"This really creeps me out. Look at that big guy she's talking to now. Who's he?"
Rodriguez was now in conversation with a large man dressed, like her, entirely in black biking leathers. He wore mirrored sunglasses and his unsmiling mouth was framed by huge handlebar mustaches. A motorcycle helmet was held under his arm as he leaned over to speak to the shorter woman. As they watched, the two turned to stare at them.
"Let's get out of here. I want to talk to Diane," muttered Jack, slamming the trunk closed.
* * *
Chris sighed heavily as the hammering on the back door began again. Great. Another interruption. And I was almost there! Every time I get close to that girl, something happens. He swung open the door and stared glumly down at the Evans kid who stood grinning at him on the porch.
"What can I do for you Kyle?"
"Hey, Chris. I didn't know you were in town."
"Well, I am." He stepped gingerly around a large puddle on the kitchen floor in front of the sink, and reached into the closet for a mop.
"Man! What happened here?" asked Kyle.
"There's some water on the floor." Chris said dryly as he dabbed at the muddy water with the sponge mop.
"Oh yeah, I see." He watched Chris mop at the water and ring the mop out over the sink.
Chris lifted one eyebrow. "Did you want something, Kyle?"
"Is Diane here?" he asked eagerly.
"She's getting changed, I think. Why?"
"Good, good." Kyle grinned at him. "Man! Have you checked her out? That is one bea-u-tiful woman. She's smokin' hot."
Chris's stare became glacial. "Did you need to talk to her?"
He jabbed Chris in the chest with a forefinger. "Hey, man. I asked her out this morning and since she couldn't make it today, I thought maybe she'd like to make some plans for the weekend. After a nice meal in town, we could head over to my place and...you know."
Chris leaned the mop against the counter and crossed muscular arms on his chest. His blue eyes turned to ice as he stared at the younger man. "Really?" His voice was eerily calm.
Kyle paled. He mumbled, "Um. Fact is...I'm looking for Granny. We seem to have lost her."
"Granny?"
"Yeah. You know, Granny Shackleford. Beau's Grandma. Somebody carried her over here earlier for the breakfast."
One eyebrow lifted again. "The breakfast?"
"You know. The breakfast we always have here on Saturday." Kyle shrugged. "We kind of figured, since Sandy couldn't be here, that we'd all help out."
"All the musicians came for breakfast here? This morning?" How could Diane have handled all that with no warning? "Did she cook for you guys?"
"Well, there wasn't a whole lot to eat. All the guys who stopped to help with the downed tree were hungry and what with the racket they made with them chain-saws, the music didn't get started until late." Kyle gave him a tentative glance and relaxed as Chris smiled.
"Anyway, everyone thought somebody carried Granny back to town, but nobody remembers taking her. Carol Anne is real embarrassed for just plumb forgetting about her, but they were all so busy."
Chris looked at the young man thoughtfully, wondering if Diane could really be interested in him. Seriously? He was so young, just a kid, but then Diane wasn't much older.
Outside in the woods the spring peepers began chirping, announcing the sunset on an early spring evening. That's when he heard it. The undercurrent of sound in the distance and then what sounded like a bark of laughter.
"I think Granny might could be in the front room watching television," said Kyle.
"Yeah, hold on a minute." Chris pushed through the door to the dining room where the noise was more distinct. Kyle followed him through the big dining room to the front parlor. Opening the door wide, they found Granny Shackleford comfortably seated in one of the chintz easy chairs that faced the large screen television. Two empty beer bottles were at her feet and she clutched a bag of Cheese Doodles in her lap. Beside her Colby Jack was perched on the left arm of the chair, staring at the screen, front paws tucked under his chin like a little sphinx.
The Wheel of Fortune studio audience was applauding and cheering as the old woman suggested, "Ask if there's a damn T!"
Apparently the contestant took her advice. Pat Sajak said, "Yup, there are two Ts." Vanna White revealed the letters as the contestant spun the wheel again.
