"Breakfast."
"Lunch," Chief answered.
"You need menus?"
At least we both said, "No."
"Sit down. I'll bring your drinks."
Chief started heading to the counter, where he normally sat. I stood where I was and coughed at him. He stopped and turned around, confusion clearly etched upon his face. I pointed at my usual table. He rolled his eyes and sat in the booth.
"So, let me get this straight. You think it's Cindy Connors?"
I shook my head. "No. I think it's Blake. Cindy wasn't faithful, and she slept with Dane, Richie, Jimmy, and Dennis. I think Blake found out about it and got more than a little pissed off."
"But what about you? And what about Becca?"
"I think Becca might have been…" I didn't want to continue. I didn't think Chief knew about Blake's crush on her. His leering glances and whispered overtures. "Blake had a thing for Rebecca. Candace saw him always staring at her and he even propositioned her more than once. In a not so endearing way, I might add."
"I know about those. She told me every time. When I questioned him, I got a bit physical and he filed a complaint, so I had to back off. If he wanted her so bad, why kill her?"
"Maybe because he couldn't have her? Maybe because she kept rejecting him?"
"Maybe. I'm not going to lie, though. I beat the shit out of him. I didn't get the feeling he did it, though. And that doesn't explain you. Why blow up your car and show up at your house with a gun?"
"I have no idea."
"Maybe Jimmy was his target with the gun. His truck was parked in front of your house."
"But what about blowing up my car?"
"That I can't figure out. The rest of the logic is sound, though. Glad I never slept with Cindy."
Marge showed up with a coffee and coke for me and coffee for Chief. "What you having to eat?"
"I'll have a burger, well, with fries."
She jotted it down and looked at me.
"Double stack of pancakes."
"No omelet?"
"No, but I'll have a side of bacon."
"Sure thing, kids. Have it out shortly."
I smiled at her retreating back. It would be a sad day in Cedar Falls when Marge wouldn't be able to wait tables anymore. I'd just gotten into town and couldn't imagine it without her. Or Herb.
"I was running a check to see if the Connors own any firearms. As soon as I hear back, I'll match the caliber to the bullets you pulled out of Jimmy. We can get a warrant if it matches. You still up for the little soiree?"
"Thinking you can get some information out of him?"
"I'm going to try."
"So, I should talk to Herb then, huh?"
"Good luck. As I said."
"Just you watch."
"Hey, Marge, tell Herb I wanna talk to him when he has a moment."
"Sure thing, Dot. Herb! Next break, go see Dot," she called through the open kitchen window.
I saw him wiggle his head and look around the dining room. He waved when he saw me. "Okay!"
"What are you doing tonight?"
"Quiet evening at home. Bottle of wine. Maybe a nice bath."
"Alone?"
"No. Josie and Candace are there."
"I meant the bath."
"I know. It's just more fun to tease you."
He sighed and sipped his coffee. "Pain in the ass."
"What was that?"
"I said I like your ass."
"Good answer. What are you doing tonight?"
"I think I might be keeping an eye on the Connors… Was seeing how you felt about a stakeout."
"Will there be donuts and coffee?"
"There can be."
"Then I'm in. Pick me up whenever."
"I don't want to interrupt your bath."
"I wasn't really going to take one. I'm more of a shower kind of girl. I just wanted you to picture me in a tub of water, completely naked."
"I was."
"Then my mission was a success."
He chuckled. "I had a lot of fun last night. And this morning."
The rat bastard made me blush. Just when I was getting the upper hand. "You suck."
"Do you?"
"I do. I'm not an expert by any stretch of the imagination…"
"That makes me happy."
"One of those, no experience necessary, kinda things. Huh?"
"Yes." He smiled and took another sip of coffee.
"Is there such a thing as a bad blowjob?"
He nodded emphatically and winced. "Hell yes."
I couldn't help it. I laughed. I could see the pain in his eyes. He was speaking from experience. "Were teeth involved?"
