Slow Hands (19 page)

"Do you think Griggs will come after Willis now, in retaliation?"

Alec shook his head. "Griggs is more interested in harassing you. But if he can use Willis to get to you, he will."

She glanced at where Lance Parks sat. His arrival didn't surprise her. She knew sooner or later the press would appear.

But maybe this time they'd be a blessing and follow Griggs—keep him in line.

Away from her.

And her grandfather.

Chapter Ten

Early
the next morning, Willis met Keira for breakfast.

"I already know," she began. "So don't try to soft-soap me."

She waited patiently as the waitress poured Willis a cup of coffee, then watched as he added four packs of sugar, took a sip, and added two more. Defiant sparks lit his eyes when he finally looked up.

"Can't believe Alec ratted me out," he said. "Should've known I couldn't trust him. I probably should've shot him last week when I had the chance."

His words perturbed Keira even more. Exactly how many run-ins had her grandfather and Alec had?

"And you had a chance when?"

Willis compressed his lips. Mr. Mute. Grandpa Mime.

Keira narrowed her eyes.

"I heard about your arrest from a reporter, Gramps. Alec had the nerve to try and defend what you did."

Willis's cup stopped halfway to his mouth. "He did? Guess I better pay him back that bail money after all."

She raised an eyebrow. "Alec posted your bail?" He hadn't mentioned that part either. "You make sure and pay back every cent. I don't want to feel indebted to him."

"Thought you two had kissed and made up."

"That doesn't mean I want to owe Alec, or anyone else, anything. And quit changing the subject. We were talking about you getting arrested."

Frowning, Willis set his cup down, sloshed coffee. "It wasn't right what Griggs did, you know."

"Doesn't make what you did right, either." Keira lowered her voice to a stage whisper. "How do you think I felt hearing about it from someone else?"

 
“Bout the same way I felt hearing about Griggs bothering you at the cemetery. You should have told me yourself, gal."

She leaned across the table. "This is exactly why I didn't tell you. Afraid you'd take matters into your own hands."

Willis shifted in his seat. A sure sign of guilt.

She pressed her advantage. "So tell me what you did to Alec, Gramps? Did you threaten him, too?"

"We had a little prayer meeting. Two grown men, coming to Jesus." Willis shrugged. "Not much to tell."

His obtuseness riled her even as she realized he was being purposely evasive about his run-in with Alec in hopes she'd forget the matter of his arrest. She'd get the truth out of Alec later.

The waitress brought their food, winked at Willis.

"I think she's sweet on me." He watched her walk away. "Been thinking about asking her to dinner one night."

"You've been thinking about that for years. Don't think you're off the hook. I want your word you won't go near Ian Griggs again."

Willis picked up a piece of bacon, shook it at her. "I ain't a kid."

"Then don't act like one."

Neither of them spoke for a few minutes. Keira busied herself with spreading jelly on a piece of toast while Willis sulked.

Finally, he sighed. "Okay, I'll give you my word. I'll leave Griggs be."

"On Grandma's grave," Keira pressed.

At that moment, the front door of the restaurant swung open, hitting the wall with a noisy bang. Everyone looked up as a crowd of men shoved through the door.

Keira recognized Lacy Hicks and two of her grandfather's other friends. The rest were refugees from the old folk's home down the street.

"Oh great," she muttered.

"There he is!" Lacy pointed to Willis. The men made their way across the diner, canes thumping on the tile floor.

One of the old men slapped Willis on the back. "I checked the post office to see if they had you on the most-wanted list."

Lacy shook his head. "Those are fugitives, Earl. Willis ain't on the run. Yet."

"So tell us what really happened," Earl demanded. "Heard you shot someone."

The entire restaurant went quiet as everyone waited for Willis to respond.

Keira rolled her eyes. This wasn't going to get any better.

"No one was shot," she announced to the room at large. "He didn't even have bullets in the gun." "Had 'em in my pocket," Willis defended.

Grabbing the ticket, she stood. "I've got to get to work. But remember: your word. On Grandma's grave."

Willis nodded as his friends crowded in to take seats around the table.

She paid the bill and cast one last look at her grandfather holding court.

Alec had promised he'd keep an extra close eye on Griggs. It galled her to think that in some ways—thanks to Willis's little trick—Alec was now looking out for Griggs.

She was also pissed off Alec hadn't mentioned posting bail for Willis—or that he and her grandfather had already had a run-in.

What else was Alec hiding from her?

Keira scarcely saw Alec during the early part of the week. He stopped by her apartment in the mornings to give her an update on Griggs's activity, then left.

So far, Griggs had done nothing but go to work and return to the house, the model parolee. His roommate Beau, however, had made two more trips to Culverleaf Park. On the last one, he'd taken a camera.

She also received word the black pickup truck that had run her and Franny off the road had been found. As suspected, it had been stolen and yielded no clues.

Alec's nocturnal excursions through the window and into her bed had ceased. Monday and Tuesday nights she'd been too tired to care. Wednesday night had been a different story.

It felt as if she'd been up every hour, on the hour. More than once she'd been tempted to climb out on the fire escape and crawl through his window. Give him a taste of his own medicine. Except she didn't trust herself.

