Pushed to the Limit (an Emma Cassidy Mystery Book 2)

by Karen Chester

  “I don’t—I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Emma tried to moisten her lips with a tongue that felt dry and thick. “What are you looking for?”

  Jackie let out a growl of exasperation. “The lipstick holder that Faye bought from the yard sale!” she yelled, her face pulling into an ugly mask. “It’s not here anymore. You’ve been in and out of her house all week. You must have it.” She advanced on Emma, the knife aimed squarely at her throat. “Where is it?”

  It felt like the cogs in her brain were creaking as Emma strove to make sense. Lipstick holder. Was it part of the missing jewelry? Emma couldn’t remember ever seeing a lipstick holder in Faye’s house, but with Jackie waving that knife she had to improvise.

  “It—it might be in the shopping bag that Faye was using, a green-and-yellow plastic bag.”

  Jackie curled her upper lip in a sneer. “Don’t treat me like I’m stupid. It’s not in the fricking bag. Now stop wasting my time. You saw what I did to that crazy old coot next door. If you don’t tell me where it is, I’ll do the same to you.”

  “You killed Tom? Because he saw you pushing Faye down the stairs?” Emma shivered with revulsion. There must be something special about that lipstick holder, but she had no idea where it was. All she could do was stall for time in the hopes of an opportunity to disarm Jackie. “Uh, yeah, okay. I admit I liked that lipstick holder and I took it. It’s, uh, it’s right here in my bag.”

  She went to slide a hand into her bag, planning to whip out her can of Mace and spray some in Jackie’s eyes. But Jackie was too fast for her. She grabbed the bag. Emma instinctively hung onto the straps.

  “Give it to me!” Jackie jabbed the knife at her.

  Cold hard metal pierced Emma’s skin. Startled, she let go of the bag, which made Jackie stumble backward into the bookcase. Pepper, still perched on top of the bookcase, let out an ear-splitting screech. A stream of bird poop fell on Jackie, the thick yellow goop hitting her eyes. Howling in fury, she tried to wipe her face with her sleeve, hampered by the knife and the bag.

  Emma seized the opportunity to snatch her tote back and, acting on reflex, swung it at Jackie. To her surprise, the bag connected with Jackie’s head, and the woman buckled to her knees, still trying to wipe the bird poop from her face while the knife hung limply from her fingers. Emma kicked at the blade and sent it skittering across the room. Jackie shrieked. Pepper squawked. Only then did Emma become aware of the urgent hammering on the front door.

  Oh, thank God. Help was here. She dashed to fling open the door. Owen barged in, tight-lipped and tense, his gaze zeroing in on her. Unable to speak, she waved him toward the living room. He slipped past her into the room, silent and intent. Seconds later came another cry from Jackie and sounds of a scuffle. When Emma limped back into the living room, Jackie was sitting on the floor, hands cuffed behind her back, while Owen was busy freeing Faye from her bonds.

  Stacey rushed into the house.

  “Emma, oh God. Emma!” Stacey exclaimed, white-faced and shaking. “Oh God! You’re bleeding!”

  Owen immediately hurried over. Dazed, Emma lifted a hand and saw a thin trickle of blood from a cut on her palm. She’d barely felt the sharp blade when Jackie had slashed at her. Without a word Owen disappeared and returned seconds later with a clean towel which he wrapped firmly around her hand.

  “Hold this,” he said gruffly to Stacey before turning away. His shoulders heaved a couple of times as if he was trying to pull himself together. Then he yanked out his phone and started making calls.

  Stacey was shaking as much as Emma. Together, they sank onto the couch, Stacey holding the towel around Emma’s hand. Faye, having managed to coax Pepper onto her arm, sat hunched in an armchair, for once lost for words as she petted her bird.

  “I was working at the women’s refuge when Owen called,” Stacey said eventually. “I met him at the sheriff’s station, and he told me that he knew about me and Trevor—”

  “I’m sorry,” Emma broke in. “I know I betrayed your confidence.”

  Stacey shook her head. “I’m glad you did. I told Owen about the flowers on my doorstep, and he did more digging around my ex-husband. He discovered that Trevor had been seeing someone while he was in prison. Owen found a photo of this girlfriend. It was Jackie.”

