“Hey, there. Nope.” He held up several envelopes. “That new mail lady delivered Donut Hut’s mail to the city offices, so I’m playing mail carrier today since it’s only a block away. Hope she gets things straight soon. This is about the third time we’ve gotten someone else’s mail.”
Tell me about it. “Can you come eat lunch with me at the shop?”
He glanced at the donut box in my hands, and his eyes crinkled at the corners. “You bought donuts? For lunch?” He placed his hand on my forehead as if gauging my temperature and gave me the grin that never failed to melt my heart. “Are you sick?”
“Yes, very.” I lowered my voice suggestively, then watched his gaze flicker and deepen. It was so fun to flirt with him.
“I see.” He lowered his face to mine, then stopped an inch from my lips. “Will a kiss make it all better?”
“Maybe more than one,” I whispered. “But we are standing on Main Street in front of the entire town…”
Apparently, he didn’t care.
Neither did I, really, until we got back to the shop and I realized that all the raspberry goo had squeezed out all over the other donuts. And everywhere else, it seemed.
“I hope Mona didn’t have her heart set on raspberry.” I scrubbed a drip of the sticky, fake-red stuff off the toe of my shoe.
“I’m sure she’ll be happy with any of them.” Todd handed me another wet paper towel. “Is it a special occasion?”
“Ah…no. Not really.” I dabbed at the jelly on the counter. I didn’t like keeping secrets from Todd, but I had given my word that I wouldn’t tell anyone yet. “She needed cheering-up.”
He raised his eyebrows. “I thought things were going well for her and Rob right now. I heard he got his dream truck.”
“Yes, they brought it over yesterday after you got called away from the church. Houston and I both saw it. Quite a deal.”
“I’ll have to check it out sometime.”
I was relieved he didn’t press me about Mona. I took a deep breath. “I need to talk to you about Sister Erma.”
He tensed. “I already know.”
“About what Karen thinks?”
He nodded.
Good. I wouldn’t have to explain the whole thing. Not even the muffins. That was a relief. “So—”
“I understand Karen’s concern, but I don’t think there’s any substance to it.”
I didn’t like it when he set his jaw like that. “Why?”
“Because I know those guys who were the first responders. They know their stuff. If they had thought there was any cause for an investigation, they would have set that in motion. No doubt.”
Was he saying that Karen was making this up? I felt my hackles rising. “But what about the part about someone going through Erma’s stuff?”
“Callie, think. The thought is disturbing, but it’s also a far cry from a murder.”
Yes, but still. “But who would sneak into her house and look through her possessions? And Karen said Sister Erma’s heart was fine, so…?”
“I don’t know. But unless something else shows up to cast suspicion on the way Erma died, no one at the sheriff’s office is going to pursue it. They already did more work on this case than usual because of Karen’s concerns. I think you both need to stop worrying about it.”
If he knew why I was worried about it, he’d probably laugh. But what if telling him opened another whole can of worms for nothing? I wouldn’t want to put Karen through that.
Be honest, Callie. This wasn’t about Karen, for all my trying to pretend it was. I wasn’t as selfless as I’d like to think. The bald truth was that it would be embarrassing to admit that I hadn’t said anything earlier. And the real fear that perhaps I truly had killed Sister Erma. Unintentionally, of course. But…
“As far as they’re—we’re—concerned, it’s an open and shut case,” he was saying.
I snapped to attention at his emphasis on “we.” I cocked an eyebrow at him.
“The city council has been in contact with me about the deputy position for Short Creek. Sheriff Wayne made the official offer this morning.”
I sank down onto the stool behind my counter. I hadn’t thought he’d receive a law-enforcement job offer so soon. I was hoping he’d still have time to reconsider. Wasn’t being an EMT dangerous enough? Being called out to emergency situations all times of the day and night and dealing with only God knows who or what?
He wrapped his arms around me from behind, and I leaned back into his chest.
“I was going to tell you about it this evening, but I’m glad we had the chance to talk now.”