"Yes."
"Ouch."
"You have no idea."
"Yeah, I do. Not every guy is a natural with their mouth either."
"Touché."
"Funny you say that, because some guys think they are fencing when they do it."
I'd finally done it. Coffee came out of Chief's nose. Score was oh to one in my favor. "Can you not say shit like that when I'm drinking?"
"Oops."
Herb himself brought out our food and set it down in front of us. He pulled up a chair from the table next to us and sat down at the end of the booth.
"What's up? More properties you want to look at?"
"Not yet. I'm having a party at my house for special friends of ours." I narrowed my eyes hoping he would catch my drift. "I know it's last minute, but would you consider catering? My appliances are toast and the new ones won't get delivered until sometime next week."
He sighed heavily. "I absolutely abhor catering. If it's for you, I'll do it, though. What were you thinking?"
"Couple pans of spaghetti and sauce. Salad. Maybe some garlic bread? Keep it easy and surprise me."
"How about some chicken parm to go along with it?"
"Oh, that's a good idea. Yes, please. Maybe some meatballs or Italian sausage, too?"
"I'll see what I can whip up. You want me to let you know how much or just bill you?"
"Bill me. And add ten percent for the short notice."
"I will do no such thing."
I sighed. The people in Cedar Falls could be so difficult. "Fine. I'll just give Marge an extra big tip, you big dolt."
He chortled. "That I can live with. What time you want me to deliver?"
"You deliver?"
"Not me personally. I have a kid who makes deliveries for me on special occasions."
"What special occasions?"
He sighed. "Holidays mostly. There are a lot of families in town that can't afford holiday meals. Don't spread it around, but Marge and I cook for those since it's just the two of us. We never had any kids and so we try to do nice things for people."
The tears were streaming down my face and getting my pancakes a little soggy. I poured some syrup on them and tried to get my shit together. Chief handed me a napkin. "Damn it, Herb."
"What?"
"I'm promoting you to Saint Herb. Change your nametag."
He chuckled softly. "Don't let Marge hear you say that. She'll give you a list a mile long of all my disqualifications."
"Would you two do me the honor of having Christmas dinner with me at my home this year? You've both made me feel like part of this town the moment I walked through your door."
"I'd absolutely adore that, but we have so many people counting on us every year, it's become almost a tradition."
"I wasn't expecting you to. Josie and I, and maybe a few of the boys are going to come help you this year. We're going to get those meals prepped, cooked, and delivered a little faster. Then we're going to go relax at my house, have dinner, drink lots, and open presents. Would that be okay?"
It was his turn to wipe his eyes. Bill handed him a napkin. "That would be…great." He managed to get the words out with a minimal amount of cracking in his voice.
"In addition, you will have an invoice for the food you are prepping ready for me upon my arrival. And don't say shit. Keep i
t shut, Herb. This is my Yule– I mean this is my Christmas present to you and Marge. You've been doing this for how many years? I don't want to hear a peep out of you."
He just nodded. I could hear the sniffles and see him struggling to fight back the tears. I knew the symptoms because I had the same ones.
"Dot. I can't even…"
"Then don't. Just shush and nod your head."
"Okay."
"Tell the delivery guy to have it to my house around four in the afternoon."
He nodded. "I should…uh…get back in the uh… kitchen." He wiped his eyes one more time and stuffed the napkin in his pocket. Standing, he slid the chair back to the table. Before he left, he leaned down and put his hand on my shoulder, kissing me on the top of my head. "Thank you, Dot."
"You're welcome," I said and grinned up at him. He headed back into the kitchen.
"I think you just got adopted." Chief was sitting back in the booth, not touching his food. He'd watched the whole exchange silently. At least he wasn't crying.
"Good. Because honestly, I wouldn't mind having a set of parents in town. They're good peoples."
"Dot… What you just did…"
"Too much?"
