Bouquet of Lies (6 page)

Seven

WELL, THIS WAS one way to see Dan-the-Man again. Not the best way, not one she’d planned. But it was a way.

Lacey quickly checked her face and hair in the Spyder’s rearview mirror. Then she turned to the side mirror and watched his perfect gym-body approach the driver’s side door. She did love a man in uniform. Or rather, she liked
this
man in
this
uniform. Much sexier than what he wore at the Roxy that night, oh so long ago. Well, two weeks ago. He’d never called. She frowned just as he appeared at the window.

“Miss Bouquet.” He removed his sun glasses.

She looked at him and her heart unexpectedly stopped for a moment. Those eyes.

“Mr. Dan-the-Man.”

She kept the frown. She was mad, right? No phone call. No kiss on the dance floor. She bit the inside corner of her mouth to stop the smile that wanted to form. She was a busy gal. She had a party coming up. She’d just left practicing with the magician. She had finally managed to stop this cop-guy from creeping into her thoughts every chance he got . . .

She took a deep breath and let it out. He shouldn’t be so sexy if he wanted nothing to do with her. And now, here he was again, ticket book—

Oh. He didn’t have his ticket book out. Could this possibly be a social call?

“I’ve been meaning to call you,” he said with no expression.

Her smile escaped. “Oh, yeah? Couldn’t tell it by the way my phone didn’t ring.” She picked up her cell and jokingly checked for messages. “Nope. No missed calls.”

“I said meaning to.”

“It’s actions that count in my book.” She stopped smiling and tried to look stern. Let him squirm a little for making her wait to see him again.

“I’ve been busy and, uh. No time.” He shrugged. “Here’s the thing. How about lunch next week?”

“Lunch. With you?”

“Well. Yeah.” He put a hand on his wrist and twisted it back and forth.

Adorable. He actually looked nervous. “So this would be a date?”

He dropped the jittery gesture. “You could say that. Should I pick you up?”

“Ah, duh, if it’s a date. You got a car?”

“Yes. I’ve got a car.”

“A nice one with racing stripes?”

“Uh, no. How about Wednesday? Next week.”

“Why not this week?”

His mouth opened, but he didn’t say anything. Finally he shrugged. “I, um. Next week’s better.”

“I’m having a costume party Saturday night. You should come. It could be a post-Roxy, pre-lunch thingy.”

“No, I um.” He shook his head. “I can’t make that. Look.” He stiffened and his face hardened. “I stopped you for a couple of reasons. You were driving like a maniac. And when you made that left turn I thought you’d bought the farm. I’m sure the driver who almost hit you saw his life flash before his eyes. You’ve got to slow down or you’re going to mess up this pretty car of yours, not to mention kill yourself and anybody else who gets in your way.”

He sounded kind of mad. Well, not kind of. He was mad. Just because the horn of the other driver had blared like a son of a gun didn’t actually mean she was in the wrong. There had been no screeching tires and no collision. No harm, no foul. Right? Guess not.

“There are more than five million car accidents in this country every year.”

“They give you that statistic in cop school?”

“I’m serious.”

“I know. You’re always serious.”

“Look. Too many people die because of excessive speed.”

“Okay. Sorry. I get it.”

“I don’t think you do. I gave you a ticket last time and a warning about your expired tags.”

Right. The tags. She’d forgotten about the tags.

“Six months overdue. You have to be more responsible. I’m not sure another ticket will do it. I’m going to impound the car.”

“What?” He had to be kidding. “You’re taking my Spyder? You’re joking, right?”

“Out of the car please.” He opened the door and she stepped out, still waiting for him to say,
Not! Just wanted to get your full attention. No more speeding now. I’m really a fun kind of guy.

He didn’t say any of those things. Dan-the-Man, Mr. Cutie-Pie, was Mr. All-Business. “You’ll have to call for a ride,” he said.

She watched him return to his motorcycle and get on the radio. She wasn’t angry exactly. Miffed was a better word. She’d get her car back. For sure she was mystified. What sort of person asks you out on a date and then steals your car? Yes. Steals. To teach her responsibility? She was responsible. She’d forgotten about the tags. An easy thing to do when you had a life. Well. She’d take care of the tags right now. She took out her smart phone and a credit card. She pulled up the Internet and found the site for the DMV. With the push of several buttons, she registered the car and paid the fees. She put the credit card away.

A moment later, Dan walked back to her. “Anything in the Spyder you need to remove? The tow company won’t take responsibility for anything that goes missing.”

“I travel light.” She wiggled the phone in front of him. “I’m registered now. Everything’s up to date, peachy-keen. So can we skip the drama? Just give me a ticket or something?”

“I know you don’t believe me, but I’m doing this for your own good.”

