by Lynn Cahoon
“Trust me, all this one would do is cause hard feelings. And if you’re not interested in Dante . . .” Shauna paused until Cat nodded. “Then it’s better being water under the bridge.”
“I’ll think about it. The last time I tried to keep something about Dante a secret from Seth, he was across the street, watching us talk.” Cat glanced at the clock. Ten thirty. She could still pop into Tammy’s session and be the perfect host instead of pretending to be an investigator. “I’m heading into the living room. Let me know when you want to have lunch.”
When she got to the hallway, she paused and pulled out both sheets of paper, rereading Dante’s message. She was going to share the information with Uncle Pete. So why did she feel that withholding it was lying to Seth?
Because she was?
Shoving the papers back into her pocket, she took a deep breath and headed to the living room. She had two more days to play hostess, and she owed it to her guests to focus on their retreat, not who killed Danielle. Other people, like Uncle Pete, were looking into that. And Dante, she added as she walked into a discussion she’d heard many times.
As she walked in and took a seat near the back, Tammy gave her a knowing look. A look that said, We share a secret. Cat pretended not to understand the significance and turned away, looking out the back window. She hated that she held this secret with Tammy and wished she could just stand up and tell everyone. But sometimes, secrets were best held close to your heart.
She felt the papers stuffed in her back pocket and grinned. Or close to your butt. Either way.
CHAPTER 17
Cat and Lisa were chatting about the state of the book business as the group started gathering in the lobby for their next-to-last lunch together at Reno’s. The house phone rang, echoing in the almost empty foyer.
“Better get that, it’s probably someone making a reservation at next month’s retreat,” Lisa said to Cat. “Or do you want Shauna to handle it?”
“Shauna just ran up to her room. Sorry, I guess I’ll have to answer. But hold that thought, I think it’s an interesting take.” She crossed over to the desk and picked up the phone. “Warm Springs Writers’ Resort, how may I help you?”
“Hi, Catherine. This is Bob Nagel from the bank. I just needed to chat with Jessi a moment, is she there? I hate to bother you, but I tried calling her cell and it went right to voice mail. There’s been an incident and I wanted to make sure she hadn’t made a mistake and was using the wrong card and withdrawing the money before I finalize the trace.” The bank manager’s voice seemed strained and tired. Kind of like her uncle had the other night.
“Sure, you just caught her. They just had a session with Tammy Jones from the Written Word. I’m sure that’s why she turned off her phone. Hold on a second.” She glanced around the lobby and was about to ask Lisa to run upstairs to get Jessi, when she saw her bouncing down the stairs. “Jessi, you have a call.”
The girl froze at the bottom of the steps. “Me? Who would be calling me here at the retreat?”
“It’s the bank manager.” Cat waved her over. “Come talk to him.”
The room quieted and Cat noticed Lisa and the other women moved into the dining room to give Jessi her privacy for the call. They all acted more like sisters to her than acquaintances who had just met on Sunday. Cat waved the still-frozen Jessi to the phone. “He just wants to ask you something.”
“Okay,” Jessi moved toward her, but her voice hadn’t sounded as strong as it had during the lecture when she asked Tammy all kinds of insightful questions. This subject had her rattled. Cat wondered if she still thought there was a chance her brother or someone else in the family was behind the disappearance of her money.
Cat handed her the phone and stepped away. She saw the fear in Jessi’s eyes. “I’ll be in the dining room with the others, waiting.”
Jessi swallowed, then focused on the call. “This is Jessi Ball.” Cat heard the pause, then a short laugh. “Hi, Mr. Nagel. Of course I remember you . . .”
Relaxing quite a bit, Cat entered the dining room and went to pour a cup of coffee. When she turned with the cup up to her lips, she saw all the eyes on her. “What?”
“Is Jessi okay?” Cora took her role as mother hen seriously.
Cat sat at the table where the others gathered, worried hands clasped together on the table in front of each woman. “She’s talking to the bank. I’m sure she’ll update you as soon as she gets off. Don’t worry. You all look like something bad is going to happen.”
