“Anthony! What are you doing here?”
“I told you I was coming tonight. Or don’t you remember?”
“I guess I might have fallen asleep.” I seemed to be doing that a lot lately.
Anthony kissed my cheek, “Thought so. I brought dinner.” Holding up a carton of Chinese takeout.
Opening my fortune cookie first, I always do that, in the hopes that my fortune would be good or I’d have the winning lottery numbers. But when I cracked mine open, it was empty. Not a good sign.
We were just finishing our dinner, when my cell phone rang. I ignored it, but only because it was Jay. Here I sit eating Chinese with one man, while the man I want, who might want me, is calling. Minutes later, Jay pulled up and I knew that had been a mistake.
Swinging out of his truck, engine still running, door open, Jay looked mad as he approached my car. “Why didn’t you answer when I called? Dammit Lily. You knew I’d be worried.” Jay was clearly upset, his hands balled into fists.
Anthony and I exited my car, where we’d been having dinner. Anthony looked ready to tackle any trouble that Jay seemed to pose.
“Anthony Furst,” Anthony extended his hand to Jay, while giving him a once-over. He didn’t look impressed by Jay in his faded jeans and t-shirt. Anthony was again wearing a suit and tie.
Jay looked at Anthony, then shook his hand longer than I think is appropriate. They were sizing each other up. Men!
“Jay Heimerschmitt. Good to meet you.” Only Jay looked anything but happy. “You Maxine’s grandson?”
“Yes. Lily and I were just having dinner,” Anthony pointed out.
Anthony’s subtle-like-a-block hint wasn’t missed by Jay and he leaned around me to look in my car, as if to confirm that was the case. “I can see that. How long will you be in town?”
Well, let’s just get to the point shall we? Next they’d want to compare shoe sizes. Pretty sure Anthony had Jay beat on that one.
“I’ll be leaving in the morning,” He replied, coming to stand next to me, marking his territory, “Stop by here every night do you?” Anthony asked, placing his hand on the small of my back.
Yep. Clearly marking his territory. I inched away from Anthony, until he was no longer touching me.
“Just checking up on Lily,” Jay said through, I swear, gritted teeth.
“As you can see, she’s perfectly safe. It was nice meeting you, though.” Anthony looked every bit the lawyer at this point. If Jay wasn’t intimidated by him, I was. And I think I’m kind of dating him.
Jay wasn’t so easily dismissed though. “Junior stop by tonight?” Ignoring Anthony, as if he wasn’t towering over our little trio.
“No, but he probably will.” Likely calling me an idiot again.
“Be sure and call if you need me.” Jay was looking at me, then turned his attention to Anthony, “I can be here in less than ten minutes.”
All I can say is that I felt weird. Here I was standing between two men who were acting like they were in a faceoff. I like Anthony. A lot. But I love Jay. A lot more.
After a few more tense moments, which consisted of them staring each other down, Jay left. I wanted Anthony to be the one to leave, but what could I say without being rude?
I watched him drive away, thinking I’d blown my chance.
“I suppose he’s the reason we won’t be seeing each other again?” Anthony asked politely. As if we were discussing the weather and not my love life.
What could I say? He was right, of course. My heart belonged to Jay, even if he didn’t want it. Anthony deserved better than what I was offering him. Which was nothing. I had nothing to offer anyone but Jay.
Geez! Was this how I was going to spend the rest of my life? Wanting a man I could never have? There would never be another Jay. I’d given him my heart and once you give that away, can you really get it back?
“It’s okay, Lily. I like you. You’re sweet, smart and attractive, but it’s obvious your interests lie elsewhere.”
That may be true, but Jay and I were most certainly not an item. I would know that, but it was flattering of him to compliment me even though I knew I was none of those things. A smart girl wouldn’t pine away for a guy she could never have. A sweet girl wouldn’t have strung Anthony along, and attractive? Well, he was just being nice.
“It’s not like that, Anthony. Jay and I are just friends. Really.” Unfortunately.
Laughing, Anthony bent down, a foot to be exact, and kissed my cheek. “We’re friends, Lily. Really.”
