“Oh, for crying out loud!” Gertie’s voice drifted up from the hole.
“Are you okay?” Logan asked Harper as he looked around. “Where is Gertie? I hear her but don’t see her anywhere?”
“Gertie!” Tanner yelled, looking around the room with a panic-stricken expression on his face.
“I’m down here, are you all deaf? Get me out!”
Logan and Tanner peered over the edge of the hole, Tanner started rolling up his sleeves. They worked together to maneuver Gertie up and out of the hole, Tanner taking the lead and holding her in his arms as she dripped water all over him and the floor.
“Put me down!” Gertie scolded Tanner, beating at him lightly with her fists. “Put me in my chair, I don’t need to be carried like a child!”
Tanner carefully placed Gertie in her wheelchair and she looked over at Noah, who was still lying on the ground motionless.
“What’s with him?” she asked.
“Well, that’s kind of a long story, Gertie,” Harper said, hesitant and unsure of what to say to her.
“Well, can you give me the short version? I have a show I need to run,” Gertie snapped back impatiently as she wrung the water out of her long silver hair.
“Short version. Right. Well, the short version is the guy lying on the floor, Noah, says you are his grandmother. His mother needs a kidney and for some reason he is blaming you.”
Harper explained to everyone what had happened while Logan walked over and felt Noah’s wrist for a pulse.
“He’s still alive,” he said, looking at Gertie along with everyone else.
“What? Why are you all gawking at me? Okay, okay, for crying out loud. I had a child when I was younger. Too young, to be honest. My parents said I couldn’t take care of a kid and they took her away from me, and that was that,” Gertie said matter-of-factly, as everyone’s jaw dropped, and they continued to stare at her.
“But I thought you said you didn’t have any kids?” Harper asked her.
“No, dear, I said I never raised any kids. There’s a difference.” Gertie looked over at Noah and continued, her tone softening. “You see, I tried to find my daughter, but my parents had set up the adoption as a closed one. No one would give me any information on my own daughter! I even hired detectives to find her, but they always came up empty-handed. I’m sure she felt abandoned her whole life. And now you say this is her son, my grandson? He was a sweet kid when I interviewed him, seemed quiet to me. He was talking about karma when he did this to me and I couldn’t figure it out. Now I guess it makes sense.”
Harper watched Gertie look at Noah lovingly. Most people would be mad after what he'd just done, but not Gertie.
“Poor kid. He did all this baloney for his mother. She’s raised a good kid, I mean underneath all that anger and bitterness, but can you blame him for being like that? When he interviewed here with me he told me he'd had a tough life. Big kid too, huh? He said they called him Big T because of his size and last name. Well, I better get a move on. If what you’ve said is true, Harper, then I have a kidney to donate and a daughter to reconnect with!”
The group looked at each other, confused.
“What about the show?” Harper asked.
“What?! No! Gertie you can’t donate your kidney! You need to rest immediately after this ordeal. You’re fragile and—” Tanner snapped his mouth shut when Gertie cut him off.
“Fragile?! I’m no more fragile than any of you! And this is my daughter! I can’t change what happened all those years ago, but I can try to make up for it!”
“You’re right, Gertie, you aren’t fragile. That’s why I would like to see if I’m a match to donate my kidney instead. I have some making up to do too, you know,” Tanner said.
“Okay, everyone, slow down for a minute,” Harper said. “First, I think we need to call the cops.” She looked at Gertie as she said this, unsure Gertie would approve. Despite trying to burn her business down and kidnap people, Noah was Gertie’s grandson, and she wasn’t positive Gertie would press charges against him.
“Why are you looking at me? He’s going to have to answer to the police about what he did, to take responsibility. Just because he’s my grandson it doesn’t mean it’s okay he hurt other people!” She wheeled herself over to where Noah was still lying unconsciously and watched him for a minute. “Go ahead, dear, call the police. And everyone else, move it! We have a show to put on!”
21
“Can I go now?” Harper asked the policeman as she looked around at all the activity in the abandoned mill. He'd been taking her statement for what seemed like hours. She was grateful Logan had stayed by her side, he knew the cop, and that had made things go much smoother, especially as they'd wanted everyone to go down to the station to be questioned. Harper didn’t have time for that!
The cop nodded his head as he continued to make notes in his pad, and Harper looked over at Gertie who was talking quietly with Noah. He'd come to, and immediately been placed under arrest, but Gertie had insisted she be able to speak with him before they hauled him away.
Uncle Tanner was on the phone with the hospital, trying to see how quickly he could get tested to see if he was a match to donate a kidney, even though Gertie was still insisting she be the one to donate. Harper didn’t have the energy to grab the phone away from him and stop him, besides, she had a fashion show that still had to happen tonight. What were the odds he’d be a match, anyway?
