Thirty and a Half Excuses (17 page)

Panic rose up, but it was liberally flavored with irritation. “What are you insinuating, Joe McAllister? Do you think I’d send you off on a dangerous undercover operation, and then cheat on you with Mason Deveraux? Do you think so little of me?”

“After what happened between Deveraux and me in Little Rock, it’s not you I’m worried about.”

“And maybe this conversation would mean more to me if you’d bother to tell me what happened.”

His breath was heavy in my ear. “You’re right.” He paused. “I’ll tell you about it the next time I see you, I promise. I don’t want to have this conversation over the phone. Trust me, okay?”

Joe had never given me reason
not
to trust him. If anything, he’d given me every reason to give him my absolute blind faith. But this deep, dark secret scared me. “I love you, Joe. You know that.”

“I know.” His voice broke. “I just don’t want to lose you.”

Something about the way he said the words made me wonder if the threat was entirely on my end. “What’s goin’ on there? Are you safe?”

“Darlin’, you know every time I put on my badge—”

“Joe. Stop. Is this more dangerous than usual?”

“You know I can’t talk about my job.” I heard the tired smile in his voice.

My heartbeat sped up. “Quit.”

“I already told you that I’m planning on it.”

“No. Right now. Tell your boss you’re done and come home to me, Joe.”

“Oh, Rose,” he said. “You know I can’t do that.”

I knew, but I was still upset that he was choosing his job over me. But that wasn’t fair, and it wasn’t true, either. Joe couldn’t just quit in the middle of an assignment—that wasn’t the type of person he was. And that was one of many reasons I loved him. “I know. I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry too. Just please be patient with me.”

“I’m just scared.”

“I know, darlin’. I am too. But not because of my job.”

“I’m not goin’ anywhere. I’m here waiting for you.”

“I’m counting on that.” He sighed and his voice was tight. “I trust you, Rose. I’m sorry if I insinuated anything different. That wasn’t my intention. It’s just that…” His voice trailed off.

Tears clogged my throat. “I love you, Joe. Only you.”

“I know, darlin’. I never doubt that. That’s what’s getting me through this.”

“You’re job?” My breath hitched with my rising terror. What was he doing in El Dorado?

“No, darlin’. Not my job. It’s okay. I didn’t mean to scare you. I’ll explain it all when this is done.” The timber of his voice deepened. “I have to go. Whatever is going on there with Miss Dorothy’s death, stay out of it. Sometimes I think you scare up more danger than I do.”

Sometimes I wondered if he was right. But this time, the danger I was facing wasn’t the bad guys lurking outside my door.

Chapter Thirteen

The kids played all night with Heidi Joy’s boys and Muffy. I tried to have fun with them, but I was too upset. Once again, it felt like there was sand shifting under my feet. I barely had time to get used to the new way of things when everything shifted again. Violet and Mike’s world had changed, but that didn’t mean mine had to. Once Joe finished this assignment, he’d get the job at the sheriff’s department and come live with me. We’d build our life together in Henryetta. But would Joe really be happy living here?

Thankfully, the kids went to sleep pretty easily after getting worn out by the rowdy boys next door. When I went to bed, I checked my phone, grateful that Joe had sent me a text.

I miss you. XO

I tossed and turned and spent half the night trying to get everything out of my head. When I woke up the next morning, both kids were laying across the bed, waiting for me to wake up. We snuggled for several minutes, and I let my mind wander to the thought of starting a family with Joe. Now that I knew we were on the same page about kids, I wondered what it would be like to lie in bed with Joe and our own children.

Mikey burrowed his head into the space between my arm and chest, and I leaned over to take a whiff of his hair. He’d outgrown that sweet baby smell, and had begun to smell more like a little boy, but this morning, a hint of the baby scent lingered. I wondered how Violet could give up this moment with them, how she could pick Brody over her own children, but I knew that wasn’t fair. She’d had years with Ashley and plenty of mornings with Mikey. Besides, I’d been around enough to know it wasn’t all peaches and cream at the Beauregard house most mornings. I only hoped that Violet would have a few dates, get it out of her system and try to get back with Mike. I suspected I was wishing for the moon.

