“I do know that,” James conceded. “I also know that if something bad is going to happen and you’re in the general vicinity, it’s going to happen to you.”
“You don’t know that,” Mandy countered.
“Grady, give her the list,” James said.
Grady started ticking items off on his fingers. “You’ve been stalked twice, blown up, shot at, kidnapped, and almost eaten by alligators.”
“You butt out,” Mandy ordered.
“I need you to be safe, baby,” James said.
“I will be safe. It’s a cooking class. The only thing in danger is going to be your stomach. I promise.”
She was so earnest James couldn’t help but give in. “You don’t walk back to your car alone. Promise me.”
Mandy’s face split with a wide smile. “I promise.”
“You also don’t poison me with whatever it is you’re insisting on cooking,” he added.
“Agreed.”
“You also need to get naked,” he said. “We have two hours before we have to get into the shower so you can get to work on time. We’re burning important minutes here, wife.”
“And that’s my cue to go,” Grady said, getting to his feet. “I’ll keep you updated when I get more information on Julie. Mandy is right, though. The odds of her death having anything to do with that class are probably low.”
“That would be a nice change of pace,” James said. “Now get out of my house. You have exactly twenty seconds.” His hands were already on the waist of his boxer shorts.
“You two really are sick.”
Nine
“They just issued a tornado watch,” Jake said, walking into James’ office Wednesday afternoon. “We should keep the police scanner on.”
“Thanks for the weather update,” James replied dryly. “I think you missed your calling. You should’ve been one of those little weather bunnies on the evening news.”
“You’re in a mood,” Jake said.
“I’m really not.”
“What’s wrong?” Jake asked, rolling his eyes. “Are you and Mandy fighting again? I thought things were back to being all blue roses and rampant sex.”
“They are,” Grady said, breezing into the office. “They’re officially disgusting again.”
“You’re really on my last nerve this week,” James said.
“I do have a way about me,” Grady agreed. “What were you guys talking about?”
“James is edgy,” Jake said. “I have no idea why. Oh, and they also issued a tornado watch.”
Grady pulled up short. “They did?”
“Oh, good, here we go,” James said.
“What did I do?” Jake asked.
James pointed at Grady. “He’s obsessed with tornadoes. He’s convinced one is going to touch down and pick up the house he’s in one day.”
“Like The Wizard of Oz?”
“Only he’s the witch in his story,” James said.
“I don’t like tornadoes,” Grady admitted. “They make me nervous.”
“I can’t say I’m in the mood for one either,” James said. “Mandy has that stupid class tonight. I don’t want her out on the roads.”
“Tell her not to go,” Jake said.
“I can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“Because they came to a compromise when they made up,” Grady said, grinning. “James agreed to not complain about the class and Mandy agreed she was going to finish it without going manic.”
“Is that true?” Jake cocked an eyebrow.
“Pretty much,” James said. “She wants to finish the class. It’s completely unnecessary, and totally annoying, but she’s still going to do it.”
“You’re obviously handling it well,” Jake said.
“Hey, you’re in that blissed out phase couples live in right after you admit you love each other,” James said. “Talk to me again in two months when Ally has PMS and thinks her ankles are too fat and accuses you of coveting thin ankles all over town.”
Jake made a face. “She would never do that.”
Grady snorted. “Tell that to Jordan Stradinger.”
“Who is Jordan Stradinger?”
“He was Ally’s boyfriend for two months in high school,” Grady replied. “He didn’t last any longer because he didn’t understand that Ally’s ankle bloating really was a life or death situation.”
Jake couldn’t help but smile. “I wish I would’ve known her then.”
“No, you don’t,” Grady said. “She and Mandy were animals.”
“Don’t talk about my baby that way,” James said.
“You weren’t even around when Ally and Mandy were going through their wild dating and partying years,” Grady said. “You can’t comment.”
James tilted his head to the side, considering. “Part of me is sad I didn’t get to see some of the fun they were having,” he said. “The other part of me is glad because I don’t have to think of her … doing stuff … with those idiots we grew up with.”
“Yeah, that would probably make you flex your muscles and rip your shirt off like you were the Hulk,” Grady agreed.
“Hey, in my house that would turn my wife on,” James said.
“You two really are sick,” Grady said.
James ignored the dig. “What do you have on Julie Nichols?”
“Are we really investigating that?” Jake asked. “It’s not our case.”
“I just want to make sure that Mandy’s cooking class doesn’t have a predator lurking in it,” James said. “Is that too much to ask?”
“Of course not,” Jake said, holding his hands up in mock surrender. “Calm down.”
“Hulk angry,” Grady said, growling for emphasis.
“Shut up,” James said. “Seriously, tell me what you have.”
“Not much,” Grady said. “From what I can tell, Julie Nichols was a quiet woman. She kept to herself. She worked as a paralegal for a law office in Sterling Heights, and she had an apartment in Chesterfield Township.”
“Why was she taking the class?”
“I’m assuming she wanted to learn how to cook,” Jake said. “It’s a cooking class, after all.”