  They both glanced across the room where Jackie sat with her back to them, slumped and silent.

  Stacey drew in a quivering breath. “She fooled me completely. She played the part of the abused woman so convincingly I didn’t hesitate to offer her shelter. Which was exactly as she’d planned. Trevor must have told her that he’d hidden the stolen diamonds with me. She was the one who went through all my things the other night.”

  “She was screaming at me about a lipstick holder,” Emma said. “Do you know what she was talking about?”

  “A lipstick holder? I had one from my grandma. It wasn’t anything special. When I ran away from Trevor, I kept it as a reminder of who I was, but recently I decided that I wasn’t that girl anymore, so I gave it to you with all the other things I donated for the yard sale.”

  “And Faye must have bought it along with some other stuff.”

  For the first time Faye turned toward them. “Yes, I remember buying a lipstick holder. Nothing special, just rhinestones. Jackie came around here after the yard sale asking if I’d bought it. I said yes, and she asked to see it. When I refused, she got mad and shoved me down the deck stairs. I didn’t remember what had happened until she showed up again today. I’d forgotten all about the lipstick holder. It should’ve been in the shopping bag with everything else, but it isn’t.”

  Mystified, Emma shook her head. “It might have fallen out when the shopping bag was at the stall, or…” She glanced at Faye and the parrot she was holding. “The first time I came here to feed Pepper, he got loose, and when I found him, he was going through your shopping bag. It was right next to mine.”

  All eyes swung toward Emma’s capacious tote bag which, following her scuffle with Jackie, was lying on the floor near the bookcase. Owen, who had been standing guard over Jackie, picked up the bag and opened it. He shook his head as he hunted through its contents.

  “You sure got a lot of stuff in here,” he muttered. “Is this it?” He held up a small, non descript lipstick holder studded with rhinestones.

  “Yes, that’s the one,” Stacey said.

  Owen peered at the lipstick holder more closely. “I’m no expert, but these look like real diamonds, not rhinestones.”

  Jackie made an audible gasp. She was sitting up, staring avidly at the lipstick holder, and there was something almost maniacal in her transfixed gaze. “So he was telling the truth,” she breathed. “The dumb idiot.” She glanced across at Stacey. “Your husband was so easy to fool. All I had to do was act like he had control over me, and he told me everything. He went into a rage when you ran away and took his stash with you. He tracked you down to this dump of a town. He was going to make you pay twice over as soon as he could. Lucky he had that stroke. I was never going to share the diamonds with him, the stupid fool.”

  Stacey had gone sheet white. “You’re a cold-hearted murderer. You killed an innocent man.”

  “The hobo next door? He shouldn’t have been such a snoop.”

  The image of Tom’s body flashed through Emma’s mind. She swallowed down her bile. “You used Stacey to give yourself a false alibi.”

  Jackie laughed. “Yeah, that was a stroke of genius.”

  “And the knife? How did you get hold of that?”

  “Stole it from your stall while that friend of yours was in charge. Easy as.”

  Stacey was breathing hard, struggling to hold herself together. “I can’t believe I was so stupid about you,” she burst out.

  Jackie, the woman she’d believed needed her protection, merely smirked at her. “You were stupid, Stacey. Especially getting scared over a bunch of flowers.”

  “You left me those zinnias? Why?”

  “I d
on’t know. Call me weird, but it was kinda fun watching you get all jumpy.” Jackie’s eyes were cold and hard.

  Emma wrapped an arm around Stacey and hugged her tight. “It’s over now. You’re safe.”

  Flashing lights signaled that backup had arrived, and seconds later the house was swarming with police and EMTs. Jackie was swiftly led away, while Faye happily submitted to a paramedic’s examination.

  Stacey had disappeared, and Owen took her place next to Emma. “You should go to hospital and have that checked out.” He nodded at her wounded hand, his face still tense though the threat of danger was well over.

  “It’s stopped bleeding, and it doesn’t hurt that much.” She was exhausted, and the prospect of a trip to ER right now seemed too daunting.

  “Better have it checked out just to be sure. I’ll take you there and stay with you and bring you home.” He clasped her uninjured hand, and the callused warmth spread through her, unraveling her cobbled together defenses.

