Lethal Affair (18 page)

“
Now there's an
idea.”

“
But then what if he demands
a paternity test? Can he do that? Hell, I guess I need to lawyer
up. Get a Parental Rights attorney.”

“
You do realize that his
so-called desire to be part of this baby's life is just a ruse to
get next to you, don't you?”

“
Probably. But why would he
want me now that he knows I'm not going to cow to his
violence?”

“
Maybe you're a challenge.
The one that got away. Who knows what goes through the mind of a
woman basher.”

“
Google says this falls
under a Family Relations Act. It not only sounds official but like
it's going to cost a small fortune. Jolene, I've got baby expenses
galore coming up. In fact, that's something we need to talk about.
Will you be willing to stay on as my roommate with a brawling baby
keeping us up nights? The only place to keep the mini-me will be in
my room, and our apartment isn't exactly sound proof.”

Jolene patted Kylie's hand. “I'm all
over it. I love babies. In fact, I've had lots of practice with my
younger brothers and sisters, so I can pass on some of my superior
knowledge to you.”

A genuine laugh bubbled out. As they
pulled into the parking lot of the ice-cream parlor Kyle blew past
her mad frustration and proclaimed, “I'm in the mood for a
double-dip!”

Jolene high-fived her. “Eating for two
after all.”

*

Lillian McFarley dropped her tray
filled with weighted paper plates and cups just before she made it
to the swing-through door into the kitchen.

The clatter had Lyle and Kim shaking
their heads. Will wanted to see if she had the right stuff and so
he'd scheduled a few days of training with Jolene. Thankfully this
was a dry run without actual crockery and utensils; it was
painfully obvious the woman had no balance whatsoever.

Hands on hips, Jolene rolled her eyes.
“No way are you ready to work the real deal.” She helped Lillian
retrieve the scattered practice pieces for another go at it,
although she was barely keeping in check an urge to smack the woman
because clearly, Lillian was after her man.

Didn't she know Lyle was
taken?

Or for that matter, she realized, did
Lyle know he was taken?

With that thought niggling at her
subconscious Jolene pushed Lillian harder.

The diner not open yet, Dino scampered
through the central area with a rawhide bone in his mouth. He
settled under a table and began tearing into it with
gusto.

“
Oh now that's just
disgusting,” Lillian complained. “He's probably got fleas. You'd
think Will wouldn't allow him in here.”

Jolene smiled serenely. “He doesn't.
But he's out right now.”

“
So you just let that dog do
whatever he wants?”

Jolene shrugged, all
innocence.

Lillian leapt on the fact that Jolene
was by-passing a strict restaurant code, a fact she felt compelled
to bring to the attention of hunky Lyle Morris in lieu of
Will.

“
I need to use the
washroom,” said Lillian.

“
Go.” Jolene watched Lillian
detour into the kitchen and positioned herself to one side of the
pass-through to eavesdrop on what was being said.

“
... and so now he's under a
table making a mess with a bone,” came Lillian's sugar-laced
voice.

“
I see,” Lyle's response
could be heard. “Is that a problem for you?”

There was a pause in which Lillian
must have been mentally back-paddling, having received an answer
she hadn't anticipated. “Well, I... I just thought that, you know,
health codes and all. Shouldn't Jolene be adhering to
them?”

From her position Jolene saw Kim move
into her line of sight. He looked up and winked at her.

“
Let me set your mind at
ease,” Lyle was saying. “I rescued that little dog from a dire
situation. He was hurt and dying, not a hope in the world. Now
we're his family. Dino came into my life just when I needed him
too, so I figure we're even.”

“
He's your dog?”

“
He belongs to himself, but
he lives with me.”

Jolene made a mental note to ask him
about Dino coming into his life at the right time, while enjoying
the way Lillian's bubble was being burst.

“
As far as Jolene is
concerned,” continued Lyle while Jolene held her breath, “she's
only doing what I asked her to, to give Dino his space until
opening time. Then he goes to the back room and stays on his bed in
a corner. Is that a problem for you?”

Jolene let out her breath. It wasn't
what she'd like to have heard but it wasn't bad either.

“
No, of course not.” Lillian
changed tactics. “I like dogs,” she crooned, her tone sexified.
“He's very cute. Takes after his owner.”

Jolene could almost see the bitch
batting her eyelashes. On the verge of running into the kitchen to
give Lillian a piece of her mind, Kim flashed her a warning with
his eyes before interrupting any further flirtations by
deliberately dropping a bowl on the floor and cursing when the
contents went flying.

“
Butterfingers!” barked
Lyle. The rest of his tirade was lost on Jolene as she stormed to
the cash register where Eileen was booting up the credit card
machines.

“
I see steam,” said Eileen.
“Is that girl giving you a run for your money?”

“
She better run.”

Eileen snickered. “Calm down. She's
not working here yet. If you get my drift.”

Knowing Will would ask for an honest
assessment, Jolene stopped hyperventilating and got a grip. “I'm
not built like that Eileen. I'll give her a fair shake.” She paused
while Lillian came out through the swinging doors. “But she better
watch her step.”

*

Kylie's boss, Margie Farmer, endured
almost daily jokes, puns and other spinoffs about her last name. In
actual fact she really wasn't a farmer but a business woman. Her
family owned and operated the Big Red Barn, the land and
greenhouses that supplied it and other businesses on the island and
mainland with fresh produce. If anyone deserved to receive the
countless verbal jabs it was her brother who headed up the actual
farming of their land.

