Winner Takes All

by Judy Kentrus

  “How did you find out about their hopes and dreams?” Cindi asked.

  “During my research into Mildred’s financial background, I noticed the name of a physical therapist that comes to the house twice a week. I reached out to the therapist I worked with and asked if he could get me any information without violating patient confidentiality.”

  “She could get a lot of money if she sold those diamond-and-ruby rings she wears.”

  “Sorry to burst your bubble, sweetheart, but the stones aren’t real.” Calling her sweetheart in front of Lincoln and Jessie came as natural as breathing.

  “In other words, if we arrest Harold and Mildred, the other two will be left high and dry,” Jessie said.

  “That’s about the size of it.” Preston foresaw the dilemma Cindi would have to face, but refrained from offering his opinion. The decision to prosecute would have to be hers.

  “Harold threatened to harm Donut, ruined Pansy, dumped rotten, smelly garbage on our property and scared the life out of me by kidnapping our animals! What about the money Mildred embezzled? We’ve started an official investigation, and my name is on those records. I can still be arrested!”

  “No one is going to arrest you,” Jessie assured her.

  “When you look at the total picture, and I’m not saying he shouldn’t pay for what he did, but Harold’s motives weren’t selfish,” Lincoln said. “He wanted to protect his family and foster mother because he knew she had embezzled the funds. Who knows—if she hadn’t gotten sick, she might have put the money back like she did the other times.”

  “I can talk to the judge and fill her in on the situation,” Jessie offered. “You know my mother will take into consideration all phases of the investigation. She can devise a way to make them pay, but you’ll have to work with her since all of the complaints are in your name.”

  Cindi eyed the others sitting at the table and shook her head at the irony of the situation. “I know what you are all thinking. Life just isn’t fair!” She exhaled a deep sigh. “Guess it’s time to fall back on my personal motto, ‘Do a good deed, for a friend in need.’”

  Chapter 12

  That afternoon, the three amigos were in a snit. They’d gathered on top of Preston’s bed, their new favorite meeting place. Since their host was well aware of their gathering spot, he’d covered the bed with an older, softer blanket.

  A new animal had been brought to the farm. A girl, a prissy pygmy donkey Preston bought for Cindi. She sashayed up to each of them, sniffed and turned a conceited tail. Miss Samantha fawned over the little animal and called her Cheesecake. Said she needed a pretty straw bonnet with yellow-and-white daisies. The amigos decided to boycott the little critter and sulk.

  Preston pulled down the drive and parked along side the barn. He was glad to be home. He’d been given two new projects and asked himself why people had to be so dishonest. Depending on what he’d found, a trip to their LA office might be in his future.

  An hour after their morning meeting, Jessie called. The judge agreed to meet with Cindi tomorrow morning to discuss the complaints. She asked Preston to join them and bring along all of the evidence he’d gathered on the mother and son.

  He was anxious to get home before Cindi and wanted to see her reaction to the new addition to their farm family. He took off his tie and unbuttoned his shirt on his way into the bedroom and stopped short at the sight of his welcoming committee. They didn’t move off their spot on the bed, but gave him the evil eye.

  “Don’t tell me. You three are jealous of the new kid around here,” Preston laughed, tossing his clothes in the hamper. “This place is new to her, and she could use a few friends. How would you three feel if you went to a new home and were snubbed by the locals?” He lifted Donut into his arm and played the guilt card. “I’m surprised at you. She’s a pygmy too. That must mean she’s some kind of relative or something.” When the goat licked him on the cheek, Preston figured his message had gotten across. “I’m going back downstairs to wait for Cindi Pearl to meet Cheesecake. Stay here and sulk if you want.” He pulled his black muscle shirt over his head, stepped into his knee-length jean shorts and reflected on the past few minutes. He’d just had a one-sided conversation with three animals. It was crazy, but he liked the new life’s path he’d chosen to follow, as long he walked that trail with Cindi.

