Redneck's Revenge

by Joan Livingston

  “Let me go in first,” he tells me.

  I smile. Even though the Beaumonts scared me on the road, I doubt if they’d have enough nerve to break into my home. But I let Dancin’ Dave, who is being Chivalrous Dave, lead the way. Maggie barks on the other side of the door as I stick my key in the lock.

  “You might want to get out of her way,” I tell Dave. “She might knock you over.”

  The dog rushes outside, greets me briefly, then goes about her business as Dave and I make our way inside. Dave does a cursory look around.

  “This is a very nice house,” he says finally.

  “Yeah, Sam was a great carpenter,” I say. “Can I get you something to eat or drink?”

  He grins.

  “I wish I could stay, but I can’t.” He lightly touches my face with his fingertips. “By the way, you still haven’t accepted that invitation of mine.”

  I sigh. I’m in a tough spot. Dancin’ Dave is a nice guy, a lot like that other nice guy I know. It’s clear to me what he wants: a close relationship, or at the very least, a romp in the sack, but I’m betting more. I’m no fool. A dinner out is like waving a flag at the starting line. But this guy just went out of his way to make sure I got home safely. Would Jack have done it? Yeah, I have no doubt about that.

  Dave touches my face still. He waits for my answer.

  “I’m gonna be honest with you,” I say.

  His brows rise.

  “Oh?”

  “You know I’ve been seeing Jack. I like him a lot. We’ve done things together.” Okay, Isabel, let him read between the lines. “But you confuse the heck outta me.”

  His mouth twists into an amused smile.

  “Confuse you?”

  “Uh-huh, I’ve never been in this position before even when I was a girl. Two guys. But I do like you, and you were awfully sweet to help me today… ”

  “That’s an awfully long answer, Isabel.” He pauses. “I’m not gonna rush you. I just want us to have dinner and a good time together. We can take it fast or slow, whatever comes natural.”

  I nod.

  “All right. I can’t do Friday because I’ll be working at the Rooster. What day is good for you?”

  His grin has grown into a full-blown smile.

  “Saturday is tough for me cause we have a band that night. The crowd gets kinda large, and I like to be there to keep things under control. You are most welcome to hang out. But for our night out, I say either Thursday or Sunday. What’s your preference?”

  Oh, dear, he said “our night out,” but there’s no way I’m getting out of this without being an ungrateful person.

  “Sunday would be better.”

  “Sunday it is. I’ll pick you up here around six. That okay?”

  “Where are we going?”

  “How about I surprise you?”

  And then his hands are on my arms as he pulls me closer and plants a kiss on my mouth. It’s a good kiss with enough passion behind it to show me he cares without being a slob about it. I go along, and we are into it for a while until we break away. I think of nothing else, not Jack, the Beaumonts or the dog whining outside.

  “Surprise me? I believe you just did,” I say with a breathy voice.

  At the Rooster

  I head to the Rooster to visit Jack after I end my call to Ma. Naturally, she was horrified when I told her about the Beaumonts and their stupid stunt. She summed it up by saying, “Somebody sure didn’t bring those boys up right.” She was amused Dancin’ Dave came to my rescue and that I actually drove fast, which is not a problem for her. I filled her in on the case and my discouragement. Her motherly advice? Give it a little more time. All right, Ma.

  “Has the snow melted at the junkyard?” she asked.

  “I’ll find out tomorrow when I take your car up there,” I told her.

  “Remember how you had a hunch about the place?”

  “Yeah, yeah, you’re right.”

  My mother chuckled. She likes it when I tell her she’s right, and frankly, she usually is.

  The Rooster’s lot only has a few pickups and clunkers from the True Blue Regulars, who all turn when I walk through the door. I get lots of nods and grins, and the same from Jack, who’s behind the bar, and a cordial, “Here’s my girl.”

  I give Jack a big smile.

  “Nice to see you, too.”

  He pours my beer of choice even before I take off my jacket and choose a stool at the bar.

