Peppermint Creek Inn (40 page)

Garry frowned as he fished the paper back out of the plastic bag. He read it and shook his head slowly. He turned it over.

“No, I’m sorry there are no numbers.”

He’d been so delirious and tired that night. Had he imagined the numbers?

Tom plucked the piece of paper from Garry’s hands. “Here. Right here. See! This ink spot! It used to have the number twenty-eight, right here. And then the rain came.”

“Twenty-eight?” Garry shrugged his shoulders. And then as if a bright light switched on in Garry’s eyes he let out a shrieking whoop of joy.

Both Tom and Sara jumped with shock at the sudden earsplitting outburst. In a split second, Jo burst through the screen door. Her gun was drawn, her forget-me-not blue eyes bigger than saucers.

After assessing the situation, she quickly slipped her gun back into her shoulder holster. With a sheepish smile she asked, “What in the world is going on here?”

“Tom may have just handed us the case on a silver platter.” Garry laughed.

“I gather the numbers mean something?” Sara asked excitedly.

“When Robin and I were in the police academy we shared a locker. Number twenty-eight. The academy has been abandoned for years. That’s where all the evidence must be. But the key? Where’s the key?” Garry grabbed at Tom’s key chain and sifted through the keys. “Not here. Dammit!”

Then Garry squirmed excitedly in his wheelchair. “I think I might still have mine. In the basement, in my footlocker. Jo, would you go look? It’s at the bottom in a small red metal container.”

Jo nodded and took off.

Garry turned to Tom and Sara. “Sara, you’re coming with us.”

“Wait a minute! Go with you? But what about Tom?”

“He’s staying here, alone.”

She cast Tom a confused look and then a look of sudden understanding crossed Sara’s face. It was a fascinating sight.

“I’m staying here with him.”

“I’m sorry, Sara. It’s too dangerous for you to stay here,” Garry replied.

“Then it’s too dangerous for him, too!”

Tom frowned as he noticed the defiant, stubborn look fly into her eyes.

“It’s okay, Sara. I’ll be fine here. I want you safe with Garry and Jo.”

Sara whirled on him, determination blazing in her eyes. “You are not staying here by yourself. If anyone comes looking, they’ll see me here and think nothing is out of the ordinary. Besides if it comes right down to it I know places I can hide you.”

“You have got a point there, Sara,” Garry mused. To Tom’s irritation, the defense lawyer shrugged his shoulders as if saying to Tom it was useless to even attempt to argue with her. “All right. I’ll leave it up to Tom.”

“Fine, then I’m staying,” Sara said before he could so much as launch a protest.

“You both stay. If Justin had figured out who you were, he would have tried something by now. I’ll send Jo back as soon as possible. Maybe late tonight. More likely early in the morning.”

“Where are you going?” Sara asked.

“New York. To get the evidence in that locker.”

“Found it,” Jo interrupted with excitement as she burst up the stairs and held up an old rusty key.

“Excellent. Jo, Sara and Tom will be staying. I’ll brief you in the car. Time to go.”

A surprised look flittered across Jo’s features quickly followed by a somewhat shaky smile. She quickly wrapped her arms around Sara and gave her a warm hug and a big kiss.

“Take care of yourself, Sara. And watch out for this one, will you?” She winked at Tom, then removed her gun from the shoulder holster and handed it to him. It was the greatest compliment he could ever have asked for.

“Take this. You never know when it’ll come in handy.”

He accepted the gun gratefully and relished the ice-cold silky feel as it slid so smoothly into the palm of his hand. Control surged through him.

“Thanks,” he said.

“C’mere, Sara,” Garry ordered.

Sara bent down and Garry wrapped his arms around her and gave her a bear hug.

Then Garry extended his hand to Tom and they shook. “Take good care of her.”

“Don’t worry, sir. I won’t let anything happen.”

Garry nodded as if he approved of the answer.

“Watch your backs.” He warned again as he wheeled his chair down the ramp toward the cherry red Mustang in the parking lot, the evidence bag nestled snugly in his lap.

Jo quickly followed.

—

Through the binoculars they watched the bright red car steam off down the dirt road. Two figures, a man and a woman stood in the parking lot waving at the quickly disappearing car. The woman turned and went into the house leaving the man to stand by himself.

“That’s him,” she whispered to her companion.

