by C A Phipps
“Quite steady. I know it might not look it, when there’s no one but you here, but some days I have a few customers and other times they come one after the other. I prefer the latter, but that’s business isn’t it?”
He nodded. “So, I hear. Do you get many out-of-town customers?”
Cora frowned. “Is this a survey? If it is, I have to tell you that I had someone else ask me these very questions a few weeks ago.”
Ethan’s interest spiked along with Maddie’s, but he managed to beat her to the next question.
“Who was it that wanted to know?”
Cora put an orange painted fingernail to her chin. “He was a big man. Nearly as tall as you, Ethan. Gray hair, I’d imagine, although he wore a cap so he might have been bald. Maybe a little older than Dan. He wore jeans and a shirt, which could have both used a press,” she said, as if this was a crime.
Maddie grinned. Cora’s husband, Daniel Barnes would not be let out of the house in such a state. “Those are good observations.”
“I’m an artist. Trained to notice the small things, you might say.” Cora said with pride, as she opened her arms to encompass her beautiful gallery.
“Anything else?” Ethan pressed.
“He had a small scar over his right eyebrow, which gave him a slightly sinister look. That, coupled with the fact that he’d been hanging about in the parking space next door, was a little unnerving. Although, there have been a couple of people doing that lately, so I didn’t feel like I could single him out.” She shrugged. “I might not like it, but any customer is a good one and when he did come in, he was friendly enough. He actually bought a couple of paintings of mine.” She flushed with pleasure.
“Congratulations.” Maddie knew through Suzy that Cora didn’t paint as much as she used to and that her paintings had never sold particularly well, so any sale was cause for celebration.
“Thank you, dear. I was so excited and it has inspired me to paint again. Finding the time has been difficult, with working here alone, but now that Dan has decided to follow the Oregon Ducks so closely I suppose I’ll have a few more hours to spare on the weekends.”
Her mouth turned down and she looked away as if she were sad at the prospect, which didn’t seem to fit with what she was saying about being happy and able to paint again.
Ethan didn’t seem to notice. “Can I assume that you didn’t catch the name of this man?”
“No, it never came up.” Cora looked surprised by her own admission. “You know, that is odd. I always find out people’s names so that I can speak more familiarly with them. It’s a trick I picked up at a sales conference many years ago.”
Ethan smiled warmly. “Don’t worry about it. Did he pay by cash or card?”
She didn’t hesitate. “Cash. Both times.”
“Is that usual?”
“Not these days, unless it’s something small. Or, I should say, not very expensive. Most people pay by some sort of card, which is probably why I remember he didn’t.”
“That’s a shame. It would have been an easy way to locate him,” Ethan mused.
Cora tidied an already straight pile of tissue paper on the counter. “Is this man in trouble?”
Ethan was instantly wary and watched Cora closely. “I’d like to talk to him about a couple of things. That’s all.”
“That’s good. Even though I don’t know him well, I’d hate to think he had done something wrong.”
Maddie patted her arm. “I’m sure there’s nothing for you to worry about. Ethan and I were out and about when he thought he would come in to say hi and ask about this man.”
That made Cora smile again. “Perhaps ‘this’ could be your first date.”
Ethan snorted, wishing her a good day as he walked outside and Maddie shook her head as she followed. Small towns! Everyone had an opinion and they weren’t afraid to share it.
“So, what do you think that was all about?”
“I have no idea, but I don’t like the fact that people are hanging around the shops, even if some of them do buy the odd thing. I’m going to call into the appliance store, while we’re here. Do you have time to come along?”
She looked at her watch. “Sure. It’s nearly closing time and Laura texted back that she’ll lock up for me.”
Knowing he didn’t need her to come, she was pleased Ethan had asked, and he looked happy that she’d said yes.
Christopher Henderson was serving Mavis when they entered.
“Look, it’s the Sheriff, with his girlfriend,” she sighed as if they were in some romantic scene from Pride and Prejudice.
“I have some specials if you two are looking at setting up house together.” Chris looked at them knowingly.
Maddie had to grit her teeth for a moment, so her smile was perhaps a little less than convincing. Had Cora phoned ahead?
“I have all the appliances I need, thanks. Remember I bought all new ones for the bakery?”
“Well, sure, but maybe you’re thinking of moving into the Sheriff’s house? I bet he hasn’t had a new anything for years. You can’t use your industrial ones there, can you?”
Maddie’s mouth gaped and Ethan shuffled his feet.
“Where does everyone get the idea from that we’re ready for stuff like this?” he asked to the shop in general.
Mavis bent her head. “It might be my fault, Sheriff. Seeing you two together most days at the bakery, I felt certain you’d be announcing it any day.”
“Mrs. Anderson, Maddie and I have just got back together. Any assumptions about the level of our relationship would be premature at this stage, even for us.”
She bowed her head. “I’m sorry if I’ve upset either of you. I let my mouth run away from me sometimes.”
Maddie didn’t like to see Mavis so upset. “No harm done. But if you could spread the word that we’re only just girlfriend and boyfriend that might help.” She gave Ethan a quick look and he nodded.