  “Here, you go, Isabel.” Then he leans in. “Did you get my message? What’ve you been up to today?”

  Mentally, I answer his questions. The first is easy enough, but the second not so much.

  “Course, I got your message. That’s why I’m here. Have you and Fred locked those mutts up for good?”

  “I believe so. Those damn buggers. You wouldn’t believe where I ended up findin’ ’em.” He shakes his head. “I think they miss my sister and keep huntin’ for her. I understand. But they’re being a royal pain in the ass. If this don’t work, I’m gonna put in one of those electric fences. It’d cost me some, but it might be worth it.” He gives me a wink. “I don’t like my nights getting interrupted.”

  I smile as I figure a way to answer Jack’s second question. But then I hear, “Hey, Isabel,” and Fred has taken the stool beside mine. He raises a finger to signal his cousin for a beer. Then he’s focused on me again.

  “Heard the Beaumonts were givin’ you a hard time today,” he says.

  Crap, Fred knows, and now Jack knows. Let me guess. He stopped at Baxter’s first.

  Jack places a bottle of Bud on the counter.

  “What are you talkin’ about, Fred?” he asks.

  Fred glances at me. His lips are curled in a know-it-all smile.

  “You didn’t tell him yet?” he asks me.

  “I just got here,” I answer.

  Jack’s hands are on the counter as he leans in toward us.

  “Tell me what?”

  Fred’s head dips.

  “Go ahead.”

  “Yeah, go ahead,” Jack says.

  I blow out some air.

  “I was coming home from doing a couple of interviews. After I left the Pit Stop, I noticed a pickup was tailgating me. Gary Beaumont was at the wheel. His stupid brother was with him. It went on for miles. They were trying to spook me. It worked. Luckily, I was able to duck into Baxter’s.”

  Fred sets down his beer.

  “I was at Baxter’s when those dumb asses had the nerve to show up. You should’ve heard Dave lay into them. He pulled them into the backroom, but he was yellin’ so loud I could hear him from where I was sittin’ at the bar. He told those Beaumonts if they ever go near you again, he was gonna ban them for life from his place. He might even get the cops involved. You should’ve seen their faces when he was done with ’em.”

  Jack’s eyes are on me.

  “Isabel, you don’t wanna go messin’ with those guys.”

  My mouth is open. I’m about to agree. But Fred speaks first.

  “Good thing Dave followed you home after that.”

  Crap again. Thanks a lot, big mouth Fred.

  “Yeah, it was real thoughtful of him, especially since he only stayed a few minutes,” I say as casually as I can make it.

  Jack snorts.

  “Yeah, mighty thoughtful,” he says.

  I hear a bit of something in Jack’s voice. Of course, I’m not going to tell him about date night. This situation is getting a bit awkward. How much do I owe Jack? I honestly don’t know.

  Fred chuckles.

  “I detect a bit of jealousy in that answer,” he says for me.

  Jack squints at Fred.

  “Shut up, will ya?” He turns toward me. “Isabel, you know I would’ve done the same for you.”

  I smile sweetly for Jack and mean it.

  “I have no doubt you would,” I say. “Anyway, I’m thinking of quitting this case. All my leads are drying up. And I sure don’t want to get chased off the road b
y a couple of local yokels who have it in for me, so I can get my car tuned up for free.”

  Jack reaches for my hand.

  “Isabel, that’s the most sensible thing I’ve heard you say in a while.”

  “Besides agreeing to work here again?” I joke.

  He’s back to grinning. He’s got a twinkle in his eye.

  “Yeah, that counts.” He draws close, real close to whisper in my ear. “How about I come by later.”

  I giggle.

  “I’d like that.”

  Fred slaps the counter.

  “Shit, you two make me sick.” He gulps the rest of his beer. “I’m outta here. I’ll take care of the dogs.”

  Jack’s head wags as he laughs.

  “See ya, Fred.”

  We are silent for a moment. I’m feeling rather guilty about accepting Dancin’ Dave’s invitation. Isabel, for someone who’s so smart, sometimes you can be real stupid about people. What did Ma say over the phone tonight?

