“I’m so sorry, Cathy.” I squeezed her hand.
“It’s okay. I’m a strong woman. Besides how can I be mad at him? He’s already been through so much.”
“Give him time. Maybe things will change.”
“Maybe.” She lifted a shoulder, not looking very hopeful. “Well, I better get these supplies back to Cole before he starts worrying about that, too.” She headed up front to pay Gary, and I made a vow right then and there not to be a coward anymore.
There were people in the world who had gone through far worse than me. No more avoiding Jo and Cole. They needed to know there was a ticking clock. They needed to know that we didn’t have much to go on. They needed to know the truth.
But not before I had done everything in my power to change the outcome.
“Hi, Gary, remember me?” I smiled up at him.
He looked at me with a guilty expression on his face. “I meant to call,” was all he said.
“And I meant to take my vitamins this morning, but I forgot. Life happens. I get that, but it’s not too late.” I glanced at the clock. “Why, look at that. I do believe it’s your lunch hour. Doesn’t Billy Rowe have half days in school this year since he’s a senior? I seem to remember my mother mentioning what a good job he did when he waited on her just the other day, right around this time. Can’t he cover for you while I give you a reading?”
“Oh, that’s all right. I wouldn’t have time to get over to your place and back, and he’s still new. I really don’t want to leave him alone.”
“No worries.” I patted my tote bag. “I brought my office to you. I would feel terrible if you missed a reading, since you already paid me for the entire month.”
Billy walked in right then and waved to Gary, then stored his things in the back room and took his place behind the counter. “I’m here, boss. I got you covered.”
“Great, Billy.” Gary’s smile was a bit stiff and full of resignation. “That’s just great.” His shoulders drooped a little with weariness as he led the way into his back room.
Gary loved his readings. He lived to hear what his horoscope had to say. That was why it was a little confusing and a whole lot alarming for him to be hesitant in having me read his sign today. Unless he was afraid of what I would discover. I took a deep breath and reminded myself this was Gary we were talking about. A nice, respectable man whom I had known for a year now. Then again, he was also a person of interest in a murder investigation. If I had learned anything over the past year, it was that appearances could be deceiving and anything was possible.
Gary shut the door behind us and gestured for me to take a seat at the break room table. “It’s not exactly your sanctuary, but it will have to do,” he muttered, clearly not acting like he was into this reading at all.
I sat across from him and pulled out my horoscope charts. “Is everything okay, Gary? You’re usually so excited for your weekly readings, yet you missed today and didn’t call to reschedule.”
Gary’s tight, curly brown hair and mustache looked trimmed and neat. He was tall and skinny, with a slight limp, but still sat up straight and strong. He liked to help people and didn’t let excuses get in the way of that, but right now, behind closed doors, he finally let his guard down. His shoulders slumped ever so slightly, but I noticed. “It’s been a rough week,” was all he said.
“Well, then, let’s see if we can find out why.” I smiled encouragingly as I spread my charts out before me to study them. I genuinely liked Gary. I was with the captain. I hoped like heck that he was innocent.
Gary was an air sign. He loved to communicate and form relationships with other people. Born a thinker, he was analytical, communicative, and intellectual. He loved social gatherings, good books, and philosophical discussions. If asked, he readily gave advice, but at times he could be superficial. All in all, he was a great guy, which made this all the more difficult.
As an Aquarius, he was a progressive, original, independent humanitarian. The problem was, he often ran from expressing himself emotionally. That was why he had issues with finding someone to share his life with. The fact that he was temperamental, sometimes aloof, and often uncompromising didn’t help.
I did, however, point out that he liked to help others and fight for their causes. He was fun to be around, could definitely hold an intellectual conversation, and was a great listener. He didn’t like to be limited, abhorred broken promises, avoided people who disagreed with him, dull and boring situations, and hated being lonely. His kind had a reputation for being cold and insensitive, but he really wasn’t. It was just his defense mechanism against premature intimacy.
