“It’s fine,” Mandy said. “It’s like camping … without the mosquitoes.”
James rubbed his thumb over Mandy’s cheek. “Does that mean we get to cuddle around a bonfire at some point?”
“Only if we can have s’mores.”
“I’ll definitely make sure that happens,” James said, returning to his unpacking. “Think of it this way, baby, we’re going to have nothing to focus on in this room but each other. I can think of a hundred different ways that’s going to benefit me.”
Mandy grinned, swatting his rear end playfully as she walked behind him and grabbed her own bag. By the time she rejoined him at the dresser, her eyes were somber. “Can I ask you a question?”
“No.”
Mandy frowned. “Why?”
“Technically that’s a question, and I just told you that you couldn’t ask one,” James pointed out. “As for why I don’t want you to ask a question, you have your serious face on. When that’s the case I know you’re about to dive into something really annoying and drive me crazy with questions I can’t answer.”
“How do you know you can’t answer them if I don’t get a chance to ask them?”
“Fine,” James said, giving in. “What is your question, baby?”
“Do you think Jake was embarrassed to bring Ally out here?”
“No.”
“Then how come he’s never introduced her to his family until now?” Mandy pressed. “How come you had to invite yourself along on this trip – and me by extension – to get him to ask Ally?”
“Because Jake is still mystified by how this whole relationship thing is supposed to work,” James replied. “I know it’s hard to remember because I’ve been nothing but perfect as a husband, but we had a few growing pains when we started out, too.”
Mandy rolled her eyes at the “perfect husband” reference. “I know, but … .”
“But nothing,” James said. “You already knew my parents. That made that part of our relationship easier. As you recall, though, I thought we were already living together when you took off and moved back into your apartment because you convinced yourself I didn’t love you – which still bugs the crap out of me.”
Mandy snickered. “I thought you weren’t going to bring that up again.”
“I’m sorry,” James said, holding his hands up. “I just don’t want you and Ally getting any crazy ideas into your heads. Jake loves Ally. He might be a dope about a few things until he learns all the ins and outs of a relationship. There’s nothing nefarious going on here, though. You two hens need to make sure you don’t go clucking up the wrong tree.”
Mandy narrowed her eyes. “Speaking of crazy ideas, I don’t suppose you want to test out that bed with me before dinner, do you? There’s a few things I want to … talk about … and I think it would be easier if we were naked.”
“That’s the best idea you’ve had all day, baby,” James said, abandoning his unpacking and grabbing his wife around the waist. “These are the crazy ideas I want you to focus on. Let everything else go, wife. We’re on vacation.”
Five
“That smells delicious,” Mandy said, leaning over to glance in the pot Mary rested in the middle of the table. “Is that chili?”
“With homemade cornbread,” Mary replied, affectionately tousling Jake’s hair as she moved past him. “This was always Jake’s favorite meal when he came to visit. He’d shovel eight bowls into his mouth in one sitting.”
“I’ve had dreams about this stuff,” Jake said, reaching for the ladle. “This is my favorite meal ever.”
Ally narrowed her eyes. “You said my seafood Alfredo was your favorite meal ever.”
Jake swallowed hard as he shifted his eyes to Ally. “I meant that this was my favorite meal until you started cooking for me, Angel.”
“Nice save,” James said.
The three couples sat around Ben and Mary’s expansive kitchen table. Mandy and Ally were thrilled because it had benches on two sides – just like Little House on the Prairie. Ben and Mary settled at the two ends of the table while the other two couples took the benches.
“So, Ally, do you like to cook?” Mary asked, placing her napkin on her lap as she sat.
“I do like to cook,” Ally replied, enthusiastically nodding. “I still have to follow a recipe because I don’t have very good instincts, but I enjoy learning.”
“That’s good,” Mary said. “Maybe I can teach you how to make this chili before you go. That way Jake won’t have to go so long between helpings.”
“I would love that.”
Mary turned to Mandy. “What about you, dear?”
