Running From the Law

by Albright, Jami

  The go-to-hell glare Hailey shot Charlie was almost enough to make her run from the room. But she had a Pod now too, and she’d stand up to anyone for that little hitchhiker. She raised her brow the way she used to during a particularly dramatic part on her show.

  Hailey smoothed her hand over Lottie’s head and smiled down at her daughter. “Sure, honey.”

  Lottie jumped around and squealed her delight, while Hailey mouthed I hate you over her head at Charlie.

  She didn’t care. If it hadn’t been inappropriate, she would’ve jumped and squealed with Lottie.

  “Come on, hon, I’ll take you back to my office. I’ve got a snack for you there.” Hailey turned the still-hopping Lottie toward the swinging doors.

  “When do I start?”

  “Tomorrow. Be here at six,” Hailey barked.

  “I’ll be here, boss lady.”

  Hailey shot her the finger over her shoulder, out of view of Lottie.

  Hank chuckled, then a frown creased his forehead. “Why are you trying to get a job at the bar? Are you researching a role or something?”

  Why not? She wasn’t going to lie, but she was willing to let him think what he wanted. So she gave him a noncommittal, “Mmmmm.”

  “You might want to get some of that high-priced security from Hollywood down here, because Hailey’s going to murder you.”

  She slid off the barstool and looped her purse across her body. “I’ll take my chances.”

  As she passed him, he wrapped his warm hand around her upper arm. The electric heat from his thumb sliding across her skin momentarily short-circuited her brain. This had to stop. She glanced at his fingers gripping her arm and then back to him.

  “Sorry.” His hand released her but not his gaze. “How are you?”

  Exposed. He peeled back all of her defenses and left her bare. Damn him. “I’m not your problem, Hank. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a job to celebrate.” She strode out of the bar and turned her face to the sun. She’d done it. She’d gotten a job…as a drink server…in a bar.

  She’d never been prouder.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Charlie, this isn’t going—”

  “She’s gone.” Hank grabbed a peanut from a bowl on the bar, cracked the shell, then threw the two nuts in his mouth.

  Hailey glanced around. “Gone? Where’d she go?”

  “To celebrate her new job.” He held the peanut shell up to Hailey in question.

  She waved a hand. “Just throw them on the damn floor, everyone else does. I hate those effin’ things. It was Dad’s big idea to have them here, but who’s responsible to make sure that shit gets cleaned up? Me.” The evil sneer she wore made him uncomfortable. “Maybe I’ll put my new employee in charge of peanut shells. That should run her off pretty fast.” She readjusted her bun. “Why is she even applying for a job? I’ll tell you why. Just to annoy me.”

  He laughed. “Settle down there, killer. She’s researching a role.”

  She grabbed her own peanut, but she put the shell in the garbage. “Is that what she said?”

  “Yeah… You know, she never actually said that. I asked if she was and she didn’t say she wasn’t. That’s weird, isn’t it?”

  “She didn’t seem very glad to see you.” She began slipping glasses in the slots above the bar. “What’s that about?”

  What, indeed. Could he tell her? She was his best friend, had been since they were teenagers. “Is there anyone here but us?”

  Her hand stopped in mid-motion. “No. Why?”

  He dropped his hands to his lap and bowed over the bar. The boa constrictor around his chest tightened its grip. Pain burned his throat. When he raised his head his neck and face burned. “Swear you won’t say anything.”

  “Oh, my Lord, what’s wrong?”

  “Swear.”

  She came around the bar and sat next to him. Her cool hand went to his arm. “I swear. Tell me.”

  “Two months ago, right after Wardell’s accident, I’d gone to Austin to stay in a hotel. I just had to get out of this town, you know? All the starin’ and talkin’, I needed a break.” He rested his elbow on the bar and slid the peanut bowl from one hand to the other.

  “And?”

  “And I ran into Charlie in the hotel. It was…” The memory of that night slammed into him. Longing gripped him and pain sloshed through him like raw sewage. He swallowed past the regret lodged in his throat and turned to Hailey. “We slept together.”

