Give Em Pumpkin To Talk About (Pumpkin Patch Mysteries Book 1)

by Joyce Lavene

  In that instant, she realized that she’d forgotten to set the alarm on her phone.

  “It’s five-thirty,” Jack said. “You don’t want to be late. Mary makes a great breakfast.”

  She rolled over with a groan. “Really? You eat breakfast at this time of day?”

  “I think most people do. Do you want me to wake your mother?”

  “No!” She sat up, completely awake at the suggestion. “Don’t do that. Let’s hope she wakes up while I’m gone.”

  “Okay. Your call.”

  Sarah was going to thank him for waking her, but he was gone.

  It was going to be another day scrounging for clothes. At least she had the tennis shoes, even though she had to scrape mud off them. She switched on the overhead light and started searching for another pair of jeans and a top.

  Thirty minutes later, she was ready to go. She’d looked in on her mother, who hadn’t moved all night. She wrote her a brief note and left it on the bedside table. It included a line about hiring a new driver.

  It was still too early for breakfast, but she wanted to participate in the barn-raising and had promised to meet Ron there. She’d heard the tractor start up before she was ready and guessed that Jack had already left. Luckily, her mother’s car wasn’t parked behind hers. She got in her rental car and crept out of the driveway.

  She hadn’t been joking when she told Jack that she didn’t want to be around when her mother woke up and discovered she’d spent the night in her parent’s old home. There was bound to be fireworks and recriminations. Since her mother’s visit had also come with news that there were other legal documents that weren’t ready for the sale, Sarah felt like she had enough on her plate.

  Her mother’s actions still puzzled her. It wasn’t like Sandra to get drunk. She wasn’t against having a few drinks, but overindulging in anything wasn’t her style.

  Did she regret the sale of her home but didn’t feel like she could say anything about it? That would make sense of the champagne and coming here to tell Sarah about the deed. Maybe there was still some part of her childhood that she didn’t want to let go.

  Dusty would laugh at that. Their mother loved living in the city and stayed away from anyplace that didn’t have paved roads and coffee shops.

  The intersection was empty as Sarah turned to go to the Pope’s house. Apparently not everyone in Misty River was up at five-thirty. But there were enough people out and about that there were dozens of cars and pickups at Mary and Gray’s house. The sky was getting lighter, banishing the shadows to beyond the trees.

  “There you are!” Kathy found her right after Sarah had parked her car. “You overslept, didn’t you? City folk. I can’t believe you can sleep past six a.m.”

  “How long have you been here?”

  “I’ve been here since four helping Mary get breakfast ready. It’s the most important meal of the day, you know. Especially when you’ve got a bunch of men ready to help put up your barn. I don’t think I’ve ever made that much grits.”

  “I hope you made some protein bars too,” Sarah said. “That’s all I usually eat until dinner.”

  “Protein bars?” Kathy hugged her. “Just eat some sausages and pretend they’re protein sticks. You’ll be fine.”

  “I hope there’s coffee.”

  “You know it. You gotta have coffee for all those hungry men too.”

  They walked up to the house together. The tables out front were loaded with eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, and grits. Some of the men were already eating, sitting on the grass or steps. A few tree stumps made good tables.

  Even Sarah had to admit that everything smelled delicious. She couldn’t remember when she’d eaten food like this in the morning—or at any other time for that matter.

  Ron found them as Kathy kept putting food on Sarah’s plate. “Morning, ladies. Nothing like a good breakfast before the hard work kicks in.”

  “Good morning,” Sarah said. “Kathy, I’m not eating grits. I didn’t like it as a kid. I don’t want it now.”

  “But I stirred it. That has to mean something.”

  “Does it have cheese in it?” Ron asked. “I only like it with cheese.”

  “You two are just not any fun. Eat what you want. I can eat enough grits for the three of us.” She popped a big biscuit on Sarah’s plate. “You have to try these too.”

