by Jessica Beck
“That’s it. Time’s up,” Jake said as he opened the passenger door of the Jeep.
I opened mine as well. “Then I’m going in with you.”
“You most certainly are not,” he said in that commanding voice of his. I was sure that it worked just fine on criminals and even coworkers, but it didn’t have any sway with me.
“Just try and stop me,” I said as we both stood in the driveway.
We didn’t have to argue anymore, though.
Terry stepped out of the cottage with a relaxed smile on his face. “It’s all clear inside,” he said. “What are you two doing standing outside of the vehicle? I thought I told you both to stay in the car.”
“Apparently nobody’s following orders today,” Jake said.
“You can pout all you want to,” I told him, “but I’m not about to stand idly around while you two put yourself in danger for my sake.”
“That’s what we’ve been trained to do, though,” Jake said.
“I know that, but it doesn’t mean that I’m not every bit as brave as you two are.”
“Make her understand what I’m trying to say, Terry,” Jake said to his friend.
“You’re kidding, right? Honestly, I’d rather face Rusk alone barehanded than get into the middle of this,” he said with a grin. “Hey, is anybody else hungry?” he asked, clearly trying to diffuse the tension of our conversation.
“It has been awhile since we ate those donuts,” Jake said, letting the darkness of our discussion slip quickly away. “I wonder if there’s any food from Napoli’s left in the fridge.”
I had to laugh. “There’s at least a week’s worth of goodies from Angelica alone.” The two state police inspectors had dropped our previous arguments completely, and I really had no choice but to follow suit. It was a good thing, too. I wasn’t about to change my mind. From now on, if they were going to put their lives on the line, then I was going to do it with them. What I lacked in training, I would more than make up for with sheer determination.
While the men stayed out on the porch keeping guard, I went in and started reheating leftovers. Everything had been so delicious that it was hard to decide which meal to serve, so instead, I heated pans of lasagna, ravioli, and spaghetti with meatballs. As I prepped the plates on the tray that had been getting a great deal of use lately, I reached for a caramel candy in the bowl on the counter. Momma was constantly picking up new treats to nibble on, and I had to wonder how she managed to stay so petite, whereas if I even looked at a piece of candy, I seemed to find a way to gain weight. It wasn’t until I started to unwrap the caramel in my hands that I remembered it had been Heather’s candy of choice. I’d even found some in the bushes where she’d been watching us. I knew that it wasn’t the candy’s fault, but I couldn’t bring myself to eat a single piece of it, its association with the killer so close in my mind. With a shudder, I returned the candy to the bowl and pushed it all away; oddly, it somehow made me feel a little better, and that was something that I was determined to embrace. As I looked around the kitchen, I knew that this cottage was more than just a place to sleep at night. It meant home to me, and the thought that I had to have an armed guard present out front in order to live there made me sad. That wasn’t the only reason for my melancholy, though. Momma had lived there my entire life, and now, in part directly because of me, she was gone. I knew what she’d said about starting a new life away from our cottage, and I understood her rationale, but that still didn’t make it any easier living there without her now. I knew that it would have sounded crazy if I’d told anyone else what I was feeling, but even though two men were just steps away out on the front porch, I was lonely. There was something that I could do about that, though.
Fortunately, she picked up on the first ring. “Suzanne, is everything all right there?” she asked after I identified myself.
“Everything’s fine, Momma.”
“That’s wonderful news. I didn’t want to smother you, but I’ve been hoping you’d call,” she said.
“I know how this must sound, but I miss you.” It took all that I had not to break down over the phone. I tried to give myself a pep talk about keeping a stiff upper lip, but it didn’t work.
“I miss you, too,” she said, and then she laughed with relief. “What a fine pair of fools the two of us make.”
“Does it really matter if nobody else understands us?” I asked her.
“Not in my mind. You must be relieved that Officer Grant caught Heather.”
“It’s a load of my mind, but there’s still one bad guy out there gunning for us,” I reminded her.
“Yes, and this Rusk sounds like a very wicked man.”
“He does indeed,” I said. “I didn’t call to talk about him, though. How are you settling into your new place?”
“It’s not as easy as I’d hoped it would be, to be honest with you,” she said.
“You can always move back here with us, you know,” I suggested, only halfway kidding.
“No, that wouldn’t be too awkward at all, would it?” she asked as she laughed a little. “Just the three of us, all living cozily under one roof.”
I laughed some myself at the thought of it. “You know, we can always make Jake move out. At the rate he’s going, he’s not going to need me in another week, anyway. I’ve got to tell you, he’s tougher than I even thought he was.”
“He would have to be, wouldn’t he? Thank you for your gracious offer, but I honestly believe that the only way I’m going to be able to move on with my life is to leave the cottage behind. We both know that there are a great many reasons that a fresh start is called for right now.”
“Does that mean that I should move out, too?”
“Of course not; it suits you. Besides, you never lived there when you were married to another man. That’s a big difference between the two of us.”
