A Minute on the Lips

by Cheryl Harper

  “And where am I going to stay?” The apartment was three rooms: bathroom, bedroom, living room/kitchen combo. Two people would never be able to live here. Having his mother stay for two weeks was a test of his nerves and self-control.

  She shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know. We have a little time to figure that out.”

  He watched her for a minute, trying to understand what she was saying.

  Finally, she patted him on the cheek. “When the babies start to come, we’re all probably going to need bigger spaces.”

  He started to ask “Whose babies?” but he hadn’t lost all his wits. She was already planning on grandchildren. He was still trying to finagle a real date out of her earmarked baby mama. The one who sometimes looked at him like she expected him to disappoint her at any time. And the one who wanted to be anywhere but here, the place he’d quickly decided was his home.

  The one whose kiss made him feel strong and alive and a little in love.

  He laughed as his mother danced in front of the stove. One thing was for sure: the idea of babies hadn’t sent him screaming from the tiny apartment. That had to mean something. Mark had a feeling it meant something big.

  * * *

  ON FRIDAY, ANDI had just grumbled a good morning to Lori and dropped into her desk chair when she got a text from Mark. He’d been true to his word and they’d texted back and forth while she juggled the nightmare that was the Fall Festival. This would probably be the worst day yet, but Andi could still feel the stupid grin on her face when she read, Good morning, beautiful sheriff. Looks like you’re on top of things. Any progress on the case?

  Andi looked over the stacked-up reports, loose messages from the reservists who would be partnered with her full-time deputies, the blinking light on her phone and her email in-box, which contained thirty-seven emails that had come in overnight.

  Finally, she texted back, Not much. It’s all Fall Festival, all the time right now.

  Andi halfheartedly clicked on the first email message while she picked up the phone to listen to her voice mail. Lori had responded to Andi’s plans for Saturday’s parade. Last year, Lori and Dan had ridden in the front to toss out candy and Nettie rode shotgun with Andi. This year, Andi had switched it up, and Lori would ride with her. She was going to make Lori like her if it killed her. Or maybe Lori. Lori’s answer to this was one word: Fine.

  The first voice mail was from Marcus Hightower. “All right, Jackson. Call me. I mean it. I have an empty desk. I want to fill it.” She could see him sitting in his leather office chair in his spotless office in Atlanta. His frown would be impressive.

  But she didn’t have time today. Besides, she had no idea what to say.

  When her phone dinged again, Andi picked it up to read Mark’s answer. Here, too. Mom’s pretty hot and spicy. And so is her chili. She’ll give J a run for his money.

  Before she could answer, another message came in. You’re doing a great job, beautiful sheriff. I hope you have an easy day. xMark

  Andi had wanted to put her head on her desk and cry before this, but now there were actual tears burning in her eyes. And this was when Lori knocked on the door.

  “Hey, Sheriff...” She paused, probably wondering if Andi was getting ready to snap under the strain. “I wanted to let you know we’ve got the candy ready for the parade. Nettie and I’ll split it up in the morning.”

  Andi nodded. “Thanks, Lori.”

  She turned to go but paused in the doorway. “Everything okay, Sheriff?”

  “Yep,” Andi said. “Just a couple more days, right?”

  Lori smiled, blew a bubble and popped it before she disappeared. And Andi knew exactly how that piece of gum felt: stretched out and losing its flavor.

  * * *

  ANDI WAS SO BUSY on Saturday she didn’t have time to catch her breath until she and Lori were riding in the parade. Lori was wearing her dispatch uniform and tossing handfuls of chocolate to kids along the parade route. Andi had wondered once if she’d ever seen a real smile on Lori’s face, but today she had one. And when Lori saw her two boys standing on the sidelines with her husband, Ralph, she clapped and waved and generally acted like a person who loved the world. It was nice to see. Unusual but nice.

  As Andi turned off the parade route, Lori leaned back against her seat with a happy sigh. “I’ve always loved riding in this parade.” She looked over at Andi then quickly glanced out the side window. “When I rode with Daddy, I almost felt like a princess. I wish the boys had a chance to ride with their grandfather now that they could remember it, but...”

