You're Busting My Nuptials (Tizzy/Ridge Trilogy Book 2) (10 page)

“Listen to Annie Mae,” Jinx said. “Lake Palestine has over twenty-five thousand acres. Searching the entire area may be a little much for our three-man crew.”

Synola buttoned up her coat. “Maybe she meant the Big Eddy Park. We know where that is.”

Tizzy nodded. “You’re both right. We’ll concentrate on the park area and we need more manpower. C’mon, we’ll pick up Rayann on the way.”

“I don’t think we can count Rayann as more man-power,” Synola said.

Tizzy, unable to hide her excitement, said, “I’m not talking about Rayann. We need to go to the sheriff’s department. Now that we have a lead, I’ll get Dan to help us.”

Forty-five minutes later Tizzy parked. She took a minute to apply fresh lipstick, and walked into the sheriff’s office with an attitude of authority. Janet, the receptionist, looked up at her with an expression that said
here comes trouble.
“Tell Sheriff McAlister his sister is here to see him, please.”

Janet picked up the phone, announced Tizzy’s arrival and motioned for her to go back to his office.

When she stepped into the room, Dan rose, walked around the desk to hug her, but she backed away. “I’m still pissed at you, but I need your help. There’s new information about Ridge. Will you help me?”

“Of course I will—if I can.” Dan returned to his position and motioned for her to take the chair across from him.

She sat on the edge of the hard metal seat and rested her arms on his desk. “I want you to search the area around Lake Palestine,” she said, more of an order than a request.

Dan took a deep breath, rocked back, and studied her face. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

“Of course, I’m serious. Ridge is missing and I need you to help find him.”

“What makes you think he’s at the lake?”

“First let me tell you what I know so far. The stripper who showed up at Ridge’s bachelor party came on her own. Nobody hired her.” Tizzy took a quick breath, leaned forward, and laced her fingers together to stop them from trembling. “Ridge didn’t drink much, but he was drunk. I think she drugged him.

“Early Saturday morning, while some kids were wrapping a house, two trucks, a white one, which I think belonged to Ridge and a black one drove by. Ridge’s truck had two people, a woman and a man.
In the other truck, only a man.

“Last night, I met with Eldora Sheffield and the name Eddy came to her. At the time, I didn’t make the connection.” Tizzy babbled on. “This morning, Annie Mae said something which made me realize Eddy wasn’t a person. It’s a place. The Big Eddy. So—”

Dan held up his hand to stop her. “Do you know how crazy you sound?”

Tizzy stiffened and fisted her hands. “I’m not crazy. Why would a stripper show up at his party when nobody arranged for her? How could he be drunk when he didn’t drink? What about the two trucks?” She shook her head. “I understand the Eldora part sounds a little crazy, but I think she channeled something.”

“Tizzy, you’ve not offered me one ounce of proof Ridge is even missing. I’m up for re-election next year. How can I justify spending the tax-payers money on a search for my sister’s boyfriend because an old fortune-teller pulled the name Eddy out of the air?”

Tizzy slapped the desk with her palm. “You’re not listening to me. NOBODY hired the stripper! She showed up and Ridge disappeared. I’m telling you, she set him up. Those two things can’t be a coincidence.”

Dan leaned forward and lowered his voice. “Listen to yourself. I understand you want to believe Ridge didn’t leave by choice. But everything you’ve told me is theory, not fact.”

Dan reached over and took her hand in his. “I want to help you. I do. But here are the facts. Ridge scheduled a two-week vacation.”

Tizzy jerked her hand away. “Those two weeks were for our honeymoon.”

Dan continued. “There’s no sign of foul play.”

Tizzy shook her head. “There wouldn’t be, if he was drugged and unable to fight back.”

“Bring me one shred of evidence pointing to a crime and I’ll do everything in my power to find him. Until then, my hands are tied. I’m sorry.”

Tears pooled in Tizzy’s eyes, but she willed them to stop “What about the stripper? How do you explain her and everything else?”