"No. I wish there were more people like you and them in this town. He wasn't kidding when he said there are a lot of people who have come to rely on him and Marge around the holidays. There's a ton of kids who go without a happy holiday. We do a toy drive at the station, but we rarely come up with much."
"Well. We'll do what we can this year. Next year… Next year is going to be different."
He just smiled and picked up his burger. "Can't save the whole town, Dot."
"Just you fucking watch me, Chief."
Chapter 26
"Why exactly are we doing this if they're coming to my house tomorrow?"
"Gut feeling. I think if it is Blake, the thought of being gathered with the coven might set him on edge. Maybe he'll do something stupid tonight, like try to get rid of a gun or finish off Jimmy."
"The officer is still watching his place?"
"The officer and Dwight and Jason. Not playing around with his safety, Dot. Don't worry."
I nodded and shivered in the Cherokee. We couldn't keep it running and it was fucking cold outside. Chief had a blanket draped over his lap. I had two, but half-expected the blankets to freeze stiff in the next twenty minutes or so. I was holding a mug of coffee in my hands just to keep them from shaking.
"Want to get into the back seat? I can sit with you and we can share body heat. Blankets, too."
"Chief, are you just trying to get me in the back seat to make out on our stakeout?"
His bark of laughter almost caused me to spill my coffee in my lap. "No. I'm sorry, but that was funny. You're a poet."
"No. My brain is just frozen." I set my coffee in the cup holder and stared at him.
"So yes, to the back seat?"
"Promise to behave?"
"Yes," he said slowly.
"Then no. I don't wanna." I grinned and opened my door, practically diving into the back seat. "Hurry up."
He got out and back in, sliding into the cold, leather seat. "That just froze my ass," he complained and spread his blanket over our laps. I put my two on top of it and bundled it up over our chests. For once in my life I was glad I wore a bra. I'd probably have sliced my arm open on my nipple by now if I hadn't.
While we waited for the air under the blankets to warm, my teeth started chattering. Chief had been staring at their empty driveway and stopped when he heard the sound. He reached over and laid me down on his lap, covering me with his arms. My head was the only thing above the blankets. His legs were cool, but warmer than I was. I rested my head back against his stomach, feeling horrible that he was above the blanket.
"That's enough of this shit. I don't care if they sense the magic or not. We're going to freeze to death. I'll keep it low." I closed my eyes and whispered, "Coinnigh muid te."
A warm zephyr formed in the middle of the Jeep, slowly stirring the air inside. Quickly the chill left, leaving it a little warmer, but not too warm.
Chief closed his eyes. "I can't even feel it."
"It uses minimal power. Heating with convection instead of blaring heat."
"That's pretty handy. You'll have to teach me the incantation later. I could use one of those in my bedroom."
"That's what she said." I could be childish. I admit it.
"What?"
"I could use one… Never mind. She said joke."
He cast me a sidelong glance and looked back up at the driveway. This was going to be a long night.
I shifted on his lap. "Tell me a story."
"You suck at this whole stakeout thing."
"I didn't know it was going to be this boring."
He poked me in the side and then pointed out the windshield. "Maybe not."
I sat up slowly and saw a car backing out of the driveway. Luckily there was a street lamp overhead. Only one head was visible in the driver's seat. Whichever one it was, they were alone.
"We're going to follow them."
"What if it's Cindy and not Blake?"
"Could you see if it was a man or a woman?"
"No. Could you? Aren't you supposed to have binoculars or something?"
"They're in the front seat."
"Shit."
"Get in the front. We'll follow the car."
"Okay."
We did, and he started it up, but didn't turn on the headlights until the car turned onto Main. He flipped the headlights on and made the turn, following at a very respectable distance.
I realized where we were heading…
"Chief."
"I know."
I texted Josie and told her to get out of the house, through the back door if possible. She texted back an okay. That was a load off my mind.
The car stopped on the curb of the street a few houses down. Chief pulled into the closest driveway he could find and shut off the car. "Wait here."
