Kiss Marry Kill
Author: S.C. Wynne
Date: 2022-05-30 04:00:00+00:00
Keywords: M M Romance; Mystery; Romance; Crime; Lgbt; Mystery Thriller; Fiction
Description: Snakes don’t only crawl in the grass. River Martin has begun to reveal his true motives for being in Rainy Dale, and, shocker, it’s not good news for Maxwell. If Maxwell is going to go to war with River, he’ll need people on his side. In his quest to be more of a people person, he’s roped into attending the wedding of one of his young patients, Janelle Raiden. The bride is stunning in white silk tulle. The groom is appropriately doting. The cake is pure buttercream decadence. Everything about the wedding seems so very, very perfect. Until the groom’s dead ex-wife makes an appearance.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Epilogue

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Copyright (c) May 2022 by S.C. Wynne

Kiss, Marry, Kill

By S.C. Wynne

Chapter One

Maxwell

“River is threatening to evict me?” I growled.

I stared at the “Three-day notice to pay rent or quit” document until my eyes began to cross. Confusion and anger flooded me. How did River think he could get away with something so outrageous? Why did he continually tell me he wanted to be my friend when every time I turned around, I caught him doing something sneaky?

I trembled with resentment, trying to make sense of what was happening. If the notice was legit, that meant he’d gone behind my back and purchased the land where I was rebuilding my clinic. Why? How? As far as I knew, the land hadn’t even been for sale. He’d have had to go out of his way to pursue the purchase. Why would he do that? Why did he continually screw with me? Did he think I’d just throw my hands in the air and quit?

Wouldn’t I have done that only a month ago?

Regardless of what I might have done before, I wasn’t letting that snake chase me out of Rainy Dale. I’d promised Royce I was staying, and that was exactly what I was going to do. If I had to examine patients in the trunk of my new car, then I would.

“Maxwell Thornton won’t be bullied,” I hissed, crumpling the offensive paper in my hand.

Looking puzzled, Grumpy followed me as I strode into the kitchen, trying to think of what I should do first. I was buzzing with anger and tempted to march over to River’s clinic and call him out to his face. But I needed to be logical about this. It was probably best to go in like a ninja rather than a wrecking ball.

I glanced down at Grumpy. “I need to find my lease.”

Grumpy wagged his tail in agreement.

Many of my important papers had burned in the fire that had ravaged my clinic. Fortunately, Mr. Rothberg of Harrison, Larson, and Rothberg had been kind enough to send me a copy of my lease and all important paperwork from when I’d first purchased the business. I kept those important papers in Royce’s study. I hadn’t trusted River enough to keep any of my documents at his clinic, and now I was glad I’d listened to my gut.

I went into Royce’s study and over to his desk. Opening the top drawer, I pulled out a large packet that contained the papers I needed. I sat in the cushy leather chair and tugged out the documents. I shuffled through them until I found what I was looking for. Pulling on my reading glasses, I perused the papers.

I didn’t own the land where my clinic had been built. I had what was called a ground lease. A ground lease was an agreement in which the tenant developed the property during the lease period, and at the end of the business’s lease, the property returned to the landowner. Improvements and all.

When I’d purchased the clinic and the building, I’d had no intention of staying in Rainy Dale. I’d only come to the small town to escape the shame of losing a patient on the operating table. My plan had been to hide out and regroup. I’d estimated doing that perhaps for a year and then planned on selling the building. Hopefully, for a profit. There were fifteen years left on the ground lease, so selling had seemed doable. I’d never imagined I’d meet someone and fall in love. It had never crossed my mind I might actually stay in Rainy Dale.

I leaned back in the chair, mulling the situation. Things would’ve been simpler if I hadn’t fallen for Royce. I’d faced many obstacles since arriving in town, and it was no secret Royce was the reason I stayed. Royce was someone who brought out the best in others. Against all odds, his charm had even worked on me. I could honestly say I trusted Royce, and trust didn’t come easily to me.

With a sigh, I shook off my thoughts of Royce. I couldn’t simply ignore the letter I’d received. I needed to figure out my next step. I’d been paying rent on the ground lease since the fire. If River Martin LLC hadn’t received the money, where had it gone? I’d assumed the rent checks had been cashed because I hadn’t had any reason to believe otherwise. I’d need to be sure that money had been returned to my account and not lost along the way. If by some miracle this really was all just a misunderstanding, and I’d eat my stethoscope if that were true, I’d need to hand that rent money over to River Martin LLC, ASAP.

I found it interesting that the pay-or-quit letter had come to me just fine, but the letter alerting me to the change in ownership of the land hadn’t. There was no way River could play innocent with this. I leased a space inside his clinic. He’d had more than enough opportunity to inform me he’d purchased the land my clinic was on. Had he purposely stayed mute, knowing that every payment I sent would be to the wrong address?

A growl rumbled deep in my throat, and I wanted to strangle River. He truly was devious. I couldn’t understand why I was his target. Why did he smile to my face and offer his friendship while simultaneously trying to destroy me? What did that jerk have against me? What had I ever done to him to earn his animosity?

When the front door opened suddenly and I heard Royce talking to Grumpy, relief flooded me. Royce was exactly the person I needed to talk to right now. I practically scampered into the other room and found Royce knelt down, petting a very excited Grumpy. He grinned as the pup licked his face but stood when he heard me approaching.

“What are you doing home?” I asked.

He held up a bag of food. “I thought we could have an early lunch together.”

“Oh,” I said breathlessly, slipping my arms around his waist. “I… I’m so glad you’re home.”

Giving a surprised laugh, he said, “Well, this is an unexpectedly enthusiastic greeting.”

I didn’t respond; I just hugged him tighter.

He asked softly, “Is something wrong?”

“Wrong? What could be wrong?” I stalled, enjoying the comforting warmth of his body. “Maybe I’m just happy to see you.”

“Maaaax?”

I sighed. “All right, yes, something is most definitely wrong.”

“What is it? Tell me.”

Wrinkling my brow, I said, “That snake River has sunk to a whole new low.”

“What did he do?” He pulled back, scanning my face. “Come on. Out with it.”

I slumped. “That incense-burning quack is trying to evict me.”

“What?” Shock rippled through his gaze. “You mean from his clinic?”

“No. I mean from the property where my clinic is. Or was.” I gritted my teeth. “He sent me a three-day notice to pay my rent or get out.”

He raised his brows. “He did what?”

“He’s trying to evict me, if you can believe it.”

Concern rippled through his brown eyes. “Shit. So he… he really did buy that land?”

I let go of him, stomach churning. “Apparently. But for whatever reason, he didn’t bother to mention it to me. That’s highly suspicious.”

“I agree.”

“Now he’s threatening to evict me for nonpayment of rent.” I huffed. “I’ve been paying my rent all along. I simply had no idea the ownership had changed hands.”

Frowning, Royce said, “I thought the family that owned the property didn’t want to sell?”

“I thought the same thing. I guess he made them an offer they couldn’t refuse?”

“What in tarnation is he up to?”

I took the bag of food from him and went into the kitchen. “I have no idea. I only know whatever it is, it won’t be good for me.”

He followed me, looking puzzled. “Could it simply be a miscommunication?”

“Royce, I see the man almost every day at his clinic, whether I want to or not. We just spent several hellish days with him and Lucas at Giggly Elves Farm. You’re telling me he’s had no chance to come clean?”

“Good point.” He leaned against the counter as I unpacked the burgers he’d purchased. “Maybe he was worried you’d overreact if he told you the truth.”

“Even so, he should have said something.”

“I agree.”

“It’s not like he could keep it a secret forever.” Feeling muddled, I put my veggie burger on a plate and his double-bacon cheeseburger on another. “I don’t understand why he seems to be so fixated on ruining me.”

“He does seem to be awfully preoccupied with you.” Royce frowned. “But if he just wanted to get rid of you, after the fire, why did he agree to lease you a room in his clinic?”

“This is why I’m so confused by him. His behavior is all over the place.” I carried the plates to the table. “Maybe he’s schizophrenic.”

Royce laughed dryly. “Maybe.”

“I was looking over the lease when you came home.” I sat down, feeling demoralized. “My old landlord was legally obligated to tell me about the sale. I never received anything, but I suspect that’s because of the fire.”

“Sure, but as you said, River has had ample opportunity to tell you about his purchasing the land.”

“Yes. I assume the sale happened around the time of the fire. Otherwise, the notice about the sale would have reached me.” I stared at my food, feeling too stressed to eat. “I couldn’t have stopped the sale, even if I had received the notice. But at least my rent checks would have gone to the right address. If he hasn’t received the money, technically I am in breach of contract.”

Royce studied me, a line between his brows. “Are you going to confront River?”

“I have to at least talk to him.”

“Absolutely.” He hesitated. “When do you plan on doing that?”

I shrugged. “After lunch?”

“Mind if I come along?”

I frowned. “You don’t trust me to keep my cool?”

He gave a sheepish laugh. “You already dislike him.”

“To put it mildly,” I murmured.

“It’s my job to keep the peace.” His tone was coaxing.

“True. I guess it wouldn’t hurt to have you along. You are exceedingly levelheaded.” I smirked and picked up my veggie burger.

He took a cue from me and started eating too. We consumed our food in companionable silence, although my mind raced with uncharitable thoughts of River. I’d have loved to have been a fly on the wall during one of Lucas and River’s private conversations. Did they find it amusing to toy with me? Lucas didn’t seem as smarmy as River, but he was his BFF. That must mean he was fine with how River behaved.

Royce finished his burger much faster than me, and he went to the kitchen sink to wash his face and hands. When the doorbell rang, I scowled and wiped my fingers with a napkin. God only knew what fresh hell awaited me at the front door. Since Royce was busy wiping his face dry with a paper towel, I got up to answer the door.

Grumpy circled my legs, barking, and when I opened the door, I was shocked to find River himself standing on the porch. “Oh… what are… you doing here?” I said brusquely.

He gave me one of his sickeningly sweet smiles. “Maxwell, can you ever forgive me?”

I hadn’t expected him to run into him so suddenly and had no idea how to respond. I simply stared at him, feeling annoyed. I had so many things I wanted to say, they were all tangled up on my tongue.

“When my property manager called me and told me what he’d done, I was mortified,” River wailed, pressing his hands to his chest.

“Your property manager?” I repeated.

Royce appeared at my elbow, and River’s expression morphed from despondent to admiring. “Well, hello there,” River cooed, practically batting his eyelashes. “I thought you’d be at work, Royce.”

“I came home to have lunch with Max.” As he spoke, Royce rested his arm around my shoulders.

River’s sharp gaze flickered. “How nice.” He cleared his throat. “I was just explaining to Maxwell about how upset I was to hear my property manager, Tristen, had sent a threatening letter to Maxwell by mistake.”

“By mistake?” Royce echoed.

“That’s right.” River sighed and shifted his gaze to me. “The cat’s out of the bag now, I guess.”

Lifting my chin, I demanded, “Why was the cat ever in the bag? Why didn’t you tell me you’d purchased the land where my clinic is located?”

Grimacing, River glanced around. “Do you think perhaps I could come inside? Discussing business on the porch is so awkward.”

I certainly didn’t want to invite him in. I was tempted to push him off the porch into the esperanza that grew along the verandah. Unfortunately, Royce stepped back and gestured for him to come inside. I grudgingly moved so that River could enter the home. He breezed past me, winking at me as he did so. I gritted my teeth and followed him into the living room.

River turned in a circle, eyeing the rustic décor. “Royce, I just knew your house would look just like this.” He smiled with a little twinkle in his eye. “A grizzly bearskin rug in front of the fireplace. How delightful.”

Royce pushed his hands into his jean pockets, looking self-conscious. “That was my grandfather’s.”

“Oh!” River laughed gaily. “Here I pictured you hunting down that grizzly with your bare hands.”

“Uh, no. I’m not a big hunter, and even if I was, there are no grizzlies in Texas,” Royce drawled.

“Oh, I didn’t know that,” River said. “I’m a California boy, after all.”

I cleared my throat. “If we could get back to the reason you’re here, River?”

River gave a bright smile. “Of course. I got distracted by that ferocious-looking rug.”

Trying to contain my impatience, I asked, “So, why didn’t you tell me about the purchase of the land?”

He lifted one shoulder. “Mostly because I knew it would upset you.”

“Finding out like this is way worse.”

He sighed. “Of course. This was never the plan.”

“I’m trying to understand why you’d buy that land in the first place.” I watched his face closely, searching for any sign he was trying to deceive me.

River avoided my gaze and moved to inspect some photographs on the mantel over the fireplace. “Land is always a good investment.”

I nodded. “Sure, but why that particular lot?”

“It’s a valuable piece of property.”

Royce narrowed his eyes. “I gotta say, even I find it odd you’d buy that parcel, River.”

Glancing over his shoulder, River said, “Really?”

“Yes.” Royce joined River near the fireplace.

“Why?” River turned to face Royce.

“Well, for one thing, I know for a fact the family who owned that land didn’t want to sell.” Royce managed to sound pleasant, not accusing.

I had to admire his self-control. I was seething and finding it difficult not to tell River exactly what I thought of him.

Royce added, “Other people have tried to buy that property, but the owners wouldn’t budge.”

River lips twitched. “Well, I don’t know what to say since, obviously, they sold it to me.”

I frowned because he seemed to be enjoying this way too much. “Why did you want that spot?”

He flicked his gaze toward me. “Why not that spot?”

It was like he was taunting me. We weren’t on good terms with each other, and he had to know that. I’d never really been able to hide how much I disliked him. From the moment I’d met him, he’d gotten under my skin. Was he pushing and pushing so that I’d snap? Did he want me to lose my cool so that he could play the victim?

River sighed. “There’s nothing sinister going on, Maxwell.”

“Hmmm.”

He laughed. “I’m serious. My financial advisor has been nagging at me that I need more tax write-offs. Buying real estate is a no-brainer when it comes to that sort of thing.”

“Of course I get the concept of investments. I bought the building where my clinic was for that very same reason.”

“Well, then, you should definitely understand. I’d also think you’d be happy that I’m your landlord.”

“Why?” I frowned.

He sputtered. “Wouldn’t you rather have a landlord you know than one you don’t?”

“Not necessarily,” I murmured. “Especially when they send me pay-or-quit notices when I’ve been paying the rent.”

“I told you, Tristan did that all on his own. I knew you’d be upset. That’s why I dropped everything and rushed over here.” He pouted. “But you’re being so suspicious, you’re making me feel bad.”

If he wanted me to comfort him, he was out of luck. “I’ve paid the rent faithfully, but it must have gone to the wrong address. Of course it would because I didn’t know there’d been a change in ownership.”

He waved his hand toward me. “Yes, I know. I told Tristan that was what must have happened. I explained that you and I are good friends.”

I did my best not to recoil.

Royce must have seen something in my expression because he jumped in. “I’m glad to hear it sounds like it was simply a misunderstanding. I appreciate you coming over here, River, to make sure Maxwell understood what had happened.”

River brightened at the compliment. “Thank you, Royce. I definitely don’t want any ill will with anyone in town. I strive for harmony in all things.”

“Now that Maxwell understands the situation, I’m sure it’s fine.” Royce glanced at me. “Isn’t that right, Max?”

Pretending I didn’t hear him, I muttered, “I need to call the bank and see where that money has gone.”

“You sure you mailed those checks, Maxwell?” River asked playfully.

“Yes,” I snapped.

“You don’t use bill pay through your bank?” River laughed. “I thought everyone did.”

“The payments still would have gone to the wrong address. Of course, if I’d known about the change of address, the checks would have arrived just fine. Girdy always mails them in plenty of time.”

River smirked. “So, what you’re saying is… the check is in the mail?”

I frowned. “I really did send the payments.”

“Oh, I know. I know.” His expression was condescending. “I’m only teasing.”

I shifted impatiently. “I’m happy to write you replacement checks right this very minute.”

River waved off that idea. “Oh, there’s no rush. Just send the back rent to the new address.”

“Fine. I’ll do that.”

He moved toward me. “You’d tell me if you were having money issues, right?”

Frowning, I said, “I’m not having money issues.”

“But I mean, if you were struggling, you’d tell me?” River’s expression was annoyingly sincere. “You’ve been through so much recently.”

If I hadn’t already known what a serpent he was, even I might have believed he gave a damn. “Why would I tell you anything that personal?”

“Well, because we’re friends.” River once more pouted.

Royce interjected, “Maxwell is doing just fine financially. It’s very clear that this is simply a hiccup with the mailing address.”

“Exactly,” I muttered. “My bank account is plenty healthy.”

River nodded, his expression hard to read. Although, I could have sworn he almost looked disappointed. “Okay. Good. Well, you just go ahead and ignore that notice, okay, Maxwell? Would you like Tristan to call you to apologize?”

I widened my eyes. “Goodness, no. That’s not necessary.”

“I just don’t want you upset,” River said softly.

You sure about that?

My smile was brittle as I forced out, “Now that it’s all cleared up, I’m fine.”

“Wonderful,” River gushed, moving toward the front door. “I’m so happy we’ve cleared the air.” He opened the door and then hesitated. “Will we be seeing you at the clinic later today?”

“Yes.” I met his inquisitive gaze. “I have several patients booked.”

“Awesome.” River shot Royce a flirty smile. “It was wonderful seeing you too, Sheriff. I was just telling Lucas the other day that the four of us should go out for dinner sometime. Wouldn’t that be so much fun?”

I didn’t have it in me to fake a polite response. Thankfully, Royce stepped in.

“Absolutely.” Royce followed River to the door while I lingered in the living room.

Once River was gone, Royce returned to me, glancing at his watch. “Unfortunately, I need to get back to the station.”

I scowled. “The little weasel used up all of our time together.”

His lips curved in a tolerant smile. “I’ll make it up to you tonight.”

I sighed and tried to shake off my irritable mood. “Thank you for bringing lunch home today.”

“My pleasure, Max.”

I added quietly, “Being around you helped a lot.”

“You sure about that? You still look wound up tight as a bale of hay.”

Shrugging, I said, “Perhaps that’s true, but it’s fortunate you were here when River arrived.” I gave a glare toward the door, even though River was long gone. “I don’t trust that man as far as I can throw him.”

Royce nodded and moved closer. “Me neither.” He bent down to kiss me, and his mouth was gentle yet insistent. When the kiss ended, he said softly, “See ya tonight, Max.”

Feeling a little flustered from the kiss, I gave a nervous laugh. “Uh, right. See you later.”

He left the house, and I cleaned up the clutter from lunch. I didn’t look forward to running into River later, but the comforting warmth of Royce’s mouth still lingered on my lips. River was definitely a thorn in my side, but I wasn’t going to let him steal my joy.

Chapter Two

Royce

I wasn’t sure what to make of River. Like Maxwell, I found his purchase of that property shady. Not telling Maxwell what he was up to made no sense to me. However, he had rushed over to pacify Maxwell, knowing he might be upset by that letter. If he was trying to pull one over on Maxwell, would he have bothered to do that?

Since it was a slow day at work, I decided to take a little walk around town. I liked to do that at least once a week. It was good public relations to chat with citizens and remind them that I wasn’t just a cop but that I was a person too.

It was a chilly December afternoon. The shops still had Christmas decorations in the windows, and lights were still strung through the trees that lined the road. New Year’s was right around the corner, and the city didn’t usually take down all the decorations until after the New Year.

I ran into the usual familiar faces as I strode leisurely down the sidewalk. Most people were still happy and relaxed from their Christmas holiday. It would take a few months for that residual cheer to wear off. For now, everyone seemed downright pleasant.

Even though I already had a dog, I still liked to go in the Pretty Paws Pet Shop occasionally, just to see the other animals. I played with the kittens for a few minutes and chatted with the young girl who worked there. She asked about Grumpy, and I asked her about school.

As I was exiting the shop, Mrs. Numi was coming out of a nail salon next door. She smiled when she saw me, and I decided maybe I could talk to her and get a few more details about River’s purchase of the property.

“Hello, Mrs. Numi.” I tipped my hat to her.

“Sheriff, well, isn’t this a lovely surprise.” She blew on her freshly painted pink nails. “Oh, boo. My nails are still tacky.”

“That’s a mighty pretty color.”

She smiled. “You like it? It’s called Pillow Talk. Isn’t that a fun name?”

“It sure is.”

Her gaze sharpened. “Mayor Granger was in there getting her nails done too. She told me all about what happened at Giggly Elves Farm. Good Lord, you all must have been so scared.”

“Well, I wasn’t scared so much as concerned.” I grimaced. “I kind of felt like keeping everyone safe was all on me.”

“Of course you did, you poor thing.” She touched my arm and then immediately checked to be sure she hadn’t smudged her nails.

I hesitated. “I was wondering if you might fill me in on something.”

She nodded, looking distracted. “Happy to help.”

“Did you by any chance handle the sale of the property where Dr. Thornton’s clinic is located?”

“Why, yes, I did.” She smiled up at me. “Let me tell you, working with River Martin was an absolute joy. What a delightful young man he is.”

I didn’t bother commenting on River. There was no point. If I couldn’t say anything nice, it was best to keep my opinions to myself. “I seem to remember Ned Tinkerson wanted to buy that property a while back. The family wasn’t interested in selling then.”

“That’s right.” She wrinkled her brow. “Times change, I suppose.”

“Did the family list that lot for sale?”

“What do you mean?”

I gave an easygoing smile. “Well, I mean, did River approach the sellers on his own, or was the property already on the market and he just swooped it up?”

“Oh, I see. Well, River came to me and asked me if I’d reach out to the owners. They weren’t interested at first, even though he was offering way over market value.”

“Was he?”

“Yes.”

Why had he been so desperate to get his hands on that plot of land? “Is that typical? To offer more than a property is worth?”

She laughed. “It’s definitely a smart move when you really want a property.”

“I see.”

“But as I said, at first they weren’t interested.”

“But they changed their minds?”

She nodded. “They sure did. When I told River they’d declined his offer, he asked if he could speak with them personally.” She smiled. “That seemed to do the trick. I’m sure he charmed them like he does everyone else.”

My thoughts went to Maxwell.

Not. Quite. Everyone.

“Ahhh, so that’s how it all came about. I suppose I was surprised about the sale because of how reticent the owners had been originally.”

“I understand.” Her gaze flickered. “Is there any particular reason River buying that land would be a problem?”

“Nope.” I gave her a reassuring smile. “I was just curious.”

“Wonderful.” She took a step toward her car, which was parked near the sidewalk.

I said quickly, “Uh, before you go, Mrs. Numi, could you tell me when River made that offer on the property?”

“When?” She blinked at me.

“Not the exact date, but was it before Dr. Thornton’s building burned or after?”

She pursed her lips, a line between her brows. “Well, now, I believe it was right before the fire.”

“I see.”

“Dr. Thornton should have received a notice of the sale in the mail.” She sounded borderline defensive.

“I’m sure you did everything by the book. Dr. Thornton’s mail was disrupted when the fire occurred. He never got the notice.”

“Oh, dear.” She widened her eyes. “Well, I suppose in the long run it doesn’t matter. So long as he pays his rent, things will be the same as always. River, of course, agreed to honor the original terms of the lease.”

“That’s good to hear,” I said.

“He’s such a dear man,” she cooed.

River definitely had the town eating out of his hand. It seemed only Max, me, and Girdy saw through him. I didn’t dislike him as much as Max, but I certainly understood why Max was ready to throttle the guy.

“Do you by any chance know why River was so keen to own that particular piece of land?” I asked.

She frowned. “Not really. He told me it was for investment purposes.”

“There’s lots of land around here for sale.”

“That’s true. He definitely had his sights set on that one.”

“You said he talked the original owners into the sale. He must have given them a better reason for wanting the lot than simply for investment purposes. They’d expressed a desire to keep the land in the family before.”

“I agree. He must have said something more to them. But he didn’t share what he spoke about with them. I simply know they called me the very next day and said they were willing to sell to him.” She smiled and glanced at her watch. “Oh, I’m late. Sorry to rush off, but I have a meeting I need to get to, Sheriff.”

“No problem,” I drawled. “You’ve satiated my curiosity.”

“Wonderful. You have a good day, now.” She gave a breezy wave and headed toward her car.

I turned and walked back in the direction of the station. Even after talking with Mrs. Numi, I had no clarity on why River had been hell-bent on owning that piece of land. Had it been so he had power over Maxwell? Why would he want that? If Timothy Beckett hadn’t already confessed to setting the blaze that had destroyed Maxwell’s clinic, I might have been suspicious of River. He seemed fixated on Maxwell.

I was halfway to the station when a sleek black limousine stopped next to me in the middle of the road. One door opened and a group of college-aged guys spilled out of the vehicle. They were laughing, rowdy, and obviously inebriated. The driver also climbed from the car, looking harassed.

Limousines weren’t common in Rainy Dale, but there was one new company. I recognized the driver of the vehicle as Archie Brady, the owner of Fantasy Time Limousine Service. Archie was in his midthirties and seemed to be a real go-getter. He’d moved to town last year, after the death of his wife. I didn’t know him well, just enough to say hi. He was a pleasant enough guy, as far as I could tell, although at the moment, he didn’t look happy.

I met his frazzled gaze and moved toward him. “Everything okay?” I asked.

“Yeah.” He let out a shaky breath. “I should have known better than to take that booking. Those assholes broke half of my champagne flutes and spilled booze all over the seats. It’s going to take me a week to get the car clean.”

My gaze followed the group of guys heading down the sidewalk. “Are they from around here?” I didn’t recognize them, but that didn’t mean they weren’t from around these parts.

He shook his head. “No. They go to UTD.”

“What are they doing in Rainy Dale? Dallas is more of a party town than Rainy Dale.”

“I know.” He sighed. “One of them was born here but moved away when he was ten. It’s his birthday, and he wanted his buddies to taste the waffles at the Pancake Cottage. Truth be told, they’re all so wasted, I doubt they’d know the difference between the Pancake Cottage waffles and an Eggo.”

I smiled, keeping my eyes on the group as they moved in the opposite direction. If they kept drinking, odds were they were going to start trouble. “When are you taking them back to Dallas?”

He glanced at his watch. “Their booking ends at 5:00 p.m.” He groaned. “God, this day will never end.”

“I don’t envy you.”

“No one would.” He pulled his cap off and ruffled his auburn hair. “These kinds of bookings are my least favorite. But I gotta pay the bills, ya know?”

“I hear you.” I glanced at the limo still parked in the middle of the road. “Uh, how about you pull out of the street and park behind the hardware store? There’s plenty of room back there.”

“Oh, yeah, right.” He grimaced. “Sorry. I got distracted. That’s how my brain is lately. Too much on my mind.” He moved back to the car and climbed in.

I watched him pull away and then continued my trek toward the station. I’d be ready for a phone call from the Pancake Palace. I had little doubt those guys were going to be a handful. But they hadn’t broken the law yet, so all I could really do was wait and see if I was right. I didn’t have enough manpower to go set up surveillance on a bunch of drunks. Deputy Juan had asked for a few extra days off so he could spend some quality time with Lola, and today was Deputy Dusty’s anniversary, so he’d also asked for the day off. If trouble started, it would be up to me and Deputy Sam to keep the peace.

When I got back to the station, I busied myself with paperwork. I felt a little on edge, waiting for a disturbance call from the Pancake Palace. I really hoped those guys from the limo would just eat their waffles and leave town.

But, of course, they didn’t.

It was almost 5:00 p.m. when the call of a disturbance at the Pancake Palace finally came in. I’d really hoped we’d dodged that bullet because Archie had said his booking with those guys from Dallas ended at 5:00 p.m. Apparently, drunk people didn’t adhere well to schedules because they were still in Rainy Dale, causing trouble.

When Deputy Sam and I arrived at the Pancake Palace, the place was in shambles. There were overturned tables and broken dishes on the floor. I was semi-relieved to see that of the five guys from Dallas, only one of them was actually causing a problem. A blond guy stood in the center of the mayhem, cheeks flushed and eyes wide. He held a steak knife, and he was yelling at the waitress.

His buddies looked bewildered and embarrassed.

“Todd,” one of them said, “what are you doing?”

“She put poison in my drink!” he rasped. “I saw her do it.”

The waitress was young and obviously terrified. She shook her head, clutching her order pad to her chest. “I didn’t do anything to your drink. I… I’m not even the one who served you.”

I moved forward and gestured to her. “Katrina, come here. It’s okay.”

She bolted toward me and Sam, eyes bugged in terror. “I swear, I didn’t do anything, Sheriff.”

“I know.” I patted her bony shoulder, pushing her behind me. I didn’t really have time to comfort her because Todd was now focused on me.

“Hey,” snapped Todd. “Who are you?”

“I’m Sheriff Callum.” I spoke evenly, hoping I could get him to calm down without things escalating.

Todd waved the steak knife toward me. “Are you with them?”

“Them, who?”

He glanced around wildly, sweat beading on his forehead. “The people who’ve been following me. Are you one of them?”

“Dude,” wailed one of his friends, “no one is following you. We told you that like ten times.”

Todd licked his lips. “You could be one of them. How would I know?”

Another of his friends yelled, “You’re drunk, Todd. You always get paranoid when you’re drunk. I told you this would happen, but you wouldn’t listen.”

“Shut up,” yelled Todd, shaking his head. “I’m… I’m the only one who can save us.”

“Save us from what?” that same friend asked. “You’re the only one who’s threatening people.”

“What’s he on?” I asked his friends.

One of them responded, “He’s been taking lithium for depression. He always gets like this when he gets wasted. He thinks the CIA is chasing him, man. He just loses his shit when he drinks too much.”

“Then why did you let him drink too much?” Deputy Sam asked.

Shrugging, the guy said, “We were having fun.”

“Uh, right.” Deputy Sam shook his head in disgust.

My main concern was getting the knife away from Todd. He wasn’t a big guy, so I knew I could probably handle him in a fight. But the knife was a problem. “Todd, how about you put the knife down and we just talk?” I said quietly. “I’m sure you don’t want to hurt anyone, right?”

“I do if they’re trying to hurt me,” he mumbled.

“No one is going to hurt you.” I took a step toward him. “I promise you.”

“Do you? But see, for all I know, you’re a fake cop.”

“I’m not fake.” I smiled reassuringly. “You can see my badge, right?”

“You could have got that on eBay.”

“No. I’m the real deal. Put the knife down, kid.”

His hand was trembling as he stared at me. He blinked, looking confused. “I don’t understand what’s happening.”

“You’ve just had a little too much to drink, that’s all. Put the knife down, and we can work this out. If you stab someone, you’re going to be in a lot of trouble, Todd.” I took another cautious step toward him.

He scanned the crowd of customers, who were watching him fearfully. He scrunched his face, appearing muddled. “I… I don’t want to hurt anyone. I just want to go home.”

“Great. Put the knife down, and we can see about making that happen.” Mostly, I was paying lip service. I needed to get him to put down the knife but couldn’t just let him go home after behaving like he had. Brandishing a weapon was aggravated assault. In Texas, it was considered a second-degree felony.

I felt sorry for the guy though. I didn’t want to charge him with aggravated assault because I suspected he had mental health issues. I was positive those issues had been exacerbated by mixing alcohol with lithium. The two substances had clashed in his system and brought out paranoia. However, even though I didn’t think Todd was a bad guy, I couldn’t just let this slide. He was unstable. His friend had implied this had happened before. That couldn’t go unchecked. He needed to be evaluated by a mental health professional.

I held out my hand, muscles tensed in case he got violent. “Give me the knife, Todd.”

He swallowed hard, eyes glittering with confusion. “Do you swear you’re a cop?”

“Yes. I just want to help you.”

He glanced toward his group of friends. They nodded, looking worried.

His gaze returned to me. “Okay,” he said softly. He held out the knife to me, and I took it gingerly. Once I had the knife, Deputy Sam advanced on him and cuffed him. Todd was mumbling to himself, and his friends slumped with relief.

One of his buddies came over to me. “You’re not letting him go home, are you?”

“No. Sorry. We’ll transport him to Dallas for seventy-two-hour treatment and evaluation.”

“Shit. I was afraid of that.”

I narrowed my eyes. “If he’s done this before, why did you let him get drunk? Didn’t you know this might happen?”

“He’s never grabbed a knife before. He’s just gotten out of hand and paranoid.”

“Okay, but knowing that, you still thought getting him drunk was a great idea?”

“It was his birthday, man. We were just trying to make it one he’d remember.”

I sighed. “Well, he’ll remember it all right.”

“Yeah.” The guy wilted. “Do you really have to arrest him? He didn’t hurt anyone.”

“He could have though. Even if it was accidental, he could have seriously hurt himself or someone else. Like I said, we’ll hand him off, and from there it’s up to his lawyer and the courts to decide what’s best for him. I’m sorry. I can’t do much other than enforce the laws of the state. That’s my job.”

“Okay.” He wandered back to his group of friends.

The next hour and a half consisted of a lot of paperwork. Deputy Sam was kind enough to volunteer to transport Todd to Dallas. I appreciated that because I really wanted to get home to Max. I was worried about him and curious about how things had gone for him at work today.

When I walked into the house, Grumpy greeted me. I picked up the pup and kissed his cold, wet nose. “Miss me, fella?” Grumpy’s tail wagged even faster, and I smiled and set him down.

Max was in the kitchen, stirring a pan of soup. As I approached, he smiled. “Welcome home.”

“Smells good in here,” I said, sliding my arms around his waist.

He leaned back into my hug, sighing. “I didn’t know when you’d be home, so I opened a can of soup. Shall I put this in the fridge and call for a pizza or something?”

“No. How about I add another can to that and we just eat soup tonight? I’m tired, and I just want to relax.”

“Oh, um… sure. This is vegetables and rice. Are you sure you don’t mind that there isn’t any meat in it?”

I kissed the back of his neck, and he shivered. “I’d eat anything right now.”

“Sounds promising.”

I laughed, and he turned in my arms. We kissed, and the feel of his mouth on mine soothed me. Comforted me. Coming home to Max every night was the highlight of my day. I loved having him in my home. I didn’t appreciate his company simply because I’d been lonely. It was far more than that. When he wasn’t near me, it was like I was missing a limb. I’d toyed with the idea of asking him to move in with me permanently but didn’t quite have the nerve yet. I couldn’t remember ever being so consumed with anyone I’d ever been with. Max was everything to me. My rampant need for him was both exhilarating and disconcerting.

His kiss deepened, and he slipped his tongue into my mouth. My dick warmed and hardened as he pressed closer. He broke the kiss just long enough to whisper, “How about we eat later?”

“Yes, please.” I smiled, happiness spiraling through me.

We made our way into the bedroom, kissing and laughing. I guess we could talk about River later. Right now, I wanted to enjoy Max.

Chapter Three

Maxwell

After feeling stressed most of the day, I was ready to let go and enjoy Royce. I was relieved he was in the mood too because I needed him. I wanted to lose myself in my need for him. As we undressed and got on the bed, I was trembling with the desire to take him.

He stiffened ever so slightly when I covered his body with mine. Tonight, I needed to be on top, and I tried to tell him that with my hungry kisses and the weight of my body. He slowly relaxed his muscles, and I let out a happy sigh as the taste and scent of him surrounded me. Sleeping with Royce was so much more than just sex. There was a melding of our souls that happened every time. Every. Fucking. Time. The heat of his skin and the look in his beautiful tawny eyes took my breath away. When he arched into me, his groans made me hungry to please him even more.

I leaned down to kiss his neck, nibbling a trail down his sternum. Next, I nipped and sucked one of his flat brown nipples, enjoying the sensation of them hardening and beading against my tongue. I took my time with him, worshiping every inch of his lean body. I wanted him to feel my need as I worked my way down to his cock. I slid my mouth around the wide head of his dick, and he gave a chest-deep moan.

Fuck. I loved his taste. His whimpers of need. My dick ached to be inside him soon. I took him deep, all the way to the back of my throat. He rolled his hips, fingers tangling in my hair. He thrust gently, the grip on my hair tightening as he used my mouth.

“Max,” he breathed out.

I sucked him harder, cupping his swollen balls in the palm of my hand. He dug his heels into the mattress, writhing around the bed. I didn’t relent at all though. I followed him wherever he went, licking and sucking him. His pupils were blown, lips wide, cheeks flushed. Lust scorched through his gaze like a match dropped on dry brush.

Once I knew he was about to lose control, I slowly let his dick slip from my mouth. Climbing up his body, I grabbed the lube and settled between his muscular thighs. His hands roamed my body, nails digging into my spine. I lowered my head and took his mouth roughly, tongues dancing together as I pressed the lube-slicked head of my cock to his hole. As I pushed inside his tight body, I kept my mouth clamped on his. Swallowing his silent cry of pleasure, I began to thrust.

He shuddered and wound his legs around mine, pushing down on me. I went deeper and deeper, pounding into him, my lust making me feel a little wild. I loved that he let me take him sometimes. I knew it wasn’t easy for him. He liked to be on top and in control. But now and then, he gave me the power. I wasn’t wasting it either. I pumped in and out of him fast and hard. Every time I entered him, he groaned and his fingers dug into my skin.

“Fuck, Max. Please.”

“Love seeing you under me, begging to come,” I rasped, sweat beading on my forehead.

“Oh, God.”

He threw his head back, neck muscles distended as he took the pounding I was giving him. He was so fucking tight it would be a miracle if I lasted even three more minutes. I couldn’t think straight. I just needed to feel his body quaking on my dick as I came inside his body.

As my orgasm began to unravel, I thought about how much I needed him. Nothing was better than being in Royce’s arms. I wasn’t sure he had any idea how much power he had over me. I’d give him anything he wanted. After almost losing him, I’d give him literally anything he asked of me. I wouldn’t lose him. I refused to let my screwed-up childhood ruin the best thing in my life.

I felt his dick swell between our writhing stomachs, and he gave a strangled cry. The warm pulse of his release that spilled between us was too much for me to handle. My cock throbbed inside him, and I came hard. My vision blurred as my orgasm slammed into me. I groaned deep in my chest, still thrusting, chasing the last few moments of ecstasy.

He pressed his face to my breastbone, his breath hot against my flesh. I thrust until my burning thigh muscles couldn’t take it anymore. When I finally stopped, I sank down on him, and his arms came around me. Strong. Protective. We stayed like that for a long while. Intimacy was new to me. Allowing him to see how much he meant to me was a new experience. How much I wanted and needed him was scary. Beautiful.

Eventually, I pulled out of him and rolled to lie beside him. “I did remember to shut the stove off, right?” I asked, frowning. “I had tunnel vision.”

He chuckled as he grabbed some tissues from the nightstand. “Yep.”

“Good. I wouldn’t want to burn down your house.”

“Uh, no. I think we’ve had enough of that.” He wiped his stomach and mine clean. “Of course, River would probably let us stay with him.”

I scowled. “Please don’t mention that man’s name.”

He tossed the used tissues into a small trash can across the room. Looking pleased with himself for making the shot, he lay down again. “So, how was it at work today? Awkward?”

I sighed. “River was nowhere to be seen.”

“Really?”

“Nope. He was out of the clinic the whole day. I didn’t even see Lucas.” I’d been a bit frustrated, to be honest. I’d wanted to face the discomfort of being around him head-on so I could get past it.

We fell silent, and then Royce said, “I ran into Mrs. Numi today by chance.”

“Did you?”

“Yep. I asked her when River purchased the land. She said it was right around the time of the fire.”

I stared up at the ceiling, fixating on a small crack in the plaster. “I still don’t get why River didn’t just mention the purchase to me. He doesn’t strike me as a coward. Even if I didn’t like him being my landlord, I’d have thought River would enjoy telling me he was.”

“I think the only way to know if he’s truly scheming is to move forward and see what happens.”

“Sure, but this situation has me wondering if I should rebuild after all.”

He tensed and glanced over quickly. “What?” he asked sharply.

Grimacing, I said, “I… I just mean it has me questioning if I should rebuild in that spot.”

“Oh.” There was obvious relief in his voice.

“There are other places for lease. I could just rebuild in another location. Maybe.”

“What about your lease?”

I shrugged. “I could buy out the remainder of the lease. It might be worth it in the long run. I’ll have to renegotiate a new lease in about eight months or so anyway. There’s always the possibility River won’t give me a new lease or that he’ll ask for unreasonable terms. Maybe it would be smarter just to move locations and start fresh with a landlord I trust.”

“Huh. If you feel like that’s a better option for you, sure. Why not?”

I sighed. “But I’d miss my pool.”

He smiled. “Yeah, that’s definitely a perk.”

I turned my head to meet his gaze. “It was convenient living in the same spot I worked. It made life simple. I could go for a swim after a long day of seeing patients and then just go to bed.”

He nodded. “That does sound mighty convenient.”

“If I pick a new spot for the clinic, I’ll have to find a house too. Most business spaces aren’t zoned for living in them. Not to mention, the odds of me finding something that suits me that also has a pool is slim.”

“Definitely.”

Something about his tone caught my attention. He sounded distracted. Was he bored with the conversation? Perhaps he was tired of always talking about my problems. Or maybe he was just hungry. We never had eaten dinner. I sat up. “Shall I make the soup now?”

“Sure.” His smile was affectionate, and he patted my leg. “I’m just going to take a quick shower first.”

“Okay.” He seemed his usual self now, so I decided I was overthinking things as usual. I got off the bed, dressed quickly, and went out to the kitchen. I heard the shower start, and just about the time the soup was boiling, Royce joined me.

We ate and talked about our day. I didn’t have much to share since my day at the clinic had been uneventful. I’d examined a toddler with an ear infection and done some routine annual examinations, but nothing had happened that made for titillating dinner conversation. Maybe if River had been there during the day, I’d have had something more interesting to share.

By the way, I strangled River today.

Oh, did you?

Yep!

I’ll have to arrest you now, Maxwell.

Worth it!

After dinner, we watched a little TV, but we both seemed tired. By the time we went to bed, Royce had that same distracted look on his face from earlier. I tried not to let it bother me, but I was a worrier by nature. Was he tired of having me around all the time? I knew I wasn’t the easiest person to live with. Maybe he was really looking forward to the day when I got my own place again.

However, once in bed, he pulled me into his arms and held me close. I felt reassured by how tenderly he held me, and I decided I was seeing things that weren’t there.

****

Janelle Raiden was a waifish, twenty-something blonde with cornflower-blue eyes and a ready smile. Usually, she was a serene young lady who laughed easily and always took my advice without argument. Today, however, she was preoccupied and on edge, jumping at every little sound.

“Your blood pressure is on the high side,” I said, undoing the cuff from her slender arm.

“Is it?” She looked up at me, biting her lip.

“Yes.” I rehung the blood pressure sleeve on the wall and sat on the stool in front of her. “Are you under stress?”

“Well…” She gave an uneasy laugh. “I… I’m getting married on Sunday.”

I raised my brows. “This Sunday?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

“Congratulations.” I was proud of myself for remembering to say that. “Who’s the lucky man?” That was probably something you’d ask, right?

She sighed. “Archie Brady.”

“Not sure I know him.”

“You’ve met him. He was in here last week.” She smiled. “Tall with red hair?”

“Oh.” I nodded. “That was your future husband?”

Her smile was warm. “Yes.”

“He seemed nice.” I wasn’t sure what else to say. To be honest, he hadn’t made much of an impression on me. I really only remembered him because he was very tall and he did indeed have bright red hair.

A line appeared in her smooth forehead. “He is. He’s very nice.”

I racked my brain for something else to ask. “Uh… have you been dating long?” I forced myself not to look at my watch. I knew I had a bunch of other patients out in the waiting room, but I kept my gaze pinned on her. According to Royce and Girdy, this interacting thing was a huge part of the job.

It was also my least favorite part.

“About six months.” She ran a shaky hand over her pale hair. “I guess you could say it was a whirlwind romance.”

“Indeed.” I studied her, noticing the circles under her eyes and the nervous way her gaze darted around the room. “Something is troubling you.”

Her eyes widened ever so slightly. “No.”

“Yes.” I sighed. “You’re not pregnant.”

“What?” Her cheeks tinted pink. “Of course I’m not.”

“I’m simply trying to figure out why you’re getting married.”

She frowned. “Because I love Archie. Isn’t that normally why people get married?”

Seeing as normal wasn’t really my thing, I ignored the question. “I’d expect you to be on edge this close to your wedding. But I’d also expect you to seem excited. I don’t see any… excitement.”

“I’m plenty excited.” Her laugh was self-conscious.

“Hmmm.”

“Really.” She wouldn’t meet my gaze.

Leaning toward her, I said softly, “You know, Janelle, you can talk to me. I’m a good listener.” That was definitely a lie. I was a horrible listener. My mind was already wandering to all the patients I needed to see and all the phone calls I needed to make. But I must have hidden that well because she actually started to talk.

“Are you sure? I don’t want to take up too much of your time, but I am actually feeling a bit brittle.” She tugged a tissue from her jean pocket and dabbed at her eyes.

“Take a deep breath.”

She obeyed, sucking in some air and letting it out slowly.

“Now, just tell me exactly what it is that has you upset.” I kept my voice even, hoping that would help her keep her emotions in check.

She scrunched her face. “I don’t want you to think I’m crazy.”

“Now, why would I think that?”

She shook her head, pressing her lips tight.

Impatience prickled me, but I simply said, “It’s okay, you can tell me anything.”

Again, she shook her head.

Gritting my teeth, I patted her arm. “Talking can sometimes make you feel better. Just saying the words aloud can be freeing.” I’d heard that on some talk show the other day. I wasn’t sure I believed that was true, but it seemed to do the trick with Janelle.

“Archie was married before,” she wailed, her eyes wide.

“Oh, okay. Well, that’s fine. Lots of people marry more than once these days.”

“I know.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“I feel inferior.”

“Why?”

“I… I don’t know.” Swallowing hard, she said, “Kimora was her name.”

I wasn’t sure why I needed to know that detail, but I just went with it. “That’s a pretty name. Did Archie get divorced from her?”

“No. Kimora died.”

Shock rolled through me. “Oh, God. I… I’m sorry. That’s awful.”

“Yes.” She nodded, crumpling the tissue in her hand. “Kimora was everything I’m not. She was an exotic beauty. She was sophisticated and independent.” She wrinkled her brow. “I feel like a frump by comparison.”

“No. You’re a lovely young lady.” The words felt stilted on my tongue, but even I knew it was the right thing to say. Besides, she truly was lovely. There was no denying that.

“But Kimora was exciting, and I’m just… me.”

“Archie must like who you are, otherwise he wouldn’t have proposed.”

She closed her eyes. “Sometimes he seems so distant. I can’t help worrying he’s comparing what he had with her to what he has with me.”

“I think it’s normal to worry about that. We’re all insecure to a degree. But Archie wouldn’t have asked you to marry him if he didn’t want you in his life. Surely you can see that?”

“Maybe he was just… lonely,” she whispered.

I frowned. “I doubt that would make him marry you. It might make him spend time with you, but he wouldn’t need to marry you.”

She glanced up, looking hopeful. “Do you really think so?”

“Absolutely.”

“Gosh, I hope you’re right. I love him, and I don’t want to give him up.”

“No. Of course not.” I hesitated. “Have you talked to Archie about how you feel?”

She bugged her eyes. “Oh, God no!”

“But you’re marrying him. You should be able to tell him how you feel.” I was no expert on relationships. But it did seem as if you should be able to talk to the person you were pledging to love for all eternity.

“I don’t want to seem needy.” She looked panicked. “You won’t tell him, right?”

