Her Hometown Detective

by Elizabeth Mowers

  “Oh, dear. I’d better get down there this morning. We don’t want her judging Roseley based on our dear CeCe.”

  Tully smiled. He could always count on Miss Jenkins to understand things without much explanation. She’d always seemed to know how he had been feeling as a youngster too, offering a well-timed hug without him having to ask or articulate anything at all. A lot of healing had happened in this place over a peppermint stick. More healing than had ever happened at home.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  FAITH DIPPED HER brush into a small can of ruby-red paint and glanced at the heart logo she’d sketched. Heart Motorcycles needed to make a statement, not just to brand her store, but to rebrand her own image. If the people in town could get to know the real her before they remembered her as Ray Talbert’s daughter, maybe she’d have a chance to stay in Roseley and be happy. Maybe.

  She outlined the red heart on her window and quickly began filling it in with paint. She wasn’t aware of anyone watching her work until she heard a voice from behind her.

  “It looks promising.”

  Faith needn’t turn around to know Detective McTully was checking in on her. The thought that he was visiting again so soon made her heart somersault.

  “Good morning, Detective,” she said, choosing to focus more intently on her painting.

  “You need some white and black to offset so much red,” he said. She turned and frowned up at him.

  “Excuse me?”

  “Too much red is a bit overwhelming and—”

  “I heard what you said. I don’t agree.”

  “Take a step back and look at it from here.” He tipped his head, encouraging her to join him. She shuffled a few steps backward to stand next to him and gazed at her heart logo. The red was too much all on its own.

  “The lettering will be in black,” she said, quickly. “It’ll look great.”

  “I take it you decided on Heart Motorcycles for the name.” He motioned toward the giant heart sketch taped on her window.

  “Putting your detective skills to work, I see.”

  “I’ve been known to do that from time to time.”

  “That’s good.”

  “Getting a repair shop in town is good. I’m glad to see someone using this lot.”

  She nibbled a serious hole in the side of her cheek to keep from smiling. He had no idea what it meant, especially coming from him.

  “What are you doing here?” she said. Her question flew out of her mouth more as an accusation and not at all how she had intended. Her father had always accused her of not minding the tone of her voice. As it turned out, he should have been the last person to educate her in getting along better with others.

  “There was a vandalism call from down the street.”

  “Another one?”

  He nodded, studying her intently. “Are you keeping your shop door locked at all times? Even if you step away during the day?”

  “Yes, but I’ll make sure to do a better job.”

  “Good.” He glanced down the street as CeCe Takes hustled toward them. “Making friends yet?”

  Faith shot him a scowl, nearly bringing a smirk to his perfect lips. “No friends are better than—”

  “Good morning, Detective!” CeCe sang once she’d reached them. “Are you investigating Betty’s break-in?”

  “I am.”

  “Is your sandwich shop okay, Mrs. Takes?” Faith said, trying for kind concern. CeCe forced a smile.

  “No one in this town would dare touch my sandwich shop. There was a little incident years ago with my mailbox, but I knew who did it and sought out his father to pay for the damages.”

  Faith’s stomach tightened, recalling the delight she’d felt at defacing CeCe’s mailbox. She had known back then that CeCe would never catch her, but she hadn’t considered that CeCe would pin it on someone else.

  “Betty is fine,” Tully said. Something about how his dark eyes locked onto hers made her stomach twist tighter. She desperately wanted to keep him from looking at her the way everyone else in town used to. She wouldn’t fess up about that stupid mailbox if a team of horses tried to drag it out of her. “She’s cleaning up some broken glass and might need a little help scrubbing the spray paint off the brick. Dolores somehow managed to clean it—”

  CeCe nodded furiously. “Angelo helped her power wash it. I’ll send him down to Betty’s this afternoon.”

  “I’m sure she’ll appreciate that.”

  “What about you?” CeCe said, turning her focus to Faith.

  “What about me?”

  “Are you worried someone will target your shop?”

  “I don’t have much to steal or destroy yet, so...no.”

  CeCe moved her head in a bit of a bobble. She passed judgment as discreetly as she might a kidney stone.

  “I’m going to check on Betty, Detective. She’ll need my moral support after this ugly little incident.” Once she’d scurried down the block, Tully faced Faith.

  “Don’t let her get under your skin,” he said.

  “I’m not. She doesn’t bother me at all. I don’t even think about her.” Faith realized she’d protested too much when Tully cracked a smile.

  “Yes, I can see that,” he said.

  “Why should I be worried about CeCe Takes?”

  “There’s a heart of gold buried beneath all that...”

  “What?” Faith cocked her head, interested at what Tully thought.

  “Fussing.”

  “That’s a gentle way of putting it. Is that what you call it?”

  “In public.”

  Faith smiled this time and found Tully’s face mirrored hers.

  “Take care, Ms. Fitzpatrick. And keep that door locked.”

  Faith pretended not to watch him walk to his truck, but it was difficult to tear her attention away from a man like Detective McTully. As she recalled, it had always been difficult.