  Sarah waited with her heaping plate in her hands as Ron filled a plate for himself. She didn’t recognize most of the people around them at the table, and the chances were that she looked too different to be recognizable.

  “Coffee?” a voice said from behind her.

  She recognized Jack’s voice—it was very distinctive—and the first thing she’d heard that morning. She turned and reached for the coffee he was offering and then stopped to stare.

  “Jack?”

  “Coffee.” He put the large cup in her hand when she didn’t take it from him.

  “Is that really you?” Sarah had wondered what he really looked like since she’d met him again. To suddenly see him with no beard and dressed in decent jeans and a T-shirt was amazing.

  “You said you wanted to know what I look like under the beard. Here I am.”

  She couldn’t stop staring. He was actually very good-looking. Without the huge beard, he had high cheekbones and a lean face. His dark eyebrows and thick lashes framed his intensely blue eyes. He’d cut his hair short too.

  “You know, it’s not nice to stare.”

  “Sorry.” She managed to smile at him. “I’m just—surprised.”

  “Jack?” Ron said with a laugh. “I wouldn’t have recognized you, man. Was it time for the spring thaw or something? I’ve never seen you without the beard.”

  “You’re handsome!” Kathy exclaimed. “Don’t stand around here talking to them. I have some ladies who are dying to meet you.”

  Sarah started to say something to keep him from leaving, but no words came out. She had a dozen questions she wanted to ask. Maybe it was for the best that Kathy took him away. It already felt like he was too entwined in her life.

  Jack shrugged as Kathy put her arm through his and led him away. Sarah smiled at Ron and made small talk as they ate. She thought there was a good chance that her friend might be interested in Jack. The way she’d talked about the man she liked made it sound as though it could be someone she worked with. Maybe she had wanted to be with Jack even when he’d looked like a mountain man.

  As soon as breakfast was over, everyone was put to work doing something. Roosters were crowing as the sun began to move through the trees that separated the Pope farm from Sarah’s. Saws began buzzing, and hammers were loud as nails were tapped into wood that would create the frame for the barn.

  Sarah didn’t have any skills that related to barn-building. Mary gave her easy things to do such as making sure everyone was hydrated and being an errand girl if someone ran out of nails or other small items.

  Kathy was actually helping with the frame, laughing with Ron and Jack as well as a tall man in a brown Stetson. Sarah made sure the water bucket was passed around but kept her eyes on them, envious of her friend’s ease around the men and tools.

  Most of her time was taken staring at Jack as he worked. She hated to think that she was so shallow that he’d turn her head now that he was cleaned up. But he had looked really bad, in all fairness. And he was a squatter—even though he was a protective squatter with a purpose.

  It wasn’t like she wanted to date him or anything, she argued with herself as she kept looking around for him while she passed out water. She was just really surprised that he cleaned up so well. And maybe this would be good for him. Maybe someone would see him this way and hire him to do something besides hang around a farm that was about to be sold out from under him.

  Her phone rang in her pocket. It was her mother. She was embarrassed and angry about passing out on the porch last night.

  “You didn’t have to prod me to look for a new driver,” Sandra said. “
As soon as we get back to Richmond, he’s out. Where are you?”

  “At the barn-raising next door.”

  “Why? You don’t know anything about building. You’re letting your emotions run away with you on this. I understand. It happened to me too when I got here last night. That’s why it’s such a good thing that the land will belong to someone else on Monday. We have to put this behind us. Neither one of us is cut out to live on a farm.”

  “I don’t know anything about building. You’re right. I’m just helping out because Mr. Pope has been kind to me. It’s not going to stop me from selling the farm. I know where I belong. I’ll see you when I get home Monday—or if there’s anything else you’ve forgotten to tell me about the property.”

  “You have a right to be angry with me.” Sandra’s voice faltered. “I screwed this up. I guess I didn’t want to admit that Mom and Dad were really gone. I know that it’s been a long time. I-I should’ve accepted it by now. It’s just hard sometimes not knowing what happened to them. I wish we’d found out before we sold the land. It feels like giving up.”