Dan glanced down, and then raised his eyes back to hers. “There’s one explanation you haven’t considered. Maybe Ridge arranged for her. Have you thought about that?”

“That’s ridiculous. Now who sounds crazy?” Tizzy’s eyes blurred from the tears forming. She blinked them away.

“Think about it, Tizzy. Lawmen meet women,
Badge Bunnies,
all the time during investigations.”

Tizzy clenched her teeth. “Ridge has not run off with a
Badge Bunny
.”

Dan shook his head.
“I know that’s what you believe, but here’s my scenario. Somebody drops the dancer,
who Ridge invited,
off at the party. Later, they take her to pick-up Ridge. The two of them leave together in his truck and whoever brought her follows behind them. That would put the stripper and Ridge in his truck and her means of transportation in the other. Two men. One woman.” Dan rocked back in his chair again. “My theory makes as much sense as yours. Granted, I don’t have a fortune teller in mine, but still . . .”

Tizzy shot up out of the chair. “I should have known better than to ask for your help. I won’t make this mistake again. First, you try to make me believe he left because of the pre-nup
, and now you try to convince me he’s been cheating on me. Why do you hate him? What did he ever do to you?”

“I don’t hate him,” Dan said. “But I sure as hell don’t trust him. You were a suspect in a crime. Because of that, he knew everything about you, including how much you were worth.” Dan shifted in his seat. “He asked you to marry him after knowing you for only two months. In my book, that’s too damn fast. Why was he in such a hurry?”

“Because he’s in love with me.” Tizzy’s voice quivered. She’d always depended on Dan. She couldn’t remember a time when she’d felt this deserted by him. “Why should we wait? What would be the point? Just to satisfy you? Since when do you run my life?”

Dan grimaced. “I’m not trying to run your life. I love you and I don’t want you to get hurt. You or Gracie. I did what I did out of love for you, not hate for him.”

“Well, I am hurt and you’re responsible, not Ridge.” Tizzy thinned her lips into a tight line. “Well, Sheriff, as a tax-payer, I want to file an official report with your office. Ridge has been missing for twenty-four hours and it’s my understanding you have to take the report if you want to or not.”

She turned and walked into the hallway. She felt betrayed. He was her brother. In her book, he should be willing to help, no questions asked.

Dan followed her out into the reception area. He cut his eyes toward the three waiting. “I understand you two going on this wild goose chase,” he said to Synola and Rayann. “But you, Jinx? I thought you had better sense.”

Jinx took a step toward Dan. “Tizzy asked for my help and that’s reason enough for me.”

Dan didn’t reply. He spoke to Janet. “My sister wants to file a missing person’s report.” He turned back to her. “One shred, Tizzy. You bring me one piece of real evidence and I’ll put every man I can spare on the case. Right now, with what you’ve told me, I can’t. I’m sorry.”

“You know, Dan, when I locate Ridge and your office has done nothing to help find a Texas Ranger, we’ll see what the tax-payers think about that in the next election.”

Ten minutes later, back in the car, an uncomfortable silence hung in the air. After the episode with Dan, Tizzy was mad enough steam practically rose from the top of her head. Her fingers gripped the steering wheel so tightly, her knuckles turned white.

Synola pulled out her notebook and jotted something down.

A sheriff’s patrol car sped out of the parking lot, lights flashing and sirens blaring. Tizzy bit her lip. “
Great, taxpayer’s money going to work.
I hate him.”

“You don’t mean that,” Jinx said. “You’re pissed right now, but he’s your brother and you don’t hate him.”

Tizzy rolled down her window and the cold October air cut at her face. Her mind raced, but the wind helped reduce her body temperature which was at an all-time high. She shifted in her seat. The very idea of Dan suggesting Ridge ran off with another woman was enough to make her spit square BB’s.

“Yes, I do. He hates the man I love for no reason. He tried to get him to sign a pre-nup without telling me. And now, he won’t help me find Ridge. Plus, he made me kiss a frog when I was nine. I hate him. I definitely hate him.”

“I tried to warn you,” Jinx said. “We don’t have any actual proof concerning Ridge’s disappearance.”