“Of course, dear. I’ll get onto that right away.”
She scurried out the door before Maddie could say that it could wait for a convenient time.
Chris roared with laughter. “I hope you don’t think it was a fix, telling her that?”
Ethan grimaced. “I know. It’ll be a patch at best.”
“She has her heart in the right place.” Maddie insisted, not sure whether this was as hilarious as Chris thought.
“She does indeed. It’s not her heart that gets her into trouble, though. Is it?”
Ethan headed Chris off mid-another-laugh. “Speaking of trouble, I want to ask you about the van that’s been noticed parked outside between your store and the gallery on a regular basis.”
Chris frowned. “Darn annoying, when I have a delivery, but so far I haven’t had any trouble. Why do you ask?”
“People have commented on it being there for long periods of time. I was checking that no one had any experience with odd behavior or anything else because of that?”
Chris raised an eyebrow. “Like theft?”
“Yes.” Ethan said, then waited for further comment.
“Not me. I went to check on the van a few times, because I wasn’t always sure it was the same man driving it. The last time I did, I mentioned to him that he was leaving oil stains on the concrete and Cora and I would appreciate if he either didn’t park there or got it fixed. He apologized right away and said it was a quiet place to read the paper in between dropping off his deliveries and he could do that elsewhere if we really objected. From that day I told him when my deliveries are expected and he moves on. Can’t expect fairer than that, especially after he purchased a couple of small items.”
Maddie could almost see Ethan’s mind ticking over the ramifications of this. Hers certainly was. To anyone looking at the facts, the man who hung around both stores was innocent of any crimes. He was pleasant and helpful, had spent money at both stores. Only, was it her imagination, or did it seem like there were more than one man and one white van?
�
�What did this man look like?” she asked.
“Tall. He wore a baseball cap and had a scar over his right eye.”
Snap! It sounded like the same guy Cora had mentioned. Maybe she was wrong about there being two.
“Did you get his license plate number?”
Chris rubbed his chin. “Can’t say it occurred to me.”
“You said wore. You haven’t seen him in a while?” Maddie continued since Ethan didn’t seem to mind.
“I couldn’t pinpoint the last day I spoke to him, but I’m thinking it was last week sometime. He said he was working out of town for a time. Say, are you two working together again?”
“Maddie is here purely by chance.”
Ethan followed this up with a raised eyebrow to her and she figured she must have said enough for now.
“Did he say where he was working?” he asked.
Chris shook his head. “No. He wasn’t what you’d call chatty.”
“Well, he doesn’t sound like he’s a threat to anyone but if you do hear from him or see him will you give me a call. I just want to ask him a few questions.”
“Will do, Sheriff.”
When they got outside, Maddie turned to ask him what he thought about the whole situation, but he stopped her.
“Not here. Let’s get back to my car.”
They retraced their steps between the shops and through the park, and to her pleasure Ethan took her hand as they skirted the wood.
Suddenly, from behind a tree a blur of pale red shot out and tackled Ethan around the ankle. He grunted as he tripped, fell forward onto his knees and glared at the felon.
“Big Red! Leave Ethan alone. You know he’s our friend.”
Her cat sat back, licked his paw with narrowed eyes focused on the fallen Sheriff, who clambered to his feet, dusting off his uniform and returning the look.
“I believe that cat is jealous of me.”
“He loves you.”
“Not lately. Every time I’m near you, he gives me the evil eye.”
Maddie would have argued further, because she loved her opinionated cat, but the truth was there for all to see. Big Red was her protector and was taking it a little too far.
“Maybe he thinks with regards to the handholding that you could hurt me?”
“That would be cute. I just don’t happen to agree.”
They continued back to his car and she took it upon herself to keep an eye on her wily pet so that Ethan could return to his thoughts without getting knocked down again. And, they did not hold hands.
When they were standing beside his car and opposite the bakery, Big Red crossed the road and waited on the curb like a father waiting for his daughter after a date. Well, she was not rushing home, so he would just have to wait. She had more questions and she just might burst if she didn’t get one or two out of her head.
“What do you really think this is about?”
Ethan’s mouth twitched. “I think there are other issues that need my attention more than a stranger who isn’t doing any harm. I’ll alert my deputies and if it happens that he causes any problems in the future, then we can do more to trace him.”
Maddie could see his point, although she had an odd feeling about this. Cora’s attitude came to mind. It didn’t add up. But, she had to admit that she’d enjoyed her time with Ethan and that made her smile.
“Well, if nothing else, it was interesting working with you today, Sheriff. Now, I’d better get back to the bakery and do some paper work.”
Ethan casually looked up and down the street, then pulled her into his arms.
“I’m glad I could entertain you, and I’ve wanted to do this ever since you arrived on the scene. Now that your minder is over the road, I finally can.”
He bent down and kissed her. Her eyelids fluttered closed. Slow and gentle at first, his hand slid to the back of her neck and pulled her against him as the kiss deepened. He was a great kisser and her knees went weak.