After I made the kids pancakes for breakfast, I loaded everyone into the truck, Muffy included. I hated leaving her so much that I decided to try taking her with me to the shop. If nothing else, she’d entertain the kids until Mike showed up. And I could put her in the back room if need be. Besides, I missed my little dog. In the event that Violet didn’t approve, I’d pull my fifty percent ownership card out. Of course, the fact that I’d put up most of the financial backing gave me a higher percentage of ownership, but I’d never throw that in her face. Still, if it came down to it, I’d stand my ground. Muffy was coming to work with me from here on out.

Violet was already at the nursery when we got there. She gave the truck a dirty look, but her face broke into a smile when she caught sight of the kids. They squealed with excitement when they saw her.

“Mommy! I missed you!”

“Momma,” Mikey said, stretching for Violet.

I quickly unfastened his car seat straps while Ashley unbuckled herself and leapt out of the truck and into her mother’s arms. Mikey reached for Violet as soon as I lifted him from the seat. Muffy looked on from the front seat, her tail wagging.

“We brought Muffy to work!” Ashley said.

“I can see that.” Violet’s gaze had moved to Muffy, and thankfully she smiled.

My shoulders relaxed, and I was surprised by how worried I’d been about her reaction. “They had pancakes and chocolate milk for breakfast.”

“You had food in the house?” Violet teased.

Grinning, I shrugged. “Joe was home on Tuesday night. “

Her eyebrows rose, and I was grateful my old sister was back, even if only for a while. “Well, thank God for that man or you’d starve.”

“Mommy, I got to talk to Joe on the phone,” Ashley said. “He was really surprised Aunt Rose got a truck.”

“I bet he was,” Violet snorted.

I expected her to say more, but she took the kids inside, asking more about their night at my house.

After I uncovered the flowers on the sidewalk, I started watering the flats. I was still at it when Neely Kate’s car pulled up. I offered her a bright smile as she walked over to me.

She stopped a few feet away. “I wasn’t sure you would want me here after I told Mason your secret yesterday.”

Violet emerged from the shop and sidled next to Neely Kate, grinning slyly. “What secret?”

“I told Mason about my visions,” I said.

Violet’s smile fell. “Do you think that’s a good idea?”

Neely Kate put a hand on her hip. “He’s her friend, Violet. She should have told him months ago. Why keep it a secret?”

Violet glared. “To save her from ridicule, of course. Do you have any idea the torment our poor girl went through in school? Kids didn’t even know her secret, and they still teased her mercilessly.”

Neely Kate tilted her head, a determined look on her face. “And maybe they wouldn’t have been so mean if they’d known the truth.”

“Rose isn’t like you, Neely Kate.” Violet smiled and batted her eyelashes, her voice syrupy sweet. “She doesn’t like bein’ the center of attention. I know you find this hard to believe, but not everyone wants to have some supernatural talent. They want to be
normal
. What is it for you this week? Tarot cards? Voodoo dolls?”

I gasped at Violet’s rude behavior.

Neely Kate clenched her fists and stood her ground. “Maybe she’d know if she wanted to be the center of attention if you didn’t always try to steal it from her.”

Once again I wondered why I was constantly on the sidelines watching other people battle for me.

“Enough.” I stepped between them. “Neely Kate is right. There’s no reason to keep such an important part of me from people I trust. Secrets cause more harm than good. You of all people know that, Violet.”

Fear filled Violet’s eyes. “What is that supposed to mean?”

So she
was
keeping something from me. I quickly recovered. “You know,” I said. “Like Momma keeping the information about my birth mother from us. And Daddy leaving her for Dora. We didn’t know any of that until after she died and look how upset we both were when Aunt Bessie told us the truth.”

Violet took a deep breath, relief flooding her face. “Of course that’s what you meant.”

I wanted to ask Violet what her
other
secret was, but I stopped myself. She’d never tell me in front of Neely Kate, and it wasn’t fair to ask.

Violet lifted her chin, her smug demeanor returning. “You do what you think is best, Rose. Over the last few months you haven’t listened to a word I’ve said anyway. I might as well be talking to a brick wall.” She turned around to go inside.

“Violet,” I called after her, but she ignored me, watering the plants inside.

“Let her go sulk,” Neely Kate said with a scowl. “I don’t know what her problem is lately.”

