Probably.
“How did Kellen know—?” I couldn’t even form the question.
“He was going through the parking lot, checking vehicles. He thought he heard someone scream for help and the next thing he knew, you and Caroline rounded the corner looking like a couple of ghosts.”
Had she been screaming the whole time? I couldn’t remember.
“Axel?”
“He’s fine,” Kellen said, squatting beside Tucker.
I caught sight of the dog looking over Kellen’s shoulder as if to make sure we were safe.
Kellen laughed. “Once Axel hit Withrow, he didn’t have a chance to do much of anything. We found the injector out in the middle of the street. It’s already been bagged for evidence.”
I was able to breathe a little easier, but I still avoided Tucker’s steady gaze. He was searching my face, a million questions in his blue eyes.
The next familiar face I saw was Herb Fleming. He gathered Caroline up in his arms and she buried her face in his chest, crying loudly.
“It’s okay, baby,” he crooned, running his hands through her hair. “He’s not going to hurt anyone else.”
Something was wrong with this picture. I knew they’d grown close but—
Herb must have read the expression on my face. He smiled down at me. “Caroline is my sister,” he explained. “When I introduced her to Jimmy, I had no idea they would fall in love. I had no idea it would end up like this.”
“I was so grateful that Jimmy had gotten Herb off the streets, I guess I just couldn’t help myself,” Caroline finally said with a little hiccup.
“You made him happy these last few weeks,” I said, glad that she had family, someone to look after her. “That’s what counts.”
Herb nodded. Someone handed him a blanket and he wrapped it around her shoulders, pulling her close to him on another sofa nearby.
Warm hands and searing pain shooting through my foot and ankle brought my attention back to Tucker.
“Might be broken,” he said, probing tenderly with his fingertips.
“I hope not. I don’t have time for a broken ankle,” I said, shifting so that I could put both feet on the floor.
More pain shot up my leg before I even put weight on it.
“We’ve got EMTs on the way,” Tucker said, standing. “I want to get both of you checked out.”
As he spoke, the doors opened and two guys from the rescue squad came in wheeling a gurney between them.
“Take her first,” Tucker said, pointing to Caroline. “Fleming, you’re going with her?”
“Yes, sir,” Herb said and I watched as they made sure Caroline was safely tucked in. She flashed me a smile as they wheeled her away and gave me a thumbs up.
“She looks better already,” I said to Tucker.
“Better than you,” he said with a little laugh.
Looking down I saw that my arms were covered with deep scratches and scrapes. I could only imagine what my face must have looked like. “I’ll be fine,” I told Tucker.
“No, you sit tight. There’s another ambulance on the way,” he said. “And once we get you situated, we’re going to have a long, long talk.”
Before he could say anything more, Kat Stinson came rushing toward me. She began touching me all over, arms, shoulders, hands and then she looked into my eyes. “Starla, oh my god. Are you okay? What in the world happened? Bobby called me when you and Caroline came in the front door and -.”
“I’m okay We’re both okay. It’s a long story,” I told her, trying not to look at my ankle, which was turning purple and already beginning to swell. “I think we broke your bushes out back.”
“Who cares about the bushes,” she said. “As long as you and Caroline are safe.”
The sirens were gone and the only flashing lights in the parking lot were from the rescue squad. And all I wanted to do was go home and sleep.
“Let me put you up in a room here tonight,” Kat said quickly. “That way I can stay and take care of you.”
“Once we find out about the damage to that ankle, I’m going to take her home,” Tucker said.
“Should I call someone?” Kat asked.
“I’ll call Poppy and let her know what’s going on,” I assured her.
Kat looked disappointed that she couldn’t be of more help but she made me promise to tell her the whole story. I looked at Tucker who nodded and said, “Not until I get a statement from both you and Caroline.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
After x-rays and a thorough examination by a doctor, my wounds were treated and he announced that my ankle was definitely not broken. It was badly sprained and I was to stay off of it for at least a week.
“I can’t be out of commission for a week,” I complained as I hobbled on crutches alongside Tucker to where Kellen waited on us with Tucker’s SUV. “I have a diner to run.”
Tucker laughed and lifted me into the back seat. Beside me, Axel woofed softly and I leaned against the big dog as we pulled out of the parking lot.
The sun was starting to come up over the mountains when Tucker helped me up the stairs to my apartment. I heard voices and laughter coming from the diner. It was already getting busy. As I collapsed on the sofa, more exhausted than I ever remembered being before, the aroma of fresh baked biscuits made my stomach growl.
“I’ll go down and get you some breakfast,” Tucker offered.
Just as he disappeared, I looked up to see Poppy.
“Oh, Starla,” she said, rushing into the room, sweeping me up in a hug before I could even move. “You look awful.”
“Thanks,” I said. “It could have been worse.”
“So I hear,” she said. “You’re going to have to tell me all about it.”
“Not right now, Poppy. I have to talk to Tucker first,” I said.
“I understand. So, you’re to stay off that ankle for a week.”
I nodded. “Like that’s going to happen.”
“It’s going to happen,” Poppy said, a determined look on her face.
“If it takes both of us,” Tucker said, sliding a plate of eggs, bacon and biscuits in front of me. “You’re not leaving this apartment. Poppy can check on you during the day and I’m staying here at night. It’s all settled.”
I sighed, too tired and too hungry to argue with them.
After a long, long nap, I gave my statement to Tucker and Kellen at the same time. And then Poppy and Kat brought dinner along with a special guest, Caroline. Caroline had some color in her cheeks and smiled when she saw me with my foot propped up on a pillow.
While we ate, Caroline and I filled them in on everything we knew.
“I just wanted to thank you for everything,” Caroline told me when they were getting ready to leave.
“I didn’t do anything,” I protested.
She just gave me a sad little smile.
“Will you be leaving soon?” I asked.
“Herb and I are flying out this afternoon to take Jimmy back to Nashville.”
“What are you going to do?” I asked.
“Both Herb and I have been saving what we could. We’ve learned to always be prepared for the worst and we’ve always depended on each other. In this case, it couldn’t get much worse,” she said and I saw tears in her eyes again.
“Promise me you’ll stay in touch,” I said.
“Promise,” she whispered and followed Poppy and Kat out the door.
I was still thinking about that when Tucker showed up with a duffle bag in one hand and a clean uniform in the other.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“I told you, I’ll be spending the night here until you’re back on your feet,” he said.
Suddenly, that was more scary than jumping off that balcony in the dark.
“What will the neighbors think?” I asked, trying to make light of the situation.
“It’ll give them something to talk about,” he said with a wink.
Oh, boy, was I in
trouble now.
Starla’s Sunflower Butter Pie (Standard 9” pie)
Bottom Layer
1 cup Confectioners’ sugar
½ cup sunflower butter.
Dark chocolate, grated (optional)
Mix confectioners' sugar, grated dark chocolate and sunflower butter until mixture has a crumbly texture. Sprinkle half over the bottom of the shell.
Filling
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup sunflower butter
5 tablespoons real maple syrup
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
Beat the cream cheese, sunflower butter, maple syrup, butter, and vanilla together until smooth. Gently fold in the whipped cream until completely combined, then spoon the filling into the cooled crust.
Top with remainder of confectioner’s sugar mixture or dark chocolate curls, whipped cream and/or toasted sunflower seeds for garnish if desired.
Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
To make small pies, or tarts, out of this recipe, use individual pie shells and divide the bottom later and filling into each one. Garnish with a thin layer of chocolate just like Starla did and you’ve got the perfect little sunflower butter pie.
Mystery Series by Willow Monroe
Peanut Butter Pies & Dangerous Lies Page 16
