Emerald Eyes (24 page)

“Perfectly understandable, babe,” he said, tossing the cloth back in the hot water. He leaned across the bar and kissed her quickly. “Don’t you fret too much about Madison. Obviously, she knows what she wants. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to run to the back and get some whiskey and vodka. The bottles here are getting low.” He held up an almost empty bottle of Smirnoff.

“Okay. I’m not going anywhere.”

He wriggled his eyebrows teasingly. “Better not.” He hurried off to the storeroom.

Just then, there was a knock at the front door. Grace was the closest to the door and asked Debra Jean if she should see who it was. Debra Jean told her to go ahead, but to tell whoever it was they weren’t open for another forty-five minutes. Grace quickly unlocked the door and opened it, but then stood back in surprise. Sheriff Roger Baker stood there with a couple of his deputies and said he needed to talk with Alex. Grace cut wide eyes around to Debra Jean. Debra Jean stood up from her stool and said she’d get Alex, for Grace to let them on in.

Debra Jean gave a couple of raps on the door to the storeroom, as Alex never left it open, even when inside. He swung the door wide. “What, Debra Jean?”

“Sheriff Baker’s here with a couple of his deputies.”

His brown instantly furrowed with concern. “What the hell!” With several bottles of whiskey and vodka in his arms, he followed Debra Jean to the front, quickly setting the bottles on the bar and walking up to the sheriff. He extended a hand, which the sheriff took. “What can I do for you, Sheriff Baker?” They released hands.

“Just need to ask you and your employees a few questions. We found the body of a young woman who has been identified, after some inspection by the coroner, to be that of a Gloria Mendez.”

“
Gloria?”
Alex asked, shocked.

Debra Jean moved up to him and took hold of his arm in a show of support.

“Yes. It seems none of her family or friends have been able to get a hold of her for a couple of weeks now. And the last anyone knows of, she was here at your club. You remember anything about the last time you saw her?”

Alex looked down at Debra Jean, who shrugged, and then turned his focus back to the sheriff. “She left here upset.”

“Do you know what about?”

Debra Jean spoke up. “She was upset with Chuck Smith. Found out he was going to marry an Indian girl by the name of Tickling Feather. I think she’s the chief’s daughter. She and Chuck have dated off and on for a while now, when he wasn’t seeing other women. Though he really doesn’t date all that much, from what I understand. But other than marrying Tickling Feather, which was all news to us, he was interested in a friend of mine, but she chose someone else. Guess Chuck dated Gloria lately on the rebound. Only, I gather she was pretty well stuck on him.” She glanced nervously at Alex.

Sheriff Baker told her to go on.

“Anyway, the last time we saw her, I know she had been arguing with Chuck. But just as she was leaving, she stopped and talked to Madison, the other woman Chuck had been interested in, and apologized to her for trying to slap her one night. Told her that she had chosen the right man, meaning Devin Knight.”

Alex cleared his throat, letting Debra Jean know she’d said enough.

“Anyway,” Debra Jean finished off, “that was the last time we saw her.”

“That’s right, Sheriff Baker,” Alex affirmed. “Best I can recall.”

Grace and Fannie stepped up, and Grace also said she knew for a fact that Gloria and Chuck had left in their own, separate vehicles. She had taken a cigarette break and was outside when Gloria tore out of the parking lot.

Sheriff Baker asked if Chuck followed her.

“No! They went off in different directions.”

Fannie bobbed her head in verification of what Grace said. “Yeah…She told me about it when she came back inside.”

“Okay…Well,” Sheriff Baker responded, taking a quick inventory of his surroundings and then addressing Alex. “I guess that will be all for now. Thanks for your cooperation.”

“Anytime, Sheriff Baker.”

The other officers gave respectful nods and followed Sheriff Baker out the door.

Sam had arrived and overheard most of the conversation, even though he stood just outside, as the door was open. When asked, he affirmed what the barmaids said. He had witnessed Gloria and Chuck leaving the bar that night in separate vehicles too. The sheriff and his deputies thanked him and left.

Customers were pulling in and getting out of their cars. It was time to open up. Alex hurried back behind the bar and grabbed the bottles of whiskey and vodka and set them aside. He glanced over at Debra Jean, who smiled at him warily. Each knew what the other was thinking: Who killed Gloria?

