Shadows from the Grave (15 page)

“Chase Hudson, what are you planning?”

“Come with me and find out,” he teased.

“Will there be food involved, and will I have to dress up?”

“Yes, to the food. Whatever you would wear for work is fine,” Chase assured her. “What do you say?”

Annie laughed. “The clothes I wear for work, what I have left after the fire, are stained from work. Is that really what I need to wear?”

“Um, no? How about nice shorts and a casual shirt? Jeans, khakis, something like that?” Chase suggested, flustered. “Annie, I don’t know much about women’s clothes. You know that.”

“So, casual but nice, and I’m assuming I’ll need comfortable shoes, if I agree to go. Correct?”

“I think that would work, yes. So?” he held his breath while he waited for her answer.

She sighed, but he was relatively sure it was a happy sound. “Okay. If you’re going to feed me, I guess I could be available,” she teased. “What time Saturday?”

“I’ll have to double check, but I’d say around nine-thirty, if that isn’t too early.”

“Oh, I think I can drag myself out of bed that early.” She chuckled. “I guess I’ll see you Saturday, then.”

As Chase laid the phone down, he couldn’t prevent a wide grin from spreading across his face. He might be wrong, but he didn’t think he could have come up with a better peace offering if he had searched the county over. He could hardly wait to see Annie’s face when they pulled up at Nancy’s on Saturday morning. He thought about the plans he had in the works for later and decided to add in one more surprise for Annie. This one he wasn’t sure she’d enjoy, but if she didn’t, maybe it would be a sign of sorts. Either way, he felt like a child anticipating Christmas morning, and for the first time in several days, he laughed out loud.

~ * * * ~

Friday afternoon found Chase on the street with his uncle John. Gordon had called the night before to tell him about Amy Lynn’s package. His friend had sounded more tired and weary than Chase had heard him sound in a long time, and although he hadn’t gone into much detail as to what the package contained, what little he had been able to share was unnerving. Gordon had felt, and Chase agreed, that he needed to meet with John and bring him up to date on the case. When Chase had called John’s office early Friday morning, his uncle had suggested they meet and walk down to the site of the Hudson Law Office ruins. Chase had readily agreed.

John had met Chase at his office on Lawyer’s Row, the nickname for the street many of Leroy’s attorneys had offices on, and they were now making their way past The Brown Bag, which sat catty-cornered across the street from the classically styled courthouse. Chase told John about the packages.

The older man was appalled. “You mean to tell me that the SOB was in their house?” he asked. “Unbelievable.”

“I know,” Chase agreed. “It’s got me more than a little concerned, to say nothing of how angry I am about the whole thing.”

“So Gordon thinks the cops in Lexington are coming after you for it?” John’s demeanor was very serious, and Chase knew John realized what the implications were. He nodded.

“He does. Honestly, I’m not surprised, really. They’ve wanted me in chains from the beginning. You know that,” Chase said. When the police had questioned Chase during the original investigation, John had driven down, along with Richard and Jackie. He had stood by Chase throughout the ordeal, something Chase had appreciated more than words.

“Then I guess I’d better do some prep work, just in case,” John said as they reached the cordoned-off pile of rubble that used to be Hudson Law Offices. A crew had come in earlier in the week to knock down the walls that had remained standing, and they would be coming back on Monday to start the demolition to clear the three burned-out buildings. Even though Annie’s Arbor had suffered the least damage, its structure had been compromised, and a total rebuild was going to be necessary.

“Hurts to see it like this,” Chase murmured. “It seems like so much is changing, and so fast.”

John clapped him on the shoulder. “Life does that. All we can do is hold on for the ride, Chase.” He waved as Annie came around the far corner of her shop, with two construction workers at her side. “There’s the guy whose company’s going to be handling the reconstruction. Travis Tyler.” He introduced Chase as he shook the tall blond-headed man’s hand. “This is my nephew, Chase Hudson.”

Chase shook hands with him. “I’m familiar with the name. Nice to be able to put a face to it,” he said. He smiled at Annie, who sent a tense smile back and made a subtle move to stand closer to Chase. There was a palpable tension within the group, and Chase shot her a concerned glance.

Travis smiled. “I recognize yours as well. I believe you handled some business for an old friend of mine, Margie Vernon?”

“I did,” Chase affirmed. “However, I knew her as Charity Vaughn. Either name, she was a nice person, and it was horrible what happened to her. My condolences.”

Travis acknowledged his words and introduced the other man. “This is Rafe Lewis, my foreman. He’ll be handling the day-to-day work on the project.” Another round of handshakes followed, and Chase was surprised to feel his hackles rise. Lewis smiled, a white flash in his darkly tanned face, and when Travis spoke, Chase understood his instinctive reaction.

“It is a small world,” Travis said. “As it turns out, Rafe and Ms. Tucker here knew each other from their college days.”

“That’s right,” Rafe confirmed with a warm look at Annie. “I’m looking forward to renewing our acquaintance.”

For a moment, it was as if the air had been sucked out of the world and then allowed to rush back in. There could be no doubt about Rafe’s meaning, and everyone in the group understood his intent. Chase felt a tightness around his chest like a vise grip, and he drew in a deep breath in response, trying to keep his unrest hidden.

Before he could say anything, however, Annie laughed with derision. “Some things never change,” she said, hands on her hips. “All I’ve heard from you for the past hour is little innuendos about renewing things, and I’ve made it clear from the get-go that I’m not interested. Look forward all you want, buddy. You’re here to rebuild these buildings. Nothing more.” She turned to Travis, who was frowning with concern. “Am I going to have to worry about harassment from your foreman, or is he here to work?”