  “You think that’s a good idea, Isabel?” she said.

  I answered, “Ma, I was in a tight spot. The guy just came to my rescue. It would’ve been rude of me to turn him down, don’t you think? You and Dad taught me good manners.”

  She made a warm motherly chuckle.

  “Of course, it’s up to you how far you want to take it.”

  “Ma, I think you’ve been reading too many of those steamy romance novels.”

  “I raised such a funny girl.”

  Now Jack wiggles his fingers in front of me.

  “Isabel, you there?”

  I laugh.

  “Oops, you caught me daydreaming.”

  His head bends close to mine. “I’m just about ready to throw these bums out. Nobody’s bought a beer in twenty minutes. This was a big mistake opening on a Tuesday. What the hell was I thinkin’? Besides, I’d much rather be somewhere else.”

  “Really, where?”

  “Anyone ever say you’re a funny girl?”

  “My mother did tonight. I think you have a few times.”

  Jack eyes the cowbell behind the bar, but instead he sticks two fingers between his lips to let out a loud whistle that would’ve called the cows home to their barn. Everybody in the joint jerks their head around.

  “Hey, guys, we’re closin’ up early tonight. ’Fraid you’re all gonna have to go home,” he shouts.

  I hear a collective groan from the drinkers and then a snicker.

  “Isabel, you in here to start trouble?” one of the Rooster True Blue Regulars jokes.

  I laugh with the rest of them.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to, guys,” I reply.

  Catching Up

  Despite the moans and groans, and I suppose the kidding after I split, Jack does indeed close up early. I’m ready for him. No food tonight. I give him a, “Howdy, handsome,” at the door and then lead him in a mad dash upstairs.

  “Comin’ to get ya,” Jack jokes as he gives chase.

  We fool around a bit before we get into the real business of it. Jack’s got a knack for play, and I am happy to go along. As you may recall, I’m a bit embarrassed to say, our last romp in bed was the day of his sister’s funeral. His cousin and those damn dogs interrupted our other attempts.

  Afterwards, a breathy Jack rolls to his side.

  “Aw, Isabel, I missed you.”

  I laugh.

  “I’m right here, Jack.”

  “Funny… ”

  “Yeah, I’m a funny girl all right. Can you stay the night?”

  “Just try kickin’ me out, lady.”

  Morning After

  Jack and I are up early for all of the fooling around we did last night. We talk a bit in bed, fool around some more, and then I make him breakfast. He’s not in a super rush as Fred is going to feed the dogs and let them out in their yard. I have stuff to do, but I have time. I’m meeting Lin Pierce at his office to talk about this case, and then I will swing over to Rough Waters to check in with Annette. Depending on what Lin says, I may just call it quits.

  “I could get real used to this,” he says over his coffee mug.

  Across the table, I laugh. Is that a proposal of sorts?

  “Glad you feel comfortable.”

  “When’s your mother comin’ back?”

  “Monday. I’m meeting my brother. She was gonna stay longer, but she told me last night, she misses the animals and me, in that order. She’s got a great sense of humor.”

  His eyebrows flicker.

  “We’d better make the most of her absence until then.”

  “She told me she didn’t mind you staying over. After all these years, she’s finally accepted I’m an adult and can be with a man.”

  He grins that big Jack Smith grin as he sets down his mug.

  “As long as it’s this man.”

  Shoot, I’m coming down with a good case of the guilts. Should I tell him about Dave’s invitation? I would hate for him to find out via his cousin or some other guy who stops by Baxter’s and hears about it. Hilltown men can be such little gossips. Besides, what kind of relationship would I have with Jack if I weren’t honest?

  I clear my throat.

  “I’ve got something to tell you, Jack.”

  “Huh? Suddenly, you look serious. What’s up?”

  I press my lips together. Just spit it out, Isabel.

  “I wanna be up front about something. I’m having dinner with Dave Baxter on Sunday.”

  “Dinner?”