“According to Maverick, she was looking for love in all the wrong places,” Grady said.
“Meaning?”
“She had profiles on at least eight different dating websites,” Grady said. “I’m guessing she was taking the class as a way to snag a man.”
“Men do love a woman who can cook,” Jake said. “I know I do.”
“Speak for yourself,” James said. “I would be perfectly happy with Mandy handing me the takeout menu naked every night.”
“Sick,” Grady said.
“Have you checked the class?” James asked. “Is there anyone registered who has a criminal background?”
“The class is literally thirty women and three men,” Grady said. “Most of the women are older, meaning not college age, and the men are in their thirties. I’m guessing they’re looking for a woman. Why else would they take a cooking class at a community college?”
“You’re probably right,” James said. “Still … dig as deep as you can. I want to make sure Mandy is safe in that class.”
“Are you really going to leave her to her own devices at class tonight?” Grady asked.
“Of course.”
Grady waited.
“Fine,” James grumbled. “I’m going to park in the lot and when I’m sure she’s safely in her car I’m going to haul ass to make sure I beat her home.”
Grady and Jake exchanged amused smiles.
“Hulk sneaky,” Jake said.
“You two suck,” James said.
“YOUR husband is really hot,” Marian said, fixing Mandy with a warm smile as the two women cleaned up their cooking stations after class. “I mean … really hot.”
“He is,” Mandy agreed, smiling. Her second class had gone better than the first, and now that she wasn’t feeling overwhelming pre
ssure, she was taking the class for what it was: enjoyment with a small educational bonus. “He’s a really good man.”
“He used to date … her, though?” Marian gestured toward Ann while making a face. “You and she don’t have much in common. How could he date both of you?”
Mandy glanced at Ann dubiously. She’d arrived early enough for the second class to snag a spot close to the front of the room. While Professor Barnes had been polite and helpful, he’d also been reluctant to flirt. Mandy could see – even from across the room – that Ann was bothered by his lack of interest. Still, he had gone to dinner with her, so maybe something was going on. “James dated her in high school.”
“You two weren’t together then?”
“I was in middle school when he was a senior,” Mandy explained. “I was best friends with his sister, and I had a huge crush on him. He was always nice to me, but if he’d been interested in me back then he would’ve landed in jail.”
Marian snickered. “Did he dump her?”
“Right before he joined the military,” Mandy said.
“When did you two get together?”
“We ran into each other about a year and a half ago,” Mandy said, opting against going into the full story. No one needed that. It was too long and convoluted. She didn’t want to scare her new friend off.
“Was it love at first sight?”
“More like lust at first sight,” Mandy said. “The love came later.” Actually, for her, the love was almost instantaneous. James needed more convincing.
“Still, you two seem really close,” Marian said. “I would love to have a relationship like that.”
“We are close,” Mandy agreed. “Nothing is perfect, though.”
“Are you telling me that man is not a sex god? Please don’t tell me that. You’re going to crush my faith in mankind.”
“He’s a sex god,” Mandy conceded. “He’s … pretty much perfect. His flaws are pretty minor.”
“What do you think is going on with them?” Marian asked, inclining her head in Ann’s direction. She was still talking Professor Barnes’ ear off, and she seemed oblivious to everything else.
“I think Ann has switched her affection from James to him,” Mandy said, wrinkling her nose. “They showed up at the restaurant James and I were at Monday night.”
Marian frowned. “They did? Were they … on a date?”
“I have no idea,” Mandy said. “It could have just been a friendly meal. James was convinced she only showed up because she knew we would be there. I just don’t know.”
“Do you think she’s hoping to get graded better than the rest of us?”
“That’s exactly what I asked,” Mandy said, laughing. She jumped when a figure moved in at her side, holding her hand to her heart as she turned. “Sophie? What are you doing here?”
The lean reporter looked tired, dark circles pooling under her eyes and signifying a heavy workload. “I’m here to see if anyone knows Julie Nichols. This was the last place she was seen, so … .”
“Nothing so far?”
Sophie shook her head, her long dark hair moving against her shoulders. “No. If the cops have a suspect, they’re not letting on.”
“Who is Julie Nichols?” Marian asked.
“Oh, sorry, I’m being rude,” Mandy said. She introduced the two women and explained about their dead classmate. When she was done, Marian looked flabbergasted.
“Do the police think she was killed here?” Marian swallowed hard.
“They think she was killed on campus,” Sophie said. “They’re not sure where, though.”
“How did she die?”
“She was strangled.”
“I … that’s just so freaky,” Marian said. “What if there’s a serial killer on campus? We could all be potential targets.”
James thought Mandy’s imagination often got away from her. Marian made Mandy look even-tempered and logical. “I think we’re probably safe,” Mandy said. “I wouldn’t worry about it. The odds of Julie being killed because she was in this class are pretty low.”
“Are you talking about the dead girl?” Professor Barnes turned his attention from Ann and shuffled over to the small group. Mandy had to bite her bottom lip to keep from laughing when she saw Ann trailing him. There was no way she was giving up. Not yet. “I read about that in the newspaper. I didn’t know she was in this class until I got the notice from the registrar’s office. It’s really a tragedy.”