"I knew it!" announced Granny triumphantly, slamming her fist down on the cushions. A couple of Doodles popped out of the bag and rained down around her, joining the others at her feet. Colby sniffed delicately at one that landed in front of him, but remained unperturbed as the old woman joined in the cheering.
"Hey Granny, hows about some supper?" asked Kyle. "Carol Anne is making some of her fried chicken. You ready to go?"
She turned to Kyle, noticing them for the first time. Her wrinkled face scrunched into a frown at the intrusion.
"I'm not hungry." She turned back to the television. "I wanna watch Wheel of Fortune."
"Come on now Granny. You need to come along and have some supper," urged Kyle. "Everybody's waiting on you".
The old woman sighed, "Oh all right. She retrieved her cane from the floor and with a great "Umph," struggled to her feet. "I had this damn TV all to myself and you all have to come and interrupt." Eyeing Chris, she sighed. "I'm moving' a bit slow today. It's the arthritis. You know, it comes and goes, but mostly it comes. My daddy had the arthritis and that's what he always said."
"Yeah I know, Granny. I've heard you say," said Kyle gently taking her arm. They made their way toward the kitchen.
Chris found the remote control and turned off Wheel of Fortune. The cat got indignantly to his feet and gave him a dirty, "I was watching that!" look, before he presented his backside and strolled out.
Looking at the shower of orange squiggles that covered the rug, Chris shook his head and said, "Thank god Bella likes Cheese Doodles." He looked around, wondering where the dog was.
When she reached the kitchen, Granny frowned and aimed her cane at the puddle. "What happened here?"
"Little problem with the plumbing is all. Chris here is going to fix it directly. Come on now Granny. We got to get a move on." Kyle guided her toward the porch door.
"Sandy never had no problem with the plumbing, no water mess on the floor when she was here." She took another step and paused, announcing, "And breakfast was a far sight better too!"
Diane had emerged from her bedroom neatly dressed in a low cut, pale pink blouse and short skirt, smoothing her hair back; she started when she saw Kyle and the old woman enter the kitchen. "Oh! Hello there."
"Who the dickens are you?" Granny demanded, thumping her cane sharply on the floor. She turned to Kyle. "Where's that nice sweet girl, Sandy?"
"Sandy is on a little vacation, but she'll be back soon. This is Diane, Sandy's friend. Let's get rolling Granny. They've got supper waiting on you, remember?"
Granny angrily turned her attention back to Diane. "A body can't even watch Wheel of Fortune without someone telling me where and when I got to go." A wispy strand of thin white hair broke loose and fluttered across her brow. One hand swiped at it as though it were a cloud of troublesome gnats. The cane came up and was aimed at Diane. "Sandy is a sweet young lady, nice girl! And she can cook too! Bless her heart." She blinked and stared critically at Diane. "What's your name again, Missy?"
"It's Diane," she said, smiling at the old woman.
"That's a right nice dress you're wearing there."
"Why, thank you," said Diane.
Granny sniffed. "Nice dress, but where's the rest of it?"
Diane's eyebrows rose and her mouth dropped open in surprise.
Kyle smiled sheepishly, led her outside, and closed the door. Granny's muttered protests could be heard receding as she shuffled down the length of the porch.
Diane slipped into a chair and rested her head on her hands rubbing her forehead. "Was that old woman here the whole time? Was she right there in t
he next room while you were taking my shirt off...? Oh my god."
"I guess she was." Chris shrugged helplessly and sat down across from her. "Don't worry. Granny was probably too busy watching Wheel of Fortune to notice anything else."
"How did she get in there, anyway?" Diane wailed with her face in her hands.
"Carol Anne probably brought her. Kyle says everyone sort of forgot she was here. They all left and sometime later on, they realized nobody knew where she was."
"They just forgot about their grandmother!" Diane's usually calm voice became shrill as she buried her face in her arms. "Oh my god! They forgot their grandmother. They lost her."
Chris jumped up and stroked her shaking shoulders, as she sobbed.
She lifted her head and swiped at the tears that ran down her cheeks. "Oh my god! They forgot about Granny! And we were about to get naked! That's the funniest thing I ever heard!"