Gary needed to learn to trust others before he could express his emotions in a healthy way. Because once he did, he would be loyal and committed. He would consider his partner an equal and never try to possess them, sacrificing everything for their happiness. Gary often lived inside his own mind. That was why he came to me each week. He needed someone to talk to about the progressive thoughts he had. I was the next best thing to a therapist for him.
“Well, anything?” he asked anxiously.
“Actually, yes. This is an excellent time of year for you to form new relationships and build new social contacts. Let’s start with your career.”
“Okay.” His forehead puckered, and I could tell he wanted to know what I had to say, but he was somehow afraid as well.
“Your argumentative nature may not help matters in your career. There is a fine balance between aggression and harmony in dealing with others. You’d do well to remember that. I know you want to help people in this town, but you can’t always fix everything, Gary.”
“I know.” He looked down at his hands as he interlocked his fingers and rotated his thumbs.
“I know you have big dreams when it comes to expanding your business. You’ve done such a great job with this place. I’m sure you’ll be successful, but look for loyalty when making new relationships and friendships. It’s time, Gary. You need to change some outdated ideas and be open to new creativity in your work.”
He looked up at me and his eyes widened as if I’d touched on something. “So, you think I should say ‘yes’?”
Oh, boy. “That depends on what you’re saying ‘yes’ to.” I had to be careful about getting carried away when advising certain people. Gary lived by his readings. He was obviously going through something, and the last thing I wanted to do was steer him in the wrong direction. “Are you referring to business or pleasure?”
“Both, maybe.”
“Well, I do see you starting a new venture. You’ll need to get the cooperation and help from others.” I frowned. “But I also see your expenses overshooting and upsetting your budget. Be careful that your expenses for personal luxuries doesn’t take over. I think everything will stabilize in time. Work out a financial plan to balance your earnings and expenses, and you will be fine.”
He let out a huge breath of air. “That’s good to hear.”
I looked at him with concern. “This venture will require energy and stamina if you don’t want to suffer a nervous breakdown. You can’t just work hard. You need to mix relaxation in as well, to maintain a healthy disposition. I recommend meditation. I hear it works wonders.”
He dropped his gaze to the table and his face flushed.
“I take it that’s the pleasure part of the complicated mix?”
Finally, his gaze met mine. “Cindy Malone down at the spa has an amazing pair of hands.”
This time I blushed.
“I mean she gives a great relaxing massage.” His face flamed red. “She also teaches meditation. My parents weren’t on board with my plans, so I sought her out through a friend’s recommendation and she helped me to relax. I somehow found myself opening up to her, which so isn’t like me, and suddenly she offers to invest. I backed off, of course. It was a bit too much, too soon, if you know what I mean. But I can’t stop thinking about her, and I can’t help wondering if I made a mistake. She’s witty and cleve
r and funny.” His tender smile said it all. “And she’s smarter than anyone I’ve ever met.”
“She sounds perfect.” I squeezed his hand. “Isn’t she everything you’ve ever been looking for?”
“Yes, and that terrifies me.”
“Being engaged to Mitch terrifies me, but when you meet The One you just know it. I say go for it, on one condition.”
He looked at me curiously. “What’s that?”
“Where were you the afternoon Gunther Corp was murdered?”
He blinked. “Pardon me?”
“I hate to say this, but I have to. Gunther threatened your business and might have been ready to threaten other businesses in Divinity if someone didn’t stop him. You like to fix things, and you’re a member of the gun club. Then you cancel our appointment and act all skittish. So as much as I hate to do this, I repeat… where were you the afternoon Gunther Corp was murdered?”
He stared at me for a long moment. “I get why you asked, and I don’t blame you. You’re only doing your job. Gunther did infuriate me, and if he had come back, I honestly don’t know what I would have done to protect my town. I don’t condone murder, but I am glad that decision is out of my hands now. I was at Cindy’s place, getting a massage. That’s the same day she made me the offer to invest in my business. And that is why I have been so freaked out. You can ask her. I’m sure she’ll verify my alibi.”
