by Curry, Edna
“For one thing, she said she wanted it to stay in the family, if possible. For another, she didn’t like him and said his offer was a joke.”
Loni chewed her lip. “Oh, but—”
Dinner was announced, ending the conversation as they all found places at the long table. Loni sat opposite of Matt and, thankfully, George took a seat far down from them.
Throughout the chamber business meeting, Loni seemed cheerful. She didn’t pay Matt much attention which sent an uncomfortable wave of jealousy through him although he tried his best to hide it. Did she already regret last night’s lovemaking?
Don Bowers, the handsome local dentist who had also recently returned to his home town, had taken the seat beside her and seemed to have most of her attention tonight.
“You remember Mom, don’t you?” Don asked Loni.
Loni nodded. “Your mother and I are next door neighbors now. I’m staying in Aunt Dee’s house.”
“I heard Dee went to California to care for her sister.”
“I saw Janet last week and told her how lovely her tulips were this year.”
“Yeah,” Don agreed. “Mom likes working in her flowerbeds. The doctor says it’s good for her. It takes her mind off her heart problems.”
Loni gasped. “Janet has heart problems? I didn’t hear about that.”
Don nodded. “Yeah. That was what convinced me to come back here to practice. She’s all alone here since Dad died.”
“I’m sure she likes having you here,” Loni agreed.
Matt glared at the tall, blond young man. The way Loni smiled at Don made Matt’s stomach clench. Another example of how much of an outsider he was. After all, Don was a local and so was Loni. Naturally, she had more in common with Don.
“Don was two years ahead of me in school. He played football on the team when I was a cheerleader,” Loni told Matt. She sent Don an admiring glance. “He usually made enough points to win the game for us.”
“I see.” And he did see. Old connections were important. Matt listened to them chat about the past, feeling left out.
Don asked her to dinner the next evening and she accepted. Right under his nose.
Damn. So much for thinking of Loni as his girl. How could he compete with her high school football hero? And why should he want to? He’d only met Loni a few days ago. Why was he upset because she liked someone she’d known for years? It was none of his business. He had no claim on her, no right to question who she dated.
But had she accepted Don’s invitation to send Matt a message that she didn’t want an exclusive relationship with him? His stomach churned at the idea.
Their president tapped a knife on his glass for attention and called the meeting to order. For the next hour, Matt tried hard to concentrate on the discussion of Chamber business, but his eyes kept straying to Loni and his mind wandered from the business at hand.
Finally, the meeting ended and he drove her back to Canton. She leaned back against the seat saying little, her eyes closed and her blonde hair splayed against the seat. He sent her a long glance, admiring her profile, her lovely, pert nose and full, kissable lips. He felt himself tighten with need and turned back to watch the dark road. He had no right to feel that way, no claim on her at all.
He longed to ask her why she’d accepted Don’s invitation after their lovemaking the other night, but was afraid she’d break up with him entirely if he acted possessive. Best to play it by ear, one day at a time.
Back in Canton, he stopped beside her car in the parking lot.
“Thanks for the ride.” She climbed out.
“You’re welcome. I’ll follow you home.”
“That’s not necessary, Matt.”
“I know, but I want to be sure there are no more ugly surprises waiting.”
She nodded, got in her car and drove to her house. This time, the outside light shone brightly and everything seemed in order. He went inside with her and walked through her house, just to be sure.
“All clear,” he assured her, coming back to where she waited by the door.
“Thanks for checking and for seeing me home, Matt,” she said. The light floral scent she wore teased his nose and made his pulse race.
“You’re welcome.” He took advantage of her closeness and wrapped his arms around her, then bent his head and kissed her. She gasped and seemed to sway against him, her soft lips parting to accept his kiss. Warmth slid through his veins until he felt the effects down to his toes.
He’d wanted to kiss her all evening, but somehow hadn’t expected her to respond quite like this. Not after she’d accepted a date with Don. She fit into his arms perfectly and tasted even better. Would she let him stay and make love to her tonight?
But she pulled back and stared at him for a long moment before she murmured goodnight. With a sigh, he said goodnight and stepped outside. The door closed with a snap. A soft bump told him she’d leaned against it. Apparently the kiss had affected her as much as him, even if this time, she hadn’t let him stay.
He grinned all the way home.
* * * *
That night Matt dreamed of Don Bowers. His car soared through the air over a cliff and landed with a horrible crunching crash, hundreds of feet below.
Matt tossed and turned. He finally woke at five in the morning with a pounding migraine and nausea. He got up, took his medication and made a pot of coffee, knowing he’d never get back to sleep. He stared out at the sky, which now grew brighter signaling sunrise, and wished he had someone in whom to confide.
Matt hated these dreams. He’d like to think this one was brought on by jealousy over Don’s attention to Loni. He was, after all, very attracted to her himself.
It would only be natural to dream of Don being eliminated as a rival, Matt tried to convince himself.
But past experience told him the dream was more. Several times since childhood, he’d known of a future bad event, either through a dream about it or a vision. He hated this ability.
The last time he’d had a dream like this one, his cousin Dave had died in a plane crash while training at his army base, a thousand miles away from him. He hadn’t dared tell anyone then, either, for fear it, like other dreams before it, would come true.