“She means well.” Funny how defending Violet had become a habit, even when I doubted my own words.

Neely Kate helped me water the flats. “I thought you said you were going to be at the church this morning.”

“I planned to…” My voice trailed off as I tried to figure out what to tell her.

“What happened?”

“What didn’t happen?” I looked through the window to see if Violet was within hearing distance, but she was occupied with the kids.

Neely Kate saw what I was doing. “She’s busy. Spill it.”

I lowered my head closer to hers. “I told Mason about the quit claim deed, and he ordered an autopsy on Miss Dorothy, but there’s so much more.”

Excitement lit up Neely Kate’s eyes. “Like what?”

“I didn’t tell you about Thomas, the teen who likes to rev up his car and drive like a maniac down our street.”

“He’s involved?”

“After Miss Mildred confronted Christy on the front porch, Thomas told me it was too bad that Miss Mildred hadn’t been killed too. Killed as in murdered.”

“Why would he say that?” Neely Kate whispered.

“I don’t know, but then I had a vision, and he was with some mean-looking guy. Thomas told the guy he had a problem, and the mean guy told him he was going to
give
him a problem.”

“That doesn’t sound good.”

“But wait, there’s more.” A car pulled into the parking lot, and a young couple climbed out, three kids in tow. We didn’t officially open for ten more minutes, but I wasn’t about to turn a customer away. They started browsing, and I kept my eye on them as I talked. “I was walking around the church grounds with Bruce Wayne yesterday afternoon, and Thomas showed up. I guess he works for Jonah Pruitt.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Nope. And not only that, but he told me that Daniel Crocker has some supporters who are upset with me for getting him incarcerated, and they’re out to get me.”

Neely Kate’s face puckered. “Do you think that’s true?”

“I don’t know. I’d have heard about it sooner, don’t you think?”

“You should tell Mason.”

“I’d rather tell Joe, but who knows when I’ll see him again, and he’s upset with me for getting a truck with Mason.”

“Oh.” She grabbed a hose to water the flowers. “I can see how that could happen.”

“Everything’s such a mess, Neely Kate. Joe told me he was going to tell me his deep dark secret the next time we see each other.”

“Well, that’s good, right? Just like you told Violet, secrets only lead to trouble.”

I leaned my hip against the table. “But I’m scared to hear it. Joe’s worried I’ll leave him over it.”

“We both know Joe. What on earth could he have done that’s so bad?”

I chewed on my lower lip. “I don’t know; that’s what scares me. Both he and Mason insinuate it’s really bad. And to make it worse, I think it has to do with Mason’s deep dark secret too.”

“Even more reason to get it all out it the open.” She started spraying the flowers. “But none of that explains why you’re here and not at the church. Unless you’re scared Thomas will be there?”

I took a deep breath. “Did you know there are rumors going around town that I have lots of money?”

Neely Kate squirmed. “Well…”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“What good would it have done?”

“I had a right to know.”

She looked me square in the eye. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“Whenever I go over to the church, Jonah Pruitt pops out of the woodwork and starts hanging around me, asking questions and getting personal.”

She snickered. “You’ve gone from no men in your life to half a dozen.”

“Neely Kate, I’m pretty certain Jonah Pruitt heard the rumors.”

Her brow wrinkled in confusion before her eyes widened. “Oh. You need to tell Mason.”

“He’s the one who put that part together. After I told him about Miss Dorothy’s will and he ordered the autopsy.”

“That’s a good thing! But if Jonah Pruitt had something to do with the deaths of those women, you’d better be careful.”

“Jonah Pruitt might be opportunistic, but a murderer?” I shook my head. “People jumped to conclusions about me and Bruce Wayne without knowing all the facts. I’m not going to do that with Jonah.”

“You never know, he could just be interested in you.”

“I don’t think so. I know I’m inexperienced—as Violet loves to point out—but I always feel like a mouse in a trap when he starts hanging around. He’s after something. Although his secretary sure hates me. She thinks I’m Jezebel reincarnated.”

Neely Kate laughed. “As if.”

Then customers started to roll in, and we got too busy to keep talking. I was helping a customer carry a potted flower arrangement to her car when Neely Kate caught my attention while she helped someone load a cart with flats of flowers.