“Thanks,” Edie replied. “Is Benjamin home?”
“No. That poor boy isn’t home yet. Walt told me some of what happened last night.” She cast the old man a begrudging glance. “Guess he’s not as crazy as we all thought he was.”
“Just stupid, that’s what I was,” Poppy exclaimed. “Thinking a hazmat suit was some sort of a space suit.”
“It’s a mistake anyone could make,” Margaret said gruffly as a faint pink stained her cheeks. Poppy looked at her with surprise and then down at his muffin as a slight blush colored his cheeks, as well.
Edie sensed a little attraction in the air between the two. Good, she thought. If Poppy had a woman friend to keep him company, then Edie wouldn’t feel so bad about eventually going home.
And shouldn’t she be thinking about going home? Poppy’s mental health was no longer an issue. Whatever crime had been committed had absolutely nothing to do with her and there was really nothing else holding her here.
Still, maybe she’d stick around another couple days just until Benjamin thought it was safe for Poppy to return to his own house. Her decision to stay had nothing to do with the fact that Benjamin’s chocolate-colored eyes made her yearn for things she knew better than to wish for, nothing to do with the fact that his kiss had stirred her on levels she’d never felt before.
It was just after the three of them had eaten lunch when Edie stepped out the front door and sat in one of the two wicker chairs on the porch. The afternoon sun was unusually warm and the air held the scents of fresh hay, rich earth and fall leaves.
In the distance she could see a herd of cattle grazing and several horses frolicking in circles. Peaceful. The scene, the entire place, felt peaceful and enduring.
It would be a wonderful place to raise a family and it wasn’t a stretch to think that Benjamin would make a terrific father.
He’d shown incredible patience with Poppy and his affection of his dog spoke of a man who could love easily. Love and patience, the most important things that children needed to grow up healthy.
She reached to hold the charm that dangled in the hollow of her throat. It was cold, like the shell that surrounded her heart.
He was a man who deserved children and that was just another reason for her to steer clear of him. There would be no children in her future.
As she gazed out she saw a plume of dust rising in the air, indicating a vehicle was approaching. She steadfastly ignored the quickened beat of her heart as Benjamin’s truck came into view.
She remained seated as he parked and got out of the pickup, his weariness evident in the stress lines down his face and the slight slump of his shoulders. Still, he offered her a warm smile as he stepped onto the porch.
“Long night,” she said as he eased down in the chair next to hers.
“You have no idea.” He pulled a hand through his hair, messing it up and yet only managing to look carelessly sexy.
“Can you tell me what you found?” She found it difficult to look at him as the sleepy cast to his eyes only made him look sexier and brought to her mind the memory of the kiss they’d shared.
“You won’t believe it. I still don’t believe it myself.” He drew in a deep breath and released it with a sigh. “We found an arm, a foot and a hand each buried in the clearing and all of them glowing like they could power a car for ten years.”
Edie sucked in her breath in shock. “Do they belong to somebody who was murdered?”
“We think the arm belongs to Jim Taylor. He died of cancer and had a proper burial a little over a week ago. We don’t know who the other hand belongs to, although it’s definitely female. And we don’t know about the foot.”
She stared at him in stunned surprise. “And you don’t know why they were glowing like that?”
He shook his head. “My brother Jacob arranged for a contact at the FBI lab in Topeka and Sam McCain, one of the other deputies, is transporting them there as we speak.”
“What do you think it all means?” She fought the impulse to reach out and stroke her hand across his furrowed brow. He looked as if the weight of the world suddenly rested on his shoulders.
“It’s too early to be able to tell what any of it means,” he replied. “But we’re wondering if maybe somebody is conducting some sort of experiments on Black Rock’s dead.”
Edie fought the chill that attempted to waltz up her back. “Any suspects?”
He barked a humorless laugh. “At the moment, only everyone in town.” He sighed again, a weary sound that blew through her.
“Why do you do this?” she asked curiously.
He turned and looked at her. “Do what?”
“Why are you a deputy? It’s obvious that your heart is here at the ranch. Even Poppy said he doesn’t understand why you aren’t ranching full-time.”
He gazed out in the distance and shrugged. “Working law enforcement is what we Grayson men do. Sure, I love the ranch, but in this town, people know me as a man with a badge. That’s who I am.” He said the words almost belligerently, as if he were trying to convince himself of something rather than her. “So, how has your day been?”
“Okay, although there seems to be a territorial war going on over the kitchen. I thought Poppy and Margaret might come to blows over who was going to fix lunch.”
“Who won?” He leaned back in the chair and some of the tension in his shoulders appeared to ease.
“Definitely Margaret. In fact she threatened to blacken his other eye if he touched one of her pots or pans.”
He smiled then, a tired smile that erased the worried lines that had tracked across his forehead. “I’m not surprised. She’s a feisty one.”
“There seems to be some strange energy between her and Poppy. It’s like they’re kids and he pulls her hair and she kicks him in the shin but beneath all the aggression is some kind of crazy attraction.”
“They’ve both been alone for a long time. I think it would be great if they hooked up.”