“I told you it was.” He took a deep drag on his cigarette. “Let’s get moving on this. All we’ve been doing is waiting for him to remember. For all we know he’s just handed those two the goods and they’re heading into town to turn it in.”

The blonde woman dropped her binoculars into the open car and stood deep in thought. Her eyes never wavered from the lone figure. Hatred burned in her cobalt eyes. “If he had given them the goods he’d be going along, too. No—” she shook her head slowly “—he hasn’t remembered. But he’ll lead us to it, soon. In the meantime, I plan on jogging his memory. You stay here.”

“But Pauline—”

“Just be quiet! I know what I’m doing. I’ll be back for you. And put out that stupid cigarette.” Her long blonde hair floated behind her like a bride’s veil as she turned abruptly. Leaping into the car they’d hidden behind the nearby bushes, he heard the engine roar to life. In a split second the car disappeared behind a swirl of nearby evergreens.

He did as she said and threw the butt onto the ground and stomped on it, muttering angrily to himself. “I hope that bitch sister of mine knows what she’s doing. Cause it’s our asses that are going to be kicked when Dad finds out we’ve just let two potential witnesses drive off.”

He drew a pack of cigarettes out of his jacket pocket and lit another one. His frown loosened somewhat as he watched the man standing in the parking lot. “On the other hand, there’ll be less competition for me with Sara once that guy is out of the picture.”

—

Tom watched the red tail lights of Jo’s apple red Mustang convertible disappear behind the puffy pine trees. Desperation preyed hell on his nerves and he felt as if a vulture was tearing at his midsection. He hoped Garry would find the evidence and Ballistics could ID the bullets and link them to Jeffries. Even then, they would have to prove the gun he’d showed up with actually belonged to Sam. On top of that, he had to worry about the murder rap of Robin. And this marriage to a woman he couldn’t even remember.

There didn’t seem to be any easy way out of this mess. It was going to be a hell of a long haul.

Suddenly the tiny hairs on the back of his neck prickled in alarm and he got the strangest sensation he was being watched.

Squinting his eyes against the disappearing sun, he surveyed the darkening forest for any signs of movement. He couldn’t see anything. Nothing but birds flittering around the branches.

Maybe Garry’s warnings had spooked him. Had made his imagination go haywire.

Slowly he stepped onto the porch and heard the rattle of dishes through one of the open kitchen windows as Sara began to wash them before it got too dark. She was trying to act as normal as possible. Pretending nothing out of the ordinary was happening. God bless her for that.

The last remnants of the huge orange sun slipping peacefully behind the tall, dark pine trees caught Tom’s attention. This would be their last sunset for quite some time or maybe forever. And he wanted to share it with the woman he loved.

“Sara!” he called out. “C’mere. Check out this sunset.”

Quick footsteps clattered against the wooden floor. The screen door swung outward with a creak of rusty hinges. And she was beside him. And he felt whole again.

—

The dusky air wrapped its chilly arms around Sara and she shivered. Tom came to her rescue by circling his arm around her waist and snuggling up beside her.

Without speaking, they watched the colorful streaks of clouds expand throughout the sky.

It was a beautiful sight Sara had to admit. She wished she could capture it on canvas. The dusty rose billows, thin streaks of turquoise, lavender and powdery sweetheart pink tumbled over one another in the lilac sky.

Ever too quickly though, the fantastic sunset faded allowing tiny sequin stars to burst through the gray satin dusk.

“Pretty wasn’t it?” Tom asked.

Sara nodded.

“Want to go inside?”

“No,” Sara answered. “Let’s stay out a little longer.”

He moved behind her. His arms wrapped tighter around her waist and he melted against her. She accepted the warmth his body gave so freely. Accepted the large bulge pressing intimately against her butt.

His arms felt so comfortable and his chest so snug against her back, as if a favorite blanket had been wrapped securely around her. They stood for a long time, watching silently as the sky grew darker and the last pink wisps finally disappeared into the dark velvet sky.

Then suddenly Sara gasped in delight as what she’d been waiting for flew across the inky darkness. Tom pointed excitedly to the spectacle.

“Do you see it? Wow!” His voice echoed with wonder into the crispy night air as if he was a small boy and this his first falling star.

“Quick, make a wish!” Sara shouted.

Closing her eyes, she made her wish.