I nodded, not ready to speak yet. I’d already lost one husband and now—no, I couldn’t go there. I swallowed hard. “Did you already accept?”
He rubbed his chin over the top of my head. “No. I wanted to talk to you about it first.”
I nodded again.
He cuddled me close to him, and the warm, familiar scent of his skin both comforted me and stabbed my heart at the same time. “You’re a very important part of my life now, Callie Erickson. I want you to be involved in this decision.”
“I just…I don’t know.” I gave up trying to sort it out.
“I don’t have to give them an answer until the next council meeting. That’s a week from Friday, okay? We’ll have time to talk and pray.”
“Okay. I’m sorry. I feel like I’ve been hit with so many things at once.” I wiggled free of his arms and scratched at a drop of donut filling that was solidifying on my jeans, then looked him in the eye. “I won’t try to stop you if this is what God has for you.”
He shook his head. “Not for me, Callie. For us. I’ve been praying about the right time to talk to you about—”
Chapter Ten
“I made it!” Mona burst in through the door of C. Willikers, all sparkles and bangles and noise. “Oops, sorry. Didn’t mean to interrupt y’all.”
“It’s okay.” I searched her face. Her eyes were red-rimmed, but I knew she was not going to let down her guard in front of Todd. Not yet. I nodded toward the counter. “Your donuts await.”
She bustled over to peer into the box. “Looks like my grandkids been digging through here. Did y’all drop the box?”
Todd laughed and shot a glance at me. “No, just a minor mishap with the raspberry jelly.”
“Who wants tea?” I reached under the counter, then plunked the mugs on the counter before Mona could ask any more questions.
Mona licked powdered sugar off her thumb. “I’m thinking of giving up donuts for Lent.”
I raised my eyebrows. “You are going to observe Lent?”
“Thinking about it. Maybe hanging around Houston all the time is rubbing off on me. Those folks at First Church are always celebratin’ one special religious day or the other.” She tapped her fingernails on the counter. “You know, it’s kinda a shame that we don’t pay much attention to Lent at SCCC.”
I loved our church, Short Creek Community Church, but I had to agree with her. “Yeah. I’ve thought the same thing before. It seems we don’t reflect much on the events leading up to Easter.”
“Our family always observed Lent when I was growing up.” Todd twisted the lid off a water bottle. “Can’t say it meant much to me as a kid besides having to go without watching TV or eating my favorite candy for weeks.”
“But now?”
“I haven’t thought about it. But I can see how it would be more meaningful, now that I have gone through the school of hard knocks and grown in my faith.”
“Let’s all do it together.” Mona waved her donut in the air. “It will be easier if we’re all doing it.”
“But I don’t even like donuts,” I said, keeping a straight face.
She rolled her eyes at me. “Well, then, chocolate.”
“I’ll have to pray about that.” I was half kidding, half not. I sipped my tea. “We’re talking some serious self-denial.”
“What about you, Todd? Are you in?” Mona re
ached for a napkin.
“Sure. I’ll take the challenge.” He grinned at her. “A cop who doesn’t eat donuts. We’ll see how that goes over.”
I sucked in my breath. In his mind, he was already back on the police force. But at least for now, he wasn’t in any danger.
But I was. Or so one would think, judging from the looks of my front yard when I pulled up in my driveway later that evening. Deep tire tracks crisscrossed my grass. My mailbox lay on its side on the ground, and dirt spilled from the shattered flower pots on my front porch. The pansies were mangled piles of roots and soil, their withered heads drooping upside down over the steps where they lay scattered.
I sat in my van, unmoving. Who would have done such a thing? And why? My thoughts flicked back to the mysterious caller. Maybe I should have taken that phone call more seriously, but Todd hadn’t seemed too worried about it.
My neighbor Sherm’s screen door screeched open, and he poked his head out. “Callie!” He hobbled out onto his front step and beckoned me over.
I slid out of the van, automatically picking the newspaper up from the driveway as I crossed over to talk to him. I must have backed out right over it when I left this morning.
