by Emmy Grace
“No, not at all. I know justice will have to be served, but until you find out exactly what happened, could you please just try to keep the cops away?”
“How are we supposed to find out anything if we can’t talk freely to the people we need to talk to?”
Allanda nervously twists her fingers. “Actually, Miss Haddy and I have an idea.”
“I hate almost every sentence that starts that way,” Liam mutters.
“What’s the idea?” I ask.
“You could become one of us.”
“What?” Liam blurts.
I almost laugh out loud at his response. If balking could be a physical, tangible thing, like a blast of frigid air for instance, Allanda and I would be frozen as solid as wooly mammoth.
I, on the other hand, couldn’t be more thrilled by the idea. Not only because of my love of the circus and how much this will bend Liam’s perfect nose out of shape, but also because I get to go undercover.
I get to go undercover.
This is my one shot to be Foxy Brown for a day, and, by the power of Grayskull, I’m taking it!
“Oh my gosh!” I gasp, turning toward Liam. I grab his arm, tugging it as I bounce up and down excitedly. “I know what we could be, I know what we could be!”
“Not circus performers,” he says definitively.
“That’s exactly what we could be!”
“I can’t juggle, if that’s what you’re thinking. And I’m not swallowing anything.”
“No, no, no. I could be the knife thrower.”
“Knife thrower? Have you ever thrown a knife a day in your life?”
“Of course I have. It would be pretty stupid to suggest this otherwise, wouldn’t it?”
The look he gives me says that he wouldn’t be at all surprised by such stupidity.
I’ll take offense at that later, but right now I’m too excited.
“Then that’s a fine idea. You go and be a knife thrower. I’ll just stay out here with what’s left of the sane people,” he snips.
“You’re missing the point. A knife thrower needs a partner.”
I’m nodding and smiling at him, eyes open wide as I try to be my most convincing self.
“It’s been years since I—” Liam stops speaking suddenly and his eyes narrow on me. That’s how I know he just caught on to my plan. “Wait, I thought you meant we would both throw knives. Because I know you’re not suggesting that I let you throw knives at me. On purpose.”
“I won’t miss. I swear.”
His mouth literally drops open. Like, enough for a few flies to dive in and out if they so chose to do.
It’s quite comical actually. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Liam look more horrified.
Clearly, I bring out the best in him.
“You’re completely out of your mind if you think for one second that I—”
“It’s perfect!” Allanda exclaims. “We lost our thrower last year and haven’t found a replacement.”
“Well, look no further. I’m your girl.” I loop my arm through Liam’s. “We’ll get to the bottom of this, Allanda. And we’ll keep it as quiet as we can, won’t we, Uri?”
“Uri?” Liam starts shaking his head. Very vigorously. “Nope. No way. Absolutely not. It ain’t happenin’.”
I lean in toward Allanda, who I like a lot better as of this minute, and whisper, “I’ll get us the outfits. You spread the word that you’ve found a replacement act. Talk to your boss or whatever. We’ll come back tomorrow.”
“Make it the day after. We won’t perform tomorrow. We’ll all be in mourning.”
“Oh, right. Sorry. Day after tomorrow then.”
Before Liam can continue arguing, which I know he wants to do based on the way he’s working out his neck muscles shaking his head, I grab his hand and pull him toward the tent entrance, back the way we came.
This is gonna be good.
4
Everyone except Clive has cleared out by the time Liam and I get back to the main ring under the big top. Chief Sheriff is standing to one side, presumably waiting for us.
His numerous wrinkles shift and rearrange in an old-timer smile. He reaches out to pat my shoulder. “How ya doin’, lucky lady?”
“I guess it’s impolite to say I’m doing great when I’m standing a few feet from a dead body, isn’t it?”
He winks one foggy eye at me. “We’ll keep that just betwixt the two of us.” He turns his smile to my shadow and nods. “Liam.”
