Deep Fried Homicide

by Jessica Beck

  Chapter 10

  Jake had a little trouble cutting the carrots and potatoes with only a fork at first, but I quickly took care of that, portioning out the meal into bite-sized servings that he could handle without any help from me.

  He protested after I finished cutting up his meal. “I feel like such a little kid.”

  “I understand your frustration, but it’s just easier this way, don’t you think?”

  “I suppose so, but that doesn’t mean that I have to like it.” He frowned at his plate, and then stabbed a small bite.

  “It’s still better than me feeding you, isn’t it?” I asked him.

  “Let’s face it. Neither one of us is cut out for that,” he answered. “You were right. At least I can manage this okay.”

  He managed just fine with the new arrangement, and I made a mental note to prepare all of his food in more manageable serving sizes before I even brought anything out to him.

  After he was finished, he pushed his plate away on its tray. “That was incredible, and not just because I’ve been eating hospital food for the last twenty-four hours,” Jake said as he finished every last bite of the pot roast that I’d given him.

  “Would you like more?” I asked as I stood.

  “I’d better not,” he said as he tried to stretch a little. We’d decided not to move from the couch, since it had taken Jake so long to get himself comfortable. I’d grabbed a pair of the old TV trays we kept in the hall closet and served us both right there.

  As I grabbed his tray so I could take it into the kitchen, he said, “I can help with that.”

  I let go of the tray instantly and sat back down. “Thanks. I’d appreciate that.”

  I watched him for a full minute as he struggled to pick the tray up, failing miserably the entire time, and doing my best not to laugh. Jake must have sensed it, though, because when he looked over at me, I couldn’t contain my grin any longer. “How’s that working out for you?”

  It was touch and go there for a second, but his good humor finally won out. As Jake slumped back on the couch, he grinned at me. “You have to at least give me points for trying.”

  “What I need to do is swat you with a newspaper,” I said, trying to act sternly but not managing it at all. “Jake, I know that you hate to be taken care of, but you need to find a way to surrender yourself to it. I’m here to help you in any way that I can. Take advantage of that.”

  “Suzanne, you know that it’s hard for me,” Jake said softly.

  I touched his cheek lightly. “I’m sure that it is. Just remember one thing. I don’t love you any less because you happen to need me right now, okay?”

  “Okay,” he said gently. “I love you, too.”

  “There, now isn’t that better?” I asked as I moved both trays into the kitchen. As I rinsed our dishes and put them in the sink, I called out to him, “Do you have any room left for pie?”

  “I’d love some,” he said, “but I might explode if I take another bite.”

  “I understand,” I said. “How about if I give you a rain check?”

  “That would be perfect,” he said. Was his voice a little sleepy as he spoke? I decided to go ahead and do the dishes while he was resting, and in ten minutes, I had the kitchen in perfect shape again.

  I started to say something to him as I walked back out into the living room, but I’m glad that I didn’t.

  He was sound asleep again.

  I had a dilemma. Should I wake him so he could move into the bedroom, or just let him sleep where he was? I was leaning toward letting him sleep when he snored loudly for a second, waking himself up as he did.

  “Wow, I’m really wiped. Would you mind if I went on to bed early tonight? It’s been a big day.”

  I glanced at the clock. “Are you kidding? It’s past my bedtime as it is.”

  “But you’re not going into work tomorrow, right?” he asked.

  “Not a chance. I’ve got a crack team in place, so why should I?”

  “That’s the spirit,” Jake said as he started to stand, but then he fell back onto the couch again. “How about a little help?”

  I helped him up, and he kissed me lightly once he was standing. “You just did that for a kiss, didn’t you?” I asked him with a smile.

  “I really did need the help. The kiss was just a bonus.”

  “For me, too,” I said. “I laid your pajamas out on the bed. Do you need any help changing?”

  “Thanks, but that’s one of the few things I can do for myself.”

  “Okay then. Holler if you need me.”