Now that Chuck and Tickling Feather were married, Indian Joe didn’t come out as often to relieve Chuck, as Tickling Feather had often helped her grandfather when she was little and the store still belonged to him. Chuck had made few changes in the way it was run since, with the exception of computerized equipment, such as registers and etc. Everything else was pretty much as it always had been. It was about an hour before closing when Sheriff Baker and his deputies strode in.

“Chuck?” Tickling Feather said to her husband, getting his attention, as he had his head stuck in the dairy cooler, rearranging milk cartons.

He pulled his head out and stood straight, turning to look and saw the officers. His brow wrinkled quizzically. “Sheriff Baker! What can I do for you this evening?”

“We need to speak with you about a young woman we believe you dated a few times.”

“Oh?” Chuck glanced at his young wife and looked back at the sheriff.

“Gloria Mendez. Name ring a bell?”

Chuck coughed slightly. “Yes…As a matter of fact it does. I did date her on several occasions. That is, before I decided to ask Tickling Feather to marry me.”

Sheriff Baker looked over at the obsidian-eyed beauty that was looking back intently. He nodded to her but spoke to Chuck, “Lovely young woman. Congratulations!” Then to her, he said, “He treating you all right?”

She smiled warmly. “Oh yes! He’s a wonderful husband.”

“Good to hear.” He turned back to Chuck. “Want to tell me about the last time you saw Gloria Mendez?”

“I’d be glad to.” Then speaking to Tickling Feather, “Watch the store for a few, honey, while I speak with the sheriff here.”

She said she would. And he led them on into his little office in the back. There he answered all their questions the best he could remember. Said Gloria had been real upset when she’d learned he was going to marry Tickling Feather. They’d had a little argument, but had left and gone their separate ways.”

“And that is the last you saw or heard of her?” Sheriff Baker said.

“Yes! Haven’t spoken with her since.” He frowned and his eyes narrowed. “What gives? Is she missing?”

“Not missing,” he said, eyeing Chuck curiously. “Dead.”

Chuck’s face instantly revealed that the news was a complete shock. He grew white as a sheet.
“She’s dead?”

“Yes. A park ranger found her body in Mount Rainer Park. She’d been dead for a couple of weeks.”

“Oh my God!” He sat down on the edge of his desk.

Tickling Feather heard and rushed in, sitting down by her husband.

His face contorted into several different expressions before coming back to pure shock again. “I can’t believe she’s dead!”

Sheriff Baker exchanged satisfied glances with his two deputies. They’d heard and seen all they needed to here. “Sorry for you to learn about it this way, Chuck. What you told us coincides with what the nice folks at Alex’s said. We just needed to get everyone’s statement.”

Chuck bobbed his head that he understood, but he was clearly upset over the news. “I understand.”

The sheriff thanked them for their time and he and his deputies left.

Chuck was so beside himself that Tickling Feather decided to go on and close the store. It was only a half hour to ten anyway, the regular closing time. He came out of his office just as she was turning over the closed sign and locking the front door. “Thank you, Tickling Feather,” he said, as she walked up to him and gently gave him a hug. “You have got to be the most understanding…the sweetest woman in the whole world.”

“I know you cared about her. Maybe you didn’t love her, but she was your friend. And you did date her. Of course, you are upset.”

“Thank you!” He kissed the top of her head. “I do love you!”

“And I you,” she replied, gazing lovingly up at him with her big doe eyes. “Let’s go home now.”

“Let’s.”

“Checkmate!” Madison said, looking suspiciously at Devin. “You let me win again, didn’t you?”

His expression unchanging, he softly replied, “Madison, you won fair and square.”

She scooted back her chair. “No I didn’t! I may love chess, but I am not good at it. You’ve had five hundred years to master the game. I know better than to think for one second that I could possibly ever beat you.”

Smiling pleasantly with his green eyes, he calmly replied. “You’re right, my love. I did let you win.”

She stood. “What’s the point in playing? I’m never going to be able to beat you?”

“Don’t go getting yourself all upset. If we play often enough and long enough, you will get better and better, and I am sure that one of these days you
will
beat me.” He took her in his arms, but she still looked dubious, and he did best to stifle a smile. “I love you, my sweet.”

She turned her eyes up to his. “And I love you.”