I let out a huge sigh of relief. “I believe you, Gary. And for the record, don’t be afraid to let her in. I don’t know Cindy, but she sounds like a fantastic person. Exactly what you need, if you ask me. And if she’s smart like you say, then she will make a great business partner. You can’t go wrong, so I say go for it.”
“You think so?” he asked, looking hopeful.
I donned my best fortune-teller face as I responded with utmost conviction, “I know so.”
9
“I’m sorry. We shouldn’t have been avoiding you guys,” I said to Jo and Cole while sitting at the bar in Smokey Jo’s Tavern. It was a slow night in the small town of Divinity, so no chance of being overheard and sending the ever-churning rumor mill into overdrive.
“We haven’t been doing anything. You have,” Mitch responded from beside me. “Some of us have been working.”
My jaw unhinged, and I gaped at him. “Seriously? You’re really going to throw me under the bus like that, Detective? Last I checked, you haven’t been knocking on their door any more than I have.”
“Because I didn’t have any answers for them. I’m all about the facts, Tink. No sense wasting anyone’s time until I have some.”
“You’re all about something, Grumpy Pants, and facts have nothing to do with it. Avoidance with a capital A is more like it.” And suddenly we weren’t talking about the case anymore.
Cole popped open a longneck and handed it to Mitch. “It’s on the house. Why don’t you come with me and fill me in on those facts, buddy?”
“Probably a good idea,” Mitch grumbled as he stood and followed Cole a little too quickly.
“I’ve got the snacks,” Sean added just as hastily.
“Men,” Jo said, handing me a beer.
“Amen,” Zoe seconded, as she poured herself a glass of wine.
“Speaking of men, how’s everything going between you two?” Jo sipped her milk.
“Tense, because we’re both still avoiding our own issues and focusing on the bigger issue of clearing Cole’s name. You know Mitch, he can’t stand the fact that Captain Walker wants me on the case as well.”
“He’s just worried,” Zoe said.
“We both are,” I admitted, “and not just about our relationship.” My gaze met Jo’s. “We’re running out of time. The mayor wants this case resolved ASAP with the Winterfest coming up, yet none of our leads are panning out.”
“They will.” Jo rubbed her massive stomach.
I eyed her with curiosity and a bit of wariness. “You sound so sure and confident. How is that possible?”
“Mother’s intuition,” she responded immediately. “Don’t ask me how I know, I just do. My babies and I need our Sasquatch. The universe wouldn’t take that away from us. That’s all there is to it.”
Zoe and I eyed each other with concern. I hoped Jo was right, because if we couldn’t clear Cole’s name, I wasn’t sure she could handle the reality of what her life would become as a single mother of twins, a fur baby mommy of a Great Dane puppy, and a business owner. She’d be having a nervous breakdown of the Amazonian kind.
As if reading our thoughts, Cole, Mitch, and Sean joined us with grim looks on their faces.
“What’s wrong, babe, you look pale?” Jo asked Cole.
“Nothing for you to worry about. Probably something I ate.” He tried for a smile.
“I was just filling him in on where we’re at in the case,” Mitch said in full detective mode, except now was not the time for a reality check.
“So, did you hear the news?” Sean chimed in as if sensing the vibe that a certain pregnant woman was fragile right now, unlike a clueless Detective Stone.
Zoe’s shoulders wilted as if in relief, and she shot her boyfriend a grateful glance. Pasting on a dramatic expression, she faced me. “The mayor moved up the date for Winterfest.”
I stifled a gasp. “That’s a huge event. It takes so much planning; the committee must be freaking out.” I shook my head.
“Oh, they’re not the only ones freaking out.” Jo chuckled.
“What do you mean?” I felt my forehead pucker.
“Well, Chuck Webb has a business to run as well, and he already booked rooms during the new dates.”
“But he’s the only hotel in town,” I replied.
“Not the only one,” Jo said meaningfully.
“Oh, Lord have mercy, you mean my mother?” I sputtered. “The inn isn’t nearly ready to be open that soon. My mother must be going insane.”
“That’s an understatement.” Cole grunted.