“I hope we can stay friends. I really like you.” Too bad I didn’t like him enough. Anthony had a lot going for him. He met all my criteria for a man, except one.
He wasn’t Jay.
“Even though my grandmother bought you for me?”
“Don’t. You know it’s not like that.” Not anymore.
“I know. My grandmother made a wise investment in you, though.”
“Will you come back for the reveal? Your grandma would love that. It would be nice for you to see Holland in all her glory. Maybe change your mind about small town living?”
“Yes. I’ll come, but don’t hold your breath on me falling in love with Holland. It’s quaint, but not for me.”
I held my breath, puffing out my cheeks. Anthony smiled and laughed at my attempt to make him feel better.
After Anthony left, I did what I always do when alone. I thought about Jay. What was he thinking? It was clear he didn’t like Anthony or maybe he just didn’t like Anthony with me? I hoped that was the case.
Junior never did stop by, which I found surprising. I knew he wouldn’t want to miss out on another chance to give me a hard time for camping out. When he’d learned what I was doing, I think he was offended. Like I was somehow accusing him of not doing his job. It wasn’t like I didn’t trust Junior, though. I just didn’t trust Dutch and Tulip in the hands of anyone else.
The town was quiet, except for the semis running at the Dairy and it was peaceful this time of night. Early spring was beautiful here. Lush, everything greening up from all the rain. Sitting in my car, I leaned the seat all the way back and snuggled in my blanket. Earbuds in, crossword in my lap, I settled in for another night of not sleeping.
~~~~~
With the interior light off, I crept out of my car, quietly as possible. Louisville Slugger in one hand, pepper spray in the other, my heart was racing.
What was I supposed to do? Car lights had woken me and I was proud of myself for that, but now I was scared. Creeping around the back of Tulip, I knew this was it! The bad guy was making his move.
Why is the bad guy always a man? Women could be nasty and catty. The rancid milk, Dutch tipping man could very well be a woman. Britni had about done me in. I’d almost rather take on a man. If he was small and old. And I weighed more than him. And had a weapon.
I tiptoed up behind the figure, deciding it was a man, but not a very large one, raised my bat and swung hard. The figure went down like Dutch, but I sprayed him with pepper spray just to be safe.
“Ahh! My eyes!” The figure said. So I sprayed him again.
“Lily? What the hell are you doing? Quit spraying that stuff at me!”
I recognized the voice. “Junior? Are you the bad guy?”
“No. For crying out loud, Lily, get a grip.” Eyes shut, Junior used his arms to feel the air in front of him. When he found my hands, he snatched the pepper spray from me.
“Why are you creeping around in the dark? You aren’t the one responsible for all the trouble, are you?” I’d developed a suspicious mind and everyone was a suspect in my book.
Junior ignored me and cursed. A lot. I won’t repeat here the words that left his mouth or this would no longer be a lighthearted tale of romance.
“I should arrest you for assaulting an officer of the law.” Still prone, Junior began rolling around, like he was trying to figure out the most comfortable position, but I’d hit him pretty hard. Finally, he settled for sitting up and leaning agains
t Tulip’s clog.
“I came here to tell you something and you attack me. Damn woman! Get some water for my eyes, before I go blind.”
After Junior washed his eyes out, they looked bad and I felt worse. Could pepper spray do permanent damage?
“I thought you were the bad guy.” Sitting next to him, I was at a loss. “I am so sorry.” Somehow sorry didn’t seem enough, though. “Are you okay? Please be okay? Should I call Dr. Rob?”
Cursing again, only this time not as long or R-rated, “No. Just give me a minute.”
“Are you sure? Your eyes don’t look so good.” I was being nice. They were puffy, red and I swear they were about to bleed. “I’m calling Dr. Rob.”
“Just hush.” Head back, Junior doused his eyes with water again.
We sat in silence for several minutes. At least Junior did. I couldn’t keep my mouth shut and kept asking him how he was.
Wiping his eyes, which I didn’t think was a good idea, he finally spoke, “I arrested Glen.”
Come again? “Glen who?” I only knew a handful of Glens, but at the moment I was still distracted by the damage I’d inflicted on our town cop. I know Junior wanted to roll his eyes at me, but it would have probably hurt too badly.