  “Do a good deed, for a friend in need.” Cindi had muttered the phrase half a dozen times as she drove home from work. It stuck in her craw that she would most likely drop the complaints. Carole and Ron would suffer if she didn’t do the right thing. There had to be a way to make Mildred and Harold pay, especially Harold. Her heart went out to Carole and Ron, wishing there was a way to help them fulfill their dreams.

  The sight of Preston’s fancy car brought a smile to her face. She could use some cheering up. One or two of his kisses would do the job. When she parked Sam’s Jeep in the equipment shed, she glanced at the adjoining empty space. She missed her little car. She hoped the shop would have Pansy fully restored the following week. The insurance company had sent her a check, minus her deductible. She was out five hundred dollars because of that horse’s ass, Harold!

  Something was different when she headed for the house. The three amigos hadn’t come out to greet her. Then she heard laughter in the rear of the barn. She changed direction and headed for the cow paddock. Preston and Samantha were perched on the top rail of the post-and-rod fence surrounding the pen, watching the animals frolic to a silent tune. Her eyes widened at the new addition to their farm.

  The pygmy donkey had to be a girl with her cute bonnet. Cupcake, Muffin and Donut marched single file around the pewter-gray donkey. Pound Cake and Brownie retreated to a corner of the compound to watch the show. Cookie perched atop a fence post and heralded the newcomer with numerous a cock-a-doodle-dos.

  Cindi was at a loss for words. The small ass had been fitted with a peg at the knuckle of the rear right leg. The previous owner had wrapped tape around her fake leg in a rainbow of colors.

  Preston heard the sniffles behind him, and he hopped down from the fence. He wasn’t surprised at the tears running down his love’s cheeks. “How do you like the new addition to our family?”

  The words “our family” zeroed in on her heart, and she threw her arms around his waist. “I love her! What’s her name? Where did she come from?” Preston tenderly dabbed at the wetness on Cindi’s cheeks with a white handkerchief.

  Sam’s heart clutched at the sight of the embracing couple. Being alone had never been a problem for her until these two had shown her that real love just might be possible. Only one man had ever come close to cracking the shell of hardness around her heart, but she had been on an undercover assignment and didn’t even know his real name.

  “You are not going to believe it,” Samantha said, “but her previous owner called her Cheesecake.”

  “Perfect!

  “I came across a picture of the little donkey while doing research,” Preston explained. “A local number was provided. Cheesecake has been the town vet’s patient all along, so Lisa Kay made the arrangements.” Preston wiggled his brows. “I just want to make a slight change to her name and call her Cherry Cheesecake.”

  “Cherry?” Cindi laughed, hoping she wasn’t blushing. She slipped a casual arm around Preston’s waist and slid a hand into the back pocket of his new shorts. The sleeveless shirt defined the raised slope of muscles on the upper part of his arms and heated up her libido. He was so built and deserved a pinch on his fine ass for adding the name Cherry to their new pet’s name. No, she’d just bite it later.

  Things were heating up fast, and Sam decided to make an exit. She jumped down from the rail and paused next to the embracing pair. “You’ll find a tray of bruschetta and fresh mozzarella and a bottle of wine chilling in the refrigerator. Dinner is in the oven. Dessert is cherry cheesecake.” Sam winked.

  “Aren’t you going to join us?” Cindi asked.

  “Nope. I’ve got a date.” />
  “With a man?” Cindi asked. Sam never dated.

  “Yes, but it’s not what you think. I’m meeting Sam Morlock at Tea in Time to go over blueprints. Marie Kelly’s twins, Connor and Brandon, have agreed to install the heating and air conditioning at a reduced rate and take care of all the special electrical wiring. If you two decide to go skinny dipping, watch out—I’ll be back by eleven,” Sam called out with a laugh on her way to the house.

  Samantha had set the table on the porch and lighted candles under three glass chimneys. The flickering firelight invited moths to dance in the soft radiance. The setting sun painted the sky a peachy-orange hue before fading into a soft bluish-gray, a prelude to the velvet darkness. It was a perfect night for lovers.

  “If Samantha ever decided to open a restaurant, there would be a stampede,” Preston said, wiping his mouth with a blue linen napkin. “That is the best eggplant parmesan I’ve ever eaten.”