“I can’t believe we’re talking about my grandfather hooking up,” she said drily.
He laughed but quickly his laughter died and he gazed at her with smoldering eyes. “It would be nice if somebody around here was hooking up.”
For a moment gazing into his eyes she felt as if she couldn’t breathe. It took conscious willpower to force herself to look away from him but it was impossible for her to reply.
“I need to get some sleep,” he said. “I have a feeling as this case unfolds it’s going to take all the energy we have to give.” He stood and once again looked weary beyond words.
“Aren’t you afraid of nightmares?” she asked as she also got up from her chair.
He took a step closer to her, so close their bodies almost touched. Once again her breath caught in her chest as he reached up and touched a strand of her hair. “There’s only one thing that would definitely keep nightmares at bay, and that’s if you were in bed with me as my snuggle buddy.”
He dropped his hand and stepped back from her. “But since you’ve indicated that’s not happening, then the best I can do is hope that my dreams are pleasant.” He didn’t wait for a reply but instead turned and went into the house.
She stared after him and finally released a shuddering sigh. For just a moment as she’d gazed into those magnetic eyes of his, as she’d felt the heat of his body radiating out to warm hers, she’d wanted to be his snuggle buddy. And that scared her almost as much as eerie, glowing body parts buried in the woods.
“Can you tell me where you were Wednesday night around one in the morning?” Benjamin asked Abe Appleton, the local retired chemist. Abe’s current claim to fame in the town came from the programs he presented to elementary-school classes about chemistry and physics.
“On any given night at one in the morning I assure you I can be found in my bed,” Abe said. “Is this about that mess on Moreland’s property? Why on earth would you think I had anything to do with that?”
“We’re talking to anyone in
town who has a back ground in chemistry,” Benjamin replied. The two men stood on Abe’s porch. It was just after eight in the morning.
When Benjamin had arrived in the office that morning, Tom had handed him a list of people he wanted Benjamin to interview. Abe had been the first name on the list.
Deputies were still working the clearing, digging to see if there were any other surprises buried there. It would be days before they heard back from the FBI lab on what exactly had caused the glow to the body parts, but the investigation was ongoing.
The small-town rumor mill was working overtime with the gossip ranging from a serial killer in their midst to a mad scientist conducting unholy experiments on murder victims.
“You want to come in, check my alibi with Violet? She sleeps light and would know if I wasn’t in bed on the night in question,” Abe said. “Benjamin, I make volcanoes out of baking soda for the kids. I suck a hard boiled egg into a bottle. I have no idea what happened in the woods.”
“You know anyone else who might have a background in chemistry?” Benjamin asked.
Abe frowned thoughtfully. “Not off the top of my head. ’Course I don’t know exactly what you found. When Violet and I were at the café early this morning, we heard everything from a leg that got up and danced on its own to a hand that grabbed Tom around the throat.”
Benjamin grinned. “Sounds fascinating, but it’s hardly close to the truth.” His grin faded as he considered the truth. “Still, it looks like somebody was doing some sort of experimenting, somebody who might have a background in either medicine or chemistry.”
“Can’t think of anyone, but if I do I know where to contact you,” Abe replied.
“Thanks, Abe. I may be back with more questions.”
Abe smiled. “In that case you know where to contact me.”
Minutes later as Benjamin backed out of Abe’s driveway, he thought of all the arms this investigation entailed. While he was interviewing potential suspects, Caleb was following up with Josh Willoughby at the cemetery. There was no question that the arm they’d unearthed belonged to old Jim Taylor and that meant, at the very least, that there was some grave-robbing going on.
Tom had another deputy assigned to checking the sales of hazmat suits. The suits were not cheap and hopefully they’d get a lead through that avenue.
A different deputy was assigned to interview doctors and nurses at the hospital. Since they didn’t know what they were dealing with there was no way of knowing if they were spinning their wheels or not.
As he headed toward the taxidermy store in town, his thoughts turned to Edie, who was never really out of his mind. He was thirty years old and more than ready to be in love, ready to start a family. He wanted to fill the house with children who he could teach to love the ranch as much as he did.
Edie had asked him why he wasn’t ranching full-time and Benjamin hadn’t been completely honest with her. The truth was he was afraid of what was beneath his badge, afraid that there might be nothing.
Being a deputy gave him a sense of purpose and more than a little respect in the town. Without that what would he be? What would he have?
He dismissed the crazy thoughts from his head as he parked in front of the taxidermy shop. When they had been making the list of people to interview, Abe’s name had come to mind first because of his background in chemistry, and after some careful thought Big Jeff Hudson and his son, Little Jeff, were added to the list. None of the deputies had any idea what kind of chemicals were used in the taxidermy business, but Benjamin intended to find out now.
A tinkling bell above the door announced his arrival as he stepped into the shop. This was his least favorite place in town. Dead animals stared at him from all directions. He found the whole thing rather creepy.
“Benjamin!” Big Jeff greeted him from behind the counter in the back of the store. “What a surprise. I rarely see you in here.”
Benjamin made his way around a standing deer to approach the thin, older man. “How’s business?”