“Certainly not. Anything you tell me is just between us.”

She slumped with relief. “Okay. Good.”

I stood, crossing my arms. “Maybe you should postpone the wedding.”

If I’d thought she looked panicked before, that was nothing compared to how she looked at that suggestion. She practically bolted off the examination table. “I can’t! No. That’s out of the question.”

“But if you’re unsure—”

“I’m not. I love Archie.”

Feeling a bit confused, I laughed gruffly. “Then why do you seem so stressed-out?”

“I can’t tell you. I can’t tell anyone.”

“Oh, come now. What could be so horrible that you couldn’t tell anyone?”

She winced. “You’ll think I’m losing my mind. I mean, I… I think I’m losing my mind too.”

“Why?” I frowned.

“Promise you won’t judge me?”

I held up one hand. “Scout’s honor.”

“Okay, well… I, uh… well.”

“Come on, tell me, Janelle,” I coaxed.

She blurted, “I keep seeing Kimora.”

I did my best to keep a straight face. “You’re seeing Kimora?”

She nodded.

“Do you mean like… in your dreams?”

“No.”

“Oh.”

“Three times now.” She shivered, and all the blood seemed to drain from her face. “She just appears sometimes.”

Squinting, I said, “She just appears?”

“Yes. She’s always wearing her wedding dress, and she looks at me like she… she hates me.”

I rubbed my temple, holding her gaze. “So, to be clear, you’re seeing your fiancé’s dead wife on a regular basis?”

She started crying. “I knew you wouldn’t believe me. I knew you’d think I’m crazy.”

I held out my hands. “No. I didn’t say that.”

“Your face did.”

Sighing, I said, “Janelle, you’re not being fair. Of course I’m going to question what you just said. Anyone would.”

“But you said I could tell you anything.”

I had said that, hadn’t I?

“You can.” I moved to her and gingerly patted her shoulder. “You definitely can tell me anything, but naturally, I’m going to have a reaction. Depending on what you say.”

“I swear,” she sobbed. “I’ve seen her. Just as clear as I see you right now.”

Grimacing, I asked, “Does she… say anything?”

She blew her nose, looking miserable. “No. She just stands there and stares at me.”

“That’s odd.”

She glanced up, her face wet with tears. “Is it?”

“Well, I’m no expert on ghosts, but why visit you if she’s just going to… stare?”

“I think she’s trying to warn me off.” She gave a little hiccup. “She still wants Archie all to herself.”

“But… she’s dead.”

“I know,” she wailed. “But I guess her love is eternal or something.”

She was borderline hysterical, so I moved even closer to her and placed one hand on her shoulder. “Janelle, you need to calm down.”

She looked up at me, obviously struggling to do as asked. Her usually porcelain skin was bright red, and her eyes glittered with fear. “I’m terrified, Dr. Thornton, but I don’t want to give Archie up.”

“Of course not.” I sighed. “Listen, I suspect you’re very worried about the wedding. Most people go a little kooky right before their nuptials. They say getting married and buying a house are two of the most stressful things for people. You’re very young, but you’re about to take Archie’s hand in marriage till death do you part. That would make anyone freak out. It’s a huge step.”

She nodded, her gaze clinging to mine. “True.”

“Are you always alone when you… er… see Archie’s… dead wife?” I felt like a fool saying that out loud.

“Yes.”

“See, don’t you find that odd? If she’s a real ghost, why would she only appear to you when you’re alone? From what I’ve heard, ghosts just show up when they feel like it. That’s why they have those silly ghost walking tours, etc.”

She frowned. “What are you saying?”

I grimaced. “I think the stress you’re under is… making you obsess about your biggest insecurity: Archie’s first wife. You’ve already admitted you feel inferior.”

“You really think it’s all in my head?”

“I do.” Mostly because I didn’t believe in ghosts. I was a man of science. If ghosts existed, why weren’t they everywhere all the time? That was how I looked at it. If you asked me, the place would be crawling with spirits if they truly walked among us.

She blew out a shaky breath. “She sure seems real.”

I tilted my head, studying her. “Maybe try touching her if she appears again.”

She widened her eyes. “What?” she shrieked. “I can’t do that!”

“Why not?”

“Well,” she sputtered. “What if she reaches inside me and pulls out my heart?”

I couldn’t help laughing at that, which earned me a glare. “Janelle, she isn’t going to rip out your… heart.”

“How do you know? She’s from the other side.” She swallowed hard, looking very pale now. “I think I might faint. I don’t feel so good.”

“Lie down. Let’s get some blood back in your head.”

She obeyed, lying down and closing her eyes. “I haven’t slept in weeks,” she whispered.

Staring down at her, I felt genuine concern for her. I liked Janelle as much as I was capable of liking any of my patients. She was sweet and only came in when she was actually sick. She wasn’t the type to manifest drama. It was obvious something was happening to her. Even if it was all in her head, it was affecting her physically.

“When do you see… Kimora… usually?” I asked softly.

She opened her eyes. “I’ve seen her outside my house twice, and once she was in my bathroom.”

“Your bathroom?” I frowned.

She nodded. “I was in the shower and… and…” She shuddered. “Suddenly, I saw her reflection in the mirror. I… I almost fainted I was so scared.”

“I don’t blame you,” I murmured. “And you were alone?”

She licked her lips. “In the bathroom area, yes. Archie was in the bedroom. I screamed, and he… he came in. He said he didn’t see anyone, but I know what I saw, Dr. Thornton. She was right there. I saw her clear as day.”

Chewing my bottom lip, I nodded. “Did she just evaporate or something?”

“Huh?” She sat up.

“Well, I mean, you saw her in the mirror, and then you screamed. I assume Archie hurried in, and what? Kimora just disappeared into thin air?”

“I… I don’t know where she went. I just screamed and almost fainted. Then Archie was there, and he wrapped me in a towel and told me he hadn’t seen anything.” She shivered. “I was so scared, but he was so sweet.”

I hesitated but then asked, “Do you trust Archie?”

She frowned. “Of course I do. Would I marry him otherwise?”

I cleared my throat, knowing I was about to venture into dangerous territory. “Your family is very wealthy.”

Cocking her head, she said, “Yes. So?”

“Well…” I could almost hear Royce telling me to back off and change the subject. But the girl in front of me was an emotional mess. As a doctor, I felt I owed it to her to try and get to the root of her problem.

“What are you trying to say?” she asked suspiciously.

I sighed. “I myself come from a wealthy family.”

“Do you?” She looked genuinely surprised.

“Yes.” I grimaced. “I know firsthand what it feels like to question people’s motives for getting close.”

She blinked at me, some of her earlier wariness fading.

“It’s difficult to know if people are interested in you or your money sometimes, isn’t it?” I asked.

She didn’t speak for a few moments, and then she nodded. “Yes.”

“I have to wonder, Janelle, if you aren’t maybe a little worried that Archie is marrying you for the wrong reasons.” When she didn’t immediately argue, I suspected I was onto something. “As you said yourself, you’ve had a whirlwind romance. There hasn’t been the time put into this relationship for you to truly trust and know each other.”

Hanging her head, she whispered, “My parents would kill me if I cancel the wedding so close to the date. They’ve spent a lot of money already.”

Uneasiness rolled through me. “That’s no reason to go through with it. You must know that. Losing the deposits your parents put down isn’t enough of a reason to marry someone.”

She sighed. “But I do love Archie.”

“Do you?”

She nodded, her gaze shimmering with sincerity. “Yes. With all my heart.”

“Well, that’s good, at least.”

“I desperately want to marry him. But you’re right. If I’d had my way, we’d have waited a bit longer to tie the knot.”

“Hmmm. I see.” I straightened, pushing my hands into my pockets. “I suspect your stress is getting the best of you.”

“And you think that’s why I’m seeing Kimora?”

“I’m not a psychologist, but it wouldn’t surprise me. You seem ambivalent about the wedding. It’s entirely possible there’s a part of you that just wants a reason to run away.”

“I guess that makes sense,” she admitted. “But I love Archie more than I fear marriage.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“I see. Well, you of course must do what you think is best.” I forced a smile. With as many doubts as she had and how short of a time she’d known Archie, I personally felt the wedding was a huge mistake.

“Archie treats me very well. He dotes on me, to be honest.” She laughed. “I think I’d be a fool to let him get away.”

“You do seem fond of him.” What else could I say? It wasn’t my place to argue with her. If she wanted to marry Archie, that was her right.

“I think I just have the pre-wedding jitters. All the magazines say that will happen.” She grimaced. “I’m being silly. I think you’re absolutely right. I’m just nervous and looking for reasons to run away.”

“Most probably.”

She touched my arm. “I actually feel better after talking with you, Dr. Thornton.”

I lifted my brows in surprise. “Do you?”

“Yes. You’re very relaxing to talk to.”

I’d literally never heard that before. “Well, uh… I’m glad talking with me helped.”

Janelle brightened and said, “Will you come to the wedding?”

It took all of my self-control not to blurt out, “God, no!” Instead, I kept my expression blank and took a step back. “Oh, well, I’m not sure…”

“Please,” she pleaded. “I’d feel so much calmer if you were there.”

“But… why?” I couldn’t help asking.

She laughed, looking more like her usual self. “You’re one of the few people who knows what has been going on with me. I think I’d feel better looking out and seeing you there among the guests.”

“Me? Really?” I cringed.

“Yes, you.” She slid off the examination table. “Will you come? You can bring Sheriff Callum. My parents are having the reception catered by a fancy French bistro from Dallas. I’ve heard their black truffle eggs are amazing.”

“Oh, well…”

“It’s a hosted bar.”

Sighing, I took in her hopeful expression. I really, really didn’t want to go to her wedding. I didn’t like social events in general, and weddings could be painfully boring. But she had said I could bring Royce, so that would make it a fun day. I always had fun if Royce was with me.

My other reason for considering her invitation was more selfish. Janelle’s family was highly regarded in town. I was trying to clean up my image a bit. Things had been mighty rough when I’d first arrived in Rainy Dale. I’d ruffled a lot of feathers, unintentionally. I needed to try and mend fences, especially if River was playing games with me. He was very adept at charming others, while I was not. If the people in town started to take sides, I hoped to coax some of them to my side. But I couldn’t do that if I was standoffish.

“Please come,” Janelle urged, her smile coaxing.

Everything in me screamed to decline her offer. But with River breathing down my neck and her fragile mental state weighing on me, instead I plastered on a smile and politely asked, “What time on Sunday?”

“Oh, yay!” She surprised me by leaping forward and hugging me.

Her blonde hair tickled my nose as I stood stiffly in her arms.

“I’m so relieved you’ll be there, Dr. Thornton.” She let go of me, her cheeks pink. “I really don’t know why so many people think you’re difficult to talk to. I find you charming.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at that. “I’m glad to hear it. You’re definitely in the minority, but I’ll take all the fans I can get.”

She smiled and headed toward the door. “The ceremony is at 10:00 a.m. at Shepard’s Chapel. The reception is immediately following at the Dusty Steer. My parents rented out the entire restaurant for the occasion. That French bistro is providing the food I mentioned and the Dusty Steer is doing everything else.”

It was unexpected that they hadn’t held the wedding in Dallas. With the money they had, holding the wedding in Rainy Dale seemed odd. Perhaps the bride and groom had preferred keeping things local.

I forced a smile. “Royce and I will be there with bells on.”

She laughed and left the examination room, and I slumped and sat back down on the stool. Making an effort with people truly was exhausting. But I knew that if I was going to survive in Rainy Dale, it was an effort I had to make.

Chapter Four

Royce

“I’m impressed we’re sitting here right now,” I whispered, looking up at the ornate blue-and-gold stained glass windows that surrounded us. “I didn’t think you had it in you, Max.”

He glanced over, looking uneasy. “Trust me, if I’d been able to think up a good enough excuse, we wouldn’t be sitting here. She ambushed me.” He studied the full-color brochure the usher had handed us on arrival. The pamphlet was filled with romantic photos of Janelle and Archie. “Is it just me, or do Janelle and Archie look like wax figures in these photos?”

“It’s not just you.”

“Also, why would I need to see a photo of them in a bubble bath feeding each other strawberries?” he complained.

“Thank the Lord for big bubbles,” I drawled.

“Seriously.” He sighed, tucking the pamphlet in the small rack on the back of the pew in front of us. His leg bounced up and down, and I could feel his impatience radiating.

“It probably won’t be long now.”

“That’s what you said ten minutes ago,” he muttered.

I smiled patiently. “Weddings never start on time.”

“Why not?” He scowled. “If you’re not going to start on time, why even set a time? Why don’t we all just wander in and out at our discretion?”

“It’ll be fine, Max.”

“Yes, I know. But it’s just rude to keep people waiting.” He smoothed his palms down the cloth of his dress slacks. “Sitting too long will wrinkle these pants and this jacket. I’m going to look like a hobo by the time we get to the reception.”

“Nobody’s looking at you. They’re all looking at the bride.”

“I suppose that’s true.” He sighed yet again. “If they were smart, they’d serve champagne at the church.”

I laughed. “Oh, boy. That could be trouble.”

He gave a grudging smile. “All I know is I’d be in a much better mood if I had a glass of champagne and maybe some shrimp canapés.”

“I have a stick of cinnamon gum in my wallet I can give you.”

He grimaced. “No, thank you. Not quite the same.”

“Suit yourself.” I smirked.

Maxwell jumped slightly when an organ at the front of the church began playing “Wedding March” by Mendelssohn. The old instrument was decidedly out of tune, but the woman pounding the keys of the small pipe organ was doing her damnedest to make up for that with enthusiasm.

Shepard’s Chapel was a quaint little nondenominational church, one of the only kind in the area. Couples from nearby counties came to Rainy Dale to get married in this church simply because it was so charming. It had a Victorian feel, with ivory-colored silk drapes and crystal chandeliers overhead. The floor, pews, and altar at the front were a rich mahogany, giving the chapel a sophisticated feel. Minister Jones was the main person who presided at the weddings held in Shepard’s Chapel, and he stood near the altar in a dark suit, holding a small bible.

As the music played, the mother of the bride went down the aisle first, looking self-conscious. Then the groom strode down the narrow walkway, his red hair exceptionally bright in the light from the chandeliers. Various groomsmen followed, as did the bridesmaids, who wore very expensive-looking teal-colored lace dresses that they’d probably never ever wear again. Four adorable flower girls marched down the aisle, dropping yellow and white petals, accompanied by a panicked-looking little boy acting as the ring bearer.

At long last, the organ began to play “Here Comes the Bride,” and all heads turned to watch Janelle and her father head down the aisle. Janelle wore an extravagant-looking white silk and tulle dress that probably cost more than my house. With as much money as her parents had, I was a little surprised they’d held the wedding in Rainy Dale. From what I knew of the family, they liked to flaunt their wealth whenever possible. Shepard’s Chapel seemed like a rather humble choice.

When the actual ceremony began, I felt Maxwell tense beside me. When he took my hand, I instinctively curled my fingers around his. My chest squeezed at that small gesture because, for Maxwell, that was a lot. He was assertive in bed, but out of bed, affectionate gestures were few and far between. Especially in public. He was a man who wore his emotions close to the vest, but more and more, he was opening up to me.

I glanced surreptitiously at him, wondering if one day maybe we’d tie the knot. I didn’t really know what Maxwell thought of marriage. I’d been careful not to pressure him too much about what our future might look like. I wanted to ask him to move in with me, but I was too worried about driving him off. Things were good between us now. Really good. I was terrified of messing up.

Shaking myself, I focused on the ceremony. The bride and groom hadn’t written their own vows. Instead, they stuck to the more traditional promises: For richer or poorer. In sickness and in health. Cherish and obey. Till death do us part. I had to wonder if that choice was influenced by Janelle’s rich, conservative parents.

I’d been surprised when Maxwell told me we were invited to the wedding. I’d been even more shocked that Maxwell actually thought we should go. It was just one more sign that he really was working hard to fit into Rainy Dale. It just made me love him even more.

Once the ceremony was over, the bride and groom hurried down the aisle as the guests tossed brightly colored confetti. Everyone slowly made their way out of the chapel and said their congratulations to the newlyweds at the receiving line just outside the doors.

I was surprised by how warmly Janelle hugged Maxwell when she saw him. He looked surprised too, as did the groom.

“You came,” she said breathlessly. “I wasn’t sure if you would.”

Maxwell shrugged. “Well, I said I would.”

“I know, but… people don’t always keep their word.”

Archie held out his hand. “I’m glad you two could make it.”

“It was a beautiful ceremony,” I said. It had been a while since I’d seen Janelle. She had certainly grown into a beautiful young woman. I hadn’t seen Archie since the day he’d had those drunken guys from Dallas book his limousine. Hopefully he’d gotten paid for the trip and it had all worked out. “You make a nice couple.”

“Thanks.” Archie slipped his arm around Janelle’s slim waist.

Janelle smiled at him, but it wasn’t lost on me that she stiffened at his touch. That seemed like an odd reaction, seeing as she’d literally just married him. “It’s been such a tiring day already,” she said softly.

Maxwell frowned. “You look a little pale, Janelle. Are you feeling okay?”

She swallowed. “I think so.”

Archie turned toward her. “She’s been so stressed-out. I’m hoping now that the wedding is over with, she can relax and go back to normal.”

“How is that possible?” she muttered, looking around nervously.

“Well, now that this part is done, we can just enjoy life,” Archie said. “Right, love?”

Janelle seemed agitated as she said, “She’s here, I just know it. You don’t believe me, but I can feel her presence.”

Looking embarrassed, Archie laughed awkwardly. “Honey, come on.”

I frowned. “Who’s here?” The cop in me perked up automatically at the distress in her voice. It was obvious someone was making Janelle uncomfortable, and it was in my nature to try and put her at ease.

“It’s nothing. She’s just tired,” Archie said gruffly.

Janelle glanced at her scowling husband and then at me. Grimacing, she said, “Never mind. I… I’m being silly.”

Maxwell frowned. “Is it what we talked about before, Janelle?”

Again, she flicked an uneasy look toward Archie. “Oh, just forget about all that, Dr. Thornton. I’ve been under too much stress.”

Looking unconvinced, Maxwell said, “Come talk to me at the reception, Janelle.”

“I will.” She smiled.

“Yes, we need to talk to all of our guests,” Archie said brusquely, giving a pointed look toward the line forming behind us.

“Again, congratulations,” I said smoothly. I steered Maxwell away from them and down the steps of the chapel. He didn’t exactly resist me, but I could tell he was frustrated at being dragged away from Janelle.

Once we were out of earshot of the other guests, I let go of his arm. “What was that all about?” I asked.

He sighed, his gaze pinned on Janelle. “Something weird is going on with that poor girl. I don’t think Archie is being very understanding either.”

I frowned. “Mind filling me in on what the heck you’re talking about?”

He pulled his gaze from Janelle and met mine. “I can’t really go into details, but suffice to say, Janelle has been under a lot of strain.”

“That I already gathered. It seems like there’s something else going on. Who was she afraid of? She mentioned someone being here who made her nervous?”

Maxwell adjusted his gold watch on his wrist, avoiding my gaze. “Just like you can’t talk about your work, I also can’t always talk about mine.”

“Fair enough.” I hesitated. “But if she has a stalker or something, you really should tell me.”

He grimaced. “It’s not exactly that sort of situation.”

A white limousine pulled up behind Maxwell, and a young guy climbed out of the driver’s seat, wearing a chauffeur’s uniform. I assumed the limo was one of Archie’s. It wouldn’t make much sense for him to hire another limousine service when he owned one. The driver straightened his uniform, crossed his arms, and leaned against the vehicle, patiently waiting for his passengers.

A woman’s high-pitched laughter reached me. To the right of us, Mayor Penelope Granger stood, wearing a bright pink dress and matching hat. She was laughing as she spoke with some other people. My stomach sank when I recognized River and Lucas beside her. I gave a quick glance at Maxwell and found him also watching the small group.

“Perfect,” he hissed. “My favorite person in the whole world is here.”

“We’ll just do our best to avoid him,” I drawled.

He scowled. “Easier said than done.”

Maxwell had no sooner finished speaking than River turned and met my gaze. He waved and strolled in our direction, beaming. “Royce! How wonderful. I didn’t know you’d be here.” His smile flickered slightly as it settled on Maxwell. “And Maxwell, how delightful to see you too.”

I didn’t trust what Maxwell might say in response, so I jumped in first. “Max invited me. How could I say no?”

“Of course,” River cooed. “Don’t you just love weddings?”

Lucas trailed along behind River, nodding cordially at Maxwell and me. He didn’t speak; he simply stood beside River, hands in his pockets. He looked bored, like usual. I had to wonder why he was always glued to River’s side, seeing as he almost always looked disinterested.

“I met Janelle’s parents, Michael and Angela, at a Rotary Club dinner last month. They’re delightful people.” River smiled, his silky blond hair fluttering in the light breeze. “You should join the Rotary Club, Maxwell.”

Maxwell grunted.

Penelope and her husband, Gerald, joined us, her sweet, heavy perfume filling my nostrils. “You should, Dr. Thornton. The Rotary Club would be thrilled to have you.”

“Oh, well, er…” Maxwell looked like a deer in the headlights.

“It’s a great way to network.” River winked at Penelope. “Plus, they do such wonderful work around the globe.”

“They certainly do.” Penelope sighed. “I’ve tried to talk Gerald into volunteering in Africa with them. We don’t have any medical training, but they always need help washing and prepping patients for surgery, etc. I think we could make a difference, even if we’re not doctors.”

Gerald laughed gruffly. “Truth be told, I’m way too big of a coward. It’s scary in that part of the world.”

“It would be fulfilling though, don’t you think?” River clasped his hands, looking starry-eyed. “Imagine being in the trenches, helping people who are in desperate need. Maybe one day I’ll give it a go.”

Maxwell frowned. “I would think they’d want real doctors to go on those trips.”

Turning away from the group, Lucas gave a strangled laugh.

River scowled. “I am a real doctor.”

Grimacing, Maxwell said, “Oh, yes. I just mean…” He trailed off.

“What?” River snapped. “What did you mean?”

I put my hand on the small of Maxwell’s back, subtly warning him to be tactful.

He didn’t get the message.

Maxwell shrugged. “I’m simply saying you can’t cure people of malaria or tuberculosis with herbs, incense, and positive thoughts.”

A flush rose in River’s thin face. “How many times must I tell you I went to medical school? I earned the title doctor.”

Penelope looked uneasy. “Oh, I’m sure Dr. Thornton meant no disrespect.”

“Of course not,” Maxwell said, looking a bit lost.

“He implied I’m not a real doctor.” River’s usually cheerful expression was nowhere to be found. “I’m a bit tired of the constant digs about my way of practicing medicine.”

Maxwell shifted uneasily. “I just see medicine differently than you. I’m not trying to make you feel bad.”

“Is that right?” murmured River.

“Yes.”

Lucas said, “I’m sure he meant no harm. You know how Dr. Thornton is, River.”

Sighing, Maxwell nodded. “I can’t help it if I think traditional medicine is the right way to do things. But I suppose I could have put it more tactfully.”

“Definitely,” Penelope laughed gruffly. “You’re a little like a bulldozer with people’s feelings sometimes, Dr. Thornton.”

Maxwell’s face tensed, and I could feel him trying to figure out how to navigate the situation he’d gotten himself into. “The people of Rainy Dale seem to… appreciate your… kind of… medicine, River. That’s what matters.”

“Exactly,” said Penelope. “Everyone loves you, River.”

Lucas rocked back on his heels. “How about you two kiss and make up? This is supposed to be a happy day.”

“I agree.” I squeezed Maxwell’s shoulder, feeling his tense muscles beneath my fingers. “So what if you two approach medicine differently? That doesn’t mean you can’t be respectful of each other.”

River didn’t seem to be listening. He still looked angry. “Just because you were a big-shot surgeon in LA doesn’t mean you’re better than me, Maxwell.”

Maxwell wrinkled his brow. “I never said I was a big-shot.”

“Oh, come on, it’s obvious you think you’re too good for this town.”

“That isn’t true,” Maxwell said stiffly.

River narrowed his eyes. “Maybe we should all question your qualifications more. After all, it’s not common to go from being a surgeon to a GP. They’re two very different things.”

“I agree,” Maxwell said gruffly. “But I took the steps necessary to requalify so that I could practice general medicine. It wasn’t easy, but it was… necessary.”

“Is that right?”

“Yes.” Maxwell’s tone was curt.

“You may dismiss me as a quack, but…” Something malicious shifted through River’s gaze. “At least I’ve never killed anyone.”

Maxwell looked as if he’d been slapped. Red spears appeared on his high cheekbones, and he took a step back.

Penelope gasped, looking sharply at River.

“River,” Lucas said in a warning tone.

“What? Am I wrong?” River’s expression was spiteful.

“There… there’s no reason to say something that harsh to Dr. Thornton,” Penelope said, giving Maxwell a wary glance.

“Agreed,” Gerald said. “That was out of line, River.”

River must have grasped that the group wasn’t on his side anymore because his demeanor changed. His expression was repentant as he said softly, “I meant no harm.”

“Then why bring that up?” I asked in a clipped voice, unable to hold my tongue any longer. “You must know that’s a painful memory for Maxwell.”

River’s cheek twitched. “You’re right, Royce, how thoughtless of me. After all, it was only one patient.”

Maxwell clenched his jaw. “I was cleared by the hospital board of trustees and the California Medical Board. I did nothing wrong.”

River shrugged. “Then why is it such a big deal that I dared to mention it?”

Maxwell shook his head, as if he couldn’t find the words he needed.

Anger simmered in my gut as I asked through gritted teeth, “Why are you poking at Maxwell?”

River glanced at me. “I’m not.”

Liar.

“Then drop it,” I snapped.

River scowled. “He insulted me first.”

Lucas leaned into River and muttered under his breath, “Royce is right. Drop it.”

River seemed a little flustered as he said, “Fine. Geez.”

An awkward silence fell.

I could literally feel Maxwell’s anger and anxiety buzzing through him. I just wanted to walk away with him and get him out of this miserable situation. But that felt too much like retreating. Instead, I rubbed his back, trying to show him I fully supported him.

Penelope cleared her throat. “Uh… Janelle sure is a beautiful bride.”

“Absolutely,” Gerald boomed. “The ceremony wasn’t too long either, which I for one appreciate.”

More awkward silence.

“Beautiful weather too.” Penelope’s laugh was forced. “That’s a good sign for the happiness of their marriage.”

Gerald nodded. “Although, it rained the day we married, and we’re still happy.”

She gave a strained smile. “That’s true.”

Thankfully, the painfully awkward conversation was interrupted when the bride and groom, along with the wedding party, descended on the limo nearby. We were separated by the crowd of well-wishers, and I took that opportunity to lead Maxwell toward our car. As I got behind the wheel, I was still stewing about what River had said. Maxwell was quiet but obviously tense.

I started the car and gripped the wheel tight. “That was complete bullshit. He had no business bringing that crap up.”

Maxwell let out a harsh breath. “He wanted to hurt me.”

“Yes.” I pulled out onto the road, still fuming. “You were tactless, but he went for the jugular.”

Staring out the window, Maxwell said, “The fact that he threw that in my face makes me even more concerned to have him as my landlord.”

“I can imagine. He obviously has hidden resentments against you.”

“Not so hidden at the moment.”

I sighed. “Well, you were fully exonerated. Even if he spreads that story around, it doesn’t matter. You did nothing wrong.”

“Yes. But you and I both know how rumors have a way of mangling the story. The more he gossips, the more the narrative will change. He wants to discredit me. I don’t know if it’s so he can get Lucas in to take my place or if he just hates me on principle.”

“He didn’t do himself any favors. Penelope looked horrified by what he said. Even Lucas told him to shut up.”

Maxwell gave a humorless laugh. “True.”

“You just keep doing what you’ve been doing. People are warming up to you more and more all the time.”

“They like River more than me though.”

“No.”

“Come on, Royce, it’s obvious he’s more charming than me.”

I shrugged. “So what if that’s true? Patients come to you when they’re really sick. They trust you and the way you do medicine. Let them go to River for fancy pastries and hand holding. You get them well, and you keep them well. That’s far more valuable to people.”

He grimaced. “I hope so. I guess I can’t do anything anyway. The citizens of Rainy Dale will think whatever they want to think. Nothing I say will change their minds.”

I pulled into the parking lot of the Dusty Steer and killed the engine. I turned to him, taking in his demoralized body language and tense face. I leaned over and grabbed his hand in mine. “Screw River. Let’s just go have some fun.”

He glanced up, his blue eyes shimmering with uneasiness. “I’m trying so hard to fit in, Royce.”

“I know. It’s working, Max.”

“Is it?”

I shrugged. “You got invited to this wedding, right? That was all you. Janelle likes you, and she wanted you here as her guest.”

He gave a weak smile. “She probably just wants the wedding gift.”

I laughed, relieved he could make a joke. “With her parents’ money, I highly doubt that.”

He surprised me when he leaned in and gave me a kiss. It was a gentle kiss, tinged with affection and gratitude. When it ended, he gave me a tentative smile. “I’m continually surprised by how you always have my back.”

My chest squeezed. “Of course. You can count on that, Max. Forever.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Forever is a long time.”

I touched his cheek. “When I think of how I feel about you, forever is just a drop in the bucket. I ain’t fooling around with you. I’m in this for real.”

“I too am in this… for… real.” The words fell clumsily from his lips, but they were heartfelt.

“How about we go inside the reception and just think about having a good time?”

He opened his door. “I hope you don’t expect me to dance.”

“Aww, come on, not even one dance?” He came around the car, and I looped my arm around his shoulders. “How about if I only ask you to dance to slow songs? You can do that, right, Max?”

“Of course I can do it. I don’t want to do it.” He sighed. “But for you, I guess I’ll try.”

“That’s all I ask is that you try.”

“What do you want to bet River will be dancing up a storm the entire time?” He scowled.

I shrugged. “Who cares? I’m not here to keep tabs on River. I’m here to have a good time with my boyfriend.”

“You’re right. I’ll do my very best to pretend River Martin doesn’t exist. Hopefully, he’ll do the same for me.”

When we walked into the reception, there was a live band setting up at one end of the long room. The Dusty Steer dining room tables were covered with white linen tablecloths with teal napkins. The typical daily cutlery of the restaurant had been replaced with polished silver. China plates and small candelabras adorned each table, along with brightly colored gift bags.

There was a long table at the opposite end from where the band was setting up. It was slightly raised above the other tables on a platform and was no doubt where the wedding party would be seated. Several tables had Reserved placards for the parents of the bride and groom, but mostly, people were allowed to sit wherever they wanted. Maxwell and I snagged a table not too close to the band. I was really hoping we could have some drinks, eat some good food, and relax and have fun.

That hope was dashed when River and Lucas took seats at our table. Irritation settled in my gut at River’s smug smile. Lucas looked uncomfortable as he settled in his seat, but River seemed to be enjoying himself. There was little doubt River had purposely sat at our table to annoy Maxwell. What the hell was his deal? Why was he so determined to get under Maxwell’s skin? I took Maxwell’s hand under the table, and he squeezed my fingers.

Thankfully, Penelope and Gerald also sat at our table, along with various people we didn’t know. Maxwell’s jaw was clamped tight, and his leg pressed to mine. River had recovered his good mood quicker than Maxwell. He chatted cheerfully with the others at the table, seemingly unfazed by the earlier friction with Maxwell. Penelope did her best to include Maxwell in the conversation, but he struggled to come out of his shell.

When the wedding party arrived, there was a lot of cheering and more tossing of confetti. Champagne corks flew, and waiters and waitresses began bringing out plates of food. As the day progressed, the vibe was celebratory, and everything seemed to be going swimmingly. That was until Archie stopped at our table, appearing worried.

“Dr. Thornton. Have you seen Janelle?” Archie asked, scanning the room for his bride.

Maxwell wrinkled his brow. “No.”

“I can’t find her anywhere.” Archie frowned. “She said she wanted to go freshen up her makeup, but she’s been gone over twenty minutes.”

“Really?” Maxwell stood quickly, almost knocking over his chair. “Would you like me to go look for her?”

I was surprised Maxwell was so eager to help. He wasn’t usually overly concerned with other people’s problems. But he did seem fond of Janelle, so maybe that was why he was bothering. Or maybe he just wanted an excuse to get away from the table?

I rose too, placing my napkin on the table. “I’ll help Maxwell. Don’t worry, we’ll find her.”

River said drolly, “How exciting. A search party.”

Maxwell scowled. “There’s nothing wrong with checking on her.”

“I didn’t say there was.” River sniffed.

Penelope sighed, a dreamy look on her face. “She’s probably just trying to look her prettiest for you, Archie.”

“Maybe.” Archie looked unconvinced. “She’s just taking so long.”

River said, “I’m sure everything’s fine. It’s probably just wedding day jitters.”

“But the hard part is over,” Archie mumbled.

“Would you like me to check the ladies’ room for you?” Penelope asked.

Archie shifted uneasily. “I appreciate the offer, but I already checked the women’s bathroom. She wasn’t there.”

“Oh.” Penelope frowned. “Does she smoke? Perhaps she just went out for a cigarette.”

Archie shook his head. “She told me she quit.”

Maxwell shrugged. “It’s possible her nerves got the best of her and she slipped up. Maybe she doesn’t want you to see her smoking. Royce and I will check outside. I’ll bet she’s out there.”

Looking relieved, Archie said, “That’d be great. I can’t really leave the guests right now. My mother-in-law will have a coronary if both Janelle and I disappear.”

“No problem,” I said. “We’ll be right back.”

Maxwell and I excused ourselves from the others and made our way through the crowded room. The band was doing a brief sound check before their next set, and to the side of the stage, I noticed a dark-haired guy hovering. I recognized him as a fireman named Kobe Garrett. According to the rumor mill, he was on suspension at the moment for possible drug use. I didn’t know Kobe well, but he looked agitated as he paced back and forth near the stage. I wondered if he was a friend of the bride’s or the groom’s.

I went out the side door with Maxwell, where there was a patio. The patio area was for outside seating during the warmer months. There was a lattice covering overhead, and coral honeysuckle intertwined around the wooden slats. Just past the patio was the parking lot. A small white wrought iron gate separated the outside seating from the lot. Just as we stepped through the little gate, we spotted Janelle, running around the corner of the building, eyes wide.

When she saw us, relief flooded her face. Once she was near us, she grabbed onto Maxwell, pointing in the direction she’d come. “Kimora is here,” she wailed. “I saw her. She’s really here.”

I frowned. “Kimora? Who’s Kimora?”

Maxwell grimaced. “It’s kind of a long story.”

“Come with me, please.” Janelle tugged on Maxwell’s arm. “I know you won’t believe me unless you see her with your own eyes.”

Giving me a contrite glance, Maxwell allowed her to drag him in the direction she’d come from. I followed along, feeling annoyed that neither of them was forthcoming with details.

As we rounded the building, Janelle stopped short. “She’s g… gone,” she whispered. “But… she was right here a second ago.”

“Janelle,” Maxwell said softly. “Have you been drinking?”

Janelle’s eyes were wild. “I’m telling you, Kimora was here.” She pointed to the side of the building, where there was nothing but sparse grass, a few cigarette butts, and an empty beer bottle. “I swear. I swear she was there.”

Maxwell patted her arm, looking pained. “Perhaps you should come inside, Janelle, and sit. You’re obviously very upset.”

Her face flushed as she listened to him. “I know I sound crazy, but I swear I’m not. She was standing right there in her wedding dress. I’d know her anywhere.”

“Who the heck is Kimora?” I asked.

Ignoring me, Janelle said, “Her hair was covering most of her face… but her eyes. They were full of hatred.”

“Listen,” I grated out, “I want to know what’s going on right now, Max.”

Maxwell met my gaze, and he nodded. Turning to Janelle, he said, “I need to be honest with Royce. We can trust him.”

Her face fell. “He’ll think I’m nuts.”

“We still need to tell him what’s going on with you.” Maxwell sounded firm.

“Oh, all right,” she said softly.

Maxwell turned to me. “She thinks she’s seeing Archie’s dead wife.”

Shock rippled through me. “I’m sorry?”

Maxwell sighed. “She swears she’s being haunted.”

Bugging her eyes, Janelle turned to me. “It’s really her ghost. Her skin is pale and translucent. Her eyes so dark and cold.” She shivered. “She wants him back.”

It was pretty obvious to me Janelle was either drunk, high, or unhinged. But she didn’t seem to smell of alcohol, and her pupils were normal. That left unhinged. “I think you should listen to Dr. Thornton. Let’s go inside and sit down.”

“You’re just trying to pacify me.” She scowled. “You don’t believe me.”

“There’s no such thing as ghosts, Janelle,” I said quietly.

“Don’t you think I know that?” She sounded borderline hysterical. “All I know is she’s dead, but she’s coming to me. That must mean she’s a spirit. I… I didn’t ask her to come. I don’t want her to come. I’m terrified of her.”

I sighed. “Janelle, this is your wedding day. I’m sure it’s very stressful.”

She shook her head. “This isn’t just stress. And this isn’t the first time I’ve seen her either. Just ask Dr. Thornton. I told him all about it.”

He nodded. “She did tell me about seeing this… Kimora woman before.”

“I’m not sure what you’re seeing, but one thing I do know is all your friends and family are inside, waiting for you. Archie is worried sick about you. Instead of wandering around outside, you should be in there with everyone.”

Janelle winced. “I didn’t come out here on purpose. I mean, I… I only came out here because I was following her.”

I gestured to the area. “But no one is here. You can see that, right?”

“Yes. Of course.” She wrinkled her brow. “But I saw her peering at me through the bathroom window. I swear. Then I chased her out here. Dr. Thornton, you told me if I saw her again, I should try and touch her, remember?”

“Er… well…” He laughed awkwardly and gave me a sheepish look. “I was just trying to prove to her that she’s not being haunted by a ghost.”

“Not sure chasing after anyone, spirit or human, is the right call, Maxwell.” I shook my head.

“Probably not.” Maxwell met my gaze. “Since we’re out here, we could maybe look around?”

I let out a tired breath. “Look around for what?”

“Maybe there are footprints beneath the window of the bathroom.” Maxwell shrugged.

I frowned. “If there were footprints there, we’d have no idea whose footprints they are. What good would it do? Those footprints might have been there for months.”

Maxwell nodded. “I know. But I think it might help her calm down if we go look. What could it hurt?”

I let out a frustrated breath. “Fine. Let’s go take a look.”

“Great.” Maxwell strode past me, Janelle following close on his heels, her veil askew.

Grudgingly, I followed. The bathrooms were located on the south wall of the building. It was easy to tell which window was the women’s bathroom because of the flowery curtains. There were bars on the windows, which only made me question Janelle’s story even more.

I gestured to the bars on the window. “Nobody could get to you through that window, Janelle. Why were you so panicked?”

She narrowed her eyes. “A ghost wouldn’t care that there are bars on the window.”

I sighed. “If you were so terrified, why did you chase after this person?”

Janelle looked muddled. “I just wanted to know if it was a person or something else.”

Maxwell grunted.

Frustrated, I met Maxwell’s gaze. “Don’t you think it’s harmful to go along with this idea of a ghost?”

He grimaced and lowered his voice. “Obviously, I don’t believe she’s being haunted by a ghost.”

“Well now, that’s a relief.”

“However, I do believe she’s seeing or hearing something.”

I shook my head. “As a doctor, you must be worried about her mental state. Indulging her seems to me to be the very worst tact to take.”

“Not if we can prove to her that what she’s seeing is all in her head. Maybe then I can get her to seek psychological counseling. Just telling her she’s crazy isn’t going to work.”

“I’m not saying we should be that harsh.”

He frowned. “I see no harm in looking around just to make her feel better.”

Before I could answer, Janelle gasped. “Look.” She pointed toward the prickly pear cactus that was planted along the bottom of the building.

“I don’t know what you’re pointing at.” I frowned, moving closer.

She jabbed her finger. “There. Right there.”

I knelt down, peering closely at something that hung off the edge of one of the cactuses. I was surprised to find it was a silky white piece of cloth. Frowning, I pulled my handkerchief from my back pocket. I gently freed the cloth from the prickly pear and held it up to the light.

“That’s just like her dress.” Janelle sounded breathless.

Maxwell squatted down beside me, peering at the cloth. “It looks clean. Like it hasn’t been there long.”

I nodded. “I agree.”

“You see? She was there.” Janelle leaned against the wall of the building, looking shaken. “I told you I saw Kimora’s ghost.”

“No.” I shook my head. “You didn’t.”

Janelle widened her eyes. “But… but you’re holding a piece of her dress in your hand. How can you say I didn’t see Kimora’s ghost?”

“Because,” I sighed. “This isn’t a piece of ectoplasm.”

“What do you mean?” She squeaked.

“I mean, Janelle,” I said softly, “if someone is stalking you, they’re not a spirit. They’re made of flesh and blood.”

“But why would anyone stalk me?” She blinked at me.

“I don’t know.”

Maxwell said, “Can you think of anyone… er… living who might have a grudge against you?”

“Not really.” Janelle furrowed her brow. “I usually get along with people.”

“Any jealous ex-girlfriends who might have a problem with you marrying Archie?” I asked.

She shook her head. “Archie said he didn’t date anyone after his wife died. I… I was the first person he took a chance with.”

Looking skeptical, Maxwell asked, “How long has it been since his first wife died?”

“Five years. He moved to Rainy Dale last year.”

“And he’s only dated you?” Maxwell met my gaze. “That’s awfully good self-control for a guy his age.”

“Yeah,” I agreed. “How long have you and Archie been seeing each other, Janelle?”

“Six months,” she said quietly.

So before he’d gotten together with Janelle, Archie had spent four and a half years with no other women in his life? That was difficult to believe because he was in the prime of his life. I reckon it was possible he’d simply been so brokenhearted he hadn’t been interested in dating anyone else. If anything happened to Max, I wasn’t sure I’d ever be with anyone else again. Perhaps Archie really had been grieving too much to look at other women until Janelle came along.

Maxwell turned to Janelle. “You married Archie, so you must love him.”

“Of course I do.” She stared at him, cheeks pink.

“Then you need to go back inside and continue on with the reception. Archie is very confused and worried about you.”

“I know he must be.” She grimaced. “But… what about this person who’s stalking me?”

I studied her. “If this person is real and not a figment of your imagination, so far they’re just watching you, right?”

Janelle blanched. “Well, if this really isn’t a ghost—”

“It’s not,” Maxwell said bluntly.

“Maybe I am just losing my marbles.” Janelle pointed to the piece of the dress I still held. “But doesn’t that fabric prove someone really is stalking me?”

“Not necessarily,” I said. “It could easily just be a random scrap of cloth from who knows where.”

“Oh.” She slumped. “Then perhaps I am crazy.”

I felt bad for her because she looked so demoralized. “Look, Janelle, you need to get back inside. My advice to you is to keep your ears and eyes open, but stop obsessing about this situation. If you see that mystery woman again, tell me, okay? Don’t chase after her; just let me know, and I’ll do my best to find out who she is.”

She winced. “Okay.”

“You’re leaving with Archie for your honeymoon immediately after the reception, correct?” I asked.

“Yes. We’re going to Fiji for seven days.” She didn’t appear very enthusiastic.

“That’s good. Getting away is the perfect thing right now. If you really do have a stalker, the odds of anyone following you to Fiji are very slim.”

Maxwell nodded. “Sun and relaxation are just the ticket. You’ll feel better in no time.”

She sighed. “I realize you two don’t believe me, but I know what I saw. I’ve seen photos, and it was Kimora’s face looking at me through the window.”

“Forget about all of that,” I said, giving her a reassuring smile. “Go back to the reception and stand beside your new husband. He looks a little lost without you.”

She smiled weakly. “I’ll try to put this to the back of my mind.” She flicked her gaze around the area. “I suppose chasing after ghosts on my wedding day is rather silly.”

“Most definitely,” said Maxwell.

She straightened her veil and gathered up her dress and then headed back toward the patio. Maxwell and I followed, and neither of us spoke. I had no idea exactly what was going on with Janelle, but I did have sympathy for her. She’d seemed convinced someone had been watching her. If she truly was being stalked, that was no little thing. I’d try to get to the bottom of it all when she returned from her honeymoon.

Chapter Five

Maxwell

Once Royce and I coaxed Janelle back inside the restaurant, the wedding festivities continued. She seemed slightly calmer after talking to us, but anxiety still buzzed beneath the surface. Stress could do awful things to people. She’d make herself sick if she kept imagining ghosts were haunting her. I really hoped a week in Fiji would help her settle down and focus on her new life with Archie.

As the afternoon progressed, I avoided River like the plague. I had no desire to see or speak to that man. As much as I loved my pool, I was seriously considering finding a new location for my clinic. After seeing how much he resented me, it was probably smart to cut all business ties with River. I’d have to make a decision soon because the construction company was going to break ground after the first of the year.

I was relieved that Janelle was able to pull herself together and focus on the wedding reception. Archie seemed happier now that she seemed more serene. They gave each other lovey-dovey toasts, smiled into each other’s eyes as they danced, and then cut the decadent-looking cake. All in all, the wedding now seemed to be rolling along splendidly.

Until Kobe Garrett got drunk and decided to make a fool of himself.

Just as the other toasts were winding down, Kobe dragged a chair into the center of the dance floor, climbing on top. He swayed back and forth, obviously inebriated. It seemed obvious from the malicious look on his flushed face that he wasn’t about to deliver an uplifting speech to the bride and groom.

“Hey, everybody, can I have your attention, please?” His voice wobbled, and he held out his arms to keep his balance. As the guests fell silent, he nodded smugly. “That’s better.”

I could feel Royce bristling beside me. Being a cop, he was always quick to jump into situations like these. But he wasn’t on the job right now, and I wasn’t sure he should get involved. When I felt him start to stand, I put my hand on his arm.

He gave me a pained look but settled back down into his seat. “This isn’t going to be pretty.”

I murmured, “Maybe he just wants to congratulate Archie and Janelle.”

“What are the odds?”

Kobe had a bottle of tequila in one hand, and he took a long swig off the bottle. Once he’d swallowed, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “I’ve been sitting here listening to all the kiss-up speeches about what a great guy Archie is.” Kobe scowled. “Frankly, I can’t take it anymore.”

“Oh, boy,” Royce said tersely. “Here we go.”

“Yes.” I sighed. “This doesn’t look promising.”

Kobe snorted a laugh. “Let’s see a show of hands. Who here actually thinks Janelle and Archie are in love?”

The crowd murmured uneasily.

“Come on. Come on. Don’t be shy.” Kobe cackled. “It’s okay to tell the truth.”

“Sit down,” someone yelled from the group.

Kobe turned his head to see who it was and almost toppled off the chair. He grabbed the back of the chair with one hand, swearing. Once he seemed semi-stable, he straightened. “I’ll tell you what I think.” He cleared his throat.

“No one cares what you think,” the same guy yelled. “Sit down.”

“Fuck off,” Kobe responded.

“Make me,” the guy bellowed.

“I’ll deal with you later.” Kobe gave a dismissive wave. “Now, where was I? Oh, yeah, who here thinks Archie married Janelle for her money?” Kobe raised his hand, sneering. “I sure as hell do.”

Janelle let out a gasp, and Archie looked ready to kill.

“I used to date Janelle.” Kobe glanced toward the bride. “Isn’t that right, baby?”