“I can see that,” I said, but before I could speak again, the oven timer went off.
“What are you cooking?” Momma asked curiously. While I was adequate in the kitchen, my mother was the seasoned pro, but she always cheered me on whenever I tried to tackle a dish myself.
“Don’t get too excited. I’m just warming up some leftovers from Napoli’s.”
“Now I’m jealous that I’m not there,” she said with a laugh.
“There’s no reason you shouldn’t be. There’s plenty of food, and just because you don’t live here doesn’t mean that you can’t visit. I can make up four plates just as easily as I can do three. What do you say?”
“I think that’s the best offer I’ve had in some time,” Momma replied. “Keep everything warm for me, and I’ll be right there.”
“I’m really glad,” I said, excited to see her again.
As I got four plates ready, I found myself smiling, and I didn’t even care if it made sense to anyone else or not. I was happy.
Taking the card table outside, I said to the two men, “I thought we’d eat out here together.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Terry replied. “I don’t mind eating alone.”
“You may not, but I do, and I’ve got a hunch that my boyfriend isn’t all that excited about leaving you out here by yourself, either. Jake, I’ll go get the chairs. Can you manage the plates, the glasses, and the silverware?”
“Not in one trip, but I can do it,” he answered. “It turns out that my left hand is more useful than I was giving it credit for.”
“Yes, I’m sure you’ll be playing the violin again in no time,” Terry said with a smile. “Can I help out, too?”
“You just keep watch,” I said. “That’s more than enough.”
“That I can do,” he replied as he scanned the park around us. I knew that it wasn’t the easiest place in the world to defend, but I wasn’t about to go anywhere else.
Back in the kitchen, Jake asked, “Suzanne, why are there four plates? Do I get two servings, since I’m recovering from my gunshot wound?”
“I can grab seconds fo
r you if you’re still hungry after the first round, but that plate’s for Momma.”
“That’s great,” he said. “I’m glad that you invited her.”
“To be honest with you, I miss her,” I admitted.
“Why wouldn’t you?” he asked tenderly. “This new arrangement has got to be a big adjustment for both of you.”
I kissed him lightly, careful not to joggle his bad arm. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Understanding me,” I said.
“No thanks are necessary, but they are still greatly appreciated. Do I get another thank you for helping set the table?” he asked as he leaned in for another kiss.
“You are feeling better, aren’t you?” I asked after I gave him another quick peck.
“More and more every minute,” he said as he took a deep breath in. “That smells fantastic.”
I pulled out the trays and put them on the stovetop. “You can’t go wrong with Napoli’s.”
“The company’s pretty good, too,” he said.
“I agree. Now let’s get busy. Momma’s going to be here shortly.”
“I’m on it,” he said as he grabbed the plates carefully and made his way out with the first load.
“This has been lovely,” Momma said as we finished eating on the porch together. Terry had insisted on sitting with his back to the door so he could keep an eye on the land around us, but he still managed to take part in the conversation, and eat a good amount of food as well.
“Mrs. Hart, it’s been a real pleasure getting to know you,” Terry said.
“As I told you before, it’s Dorothea,” she said, “or Dot, if you prefer.”
“I’d prefer to stick with Mrs. Hart, but I can probably manage Dorothea.” He gestured to the cottage. “This place is really something.”
“Thank you,” she said automatically. “It’s been in the family for generations, and more to come, hopefully.”
“Well, I don’t plan on moving anytime soon,” I said.
“Nothing would delight me more if you stayed here forever,” Momma said as her cellphone rang. “Would you all please excuse me?”
We all nodded, and Momma stepped away from the table as she took her call.
Terry remarked, “That lady’s the real deal, isn’t she?”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“The woman is so confident in her own skin that she’s not afraid to say exactly what’s on her mind.” He must have thought about how that sounded, because the state police inspector quickly added, “Just in case you weren’t sure, that was a compliment. I haven’t met many folks like her in my life.”
“And you most likely won’t,” Jake said. “She’s one of a kind.”
“I guess,” I said. “To me, she’s always just been my mother.”
Jake smiled at me. “Kids are the hardest people in the world to impress, aren’t they?”
“Aren’t they what?” Momma asked as she rejoined us.
“These two nice gentlemen were just complimenting you,” I said with a smile.
“I must say, I’m sorry that I missed that,” Momma answered in turn. “That was Phillip. He stopped by my place and wondered where I was.”
“You can invite him over, too,” I said. “There’s plenty of food left.”
“I already did, but he just had a second to spare. He did have a message for you, though, Jake.”
That clearly caught my boyfriend’s attention. “What did he have to say?”
“As much as it displeases me to pass this on, Phillip believed that it was imperative that I share it with you. He said that Heather told him that it was important to tell you that she’s already taken care of you and Suzanne. You just don’t know it.”
“The woman is clearly deranged,” Terry said.
“There’s little doubt about that,” Momma answered.
“Should we be worried?” I asked Jake.
“No, she’s not going to escape again, at least not anytime soon. Suzanne, you can safely put her out of your mind.”