“Glen Moller.” Junior’s tone told me he thought I was dense.
“Why on earth would you do that? He’s the council president.” I stated, as if Junior didn’t already know this, but maybe his sudden blindness had made him forget.
“Arrested him and Perry Blemner.” Shaking his head, as if that would clear his vision, Junior looked at me through, literally, blood red eyes. “I pulled Perry over for weaving like a drunk, which he was. Got mouthy with me, and said I couldn’t do nothing to him. Finally, I handcuffed him, which I should do to you.” Junior looked at me with narrowed eyes, or maybe they were beginning to swell. “And what do you know, in the back of his truck was a chain.”
Perry was Holland’s drunk. I didn’t know him very well, but knew he drove a truck with a winch. He worked odd jobs, moved around town, renting different properties, until he couldn’t pay his rent anymore. No one in town wanted him as a tenant now, so he lived in an old camper parked behind his mom’s house.
“It didn’t take Perry long to give up Glen. Said he’d paid him to break your window, mess up your car and tip Dutch,” Junior explained.
It was a good thing I was sitting or my legs would have gone out from under me. “Glen did all this?”
“Yes and no. Technically, Perry did it, but Glen’s the one responsible.”
“But why?” I asked. Why would Glen do this? True, he’d been opposed to keeping Dutch and Tulip, but since then he’d been fully on board in saving them.
“Glen didn’t say.” Junior wiped his eyes and looked worn out. “I just arrested one of my closest friends, Lily,” he said exasperated. “Linda screamed at me the whole time.”
I guess that was one of the drawbacks of being a cop. Sometimes you had to do that to people you knew and cared for. No wonder people didn’t like cops.
“What happens now? This looks so bad for Holland. Our council president, of all people, was the one after Dutch and Tulip all along.” I began shaking my own head, “I still don’t understand why though.”
“Glen refused to talk to me. I think he was embarrassed. After he asked for a lawyer, he didn’t say another word to me on the ride to Jasper. He’s being processed at the police post now.”
“But…”
“I can’t talk about the case with you anymore. I’ve already said too much.”
“Too bad! This involves me. I’m the victim.” Dutch too, but since he couldn’t, I’d voice his concerns for him. “Are you sure your eyes are okay?” As mad as I was, I couldn’t help asking for the umpteenth time.
Junior ignored me. Blinking his eyes wide, then shut tight, trying to clear them.
I called Jonas, who whined and moaned like a child, but after telling him to man up, he agreed to stay with Dutch and Tulip.
I was going to jail.
Chapter 24
“Did you hear that? I just knew that man was bad. I just knew it!” Tulip wished she had some of that pepper spray stuff right now. And if she did, she’d march right over to jail and spray some in Glen’s eyes.
“Don’t get all worked up, flower. It’s over now.” At least, that’s what Dutch hoped. When Lily had sprayed Junior, she’d gotten some on him as well. He’d also seen Lily in action with that bat. Dutch didn’t like bats. They often flew around his face at night, sometimes flying into his eyes and mouth. Once, one got in his ear.
No. Bats were bad. Now Junior knew that too.
“You don’t think Lily will leave us now, do you?” Tulip was worried for Lily, but she was more worried that Lily would leave them.
“Of course not, she needs us to get married.” Even though Dutch was now sore at Lily, she was easily forgiven. She hadn’t meant to spray him.
“Well, she better not leave. Someone has to look out for us.”
“Once I’m back on my feet, if she tries to leave, I’ll stop her myself.” Surely that would be enough to earn him a kiss.
~~~~~
Having never visited anyone in jail, I didn’t know what to expect. But Glen and I were going to have a conversation. The come to Jesus type. It wasn’t going to be pretty.
I was on my high horse, riding hard, but had a big letdown when the police refused to let me speak with Glen at this hour. Even though I threw a fit. Apparently, ranting and raving won’t get you far with the police. My case wasn’t helped when Junior walked through the door. His eyes looked like two burnt holes in a blanket.