“Sit down, Kobe.” Janelle’s bottom lip trembled, and she looked like she was about to burst into tears. “Why are you doing this?”

“Why?” he growled. “Because I love you, and he’s using you.”

Archie stood, shoulders bunched. “Shut your mouth, asshole. You used to beat her. How is that love?”

“Oh, God.” Janelle covered her face.

“Yeah, well… I’ve been going to counseling, so there.” Kobe jabbed his finger toward Archie. “You’ve been bragging all over town about how you’re going to live the easy life now that you’ve bagged Janelle.”

“You fucking liar,” raged Archie.

Twisting his face, Kobe said, “No, you’re the liar. You’re a con man. A user.”

“And you’re a drug addict loser,” yelled Archie. “You had your chance with Janelle, but you blew it. You’re not half the man I am.”

“Come over here and say that, you pussy,” slurred Kobe.

“Okay, that’s it. This is escalating.” Royce stood.

“Wait.” I grabbed for his arm but missed, and he strode toward Kobe, looking determined.

Crap.

Janelle shot up, knocking over her chair. Face red, she screamed, “Thanks for ruining my wedding day, Kobe!” Sobbing, she stumbled over her dress, heading for the nearest exit.

Royce yanked Kobe down off the chair. Unfortunately, the father of the bride, Michael, also joined them, and Royce had to get between them. Other men hurried over to help Royce, and when I looked around, both Janelle and Archie were nowhere to be seen.

“What a horrible man,” Penelope muttered, coming to stand beside me.

“He’s a good reminder of why drinking too much is a bad idea,” Lucas said from behind me.

I glanced over my shoulder at him, relieved to see River wasn’t with him. “Very true.”

Penelope clutched her pearl necklace. “Do you think it’s true Kobe abused Janelle?”

“Maybe,” I said. “He seems unstable. I’d say he definitely has anger issues.”

“That’s a horrible thought. Thank goodness she got away from him and met Archie.”

“Yes.” I searched the room, still unable to locate Archie or Janelle.

In the corner of the room, the wedding coordinator looked frazzled as the mother of the bride, Angela, screeched at her. I felt for that poor woman. No amount of planning could take into account drunken ex-boyfriends.

At one point, Royce went outside with Kobe. Feeling uneasy, I sat at our table, waiting for him to return. I sipped champagne, watching as the room began to clear. People were saying their goodbyes and looking around nervously. After the unpleasant scene Kobe had created, there would be no way to go back to a normal party atmosphere. The wedding reception was toast.

Eventually, Royce returned, and with a weary grunt, he sat down beside me.

I filled his champagne flute with some bubbly. “Did you arrest Kobe?” I asked.

He shook his head. “No.”

“No? What did you do with him?”

Exhaling, he said, “I called him a cab and told him to go home to sleep it off.”

“You’re too nice,” I murmured. “He made a mockery of the wedding.”

“He behaved like an idiot, but he didn’t actually break the law.”

I arched one brow. “What about being drunken and disorderly?”

Royce’s cheek curved in a smile. “Okay, you got me there. Truth be told, I didn’t really want to end my night at the station filling out paperwork.”

“Fair enough.” I sighed and leaned against the back of my chair. “Do we have to stay longer? Haven’t we done our duty? I think Janelle and Archie made a break for it.”

“Really?”

“Well, Janelle ran out in hysterics, and I haven’t seen her since.” I studied the thinning crowd. “I think Archie went after her, but neither of them have returned.”

“Huh.” Royce frowned.

“I must say, this was the weirdest wedding I’ve ever been to.”

“I agree.” He set his empty glass down and stood. “What do you say we go home, Max? I think I’ve had enough frivolity for one day.”

“I’ve had enough for a month.” I got up and slipped my arm through his.

Royce scanned the room. “Let’s say goodbye to our hosts. If we can find them.”

“They have to be around here somewhere,” I murmured.

As we made our way across the empty dance floor, I noticed River in one corner of the room with Lucas. They looked like they were arguing. Lucas’s expression was dark, and River was leaning into him, speaking angrily. I felt a nudge of satisfaction that River’s evening was ending on a bad note.

Royce and I managed to track down the parents of the bride. We thanked them for inviting us and made our way outside. The sun was close to setting in the west, and the sky was the color of rainbow sherbet. I’d hoped maybe Janelle and Archie would be out front saying goodbye to their guests, but I didn’t see them anywhere.

“I feel bad just leaving without saying goodbye to Janelle,” I said.

Royce nodded. “Yeah, same. Especially since she’s had such a rough day of it.”

I craned my neck, searching the property where the Dusty Steer was located. “Where could they have gone?” The Dusty Steer was built on a large corner lot. There were mature oak trees and a rose garden in the front surrounded by a white picket fence. The paved parking area was to the side of the sprawling building.

“If they’re smart, they’re on their way to the airport for their honeymoon,” Royce said. “The best thing for them will be to get away from Rainy Dale. The gossipmongers will be out in full force after Kobe’s little performance.”

“Most definitely.” Movement toward the back of the property caught my eye. At the far end of the lot, someone appeared to be sitting on the curb. Squinting, I said, “I think I see Janelle.”

Royce followed my gaze. “Shall we go talk to her?”

“Why not? She could probably use a shoulder to cry on.”

We strode in the direction of the figure, and as we neared, I confirmed it was indeed Janelle. Earlier in the day, her hair had been swept up in a sleek chignon, adorned with baby’s breath. Now half of it hung loose around her slender shoulders. She was seated, and her puffy satin dress made it look as if she was floating on clouds. I winced at the thought of her sitting on the dirty ground in that luxurious dress.

“It’s weird that Archie isn’t with her,” I said.

“Yeah. Perhaps he needed to cool off by himself.”

Just as we reached Janelle, she stood unsteadily. “This is the worst day of my life,” she wailed, launching herself into my arms.

“Oh.” I widened my eyes, holding Royce’s surprised gaze over her head. I patted her back as she began to cry. “There, there. It’ll be… fine.”

“Why did Kobe do that? He humiliated me and himself.” Her hiccupping sobs interrupted her words. “Ar… Archie was ready to murder him. How c… could he do something s… so stupid?”

I sighed. “He was inebriated.”

“To put it nicely,” Royce muttered.

“Why aren’t you with Archie?” I asked, trying to extricate myself from her arms. She held on tight though, sniffing against my shoulder. I didn’t want to be used as a human handkerchief, so I patted my pockets and dug out a clean tissue. I pushed it into her hands, and she dabbed at her nose and eyes. “Don’t you think Archie would want to be the one comforting you right now?”

“I couldn’t find him,” she whimpered.

“Really?” I frowned. “I’d have thought he’d seek you out.”

She shook her head, finally letting go of me. “I can’t find him anywhere. So I came out here to get some privacy. He probably ran away. Who could blame him?” Wiping at her puffy eyes, she let out a shaky breath. “I just want a do-over. This day has been a disaster.”

“It’s been rough for sure,” Royce drawled. “But I don’t believe Archie bailed on you. How about we go back and try to find him? Facing challenges together as a couple is what marriage is all about, right?”

“I suppose.” Janelle ran a shaky hand over her messy hair. “I could use a drink. I barely got to eat or drink anything the whole day.”

Royce smiled. “I’m guessing Archie has your limousine stocked with everything you’d desire.”

She gave a weak smile. “I hope so.”

Royce and I led her slowly back toward the restaurant, talking to her quietly and trying to calm her down. I felt like I’d spent much of the day trying to talk Janelle down. I was looking forward to getting back to Royce’s house. I just wanted to change out of my suit, put my feet up, and relax without having to play therapist.

As we neared the group milling around the front of the restaurant, I noticed Angela, coming out of the side door of the building. She’d changed out of her lacy dress and was wearing a black pantsuit now. I found that a bit odd, considering the bride hadn’t even changed yet. Maybe she too had had enough for one day and was making a run for it.

When she saw her daughter, she hurried over. Her cheeks were rosy, and she seemed flustered. “There you are. I’ve been looking everywhere for you, Janelle.”

“I needed some space,” Janelle said.

“I don’t blame you. After that terrible man made that nasty speech.” Angela sighed. “I don’t know what you ever saw in him.”

Janelle winced. “Kobe isn’t all bad.”

“How can you say that?” Her mother looked horrified. “After how he treated you.”

“He’s apologized a million times. He’s also in therapy.” Janelle looked a little lost. “He’s trying to change.”

I studied Janelle, suspecting there were still feelings there for Kobe. By all rights, she should have been livid with him, but she seemed sympathetic.

Hissing her disapproval, Angela said, “Please tell me you’re not still hung up on that man?”

“I don’t want to talk about it, Mother.” Janelle gave me and Royce an embarrassed glance. “I… I just want to find Archie and get out of here. Have you seen him?”

“No.” Angela’s face twitched. “I’m… I’m sure he’s around here somewhere.”

Janelle frowned at her mother, as if just now noticing she’d switched her clothing. “You already changed?”

Clearing her throat, Angela said, “Uh, yes. I… I spilled some wine on my dress.”

Janelle looked down at her own dress. “I should probably go change too.”

“You do that.” Angela glanced around uneasily. “I… I need to go find your father and calm him down. He was livid after Kobe’s speech.” She left us, her expression strained.

One of the bridesmaids named Polly rushed up. She was a pretty redheaded girl with a dusting of freckles on her nose. “There you are, Janelle,” Polly said breathlessly. “Where the heck were you?”

“I needed a minute to myself.”

“Oh.” Polly fiddled with the top buttons of a fuzzy black sweater she wore over her bridesmaid dress.

Janelle frowned. “Why are you wearing that old sweater? It leaves fuzz everywhere.”

Polly frowned. “I was cold. It’s chilly today.”

“I’m not cold,” Janelle said.

“Well, I… I felt chilled. My iron must be low again.” Polly looked self-conscious.

“You need to take better care of yourself, Polly.” Janelle sighed. “I worry about you sometimes.”

Wrinkling her brow, Polly said, “You don’t need to worry about me. I… I was worried about you. Why did you just disappear?”

“I told you, I needed to be alone. And you didn’t need to worry.”

“I couldn’t help it. I saw Archie and your dad arguing outside the restaurant.”

“You did?” Janelle looked embarrassed. “What were they fighting about?”

“I couldn’t hear the conversation, but they both looked furious.”

Janelle’s brow wrinkled. “What in the world is going on today?”

Polly widened her eyes. “I have no idea, but I’ve had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach all day.”

“Are you having one of your… premonitions?” Janelle asked, her expression apprehensive.

Nodding, Polly glanced around. “Something bad is coming. I just know it.”

I gave a gruff laugh. “Are you psychic?”

Polly lifted her chin. “Not exactly, but I do feel things sometimes. I also have dreams that come true.”

Royce lifted his light brows but didn’t say anything.

“She predicted that my dad’s private jet would have engine trouble.” Janelle looked completely sincere as she spoke.

“Is that right?” Royce studied Polly. “You just had a feeling?”

“Yep. Well, that time it was a dream.” Polly tucked an auburn strand behind her ear. “But it was so real.”

Janelle touched my arm. “You have to hear this story, Dr. Thornton. It still gives me the chills.”

“I’m on pins and needles.”

“Tell them, Polly,” Janelle urged.

Polly spoke in a hushed voice. “In my dream, I saw a white jet with black smoke coming out of both engines. It looked just like the kind of jet Janelle’s dad owns. The very next day, his plane almost crashed after takeoff. Can you believe it?”

I frowned. “Was it engine trouble?”

Polly’s gaze flickered. “Uh, well… no, it was a fuel system issue, but still…”

“It made me a believer.” Janelle widened her eyes.

“I see.” I grimaced. “But the fuel system goofing up and the engines going on fire, they’re not really the same thing, are they?”

Polly scowled. “The point is, I predicted that her father was in danger.”

“Right.” I forced a smile. “Your… talent… is intimidating.”

Janelle shivered. “All I know is if Polly has a bad feeling about today, I need to find Archie and split.”

Polly nodded. “The sooner, the better.”

The young chauffeur from earlier approached. “Miss Raiden… er… I guess it’s Mrs. Brady now.” He gave an awkward laugh. “Did you want me to start loading the gifts into the trunk of the limousine?”

“I guess? Is that what Archie wants you to do, Thomas?” Janelle asked.

Frowning, Thomas said, “Not sure. I can’t find him. But your mother insisted I should get on that right away.”

“Oh.” Under her breath, Janelle added, “Trust Mother to boss everyone around.”

Polly sniggered. “You should’ve seen the waitstaff anytime they saw your mom coming toward them. They scattered like scared sheep.”

Janelle muttered, “Yes, my mother can be a real witch.”

Thomas looked uncomfortable. “Oh, I wouldn’t know about that.”

Janelle gave a sheepish smile. “Sorry. She just has a really strong personality. She likes to control everything, and it gets a bit smothering.”

Royce said, “You’re her only daughter. She probably wanted your wedding to be perfect.”

Wrinkling her brow, Janelle said, “Today has been anything but perfect.”

Thomas cleared his throat. “What would you like me to do about the gifts, Mrs. Brady?”

“I guess load them into the car.” She sighed. “Then Archie and I can make a quick getaway.”

Thomas tipped his hat. “Excellent. I’ll get the gifts loaded up pronto.” He walked off, looking determined.

Polly watched him go. “He’s so damn cute. I wished he’d notice I exist.”

Giving her friend a sympathetic look, Janelle said, “He’s very focused on his job.”

“I noticed,” complained Polly. She gave Janelle an envious look. “I don’t attract men like bees to honey the way Janelle does.”

“Oh, that’s not true.” Janelle grimaced.

“It is true. I was there the night you met Archie at that art museum thingy. He was smitten instantly. He barely looked at me the whole time.” Polly pouted. “You’re gorgeous, and you’re rich. It’s not fair. Girls like me never have a chance.”

Janelle frowned. “Don’t be like that, Polly. You have plenty of guys circling you.”

Polly laughed. “But never the ones I want.”

Smiling, Janelle said, “Well, Archie is lucky to have a guy so focused on doing a good job. It’s good for business that he found Thomas. Archie can’t believe his luck in finding such a hardworking employee. The pool of applicants with great driving records was pretty tiny in Rainy Dale. Thomas has an awesome attitude too.”

“Plus, he’s smoking hot.” Polly grinned. “That body and that smile. God, I’d kill for his attention.”

“Maybe we’ll be having another wedding soon,” Royce teased.

Polly said drolly, “He’d have to notice me first, remember?”

“Don’t start again, Polly.” Janelle fiddled with her untidy hair, as if trying to somehow reconstruct the chignon from earlier. “I just want to get out of these shoes and this dress.”

“You want me to help you change?” Polly asked.

“Maybe.” Janelle sighed. “I want to get going. Where the heck is that husband of mine?”

I said, “I think we should take off as well, Royce.” I tried not to sound too eager, but I was peopled out.

Royce smiled. “I agree.” He turned to Janelle. “Thank you for including us in your special day. I wish you and Archie the best of luck.”

Janelle sighed. “Thank you. Things can only get better from here, right?”

“Absolutely,” Royce said.

I forced myself to give Janelle an awkward hug. It had been a very strange day, but I still felt fond of Janelle. I prayed things got better for her and Archie from here on out. I really hoped her ghostly “visits” from Archie’s dead wife stopped now that the wedding was behind her.

“Enjoy your time in Fiji,” I said. “I want you to focus on nothing but your tan while using a good-quality sunscreen, of course, and your new husband. Doctor’s orders.”

Janelle laughed, and it occurred to me that was one of the few times she’d smiled all day. Poor kid. I’d always heard many girls dreamed of their wedding day from the time they were little. So far, Janelle’s wedding day had been the stuff of nightmares.

“Thanks for coming,” Janelle said.

“Of course.” I racked my brain for something nice to say. It wasn’t easy to come up with anything seeing as the wedding had been so odd. “Uh… the cake was delicious.”

Janelle frowned. “I barely got a bite.”

When someone let out a bloodcurdling scream, our entire group jumped.

People scattered, pointing toward the limousine. At the back of the long white car, Thomas stood, his arms full of packages. The lid of the trunk was raised, and Thomas was staring inside it with a horrified expression. I stood frozen in place, but Royce moved quickly toward Thomas. When he reached the back of the limousine, he peered into the trunk. Royce was good at hiding his emotions in tough situations, but his face flinched. He immediately pulled out his cell phone and made a call.

Thomas looked almost green. He dropped the packages he held in his arms and stumbled away from the car. I moved then, hurrying to Royce’s side. Glancing into the trunk, I saw the body of a man. Archie. Shock jolted through me, but I stifled my shudder. I was used to seeing blood, but even so, my stomach rolled at the sight of Archie’s bloodied throat. Just below the Adam’s apple, the white handle of a small knife protruded. I was a hundred percent positive Archie was dead but still felt obligated to check for a pulse in his wrist.

Nothing.

“Max.” Royce’s voice jerked me out of my stupor. “Could you get the groomsmen to keep people away from the car?”

“Okay,” I agreed, feeling dazed. I turned and approached the nearest guy in a tux. He was the best man, and his name was Ben. “Can you keep the guests away from the limo?”

Ben nodded but asked, “What’s going on?”

I shook my head because I knew Royce wouldn’t want me to share any details. “If you could just do what I asked, that would be great.”

“Can’t you tell me what’s happening?” Ben scowled.

“No,” I said bluntly.

Lucas broke from the crowd. “I’ll help him keep people away from the car.”

“Thanks.” I gave Lucas a grateful look.

Royce called out, “Folks, I’m going to ask that nobody leave the premises. My deputies are on the way. We’ll take everybody’s names and contact information, and once we’ve done that, you can go.” His voice was hard as he added, “But if you try to leave before we talk to you, I’ll arrest you.”

Everyone started talking at the same time. There was a sort of déjà vu feeling about the moment. After our disastrous visit to Giggly Elves Farm, I knew a bit about what Royce needed from me. He’d trust me to watch the crowd, searching for anyone who behaved at all suspiciously.

Even though Royce didn’t announce he’d found Archie’s body, the news spread regardless. People began whispering that Archie was dead and pointing toward the car. Janelle tried to push her way past me, and I was forced to grab hold of her to stop her. She was hysterical and very determined, and it took Lucas’s help to keep her away from the trunk of the car.

Even with Lucas’s help, she was difficult to control. At one point, I found it necessary to put her in a sort of bear hug because she was clawing at my face. Since I didn’t want to lose an eye, it was important to restrain her. She shrieked and pounded my back, and I rasped, “Janelle, you don’t want to see him like that!”

She struggled for a few moments more and then slumped in my arms. She moaned and began mumbling, but her words were incoherent.

Some of the guests were crying, and all of them seemed confused. I was relieved when Deputy Juan and Deputy Dusty drove up. I was only too happy to allow them to take over. I finally let go of Janelle, and surrounded by her bridesmaids, she sobbed uncontrollably. Her mother, Angela, stood like a statue, making no effort to comfort her grieving daughter.

The groom’s parents were inconsolable as well. They lived in Panama for tax reasons, and I got the feeling they hadn’t seen their son much since leaving the US. But they’d made the effort to come to his wedding to Janelle. While I hadn’t seen them spending much time with Archie during the day, it was obvious they were devastated by his death.

Hours passed as Royce secured the area and called DPS to come process the forensics at the scene. I continued to do my best to try and console a very hysterical Janelle. If I’d had my medical bag with me, I’d have definitely given her a sedative. She’d already been in a fragile state, and now she seemed on the verge of an actual breakdown.

Thankfully, Royce took pity on Janelle and released her into the custody of her parents. He made it clear to her, and them, that he’d need to speak to them the next day at the station. One by one, the deputies released people, and the group began to thin. Lucas and River left before me, as did Penelope and Gerald.

The police shut down the restaurant for the evening. The hotel guests were asked to stay inside their rooms unless it was absolutely necessary to leave. The staff was interviewed and their personal information taken. The five-member band was also questioned and then allowed to take their sound equipment from the building. Once they got permission to leave, the band stacked the speakers, monitors, and the soundboard outside the back of their van.

Looking demoralized, the drummer of the band opened the back of the van to begin loading the sound system into the vehicle. He let out a startled shout when a man bolted out of the van, shoving past him.

“Hey,” the drummer yelled, stumbling backward. “Who the hell are you?”

The guy fleeing the van didn’t stop to answer. Instead, he scrambled over the speakers, trying to make his escape. Deputy Juan was closest to the van, and he jumped into action fast. He tackled the guy from behind and took him down to the ground with a grunt.

Royce joined in, and I watched the three men brawling, praying Royce didn’t get hurt. Eventually, Deputy Juan and Royce subdued the guy, and they yanked him to his feet. My mouth fell open when I recognized Kobe Garrett.

Eyes wild and cheeks flushed, Kobe yelled, “I didn’t do anything wrong. I swear to God, I… I didn’t kill Archie!”

Chapter Six

Royce

It was late by the time I was able to leave the scene of Archie’s murder. Even then, I didn’t go home. I returned to the station and made a fresh pot of coffee. Then I drank four cups while studying the guest list. After a bit, Deputy Juan informed me Kobe was waiting for me in one of the interview rooms.

Buzzing on adrenaline and caffeine, I finally sat down across from Kobe. The fluorescent lights overhead hummed and cast a grayish hue over his skin. His eyes were red and his mouth a grim line.

“How about you tell me your version of events, Kobe,” I said quietly.

He flicked his wary gaze to mine. “Shouldn’t I have my lawyer with me?”

“If you want to wait for your lawyer, that’s fine.” I hoped he didn’t. That would shut everything down. I was dying to hear how he was going to talk his way out of this situation. He was the most obvious suspect, and even he knew that. He’d made no bones about his low opinion of Archie and hadn’t hidden that he still loved Janelle.

“I’m not guilty, but maybe I should wait for my lawyer?”

Stamping down my frustration, I said agreeably, “That’s up to you. I’ve read you your rights, so you know that anything you say can be used against you.”

“Exactly.” He frowned. “But I’m innocent. If I won’t talk, will that make you suspect me even more?”

“I’m just here to gather the facts. I’m not prejudging you.”

He squinted at me skeptically. “But you’re going to arrest me.”

“There’s a good possibility of that, yes. You didn’t help yourself any by making a run for it. That makes you look guilty.” I grimaced. “However, I’m a big believer in letting the facts lead me where I should go. I need you to be honest with me so I can get to the truth.”

He sighed. “I guess I can wait on the lawyer for a bit.”

“It’s your call.”

Because he’d been cooperative while in custody, I’d uncuffed him for the interview. That gave him the freedom to move his arms. He gnawed at his cuticle, looking uncertain. “I’ve never had a beef with you, Sheriff.”

“I have no problem with you either, but I have to do my job. The fact is, you had words with the victim shortly before his death. I’m sure if you were in my position, you’d also need some answers.”

“I know how it looks. That’s why I hid.”

“Yeah, about that. Why did you end up back at the wedding reception? I called a cab for you. I saw you get in the cab.” I frowned. “Next thing I know, you’re jumping out of the back of a van.”

“I didn’t want to leave Janelle. I know you don’t believe me, but I was just worried about her. Something’s been going on with her.”

“What do you mean by that?”

He looked uneasy. “I’m not sure if I’m supposed to say anything.”

“Why don’t you tell me why you disliked Archie so much. By all accounts, Janelle was in love with Archie. She was happy with him. He seemed like a good guy.”

He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “You say that because you don’t know anything about Archie.”

“So tell me, then, what is it I didn’t know about Archie?”

“Did you know he’d been married before?”

“Yes.”

He seemed surprised, but he gathered himself. “Did you know his first wife died?”

I nodded.

Looking vaguely annoyed, he asked in a challenging tone, “Okay, but do you know how she died?”

“Nope.”

He gave a smug smile. “I do.”

“Okay, I’ll bite. How did she die?”

“She drowned.”

I grimaced. “That’s awful.”

“Yeah, it is.”

I frowned. “You’re telling me about her drowning like you think it means something. It’s tragic that his wife died that way, but people drown sometimes.”

“Yes, but drowning would be an easy way to kill someone.”

“Not necessarily. Drowning someone isn’t easy.”

He huffed. “It is when you’re a guy against a girl.”

“Anyone drowning is going to put up a fight, Kobe.” I frowned. “I assume you’re telling me this because you’re implying Archie drowned his wife?”

“Bingo.”

“If Archie’s first wife drowned under suspicious circumstances, the cops would have immediately looked at him as a possible suspect. We always look at the spouses, friends, and family. If Archie drowned his wife, there would most likely have been scratch marks on his arms and possibly his face too. The police would have been looking for that stuff.”

“He might not have any marks if he surprised her or caught her off guard.”

I shook my head. “I don’t know about that. I suspect she’d still put up one hell of a fight.”

He sighed, looking frustrated. “Well, I think he killed her.”

“If you want me to be suspicious of his wife’s death, I’d need a reason. Do you have any facts, or are you just accusing him of that because you didn’t like him?”

“How about the fact that they never found her body?” He scowled.

I lifted my brows. “No?”

“Nope.”

“Then how did they know she drowned?” I scribbled a few notes on my pad about looking into that case later.

“Archie said so. He said they went swimming in the Kern River, in California, and that Kimora got sucked under by the current.”

“Huh.” I frowned. “They did a search and didn’t find the body?”

“That’s what Archie said to Janelle.” His gaze was intense as he continued. “Drowning would be an easy way to get rid of someone. People drown, and we just accept that. We dismiss it as a horrible accident. You could cover up a drowning murder fairly easily, don’t you think?”

“Murder in general isn’t easy to get away with.”

Looking disgruntled, Kobe muttered, “I’m telling you, Archie wasn’t a nice guy. You just never saw that side of him. I saw it, and Janelle saw it too.”

Twisting my lips, I decided to take a different route with Kobe. “Okay, let’s say Archie was a bastard who kicked puppies every chance he got. I still can’t just ignore his murder. Even if he was the vilest man in Rainy Dale, I’d have to catch his killer.”

“I know.”

“It doesn’t seem like you think he deserves justice.”

Sighing, Kobe said, “I didn’t say that.”

“You’re trying to sidetrack me from finding his killer with his first wife’s death. Plus, you’re giving me a hard time about asking you questions when all I’m trying to do is figure out who killed him.”

He scowled. “The problem I have with answering your questions is you think I killed him.”

“I never said that. I’m just trying to figure out what happened. Who had the motive and opportunity to kill Archie? That’s what I care about. I don’t care that he wasn’t always a nice guy. I don’t feel his first wife’s death is relevant to this case.”

“I still think it’s weird they didn’t find his first wife’s body.”

“If she’d drowned in the swimming pool, yeah, I’d agree. But it’s a lot harder to find bodies in rivers and oceans.”

“With modern technology?” He looked doubtful.

“Even then, they don’t always locate every single body, Kobe.” I clasped my hands on top of the table, holding his frustrated gaze. “Archie is the victim here. I don’t want to get bogged down discussing what type of person the victim was. It doesn’t matter. I want to know where you were and what you were doing between the time you got out of the cab and returned to the reception.”

“I still think you should look into who Archie really was. I think it matters. He was sneaky and secretive. He barely talked about himself with Janelle. He shut her out and got mad at her if she questioned him about his past too much.”

“Maybe he was just private.”

“I think it was more than that. I think he wasn’t who he said he was.”

I laughed gruffly. “Here we go again. All you want to talk about is how horrible Archie was.”

“Yeah, because I think his seedy past had something to do with his murder.” His voice was agitated. “I think he was playing a role here in Rainy Dale. I think he killed his first wife, made a run for it, and then set his sights on his next target: Janelle.”

“You said his seedy past caught up to him. How?”

“I don’t know. You’re the cop. You need to figure that part out.”

I rolled my eyes. “The most you have on Archie is he didn’t like talking about himself.”

“Yeah, but isn’t that odd in itself? What was he hiding? Was he running from something too awful to face?” Kobe leaned forward. “Like maybe the murder of his first wife?”

I wrinkled my brow. “Just because somebody doesn’t want to talk about their painful past doesn’t make them a murderer who’s on the run.”

“I know. But he was crazy secretive. Janelle said they had one discussion about Kimora, and that was all he’d stand for. I think if you’re marrying someone, you have a right to know the details of their life.”

“I agree it’s best if you can share yourself with your partner. However, I don’t think it makes you a murderer if you don’t.”

“How very open-minded of you, Sheriff.” He scowled. “You know what? It also doesn’t make you a murderer just because you have an argument with someone right before they’re killed.”

Touché

“Of course not.”

“You’re treating me like I definitely killed Archie.”

“That’s not true. Maybe if you’d stop talking about Archie for a moment, I could get your side of the story. That’s what I’m trying to do here.”

His mouth thinned. “Sure, but I get the feeling you think my story is a work of fiction.”

I tapped my pen on the table as I studied Kobe. He wasn’t stupid. He’d got himself into trouble with drugs, but he wasn’t a dumb person. I could tell that he’d put a lot of thought into all the things he was saying about Archie. Maybe too much thought. Maybe he’d become obsessed with Archie. Maybe that obsession pushed him to kill the man he perceived as stealing his woman.

“The problem I have with you, Kobe, is that of all the people at the wedding, you openly hated Archie,” I said flatly.

“Yes.”

“You’re not even going to try to deny it?”

He sighed. “What’s the point? You know I hated him. But you think I hated him just because of jealousy. You think I lost my mind because he had Janelle and I didn’t.”

“All right, if not that, what was your other reason for hating him?”

He exhaled. “He was using Janelle for her money. He married her to get his hands on her family’s wealth.”

“Can you prove that?”

“Not from in here.”

“Well, until you convince me you couldn’t possibly have killed Archie, you’re not going anywhere. I still haven’t heard where you were from the time you snuck back to the reception until you ended up in the band’s van.”

He groaned and leaned his elbows on the table. “I swear, I didn’t kill Archie.”

“Then convince me of that.”

“How?” he demanded.

“I’m not sure. You keep talking about how Archie treated Janelle. How is it you knew so much about their life together? Were you stalking her?”

Scrunching at his face, he rasped, “Hell no.”

“You sure about that?”

“Yes,” he snapped. “I know a lot about Janelle’s life with Archie because Janelle and I still talk. All the time.”

Surprised, I frowned. “Did Archie know?”

“I highly doubt it.”

“Why were you two still in contact with each other?”

“We care about each other.”

I squinted at him. “Archie implied you abused Janelle physically.”

A pink flush crept up Kobe’s face. “I fucked up. I can admit that. I’ve been going to counseling. I’ve accepted that I have anger issues, and I’ve been going to a therapist.” He kept his gaze on the table. “I’d be lying if I didn’t admit a part of me hoped maybe I could get Janelle back. But then she told me she was going to marry Archie.”

“That must’ve made you pretty angry?”

He shook his head. “No. It hurt though, knowing I’d had her and lost her. I knew I’d never get her back once she actually went through with the wedding.”

I frowned. “You realize what you’re saying just makes you seem guiltier, right?”

“No it doesn’t. You’re not listening to what I’m saying, Sheriff. I said if she’d married Archie, I knew I’d never get her back.”

“Yeah. I heard you.”

He looked at me as if he thought I was stupid. “Why would I wait until after the wedding to kill Archie? That makes no sense. If I was a murderer and my motivation was to keep Janelle for myself, I’d have killed Archie before the wedding. Not at the reception.”

I pursed my lips. “Maybe you just didn’t have the opportunity.”

“If I’d wanted Archie dead, I’d have made the opportunity,” he said in a harsh voice.

The hairs on the back of my neck stiffened at the malice in his voice.

“You know I’m making sense,” he said softly. “If I was going to stab that guy in a jealous rage, I’d have done it weeks ago. I’d have done it privately when no one was around.”

“People aren’t always logical about murder. People sometimes snap.”

He shook his head. “You’re a disappointment, Sheriff. I thought you knew how to think outside the box. You seriously just want to slap this murder charge on me? The real murderer will still be on the loose if you do that. I didn’t kill Archie. I don’t care that he’s dead, and maybe I shouldn’t admit that, but it’s the God’s honest truth that I didn’t kill him.”

I had to admit, he was convincing. I changed the subject to throw him off his stride a bit. “Rumor has it you’ve had some problems with drugs.”

He looked embarrassed. “Yes. But I’m in counseling for that as well. I haven’t touched cocaine since Janelle dumped me. Losing her was the wake-up call I needed.”

“You were drunk at the wedding.”

He laughed humorlessly. “Yeah. I was. I was very drunk. I think I’m still a little drunk. I was trying to numb the pain of watching the love of my life marry another man. It was a rough day.”

I thought about what it might feel like to watch Maxwell move on with another person. My stomach hurt just thinking about that. How much harder would it have been for Kobe to sit there and actually watch Janelle marry a man he hated?

“I can empathize,” I said.

“Yeah?”

I cleared my throat. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t still have to look at you impartially. Whether I empathize with what you were going through the day of the wedding, that doesn’t excuse murder.”

“I agree. But I didn’t kill Archie. Like I said, if I had been going to murder him, I’d have done it before he ever even got to the church. It would have been quick and clean.” His voice was emotionless. I got the distinct impression he’d thought it through.

I shook my head. “If you’d gone home like I told you to, you wouldn’t be in this mess right now.”

He raised his brows. “Does that mean you think I’m innocent?”

“No. The other side of that coin is maybe Archie would be alive if you hadn’t shown up again.”

He gritted his teeth. “I’m telling you the truth. I didn’t touch Archie.”

I sighed. “Did you talk to Archie when you came back to the reception?”

“No. When I got back to the reception, everybody was going home.”

I nodded. “Yeah. You kind of killed the mood of the party.”

He grimaced. “Janelle will probably never forgive me.”

I didn’t address that forlorn comment. “All right, so everybody was going home. What did you do?”

“I was trying to stay out of sight.” He gave me a sheepish look. “Mostly your sight.”

“Should have just gone home, Kobe.”

Letting out a shaky breath, he said, “I know. I know.” After a moment, he continued. “I saw Janelle go for a walk. I was thinking about following her so I could apologize, but then Archie’s chauffeur pulled up. Him and Archie had a short conversation, and then Janelle’s mother came outside.”

“Okay. Do you know why she came outside?”

“Not exactly. I thought she was coming out to console Janelle, but she wasn’t.”

“No?” It was true that, from what I’d seen, Angela hadn’t shown any motherly concern to her daughter. “What did she do when she got outside?”

“She went around the side of the restaurant with Archie.”

“She did?”

“Yep. There’s a little private patio and gazebo there.” He grimaced. “I think Angela was drunk. She was very touchy-feely with Archie. She’s like that when she drinks. I remember when I was dating Janelle, even though she didn’t like me, Angela would flirt with me.”

“Janelle’s mother flirted with you?” I frowned.

“Yes. Only when she drank though. I get the feeling she’s very lonely. She has low self-esteem, even though she acts like she’s the queen of England. She craves attention, and she can’t hide that when she’s drunk.”

I set my pen down. “If she just wanted to talk to Archie, she could have done that at the front of the building.”

“Yes. Exactly.”

“Any idea what they were doing together in that gazebo?”

“No. The visibility wasn’t great where I was.” He dropped his gaze.

He knew more than he was letting on, that was obvious. “How long were they alone together in the gazebo?”

He shrugged. “I guess about twenty minutes.”

“And then what?”

“Then Angela came back around the side of the building.” His voice wobbled. “She looked flustered, and her dress was hitched up around her thighs.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Are you suggesting she had sex with Archie on the side of the restaurant?”

He winced. “I’m just telling you what I saw.”

Feeling uneasy, I asked, “Do you think they had sex?”

He didn’t respond.

“You should be as forthcoming as possible with me, Kobe.”

“I don’t want to get anybody in trouble.”

Sighing, I said, “Do I need to remind you that you’re the one in trouble right now? The more forthright you are with me, the better. Do you think Archie had sex with Angela?”

“Well, like I said, she’s flirtatious when she drinks.”

“So then… that’s a yes?”

He swallowed hard. “Let me just say, if I’d been the type of guy who cheated on my girlfriend, Angela would have been only too willing to sleep with me. She wasn’t bothered by the fact that I was her daughter’s boyfriend.”

I was definitely thrown by his assessment of Angela. His version of her was at odds with how she presented herself. Of course, people wore masks and pretended to be who they weren’t all the time. Angela did strike me as someone who needed a lot of attention.

“You said she was still wearing her dress, correct?” If memory served, she’d changed her clothing at one point.

He nodded. “Yes.”

“What happened next? After Angela came back from around the building? Did Archie also come back into sight?”

He shook his head. “No. Not then.”

“Where did Angela go?”

“I’m not sure. Like I said, I was trying to stay out of sight.” He chewed the side of his cheek, looking lost in thought.

“What did you do next?”

“Well, I was beginning to realize coming back to the reception was stupid.” His mouth drooped. “I was trying to figure out a way to go talk to Janelle because she was sitting on the curb alone. But I couldn’t approach her without people seeing me.”

“Okay.”

“But then I heard people arguing.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Who was arguing?”

“Janelle’s dad, Michael. He was having words with Archie.”

“So then Archie had reappeared at this point?”

“Yeah. He must have slipped back without me noticing.” Kobe unbuttoned the top button of his shirt, eyeing the bottle of water on the table. “You think I could have some water?”

I pushed the bottle toward him. “Sure. I brought this in for you.”

“Thanks.” He twisted off the top and gulped half the bottle down. He set the bottle on the table, looking even more exhausted. “This is a nightmare.”

I had a pang of sympathy for him. “I know it’s rough.”

He sighed and drank more water. Once the bottle was empty, he set it on its side, resting his hand on it. “Where was I?”

“You were telling me you witnessed an argument between Michael and Archie.” It sure was convenient that he’d witnessed someone else arguing with the victim. Was he telling the truth or throwing up a smokescreen so that he wasn’t the only person to have argued with Archie right before his death?

“Yeah. Michael was furious. To be honest, I thought he might punch Archie.”

“Could you hear anything they were saying?”

He shook his head. “No. I assumed Michael saw Angela and Archie going around the side of the building together. I’m sure he knows what his wife is like when she drinks.”

“But you didn’t catch any of their conversation?”

“Sorry. Like I said, my real priority was just staying hidden. I knew everybody at the wedding was pissed at me.”

Feeling a bit frustrated, I said, “Okay, so you supposedly saw Archie and Angela sneaking off to maybe have sex, plus you saw Archie and Michael arguing. Are you telling me the truth, or are you just trying to throw me off track?”

He frowned. “I’m telling you everything I saw. You asked me to tell you, and that’s what I’m doing. I can’t help it if what I saw might help me. I hope it does.”

“Fair enough.”

He slowly batted the empty bottle back and forth between his hands. He was quiet for a moment, and then he asked, “Did Janelle mention to you she’s been… seeing things?”

I hesitated. “Yes. She told Dr. Thornton.”

He glanced up under his brow. “Do you believe her?”

I gave a gruff laugh. “Are you asking me if I believe Janelle has been seeing Archie’s dead wife?”

“I guess I am asking you that.”

“Do you believe her?” I countered.

A half-smile touched his lips. “I asked you first, Sheriff.”

After a pause, I said, “I believe Janelle believes what she’s seeing.”

He smirked. “How very diplomatic.”

“Hey, at least I answered.”

He grimaced. “Kind of. It was more of a no-answer answer.”

I crossed my arms, holding his gaze. “I don’t believe in ghosts. I think Janelle is someone who’s been under tremendous stress.”

“I’m gonna go out on a limb and say that means you don’t believe her.”

“I don’t know Janelle as well as you. That’s why I’m asking what you think.”

A line formed between his dark brows. “Honestly, knowing Janelle as well as I do, I think she really is seeing someone.”

“You think she’s seeing a ghost?”

He shook his head. “No. But someone is watching her.”

“Perhaps Janelle has a stalker.”

“Maybe. She’s rich, and that attracts weirdos.” He pinched the skin between his eyes. “She called me the first time it happened. She was terrified.”

“When was the first time?”

“I’d say about a month ago when she was walking her dog one evening. She said she saw a woman with long dark hair, wearing what looked like a wedding dress.”

“And she immediately assumed it was Kimora?”

“Well, she’d seen a few photos of Kimora the night before, and she was positive it was her.”

“Hmmm,” I said. “So, what was this woman in the dress doing?”

“Nothing. Janelle said she just stared at her from a distance.” He grimaced. “She was terrified because she recognized the woman from the photos as Archie’s dead wife.”

I frowned. “Seems a little weird she’d only start appearing to Janelle after Janelle saw the photos. Why not make her ghostly visits before that? She had six months to show up.”

“I don’t understand your point?”

I shrugged. “I’m saying because of the timing, it makes me think this is all in Janelle’s head.”

“But why?”

“Because it was only after she knew what Kimora looked like that she started having sightings.”

“Maybe Kimora was always there, but Janelle just didn’t know it was her.”

I grimaced. “Wouldn’t Janelle still have wondered who this woman was, hanging around her house in a wedding dress?”

“Oh, I see what you mean.” He sighed. “I think I know what Janelle would say to you about the sudden appearance of Kimora.”

“What?”

His expression was pained. “Janelle got it in her head that looking at the photos somehow summoned Kimora’s spirit.” Kobe gave an embarrassed laugh.

“She told you that?”

He nodded. “I know she sounds crazy.”

“Why was she telling you all of this instead of just talking about it with her fiancé?”

“She said she couldn’t talk to Archie about Kimora, or he got this weird look on his face. He’d get very cold and withdrawn.”

“I see.”

“Janelle isn’t someone who makes stuff up. Something was happening to her.”

“I guess I still find it odd you two remained close after you broke up.”

He sighed. “That’s just how Janelle is. She cares about people, for real. Even though we split, she knew I was trying to get my life back together. That meant something to her.”

“You two weren’t fooling around or anything, right?” At his angry expression, I added, “Kobe, I have to ask these questions.”

“What do you think? You think Janelle and I were in cahoots? You think we planned Archie’s murder?”

“Stranger things have happened. A man is dead. I’m simply trying to figure out how that transpired. I have to ask questions that are awkward. It’s awkward for me too.”

“What would Janelle gain by marrying and murdering Archie? She was the one with the money.”

“True. But then again, I don’t really know Archie’s financial situation.”

“Well, we weren’t scheming. We weren’t having an affair, and we didn’t kill Archie.” His face was ruddy, and he sounded pissed off.

I waved at him, gesturing for him to calm down. “Let’s get back to talking about the reception.”

“Fine by me,” he mumbled.

“So you saw Archie and Angela together, then you also saw Michael and Archie arguing. Do you have any idea where Archie went after arguing with Janelle’s father?”

“No. I lost track of him.”

“How did you end up in the van? Why did you end up in the van?”

He sighed. “I was near the band’s van when I heard everybody start freaking out. I was able to figure out what was happening because people were screaming Archie was dead. That he’d been stabbed. I knew I’d be a suspect because I’d had words with him.” He blanched. “Janelle… the way she was shrieking and sobbing. I’ll never be able to get that sound out of my head. I guess she really did love him.”

I took in his crestfallen expression. “She wouldn’t have married him if she didn’t.”

“I know, it’s just, I swear there was still something between us too.” He hung his head. “I guess I was just foolin’ myself.”

I gave him a minute to get his emotions under control. I realized this was hard on him. Not only was he facing possible jail time, but he’d lost the girl he loved. “You okay to continue?” I asked gruffly.

“Yes.” He straightened his shoulders.

I picked up my pen. “From what you’re telling me, you never personally ran into Archie outside after your… speech?”

“Nope.” He winced. “After I… made a fool of myself and you sent me off in the cab, I never interacted with Archie again.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m sure you don’t believe me.”

“If you think I think this case is solved, you’re mistaken. You’re the first person I’ve talked to, Kobe. There are a lot of people that I need to have conversations with.”

“Then why are you threatening to arrest me?”

“Because I have probable cause to arrest you, and you tried to flee the scene.”

“That was cuz I knew what everyone would think.”

I sighed. “That might be true or it might not be. You say Michael argued with Archie, but I have only your word to go on. On the other hand, I have about two hundred witnesses who literally heard you insulting Archie and calling him a con man. It was very obvious you had a problem with him.”

“Yeah, I did. He told several people he was only marrying Janelle for her money. That was all I needed to hear to know he was a piece of shit.”

“Who are these people?”

He dropped his gaze. “Just people.”

“But see, I have to wonder if that’s true, Kobe. If you can’t even tell me who these people are so that I can check out your story, that doesn’t bode well for you.”

“I know he was using her,” he grumbled. “The people who told me that would have no reason to lie.”

“If you tell me their names, I can verify what you’re saying.”

“I’ll think about it. I have enough people mad at me now. Dragging other people into this isn’t necessarily a good thing.”

“You say Archie just wanted Janelle’s money. Is that simply based off of what these… friends of yours told you?”

“That and I think it’s sketchy that he proposed after only dating six months. Doesn’t that seem too fast?”

I grimaced. “Seems fast, yeah. But maybe he was madly in love with her and figured why wait?”

“Trust me, he was using Janelle for her money.” He slumped, leaning on his elbows. “So, are you going to arrest me?”

I studied him, trying to decide what to do with him. If I let him go while I continued investigating, he could potentially be a flight risk. But would he leave Janelle behind? I didn’t think he would.

He gave me a pleading look. “Listen, Sheriff. I didn’t like Archie, but I’m not a killer. I might get into fights with people and say stupid things when I’m drunk. But I didn’t kill that man. I have no idea who did because I was busy skulking around hoping nobody noticed me.”

“I can’t say I’m sure exactly what to do with you, Kobe,” I admitted. “I’m not comfortable letting you go just yet, but I’m not ready to arrest you either.”

“Okay.” He looked resigned, with dark circles beginning to form beneath his eyes.

“I think we’ve talked enough for tonight. We could both use some sleep. I still have a bit of time where I can legally hold you before arresting you and charging you with anything. I think I’ll take that extra time to look into a few more things. I’ll make my decision by tomorrow.”

“I could use some sleep.” He rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands.

I stood. “I’ll have Deputy Juan take you to a holding cell for the night.”

“Okay. Do you think I could get some more water?” He looked hopeful.

“Sure thing.” I moved to the door, feeling sorry for Kobe.

The circumstantial evidence was stacking up against him, but even so, my gut told me he hadn’t done it. However, it was way too early to come to any conclusions. I had a whole guest list of possible suspects to talk to. Tomorrow, I’d need to interview Janelle. That was going to be an emotionally exhausting interview, and I was not looking forward to it.

Chapter Seven

Maxwell

Royce was still asleep when I got up for work Monday morning. I made sure not to wake him because he hadn’t gotten home until 2:30 a.m. I dreaded facing River today at his clinic. It would’ve been nice to talk to Royce before I headed into work, but I was trying to be considerate. Because of Archie’s murder, Royce would be working long hours the next week, trying to solve the case. I’d do my best to be a selfless boyfriend. Maybe I’d pamper him a little instead of always making him do the work in the relationship.

My uneasiness about facing River intensified as I showered and shaved. Things already hadn’t been smooth between me and River, but after yesterday, things were downright bumpy. The level of spite he’d shown toward me by bringing up Lucinda Pratt’s death had been unsettling. That had been a vindictive move, and it showed me he definitely harbored a lot of resentment beneath his phony cheerful demeanor.