  Her hand went to her mouth. “Oh, no. That’s the weekend you and Karen got back together. I remember because Lottie and I picked flowers for Wardell and she wanted to bring some to you too. When we got to your house, Karen had moved back in.” Her hand moved from her mouth to her chest. “What happened, Hank?”

  He dropped his head to his arms on the bar and groaned. “The next morning, I was in the fucking shower. Happier than I’d been in my whole miserable life. Then Charlie came in and said my wife had texted me.”

  Hailey gasped.

  “Turned out Karen was in the lobby.”

  “Shit.”

  He turned to look at her without lifting his head. “It was ugly. Charlie was crushed, Hay. I crushed her. And I feel like a complete ass.”

  She rubbed circles on his back. “Karen had filed for divorce and was with someone else. You had no way of knowing she’d come back.”

  “I know.”

  “Why did you take her back, Hank?”

  “She’s my wife. I made a vow, and even though most of the Odom men don’t seem to give two shits about that, I do. Besides, I made mistakes too.”

  She slapped the bar. “That’s total bullshit and you know it. You’ve been a great husband to her, way better than she deserves.”

  “I’m prideful, Hailey. I didn’t give her what she needed because of my damn pride. Look how the Odom pride has ruined your life.”

  Her back went ramrod straight. “My life’s not ruined. I have Lottie and a business and friends. What I don’t have anymore is a man who didn’t appreciate what an amazing family he had, and I say good riddance.” She made her way back behind the bar. “How dare you pass judgment on my life.”

  “That’s not what I meant and you know it. But you can’t deny that my brother’s inability to keep his promises has caused you and Lottie pain.”

  “It has, but we’re not your problem, Hank. You don’t have to save us. I’m doing a pretty good job of saving us myself. Maybe you should worry about your own life. I’m mad as hell at Charlie, but she didn’t deserve what you did to her. You two could’ve probably had something great. But instead, you’re settling for Karen. I never understood why you married her in the first place.”

  “I’m not settling for Karen. I loved her.” He shook his head. “Love her. And that’s why I married her. It was time to move on with my life. I couldn’t continue to let a high school relationship get in the way of…everything. Karen made me forget the past and for the first time, visualize a future that didn’t include Charlie. She was sweet, funny, and beautiful—every man’s dream.”

  Hailey arched a brown brow.

  “That’s a low blow.”

  She held up her hands. “I didn’t say a word.”

  “You didn’t have to. I know what you’re thinking. That she was so much every man’s dream that she had an affair.”

  The shrug Hailey gave him pissed him off. He tunneled his fingers through his hair. “Listen, I’m just trying to do the right thing for everybody here.”

  “Yeah? Well, maybe you should do what’s right for you.”

  Before he could respond she disappeared through the swinging doors to the back room. He grabbed his hat and headed for the exit. Great. One more woman he’d let down.

  * * *

  Hank drove around for an hour and found himself by Golden Leaf Garden. As he approached he saw Mr. Chang at the mailbox by the road. The Changs’ house and farm were all on one piece of property. He slowed the cruiser and rolled down the wind
ow. “Evening, Mr. Chang.”

  The older man flipped through his mail and stuck a magazine under his arm. “Sheriff. How are you?”

  “I’m good. How are you and Mrs. Chang?”

  “We’re fine. Very nice.” He smiled, revealing a gold eye tooth.

  Hank rubbed his hand over the steering wheel. “How’s business?” Real subtle, idiot.

  Mr. Chang laughed. “It’s very good. Thomas runs the business now. We retired.”

  That was news. “Really, when?”

  “Last month. We’re moving to Taiwan with Li’s sister next week.” He laughed again. “Your face is funny.”

  Hank chuckled. “Sorry, I’m just surprised. This seems kind of sudden.”

  The man nodded. “Yes, Li’s sister is very ill. We go to take care of her. Thomas does a good job running the farm. He bought us out, so no more farming for me.” He laughed.

  “Well, I’ll be. Isn’t that somethin’.” He extended his hand. “Congratulations, Mr. Chang. Tell Mrs. Chang I said best of luck.”