  Her chin quivered. “Okay,” she said, her voice inexplicably husky.

  He stared at her for a few more seconds. Then, in the middle of a room crowded with people, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her long and hard.

  Chapter Thirty

  “Fifty thousand dollars.” Stacey shook her head. “And it was lying in my dresser all these years. Can you believe it?”

  Emma forked up a piece of apple pie. Several days had passed since the dramatic denouement at Faye’s house, and everyone was still talking about it. She had met Stacey for lunch at Becky’s diner, and they’d been forced to fend off the friendly curiosity until Becky had shooed the others away.

  “Should I be calling you Amanda now?” Becky asked as she refilled their coffee mugs.

  Stacey shook her head. “Amanda Roche doesn’t exist anymore. I’m officially changing my name to Stacey Shulman. From now on I’m free to be whoever I want.”

  Despite her upbeat tone, Emma knew her friend was still adjusting to a life without fear. Stacey hadn’t yet contacted her family back in Pennsylvania; she was still coming to terms with what had happened, still figuring out a way to tell them why she’d disappeared from their lives for so long. Baby steps; that was the way to go. Jackie was now in the county jail awaiting her fate. Her willing confession meant there would be no need for a trial, a relief for all involved.

  Becky leaned against the counter and tilted her head at Emma. “How’s that hand of yours, honey?”

  Emma flexed her right hand where a large plaster covered the cut. “Healing well. I only needed a few stitches.”

  A stricken look came over Stacey. “I still feel so sick about your hand. I’m responsible for that.”

  “No, you weren’t,” Emma said firmly. “Stop blaming yourself.” She decided to change the subject. “How’s Greg?”

  “Oh, he’s good.” A shy smile lit up Stacey’s face. “I still can’t get over how he knew who I was all these years and never said anything.”

  “So you don’t find him too over-protective now?” Emma asked, anxious that her friend not fall into another unhealthy relationship.

  “Not at all. He knows not to pressure me. We’re taking things nice and slowly.” A dreamy look came over Stacey. Since she’d learned that her ex-husband was no longer a threat, she seemed to have shed five years. Her face was softer, her laugh freer, her smile more frequent. She’d even started wearing younger clothes and brighter colors.

  Emma concentrated on her pie. Stacey’s moony expression only reminded her of Owen, and she was trying not to think of him too much.

  Owen’s kiss had left her in turmoil. When he had embraced her, her heart had soared, a part of her acknowledging that, despite their rocky past, there was an enduring bond between them. But then he’d released her and driven her to the hospital and back without saying another word, and he hadn’t spoken with her since.

  The thing was, she knew why he was avoiding her. He was supposed to be dating Sherilee, and Owen was not a man who lied to or cheated on women. She knew how awful he must be feeling. And worse, she felt bad for Sherilee, too. She’d seen how happy Sherilee was at the music festival with Owen at her side, and she could imagine the hurt she must have felt upon learning that Owen had kissed an ex-girlfriend. And with Faye witnessing the deed, the whole of Greenville knew what had happened.

  Emma gave herself a mental shake. No use dwelling on Owen. She had to get on with life. “Hey, did you guys know I’ve just been hired by Faye?” she said to Stacey and Becky. “She wants me to throw a birthday party for Pepper.”

  “A birthday party for a parrot?” Becky chuckled. “Now I’ve heard everything.”

  “He did help us to disarm Jackie,” Emma said.

  Stacey laughed. “Yes, I owe Pepper one. I’ll be the first to get him a birthday gift. Who knew bird poop could be so lethal?”

  Who, indeed?

  Hopefully the birthday party would cheer Faye up after the news that Lorraine had enjoyed such a wonderful reunion with her ex-husband that the couple had decided to give their relationship another go. Faye was up in arms over what she considered a very poor decision, and her sister was definitely off the guest list, but somehow Emma didn’t think Lorraine would care about that. Not when she’d found her first love for the second time.

  ***

  A week later Tom Kovacs was farewelled with a simple ceremony at the funeral home. Surprisingly, Tom had left a will bequeathing all his worldly possessions to a niece, who came out from Denver to settle his affairs. Emma attended the service, together with Faye, Stacey, Greg, and others from town, including several officers from the Greenville police department.