“Ready?” Logan reached his arm out to her, grabbing her hand. Harper felt butterflies in her stomach and decided to let them be, instead of chasing them away. Who knew what would have happened if Logan hadn’t come looking for her and Gertie? Maybe it was time for her to take down the wall she'd built up.
“Yes, let’s just wait for Gertie,” she said to him, squeezing his hand. “By the way, thanks for saving us.”
“Well, if you two can break this lovefest up I’d like to get the heck out of here. Harper, we need to clean up and get this fashion show underway!” Gertie said, grabbing Harper’s other hand, and squeezing it as she gave both Logan and her a wink.
They all went next door, Logan maneuvering Gertie’s wheelchair through the overgrown brush and into the parking lot of O’Rourke’s. It was late afternoon, and guests were already starting to arrive.
“Take me in through the rear doors, dear,” she said, pointing towards the back of the building as Logan rushed along pushing her.
They entered through the rear door, which brought them to the basement area abuzz with activity. The models were rushing around, their clothing looking stunning in different styles and colors.
“Gertie!” Veronica screamed, running towards the trio. “I’ve been worried sick about you! All of you!” she exclaimed. “Where the hell have you all been?”
“It’s a long story, dear, I can explain later,” Gertie said, looking around.
“Wait, are you wet?” TJ asked as he approached them all, a confused look on his face.
“Guys, we can explain later what happened. Right now, we need to get Gertie changed for the show!” Harper said.
“Bring her in there,” Veronica said, pointing to one of the dressing rooms. “I’ll go get her clothes upstairs.”
Harper wheeled Gertie into one of the dressing rooms, where some makeup artists were waiting and rushed over to her. Veronica backed away as Gertie started to swat at the makeup people trying to dote on her.
“Watch it! Just a dab of some lipstick and powder my face, that’s all I need! I don’t want to look like a clown for crying out loud!”
Harper stepped back and turned to leave, wanting to give Gertie some privacy to change, as well as needing to go get herself cleaned up and help run the show.
“Harper!”
Harper froze, Gertie’s voice making her flinch. She turned around slowly to look at her.
“You did good, dearie.” Gertie winked at her and gave her a grin.
Harper left the room almost floating on air, Logan waiting
outside for her. She'd helped Gertie and there would be no more sabotage at O’Rourke’s. As Logan grabbed her hand she welcomed the butterflies in her stomach again.
Epilogue
Two weeks later …
Harper watched the various blips on the hospital monitors nervously, the noises they made echoing throughout the room. Logan squeezed her hand, making her relax a bit. She was happy he was there with her, although she was still a little miffed about him wanting to kick her off the investigation. But she knew he'd done that to protect her, and after what had happened, he'd made a good point about not wanting her to get hurt.
“Stop worrying about me,” Tanner said to her. “I feel great!”
Harper smiled as Uncle Tanner held his arms up as if in victory, the IV hooked into the back of his right hand swaying as he did so.
“There’s my hero!” Gertie’s voice sang as she wheeled herself into the hospital room grinning from ear to ear. It had turned out that due to some health issues she couldn’t donate her kidney, but Tanner was indeed a match. Despite everyone telling him he didn’t need to do it, Tanner had insisted Gertie’s daughter, Lily, be given his kidney. The operation had gone smoothly, and so far, everyone was doing great.
“How’s Noah?” Logan asked Gertie, who had now wheeled herself over to Tanner’s bedside and was patting his hand. Harper noticed Tanner had the same lovestruck look in his eyes as Veronica and TJ usually did.
“He’s good, dear. I’m getting him some help, you know, he needs some therapy, mentally. The poor kid just made assumptions his whole life about me. Same with his mom. All he ever wanted was for me to acknowledge I had a grandson, and hell, I didn’t even know I had one! He never knew I had tried to find them. It’s all good now though, thanks to Tanner, my beautiful daughter, Lily, has a new lease on life and Noah will get some help!”
Harper’s heart swelled to see Gertie so happy, and Uncle Tanner, too. In fact, she hadn’t seen him so happy since before Aunt Emily had died.
“I’ve seen enough flower arrangements to last me a lifetime!” a voice said from the doorway, their face hidden by a huge arrangement.
It was TJ, flanked by Sarah and Veronica. Everyone laughed, knowing he was referring to Gertie’s office that had been filled with so many arrangements. Harper was surprised to see them but assumed with the end result of things they must have forgiven Tanner. His grand gesture to give up a kidney for someone he didn’t even know had redeemed him for sure.
Harper watched as everyone chatted, TJ and Veronica holding hands, and Veronica practically gushing when she looked at him. Sarah, on the other hand, didn’t seem very happy. Not that she seemed upset to be there, there was just a general sadness about her, as if her mind was preoccupied.
“Gertie, we received a big delivery today of cat food. Do you know anything about that?” Veronica asked Gertie.
“Oh yes, dear. That stray cat that’s been hanging out by the loading dock, have any of you seen it?”
