Butterfly Madness [Loving in Silver 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (5 page)

“Hey, Ned!” he shouted. “Are you in there?”

No answer. Grayson moved down the narrow back hallway, peering into the storeroom as he went. No one, just cases of liquor stacked neatly. He sniffed as he smelled an unpleasant blend of different alcoholic beverages. Moving on after glancing in the office and seeing nothing but a paper mess, he went into the sales area. Nothing was neat there. Broken bottles and liquid were everywhere. The place reeked. He picked his way around, moving down the three aisles, checking for any sign of Ned. It would be just like the man to confront someone in his store.

Grayson found Ned in his tiny office when he looked in there again. The elderly man was sprawled on the floor behind the huge oak desk, a bloody wound on his head. His cell phone was in his hand. Cursing, he kneeled on scattered papers and checked the man for a pulse. He had one, but it was faint. Pulling out his phone he called for an ambulance first, then a deputy.

“Hold on, old guy. We’ll get you some help,” Grayson told the unconscious man in a gruff voice. Ned was like many in the community, someone he had known his entire life. He was cheap, he was rather surly on his good days, and downright mean on bad ones, but the man would help out his neighbor without even blinking. Beneath the worn and faded clothes, and the boney little chicken chest, beat a heart of gold. He might not have wanted to spend his money on new clothes and a new door, but he would have given it all to someone who needed it. Losing Ned would be losing a part of Silver. “Hey, I hear the ambulance already. They’re making damned good time today. You’ll be at the hospital in no time.” There was a moan from the man. “Don’t worry about it. You won’t have to pay the bill.”

The paramedics came in the back of the store. He got out of their way to let them do their job. Cherry Preston, his newest deputy, came in behind them. Her face was grim as she surveyed the damage with a sharp, intelligent gaze.

“How’s Ned?” she asked with obvious concern.

“Don’t know. He’s unconscious, just the way I found him. I want you to get photos of the entire scene and fingerprint the place. It may be all we have if Ned doesn’t wake up.”

He wouldn’t say die. He was going to be positive.

“Sure thing. What about video surveillance?”

“I don’t know if Ned ever spent the money getting it installed.” Grayson looked up at the cameras mounted in strategic points in the store. “The last time I checked those were dummy cameras. But check again just the same.” He moved toward the door, a grim expression on his face. “I’ll be back shortly. I have something to take care of.”

The trip back to the sheriff’s office was made in record time. Grayson parked and ran inside, angrier than he could ever remember being. He had never really had any problem with Marge. Sure, she was difficult, but she had always done her job. At least he believed she had. Had she done this before? They did have a 911 system and most people used it. But some of the older residents and business owners still called the old phone number no matter how many times they were told they shouldn’t. That brought up another question. Why hadn’t Ned just called him at home?

Shaking with anger, Grayson stopped in front of Marge’s desk. She looked up after a moment, as if finally deciding she actually could be bothered. Man, that was just annoying, he thought grimly.

When her eyes fixed on his face, noting his furious expression, they widened and her own face lost some of the color under the make-up she plastered on every morning. “Clean out your belongings. Don’t even take a paper clip, if you didn’t pay for it. I want you out of here in five minutes.” He held out his hand. “The keys, hand them over.”

They were handed over, jangling as she extended her arm across the desk to drop them into his open palm. “What happened?”

“Since you couldn’t be bothered before, Marge, you can wait and find out just like everyone else in Silver. You’ve got four minutes left. Hurry the fuck up and get out of here. If you want to know why you’ve lost your job, it’s because of your complete incompetence and indifference.”

“Now, see here, I’ve done a good job… ”

The woman really should have kept her mouth shut. Grayson’s eyes narrowed on her face. “Shut up. If you want to be able to find another job in town, you’ll button your lip and pack. If you don’t, go ahead and argue with me. I’ll tell everyone how you couldn’t be bothered with Ned’s calls, how you didn’t bother to call me or one of the deputies to go and check on him and the store.”