  Andi was tired. Her brain function had shrunk down to survival mode, so she was able to focus on getting from one place to another in time to meet this obligation or that one. She hadn’t figured out a tactful way to question Lori about the truck and where she’d been when someone broke into Jackie’s. Under other circumstances, tact was pretty low on her list of concerns, but with an employee who probably had an Andi doll with pins in painful places, she didn’t want to make things worse.

  Andi parked the car next to one of the barricades around the courthouse, and they both got out and headed to the chili cook-off. Andi couldn’t help but smile as Lori’s boys squealed and tackled her legs. Andi might have trouble with the whole family, but the happiness of two identical little rascals was nice to see.

  Mark wrapped an arm around her waist and gave her a quick peck on the lips before he gestured at the sophisticated woman next to him. Her smile seemed genuine and one small slice of Andi’s tension slid away. “Beautiful sheriff, you remember my mother, right?”

  Andi was embarrassed and pleased at the same time, but she held out her hand and greeted Mark’s mother. “Of course, Mrs. Taylor, it’s nice to see you again and under happier circumstances.”

  Mark’s mother shot a look at Jackie, who was watching the whole conversation closely. “For now, but when I win this cook-off, you may have to prove my innocence.” Clearly, Mark’s mother held a grudge. Andi appreciated that in a woman.

  Andi nodded over at Jackie. “Going to win again this year, Jackie?”

  He snorted and made an ugly face. “You sure don’t seem to be making much progress in finding the other trophies so I guess I’ll have to replace them the hard way.”

  Andi gritted her teeth in what she hoped would appear to be a smile. “Well, I have a new lead that I’ll look into after the festival. And for now, I’ll wish you good luck.”

  Mark raised an eyebrow, and she nodded once before she was distracted by Ralph, who had entered the contest. Ralph had worked in one of the hardware stores in town, but maybe he loved to cook.

  “Jackie, has Ralph ever entered the cook-off before?” If anyone would know, it was Jackie. He probably had a dartboard with every competitor’s face.

  He stirred and snorted again. “Naw, he doesn’t stand a chance, either. I expect the newspaper man’s mama is my only real competition.”

  Andi stepped back as the judges made their way down the line. She made silent bets on the winners. The judges stayed longer at Jackie’s table, Mrs. Taylor’s and Ralph’s. Lori’s boys were ecstatic when the judging was over. Andi heard one of them say, “Hey, Ralph, I bet you’re going to get another trophy!”

  Ralph shot a quick look around to make sure no one was nearby and shushed the boys. Mark tilted his head down then looked at Andi. She nodded once to show that she’d heard it then said to his mother, “Mrs. Taylor, could I get a sample of your chili? Mark says you’ve been working hard on it.”

  Jackie straightened and rounded his table. “Good idea, Sheriff. Me, too.”

  Mrs. Taylor smiled graciously. “Well, since one of you asked so nicely...” She handed them both small cups of chili, and Andi was amused to see the look of unease slide across Jackie’s face as he took the first bite.

  He narrowed one eye at Mark’s
mother. “Is that brown sugar?”

  Mrs. Taylor just shrugged. Jackie sniffed. He turned sharply and said, “Now yours, Ralph. I want a taste.”

  Ralph shook his head. “No way. Can’t be giving away the trade secret, now can I?” Andi watched his face go from a nice tan color to a bright red.

  Lori patted his arm. “Oh, come on. We all want a taste.”

  Ralph looked around the crowd, which included Ray and his wife, Martha. He cleared his throat and started handing out samples, leaving Jackie last. While everyone murmured over how good the chili was and Lori beamed with pride over his accomplishment, Andi watched Jackie. The minute the second bite touched his lips, he jabbed one pointy finger and said, “My recipe. That’s my recipe!” He whirled to advance on Andi. “Arrest him. He’s using my recipe...and...” He whirled again. “You! You broke into my place! That recipe was locked up in the safe!”

  Everyone froze. Ralph shook his head feebly. “You weren’t supposed to taste it. I just...”