“There’s nothing that I’d like better,” I said. I noticed that Momma was still standing beside us. “Have a seat.”
“I’d like to, but I’m afraid that I have pressing business elsewhere. This was quite nice, though.”
Both men stood, and Terry offered my mother his hand. “It was a pleasure, Dorothea.”
“For me as well,” she said, and then she kissed Jake’s cheek lightly. “You get better soon, young man, do you hear me?”
“I’ll do my best,” he said.
After Momma was gone, the party just kind of broke up.
Jake started to help me clear the table, but I suggested, “You’ve done enough for now. Why don’t you sit with Terry and I’ll take care of this?”
“I hate to make you do all of the work,” he said, but his smile told me that he didn’t hate it that much.
“Don’t worry. I’m saving up every favor you owe me.”
“Wow, this is going to cost you a trip to Paris before it’s all over,” Terry said, teasing his friend good-naturedly.
“You know what? Paris sounds just fine to me, if Suzanne can drag herself away from the donut shop that long,” Jake said seriously.
“Hey, I’m taking a month off to look after you, remember?”
Jake smiled at that. “I’m not sure that you’ll even be able to last a week on the sidelines, let alone an entire month. That place is too much a part of you for you to ever leave it behind.”
“You never know. I just might surprise you,” I said.
“Suzanne, truth be told, there’s nothing that I’d like more. Tell you what. Once I’m fully healed and cleared for duty, let’s both take a week off and go on that trip. There’s something about being shot that puts things in perspective in a hurry.”
“It’s a date,” I said with a smile of my own. I just hoped that I could follow through. I was definitely feeling the tug of the donut shop being open without me being there, but did that mean that I could never leave it? I hoped not. When I’d first bought the place with my divorce settlement from Max, I hadn’t imagined that it would rule my life, but if I was being honest with myself, that’s exactly what it had done.
Maybe, with my boyfriend’s help, I could break that particular spell.
After all, I always had wanted to see Paris, and I couldn’t think of a better person to see it with than Jake.
Chapter 17
I watched her walking down the road toward her place, all alone. At one point she was so close to me that I could have easily reached out and grabbed her, but I wasn’t quite ready to do that just yet. I had to make them both sweat a little before I moved on them. It was easy enough taking her picture with my phone, though. I’d find a way to use it soon to start the panic.
I wanted them both good and scared before I finished this.
Morton was going to get his revenge, even if it was going to be from beyond the grave.
Chapter 18
Thankfully, the rest of the day was fairly quiet, and by eight PM, I caught myself yawning. Despite my new schedule, my sleep patterns hadn’t adapted to my new bedtime yet. At least Jake was tired, too.
“You’re killing me with those yawns of yours,” he said with a smile after a particularly spectacular one on my part. “I can’t seem to stop myself from yawning, too.”
“I’ll try to quit, but old habits die hard,” I said.
“Hey, we can call it a night right now if you’d like. I’m sure that I’ll be able to get to sleep without trying too hard.”
“Let’s at least see if we can stay up until nine,” I answered. “What do you think?”
“I’m game if you are,” he said.
As it turned out, neither one of us had any trouble staying awake an hour later, but it had nothing at all to do with our sleep patterns.
“Chief, what are you doing here? Your shift doesn’t start for hours yet, and Terry, you should be back at your hotel room by
now,” I said as I answered the door. I was surprised to find the state police inspector there with the police chief, since George had been on duty for just a few hours.
“I hate to do this, but you both need to come with me right now,” the chief said grimly.
“Has something happened?” Jake asked as he grabbed his jacket.
“Is it Momma? Has she been hurt? Please tell me that she’s all right.” I had a sudden fear that Rusk had gone after someone I loved so much, however irrational that might be. I couldn’t stand the thought that someone might have hurt her because of Jake or me.
“Don’t worry. Your mother is fine,” the chief said.
“Thank goodness for that,” I replied.
“If no one’s hurt, then what is it?” Jake asked Terry.
“I think that it’s going to be better if you see it for yourself,” Terry said. “Bear with me, okay?”
Jake nodded, and I followed him out the door. “Hey, George,” I said as I walked past the mayor. “Are you coming with us, too?”
“No, I’m hanging back to keep an eye on the cottage,” he said. “No worries here.”
“I appreciate that,” I answered, and then I turned to the men and asked, “Should I drive Jake to wherever we’re going?”
“No, I want you all to come with me in my squad car,” Chief Martin said.
“It might be nice to at least know where we’re going,” Jake said.
“Nathan’s Sport Shop,” the chief replied.
I’d been in Nathan’s a few times, though his wares weren’t really my general area of interest. Nathan catered mostly to hunters and fishermen, selling all kinds of specialty equipment and other things that outdoorsmen preferred. I happened to know that because the same group also made up a part of my own clientele at the donut shop. After all, it wasn’t unusual during any hunting season to find them stopping into Donut Hearts for a little snack on their way in or out of town.