by Beth Byers
Her lips trembled and then said, “I wanted my baby. But Kyle…”
I looked over at Simon and it was suddenly all coming together for me.
“Kyle didn’t.”
Tara nodded, her lips trembling.
“Would it have complicated things with Morgan?”
“You have no idea,” Tara said. She sniffed. “Morgan…I…I…I just didn’t have any idea. How could she?”
“She was your best friend? And she weaseled her way into something with Kyle?”
“Her family…they’re not rich. But for Silver Falls, they are better off. We’re just the Bean women with our little house and our second-rate jobs.”
The disgust in Tara’s voice did not nearly match the disgust in my mind. That kid…that stupid, stupid kid, Kyle. I knew he had been selfish, but I’d like to kill him for the way he’d broken Tara. Only, she’d been broken for a while, and we’d all missed it.
“Oh Tara, honey,” Zee said in the same loving, kind voice that I doubted more than a half dozen people had heard from her.
I took a deep breath and considered again. My mind was racing a thousand miles an hour and it was all coming together for me.
“You didn’t break into the pharmacy or the feed store or any of the other places…that was Kyle and Morgan.”
“The Beans are endlessly honest,” Zee said.
I could tell by the look on Tara’s face that she hadn’t been the one who had broken in. And yet, the memory of the things that had been stolen.
“You said Kyle and Morgan were whispering together that night, Zee,” I said to her.
Zee nodded, her gaze examining mine.
“I…” I didn’t want to say what I was thinking. I didn’t want it to be true, but it was all coming together for me. I met Tara’s gaze, and she knew that I knew. She nodded once.
“Morgan is pregnant too. You were both pregnant at the same time. He convinced you to abort the baby because he would have been worthless to Morgan’s family if you both came up pregnant. He’d never have been able to slide his way through that one. Never. He’d have always been a deadbeat.”
Tara nodded, her lips trembling, and a tear rolled down her face.
“And…you didn’t know about Morgan’s baby. He promised you something?”
“We’d go away,” Tara said. “We’d start again. Somewhere else. He’d stop using.”
“So you did it,” I said. “And then you came home from doing it all by yourself…and he…”
“He was in bed with Morgan,” Tara replied.
Zee snarled something under her breath, and Az rose and punched the wall. I didn’t want to finish, but Tara nodded at me. The gesture motioned me to continue.
I pressed my hand to my mouth, wanting to hold it back, but knowing that was wrong too. Simon might not have proof yet, but he would. I thought he’d do what he could to help her, but he had to have reason. Proof of her remorse for what she’d been driven to. I hoped. And I recalled the promise I’d made to Az—I’d do what I could for her.
“But you found out Morgan was pregnant that night. You somehow got the insulin they stole from the pharmacy. Probably mistakenly. But you what…put it in the drinks? Making sure Kyle got the poisoned one.”
“Morgan only drinks unsweetened ice tea,” Tara said and Zee closed her eyes. “I didn’t know she was pregnant. Not until I heard them whispering in the corner, waiting for their booth. I saw her mouth. I saw her hold her stomach. I just knew. I’d had an abortion I didn't want based on his promises. I should have known better.”
Her self-hate made me even sadder. There wasn’t enough ice cream therapy for these revelations. I crossed my arms over my stomach to hold in the pain I felt for her. She finished for me, which was good because I didn’t want to ask any more questions.
“I took a bunch of the stuff they stole when I found them together. I was going to turn them in. I was going to hand over the proof, but later…I realized it would be their word against mine. They’d have ganged up and lied. They did in 3rd grade. They’d do it again.”
I let the old story go. The history I didn’t know as the new girl in town, and I looked at her. I wanted to save her, to make it better. I glanced at Simon and pled, “Isn’t there anything we can do?”
He took a breath and said, “I’ll do everything I can.”
“It’s not her fault. I’d be wringing his neck right now if he were in front of me. You’d have had to pull me off his carcass,” Zee said. She stood and punched the wall right next to where Az was. I looked over and saw they both had tears in their eyes. This was our Tara. She’d been so wronged, and we’d helped catch her.
“Thank you,” Tara said. “Thank you. I knew I had to say something, but I didn’t know how.” She stood and said, “I guess this is it, huh?”
I was crying, so I couldn’t see her face clearly, but I crossed to her, holding her as tightly as I could and whispered, “I’ll do what I can.”
“Ok,” she said, but she squeezed me back.