“I made a wish, Sara,” he whispered huskily.

As he spoke, his lips brushed teasingly against the back of her neck. Just a feathery brush. But enough for Sara to ache for more.

She wanted to turn around. Wanted to wrap her arms around his neck and pull him fiercely against her body, to explore his mouth, to make love to him but the sharp lights of a car’s headlights blasted through the almost darkness.

“Cops?” she whispered, pulling at him, trying to get him to go inside.

“No, the cops wouldn’t come alone. Looks like a woman,” he answered stiffly as a dark expensive-looking vehicle drove into the parking lot.

She didn’t recognize the car. But a woman sat behind the wheel. When she stopped her car, the door opened slowly and a rather thin, sexy blonde woman emerged from the vehicle.

“Definitely not the cops.” Sara sighed in relief. “She probably didn’t see the ‘closed’ sign I had out on the highway.”

“Maybe,” Tom muttered. She didn’t miss his hand sneak around to touch the handle of the gun he’d lodged against the small of his back nor did she miss his worried frown as she bounded down the stairs toward the unfamiliar car. Tom followed close behind. She didn’t want to admit it, but his presence gave her that extra welcome sense of security.

“Hello.” The newcomer’s delicate, airy voice was obviously directed at Tom.

Sara bristled. Instantly she didn’t like this tall, honey-haired bombshell. Didn’t like the way she was looking at Tom all sweet and innocent. Didn’t like her at all.

“Good evening. Can we help you with something?”

He sounded too friendly. She wanted to punch him in the arm.

The young, lithe thing pushed a wisp of stray hair off her forehead. Silvery blue eyes peered curiously at them.

“Yes! Um. I’m lost. Can you direct me to the Johnson ranch?” she whispered seductively. The blonde bimbo’s question was unmistakably directed at Tom.

Sara frowned. Her unease toward the woman grew and swarmed over her. There was something about her. Something familiar, but she’d never seen her before.

Suddenly she envisioned pulling the woman’s false eyelashes off her face.

“I’d say you’re quite lost,” Sara replied crisply as she stepped forward. The woman immediately backed away from Tom.

“The Johnson ranch is about a thirty-minute drive to the west. Go back down the road you came from, and once you hit the highway, head west. Oh, I’m sorry,” Sara smirked. “Perhaps I should clarify the directions. When you hit the paved road, turn left. Thirty minutes at the maximum speed, you’ll see a large sign on the right side of the road. The Johnson’s, it says.”

The woman cast a scathing glance at Sara.

Sara shot one back.

The lady returned her attention to Tom. Her dark brooding eyes pierced into him. She noticed Tom shift uncomfortably beneath her stare. Danger lurked all around this woman and Sara didn’t like the feeling.

Even the blonde’s bright, seemingly innocent smile did nothing to dissipate the uneasiness creeping under her skin. Suddenly she wanted this woman out of here.

“You’re such a lovely couple,” the newcomer mewed at Tom who frowned at the comment. “Have you lived here long?”

“Ages, my dear,” Sara said quickly. “Now you better run along before it gets too dark. It’s kind of scary out here in the big bad woods. You never know when you’ll have car trouble. It’s a very long walk at night. Especially since the houses are so far and few between.”

The other woman smiled stiffly.

“Why thank you very much for your concern and the info,” she replied crisply. “And for your hospitality. I’d better be going.”

To Sara’s utter amazement, the woman blew Tom a kiss and quickly disappeared into her car. The car squealed as she gassed her vehicle. Wheels spun dirt high into the air narrowly missing both of them.

“The nerve,” Sara gasped as she watched the tail lights dim into the night. Hands on her hips, she turned fiercely upon Tom. Why had the woman been openly flirting with him? Did he know her?

Before she could ask him, his troubled gaze stopped her dead. Even in the darkness, she spied the sheen of sweat popping out on his face. When his hand flew up to swipe it away, she noticed his hands were trembling.

What the hell was wrong with him? His face was as white as a sheet. As if he’d seen a ghost.

“Do you know that hussy?” she demanded furiously. Her fists clenched into tight balls at her sides.

“I-I’m not sure,” he whispered. His brow furrowed into a deep frown.

“Well I don’t see how you could not remember meeting her before.”

Her words bit deep into him. She realized it immediately. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.”