The brush dug into my scalp. “I can’t hold still.” I twisted away from her.
“Now look what you’ve done.” She reached out and grabbed the brush handle, giving what I thought was a particularly hard tug.
“Ouch!”
“Be still. The brush is tangled in your hair.”
Having had enough grooming, I threw Bradford a nasty look when his booming laughter accompanied Diamond’s scolding.
“Stop,” I said just as the door opened to admit Deena.
Standing awkwardly on the threshold, her eyes took in the scene of Bradford sitting close by my bed, his face wreathed in a boyish smile, and Diamond struggling with the entangled brush. Her smile faded.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” I exclaimed with a laugh, overcompensating for the domestic picture we presented. I knew she imagined the worst.
Frosty eyes met mine as she crossed the room. “I’m glad to see you’re feeling better.” She bent over the bed to kiss my cheek then addressed Bradford. “How nice of you to stop by, Sam. Is this an official visit?”
Bradford stood and introduced Diamond. After the pleasantries were exchanged, he pulled up another chair to my bedside. Diamond lounged against the window sill, her expressive eyes watching as Bradford motioned to my sister. “Please have a seat,” he said. “This is an official visit, but not what you’re thinking. We need your help with a serious matter.”
She slid gracefully onto the chair. “What’s this about? Jolene, is there a problem you’re not telling us?”
“I’m fine for now,” I assured her. “Bradford will explain.”
And he did without interruption.
After he finished, Deena looked at us in turn. “That’s the most incredible story I’ve ever heard. Is someone really trying to kill her?”
I nodded. “Twice now. Not to mention there have been a lot of strange incidents lately. A prowler around my house—”
“Good Lord, why didn’t you tell us?” Deena grabbed my hand. “You could’ve come and stayed with me.”
“And expose you to danger?” I shook my head. “Never.”
Deena turned her attention back to Bradford. “You’re sure this scheme will work?”
“It will with your help,” he said. “Officer Presley will protect Jolene during the day, and I’ll be with her at night.”
“And don’t forget I’m pretty handy with a gun,” I added.
“One day you’re going to accidentally shoot someone,” Deena said, scowling. “You and Billie Jo act like Whiskey Creek is the wild, wild west.”
I returned her frown. “Well, considering the fact that gangsters are after me, I’d say that’s a pretty good comparison.”
Over by the window, Diamond gave a soft chuckle.
“Exactly what is my role in this scheme of yours, Sam?” Deena asked.
“We need your help convincing others we’re a new and happy couple, and that my moving into Jolene’s house might seem like we’re moving fast, but we’re in love.”
“I told Bradford I won’t go along with his plan if this causes you pain,” I pressed, watching her expression carefully as it shifted from moment to moment.
“Strictly a police arrangement,” Bradford added. “Jolene’s life is in danger.”
Deena took my hand in hers. “I’ll do anything to keep you safe.” She smiled for the first time since arriving. “Now, if we’re to convince the masses you’re a couple, you’ll have to follow my instructions.” Her tone turned businesslike. “Sam, let me see you kiss Jolene.”
That surprise almost sent me over the edge. “I don’t think that’s necessary,” I sputtered, my eyes darting to Bradford who seemed amused by the suggestion. “We won’t be indulging in any public displays of affection.”
Deena frowned at me. “And how else are you going to convince Mama this is real? She’s going to be expecting it. You asked for my help, and this is it.”
“But I didn’t have a chance to brush my teeth after lunch,” I protested.
“He’s not removing your tonsils with his tongue.” Deena snickered. “I want to see how much work is needed to make this believable.”
Diamond gave me a thumbs-up from her position by the window.
Heat crept into my face as Bradford leaned over the bed and lightly touched his lips to mine. The kiss, almost a whisper, lasted for a moment but felt like an eternity. As he lifted his head, his eyes were shuttered, unreadable. He resumed his seat.
“That’ll do for a start,” Deena said, unaware of the emotional aftermath the simple kiss had evoked. “The awkwardness will go away with practice. Just be natural with one another and for heaven’s sake, relax, Jolene. Pretend you like it.”