Zee hugged her next and Tara said, “Take care of Mom and Grandma for me, please.”
Zee nodded into the girl’s hair, kissing her on both cheeks and saying, “You’re not alone.”
Az didn’t say anything, but he hugged her so hard, she was lifted off of the ground and then he slammed his fist into the wall of the trailer again, adding a third hole and bloodying his knuckles.
Simon took Tara by the arm, and they walked out of the trailer together with the three of us standing together and looking after them.
“Damn it,” I said. “Damn it.”
Zee swallowed and said, “Wine.”
“I’ve only got whiskey,” Az told her.
“That’ll do,” Zee replied.
Chapter 19
It took three days for Zee to gain the heart to re-open the diner. She kicked Az and me into it, and when we were serving only pancakes, no one minded. They wanted the gossip. I let Zee and Az serve every table and spent my morning flipping pancake after pancake. There was just something so soothing in the monotony.
“Why don’t you guys serve a normal menu?”
I glanced over and saw someone standing near the menu window.
“We just lost someone. We’re…gathering balance.”
“Oh…” The old man glanced around and then said, “I’m sorry for your loss. It seems like a nice little place.”
“Second chances are bright and terrible things,” I told him. He didn’t understand and gave me a strange look and left.
I sighed and glanced at my watch. It was near closing time and my back was telling me I’d been standing on this rubber mat, making batter, pouring pancakes, and flipping them for far too long.
“Want me to flip the sign?” Az asked.
“Just do it,” Zee called.
I didn’t say anything but poured another round of pancakes. I added cinnamon swirl for all of us and then cracked some eggs. Three more plates stacked high with pancakes. One with no toppings. One with far too many toppings. And one that most would consider just right.
The fools.
I took a bite and said, “They aren’t as good as they should be.”
“We need help,” Zee said. “I’ve talked to Nathaniel Blake. He’ll be on time. He needs the money for school next fall, and it’ll give me time to scope out someone better.”
I raised my brows, considered objecting, and then shrugged.
“Tara took a plea deal. It was generous,” Zee said.
I stopped chewing. I’d been waiting to hear, but afraid to ask.
“She’ll be in for a while, but with good behavior, it won’t be so long. They gave her special circumstances based off of the recent hormonal changes, the betrayal and loss, and the spontaneous nature of it all.”
I took a deep breath and said, “Then we better add another shift and stay open later. She’ll need the work when she comes back.”
Zee smiled for a moment at that and then said, “You’ll b
e the one on insulin if you keep eating like that. How’s your brother, Az?”
“Fine for now,” Az said.
I cocked my head and then asked, “You took his file, didn’t you?”
“Of course I did. My grandkids live far away, my children are worthless. You all are my family.”
I smiled at that and bumped my glass with hers. The bloody mary had been made heavy with vodka, but that was what happened when you let Zee make them.
“You hear from Simon?”
I paused and then shook my head.
“You’re gonna have to get that boy a pint of vanilla ice cream and apologize,” Zee said. “Wear something low-cut. You got a nice rack on you.”
I leaned back to gasp, but Az nudged me. When I looked at him, he jerked his head towards the door where Simon was waiting.
“Go on,” Az said in that deep voice of his. “I got Daisy.”
“Speak of the devil,” Zee said. She took a sip of her bloody mary.
I took a deep breath and stood up slowly.
“Don’t forget to use your rack,” Zee said and then broke into hacking chuckles.
My cheeks were, I was sure, vibrant red when I opened the door and slipped outside to join Simon.
“Hey,” I said, taking in his kind eyes. They were my favorite feature of his, even though he was tall, broad in the shoulders, slim in the waist, with a square jaw. I very much liked the smile he gave me next when he said, “Hey.”
I cleared my throat and glanced around, catching Paige from the boutique staring out at us through her display window.
I nodded my head towards the ocean. He followed my gaze and we started walking. Side by side, but not touching.
“You hear about Tara?”
I nodded.
“It was the best I could do,” he said.
I pressed my lips together before I said, “She killed that idiot. Society can’t just let that go. Even if we’d have wanted to do the same.”
Simon seemed to relax a little and I realized that he might be anxious too.
“I missed you,” I told him, hoping that wasn’t too pushy and that I was about to join his long string of ladies.
“I missed you too,” he said, sounding almost surprised.
“I…” We said at once and then he said, “Ladies first.”