She looked him in the eye. He didn’t flinch. He believed it even if she didn’t. She suddenly wondered, if she offered him a bribe, would he throw her ass in jail? Probably.

She flashed on an image of Dan placing her in handcuffs. Then the setting of where he might do that changed from the street to a candle-lit bedroom.

She tried not to grin and Dan’s expression told her he wondered what the hell she was thinking about. Guess most people’s reaction to their cars being towed wasn’t a cryptic, amused smile.

The tow truck arrived almost immediately.

Lacey heaved a sigh as the Spyder was loaded onto a flatbed truck. She eyed the small group of lookie-loos standing about and spotted a bald biker sporting a handlebar mustache. He looked like a tough guy, but when he glanced over at her, he shook his head as if to say he felt her pain.

Dan started to explain what she had to do to retrieve the car. “The sooner you do it, the less it will cost you. You say you’ve already registered it.”

“That’s me. Miss Responsible when it counts.”

He didn’t smile. “You find that ride yet?” he asked.

“Ah.” She held up a finger and then speed-dialed a number.

“Talk to me,” Jake said upon answering.

“Hi. I need a ride. My car . . .”

She watched the tow truck roll away with the Spyder strapped to its back. Her heart fell. Finally, a flash of anger jolted through her body. This was ridiculous.

“So, you’re taken care of,” Dan said. She assumed he meant she had a ride.

“I’m taken care of all right.” Lacey scowled.

“Okay, then.” Dan walked to his motorcycle.

“Lacey,” Jake barked.

“My car just got towed.”

“What! What happened?”

“I’ll explain later. I’m gonna need a ride to get it out of impound.”

“When?”

“Like now.”

“Okay. Just give me ten minutes to get cleaned up and I’ll come get you. Where are you?”

The biker tapped her on the shoulder. She looked at him. “Wow,” he said. “Sorry about your car. Man that’s cold.”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

It suddenly occurred to her that it might be better to have this guy take her home and then go to the impound lot. It would save time. She didn’t feel like standing around on the sidewalk waiting for Jake.

“Lacey.” Jake vied for her attention once again.

“Just a sec,” she told him and looked at the biker. “You think you could give me a ride home for say seventy-five bucks?”

“Sure! I could use seventy-five bucks. Got my hog.” He thumbed at it. “I’m Big Boy.” He held out a paw.

“Lacey.” They shook hands. “Jake. I’ll meet you at home.” She hung up and checked her wallet. She only had fifty. There was more cash at home. Putting the wallet away, she noticed Dan watching. She rested an arm on Big Boy’s shoulder and gave the paradoxical cop a big smile as she wiggled her fingers at him. Then, with a sweeping motion, she indicated he should be on his way.

Dan’s radio squawked. He was getting a call and would have to go. Good. She didn’t want him to see her take off with Big Boy. She had no helmet, but she was going to ride the motorcycle anyway.

Eight

DARLA SAT ON her bed, fingers stroking white stockings laid out beside her. She stared at the
Alice in Wonderland
costume hanging on the closet door. Pinned to the skirt was a note that said: Wear me. It was a beautiful outfit. Expensive-looking. Lacey always did go for the best.

She’d talked with the Reverend Irene daily since her blow up with her sister. Partly because she was nervous about the party, seeing her mom and all, and partly because she felt guilty about the things she had said.

The Reverend reassured her that she’d done the right thing.
You need to remove Lacey from that pedestal you’ve got her on. Be less dependent. She isn’t the concerned sis you think she is.

Darla took the dress from the hanger. It was classic Alice. A blue dress with puffed sleeves, Peter Pan collar, and white apron. Lacey had even bought her a headband, the stockings, and black Mary Jane shoes.

She liked it. She would have liked a costume that hid her identity more. That way she could stay lost in a corner and be on the lookout for her mother. But this would do.

She loved the
Alice in Wonderland
story. The cat that grinned. The caterpillar that smoked. The queen that roared,
Off with their heads!

She giggled. And there was Alice, in the middle of it all, growing big, shrinking small, making sense out of things that didn’t make sense.

Darla related.  She was a person living a life that didn’t make sense.

All week Lacey had ignored her. Never once, did she try to change Darla’s mind about moving out together. Never once, did she drag her downstairs to talk to Jake. That was something Darla wished she would do. There were no conversations about guys or the movie Lacey’d worked on. The only reason Darla knew the movie job was over was because yesterday and today Lacey had left the house dressed like a normal person.

Darla tossed the costume over her head and zipped it up. She put on the stockings and the shoes and admired herself in the mirror. She would ask Lacey for help with her hair and makeup when . . .

No. She better not. The Reverend wouldn’t like it. She could do that herself. The old children’s books she and Lacey used to read, including two versions of
Alice in Wonderland
, were in the library. Maybe she should get them.