Grayson stood there and watched her pack as the others in the office came into the room. Obviously they had overheard because there wasn’t a look of sympathy on any of their faces. Marge was upset, but she didn’t cry. He hadn’t expected her to. Her jaw was clenched as she stiffly plucked personal items off the desk and shoved them into the huge bag she called a purse. She was escorted to the door by Tim Macon, one of his deputies. He went in his office to take a moment to calm down.

When he went back out he had several people waiting for him, concern on their faces. “Are you okay, boss?”

“I’m fine. I’ve got to get to get to the hospital to see how Ned’s doing. Once we have all the evidence collected, I’ll make some calls. I’ll see if we can’t get a few people over to help clean the place up and get it going again. It’s his only income.” He knew Roarke would help. It would take a half dozen people at least to clean up the mess. “Deb,” he said, speaking to the dispatcher, “call over to the hardware store and tell them to come over to measure the back door for a new one. Tell them to install a new security model and to be sure it’s a good one.”

Deb nodded and disappeared into her little nook off the common area. He turned to Tim. “I need you to go over and help Cherry. Interview everybody you see. You never know who might have seen or heard something.”

There were apartments over many of the stores. Ned lived above his, but there was a couple who lived above him and several people living in the buildings on either side.

By the time Grayson got back to the liquor store Cherry was deeply involved in collecting evidence. He bent under the yellow crime scene tape. He was pleased to see bagged items already sealed and marked as evidence. He saw the pry bar wrapped and tagged and he guessed the robbers had used it to gain entrance into the building. That and sheer strength to finish off the weak door. He couldn’t think of one person who’d want to do this to the old shopkeeper.

“How’s Ned?” she asked, looking at him after she had peeled a fingerprint off the safe.

“He’s going in for surgery. The doctor said he’s got at least one cracked rib and his leg is broken.”

“That’s too bad. I like Ned. We’ve got to catch the bastards who did this.”

“We will. Not a lot of things stay secret around here, not for long anyway.”

Taking a deep, calming breath, he asked Cherry what had yet to be done. She replied in a businesslike manner and he concentrated on helping her finish.

Hours later he helped Cherry load the trunk of her cruiser and Tim’s with all the evidence they had collected. The new rear door had been installed by the hardware store. He was assured the door and the frame would withstand a lot, as would the locks, which couldn’t be picked.

Once the tape came down and he unlocked the front of the store, all those who’d been standing outside pushed in. They were carrying garbage bags, brooms, mops, buckets, and an array of cleaners. He smiled at everyone. He didn’t bother to ask why they were there. He knew. They were helping out a friend and neighbor.

But when Grayson saw Marley, his eyebrows went up. “What are you doing?”

Slender shoulders lifted. “I heard someone needed help. I’m here.”

“Where are the dogs?”

“I left them taking a nap in my office. They’re good for a while.” She looked around at the destruction. “Oh, what a shame! I heard it was bad, but this is worse than I thought it would be. They didn’t leave much unbroken, did they?”

“Not much,” he agreed. He wished the air didn’t reek of spilled liquor. He wanted to catch her lovely scent. When he heard a familiar ringtone on his phone, he excused himself and stepped outside. “Hey, babe, what’s up?”

Roarke was not a happy man. “I just heard what happened. Why didn’t you call me?”

“I haven’t had time. The place is getting cleaned up now. I’m going to leave and go back over to the hospital to see how Ned’s doing. He’s in surgery right now. I probably won’t get to question him until sometime this evening or tomorrow morning.”

“Well, I’m leaving now. I’m going to help with the cleanup. I’ll see you in a few.”

“What about the store?”

Roarke owned a good old-fashioned toy store. It had been in the family for nearly as long as the town of Silver had existed. He sold everything from trains to high-tech gadgets. The place was always busy, and Roarke rarely left it until he finished business for the day, which including restocking after closing.