Unfortunately, since I leased a spot in his clinic, I wouldn’t be able to avoid him forever. When I reached River Runs Deep Homeopathy, I drew in a calming breath. If we came face-to-face, I needed to keep my cool with River. I’d obsessed about the situation all night long, and it had become clear to me that I needed to disengage from River. I no longer felt safe being connected in any way with him. Especially in business. While he faked things better than me, yesterday’s vitriol had made it clear that he didn’t like me any more than I liked him. Leasing a room in his clinic or rebuilding on land he owned would make me far too vulnerable. When I looked at things logically, cutting business ties completely was the only real option for me.

As I entered the clinic, I was relieved to see Girdy already at her desk in the reception area. She was on the phone when I first walked in, but she hung up and smiled cheerfully. “Good morning, Dr. Thornton.”

“Morning, Girdy. How are you?”

“Awesome.” She grinned, adjusting her purple-framed glasses. “I hope you’re ready to work. You have a full day ahead of you.”

“I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.” I nodded at River’s receptionist, Lilly, and she smiled back. At least she showed no animosity toward me. Was she not aware of her employer’s hostility toward me? Or was she just a good actress?

I glanced toward the chairs where the patients sat waiting for their appointments. Most of the seats were taken and many of the faces familiar. One middle-aged woman with spiky blue hair was staring at me expectantly. I’d examined Mrs. Henrietta a few weeks ago for a case of walking pneumonia. I assumed she was here for a follow-up visit.

There was also a young woman with three toddlers, one of whom was running around making raspberries noises. The little blond boy almost ran into me, but I somehow managed to dodge him. “Careful… little… boy,” I muttered, making sure not to touch him. His face was coated with some sticky substance, hopefully candy. With children, one never could be sure.

“Mrs. Henrietta is your first patient,” Girdy said brightly. “The room is ready; just let me know when you want me to send her in, Dr. Thornton.”

“Give me five minutes, Girdy.” I shot Mrs. Henrietta a polite smile and made my way down the narrow hallway to the examination room.

Once inside the room, I slipped into my white coat and hung my stethoscope around my neck. I made sure I had all the supplies needed for the day ahead and then let Girdy know I was ready for Mrs. Henrietta.

After a moment, there was a soft knock on the door, and it opened. “Hello, Dr. Thornton.” Mrs. Henrietta gave me a toothy smile.

“Come in and take a seat on the table.”

She came into the room, closing the door behind her. “I wasn’t sure if you’d be open for business today.”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” I frowned. Had she heard about my little spat with River yesterday? That would certainly make things awkward. If everybody in town suddenly weighed in on our disagreement, things would only get worse.

“Oh, well, because I heard about that horrible murder.”

“I see. It was dreadful, but that really had nothing to do with me.”

“But you were there.”

“Yes.” I frowned. “As a guest. But other than that, it’s none of my business.”

“You sure about that?” She cackled. “There was a nice big photo of you and Sheriff Callum on the front page of the newspaper this morning.”

“There was?” I wasn’t sure how I felt about being on the front page. Surely Janelle or her parents would’ve made more sense. I certainly wasn’t a part of the story. “Sheriff Callum is investigating the murder, but why on earth would they have used my photo?”

“You’re acting so modest.” She smiled.

I blinked at her, feeling confused. “I don’t understand.”

“They used your quote in the headline.”

“What?” I lifted my brows in shock. “What quote?”

Her smile faded. “The headline was a quote from you. Let’s see… it said ‘Dr. Thornton Says Marriage is Murder.’”

I widened my eyes. “Excuse me?”

“That was the headline.”

I stared at her in dismay.

She wilted a little under my scrutiny. “Is something wrong, Doc?”

“I… I said no such thing,” I spluttered.

“You sure?” She grimaced. “The article said it was a direct quote from you.”

“Of course I’m sure. I didn’t even speak to a reporter.”

“Really?”

I nodded. “Not once. Do you remember the name of the reporter?”

She wrinkled her brow. “Janet Rose. She’s new in town. Just a young thing, but she’s a real firecracker. Her articles always get tongues wagging.”

I’ll bet.

“She made that whole thing up. That’s highly unethical of her to put words in my mouth.” Irritation rippled through me. “There’s more than enough gossip in this town without her manufacturing it.”

Frowning, Mrs. Henrietta said, “Perhaps you should talk to her. Maybe she made an honest mistake.”

“How do you accidentally think someone said something to you?”

“I’m sure I don’t know.” She gave a nervous laugh. “But that sure was awful what happened to poor Archie Brady, wasn’t it?”

I shuddered. “Yes. It was gruesome.” I made a mental note to try and track down that reporter. She had no right to make up stories about me. Not to mention that headline was insensitive as hell. I had enough trouble doing damage control for the things I actually said.

She widened her eyes. “Just think, one of those other people at the wedding must have been the murderer. You might have sat next to them.”

I sighed. “I’d rather not think about that.”

“No?”

“Not really. It’s too grim.”

“I see.” She perked up. “I heard Kobe Garrett made a fool of himself.”

Grimacing, I said, “He got drunk and put his foot in it for sure.”

“Do you think he did it? Do you think he’s the murderer?”

“Er…” It occurred to me I was being drawn into a gossip session. I cleared my throat. “How about you sit on the examination table, and I’ll take a look at you? Has the cough gone away?”

She looked disappointed that the conversation had changed. “Not completely.” She climbed up on the table, panting from the exertion.

“Your breathing seems labored.”

“Yeah. I’ve been wheezing a lot.”

“Have you?”

“Yes. And that tickle in my chest is still there.”

I frowned. “I’d have thought the antibiotics would’ve taken care of that infection by now.”

She avoided my gaze, clasping her hands in her lap. “I’m sure I’m on the mend.”

“Would you please unbutton the top few buttons of your blouse?” I asked. “I’d like to listen to your lungs.”

She obliged, and I placed the stethoscope against her chest. I listened carefully for a few moments, noticing her heart rate seemed faster than normal. I also heard some congestion in her lungs. Had she not finished the antibiotics as instructed? Sometimes people started feeling better, and so they stopped taking the medicine. It was important to finish the entire dose.

“Hmmm.” I straightened. “Your heart rate is quick.”

“Well, I’m nervous.” She laughed.

I murmured, “Might be a symptom of atrial tachycardia.”

She widened her eyes. “Oh God.”

I grimaced. “It just means an elevated heart rate. It’s quite common. It can be triggered by infections, alcohol, some medications.” I studied her. “There’s no need to panic. I just like to err on the side of caution by checking these things out.”

“But you said it isn’t serious?”

I nodded. “However, in some cases, it is a sign of heart disease.”

“Heart disease?” she squeaked.

I held out my hands. “I’m not saying you have heart disease. You are overweight though.”

Pink touched her cheeks. “Well, sheesh, I’m on a diet.”

“That’s good. Do you exercise?”

She winced. “It’s just so boring. I try, but it’s such drudgery.”

I moved to the blood pressure machine on the wall. “It might be boring, but it’s important that you get at least thirty minutes four times a week.”

“Four times?” She looked like I’d asked her to climb Mount Everest.

“Yes.” I slipped the blood pressure cuff around her upper arm. “If you want to be healthy, you have to do the things that keep you healthy.”

“I suppose.”

“I suspect you still have pneumonia.”

“Really?”

“Unfortunately. I definitely hear congestion in your lungs.” I studied her. “Have you been getting lots of rest? You need to take care of yourself when you’re fighting something like pneumonia.”

“I nap sometimes.”

“Well, something is up. Your lungs don’t lie.”

She slumped. “But Dr. Martin said if I just meditated every morning first thing and drank apple cider vinegar, the pneumonia would go away.”

I stiffened. “Excuse me?”

“That’s what he said.”

I tried to keep control of my temper as I said, “When did you see Dr. Martin?”

She looked guilty. “I saw him in the lobby after my last appointment with you. We got to talking, and he was giving me some advice. He such a charming man, don’t you think?”

I ignored her question and asked, “Did you ask him for advice?”

“Not really. I was just telling him that I’d just seen you and how our appointment had gone.”

“And he suggested that you take apple cider vinegar and meditate?” I tried not to sound as angry as I felt.

She nodded.

Something about her expression made me ask, “Did you take the antibiotics I prescribed for you as well?”

There was a sheepish gleam in her eyes. “Well… You see… I explained to Dr. Martin that you had prescribed antibiotics for me but that I didn’t like taking them.”

Scowling at her, I asked, “Why don’t you like taking antibiotics?”

She shrugged. “I read somewhere they kill the good bacteria too.”

Through clenched teeth, I managed to say, “So then you didn’t take the antibiotics?”

“Well… Dr. Martin said—”

“Dr. Martin isn’t your doctor,” I snapped.

Her face fell. “But he was so nice to me that day, and I didn’t want to take the medicine anyway. I thought if I could do it the natural way, maybe that would be better.”

“Then you should have told me that when I prescribed the antibiotics for you. You had walking pneumonia, Mrs. Henrietta. I suspect you still have walking pneumonia because you didn’t take your antibiotics. That’s why you’re having trouble breathing and your heart rate is elevated. Your body is still trying to fight off the infection.”

“Are you sure? But I’ve been meditating and drinking apple cider vinegar religiously. Just as Dr. Martin instructed.”

It took all of my self-control to speak calmly. “You have a bacterial infection. I tested you, do you remember that?”

“Yes.”

“I prescribed antibiotics for you because they will help get rid of a bacterial infection. While apple cider vinegar has anti-inflammatory properties, it’s not enough to cure pneumonia. Especially once the pneumonia has progressed, as yours had. You could take apple cider vinegar in addition to the antibiotics. I’m not saying meditation is bad, but if I prescribed you antibiotics, it’s because I want you to take them.”

Her lower lip trembled. “You don’t have to yell at me.”

Since I was doing my best not to yell, her comment was twice as annoying. But I tried to remember that it didn’t matter whether I thought I was yelling or not, she perceived me as yelling. I took a deep breath and said, “I apologize. I’m upset because your health is my priority. You ignored my instructions and listened to Dr. Martin instead.”

“He seemed to know what he was talking about.”

“But I didn’t?” I narrowed my eyes.

“Oh, I didn’t mean that. Of course you know what you’re talking about.”

“And yet you ignored my instructions and deferred to Dr. Martin instead.” I sighed. “Do you want to be my patient, Mrs. Henrietta?”

“Well… er…”

“I’m sure Dr. Martin could make room for you if you’d rather he was your physician.” I kept my tone as pleasant as possible, even though I wanted to smack her. “I can have Girdy transfer your paperwork to Lilly.”

“You don’t want to be my doctor?” She looked shocked.

“I didn’t say that. But you seem like you’d rather have Dr. Martin as your doctor. If that’s what you want, I’m not going to force you to be my patient.”

“But… I’m still sick.”

“Yes. Because you didn’t take my advice; you took Dr. Martin’s. Because of that, you still have pneumonia.” I made a note of the blood pressure reading and took the cuff off her arm. “I can’t force you to do what I tell you to do. But if you come to me for my advice, I assume it’s because you know I’m qualified to treat you.”

She nodded, looking chastened. “Of course. I think you’re an excellent doctor.”

“But you didn’t take my advice.”

“That was just because Dr. Martin was so charming. I knew he was trying to help me.”

“I was trying to help you too. I’m the one who examined you and ran the tests. I knew that we were dealing with a bacterial infection. Dr. Martin didn’t examine you, therefore he had no right to try and diagnose you.” I sighed. “But if you’re more comfortable with him than me, I understand.”

She shook her head. “No. I want you to be my doctor. I didn’t mean to insult you.”

I was surprised by her apologetic admission. I blinked at her, gathering my thoughts.

She grimaced. “I can see that I offended you. I should’ve listened to you and not been so stubborn.”

I wasn’t exactly sure how to respond, but I knew I needed to say something. “I… I also didn’t mean to raise my voice with you. I take my patients’ health very seriously. The fact that you’re still sick makes me feel like I failed you.”

She shook her head. “No. I failed you. I didn’t listen to your advice, and I was obstinate. The apple cider vinegar didn’t work. I enjoyed the meditation part, but I still feel sick.” Her shoulders drooped. “I screwed up. I should have listened to you.”

She looked like she was about to cry, which panicked me. “It’s okay. It’s fine. Do you still have the prescription I gave you?”

“Yes.”

“How about you get that filled today. Start taking the antibiotics immediately, and I suspect within a week you’ll be feeling much better. You can still do the apple cider vinegar and the meditation, but I personally feel, as your physician, it’s imperative you take those antibiotics.”

“I probably will continue the meditation.” She screwed up her face as if she had a bad taste in her mouth. “But the apple cider vinegar is disgusting.”

I couldn’t help but laugh, which seemed to please her.

“I don’t want any ill will with you, Doc.” She grimaced. “You’re right, I should’ve been more open with you. How were you to know I don’t like taking antibiotics?”

I sighed. “Maybe when I prescribe antibiotics to a patient, I should see how they feel about it. It never occurred to me you wouldn’t want to take antibiotics. I suppose I should have been more sensitive to that concept. Healing people is my priority, but people have opinions. I guess I need to make time to hear them.”

She grinned that same toothy grin from earlier. “Look at us. We worked this out like grown-ups.”

“It would seem we did.” I actually felt relieved that we’d managed to come to an understanding. I was flattered that she still wanted me to be her doctor. As charming as River was, apparently she still wanted me to be her physician.

“I know it’s been rough for you here sometimes,” she said quietly.

I winced under her scrutiny. She was looking at me so intently, I wasn’t quite sure how to act. “There’s definitely been an adjustment period for me.”

She laughed. “Not just for you. For us too.” Her expression changed and became more serious. “I hope you know most of us here in Rainy Dale feel very lucky to have you.”

I grimaced. “I won’t be winning any popularity contests, I suspect.”

She smiled. “Dr. Martin is definitely charming, but when I’m really sick, I think of you.”

“I think that’s a compliment?”

Her grin returned. “It definitely is.” She got off the examination table. “I’ll schedule another follow-up visit with Girdy. This time, I’ll actually have taken the steps you prescribed before I come back in.”

“I find that follow-up visits go more smoothly when the patients actually do the things I asked them to do,” I said sardonically.

She moved to the door, buttoning her blouse. “I’ll see you next time, Doc.”

“Have a good day, Mrs. Henrietta.”

Relief at having worked things out with Mrs. Henrietta was overshadowed by my anger at River. The more I thought about how he’d overstepped, the more I fumed. He’d had no right to intercede with one of my patients. Telling her to do something other than what I’d instructed her to do was definitely over the line. I highly doubted he’d be okay with me ambushing his patients in the lobby. No doctor would be okay with that. It verged on unethical.

I had a full roster of patients to see, so I had to put my resentment toward River on the back burner. I spent the rest of the day seeing patients while pushing down my angry feelings. It wasn’t easy pretending everything was fine, and I wasn’t the best actor in the world. Luckily, most people were so preoccupied with their own problems, they didn’t pick up on my buzzing anxiety.

Once I’d seen all my patients for the day, I stayed in my office. By some miracle, I’d managed to avoid River the entire day and didn’t want to break my lucky streak. While Girdy finished some after-hours filing up front, I opened my laptop and began perusing the available commercial properties in Rainy Dale.

There were several spaces available that looked promising in the Bandito Business Park on the opposite side of town. The center was zoned for retail commercial and medical offices. I didn’t like the idea of being on the other side of town from Royce’s house, but Rainy Dale was small enough it probably wouldn’t really matter in the long run. Especially since I now had a car, thanks to Royce.

There was a soft knock on the door, and Girdy poked her head in. “I was thinking of taking off. Is that okay?”

“Uh…” I needed to tell her what was going on. I waved her into the room. “Can you come in for a minute?”

“Of course.” She entered, closing the door behind her. She took the seat in front of my desk. “Is everything okay?”

“I’ve decided not to rebuild the clinic.”

“What?” Shock washed across her delicate features. “You’re going back to LA?”

I winced. “Oh, no. Sorry. I… I mean I’m going to find a new spot. I’m not going to rebuild at the old location.”

“But why?” She lifted her auburn brows.

“Because I don’t trust River.”

“Well, that I already knew.”

“Things have gotten worse.”

She studied me. “Have they?”

“Definitely. We’ve never gotten along, not really. We’ve tolerated each other at best, but I want to cut ties. I’ve come to the conclusion that River isn’t the sort of person I want to do business with.”

“How does that work exactly?”

“I’m going to buy out my lease with him and instead rent a commercial property that has no ties whatsoever to River Martin.”

She blinked at me. “Can you afford to do that?”

Scowling, I said, “I can’t afford not to. River isn’t my ally. He isn’t someone I can trust.”

“Did something happen between you two? Recently?” Her expression was alert. “I know you dislike him, but something must have motivated you to act.”

“Well, you already know about the pay-or-quit paper he sent.”

She frowned. “I thought that was a misunderstanding?”

“So he says.” I sniffed.

Narrowing her eyes, she asked, “You don’t believe him?”

“No. I don’t think I do. He resents me. I could always feel that animosity was there, but it’s beginning to bubble to the surface now.”

“Did something happen at the wedding?”

I nodded, leaning back in my chair. “That quack brought up Lucinda Pratt yesterday.”

She went very still. “He what?”

I sighed. “He got mad at me for… er… something I said.”

“Oh, Maxwell. Did you insult him?”

“I didn’t mean to.”

“Dear me.” She gave a tense smile. “I’m trying to picture how Lucinda Pratt’s tragic death could possibly be casually dropped into conversation.”

“River managed it.” I held her gaze. “He wanted to hurt me. He purposely said it in front of Mayor Granger and Gerald. It was no slip of the tongue. He was being spiteful. He wanted to make me look bad in front of them.”

“What a horrible thing to do. How could he bring up something so painful?”

“As I said, he wanted it to hurt.” And it did. “But it backfired on him because Penelope didn’t appreciate him throwing that in my face.”

“Well, thank goodness for small miracles,” she murmured.

“Even Lucas turned on him.” I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the desk. “But the fact that he’d even go there was upsetting. I don’t want to do business with him anymore.”

“I don’t blame you,” she said softly, her gaze empathetic. “That was one of the most horrible things that ever happened to you. For him to just blithely bring that up is inexcusable.”

“I agree.”

She nodded, a determined tilt to her jaw. “Okay, so you don’t want to rebuild in the old spot. What’s your plan? You’re still locked into a ground lease with River.”

“Yes. Luckily, there are only about eight months left on that lease. I’d planned on renegotiating with the other landlord.”

“Instead of buying your way out of the lease, you could ask River if he’d let you out of the lease. He might do it.”

I shook my head. “I don’t need him doing me a favor. I’ll buy out my lease. I prefer that.”

She grimaced. “That sounds expensive.”

“Money well spent, if you ask me,” I muttered. “Plus, building out a space will be cheaper than reconstruction of an actual building. I might save money in the long run.”

“I guess that’s true.”

“If this fiasco with River has taught me anything, it’s that if I’m going to buy a building, I need to buy the land it’s on too.”

“You only did that because you didn’t plan on staying here.” Her smile was knowing. “Then you fell in love.”

My face warmed. “Yes. That wasn’t in my plans.”

“No. Even I know that.” She laughed.

I changed the subject quickly. “I was online just now, checking out the local available commercial real estate. There are a few spaces I want to take a look at.”

“You should call Mrs. Numi. She knows every inch of this town.”

“Maybe I will.”

Looking resolute, Girdy grabbed a notepad from my desk and a pen from the holder. “Let’s see now. You’re subleasing this space month to month, so you can move out anytime you want.”

“Yes. I’m glad we did the month to month.”

“Would you like me to call Miles at Rocky Construction and tell him there’s been a change of plans?”

I couldn’t help but smile at her take-charge demeanor. “I should probably call him.”

She glanced up. “I don’t mind doing it.”

“I know, but I think maybe I could explain more easily what I’m thinking.”

She nodded. “True.”

“I’ll put off calling Miles for a few days. I think once I have time to look around and see what’s available, I’ll have a clearer vision.”

She set the pen on the pad, frowning. “I sure wish I knew why River is such a jerk to you. At first, I thought you were being paranoid.” She gave a sheepish smile. “Sorry. Now I see that there really is something there. He truly does seem to resent you personally and professionally.”

“I find the whole thing rather confusing.” I sighed. “I realize I’ve insulted a lot of people in my lifetime, but I’m positive I’ve never met River before.”

“Perhaps he’s grown resentful simply because you never liked him. I think when he first got here, he was more open to you. But now… he does seem to dislike you.”

I gave a weak smile. “Maxwell Thornton, making friends wherever he goes.”

She laughed. “Well, I like you just fine.”

“Thanks, Girdy.” I smiled at her, grateful for her friendship. She truly was a friend too. While I appreciated how hard she worked, she was a wonderful addition to my personal life as well. I’d come to depend on her warmth and candor.

Her smile faded. “Do you plan on immediately telling River about your plans?”

I grimaced. “As devious as he is, I almost feel like I need to actually sign the new lease before I let him know my plans.”

“Maybe you should buy the land and the building. Just to be safe.” Girdy grinned. “You seem to think money is no option.”

“I could swing it if need be.” I didn’t bother mentioning the idea of doing that made me nervous. Buying land and a building would officially be putting down roots. That felt so serious and permanent. I loved being with Royce, but it wasn’t inconceivable that he might tire of me one day. I could wear on people.

“Searching for a building with land might limit your choices too much though,” she said, apparently unaware of my ambivalence. “I’m not sure how many commercial buildings with land are for sale in Rainy Dale. I guess you could always just buy the land and then build on it?”

“Possibly. I’d be up and running faster if I simply rent a commercial property and do a build-out of that space. I don’t really need to own the land, so long as River isn’t my landlord.”

“It sure would stink if he bought the property you moved to.”

I lifted my brows. “I don’t think he can afford to own all the land in Rainy Dale.”

“Hope not.” She sighed. “I must say, River has really turned out to be a disappointment. He acts so sweet and charming to everyone, but then behind the scenes, he’s scheming.”

“Yes, although I seem to be his main target. Unless I’m missing something, he seems to get along with everyone else.”

“Well, he certainly has the city council eating out of his hand.”

I sighed. “Yes. Although, as I told you, Penelope wasn’t too happy with him when he brought up Lucinda Pratt yesterday. That was probably the first time she ever saw that ugly side of him. He’s always very careful around her.”

“It’s just a matter of time before more people see his true colors.” Girdy scowled. “I’d love to know why he’s so resentful of you.”

“You and me both.” I pushed away from the desk. “I think it’s time to go home. I’m tired and hungry.”

She gave a sly smile. “Plus, you want to get home to your man.”

I exhaled roughly. “I highly doubt Royce will be home. He’s got a murder case to solve.”

She widened her eyes. “Oh, that’s right. I… I forgot.” She winced. “It was a good picture of you and Royce on the front page though.”

I scowled. “That’s another phone call I need to make. That reporter, Janet Rose, lied about talking with me.”

“Oh, thank goodness.” She looked relieved. “I knew you’d never say anything as lame as ‘Marriage is Murder.’ I told Todd that she probably made that up.”

“She most definitely did. I never even saw the woman. I didn’t speak to any reporters at all.”

She shuddered. “It must have been so gruesome.”

I winced. “It was horrible. Brutal.” Standing, I changed the subject. “Has River left for the day?”

“Yes, I saw him leave with Lucas. They went to dinner.”

“Good. Then I’ll make my escape.” I moved around the desk. “Maybe finding a new spot will be a good thing. Change isn’t always bad, right?”

“Absolutely,” she said brightly.

I forced a smile, hung up my white coat, and slipped on my suit jacket. Then I left the clinic, trying not to let the stress of my uncertain future crush me.

Chapter Eight

Royce

The next morning, Janelle came to the station for her interview. Her mother, Angela, accompanied her and wanted to be in the room during questioning, but I nixed that idea. Janelle was an adult. I needed her to be able to speak freely, and I got the feeling she wasn’t close to her mother. I wasn’t sure why Angela wanted to be included. I didn’t think it was protective motherly instincts motivating her.

Needless to say, Janelle was a wreck. While she was no longer hysterical like yesterday, it was obvious she was still struggling. Her usually warm blue eyes were void of emotion and her hair unbrushed. She wore a rumpled T-shirt and jeans, and she looked like she hadn’t slept.

“Thank you for coming in, Janelle.”

She nodded and said blankly, “Of course.”

“I’d like to say how sorry I am. I’m sure you’re in shock.”

Her bottom lip trembled. “I still can’t believe it’s true.”

“No. I wouldn’t think it’s an easy thing to accept.” I shuffled some papers, giving her a moment to compose herself. “I need to ask you some questions, and I hope you understand that some of them might upset you.”

“I hope you don’t think I killed Archie?” A line formed between her brows.

I grimaced. “I have no idea what happened yet.”

“Well, you’re not going to catch Archie’s killer hounding me with accusatory questions.” Her tone was bitter.

I said patiently, “My questions are simply designed to gather facts. I don’t want you to feel that I’m accusing you of anything. But some of the questions might make you uncomfortable.”

She looked up, a spark of anger in her eyes. “This seems like a waste of time to me. I can’t help it, but that’s how I feel.”

“I get it. You’re grieving. You want me to go out and magically catch the killer. But this is my process. I ask people a lot of questions, and I listen. Then I comb through everything and find the holes and the things that don’t match up. That’s how I find the killer, Janelle. By talking to everyone.”

“But I don’t know anything.”

“You might know more than you think you do.”

She frowned. “What does that mean?”

“You might have seen things. Heard things. At the time, they might not have meant anything to you. But they might mean something to me when I put it all together. Even the insignificant things you tell me could potentially help me solve the case.”

“But… I really don’t remember anything other than very mundane things.”

“That’s fine. Just tell me what you recall.” I gave her an encouraging smile. “Where did you go after Kobe made his drunken speech? You left the reception area, right?”

She nodded. “Yes. After Kobe gave that ridiculous tirade, I went outside. I needed to get away from everyone. They were all staring at me and feeling sorry for me.”

“They were concerned for you.”

“Well, I didn’t want or need their pity.”

“Okay.” She needed to vent, so I didn’t react to the anger in her voice. “So you left the restaurant, and then what?”

“I went outside, and I sat on the curb. You saw me there.”

“I surely did. But that doesn’t mean you were there the whole time.”

“Meaning what?” she demanded.

I said calmly, “I’m just figuring out where everyone was, Janelle.”

She shifted impatiently in her chair. “I loved Archie. I’d never have hurt him.”

“I’m not saying you would have. Remember, I’m just placing the pieces on the board right now. Don’t feel paranoid. I need to know everyone’s movements, not just yours.”

“Fine.” She crossed her arms, looking disgruntled. “Ask me questions.”

“Okay,” I said quietly. “Now, after you left the restaurant, did you run into anyone? Maybe you had a conversation with someone?”

“No.”

“No one at all?” She’d been visibly upset. It seemed odd that no one would have tried to comfort her.

“I didn’t want to talk to anybody.”

“That’s certainly understandable.” I nodded. “Didn’t Archie come after you?”

“If he did, I didn’t see him.”

“So you just went straight out to the curb without talking to anybody?”

“That’s right.”

I scribbled some notes on my pad. “Did you pass anybody on your way to the curb?”

“I just said I didn’t.”

“You said you didn’t talk to anyone. You still might have seen someone.”

“Oh, that’s true.” She looked a little sheepish.

“So, did you see anyone?” I nudged.

Frowning, she said, “Well… I saw my mother come outside, but she was the last person I wanted to talk to.”

“So you avoided her?”

“Definitely.”

“Anyone else that you saw but didn’t speak to?”

She let out a shaky breath. “Dad was in the rose garden, smoking. He looked ready to kill. I’m sure if he’d been able to get his hands on Kobe, he’d have taken a swing.”

“Kobe ruffled a lot of people’s feathers, for sure.”

She scowled. “What was Kobe thinking? Of all the stupid things to do.” She shook her head. “Did he think I’d run away with him after making that embarrassing scene?”

“I doubt Kobe was thinking at all. He was hurt and drunk, and he just let his emotions spill out.”

Some of her anger dissipated. “He’s so ridiculous sometimes. That’s one of his biggest problems. He doesn’t think before he acts.”

“Do you think Kobe is capable of murder?”

She widened her eyes. “What?”

“You know Kobe really well. I’m asking your opinion of him.”

She shook her head vehemently. “No. I don’t believe he’d be capable of something like murder.”

I narrowed my eyes. “He certainly made no bones about the fact that he didn’t like Archie.”

“Yes. Kobe still has feelings for me.” She dropped her gaze, her sandy lashes resting against her cheeks.

“Is it mutual?”

She looked up, frowning. “I’m still fond of Kobe. But I certainly don’t agree with his opinion of Archie. I don’t believe for five seconds Archie was marrying me for my money.” Her voice was firm, but there was a tiny thread of insecurity there.

“Why do you think Kobe was so adamant about that?”

She groaned. “Because he listens to gossip too much.”

“So you were aware there was gossip about Archie’s motives for marrying you?”

“Of course I’d heard things.”

“But you didn’t worry about that?”

Her cheek twitched. “I don’t believe that’s why he married me. He loved me.”

I leaned toward her. “The gossip didn’t bother you at all? It didn’t make you question things even a little?”

She looked up, her eyes shimmering with pain. “Do you want me to say that I questioned things? Will that make you happy?”

“Janelle, of course that wouldn’t make me happy. I just want to know the truth.”

Her jaw tensed. “I know when someone is using me. Trust me, it’s happened often enough. And… e… even if he did approach me at first because of who I am and my family’s money, that changed.”

“Did it?” I found it interesting she was willing to admit her money might have been the initial draw.

“He fell in love with me.” She had a pained expression. “I’m not the fool everyone thinks I am.”

“I don’t think you’re a fool,” I said softly.

“A lot of people do.” She shook her head. “But… the look in Archie’s eyes when he would tell me he loved me… you can’t fake that. You can fake the words. You might even be able to fake expressions. But his eyes… they told me the truth.”

It was impossible not to feel a pang of pity for her. Not because she believed Archie had loved her but because he’d died, and she was left behind having to deal with all the doubt and questions about Archie’s motives for marrying her.

I straightened. “These next questions might be upsetting.”

She squinted at me. “Then why ask them?”

“Because they go to Archie’s character. I need to know what kind of person he was.”

She crossed her arms as if subconsciously shielding herself. “Go ahead.”

I glanced over my notes from my interview with Kobe, mostly stalling for time. I cleared my throat. “Kobe said some interesting things about your mother.”

Frowning, she said, “I thought you were going to ask me things about Archie?”

“I’m getting there. First, I need to ask you some stuff about your mom.”

“What kind of stuff?” she asked suspiciously.

I grimaced. “To be honest, it’s not that flattering.”

“Okay.”

I studied her. “Kobe implied your mother becomes very flirtatious when she drinks.”

“Yes. So?”

“Kobe says she used to hit on him when you were dating.”

Her mouth thinned. “He’s told me that too. I’m not sure I believe him.”

“Why wouldn’t you believe him?”

She sighed. “Kobe has a very high opinion of himself. He thinks every woman wants him.”

“So then you’ve never seen your mother hitting on anyone you date?” I watched her, noticing the pink flush that spread through her cheeks.

“Lots of people get flirtatious when they drink.”

“Yes, but I’m asking about your mother.”

While she lifted one shoulder dismissively, I got the feeling she wasn’t as unaffected as she pretended to be. “I’ll admit when she drinks, she does get frisky. That’s because Dad ignores her. Honest to God, I don’t think I’ve seen the man hug or kiss Mom since I was a child.”

“Kobe implied she did more than just flirt.”

“What are you saying?”

“Well…” I gave a gruff laugh because it seemed fairly obvious what I was saying. “To put it bluntly, he said that if he’d been willing… she’d have slept with him.”

“He’s delusional.”

“Are you sure?”

Her hand curled into a fist on top of the table. “Flirting with someone and actually having sex with them are completely different things.”

“I agree. But that’s what Kobe told me would have happened if he’d been open to your mother’s advances.”

The pink in her cheeks deepened, partly from anger. “He actually told you that?”

“Yes.”

She scowled, staring at the tabletop. “I can’t believe that. My mother wouldn’t do that.”

I didn’t speak for a bit, watching her trying to grapple with what I’d said. I suspected Kobe was telling the truth, but it was obvious Janelle had trouble swallowing the idea. “He said other things too.”

She seemed to brace herself. “Did he?”

“Yes.”

“What… kind of things?”

I took in a steadying breath, knowing she’d be upset with what I was about to share. “At the reception, Kobe swears he saw Archie sneak around the side of the restaurant with your mother.”

She flicked her gaze up. “What?” she asked sharply.

“He said they went to a little private gazebo that’s over there. They were gone for about twenty minutes.”

She swallowed hard. “Well, Archie was probably just trying to calm my mother down. She was furious with Kobe.”

I grimaced. “According to Kobe, when your mother reappeared, her dress was… well, let’s just say she looked… disheveled.”

Her eyes were wide, with obvious confusion rippling through them. “Just what are you implying.”

“Not me. Kobe.”

“Fine,” she snapped. “What was he implying?”

“It must be obvious to you.” When she stayed mute, I frowned. “Kobe was convinced something inappropriate happened between them.”

She shook her head. “No. I absolutely don’t believe that. No. No. No.”

“Calm down, Janelle.” I reached out a hand to her. “There’s no proof of anything, but it is something I have to consider.”

“What do you mean?”

I leaned back in my chair, choosing my words carefully. “Obviously, someone wanted Archie dead. I’m searching for opportunity and motive of each person who interacted with Archie.”

“You think my mother killed Archie?” Shock washed over her face.

“I’m not saying that, but if her relationship with Archie was sexual, that could have been the motive for his murder.”

“So you do think she did it.”

“Not necessarily. It could be several people, if jealousy was the motive. Your father would be a suspect too.”

“And me,” she whispered. “You think that if I knew Archie was carrying on with my mom, I might have killed him in a jealous rage?”

“As I said, Janelle, all I’m doing is asking questions at this stage. To be honest, everyone at the wedding is a suspect.”

“But some of us more than others,” she said quietly.

“Well, yes.”

“For all you know, it was someone random. Maybe some wedding crasher wanted to carjack the limo, and Archie got in the way.”

I shrugged. “That could be. I’m open to any and all scenarios.”

“You say that, but you seem focused on me and my family.”

“Only because you guys were closest to Archie.”

She scowled. “And for that we’re punished?”

I exhaled. “Janelle, I’m trying to figure out why someone wanted Archie dead. I need to understand why they took his life at the reception. It was risky to do it then. Was it premeditated? Was it a crime of passion? What drove the killer to strike at that moment? If I can figure that out, then I can find the murderer.”

“Well, I didn’t kill Archie.” Her voice shook. “I loved him.”

“Okay.”

“I also can’t imagine my parents doing anything that… gruesome. My mother may be a flirt, but she’s not violent.”

“I’ll agree she doesn’t strike me as a violent person. Neither do you.”

She looked relieved. “Well, at least that’s something.”

I let a few moments pass, then said, “I still have to ask more questions.”

Her scowl returned.

“Kobe says he saw Archie arguing with your father.”

She groaned. “Why are you listening to Kobe? He was beyond drunk.”

“That doesn’t mean he didn’t see what he saw.”

“I wouldn’t trust what he said,” she muttered.

“Did your father and Archie get along?”

Her scowl deepened, but she didn’t speak.

Frustration nudged me because I was trying to figure out if her parents had approved of her marrying Archie. I suspected they hadn’t. I decided to try another route to the same destination. “Did Archie have any money of his own?”

She looked thrown by the change of questioning. “Well… he owned the limousine business. He was able to buy the cars, so obviously he must have had some money.”

“But nothing like the money your family has, correct?”

She grimaced. “Well, my family is unusually wealthy. Most people don’t have our kind of money.”

“Your parents didn’t mind that you were marrying someone so far beneath you in social stature?”

Her mouth hardened. “That’s insulting.”

I sighed. “I’m sorry, Janelle. I don’t want to insult you. I’m just trying to figure out how your parents felt about Archie.”

“Well, according to you, my mother was very fond of him.” Her voice was hard.

“That was Kobe, not me. The only things I know about Archie are the things you all tell me. That’s why I’m asking questions. I’m trying to get an idea of who he was.”

“Seems to me you only believe the bad stuff about him.”

“Not true.”

She rolled her eyes, looking unconvinced.

Taking in her stubborn demeanor, I decided to change the subject yet again. “How about we talk about Archie’s past?”

“Okay,” she said warily.

“How much do you know about Archie’s life before you met?”

She wrinkled her brow. “I know that he lived in California before coming to Rainy Dale and that he was married before.”

“Until the wedding, had you ever met his parents?”

“No. Archie said they weren’t close.”

“Do you know why?”

“It’s hard to be close to someone when they live in another country.” She lifted her chin. “They moved to Panama when Archie was eighteen. He didn’t want to go with them, and they just left him behind.”

“I see.”

“He said they cared more about their taxes than him. Archie hardly ever saw them, and he didn’t even seem to care.”

Archie’s parents were a complete unknown to me. I had an interview scheduled with them tomorrow, but from what Janelle was saying, they wouldn’t be able to shed much light on who Archie was.

“That must have been very difficult for Archie. To be left by his parents when he was so young.”

“Of course. But Archie was strong.” She dabbed at her eyes. “He had to be because he was all alone.”

“He wasn’t always alone though, right? He had his first wife, Kimora?”

Uneasiness shifted across her features. “Yes.”

“How long was he married to Kimora?”

“Six years.”

“I see.” I hesitated. “I hate to bring this up, but do you remember yesterday when you thought you saw her?”

She looked embarrassed. “Yes.”

“Have you seen her… ghost… since yesterday?”

“No.” She grimaced. “I think you and Dr. Thornton were right. It was probably stress that made me think I saw her.”

“So suddenly she’s gone?” With the murder of her new husband, wouldn’t her stress have skyrocketed?

“All I know is I haven’t seen her, and… and I don’t want to.”

I smiled reassuringly. “I don’t blame you.”

She shivered and hugged herself. “Was that all? Can I go now?”

“Uh, not just yet.” I cleared my throat. “According to you, Archie didn’t have any other relationships after his wife died, until you?”

“That was what he said.”

“You believed him?”

She frowned. “I had no reason not to.”

“All right.” I had trouble believing it, even if she didn’t. I’d know more when I got information back from the authorities in California. Hopefully, they could help me paint a clearer picture of who Archie was.

A tear dribbled down her cheek. “My parents didn’t approve of the fact that he’d been married before. They’re snobs, which I’m sure comes as no surprise to you, Sheriff.”

“But you went ahead with the wedding anyway?”

“Yes.”

“Did that cause friction?”

“Naturally.”

I studied her tense face. “Did they ever threaten to disown you if you married Archie?”

“My dad did, but he changed his tune. He was bluffing and throwing his weight around. When he saw I wasn’t going to call off my engagement, he got on board.”

“He must have still had some issues with Archie. Remember, Kobe saw them arguing right after Kobe’s little performance?”

She looked muddled. “I would think Dad would have been arguing with Kobe, not Archie.”

“I agree.”

“Kobe was a mess. He was so drunk, I’m not sure his version of events can honestly be trusted.”

“I don’t think he was so drunk he didn’t know what was happening. He saw you on the curb, and he saw the chauffeur Thomas arrive.”

She leaned forward, resting her arms on the table. She looked fragile, her skin pale and her eyes dark with pain. “I don’t understand how someone could stab Archie in broad daylight and just get away. How did nobody see it happen?”

“I wish I knew.”

She straightened, wiping at her eyes with her tissue. “What else do you need to ask me? I just want to get this over with.”

I glanced down at my notes, reminding myself of all the things I’d wanted to ask her. “Do you know anything else about Archie’s past that you think might be helpful? Enemies he might’ve had in California? Enemies he might’ve had here in Rainy Dale?”

“I’m not aware of any enemies he might have had, here or in California.”

“Did he have many friends?”

She grimaced. “Archie kind of kept to himself. He just worked really hard to build his business. I don’t know very much about his life in California, because he didn’t like to talk about that time in his life. I suspect it was because of Kimora’s death.”

“According to Kobe, Archie didn’t like to ever talk about Kimora.”

“No. He didn’t. Her death was a horrible shock for him.”

I studied her. “Kimora drowned, is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“They never found her body?” This was all stuff I’d be able to find out in more detail from the authorities in California. But it didn’t hurt to get Janelle’s take on things. Anything she knew would’ve come directly from Archie. That could be useful.

“That’s right.”

“He’d have had to have her declared legally dead in order for you two to marry.”

She frowned. “Yes. He’d already done that when he came to Rainy Dale.”

“Do you know any details about Kimora?”

“Like what?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. Were Archie and her happily married?”

Janelle scowled. “I don’t understand why you’re asking so much about Kimora. Shouldn’t you be focusing on Archie’s murder?”

“I’m just trying to learn everything I can about Archie’s life.”

She looked suspicious. “I think you should focus on the day of the murder. You don’t need to dig into Archie’s past.”

I gave a gruff laugh. “I’ve been doing this a long time, Janelle. I know the questions I need to ask.”

She made a huffing sound.

I understood she was upset, but I wasn’t going to let her direct the interview. I was used to people getting their panties in a bunch from the questions I asked. It was the nature of the job. “So if I understand you correctly, after Kobe made his drunken speech, you never saw Archie again. Even though you both left the reception hall about the same time.”

“I didn’t even know Archie had left the building. I went straight out to the street, and I cried a river. I wish now I hadn’t left the building.” She gave a little hiccup of a sob, and her eyes welled with tears. “If I’d stayed in the building, Archie never would’ve left either. He… he’d still be alive if I had just stayed put.”

“You can’t blame yourself for this, Janelle. Somebody wanted to hurt Archie. I don’t think it would have mattered whether it happened at the wedding or later. Someone had it out for Archie.”

“That’s a horrible thought.”

“Murder is horrible.”

“Ghosts can’t kill people, right?” she whispered.

I really hoped she wasn’t going down that rabbit hole again. “Come on, Janelle. You know better than to even ask me that. Whoever killed Archie was human. I’ll prove it to you when I throw them in jail.”

She shivered. “I just keep thinking maybe Kimora was upset because he remarried.”

“There’s no such thing as ghosts,” I rumbled.

“I… I know… but…”

I sighed. “If you start seeing things again, you need to talk to someone. A professional.” Worst-case scenario, maybe she could talk to Max. I was sure he’d make the time if he thought he could help her any.

“Oh, there’s no need for that.” She avoided my gaze. “Can I go now, Sheriff? Or do you have more questions?”

Her mental state concerned me. But I wasn’t a therapist, and even if I was, she seemed determined to avoid talking to one. “I guess that’s all for now. Promise you’ll go home and rest? You’ve had a terrible shock.”

“Home…” She stood, swaying slightly. “I was going to move in with Archie when we got back from our honeymoon.”

My chest squeezed for her. “I’m sorry, Janelle.”

“That’s just how life is sometimes, isn’t it? Bad things happen, and there isn’t anything you can do about it.” She moved to the door, and she slipped out without another word.

I didn’t quite see eye to eye with her on that. Yes, bad things happened. But someone had plunged a knife into Archie’s throat in broad daylight. Maybe it wouldn’t be easy to find this killer, but I’d get them. Perhaps we couldn’t always prevent the bad things, but we sure as hell could punish those who did them.

Chapter Nine

Maxwell

Mrs. Numi’s obsidian-black Mercedes gleamed in the late-afternoon sun. On Girdy’s suggestion, I’d called Mrs. Numi right before leaving the office to ask about commercial properties. I’d assumed she’d make an appointment for later in the week, but instead, she’d latched onto me like a velociraptor might latch onto a lizard. She’d insisted we meet right away, so here we were.

When she noticed me parking behind her, she climbed gracefully from her vehicle. “Hello, Dr. Thornton. What a lovely afternoon, don’t you think?”

It seemed like any other afternoon to me, but I knew chitchat was expected. “It’s a perfect day,” I said. “How are you doing?”

“Fabulously.” Her gaze was alert as she approached. “I was thrilled to get your phone call.”

I thought for a moment I saw actual dollar signs flashing in her eyes. “I’m excited to see the properties you have for me.” In truth, I dreaded looking for a new location. But River’s recent shenanigans made it impossible to do business with him.

We were parked in front of the Bandito Business Park, where there were two possible spaces for lease. Neither one of them was large enough on their own, but if the spaces were what I was looking for, Mrs. Numi thought perhaps we could make an offer for both and knock down some walls.

“This is a nice little center,” she said. “The landlord is eager to lease the spots. I think he’ll be easy to work with.”

She led the way to the glass-front building. The parking lot and planters were well-maintained, which was a good sign that the landlord cared about the property. The tenants already in residence were a candle shop at the far end, a dry cleaner, and an insurance office. Mrs. Numi felt a doctor’s office would complement the center. Of course, I was well aware Mrs. Numi also just wanted to make a commission.

The keys jangled as she unlocked the double door. She stepped inside first, holding the door open for me. “The landlord is offering a vanilla shell and four months free rent. He’s exceptionally motivated.” Her voice reverberated off the walls of the empty space.

I examined the spot, trying not to let my gloomy feelings show. I really hated the idea of putting my medical practice in a strip mall setting. I’d grown used to having my own building. Not even counting the loss of my beloved pool, I’d miss not sharing common walls with another tenant.

“The other space is just on the other side of that wall. It’s exactly the same shape and size. We can go look at it if you’d like?” She smiled.

“I suppose I would need to see it,” I murmured.

If I must.

Years of experience must have given her the ability to read people, even when they didn’t want to be read, because she seemed to notice my lack of enthusiasm. “This isn’t the only center available in Rainy Dale.”

I gave an uneasy laugh. “I’m sure you know every inch of Rainy Dale.”

She lifted one smooth brow. “Yes. It’s my business to know.” She studied me. “Dr. Thornton, we didn’t really have a chance to talk much on the phone. Do you mind if I ask you why it is you’ve decided to change your location?”

I hesitated, concerned anything I told her might be repeated. I wasn’t sure if I should be candid about my reasons or not.

She tilted her head. “I’m very discreet.”

She kept addressing my inner thoughts, and I was beginning to feel like she could read my mind. “I’m sure you are. It’s just… such a small town.”

Laughing, she nodded. “That it is. However, I’m not the number one Realtor in the area because I go around blabbing my clients’ business.”

I grimaced. “Of course not. I didn’t mean to imply you aren’t trustworthy.”

She pursed her lips. “I’ll be able to help you better if I understand your motivation for moving locations. Is it okay if I’m blunt?”

“Um… sure?”

“Are you and River Martin having issues?”

She didn’t pull her punches, did she?

“Why do you ask?” I stalled.

“Because the minute River became your landlord, you decided to move.”

“I simply thought it was time for a change,” I lied.

She didn’t look convinced. “I only ask because I’ve heard things.”

“Have you?” I didn’t doubt she had. I didn’t like the idea everyone knew my business, but that was Rainy Dale.

“I know people at the city. I know that permits have already been pulled for Rocky Construction to begin work on your old lot.”

I held her stare, not sure what to say. She was like a dog with a bone, and I didn’t like lying to her.

“It’s highly unusual to move locations once that process has been completed.” Her expression was placid. “Highly unusual.”

“I guess I’m a rebel,” I said weakly.

She watched me for a moment, then said softly, “The thing about River is he comes off very easygoing and nonthreatening. I suspect there’s a lot more going on under the surface.”

I flinched at the direct hit. “I guess you have heard things.”

“I always do.” She sighed. “As you may know, I handled the purchase of the lot your old clinic was on. I worked very closely with River.”