Chris looked a little startled, but couldn't help chuckling.
"You seem to know these people," she gasped. "Do they do this sort of thing all the time? I mean do they just show up here for breakfast, have a concert in the back yard, and leave the occasional family member behind? I'm sorry; it's just that all of a sudden everything today seems so crazy and funny." She started squealing with laughter again.
Chris grinned at her. "Yes, I'm acquainted with them. I've been coming down here for a few years now, and it's just what they do. I mean, they come for breakfast and stay for the music. They don't, as a rule, lose family members though."
"Yeah, I guess they cut up fallen trees when it's necessary too." She continued chuckling.
"It's just who they are and it's the sort of thing people do around here."
"Honestly, I didn't mean to laugh, but everything just seemed so funny. You know, everyone tried their best to help me. I just wasn't ready to feed all those people.
"You didn't know. It wasn't your fault."
"They were all so nice. Some of the women even brought cakes and desserts, but I don't think there's much left. I don't know how Sandy can afford to feed that many people all the time.
Chris got up, reached over, retrieved a cookie jar from the kitchen counter, and removed the lid. Diane looked in and was surprised to see a heap of bills.
She frowned. "What's all that money doing there? I looked inside when I got here hoping for some cookies and it was totally empty."
"When these folks show up on a Saturday and Sandy makes breakfast, everyone chips in a couple of bucks. It's just how things work. These folks would never mooch off anyone. They're not freeloaders. Sandy always tells her overnight guests that it gets a bit lively here on Saturdays if the weather is nice. Most people kind of like the music."
"I liked it too! I never noticed anyone putting money in the jar and I certainly never noticed the old woman."
"I'm sure you were pretty busy. Sorry I wasn't here to catch the fun."
Oh, that reminds me." She got up, went to the refrigerator, removed a large flat casserole, then slid it into the oven and turned it on.
"What's that?" Chris asked.
"It's dinner. Vicky and Jack brought lasagna and she asked me to get it started. Her lasagna is to die for."
"Am I invited to dinner?"
Diane smiled. "If you'd like. Are you going to disappear on me again in the middle of the night?"
Chris went to her, rested his hands on her shoulders and kissed her lightly on the lips. "You know my job doesn't make having a woman in my life easy."
"So, do you have a woman in your life?" she asked studying his blue eyes.
"I hope to hell I do," he murmured against her lips before wrapping her in his arms and kissing her deeply. Pressing her into his chest, he kissed the top of her head and stroked her long hair. "Don't go out with him."
She pulled away and frowned. "Who? What are you talking about?"
"I know I don't have the right to ask this yet, and I know he's closer to your age, but don't go out with that Evans kid."
"Kyle? Seriously?"
"I don't want you seeing anyone else." He hugged her and asked, "Please?"
"I don't know, Chris." She pulled out of his arms.
Colby Jack sauntered into the room, approached the puddle cautiously and sniffed at it. He turned his green eyed gaze on them suspiciously for a moment, walked to the back door, and then looking their way expectantly, he yowled.
Chris obediently opened the door for him and the cat leapt onto the porch. "Now, where were we when we were interrupted by Kyle pounding on the back door?"
Blushing, she looked down. "We should finish cleaning up the water," she murmured.
"It can wait a few minutes longer." Slowly he lowered his mouth onto hers and encircled her with his arms.
Diane melted. Her lips parted and she took his head in both hands and held him to her. She probed with her tongue and pressed herself to him.
He held her close, felt her firm breasts against his chest, and shuddered with the anticipation of freeing them once more.
The peepers kept up their song in the darkness and a car's engine came to life outside, but the sound faded. Kyle must be taking Granny home.
A long sigh escaped from Diane as she finally pulled her mouth from his. Gasping, she held his gaze until he lightly brushed his lips over hers and deepened the kiss.
His hand slipped beneath her shirt and cupped her naked breast, gently stroking her nipple. Moaning he whispered, "Diane, I--"
Rapid footsteps thundered across the porch and the back door burst open.