Ally and James snorted in unison, earning reproachful glares from Mandy. “I … can cook breakfast,” Mandy said. “I’m not very good at cooking anything else.”
“That’s an understatement,” Ally muttered.
“I tried to take a cooking class,” Mandy added.
Mary looked intrigued. “Oh, how did that go?”
“Not very well.”
“And that was before one of her classmates tried to kill her,” Ally supplied.
Mary’s eyes widened. “One of your classmates tried to kill you? That’s awful. Was it because your cooking was terrible?”
Even though he didn’t have much of a sense of humor when it came to the trouble his wife seemed to collect like other women did porcelain cats, even James couldn’t hide his smile. “The woman was a little … crazy,” he said. “She was in love with the instructor and thought he was interested in Mandy. It was a whole … stupid … thing.”
“Still, that must have been terrifying,” Mary said. “Do you have nightmares?”
“Um … .” Mandy looked caught. On the laundry list of people who tried to hurt her, the cooking class incident didn’t rank high up on the traumatic list.
“Mandy has kind of a penchant for attracting crazy people,” James interjected. “She’s had her fair share of trouble. I don’t think this particular incident was anything that could give her nightmares.”
“What kind of trouble?” Ben asked.
“Nothing really,” Mandy lied.
“Oh, puh-leez,” Ally intoned. “She’s been stalked by a crazy guy who wanted her dad’s money, almost burned in a fire, almost blown up by the first crazy guy’s vengeful mother, followed home from her honeymoon by crazy international drug dealers, shot up by a creepy guy in a mask with a synthetic drug that almost killed her, kidnapped by crazy people in New Orleans, and almost tased by a nutso pregnant woman who never wanted to work.”
Mary’s face drained of color as Ben’s mouth dropped open.
“I see,” Ben said finally. “So, James, does your whole security business revolve around keeping your wife out of trouble?”
James shrugged. “She keeps me busy,” he said, squeezing Mandy’s hand before reaching for the cornbread. “Trouble just seems to find her.”
“You didn’t need to tell them all of that,” Mandy hissed, glaring at Ally over the table.
Ally shot her friend an apologetic look. She had no idea why she unloaded all of that on the Harrisons. She was nervous, and when that happened she tended to babble. “I … .”
“It’s fine,” James said, cutting his sister off. “It’s not like it’s a secret. Tell me a little about your trouble, Mr. Harrison.”
“Call me Ben.”
“Ben, Jake said that someone left a threatening note on the front porch and there’s been some problem with cattle,” James said. “Anything else?”
“This is a get-to-know-you dinner,” Mary interrupted. “You guys can start taking all of that out tomorrow. For tonight, I want to get to know Jake’s friends. I want to know how he’s living his life. You hear stories about Detroit on the news all the time. I’d like to be able to replace that horrible picture with something nice.”
“I don’t technically live in Detroit,” Jake replied. “Ally and I live in Clinton Township. It’s north of Detroit.”
“And yo
u moved into Ally’s house?” Mary asked.
“Yes.”
“And how about James and Mandy?” Mary asked, turning to them. “Do you live in Detroit?”
James fought the urge to laugh. Whenever anyone mentioned southern Michigan all anyone could picture was the horror stories playing out on the nightly news every evening. “We live in Harrison Township,” he replied. “The security office is in Sterling Heights. All three locations are only about twenty minutes from one another, but they’re still a decent ways away from Detroit.”
“And it’s a safe area?”
“I … well … my wife has been attacked twice at our home,” James answered. “It’s not as safe as I would like.”
“James,” Mandy grumbled, patting his knee. “Let’s not dwell on that.”
James forced a smile. “It’s safe,” he said. “I’m sorry for being a downer. I just don’t like my wife in danger.”
“Of course you don’t,” Mary said. “You obviously love her a great deal.”
James wrinkled his nose as he regarded Mandy. “More than anything.”
“Oh, you’re so cute,” Mary gushed. “How did you two meet?”