“It is,” Mandy agreed. “Actually, this is Sophie Lane. She’s a reporter for The Daily Tribune. She’s working on the story. She’s looking for anyone who might remember Julie.”
“I don’t have a clue,” Professor Barnes said. “I’m ashamed to admit that faces kind of melt together for me.”
“I can see that,” Mandy said.
“Not all faces, right?” Ann pressed.
Barnes ignored her. “Do the police have any leads?”
“Not that they’re making public,” Sophie said. “I was just taking a shot that someone here knew her. I knew Mandy was in the same class, so I didn’t think it could hurt to stop by.”
“Oh, you two know each other?” Ann asked, shifting her full attention to the comely reporter. “How?”
Mandy pursed her lips. Ann was the type of woman who was always trying to feel out her competition. She obviously thought Sophie might be a threat in her efforts to snag the cooking professor. “She and Grady live together,” Mandy said.
“Grady Hardy? He’s living with a woman?” Ann looked doubtful. “Grady never struck me as the type to settle down.”
“Well, he has,” Mandy said.
“Who are you?” Sophie asked, looking Ann up and down.
“This is Ann Nelson,” Mandy said carefully. “She … um … well … .”
“I dated James in high school,” Ann replied smoothly. “I’m the one who broke his heart so he had to settle for this one.”
Sophie snorted. “No way. You’re Ann? You’re the Ann?”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Ann placed her hands on her hips. “Have they been talking about me? Has James been talking about me?”
“Oh, James definitely talks about you,” Sophie said, exchanging a look with Mandy. “I think your name usually comes up between the words ‘devil’ and ‘demon.’”
“I don’t like you,” Ann said, wrinkling her nose.
“You don’t even know her,” Mandy protested.
“I know enough.”
“I do, too,” Sophie said. “I’ve heard some truly great stories about you. I really like the one where you were throwing yourself at James in his office and he left you so he could chase after Mandy. He made Grady herd you out of his office because he never wanted to see you again.”
“You’re making that up.”
“Whatever.” Sophie rolled her eyes until they landed on Mandy. “Ally was not exaggerating when she described this one.”
“Ally? Don’t tell me she’s down here, too? I always hated that little … .”
“Watch your mouth,” Mandy warned.
“Or just shut your mouth,” Sophie suggested. “No one cares what you have to say.”
“You know what?”
Sophie ignored her. “I have to get going,” she said, focusing her attention on Mandy. “You shouldn’t stick around too long either. There’s a tornado watch, and the weather forecasters say it could be a really busy night due to a multitude of storms. You should get home before James has a coronary.”
“He’ll be fine,” Mandy said, waving off Sophie’s concern. “I told him my class ended an hour after it’s supposed to tonight. Last week’s class was longer because it was the first one. I didn’t want him to freak out. I’ll be home before he can even work up the energy to worry about me.”
“He always worries about you,” Sophie said. “Still, drive safely. I’ll see you Sunday, right?”
“Definitely,” Mandy said. “With fall almost here, we’re running out of
nice days for barbecues.”
“We’ll just have to move them inside,” Sophie said. “I’ll talk to you soon.”
Ten
“Funnel clouds have been reported over M-59,” Grady said, striding into James’ office. “They’re right by the college.”
James glanced up from his computer, frowning. “What time is it?”
“Almost seven.”
“Mandy’s class doesn’t get out for another hour,” James said, getting to his feet. “I need to get out there.”
“You’re going to drive toward the tornado? Do you really think that’s a good idea?”
“I think it’s the only thing I’m going to be able to live with,” James said. “I can’t just sit here and hope she’s okay. I’m going.”
Grady sighed and ran his hand through his shoulder-length dark hair, his brown eyes flashing. “I’ll go with you.”
“What about Sophie?”
“Well, ironically, she was heading out to the college this afternoon, too,” Grady said. “She wanted to question the people in Mandy’s class.”
“Do you think she’s still there?”
“I’m hoping she’s smart enough to take cover with Mandy instead of getting on the road when a storm is barreling down.”
“How sure are you that she would do that?” James asked, serious.
“Not very sure at all,” Grady admitted. “Let’s go. You can drive and I can keep my eyes open for hazards. It’s probably the safest way. Once we’re all together, we’ll feel better.”
“That’s a good idea,” James said. He glanced around the office. “Where is Jake?”
“He left a half hour ago,” Grady said. “He wanted to wrangle Ally and hunker down for the night. There was some bold talk of a candlelit dinner in the basement.”
“Don’t tell me that,” James complained.
“They’re living together. They’re having nonstop sex. They’re just as gross as you and Mandy are. Get over it.”
“She’s still my baby sister.”
“Grow up,” Grady said. “Let’s get moving.”
The two men were halfway across the office when Finn and Emma emerged at the bottom of the staircase. Finn had three pillows and a blanket in his hands, and Emma was clutching a huge laundry basket of food, drinks, and flashlights.
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