  “I will. Good knowing you, Sheriff. You’re a good man.”

  Yeah, tell that to the women in his life.

  Hank turned into Mr. Chang’s driveway and did a three-point turn and began driving back into town. The sun was just about to set and the sky was a kaleidoscope of fire and ice. The wheat plants swayed in the early evening breeze and Hank rode with his window down. He did love these country roads. Then a black SUV parked down one of the overgrown side roads caught his eye as he drove past. Was that Karen’s car? He whipped his vehicle around and headed back. What would she be doing out here? The thump, thump, thump of his heart shoved adrenaline through his veins. He stopped at the entrance of the tree-lined lane but there was no one around, just a deer standing in the middle of the gravel road.

  .

  He glanced at his watch. No way it could be Karen. She was still at work.

  Damn, Odom. You need to rein in the paranoia. That’s no way to fix your marriage.

  He turned the car around and then, because he couldn’t help himself, he drove past Wardell Pritchett’s house.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Charlie bolted out of bed and barely made it to the bathroom before she started dry heaving. She wasn’t going to lie. She was pretty sick of this mess. The pregnancy books said the morning sickness should get better around twelve weeks. Ugh, four more weeks of this might do her in.

  She leaned back against the tub and rested her hand on her belly. “When we hit twelve weeks, dude, I’m going to expect you to get with the program and move on. You can’t live in the past.”

  Boy, didn’t she know that.

  Been there, done that, and had the extra person to prove it.

  With an effort that would embarrass her disabled grandfather, she climbed to her feet and swished her mouth out. That wasn’t enough. She grabbed her toothbrush and took the first step to feeling human.

  She dried her mouth and addressed the stowaway in her body. “Listen, up, Pod. I’m gonna need you to get with the plan. I’m doing all I can to keep us going, and I expect you to do the same. And don’t give me that I’m the size of a cherry crap. You’re better than that.” She chuckled and looked down at her stomach. “I’m just joking, you grow big and strong, and I’ll do the heavy lifting.”

  Little pinpricks of anxiety tried to bust in on her conversation with Pod. She shut them down before they could get a foothold.

  The house was quiet as she moved from the bathroom back to her bedroom. The raw ache in her stomach had her pulling out her laptop to research whether someone could die from dry heaving. Her email icon said she had a message. She opened it, and the final nail in the coffin of her life in Hollywood slammed home. It was an email from her agent, Rhonda.

  Charlie,

  I regret to inform you that I am exercising my option to end our association, effective immediately.

  Sincerely,

  Rhonda Cooper

  Talent Agent

  The raw ache turned into a full-on crampy, seizing churn fest in her abdomen. Sweat beaded her brow and upper lip, and she thought she’d have to dash back to the bathroom.

  It was really over. She’d wanted out, had been plotting how to get out before her grandfather’s accident, but acting was her ace in the hole—she’d known she could fall back on it if she really got desperate for work. But not anymore. With all the lies Ron was spreading she’d never get another agent worth having to represent her.

  These people were supposed to be on her side, in her corner. She’d eaten with them, shared holidays with them, made them all tons of money, and when push came to shove it didn’t matter one little bit. Everything, including love and loyalty, was expendable.

  She was expendable.

  Put it away, Charlie. What’d you tell Pod? Move on, dude. You can’t live in the past.

  Her phone buzzed with a text. A screen swipe showed she had three texts and a voicemail. She selected voicemail and listened.

  “Charlie, this is Maureen down at the Dip N Do. Listen, hon, we need some more of that lotion you brought by yesterday. That stuff’s more popular than a cupcake at a diet club meeting. I need ten more bottles and ten more bars of soap. Though why anyone would pay what you’re charging for a bar of soap, when you could go to the Shop and Save and buy six bars of Dial soap, is beyond me. Anyway, I need ’em as soon as you can get ’em to me.”

