“Where is this animal now?”
“She’s in the kitchen, I’ll go get her.” Terri headed that way.
“There have been complaints of barking in this neighborhood several times before,” the cop said.
I crossed my arms. “I’ve only ever heard barking a couple of nights ago.”
He gave me a disbelieving cop look. “Dogs never bark?”
“Once in a while, rarely at night.” I shrugged.
Trixie trotted into the room and stopped beside me.
There was alarm in the cop’s face. “It isn’t dangerous, is it?”
Depends on whether Miz Carlisle kept doing this. “No, she’s not. Collies tend to be calm and well behaved.”
Trixie sat beside me, an innocent expression on her face.
The cop glared at me.
“Don’t make me come back here.”
“That all depends on whether somebody calls and lies about Trixie again.”
He frowned. “So you’re saying this was a false report.”
Duh! “Yes, sir.” I held his gaze until he looked away.
With an expression of mixed irritation and confusion on his face, he headed out the door.
A naked Terri wore an expression that looked like she was ready to bite somebody. “That mean, crazy, vindictive bitch! I ought to go over there and give her a piece of my mind.”
“Get dressed first.”
“She did this because we saw through her evil plan.”
I sighed. “And because I went out with Ace.”
“Which is none of her damn business.”
“I agree. For some reason she hates him, and because we don’t hate him too, she hates us.”
“She needs a good kick in the rear.”
I nodded. “Unfortunately that wouldn’t help anything. We have to be more creative.”
A smile pulled at her lips. “If there’s something you and I are good at, it’s being creative.”
“True.” I headed toward the kitchen, and coffee, wondering what kind of scheme the two of us could design to sidetrack the resentful old biddy. And her devil cat too.
****
Trixie played in the yard while I sat on the porch with my trusty notebook and pen, trying to get a handle on the next few scenes in my contracted book. Miz Carlisle hadn’t come out all morning. Even Bumpkins was indoors. The only sign of life was an occasional tug at a curtain and a glimpse of the side of the woman’s face.
A familiar SUV pulled into our driveway, and I felt warmth and lightness fill me. I got to the steps seconds before Ace trotted up them.
“I heard about Trixie getting reported last night. Is everything okay?”
“Other than a burning desire to kick the neighbor’s ass, we’re fine.”
He touched my face.
“I’m sorry. If it weren’t for me you wouldn’t be tangled up in this mess.”
“Oh, Ace.” I met his gaze and saw sadness. “It’s not a mess, it’s just a cranky old woman who doesn’t like dogs.”
“And her buddies, like Mr. Roark. He reports me almost as much as Miz Carlisle.”
“You’re kidding? He lives way over on Tremont. No way he could hear Trixie, much less your dogs.”
Ace closed his eyes for a moment as he sighed. “Doesn’t matter. If they get enough bad feeling going, then I’ll be forced to move. Again.”
My heart melted. “Come on inside where we can talk.”
He glanced toward the door, a worried expression on his face.
“It’s safe, I promise.”
He didn’t look totally reassured, but he followed me inside.
“Trust me,” I raised my voice enough to be heard throughout the little house. “There will be no naked cousins, not if she wants to live to finish that bestseller she’s writing.”
Terri, fully dressed in jeans and T-shirt, came out of her bedroom. “Sorry about before, Ace. At the time, I thought it was funny, but Shay explained to me in no uncertain terms how what I did wasn’t socially acceptable.” She dipped her chin. “Now that I’ve had time to think about it, I see her point. I am really sorry, Ace.”
“Hey, if anybody knows about social unacceptability, it’s me. I spend a lot of time alone with dogs, after all.” He held out a hand. “Friends?”
She smiled as she took his hand. “Friends.” Then she stepped back. “I’m going to get back to work, I have a book to finish.”
“Thank you for backing me up the other night.”
“I just spoke the truth.” She turned toward her room.
Something she’d said had me wondering. “You aren’t almost finished with your book, are you?”