“Let’s just say they’re going to need divine inspiration for the inn to be ready on time.” Sean grimaced.
“As if we didn’t have enough to worry about right now.”
“I thought you might be hungry,” I said later that night, and carried a pizza out to the garage—the one area Morty would allow Mitch to put his stamp on.
I had a feeling my detective was avoiding me again, though he would deny it if I said anything. He looked up from the notes he’d spread out on the pool table and tried for a smile, but the crease in the middle of his forehead was too deep to fade completely.
“Thanks.” He straightened and rubbed the back of his neck with his big hand.
My heart melted. No matter what we were going through personally, I knew he was working so hard to clear his best friend’s name. His loyalty and protective nature for those he cared about were some of the things I loved the most about him.
“I know Captain told us to divide and conquer, but that doesn’t mean we’re not a team anymore,” I said softly. “I told you about Gary’s reading, yet you never did tell me what you found out from Torres. Maybe I can help.”
“I’m sorry. We’ve hardly spent more than a couple minutes together lately, and we ran out of time.” He sat down and picked up a slice of pizza, taking a bite and closing his eyes for a moment to chew.
“It’s okay.” I walked around him to rub his shoulders and massage his neck, giving him the time he needed to gather his thoughts. He leaned his head back against me and groaned in sheer bliss, and I couldn’t resist bending down to kiss the top of his head. “I’m here now.”
He reached up and squeezed my hand. “I know, and I love you.”
“I love you too.” Our love wasn’t in question. Whether it would be enough to withstand our differences on having a baby remained to be seen. But I missed him and right now I needed to feel his strength.
He pulled me around to the front of him and down onto his lap. Wrapping his arms around me, he started talking. “I didn’t have an
y luck finding Adam or Ray, but I did learn some interesting facts from Torres. Internal Affairs didn’t have enough evidence on Burrows to do anything about his alleged shady dealings with the biker gang, so they had to clear him.”
“Then why can’t you find him?”
“He took a leave of absence from the emotional stress of being wrongly accused, and is recuperating out of town.”
“Where?”
“No one knows.”
I snuggled deeper into his arms and mumbled against his chest, “Do you think he’s innocent?”
Mitch ran his palms slowly up and down my back, making it hard to focus on what he was saying. “Not a chance. Torres has great instincts. If he doesn’t believe him, then that’s good enough for me.”
“What are we going to do about it?”
He hesitated over the word we for a moment, then responded with heavy resignation in his voice, “Dig deeper.”
“Tomorrow.” I flattened my palms against his chest, feeling his heartbeat quicken.
“What about it?”
“Let’s start tomorrow. Tonight, we need to recharge our batteries.” I peeked up and drank in the site of him. “I miss you, Grumpy Pants.”
“Me, too, Tink.” His gaze dropped to my mouth. “Me, too,” he repeated with a husky tone to his deep voice before lowering his lips to mine and showing me just how much.
The next day I walked down Main Street toward a small deli that carried gourmet cheese, meats, and delicacies. My mother was a fancy, Grey Poupon type of woman, while I was more of a plain Jane, basic mustard sort of girl. Her picky self would never shop at Gretta’s Mini Mart for her specialty items. While I normally stuck with the basics, I wanted to give my mother a little pick-me-up. Besides, I gave Gretta plenty of business, and this shop was another local mom-and-pop store. I was all about supporting Divinity’s local businesses.
Winterfest was fast approaching. The streets were evident of that. Sparkly snowflakes hung from the old-fashioned light posts, while several fake snowmen were animatedly decorated and staggered alongside the benches. Flyers with all the upcoming events were stapled to the telephone poles, and various sales were advertised in storefront windows. Winterfest was one of our biggest carnivals, taking over most of the town. Streets shut down for the many outdoor activities for young and old. Craft tents were set up for locals to sell their wares. My favorite was skating on the pond, and I couldn't wait to do it as a couple with Mitch. Knowing my man these days, he would be anticipating the chili cook-off which wrapped up the festival at the end of the week.
Hazard in the Horoscope Page 8