"Like hell."
"Dot!"
"Chief!"
He sighed. "Fine. Stay behind me."
He got out of the car, drawing his gun. I walked swiftly around the back of the vehicle and did as he said. For once.
He slowed down and hid next to a large cedar bush in the neighbor's yard. He held his hand behind him, motioning me to wait. I peeked around him and saw the Connors' car, just sitting there, idling. Two minutes later, the car shut off, but nobody got out. My road was relatively unlit, rendering visibility into the vehicle to non-existent.
"What are they doing?" I whispered my question as close to Chief's ear as I could.
"I don't know. I can't see anything."
"The light just came on." I wanted to get closer to see better.
The door to the vehicle opened, and a blonde head emerged. Cindy, wearing a black jacket and dark pants, slipped out onto the street. She used her butt to slowly close the car door and walked around the back of the car, never taking her eyes off my house.
I wanted to sneak up behind her and scorch her where she stood. Chief held up a finger, never taking his eyes off her. When she started slinking toward my vehicle in my driveway, he slowly walked forward, waiting to see what she had planned.
Cindy stopped behind my vehicle, looking at the front of the house for any sign of movement. Satisfied that no one was watching, she skirted the vehicle and slipped up to the front door. Placing her palm over the deadbolt, I could hear her canting a spell, I just wasn't close enough to make out the words or read the intent.
I did, however, hear the front door unlock and watched as she slipped inside.
"Now," Chief whispered and he walked briskly up to the front of the house. Without waiting, he opened the front door and pointed his weapon and yelled, "Freeze!"
I could smell the smoke before I got to the door. "No. No. No. No."
I shoved Chief out of the way. The wall and door to my bedroom were on fire, smoke billowing up the vault in
the ceiling. Cindy Connors stood there facing the door to the bedroom and shifted her glance back to me, surprised I wasn't in there. "What?"
I punched her in the face, knocking her to my newly renovated floors. "Bitch."
I looked at the merrily blazing fire burning through my walls. Panic started to fill me, and I couldn't think what to do. Chief pushed me to the side and held the arm not holding the gun out and yelled, "Troi at garreg."
I watched as my board and plaster walls turned to stone, white paint becoming gray. Immediately the flames went out, its source of fuel transmuted to rock.
"Thanks, Chief."
"Nice punch."
Cindy Lou Whore groaned on my floor. I looked for a switch to beat the bitch.
I reached down and grabbed her with both my hands around the collar of her jacket, dragging her to the couch. Chief lent a hand before she woke up. "Ceangail."
Ropes sprang from the couch beneath her, wrapping around her legs, chest, and arms. I willed them a little tighter, just to cause her a bit of discomfort when she woke up.
I leaned over and slapped her in the face a couple of times. She woke up after that. She glanced down at the bindings around her and sighed heavily. "You were supposed to be home."
"So, you did want to kill me."
She didn't say anything. I willed the bindings a little tighter, taking great satisfaction in seeing her pale face turn red. "Yes!"
The rope loosened a little. "Why?"
"Because."
"Because I'm dating Jimmy?"
"What?"
"Jimmy. Fireman? Really hot? You banged him. And Dennis. And a few other people you killed. Why?"
"Because you fucked my husband you whore!"
I shook my head. "Say that again slowly? Maybe it will make more sense this time?"
She blinked in confusion. "You slept with Blake."
"Um. No, I didn't?"
"Don't fucking lie. He told me."
"Chief?"
"Yeah."
"Can you just shoot her?" I was tired and angry. I sat down on the loveseat and rubbed the bridge of my nose, not wanting to deal with this bullshit.
"Not until we figure out what's going on," he answered and holstered his gun.
"Blake told you he slept with Dot?"
"Yes!"
"First of all, if she had, why would he tell you."
"Revenge. He wanted me to suffer."
First Moon : A Reverse Harem Tale (Lovin' the Coven Book 1) Page 19