“Yeah, I am. I’ve got maybe two more chapters.”
She looked at me with real concern. “You’re still stuck?”
I sighed. “Not stuck exactly, just moving slower than a kid when it’s time for chores.”
“If I can do anything to help, let me know.”
“Thanks, Terri.”
She nodded, then disappeared into her bedroom.
I turned to my visitor. “Have you had lunch?”
He groaned. “I knew there was something I was forgetting.”
“Come on,” I motioned toward the kitchen. “All we have is leftover lasagna, but it’s homemade.”
“Sounds wonderful.”
We’d barely reached the kitchen when my cell phone beeped. It was on the table, so I grabbed it. Maybe I could get rid of the caller and get back to lunch. Then I saw the name. “Hello, Mr. Costa.” I heard Ace’s barely audible groan.
“There’s a fire over on the west side. Can you cover it for me?”
I shot Ace an apologetic glance. “Sure.”
“I’ve got a favor to ask you.”
“Okay.”
“You live in Ace’s neighborhood. Could you go by and see if he can do photos? I’ve been trying to call him, but he’s lost his phone again.”
“He’s right here, Mr. Costa. Would you like to speak to him?”
“No, just tell him to call me if he can’t go. Now get going. The address is 1320 Mockingbird Lane.”
“Mockingbird Lane?”
“That’s what I said. Now go.” He clicked the phone and I looked at Ace. “Fire.”
“Oh no. Thankfully my equipment is in the SUV.”
As we went out the door I asked, “Is there a 1313 Mockingbird Lane?”
He chuckled. “No. There used to be, but a road cut through there and took out that lot.”
“This town is so weird.”
We got in and he started his car.
“You have no idea,” he said as he backed the SUV up and took off down the road.
“There you go again.”
“Sorry.” His expression didn’t look sorry.
Why did I get the feeling the word boring wasn’t in the Ugly Creek vocabulary?
Chapter 12
I saw the smoke long before we arrived at the fire. Apparently, half the town had seen it too, because they were gathered to watch. We had to park a block away and push through a herd of onlookers to get to the house that was on fire.
Volunteer firefighters were already hard at work holding fire hoses that poured water on the house. I didn’t see any flames, but smoke billowed out of the doors, windows, and a huge hole in the roof. The air was thick with the smell of wood burning, and my eyes stung.
“I’m going to move around to get some shots.”
I nodded. I’d spotted a crying woman standing to one side and holding the hand of a little girl. I headed in that direction. “Are you all right?”
The woman looked at me with huge eyes that were filled with tears. “What?”
“Is there anything I can do for you?”
“She just keeps crying,” the little girl said.
I sat on my heels. “My name’s Shay. What’s yours?”
“Magnolia, but everybody calls me Maggie.”
“That’s a very pretty name.”
“Thank you.”
“When will the fire be out?”
My heart melted. “Soon,” I lied.
“Hello, Maggie.” A tall woman with the sweetest smile I’d ever seen touched the little girl’s head. “How are you?”
Tears filled Maggie’s eyes. “I’m scared, Miz Fitz.”
“I know, but we’ll take care of you. You know Ugly Creek takes care of its own.”
A tiny smile pulled at the little girl’s mouth. “I know.”
Miz Fitz turned to the mother. “Valla.”
Valla turned and looked at Miz Fitz with eyes that were large and filled with pain. “It’s all gone. Everything is gone.”
“I know. I’m so sorry this happened, but we’ll take care of you. We’ll help you get through this.” Then the two women were embracing, and Miz Fitz held Valla while she cried.
I looked at Maggie, and tears ran down her face. “It won’t be easy, but it seems like you’ll have plenty of support.”
Maggie nodded. “Ugly Creek takes care of its own.”
That phrase intrigued me, and I considered how to ask about it. And then the world exploded.
My first thought was protecting Maggie, but her mom pulled the little girl into her arms.