But then again, maybe not.

She felt her heart beat faster at the thought of going inside the library. She hated that room. It scared her. Located off the foyer, next to the sitting room, its heavy, wooden-door entrance was inside a small alcove. She found the door as intimidating as the room itself. It reminded her of the entry to a medieval castle. Behind it were unspeakable things. Why she thought this, she didn’t know.

She didn’t really need the books, but now that she thought about it, she knew she had to go. Not long ago, somehow the topic of the library had come up in a discussion with the Reverend Irene. The Reverend had insisted she face her fear. This was the opportune moment. Darla took a breath and closed her eyes for a moment.

She stole downstairs. With any luck she wouldn’t run into Grandfather. Father was home, but he was in bed nursing a mean cold. It wouldn’t matter if she ran into him anyway.

She paused at the library entrance and felt her heart hammer harder than before. At least the children’s books were on the shelf nearest the exit. She could grab what she needed and run.

Pushing the door open only a few inches, the scent of old leather and aged paper overwhelmed her. It wasn’t an awful odor or even very strong. But she smelled it distinctly and a sense of dread shot through her. She nearly turned around and fled, but then she heard a familiar voice.

“I don’t think he’s started the ball rolling because he just sprang it on me.”

Darla opened the door a little more and saw a young man in a business suit standing beside the big mahogany fireplace. A cell phone was pressed to his ear and in one hand he held the brass urn shaped like a book that supposedly held her mother’s ashes.

She stared. His back was to her and she couldn’t see his face.

“I told him I met with Martin about this territory dispute we’re having and he said to forget about it. Delp could handle it. Then he said, as soon as he got a security clearance on me, I’d be managing sensitive contracts.”

She recognized the voice. It was the gorgeous guy at the Huntington. Was she dreaming? Was the library playing tricks with her head? She opened the door some more and, still clinging to the door handle, stepped inside the room.

“Yeah. I’m working on that right now.” He put the urn back on the mantel. “Our timing is perfect.”

She couldn’t trust what she was seeing. He couldn’t really be here, could he? Anxiety ripped at every organ and she took a step backwards.

“Well. I’m . . .” His head turned. He spotted her and she became a statue. Immediately he smiled, his teeth so bright they were nearly blinding. “I’ve got to go.”

He hung up.

“Will wonders never cease. I certainly didn’t expect to run into the beautiful young artist from the Huntington. Although I must admit, you’ve been on my mind ever since.”

Was he for real? He’d been thinking about her? Her anxiety intensified.

“I could have kicked myself for not asking for your phone number. And now, here you are.”

Elation mixed with her anxiety. She wanted to ask him who he was and why he was in her house, but the words remained stuck in her throat. She saw him give her dress a questioning once-over.

“It, um, ah. It’s my costume.” Her voice was a murmur. She cleared her throat. “It’s a costume.”

“Well, it’s very nice. What you were wearing the other day was very nice, too.”

“No, it’s really a costume. My sister’s having a party Saturday night.”

“Sister?” His eyes moved back and forth like he was thinking. “You mean Lacey? You’re Lacey’s sister?” Another look of surprise.

So he was one of Lacey’s conquests. She should have known. Elation vanished like air in a pricked balloon.

“Um huh. She’s not home.” Darla turned to leave without the books she had come for.

He chuckled and she stopped. “I know what you’re thinking,” he said. “I admit we went out a couple of times. But I’m not here to see her. I’m Randy. I work for your father.”

He wasn’t one of Lacey’s boyfriends?
Darla turned back around.

“I just met with Harper upstairs. Guess he wanted to make sure I had a shot at catching his cold.” He smiled. Darla didn’t react. “That was a joke. Feel free to smile.”

Darla made a feeble attempt.

“Anyway. Your dad had some things he wanted to go over with me and I ducked in here on the way out to . . . Well, you heard me. A lot of boring business details.”

Darla nodded, but not because of anything he said about her father or business. All she could focus on was the fact that he wasn’t there to see Lacey.

He stopped talking and stared at her, his smile still bright. His eyes mesmerized her until she grew self-conscious of her stare. She wanted to have a nice conversation, but she couldn’t say what she was thinking:
You’re gorgeous. I’m glad you aren’t here for my sister. I’m glad you thought about me after we met. I wish I weren’t so awkward with boys. Uh, men. You. I think I might pass out.

She made a move for the door.

“Always in a hurry to get away from me.”

She stopped. “Huh? No. I thought we were done.”

He lifted his brow and looked amused. “Done? I think we’re just getting started.”

Her face grew hot and she feared her knees might give way.

“You are certainly nothing like your sister.”

No. She wasn’t, and she didn’t think that was a good thing. Suddenly any hope he might really be interested in her vanished.