  Afterward, Emma was chatting with Stacey outside the funeral home when she noticed Sherilee walking past, eyes averted, her expression as stiff as her starched uniform. Emma’s heart sank. She and Sherilee had never been friends, but in a small town like Greenville they couldn’t go on avoiding each other. After muttering a hasty goodbye to Stacey, she hurried after the police officer.

  “Uh, can we talk?” She wasn’t sure what to say, but surely anything was better than this horrible awkwardness.

  Sherilee halted abruptly. “There’s nothing to talk about. Owen and I aren’t dating anymore.” Her face was stony and unflinching.

  Emma shook her head in confusion. “I don’t—”

  “We only went on a couple of dates, so it wasn’t serious.”

  But Emma could tell that for Sherilee it had been serious. She bit her lip, unable to say anything.

  “He told me what happened as soon as he could. Owen didn’t do anything wrong. He’s all yours now.” Eyes fierce, Sherilee stepped right up into Emma’s face. “Just don’t hurt him again.”

  “But I…”

  Before she could finish her sentence, Sherilee stalked away. Emma frowned after her. She hated the situation, but there was nothing much she could do about it. If Owen wanted to talk, then he knew where to find her. In the meantime, she would try her best to be nice to Sherilee, which the woman would hate in any case.

  She turned to go, only to bump into Nick Stavros, the vet, coming out of the funeral home.

  “Hi, Nick.” She’d been surprised to see him at the service.

  The vet returned her greeting. “Thought I should put in an appearance,” he said. “Tom brought in his dog a few times. He might not have cared about his own health, but he cared about Lucky.”

  “What’s going to happen to Lucky now?” Emma asked.

  “Well, the niece can’t take him back to Denver, so I thought I’d keep him.”

  “Don’t you already have two dogs?”

  “Sure, but he’ll fit in. He’s a nice fella.” Nick smiled at her. “How about you? Looking for a dog or maybe a parrot as a pet?”

  Emma laughed. “I need to get my own home before I can think about a pet.”

  “I’m sure you’ll find something soon.”

  “So you’re happy you made the move here?”

  “Y
ou bet.” Nick stretched a hand out to encompass the view of the lake and the mountains in the distance. “Greenville’s a great place to live.”

  Yes, it was, Emma mused, and she was lucky to be here. She had good friends, a growing business, and loving family. What else could a person need?

  ~ THE END ~

  Dear Reader

  Thank you for reading Pushed to the Limit. If you enjoyed it, please consider leaving a review. I’d really appreciate it.

  For a preview of the first book in the Emma Cassidy Mystery series, Throw a Monkey Wrench, please turn to the next page.

  The third book in the series, Murder Most Likely, will be available later in 2016.

  If you would like to receive notifications of new releases, please sign up for my newsletter at my website www.karenchester.wordpress.com.

  Thank you!

  Karen Chester

  Throw a Monkey Wrench (preview)

  Elegantly dressed guests filled the great room, the light from crystal chandeliers glinting on jewelry and cufflinks and tanned skin. A string quartet played quietly in a corner. A soft breeze drifted into the house from the lake just outside, where a full moon shimmered over the tranquil waters.

  Emma Cassidy, sole proprietor of A Perfect Party and organizer of tonight’s housewarming party, cast a professional glance over the scene, observing that the dessert buffet was well stocked, that the bar tender was busy, and that everyone appeared to be having a good time. For the first time that evening, she allowed herself a small sigh of satisfaction. The hard work was done, and all was going well. Maybe she could reward herself with a glass of wine—

  A slim, elegantly dressed woman toppled into the dessert buffet, sending platters of cream puffs crashing to the floor. Conversation paused as the other guests turned to see the cause of the commotion. Then, a portly man in a white suit collapsed onto a sofa, groaning and clutching his stomach, and then, one by one, more guests went down, crumpling into the chairs and couches scattered around the great room.

  Emma dashed to help the woman who had fallen so gracefully into the dessert buffet. Concerned murmurs rose in the air as the string quartet creaked to a halt.