Pretend I like it! Damn, I wasn’t dead—yet. I did like it, which presented the problem with this whole screwed-up plan. This contrivance would have lingering repercussions I hadn’t counted on. I had to nix it before I lost my heart. “Perhaps Diamond could move in with me instead of Bradford,” I suggested.
“Won’t work,” Bradford said in an even voice. “Diamond has her grandmother to care for at night, and she’s the only female on the force, so you’re stuck with me.”
Resigned, I leaned back against the pillows. Living in close quarters with this man was liable to produce enough stress to induce a heart attack.
Deena dropped a sisterly arm about my shoulders. “Cheer up. It’s only until Sam nabs the bad guys. I’m sure everything’s going to work out fine. You’ll see. But for now, why don’t we let your new assistant begin by doing something with your hair?”
Events were moving way too fast in my life, and I was trying to mask my uncertainty and irritation when Scarlett materialized, clad in a blue velvet dressing gown, basketball boobs practically bouncing out of the plunging neckline. She plopped down on the bed and proclaimed in the haughtiest tone I’d heard from her yet, “Finally! I’ve been looking all over for you. Why’s that brush stuck to your head?”
Deena released me and moved quickly away from the bed, her eyes wide and startled. Her brows drew downward in a frown as she positioned herself against the far wall, her purse clutched to her stomach as if frightened. That gave me pause. Like me, could she possibly sense spirits?
I gave my ghostly visitor a hostile stare. This was her fault, after all. If she hadn’t convinced me to return to her house, I wouldn’t have been in the wrong place at the wrong time, and landed in this hospital room—with a new assistant I didn’t need or want, and a confused sibling who probably believed I’d cooked up this whole gangster story to snatch her old boyfriend right after he’d dumped her a second time.
Before I could piece together something to fill the sudden silence, a nurse marched in and ordered everyone out so she could change my bed. Bradford made a brief show of affection, promising to return by evening to take up guard duty. In the meantime, he promised I’d be perfectly safe with Diamond positioned outside my door. With a quick kiss on my brow, he and Diamond left the room. Deena cautiously approached the bed, leaning down to brush a kiss across my cheek. “Your secret is safe with me. No one will know from me that you and Sam are faking it.”
“Thanks for going along with this craziness,” I said. “Could you dissuade the rest of the family from visiting until I get out of here? I’m exhausted with all this drama.”
“Sure thing, sis.” Her gaze held mine briefly then she exited, leaving me alone with the nurse and Scarlett, who draped herself over my bed.
“You look terrible,” Scarlett said.
“Thanks.”
The nurse helped me sit in the chair beside the bed. “You’re welcome, my dear. You’ve had enough company this afternoon. Dr. Hadley wants you rested before you go home tomorrow.”
I lifted my gaze from Scarlett to smile at the nurse. “That’s the best news I’ve heard today. I’m tired of lying around in this bed.”
“Are you sick?” Scarlett asked.
“I had a car accident, remember?” I informed Scarlett ra
ther stiffly. Although I needed to talk to her, my anger hadn’t cooled. She had abandoned me in my hour of need. I would’ve told her so if the nurse hadn’t looked so confused.
“Dr. Hadley is the best doctor in town,” the nurse said, clucking at me. “You’re going to make a full recovery. I wouldn’t worry.” She quickly changed the linens and then helped me bathe and put on a clean nightgown, before settling me back in the bed.
“What’s that?” I pointed to the needle she was injecting into the IV bag hanging over my head.
“Just a little sedative to help you rest.”
“I don’t need a sedative,” I protested. “I wanna watch TV.”
“Doctor’s orders,” she said as a wave of drowsiness hit me. Scarlett, who wavered at the end of my hospital bed, appeared wrapped in a fuzzy cocoon that obscured her features.
“Great balls of fire!” she hollered.
“Great balls of fire to you, too.”