When he’d heard the details of Dave’s accident which closely mirrored his dream, chills had run along his veins. Worse had been the fear that he could somehow have prevented it, if he’d told someone. Which was a ridiculous idea. As if the army would have stopped all its training exercises because he’d told them he had a bad dream.
What should he do about this dream about Bowers? No one here knew of his crazy ability to foresee disasters. Would they all think he was nuts if it got out? Would people avoid his fledgling business and force him to start over somewhere else?
Or, if something did happen to Don, would they think he’d caused it somehow? Who knew?
In the end, he went to work and said nothing. Maybe nothing would happen this time and it would all turn out to be only a nightmare brought on by his jealous imagination.
* * * *
On Saturday morning in her gift shop, the phone rang. Loni picked it up.
“Hi,” Don said. “Just double checking on our dinner date tonight. Is seven okay?”
“Sure, Don.”
“Good. I’ll pick you up. Wear your dancing shoes. There’s a new band playing at the Lagoon starting at eight.”
“Okay, that sounds like fun.”
“I need to check on Mom for a minute before I pick you up, so don’t worry if you see me drive past your place first.”
Loni laughed. “You’re such a card, Don. Why would I worry if you drove past?”
“I’m crushed. Girls used to worry that I would stand them up.”
“We’re not in high school any longer.”
“Too bad. It was a lot more fun than being grown up.”
“I agree with that all right. See you at seven.” Loni hung up and turned to find Maria standing beside her. “Oh! I didn�
�t hear you come in.”
“A hot date with Matt?” Maria asked casually.
Matt’s lovemaking and last night’s goodnight kiss popped into her mind and heat flowed through her veins. Loni pushed the remembrance away and shook her head. “No, with Don Bowers.”
“Oh, our football hero.”
She turned off the cell phone on the counter in front of her and snapped irritably, “Don’t live in the past, Maria. It’s just dinner. I need to get out a bit.”
“Yeah, I suppose it would get a bit lonely out there watching TV all by yourself.”
“I don’t watch much TV.”
“What do you do then? I don’t remember you doing crafts or having any hobbies.”
“I’ve been reading a book every night.”
Maria laughed. “That I do remember. Mrs. Saunders used to say you read more than anyone else in town.”
At the mention of the librarian, Loni pulled a face. “That old biddy still hates me as much as ever, too.”
“Oh, pooh,” Maria scoffed. “Nobody ever pays any attention to her. She’s the town’s biggest gossip.”
“All the more reason to avoid her.”
* * * *
In his Minneapolis apartment, the man tuned his special receiver to the specific wavelength he’d programmed for that crystal ‘gift’ John had delivered to Loni at her gift shop.
First there was only static, and then he heard Loni’s voice.
“See you at seven.” Then a sound like a phone hanging up. “Oh! I didn’t hear you come in.”
This little gem was working. “You did good, John,” he said aloud and sat back to listen. She was coming in loud and clear.
“A hot date with Matt?” a woman’s voice asked casually.
Then he heard Loni’s voice again. “No, with Don Bowers.”
“Oh, our football hero.”
Loni snapped irritably, “Don’t live in the past, Maria. It’s just dinner. I need to get out a bit.” The voices faded as apparently they moved out of range.
So, the bitch was dating again. She still wasn’t listening to him. How many times did he have to tell her she was his and his alone? She had no right to date anyone else. He smashed one fist into his other hand in frustration. She would pay. Her date would pay.
He sat at his desk and brooded. Would she go home with him and fuck this guy? He couldn’t stand the thought. What did this guy have that he didn’t? Why did she accept this date with Don, when she’d refused every one of his own offers?
He pictured her lying naked in her bed the night he’d drugged her and taken her home. His prick engorged in joy at the memory. He’d been such a fool. Why hadn’t he fucked her then, even if she was out and wouldn’t know it? He’d at least have that memory.
But never mind, he’d have his turn. He’d make her so hot and come so hard and so many times, she’d never look at another man again. Then she’d be his forever! But first, he had to fix this situation.
He went online again and found everything he could on Don Bowers in Canton, Minnesota. He found Don’s home address, his car license number, his picture on his college alumni website, his high school football hero stories in the local paper’s archives.
Damn football heroes were the worst. Girls always ate up that sports hero crap. Usually the guys were stupid, but this one didn’t seem to be. He was a dentist, so a college grad. But he’s stupid enough to try taking away my woman. Well, he doesn’t know who he’s up against this time. He’ll pay for that!
He stepped to his wall shelving and admired his collections. Tiny carved wooden animals. Miniature crystal statues. All neatly arranged in the order he’d bought them. But his special shelf was the best. It held tiny crystal decanters, one from each city where he’d lived in the past few years. And inside each decanter was a treasured memento from that city--a lock of shiny blonde hair. With a slim, manicured finger, he caressed the last one he’d gotten. He’d already bought a decanter for Minneapolis. It only waited for its treasure. Soon.
He shut down his computer. His new clients could wait. To hell with their emergency website fix. His own problems came first. That was why he earned money, wasn’t it, to buy what he wanted? Otherwise what good was it?
