by B. J Daniels
“Amanda?” Charlie said, blinking at the giant bear staring back at her.
“Who else?” Tara laughed. “She had to outdo everyone else. She even asked me what everyone had gotten the baby so far. The woman’s nuts.”
“You don’t have to tell me. She stopped by my apartment after I left here.”
“You have to be kidding.”
Charlie shook her head. “She accused me of being after Greg.”
Tara rolled her eyes.
“You should have seen her face when she met my...old friend.”
Tara grinned. “I heard. She said he’s gorgeous, especially wearing nothing but a towel and water droplets running down his incredible rock-hard six-pack. It sounds like Amanda couldn’t take her eyes off him.”
Charlie felt her cheeks flush. “Of course, she would have told you.”
“Is it true? He came out of the bedroom from the shower wearing nothing but a towel?”
“He was trying to make a point.”
Tara laughed. “Oh yeah? Is he really as hot as she said he was?”
Charlie sighed. “Hotter.”
“Girl, I can’t wait to hear this story, but what happened with Daniel?”
Charlie moved to the bassinet to look down at her namesake. “I think I broke up with him. I don’t know. It’s all so confusing.”
“What a terrible problem you have.”
Charlie admired the sleeping baby for a moment, before she turned back to Tara. “Joke all you want, but it is confusing. Daniel’s here and now. Shep is...going away after the holiday and yet there are old feelings.”
“Does he realize Shep sounds like a dog’s name?”
Charlie grinned. “That’s what Greg said.”
“Greg knows about him?”
Charlie looked to the heavens. “By now everyone in the county knows.”
* * *
JASON’S EYES WIDENED at the question. He took a sip of his drink and for a moment, Shep wondered if the man was going to respond. So he asked it again.
“Why are you looking into Lindy Parker’s murder?”
Jason nodded as if to say he’d heard the question the first time. “And you are who exactly?”
“I’m a friend of Charlie’s. Your roommate’s former girlfriend.”
His brow shot up at the word former. Apparently he hadn’t heard about the breakup last night. Or maybe Daniel thought it was temporary.
“What is your interest?” Shep continued. “Or did Daniel put you up to it?”
Jason chuckled and leaned back as if to get comfortable. “Daniel? Not likely. He had no interest in Charlie’s past. Or really all that much in her. I, on the other hand, was curious about her.”
“It would have taken some digging to find out about her stepsister’s murder since they didn’t share the same last name.”
The young man looked nonplussed. “I’m not sure how much you know about me, but I’m a researcher here. I like digging up information about all kinds of things. I get curious so I check them out.”
“Did you tell Daniel you were ‘checking out’ his girlfriend? Did you tell him what you learned?”
“Why bother? Like I said, he had no interest. To him, Charlie was just a cute girl to date for a while.”
“For a while?”
“I’ve been his roommate for almost a year. Everything with Daniel is temporary, especially women. I’m sorry, but your friend was no different.”
Shep wanted to finally meet Daniel and punch him in the face. “What did you plan to do with the information you got on Charlie’s stepsister?”
Jason seemed surprised. “Nothing. Like I said, I was just curious.”
“Are you curious about all of Daniel’s girlfriends?”
This time Jason looked a little embarrassed. “Charlie was different. There is something about her...” He shrugged. “I wished I’d met her first. But then I don’t think I have to tell you that Charlie is one of a kind, do I?”
* * *
WHEN CHARLIE RETURNED to her apartment, she found it empty. She had no idea where Shep had gone. After taking off her coat and boots, she checked out what she could find in the refrigerator since it was past lunchtime.
On the way from visiting Tara, her thoughts had been all over the place. Running into Andy and finding out another ugly thing Lindy had done to her had set her nerves on end. She realized that Shep had probably gone to see Jason. If she hadn’t already planned to go see Tara this morning with Joe...
Pulling out her cell phone, she called Daniel since she didn’t have Jason’s number.
“Charlie! I’m so glad you called,” Daniel said quickly. “Look, I don’t know what happened last night except I know I was to blame. I’m sorry.”
It was nice at least to hear him apologize. “I wasn’t calling about that. I just found out that Jason did some research on me and my stepsister’s murder.”
“What?”
“He didn’t tell you he dug into my background?”
Daniel swore. “I can’t believe this. I’ve known Jason since high school. He’s a hell of a researcher but I had no idea he was researching my girlfriend.” She could hear the anger in his voice. “I swear ever since I criticized this ditzy girl he’s been dating... I’m so sorry. I’m sure he did it to get back at me. Your life is none of his business. I’ll talk to him.”
“Thank you. I should go.”
“Charlie, I hope we get to talk in the next few days. I mean, it’s almost Christmas.”
She thought of the present he’d said he had for her and felt guilty. She hadn’t bought him anything—even before they broke up. “We’ll talk soon.”
Disconnecting, she looked around the apartment. Jason knew about Lindy. And Lindy was back, bringing with her all the horrible memories. Charlie thought of her mother’s death, her father’s hurried marriage, Lindy’s cruelty and finally her stepsister’s supposed murder.