  Sarah couldn’t believe her mother admitted to feeling similar to her. “We don’t have to give up. Even if we sell the land, we can hire people to look for them.”

  “I did that at the beginning.”

  “I know. But that was then. Let’s do it again, but hire more private detectives. This is the information age. Someone knows where they went, Mom. Let’s keep going until we know too.”

  Sandra sniffled. “You’re right. I felt silly at the time. Your father kept saying they just didn’t want us to know where they’d gone. I knew that was wrong, but I tried to ignore the way I felt about it. If you’ll help me, maybe this time will be different. We’ll talk about it when you get back. I love you. Be careful. I was looking at the living room where that man was killed. Are you sure Jack doesn’t have something to do with it?”

  “I am,” Sarah said confidently. “And the sheriff is too. I have to go. I love you. I’ll see you at home.”

  Mary was looking for her. She waved as soon as Sarah looked up from her phone call. “Let’s get some water over there to Tom and Rick. They’re the ones putting the sides of the barn together. I’m worried about Rick. He’s just over the flu. His wife called to make sure he had plenty to drink.”

  “Sure. Sorry. That was my mother.”

  “Sandra? She’s out here too? Why didn’t she come with you? We haven’t seen her in a long time.”

  “She’s headed back to Richmond,” Sarah said. “Let me get more water for Rick and Tom.”

  There were more than two men working on the barn wall nailing long pieces of wood to two-by-fours. Sarah gave them all water and ran out. She had to go back to the pump in the front yard to refill the bucket.

  She looked up to see Kathy on one of the high rafters, flirting and hammering nails beside Jack. He seemed to be flirting too, a grin on his face as he talked with her.

  As if he felt her watching him, Jack turned his head and waved. Sarah pretended not to see him. She filled up the bucket and headed toward one of the other crews who were working on the barn’s foundation.

  As the day progressed toward noon, the barn was taking shape. Mary asked for her help with lunch. Luckily it was small things because Sarah wasn’t much of a cook either. There were several women helping in the kitchen. She did her part and tried not to feel inadequate. She was just out of her element, as her mother had said. She never felt this way back home.

  The women took the huge portions of ham, green beans, potatoes and cornbread to the tables. Mary rang a bell on the porch for lunch. There was plenty of fried chicken and biscuits, peach cobblers, banana pudding, and homemade ice cream with gallons of sweet tea to wash everything down.

  Ron had stopped working when he had a call from the sheriff’s department. He paused to let Sarah know that he was leaving. “Sorry I can’t stay for lunch, but this is the way my life is. I’ll try to come back if I can.”

  “Sure,” she said as she put out a bowl of jellied cranberries.

  “Maybe I shouldn’t ask right away, but I know you’re leaving soon. What about lunch or supper tomorrow?”

  Sarah considered it. Sunday loomed long and empty as she waited for Monday morning to get everything else done. “I’d like that. Thanks for asking.”

  “Great.” He smiled and kissed her cheek. “I’ll call you when I know what time I’ll be free.”

  “Maybe I should give you my cell phone number.”

  “Yeah.” He laughed. “I was just going to look it up on the sheriff’s report, but that would be better. And this is mine.”

  They exchanged numbers, and Ron waved as he went to his car.

  “He’s leaving already,” Jack said. “Was it the work or the date?”

  “Not exactly a date,” she corrected, feeling self-conscious with him now. Before, she only felt threatened and annoyed. “You should probably wash up for lunch. Mary says there’s lots of work to do this afternoon.”

  “But tomorrow is the real date?”

  “You’re an eavesdropper,” Sarah told him.

  “That’s how I know everything. I’ll be back.”

  She determined that she would be busy ladling out food or pouring tea when she saw him again. Her mother was right about one thing—she couldn’t let herself feel bad for Jack. He needed to move on and get a life of his own. The more she spent time with him and people who praised him for taking care of the farm, the guiltier she felt making him leave what little he had.

