Pedal to the Metal: Love's Drivin' but Fate's Got the Pole (The 'Cuda Confessions Book 3) (27 page)

Was being an accomplice the only thing I was good for?

What would stop Shalvis from walking right through the door any time his hatred gave him a stiff dick? 

I found a canister-style Electrolux that had to be older than me in a closet filled with coats and boxes of Christmas stuff. The pipes knocked, signaling that Caroline had gotten in the shower. It took a minute to get my hand to stop bleeding, but thank God, I hadn’t gotten any on the couch. By the time I swept up the broken china and laid the flowers on the kitchen table, she still hadn’t returned to the front room.

How could I stop this evil man? If I couldn’t tell Caine, or Colt, or God forbid, Jonny, could I tell Dale?

No, I’d given him enough to worry about by sending Mom to Martinsville. Besides, he hated Robyn. I had to handle it myself. Today, before leaving town.

I stowed the vacuum, then dashed to the car. Grabbing my purse off the ground, I slid behind the wheel and barked, “Siri, call the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Department.” 

A moment later, a cool, masculine voice answered, giving the department name. “How may I be of assistance?”

“I need to speak to Mack Brown. The matter’s urgent. I’m Shelby Ro—This is Shelby Hannah. Dale Hannah’s daughter.”
Please, please, be a fucking NASCAR fan.

My heart sang with triumph when he replied, “I’ll relay your number, ma’am. He’s in his car.”

I waited, studying the slight gap in the bushes between the Mason’s little cottage and the brick parsonage next door. How often did the bastard come through that gap? Did he stand outside their fucking windows in the dark?

“Shelby? What’s wrong, child?” Mack barked.

“I need to talk. In person.”

He hesitated. The police radio crackled and squawked in the background. “What’s your twenty?”

“I’m at Robyn Mason’s place, but I want to meet... in the place we first met.”

“I ain’t likin’ this.”

“It’s not what you think, Mack. I need advice. It’s important.”

“Ten-four. Be there in ten.” The time of the call flashed on the screen.

The crunch of gravel drew my attention to the rear view mirror. Robyn’s little sedan traversed the long driveway. She rolled to a stop between my car and Caroline’s.

“Shelby! What a nice surprise.”

I forced enthusiasm into my voice. “Hey, Robyn. I’m gonna run and grab dinner for us. Caroline’s in the shower. Y’all want Chinese, or those fattening, delicious things they sell at What-a-Burger?”

“Oh, hon, I just bought the stuff to make spaghetti.”

“Save it till tomorrow. I sorta have to insist. I’m treating because I broke your vase.”

“Shelby!” A tiny hand waved furiously from the back seat. I returned the child’s enthusiastic wave.

“She likes those noodles at the Chinese joint.”

“Lo Mein?”

Robyn flashed a rueful smile. “That’s it. I just know it’s number twenty-two on the menu.”

Of course it is
. Damn number haunted me. “One twenty-two comin’ up. What’s your favorite?”

I
raced down Mount Zion Road. “Siri, call Little Panda Restaurant.” Once the restaurant answered, I ordered everything I could think of. “I’ll pick it up.”

“Need card number on order this big.” I barely understood the broken English.

Muttering a curse, I made the left onto Old Cottonmouth Road, then lunged for my purse. “Okay, hang on one sec.”

I braked. I didn’t want to use Dale’s plastic again, but I couldn’t find my debit card. I nearly turned the wallet inside out, but all I found was my college ID, a bunch of business cards given me by restaurant patrons, and the check Caine had written me back in January. My rainy day money.

At last, I spied my card under the edge of the passenger seat. I unfastened the safety belt and stretched. Once I had the plastic in hand, I rattled off the number and expiration date. I stuck the card in my wallet and cruised to the cul-de-sac.

The fire barrel still sat in the middle of the asphalt circle. I went halfway around, reversing into the spot where Colt’s Corvette had been parked the night Mack tried to confiscate Caroline’s car. You’d better remember that night, goddammit.

Mack’s cruiser roared up the narrow lane. He put the nose of the Ford close to the Audi. When he swung his door open, he shocked me by grinning. “I shoulda knowed you was in town. Someone said they saw a purple flash headed up the interstate a couple hours ago. His exact words were, ‘That damn car’s gone!’ He wheezed, working his way from behind the wheel.

I eased out of the car, still clutching my wallet. Mack waddled toward the Audi. “This the same one you took off’n Barnes?”

“Yes, sir.” I stepped away so he could peer inside.

“Hot diggety damn. Anything it ain’t got? Woo wee, that speedometer goes all the way to two damn hundred.”

“Well, Caine disconnected the auto drive. So, it ain’t got that no more.”

He pulled his nose out long enough to dart me a glance. “Do I wanna ask if you’ve wound that speedometer all the way out yet?”

I had to laugh. “No, that was Colt. But, I turned in a seven point seven at the drag strip in Greer.”

He frowned. “Quarter mile or eighth?”

“Quarter mile.” Would he do this for me? Or would he take the line he’d taken that hideous night, that Caroline was just trash?

Please, God, if you’re out here, my blood’s gotta count for something, doesn’t it?

Mack Brown smiled so wide, his eyes disappeared behind his cheeks. He lowered his head, then jerked upright, eyes narrowed. I saw no sign of a smile now.

“What’s wrong, Shelby? This got anythin’ to do with that report your mama called in? You got my word, we’ll find that guy who roughed her up this afternoon.” He gestured. “Especially if that’s his blood on you.”

Macy, you idiot. Now, the police will find some neighbor who saw that fucking Mercedes. It’ll take Mack five minutes to figure out I was there, too.