  “Just dinner. I didn’t give him an answer when he asked me out before. Then, when he followed me home to make sure the Beaumonts didn’t, he asked me again, and I felt I was in a tough spot.” I watch Jack as he listens. His grin has shrunk to something a bit unsure. “I mean, I would’ve felt like a real wench if I told him no after he went out his way like that.” I slide my hand across the table to touch his wrist. At least he doesn’t pull back. “And I didn’t want you to find out from somebody else like I was sneaking around or something.”

  Jack mulls over what I just told him. He’s quiet, real quiet, and then, finally, he laughs.

  “I’ll give Dave credit for that maneuver,” he says. “Isabel, I like bein’ with you a lot. But I’m not gonna tell you who you should see or shouldn’t see. I don’t have that kind of power over you. I’m glad you told me. Just let me know if this thing with Dave goes somewhere else.”

  “I said only dinner.”

  “Uh-huh.” He laughs again. “But I’m no fool. He wants a lot more than that. I sure did when I got to know you better last fall.”

  I feel myself go red from the neck up. “Is that why you hired me?”

  He doesn’t stop laughing. “You were the best one to apply.”

  “You told me a guy who wanted the job would’ve drunk you dry.”

  “Like I said, you were the best one to apply.”

  Lin’s Advice

  Lin Pierce is on the phone when I arrive. It sounds like business, so I hang out near the front of the office. As I suspected, his magazines are old and uninteresting since I’m not into hunting or fishing. Give me People magazine any day. I once told my dentist that I would quit him cold if he ever discontinued his subscription. Nothing takes my mind off somebody poking inside my mouth like reading about celebrities. The only thing better would be the National Enquirer.

  Instead, I get up to read the newspaper pages framed on the walls. They’re from decades ago, and all feature cases in which Lin was involved. Here’s one of the headlines from my old paper, the Daily Star: Man leads two lives with two wives. I’d say the editor came up with a clever one there. According to the story, Lin worked for one of the wives after she suspected her husband was a bigamist. “It took a little legwork, but I got the job done,” Lin told the reporter.

  The next story was about a woman who felt she got cheated out of her inheritance when her ne’er-do-well nephew showed up a couple of weeks before her father died. Guess what? The nephew talked the failing man into leaving him everyt
hing. Lin was helpful on that one, too. The headline reads: Deathbed will killed in court. I give kudos again to the editor.

  Another story involved a forgery — Fake bills bring no thrills — but I don’t get too far because Lin is finished with his call.

  “Ah, the good old days,” he says as he stands beside me.

  I point toward the forgery story.

  “How did you get turned onto that case?” I ask.

  “Another case of a jilted woman. She ratted her husband out.” He chuckles. “I didn’t make the arrest, of course. I just found out where he was doing it.”

  “Impressive.”

  He gestures toward his desk.

  “Let’s have that talk, Isabel.”

  Lin and I return to his desk. We sit opposite each other.

  “Can I ask a nosy question first?” I say.

  He snuffles.

  “Nosy? Go ahead.”

  “What’s with the cowboy getup?”

  More snuffling.

  “I do raise a small herd of cattle. Naturally, that doesn’t make me a real cowboy, but I can fantasize a bit. This is Western Massachusetts after all.”

  “Fair enough.”

  He presses his fingertips together as if in prayer.

  “But I believe that’s not why you are here today, is it? Did you solve your case?”

  “Uh, no. I feel like giving up instead.”

  “Give up? It hasn’t been that long, Isabel.”

  I sigh.

  “All the leads Annette’s given me have been dead ends so far, well, except for maybe Al Sinclair and the Beaumont brothers. Al and Chet hated each other’s guts. You probably knew that.” I wait for an “uh-huh” from Lin before I proceed. “Then there are the Beaumont boys. Yesterday, they tried to run me off the road.”

  “What? Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, yeah, I believe they only wanted to scare me. I’m fine. And then I think, I’m only getting free car maintenance for all of this trouble.”

  “That’s what you agreed to. You’ll learn.”