Sherm grasped my elbow, as if to hold himself up. Even the few wisps of downy-fine gray hair left on top of his head trembled with his agitation. “Can you b’lieve this? Ain’t never seen the like of it since them kids down the street moved off to Cameron.” He blew his nose with feeling. “They were some bad ’uns, fer sure.”
“Did you see who did this, Sherm?”
He cupped his ear, and I repeated myself, louder this time. “Do you know who did this?”
He shook his head. “Nope. Sharlene come by and hauled me to town to pick up a few groceries. I was clean outta coffee. When I got back, here was yer yard, all tore up.” He spat over the side of the porch. “Miss Dot would have a fit.”
My Aunt Dot had, of course, been Sherm’s neighbor for decades before she sold me her house and moved into Willowbough. “She sure would.” At least the flower bed had been spared. I sighed. “I suppose I should report this to Sheriff Wayne.”
“It’s gonna rain, you say?”
“No. Sheriff Wayne.” I raised my voice. “I said I should let Sheriff Wayne know.”
“Yes, ma’am. It’s a sad world when things come to this. How is Dot doin’ anyways?”
“She’s—” Wait a minute. Had Sherm said that Sharlene had taken him to the store? The same Sharlene who had worked for Sister Erma and who wanted a job at my shop? I squinted at him. “Did you say that Sharlene took you shopping?”
“Charlie?”
“Sharlene!”
He beamed. “Yep. Right nice young lady. Reminds me of my niece.”
Uh oh. I hated to think it, but I still had suspicions about Sharlene’s connection to Sister Erma. What if…what if she had somehow been in involved in Sister Erma’s death? And now she was hanging around Sherm. Maybe she was one of those crazy people who prey on senior citizens. I gulped.
How did Sherm know Sharlene? Of course, Short Creek wasn’t exactly a huge place, but still. She’d only been in town for a couple of months, to my knowledge. Hmm. “Well, that was nice of her,” I bellowed.
“Yes, ma’am. Came around the other day lookin’ fer work, so we made us a little bargain that she’ll fetch me to town once a week.”
“Sherm, you don’t have to pay someone to take you to town. You know all you need to do is ask me.” We’d been through this before. But then, I should have been more conscientious about checking on him to see if he needed anything. My shoulders slumped. I had all of these lofty ideas about God using me in amazing ways, but I couldn’t even be there for my elderly neighbor when he needed me.
Sherm patted my arm. “It’s all right, Callie. I know y’all are busy over at th’ store and all.”
“I’m not too busy for you.”
But I am going to hire Sharlene tomorrow, I told myself, if only to keep an eye on her. I grasped Sherm’s hand. “Harry Parsons’ birthday party is next week, and Aunt Dot asked me to invite you. Will you come?”
He squeezed my hand. “Of course, I can hum. What song does she like best?”
I laughed. “I’ll ask her. Houston said he’d come pick you up for the party, okay?”
Chapter Eleven
I trudged back through my ruined yard in the waning sunlight, too weary to ponder the situation any more. Tomorrow would be a new day, right? I unlocked the front door and the pugs mobbed me, snorting and yipping.
“Hey there, girls. Did you have a long day?” I bent to pet both of their smooth little heads. I missed Annie, but she had gone to Todd’s with him the last time he was here.
“I wish you two could talk.”
Purl cocked her head at me.
“You’d tell me who tore up our yard, wouldn’t you?”
They trailed after me to the kitchen, their nails clicking on the hardwood floor. The house was quiet. I liked quiet. Especially after a day like today.
I laid the newspaper on the kitchen table and opened the fridge. I wish I had remembered to put that chicken in the slow cooker before I left for C. Willikers this morning, but I hadn’t. A grilled cheese sandwich would have to do. At least I had some of my homemade soup left over from the other night.
My phone dinged as I sat down with my sandwich. A text from Mona.
Are you home? I’m coming over right now. Five exclamation points, frowny face.
