Robin's Reward (Bonita Creek Trilogy Book 1) (24 page)

The next morning Robin woke up early and fixed a huge breakfast. When Jeff knocked on the door, she flew to answer it. He looked like something Miss Praise would’ve dragged in and left on the front porch for Robin. Dark circles highlighted his puffy eyes. He hadn’t shaved, and his hair was a mess. He managed a weak smile when she greeted him.

“I missed you,” Robin said as she hugged him around the waist.

His heartbeat was strong and true and she sought comfort there again. He hugged her tightly. He kissed her temples and pushed away to look her in the eye.

“I missed you, too. We need to talk.”

“Yes, all right. Do you want to eat first or talk . . .?”

“I haven’t eaten since yesterday morning, so it might help me feel better if we had breakfast.”

He followed her into the kitchen. She dished up the eggs and sausage she’d cooked for them and added toast, fruit, and juice to the tabletop. She said a brief blessing and encouraged Jeff to eat before they began sharing. The hum of the fridge and the ticking of the wall clock were the only sounds during the meal. Jeff pushed back his chair and put both hands on the table.

“First off, I’m sorry I went off on you yesterday. I was so angry and embarrassed I didn’t think before I spoke. Forgive me?”

“Yes.”

“Second, I definitely do
not
want to break off our engagement. I was just lashing out because I was so hurt.”

“Okay.”

“Third, let’s move forward and keep the promises we’ve made to each other about improved behavior. I want our love to grow. I’m not a fighter, and I didn’t like not being able to share my feelings with my best friend last night.”

“Me, too.”

Jeff stood and walked to Robin’s side of the table. He took her hand and pulled her into an embrace. Then he placed his head on her shoulder and smiled. Robin touched his face and kissed him.

“No more disagreements, agreed?” Jeff pinned her with his gaze.

“Absolutely.”

~*~

A few days later Sheriff Snead called Jeff and asked him to come down to the sheriff’s office. Robin volunteered to accompany him, and they walked over together. The sheriff greeted them and waved them into his private office. After closing the door, he turned and smiled at the anxious couple.

“All charges have been dropped by Susan Stinson. After a heated discussion, she agreed with my proposition that perhaps someone else had slashed her tires. She agreed to withdraw the charges if you promise not to come near her property ever again.”

“Not a problem,” Jeff said, his voice unwavering.

“By the way, this isn’t going into any law enforcement records on you, Jeff. Let’s chalk it up to an unfortunate, time-consuming misunderstanding. Agreed?”

“Thank you, Sheriff. Something like this could have negative consequences in my line of business.”

“Believe me, I know. And Jeff, my warning about staying away from Susan Stinson stands. The woman is definitely trouble with a capital T.”

The couple shook hands with the sheriff and walked out into the sunshine smiling.

“I’m so glad for you.” Robin flashed Jeff a smile.

“You think you’re glad . . .” Jeff grinned for the first time in days.

“I hope Susan has gotten her need to stir up trouble out of her system for good,” Robin said.

“I wouldn’t count on it, honey. Her need for attention and drama seems insatiable.”

~*~

It was time for Jeff to return to Illinois. Saying farewell to Robin was more difficult than he imagined when he’d proposed. To her credit, she didn’t cry as they were saying their goodbyes. He could see the strain on her face from forcing back her tears.

They’d decided it was easier for them both to say goodbye at the cottage rather than at the airport. Bruce and Shirley from the church had offered to deliver him safely to the airport in Santa Rosa to catch his flight home.

As Robin looked up at him with cloudy eyes, Jeff reassured her he’d be in contact by telephone, texts, and email each day. He’d definitely be in Bonita Creek for Thanksgiving, if not before. She’d be in his prayers each day, and she should call him for any reason.

Jeff knew Robin was anxious because she began to pace around her living room. She refused to make eye contact with him, and her expression grew more panicked as the minutes ticked past. “Please stop pacing.” He snagged her hand and pulled her close. “I want to say something to you, Robin.”

“Did I do something wrong?”

“No, we’ve come a long way in the past few days. I love you, and my heart will be in California with you even when I’m back in Illinois working. I’m glad you’ll be my wife within the next year. We’ll be together soon, but first we have to make it through this horrible separation. Then I’ll be free to begin fresh here.”

She nodded unenthusiastically and he continued, “Promise me you won’t doubt my love for you and my dedication to our relationship. Once I move to Bonita Creek, we’ll never be separated again. I’m not going away. I’m in this relationship for the long haul.”

“Thanks for saying that. I love you. Have a safe trip home, and please call me when you get home.”

“I’ll be back before long, you’ll see.”

The pair gazed into each other’s eyes until they heard Bruce honk the horn outside.

“I’ve got to go.”

Jeff's call came several hours later.

“I made it back safely, but I’m exhausted. I’ll call you back in the morning to tell you how much I love you all over again.”

“I love you. Sleep well,” Robin said.

~*~

The next morning when Robin went outside to fill Miss Praise’s food and water bowls, she discovered the bowls had barely been touched since she’d filled them yesterday. This was odd because the old tabby had a hearty appetite. Worried, Robin went around to the front porch to see if Miss Praise was dozing in her cozy bed. What she saw when she rounded the porch corner puzzled her. Instead of finding Miss Praise cuddled up in the basket, there was a stuffed cat. The toy was a gray tabby, the same as Miss Praise. A large card was tied around the toy’s neck.

What in heaven’s name is going on?
Robin leaned down and yanked the card off of the toy. The front of the card featured a black and white photo of Miss Praise dozing in her bed. Robin’s heart pulsed into overdrive. She took a deep breath and hesitated before opening the card. Handwritten in red ink the card read:

Boo hoo for Little Miss Perfect, Robin Bennett. Have her cat’s nine lives finally ended? Maybe this replacement cat will cheer you up.