  “You can count on it,” he said.

  I waited five minutes, but when I hadn’t heard from him, I decided to see if he needed a hand after all.

  Jake was passed out on the bed, sleeping soundly. He’d managed to change into his pajamas, but the effort must have worn him out the rest of the way, since he was still on top of the covers. I took a blanket my grandmother had made and draped it gently over him, being sure not to touch his wounded arm. He rustled a little, but just for a second, before he went fully back to sleep.

  I left his door open so I could hear him if he needed me, and then I made the couch up for my night’s sleep. It wasn’t as comfortable as my bed, but I’d taken many naps on it over the years, so it was like coming back home again when I settled in. I’d decided to forgo jammies of my own tonight, content in sleeping in my jeans and T shirt. It wasn’t the most comfortable way to snooze, but I’d manage somehow.

  I was sleeping soundly enough, at least I thought so, when something jarred me awake. There were voices coming from outside! Was it a simple shift in the men guarding us, or was something else happening out there?

  I decided that since I was already awake, I’d investigate it for myself. Grabbing my baseball bat from the closet, I looked out the door to see if I could make out what was really going on out there.

  “Is something wrong?” Chief Martin asked me as I finally stepped outside.

  “We woke you up, didn’t we?” George asked.

  “No, it’s fine. I was already awake.” I peered out into the darkness. “Have you seen anything yet?”

  “Not a thing worth mentioning,” George said as he stretched. “It’s been as quiet as a graveyard around here. I was just about ready to head home, unless you need me for something.”

  “No, you go on. I’m fine. Thanks for coming by.”

  “Have a good night, then,” George said, and then he left the police chief and me.

  “Sorry if we were too loud earlier,” Chief Martin said.

  “It wasn’t you.” Why did I keep denying the fact that the men had woken me up? Then again, it might not have been them after all. I was used to being up at this time of night, or early morning, and it was clearly going to be a hard habit for me to break.

  “Was it because you’re used to usually being at work this time of day?”

  I nodded, a little surprised that the police chief had come to the same conclusion that I’d just reached myself. “I can’t believe that I’m saying this, but I miss being at the donut shop right about now.”

  “You don’t have to explain it to me,” the chief said as he took George’s chair. “I used to get antsy every time I took a single day of my vacation. I was always chomping at the bit because I couldn’t wait to get back on the job.”

  “But you don’t feel that way anymore?” I asked, guessing based on the way he was talking.

  “Not nearly as much as I used to. After all, there’s only so much I can ask your mother to put up with.” He paused, and then the chief added, “Strike that. It’s got nothing to do with her, unless you count the fact that I want to be able to spend more time with her than I’ve been able to do so far.”

  The chief was in a particularly chatty mood, and I had to wonder if it was due to the time of night, or more correctly, morning. “I’m sure she understands that it’s your job. Besides, it’s not exactly like she’s sitting around on her hands waiting for you
to get off work all of the time.” I knew how bad that must have sounded to him the moment I’d said it. “Chief, I didn’t mean it that way. All I’m saying is that Momma is busy with businesses of her own.”

  He nodded. “I’m well aware of your mother’s responsibilities, but sometimes I think she’s as tired of them as I am of mine. She’s talked an awful lot lately about selling everything, me retiring, and the two of us just taking off and seeing the world. She doesn’t want to die leaving so many things on her list undone, so many places unvisited.”

  I felt a little wrench in my chest. Momma hadn’t breathed a word of those plans to me, and it hurt just a bit, even though she every right to keep these conversations to herself. “Is that what she really wants to do?” I couldn’t imagine my daily life without my mother in it, but she had a right to her life just as much as I had a right to mine.

  The police chief shook his head, and it was clear that he realized a little too late that he’d upset me. “Don’t pay any attention to me, Suzanne. I tend to ramble on sometimes about things I shouldn’t talk about. Who knows if any of it is ever going to happen? Dark nights make for dark thoughts sometimes.”