  Cindi leaned back in her white wicker chair and put a hand to her full stomach. “She knows it’s my favorite. Cooking is just a hobby and a job. Baking is her passion.”

  “I know you’ve worked with her for ten years, a lot longer than I have, but do you know why she doesn’t date? She’s a very beautiful woman.”

  “She’s never gone into great detail about her life before she started working for Lincoln. I do know she ran away from home when she was sixteen and waitressed in a truck stop. She met and married an asshole trucker when she was eighteen. Their so-not-wedded-bliss lasted six months because he couldn’t keep his dick in his pants. He and his latest bimbo were killed in a motorcycle accident. Sam pulled her life together, went to college and became one of Adams Security’s first undercover operatives. She’s the best, and Lincoln was sorry she resigned. Opening Tea in Time has been her dream. She occasionally freelances for Lincoln to bring in extra money.”

  “Any man would be lucky to have her.”

  When Cindi started to gather their dirty dishes, Preston helped. “Let’s clean up and head to our favorite spot.” He had a little surprise. Since they spent so much time by the water, he’d made a slight improvement to the setting.

  They brought their glasses and what was left in the bottle of wine to the pond. To her delight, he’d added low solar-powered lamps around the shoreline and bench for soft lighting. The ducks were in the water, along with their guest mallards. Cherry and Donut sprawled on the dock. The tops of their heads were brushing.

  Cindi snuggled on Preston’s lap and leaned her head into his shoulder. “Tell me the truth. Who did you buy Cherry for, you or me?”

  He tightened his arms and kissed the top of her head. Her hair had the scent of sweet peaches. “I’ve been waiting for you to ask that question, and to be perfectly honest, I don’t know. An article on rescue animals came up while I was working on a project. I clicked on it and there was Cheesecake. Nicola Harding, her owner, accepted an assignment in London and was looking for responsible caregivers. I called Lisa Kay and she put it all together. If you really need an answer to your question, the little donkey is a gift of my love for you.”

  “That is very beautiful, but Cheesecake is a great deal more.” Cindi sat up and cupped his chin in her hands. He’d started wearing contacts and she missed his sexy, nerdy glasses. “Cherry Cheesecake is a symbol of acceptance, your acceptance of who and what you are: healed and complete. I love you, Preston Reynolds. I wake up every day and can’t wait to see you smile, hear your wonderful laugh, kiss you. Together we make up a whole.”

  Preston was awestruck by the boundless depth of her love and leaned in to give her a deep, enduring kiss. “It’s taken a while for me to accept what you’ve known all along. You helped me acknowledge I might have been some kind of hero. I look forward to surfing and water-skiing. You make me laugh, I wear shorts, I swim naked with you and our pet has a peg leg. Most important, you aren’t afraid to touch me, and we make beautiful love over and over again.”

  “All of that has been inside you. I just opened the door.”

  “I owe you something else.” Preston pulled his cell phone from his pocket and tapped a button to play a prearranged song. He urged her to stand up. “Miss Cindi Pearl Sullivan, may I have this dance?”

  “I’d be delighted, Preston James Reynolds.”

  Wrapped in each other’s arms, they moved slowly to James Taylor’s “My Romance.” My romance doesn’t need to have a moon in the sky. Preston began to sing with James Taylor, as they moved along the water’s edge. The night wind settled, and the frogs ceased their croaking. Even the ducks were drawn to the beautiful sound. By the way, I can make my most fantastic dreams come true. My romance doesn’t need a thing but you.

  “Hmm, and he sings too. Again,” she murmured, and reached for the bottom of his muscle shirt. “Feel like taking a swim? I’m not wearing any underwear,” she confessed with a breathy laugh.

  “Minx,” he chuckled, and got to work removing her shorts and camisole. “I also want to make love to you on the dock bathed in moonlight.”

  They’d dispensed with their clothes by the time the song ended a second time. Arm and arm, they made their way down the dock. Preston lowered himself to the boards. Cindi knelt beside his thigh, pressed the release button to remove his simulated leg and slid off the protective sleeve. The first time she’d helped, he was overwhelmed by her eagerness. He was slowly putting a plan together to show her how much he loved her.