Harper exchanged looks with Logan and Veronica.
“Right, that’s what I thought. Anyway, I’m officially adopting the cat as O’Rourke Signature Events mascot. I’m naming him Kidney.”
Everyone burst into laughter as Gertie said the cat’s name.
“Well, I wanted to come give you the good news in person but it sounds like you’re already in a great mood!” Marly said as she walked into the room.
“What good news?” Gertie and Harper asked in unison.
“The fashion show was a huge success. The buyers at the show have all placed orders. Big ones! The disabled clothing line is going to make Draconia even more profitable thanks to you, Gertie. Now, I just hope this news lifts Edwards spirits, he’s been a bit grumpy since Tanner’s been getting so much attention from you!”
“Pfft. Edward needs someone to take him down a peg. He fought me every day about the damn designs for these clothes, if I had just let him go with his ideas it would have been a huge flop,” Gertie said.
“Oh, Eddie will be fine. Besides, it isn’t like he can one-up Tanner with what he did, giving his kidney and all,” Myrtle said as she stood in the doorway. “Besides, I plan on keeping him plenty busy, now I’ve been promoted to Gertie’s right-hand assistant.”
Wearing a canary-yellow blouse and matching colored beads for her glasses, Myrtle certainly stood out against the drab off-white-colored walls in the hospital room. While her choice in clothing, and beads, were always rather eccentric, Myrtle always pulled it off, looking fashionable and never gaudy. Harper loved her sense of style and plucky attitude, as did everyone else.
TJ and Veronica excused themselves, needing to get back to the office. Harper knew she should get back, too, but she didn’t want to leave Tanner. That, and she really didn’t want to let go of Logan’s hand.
She caught Sarah looking down at the two of them holding hands and felt a pang of guilt. She knew Sarah and Raffe hadn’t spoken in a while, even though Sarah’s food at the fashion show had been written up in several papers as a standout. Harper wasn’t sure if Raffe was mad that Sarah had left working for him, or mad she was doing so well, or maybe he was mad at both.
“Ah, well, I see I was right,” Myrtle said to Harper.
“Huh? Right about what?” Harper asked her, oblivious to what she was talking about.
Myrtle looked down at Logan and Harper’s hands clasped together, then back at Harper.
She winked at her, a broad smile on her face.
“Like I said to you before, be careful what you wish for.”
***********
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Other Books in this series:
In Over Her Head (book 1)
Can’t Stand the Heat (book 2)
What Goes Around Comes Around (book 3)
Careful What You Wish For (4)
Also by Leighann Dobbs
Contemporary Romance
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Reluctant Romance
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Sweet Romance (Written As Annie Dobbs)
Firefly Inn Series
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Another Chance (Book 1)
Another Wish (Book 2)
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Hometown Hearts Series
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No Getting Over You (Book 1)
A Change of Heart (Book 2)
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Cozy Mysteries
Lexy Baker Cozy Mystery Series
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Lexy Baker Cozy Mystery Series Boxed Set Vol 1 (Books 1-4)
Or buy the books separately:
Killer Cupcakes
Dying For Danish
Murder, Money and Marzipan
3 Bodies and a Biscotti
Brownies, Bodies & Bad Guys
Bake, Battle & Roll
Wedded Blintz
Scones, Skulls & Scams
Ice Cream Murder
Mummified Meringues
Brutal Brulee (Novella)
No Scone Unturned
Cream Puff Killer
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Kate Diamond Mystery Adventures
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Hidden Agemda (Book 1)
Ancient Hiss Story (Book 2)
Heist Society (Book 3)
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Silver Hollow
Paranormal Cozy Mystery Series
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A Spell of Trouble (Book 1)
Spell Disaster (Book 2)
Nothing to Croak About (Book 3)
Cry Wolf (Book 4)<
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Mooseamuck Island Cozy Mystery Series
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A Zen For Murder
A Crabby Killer
A Treacherous Treasure
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Mystic Notch
Cat Cozy Mystery Series
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Ghostly Paws
A Spirited Tail
A Mew To A Kill
Paws and Effect
Probable Paws
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Blackmoore Sisters
Cozy Mystery Series
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Dead Wrong
Dead & Buried
Dead Tide
Buried Secrets
Deadly Intentions
A Grave Mistake
Spell Found
Fatal Fortune
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Hazel Martin Historical Mystery Series
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Murder at Lowry House (book 1)
Murder by Misunderstanding (book 2)
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Lady Katherine Regency Mysteries
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An Invitation to Murder (Book 1)
The Baffling Burglaries of Bath (Book 2)
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Sam Mason Mysteries
(As L. A. Dobbs)
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Telling Lies (Book 1)
Keeping Secrets (Book 2)
Exposing Truths (Book 3)
Betraying Trust (Book 4)
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Careful What You Wish For (Corporate Chaos Series Book 4) Page 12