For so long, she’d tried to put it all behind her. But standing in her small apartment alone and even more angry with Lindy, she knew it was time she faced the past head-on.
She found the stack of papers Shep had gotten from the homicide detective and made herself comfortable on the couch. Her heart hammered at the thought of finally knowing exactly what happened that night—and come to grips with the part she played in it.
* * *
AN HOUR LATER, she put down the last piece of research Shep had collected and wiped her eyes. The murder had been brutal. It was beyond her comprehension how anyone could have done such a thing.
She didn’t believe it had been some stranger passing by. All her instincts told her that whoever had killed Lindy had hated her with a passion.
That alone shocked her. For years, she’d wanted to believe Lindy’s death had been random. Some stranger who’d come out of one of the abandoned buildings in the industrial area nearby. Now, she realized with a shudder that the killer had to have been someone who knew Lindy and hated her as much as Charlie did herself.
WT COULDN’T REMEMBER the last time he’d gone ice-skating. When Meg suggested it, he’d thought she was joking. “Aren’t we a little old for ice-skating?”
She’d grinned at him. “We weren’t too old for what we did after our dinner date. What’s ice-skating compared to that?”
Her grin made his cheeks flush. He’d never met anyone so outspoken. She made him feel alive and young again. She was full of surprises, up for anything, and she seemed to like him. All of it felt surreal. Being with her had awakened something in him he hadn’t even known had dozed off.
He smiled and shook his head. “Ice-skating it is.”
Now as he cruised around the rink with Meg beside him, he couldn’t imagine why he had stopped ice-skating. It was exhilarating. Just like being here with her. What was it about this woman that made him
want to discard all rational thoughts regarding his age, his social position, his stodgy lifestyle?
After going dancing and then going back to her place and making love in her king-size bed, he’d said, “You make me want to buy a VW bus and hit the road with no plan at all.”
She’d laughed as she cuddled next to him. “So why don’t we?”
He’d held her, getting glimpses of a future he’d never considered. “You’d be bored within a week.”
“Try me,” she said and turned to look at him. “What about you?”
“I don’t know, but I have to admit, you have me looking at my future differently than I did just days ago.”
She smiled at him. “That’s a good thing, Billy.”
That was when she suggested ice-skating and then he’d fallen asleep, smiling to himself. It was one of the best night’s sleeps he could remember.
But that little voice in the back of his head warned him that this was moving way too fast. He needed to watch his step. Mostly, he needed to watch himself because this woman was dangerous when it came to a man’s heart.
* * *
SHEP RETURNED TO the apartment to find Charlie curled up on the couch, his stack of paperwork next to her. He could see she’d been crying.
“Did you talk to Jason?” she asked. Her look told him she knew exactly where he’d gone.
He nodded as he shrugged out of coat and boots and tossed his Stetson on a hook by the door. The temperature outside had dropped. Snow drifted down from a white blanket of sky. There was little chance that Bozeman wouldn’t be getting a white Christmas.
“Well?” she asked, pushing the paperwork aside and patting the couch next to her.
“He said he was just curious about you,” Shep said. Instead of going to the couch, he went into the kitchen. “Want some wine? I’m going to have a beer.”
She appeared next to his elbow as he bent to look in the refrigerator.
“What aren’t you telling me? What haven’t you been telling me all along?” she demanded. “I went through everything you’ve collected. What is it you’re so afraid of me finding out?”
He pulled out a beer and turned to face her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Jason has a crush on you.” He shrugged. “Who doesn’t?” He tried to step past her, but she caught his arm.
“Lindy knew her killer and her killer knew her,” Charlie said. “It was a crime of passion, isn’t that what they call it? Which means it was someone who hated her with such intensity...” Her voice broke.
“I’m not sure where you’re going with this—”
“Who could have hated her more than I did that night?” Charlie demanded.
“Hold on. Remember? You heard someone come into the house that night.”
She was shaking her head. “Maybe I was wrong. Maybe I made it up to hide what I did.”
“How can you say that when you don’t even believe she’s really dead?”
Charlie glared at him. “Whoever killed the young woman behind my house thought she was Lindy. It was so brutal... Maybe they did make a mistake. I know I saw Lindy recently. I had her scarf in my hand.” She closed her eyes. “Maybe I’m losing my mind. Maybe I lost it that night.”
He could see how confused and scared she was. He set down the beer and firmly took her shoulders in his hands. “You didn’t kill her.”
Tears streamed down her face as she opened her eyes. “How can you be so sure?”
“Because I know you.” He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly against him. “I know you, Charlie.” He let her cry, smoothing her hair as he kissed the top of her head. “I know you.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
SHEP KEPT her busy the rest of the weekend with several shopping trips to get food for meals he wanted to make her and more home improvement shows to watch and card games to play. Charlie knew what he was trying to do. He was trying to keep her mind off Lindy.