“Okay.” I frowned, not sure what she was getting at.

“There were other lots River could have invested in. He had to work hard to convince the family who owned that lot to sell.”

“Do you know why he wanted that spot so desperately?”

“No. That wasn’t something he shared with me. But I suspect it had everything to do with you, Dr. Thornton.”

I raised my brows at her candor. “Is that so?”

She gave a sharp nod. “The actual details of why River might hold animosity toward you don’t concern me. I try to stay out of the drama when possible. I will say I didn’t like how he went about things with that particular purchase. I’m all for having a motivated buyer, but he was more… obsessed… than anything.”

Mrs. Numi seemed to be implying she was my ally. Was this simply a ploy to get me to relax so that I’d trust her? She was, after all, a businesswoman. If I trusted her, she could more easily sell me something.

She smiled. “You’re still not sure about me?”

I grimaced. “It’s not you. I’m suspicious by nature.”

“Yes. Unfortunately, I don’t think that’s worked in your favor.” Lifting one shoulder, she said, “River came to Rainy Dale and immediately began making connections. You’ve held back, and it’s taken longer for everyone to get to know you.”

I wasn’t insulted because her assessment was accurate. River already had a strong foothold in the community. He’d arrived after me but ingratiated himself with the people of Rainy Dale much quicker. He knew how to play the social game like a master, while I was still fumbling along.

“Enough things have happened between River and I that make me feel like having a different… situation… would be beneficial.” I wrinkled my brow. “I don’t want to get into the mud with River. I… I just want to make a clean break.”

“I heartily agree.”

“Do you?” I asked in surprise.

She sighed. “Yes. I’ll admit, I like River. I find him charming. But I also see him more clearly than the majority of the people in town. You see him clearly too.”

“Yes. I think I do. We rub each other the wrong way. Hence my desire to move.” I glanced around the space, inhaling the scent of drywall and fresh paint. By all rights, I should have been pleased with the spot, but it just felt so… dull. Generic. My old clinic had had such character.

And the pool. God, I’d miss that damn pool.

She narrowed her eyes. “The more I think about it, the more I don’t like this location for you.”

“No?”

She shook her head. “Why don’t you tell me exactly what it is you’re looking for? I can see from your expression it isn’t this place.”

I gritted my teeth. “Is it that obvious?”

“It is to me.” She tapped her chin with a perfectly manicured nail. “This landlord is offering wonderful terms. But it doesn’t matter how good the deal is if you hate the location.”

“That’s true,” I murmured. “But maybe this is the best I can do with what’s available. Perhaps my fate is to end up in a boring old business park like this.”

“You do realize no one can force you to take this spot, right?” She sounded amused.

I smiled grudgingly. “Yes. But perhaps replicating what I had isn’t possible.”

“What was it about the last location that you miss the most?”

I didn’t have to think hard to give her answers. “I liked living over the clinic. I spend a lot of hours at work, and it was wonderful to be able to go upstairs and be home.”

She laughed. “I get it. I work long hours as well.”

I sighed. “Plus, I loved the pool. I swam almost every night, until it got too cold.”

“I’d forgotten about the pool.” She narrowed her eyes. “That was a most unusual setup.”

“Yes. I guess that’s why, when I look at this spot, it just doesn’t do it for me. I appreciate that the landlord is motivated, but when I try to picture myself here, it’s depressing.”

“Many tenants would be thrilled with the free rent.” She twisted her lips, and her gaze was assessing. “But it isn’t about the money for you.”

“No. It’s not about the money.”

“Hmmm.” She tugged her phone out of her purse. “I think I understand better now what you’re looking for. You’re not just looking for a work location. You’re also looking for a home.”

“That is the other side of the coin. I suppose I should have mentioned that. If I take this space, or anything like it, I’ll need to find somewhere to live. Royce has been very kind in giving me a home after the fire, but I can’t impose forever.”

She smiled. “I don’t think Sheriff Callum sees having you there as an imposition.”

“If he did, he wouldn’t tell me.” I grimaced. “He’s way too nice.”

Laughing, she said, “Yes. Sheriff Callum is exceedingly nice. But he’s not a pushover.”

I frowned. “Meaning what?”

“Well… er…” She gave a funny little laugh. “Can I ask you a personal question?”

“I guess so?”

“Are you serious about Sheriff Callum?”

My face warmed. “Why do you ask?”

She bit her bottom lip, a line between her brows. “Because I happen to know he’s serious about you. I suppose I’m hoping you’re on the same page. I’d hate for him to get his heart crushed.”

I didn’t like sharing details of my love life with people I barely knew, but I also didn’t want her thinking I was just using Royce. “Royce is my sole reason for staying in Rainy Dale.”

A smile touched her lips. “I hoped you’d say that.”

“Did you?”

She nodded, adjusting the brightly colored silk scarf around her neck. “I wouldn’t offer you what I’m about to offer you if I felt you were using Sheriff Callum.”

“You’re about to offer me something?”

“Yes,” she said quietly. “I have a property that’s not officially on the market yet. I think it’s exactly what you’re looking for.”

Excitement jangled through me. “It’s not on the market?”

“It will be. I’ve only shown it to… certain clients. It’s a special property, but then your needs are quite unusual.”

“How soon will it be available?”

She wrinkled her brow. “Well, if you didn’t have me as your Realtor, I’d have to say a few months? The seller tends to procrastinate.”

My stomach sank. “Oh. I don’t think that would work. The build-out of the clinic will already take months. I need to get back into my own space ASAP.” I wasn’t sure how much longer River and I could coexist. Things were deteriorating quickly. “I hoped to find somewhere where I could move in quicker.”

Instead of looking disappointed at my reaction, Mrs. Numi grinned. “Did you not hear the part about me being your Realtor?”

Feeling confused, I blinked at her.

“I’m good at what I do, Dr. Thornton.”

I held out my hands in a placating motion. “I know that, Mrs. Numi. I didn’t mean to imply otherwise. It’s just, my schedule is very tight.”

“Yes. I understand that.” She scrolled through her phone as she spoke. “What you don’t know is that I’m very tight with the seller. I’m positive I can get you the property in question and have the deal sealed by the end of this month.”

“Really?” I asked skeptically.

“Yes indeedy.”

“Oh. Uh… but I haven’t even seen this property.”

“No you have not, dear.” She gave me a patronizing smile. “How about I take you over there now?”

“Now?”

“I believe you stressed time is of the essence?”

Feeling flustered, I stammered, “Is… this… is this another business park?”

She shook her head. “Goodness, no.”

“Okay.” Well, that was good, at least. “What kind of property is it?”

She held up one silencing finger, pressing her phone to her ear. “Hello, Reginald? It’s Mrs. Numi.” She laughed gaily at something the person on the other end of the line said. “I want to bring someone by to meet you. Are you home this evening? Excellent. We’ll be right over.” She hung up. “It’s all set. Follow me in your car.”

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” She gave a secretive little smile. “Oh, you’re gonna love me by the end of this, Dr. Thornton.”

“Uh… okay.” I followed her out of the space and hurried to my car. I wasn’t sure how to feel about how mysterious she was being. I didn’t love surprises.

She was in her car and pulling away down the road before I even had the key in the ignition. I started the engine and pulled out onto the highway, my tires screeching a little. I winced and pressed the gas so that I didn’t lose her.

Mrs. Numi drove down Main Street in the direction of Royce’s house. I was glad she hadn’t headed to the outskirts of town. I was hoping to have my clinic more in the center of things this time around. I’d enjoyed the privacy of where my other practice had been, but it would be more convenient to actually be in town.

At one point, she turned off the main road and down a short driveway. She parked in the circular driveway of a two-story building. The structure had an illuminated sign that read Johnson’s Dentistry.

Mrs. Numi climbed out of her vehicle and indicated she wanted me to park behind her. I did that and got out of my car, staring up at the redbrick building. Dormant vines of wisteria covered the face of the building, and the front yard had several mature oak trees. Glancing around, I appreciated how private it was. It was a huge lot, possibly even two acres, with most of the land on the side and back of the building.

“I had no idea this was here,” I murmured.

She smiled. “It’s a bit hidden. It wouldn’t do for a retail shop, but for a destination business, it’s perfect.”

“Yes.” I didn’t see a For Sale sign or anything indicating the place was for lease. Then I remembered Mrs. Numi had mentioned the place she wanted to show me wasn’t yet on the market.

“Dr. Johnson is an old friend of mine.” She began walking toward the front door. “Not everyone knows this, but he’s retiring.”

“Okay.” I followed her.

“He’s moving to Florida. His daughter lives there.” She rang the doorbell.

“And this place is secretly for lease?”

“For sale, actually.” She rang the bell again. “He wants to sell the building and the land.”

I raised my brows. “I see.”

She lowered her voice. “I’ve only shown the property to a few… special clients… like yourself. To be honest, most of my clients don’t have the budget for this listing.”

“I see.”

She sighed. “So far, we’ve had no offers.”

I frowned. “Is there something wrong with the place?”

She laughed. “No. It’s just most of the clients I’ve brought didn’t necessarily want to purchase the building and the land.”

“Oh. I get it.”

“Poor Reginald is beginning to worry he might have to hang on to the place and just lease the building out. He really prefers to sell and move to Florida free and clear.”

“It probably is harder to be an out-of-state landlord.”

“Yes. Although I told him I’d be happy to manage the property for him. Still, he’d prefer to just move on with his life.”

“I guess I can understand that.”

The heavy mahogany door opened, and a man stood there in bare feet, gray sweatpants, and a Beatles T-shirt. Since it was a dentist’s office, I’d expected to be greeted by someone dressed more professionally. The casually dressed man appeared to be in his early seventies, with white whiskers and bright blue eyes.

“Mrs. Numi,” he said cheerfully. “Is this the young fella you were telling me about?”

Young fella?

“Yep. This is Dr. Thornton.” Mrs. Numi gestured toward me. “Dr. Thornton, this is Dr. Reginald Johnson, DDS.”

I held out my hand. “Nice to meet you, sir.”

Reginald shook my hand, looking me up and down. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Have you?” I asked warily.

“You’ve put a lot of people off.”

I grimaced. “I think I’m doing much better lately.”

He laughed. “Well, even if people complain you’re a little rough on them, they all agree you’re an excellent doctor.”

I gave a weak smile. “I’ve heard I’m an acquired taste.”

He chuckled and stepped back to allow us in.

I followed Mrs. Numi into the house and found myself in a large waiting room. The smell was medicinal in nature, but the oak floors and beige walls made the space feel homey. To the right of me was what looked like a reception area. There was a desk with a computer, a printer, and shelves hugging the wall, filled with medical records.

On my left, there was a flight of stairs leading to the upper level. In the center of the room, there was seating for the patients, arranged in the shape of a horseshoe.

“This really is a dentist’s office,” I said.

Reginald frowned. “Of course it is.”

“It’s just, the way you were dressed when you opened the door.” I shrugged.

“I’m closed for the day.” Reginald laughed.

“Is that right.” My gaze dropped to his bare feet.

Mrs. Numi smiled. “This is a mixed-use building, Dr. Thornton. Much like what your other location was. Reginald lives upstairs.”

“Really?” That sounded promising. Very promising.

Mrs. Numi winked at Reginald. “Why don’t you show him around?”

Reginald nodded. “Sure.” He turned and headed past the chairs in the waiting area toward a hallway. There were doors on either side of the hall, indicating a total of four rooms. Reginald pushed open one of the doors. “This is examination room one. There are two others, and the fourth larger one I use as my office.”

“That’s… amazing,” I said, feeling breathless. I had to be dreaming. The setup was so similar to my old one, it felt too good to be true. “Mrs. Numi said you’re selling the building and the land?”

“Well, that was the plan. But it seems there isn’t a huge market for both at the moment. People either want the land, or they want the building, but so far, nobody wants both.”

I want both.

I had to stop myself from blurting that out. I had no idea what he was asking price-wise. It was entirely possible that he was asking way too much, and that was why he’d had no nibbles. Or maybe there really was something wrong with the place. Mrs. Numi could easily be lying about that part of the equation. I also hadn’t seen the entire building or land. I needed to calm down and be logical about all of this. In business, emotions led to bad decisions. It would be best if I kept my head and focused on things analytically.

With that in mind, I stepped into examination room one. There was a dental chair in the center of the room, and to the right, cupboards over a sink. It wasn’t a big room, but definitely big enough. I also found it soothing that everything was clean and organized. We’d dropped in on him so suddenly, I doubted he’d have had time to stage the place for our visit.

Reginald said, “The other two rooms are very similar. I find it handy to have three rooms because I can work on three patients at once.” He grimaced. “I should say I used to find it very handy. I haven’t booked many patients recently because I’d been so busy trying to figure out my retirement plans.”

“This is a really nice setup,” I admitted. There was no harm in being honest about that. I’d become conditioned not to expect too much while living in Rainy Dale. But I really didn’t want to settle. I thought about that other spot in the Bandito Business Park, and I shuddered. This building had life. Potential. I could see myself here.

Reginald sighed. “I’ve loved working and living here the last thirty-five years. But it’s time for my next chapter. My wife, Stella, died last year, and if I’m honest, I regret not retiring sooner.”

I frowned. “I’m sorry.”

“Thanks. I… I loved my work, but I dropped the ball in my personal life more than I should have.” His voice was painted with regret. “That’s why I want to be near my daughter and her kids in Florida. I spent far too many years working and ignoring the people I loved. I kept thinking I’d make it up to everybody once I retired. Then Stella died.” He grimaced. “Best-laid plans, right?”

“It’s important to put effort into the people we love.” I was surprised when that sentimental statement slipped out. But Reginald seemed pleased, so I decided it was okay. “So, you also live here?”

“Yep. There’s a suite upstairs. The kitchen is downstairs, and Stella always hated that.” He gave a melancholy smile. “But frankly, it’s more convenient during working hours. I could get my caffeine fix more easily.”

“I agree. I suspect my blood is more caffeine than plasma these days.” Again, a niggle of excitement tried to take root. There was no denying this setup was exactly what I’d wanted. I’d planned on upgrading my old layout during the rebuild to add an extra examination room. This place already had three exam rooms. That was amazing. Naturally, I’d need to tweak things. I’d have to remove the dental chairs and put in examination tables. But it was probably as close to perfect as I was ever going to get.

Behind me, Mrs. Numi chuckled. “It’s just what you’re looking for, isn’t it, Dr. Thornton?”

I turned to face her, trying to keep my face blank. “I haven’t seen enough to know,” I lied.

“If you say so.” She had a knowing twinkle in her eye. “How about you show him upstairs, Reginald?”

“My pleasure.” Reginald left the room.

I followed him out of the room and up the stairs. As I moved up the wooden steps, I ran my hand along the smooth oak banister. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I belonged here. The minute I’d entered the building, it had just felt… right. But I still didn’t want to get too excited. Whether this was everything I’d hoped for or not, it was a huge decision. If I bought land in Rainy Dale, that was a big deal. It was a real commitment.

Upstairs, there was a bonus room with a TV and couch. The extra living space was a nice upgrade from what I’d had before. In my last place, the upstairs had really only been the bedroom area. It had been fine for me, but there hadn’t been anywhere to entertain guests. Here, I could picture me and Royce spending a cozy evening watching a movie.

Don’t get ahead of yourself.

Reginald led me to the master bedroom, which was slightly bigger than the one I’d had before. The master bathroom was quite a bit bigger and upgraded nicely. I caught my reflection in the mirror over the granite sink and was startled by how thrilled I looked. My poker face was failing miserably. I looked flushed and excited at everything I was seeing. No wonder Mrs. Numi had seen right through me.

“It’s wonderful, isn’t it?” Mrs. Numi nudged, standing just outside the bathroom.

“It’s fine.” I turned and walked out of the bathroom to stand near the window next to the bed.

“The light in here is very cheerful,” Reginald said.

“Yes.” I nodded. The room had lots of windows, which I loved. But was I ready to make an offer? Would I be a fool not to? I wasn’t going to leave Rainy Dale because I wasn’t going to leave Royce. I had to find a spot for my clinic, but there would of course be cheaper options than this place.

As if reading my mind, Reginald said, “I’m willing to negotiate.” Reginald met my gaze, looking sincere. “Make me an offer, Dr. Thornton.”

“Oh, well, this is a huge decision,” I mumbled. “I’m not an impulsive person.”

Sounding exasperated, Mrs. Numi said, “Oh, stop playing hard to get, Dr. Thornton. This is exactly what you’re looking for, and you know it.”

I swallowed hard. “Even so, this place must be very pricy.”

“I seem to remember you saying money was no object.” Mrs. Numi smirked.

“Yes, but still…” I let out a shaky breath and glanced out the window toward the backyard. My eyes bugged when I noticed a sparkling pool. I literally gasped. “There’s a pool?”

Behind me, Mrs. Numi started laughing. “Took you long enough to notice.”

I turned to face her and found both her and Reginald grinning. “I… how… what…”

“What do you say we go down and talk price?” Mrs. Numi said, looking very pleased with herself.

Chapter Ten

Royce

I’d wanted to chat with Angela after Janelle’s interview, but Janelle was so emotionally drained, Angela insisted on taking her home. I couldn’t exactly object, considering Janelle’s fragile mental state. Instead, I scheduled Angela for the next day. It wasn’t like there weren’t plenty of people to talk to. Thomas the chauffeur was scheduled later today, as was Janelle’s father, Michael.

I spent some time reading over Kobe’s and Janelle’s statements. Their stories seemed to support what the other had seen. I was confused about why Archie had left the reception when Janelle had been upset by Kobe, but he hadn’t actually gone to comfort her. I didn’t think she was lying about not seeing him again before his death. Had he not gone to her because he’d been sidetracked by Angela and then Michael? Would one of them have had the time to murder him?

Obviously, the killer had managed to catch Archie alone. Not necessarily an easy task considering how many guests there had been. Whoever this person was, they’d been very stealthy. Stabbing someone in the throat was a bloody task. There would most certainly have been blood spatter on the clothing of the killer. I hadn’t noticed blood on any of the guests’ or staff’s clothing.

The only person I knew for certain who’d changed their clothes during the reception was Angela. She’d switched out of her dress into a pantsuit at one point. She’d said she’d spilled wine on her dress. I’d asked her to bring her dress in when she dropped Janelle off, but she’d forgotten and promised to drop it off tomorrow. If she forgot again, I’d send one of my deputies to her home to get it.

While I found it difficult to imagine Angela stabbing Archie in the throat, it wasn’t impossible. Although, she was the sort of woman who thought breaking a fingernail was a major catastrophe. Then again, jealousy and rage could turn people into monsters. But, to be honest, Angela didn’t seem the stabbing type. I could see her poisoning someone if she felt it suited her needs, but a knife probably wasn’t her weapon of choice. Either way, I needed to have her dress tested for blood.

I didn’t have the time of death from the ME yet but hoped to soon. I could, however, estimate a time of death based on when Archie had left the reception and when his body had been found. Judging by my superficial examination of his body, the lack of rigor mortis and the temperature of the body made it obvious the murder had occurred fairly close to the discovery of the body.

According to Janelle’s and Kobe’s statements, the killer wouldn’t have had much time to kill Archie. They’d also have had to stuff the body in the limo, which would have been no easy task. Especially without being seen. But unless someone had seen the murder and just wasn’t coming forward, the killer had managed it.

I ate a quick lunch at my desk, wolfing down a turkey sandwich Deputy Sam was kind enough to bring me. I washed it down with a can of Coke, and by the time I sat down to interview Thomas, I’d had so much caffeine, my hands were shaking. However, Thomas was so nervous I highly doubted he noticed anything about me at all.

“Thanks for coming in, Thomas,” I began.

He met my gaze. “Of course. It’s the least I can do.”

“I wanted to pick your brain about what you saw the day of the wedding.” I opened the notepad in front of me on the table, also pulling a pen from my pocket.

Thomas nodded. “I’ll tell you what I know.”

“The limousine wasn’t parked in front of the restaurant the entire day, is that correct?”

“Correct. The restaurant didn’t want it there. After I dropped off the wedding party, I parked the limo in the parking lot of Vinney’s. They don’t open until 5:30 p.m., and I knew I’d be moving it before that.”

“What time did you bring the limousine back?”

He squinted. “I think it was around 4:30 p.m. when Archie texted me to bring the car back. He said things were getting hairy and that he wanted to leave with Janelle before they got worse.”

“He texted you? Do you still have that text?”

“Sure.” He nodded and tugged his phone from his pocket. After pulling up his messages, he said, “It’s right there.” He pushed his phone across the table toward me.

I picked up the phone and scanned the message. He was right about the time. It made sense because that was around when Kobe had made his drunken speech. “Did you see Archie when you got to the restaurant?”

He shook his head. “Well, I saw him from a distance. But I didn’t talk to him.”

I scribbled some notes on my pad. “Why didn’t you talk to him?”

“Because he was having a conversation with Mr. Raiden, Janelle’s father.” His expression tensed. “It looked like a very heated conversation, if I’m honest.”

“I see. Did you see how long this… conversation lasted?”

“Not long once I arrived.” He met my gaze, looking worried. “Mr. Raiden was losing his shit at Archie. I couldn’t hear what was being said, but it was obvious Mr. Raiden was furious.”

“Once they were done arguing, where did Archie go?”

Grimacing, Thomas said, “I don’t know. I didn’t see Archie leave. I got distracted when Mrs. Raiden came up to me and told me to get the presents in the trunk of the car.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “She was really drunk.”

“But you didn’t put the presents in the car at that time, did you?”

“No.”

“And why was that?”

Guilt shifted through his gaze. “I got a phone call from my girlfriend.”

“Okay. How long did that last?”

“About ten minutes.” He pointed toward his phone. “The record of the call is on there if you want to look at it. You’ll be able to see how long the phone call was.”

I nodded, but when I tried to open the phone, it asked for a password. “Can you unlock it?”

“Oh yeah, sorry.” He took the phone and opened it again. “There you go. It’s under Blue Eyes. That’s my nickname for her.”

I scrolled to his phone calls from yesterday, noticing there was indeed a phone call from Blue Eyes around 4:40 p.m. “So after you hung up, what did you do?”

“I went to find Archie to verify he wanted me to load up the presents, but I couldn’t find him anywhere. Then I saw Janelle talking with one of her bridesmaids. You and Dr. Thornton were there too.”

“That’s right.”

“I asked Janelle if she wanted me to load the presents, and she said sure. But you know that because you heard the whole thing.” He gave a gruff laugh. “Mrs. Raiden didn’t like me double-checking with Janelle, that was obvious. She gave me the evil eye. I think she took it personally that I hadn’t obeyed her immediately about loading the presents. I just wanted to be sure I did what Archie and Janelle wanted.”

“I wouldn’t worry about it. Mrs. Raiden is used to people jumping when she speaks. But Archie was your boss, so it made sense you’d want to know what he wanted first.”

“Thanks. That’s how I saw it, but it was pretty obvious Mrs. Raiden did not see it my way.”

“So, while you were trying to find Archie, how long was the limousine left unattended?”

“Well, it took me a while to look around for Archie, to no avail. There was probably a twenty-minute window where nobody was watching the car? I wasn’t worried about it because it was right in front of the restaurant.”

“Was the car locked?”

Guilt reappeared on his face. “No. I didn’t think about it being a problem. It seemed safe enough where it was.”

“You didn’t worry at all about someone stealing the car?”

“No. Not in broad daylight. I mean, it’s not like you can steal a limousine and blend into the crowd. It kind of stands out.”

“Okay.” I studied him. “Do you live in Rainy Dale?”

“Yes.”

“Did you enjoy working for Archie?”

His smile was genuine, but it faded away quickly. “I did. He was really nice to me. He seemed to appreciate how hard I worked, and a lot of people don’t. Chauffeurs are kind of invisible. Which I don’t really mind, so long as people treat me nicely.”

“So then you had no ill will toward Archie?” I watched him closely for any signs of deception. I saw none.

He widened his eyes. “Heck no. I feel sick to my stomach knowing what happened to him. Not only am I out of a job, but he was a great person. A great boss.”

“You don’t think Janelle will keep the limousine business going?”

He hung his head. “I highly doubt it. It was Archie’s thing. Janelle didn’t seem interested at all in the business.”

“What do you think she’ll do with it?”

“My guess is she’ll sell it.” He glanced up. “If I had the money, I’d buy it myself. But I don’t.”

“Were you Archie’s only driver?”

“He had another guy, but he fired him.” Thomas gritted his teeth. “His name was Marcos.”

“Do you know why he was fired?”

“He was rude to the customers. Archie wouldn’t stand for that.”

I frowned. “Do you know Marcos’s last name?” I could get that information, but it was easier just to ask Thomas.

“Grover.”

“I’ll have a little chat with Mr. Grover. See if maybe he was harboring ill will toward Archie.”

“I’m sure he was. He definitely threatened Archie the day he fired him, but I didn’t see Marcos at the wedding.” Thomas shrugged. “But that doesn’t mean he wasn’t there, I suppose.”

From what I could tell, Thomas had enjoyed a good relationship with his boss. I didn’t sense any malice from him whatsoever. The only time I’d seen any real irritation from him was when he was discussing Angela Raiden. I couldn’t exactly blame him for finding her abrasive. She wasn’t always very nice, and she was especially unpleasant to anyone she perceived as beneath her.

“Was the trunk of the limousine closed?” I asked.

He shivered. “No. I’d already popped the lid earlier with the lever near the driver’s seat. I didn’t know when I’d be loading the gifts, but I knew it would be soon. I figured if the trunk was already open, it would be easier with my arms full, right?”

“Makes sense.”

“So, I just bumped the trunk lid with my knee when I got to the car with the presents… and that’s when I saw Archie.” He paled slightly, and he swallowed hard. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to get the picture of… him… out of my head. It was so horrible.”

“Yes.” I grimaced. “It’ll take time to forget.”

“I just keep thinking about why someone would want to kill Archie. It makes no sense to me. He wasn’t a bully or someone who drew much attention to himself. He was just a regular, nice person.”

“Murder isn’t always logical.”

“I guess.” He blew out a breath. “I feel so bad for Janelle. What a horrible shock she had.”

“Do you know Janelle well?”

“No. I’ve seen her, of course, when she’d come to see Archie at work. We never interacted that much.” He shrugged. “But she seemed nice.”

“Yeah, I think she is nice.” I closed my notepad and slid his phone back to him. “Well, Thomas, I appreciate your time today. If you think of anything else you forgot to tell me, please give me a call.”

He lifted his brows in surprise. “That’s it?”

“Yep.”

“Wow, I thought it’d be way worse than that.” He gave a sheepish laugh.

I smiled. “Were you expecting bamboo under the fingernails?”

He stood. “I definitely thought you’d be way harder on me.”

“Well, you were cooperative, so I didn’t need to put the screws to you.” I also got to my feet. “If I think of anything else I need to ask you, I’ll let you know. But for now, you’re free to go.”

“Great. Thanks, Sheriff.” He left the room quickly, almost as if he was afraid I’d change my mind.

Glancing at my watch, I saw that my interview with Michael Raiden was looming. I went to the refrigerator in the breakroom and grabbed a cold bottle of water. I’d definitely had enough caffeine for one day. I returned to my office to put my feet up for a bit, and my thoughts wandered to Max.

I hadn’t seen him before he’d left for work this morning, and I wondered how he was doing. Yesterday had been traumatic for all involved. I wanted to check on him but didn’t want to bother him at work. I’d catch up with him later tonight, if I could get out of here at a halfway reasonable hour.

I also still needed to make up my mind whether I was gonna hang on to Kobe or release him. While he still seemed like the most obvious suspect, I’d need more evidence if I was going to convince the DA to charge him with murder.

As if the universe was reading my mind, my email dinged, indicating a message. I was excited to see the email was from the ME. I scanned the long report, stopping at the mention of the victim having a black eye. I’d noticed bruising around Archie’s eye socket yesterday but hadn’t been confident that I was seeing what I thought I was seeing. The ME had now confirmed that Archie had indeed sustained a black eye shortly before his death.

There was a knock on my door. “Come in,” I called out.

Deputy Dusty opened the door to my office. “I put Michael Raiden in interview room two.” He raised his brows. “And for the record, he does not look happy.”

I sighed. “Awesome. Another satisfied citizen.”

“Everybody wants you to solve the murder, but nobody wants to be questioned. They don’t seem to understand how this works.”

“Agreed. Thanks for letting me know, Dusty.”

He patted the doorframe. “You bet.” He left the room.

With a tired grunt, I stood, gathered my notepad, and headed to interview room two. When I entered the room, Michael looked flushed and surly. He was a burly man who managed to make the interview room shrink from his bristling presence. His silver hair was shaved in a buzz cut, no doubt a nod to his days as a Marine. I’d never had any problems with him, but then again, we didn’t really run in the same circles. Today, he looked anything but happy to see me.

“I appreciate you coming in, Mr. Raiden,” I said politely.

From across the table, he studied me. His dark eyes were resentful and his face tense. “I find it ridiculous that you think you need to question me and my family,” he growled.

Yeah, he’s pissed.

“I’m just doing my job, Mr. Raiden.” I kept my voice as pleasant as possible.

He scowled. “You know Kobe did it. I don’t know why you’re putting on this dog-and-pony show. It’s very obvious who killed Archie.”

“I need actual evidence to arrest someone. At the moment, I don’t have nearly enough to say for sure Kobe did anything to Archie.”

His mouth thinned. “You must be kidding.”

“No.”

“You’re wasting taxpayers’ money. It’s Kobe, and you know it is. I demand you arrest him immediately and stop hounding me and my family.”

“I’m not hounding anybody. I’m just asking questions.”

“I disagree. I insist you stop this ridiculous waste of time.”

Irritation prickled me, and I leaned toward him. I wasn’t going to let him bully me from doing my job. “That’s not going to happen.”

“Oh, really?” he snapped.

“Yeah, really.” I straightened, holding his surly gaze. “Now, let’s talk about the argument you had with Archie right before he died. Shall we?”

Ruddy color filled his cheeks. “What are you insinuating?”

“I’m not insinuating anything.”

“You’re tone of voice implies you know something.”

I sighed. “I simply asked a question. How about you answer?”

His face twitched. “I don’t recall arguing with anyone.”

“Well, that’s odd. Because I have more than one eyewitness account of you arguing with the victim.”

“Says who?”

“Says several people.”

He scowled. “They’re lying.”

“I don’t think so.”

He curled his lip. “Oh, you don’t think so, huh?”

“That’s right. And frankly, my opinion is the one that matters.”

He didn’t care for that comment at all. He bunched his shoulders and inclined toward me. “You listen to me, Sheriff,” he rumbled. “I’m a very powerful man in this town.”

“And your point is?” It wasn’t the first time I’d been face-to-face with someone who thought they were too important to be questioned. While it wasn’t pleasant, it was necessary to hold my ground. People like Michael Raiden seemed to think money equaled carte blanche to do whatever they wanted. They were wrong.

He sneered. “What do you think the chances of you being reelected are if you get on my bad side?”

I almost laughed, except I didn’t really find his threat funny. “I guess we’ll see when the time comes.”

“Maybe I’ll run against you myself.”

“It’s a free country.”

His eyes flickered. “You really don’t know your place, do you?”

Anger curled in my gut, but I hid it. “Just doing my job, Mr. Raiden. I’m sorry if that’s a problem for you.”

“Does Mayor Gaynor know how disrespectful you are to people like me?”

“I ain’t tryin’ to disrespect anybody. I’m tryin’ to figure out how Archie ended up dead and in the back of his limousine. I need to ask lots of people questions. I need to ask you questions. If that means you’re upset with me, there’s nothing I can do about that.”

He jabbed a meaty finger at me. “You don’t seem to get what’s going on here.”

“What’s going on here is I’m trying to solve a brutal murder,” I grated out.

“And I told you I didn’t do it. Still, you insist on harassing me.”

“Mr. Raiden,” I said quietly, “you were present at the scene of a murder. I have the authority to question you about that murder. If I didn’t question you, I’d be remiss in my duties. If you want to make this into a personal thing between you and me, be my guest. But your anger isn’t going to stop me from asking you questions.”

He looked like he was going to argue some more, but then he sat back in his chair. After a few moments, he said, “I didn’t kill Archie. Nobody in my family killed anybody.”

“Naturally, I can’t just take your word for it.” I sighed. “To be honest, you’re making this way harder than it needs to be. If you’d stop giving me a hard time, I probably could have already asked you everything I needed to ask you.”

His mouth hardened, but he seemed to relent ever so slightly. “Fine. Hurry up and ask your foolish questions. I’m a busy man, and I don’t have time for this nonsense.”

“I don’t consider solving a murder nonsense.”

“Do you have questions for me or not?” he rasped.

His pompous expression irked me, but I tried to shake off my anger. It was hard to think straight when I was mad. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “The day of the wedding, did you or did you not have words with Archie?”

A muscle jerked repeatedly in his cheek. “I didn’t approve of him.”

“That’s not exactly an answer.”

“Okay, yes. I had words with Archie.”

“All right. When was this?”

“I didn’t check my watch,” he said snidely.

“An approximate time will do.”

He shrugged. “It was right after that fool Kobe embarrassed himself.”

“Okay.” I nodded. “According to witness statements, your argument with Archie took place in front of the restaurant. Is that how you remember it?”

“Yes,” he snapped.

“Why were you upset with Archie? I’d have thought you’d have been furious with Kobe, not Archie.”

He crossed his arms, and the material of his suit seemed to strain. “Oh, believe me. If I’d seen Kobe, I’d have happily strangled him. As it was, I ran into Archie first.”

“What was your problem with Archie?”

“I told you, I didn’t approve of him for my daughter.”

“Was that the only reason you had a problem with him?”

The muscles of his jaw clamped. “None of your business.”

I sighed. “Seriously? We’re going to start that again?”

He studied me, obviously struggling with his pride. Finally, he said, “My issues with Archie were a personal matter.”

“Murder usually is personal.”

He hissed, “For the millionth time, I didn’t murder Archie. It’s true I didn’t like him. He was all wrong for my daughter. But I didn’t murder him.”

I studied him, noting the anger still glittering in his eyes. Archie was dead, yet Michael still seemed to harbor anger at the other man. If he’d murdered his son-in-law, I’d have thought some of that anger would’ve dissipated. But it was still there.

“Did you punch Archie?” A cursory glance of his hands had already revealed to me some scraps on his knuckles.

The flush returned, as did his bluster. “What kind of question is that? How could you ask me that? Why, I’ll have your badge for harassing me and my family this way.”

“It’s a fair question,” I said evenly.

“A fair question? You’re asking me if I attacked the murder victim.”

I studied him, weighing whether or not I wanted to mention Archie going to the gazebo with Angela. Michael was already furious with me. His head would probably explode if I brought up his wife’s possible infidelity. I decided I had nothing to lose because he was already in the red zone.

“There are rumors about your wife. Have you heard them?”

As expected, his fury intensified. If he’d been a chimney, black smoke would’ve been pouring out of his ears. “Excuse me?” he hissed. “What did you just say?”

“It’s a simple question.”

“A… s… s… simple question?” He spluttered. “Asking if my wife sleeps around is just a simple question to you?”

I narrowed my eyes. “Mr. Raiden, I never said what the rumors were.”

He blinked at me, looking confused and furious. “Well… I…”

I leaned back in my chair. “Considering your response to my question, I’m going to have to say you have indeed heard some rumors.”

He raked a hand over his short hair, appearing muddled. “I don’t listen to rumors.”

“Okay.” I studied him. “I have an eyewitness account of your wife sneaking off with Archie during the reception. Does that surprise you?”

“There you go again, insinuating things,” he grated out.

“I’m not insinuating anything. I’m telling you what this witness says they saw. According to them, Archie and your wife went to the gazebo on the private patio next to the restaurant.”

He slammed his fist down on the table. “That’s a lie!”

I could tell from the way his gaze flickered, he knew it wasn’t. But he was a prideful man, and getting him to admit anything would not be easy. “Why would people make that up?”

His jaw was set stubbornly. “My wife did not cheat on me with Archie.”

I narrowed my eyes. “If you punched Archie, the ME will be able to identify you.”

He blinked at me, looking uneasy.

I pushed harder. “Every time we touch something, we leave DNA evidence. Surely you know that?”

Michael’s face hardened. “I’m not saying I did hit him, but if… if he did what you’re saying he did with my wife, who could blame me if I took a swing?”

Obviously, I wasn’t cool with him hitting Archie, but I decided being sympathetic to him might get me further than telling him that. “A lot of people might feel the way you do.”

He nodded, shifting in his seat. “Exactly. A… a man has to protect what’s his.”

“That’s one way to look at it.”

“I’ve never been someone who let people walk all over me.”

No, you walk over them instead.

“Is that right?” I twisted my lips. “So, just how far were you willing to go to protect what was… yours, Mr. Raiden?”

“As far as it takes,” he rumbled but then seemed to catch himself. “I mean, within the law, that is.”

“Right.” I tapped the tip of my pen against the table. “So, let’s say… hypothetically… you punched Archie in anger.”

He waggled a finger at me. “I’m not officially admitting to that.”

My smile was tight. “Naturally.”

He harrumphed and settled back in his chair.

“As I was saying, after your altercation with Archie, where did he go?” I watched for any tics or telltale signs he was about to make something up.

His gaze flicked around the room, avoiding mine. “Well, he, uh… was angry, and he stormed off.”

“In what direction?”

He sniffed. “I assumed he’d go run to Janelle and whine about how mean I was, but surprisingly, he didn’t.”

“Where did he go?” I asked patiently.

“At first, he headed toward Janelle, but then he veered off and went around the side of the restaurant.”

I frowned. “Did he go to the gazebo?”

“How the hell would I know?”

Gritting my teeth, I asked, “After you struck him, did he try to hit you back, or did he just take the punch and storm off?”

“You mean after I hypothetically hit him?”

I could almost hear my patience snapping like the strings of an antique violin. “Could you please just answer the question?”

He smirked. “He stormed off. A real man would’ve hit back, but Archie was a pussy.”

“Perhaps he just didn’t feel right about punching his father-in-law,” I said tersely.

“You’re entitled to your opinion.” He shrugged. “But I could tell he was afraid to fight me.”

I was really beginning to dislike Mr. Raiden. He was draining what little energy I had left. I felt like I was trying to cycle up a mountain with no chain on my bike. Drawing in a breath, I asked, “So, you don’t know where Archie went after you hit—”

“Hypothetically hit him, you mean?” he interrupted.

I had a vision of my chainless bike flying off the side of the mountain. He was making me work way too hard for the amount of information I was getting. I was struggling to keep my cool, which wasn’t a good thing. I decided it might be best to revisit Mr. Raiden and his statement another time. “You know what, Mr. Raiden? I think I’ll just bring you in during the week to finish our discussion.”

“Wait. What?” He looked startled.

“Maybe when you’re in a more cooperative mood, we can have a more useful conversation. This just feels like you’re wasting my time. I’ll be speaking with Angela tomorrow. Perhaps she’ll be more forthright in answering my questions.” I tucked my pen away, indicating I was wrapping things up.

For whatever reason, he didn’t seem pleased with me ending the interview. “I don’t want to come in again. I want to get this over with now.”

I studied him, wondering if he was the most contrary man I’d ever met. He’d fought me tooth and nail about answering any questions at all, and now he was offended I was letting him leave. “I don’t have the energy for you right now.”

He sputtered, “What does that mean?”

“It means I’m exhausted, and getting answers out of you is too much work.” I stood. “I’ll bring you in later in the week. You’re free to go.”

“No.” He scowled. “Sit down, Sheriff. I’d rather finish this interview right now.”

“I suspect my time will be better spent elsewhere.”

His demeanor changed from combative to conciliatory in an instant. He forced an obviously phony smile. “You’re getting the wrong idea about me. My bark is much worse than my bite, Sheriff. Please sit down. I guess the stress of the situation isn’t bringing out my best traits.”

To put it mildly.

I frowned. “If I continue this interview, are you going to cooperate? Because I really am serious; I do not have the patience for your attitude. I’ve got a lot of people I need to talk to, and I don’t want to waste my time.”

“What was it you were asking me?” he asked agreeably. “Something about why I hit Archie?”

I sighed and sat down again. “I was asking where he went after that.”

“That’s right. I’m afraid I didn’t see where he went.” He exhaled, looking pained. “The worst part is apparently he didn’t do anything with Angela.”

“No?”

“I thought they had fooled around when I saw them sneaking out of the gazebo together. Archie denied it, but I didn’t believe him. However, Angela later admitted he’d rejected her advances.”

“So… you hit Archie for no reason?”

“Well, if I can believe Angela, yes. But it wasn’t hard to think they’d fooled around. Even though Archie denied it, I know how Angela gets when she’s three sheets to the wind.”

I scribbled some notes, stamping down my disgust. “After your altercation with Archie, did you go anywhere near the limousine?”

“No.” His voice was clipped.

“How about Angela? Did you see her near the limousine at any time?”

He scowled. “Why? Are you trying to imply that Angela murdered Archie?”

“Well, supposedly he rejected her advances.”

He guffawed. “Angela can’t carry a twenty-pound bag of dog food. I highly doubt she could murder Archie, let alone get him into the trunk.”

It was true Angela wasn’t a big woman. She was very slender and fine-boned. I too found it impossible to picture her stuffing Archie’s body in the trunk of the limousine. “Where were you when Archie’s body was discovered?”

“I was inside the reception hall.” He flexed his left hand. “If you must know, I went inside to get some ice for my knuckles. Several of the waitstaff saw me. In fact, Mrs. Wyatt, the manager of the hotel, helped me get the ice for my hand.”

“I see.” First he wouldn’t admit to hitting Archie; now he was using that as his alibi. He was a real piece of work. “Do you know where Angela was when Archie was found?”

“She was changing her clothes.” He avoided my gaze, and his voice was mechanical. “She’d spilled some wine on her dress.”

I got the distinct impression he was saying what he’d been told to say. “I believe that was before Archie’s body was found.”

“Was it?” His expression was a little too innocent. “I didn’t realize.”

“Hmmm.” I’d be sure to check with Mrs. Wyatt to verify his alibi held up. Tomorrow, I’d get Angela’s story about where she’d been when Archie’s body had been discovered. If she tried to sell me the same story about changing her clothes, at least I’d be ready for it. “Janelle told me she was going to move in with Archie after the wedding. Do you know what her plans are now?”

He frowned. “I assume she’ll stay at home, where she belongs.”

Did he really not understand why his daughter had wanted her independence? He seemed almost resentful at the idea she might have moved out with her husband.

I ignored him for a few moments, writing notes about what he’d said. Then I looked up and met his emotionless gaze. “I hope you’re giving Janelle the emotional support she needs right now. Whether you approved of Archie or not, she’s heartbroken.”

He curled his lip. “I don’t need a lecture on how to be a father.”

You sure about that?

I smiled, if only to annoy him. “If you say so.”

He grunted. “Is that it? Can I go now?”

“I guess. If I think of anything else, I’ll let you know.”

He stood, scraping back his chair. “Better not bring me back in, Sheriff.” Apparently, he was done playing nice.

“I’ll call you back ten more times if I think I need to,” I said, still smiling.

He stomped to the door, giving me a surly look over his shoulder. “You’re getting a little too big for your britches, Sheriff.”

“Just trying to protect and serve our fine community, Mr. Raiden.”

“Smart-ass,” he grumbled, and then he left the interview room, slamming the door behind him.

I slumped in my chair, rubbing my temples. I had a splitting headache after spending time with Mr. Raiden. I prayed Angela Raiden wasn’t as obnoxiously entitled tomorrow. Her charming husband had just drained my entire month’s worth of patience.

Chapter Eleven

Maxwell

I’d naively hoped Royce might get home at a decent hour. I didn’t know what I’d been thinking because the first day of a murder investigation would probably be one of his longest, roughest days. Needless to say, he didn’t come home at a decent hour, so I had to keep my exciting news to myself.

I ate a salad for dinner, fed Grumpy, and then around midnight, I gave up waiting for Royce and went to bed. By the time he crawled under the blankets with me, the clock on the nightstand said 3:00 a.m.

“You’re home,” I said, stating the obvious.

He grunted and moved closer to me. We wound around each other, and I enjoyed the heat of his body next to mine.

“What time do you need to go in tomorrow?” I asked.

“Early.” His voice was husky from exhaustion.

I stroked my hand down his back, wishing I could help him somehow. Of course, I couldn’t. “Any chance we can have lunch together tomorrow?” He probably wasn’t going to be up early enough for us to really talk in the morning. It was more important that he got some sleep.

“I’d love that. Even if I don’t have time, I’ll make time.”

I smiled. “What a good boyfriend you are.”

“I know, right?” He sighed, tension leaving his muscles. “I could sleep for days.”

I was bursting to tell him about the offer I’d made on that property Mrs. Numi had shown me. But he was half-asleep, so it wasn’t the time. After seeing the property, I’d gone back to Mrs. Numi’s office, and we’d written up a contract. Reginald had forty-eight hours to accept or counter my offer. Mrs. Numi was positive he’d take the offer, but I was a ball of anxiety.

I’d felt so at home the minute I’d walked into that building, it was a little surreal. For the first time since moving to Rainy Dale, I felt at peace with owning a piece of it. I couldn’t believe it even had a pool. I’d never in a million years dreamed I’d find the perfect spot and that it would have a pool. I kept worrying something would go wrong, and it was making me neurotic.

Royce’s breathing deepened, and I knew he’d fallen asleep. I smiled and rested my head on his chest. If Reginald accepted my offer, I’d definitely be all in with Rainy Dale. The thought of that was crazy to me. I’d hated it here so much when I’d first arrived. Now this town was everything to me because Royce was everything to me.

When I’d first stepped out of that taxi my first day in Rainy Dale, if someone had told me I’d end up buying land here, I’d have laughed in their face. The way I’d seen Rainy Dale then and the way I saw it now were like two different dimensions. I’d dismissed this little town as a smelly hellhole, and now it was where I’d found the love of my life. How was that possible? How could I actually feel excited about settling down here? But I was.

Royce mumbled something in his sleep, and I smoothed my hand over his chest in a comforting gesture. It would be weird not to live with Royce once I got my own place again. I felt a pang of melancholy at the thought of not waking up to him each morning or going to bed together. I’d never lived with anyone since being an adult, until Royce. We’d melded together so much easier than I’d ever have suspected.

I’d miss his company. I’d miss seeing him anytime I wanted. I’d miss hearing him whistling cheerfully in the kitchen when he made coffee in the morning. Life with Royce was so different from my life in LA. I didn’t feel lonely anymore. I hadn’t even realized how lonely I was until Royce and I almost split. Before Royce, I’d accepted my future would be devoid of love. Because of my struggle to connect emotionally with people, I’d assumed I’d live and die alone. Royce had swept all of that dreariness away simply by loving me. He made happiness look easy, and I was helplessly drawn to him.

I closed my eyes but jerked when my phone buzzed on the nightstand. Royce stirred, mumbling his displeasure, and I carefully disengaged myself from his arms to answer my cell.

“Hello?” I whispered, tiptoeing from the room. I went into the living room, hoping I’d have less of a chance of disturbing Royce’s sleep.

“Dr. Thornton, this is Merry from Helping Hands Exchange.”

“Oh, okay.” I rubbed my face, trying to shake off my grogginess.

“A call just came in from a Janelle Brady. She’s complaining of chest pains and shortness of breath.”