All my best,

A Concerned Friend.

Robin felt dizzy and reached for the porch post to steady herself. When her head cleared a bit, she searched for Miss Praise in the front garden. Maybe her cat was fine. Maybe this was Susan’s idea of a sick prank.

“Here, kitty, kitty, kitty. Here, Miss Praise. Come here, sweetie.”

This might work because Miss Praise usually comes when I call her.
Robin walked through her front garden without finding a sign of her tabby, so she wandered into the back garden and continued her search.

“Please come here, kitty. Here, kitty—”

After searching carefully for nearly an hour Robin hadn’t found Miss Praise. Miss Praise had never been one to wander far from home. Robin’s imagination went wild. Had someone harmed the cat? Where was she? Tears streamed down Robin’s face and neck. She was shaking uncontrollably and her first thought was to call over the fence to rouse Jeff. Except Jeff wasn’t there, he was in Illinois. So she ran to the house to call the first person who came to mind.

~*~

Pastor White’s heels make a clickety-clack noise on Robin’s brick pathway, breaking the overwhelming silence in the garden.

“Oh, my dear. How can I help?”

The grief in Robin’s monotone voice was obvious.

“Pastor, I think we both know who did this awful thing. It has to be Susan Stinson. The nasty emails were one thing, no one got hurt. The charges against Jeff were worse, but once again no one was harmed. Now she’s involved an innocent animal. She has to be stopped!”

“We can’t just accuse someone without any evidence.”

“I
do
have evidence. Susan wrote the same name on today’s card she used on those nasty emails. When she signed the card, she drew a little heart over the ‘i’ in
friend
just as she’s done since she was a teen.”

“I see. You may be right about Susan. Shall I call Sheriff Snead to come over here? We’ll need to file a formal report before he can become involved.”

“Yes. Will you call him for me? I want to find my cat as soon as possible.”

Robin stood and reached for the card the pastor held in his hand.

“I feel like ripping this card to shreds. Susan is taunting me like she’s done for so many years.”

“We need to leave everything just as it is so the sheriff and his deputies can investigate the crime scene. Let me hold onto the card until the sheriff arrives.”

“Of course, I wasn’t thinking.”

“I’ll call him right now. Why don’t we move you to another spot so you’ll be more comfortable?”

Robin allowed him to guide her back to the patio area. “Can you please call my cousin Penny? I need her to be here. Her number’s posted on the fridge.”

“Yes.”

It seemed like an eternity before the pastor returned to Robin’s side. “Sheriff Snead is on his way and so is Penny. May I get you something?”

“Maybe a sweater from the front closet. I’m freezing, and I can’t stop shivering.”

The pastor returned in a few minutes with a heavy sweater for Robin. Penny was trailing behind him.

“Oh, Robbie—I’m so sorry. What can I do for you?”

“Just sit with me. I’m so shocked. Miss Praise was my last tie to my grandpa and grandma. Why would Susan hurt my sweet kitty?”

Robin dissolved into tears as Penny reached for her. Penny held her best friend and shared words of comfort with her, and soon Robin’s tears slowed. By that time, the sheriff and two of his men had arrived with cameras, evidence bags, and their other crime scene equipment. They spoke to Pastor White to get the general information needed to begin their investigation.

“Hopefully, we can get some prints off the stuffed animal and the card. We can also have the handwriting analyzed,” Sheriff Snead reported. “Robin, when you feel better, we’ll need a statement from you.”

She nodded wearily, her eyes swollen and vacant. As the sheriff and the deputies began working on the front porch and in the gardens, Penny hugged her best friend.

“Do you want me to call Jeff?”

“Would you, please? Tell him what happened. Make sure to tell him I’m heartbroken and worried, but I’m not hurt. You can use my phone. His number’s stored there under JC.”

Pastor White came to sit with Robin while Penny was gone. “I told the sheriff about your suspicions Susan Stinson was involved in this episode. He told me what Susan did to Jeff with the tire slashing incident. He said he’ll do his best to find the guilty party.”

Robin looked at her pastor and attempted to smile. “I don’t know what I’d do without you and Penny in my life. Thanks for being here.”

“My pleasure. Mind if I call Marian to let her know what’s happening? She can get the prayer circle started. We’ll definitely need the Lord’s intervention on this one. He loves all of His creatures.”

“Sure. Thanks.”

As he walked to the far end of the garden to call home Penny returned with Robin’s cell phone in hand.

“Robbie, Jeff’s on the phone. He wants to speak to you if you’re up to it.”

“Hello?”

“Robin—I can’t believe this. I’m sorry for you and for poor Miss Praise. Maybe she just wandered off and will come home soon. Is there anything I can do or say to help you feel better? Man, I wish I could be there with you right now.”

“Just tell me you still want to marry me. I’m a mess.”

“Yes, I still want to marry you. The sooner the better as far as I’m concerned. Remember—you haven’t done anything wrong.”

“I love you. Even though I haven’t done anything wrong, I’m the one who’s suffering right now. We need to end this thing with Susan Stinson once and for all. I don’t want to begin our marriage with this fear and dread overwhelming us.”

“I agree. We’ll take whatever action necessary to get Susan to leave us alone, I promise.”

“I feel better now. You need to get back to work. I’ll call you when I know something from the sheriff, okay?”

“Yes. Let me talk to Penny again. Love you, honey.”

Robin mutely handed the phone back to Penny.

“Yeah, Jeff. I promise . . . Okay, thanks.” Penny ended the call and put the phone in her pocket.

“What did he say?” Robin asked.