  “I can relate to that,” I said, and then I stopped speaking and listened carefully. Was that a sound coming from inside? I walked to the door, opened it, and then I listened in again. When I didn’t hear another sound out of Jake, I continued. “Donut Hearts is brightly lit in the back when Emma and I are working, and there are times that I actually forget what time of day it is until we go outside for our break. But it’s especially true when I’m working alone; my mind seems to race in a thousand different directions at the same time.”

  “Does that include the current nightmare that you’re living in?” he asked me.

  “Are you kidding? I love having Jake around.”

  “I didn’t mean that, or the fact that your mother moved out, either. I’m talking about something that your mom is scared to death of herself. She worries that I’m going to be killed in the line of duty and leave her before we’ve had a chance to start our new lives together.”

  “I admit that I worry about that a lot,” I confessed. “As much as I’ve tried to prepare myself for what just happened, it still doesn’t make it any easier on me. I honestly don’t know what I’d do if something happened to Jake.”

  “He’s tough, Suzanne. It would take a lot to put him down.”

  “Don’t kid yourself, Chief. He’s just as human as everyone else. A great many times, one bullet is all that it takes.” I shivered at the thought, hating to even say it aloud.

  “I can understand you feeling that way,” Chief Martin said, and then we sat in silence for a few moments, each of us left to our own thoughts.

  After a while, I asked him softly, “I know you said before that you and Momma have talked about it, but have you ever really considered retiring? I’m not asking you for any reason other than my mother has agreed to marry you, and I don’t want her to ever have to endure what I’ve been going through with Jake.”

  “Honestly, it’s all I seem to think about anymore,” he said wistfully. “I just don’t know how I’d handle life without my work, even with your mother by my side. I’ve been a cop for as long as I can remember. How do you just stop being one?”

  “George managed to do it,” I reminded him.

  “Sure, but now he’s the mayor, so it’s not exactly like he sits home every day sitting by the fire waiting for something to happen.”

  I stood, but before I went back inside, I said, “I don’t want to push you in either direction. You need to make the decision that’s right for you. If that’s staying on the job, then I’m sure that Momma would understand, and even accept it.”

  “And if I decide to step down?” he asked.

  “I bet she’d be fine with that as well,” I replied. “It could be that would be even finer with her,” I added with a small smile.

  “Maybe so,” the police chief said, but it was clear that he wasn’t sure either way. At least I’d given him something to think about as he watched over us.

  “If it’s okay with you, I’m going to try to get a little more sleep before it’s time when most normal folks are usually getting up,” I said as headed for the door. “Good night, Chief.”

  “Good night, Suzanne. Jake’s a lucky man to have you.”

  “I think we’re lucky to have each other,” I said with a smile.

  Before I headed back to the couch, I peeked in on Jake and found him sleeping soundly. The man must have truly been worn out from the ordeal of being shot and the following treatment and hospital stay. I was so glad that he was at ease enough at the cottage to fall so peacefully sleep. It made me feel good in a way that I hadn’t expected.

  Jake shifted a little in his sleep, but then he fell back into the sound pattern of light snores that told me he was truly resting. I didn’t mind the sound effects at all. From my position back on the couch, they sounded almost like distant waves crashing against a sandy beach, and I found myself drifting off despite my usual sleep patterns. Maybe, if I was lucky, I’d be able to get in a few more hours myself before it was time to get up and start taking care of Jake again.

  I wasn’t sure when Officer Grant came and Chief Martin left, but the younger police officer must have stopped off at Donut Hearts on his way over to the cottage, because I found him eating a donut from the box when I walked outside three hours later.

  “Care for one?” he asked me with a grin as he lifted the lid in my direction. “They’re good.”

  “I would expect them to be,” I said as I took a lemon-filled from the box. It was delightful, so why was I so disappointed?

  “Not as good as yours, mind you, but still good,” he added as he wiped his hands.

  I looked into the box and counted four donuts left out of a dozen. “You don’t have to lie on my account,” I said with a grin.