It took me a moment to realize who she was talking about; then it clicked in my brain that was Janelle’s new married name. “Did you tell her to call an ambulance?” I moved back toward the hallway.

“We did, sir, but she refused. She was very insistent that she needed you.”

“Really?” I frowned and quietly reentered the bedroom. “Do you have an address for me?”

Merry rattled off the address.

“I’d like you to call an ambulance regardless and send them to that address for me, please.” As I spoke, I grabbed clothes from the closet. “I’m also heading over right now.”

“Very well, Doctor,” Merry said cheerfully. “Have a wonderful night.” She hung up.

I set my cell on the edge of the bed, wondering how Merry thought I’d have a wonderful night after being dragged out of bed at this hour. Once I was fully dressed, I tucked my cell into my back pocket, and I headed toward the bedroom door.

“Where are you going?” Royce’s voice was thick with sleep.

I gave a startled laugh. “Oh, damn. I woke you?”

“It’s okay.” He sat up. Grumpy gave an unhappy groan and burrowed further under the blankets.

“The exchange called. I think Janelle is having a panic attack.”

“Crap.” He sighed. “That poor kid.”

I moved to the bed and leaned over to kiss him. He responded, although it was obvious he was still half out of it. Once the kiss ended, I said, “I need to hurry. I’ll see you at lunch, okay? We can iron out the details later.”

“Okay.” He squeezed my hand. “Be safe.”

“Of course.” I quickly left the room and let myself out of the house. I was eternally grateful to Royce for buying me a car. In the past, I’d have had to call a taxi, but now I could just drive myself.

It was so early in the morning, the shops were dark and the streets eerily empty. The drive to the Raidens’ home was short, one benefit of living in a small town. When I arrived at the address I’d been given, I found tall iron gates blocking my way. On the driver’s side, there was a post with a speaker. I pressed the button on the call box, and a female voice squawked through the device, asking me to identify myself.

“It’s Dr. Thornton.”

The person disconnected, and I scowled, but then the big gates began to creak open. I waited for them to open all the way, and I slowly drove through them. The driveway was long and winding. It cut through oak trees and barrel cactus, finally ending in a circular driveway with a fountain in the middle. Even in the dark, with just my headlights illuminating the front of the home, it was obviously a very large and opulent home.

I parked near the front steps and hurried around to the back of my car. I tugged out my medical bag and moved up the stairs that led to a double door. Security lights illuminated the area as I reached the entrance. I wasn’t sure if someone had flicked them on or if they were motion activated. Either way, the area was bathed in harsh white light.

I rang the bell, and a few moments later, the door opened, and Angela stood there in her dressing gown and fluffy pink slippers. “Dr. Thornton, I thought you’d never get here.” She stepped aside. “Come in. Janelle is upstairs in her room.”

“Can you be sure the front gates stay open? I called an ambulance.” As I spoke, I rushed toward the winding staircase that would lead up to the next level. The home was unlike anything I’d seen since being in Rainy Dale. Mosaic tile floor, Corinthian columns, and crystal chandeliers set it apart from the typical home in this small town. There wasn’t a wagon wheel or a stuffed animal’s head in sight.

Angela followed me up the stairs, breathing hard. “I made her some chamomile tea, hoping it might help her relax. She wouldn’t drink it.”

“Did something happen?”

“You mean other than Archie dying? Wasn’t that enough?”

I grimaced. “I meant did something else happen? Something that set her off?”

“I don’t know.” She sounded exasperated. “She keeps saying all sorts of crazy things. I ignore most of what she says lately. But then she started having chest pains and insisted I call you.”

We reached the landing that split off in two directions. Angela brushed past me, heading to the right. “This way, Doctor.” After traveling about twelve feet, she stopped at one of the doors. “This is Janelle’s room.” She flung the door open and stood aside for me to enter first.

I moved into the room, expecting Janelle to be in the large four-poster bed. She wasn’t. When I scanned the room, I spotted Janelle sitting on the floor near an open window. She was clutching her throat and gasping for air.

When she saw me, she whimpered, “Help me, Dr. Thornton.”

I strode to her, kneeling down. While she was struggling for air, her cheeks were pink, and there were no telltale signs of a heart attack, such as blue around the lips. I took her slender wrist between my fingers, not surprised to find her pulse speeding.

“You’re having chest pains, Janelle?” I asked calmly.

She nodded, looking panicked.

“What does the pain in your chest feel like?” Anxiety attacks and heart attacks were often confused with each other. The difference was an anxiety attack usually produced sharp stabbing pains, whereas an actual heart attack often felt like a rhinoceros was standing on your chest.

Janelle wailed, “I don’t know. It’s just pain, and I… I can’t breathe.”

“Any aching or burning?” I opened my bag as I spoke.

“No.” Her face was sweaty and her eyes wide.

“Have you had any alcohol?”

She shook her head.

“Have you taken any drugs or medications?” I asked.

“N… none. I was sleeping. Or… t… trying to.” A tear streaked down her porcelain cheek.

It seemed apparent to me that what she was experiencing was a panic attack. The more worked up she got, the harder it was for her to breathe. And the harder it was for her to breathe, the more worked up she got. It was a vicious cycle. She needed to calm down and allow her breathing to return to normal.

“Janelle, I’m going to give you something to help you settle. You’re having a panic attack.” As I spoke, I tugged a small bottle and hypodermic needle from my bag.

Wheezing, she held my gaze. “Are you sure? Are… you… s… sure it’s n… not a heart attack? I feel like I’m going to… d… die. I think I’m going to die.”

“Calm down,” I said in a soothing voice. “You’re going to be fine.”

“Okay.” She grabbed my arm, and the trusting gleam in her eye gave me a lump in my throat.

“I’m going to give you a Diazepam injection, which is just a fancy name for Valium.”

She eyed the needle. “I… h… hate needles.”

“Everyone does, but you’re too agitated to swallow a pill right now.” I gave her what I hoped was an encouraging smile. “I don’t need you choking to death, right?”

She winced. “What?”

“Never mind.” I pressed the plunger, expelling any air bubbles from the hypodermic needle. “Relax and hold still.” I pressed the needle to her inner arm and swiftly administered the sedative.

“That didn’t even hurt,” Janelle mumbled.

I glanced up at Angela. “Could you get some water, please?” She nodded and hurried away. I returned my attention to Janelle. “You’ll be feeling better in a few minutes, I promise.”

Janelle still looked frightened, clutching her slender throat. When Angela returned, I took the glass of water from her and handed it to Janelle.

“Take a few sips.” If nothing else, drinking the water would distract Janelle and slow her breathing. She was far too focused on every little breath and beat of her heart. That wasn’t helping at all.

Hand shaking, Janelle took the glass of water from me. She drank a few gulps of the liquid, and some of it dribbled down her chin.

“Excellent,” I said, taking the glass from her and handing it back to Angela. “Now, breathe slowly, in and out. Can you do that for me?”

Janelle nodded and took a few shallow breaths. I studied her, observing her disheveled appearance. Janelle had always been well-groomed and nicely dressed. It was obvious she wasn’t taking care of herself. From the hollows in her cheeks, I suspected she hadn’t been eating or sleeping since well before the day of the wedding. She looked like she’d lost ten pounds since her visit to my office a few days ago.

“I had no idea what was happening,” Angela said tersely. “She just started screaming like a maniac.”

I’d almost forgotten Angela was in the room. “Panic attacks are terrifying.”

Angela nodded, watching her daughter distractedly. “Apparently. She scared the hell out of me.”

Annoyed at how uncaring Angela seemed, I turned to Janelle and gave her an encouraging smile. “How about we get you off the floor and into your bed?”

Janelle nodded, although she made no move to stand.

I got to my feet, and I held out my hands. She grabbed them, and I pulled her easily to her feet. She swayed and leaned on me, and she seemed to be breathing easier now. I led her to the big bed and helped her to get under the sheets. I sat on the edge of the mattress and made a quick call to cancel the ambulance.

“Feeling a little better?” I asked Janelle as I tucked my phone away.

She nodded, but her bony fingers moved to grip my wrist. I smiled down at her and patted her hand. She let out a shaky breath, relaxing against the mountain of pillows.

“Maybe you could leave some drugs here, Doctor,” Angela suggested.

I frowned. “I’m not comfortable doing that.” With someone as emotionally unstable as Janelle, handing them a bottle of drugs could be a recipe for disaster.

“But why not?” Angela scowled. “We can’t keep having this sort of thing happen.”

I met Angela’s disgruntled gaze. “Janelle doesn’t just need drugs. She needs to speak to someone. A professional. She’s had a traumatic experience. She’s grieving, and she needs to talk to someone who’s skilled in that field.”

“I’m not sure I want her talking to some stranger. That’s just what we need, our family business getting spread all over town.”

“Mrs. Raiden, any professional who treats Janelle isn’t going to gossip about what they hear.”

Arching one thin brow, Angela said, “How can you be sure?”

“Well, it’s just not ethical.”

“Ha. If only that mattered to people.” Angela sniffed.

Janelle’s fingers tightened on my arm. “I don’t want to talk to someone else. Why can’t I just talk to you, Dr. Thornton? I trust you.”

I grimaced. “Oh, well, I’m not good at talking to people.”

“I think you are,” Janelle said.

I laughed awkwardly. “I’m really not. I’m a doctor of the body, not the mind.”

“You’ve always been very easy for me to talk to.”

“That’s kind of you to say, but…”

Janelle said, “You were much more open-minded about… things… than Sheriff Callum.”

I glanced at her mother, wondering how much she knew about what Janelle had been going through lately. Did she realize her daughter thought she was seeing ghosts?

“Sheriff Callum and I were on the same page, Janelle,” I said firmly.

She pressed her lips together. “No. I think you were definitely more open-minded, Dr. Thornton.”

I grimaced. “I think you misunderstood me, then.”

Janelle looked at her mother. “I… I’d like to speak to Dr. Thornton alone. Would you mind giving us some privacy?”

Scowling, Angela demanded, “Why can’t I stay?”

“I just want to talk to him privately.” Janelle’s voice wobbled. “Why is that a problem?”

“I don’t see why I should have to leave the room. I’m your mother.” Angela looked like she was about to stomp her foot like a toddler throwing a tantrum.

Janelle’s breathing picked up again, and her fingers tightened on my arm.

Seeing as I’d just gotten Janelle calmed, Angela’s stubborn attitude annoyed me. She was getting Janelle agitated again. “Is there some reason why Janelle can’t talk to her doctor in private? She’s an adult, after all.”

“I’m her mother.”

I frowned. “Yes. But HIPAA laws allow Janelle to keep her medical information private if she wants.”

“But,” Angela stammered. “Why would you get to know more than me?”

“It’s not a competition. And it’s up to Janelle, not me,” I said.

“You’re a stranger,” muttered Angela.

“He’s not a stranger,” Janelle disagreed. “I feel safe with Dr. Thornton.”

“But not with me?” Angela scowled.

“Mother, I just want a few moments alone with my doctor. Why are you being like this?”

Angela’s cheeks tinted pink. “Fine. But I think this HIPPO law or whatever is ridiculous. You probably made that up.” She turned and strode toward the door, closing it firmly behind her.

Janelle slumped. “I feel like I’m suffocating the way she hovers lately.”

“I’m sure she’s worried about you.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure.”

The family definitely had issues. Janelle’s parents seemed both disinterested and yet overly protective. It was an odd combination. “Why did you want to talk to me alone?”

She kept her eyes down. “Well… I… you’re the only other person who I can talk to about this. You and Sheriff Callum.”

“Talk to about what?” I had an uneasy feeling I knew what she was going to say.

Her throat worked as if she was struggling to speak. “I… I saw her again tonight, Dr. Thornton.”

Here we go again.

“Her?” I asked warily.

She looked up, obvious fear in her eyes. “Yes. Her.”

My stomach tensed. “Do you mean… Kimora?”

She nodded, watching me cautiously. “Do you believe me?”

I had no idea how to answer that. I didn’t want to upset her, but naturally, I didn’t accept she was seeing a ghost. I hesitated and then said, “I believe you think you saw her.”

She crossed her arms, wrinkling her brow. “Why do you always qualify your answers like that? Like I’m crazy, but you don’t want to come out and say it.”

I sighed. “Listen, I don’t think you’re crazy. I think you’re struggling with grief.”

“But… I told you I saw her before… before Archie—” She didn’t finish.

“True.” I grimaced. “Still…”

She wailed, “Why won’t anyone believe me?”

I didn’t like that she was disappointed in me, even as I knew what she was proposing was insane. If I hadn’t felt fond of her, I’d have probably dismissed her as a simple loon. But no matter how much the words she said made her seem crazy, a small part of me couldn’t help but want to believe her.

“I want to accept what you’re saying,” I said quietly. “It’s just… what you’re saying defies logic, Janelle. I’m a big believer in logic.”

“I know. Don’t you think I know?” She gritted her teeth. “But I’m telling you, she came to me again. I saw her tonight. Here.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Here? Where exactly?”

“Down in the garden at the front of the house.” She sounded breathless. “Near the fountain.”

I sighed. “How could you be sure it was… Kimora?”

“Who else would it be?”

“Well, maybe a gardener?”

She shook her head. “No. What gardener would be working this time of night? Besides, it was a woman.”

“Women can be gardeners.”

“Ours isn’t,” she muttered. “Plus, she wore a dress.”

“Maybe your mother went for a walk. She’s wearing a dressing gown—maybe you mistook that for a dress.”

“No. My mother doesn’t take walks. Unless it’s to the liquor cabinet.” She scowled. “It was Kimora, I’m certain of that.”

I grimaced. “Janelle…”

She turned her face away. “Never mind. You have that look again.”

“What look?”

“The one that says I’m insane.”

“I don’t think you’re… insane. I told you that.”

She glanced at me, her mouth thinning. “No, you just think I’m seeing things. Hate to break it to you, Dr. Thornton, but that makes me insane by default.”

I sighed. “I don’t know what you expect me to say. I can’t tell you I believe in something I don’t believe in.”

“I understand.” Her voice was dull.

“Do you? Because you look like you’re angry with me.”

“I’m not angry. I just feel really… alone.”

My stomach sank. I was letting her down but had no idea how to help her without giving in to her delusions. That wouldn’t do her any favors in the long run. “You’re not alone, Janelle.”

“Feels like it,” she whispered.

I took her chilled hand in mine. “Listen, when Sheriff Callum catches the person who hurt Archie, I think you’ll feel much better. You’ve suffered a horrible loss. Anyone in your situation would be struggling to find ways to cope.”

“You keep forgetting I saw Kimora before Archie was killed.”

“I haven’t forgotten.”

She pulled her hand from mine. “Then stop saying my sightings of Kimora are caused by my grief. That’s just not the case. She’s out there. I don’t know why, but she won’t leave me alone.” Her voice was strained.

I watched her, frustration gnawing at me. “You should sleep. When you’re feeling stronger, call me. I’ll try to find a therapist locally who comes highly recommended.”

“Fine.” She turned her face away from me again. “Thank you for coming to help me.”

“Janelle, you’re not alone.”

She gave a tight smile. “If you say so.”

“I wish you’d be more understanding of the position I’m in.”

Her expression softened ever so slightly. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine. I know you’re not trying to put me in an awkward situation. I really do want to figure out what’s happening with you, Janelle. But as I said, I’m not qualified to help you. It would be wrong of me to think I have the skills to give you what you need. Do you understand?”

She nodded, looking resigned. “Yes.”

“I promise you, I don’t take your trust lightly.”

“Okay. I appreciate you saying that.” Closing her eyes, she let out a soft breath. “I’m so very tired.”

“The Valium is taking effect. I’ll come check on you tomorrow.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I know.” Awkward as it was, I forced myself to add, “I want to.”

She opened her eyes, smiling faintly. “Even if you think I’m mad as a hatter, thank you for being kind to me, Dr. Thornton.”

“I’m afraid I feel completely useless in this situation.”

“At least you listen to me. I know what I’m saying goes against everything you believe, but at least you’re nice to me.”

I gave a gruff laugh. “I don’t hear compliments of that nature very often.”

“Well, the world is filled with stupid people.” She closed her eyes again. “You truly are one of the few I trust.”

My chest tightened oddly as I gazed down at her. After a few moments, her breathing changed, and I knew she’d fallen asleep. If Royce hadn’t had his hands full with Archie’s murder, I might have urged him to pursue the stalker angle we’d batted about the day of the wedding. It was so easy to just dismiss Janelle as crazy, but what if she wasn’t crazy? What if she truly did have a stalker? It wasn’t inconceivable that she could have a stalker. Maybe that person had killed Archie?

I gathered my bag and left her room, feeling muddled. I didn’t have the brainpower to try to get to the bottom of everything tonight. I groaned inwardly as I reached the bottom of the stairs because Angela was in the foyer waiting for me.

Looking resentful, she asked, “Did you enjoy your little secret meeting with my daughter?”

I stopped in front of her, not wanting to engage in her temper tantrum but feeling compelled to talk to her. “You need to get Janelle into therapy. She needs help dealing with all of her emotions.”

“You can’t do that for her? As amazing as you are?”

Irritation prickled me. “Mrs. Raiden, are you at all concerned about your daughter?”

“Of course I am.”

“Then please stop obsessing about the conversation I had with her and listen to what I’m saying. If you care about Janelle, you’ll find her a qualified psychiatrist. I’ll be happy to give you some suggestions.”

“My family is more than capable of handling Janelle’s needs.”

I stamped down my frustration. “Excellent. If you need me, don’t hesitate to call.”

“I won’t call you. I wouldn’t have called you tonight, only Janelle insisted,” she hissed.

Gritting my teeth, I moved to the door, trying to let her unpleasantness roll off me. “Have a good evening, Mrs. Raiden.” I stepped out onto the porch, and without another word, she shut the door hard behind me. Rolling my eyes, I hurried down the steps toward my car.

Once more, the security lights bathed the area like a prison yard. I clicked the beeper, and the doors of my car unlocked. I was about to open the door of my vehicle when something near the fountain caught the corner of my vision. I turned quickly, certain I’d seen movement. The hairs on my nape stiffened because I was positive I’d seen someone duck behind the fountain.

If the security lights hadn’t been so glaringly bright, I might not have noticed the person at all. I opened the door of my car and tossed my medical bag onto the passenger’s seat. I struggled with my desire to go investigate whether or not there really was someone there. I wasn’t a police officer. If there was someone there, what was I going to do about it?

Still, I was driven to look. Janelle had been positive she’d seen someone near the fountain. I was positive I was seeing someone too. Unless I investigated further, I’d never know whether or not my eyes were playing tricks on me or not.

Straightening my shoulders, I closed the door of my car. I moved slowly toward the fountain, and just as I reached it, the security lights went out. Swearing under my breath, I hesitated. There was a full moon, but the bright artificial light had messed with my eyes. It took a few moments for them to adjust to the moonlight. When I felt I could see again, I moved closer to the fountain.

Heart pounding, I forced myself to move quickly around the water feature. My muscles were tensed, just in case someone lunged at me. When I rounded the back of the fountain, there was no one there. I almost felt disappointed, which seemed like an odd reaction. I’d been positive I’d seen movement, but there wasn’t a soul to be seen. Had Janelle’s story simply influenced me, and so I’d imagined I saw someone lurking?

An owl hooted above my head, hidden in the dark branches. I shivered in the cool night air as my gaze dropped to the muddy ground. Water splashed the ground every few minutes from the gurgling fountain, creating mud. I frowned at something wedged into the mud. I widened my eyes as I realized I was looking at a high heel. The patent leather shoe looked completely out of place, which made me think I couldn’t be seeing what I was seeing.

Kneeling down, I took a closer look and determined it was indeed a red shoe. The heel was sunk deep into the mud, which was probably why it had come off the foot of whoever had been wearing it. The shoe hadn’t been there long because when I pressed my fingers to the inside of the shoe, it was warm to the touch. That fact sent a shiver down my spine, and I once more glanced uneasily around the area.

As I stood, the shadows were even eerier, and the breeze through the swaying trees seemed to whisper a warning. Rattled or not, I couldn’t just run away. If that high heel belonged to someone who was stalking Janelle, then it was possible evidence. I was no expert in gathering evidence, but I wasn’t about to wake up Royce to come bag up a shoe. I also wasn’t going to just leave the shoe there.

With a grunt, I hurried back to my car, and I opened the door. Reaching into my medical bag, I dug around for a pair of gloves. Once I’d found them, I returned to the high heel stuck in the mud. Hopefully, by using gloves, I’d preserve any prints on the shoe.

I carefully tugged the high heel from the sloppy ground and returned to my car. I had yesterday’s newspaper on the floor in the back. I set the shoe on the newspaper and got in my car. Feeling anxious, I quickly locked my doors. I started the car and took off down the driveway in the direction of Royce’s house. While I knew chain of custody was important, I wasn’t exactly sure how it worked. Perhaps I should have taken the high heel to the police station, but I felt foolish doing that. If Royce had been on duty, I’d have gone straight there, but I knew he was at home sleeping.

Gripping the wheel, I felt a spark of hope for Janelle and her sanity. She wasn’t crazy. She truly had seen someone down in the garden tonight. Only, despite what she thought, she hadn’t seen a ghost. Because as far as I knew, spirits didn’t tromp around the garden in the middle of the night, wearing size seven heels.

Chapter Twelve

Royce

As much as I wanted to sleep until noon, my body wouldn’t let me. More to the point, my mind wouldn’t let me. The minute I opened my eyes, my brain started going over every piece of evidence we’d gathered so far in our investigation of Archie’s murder.

I was disappointed Maxwell wasn’t in the bed. Had he never returned from his late-night house call? Perhaps he had returned. I’d been dead to the world. He might easily have come home and gone back out again. I sat up, noticing Grumpy wasn’t with me in the bed. Smiling, I realized that probably meant Max was somewhere in the house, and my faithful pup was with him.

Throwing back the covers, I went into the bathroom and brushed my teeth. Then I headed straight for the coffeepot and Max. When I entered the kitchen, Max was at the table, reading the paper while sipping coffee, and Grumpy was eating his breakfast. My heart skipped a beat when Max looked up from his newspaper and smiled.

“Hey, there,” I said softly.

He rose and set his newspaper down. “You look more rested.”

“I feel almost human again.” I slipped my arms around him, and he did the same.

“We’re like two ships that pass in the night lately.”

I frowned. “I know. I hate it.”

“Me too.”

I lowered my head and kissed him. His mouth was warm against mine, and just that peck turned me on. To be honest, I’d have loved to drag him back to the bedroom for a quickie. I missed him. I craved him. But I needed to get to the station, and he no doubt needed to get to the clinic.

When the kiss ended, he sighed. “That’s better.”

“Yeah.” I smiled, and then my gaze fell on a red high heel sitting in the center of the table. Frowning, I asked, “I know you’re a snazzy dresser, Max, but isn’t that going just a little too far?”

He smirked. “You don’t think I could carry it off?”

“Oh, I’m sure you could.” I let go of him and moved to the coffee maker. I grabbed a mug from the cupboard and filled the large cup with coffee and cream. I returned to the table and stood beside Max. “So what’s the story behind the fancy footwear? And why is there only one shoe?”

Maxwell grimaced. “Well, it’s a long story. Should I wait until lunchtime to tell you?”

“No. The curiosity might kill me. I have time now.” I sipped my coffee, wincing when it burned my tongue.

“Remember I went to tend to Janelle last night?”

“Yes. Is that hers?”

He shook his head. “No.”

“Okay, mind telling me whose it is?” I smiled. “Not that it isn’t a lovely centerpiece and all.”

“I think it might be evidence. Or maybe not.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “How should I put this?”

“Hopefully better than you have so far. Things are about as clear as mud to me right now.”

He laughed sheepishly. “I think this high heel belongs to Janelle’s stalker.”

“I wasn’t aware we’d confirmed she had one.”

“We haven’t. But I think there’s a very real possibility someone is stalking her.” He pointed to the shoe. “Last night, when I went to Janelle, she swore she’d seen someone wandering around in the garden. I thought she was probably hallucinating. Mostly because, of course, she thought it was Kimora.”

I groaned. “The poor kid still thinks Kimora is haunting her?”

“More than ever.” He grimaced. “Obviously, I don’t think Kimora is haunting Janelle. But someone was wandering around in the garden last night, just like Janelle said. That high heel is proof.”

“Hmmm. How do you know Janelle didn’t place the shoe in the garden, hoping you’d find it?”

“She couldn’t have possibly known I’d go look.”

“I’m not sure I agree. She knows you’re concerned about her.”

He wrinkled his brow. “Are you suggesting she faked her panic attack? Just to get me there?”

“Maybe? She might’ve planted the shoe earlier, hoping to convince you that she really is seeing Kimora.”

“How would she know that I’d go look in the garden?”

“I mean, you did go look, didn’t you?”

“Yes, but I didn’t go look in the garden because I was concerned. I went to look because I saw someone lurking. When I went to investigate, I found that shoe.”

“You saw someone?”

He nodded. “Yes. Well, to be more accurate, I saw movement.”

“Maybe it was a tree moving in the breeze?”

“A tree that wears high heels?”

I laughed. “Okay. I see what you mean.”

He snapped his fingers. “Oh, also, the shoe was warm inside when I found it.”

“Was it?”

“Yes.”

“Still doesn’t mean that shoe isn’t Janelle’s.”

Max shook his head. “You actually think she snuck out and tried to trick me by running to the fountain as I was leaving?”

“Well…”

“No. There’s no way, Royce. She was a mess last night. I gave her a shot of Valium because she was so hysterical. She was sleeping like a baby when I left.”

“Okay. Maybe the shoe belongs to Angela Raiden.”

“Even if it is hers, it was warm, remember?”

“Yes.” I frowned. “What about it?”

“Angela let me out of the house. Since the shoes were warm, she’d have had to be wearing the shoe right up to the moment I found it. As I recall, she was wearing slippers, not heels. Not to mention, she’d have had to sprint right by me to get to the fountain, and I’d have seen her.”

“Fair enough.”

Some tension left him when I agreed.

I sighed. “I’ll take the shoe to the station and see if we can find any prints or anything like that.”

“That would be great.” His smile was relieved. “I wore gloves when I touched it. I did my best to maintain the integrity of the evidence.”

My lips twitched. “Good job.”

“I’ve picked up a few things since dating a cop.”

“I’m proud of you. You’re an excellent pupil.”

He moved to the sink to rinse his coffee cup. “You’re short-staffed. Maybe I should become a cop.” He glanced over at me, looking like he was trying not to laugh. “We could solve crimes, side by side.”

“Like Abbott and Costello?” I laughed.

“Only which of us would play the straight man?” He grinned.

“I’m going to go out on a limb and say neither?”

He chuckled. “Yeah, I guess it won’t work out. I’ll just keep being a doctor.”

“Good.” I hugged him when he neared me. “This town needs you, remember?”

His gaze flickered. “Right. About that.” He cleared his throat. “I… uh… might have some exciting news—”

My cell rang, and I grimaced. I didn’t want to cut him off, but I had a lot of calls coming in right now concerning the murder investigation.

He gave an understanding smile. “Go ahead and answer it. I need to get going anyway. We can talk at lunch, okay? Pancake Cottage at 1:00 p.m. sound good?”

“Yes. Absolutely.” I gave him a quick kiss.

He patted Grumpy on the head and hurried to the front door.

I answered my cell. “Sheriff Callum.”

“Hey, Sheriff,” Deputy Sam’s voice came over the line. “I thought you might want to know we got a hit back on Archie’s fingerprint.”

“Okay.” I wasn’t quite sure why he thought that was something I needed to know immediately. It was customary to verify the identity of a deceased person through fingerprints or dental records.

He must have heard something in my tone because he added, “Sorry. What I meant to say was the fingerprint doesn’t belong to Archie Brady.”

“Wait. What?”

“The fingerprint we took from Archie isn’t a match. That print isn’t associated with an Archie Brady.”

I gripped the phone tighter. “Who does it belong to?”

“A couple of people, actually.”

I set my coffee down, and some of it spilled onto the table. “Are you serious?”

“As a heart attack.”

“Uh, I’m heading to the station now. Be there in fifteen.” I hung up, feeling confused. I shaved and dressed quickly and then hurried to the front door. Grumpy trotted after me, watching me with a soulful expression. “Don’t look at me like that. Tomasina is coming soon to take you for a walk.”

Grumpy wagged his tail and whined.

“Now, don’t be like that. You love Tomasina.” I opened the door.

Grumpy gave an indignant bark.

I smiled and shook my head. If Grumpy had his way, he’d go everywhere with me. It might be a little distracting for the witnesses if I questioned them while holding my dog. I ignored the guilt his little bark sent through me. He’d be fine. The minute Tomasina showed up, he’d forget I existed.

As I drove the short distance to the station, my mind swirled with the little information Deputy Sam had given me. I’d thought Archie was a squeaky-clean type of guy, but he’d had multiple identities? That was shocking. I’d never have suspected that of him. We didn’t have a lot of identity theft in Rainy Dale, but Archie hadn’t struck me as the type. I pictured that type of criminal as flashier. Archie had been more reserved and kept mostly to himself. Although, he had managed to get engaged to the daughter of one of the wealthiest families in town. Had Kobe been right all along? Had Archie just married Janelle for her money?

When I walked into the station, Deputy Sam met me in the hallway. He carried a manila folder, and he held it out to me. “Are you as astounded as me?” he asked.

I took the folder and opened it. “You sure there’s no mistake?”

“I’m sure. Unless you don’t trust the AFIS system.”

“I trust it. It’s simply surprising that, of all people, it would be Archie.” I flipped through the report, shaking my head. There were three charges of larceny and one charge of insurance fraud associated with the print we’d taken from Archie. “How is it possible this is the same guy?”

“Still waters run deep, I guess,” Deputy Sam murmured.

“I’m going to read through this in my office. Angela Raiden should be showing up for her interview in a couple of hours.”

He smirked. “I’ll be sure and show her into our finest interview room. Shall I serve her Perrier instead of regular bottled water?”

“Nope. Stick to the plain stuff.” I smiled and headed toward my office. I sat at my desk and combed through all the copies of police reports.

The insurance fraud charge had been related to a slip and fall in a grocery store. It had later been revealed through CCTV that the supposed accident was staged. Archie had pretended to fall and faked an injury. Thanks to the security footage, instead of getting money, he’d been charged with fraud. Apparently, because of overcrowding in the LA County jails, he hadn’t done any time but had been slapped with a five-thousand-dollar fine. Which he’d never paid.

He’d assumed two other identities besides Archie Brady: Lawrence Brown and Peter Scott. There was a photo included in the file, and sure enough, it was the same man I’d known as Archie Brady. He’d been born John Campbell, but after fleecing two women of their retirement, he’d changed his name several times to avoid authorities.

There was a record of marriage to a Kimora Suzuki. They’d been married for six years before she’d drowned in a tragic accident. Her body had never been recovered.

“At least that part was true,” I muttered, frowning at the papers.

The detective in charge of the case had been suspicious about Kimora’s death, but there had been insufficient evidence. After his wife’s death, Archie had seemed to disappear. He’d received a large lump of money as the sole beneficiary of his late wife, and apparently, he’d used it to vanish. Then, he’d suddenly turned up in Rainy Dale under the name Archie Brady.

I had to wonder why he’d picked this town and how he’d become acquainted with Janelle. It was hard to imagine a guy trying to get his limousine business off the ground would have run in the same social circles as the Raidens. Maybe I could get information about how Archie had met Janelle when Angela came in later today.

Leaning back in my chair, I mulled over all I’d read about Archie. Who in Rainy Dale could have wanted him dead? Had someone discovered his past? Had Archie secretly been up to his old tricks? Maybe he’d tried to scam the wrong person this time, and it had cost him his life.

I spent a little more time reading witness accounts from the women Archie, aka John Campbell, had scammed. Both women had described him as quiet and gentlemanly. When red flags would arise, he’d always explain them away easily. He’d had such a trustworthy demeanor, both women hadn’t believed they’d been scammed until their bank accounts were cleaned out.

When it was time to talk to Angela, I gathered my trusty notepad, pen, and my fortitude. Hopefully, she’d be less of a pill than her husband had been yesterday. Although knowing how entitled she was, I had a knot in the pit of my stomach.

As I neared the interview room, I found Angela strolling down the hallway with Deputy Juan. She had her arm linked through his, and she was smiling up at him flirtatiously. She wore a bright yellow sundress with a matching hat and big black sunglasses. She seemed to be channeling Audrey Hepburn’s fashion sense, but something told me she was lacking on the humanitarian side.

“Why, Sheriff Callum,” she slurred. “It’s so enchanting to see you again.”

She’s drunk?

I’d expected Angela to be a difficult interview, but it hadn’t occurred to me she’d show up soused. “Mrs. Raiden, thank you for coming in today.”

“Of course.” She waved her hand at me. “My pleasure.”

Oh, boy.

I opened the interview room door for her, and she made an unsteady line toward a chair on the other side of the table. Deputy Juan raised his brows and slowly closed the door. I took my seat across from her, shuffling papers to give her time to compose herself. Once I felt she was ready, I glanced up and found her watching me.

“How are you holding up, Sheriff?” she purred, pulling off her sunglasses to reveal bloodshot eyes. “I feel like no one ever really thinks about how hard this job is on you.”

Grimacing, I said, “I’m doing just fine, Mrs. Raiden. I took this job knowing exactly what it would be like.”

She pouted. “Still, having to grill your friends and neighbors, it must be awkward for you.”

I smiled. “Some more than others. But it’s the nature of the beast.” I didn’t really believe for one second Angela gave a hoot about how hard this job was on me. She just wanted to butter me up for whatever reason. “Did you bring in the dress like I asked?”

She blinked at me. “The dress?”

Irritation nipped me at her response. “Yes, the dress you wore at the wedding. Remember you were supposed to bring it with you yesterday, but you forgot?”

She snapped two red-lacquered fingers. “Oops. I forgot again.”

“No problem. I’ll just send my deputy over to pick it up. Could you tell me where it is in your house? I don’t want him to have to go searching.”

Red spears of color appeared on her cheeks, and her fake charm evaporated. “Just what is so important about that dress?”

“I just need to take a quick look to make sure there’s nothing on it.”

“What could be on it?” She asked challengingly.

I studied her, positive she was just enjoying pushing my buttons. She wasn’t a stupid person. I had no doubt she knew perfectly well why I wanted to see that dress. Her obnoxious attitude didn’t deter me though. It just made me more determined to get my hands on that dress. “I’m sure you already know this, but I need to check it for blood spatter.”

She lifted her penciled brows. “Pardon?”

“You’re the only person in the wedding party who changed their clothes at the reception.”

Her mouth thinned. “Are you insinuating that I murdered Archie?”

Aanndd we’re off!

“To the contrary. I’m attempting to rule you out. Your dress will be one step in doing that, Mrs. Raiden.”

She leaned forward, her cheek twitching. “I’m not a murderer.”

“I’m not saying you are.”

“Then why are you so obsessed with me and my dress?” she hissed.

Sighing, I leaned back in my chair. “Because you saw the deceased right before his death. You were alone with him.”

“Yes, but he was breathing when he left me.” She scowled. “You know that because you know he had a fight with my husband.”

“That’s true, but I don’t know that you didn’t run into him again.”

Through clenched teeth, she said, “How dare you.”

What was it about the Raidens that made them think they were above the law? “If your dress is of no consequence, I don’t understand why you’re being so obstinate about giving the dress to the police.”

“I have personal reasons.”

Judging from the stubborn set to her jaw, she thought telling me that should be enough to get me to back off. She was mistaken. “I need to inspect that dress, just as I visually inspected every other person in the wedding party. I think it’s ridiculous that you would make me get a warrant simply to rule you out.”

She widened her eyes. “A warrant?”

“To be honest, I may not even need a warrant. Mrs. Raiden, you’re flagrantly refusing to hand over something the police are requesting. This situation falls under exigent circumstances. If I reasonably believe the evidence I’m seeking might be destroyed, I don’t need to get a warrant first.”

“You’re a bully.”

I frowned. “No I’m not. But I can’t just rule you out without taking the steps necessary to rule you out. It doesn’t matter who you are.”

She sputtered, “This is ridiculous. My dress has no bearing on your investigation and is of no importance whatsoever.”

My hopes that she’d be an easier interview than her husband sank like the Titanic. She was every bit as difficult, if not more. “Just telling me the dress isn’t important doesn’t work for me. I need to visually inspect the dress.”

A muscle tensed in her jaw. “My reasons for not handing the dress over are personal. Embarrassing. How many times do I have to tell you that?”

“I understand you’re uncomfortable. I’m sure you must have your reasons for making this so difficult. I have no desire to go spreading anything around that might embarrass you. But I need you to be candid about why you’re refusing to cooperate with me.”

She scowled, adjusting her big hat. “Good Lord, I could use a drink.”

Frankly, that was the last thing she needed. She smelled like a distillery as it was. I was sure being drunk wasn’t helping her logic and reason. “There’s a bottle of water for you there.” I pointed toward the small bottle Deputy Sam had put there for her.

She turned up her nose at the water. “That wasn’t quite what I had in mind.”

“I’m sorry. Obviously, this is a police station. We don’t serve booze.”

She sighed. “How much longer is this interview thing going to last?”

“That depends on you and how cooperative you are,” I said patiently.

Frowning, she rubbed her temples. “What was the question again?”

“I was asking you why you don’t want to give me the dress.”

She scrunched up her face. “I keep telling you, it’s embarrassing.”

“Okay. But I still need to know why.”

She didn’t speak for a few moments. Her face was pinched and her mouth tight. Eventually, she let out a shaky breath and said tersely, “Like any normal woman, I have needs.”

“I’m not following.”

She scowled. “You don’t know what I mean?”

“I do, but I’m unclear of how that relates to this case.”

Through clenched teeth, she said, “Well, if you must know, my husband doesn’t sleep with me anymore. Not that it’s any of your business, Sheriff.”

I hesitated. “I’m trying to see a connection with that and your dress. I’m failing.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Exhaling, she snapped. “I enjoy other men. Blunt enough for you?”

I grimaced. “So you’re saying you fool around with… other men?”

“Obviously.”

“I’m still missing the connection to your dress.”

“Oh, use your imagination, Sheriff. Goodness.” Her laugh was brittle. “My husband neglects me, and I seek out men who can give me what I need. Is that really so hard to understand?”

“No. But how is that connected to why you won’t hand over the dress you wore to the wedding?”

Pink tinted her cheeks. “I had a… moment… with one of the busboys. Okay?”

“During the reception?”

She nodded. “Yes. He was young, cute, and interested. How could I pass that up?”

Oookkaayy.

“And how does this relate to your dress?”

She sighed. “You really are obtuse, aren’t you? Think Monica Lewinsky, Sheriff. Remember the infamous dress?”

I raised my brows. “Oh. I see. So… during the course of this interaction with the… busboy… your dress was sullied?”

“What a nice way to put it.” She laughed, but I sensed embarrassment beneath the snarky attitude.

If she was telling the truth, she’d had a thing with some busboy and also still hit on Archie? Angela was definitely out of control with her drinking and her behavior. I studied her, trying to decide what to do with her. Regardless of what she thought of me, I didn’t actually want to humiliate her. It was possible she was telling the truth, but she could also be lying. If that dress had Archie’s blood on it, I needed to know that.

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Raiden. I’m still going to need that dress. You don’t need to be embarrassed, but I do need to visually inspect the dress.”

She widened her eyes. “Why would you still need the dress? I told you why I don’t want you to have it.”

“To put it bluntly, I need to verify your story. I can’t just take your word for it. I need to be sure there’s no blood spatter on your dress.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“I had to do the same thing with everyone in the wedding party, Mrs. Raiden. I’m not singling you out. The only reason this has become a thing is because you’re refusing to let me see the dress. If you’d just shown it to me the day of the wedding, this would all be over with.”

“I’ve told you what is on that dress, and it isn’t blood,” she hissed.

“And I’ve told you I can’t just take your word for it.”

Her face was red now, and her eyes glittered with anger. “Fine,” she snapped.

“Shall I send a deputy to your home to pick it up?”

“No need. It’s in the trunk of my car. I was going to have it dry-cleaned.”

Was she for real? “That would have been a mistake. It would have made you look guilty. As if you were trying to destroy evidence.”

She sniffed. “Well, I didn’t drop it off yet, so there.”

Hanging on to my temper, I said, “Great. We can get the dress from your car when we’re done here.”

She straightened, lifting her chin. “Can I go now?”

I almost laughed. Was she loco? “I’m sorry, no. We’ve just started.”

“I don’t know anything,” she wailed. “Why are you harassing me?”

I counted to ten and then asked politely, “How about you tell me what happened immediately following Kobe’s drunken speech?”

“Nothing happened.”

“That’s not completely true.”

“Oh really?”

I nodded. “Remember you met up with Archie in the gazebo?”

“What are you insinuating?” she demanded.

This time, I counted to twenty.

“Instead of getting upset, how about you just tell me what happened between you and Archie in the gazebo.”

She pursed her lips, her eyes glittering with animosity. “My husband was right about you.”

“In what way?” I was pretty sure a compliment wasn’t coming.

Her gaze was cold. “You don’t seem to understand that there are some people in the community you need to go easy on.”

“Is that what you think?” I was a bit taken aback that she’d just come out and said that to my face. Her arrogance was mind-boggling.

“I absolutely think that.”

“I disagree. That wasn’t what I was elected for. I’m here to protect the citizens of Rainy Dale. I can’t do that if my hands are tied.”

She narrowed her eyes. “There are lines that you should know better than to cross.”

“There’s nobody in town who’s above the law,” I said gruffly.

She laughed mockingly. “With an attitude like that, your days are numbered, Sheriff.”

“Is that right? You think the citizens of Rainy Dale want me to play favorites?”

She shrugged. “I think most people in town know a family of our caliber would never be caught up in something as sordid as murder.”

“Anybody can commit murder. All you need is opportunity and motive. From what I gather, you and your husband had both.”

Her eyes widened, and her mouth fell open. “I beg your pardon?”

“You’ve been blunt with me. I figured I should be blunt with you as well.”

“Well, I never,” she sputtered.

“I’m not saying anything that isn’t true. Your husband argued with Archie right before his death.” I studied her. “But you also had an issue with Archie shortly before he died, didn’t you?”

“Why would I kill Archie?”

I found it interesting she didn’t defend her husband, just herself. “Because he rejected your advances.”

Pink touched her cheeks. “Says who?”

“Archie. He told your husband that you came on to him, and he turned you down.”

Her flush deepened. “Archie was lying. I… I did no such thing.”

I grimaced. “It’s no secret you get flirtatious when you drink.”

“So now you allow gossip to direct your investigations?” Her face was tight with anger.

“I’m not just listening to idle gossip. You just admitted that you seek… attention from men… outside of your marriage. In addition to your own words, both your husband and your daughter told me that you become flirtatious when you drink too much.”

If looks could kill, I’d have been dead. But it was fine by me if she was upset. She’d be more likely to speak before thinking.

“How dare you,” she muttered.

“Isn’t that why your husband punched Archie for going into that gazebo with you? It’s obvious he expected the worst. He assumed you two went in there for salacious reasons.”

Her mouth trembled with anger. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“What your husband didn’t expect was for Archie to turn you down. I’m guessing that surprised you too. Why? Had Archie given in to you before?”

Her fist clenched on the tabletop. “You’re out of line.”

“Did it make you angry when Archie turned you down?”

Her laugh was borderline hysterical. “Do you mean did I lose my mind and murder him?”

“Something like that.”

“No. I didn’t even see Archie again until he was… dead.”

I watched her closely to see if she was lying, but she seemed believable.

“I’m many things, Sheriff, but I’m no killer. Maybe I’m immoral. Selfish. But I’m not someone who has the stomach for murder.” She shivered. “Especially… a stabbing.”

“Do you own a knife?”

She frowned. “No.”

“Some women carry small knives in their purses for protection.”

She shook her head. “Not me. I have a little can of pepper spray. I wouldn’t have it in me to thrust a knife into someone’s… throat.”

I believed her, which was frustrating.

Unfortunately, the knife used to kill Archie hadn’t had prints on it. Another hiccup was the weapon didn’t appear to be mass-produced. If we’d known the manufacturer, we might have been able to trace where it was purchased and by whom. But the weapon appeared to be a hand-carved specialty knife, possibly purchased somewhere like Etsy. Locating the seller would be impossible. There were so many online stores selling handmade crafts these days, it was a needle in a haystack situation.

“Where were you when Archie’s body was found?” I asked.

She sighed. “I’m sure it will come as no surprise to you, but I was in the bar.”

“Alone?”

“No. The bartender was very attentive. Ricardo was his name. I gave him a very nice tip—I’m sure he’ll remember me. He was cute. I enjoyed my time with him. His flirting helped soothe my bruised ego after Archie rejected me.”

“I’ll check with him.”

“I’m sure you will. Archie wasn’t good enough for Janelle. But she certainly seems brokenhearted. She had a panic attack last night. Did Dr. Thornton tell you that?”

I nodded. “He did.”

“She seems so attached to Dr. Thornton. I can’t for the life of me understand why.” She gave a dismissive laugh. “She seems to attract misfits. Archie was another one.”

I tried not to bristle at her attitude about Max. She was a shallow woman. Of course she wouldn’t understand someone like Max. “How did Janelle meet Archie?”

Angela groaned. “Oh, that was my fault. I ordered a limousine to take us to Art Ball at the Dallas Museum of Art. Archie was the driver.”

“That’s how they met?” I frowned.

“Yes.” She exhaled. “Janelle got bored and went back to the limo early. I guess Archie really chatted her up. Next thing I knew, they were a couple. I, naturally, was horrified.”

“I see.” That seemed a little out of line for the driver of the limousine to hit on the passengers. Had Archie intentionally targeted Janelle, knowing she was the daughter of the wealthiest family in town? Or had it been coincidence, and true love had blossomed?

Angela examined her nails. “I did my best to discourage her from dating him, but she was smitten.” She glanced up. “He was cute. But poor. I felt she could do better.”

“He wasn’t poor. He had money in the bank.”

She laughed. “Sheriff, what I mean is he wasn’t in our tax bracket. To us, he was poor. Definitely a poor match for our daughter.”

“I see.” I struggled to keep my dislike at bay. “Getting back to last night, Janelle told Dr. Thornton she’d seen someone in your garden. Did you happen to see anyone?”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh, good Lord, don’t listen to Janelle.”

“You don’t believe her?”

“Of course not. Nobody is traipsing around our garden in the middle of the night. This all started a few weeks ago. Janelle just started rambling on about some woman stalking her. But nobody else ever sees this person. I fear Janelle is losing her marbles.”

“Has she seen a therapist?”

Frowning, Angela shook her head. “The Raidens don’t believe in giving in to emotional hysteria.”

“Your daughter is obviously struggling. I’d think you’d want to get her all the help you could.”

She lifted one shoulder. “That’s none of your business.”

Technically, that was true. But it was impossible not to feel sorry for Janelle.

She sighed, glancing at her watch. “Are we done here? This is such a waste of time. You already have the killer in custody, Sheriff. I’m still not sure why you’re hounding me and my husband.”

“I don’t have the killer in custody. I’m still searching for Archie’s murderer, Mrs. Raiden.”

She widened her eyes. “But you arrested Kobe.”

“I detained him. He was released this morning.”

“Excuse me? You did what?” she screeched.