While she hadn’t seen her stepsister again, Lindy was never far from her thoughts—just like the worry about what had really happened that night. Charlie had never thought she could feel so much hatred. But that night, something dark and depraved had taken over her. It had felt primal and putrid. She still shuddered with shame when she remembered that cold-blooded feeling.
Shep thought he knew her. He thought she wasn’t capable of murder. But she feared he was wrong.
Monday, she dragged herself out of bed. Only a couple more days before Christmas and a week off. She couldn’t wait, for so many reasons. Over break, she planned to do some investigating on her own. She had to know the truth.
She thought it was a good sign when she managed to get to her desk without seeing either Amanda or Greg. Her horoscope had made her laugh.
In the middle of a romantic triangle? Maybe it’s time to free yourself from this dilemma you’ve been in. You know which choice you want to make.
She wondered if Shep had read her horoscope because he had seemed distant this morning. He said he was hungover from all the home shows they’d watched. She tried not to worry about it. She had enough on her mind.
Her cubicle felt empty without Tara. Charlie couldn’t wait until Christmas break. Greg was giving everyone a paid vacation from Christmas Eve through January first. All she had to do was get through a couple more days.
The only drawback was the wedding. Amanda had insisted on a post-Christmas wedding at Big Sky Resort in the Gallatin Canyon outside of town. Greg had sprung for rooms at a hotel on the mountain with lift passes and rentals for anyone interested in skiing. The wedding was scheduled for Friday right after Christmas, and guests were welcome to stay two nights at the resort for free.
Charlie had no choice but to attend the wedding—she’d even asked Daniel to go with her back when they were a couple. Now she planned to come back home right after the wedding. She thought most of the other employees would take advantage of Greg’s generosity and stay the whole two days.
“Charlie?”
She jumped at the sound of her name directly behind her and spun around to find Amanda hovering over her. “Amanda. You scared me.”
The woman smiled, clearly enjoying her discomfort. “You seemed to be a million miles away. A penny for your thoughts.”
“Actually, I was thinking about your wedding.”
“Really? How interesting since I just stopped by to give you the information you’ll need including directions to the hotel at Big Sky.” She handed Charlie a pale lavender envelope. “You are planning to stay both days, I’m sure. Greg would be so disappointed if his favorite employee left right after the wedding.”
“I bet you say that to all the staff,” Charlie said and laughed as if it had been a joke.
“And you must bring Shep,” Amanda said, lifting a brow. “How do you do it? Men just seem to flock to you.”
“Hardly.” Daniel had been her first boyfriend in months and now that was over. Shep... Well, it wasn’t what Amanda thought it was. And he’d be gone soon no matter what happened. His students would be anxiously waiting to learn new math.
“I’m telling Greg you’re bringing your latest beau,” Amanda said. “Don’t make me a liar.”
“I wouldn’t want to do that,” Charlie said, wishing she hadn’t been so heavy on the sarcasm. But Amanda either didn’t notice or ignored it as she took off to deliver the rest of her lavender envelopes.
* * *
MAC CALLED JUST as Shep was heading back to the apartment after making sure that Charlie had arrived at her office without incident. The high school English teacher asked how they’d liked the cookies.
“They were delicious,” Shep said, feeling guilty as he glanced over to see the package sitting on his pickup seat. He’d forgotten about them. But he knew Mac wasn’t really calling about the cookies.
“I thought of someone else you might want to talk t
o. Lindy’s math teacher. His name is Fred Jones. He’s retired but I can give you his address.”
Shep took down the address and phone number and thanked Mac.
“Give Charlie my regards,” Mac said and disconnected.
Fred Jones lived south of town on Sourdough Road. The house appeared to have been built in the late sixties: flat roof, white stucco, large windows, everything all on one level.
Shep’s knock was answered by an older, physically fit man with short gray hair and a closely trimmed beard. After Shep introduced himself, Jones led him into the living room. Even the furniture was from the sixties. Shep sat on the long couch in front of a travertine fireplace.
“I’m here about Lindy Parker. I’m looking into her murder for a friend. I understand she was in several of your classes. I’m hoping you remember her and can tell me anything you remember about her.”
Jones nodded and ran his fingers thoughtfully over his beard for a moment. “Lindy. Oh yes, I remember her well. She stands out not just because of her murder. The girl was such an enigma. One day she’d be all bright-eyed and excited to participate in class. The next, she’d be sullen and said she didn’t know the answer to a problem she’d gotten right the day before.” He shook his head. “Looking back, I suspect she was bipolar. How else could you explain it? I spoke to her mother about it, but my concern wasn’t well received.”
“What did her mother say?”
“That there was nothing wrong with her daughter. I was told to stay out of it. Very frustrating for a teacher who sees such potential going to waste.”
“Did you also have Charlie Farmington in your classes?” Shep asked.
“The stepsister.” Jones nodded. “She was smart enough but clearly not interested in math.” Shep knew only too well how that was with his own students. “Always drawing in class.”
“Did you ever see any trouble between the two sisters?”