  “Hey, the chief took two himself when he left,” he said.

  “You’re kidding. He hardly ever eats donuts.” In fact, the chief had sworn them off for the longest time after his divorce. He’d lost quite a bit of weight, enough to need new belts and uniforms. Since when had he fallen off of his diet wagon?

  “Yeah, well, he seemed to be in a receptive mood when I relieved him,” Officer Grant said, “but to be honest with you, it kind of surprised me, too.”

  “Would you like some coffee to go with the rest of your stash?” I asked as I pointed to the partial glazed donut in his hand.

  “Thanks, but I’ve already had my limit this morning. It took three cups to keep me awake,” he said with a slight smile.

  “I appreciate you doing this,” I said. “You know that, don’t you?”

  “You’re most welcome. I know that the inspector would do the same for me if our roles were reversed, so I’m happy to take a shift.”

  I realized that was true. Jake was loyal, a good man to have as a friend, but a bad one to have as an enemy. There wasn’t much that he wouldn’t do for someone he liked, and Officer Grant clearly felt the same way.

  “Well, I haven’t had my coffee yet,” I said as I started inside. “When’s Terry coming by to relieve you?”

  The young officer seemed surprised that I casually used Officer Hanlan’s first name. “By my count, he’s due to relieve me in precisely fifty-seven minutes,” Officer Grant said as he looked at his watch.

  “You can go now, if you’d like. I’m wide awake.”

  “Thanks, but if you don’t mind, I believe that I’ll wait until I’m relieved,” Officer Grant said. “Oh, by the way, I nearly forgot. Emma and Sharon sent a dozen for you and Jake, too. They’re right here under my chair.” As he offered them to me, he added, “I’ve been guarding them as well, free of charge.”

  I took the donuts from him and smiled. “Would you like me to replace the lemon-filled donut that I took earlier?”

  “No, I’m good with what I’ve got left, but thanks for offering,” he said with a grin.
>
  “I’ll talk to you later,” I said as I headed back in.

  “You can count on it.”

  “Are those donuts?” Jake asked when I walked back inside.

  “Freshly made, from what I’ve been told,” I said. “How long have you been up?”

  “Not long,” he said. “Were you out checking on the troops?”

  “Something like that. How did you sleep?”

  “Like the dead,” he said as he ran a hand through his hair. I noticed that his gaze was still on the boxed dozen donuts still in my hand.

  “Would you like one now?” I asked.

  “I don’t know. I’m not sure that they can live up to your standards,” he said with a frown, and I could practically see the drool dripping down his chin.

  “There’s no sense in being a martyr about it,” I said with an easy smile. “I already had one of them myself, and it was delicious.”

  “Then I’ll try to choke three or four down, just to be polite, you know,” he said.

  I laughed at him as I put the box down and opened the lid. It was chock full of goodness, and it would have taken someone with more willpower than I had to turn any of them down. “Tell you what. I’ll grab a plate and a few napkins if you can restrain yourself that long.”

  “I’ll try, but you’d better hurry,” he said, smiling.

  “Would you like some coffee, too?”

  “Yes, please,” he said.

  I flipped the switch on the coffee pot, then I grabbed two plates and a few napkins before I headed back out into the living room. All in all, I couldn’t have been gone more than forty-five seconds.

  Jake already had powdered sugar on his chin. He grinned at me as he said, “You were taking so long that I couldn’t wait.”

  I had to laugh right along with him as I found a treat to eat myself. It was a chocolate glazed yeast donut, and it was perfect.

  I really wasn’t sure how I felt about that, but it didn’t stop me from eating all of it anyway.

  “You look beat,” I told Jake as he came back into the living room after changing into his clothes. We’d eaten, and then he’d decided to change into jeans and a T shirt. While that was my usual attire, Jake was normally somewhat more stylish even when he was off duty, so he looked a little out of place in the clothes he was wearing at the moment.