I did not want to go first. But I supposed I could.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have texted only Zee. I really did go to talk to Az and get Daisy.”
“I know,” Simon said. “I saw Daisy there. I knew you didn’t have her before. And…just because you didn’t message me first doesn’t mean you wouldn’t have.”
I felt a flood of relief at that.
“I had to stay away from you. Roberta was watching everything I was doing.”
“You dated,” I guessed.
“Yeah,” he said, sounding disgusted.
“Sucks she’s your boss,” I said, laughing.
“Yeah,” he agreed. But then he let his hand bump mind, and I looked over. I held out my hand, and he took it, wrapping it up in such utter warmth and strength. We walked the last few blocks in silence and reached the ocean. It was a windy afternoon and cool. The beach was mostly deserted except for a woman and a kid in parkas. Two small dogs ranged around them never really going too far.
I took in a deep breath and caught the scent of salty sea air and the smell of coming rain. I’d go to sleep to the sound of raindrops against my window—a fate I very much looked forward to.
“I was wondering, Rosemary Baldwin,” Simon said, distracting me from the rain, “If you’d like to have dinner with me?”
The wind whipped around us, through my hair, and I felt as though I’d experienced this moment before. Or maybe it was just this feeling. This dawning light of a second chance between him and me. I had thought I’d ruined things when I hadn’t heard from him since Tara had been arrested.
I smiled and admitted, “I’d like that very much.”
“7:00?”
I nodded again. He leaned closer to me, slowly, giving me plenty of time to dodge. But I didn’t want to. And when he kissed me, the wind whipped around both of us and the gentle drizzle of a Pacific Northwest rain began.
Neither of us minded.
The End
Hello! Hello! Can I just take a moment to gush over how much I love you for reading my books and giving me a chance? Indie folks, like myself, need reviews desperately! If you wouldn’t mind, I would be so grateful for one.
The sequel to this book, Cookies & Catastrophe is available now!. You can order it here.
I also have a brand new cozy historical mystery series set in 1920s England that was just released. I am soooo excited for this baby and hope you love it too! It’s available now, and you can order a copy here.
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Also By Beth Byers
The 2nd Chance Diner Mysteries
Spaghetti, Meatballs, & Murder
Cookies & Catastrophe
(found in the Christmas boxset, The Three Carols of Cozy Christmas Murder)
Poison & Pie
Double Mocha Murder
Cinnamon Rolls & Cyanide
Tea & Temptation
Donuts & Danger
Scones & Scandal
Lemonade & Loathing
Wedding Cake & Woe
Honeymoons & Honeydew (Coming in September 2018)
The Violet Carlyle 1920s Cozy Mysteries
Murder & The Heir
Kennington House Murder (Coming in September 2018)
Murder by the Folly (Coming in October 2018)
The Brightwater Bay Mysteries
(co-written with Carolyn L. Dean and Angela Blackmoore)
A Little Taste of Murder
(found in the Christmas boxset, The Three Carols of Cozy Christmas Murder)
A Tiny Dash of Death
A Sweet Spoonful of Cyanide
Also By Amanda A. Allen
The Mystic Cove Mommy Mysteries
Bedtimes & Broomsticks
Runes & Roller Skates
Costumes and Cauldrons (found in the anthology Witch or Treat)
Banshees and Babysitters
Spellbooks and Sleepovers: A Mystic Cove Short Story
Hobgoblins and Homework
Gifts and Ghouls (found in the anthology Spells and Jinglebells)
Christmas and Curses
Potions & Passions (found in the anthology Hexes and Ohs)
Valentines & Valkyries
Infants & Incantations (Coming Soon)
The Rue Hallow Mysteries
Hallow Graves
Hungry Graves
Lonely Graves
Sisters and Graves
Yule Graves
Fated Graves
Ruby Graves
The Inept Witches Mysteries (co-written with Auburn Seal)
Inconvenient Murder
Moonlight Murder
Bewitched Murder
Presidium Vignettes (with Rue Hallow)
Prague Murder
Paris Murder
Murder By Degrees
Curses of the Witch Queen
Fairy Tales Re-Imagined
Song of Sorrow: A Prelude to Rapunzel
Snow White
Kendawyn Paranormal Regency Romances
Compelled by Love
Bewildered by Love
Persuaded to Love
Other Novels
These Lying Eyes
Copyright © 2017 by Amanda A. Allen, Beth Byers.
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof
may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever
except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.