  Andi glanced around the courthouse square. The crowds were clustered in front of the small stage, so they didn’t have much in the way of an audience. But Jackie was just getting wound up.

  Andi stepped between the two men. “All right. Here’s what we’re going to do. You’re all going to go over to the office and wait in the conference room so I can sort this out. Now.” Jackie opened his mouth to blast her with...Andi wasn’t quite sure, but Mona stepped forward to put a hand on his arm and he settled. With an angry nod, he marched off.

  “Ray, will you take Ralph and Lori over?” Andi tried to smile reassuringly at the twins while she waited for him to agree.

  He clapped a hand on Ralph’s shoulder. “Martha, you okay with the kids?”

  Martha Evans blinked back tears and then clapped her hands. “You bet. We’re going shopping!” With noisy celebration, the twins forgot the tension in the air and all three headed for the vendors.

  “I’m going to grab Mr. Brown,” Andi said. “Be right there.” She propped her hands on her hips and watched Ralph and Ray head toward the sheriff’s department.

  “What can I do to help?” Mark asked. Andi was glad to see he didn’t have his little notebook out. Obviously he knew better. His mother just looked shocked. Andi couldn’t blame her.

  “Nothing for now. I’ll see you tonight when they announce the winners?”

  He smiled and gave her a quick kiss. “I wouldn’t miss it.”

  He pulled her against him and they stood like that for a long moment before Andi forced herself to talk to the high school principal who was also the head judge. After a heated exchange, she convinced him to withdraw Ralph’s entry. As she headed back across the grass in front of the courtyard, she tried to convince herself that justice was all that mattered here. She’d done what she could to keep the cook-off fair, and now...she had to figure out what to do about Ralph.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  RALPH PORTER HAD probably just handed Andi the election. The biggest case she’d had in months would be solved and the thorn in her side would be neutralized, maybe forever. She didn’t understand why she didn’t feel happier.

  When she thought about the embarrassment they would all go through when this came out, Andi felt sick. Ray and Lori had made her life difficult, but Lori loved her father and he had been a good sheriff. He’d been hardheaded, too, but Andi might have a predisposition to that herself.

  When Andi entered the sheriff’s office, Brenda Lawrence was working dispatch. She greeted Andi with a smile.

  “Hey, Brenda, we’re going to use the conference room for a minute. Don’t let anybody back until we’re out, okay?”

  She nodded once. “Sure thing, Sheriff.” A strong gust of wind might knock her over, but Brenda had served the office for more than twenty years. Andi had a lot of faith in her abilities. And her smiles were genuine, not grimaces with teeth like Lori’s.

  Andi turned to look at the pictures plastered over the wall next to the desk. Happy faces stared back at her. There were the boys in their Halloween costumes. Ray Evans holding two bundled newborns, one in each arm, in the hospital. Martha Evans smiling up from a pile of Christmas presents, two little boys wrapped in her arms. There was the first day of school and birthdays and swimming in the lake and a beautiful wedding photo of the whole family.

  And when the news came out, because it would, Ray Evans and his family would probably be fine. There’d be some talk and laughter and that might never end, but she wasn’t sure about Lori and Ralph. Lori was proud of her father. Instead of helping him, Ralph had seriously damaged Ray’s position.

  Andi squeezed into the conference room and shut the door behind her.

  After she carefully sat down at the head of the table, she wondered how to get this thing started.

  Ray beat her to the punch. He had a stern look on his face as he turned to Lori, and Andi suddenly pitied his daughter. “What did you do with the trophies?”

  Everyone in the room was silent for a beat. Then Lori turned to Ralph. He looked absolutely miserable.

  Ralph rubbed his forehead so hard that his fingers left pink marks behind. He looked lost. “They’re out in the shed. Safe and sound.”

  Andi sighed with relief. She’d been afraid he might have destroyed the evidence to cover up what he’d done. After all, why would anyone hold on to trophies? Andi was glad Ralph lacked the mind of a supervillain or even a good criminal. Of course, now he had some pretty juicy information, too. Andi wondered what his plans were for that.