Keeping my tone even, I said, “I didn’t have enough to hold him and certainly not enough to charge him.”

“Are you insane? He said horrible things about Archie right before Archie was murdered. Of course he’s the one who killed Archie.” Her voice shook. “I can’t believe you let him go.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Kobe had no more of a problem with Archie than you and your husband. In fact, I might go so far as to say your husband is higher on my list of suspects than Kobe.”

Her mouth fell open. “Are you insane?”

“Your husband actually hit the victim shortly before his death. I think that’s far more serious than Kobe saying mean things about Archie while he was drunk.”

“But he tried to run. That shows he’s guilty.”

“Not necessarily. I found no evidence whatsoever that Kobe touched Archie. There’s no DNA evidence. Kobe’s fingerprints weren’t on the victim or the murder weapon.”

“But… but…”

“I can’t hold a man unless I charge him within a certain time frame. And I’m not convinced Kobe killed Archie, therefore I had to release him. Don’t worry, I’ve instructed him not to leave town. He’s still a person of interest.”

She stood, practically shaking. “If someone else gets murdered, their blood is on your hands, Sheriff.”

“I’m fully aware the responsibility rests on my shoulders. If I thought Kobe was a danger to the community, I wouldn’t have let him go free.”

“You’re a fool.”

“Actually, I’m not. I need evidence to convict someone.”

She slipped her sunglasses on. “You’re incompetent. You’re not fit for this job.”

“Obviously, I disagree.”

Her mouth was a hard line. “This was the last straw, Sheriff.”

“Is that right?”

“I’ve had my doubts about you from the beginning. But now, well, you’ve gone too far. My husband and I are going to see to it that you don’t get reelected. After the way you’ve treated our family during this entire investigation, you deserve to lose your badge.”

I clenched my jaw, trying to contain my anger. “I’m sorry you see it that way. I’m doing my job to the best of my ability.”

She sneered. “Well, I guess that’s the problem, isn’t it? Your ability isn’t good enough.”

“That’ll be up to the citizens of Rainy Dale when the election comes around next year. To be honest, I care more about what they think of me than what you and your husband do.”

Her lip curled. “Are we done here?”

I’d had about as much as I could handle of Angela Raiden. I gave a slow nod. “A word of warning, ma’am. Don’t leave town.”

Her laugh was brittle as she marched unsteadily to the door. “Fear not, Sheriff. You’re the one who is going to be leaving town soon.” And with that, she yanked open the door and slammed it closed behind her.

I blew out a rough breath. When the door opened again, I glanced over warily. Thankfully, it was Deputy Juan peeking in and not Angela Raiden.

His brows raised, and he let out a low whistle. “Holy hell, Sheriff, what did you say to her? She looked fit to be tied.”

“All I know is…” I rubbed the back of my neck. “If she and her husband have their way, you’ll have a new boss this time next year.”

“That won’t happen,” he said firmly. “The citizens of this town love you, Sheriff.”

“I hope you’re right, Juan. Money and power can change the tide of public opinion. In which case I might find myself run out of town on a rail.”

“Nah. Me and the boys are never gonna let that happen.”

“I guess we’ll see,” I drawled, doing my best to sound nonchalant.

Truth was, the Raidens were making me nervous. I had a good relationship with the city council and the mayor. But I’d have been naive to think I could trust them completely to have my back. If I ended up arresting one of the Raidens for murder, would that be the end of my career? It gave me a stomachache just thinking about that.

Either way, I’d do what was right. Even if it cost me my job.

Chapter Thirteen

Maxwell

When Royce walked into the Pancake Cottage, I could tell right away he was under tremendous pressure. He was generally a pretty happy-go-lucky guy, but today he looked like he had the weight of the world pressing down on him. His face lit when he saw me though, and he slid into the booth beside me.

“You’re a sight for sore eyes, Max,” he said softly. He leaned in and kissed me, which was unusual for him to do in public.

I certainly didn’t mind, and I responded happily. When the kiss ended, I studied him. Even though he smiled at me, it was impossible not to notice the worry shimmering in his brown eyes. “You look like you’ve gone twelve rounds with somebody.”

“I have. Some people in town are a real piece of work.” He smiled as the waitress set two glasses of iced tea on the table. “Afternoon, Jeanette.”

“How are you today, Sheriff?” She smiled, tucking a brown strand of hair behind her ear.

“I’m doing fine.”

I cleared my throat. “I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of ordering you a double cheeseburger.”

Royce gave me a grateful smile. “Sounds perfect.”

Feeling sheepish, I added, “With a side salad instead of fries.”

He sighed. “That’s probably a better decision than I’d have made. I’m in the mood to stuff my face with chili cheese fries, which would not be a healthy choice.”

Jeanette laughed. “I can change that order for you if you want, Sheriff?”

“Nah. Maxwell knows best.”

“Okay then.” She walked away smiling.

I pressed my leg against his in an attempt to comfort him. I wasn’t used to seeing him looking so beat down. He always worked himself too hard when he had a case, but this felt different. “You can tell me about it if you’d like?” I said softly.

He drank a good portion of his iced tea, his Adam’s apple bobbing. He set the half-empty drink down, and the ice jangled against the glass. “I’m just having a little trouble getting certain people to cooperate with my investigation.”

“I see. Let me guess, does their last name begin with an R?”

“How’d ya guess?”

“It wasn’t difficult. They’re an entitled bunch. I don’t know how Janelle managed to end up with such a sweet disposition. Maybe she’s adopted.”

He sighed. “She’s nothing like her parents, that’s for sure. They’re pretty obnoxious. In fact, they’re threatening to get me ousted as sheriff.”

“Excuse me?”

His laugh was humorless. “That’s what they’re threatening.”

“Can they do that?”

“Well, I’m elected, so they can’t just fire me. But they have a lot of money and influence. It’s possible they could back someone against me.”

“That’s outrageous. You’re an amazing sheriff. The people love you. I don’t believe they’d turn on you.”

“You never know. Depends on who runs against me.”

“I can’t think of anyone who could beat you,” I grumbled. “Rainy Dale is lucky to have you.”

His lips twitched. “I appreciate your vote of confidence.”

“Of course.”

Wincing, he said, “I need to focus on catching Archie’s killer. I’ll worry about that other stuff later.”

“Are you going to charge Kobe with Archie’s murder?”

“Not at this time.” He grimaced. “I released him this morning.”

“Oh.” That surprised me.

He met my gaze. “Take a guess how pleased the Raidens were with that decision.”

“I can imagine. They’re not interested in catching Archie’s killer. They just want to wash their hands of the whole thing.”

“Bingo.”

“Are you any closer to finding the killer?”

He grimaced. “It’s still early in the investigation. I did find out some things about Archie I’d never have expected.”

“Yeah?” He didn’t usually talk to me about his cases. He tried to keep that stuff separate from our time together. He must’ve really been stressed-out if he was willing to do that with me now.

He glanced around and lowered his voice. “Archie had a checkered past. To put it nicely.”

I raised my brows. “Really?”

“Yep. More than one identity.”

“Oh, my.” I raised my brows. “That’s… surprising.”

“Very.”

Jeanette brought our food, and a few minutes passed with her bringing condiments and topping off our beverages. Then she left, and we dug into our food. I’d ordered a Cobb salad for lunch, and I poured some ranch on it, wondering if Royce would tell me anything else about the case. I wasn’t going to push. He could tell me what he was comfortable with in his own time.

He’d consumed half of his burger when he finally sat back, looking more relaxed. He pressed his napkin to his mouth. “This morning, you said you had some exciting news?”

I nodded, setting my fork down. “Yes. Well, it’s not a done deal, but Mrs. Numi thinks it will be.”

His smile was patient. “Any chance you’ll give me details?”

I laughed. “Of course. I think I’ve found the perfect location for my clinic.” It was hard to keep the excitement from my voice. “I can’t believe my luck. I already put an offer in on the place.”

“Wow.” He looked a little taken aback. “So, you’ve definitely decided to cut ties with River?”

“Yes. I think I have no choice. He’s trying to undermine me with my patients. Plus, after how he was at the wedding, I don’t want anything to do with him.”

“Absolutely. I support that idea.” He reached over, smiling. “That’s fantastic that you found a good spot.”

“It’s not just good. It’s perfect.” I sighed.

“I’m happy for you, Max. Really happy.”

I beamed. “I mean, this place is unbelievable, Royce. It’s everything I wanted. I’m so worried something will go wrong because it’s almost too good to be true.”

“Where is it?”

I said softly, “It’s where Johnson’s Dentistry is located.”

He nodded. “Yeah, I’ve been there. Dr. Johnson is great. I didn’t realize he was selling.”

“It’s not officially on the market yet, but Mrs. Numi is friends with Dr. Johnson.”

“It pays to know people.”

“Definitely. I couldn’t believe it when I walked inside that building. It felt like home immediately.”

Royce laughed. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this excited about anything.”

I slumped. “This thing with River has been eating at me for so long. I felt trapped. Like I had to keep interacting with him, simply because he had power over me. I really can’t stand him. I want literally nothing to do with him.”

“I don’t blame you.”

“If Dr. Johnson accepts my offer, and Mrs. Numi insists he will, I’ll buy out my lease with River. I won’t have to do too much to turn that place into exactly what I need. I should be able to be back in business in about a month and a half at most. That is, if all goes well with the city permits and build-out.”

“That’s fantastic.” He squeezed my arm. “I’m thrilled for you.”

“Thanks.” I grinned. “And guess what the best part is?”

“What?” He smiled indulgently.

“It has a pool,” I squeaked. “Can you believe it?”

His smile faltered. “Does it?”

“Yes.” I laughed. “That really sealed the deal, if I’m honest. The bedroom upstairs is bigger than what I had before, and there’s even a bonus room where I can put a TV. The other place had nowhere for me to entertain anyone, but now that won’t be a problem.”

Royce’s expression was a bit stiff. “So, then, you’re going to live there too?”

“Right. It’s a mixed-use building, just like my other spot.” I studied him, wondering why he looked tense. “You’ll finally have your place back to yourself.”

“And you’ll get your space.”

There was definitely something off about him all of a sudden. He’d seemed thrilled for me at first, but now he looked almost… disappointed? “You’ve been very kind in giving me a place to stay. I really don’t know how to ever repay you.”

“Not necessary.” He avoided my gaze. “I’ve enjoyed having you there.”

I hated that he seemed withdrawn now. I felt driven to try and connect with him. “We… we can have movie nights in that bonus room. Won’t that be fun?”

“Sure.” His smile was strained. “Sounds great.”

“You can bring Grumpy too.” I touched his arm. “He hates being left out.”

“Absolutely. He’ll love it.” He reached for the check when Jeanette set it on the edge of the table. “When will you know if you got the place?”

“Dr. Johnson had forty-eight hours to decide. I’m hoping to hear back soon. Mrs. Numi said she’d call me the minute she heard anything.” I dug my wallet out as I spoke.

He waved me off. “I’ve got it.”

Frowning, I said, “At least let me pay my half.”

“No need.” He moved to the edge of the booth.

“Wait. You’re leaving already?” Surprised, I frowned down at his half-eaten burger. He hadn’t even touched the salad. It wasn’t like Royce to leave food. “What about your lunch?”

He met my gaze. “I have a lot of work waiting for me at the station.”

“I see.” Something was definitely wrong. He’d been so warm when he’d first arrived; now he was closed off. “Can’t you stay just a little longer?”

“I would, but I only had about a half hour to spare.”

“That’s disappointing.”

A spark of guilt shifted through his eyes. “I hadn’t seen you much the last few days. I wanted to make time for you.”

“I definitely appreciate that, but… I feel like you just got here.”

A muscle jerked in his cheek. “Yeah, sorry. Duty calls.”

“Are you… mad at me?” I blinked at him. “I’m not great at reading people… but it feels like you are.”

He got out of the booth and stood next to the table. “I ain’t mad at you, Max.”

“But… something is wrong.” It wasn’t a question.

He seemed to catch himself, and he forced a smile. It didn’t really reach his eyes though. “I’ll see you tonight. We can talk more then.”

“You’ll be home at a decent hour?” I asked skeptically.

“I’ll try.”

I swallowed hard, uneasiness shifting through me. “Did I do something wrong?”

His grimaced. “No, Max. You… you didn’t do anything wrong. It’s me. It’s my own problem.” He seemed to relax slightly, and he bent over to kiss me. His warm mouth felt reassuring, but he straightened quickly. “I’ll see you at home… er… at my place… later.”

“All right.”

He gave a weak smile and left the restaurant.

I watched him go, feeling bewildered. I’d definitely done or said something to upset him.

It’s me. It’s my own problem.

What exactly had that meant? Was he upset with me for finding my new place? That wouldn’t make any sense. He’d known that was the plan all along. Could it simply be that he was stressed-out about this murder case? He also had to deal with the Raidens threatening him with his job. Perhaps it was just all of that piling up on him that had him overwhelmed. But then, why had he seemed fine at first?

My phone rang, and I answered it distractedly, “Dr. Thornton here.”

“Where are you?” Mrs. Numi’s voice came over the line.

“At the Pancake Cottage. I’m just about to leave.” Excitement skipped through me. Did she have good news for me? I couldn’t tell from her voice.

“I’ll meet you out front in five minutes.” She hung up.

Frowning, I tucked my phone away into my pocket. I slid from the booth and gave all the wasted food on the table a grimace. I was tempted to have Jeanette box it all up, but if I was meeting Mrs. Numi, I wouldn’t want to be lugging around a bag of leftovers. I decided to just leave it and, pushing down my guilt for all the hungry people in the world, went out front to meet Mrs. Numi.

Her Mercedes was pulling up to the curb as I exited the building. I strode to her car, and when she unlocked the doors and waved for me to get in, I did. A tiny green tree air freshener hung from the rearview mirror, filling the car with a pine scent. Her air conditioner was on, even though it was December, and she had a stack of folders on her lap.

“We have a situation, Dr. Thornton.” She sounded harassed, and her reading glasses were askew.

“What kind of situation?” I asked, feeling uneasy.

“It’s always feast or famine in this business,” she muttered. “It’s really very annoying.”

“Did Dr. Johnson reject my offer?” I was surprised if he had, especially since Mrs. Numi had been so certain he’d take it.

“Not exactly.” She rifled through the files on her lap.

I frowned. “Did he counter?”

“No…” She grunted. “Here it is.” She opened the folder.

“I wish you’d tell me what’s happening. I’m feeling extremely stressed.” I let out a shaky breath.

She glanced over. “It would seem another party has also made an offer on the property you’re interested in.”

“Seriously?” Even I could hear the alarm in my voice.

“I’m afraid so.”

“Does that matter? I mean, I… I made my offer first.”

“Yes. But because Dr. Johnson hasn’t yet accepted your offer, he’s still open to other offers. Just because yours was first doesn’t guarantee he’ll turn down the other offer.”

“I see. Is this other offer better than mine?”

She grimaced. “Not sure yet.”

“You thought my offer was fair though, right?”

“It was an excellent offer.” She pulled out a sheet of paper from the folder. “I’m just going to look over this other person’s offer. I’m trying to see what would entice Dr. Johnson to go with them instead of us.”

“I thought you were the person handling Dr. Johnson’s property?”

“I am.”

I frowned. “But you didn’t know about this offer until now?”

“It just came in a half hour ago. Other brokers can approach the owner. I, of course, have to be involved in the sale since it’s my listing. That’s why I was notified of this offer.”

“Oh.” I watched her as she scoured the pages.

“What in the world?” she squawked.

“What is it?” I swallowed hard.

She met my gaze. “They offered a hundred thousand more than you.”

“Seriously?” My stomach sank. “But… that’s ridiculous. I was already offering over the asking price.”

“There’s something about this that just smells fishy.” She flicked the corner of the page back and forth, looking deep in thought. “How did anyone even know the property was open to an offer?”

“The only person I’ve told is Royce. I only told him about ten minutes ago. There’s no way he would share my personal business, but this offer came in way before I told him anyway.”

“Yes. Who could have known about the property?” She squinted at the roof of her car. “Only the people I’ve shown the property to should even know it’s available, and they were told not to spread it around.”

“So, you didn’t tell anyone I’d put in an offer on that property?”

She shook her head. “Of course I didn’t. Not a soul.”

“Do you think Dr. Johnson did?”

“I don’t know why he would. He was thrilled to get your offer.” She frowned. “I suppose I could ask him.”

Groaning, I slumped down in the seat. “I was trying so hard not to worry, but I just knew something was going to go wrong. It seemed too good to be true.”

“Now, don’t you give up just yet, Dr. Thornton. I won’t go down without a fight. There’s no way someone is gonna sneak in here and steal this from us.” She seemed to be taking it quite personally.

“But if they’re offering that much more money, of course Dr. Johnson is going to accept their offer, not mine.”

“We could up your offer.”

I grimaced. “Yes. But a hundred thousand over asking? I’d have to go above that. It feels like a bad business decision. Also, I can’t imagine the property would appraise for that amount, and no bank will give a loan then.”

“Maybe.” She flipped through the pages. “The other buyer’s name was redacted on this copy of the proposed contract. How annoying. I don’t know if it’s someone local or some out-of-town person.”

“Why would they want to hide their name?”

“Sometimes buyers do that when they’re concerned with maintaining privacy or protecting personal assets.”

“Would Dr. Johnson know the name of the buyer?”

“Not sure. If it’s an LLC purchasing the property, the name may not be disclosed.”

I scowled. “This just seems so unfair. The property was exactly what I was looking for. I never dreamed I’d find anything that perfect.”

“What you say we go over to see Dr. Johnson?”

I grimaced. “Is that allowed?”

“Of course.” She laughed and set the folders from her lap onto the back seat of her car. She started the engine and glanced over at me. “After all, Dr. Johnson and I are friends. There’s nothing that says I can’t visit my friend.”

“But couldn’t this be considered trying to coerce him?”

She shrugged and pulled out onto the street. “I’d love to see somebody prove that in court. I’m allowed to visit my friends all I want.”

My stomach churned as we drove down Main Street. I guess I should’ve known better than to get my hopes up, but that property had felt like it was meant for me. As much as I’d told myself not to get too excited, it had been impossible not to be.

“I would try to get the name of the buyer out of the other broker, but me and Jerry Fleming don’t really get along.” She sniffed. “He’s jealous because I outsell him every year.”

“It’s odd there were no offers on the property until I made one.”

“I agree.”

If Mrs. Numi hadn’t seemed so outraged at this other offer, I might’ve suspected she’d orchestrated this entire thing just to get me to bid higher. But it was obvious she was personally affronted that another offer had come in.

When we parked in front of Johnson’s Dentistry, I felt nauseated. “Should I stay in the car?”

She shook her head. “Nope.” She opened her door and got out.

I too climbed out of the car, stress eating at me. I followed her to the front door of the building. I’d been so happy when I’d left here the other day. Now, everything that was right with the property just felt like it was mocking me. I’d hoped that the next time I came here, I’d be the proud owner of this place.

She rang the doorbell, and after a few moments, Dr. Johnson opened it. Today, he was dressed in black slacks, and he had a white coat over his clothing. He looked surprised to see us and maybe even a little guilty.

“Mrs. Numi.” He was definitely uptight and even more so when his gaze shifted to me. “And Dr. Thornton. What a pleasant surprise.” He stepped back and ushered us in. “I just finished for the day. My last patient just left.”

“Oh, good. I’m glad we caught you when you aren’t busy.” Mrs. Numi smiled.

“Yes. Me too.” Shifting uneasily, Dr. Johnson grimaced. “I… I… suspect I know why you’re here.”

I didn’t say anything. The atmosphere felt so awkward, I was wishing I’d stayed in the car.

Mrs. Numi said brightly, “A little bird told me there’s another offer on the property.”

Dr. Johnson nodded. “Uh… yes.”

“I was certainly surprised to hear that,” Mrs. Numi said.

“You and me both.” He laughed stiffly. “I was shocked to get that phone call, I can tell you. I mean, first I couldn’t get any nibbles at all, and suddenly I have two offers?”

“That certainly is out of the blue, isn’t it?” Mrs. Numi murmured.

“Very.”

“As you well know, I’ve been trying to sell this property for you from the very beginning. Working day and night to get you exactly the buyer you needed.” She didn’t even blink an eye as she laid the guilt on thick. “So to have another broker swoop in with an offer was very surprising. Considering how hush-hush we’ve kept this property.”

Dr. Johnson seemed to wilt. “Yes, you’ve been a great help to me, Mrs. Numi. You’ve definitely held my hand through the entire process.”

“Indeed I have.”

I blurted, “Did you tell anyone about my offer?”

A flush swept Dr. Johnson’s face. “Well… er… not intentionally.”

Mrs. Numi arched one brow. “What does that mean?”

Dr. Johnson sighed. “This morning, I was working on a patient. We just happened to get on the subject of you, Dr. Thornton.”

“Me?”

He nodded. “Yes. She was saying how you’d subleased a space from her boss after your clinic burned down.”

Her boss?

My heart stuttered. Obviously, I’d only subleased one spot in town since the fire. That had to mean this person he was referring to was Lilly? River’s receptionist?

Dr. Johnson continued. “She said that she’d heard all sorts of horrible things about you, and until she’d met you, she’d believed them.” He gave an uneasy laugh.

I stared at him, not sure what to say.

“Well, anyway, she said that you weren’t that bad at all,” Dr. Johnson said gruffly.

“Thanks,” I mumbled, feeling uneasy.

“Who was this person, Reginald?” Mrs. Numi asked bluntly.

Dr. Johnson grimaced. “Oh, I’m not sure I should say.”

I asked breathlessly, “Is this patient’s name Lilly, by any chance?”

He blinked at me. “Why, yes.”

I turned to Mrs. Numi. “That… that’s River’s receptionist at his clinic.”

“Is it?” Mrs. Numi sounded startled. “What did you say to her, Reginald?”

He gritted his teeth. “I meant no harm.”

“I’m sure you didn’t,” Mrs. Numi said soothingly. “But what exactly did you tell her?”

He sighed. “It just kind of slipped out.”

“What slipped out?” Mrs. Numi asked.

“I was just making conversation…” He winced. “But I told her that Dr. Thornton wouldn’t need to rent a room from her boss anymore. That I was moving to Florida and that Dr. Thornton was buying this place.”

“Damn,” I muttered, unable to keep it in.

“Oh, dear.” Mrs. Numi frowned.

Looking guilty, Dr. Johnson said, “I… I didn’t mean to spill the beans. To be honest, I didn’t even think twice about it at first.”

Mrs. Numi sighed. “But then you suddenly received another offer?”

“Yes.” He nodded.

Sounding frustrated, Mrs. Numi asked, “Was the second offer from River Martin?”

“Oh, I’m not sure I should say.”

Mrs. Numi scowled. “Reginald, we’ve been friends for a long time. I think you owe that much to me.”

His shoulders slumped. “Okay, fine. Yes.”

“Do you promise you didn’t tell her so that Dr. Thornton and River would get into a bidding war and drive up the price?” Mrs. Numi looked disgusted.

“What?” Dr. Johnson appeared mortified. “God no. I swear I didn’t want you guys to get into a bidding war. I… I had every intention of accepting Dr. Thornton’s offer at that time.”

“But you don’t now?” It was impossible to keep the disappointment from my voice.

“Well… I haven’t decided.”

I felt numb as I held his confused gaze. “I see.”

“I’m very upset with you, Reginald. That wasn’t right to tell anyone about Dr. Thornton’s offer.” Mrs. Numi sounded offended.

“I know. I’m sorry. Like I said, it wasn’t on purpose. In fact, my first reaction was to reject that offer.”

“But you didn’t,” I said glumly.

He sighed. “Well, no. I called my daughter to discuss the matter with her, and she told me to accept the higher offer.”

Anger toward River surged inside me. That little rat had intentionally screwed up my deal with Dr. Johnson. There was no way this was coincidence. He was actively trying to mess with me and my livelihood. He was doing his best to ruin my chances of succeeding, or being happy, in Rainy Dale. Why?

“This is so unfair,” I muttered.

Dr. Johnson held out a hand toward me. “I haven’t accepted his offer. I want you to know that.”

“Well, that’s something, I guess.” I dropped my gaze.

“Regardless of what my daughter told me to do, I’m trying to really think things through. While I’m sympathetic to your position, Dr. Thornton, I’d be a fool not to at least consider River’s offer.”

“Yes. That’s a lot of money.”

“Reginald, don’t you see what’s happening here?” Mrs. Numi asked brusquely.

He frowned. “What do you mean?”

She sighed. “I mentioned this property to River once before. When he was trying to purchase the land Dr. Thornton’s other clinic was on when it burned. I told him about this property because it looked like that other lot wasn’t going to happen.”

Dr. Johnson frowned. “You did? I… I didn’t know that.”

“You’ve just forgotten. I mentioned it to you at the time. He wasn’t interested in this property. He flatly turned this place down. He only wanted the land where Dr. Thornton was rebuilding.”

“Oh, yes. Now I do recall that.” Dr. Johnson nodded.

“Don’t you find it odd he’s suddenly so eager to buy this place?” She shook her head.

“I think he wants me to go back to LA as a failure,” I muttered. “I don’t know what else his endgame could be.”

Dr. Johnson wrinkled his brow. “Are you saying that he offered to buy this property simply to thwart Dr. Thornton?”

“I’m saying I find his sudden interest in this place very, very odd.” Mrs. Numi sniffed.

I nodded, feeling dejected. “He seems awfully interested in what I do. The whole reason I started looking for another location was because I didn’t want to be under River’s thumb. I didn’t want him as my landlord.”

“Are you serious?” Dr. Johnson looked shocked.

“Yes. I don’t trust him. I won’t go into all the details, but enough things have happened that it’s impossible to trust him. Now he’s trying to buy this spot. What possible reason could he have for trying to interfere with my purchase of this property other than to hurt me? I can’t help but feel he’s intentionally trying to destroy my business.”

“I had no idea any of that was happening.” Dr. Johnson studied me.

“No. How could you know?” I sighed. “None of this is your problem. I understand why you’re tempted to take his offer instead of mine. There’s really nothing I can do about it. Logic says his offer is better. It doesn’t matter if I made my offer first.”

Dr. Johnson scowled. “I can’t say I like the idea he wants to buy my property out of spite.”

“It’s too coincidental.” Mrs. Numi’s gaze was hard. “He could have bought this property but didn’t want it. Not until Dr. Thornton wanted it.”

“What an odd situation I find myself in,” murmured Dr. Johnson.

My heart was heavy as I looked around the waiting area. “I guess that’s just life.”

Dr. Johnson watched me without speaking.

I gave a humorless laugh. “The odd thing is I could really see myself here.” I frowned. “I haven’t felt at home much since moving to Rainy Dale. I’ve had trouble fitting in. No surprise, I suppose, since I have trouble fitting in anywhere. But when I walked into this building, I had the oddest sensation of coming home.”

Dr. Johnson grunted. “I’m sorry.”

I had no illusions his guilt would make him accept my offer. His response was motivated by pity. He was sorry for rejecting my offer. He was sorry for giving the place that would suit me so well to another person. He was sorry for putting money before anything else.

I suddenly found it impossible to hide my intense disappointment. I didn’t want to show my weakness in front of the other two. “I suppose I’ve heard enough. Mrs. Numi, I think I’ll wait for you in the car.”

She nodded. “All right.”

I forced myself to meet Dr. Johnson’s shame-filled gaze. “Even though it didn’t work out, I appreciate your time, sir. Good luck to you in Florida.”

“Thank you,” Dr. Johnson said quietly.

I left the building, chest aching. I felt foolish allowing myself to become emotional over material things. I told myself it was a pile of brick and mortar, and I’d find something else that suited me. But even as I tried to soothe myself with logic, my hatred of River grew. Why that little asshole wanted to ruin my life, I couldn’t understand. It baffled me. Enraged me. I had no idea how to protect myself from him. If I stayed in Rainy Dale, was this how it was always going to be? Was he forever going to do his best to spoil my happiness?

I didn’t get in the car. Instead, I walked to stand beneath one of the large oak trees in the front yard. I sucked in the crisp fresh air, trying to calm down. The branches were devoid of leaves, and the winter sun warmed my shoulders. Life felt depressing at the moment. It still bothered me that Royce had seemed upset with me earlier. Now I also had to start all over again, looking for a new location.

Turning, I faced the redbrick building. Even though I knew it wasn’t going to be mine now, I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was supposed to be mine. I gave a shaky laugh, feeling foolish. I wasn’t someone who was sentimental. Why was I acting like this? A building was nothing to get worked up about. If I let things get to me too much, then River would win. He wanted to chase me away. I needed to stay strong.

Mrs. Numi came out of the front door, and she shook a very solemn-looking Dr. Johnson’s hand. She moved down the steps, her face grim. I met her at the car, and we both got in. She gripped the steering wheel so tight her knuckles were white. “I’m really sorry, Maxwell. I feel awful for getting your hopes up.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“No. But I did tell you that with me as your Realtor, this was basically a done deal.” She started the car. “I’m furious with River. Absolutely furious.”

“I wish I knew what it was I did to make him hate me so much. Maybe I didn’t like him from the first moment I met him, but I never actively tried to harm him. Mostly, I tried to avoid him. He’s simply not my kind of person.”

“I seriously thought you were exaggerating his desire to screw with you.” She laughed self-consciously. “Now I see it though. What’s his plan, to buy up every piece of property you’re interested in?”

“Something tells me he wouldn’t bother interfering if I were to lease a spot in the Bandito Business Park.”

“No?”

“I think he only cares to interfere if it’s something I want. I liked the other property my clinic was on, so he wanted to control it.” I swallowed hard. “I loved this property, so of course he won’t let me have it. He’d have stolen Royce from me if he could have. Anything that brings me happiness, he wants to take it away.”

“That’s ridiculous. It makes no sense.”

“I agree,” I mumbled. “I’d love to know where he’s getting the money to buy all this land.”

“He told me he’d received a huge settlement from a lawsuit he was involved in.” Mrs. Numi sighed.

“I see.”

She scowled. “I’m so darn frustrated. If Reginald just hadn’t said anything to anyone, the sale would have gone through. River wouldn’t have been able to stop you from having what you wanted.”

That ache in my chest returned. “But he did say something, and this is how it turned out.”

“I’ll tell you one thing. I’m going to give Jerry Fleming a piece of my mind. Sneaking in to steal something from one of my clients is unacceptable.”

As she ranted about all the things she was going to say to the other broker, I stared at the side mirror. Heart sinking, I watched the redbrick building I’d hoped to call home fade into the distance.

Out of reach.

Chapter Fourteen

Royce

For some reason, Mayor Penelope Granger insisted I join her and Fire Chief Jargon for an after-work drink. Maybe the day was over for her, but I still had plenty of work to do and wasn’t in the mood for meaningless chitchat. I really just wanted to go home at a decent hour for once. I wanted to see Max. I knew I’d confused him earlier today, and I wanted to try and explain myself.

His news earlier had caught me completely off guard. I’d been unable to express myself properly. Truth was, I was bummed that he was moving out soon. I’d loved having him in my home. But he’d seemed only too eager to live on his own again, which of course hurt my ego a bit. I didn’t want to live by myself forever. I wanted our relationship to progress. Deepen. While I didn’t want to pressure Maxwell, I did hope that maybe he would’ve wanted to keep living together too.

He’d made it clear that wasn’t what he wanted. He was ecstatic at the thought of having his own place again. That was his right. He wasn’t obligated to live with me. I guess his enthusiasm to move out simply forced me to see that maybe we weren’t in the same place as far as what we wanted from this relationship. I knew he loved me, but if he preferred to live separately, that was disappointing. I couldn’t pretend it wasn’t.

The problem with having separate residences was we both worked long hours. I didn’t want to go back to just seeing each other every other day during the week. Often, I was too tired after work to go to his place. He worked long hours too and had the same issue. When we’d live together, at least I’d always had some time with him each day. We wouldn’t see as much of each other when we went back to living separately. Maybe that was okay with him? Maybe living with me had been more of a strain than I’d realized.

“Sheriff?” Penelope’s voice cut into my thoughts.

I glanced up and found Fire Chief Jargon standing beside the table. “Oh, are you taking off now, Chief?” I felt guilty that I’d completely zoned out.

“Yep.” Chief Jargon settled his cap on top of his thick white hair and took a big breath.

Oh, God.

I knew what that big breath meant; he was about to launch into one of his long-winded spiels. Nobody could talk at you like Fire Chief Jargon. He didn’t seem to ever need oxygen. He just talked and talked and talked, bouncing from one thought to the next. Groaning inwardly, I braced myself as he began speaking.

“It sure was good seeing you, Sheriff. One of these days, I need to come over to the station and take a tour. It’s been a long time since I bothered to take a tour of the police station. Maybe I could do a fire inspection while I’m at it. What do you say? All the buildings in Rainy Dale need to be inspected periodically. Even the police station. You’re not above the law, eh?” He guffawed.

“No, we are not.” I laughed weakly.

He continued. “The other day, I was in the grocery store, and I went into the back room. You know, where they have all the pallets and the boxes? Anyway, I was looking around to be sure that everything was up to fire code. You gotta do that every now and then, but people get lazy, and before you know it, you have a fire. Then everybody wonders how that happened? Well, I’ll tell you how that happened—because you didn’t let the fire marshals do their job.”

I did my best not to look at my watch, but it wasn’t easy.

“Well, this young fella came in, and he saw me. Now, he didn’t know who I was from Adam because I wasn’t wearing my uniform. Why would I? After all, I was grocery shopping.” He grinned. “So, anyhoo, this young kid asks me who I am and—”

As he droned on, I met Penelope’s gaze. Having already taken the brunt of his charm during the evening, she looked a little wilted around the edges. Somehow, she managed to interject herself into his diatribe. “Oh goodness, look at the time,” she said cheerfully. “I believe you said you needed to get home for dinner, Chief Jargon?”

He blinked at her. “Uh-oh. You’re right. I’d better get moving, or my wife will have my hide.”

Penelope laughed gaily. “We’ll have to do this again very soon.”

“Absolutely.” He nodded eagerly.

I forced a smile. “Good talking to you. See you soon, Chief.”

“You bet.” He walked away toward the front of the bar, and Mayor Granger slumped. “My Lord, that man can talk.”

“He’s a marvel.”

She laughed, but as she studied me, her smile faded. “You seemed very distracted this evening, Sheriff.”

“Oh, I have a lot on my mind.”

“You mean with your murder investigation?” she asked.

“Other things too, but obviously, that’s a huge priority.”

“Speaking of your investigation.” She cleared her throat. “I wanted to talk to you, Sheriff.”

Those six words rarely preceded a pleasant conversation.

“Is that right?” I asked, bracing myself.

“I was talking to Angela Raiden at the women’s club luncheon today.” Penelope furrowed her brow. “She seemed very upset with you, Sheriff.”

“Why is that?” I knew perfectly well why Angela had a bug up her ass, but I wanted Penelope to actually have to say it out loud.

“Oh, well, she seems to think you’re unfairly targeting her family in your investigation.”

“You’ve known me a long time, Penelope. Do you really think that’s how I do things?”

“No. But she really was quite upset with you.”

“I can’t help if she’s upset, but I’m not targeting anyone. I’m asking questions of everyone who had interactions with Archie the day of his murder.”

“She insists you’re being too hard on her.”

Anger simmered in my gut. “Now, Penelope, you know better than to stick your nose into my investigations.”

She laughed. “Oh, Sheriff, I’m not doing that. I was just wondering if maybe you could be a little gentler on the Raidens.”

“Gentler?”

“Yes. I… I understand you have to investigate, but she seemed quite upset.”

“The problem with the Raidens is they don’t seem to think they should be questioned at all.”

“Oh, that can’t be right.”

I narrowed my eyes. “That’s exactly what’s been happening, Penelope.”

“But I’m sure they know you need to talk to them.”

I shook my head. “When I ask them questions, they get angry.”

“Are you sure?”

I laughed gruffly. “Yes. I’m sure. I know when people are angry with me. I can’t let them off the hook. I need to talk to everybody about what they saw. I even interviewed you, and you didn’t complain.”

“I know. And yes you did. But maybe you could just move on to some other people for a while. Give the Raidens a wide berth temporarily.”

Gritting my teeth, I said, “I wouldn’t ask them questions if I didn’t need to.”

“Couldn’t you just leave them for later?”

“No. That would be wasting time. Their family is at the center of this case.”

She sighed. “Still, you need to be careful you don’t just focus on them.”

“That’s not happening. Not at all.”

She lifted her brows. “Angela was fit to be tied.”

“Look, I know how to run an investigation. I know how to run my department. I don’t tell you how to run your side of things. The fact that Angela Raiden whined to you about the mere fact that I’m questioning her shows me exactly just how entitled she thinks she is. It should show you that too.”

Penelope looked uneasy, and she patted my arm. “Now, don’t go getting all hot under the collar. She asked me to have a word with you, and so that’s what I did.” She held up her hands. “That’s all I have to say on the subject.”

“She asked you to tell me to back off?” I rasped.

She grimaced. “Well, not exactly. It was more of a suggestion.”

“The Raidens are unbelievable,” I muttered.

Penelope shrugged. “They’re used to being treated a certain way.”

“So I gather. The fact she’d have the nerve to try and rope you into this?”

“It was just an innocent conversation between friends.”

“It’s not innocent if she asked you to tell me to back off.”

She winced. “I’m sure there was no ill intent on Angela’s part.”

I chuffed. “It may interest you to know that both she and her husband threatened me.”

“What?” She widened her eyes.

“Yep. They both told me they’re going to see to it that I’m not reelected next time around.”

“Oh, that kind of threat.” From the way she avoided my gaze, I knew that Angela had already broached the subject with her. “Don’t you worry about that, Sheriff. The people of Rainy Dale adore you.”

“Don’t you think it’s out of line for them to threaten me with my job just because I’m doing my job?”

“Absolutely. You just forget I said anything. You’re right. I should have kept out of it.” She smiled, but there was obvious tension in her face. I’m sure she was also in an awkward position. The Raidens could make life difficult for her as well.

“I know this has you in an uncomfortable position. I respect that. But I need to do my job.”

“I understand. I want you to know I support you, Sheriff. I don’t want you to go anywhere, okay?”

“I appreciate you saying that.” I smiled.

She sighed. “Are we all good?”

“Yep.”

“Well, I’m glad we have that settled.” She laughed. “Are you going back to the office now?” she asked, gathering her purse from the booth.

“I think I might for a bit. Then I’m going to go home and see if I can spend five minutes with Max before falling asleep.” I laughed sheepishly. “This case is exhausting. The people are exhausting.”

She gave me a sympathetic nod. “Well, don’t work too hard, Sheriff.”

When I got back to the station, I was glad I’d only had soda water. I was tired, and a drink would’ve just made me even more tired. Before I left for the day, I wanted to try and track down the limo driver named Marcos, who Archie had fired. I wanted to bring him in for an interview, but the only address I had for him was in Alabama. His phone number had an Alabama area code too.

I decided I had nothing to lose trying to call Marcos. I dialed the number, and it picked up on the third ring.

“Hello?” said a gruff voice.

“This is Sheriff Callum from Rainy Dale, Texas. I’m trying to locate a Marcos Grover?”

“Speaking.” He sounded wary.

“Great. How are you this evening, Mr. Grover?” I asked politely.

“Fine,” he said curtly. “I doubt you called me just to ask me that.”

I laughed. “I guess you don’t want me to waste your time.”

“I’m just not sure why you’re calling. I don’t live in Rainy Dale anymore.”

Frowning, I asked, “Is that right?”

“Nope. I live in Alabama now. I have family here.”

“Mind telling me when you moved?”

“It’s been over a month now. Why do you ask?”

I grimaced. “I guess you haven’t heard?”

“Heard what?”

I hesitated. “Your old boss, Archie Brady, was murdered.”

There was a thick silence. Then after a few moments, “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“I heard you and him didn’t part on good terms.”

“Says who?”

“It doesn’t matter who. Is it true?”

He growled, “Did that little shit Thomas tell you that? That kid was always poking his nose in where it didn’t belong.”

Since he’d guessed my source, I didn’t see the point in hiding it now. “Thomas didn’t accuse you of anything. He simply mentioned that you and Archie had a falling-out.”

“Oh, it was slightly more heated than that.”

“I appreciate your honesty.”

He sighed. “I’ll admit, I lost my cool.”

“Is it true you threatened Archie’s life when he fired you?”

He gave a harsh laugh. “Yeah, I was pretty pissed. He shouldn’t have fired me. I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“So, you don’t deny that you threatened him?”

“Nope. But those were just words. I was upset because I didn’t deserve to lose my job. The customers were rude assholes. I didn’t feel like I needed to take their shit without saying something back. Archie didn’t agree.”

“I see. So you two argued?”

“Absolutely. I was livid. But I didn’t do anything to Archie, and I’ve been here in Alabama for a month now. Which I’m sure you can easily check.”

“Mind telling me where you were last Sunday?”

“That’s easy. I was coaching my nephew’s Little League team. I’ve got a bleacher full of people who can back me up on that.”

“Is that right?” He sounded pretty confident. That would be an easy one to check too, so he most likely was telling the truth. Either way, I’d make sure.

He laughed. “If you doubt my word, the team has a Facebook page. The name of the team is the Dixie Devils. You’ll see me there. They just posted a bunch of photos yesterday. I’m the good-looking guy with the shaved head and a handlebar mustache. I’m sure you can verify and cross-check what I look like from my DMV photo.”

I had to smile at how helpful he was being. He seemed to know the drill. “Ever been in trouble with the law before, Mr. Grover?”

He snorted. “I’m sure you already know that I did time for petty theft in my wilder youth.”

“Yep. I was just curious if you’d admit it.”

He chuckled. “I’m no saint, but I’m no murderer. I’m afraid you’ll have to look somewhere else for your killer, Sheriff. It ain’t me.”

Yeah. It wasn’t him.

“I appreciate your time,” I drawled.

“No problem.” He hung up.

I pinched the skin between my eyes, mulling the idea of going home. My brain was mush. It would probably be better if I got a fresh start in the morning. There was a knock on my door, and it opened.

Deputy Juan poked his head in. “Hey, boss? Remember Janelle told you she’d given Archie an ATM card to her account?”

I nodded. “Yes. He’d never used it though, and we couldn’t locate it in his things.” The not using it part had been surprising, considering he was supposed to be a con man.

“The card company just got an alert that someone tried to use the card at an ATM machine across town.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Seriously?”

“Yep. The bank is having the security tape pulled now. They promised to send it over first thing in the morning.”

“Perfect.” I hesitated. “Did the machine grab the card?”

“Doesn’t look like it. Apparently, the individual stopped trying to get into the account before the system locked it.”

“Damn. We might’ve gotten a nice print off of that.”

“Yeah.”

“Thanks for telling me.”

“No problem.” He closed the door.

I was tired and kind of felt like I was spinning my wheels. Maybe the universe was telling me to go home for the day. I was only too willing to listen.

****

When I got home, the sun was setting. Maxwell’s car was in the driveway, but when I opened the door, the house was dark. Grumpy greeted me, jumping on me and licking my hand. I wondered if maybe Maxwell had gone for a walk but figured he probably would’ve taken Grumpy with him. Maybe he was out with Girdy? I closed the door and walked into the living room. I was just about to flip on the light when Maxwell spoke from a chair in the corner of the room.

“Please don’t turn the light on. I’d rather suffer in the dark.” His voice was vaguely slurred.

I frowned and pulled my hand away from the wall switch. “Everything okay?”

“No.”

I moved toward him, taking care not to trip over Grumpy. I reached Maxwell and in the dim lighting could see him sprawled in the armchair, a bottle of tequila in his lap. He wasn’t a big drinker, and he definitely wasn’t someone who drowned his sorrows with booze. Yet there he sat, cradling a bottle of Jose Cuervo. “Wanna tell me about it?”

“Not par-tic-lar-ilar-ily.”

“Come on, Max,” I coaxed. “Talk to me.”

He didn’t speak.

I knelt in front of him. “Since when do you drink straight tequila?”

“Since right now.”

I rubbed his leg, and his muscles stiffened beneath my hand. “Are you mad at me?”

“Pfft. You’re the one who’s mad at me.”

I frowned. “Who says I’m mad at you?”

“Me.”

“I ain’t mad at you.”

“Tell it to your lawyer.”

I gave a confused laugh. “Max, please tell me what’s going on.”

“What is the point of being in this little town?” he mumbled. “I can’t be happy. It’s not allowed.”

I hesitated. “But you were happy earlier. What changed?”

“Life,” he slurred. “Life screwed me over as usual.”

I didn’t speak; I just stayed where I was, watching him. Self-pity was not his thing. Not usually. My eyes were adjusted to the poor light now. A bunch of different emotions kept flitting over his face. Anger. Regret. Sadness. More anger.

“Did your deal fall through?” I asked quietly.

“It was hijacked.”

I frowned. “Meaning what?”

“Meaning Him We Shall Not Speak Of screwed me over.” He sat up, scowling. “And he’s just gonna keep doing it, Royce. He’s just going to keep messing with me, and messing with me, until I give up and run back to LA.”

My stomach clenched at that. “No. You’re not going anywhere.”

“Well, I’m never going to get back in business if he has his way.”

I frowned. “Just to be clear, are we talking about River?”

“Yes,” he snapped. “Fucking River Martin. I hate him so much.”

His anger was unsettling. He was always so controlled, this fury radiating off him made me uneasy. “What did he do?”

“He ruined everything.”

“Okay, but could you give me some specifics?”

He held out the bottle. “Do you want some?”

I shook my head. “I just want to know how I can help you.”

He slumped back against the chair. “I don’t think anyone can. Maybe all his chanting and incense burning works. I think the universe is on his side. It certainly isn’t on mine.”

“Did he somehow interfere with your new clinic?” I was still very much in the dark about what the hell was going on with Max. I knew it had something to do with River but not a lot more.

“He took it from me.”

“How?”

“He swooped in.” He licked his lips, wincing. “God, Royce, it was so perfect.” He rubbed his chest as if in pain. “I know I could have been happy there.”

“Did Dr. Johnson reject your offer?”

“He will.”

I frowned. “What does that mean? He hasn’t yet?”

“He will,” he repeated, sounding impatient. “It’s a done deal. He will take the money cuz that’s all anybody cares about. See, this is why I hate people. People are the worst.” He took a swig off the bottle, wincing.

“Slow down, Max. You’re going to be sick.”

“Good.”

I grimaced. “No. Not good.”

“Maybe I’ll get lucky and I’ll die of alcohol poisoning.” He started to lift the bottle to his lips, and I grabbed hold of it.

“Come on, pace yourself.”

He scowled at me, but he let me take the bottle. “My dad was right. Emotions are useless. Happiness. Joy. Desire. They’re all useless.”

“Not true.”

“Of course you’d say that,” he muttered. “You’re such a ray of sunshine.”

I laughed. “Don’t go picking on me just because you’re in a foul mood, Max.”

He studied me, and then he gave a sheepish smile. “Okay.”

“That’s better.” I stood and held out my hand. “Come in the kitchen. I’ll make you some toast.”

“Soup,” he said, clumsily getting to his feet. “I want soup.”

I put my arms around his waist to steady him. “No. You need something to soak up the booze. Soup won’t be enough.”

“God, I’m sure my liver is wondering what the hell is happening.” He gave a husky giggle. “But really, what has clean living ever got me?”

“A healthy body and mind.”