Miz Fitz turned to me. “I’ll take care of them. Go make sure he’s all right.”
I shoved through onlookers and firefighters before I realized what she’d said. By then, though, I didn’t care. All I could think of was making sure Ace was safe.
Chaos. The entire area was sheer chaos. People rushed in all different directions. “Propane tank,” I heard somebody say. My eyes burned from the smoke, and people seemed to just appear in my way. Frustration tore at me, rapidly morphing into anger. I wanted to scream at the mass of humanity to get the hell out of my way. Then I realized they weren’t all human. I can’t say what it was that had me thinking that, but somehow I knew.
I shoved my way past a firefighter and saw Ace. He sat on the ground, face and clothes dirty, his camera beside him. He looked up and smiled.
Tears filled my eyes as I flung myself to the ground beside him and threw my arms around him. “You’re all right.”
“I got one hell of a shot.”
I pulled back enough to see his big, excited grin, and smacked him on the arm.
“What was that for?”
“All you care about is a damn picture? You scared me, you idiot. You could have been killed.” The tears started again, and I swiped at my eyes.
“You really do care about me.”
He grinned again, then wrapped me in his arms and pulled me against him. “Are you okay?”
“I am now.”
He kissed the top of my head.
“I’m sorry, honey. I didn’t mean to scare you. Trust me, I wasn’t trying to get blown up.
“I know.” I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, smelling smoke and sweat and male. I didn’t want to, but I pulled back, again wiping my eyes. “I need to get some more for the article.”
He nodded. “I need some more shots too.”
“Don’t you dare get hurt, Ellison.”
He tipped my chin up.
“You either.”
He brushed my lips lightly with his, then we got to our feet and went back to work.
****
Three hours later, we walked into Ace’s house. I have to admit, it wasn’t what I was expecting. Clean, bright, organized, it was nothing like the messy bachelor pad I’d expected. After all, the guy spent all his time with dogs.
“Let me grab a quick shower and we’ll order a pizza or something.”
“Pizza’s fine.” A noise caught my attention and I saw a black metal cage on the other side of the room. Inside was the most adorable dog I’ve ever seen. I went over and sat on my heels beside the enclosure.
“She’s a new rescue, a surrender from a miniature poodle breeder who lives next door to a guy whose prized show dachshund is willing to dig under a fence to see his beloved. Both owners were livid.”
The little dog’s fur was yellow, a beautiful yellow that looked golden on her. “What’s her name?”
“She doesn’t have one.”
Maybe it was the stress and fatigue, but for whatever reason, tears filled my eyes. “Why not?”
Ace’s hand gently gripped my shoulder.
“Nobody wanted her, so nobody named her. You can give her a name if you want to.”
“I’d like that,” I said, then looked back at the dog, my throat filling with sadness for the little girl nobody wanted.
“You think about it, and I’ll go grab that shower.” He headed out of the room.
I opened the cage, and the ball of soft, curly fur hopped out and sat on my lap. She looked up at me with eyes filled with love. I smiled, beginning to see how a person could get attached to something as cute and affectionate as this little thing.
She launched herself out of my lap and sprinted toward the couch, did a skidding turn and ran back at me. I reached to grab her and she ducked my hand to run right past me. She turned again near the front door and looked at me with mischief flashing in her little brown eyes. Then she ran for me again, this time landing in my lap. She climbed up my body, and managed to get close enough to my face to lick my chin.
I laughed and loved the moment before I remembered I hated dogs licking me in the face. But this was no ordinary dog. “Your name is Dusty,” I told her as I sat her on the floor.
She gave a little bark to let me know she approved.
A noise caught my attention, and I looked up. Ace stood there, barefoot, jeans, wet hair, and a sunshine yellow golf shirt that brought out his complexion and highlighted the flakes of gold in his eyes. I knew I was staring, but I just couldn’t seem to stop myself.
“What do you like on your pizza?”