Travis sent Rafe a warning look. “He’s here to work. You will not have to worry about harassment, I assure you,” he said as he grabbed his wallet and withdrew a business card. He handed it to her. “That card has my cell number on it. Just call me if you have any concerns, and I’ll make sure it’s taken care of.” He looked pointedly at Rafe, whose face had flushed an unattractive shade of red. “Isn’t that right, Rafe?”

Lewis’s hands were clenched, and his jaw turned white, but he held his tongue. Finally, he nodded, and Travis smiled. “Good. Now, if we’re finished here, I’m going to head on down to The Brown Bag. I’ve not seen Lauren since last year, and I want to say hello while I’m in town.”

Rafe spoke up. “If you all will excuse me, I have work to do. I’ll catch up with you later, Travis.” Without looking at Annie, he headed down the street toward his truck.

“Well, that was fun. I’m sorry, everyone. I know it probably seems like something of an overreaction, but I want nothing to do with that man,” Annie said as they watched him go.

“I can reassign him, if you need me to,” Travis offered, but Annie shook her head.

“No, I’ll be fine. As long as he remembers why he’s here. Again, I’m sorry.”

“Stop apologizing,” Chase said. “You didn’t do a danged thing to be sorry for.” They all fell into step, heading back up the street toward the café.

“You mentioned seeing Lauren, Travis. I’m heading into the Brown Bag myself. Chase, John?”

John checked his watch and grimaced. “Not me. I need to get back to the office.” He gave Annie a quick kiss on the cheek and nodded at Chase and Travis. “Chase, I’ll look into what we were discussing. Call me if you need me.” They had reached the café and, with a wave, John left them. Travis held the door open, but Annie put her hand on Chase’s arm.

“We’ll be right in,” she told Travis, who saluted her and went on inside. Once the door was closed, she pulled Chase away from the building and into the shade of one of the trees that lined the sidewalk.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“I’m fine,” she said. “I should be asking you if you’re okay.”

Hands in his pockets, he shrugged. “Not really, but now’s not the time or place to get into it.”

“Is it the killer, or something else?” she asked, concerned.

“The killer,” he replied. “I’ll tell you about it later, I promise.” He reached out to brush a small leaf off her shoulder. “Sounds like you’ve had an interesting day today, yourself. This Rafe character…”

Annie smiled. “I don’t want to get into it here. It isn’t the time or the place.” Chase rolled his eyes. She laughed softly. “Why? You aren’t jealous, are you?”

“Should I be?” he asked, one eyebrow raised.

Annie pursed her lips and gave a small shrug. “Shouldn’t that question be, ‘Do I have a reason to be jealous,’ Counselor? Or maybe, ‘Do I have the right to be jealous?’”

Chase scowled, irritated. “Which one of us is the attorney here?”

Annie laughed outright and stepped closer to him. Keeping her eyes on his collar, she lightly ran a hand down his silk tie. “Ooh, nice tie. Better hide this from the demon when you take it off. You know he likes pretty, silky things,” she advised in a droll voice. “As to the questions, why don’t we just say that the answers will depend on what you’re planning for Saturday and go from there?” She flashed the smile Chase had come to realize meant he was in for more teasing. With one last tug on his tie, she headed for the door of the café. Chase watched her go, a bemused smile on his own face.

Annie turned when she reached the door. “Well, you coming or not?” She walked in, not waiting for his response.

Chase laughed and ran a hand through his hair. He was aware that he was smiling, but was unable to stop. With a relieved sigh, he followed behind her. “Whither thou goest…”

Inside the café, conversation at one of the larger tables was stop and go, the attention of its three occupants focused on watching Chase and Annie.

“What do you think they’re talking about?” Lauren Clark, The Brown Bag’s owner, asked. “Travis, any idea?”

Travis smiled indulgently at Lauren and then at Beth, who was practically falling out of her chair with curiosity. “I don’t know, but I don’t think he was very happy to find out that Annie and my foreman know each other from way back when.”

Both women turned to him, and Beth frowned. “What do you mean, they know each other?”

Travis spread his hands. “That’s all I know,” he said. “Sorry.”

Lauren patted his arm. “It’s okay. We’ll find out if it’s important.”

“Ooh, did you see that?” Beth asked, an excited grin on her face as Annie stepped closer to Chase. “Come on, girl, plant one on him.”

“Beth!” Lauren gently scolded. She laughed. “Travis, you’re going to think we’re horribly nosy.”

“It’s just that they’ve been circling around each other for months now,” Beth explained earnestly. “We just want them to be happy.”

“You just want them to be out in the open about their relationship so you can tease your brother, and you know it,” a deep voice said.

Beth jumped in surprise and twisted in her seat. A radiant smile spread across her face. “Ethan! God, you’re so quiet. I didn’t think you were going to make it today.” She tipped her head up for a kiss, and Ethan obliged.

He pulled back and sat down in the chair beside Beth’s. “Court let out early,” he explained. “I took a chance that you’d still be here.”

“Ethan, this is Travis Tyler,” Lauren said. “Travis, this is obviously Beth’s husband, Ethan Moore. Travis’s company is going to be handling the reconstruction down the street.”

“Good deal,” Ethan said. “It’ll be nice to get those businesses back up and running. When do you think you’ll be able to get started?” Beth and Lauren both sighed as Annie started toward the door of the café without kissing Chase, and Ethan shook his head at their disappointed expressions. “Just give them time, ladies. They can’t keep this up much longer.”