“Well, Ally and I were best friends when we were kids,” Mandy explained. “I was having some trouble from one of the psychos on Ally’s list and I ran into her one day. We hadn’t seen each other in about five years. She told me James ran a security business and I should go and see if he could help. I did and … here we are.”
“So, you knew each other as kids?” Ben asked.
James nodded.
“But you didn’t date back then?”
“I was too old for her,” James explained. “There’s a big difference between fourteen and eighteen. The difference doesn’t matter as much when you’re twenty-five and twenty-nine.”
“No,” Ben said, chuckling. “Still, it’s kind of cool that you guys found each other as adults.”
“I think it was meant to be,” Ally said, a faraway look in her eyes. “Now my best friend is also my sister-in-law. It was much easier for me to pick an acceptable wife for James than to end up with someone I didn’t like.”
Ben smiled. “I like you, Ally,” he said. “You just say whatever comes to your mind, don’t you?”
“Oh, I … .” Ally faltered. “I have a big mouth. I’m sorry. I don’t think before I speak sometimes.”
“That’s not a bad thing,” Ben said. “It means you’re honest … and I happen to like honest people.”
“I guess that’s good.”
Jake squeezed Ally’s hand under the table. She was nervous. He was hoping a low-key meal with his aunt and uncle would cure her of that.
“And how did you and Ally meet, Jake?” Mary asked.
“Actually I met Grady first,” Jake explained. “He’s another Hardy brother. He was ironically looking for the suspect who tried to blow Mandy up. He thought it might be one of the veterans I volunteer to help down at that tent city I told you about.”
“Do you still do that?”
“I do.”
“Good for you,” Ben said. “Go on with your story.”
“Anyway, Grady took me over to James’ apartment one night because I had some information, and while I was there Ally came barreling in and made a scene,” Jake said, smiling at the memory. “She was a bundle of energy and I remember James being really annoyed because she didn’t knock.”
“She still doesn’t knock,” James muttered.
“And how did you two start dating?” Mary asked.
“Well, she was having a little bit of trouble and … um … we got in a fight about her safety and we just kind of grew from there,” Jake replied.
“Oh, so you had a huge fight that led to a big kiss and it was over for both of you,” Mary said, her eyes twinkling. “That sounds about right.”
“It took us a little longer than that,” Ally clarified. “I don’t think Jake was looking for a relationship when we met.”
“No, I wasn’t,” Jake agreed. “A relationship found me, though, and I’m happy to be wrong on that front.”
“Oh, you guys are adorable, too,” Mary enthused. “Everyone is just so adorable.”
“I agree,” Ally said, kicking her heels under the prairie bench. “I am definitely adorable.”
“I LIKE your aunt and uncle,” Ally said, walking out of the bathroom to find Jake shirtless and getting ready for bed. She loved his bare chest and the way his muscles rippled when he moved. He was absolute perfection.
“I’m glad, Angel,” Jake said, glancing up. “They like you, too. You know that, right?”
“Of course they like me,” Ally scoffed. “What’s not to like?”
After Ben told Ally he liked honest people, the fiery brunette was feeling more relaxed. Jake couldn’t have been happier with the change in her demeanor. He wasn’t used to seeing her fidgety and uncomfortable.
“There’s absolutely nothing not to like,” Jake said, shuffling toward Ally and drawing her to him. She was dressed for bed, a simple tank top and cotton shorts covering her. Jake was hoping he would be able to negotiate less clothing in the next few minutes. “Ally, I’m glad you’re here. I love you.”
Ally smiled, turning her bare face to his and accepting his sweet kiss. “I love you, too.”
Jake pushed Ally’s hair back so he could marvel at her beauty. “You know, I really do think you could win America’s Next Top Model if you wanted to.”
Ally giggled. “I think you want to get lucky.”
“I think I already am lucky, Angel.”
“Well, you’re about to get luckier.” Ally tackled Jake onto the bed, taking him by surprise. He laughed as she rolled on top of him, pinning him with her weight. They both knew he was strong enough to dislodge her if he so desired, but he was happy letting her be the boss tonight. “Now that I have you exactly where I want you, what do I want to do with you?”