Her dreams of late had been erotic. Highly charged visions of Alec making love to her, dominating her sexually as she dominated him emotionally. She begged for his touch, he begged for her heart.

Thursday night she locked the window.

Friday was the Fourth of July. Like most of the general contractors she worked for, Keira shut down for the three-day holiday weekend.

The town's annual Fourth of July festival was held downtown and kicked off a weekend of celebration. The city put on a parade, followed by a Sadie Hawkins-style race and a charity softball game. The afternoon festivities were followed by a huge fireworks display after dark.

Then on Saturday, there was a reenactment of the Battle of Freedom at Culverleaf Park. Mabel's husband, Fred, played the Indian chief every year, so Franny and Keira usually joined the campers and spent the night at the park campground. Since the fire department would be on hand for the reenactment, Darryl camped there, too.

Friday's weather promised to be picture perfect, with clear skies and temperatures in the eighties.

Keira met her grandfather downtown for lunch. Since Lacy's shop was closed for the holiday, Willis and Lacy were planning to do some rock hounding.

"I checked with his probation officer," Lacy joked. "Got permission for him to leave town."

"You're not funny," Keira said.

Willis kicked her under the table. Hard.

"What was that for?" she demanded.

Willis turned red. "Sorry. That was meant for Lacy. Feel free to pass it on."

Lacy patted her hand. "Don't worry. Your grandpa's safe with me."

By one o'clock, Keira was at City Park. She and Franny shared a paper cone of cotton candy as they watched the parade, then they made their way to the middle of the crowded park.

Mabel and Fred had lawn chairs set up and a blanket spread out on the ground. Mabel pointed to two identical wicker baskets. "Your lunches, ladies. Now go register for the race."

Franny peeked inside one basket. "Fried chicken and lemon pie. Darryl will love you."

Fred laughed. "We all know who Franny will catch this year. But what about you, Keira? Anybody in particular you're angling for?"

Keira shook her head. "Somebody slow."

Last year she'd caught Tina's husband, since Tina just had a baby and didn't feel like cooking, much less running.

In the race, the men had a fifteen-second head start. They wore numbers on their shirts, and the women merely had to chase them long enough to tear the number off.

Traditionally, the men kept running to see who could be first to circle the town square. The winner of the race got a trophy and year's worth of bragging rights.

While the man paid an entry fee to join, the woman had to bring a picnic basket for two, and was expected to feed the man she "caught" and entertain him for the afternoon.

Since neither Keira nor Franny cooked, Mabel always made their baskets.

Cissy and Scarlet were already at the registration table when Franny and Keira walked up. Scarlet turned her nose up and left without speaking.

"Who you going for this year?" Cissy asked Keira sweetly. Too sweetly. Flies were swarming. "Of course Alec practically begged Scarlet to catch him."

Keira smiled back. "I heard he's not as fast as he used to be."

Franny eyed Cissy over the top of her sunglasses. "And who are you planning to take out this year?" At last year's race, Cissy had tackled Jeb Marlow and fractured his collarbone in the process.

Cissy looked indignant. "That was an accident. Someone tripped me."

Darryl walked up, tickled Franny's side. "Mabel got your basket?"

Franny nodded.

Cissy huffed. "I don't know why you bother. You don't ever chase anyone but him." Cissy pointed to Franny's sandals. "You can't run in those."

"It's for a worthy cause," Franny purred. "And I run a little."

Ten or twelve feet,
Keira thought. The crowd loved it. Franny was Freedom's glamour queen. No one expected her to break a sweat. Her job was to look good. A role she took very seriously.

Alec came up, shook hands with Darryl. He bent close to Keira. "Is it true you've got one of Miss Mabel's picnic baskets?"

She shrugged. "Maybe."

He smiled. "Good. I'll let you catch me."

Cissy latched on to Alec's arm, yanking him away before he could step closer to Keira. "Scarlet's been looking for you. Wait till you see her basket. Got your name all over it."

Keira frowned. Obviously, Cissy and Scarlet weren't clear on the concept that Alec had returned for Keira.

Having no choice but to follow, Alec disappeared, towed by Cissy.

The mayor's voice crackled across the loudspeaker, instructing the race participants to line up.

Keira moved with Franny toward the staging area.

Fifty-seven men participated, against an equal number of women. Keira looked at the crowd, noticing several of her employees ready to run, with their wives or girlfriends ready to chase.

The mayor stood on the makeshift stage and called for the crowd's attention. "Remember, men, once your number's been pulled, you can either drop out and go eat, or you can finish the race. We've got a special prize package for this year's winner."

The mayor pointed a starting gun in the air. A boom sounded, and confetti sprayed. A cheer went up.

The men surged forward, but not too fast. It was more like they were simply spreading out. Jostling for position.

A second gun fired and with a collective squeal, the women shot forward. Within the first minute over half the men were captured and dropped out.

Darryl actually jogged in place while waiting for Franny to catch up, which brought a roar of applause from the onlookers.

Alec dashed in front of Keira. "I'm all yours, babe."

Just then. Cissy ran into Keira. knocking her down.

"Here he is. Scarlet. I got him!" Cissy yelled.

Thrown off-balance, Keira tried to regain her steps but couldn't. She broke her fall with her hands, skinning her palms on the asphalt as she fell.