That didn’t sound good. I’d texted her earlier after Todd left to ask how her appointment went but hadn’t heard from her until now.
Sure. See you in a minute.
Mona and Rob lived in a double-wide trailer in the country right outside Short Creek, but if she used the highway, she could make it to my house in under ten minutes. Especially if she was wound up about something.
I slurped a mouthful of tomato soup. “Mona’s coming over, puggies.”
Both dogs perked up their ears. They adored Mona.
I unfurled the newspaper and smoothed it out on the table while I waited. I usually didn’t take the time to read the newspaper in the morning, so it had become a routine for me to read it while I ate dinner after arriving home from the shop every day.
After skimming the headlines, I always read Aunt Dot’s advice column, “Just Ask Dot.” I still shook my head thinking about my aunt writing an advice column, but really, who better to write one? She had lived a good long time and possessed more godly wisdom than anyone else I could think of, except maybe Pastor Brian.
Sometimes, however, it wouldn’t require much wisdom to answer the crazy questions people asked. I still chuckled whenever I thought of the woman who had written in to ask if she should care that her boyfriend continually called her by his ex-girlfriend’s name.
“I’m here,” Mona called from the front door. “What happened to your yard?”
“Come on in. I’m in the kitchen.” I ignored her question about the yard.
The pugs jumped up and waddled toward her as fast as they could, snuffling and snorting happily.
“Hello, there, little darlins’.” She patted Purl on the head, then scooped Intarsia up and held her on her back like a baby. She eyed my plate. “Grilled cheese?”
“Yep. Want one?”
“No, thanks.” She sank into the chair across from me and settled Intarsia in her lap. “It didn’t go good.”
Mona never beat around the bush.
I grabbed a napkin. “What did they say?”
“I did a regular mammogram, you know, where they squeeze the living daylights out of you. But then they made me do an ultrasound exam too. They kept running that little wand thing over the same spot, and I could see something on the screen, Callie.”
I grimaced.
“The worst part was that after they did that, the nurse person or whoever she was left the image up on the monitor, then she disappeared and didn’t come back for like half an hour. It was all quiet and dark
in the room, and I kept staring at the thing on the monitor and thinking I was going to die of cancer and I’m not ever sick and I’m not ready to do all of that terrible stuff you have to do when you have cancer, you know?” She grabbed my napkin and swiped at her eyes, leaving black smudges underneath.
“I’m so sorry. But did they say—”
“They finally came back in and said I’d have to have a binary.”
“Biopsy.”
“Whatever. But not like a surgery, only with a needle, the doctor said.” She fingered Intarsia’s black ears. “It’s scheduled for next week. But Rob’s leaving on a run to Florida, and I was going to go with him.” She slumped against the back of the chair and Intarsia jumped down.
I had never seen my friend so subdued. “Did you tell Rob yet?”
She stared at the table.
“He loves you, Mona. He cares more about you than that old truck any day.”
She blew her nose. “I know, but that’s the problem. He’s such a good man, and he’s gone through so much in his life, and I want him to be happy now. He deserves it.”
“I can understand you feeling that way, but if you don’t tell him now, then what?”
“What do you mean?” She fingered her earring.
“I mean, what if you have the biopsy and things are more serious than you hope? Then you’ll have to tell him, and he’ll be hurt that you didn’t tell him right when you found out. It’s not good to keep this a secret from him.”
But I was keeping a secret from Todd about the muffins. Maybe I should take my own advice.
“I know.” She shook her head. “But I’m so scared. What if I tell him and he leaves me?”
Chapter Twelve
I gaped at her. “Why would you even think that? Rob’s not going to leave you. He’s going to pray with you and help you through this. He’ll—”
She sniffed. “That’s what happened to my mama. She stuck with Daddy all through his alcoholism and everything, then when she was in a wreck and couldn’t work no more, he up and left her with all us kids and the farm and everything.” Tears rolled down her face and she mopped at them with the crumpled napkin.
Where There's a Will Page 8