“I don’t know,” Jake said, wetting his lips. “I should point out that we have to be up in seven hours, though. While I know you like to drag these games out – and I generally enjoy it, too – you rise with the sun on a farm.”
Ally furrowed her brow. “Are you telling me you’re going to be quick on the draw tonight, pardner?”
“You know they don’t talk like that around here, right? Don’t say anything like that to anyone else. They might not find you as cute as I do … and, just for the record, no man wants to be accused of being quick on the draw.”
“It sounds to me like you want to fire all your rounds before I even get my gun out,” Ally said, adopting a thick southern drawl.
“Oh, yeah?” Jake grabbed Ally’s waist, flipping her over so he was on top of her. “I’ll show you how quick I am,” he muttered, sucking her bottom lip into his mouth. “I’m going to torture you all night tonight, Angel. I don’t want to hear one complaint about how tired you are tomorrow morning. Do you understand?”
“That sounds mighty agreeable to me, pardner,” Ally shot back, screeching as Jake proceeded to tickle her ribs. “You’d best dust your spurs off and get your boots to knocking, because I’ve got big plans for you tonight.”
“You’d better get in line,” Jake challenged. “You have no idea what I’m about to do to you.”
Six
Jake woke the next morning to someone banging on the cabin door. He shifted to his side, glancing at the window to find it was still dark. He hopped out of bed, grabbing his boxer shorts from the floor and sliding into them as he moved to the door. Ben waited on the other side.
“I’m sorry to wake you so early,” Ben said, hopping from one foot to the other. “It’s just … the police are down on the eastern ridge of the property. They found a body on the other side of our fence.”
Jake’s mind was still muddled from sleep. “I don’t understand. If the body was found on the other side of the fence that means it wasn’t found on your property. Do you know who it is?”
“No,” Ben said, shaking
his head. “They sent a deputy to get me. They want me to go down there and look things over. I figured you’d want to go with me.”
“I do,” Jake said, dragging his hand through his hair as he tried to collect himself. “I need to throw some clothes on and make sure Ally knows where I’m going. Go and wake James up. He’s going to want to go, too. Just … be careful to knock. They have a tendency to sleep naked and James’ sense of humor regarding other people seeing his wife naked isn’t much to write home about.”
Ben offered his nephew a half-hearted chuckle. “I don’t blame him. I … are you sure you want me to wake him up?”
“He’s going to want to see the scene,” Jake answered. “He’s a visual guy. He’ll be fine. Give me ten minutes to get dressed. I’ll meet you out front then.”
Ben nodded curtly and left the cabin. Jake closed the door, shifting to find Ally sitting up in bed with the sheet clutched to her chest.
“What’s going on?”
“Uncle Ben says the police just woke him up,” Jake explained, moving toward Ally. “They found a body next to his fence on the eastern side of the property. He doesn’t know who it is, but he wants me to go with him.”
“Okay … .” Ally was still confused from heavy slumber. “Give me a second to get dressed.”
“No, I want you to stay here in bed, Angel,” Jake said, leaning over so he could kiss her forehead. “You can get another hour of sleep. I’ll be back in time to take you to breakfast up at the main house.”
“I can go with you,” Ally offered.
“I would feel better if you stayed here and didn’t see the dead body at the crack of dawn,” Jake countered. “Stay here. Stay warm. I’ll see you in a little bit.” Jake kissed her forehead again once she settled back against the pillows. “I like the idea of you being naked and waiting for me.”
“Okay.” Ally stifled a yawn. “I … .” She was already drifting off.
“I love you, Angel,” Jake whispered, kissing her cheek. “Sleep well.”
“IS Mandy okay with you leaving her at the cabin?” Jake asked James as they made their way toward the flashing police lights thirty minutes later. The sun was crossing the horizon, so it wasn’t hard to navigate the field as they picked their way across it. Ben was in the lead, his face grim as he focused on the assembled police officers.
Deadly Desperados Page 4