“You’re a strange bird, Miz Claiborne,” the nurse said as my eyelids slammed down, and I drifted off into a drugged slumber.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The Haunted Salon
The next morning, Mama sailed into my hospital room with a stern-faced expression and headed straight for Bradford, who sat in the same chair he’d spent the night in. Luckily, Diamond wouldn’t report for guard duty until later, so we wouldn’t have to explain her official presence to my agitated parent. Bradford had just taken my hand to assure me everything would be fine. I, in turn, was gazing gratefully into his face.
Evidently, we portrayed a loving couple to my overwrought mother. I braced myself for what was coming.
“I’m sure you’ll understand my confusion in all this,” she said. “Imagine my surprise when Deena shows up on my doorstep this morning with this outrageous story of how the two of you found love in the middle of a crisis. Horse manure. I don’t believe it. What’s really going on here?”
Bradford stood and dropped a light kiss on my forehead. “Now, I’m terribly sorry if you misconstrued my relationship with Deena, but I’ve been interested in Jolene from the start. Deena and I are just old friends.”
“That’s what she said, too. I don’t believe it. There’s more here than meets the eye.”
He merely nodded. “If you say so, ma’am.”
Luck smiled down upon us when the door opened to admit Deena and the assistant pastor from church, Bill Mahoney.
“Mama, I told you not to bother Jolene and Sam this morning,” she said with a wide smile and crossed over to the bed to kiss my cheek. “I brought reinforcements,” she whispered. “He knows everything.”
I grabbed her wrist and twisted down hard when Mama turned to greet Bill. “Deena! You promised to keep quiet.” I scolded in a soft whisper.
She grimaced. “I needed help. You know how Mama is. I had to be interested in someone else if she was to believe that you and Sam are for real.”
“This better work.” I released her.
“It will,” she said, and turned to introduce her escort. “Sam, this is William Mahoney from First Baptist Church. Bill, this is Jolene’s boyfriend, Detective Sam Bradford of the WCPD.”
“Call me Bill.”
They exchanged handshakes and carried on a light conversation. Mama kept a watchful eye on all of us. Finally, she seemed to relax her guard and even smiled when Bradford showered me with attention, which made me uncomfortable under the circumstances.
When this charade concluded, there would be hurt feelings and perhaps a broken heart or two. Including mine, I thought with regret. Again, I questioned the wisdom of Bradford’s scheme.
A little after ten, a nurse interrupted our impromptu gathering with welcome news of my release. Dr. Hadley had signed my discharge papers, and they would be up from administration soon. The men excused themselves from the room while Deena and Mama helped me dress in a pair of jeans, cotton blouse, and flats for my trip home.
I’d just finished gathering my things together when another nurse came in with the papers. “All done. Just one more signature and you’re free to leave. Follow Dr. Hadley’s home care instructions and call his office for a follow-up visit. And only part-time work for now, okay?”
I nodded and sat down in the wheelchair. Deena and Bill excused themselves, promising to check in on us later. Mama walked with us down to Bradford’s waiting car and then left to pick up a bakery cake from Potts’ Bakery for a church ladies meeting.
After the nurse helped me into Bradford’s car and closed the door, I waited until he’d climbed in beside me and pulled away from the curb before I turned to him. “There’s something else I forgot to mention.”
Bradford eyed me with interest. “Oh?”
“I believe Grant is spying on me. When we came down just now, he was in the lobby watching us. He even had the nerve to threaten me to stay out of his investigation. He’s obnoxious and suspicious.”
“He could be visiting a sick family member or friend. Don’t jump to conclusions.”
“I’m certain.”
“And he threatened you? I’ve done the same.”
“I’m dead certain. And it’s not the same. He accosted me on Thursday morning outside Carla’s room. He definitely tried to intimidate me.”
“He accosted you in the hospital? Why didn’t you report this to me?”
“Did you know he wears a Rolex watch?” I countered with a question of my own.
“What does a Rolex have to do with anything? It could’ve been a gift.”
“Or it could be a payoff. Remember, someone stole the evidence. It could’ve been him.”