“Huh?” I realized he’d asked me something, but couldn’t for the life of me remember what.
He smiled and pulled me to my feet. “Do I clean up okay?”
“Uh-huh.” It was all I could manage to say.
He tugged me against him and covered my lips with his. I melted into his strong arms. Again there was that feeling of being cared for and protected. He slid one hand up and down my back, increasing the feeling of warmth and caring. Slowly a sound drifted into my consciousness, and I looked down at the little ball of fur at our feet.
Ace reached down with one hand and scooped the dog up. “Are you jealous, little one?”
With that, Dusty whined and reached out a paw to touch my arm.
Ace chuckled. “She’s already getting attached to you, Shay.”
I wanted to be upset. I wanted to resent even the idea of taking on another being to care for. I couldn’t, though, not with that little face looking at me. “She’s so sweet, aren’t you, Dusty?”
“So you did name her, huh?”
I nodded as I scratched her little head. “It fits her.”
“That it does.”
He looked into my eyes.
“Maybe I should put her back in her enclosure for right now.”
He slid his free hand down to my rear, and places in my body I hadn’t heard from in a while softened and tingled. “Or we could just order pizza.”
“Later,” I whispered. “Eat later.”
He carefully fastened Dusty in her cage then stood to face me. His fingers trailed down the side of my face.
“You’re beautiful.” His voice sounded rough.
I couldn’t breathe. Ace’s warmth and strength pulled at me, and I wanted to lean into him, to give myself into his care. Which made no sense. I was strong. I didn’t need anybody. I was the one who was always there for other people. And yet, I needed Ace with my whole being.
I reached my arms around his neck and stood on my tiptoes to touch his mouth with mine. He leaned down to meet me, matching my grasp with his own. One arm held me close, while the other hand moved down and cupped my rear. It was amazing, feeling his touch
on me. When that hand moved away, I was ready to grab it and put it back, until he slid it under my shirt. When he touched my breast, I instinctively pressed against it. He kissed me deeper.
I felt his hardness against my belly, and my body caught fire. He released the catch on my bra and slipped his hand under and around until his fingers touched one of my nipples. I gasped, and he repeated the move on the other nipple.
“Ace,” I croaked.
He pulled up my top and took one of my nipples in his mouth, licking then sucking. I damn near flew. Then he picked me up and carried me down the hall. He deposited me on an unmade bed, and I registered that the room had a brown sort of feel. I think. And then he pulled my top over my head, and I couldn’t possibly have cared less even what planet we were on.
He licked and sucked at my mouth, my neck, my upper chest, and then, dear lord, he took one nipple and then the other in his mouth while his talented hand went south. He touched me in that one place, the one where every nerve a woman has ties into a tiny area where a man can turn her into liquid. He moved away, and I reached for him, but he was busy pulling my pants off me. Okay. That works.
He jerked his shirt off, and quickly shucked his jeans, and then he leaned over me again and I waited in hot anticipation for what he was going to do next.
He kissed me and did some amazing things to my neck and nipples while his hand moved over my stomach and down between my legs. He danced around my magic spot with his fingers until I thought I couldn’t possibly take it anymore. I lifted my hips to press my body against his hand, but he wouldn’t let me quite reach him.
“Ace, please.”
“I want to do this right,” he murmured against my neck.
“I can’t take much more,” I gasped.
“Yes, you can.”
He closed his mouth over mine and kissed me like I’d never been kissed before. He took his time getting me right on the edge, then pulling back, licking and tasting my lips, and neck, and belly and lower. He made me forget where I was. Who I was.
He slid my legs apart and moved between them. He pulled a condom on, then leaned over me.
“Ready, sweetheart?”
“Oh, God, yes.”
He was gentle as he moved inside me, then took a moment to kiss me. He looked into my eyes and began to move. I watched him as he filled me up, then backed away and did it again. In no time I was ready to go over the edge, but he seemed to know it and stopped.
Doggone Ugly Creek Page 11