When Junior arrested Perry, he’d noticed the chain in the bed of the truck, which conveniently had a winch. Perry, drunk as a skunk, ratted out Glen without much persuasion, or so Junior said. That’s all I knew, but I wanted and deserved more. I wanted to know why, but the very large police officer behind the desk, didn’t care about my wants.
“Sorry, miss, but you’ll have to come back tomorrow.”
I tried calling Kelly, but she was working. I needed to talk to someone.
“Lily? What’s wrong?” Jay sounded instantly worried. He probably imagined I needed saving from Anthony.
“Glen’s in jail,” I muttered, still dumbfounded.
“Glen Moller?” Jay’s quicker than me.
“Yeah. He’s the one.” I was still having a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that Glen was responsible.
I kept Jay on the phone until I arrived at the park, but neither of us said much. Jonas was doing a poor job of guarding Dutch and Tulip. I woke him and sent him home. A woman would have wanted to know what was going on, but not Jonas. He didn’t even bother asking where I’d been. He just left me alone, for another night at the park.
~~~~~
“Please?” I asked, smiling like a child. Johnny on the spot. That was me, waiting when the jail opened bright and early Saturday morning.
The police were trying to keep me from seeing Glen, but all the press Dutch and Tulip had received helped my case. After some whining, pouting and eyelash batting, they allowed me a short visit.
Visit? That’s what you did with friends. Glen and I were enemies and apparently had been. Only I hadn’t known it. But I do now.
The jail smelled funny. Not funny haha, funny as in alcohol and bodily discharge. Somehow this setting seemed fitting for Glen.
“How could you?” I asked. Glen didn’t look surprised to see me when he’d entered the visitor’s room. I thought he should be shackled at the hands and feel, wearing an orange jumpsuit, but he wasn’t. Dressed in his own clothes, Glen looked terrible. Ignoring me, staring at the floor, he looked as if he’d aged years.
“Just tell me why. I think I deserve that much.”
Glen’s head came up so fast; I shrunk back in my seat, checking to make sure there were guards around. He stared, or glared, rather, at me before saying, “You! You think this is about what yo
u deserve?” Glen snorted, and then kicked the table.
See! I knew he should be shackled.
“Just stop it with your “look at me saving Dutch and Tulip” crap! As if you’re the savior of Holland.” Glen leaned forward in his chair and I scooted mine back farther. “If it weren’t for you, Holland would be better off. We could’ve really used that money. But nooo.” He drug the word out. “Not Lily. You had to screw up everything!”
I guess he told me.
Glen’s yelling caught the attention of the guard, who cleared his throat, but did nothing more. I don’t like being yelled at and somehow I started feeling bad. Like this was my fault.
“I did it for Holland.” Keeping my voice even, I could feel the tears coming.
“Shut up! Just shut up! I’m sick and tired of your lies. You did it for you!”
“Fine! I’m a selfish hag who wanted nothing more than to give up the last year of my life, have my home threatened, car vandalized and crap scared out of me!” I wasn’t yelling yet, but was working up a head of steam. “Because of you, I could have lost my job!”
This wasn’t what I wanted. I wanted answers, not a personal attack. “Why do you hate them so much? I don’t understand Glen. Dutch and Tulip are our mascots. They mean so much to Holland.”
“I don’t care about them. God you are so naïve.” Glen snorted again, “Thinking everything in life is good and simple. Well guess what? It’s not.”
The look on my face must have convinced Glen more explanation was needed. Maybe the guilt was weighing on his shoulders or maybe he knew it didn’t matter now, but Glen finally answered my question. Why?
In addition to the $2 million Holland would receive, the company from the Netherlands had agreed to give Glen an additional $250,000, to make things “go more smoothly.”
Like a finder’s fee. Only Dutch and Tulip had never been lost. And now they never would. But there were too many bumps in Glen’s way. Well, only one. Me.
“I can’t believe you did this. You bastard!” I screamed this time. Wishing I had my pepper spray back.
I guess all our shouting was enough to make the guards come running and it was time for me to go. Or so I was informed. The police don’t like it when you upset their prisoners. I left, not bothering to look back at Glen. He’d caused me enough heartache.
A Holland Kiss Page 19