  Kathy was with the tall man in the Stetson. She seemed to be flirting with him too. Sarah wasn’t sure if Jack was the man whose butt Kathy was admiring or if it was this man.

  “Hey, I want you to meet Ben Reece. He’s my manager. The farm has run better than ever since he signed on. Ben, this is Sarah Tucker. She owns the property next door.”

  Ben was very sincere as he shook hands with Sarah. “Nice to meet you, ma’am.”

  While he was talking to her, Kathy was behind him making faces and pointing to his rear end. Sarah smiled despite herself. Obviously this was Mr. Right. She was relieved that her friend wasn’t interested in Jack—she told herself it was because he was leaving and Kathy might not see him again.

  “I offered Jack a job this morning,” Ben said. “He’s a hard worker, and he’s taken good care of your place with no supervision. I think we could use a man like him.”

  “That would be wonderful,” Sarah replied. “I hope he took you up on it.”

  “He said he’d think about it,” Kathy told her. “I’m going to fill up a plate and sit over there in the shade. How ‘bout you, Ben?”

  “Sounds good to me.” He glanced at Sarah. “You’d be welcome to join us.”

  Kathy was shaking her head and sticking out her tongue.

  “I have a few other things I have to do before I eat,” Sarah lied. Kathy was very clear on wanting to be alone with him. “But thanks for asking.”

  When Ben went to get some corn on the cob, Kathy nudged her with her elbow. “He better not be interested in you.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Sarah reminded her. “I’m leaving Monday, remember?”

  “You should take Jack with you. But don’t you look at Ben again with those baby blue eyes.”

  Sarah laughed as she watched her friend walk off with him. She couldn’t believe Kathy couldn’t get things going with the handsome cowboy when he was there every day working for her.

  Almost everyone had already grabbed a plate and found a place to sit. Sarah had noticed some shade on the other side of the house, so she took her plate and a glass of tea over there and sat in the pleasant garden area.

  “Is this seat taken?” Jack asked.

  “I don’t think so.” She sat up a little straighter and almost spilled her tea. “I should warn you before you sit down that I know nothing about barn building or farming. My conversation is limited to political things happening in the state and possibly a few things about s
ocial media.”

  “I’ll take my chances.” He sat beside her. “Nice spot.”

  “That’s what I thought.”

  “Sorry Ron had to leave. I could tell by the way he kept looking for you while we were working that he thinks a lot of you.”

  “We only met when George died. Most of the time he’s been taking my statements about dead men and asking what I was doing while they were being killed. I’m not sure that’s enough to have a relationship.”

  “I don’t know. I’ve known couples who had less in common.” He took a sip of tea. “But you’re leaving anyway. Not many long distance relationships work out.”

  She laughed. “I don’t think I’d call living in Richmond a long distance relationship with someone who lives in Misty River.”

  “I suppose that’s true.”

  They both were quiet as they ate. A crow called from the nearby pear tree, and bees buzzed as they collected pollen from the flowers in the garden.

  “Thanks again for helping me with my mother,” she said. “I thought she’d be okay, but I didn’t know about her driver.”

  “That’s okay. How is she this morning?”

  Sarah stared at the tall flowers to keep from looking into his eyes as she spoke. “I think she’s sad about selling the farm—not sad enough to want to live here again. She hates the country now. But it was her home at one time.”

  “That’s why she was drinking?”

  “I think so. It’s not really like her. I don’t know. We both wish there had been an answer to what happened to my grandparents.” She looked back at him. “Do you have any ideas?”

  “No. I’m sorry. I wish I did. They were very good to me. I’d repay that kindness if I could.”

  “I’d say you’ve done that, looking after the place for so long.”

  “That was nothing. I needed a place to stay when I got out of the army. Tommy and Bess were gone. None of their family seemed as interested in their land as the treasure hunters.”

  “Do you believe the gold is real?”

  “They do,” he replied. “And they’ll keep coming as long as the legend continues.”