“Hmmm. As a precaution, I’ll keep my eye on him.” He threw me a wicked grin. “And I believe you should call me Sam from now on if we’re going to make this believable.”
That smile almost derailed me. “Any sign of the missing evidence, Sam?” My tone came out harsher than I intended. Heat flooded my face, so I turned to look out of the window before he could see my confusion. Damn, I had to get a grip on myself.
“Not yet, but I’m working on it.” We were sitting at the intersection of Third and Mississippi Avenue, waiting for the light to change. “Is plaster powder usually kept in the facial room?” he continued his questioning.
I paused, and then turned away from the traffic outside my passenger side window to look at him. “No, but I know it was in the mask.”
“And how did you come by this information?”
“Billie Jo and I had the contents of the jars analyzed. I also know Scarlett choked to death on her own vomit.”
“Of course you do, Jolene.” Amusement flitted across his face. “You’re in the wrong line of work, woman. Care to share how you obtained the information?”
Picturing the coroner’s wife rifling through her husband’s home office, I shook my head. “You don’t want to know.”
The light turned green and we continued down 3rd Avenue. “The toxicology report showed traces of arsenic in her stomach contents. The coroner believes it was in the tea she drank shortly before she died.”
“Oh my God,” I burst out. “I must’ve given her the poisoned tea. Not on purpose, of course.”
“Someone knew about Scarlett’s special tea canister and planted the poisoned bags, I suspect. There were only traces of arsenic in the bags and only enough to make her sick. It could be a completely separate incident. We just don’t know. The District Attorney says there isn’t enough evidence to convict Carla Moody. Anyone could’ve planted those tea bags.”
“Did you find the plaster powder at the salon?”
“No sign of it,” he said. “The perp must’ve ditched it after mixing it into the jars. Who could’ve known Scarlett was scheduled for that particular kind of service, other than the salon staff?”
We made a right onto Pinecone Lane. “Recently, we added a new feature to our website. The client can type in a date and the name of the stylist in order to view her or his appointments for the specified day. And we keep a
handwritten appointment book in full sight at the receptionist desk.” He frowned, and I added, “Have you considered that the arsenic-laced tea bags and plaster powder might’ve been placed there during the break-in?” We pulled into my driveway.
He switched off the motor, and climbed out. “We’ll talk about this later,” he said, handing me out of the car. “Right now, I need to get to the station.” A white Chevy Volt pulled in behind us. “There’s Diamond now.”
The three of us went into the house. Diamond helped me get settled while Bradford placed his suitcase in the guest room. “I’ll be back this afternoon,” he said, and left for the police station.
Still not back to my usual buoyant self, I lazed around the house. Daddy called right after lunch. At the sound of his comforting voice over the line, I told him everything. And I mean everything. He threatened to come home, but I talked him out of it. His being here would only add to the problem, I told him. It took a while, but I finally convinced him to stay away. He warned me to be careful and hung up. Immediately, the phone rang. Deena. I relayed my conversation with Daddy to her.
“With all the confusion, I forgot to mention that Carla phoned,” she said.
“What’d she want?”
“She and Frank have decided to leave Georgia. She won’t be returning to work.”
“I think that’s best at this point. She needs to concentrate on her family. What are we going to do? Hire another aesthetician?”
“We’ll have to at some point. There’s a lot of money invested in that equipment.”
“And clientele we’ve built up,” I finished for her. “Have you discussed this with Billie Jo? Mama?”
“Billie Jo said that Scarlett’s wrecked face should answer that question. She feels a massage therapist would be a better fit for the salon. Mama suggested we wait until things settle down and then reconsider what to do. We can’t wait too long, Jolene. We’re losing money every day that room remains unused.” Her worried voice echoed over the line.
I didn’t answer. Scarlett would be happy with the news. Earlier, she had complained about the stark décor. She visualized soft pink walls and pale pastel-printed chintz chairs with ruffles and decorative pillows for her comfort. But Scarlett’s comfort wasn’t my main concern. It was the possibility of another “accident” taking place.
Dixieland Dead Page 22