“Want to play another?” he asked. “Or are you all played out this evening?”

She let out a hearty sigh. “Let’s just watch a little television.”

“Your wish is my command.” He kissed her cheek and began putting the chess pieces in their box.

“I’m hungry. What’s there good to eat?”

“Hmmm…”he said, eyeing her with modest amusement. “Didn’t we just go to Albertson’s and stock up on about a hundred dollars’ worth of things you thought you might want to snack on earlier this evening? Not to mention all the meat, cheese and eggs we bought at Chuck’s afterwards.”

She snorted a laugh. “Yes.”

“Or do I need to rush out and get something you’re just dying for? Lemons and some rare flavor of ice cream? Something exotic, perhaps?”

“You’re making fun of me!” She screwed up her mouth.

He sniggered. “Sweetheart…I will go to the moon for you, if there is something you want there. But…Yes. I am teasing you.” He closed the box of chess pieces and drew her in his arms. “What are you craving now? I will get it for you?”

“Strawberries and coffee ice cream.”

“Yuk!” he said, brow wrinkling as though it sounded utterly horrible to him. “Seriously?”

“Seriously! That is what I’m craving.”

“I do believe we brought home some fresh strawberries. And didn’t you pick up some coffee ice cream at Chuck’s?”

“I did.”

“No problem then. How would you like it?’

“Two big scoops of ice cream and load it down with halved strawberries.”

“Anything else? While I’m at it?”

She flinched as though she was unsure of what his reaction might be and replied, “Do we have some of those dill pickle chips left?”

He shook with muted laughter. “I believe we do.”

“Throw some of those on with the strawberries.”

“That kid of yours has some strange tastes,” he said, still smothering his mirth. He kissed her cheek and flashed out. Less than a minute later he was back with her special ice cream order. “Here you go, my sweet. Made with love.”

Sitting back down to the small table where they had been playing chess, she thanked him and dug in, eating as though she were starving. In a chair beside her, he silently observed with mild curiosity. She finished off the treat and scraped what was left of the ice cream off the bottom of the bowl with her spoon.

“Want more?”

“I better not,” she said, looking like she really was uncertain.

“Tell you what, my sweet. I haven’t fed tonight. And I’m all out of units in the refrigerator. I need to go out. You think you will be okay without me for a bit?”

“Of course…How selfish of me. You haven’t gone out feeding for several nights. You know, you don’t have to cater to me like this. You need to think of your own needs too.”

He gently took her hand and squeezed it. “Don’t worry about me. To me, you are what I consider the most important. Yes. I need to feed. However, I know my limits. I can go longer than you might think. And I really do hate leaving you…even for a few minutes. I would take you with me, but I really don’t think it is best with you pregnant.”

“What could possibly happen?”

His face grew more solemn. “Madison…You’ve never seen the really vicious side of me. I can only take so much of the blood from the blood banks. I crave the fresh stuff once in a while.”

“I can’t even imagine.”

“Sometimes, I really
need
fresh human blood. I simply don’t want you to see that side of me right now. Later, after the baby comes.”

“Okay. You’ve never put it quite that way before. Sometimes I do forget you’re a vampire.”

“I do promise you this. I won’t kill any humans unless I deem it necessary. I will compel them to forget and release them.”

“I know you will. I trust you.”

He smiled broadly. “Thank you, my love.” He stood then and took her empty bowl and assisted her in standing. He then escorted her to their bedroom and turned the television on for her. Once she was comfortable and lying down, and he had turned her favorite show on for her, he kissed her quickly, told her he’d be back as soon as possible and shimmered out.

Tickling Feather had fallen asleep, but Chuck wasn’t sleeping well, tossing and turning, until he finally awoke and went to the bathroom. He took a pee and turned to wash his hands and froze at what he saw – his face was covered with hair! “Shi-it!” He reached up tentatively and leaned in to examine himself better and realized his hands were all hairy too. What’s more, his fingernails were much longer than normal. “What the hell?” Horrified, he stepped back from the mirror. He still had several nights until the full moon. What was happening? This just wasn’t normal. He had meant to talk to Indian Joe previously, when he’d blacked out and had awoken four hours later with two days growth, but he’d become so caught up in other things that he had forgotten about it, until this harsh reminder.