  * * *

  FAITH WAS SECURING an advertising poster to the back of her motorcycle with zip ties just when she heard a light rap on the front door. She turned to find Mara Selby.

  “Hi, neighbor,” Mara said, coming into the shop. Faith admired Mara. Mara looked like she hadn’t aged a day since high school. Her skin was still a gorgeous bronze and her long silky brown hair hung in a soft curtain over her shoulders. They hadn’t been friends in high school, but Mara and Peter had been dubbed the golden couple. Everyone knew them.

  “Welcome,” Faith said. “I’m not open for business yet but—”

  “No, I came to welcome you to the block.” Mara held out a flyer. “I’m Mara Selby. I own Little Lakeside Sports Shop at the opposite end of our street.”

  “I saw that. It’s right on the water.”

  “Nearly. It’s a good place for a water sports shop, don’t you think?”

  Faith examined the flyer.

  “Tully said you were new in town. Faith, isn’t it?”

  “John told you about me?” Faith bit back a smile.

  “Officer Stillwater too, though he’s Charlie to me. He’s my big brother.”

  Faith nodded as if learning this information for the first time. Charlie Stillwater had been friends with John McTully in high school. “Anyway, I thought you and I could do some cross-advertising. I’d be happy to post a flyer for you in my shop.”

  Faith sputtered; the offer was more considerate than she had expected.

  “Really?”

  Mara considered her response. “Of course. We’re not competing, are we? I don’t do anything with motorcycles, but maybe our patrons would be similar. Why not help each other? What do you think?”

  Faith nodded. “I don’t have any flyers yet, but I’ll get you one as soon as I print them. Maybe some of my business cards too.”

  “No rush,” Mara said. She admired Fait
h’s motorcycle. “I’ve never been on one of these. I imagine it’s the same feeling as bicycling though, huh?”

  “Riding clears my head when I...” Faith smiled, surprised to have stumbled over her words.

  “When you have a lot on your mind? I understand. Two years ago, I put more miles on my bicycle than the prior three years combined. Nothing but me, the road and the wind on my face.”

  Faith moved around her motorcycle, tightening the last zip tie. “You do understand. Rough year?”

  “You could say that.”

  “Business, family, health?”

  “All of the above.”

  “Those things are usually intertwined, aren’t they?”

  Mara agreed. “Where are you from?”

  Faith squatted behind her motorcycle, pretending to attend to something under the rear saddlebags. She liked Mara immediately, considering she’d never talked to her in high school, but she didn’t want to divulge too much too soon. “I’ve been all over. I graduated high school and took off to see what was out there.”

  “What did you find?”

  “A terrible husband.”

  “Don’t you hate those?”

  They both chuckled. “Yeah. Marrying him wasn’t my finest decision.”

  “I take it he didn’t come here with you.”

  Faith shook her head. Their divorce and the move were supposed to be the clean break she needed. Kyle’s surprise calls were making it a lot harder for her heart to set and heal.

  “Do you have family around the area?”

  Faith tried for a response as close to the truth as possible without giving a lot away.

  “My parents live out of state. No siblings, unfortunately.”

  “Where are you staying?”

  “I’ve known Caroline Waterson for a long time so I’m crashing with her until I find an apartment.”

  “I know Caroline. I haven’t seen her in a while, but she and I went to high school together.”

  “Roseley High.”

  “That’s right. She’s a great gal. So, you’re living in Gus Waterson’s house. Have you met him yet? He spends the heat of the summer fishing in Canada.”

  Faith’s unease at the direction the conversation had taken was causing her fingers to shake. She fiddled with the tiny gold heart hanging around her neck. Mara continued, “Trig and Caroline’s dad is one of a kind. He’s been a staple in this town for many years. I don’t know if Caroline has mentioned any of the things that went down with her aunt and uncle though.”

  “She doesn’t talk much about it.”

  Mara nodded. “That’s understandable. She’d most likely prefer to forget she was ever related, even if only through marriage, to Ray Talbert.”

  Faith turned away from Mara, pretending to organize her toolbox to hide her face at the mention of her father’s name. Moving back was a mistake. There was no way she could keep her resolve when all it took was one mention of Ray to send her pulse racing. She’d no sooner grabbed a socket wrench and turned back toward her bike than her grip failed her, sending the wrench clanking to the floor.

  She and Mara both squatted and reached for it, Mara beating her to the tool.

  “Careful, honey. You almost clanked it on these chrome pipes.” She leaned closer to hand the wrench to Faith, and as she did, her expression fell serious, noticeably doing a double take.

  “Thanks,” Faith said. She staggered back to her tool bench.

  “This might sound strange,” Mara said, stepping closer. “Maybe it’s because I was thinking of Ray Talbert but...”

  Faith turned, her eyes meeting Mara’s. She saw the recognition come over Mara’s face and hurriedly moved for damage control.

  “Please don’t tell anyone,” Faith said. “I’m not ready to...to... I wanted a clean slate here. I’m not ready for people to know.”