  He wiped his sweaty brow. “I took them. I broke into the safe. It seemed like...” He trailed off and wiped his forehead. “I wanted to get even with Jackie. Because of him, I lost my job at the store. We needed money, and Lori deserves...so much. I figured I could take the money and get the trophies, a little middle finger for Jackie.” He cleared his throat. “Thought it might help Ray, too.”

  Lori was devastated. There were tears in her eyes. Somehow, the idea that she might cry upset Andi more than Ralph’s distress. She’d been a worthy adversary for a long time. She didn’t deserve to be defeated in this way.

  “So Lori didn’t know anything about it? Or Ray?” Andi found it hard to believe but she wanted to.

  He shook his head. “No, ma’am. I did it on my own, but the boys found the trophies last night when we were out there looking for rakes. I thought I’d hidden them well enough, but it’s hard to keep Alexander and Andrew out of stuff.”

  “And you used Jackie’s recipe for the chili you entered in the contest?” The whole world had stopped spinning while they waited for his answer.

  Finally he swallowed. “Yes, ma’am.” He glanced at a furious Jackie, who was only seated because Mona was leaning hard on his shoulder. “Just another way to show him up and take the prize money, too. With that money, Lori and I could...well, I just wanted to take her someplace nice. She deserves it.”

  Everybody at the table had a grasp on the danger of the situation. Lori gave out a little cry, and Ray made fists with both hands.

  Jackie jabbed a finger across the table. “That recipe...that means you went through my private papers! All the rest of this stuff’s just...” He trailed off but there was murder in his eyes.

  Ralph raked a hand through his hair. “I didn’t mean to. I didn’t know what I had, Jackie. You have to believe me. Getting fired made me...just so angry. Still does when I think about what I can’t give Lori or the boys but...if I’d known, I’d have left it all there. I’ve been trying to figure out a way to get it back to you, but I wanted to wait until after the election. Just in case.” There was an apology in his eyes as he glanced from Mona to Andi.

  Lori and Ray were confused. Mona was crying silently, and Jackie was slowly deflating. He wrapped a hand around Mona’s and looked ten years older in a second.

  “Ralph, what ha
ppened at the hardware store?” This was one of those times when Andi had to take a look at the context. Ralph was a man who loved his wife. There were two little boys in the mix, as well. She wanted to understand why he’d done what he did.

  Ralph shrugged and started to answer but Jackie interrupted him. “King fired him because I threatened to sue. Ralph made a delivery to the diner and broke the glass in the trophy case. I wanted someone to pay for it.”

  Ralph held up both hands. “And I would have, but I never got a chance. We didn’t have that much extra, but I could have paid it off eventually. Like I promised I would.”

  Jackie heaved a sigh. “Yeah, I went to talk to King, told him he better pay for it, but he wasn’t prepared to do it. We argued to beat the band and I...well, he didn’t agree with me.” He glanced up at Mona before he said, “I didn’t find out he’d fired you for a couple of weeks and then I told him...well, I told him I didn’t care for your replacement. Kid’s not bright. King wasn’t going to let me win there, either. So...I’m sorry. I guess. But breaking in...”

  “I know. It was really dumb. But at the time, it felt inspired. I just... I wanted to get some of my pride back. I wanted to make Lori proud and happy.” Ralph leaned forward. “You gotta believe me, Jackie. That other stuff...the papers in the safe, I was going to give it back. And I’ve been real upset over the unhappiness I figured it was causing you and Mona but...”

  Lori and Ray were both in the dark, but they were smart enough to keep their mouths shut.

  Finally Andi said, “Okay, well, now we know what happened. What are we going to do about it?”

  The black-and-white rule follower in her knew Ralph should get what he deserved for breaking the law. Did it matter that no one really got hurt? Or that he’d done it out of love for his wife? The answer should be no. She should arrest him and let the consequences fall out as they would.

  Mona’s voice was unsteady when she said, “No harm’s been done. Let’s all just...get back to normal. I want my things by the end of the day. Then we just...go on.”