"What the hell?" Chris lifted his head in disbelief as an angry Victoria Conners rushed in followed by her husband. She clutched a grocery bag and glared with hostility at Chris.
"You! What the hell are you doing here?" she stammered.
He closed his eyes and sighed, before reluctantly releasing Diane's breast and lifting his head. "Not much, I guess."
Vicky strode toward the refrigerator, but pulled up short before the puddle. "What happened here?" she asked in surprise.
Slipping behind Diane, Chris pulled her against his chest and spoke over her, "Like I said. Not much, I guess."
Chapter 9
"Rodriguez!" gasped Diane, pulling out of Chris's arms. "What's that woman doing here in Floyd?"
Chris winced when he saw the hurt look on her face. "I know, I know. She's here, but it's not what you think."
Jack looked at him and shook his head. "So your girl friend, Rodriguez, is here with you. You guys are a little far from home, aren't you?"
"She's not my girlfriend! We're not together," he insisted, sighing and slumping against the counter in frustration.
"Is that where you went yesterday? Did you leave to spend the day with her?" asked Diane softly.
"Yes, but only because I had to," Chris insisted.
"She keep you on a short leash, or what?" Jack sneered.
"Come on Chris," urged Vicky. "Tell us what's going on. What's Rodriguez doing in Floyd, if she's not with you?"
"She's sort of with me. It's entirely FBI business though."
"You do remember that woman arrested me, put me in handcuffs and dragged me down to the police station?" spat Diane. Angry tears filled her eyes and she turned to leave, but Chris laid a hand on her arm, stopping her.
"Don't go." He pulled out a chair for her. "Please, sit down and hear me out." . He sat next to her and reached for her hand. "Let me explain."
"You lied to me, Chris," said Diane stiffly. "You told me you weren't working with that woman anymore."
"I wasn't! Why would I want to work with that bitch?" He squeezed his eyes shut and winced. Shit! That remark's going to come back and bite me on the ass.
"So you both just showed up here," Jack drawled sarcastically. He crossed his arms and surveyed the group. "At roughly the same time we arrived in Floyd. And you expect us to believe that it's all some crazy coincidence."
It looks bad, but believe me, it is, just a coincidence."
"Yeste
rday, you told me that in law enforcement you don't believe in coincidences," said Diane.
"Yes," he said uneasily. "I did, but it is a coincidence that we're all here." He wrapped his big hands around hers, leaned towards her, and said earnestly. "We, I mean the Bureau doesn't suspect you of anything. Just trust me on this."
"Then how did you manage to arrive in Floyd at the same time I did? What about Jack and Vicky? Did you know they were going to be here too?" Diane's voice was cold and lifeless as she waited for his explanation.
"I'm not sure you can explain this one, Owen," said Jack, helping himself to a bottle of beer from one of the grocery bags. He didn't offer one to Chris, but eased into a seat across from them. "This is a pretty big-ass coincidence," he said.
Chris drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Listen. When I was given this assignment, I had no idea that any of you would be here."
"Really?" Vicky looked skeptical.
"First of all, Rodriguez is not now, and never has been, my girlfriend. We've been together on some investigations. Working, but that's all.
"But it was totally obvious that she was interested in you," said Vicky.
"Whatever. I never encouraged her." He spread his hands on the table top and began, "I'd been on a long-term undercover investigation." He turned to Diane. "That's why you hadn't heard from me in so long. I had some vacation time coming and I was going to call you and head back to Pippin's Grove to see you."
Diane looked surprised.
"Then my boss pressured me into helping him out on this case. He knew that I had property down here. Since I knew people here, he thought I'd blend in. It really was the perfect cover. Most people here don't even know I'm with the FBI. I requested that he let me handle the assignment on my own, even though it's customary to have a partner or other agents as backup."
"Then why did Rodriguez follow you here." Diane asked.
"The boss sent her down here yesterday and that was the first I knew of it." He paused and looked at the three faces watching him.
Finding Floyd Page 8