“Dad’s here. I’ll leave him in charge.” There was a pause, where Grayson knew he wasn’t required to say anything. His lips twitched as his lover said, as if he were responding to a question Gray asked, “Yeah, I think I can trust him to be here alone. He’s got some experience.”

In the background he could hear Dennis O’Malley’s rather colorful response. There was obviously no one in the store at the moment. The two did love messing with each other. Laughing, he just said, “Get here whenever you can. The place is a mess. Bring gloves. And, by the way, Marley’s here helping out. Love you.”

“Love you, too, handsome.”

Grayson left the store to the care of the good neighbors of Silver, but only after he looked to see Marley bent over, cleaning up broken glass. He admired the curves of her ass in the snug jeans she was wearing. The turquoise T-shirt was riding up her back, exposing the butterflies which so fascinated Roarke. He could see why. Not only were they beautiful, they were also very kissable.

As his cock twitched in response to his thoughts, he decided to leave before he embarrassed himself. He couldn’t wait until he could kiss each and every one of those beautiful tattoos.

Gray wondered where they began…and where they ended. The possibilities made him ache with anticipation.

* * * *

Marley straightened, wincing as her back protested. It had been a long day. She had started it by painting the new walls in the gallery, with every intention of getting a first coat on all the walls before she quit for the day. When she had heard about the break-in at the liquor store, and the attack upon the store’s owner, she knew she had to help out. She had only stopped once, long enough to go to the gallery to let the dogs out to relieve themselves out back at the edge of the parking lot.

Now she was thinking of nothing beyond a nice hot bath. She said her good-byes to the others there to help, including Roarke, whom had flirted outrageously with her while he worked beside her. They were a cheery bunch and she knew she had made some new friends. It was a good feeling. She liked the closeness of the community. She was also relieved that they were so open and accepting of her. It was promising to her future in Silver.

After collecting the dogs at the gallery, Marley drove back to the Redford mansion. It was early evening and the sun was spread over the red bricks, giving it a warm, welcoming glow. She walked the dogs at the back of the property, cleaning up after them before she went into the house.

Mrs. Reed, the housekeeper, was there to welcome her with a smile. “Welcome home, Miss Jacobson.”

Marley returned the smile. “Thank you. And, please, call me Marley. I’m not much for such formality.”

The older woman smiled. “I’m afraid it’s ingrained in me. My family has worked here since the first Redford built the house. My father was the butler here until he and my mother decided to move to Arizona. So, as you are now Marley, please call me Ellen.”

“Ellen it is.”

“I just finished roasted chicken breasts with glazed carrots, both of which are topped with my secret sauce. Could I tempt you?”

When her stomach rumbled, Marley laughed. “It does sound delicious. Just let me run up to wash.”

“Oh, you don’t have to go all the way up there. It’ll take you a half hour to get back,” she joked. “There’s a bathroom down that hallway there. Feel free to use it anytime you like.”

Thanking the woman, Marley went to wash up. She smoothed her hair and washed her face. As much as she wanted a shower and her bed, an early night sounding heavenly, the scent of the roasted chicken was enough to delay her plans. With her stomach growling, she returned to the kitchen.

Two hours later Marley was staring at the ceiling. She couldn’t sleep. Rolling onto her side, she looked across the room to where both dogs were stretched out on huge orthopedic dog beds, designed to support their weight. They were both sound asleep. Neither of them even twitched as she tossed and turned.

Sighing, she gave up and got out of bed. She left the bedroom and headed down the hallway to Colt’s private suite. She would just go get a book and head back to bed. A half an hour of reading something boring should put her to sleep, she thought hopefully.

Okay, so maybe she wouldn’t fall asleep as quickly as she had hoped. Though there were the usual mysteries, crime, and espionage novels, there were a great many others devoted to sex. She blinked at some of the titles, her eyes widening as she read the spines, her pulse quickening as she discovered she was almost scared to open any one of them. Choosing one with a bright red cover, she retraced her steps, hoping Ellen didn’t choose that moment to make an appearance.