“Clive,” Liam responds. “Find anything of interest over there?”
I know Liam doesn’t have the utmost confidence in Clive simply because of Chief Sheriff’s age and inexperience in dealing with murder, but he’s always respectful. It’s like he doesn’t want to make Clive feel bad about himself, even though we all know Liam is far more capable, which I find sweet.
Clive unsnaps his breast pocket and removes a plastic bag with a little black lump in it. He holds it out for us to see.
Liam takes it from him and squints down at it, moving it this way and that to catch the light. “What is it?”
Clive shrugs his thin shoulders. “Beats me.”
I pinch the top of the bag with my fingers and tug. “Can I see it?”
Liam releases it and I hold it up to the light. “It looks sort of like an ear bud or tiny speaker of some sort. Where did you find it?”
“Maybe ten feet or so from the body.”
I see some sort of residue on the stem of it, and when I press it through the bag, the plastic sticks. “It’s sticky.”
Clive and Liam ask simultaneously, “Sticky?”
“Yeah, like there’s something on it. Or maybe it was stuck to something. Like taped.”
Liam takes the bag from me and examines it more closely. “There’s a fiber of some sort, too. Looks like duct tape.”
I take it from him again. “Where?”
“Right there.” Liam leans in close and points to an itty-bitty thread that runs along the length of the stem. I see it, but now I’m completely distracted by his cheek so close to mine, and the clean way he smells. I think it would be much better if Liam Dunning smelled like a horse stall or some section of his barnyard. Maybe even cow poop.
Yep, much better.
“Oh, right.” I quickly hand the item back to Clive so Liam will step back, which he does. When I glance over at him, he’s watching Clive stow the bag back in his pocket, Liam’s customary frown in place.
“You’re sending it off?”
“Yep,” Clive answers Liam with a nod. “Waiting on the M.E. now.”
“Would you like us to wait with you?” I ask only because now I’m nervous about walking out with Liam, which is dumb and irritating and not like me at all.
Stupid Liam and his stupid kiss are ruining everything!
“No need at’ all. You two kids get home. I’ll keep you posted about what I find out. Miss Haddy’s request.”
He nods once, and I think we all three understand what that means. When Miss Haddy asks for a favor, she usually gets it. Lucky for everyone, she’s a sharp woman and means no harm that I can tell, so it’s probably safe to honor her requests.
Except when it comes to Liam and me, of course. Her wedding plans have got to stop.
Liam and I are walking out of the tent together when he asks, “What are you thinking?”
If I weren’t so distracted, I’d know that he means the case. And if I weren’t so distracted, I’d never have shared what I’m actually thinking.
“That Miss Haddy is going to have me married off and pregnant if I’m not careful.”
Liam stops in his tracks. “What?”
I’m glad it’s dark so he can’t see the blush that stings my cheeks. “Never mind.”
“Married off and pregnant?” I should’ve known Liam wouldn’t let that go. Those aren’t exactly two terms that come up in our conversation very often.
I wave him off super casually. “It’s a long story.” I change the subjec
t. “So, I’ll get the costumes and we can meet day after tomorrow to come up here. Sound good?”
I can’t wait to get to my car. I’m practically skipping.
“Are you forgetting that I didn’t agree to be your Uri?”
My Uri.
Odd way to phrase that.
“I thought it was decided. I mean, surely you’re not afraid of lil ol’ me, are you? A big, strong, capable man like yourself?” Theatrically, I flutter my eyes at him, my sense of humor returning.
I do love teasing Liam.
It’s such fun.
He pauses just a few feet from my car. “Don’t try your female tricks with me. They won’t work.”
“No tricks. I just figured you’d be down with helping me solve this murder, but it’s fine. I can do it on my own.”
I try not to sound sulky, but I’m pretty sure I’m failing miserably. On the one hand, it’s probably best that Liam and I stay away from each other after that kiss. He seems fine, but I can’t know for sure yet.