“Not great, but we’ll be swamped soon with deer season opening. What brings you into my little shop of horrors?”
“I need to ask you some questions. I suppose you’ve heard about the crime scene on Moreland’s property.”
“Is anyone talking about anything else?”
“It does seem to be the topic of the day,” Benjamin agreed. “Is Little Jeff around?”
“He’s in the back unloading some supplies, but he doesn’t like to be called Little Jeff anymore. He goes by Jeffrey Allen now. You want me to get him?”
Benjamin nodded and immediately thought about the key fob he’d found by the bush at the cemetery the morning after Walt’s beating. A for Abe? For Allen? The idea of either man beating the hell out of Walt seemed a stretch, but Benjamin wasn’t about to close off his mind to any possibility.
Big Jeff disappeared into the back room and returned a moment later followed by his son. It had been years since the nickname of Little Jeff had been appropriate for the hulking thirty-four-year-old who had been primed to take over the family business when Big Jeff retired.
“Hey, Benjamin,” Jeffrey Allen greeted him with a friendly smile. “Dad said you wanted to talk to me. What’s up?”
“I wanted to ask the two of you about the chemicals you use in processing animals. Any of them considered toxic?”
“By no stretch of the imagination,” Big Jeff replied easily.
“Any of them contain some sort of fluorescent properties?”
Jeffrey Allen laughed. “Not hardly. I don’t know one of the local hunters or fishermen who want their prize catch to glow in the dark.”
By the time Benjamin left the shop he knew more about taxidermy than he’d ever wanted to know. The rest of the day was more of the same, asking questions of people and getting nothing substantial to help with the case.
It was going to be difficult to pin down alibis of anyone they might suspect for the night that Walt and Edie had been confronted in the woods. At that time of night most people would say they were in bed asleep and that was difficult to disprove.
After talking to the people on his list, he returned to the office, where he was updated by his brother Tom. There had been nothing else found in the clearing and Devon Moreland had claimed complete ignorance on what had been happening there.
The bullet that had shattered Edie’s rear window had come from a .38 caliber handgun, definitely common to this area. Tom had assigned one of the other deputies to check gun and ATV owners in the area but it would be several days before he’d have a definitive list.
He’d made arrangements for Edie’s back car window to be replaced that morning.
It was just after seven when he finally made his way to the ranch. Weariness pulled at his muscles and hunger pangs filled his belly. Breakfast had been a muffin and a cup of coffee and he’d skipped lunch. He was sure that Margaret would have a plate waiting for him when he got home.
As he approached the house he saw Edie sitting on the porch, the last of the day’s sunshine sparking in her hair. Pleasure swelled up inside him, banishing any thought of food or rest.
He could get used to coming home to her. There was no question that she touched him on all kinds of levels. As he parked his truck and got out, she rose from the chair and smiled.
That smile of hers eased some of his weariness and replaced it with a simmering desire to learn more about her, to taste her mouth once again, to somehow get beneath the defenses she’d wrapped around herself.
“Long day,” she said. It was a comment, not a question.
“I have a feeling they’re all going to be long for a while.”
“Anything new?”
He shook his head. “Nothing specific. Let’s get inside. It’s too cool to sit out here once the sun goes down.”
The second he opened the door Tiny greeted him with a happy dance that had both him and Edie laughing. “He’s become my buddy when you’re gone,” she said as Benjamin bent do
wn and picked up Tiny.
“Do you like dogs?”
“I love Tiny,” she replied. “Where did you get him?”
“Found him in a box on the side of the road. Somebody had dumped him. He was half-dead and I wasn’t sure he was going to make it but all he needed was a little tender loving care.”
Edie stepped closer to him and scratched Tiny behind one of his ears. “Poor little thing. I wonder if he has nightmares about the bad things that happened to him before you found him.”
“I like to think that with enough time and love, bad memories no longer hold the power to give you nightmares,” he replied. It didn’t escape his notice that this was the second time she’d mentioned nightmares, making him wonder what haunted her sleep at night.
They walked from the living room into the kitchen, where Margaret and Walt were seated at the table with cups of coffee. Margaret jumped up at the sight of him. “The rest of us already ate, but I’ve got a bowl of beef stew all ready for you, along with some corn bread that will stick to your ribs.”
“Thanks, Margaret.” Benjamin set Tiny down on the floor and then went to the sink to wash up to eat. “Walt, that eye is looking better,” he said once he was seated at the table. “How are the ribs?”
“Still sore, but not as bad as they were. Have you caught the creep who beat me up yet?”
Benjamin was aware of Edie sliding into the chair next to him, the spicy scent of her filling him with a hunger for something other than beef stew. “Not yet, but we’re working on it,” he said to Walt.
For the next few minutes, as he ate, he told them what he could about the investigation. He finished eating and Margaret took his plates away and then announced that she and Walt were going to her cottage to play some rummy.
“I think we’ll know more about everything when we get some results back from the FBI lab,” he said to Edie once the older people had left the house.
“But that could take a while, right?”
“Unfortunately,” he agreed with a nod of his head. “In the meantime we’ll keep interviewing people and hope that somebody knows something about what’s been going on.”
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