The sounds of the front door opening and raucous laughter crashed her thoughts. Lacey’s voice boomed: “Okay, Big Boy. You wait right here while I . . .”

She caught sight of Darla and stopped. “Hey. That costume was made for you.” She came toward the library door and saw Randy. Immediately her demeanor changed. “What’s going on?” She walked inside.

“Nothing,” Darla quickly said. Why was she feeling guilty? Like she’d been caught doing something she shouldn’t do.

A bald guy with a handlebar moustache, chains clanking from somewhere on his person, clomped into the room behind Lacey. He had to be thirty-five or forty, wore jeans and a tank top with a skull and roses design. His arms were beefy, his chest massive. He scared the hell out of her. Then his face broke into a friendly grin.

“Alice! I always wanted to give Alice a ride on my hog.”

Darla hugged herself, shoulders hunched. She looked at her sister, but Lacey’s eyes were focused on Randy.

“I take it Daddy doesn’t approve,” Randy said.

“What?” Lacey looked confused for a second, then said, “Ah, no! I just met Big Boy. He’s doing me a favor. Well, if you pay someone, is that them doing you a favor?” Her tone said she didn’t really care.

Big Boy took a couple of steps closer to Darla. “Where’s the tea? I heard Alice has great tea.” Light caught a silver cap on one of his front teeth. It glinted.

Darla stepped back. “Lacey. Tell him to leave me alone.”

Lacey looked at her. “He won’t hurt you, but . . .” She looked at Big Boy. “Leave her alone. She gets nervous.”

Big Boy made a face that said,
Sheesh! I’m not doing nothin’.
His eyes remained focused on Darla. Darla stared back, afraid if she took her eyes off him he’d pounce.

“What are you doing here?” she heard Lacey ask Randy. “Still Daddy’s golden boy?”

“If you say so.”

Darla turned to look at Randy and her sister. Their eyes were locked.

Lacey grinned. “If you’re not here for Daddy, you must be here for something else. Don’t tell me little sister and you—”

“Would that be so bad?” Randy asked.

“I don’t know. She’s only seventeen.”

“Almost eighteen.” He cocked his head.

“How do you know that?”

“Eighteen comes after seventeen.”

“Funny. No breaking her heart.”

“Lacey, we’re not . . .” Darla took a step toward her sister and felt a heavy hand on her shoulder.

Big Boy put his face in hers. “Really. You wanna go for a ride?” His breath smelled of stale cigarettes. Her hands balled into fists and she crossed her arms against her chest. Then before she could call to Lacey again, someone had his hands on the big guy and was guiding him to her sister.

“I think this one is more your style.” It was Jake. For a second Darla was worried Big Boy might punch Jake’s lights out. He outweighed him by eighty pounds at least.

But evidently Lacey was right. Big Boy was a pussy cat and wasn’t into hurting people. He looked dejected. “I was just being friendly. I never met Alice in the flesh.”

“I’ve been waiting.” Jake stared at Lacey.

“Okay. You’re right. I just gotta get some cash for Big Boy.”

“How much?”

“I’m short twenty-five.”

Jake peeled twenty-five bucks from his wallet without missing a beat and shoved it into Big Boy’s hand. “Your work here is done.”

“Always glad to help.” Big Boy glanced at Darla. “You sure? She purrs like a lion.”

“She’s sure,” Randy piped up.

Jake glanced at the businessman, apparently noticing him for the first time.

Big Boy left the house, chains clanking and boots beating the floor.

Jake returned his attention to Lacey. “How’d you manage to get your car impounded?”

“Your car got impounded?” Darla’s eyes went wide. Lacey could be crazy, but she wasn’t a screw up. This was a first.

Lacey’s hair bounced with the toss of her head. “We can all thank Dan-the-Man.”

“Who’s that?” Jake asked.

Lacey shrugged. “A cop who gave me a ticket last week or the week before. I can’t remember. He pointed out that my tags were expired and I forgot about it. He pulled me over for speeding today. And since I hadn’t taken care of the tags and they were six months overdue, he said I needed a lesson. Some mumbo jumbo about saving my life with a wakeup call about responsibility. And here I thought he was a decent guy.”

“You don’t seem all that upset,” Randy said.

“I’m upset.” She motioned at her face. “This is me being upset. But what can I do? Get my car. That’s what I can do.” She took Jake by the arm. “Come on. Let’s go. You two play nice.” She tossed the words over her shoulder at Randy.

Jake looked at Darla. “You owe me a visit, Rabbit Face,” he said before Lacey had him out the door.

Darla felt her insides turn all mushy, then suddenly Randy’s hand was touching her arm. “Who is that guy?”

She looked at his fingers on her skin. “That’s Jake. He’s the chauffeur’s son.” Her eyes traveled up to meet Randy’s.