A whistle pulled them apart like a sharp knife on a loaf of bread. She staggered a little, forcing Ethan to hold on until she was under control. The culprits, Jesse and James, ran towards them laughing and pushing each other.
“You guys are gross.” One told them.
“So gross.” The other echoed.
“Charming,” Maddie couldn’t prevent a grin.
Ethan wasn’t quite so enamored with his nephews. “That’s quite enough from you two. What are you doing here, James?”
Of course it was James. He had the blue cap! Maddie thought.
“We’ve been to the library and have to meet mom at the clinic. She wants to do some shopping and we have to go too.” James grimaced, while Jesse groaned. Then their faces lit up and they nudged each other.
“Could we come with you instead?” James pleaded.
“I can feel a con coming on.” Ethan replied.
Jesse threw a little sugar into the mix. “We’d behave. You can show us the cells again.”
“And the bad guys.” Excited by the prospect, James bounced up and down on the spot.
“We don’t have anyone in the cells, but maybe it would be a good place to keep you guys for an hour or two. I’ll ring your mom.”
The boys gave each other high-fives, at his easy capitulation, as if they’d planned this prior to them meeting. Knowing these two, it wasn’t out of the question.
“You won’t really put them in the cells will you?” Maddie whispered as he slipped his phone from his pants pocket and pulled up Layla’s number.
“Sure. I won’t lock the door, if that makes you feel better?”
He was laughing at her, and she didn’t mind. “I guess, if their mother doesn’t mind, it must be okay. I’ll see you later.”
“Count on it.” He winked as he opened the back of his sedan to let the boys file in with their school bags, chattering about bad guys and clearly delighted with themselves.
She watched him finish his call from her gate and gave him a wave as he drove away. Wherever this relationship was headed, she was definitely ready for more of it. That thought made her heart flip a little. Just like it did whenever he was near.
She gulped. Wow, she had it bad. Who would have thought after all her denials that she and Ethan could find a way back together?
He was a wonderful uncle, brother, and Sheriff. She touched her fingers to her lips as she went inside. He was pretty wonderful at most things.
Chapter Six
As it happened, Ethan had been called upon for babysitting duties since his sister, Layla, had gotten stuck at work with an emergency, and since Maddie had paperwork to get on top of, they hadn’t managed to meet up again that evening.
She had been looking forward to their first date and was disappointed that it didn’t eventuate, but knowing that it would filled her mind with anticipation. It also stopped her dwelling too much on what was happening around town.
Friday night she went to bed early and slept in later than usual. She was doing a bit of housework upstairs in her apartment, where she spent little time, when she heard Luke and the boys arrive.
Big Red, who had taken umbrage at the vacuum cleaner, leaped off his sulking position on the back of the couch and padded downstairs to see what the fuss was about.
Today was the first session for the twins to bake and sell their cookies and Layla spent time after dropping them off giving a verbal list of instructions to them, regarding safety and respect. Once she’d gone it sounded like it was working. For several minutes.
Then the excited young voices got louder and louder. Luke’s deeper, patient one, followed theirs and although whatever he said made a slight difference, it did make Maddie wonder, not for the first time, what she’d let herself in for. Hopefully, the bakery could withstand hurricane ‘Jesse-James’.
Luke was at the oven checking the temperature when Maddie came downstairs. Big Red sat on the bottom step looking peeved by the sight before him. She scratched between his ears, but he turned away. Sometimes he wa
s worse than a child.
Squeezing past him she went across the room to where the twins were elbow deep in flour mixing the cookies in their own bowls. She stood between the boys, inwardly grimacing at the flour snow around the counter which was a little high for them.
“What kind of cookies are you making?”
She and Luke had planned for each variation, but it was difficult to tell right then.
They swung around to grin at her, spraying cookie dough from their fingers.
“I’m making chocolate chip and Jesse’s making sugar cookies.”
It was good to know that Jesse wore a blue t-shirt while James had on a green one. For another day she’d be able to tell them apart, but there had to be a better way?
“I wanted to make peanut butter cookies, but Luke said I should think of the people eating them. Can’t old people eat peanut butter at all?”
Maddie snorted. “Let’s not call them old when we get to the community center, and I’m sure most can eat it. Some might not like the flavor, though.”
“And Luke said it might stick to their false teeth?”
It was difficult not to laugh at the vision that gave her.
“Maybe. Anyway, I think the flavors you’ve chosen will be perfect for them, which is more important.”
The boys grinned.
“Then we’ll make heaps of money,” Jesse stated gleefully.
Maddie nodded, not wishing to dampen their enthusiasm. “Hopefully, but first you must bake the best cookie ever.”
“They’re doing pretty well already.” Luke showed her their first attempt that he’d just pulled from the oven.
The batch wasn’t too bad at all. They weren’t as round as hers or precisely uniform in size, but she’d seen a lot worse. Luke was doing a fine job as their teacher and she felt proud of all three of them.
The boys stood in front of the tray, bouncing from one leg to another.
“Can we try them? Otherwise we won’t know if they’re good enough.” Jesse pleaded.
Maddie picked up a couple of napkins and hand them one each. “Absolutely. A baker always tastes his or her food.”