“With that girl’s track record? She’ll be lucky if her dorm room doesn’t spontaneously combust. She’s had a bad week.” Connie shrugged when everyone stared at her. “What? You all are thinking the same thing.”
Cat nodded. “Jessi has had more than her share of blows this week, but she’s strong, and it’s better she knows this now than when she thought everything was fine before.”
“Exactly. At least she can have a plan for the future when she knows the whole story.” Connie stood and grabbed a cookie. “It’s when they don’t tell you anything that you get sideswiped.”
Cat assumed Connie was talking about her husband’s illness that had taken him away from her. The woman had a strong constitution. No wonder Shauna was enjoying talking to her and getting back on track after losing Kevin.
No one said anything, but Cat saw the gentle pat on the arm that Cora gave Connie when she returned to the table with the chocolate chip cookie. Connie sent her a smile, then glanced around the table. “I know it will go right to my hips, but I don’t care. I’ve gained ten pounds this week just from my cookie addiction. I’m going cold turkey as soon as I get home, so you all might want to tread carefully around the critique table next Thursday. I might not take kindly to your valid suggestions.”
“You’re always grumpy when we tell you the work needs something.” Kelly laughed as she eased back into her chair, the tension from the earlier moment gone as quickly as it had come over the group. “You should see her, Cat. She grumbles about how stupid we all are all night after her turn to workshop a piece. Then the next week, she comes back and tells us we were all brilliant.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever said brilliant.” Connie leaned over to fake whisper the next to Cat. “Sometimes I just let them think I changed something due to their comments. Sometimes I just let it be.”
Laughter lit up the room at that comment, and Cat smiled. Writers were the best people in the world to hang out with. They wanted to talk about everything and nothing. The chatter dropped as Jessi walked into the room.
She held up her hands. “Someone tried to access the old account just a few minutes ago. Five thousand dollars. I guess they didn’t realize they’d drained the account with the last withdrawal. The bank manager just wanted to confirm that I hadn’t initiated it myself.”
Kelly let out a whistle. “Five K? What did they think you were buying? A cruise for all your new friends?”
Cora laughed. “It’s been a while since you’ve been on a cruise, I can tell. Five thousand would take probably two of us, maybe three, but not the whole group.”
“Who said you were invited?” Kelly shot back as she stood. “I’m starving, let’s get going.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Cora stood, and as she walked by Jessi, she paused. “You still want to go?”
“Definitely. I’m starving too. ” Jessi glanced at Cat. “I just want to talk to Cat a second. I’ll catch up.”
“As slow as Connie walks, I don’t think we’ll get far.” Cora winked at Cat and Jessi. “Come on, you old women. Let’s go get some lunch.”
Jessi waited for the room to clear, then turned back to Cat. “He thinks it’s a good thing. Like they can really catch this guy now. I tried calling Darryl to let him know what’s happening, but he’s not answering. So if he calls here, could you let him know what’s going on?”
“Are you sure? I mean, I can ask him to call your cell.”
A smile curved Jessi’s lips. “Actually
, it’s upstairs on the charger. I forgot to plug it in last night. I’m sure he’s in some sort of meeting. He probably won’t call me until Monday. He likes to take off early on Fridays. I guess he has a cabin in Tahoe.”
Cat walked Jessi out to the door and waved to her as she jogged toward town and to meet up with the group. When she hit the street, a black car zoomed by and swerved up on the sidewalk. Jessi had just paused at Mrs. Rice’s gate, and when the old woman pointed to the street in horror, she jumped the little fence and landed in the middle of the yard.
The car hadn’t expected her to stop walking and skimmed the fence line, tearing up the petunias Mrs. Rice had planted that spring. It swerved back on the street and sped away. Cat ran over to Jessi, dialing 911 on her phone as she did. When the dispatcher answered, Cat spurted out the description and what she’d seen on the license plate.
“Calm down, what happened?” On the other end of the phone, Katie tried to take charge of the situation.
“A car tried to run down Jessi Ball. I’m checking her out now to see if she needs medical attention, but you need to get a cruiser on Warm Springs and see if you can track that jerk down.” Cat paused as she saw Jessi stand up next to Mrs. Rice. “Are you okay?”