But on the other hand, we’ve sort of become like two partners in crime, and the thought of investigating without him following me around and getting in my way seems strange and lonely.
It’s the same old split personality most women enjoy—the head versus the heart. Men have a split personality, too, but the second one lives much lower than the heart.
I hear him sigh. “Fine. But you’re gonna owe me. Like, big.”
“Whatever. Owing you can’t be any worse than owing Felonious.”
I snap my lips shut, but I do it too late. I hadn’t intended to mention our hacker friend. At all. Like ever. I’d be perfectly content if we could go on like that night—and therefore that kiss—didn’t happen.
But, as usual, it’s a matter of me and my big mouth.
“It’s not always so bad with her,” he says softly.
Something happens in my chest. Something warm and fluttery, and it travels quickly down to my belly.
I do my best to ignore it, to pull a Taylor and shake it off. Shake, shake it off.
It ain’t easy, though.
So I go for a touch of belligerence instead. That’s always a good cover.
“She could’ve ruined everything with that last stunt she pulled.”
Liam stills, his gaze honed in on mine. “Which last stunt?”
I tilt my head. “You know exactly which stunt.”
“I do?”
“Don’t play dumb. You know that if things had turned out differently, we wouldn’t even be here right now.”
“I’m not sure I follow.”
I have the insuppressible need to fidget. “I…I told you what happens when…when I kiss a guy.”
“Did you?”
I feel like stomping my foot. He is so not making this easy. “Yes, I did.”
“Refresh my memory,” he says, taking a step closer to me.
“You know that whatever it is that Beebee did to me when she blessed me causes problems with men when I kiss them. Big problems.”
“Like what kind of problems?”
“They…they get… They become obsessed.”
“So you thought…” Liam makes a gesture with his hand, indicating that I thought he would respond the same way.
“No, I’m not saying that. I hoped that it wouldn’t, but it’s never not happened before. Not since I was a in high school.”
“So that’s why you’ve been avoiding me.”
“I haven’t been—”
“Liar.”
The accusation isn’t ugly.
In fact, it comes out soft, like velvet.
“Look, I’m not saying you have those kinds of feelings for me, but it really has nothing to do with that. It’s all about whatever Beebee did to me.”
“So you’re saying that I have no control over it?”
“I’m saying that if you’d have been affected, which it doesn’t seem like you were, it would be because of me, not you.”
“Because your kiss is, what, addictive?”
“Something like that, I guess.”
Liam straightens. “Huh.”
“What’s ‘huh’?”
“I guess I just… I didn’t think it was all that spectacular.”
I swallow a gasp.
Oh no, he did not.
If I had feathers, they’d be ruffled.
If I had hackles, they’d be standing straight up.
If I had an external barometer for my temper, I’d be blowing the top off that sucker. Like, mercury would be shooting out of my scalp.
“Are you actually saying I’m not a good kisser?”
“So what if I am?”
At this moment, I’m too incensed to notice the way Liam’s lips are twitching and the way his eyes are crinkling just the tiniest bit at the corners. It’s all obscured by my feminine indignation, which is about to come flying out of me like projectile vomiting.
“You…you are the most arrogant, aggravating, frustrating, grouchiest, grumpiest, snarliest man I have ever, ever, ever met.”
“Snarliest?” There’s humor in his tone, but it’s lost on me. My hair is on fire at the moment.
“Don’t you dare mock me! And to think that I was actually worried about a kiss ruining what we have. How stupid am I? There isn’t a kiss on the planet that could penetrate your stupid thick hide, you…you…”
I’m so flustered, I can’t even think of a good insult. I have never been at a bigger loss for words.
I suppose that’s why I kick him in the shin.
It’s what any adult woman would do, right?
Liam yelps and jerks his leg out of the way, but he needn’t worry about an encore. I’m already spinning away from him, flouncing to my car.
I fumble with my keys. I’m so angry my fingers are shaking.