“Uh... no.” I held up my injured palm. “It’s my blood. This isn’t about Macy, it’s about Caroline.” I grabbed his arm because now, I had to sell her damn lie. “Is Mom okay, Mack? I went by her place earlier. I wasn’t there long, so I left my purse in the car. When I stopped for gas, all my cash was missing.”

His hat shaded his eyes, but the brim moved up and down at last. “Yes, ma’am. She was just shook up. Guy roughed her up a bit, but somethin’ scared him off ‘fore he could do much harm. She told my deputy she’d feel safer if’n she left town for a bit. I think she decided to fly up to Martinsville, to be with Dale.”

Was it all about attention, then? Did she need to be the martyr so badly that she’d fabricate a break-in?

No. She needs Dale off balance and on her side. In case I tell him a different story later, I’ll look like the liar.

Again. 

Damn, Macy. You calculating cunt.

I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with the scent of loam and a touch of burnt rubber, but the expected pain never came.

Forget her.

“If I told you I walked in on Reverend Shalvis trying to rape Caroline, what would you say?”

The sheriff’s beady eyes went rattlesnake flat. “If you’re askin’ would I believe the Reverend Shalvis could do such a thing, the answer’s yes. Did you call me out here to report a sexual assault, Shelby?”

I shook my head. “No, sir. I’m talking to you as someone whose expert opinion I value. Caroline won’t let me make that report.”

He swept his hat off his head, startling me with the violent motion. Shoving a hand inside, he spun the crown around on his fat fingers.

“Go on.” The gruff words weren’t a request.

I explained about the purchase of their house and the new rental amount, starting the first of June. “Is that legal? I mean, I know the rent can go up, but is it legal to triple the rent without a notice?”

“Quadruple.” He nodded. “If that lease expires end of this month, he can ask anythin’ he wants.” He squinted. “Now, if’n they move out, and he offers it to someone else for less, your buddy Kossel can tear him a new asshole in court. Sue him for discrimination.”

I shook my head, sliding the diamond to the back of my finger. “The price for his services would be me marrying his son, I’m afraid. And that doesn’t keep the Masons in the only home Caroline’s ever known, Mack.”

“We can’t have that. You as a country club wife? A pure waste.”

“Then how about this?” I opened my wallet and pulled out the check from Caine.
It’s pouring, right?
“I’ll endorse it. You deposit the money in your personal account. I was thinking you could pay the good reverend for me. In person. In uniform.”

He slammed the hat onto his head and snatched the check, scanning the address and amount before he looked at me again.

“I see you learned a good bit about the workin’s of the real world while you was at that fancy private college. There’d be two-fifty left over. And that only gets you four months.”

“I’ll figure something out in four months. And you’ll need that extra money. I want to pay you to ride out here occasionally, to be sure that bastard stays out of that house. He owns it. He can walk in any time, right?”

“He has to give written notice, a reason for entry, and state a specific time he’ll need access. Me ridin’ out to keep an eye on him? That’s a service provided to taxpayers by the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Department.” His smile would’ve terrified me if I’d been in handcuffs. “I’ll pull right up in the preacher’s driveway, then go check on the Masons. He’ll get the message.”

“She never knows it was me. I have no idea what you’ll tell her, but—”

Mack’s nod was brief. He slammed the hat onto his head. “I’ll take care of it. I reckon her little ’un might tell an old fat man what kind of toy she’d like while I’m there.” His pudgy hand went to the brim of his hat. “Have a good trip back to school, Miss Hannah.”

A long heartbeat passed while he gripped the wide brim. Something I couldn’t define hovered in the air between us. Something a couple of drag races didn’t explain.

“Watch your speed, now. I just ain’t gonna like scrapin’ you off the asphalt, you hear me? I can go the rest of my life without givin’ Dale Hannah more bad news.”

He backed around his open door. “You tell Dale to put his foot up that boy’s ass. What he done yesterday wasn’t hard racin’, it was a goddamn disgrace. I’ll be shocked if Barnes ain’t fined come Tuesday.”

I hadn’t watched the race. Kolby’s behavior sounded like more of the same.

Mack slung one booted foot into the floorboard, but hesitated. “Some folks might buy that bullshit about he ‘lost control for a second’. I been a cop for damn near thirty years. Every patrolman knows that maneuver, same as every criminal’s got his
modus operandi
.”

I started to get in my car, but another question occurred to me. “Mack?”

“Yes, ma’am?”

“Did you know Jill Shalvis?”

His chest expanded. I noticed because the star pinned to his chest caught a ray of sun, sending a flare of light into my eyes.

“I did. My mama set great store by the Reverend Shalvis, but he was always too pretty for my taste. She’s buried in that churchyard, not too far from Jill.”

“How old was she the last time you saw her?”

He scanned the trees to my right. “Once I done my six-year hitch, I come back here and went to work for the county. I’d been on the job about a week when my mama died. I followed her wishes and put her in a grave on that hill by the church.”

Even the wind went still at the anger in his voice.

“I reckon Jill wasn’t quite sixteen when I went to the church two weeks later to have a chat with the preacher about why the hell he’d let an elderly widow put damn near her whole social security check in the collection plate month after month, while she ate oatmeal to stay alive. That young’un ran out of his office like the devil was chasin’ her. I went down on a knee to talk to her, but she never told me why she was sobbin’. I weighed maybe a buck eighty then,” he added.

He thought I’d be rude enough to suggest he was too fat to kneel? My brain made weird conclusions these days, but his implication about Reverend Shalvis seemed plain.

“Do I look anything like her? Is it just the hair?”

I thought he’d had a senior moment, it took him so long to respond.

“Days like today, when your hair’s pulled back and you ain’t wearin’ no makeup, you could pass for her twin. Or her daughter.”