of all the quips I could toss out the minute I entered the house, I made the final turn onto her street and pulled into their driveway. No odd car parked behind their minivan, so whoever she was going to spring on me hadn't arrived yet.
I didn't ring the bell but rushed inside. The family room was empty, which in and of itself was a clue. The girls weren't here. If I was to babysit, where were they? I heard water running in the kitchen. I swung open the door, calling out, "Lisa, if you've done something crazy and set me up with some guy just because I was whining about not talking to Adam, I'm so going to hurt you."
"Surprise," my friends from our Bible study group yelled from their various spots in the room.
My mouth dropped open, perhaps in preparation for my big foot to climb in, and I dropped onto a barstool. "What's going on? It's not my birthday or anything."
Lisa popped out of the crowd and with a sheepish look on her face, came forward. "Before you fuss at me, I didn't know anything about this until they showed up. Perry arranged it," she paused to glare a
t him. "And he didn't want me to ruin the surprise by telling you."
I opened my mouth to ask for more details, but before I spoke, Karen stepped out from behind a small group. Her face haggard, her eyes sad, she came close and hugged me. "I wanted to thank you for helping me," she whispered. "Plus I heard about your fight with Adam, and I couldn't stand the thought that I came between you two."
She stood back. "So I wanted to bring everyone from the group together not only as a thanks for all you did, but also as a celebration of Gary's life. His name has been tarnished by the theft," her voice broke, "but I wanted his fellow Christians to remember he was sorry for what he did and planned to turn himself in. I'm certain he's now where we all will be some day." She raised a glass of punch. "To Paige and Gary."
I blushed and glanced around the room. Perry's wary eyes were fixed on Lisa. If Lisa's return glare was any indication, Perry was in for it once everyone left. Adam stood beside Perry, his face open and approachable. A surge of hope rushed through me. Maybe we would finally talk tonight.
Karen walked up to him, said something and he listened intently. I wanted to charge over to them and listen, but Lisa preempted me by announcing dinner.
"Paige, you first," she said and shoved me toward the island covered in an assortment of potluck dishes. "Bet you wished you listened to me and changed clothes," she hissed at me.
I did so wish, but there was nothing I could do about it now, so I went to the island and filled my plate. Lisa directed me to the breakfast area table and, knowing her need to take charge of this event in her home even if she hadn’t planned it, I followed her lead and sat. She wouldn't eat a thing tonight but would stand guard to be sure her guests had fun and yet stayed within the approved dining areas. She wouldn't let a plate with baked beans or a single cup of red punch reach her living room.
I sat at the table and waited for others to join me. Karen took up a post beside Lisa and soon the covert plan became clear. All others were sent into the dining room. When Adam turned with his plate and drink, the undercover agents nearly forced him into a chair across from me.
Read Between the Tines Page 23