“Need some help?” Liam asks from behind me.
I’m too mad to startle, too. I just whirl around, pound one fist onto his shoulder, and then whirl back to the car to try and aim the key into the keyhole of the door.
“Lucky, stop,” he says. Quietly at first and then with more force. “Lucky, stop! Listen to me for a minute.”
“I have no interest in anything you might have to say. You’re a…a…poo-poo head.”
He sounds like he’s choking on some barely controlled laughter when he repeats, “Poo-poo head?”
“Yes,” I snap. “It’s the expression that I usually reserve for Satan, but tonight, you qualify.”
“Wow. That’s harsh. And all over a little kiss.”
“A little kiss?” I turn on him like a rabid chicken, clucking and blustering. I know only mammals get rabies, but I’m feeling an awful lot like a chicken, getting ready to scratch someone’s eyes out. “A little kiss? That kiss could’ve cost us a whole lot more.”
“Can I tell you something?” His question is low, very rational sounding, which isn’t helping my level of upset.
“What?” I almost yell at him.
Okay, fine. I’m near hysterical at this point. Like everything else in my life, I’m not real good with moderation or gray areas. I’m all about some high and low, black and white. Kitten or tiger.
“I didn’t risk anything. There was no risk.”
That brings me down. Clearly, our time and what we do together has no value whatsoever to Liam.
And that hurts.
“Well,” I say, making the death spiral from fury to despair. “If that’s how you feel, there’s nothing left to say.”
I start to turn away, but Liam stops me. He wraps his long fingers around my upper arms.
He tries to look me in the eye, but I turn my head away. I feel like a kid, trying to avoid a spoonful of medicine from momma. But the truth is, I don’t want him to see what I’m feeling. My hurt.
I’d be okay with pure rage, though. That’s fine, only I can’t seem to drum any up at the moment.
“That’s not what I meant,” he explains.
I say nothing.
“I
meant it wouldn’t have mattered if kissing you had changed things. I would still be here. We would still do this. I’m not going anywhere.”
I drag my eyes over to his. His expression is neutral. He doesn’t seem to be lying. Or teasing.
“Oh.”
“It was just a kiss. And it was a good one. I was just kidding about that. But if it didn’t mean anything to you, then what’s the problem? I’m fine.”
“You are?”
“Yeah. Can’t you tell?” He gets this look on his face like Duh.
I deflate, melting a little inside his grip. He loosens it when he feels my resistance draining away. “Well, in that case…”
“You have nothing to worry about. I’m not going to go all—” He pauses. “What exactly happened before?”
I sigh. “Let’s just say that the guys that this has happened to in the past didn’t handle it well. It turned them into, like stalkers. One of them—” I stop myself. I’m a light, happy, fun, open book kinda girl, but there are some things I don’t tell many people.
“Is this why you left your hometown?”
Since I’m the one always talking and asking questions and throwing myself into messes, I forget that the quiet, thoughtful Liam is extremely perceptive.
I nod. “The last one tried to kidnap me. His name was Gavin and I thought I loved him. Worse, I thought he loved me.”
“Why worse?”
“Because he didn’t. It just turned out to be…whatever this is.”
“I know you’re convinced that you have some sort of…curse or whatever, but have you ever considered that it’s just you? That men just like you and that some of them just behave badly?”
“I wish that were the case, but it’s too coincidental. And plus, look at me. I’m nothing special. There’s no reason men would react to me the way they do. No rational reason.”
Liam starts to raise his hand, but then changes his mind and drops it. “I disagree.”
As I stare up into Liam’s eyes, and he stares down into mine, tension crackles between us. If I were a lesser woman, I might sway into him. I might will him to kiss me, but not me.
Nope.
Not this girl.
I’m strong like ox.
I will not, will not risk mucking up whatever is going on between Liam and me. He might think it’s nothing, but that’s far from enough to convince me to go willy-nilly into an affair with him.