Tizzy scowled. “So, now you’re on his side?” If Jinx decided to switch teams, she couldn’t be angry with him. He’d already gone way past the call of duty in backing her up. Hell, the man had gone to strip joints and a séance, what kind of man does that?
Ridge.
He would do just about anything she asked.

“No, but we’ve got nothing solid to go on. You can’t expect him to jump in to an all-out search.”

Tizzy put her hand to her head and took a deep breath. “I don’t need him. I’ll have the area searched and the lake dragged.”

“I thought you did need him and that’s why we came,” Jinx said.

“I don’t know why I didn’t think of this before and spare myself this drama.” She rolled up the window and waved her hands in the air. “I’ll pay for the search. That’s what this is all about anyway. Dan won’t help because he thinks Ridge is after my money. Well, I’ll show him. I don’t care if it takes every cent I have to find him.”

“Or, we can do it another way,” Jinx said.

Tizzy swiveled to face him. “What are you talking about?”

“Let’s go find some evidence.”

“Good, now that’s settled, let’s eat lunch,” Synola announced. “I’ve been wanting one of those burgers from
Bean There Bun That
all morning.”

“Really, Synola? I’m in crisis and
you’re thinking about burgers?”

She frowned at Tizzy. “Yeah, I am. All this sleuthing takes energy. I gotta keep my strength up. You never know when I may need to dance on a pole, or give an uneventful lap dance.”

Tizzy hung her head. “I’m sorry. There’s so much I need to be doing and I don’t know which way to turn. I shouldn’t be snippy.”

“That’s alright, Tizzy. We understand,” Rayann said. “Dairy ‘ere Queens’ opens for an afternoon show at one o’clock. That gives us enough time for lunch.”

Tizzy started the car. “I appreciate y’all helping me. I don’t know what I’d do if you weren’t. When I snap at you, ignore me. I’m having a hard time dealing with all this.”

“We understand,” Rayann said.

A little while later, the four of them sat in a booth patched with duck-tape at
Bean There, Bun That.
Tizzy swirled a French fry in a pool of ketchup and pretended to listen to the conversation at her table. She glanced across at Rayann and Synola and thought how pretty they both were. She remembered the dark circles she’d seen under her own eyes earlier and got depressed.

Synola pushed the sleeves of her bright pink turtleneck sweater up on her arms and fiddled with the heart pendant hanging around her neck. Rayann laughed at something Jinx said, and her soft blonde curls bounced against the collar of her pale pink jacket. Tizzy felt frumpy. Her hair was a mess, pulled into a ponytail, tendrils popping free and hanging in all directions. Even though it wasn’t planned, she too was wearing pink. There they sat like the Pink Ladies from
Grease.

Her gaze drifted to Jinx. He really was a handsome man. So easy going and calm, she found it hard to believe he served as a sniper.

Tizzy’s thoughts were interrupted by Synola slapping Jinx’s hand when he tried to steal one of her onion rings. “Don’t just grab at my food. You need to ask permission.”

Jinx dimpled her. “May I have an onion ring, please?”

“No.”

“C’mon, Dumpling give me one. Please, pretty please,” he said, a wicked smile in place.

“No.”

“I’ll trade you a
lap dance for one.”

“Shut up.”

“Hey, I’m just saying . . . I can make it as
eventful
as you like.”

“I’m not interested.” She shoved the onion rings toward him.

Jinx took a ring and dangled it in mid-air. “Coulda fooled me.”

Synola pulled out her notebook again and made a notation.

“What did you write?” Rayann asked.

“Earlier, when Tizzy bitched Dan out, I wrote,
the votes are in, Luscious Legs Jeans wins hands down.
And just now, I wrote,
here, now, and everywhere, Luscious Legs Jeans are perfect for any ‘event’ life has to offer.”

At precisely five minutes after one, Tizzy pulled into Dairy
‘ere Queens and found the parking lot already half-full. She remembered coming here as a child when they served fast food in place of fast women. Their dipped cones had been heaven.