“Fine.” Jessi ran her hands down her jeans-clad legs. “I don’t think I even have grass burns thanks to Mrs. Rice. She saved me.”
Cat turned to Mrs. Rice. “Did you see what happened?”
“A car was sitting down the street for the last ten minutes, waiting, its engine on. I called it in, but no one came.” Mrs. Rice smoothed Jessi’s hair. “Relax now, it’s all over. Breathe.”
Cat turned away and spoke quietly into the phone. “Mrs. Rice called in the car a few minutes ago. She gave you a full plate.”
“Hold on, I’ll send that information to the car I just dispatched. Are you sure you don’t need medical?”
“We’re good. Hey, is my uncle in the station?”
A pause came over the phone. “Yes, he is.”
“Have him call me.” Cat hung up the phone and dialed another number. When she reached Dante’s voice mail, she left a quick message. “She’s not safe here. Someone just tried to run her over with a car.”
She turned back to Jessi and Mrs. Rice, but before she could move closer, her phone rang. She didn’t recognize the number. “Hello?”
“Tell Jessi we got put in the back room. I guess they think we’re too loud or something.” Cora giggled over the phone. “I guess they know us too well, right?”
Cat made eye contact with Jessi. “I’m not sure she’s coming.”
“Darn, I already did an order for her. Does she want me to make it to go?”
“Is that Cora?” When Cat nodded, Jessi ran her hands over her face. “Tell her I’ll be right there.”
“Are you sure? You may be in shock.” Cat didn’t see any visible injuries, but Jessi had hit the ground hard after she’d jumped the fence. Had she landed on the rock path to the house, there would had been some cuts, maybe even a broken bone. Instead, she’d landed on the soft grass.
“What’s going on?” Cora’s concerned voice came over the phone.
“I’m going to eat lunch. No one is going to stop me.” Jessi brushed off the grass from her jeans. “I’m a Ball. I’m strong and determined. And I don’t scare easily.”
Cat saw a layer of steel in the young woman she hadn’t seen yet this week. She guessed that this was one too many attacks on her well-being. Now Jessi was mad. Cat nodded and answered Cora. “She’ll be right there. I’m walking with her.”
Cat hung up before Cora could ask any questions. She turned to Mrs. Rice. “If my uncle shows up, let him know that Jessi’s at Reno’s Pizza eating lunch. I’ll be home in a few minutes after I make sure she gets there this time.”
As they walked down the sidewalk, Jessi didn’t look at Cat but spoke anyway. “You don’t have to do this. I don’t want you hurt.”
“They tried, they missed. They’re on the way out of town. You know they can’t try again. They’re thinking you’re at either the police station or the hospital by now. No one would suspect you were one of the ladies who lunch at Reno’s.” Cat took a deep breath as they passed a flowering apple tree. The fragrance of the blooms was slight, because the tree did actually produce fruit, but she could still smell the sweetness.
“So you’re hiding me in plain sight.” Jessi grinned but she sobered immediately. “I like your reasoning. Seriously, can they just give me a break? First Danielle, then Max, then the jewelry, and don’t forget the money. Someone has it out for me, or a whole bunch of someones, and this is just the next battle.”
“You have had a horrible week.” They stood at the one light and crosswalk, waiting for the light to change. Reno’s Pizza was on the other side, and all Cat wanted to do was go inside with Jessi and have a beer. Instead, when they crossed the street, she paused at the doorway. “Don’t be alone, and watch out for cars, flying bullets, and any other weird thing you don’t expect. I think you’re safe right now, but I’ve called in reinforcements.”
“Don’t tell me you called Dante. Seriously, I hate it when he gets involved.” Jessi shook her head. “You know he’ll call my mother.”
“Jessi, this is serious. You need to be protected until Uncle Pete can figure this out.” Cat studied Jessi’s face. “I could call Uncle Pete and you could get a ride in a police car home. Would that make you feel better?”