  Mara had to forcibly shut her mouth to keep from gaping. She stood still for several moments while Faith’s pulse beat in her ears.

  Finally, Mara spoke. “Honey, I am so sorry. I was jabbering on and on about Ray Talbert and all this time... I apologize for even bringing it up. I didn’t recognize you until now.”

  Faith winced. That was her desire. Few people from her past recognized her since she was mostly known as “Ray Talbert’s daughter,” not a young woman with a name and identity of her own. She thought that if she could distance herself from a connection to her father, people could look past any resemblance she still had to the scared, insecure girl she’d been.

  After years of being on her own, and then worse, being married to the wrong man, all she longed for was a place to call home. She’d spent the last few years changing her physique, her style and her skill set. But as Mara fumbled to apologize, she was now looking at her the way some folks in this town had in the past.

  “It’s fine. I’m used to it.”

  “What brings you back?”

  “Family,” Faith managed. “I wanted to be near—”

  Mara slapped her forehead as she must have connected the dots. “Right. You’re staying with Caroline because she’s your cousin. Darn it, I really put my foot in my mouth this time.”

  “Mara, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell people that I’m...Ray’s daughter.”

  “You won’t be able to hide that for very long, Faith. You do look different, but people will figure it out soon enough.”

  “I know but...”

  “You want that to happen on your terms. I get it.”

  “My dad’s notoriety made me leave before I was strong enough to fight for my place here. Maybe it’s wishful thinking to hope people will give me a second chance but—”

  “I know all about wishful thinking,” Mara said. “Peter and I had problems with our daughter, Lucy, not too long ago. Outrunning your past can be difficult but...”

  “Yes?”

  “It’s possible.”

  “Knock, knock!” CeCe called from the front door. “Mara, I thought I saw you on this end of the street.”

  Mara glanced between Faith and CeCe. “Faith and I are planning to do a little cross-advertising.”

  “Heavens, why? A motorcycle shop isn’t really your speed, Mara, dear.”

  Faith held her tongue to keep from snapping at CeCe. The woman didn’t even realize who she was, but was still looking down her nose on her, and why? All she wanted to do was tell CeCe Takes to hit the road, but if she did, Mara might turn on her. She prayed Mara wouldn’t.

  “I’m so excited for the opening of your shop, Faith,” Mara said, ignoring CeCe. She squeezed Faith’s shoulder and made her way to the door. “By the looks of it, I take it you’re riding your motorcycle in the Fourth of July parade?”

  Faith motioned to the advertisement poster on her motorcycle. “Putting on the finishing touches now.”

  “I’ll see you at the parade. Don’t forget to bring me flyers when you get them. CeCe, walk me out, would you?”

  Faith froze as CeCe followed Mara out to the sidewalk. She imagined Mara spilling the beans about who she was, but after less than a minute of chitchat, the two women parted ways, CeCe not looking any the wiser.

  Faith leaned back against her tool bench and took in the little shop that was supposed to be her fresh start. She was operating on borrowed time and needed to do more to make friends in this town before everyone realized who she was. She had no doubt that life would change drastically once they did.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  TULLY SAT ON the roof of his house, admiring the view of town from afar. He had settled for a place on the far side of the lake not only for its spectacular view of the sunset, but because having a little distance from the folks in town, especially after a long day on the job, was more of a necessity the older he got. He loved the residents, just not all the time. He didn’t want to end up like his father, living a
lone in the woods without much contact with anyone, but having his own space was paramount.

  His cell phone vibrated on his hip. A message from Officer White came through. The black paint swipes outside Grandma’s Basement weren’t affiliated with any known gang tags.

  Tully considered if there was any special meaning behind the spray paint. It could be as insignificant as a few bored teenagers getting their hands on a half-empty can and using it up for fun.

  “How’s it going up there?” Charlie called, shielding his face against the setting sun.

  “Never been better. Come on up.”

  Charlie managed the ladder, a six-pack of soda in one hand, and settled on the severely pitched roof more clumsily than Tully would have liked.

  “Careful, buddy,” Tully said, ripping off a can of soda. “I don’t feel like rushing you to the emergency room tonight.”

  Charlie sat beside him and cracked open a can. He scanned the spectacular view.

  “I can see why you like to come up here. Better perspective.”

  “It’s good for thinking.”

  “Really?” Charlie said. “What about?”

  “Work and fishing. What else?”

  Tully had a few things on his mind these days, but he was not one to share, even with his best friend. He needed to drive out to check on his father before the holiday. He needed to convince Samantha to visit too. He needed to think about a lot of things including...

  As if reading his mind, Charlie said, “Mara said she met Faith this morning.”

  There had been her too.

  “Is that right?” Tully tried his best to sound unfazed by the mere mention of her name. “How’d that go?”

  “She said she’s a nice woman.”

  “Nice?” Tully could think of a lot of adjectives to describe Faith, but nice wasn’t one of them. “She probably didn’t talk to her very long.”

  “Well, she isn’t mean.”

  “No.”

  “She’s probably a little defensive.”

  “A little?”

  “You could do a lot worse.”