  She listened to it again, then stared at the phone. Then checked her texts. They were from the other stores where she’d left her products, all wanting more. Her surprised laugh filled the room. “Can you believe this, Pod?” Even though the troublemaker remained silent on the subject, Charlie took the easing of her nausea as Pod’s approval.

  The swelling in her chest wasn’t because of gas, though that was a new development in the last week. Pregnancy was a messy business. The fullness behind her ribs came from solving a problem and taking care of herself and her Pea Pod.

  The clock on her phone said eight a.m. She needed to get going and fill these orders if she was going to make it to work at Boon’s by six. She threw on a t-shirt and yoga pants, her new uniform, and headed for the kitchen.

  The sun streaming through the window over the sink shone off her grandfather’s nearly bald head as he sat at the table drinking a cup of coffee and reading the Zachsville Herald. “Morning, Pops.” She poured herself her own coffee and began pulling out the pots she used for her lotions.

  “Morning.” His greeting was so flat that it was almost non-existent.

  She glanced his direction to see if he was okay. “You alright, Pops?”

  “Mmhm. How are you?”

  She couldn’t control the smile that spread across her face. “I’m great.”

  He finally gave her his attention. “Really? After all that gagging and retching that went on, I’d think you’d be exhausted.”

  She waved him off and turned back to the stove. Fingers crossed he hadn’t read anything in her expression. “I must’ve eaten something bad. I feel fine now. Thanks for asking.”

  The crinkle of the newspaper being folded and her pots clinking together were the only sounds in the kitchen. “So your stomach’s not still upset?”

  Of course it was. She lived in a constant state of nausea. Every day she played a different game of Russian Roulette with the contents of her stomach. Instead of saying that, she smiled her you can totally trust me smile. “Nope. I feel fine.”

  “That’s good.” He smoothed his hand down the crease in the newspaper. “That’s good.” The second time he said it was almost to himself.

  “Yep. Fit as a fiddle.” Fit as a fiddle? When had she ever said that? And why was she talking so loud?

  He got up and poured himself another cup of coffee, then returned to his seat.

  The air and the vibe in the room rippled with some kind of unspoken weirdness. She ignored it and measured glycerin and mixed it with the water.

  “Let me tell you what I found this morning.
”

  He’d been quiet for so long she thought he might have done that thing he did where he fell asleep sitting straight up and down. It was weird, and the first time she saw him do it she thought he’d died. But this subject was preferable to any discussion of her being sick. “What’d you find, Pops?”

  “A dead squirrel behind the shed.”

  Gross. Weird that he’d feel the need to share that with her. “Really? That’s sad.” What was she supposed to say? She didn’t know the squirrel.

  “Yeah, it’d been there a while. It was kind of in pieces.”

  Oh, shit, shit, shit. The cauldron that was her stomach began roiling and swirling. She made the most I am not about to puke sound possible.

  “And the smell, Lord it was rancid. The stench hung thick and heavy in the air. I’m not ashamed to say I almost lost my breakfast.”

  Her belly spasmed, sweat broke out on her upper lip, and she fought to swallow the bile barreling up her throat. “Pops—”

  “When I saw what was crawling—”

  “Stop!” She turned and retched in the sink, but it was more of the dry heaving. Pain from the strain on her neck and chest muscles made her moan.

  A bottle of water and a dish towel appeared in front of her face. She took the water, swished her mouth out, and placed the cold bottle against her clammy forehead. “Thanks.”

  “Your grandmother used to be sick like this when she was pregnant with your mama.” His watery blue eyes dared her to deny it.

  “How long have you known?” She wet the dish towel and placed it on her neck.

  “I’ve suspected it for about a month, but I’ve been pretty sure for the last week.”

  Another swig of water and she was starting to feel human again. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

  He crossed his arms over his chest. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  She closed her eyes and let her head fall back. “I just…I figured you had enough to deal with.”

  “Like you don’t have enough to deal with too? You’ve been taking care of me, dealing with your money woes, fighting off that manager of yours, and all the while you were pregnant and sick as a dog.” He wrapped his arms around her and she went willingly into his embrace. “Sweet girl, you don’t have to carry all this by yourself.”