  Before they slipped into the water, he gathered her in his arms and kissed her until they were both breathless. “I love you, so much.”

  “I love you too,” she sighed, taking an extra breath. He’d fuzzed her brain with that last powerful kiss. She gasped when a sudden splash of night-chilled water hit her in the face.

  “Last one in mucks out the barn,” he called, treading water.

  “You dirty cheater!” Cindi jumped in, dived under the water and bit him on the ass before coming up for air.

  “That’s how you want to play?” he laughed and slipped his hand between her legs. His fingers teased and sparked the already hot needs of her body. “Wrap your legs around me,” he urged, and clamped his lips on the hard nub of her breast. He couldn’t wait to make love to her on the dock and slid smoothly inside her.

  Yes, yes, his mind cried. He was whole.

  At ten the following morning, they met with Judge Margaret Taylor. She’d just removed her judge’s robe to reveal a deep, teal blue tailored suit. Around her neck were her beloved pearls, a gift from her late husband. She invited them to sit at the long conference table, bordered by floor-to-ceiling legal tomes. An array of colorful African violets thrived under the sunlight coming in the tall arched window, softening the formality of the judicial office.

  Cindi felt half put together. They’d decided to spend the night in their own beds, but she’d forgotten to set her alarm. The orchid shirtwaist was one of her favorites, but she didn’t have time to fuss with her hair and had gathered it up in a ponytail. Preston had dressed in one of his proper business suits. He’d forgone his contacts and the sight of him in his sexy glasses helped put her at ease. She reached for his hand under the table.

  “Cindi, I’ve reviewed the complaints, and if it was up to me, I’d bring them in and fry’em, but unfortunately, I have to abide by the law. As a judge, I am required to weigh the evidence to determine a judgment that is fair to you, the victim, and make the felons pay for their crimes. According to Preston’s concise report, Mildred Cummings helped herself to money slated for children. Her son defaced your personal property, but there aren’t any witnesses or proof he purchased the cans of paint. Security footage shows Harold purchasing the stuffed animal, but we have no proof he was the one who sent it to you. According to Preston’s follow-up report, they found utility bills in the garbage. The addresses were not in Webber’s sanitation pickup area, so we cannot connect him to the garbage dumped in the barn. If we brought Harold into court, a lawyer would argue that everything is circumstantial, and I would be
forced to agree with his representative.”

  “Whose side are you on?” Cindi challenged, before backing down. “Sorry, Judge. You make valid points and I respect your side of the law, but it sucks!”

  “Yes, it sucks,” Margaret agreed with an understanding smile.

  “Our security cameras caught him the day the package showed up at Adams Security,” Preston added. “Harold was driving the garbage truck that picks up the commercial containers in the rear of the building.”

  Margaret raised a brow. “No package, right?”

  “None.”

  “I know Mildred helped herself to the money,” Cindi said, “but I find it hard to believe she encouraged Harold to threaten me and destroy my property. I didn’t think there was a spiteful, malicious bone in her body. Look what she’s done for her foster children.”

  “That’s why I’ve been troubled with my findings,” Preston said. “Mildred doesn’t fit the standard profile of an embezzler. I’ve also been thinking about Ron. Lincoln has a team that handles gaming theft and fraud. We could talk to Ron and see if he’d be interested working from home for Adams Security.”

  Cindi leaned into Preston and gave him a quick kiss. “You are a genius!”

  “I’ve got an idea for Carole,” Margaret put in. “The town just approved the opening of a new store on the other side of the doggie spa and hotel. Lillian Charles, the chief of police’s daughter, is opening a shop featuring local artists. I can put her in touch with Carole to see if she’d like to display her paintings.”

  The judge’s cell phone indicated an incoming text. A slow smile filled her face when she finished reading the message and typed in a reply. “That was Jessie. Mildred Cummings just walked into police headquarters with Harold and demanded he be arrested. I told my daughter to bring them to my office.”