“No.” Jessi sounded like a petulant child. “I’ll be careful. And thanks, Cat. I know you don’t typically have this kind of disruption at your retreats.”
“I wouldn’t say that.” Apparently, Jessi hadn’t heard the gossip about Warm Springs Writers’ Retreat being a murder haven. Or maybe she thought murder wasn’t such a big deal. “You haven’t been a bother. Just keep yourself safe. I’ve got to get home and make some calls.”
When she came into the house, Shauna met her at the kitchen door. “Your uncle stopped by and wondered where you and Jessi were.”
Cat sank into a chair. “I hope he doesn’t go and pull her out of lunch. She needs some normal right now. Besides, I know what she saw, because I saw the same thing. What I want to know is why they didn’t send a unit to check out the parked car when Mrs. Rice called.”
Shauna set a bowl of soup in front of her. “He explained that. Apparently, Mrs. Rice calls a lot. They don’t ignore her reports, but the school was having an issue and there wasn’t a free car to send.”
“Well, I guess they’ll be taking her more seriously from now on.” Cat took a few sips of the soup, then pushed it away. “I’ve got some explaining to do.”
“You’re really not responsible.” Shauna stopped when Cat shot her a look. Holding her hands in the air, she stepped back. “Fine. I get it, you feel responsible.”
“Let me get this call done and I’ll come back and finish my lunch.” Cat stood and walked out of the kitchen to the hallway. She dialed Dante’s number again. This time he picked up on the first ring.
“What happened?”
Cat took him through the entire incident. After she finished, there was quiet on the other end of the line. She thought he’d hung up or they’d been disconnected during her spiel. “Dante?”
“I’m here. It just doesn’t make sense. I’ll admit, it feels like a hit, but no one here is claiming responsibility. In fact, I’ve got a few who want in on the hunt. Jessi is well liked among the families. She did a lot of babysitting when she was in high school.”
Cat smiled, thinking of Jessi in the big houses, watching over one or two little kids. “I can see that. Anyway, I just wanted you to be aware of the problem. I hope we won’t have another incident before Sunday, but you never know.”
“Where is she now?”
“Having lunch with the other writers,” Cat continued, knowing he’d be yelling at her that she wasn’t keeping Jessi safe. “Before you go off, she has to have a life. She has to feel normal at least part of the time. Besides
, the guy in the car is long gone. He knows someone got at least a partial plate and he’s on the run for a while.”
“Until he gets a new car.” Dante didn’t say anything else.
Finally, Cat broke. “Well, she’ll be home from lunch by then and he’ll have to start over. I’m running a retreat, not a safe house.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry to have put so much on you.” He paused and Cat could feel him picking his words carefully. “I appreciate everything you’ve done for Jessi. I know I’ve put you in a bad situation.”
She thought about how to respond, but before she could say anything, he ended the conversation. “I’ll be there on Sunday to retrieve Jessi. Please let her know I’m coming.”
She heard the click in her ear before she could respond. He wasn’t happy with her. Which suited her just fine. Maybe now he’d stop asking her for favors and sending her secret messages through the bookstore owner. Part of her just wanted him to leave her alone. The other part enjoyed talking to him as a friend. Just a friend. But she wondered if that was like trying to pet the tiger at the zoo. Sooner or later, the tiger was going to bite your hand. She went back into the kitchen, pocketing her phone. Glancing around as she started eating, Cat paused. “Where’s Seth?”
“He hasn’t come in yet. I’m worried that he’s working too hard on this secret project. He keeps telling me I’ll be happy, but that’s all I can get out of him.” Shauna stared out the window toward the tree line that covered the pasture from view. “Maybe I should just go tell him to get his butt in gear and come eat lunch.”
“You sit.” Cat stood from the table and crossed over to the door. “I’ll go get him. I don’t want you to ruin his surprise.”
“He’s really a great guy. You know that, right?” Shauna sat and picked up her spoon.
“He’s the best.” Cat paused at the door. It had been a surprise seeing Seth when she came back to Aspen Hills, but now it felt like they’d never broken up. “I’m really glad the two of you are friends.”