* * * *
Don Bowers is as handsome and funny as ever, Loni thought as she cut into her steak. He’d picked her up as promised. Now they sat at the Lagoon Restaurant, catching up and watching the sun set over Deer Lake. Purple martins darted in and out of a multi-level birdhouse on a pole outside the picture window.
“You’re always such fun to be around, Don.”
“Thanks. I enjoy your company, too,” Don said. “Though you’ve seemed a little sad and edgy each time I’ve seen you since you came back to town. Is anything wrong?”
“No, of course not,” Loni lied. “I’m fine.”
“Well, if I can help you with anything, just let me know.” He reached across the table to cover her hand with his.
“Thanks. I appreciate that.” She sent Don a warm smile.
He met her gaze. “I mean it, Loni. Just call me. I’m pretty good at solving problems, financial or whatever.”
If only it was as simple as that. Just tell her friends the problem and they’d take care of it. She stared out over the lake, wishing she could return to the days when life had been that easy. Back in high school, her parents had taken care of any problems she’d had. They were gone now and, in any case, she wouldn’t ask her family or friends to solve this problem. Better if they didn’t even know about it. Safer for them.
If the police couldn’t do anything about it, could anyone? She pushed the thought away as the waitress appeared with more coffee.
“Can I get you some dessert?”
“Oh, no, thank you,” Loni said. “I couldn’t possibly eat another bite.”
“Me, neither,” Don agreed. He gave the waitress his credit card. She hurried off and returned a few minutes later with his card and a copy of the bill for his signature.
After they’d finished their coffee, Don asked, “Ready to check out the band downstairs?”
“Sure.” Loni put down her cup. “It sounds terrific.”
They followed the sound of bouncing music down the stairs to the large open party room. Tables and chairs lined the walls and couples swayed to the music on the hardwood floor in the center. Dancing multicolored lights added to the party atmosphere. Several people they knew waved them over to share their table. The others were drinking, but Loni had refused alcohol earlier so Don ordered soda for both of them.
They danced several dances and then sat and enjoyed visiting with others they knew.
It was almost midnight when Don drove her home and walked her to her door.
“Thanks for a lovely evening, Don,” she said. “I don’t know when I’ve had such a good time.”
“I enjoyed it, too,” he said. He kissed her goodnight and drove off.
She watched him go, touching her lips. His kiss had been nice, but only nice. It hadn’t sent excitement running along her veins like Matt’s kisses did.
* * * *
The next morning Loni drove downtown to the Flame for her usual Sunday morning breakfast with Maria and Jolene. The restaurant occupied the whole first floor of the half-block long, white frame building, with several apartments above it. For as long as Loni could remember, it had been the local hangout.
Both women already sat at a table in the corner of the large, cheerful dining room when Loni arrived. “Good morning.”
“Morning, Loni. We’ve ordered the usual for you, okay?”
“That’s fine.” She took a chair opposite them.
“Have you heard the news?” Jolene asked, her voice sounding wary.
“Heard what?” Loni poured herself a cup of coffee from the carafe on the table.
Jolene and Maria exchanged glances. Maria said, “She hasn’t.”
“What?” Loni’s stomach curled in dread. “Tell me. It’s something bad, isn’t it?”<
br />
“Yes. There was a serious accident last night, Loni,” Jolene said.
“Who?” she asked, her tongue almost too dry to form the word. The expressions on their faces said someone they cared about had died.
Maria covered Loni’s hand with her own, and said gently, “Don Bowers. He went over the cliff on the Landers hill last night. We just heard a while ago.”
“Oh, God,” Loni said, her gaze darting from one face to the other. “That can’t be true.”
“I’m afraid it is. They’ve already brought up his car and taken his body to the morgue for an autopsy.”
“But…but I was with Don last night until he brought me home at almost midnight.” Loni picked up her cup with shaky fingers and swallowed some coffee to wet her dry mouth.
“Really?” Jolene said, surprised.
“Oh!” Maria said, clapping a hand to her mouth. “I forgot you told me you had a date with Don last night. The accident must have happened on his way home, then.”
“Sheriff Ben is investigating,” Jolene said. “If you saw Don last night, I’m sure he’ll want to talk to you.”
Loni’s stomach knotted. She liked Ben, but he was still the sheriff and he’d be calling in his official capacity. It was a grim reminder of the other times she’d been involved with the police, about the still-unsolved jewelry store robbery in Chicago, the arson at her apartment building and the scary phone calls since.
The waitress brought their food and they ate, but Loni barely tasted hers. She couldn’t keep her mind on idle chatter when her friend had died only a few hours before.
After breakfast, she bought a Sunday paper and returned home. She called the sheriff’s office and left a message for Ben. Then she picked up the Sunday paper and tried to settle down to read the comics, but her mind kept filling with awful images of Don’s car. She imagined it hurtling down the cliff. She knew the St. Croix River valley where Maria had said the accident occurred. It was only a few miles downriver from where they’d picnicked a couple of Sundays ago.
Ironically, their high school crowd, including Don, had often canoed that river and hiked that scenic valley, enjoying the rock formations, trails and cliffs.