She normally took it on the chin.
Today however she was in no mood as Janie in accounting had called
in sick with a summer cold and two of the Barn and gift shop
workers had followed suit. So when the phone rang for the ninth
time that morning with the caller singing his not funny renditions
of Old McDonald Had a Farm and then Farmer in the Dell, replacing
her name in crucial places, her back went up like a Hallowe'en
cat.

“
I can't make it any clearer
sir,” she enunciated, gritting her teeth when the caller demanded
to speak with Kylie Lambert, “she's not available.”

The anonymous caller had become more
abusive with each call. “Why the fuck not? I know she's there, I
saw her truck in the parking lot. So be a pal, little Miss
Sunshine, and tell her I'll be waiting for her.”

“
And who shall I tell her
will be waiting?”

“
She'll know.”

I'll bet
. Without answering Margie replaced the handset and thought,
this is the bastard who'd tried to re-arrange Kylie's face. A
mother hen, she was protective of her staff, and especially of
Kylie who was her most efficient and reliable worker.

She went to the main greenhouse where
Kylie and her crew were harvesting plum tomatoes for that
afternoon's delivery to the restaurant circuit. Organically grown
and fresh off the vine, they were their biggest sellers.

“
Take a break,” said Margie.
They walked outside into the stark midday light and sat down on
overturned crates.

“
What's up?” asked
Kylie.

Margie noted that the bruise on
Kylie's cheek had begun to fade. “Your guy,” she began, “is a very
rude individual. I didn't ask what went down between the two of you
out of respect to your privacy, but now I am.”

“
Why? Did
something....”

“
Yes. Nine times. He's been
calling all morning and singing farm songs for pete’s sake,
obviously to get my goat. I don't appreciate getting dragged into
domestic disputes but since it's you, I'm concerned. You're not
still seeing this guy, are you?”

Kylie's heart sank into her already
nauseous stomach. She'd woken with morning sickness and had barely
gotten it under control by eating crackers and sipping ginger ale.
Now what little contents were there threatened to come back
up.

She mopped her face with a bandana and
then slumped with the weight of it all. “I stopped seeing him the
instant he decided the best way to get his message across was with
the back of his hand. I literally ran away. He's been harassing me
ever since.”

“
You could get a restraining
order.”

“
I don't have a
lawyer.”

“
I know someone. But how
about you give me some background here? I'm not trying to pry, but
this doesn't seem like a healthy situation for you. He said he'll
be waiting for you outside when you're done.”

“
This is beyond a
nightmare.” Unsure whether to proceed, she decided what the heck,
it was going to come out sooner or later. “I'm sorry you've been
involved, Margie. He's a nut case. And I'm afraid I'm carrying that
nut case's baby.”

Margie stared. Blinked. Then found her
voice. “Oh joy. You'd best spill everything, my dear.”

Kylie gave her the abbreviated
rendition from becoming pregnant to finding out that Drew had a
violent streak. When she told her she planned to keep the baby, to
Margie's credit she absorbed it all without judgment.

“
So the last time you saw
him was in the grocery store and he bit your ear?”

Kylie pushed aside her hair, showed
Margie the red teeth marks on her lobe.

“
Ouch. This jerk's a real
gem. Listen, one of my regular customers is a retired R.C.M.P. His
sons own and operate Top Gun Security. They wired this place with
surveillance equipment and set us up with night watchmen. Thanks to
them we've thwarted several attempts to break in over the years, so
I know they're good. You should consider vamping up the security in
your apartment. But more important, I'd like to have Brad come over
at closing time and have a little talk with this Drew. Does that
sound okay?”

The name rang a bell but she couldn't
hone in on it. She felt the throb of a threatening headache pulse
at her temple. “What if it incites him to further heights of
terrorizing me? He does love a challenge.”

“
It will show him we have a
united front here at work. You need to be able to come and go in
peace. I'm going to block his phone number and I suggest you do the
same.”

“
Already done.”

“
Good. Let's discuss
maternity leave. When are you due?”

“
In March. I was hoping to
work up until my water breaks. I really need the money, especially
now.”

“
You should take off at
least ten days before your due date. We'll cover your maternity
leave. Can't have you popping out a baby on our mulch beds now, can
we? And speaking of which, no more heavy lifting for you. You've
got some hefty wielders on your crew; leave it up to
them.”

Kylie appreciated Margie's input.
“There's something else I've been meaning to discuss with you and
before you make a comment, I'd like you to hear me out all the
way.”

“
I'm all ears.”

Kylie took a deep breath. “Drew's
mother has lived a life of tyranny by way of his father. Nowadays
she divides her time between gardening and drinking, the latter of
which I feel she could overcome given an incentive. Margie, she's a
sweet woman with a helluva green thumb. Her place is a showcase, a
miniature Butchart Gardens, and that's no stretch. I think she'd
make a wonderful Barn clerk. Problem is, she's afraid to work
because her control freak husband won't allow it. I'd like to turn
her around, get her to stand up for herself. Otherwise she might
drink herself into an early grave. She has something to offer us
and we can offer her something in return.”

To Marge's credit she'd refrained from
comment throughout Kylie's pitch. Now she smiled warmly. “Are you
trying to rescue her?”

“
Well I... I guess I
am.”

Marge slung an arm around Kylie's
shoulder. “That's what I love about you. Here you are in a horrific
dilemma with a man who is violent and stalking you, and you want to
save his mother.”

“
She may not know it herself
yet, but she wants to be saved. She's walking a fine line and could
fall either way. Our way has a soft landing.”

“
Dearie, if you can convince
her to give it a try, I'll trust your judgment. Least I can do for
my favorite employee.”

“
Thank you so much Margie.
And yes, please ask your R.C.M.P. friend to come and have a chat
with Drew. Time for me to take a stand.”