He smiled up at me. “You like my body?”

“You know I do. I like your mind too.”

“You smooth talker, you.” He leaned in and kissed me, and there was a needy desperation to his kiss. He tasted of the tequila and some elusive thing that was just Max. When the kiss ended, he leaned his face against my shoulder.

I rubbed his back. “It’ll be okay, Max. I promise.”

He didn’t speak for a moment, and then he whispered, “Why did I get my hopes up? I know better than to do that.”

“There’s nothing wrong with getting excited about something.”

“It’s twice as hard when it falls through though.”

“Nah. You gotta hope for things.”

He sighed. “Of course you’d say that.”

I led him into the kitchen and made him sit at the table. Then I pulled out the whole-grain bread he liked and toasted two slices. He sat staring into space, as if watching something on an invisible screen. Once the toast was the perfect golden-brown color, I buttered it and put it on a plate. Then I carried it over to the table and set it in front of him.

“Eat,” I said firmly.

He picked up a piece and took a bite. His cheek bulged as he chewed, and he looked up at me. “Sit with me.”

I took the chair beside him. “Maybe you’re overreacting. Maybe Dr. Johnson will accept your offer.”

He closed his eyes. “No. River offered a hundred thousand dollars more. Dr. Johnson would be a fool to turn that down.”

“Shit. A hundred thousand more?”

“Yes. River needed to make sure it was an offer he couldn’t refuse.” He took another big bite of the toast, chewing angrily.

“What are you going to do? You can’t keep working at his clinic. Not with this much animosity between you two.”

“No. I’ll have Girdy pack up everything. I can’t go in there. I might try to strangle River. Then you’d have to arrest me.”

“Why in hades would River do that to you?”

“I don’t know. You think he’d be happy to get me out of his clinic. Why put up roadblocks to keep me there?” Max took another bite, looking dejected.

“I can’t figure out what his motivation would be.”

He finished off one piece of toast and started on the next. I was amazed he was actually eating. Of course, neither of us had finished our lunch today.

“Why did you think I was mad at you?” I asked.

He swallowed hard as if the bread was sticking in his throat. I got up quickly and got him a glass of water and sat it in front of him. He took a swig of it, and once the bread seemed safely down, he met my gaze.

“You seemed upset with me at lunch.” He frowned.

“I was just surprised.” I hesitated. “You’d already put an offer down, and it was the first I was even hearing about the spot.”

“It just happened really fast. I was looking at one spot in a strip mall kind of place, and Mrs. Numi could tell it wasn’t at all what I wanted. Next thing I knew, she’d taken me over to see Dr. Johnson’s clinic.” He sighed. “It was everything I wanted. I guess I just went for it, assuming you’d be happy for me.”

Guilt nipped at me. “I was happy for you.”

“You didn’t seem it.” His tone wasn’t exactly accusing, but it was close.

He deserved to know where my head was at, but I wasn’t sure he was in the right frame of mind to have this conversation. “We can talk about all of that later. You have enough to think about right now without me adding to your stress.”

He wrinkled his brow. “Is it bad?”

“No. Not at all.”

“Then just tell me. Tell me what you were feeling.”

I leaned back in my chair, feeling embarrassed. “I’ve loved having you here with me. I guess, if I’m honest, it kinda bothered me you couldn’t wait to go back to living separate.”

Surprise shifted through his blue eyes. “Well, this was just temporary. You never offered me a permanent place in your home.”

It’s true, I had never officially asked him to move in with me. Mostly because I’d feared he’d reject my offer. “I suppose I just hoped you were feeling what I was feeling.”

“Who says I wasn’t?”

Frowning, I said, “But you went looking for a place to live. Not just a place for your business.”

“I told you the first place I looked at was that business park. But Mrs. Numi could see that spot wasn’t for me. When she showed me the building where Johnson’s Dentistry was, it solved all my problems. It even had a pool.”

“Right. I’m not saying you did anything wrong; it just threw me. You’d already put an offer in by the time I heard about it. I suppose I felt a little left behind. Out of the loop.”

Maxwell grimaced. “I didn’t mean to do that to you. I really thought I was just going to look at business locations. I figured I’d worry about the living situation after that. But… then I saw the pool. I never in a million years dreamed I’d find another setup that worked for me personally and in business. I knew that first spot I’d had when I first came here was unusual.”

“Sure. I get why you jumped on it. I knew I was being a baby. That’s why I told you this was my problem, not yours.”

“I didn’t know what you meant when you said that. I just knew you were upset. Distant.” He pushed the last of his toast into his mouth, and he chewed while staring at me. Once he’d swallowed, he said, “I’ve loved living with you. Just for the record.”

“I wasn’t sure.”

“Really? It seemed obvious to me. Didn’t I seem happy here?”

“Yes. But I thought maybe you were just hiding how you really felt.”

He blinked at me. “Since when am I good at that?”

I laughed. “True.”

“You know, to be fair, you never formally asked me to live with you.” He frowned.

I gave a sheepish laugh. “No. I was too scared.”

“Fearless Sheriff Royce Callum isn’t afraid of anything.”

“I’m afraid of plenty of things.” I shrugged. “Mostly, of losing you.”

“Well, it would seem you’re still stuck with me.” He blew out a shaky breath. “Apparently, I’m not going anywhere soon.”

“Good.”

He gave a sad smile. “Yeah. I was really looking forward to having a pool again though.”

“I know.” I sighed. “Maybe one of these days, we should discuss what we both expect from this relationship. It might help avoid problems.”

“We can talk about it now, if you want?” He pushed his bread plate away, looking uneasy.

“Let’s talk when you’re not feeling so… vulnerable.”

He smirked. “You mean drunk?”

“That too.” I laughed.

His expression changed and became very serious. “I love you, Royce. I hope you know that. Maybe I don’t show it enough. You’re the most important thing to me in this world.”

His unusually emotional comment caught me off guard. I found myself smiling, happy to hear how he felt about me. “I feel the same about you, Max. That’s why I like you here in my home.”

He smiled, but when his stomach gave an ominous grumble, he widened his eyes. “Oh, dear.”

“You feel okay?”

He seemed to consider my question. “Actually, yes. I have a mild headache, and apparently I’ve swallowed a dragon. Other than that, I’m good.”

“Do you feel sick?”

“No. My stomach is just digesting very loudly.”

I stood. “Maybe you should lie down. You’ve had a stressful day.”

A little spark of arousal went through his pretty blue eyes. “Are you propositioning me, Sheriff?”

I grinned. “I am if you want me to be.”

He looked up at me. “Maybe you can help relieve my stress.”

“I’ll surely do what I can, Max.” I pulled him to his feet.

He put his arms around my neck. “I always feel better when I’m around you. Most people suck my energy, but you don’t.”

“I’ll suck something else if you want,” I said softly.

He laughed. “Wanna take a nap with me, Sheriff?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

Chapter Fifteen

Maxwell

Maybe everything else in the world had gone to hell, but at least I still had Royce. He was what mattered. We undressed each other slowly, kissing and laughing. I got on the bed first, mostly because the room was spinning a little. Royce joined me, and he lay down on top of me. I wrapped my arms around him, enjoying the weight of him pressing me into the mattress.

His eyes were heated and focused on me. I liked the vaguely predatory look he’d get in his eyes when we fucked. He was such an even-keel kind of guy, when he let his wilder side come out, it made my heart pound. He kissed me until I was breathless, his calloused hands roaming my body. I smoothed my hands down his muscled back, loving the hard, sinewy landscape. He rolled his hips, dragging his cock against mine, and I moaned and arched my back.

I’d been surprised at his admission earlier that he’d wanted me to permanently live with him. I’d felt completely at home here, but without a formal invitation, it would never have occurred to me to stay indefinitely. I’d worried that perhaps I’d already overstayed my welcome. He’d lived alone a long time, just like me. For all I’d known, he’d wanted his privacy back. Apparently not.

His kisses became hungrier and more forceful, and I met them eagerly. I sucked his lips and tongue, feeling a bit out of control from the tequila I’d had. I wanted him inside me more than air at the moment. I ached to be filled and taken by the man I loved more than life itself.

“Royce,” I murmured, spreading my thighs.

A spark of need shivered through his honey-colored eyes, and he nudged my legs wider. Two lubed fingers gently filled me, and I panted against the delicious invasion. He watched me intently, a little smile playing around his full lips. “Can’t wait to be inside you, Max.”

Pulling his head down for a kiss, I tangled my fingers in his silky blond hair. I kissed him deep and long, tasting and teasing with my tongue. We shared hot breaths, warm skin sliding together, whimpers of need filling the room. Pleasure spread through my body as I focused on his fingers inside of me.

“Love you,” I said softly, riding his hand. “Need you.”

He nodded, eyes glazed with lust. He pulled his fingers from me and pressed the head of his cock to my hole. “Max,” he breathed as he pushed inside of me in a long, hard push.

Shuddering, I dug my nails into his back, holding his glittering gaze. The bed creaked as he thrust inside of me. I dug my heels into the mattress, bearing down on his cock, needing him as deep as possible. The thick scrape of him inside me took my breath away. My balls felt warm and full, and my dick ached with the need to come. His throaty grunting noises made me harder, and I pressed closer still.

“Fuck,” I whimpered. “I’m already close.”

“Yeah?” He smiled, eyes dark and lusty. His hips moved quicker, his gaze never leaving me. “Feel me inside you, Max?”

I strained into him, lips parted, feeling desperate to come. The tequila swirled in my bloodstream, making me dizzy. “Come in me. Fill me,” I begged. “Please. Please.”

“I will. When I’m ready.” He kissed me, sucking and licking me into a quivering mess. His thrusts intensified, and we slowly inched up the bed closer to the pillows.

Wrapping my legs around him, I met his thrusts. I wasn’t sure I could hang on much longer. The booze had my self-control in tatters. I just wanted to feel good. Full. Satiated. I wanted him to own me. Use me. Worship me with his body, the way I worshiped him. Losing that location was disappointing, but this was what made life worth living. Sharing my body and heart with a man I’d die for.

“Oh, fuck, Max.” His control faltered, and his pupils dilated. His hips picked up speed, and his dick swelled inside me. Teeth gritted, he gave a strangled sound, the tendons of his neck distended. “Can’t stop, fuck.”

I felt him come, a hot flush of seed that pushed me over the edge too. My dick jerked between us, spilling over my writhing stomach. We held each other, humping, panting, groaning, taking and giving pleasure. My body trembled and jolted with ecstasy, and my muscles went slack.

“God, that feels good,” I mumbled, little tremors of delight buzzing through my body every few seconds.

He gave a few extra weaker thrusts as he finished inside me. Then he held my face, kissing me gently. When he finally lifted his head, his eyes were warm. “I’m glad I came home early.”

I laughed, slipping my arms around him. He was still inside me, and I really didn’t want him to ever pull out. I closed my eyes, feeling sleepy. “Let’s just stay like this forever.”

“Deal.” He sounded amused.

“People will get used to seeing us this way after a while.”

“Of course.”

I smiled at his teasing tone. The one good thing about not getting that spot for my clinic was that meant I’d get to live with Royce longer. There would be more nights like these for sure. It was definitely more convenient living together. I would have missed Royce horribly if I’d had to move out.

I sighed. “Do you mind if I sleep?”

“Nope.”

I frowned. “You fed me, but you didn’t eat.”

“Not hungry.” He slowly pulled out of me and lowered himself beside me.

“It’s important to eat,” I said drowsily.

“Shhhhh. Go to sleep, Max.” He sat up, and the mattress jiggled when he got off the bed. He returned, and he wiped my stomach clean.

I wanted to open my eyes, but my lids felt like lead. “Promise me you’ll eat something. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”

“It’s dinnertime.”

“Still…” I mumbled.

He didn’t respond verbally, but he stroked my hair off my forehead. I sighed and rolled onto my side, curling into a ball. I felt him lay a blanket over me, but I still couldn’t seem to rouse myself.

I must’ve fallen asleep because when I woke, sun was streaming through the curtains. Shocked that I’d slept the entire night, I sat up. Somewhere during the night, I’d found my way under the covers, and beside me, Royce was still sleeping. Grumpy was at the foot of the bed, snoring.

I rubbed my face, trying to chase away the residual grogginess. My head throbbed, no surprise after my run-in with a tequila bottle last night. I checked the time, noticing it was 6:40 a.m. I didn’t really have anywhere to go. There was no way I was going to River’s clinic today. I still needed to call Girdy and tell her what was happening.

Climbing out of bed, I made my way into the restroom. I brushed my teeth, shaved, and got in the shower. Once I got out, my head was still pounding, but I didn’t want to take any medication on an empty stomach. I could smell coffee, which meant Royce must’ve gotten up.

After dressing in jeans and a white collared shirt, I went into the kitchen. Sure enough, Royce was there. He was scrambling eggs on the stove, and the coffee was brewing. It was a nice domestic scene, one I’d miss once I eventually did find a place of my own.

“Morning,” I said as I neared Royce.

He smiled at me over his shoulder. “I woke up starving.”

“I’m not surprised. You never had dinner, did you?” My tone was chiding.

He didn’t respond to my question. “Can I scramble you an egg?”

“I think I’ll just have yogurt and granola.” I went to the coffee maker, happy to see it had just stopped. I filled my cup and Royce’s, adding cream. I took his cup to him and set it near him on the stove.

“Thanks.”

“My pleasure, Sheriff.” I smirked.

He glanced at me. “Feeling better today?”

“Yes. Although I have a mild hangover.”

“Of course.”

I sighed. “I’d probably be doing much worse if you hadn’t forced me to eat toast. So, thank you for that.”

“Sure.”

I hovered near him, sipping my coffee. “I suppose you have a busy day?”

“Seeing as there’s still a murderer on the loose, yep.”

“Do you have any idea who the bad guy is yet?” I wasn’t sure he’d answer. He didn’t always want to share things about the cases he worked.

He grimaced. “Not really.”

“Any leads?” Since he seemed open to talking, I figured I’d ask as much as I could. Naturally, I was curious about who’d killed Archie.

“Well, someone tried to use Archie’s ATM card yesterday. We should get the CCTV today. That might push us forward by leaps and bounds.”

I frowned. “That was a risky move on their part. Would the killer be foolish enough to use Archie’s ATM card? They must know the cops would be watching for that.”

“I don’t know who else it could have been. It’s not like Archie lost his wallet. It was on his body. Whoever took his ATM card must’ve been someone close to him.”

“Were they successful in getting anything out of the account?”

“No.”

“Huh. Maybe they weren’t that close then. Otherwise, they’d have known his password, right?”

“True.”

I leaned on the counter. “Of all the suspects you have, if you had to take a wild guess, who would you think the killer is?”

He scrunched his face, and I thought he wouldn’t answer, but then he said, “That’s a good question.”

“Is it easier to tell me who you don’t think it is?” I smiled.

“Probably.” He scooped the eggs onto his plate. “I don’t think it’s Janelle. I don’t think it’s Thomas. I think the waitstaff at the Dusty Steer is in the clear.”

“Do you think it could be the Raidens?”

He grunted. “Will you think less of me if I admit I wished it was them?”

“No. I’d love to see them behind bars. They’re not very nice people.”

“Agreed. Unfortunately, I don’t think it was Angela. I examined her dress yesterday, and there was no blood spatter. Also, her alibi checked out with the bartender.”

“What about Mr. Raiden?”

“The jury is still out on him. He definitely had motive. I get the feeling that Archie and Angela might have actually fooled around at one time. I think that’s one reason Michael assumed they had again. I’ve no idea why Archie rejected Angela the day of the wedding, but I believe he did.”

“Perhaps he rejected her simply because it was his wedding?” I scowled in disgust.

“True. Maybe that made a difference to him.”

“Or maybe he’d never given in to Angela. Maybe he’d always remained faithful to Janelle. I highly doubt Angela will tell you the truth, and Archie can’t.”

“Exactly.”

I frowned. “Did you ever get any results back for the high heel?”

He shook his head. “I’m hoping we’ll get something back soon. One of the hardest parts of this is having to wait for results.” He carried his plate to the table, pulled out a chair, and sat down.

I joined him. “I still find it hard to believe Archie conned women out of money.”

“Me too. But the record is there. It was definitely him.”

“Do you suppose he turned over a new leaf? Or do you think he was planning on scamming Janelle all along?”

“I’m not sure yet. He had that ATM card to her bank account. He could easily have taken money out, but there’s no record of him doing that. Not one withdrawal.”

“Maybe he found God.”

“It could happen, I guess.” He scooped eggs into his mouth, washing it down with coffee.

“You think it’s possible he actually loved Janelle?”

Grimacing, he said, “Anything is possible. Looking at his track record, I would say he was just using Janelle. But the fact that he didn’t steal from her when he had the chance gives me pause.”

“It’s possible he was just biding his time. Once he married her, he’d have had access to even more of her wealth.”

“Absolutely.” He nodded. “We’ll never know what he was thinking or planning.”

“Does Janelle know yet about Archie’s past?”

Royce shook his head and put his fork down with a clatter. “I’m dreading telling her. She’s coming in later today to the station.”

“Would you like me to be there?” I grimaced. “I have nowhere else to be.”

He gave a weak smile. “I’m sorry, Max. What do you plan on doing about River?”

“I’m not sure. I’ll have to find a new location while trying to keep it secret. Apparently, he has eyes and ears everywhere.” It still hurt when I thought about that redbrick building and the pool. But I couldn’t control the world. I could only control my reactions to things.

“I don’t think you should confront River.” His expression was tense.

“I don’t plan on it. I don’t think I can avoid him forever, but I don’t plan on going out of my way to face off with him.” As much as I’d have loved to tell River what I thought of him, I didn’t think it would solve anything. It would probably just make me look bad in the eyes of the townspeople. River would no doubt play innocent, which would just make me look crazy for accusing him.

Royce nodded approvingly. “That sounds like a good idea. Take the high road.”

I didn’t want to think about River, so I changed the subject. “Janelle might be calmer if I’m there today. I’m happy to help.”

“Yeah, that might be good. She does like you.” He nodded. “Good idea, Max.”

I sighed. “If I can’t see patients at the moment, at least maybe I can help Janelle.”

“I’m sure you’ll find someplace soon.”

“I hope so. I prefer to work. I don’t like living off my boyfriend.”

He scowled. “You don’t live off of me. You insist on paying for almost everything.”

“I just don’t want you to think I’m taking advantage.”

He shook his head. “I’ve never felt that. Not once.”

Sighing, I said, “That’s good because it looks like I’ll be here a while longer.”

Without looking at me, he scraped back his chair and took his plate to the sink. “You can stay here forever as far as I’m concerned.”

“Thanks, Royce.”

“No thanks necessary. I’m being selfish. I love having you here.” He gave a self-conscious laugh and moved toward me. “I need to shower and get ready for work. Janelle will be at the station at 3:00 p.m. if you still want to be there.”

“Sure.”

He bent down and kissed me. “In case you take off before I’m out of the shower, I’ll see you later at the station. Have a good day, Max.”

“You too.”

Since I wasn’t going to see patients today, I decided I’d call Mrs. Numi. She’d mentioned having a few other locations to show me. As much as I hated doing it, I needed to move on from that other spot. River had outmaneuvered me, and I needed to accept defeat. I had to find somewhere else to reopen my clinic. I’d stick pins in my eyes rather than go on paying rent to that snake.

Mrs. Numi and I arranged to meet at a property on the outskirts of town. I made the short drive, and I turned off the main road and onto a dirt one. My stomach sank as I headed down the bumpy dirt road. I tried to imagine my patients traveling over the pothole-riddled lane and shuddered. The road was bad now; I couldn’t imagine what it would be like if it rained.

When I finally reached the structure at the end of the lane, I found Mrs. Numi’s Mercedes parked in front of a one-story ranch-style building. It looked like perhaps it had been a real estate office at one time. The blue paint on the outside was worn away by harsh summers, and the landscape was nothing but waist-high weeds and barrel cactus.

Climbing from her car, Mrs. Numi forced a smile. “I know it doesn’t look like much from the outside, but the inside is better. I think.”

“It would be hard to be worse.” I stared at the building, stomach churning.

Her laugh was brittle. “I know. Our issue is finding a spot that’s zoned for medical use.”

“Yes.” Eyeing the dilapidated building, I said, “If this is the best that’s available, maybe I should change my profession.”

“Oh, don’t be like that, Dr. Thornton. A couple of coats of fresh paint and some landscaping, and this place will look amazing.”

“Is there enough paint in the world?”

“Come, come. Where’s that can-do attitude you’re known for?”

I frowned. “I don’t think I’m known for that.”

She waved her hand at me. “Let’s think positive.”

“Not sure I can.” I eyed the road we’d just traveled over. “I’m not sure about that road either. My patients can barely navigate the seating area in my clinic. Some of the older ones might end up in a ditch.”

“You could have that graded. Maybe put down some gravel. There are things we can do.”

We? Don’t you mean me?

“I suppose.” I knew she was making the best of a bad situation. It wasn’t her fault I couldn’t stop thinking about that redbrick building with the pool. It was impossible not to compare everything she now showed me against that place.

“Let’s go inside. Shall we?” She seemed extra perky today. I got the feeling she was overcompensating.

I followed her to the door. She slipped the key into the lock and pushed open the door. It squeaked like something out of a haunted house, and the musty scent filled my nose. As we stepped into the building, I noticed another smell as well. I recoiled, plugging my nose. “That smells like something decaying.”

She pulled her scarf up over her nose. “Oh dear. I think you’re right. There must be a dead rodent in the attic.”

“Awesome.”

The inside of the building consisted of one wide-open room. There were cobwebs in the corners and at least an inch of dust on everything. I was sure Mrs. Numi could see how horrified I was at what I was seeing because I was incapable of hiding my dismay.

She gave a nervous laugh. “I haven’t shown this particular property in a while.”

“It looks like no one has.” I turned in a circle. “There are no separate rooms. It’s like a barn.”

“Yes. You’d have to have your contractor build you an examination room and office. That’s no biggie though. Just some framing and drywall and you have all the rooms you need,” she said brightly.

“Er… sure. It would be nice to already have rooms though.”

She grimaced. “I know it’s not exactly what you’re looking for.”

I grunted.

“I do have another property on the other side of town. It’s a little newer than this building, and the tenant just moved out last month. Unfortunately, it’s a little smaller than this place.”

I somehow stifled my groan. “I see.”

She sighed. “As I said, the problem is finding land and a building zoned for medical use.”

“I know. It’s not your fault.”

“If you just want to lease a vanilla shell space, I have plenty of those I can show you. They’re all basically the same as the spot we looked at in the Bandito Business Park. I know it wasn’t exactly what you were hoping for, but something tells me it’s closer than this is.” She shivered.

It was a sad state of things that apparently my only choices were a space in a soulless strip mall or a derelict building in the middle of nowhere. But I couldn’t rent a room from River any longer, and there was no way I’d rebuild on land that he owned. I was in a crappy situation, but I needed to buck up.

I forced myself to say, “Why don’t you show me the other smaller building? I really don’t think this one will do for me.”

“No, this one…” She shook her head, pinching her nose. “Let’s go,” she said in a nasally voice.

She made a point of locking the door behind us, which seemed unnecessary. The only creatures who wanted to go inside weren’t using a door. I avoided thick cobwebs as I stepped off the porch, shuddering.

“Follow me, Dr. Thornton,” she called out cheerfully, climbing into her car.

I got in my vehicle and started the engine. I waited for her to drive down the road, but she stayed where she was, brake lights illuminated. I noticed she was on her phone. But then, Mrs. Numi was always on her phone. Sighing, I stared out at the flat desert landscape as I waited for her to lead the way to the next location.

Maybe times seemed grim, but at least I still had Girdy to help me navigate things. She’d generously offered to alert all of my patients that I wouldn’t be seeing them at River’s clinic any longer. She’d also volunteered to pack up the examination room items with the help of Todd. She understood completely why I didn’t want to go back to River’s clinic. Running into River right now could be a volatile situation.

When Mrs. Numi started flashing her lights and honking her horn, I scowled, wondering what she was up to. I got out of my car, worried she might be having a stroke. As I reached her vehicle, she flung open her door and climbed out.

“Are you okay?” I asked, peering closely at her.

“We got it!” she crowed. “Dr. Thornton, we got it!”

I blinked at her, completely confused. “What do we… got?”

She clutched my arm. “Reginald has come to his senses!”

“What?” Shock rattled through me.

“Reginald accepted your offer. He rejected River’s offer and accepted yours instead!”

I couldn’t believe my ears. I had to be dreaming. There was no way in hell Dr. Johnson had passed on padding his pockets with an extra hundred thousand dollars. Right? People just didn’t do things like that. People were greedy. People only cared about the almighty dollar.

Mrs. Numi started laughing. “You don’t believe me. I can see on your face that you don’t believe me. It’s true, Dr. Thornton. Your offer has been accepted.”

I braced myself on her car, feeling light-headed. “Are you sure this isn’t a mistake?”

“Absolutely. My assistant sent me the contract.” She held up her phone. “See?”

I could see that there was some sort of document on her screen, but I couldn’t have told you for sure what it was. “I don’t understand,” I mumbled. “I thought sure he’d take River’s offer.”

“I know! Isn’t it wonderful?” She laughed again, holding her arms up to the sky. “My faith in humanity has been restored!”

“Could you look at the contract again, just to be double, extra, really, really sure?”

She gave an exasperated sound, but she did pull up the contract on her phone again. Peering at it, she nodded. “It’s legit, Dr. Thornton. Reginald accepted your offer. His signature is on the document.”

“I… I can’t believe it.”

She grinned. “Me neither.”

“What do I do now?” I raked a shaky hand through my hair. “I feel like I should thank him or something.”

She bit her bottom lip. “Why don’t we go see Reginald?”

“Is that okay to do?”

“Of course.”

I nodded. “Okay then.”

She laughed. “Besides, I’m dying to know why he made this decision. I thought for sure we were toast.” She hurriedly climbed into her car. “Let’s go, Dr. Thornton. Follow me.”

I turned and made a beeline toward my vehicle, still in a daze. If this was a dream, I’d be extremely sad to wake up. I got behind the wheel and started the car. Mrs. Numi took off down the road, kicking up a cloud of dust that engulfed my car.

When Dr. Johnson opened the door to us, he looked surprised. “Oh, what are you doing here?” he asked, voice wobbling.

Mrs. Numi didn’t wait to be invited in; she sailed past Dr. Johnson. “Reginald, you rascal, were you just toying with us the whole time?”

“No. I wouldn’t do that to you.” He waved me in.

I entered the building and stood near the waiting room chairs. I still couldn’t shake the feeling that this must be a dream.

“You really put us through the wringer.” Mrs. Numi’s tone was chiding.

Dr. Johnson’s face was pink. “I didn’t mean to.”

I swallowed hard and blurted, “You accepted my offer, right?” No matter how many times Mrs. Numi reassured me, I needed to hear it from his lips.

Dr. Johnson gave me a weak smile. “I did indeed.”

“Okay. That… that’s a relief.” I moved to sit in one of the chairs in the waiting area. I was feeling light-headed, so I put my head between my knees.

Mrs. Numi patted my back. “Are you all right, Dr. Thornton?”

“Yes.” My voice was muffled. “I’ll just be a moment.”

“What changed your mind?” Mrs. Numi asked. “I thought for sure you would accept River’s offer.”

“I did too,” he admitted. “That was a tempting offer.”

I raised my head. “But you didn’t.”

“No.”

“Why?” I frowned. “People will think you’re a fool to turn down River’s offer.”

He laughed. “You don’t pull your punches, do you?”

“Sorry.” I grimaced. “It’s just… that was a lot of money.”

He shrugged. “Maybe I am a fool for accepting your offer instead.”

“What made you do it?” I asked quietly.

“Well, I got to thinking about all the years I’d spent working and living in this building.”

“I see.”

“This place was my life for over thirty-five years. This wasn’t just a building. A business. This was my home. I raised my daughter here. I lived a happy life with my wife here. This wasn’t just a building to be sold off to the highest bidder.”

I frowned. “But your daughter wanted you to take the higher offer.”

He smiled. “Yes, she did. But you know what? My wife, Stella, would have told me to take your offer, Dr. Thornton. And that’s why I went with you. Stella would have liked you.”

“Oh.” I frowned. “Are you sure?”

“Yep. She’d have loved the way your eyes lit up when you walked around the place. I noticed it the day you were here. You immediately connected with the energy of the building. That fella River didn’t even come take a look.”

“He didn’t?” I wrinkled my brow.

“Nope. He just threw money at the situation, assuming that was all that it would take.” He laughed gruffly. “He was almost right. But then I remembered what’s important in life, and it ain’t money. I got plenty of that already.”

“I’d given up hope. I’d accepted my loss.”

Mrs. Numi patted my back, smiling down at me. “But you didn’t lose, Dr. Thornton. You triumphed.”

I stood and held out my hand to Dr. Johnson. “I don’t know how to thank you. You have no idea how much I needed this win right now.”

He shook my hand. “I’ll tell you another reason I picked you, Dr. Thornton.”

“Yes?”

“When you thought you’d been outbid, you didn’t get mad or throw a fit. You were still respectful. But you looked like you’d lost an old friend. Truth be told, that kind of hurt my heart.”

I was a bit embarrassed he’d been able to see that in me. But it had worked in my favor, so perhaps it was all right that he’d glimpsed my weakness. “I thought I’d hidden my disappointment better.”

“It’s a good thing you didn’t,” he said.

“Yes. I suppose that’s true.” I gave an awkward laugh.

“I hope you’ll be as happy here as I was.” He gave a melancholy smile. “Word of warning though, remember the people in your life are more important than the hours on the job.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Mrs. Numi and Dr. Johnson chatted a bit more, and I glanced around the room, still in shock that it was going to be mine. I really hoped Royce would be happy for me. I was conflicted about moving out of his place. I’d loved living with him. I eventually wanted to live with him permanently. But I also didn’t want to rush things. Was that wrong of me? I knew I wanted to be with Royce forever, so what was my hesitation? It had nothing to do with my feelings for Royce. So what was it, then?

By the time we finally left Dr. Johnson, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed. There were so many calls I’d need to make. But at least I was moving into a space that would be all mine. No landlord could threaten me with three-day-quit notices or raise the rent on me. I’d be the owner of my home and business.

As we reached our cars, Mrs. Numi said, “This is a good day. Let’s meet for a celebratory drink later, Dr. Thornton. I’ll buy.”

“Oh, um…”

“Come on. I always take my clients out for a drink when we seal the deal. It’s tradition.” She opened her car door. “Invite Sheriff Callum to come join us. He should be a part of this.”

“Oh, he’s way too busy right now to come out for a drink. I will invite him, but I’m sure he won’t come.” I grimaced.

“You’ll come though, right?”

“I guess that might be nice.” I gave a tentative smile.

“Wonderful. There’s a little martini bar just off of Main Street. It’s called the Lemon Drop. Meet you there at 7:00 p.m.?”

“Yes. Sounds perfect.”

She gave a graceful wave of her hand, and she got in her car.

As I climbed behind the wheel, I still had to pinch myself. Somehow, even though River was cunning and focused, I’d won over him. Dr. Johnson had glimpsed something in me that had outweighed his desire for money. For whatever reason, luck had been on my side today.

Mrs. Numi was right; this was indeed a good day, and it deserved celebrating.

Chapter Sixteen

Royce

Peering at the CCTV of the person who’d tried to use Archie’s ATM card, it was hard to make out their face. It appeared to be a woman or a very effeminate man. The person managed to keep most of their face hidden during the attempted transaction. Their hair was dark but mostly tucked inside a hoodie, so I couldn’t tell the length.

“Damn, this isn’t much to go by,” Deputy Sam groused, looking over my shoulder.

“Yeah, they were aware of the camera.” I clicked my mouse, trying to get closer on the image, but it just tended to pixelate.

“Who would have been able to get close enough to Archie to grab his ATM card?

“For all we know, someone stole it out of his wallet. Just because this person has the card doesn’t mean they actually knew Archie.”

“But whoever it was thought they knew his ATM code. They punched it in several times. According to the bank, it was an old password.”

“When did he change it?”

“About a week ago.”

“Hmmm. Wonder why he changed it.” I rewound the video again, trying for the millionth time to see the person’s face. I just couldn’t get it. They’d been just stealthy enough to never show enough of their face. “They’re good at avoiding the camera.”

Deputy Sam scowled. “Sneaky.”

I glanced at my watch because Janelle was coming in a minute. I had the unhappy task of informing her Archie wasn’t actually Archie. I knew it wasn’t gonna go over well, obviously, and she was already in a very emotional state. Maxwell was coming too, and that part I was actually looking forward to.

I stood. “Why don’t you keep watching it—maybe something will jump out at you. Maybe the way the person moves will ring a bell. Could be someone local.”

“Will do, boss.”

I left the tech room and headed toward the interview room. I was happy to see Maxwell coming down the hallway, and I was also pleased to see he looked more cheerful than earlier. Maybe Mrs. Numi had successfully found him a new location that pleased him. I knew he’d been really gutted that River had manipulated the situation with that other place.

River was really getting under my skin lately. I was getting very sick of him needling Maxwell every chance he got. He was getting worse lately too. More aggressive. Bringing up Lucinda Pratt’s death had been unforgivable, in my opinion. I was tempted to look into his background, but using police channels for personal reasons was frowned upon. I knew it wasn’t ethical for me to dig into River’s background simply because he was upsetting my boyfriend. Unless I suspected River of something illegal, I didn’t feel right about taking a deep dive into his personal life.

“Hey.” Maxwell stopped in front of me. His smile was warm and relaxed. Something had definitely changed his mood.

“Thanks for coming in. Janelle should be here any second.”

“I saw her in the parking lot. She was with her mother, and they were bickering. I decided to come inside and give them some space.”

“Good idea.” As he finished speaking, Janelle entered the station through the double doors at the end of the hall. She looked harassed, but thankfully, she was alone. Angela was nowhere in sight.

She hurried toward us, running a hand over her disheveled hair. “Sorry I’m late,” she said breathlessly.

“I just got here myself.” Maxwell smiled at her.

“Oh, thank goodness.” She switched her gaze to me. “Hello, Sheriff.”

“Howdy, Janelle.” I gestured toward the interview room. “Shall we?” I pushed open the door, stepping aside to allow them to go in first.

They sat on the other side of the table, side by side. I sat down across from them, feeling agitated but trying to hide it. The information I was about to share would crush Janelle’s spirit even more, and she was already struggling. I didn’t enjoy the thought of making things more painful for her.

I shuffled some papers and made sure my pen was working, and then I crossed my hands on top of the table. “How are you doing, Janelle?” I asked.

She grimaced. “Horrible, if I’m honest.”

Maxwell shifted uneasily but didn’t say anything.

“I’m sure it’s been rough.”

She nodded. “It’s been the most painful experience of my life.” Her mouth turned down at the corners. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be the same again.”

“Yes. I can understand that.”

She sighed, glancing up. “But you didn’t bring me here to commiserate, did you?”

I winced. “No. While investigating Archie’s murder, some things have come to light that you’ll probably find shocking. I know I did.”

“Oh, no.” She blinked at me, looking nervous. “What kind of things have you discovered?”

Maxwell put his arm along the back of her chair, and she smiled at him.

I cleared my throat. “Did you know that Archie had a police record?” From the shocked expression on her face, it was clear she hadn’t known.

“That can’t be right.”

I tugged out one sheet of paper and slowly pushed it across the table toward her. “I’m sorry to say Archie wasn’t born Archie Brady. His actual name was John Campbell.”

She shook her head. “No. That can’t be true. I… I saw his driver’s license.”

I grimaced. “I’m afraid you can get a fake driver’s license fairly easily if you know how.”

“Really?” She wrinkled her brow. “You s… said he had a police record?”

“Yes. He had a few other identities over the years and was arrested for larceny and insurance fraud.”

All the color seemed to drain from her face, and she looked to Maxwell. He patted her shoulder. “Did you know about this?”

He gave a sharp nod. “I learned of it very recently.”

“Do you believe him?” she squeaked. “Do you believe those awful things about Archie?”

Maxwell seemed to choose his words carefully. “It’s hard to believe, but I know Sheriff Callum would never lie about something like this.”

She shook her head. “Well, I… I can’t believe it. Why would he do something like that? Why would Archie lie about who he was?”

I said softly, “I’m not sure why Archie told you a lie about who he was. Perhaps he was trying to leave his past behind.”

“I find this impossible to believe.”

“I understand.” I sighed. “I knew perfectly well this was going to be horribly upsetting for you, Janelle. Truth be told, I’ve been dreading this meeting.”

She swallowed, tilting slightly in her chair. Maxwell grabbed her shoulder, steadying her. She whispered, “This must be a horrible nightmare.”

She was visibly shaking, and I gave her a few moments to absorb what I’d told her. Maxwell patted her shoulder, and she leaned against him. It was obvious she trusted him, which was good. She needed someone stable in her life who only wanted what was best for her. That fit Maxwell to a T. He truly cared about her. It was actually nice to see because he didn’t put a lot of effort into other people usually. Girdy and I were really the only other people he seemed emotionally connected to in town.

Eventually, I asked, “Are you okay to continue, Janelle?”

She nodded. “I guess.”

“Okay.” I grimaced. “There’s a good possibility that his past is one of the reasons he was killed.”

“Really?” She shivered.

“He was obviously in hiding. He even hid his past from you. Whether he kept the truth from you to deceive you or because he was simply trying to escape his past, I have no way of knowing.”

She frowned. “Do you think someone from his past came to Rainy Dale and murdered him?”

“I’m not sure. It’s a possibility. I’m looking for any information that will help me understand why Archie was murdered. He didn’t seem to have any enemies here in Rainy Dale. Certainly not the kind that would kill him. It makes more sense to me that his past caught up to him.”

She winced.

“You said that Archie didn’t like to talk about his past,” Maxwell said.

She glanced at him, nodding. “That’s right. He didn’t. Mostly though, he didn’t like to talk about Kimora.”

“Did he ever receive phone calls that upset him, or maybe text messages?” I asked.

“No. I don’t think so.” She hesitated. “Well, actually, there was one time when he got a note he didn’t want me to see.”

“When was this?”

“Two days before our wedding.” Her shoulders bowed. “I didn’t think much of it at the time—it was just slipped between the door and the doorjamb. I thought it was a pizza flyer or something. But he grabbed it so quickly, and I could tell he was trying not to let me see it.”

“Did you happen to see what it said?” Maxwell asked.

Frowning, she said, “No. When we got inside, he went into the kitchen, and he tore it up. Then he threw the pieces into the trash.”

Maxwell frowned. “Didn’t that strike you as weird behavior?”

“Yes. I… I even made a joke about it. I… I kidded him that he was acting like a spy.”

“What did he say to that?” I asked.

“He just laughed and said it was a flyer about car insurance.” She met my gaze. “But I knew he was lying. Which made no sense to me. I dropped the subject because it was obvious he didn’t want to talk about it.”

“You didn’t bring it up again?”

“No.” She gave a sheepish smile. “But when he went to take a shower, I looked in the trash. I was just curious because he was being weird about it. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have thought twice about that note.”

“But he’d torn it up?” Maxwell sighed.

She nodded. “Yes, but there were a few words that were still visible.”

I perked up. “Yeah? Do you remember what they were?”

“There were only two I could read. One was ‘trusted,’ and the other was ‘foolish.’ I knew those words had nothing to do with insurance, but I didn’t bring it up to Archie.”

Maxwell asked, “Why not?”

“I didn’t want to get in a fight. He could be touchy if he thought I didn’t trust him.”

“Was the note handwritten?” I asked. “Or typed?”

“Handwritten. Cursive. The writing was feminine-looking. To be honest, it kind of upset me. That’s why I remember that note. It made me feel kind of paranoid. Like maybe Archie was cheating on me or something.” She sighed. “It was probably just pre-wedding jitters. Archie seemed devoted to me.”

Maxwell met my gaze. “Those are interesting words: ‘trusted’ and ‘foolish,’” he said.

“I agree.” I addressed Janelle, “I don’t suppose you kept those pieces of the note?”

She shook her head. “No.”

“Okay.” It seemed the note was a dead end, although it showed he was possibly being harassed. “You gave Archie an ATM card to your account.” I studied her. “Why did you do that? Did he ask you for that?”

“No. We were going to be married. I’m not one of those people who thinks a husband and wife should have separate accounts. What was mine was his. I wanted him to have that card.”

“But he never used it, did he?”

She sighed. “No. He could be very prideful. He said he knew a lot of people thought he’d married me for my money, and he hated that.”

“Do you know where he kept his ATM card?” I asked.

“In his wallet.” Her eyes seemed to fill with tears. I’d been impressed with how well she’d controlled her emotions up to this point. I guess it was becoming too much because she reached across the table and grabbed a tissue from the box. Dabbing at her eyes, she said, “With all these things you’re telling me, I feel like I didn’t even know him.”

I exhaled. “I’m sorry, Janelle. I wish I didn’t have to tell you any of this. But you probably knew him better than anyone else. Your insight could be invaluable.”

“But it’s like you’re stealing him from me,” she whimpered. “You’re erasing the man I knew.”

Maxwell rubbed her shoulder. “Of course you still love the memory of him.”

A tear streaked down her cheek, and she moaned, “I just want the Archie I knew back. The one who looked at me like he truly loved me. I don’t know who this person is you’re telling me about. He’s not my Archie. My Archie would never have done anything like that.”

She was already such a mess, I decided not to even mention the women he’d scammed back in LA. Janelle had enough on her plate. Those women had loved Archie too and trusted him. I had no idea why he hadn’t used the ATM card Janelle had given him. Maybe it was truly what Maxwell had suggested earlier—that Archie was simply playing the long game. Looking for a bigger payoff than whatever he could get from an ATM card.

I waited for her to calm and then said, “Yesterday, someone attempted to use Archie’s ATM card.”

She glanced up sharply. “What?”

“It must’ve been stolen from Archie’s wallet.”

“Who was this person?” she demanded, wiping at her eyes with the tissue.

“We can’t identify them from the video. I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind taking a look. Perhaps you’ll recognize them. I have some screenshots of them. If you’re up to it, I’d like you to take a look at them.”

She swallowed. “Um… sure. I can do that if you want.”

From the folder, I pulled out the four photos I’d managed to capture. They weren’t great, but they were the best of the bunch. I slid them across the table toward her. “What do you think? Do they look familiar to you at all?”

She gave a sharp intake of breath. “They… they kind of looked like Kimora.”

I lifted my brows. “They do?”

“Yes. Of course, I’ve never seen her up close.” She shivered.

“But you think you recognize this person?”

She grimaced. “Well, it definitely looks like the woman who’s been following me.”

Maxwell said, “The woman you think of as Kimora?”

“Yes.”

If this person was familiar to her, she most likely did have a stalker. That scenario was easier to believe now because Maxwell had also seen someone lurking at her home.

“Does this person in the photo look like the woman you saw in the garden that night?” Maxwell asked.

Squinting, Janelle said, “These photos aren’t very good, but I think so.”

“Yes.” Frustration itched at me. “Unfortunately, they’re the only photos we have of the person who tried to use the ATM card.”

“The body, face shape, and hair color are similar to Kimora,” Janelle mumbled.

Maxwell said, “I also saw someone that night, Janelle.”

“What?” She widened her eyes. “You did? Why didn’t you tell me?”

Maxwell sighed. “Because I didn’t really see them clearly. I just saw movement near the fountain. Then I found a red high heel.”

“A red heel?” Janelle frowned.

Maxwell grimaced. “Yes. I gave it to Sheriff Callum, hoping maybe he could figure out who it belonged to.”

I asked, “I don’t suppose you or your mother are missing a red shoe by any chance?”

Janelle shook her head. “I’m not. I’ve never seen my mother wear red heels.”

“I see.”

I still hadn’t gotten the report back for the high heel. If Janelle’s stalker was the same person from the ATM attempt, now it felt like maybe we were getting somewhere. Janelle had supposedly seen this person the day of the wedding. That meant, if it was the same person, they’d been present at the murder scene.

“This is good, Janelle. You’re giving me lots of good information today.” I smiled at her encouragingly. “You’re doing great.”

“Oh, good.” She gave a weak laugh.

“Again, I’m sorry to have to put you through this.”

Janelle sighed. “If it helps catch the person who killed Archie, then it will all be worth it.”

I nodded, relieved she understood. “Well, I think that’s plenty for today. I appreciate you coming in, Janelle. I know this has been tough.”

She stood. “Like I said, if we can just catch this person…”

Maxwell also got to his feet. “Is your mother outside waiting for you?”

Her face tensed. “Yes.”

“Has she been giving you a hard time?” he asked. “I saw you arguing.”

Anger simmered in her eyes. “She didn’t want me to come here today. She wants me to forget all about Archie. She wants me to pretend he never existed.”

“Heartless,” Maxwell grumbled.

Nodding, Janelle said, “Even after hearing all the things you told me today about Archie, I choose to remember Archie the way he was with me.”

“I think that’s the perfect way to remember him,” I said. “How he treated you is as real as anything I’ve told you about his past.”

“Yes,” she said softly.

“I won’t rest until I catch his killer, Janelle. I hope you know that.”

“I do. I trust you.” She gave a weak smile and then turned to Maxwell. “Thank you for giving up your valuable time to keep me company. I felt better having you here.”

“Not sure how much help I was, but I was happy to do it.”

Janelle left the interview room first, and Maxwell and I followed more slowly. We stood in the hallway and watched Janelle leave the building.

Maxwell turned to me. “That was rough on her.”

“Yes. She held up better than I thought she would.”

“Do you think the person from the ATM is the same person stalking her?”

I nodded. “It’s a very strong possibility. You saw someone too, and you found that high heel. There’s definitely someone lurking. I’m just waiting now to get the possible prints from the heel you found. It sure would be nice to put a face to this phantom who’s terrorizing Janelle.”

“Definitely.”

I smiled at him. “How’d it go today? Did Mrs. Numi show you some great properties?”

He shuddered. “Actually, she showed me one horrifying spot I hope to never see again.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

He grimaced. “That doesn’t matter now.”

“No?”

He said breathlessly, “There’s been a wonderful development.”

“Really?”

He nodded. “Dr. Johnson accepted my offer.”

I widened my eyes. “He did?”

“Yes. My offer. Not River’s.” His voice wobbled with excitement. “I’m still in shock.”

I was shocked too but determined to be supportive this time. Even if I felt a nudge of disappointment that he’d be moving out, I was thrilled for him. “That’s fantastic, Max.” I put my arms around him. “I’m so happy for you.”

“I just can’t believe it. I’d given up hope.” His voice was muffled.

“That was completely understandable. River was offering so much money. Dr. Johnson actually rejected the extra money?”

He laughed. “Yes. Isn’t that insane?”

“Insanely good.” I smiled, rubbing his back.

He pulled back, studying my face. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

I sighed. “I’m more than okay with it. I want you to have what you want. Sounds like the perfect spot for you.” I’d miss him like hell. But I wasn’t going to tell him that. Not now. This was the time to be excited and happy for him.

“Maybe we can still live together. We’ll just go back and forth between houses.” He smiled weakly. “Monday through Thursday at your house, and Friday through Sunday at mine.”

I squeezed his shoulder. “We’ll worry about that later. Right now, I’m ecstatic for you, Max. This is a time for celebrating.”

“Okay. Speaking of that…” He hesitated. “Mrs. Numi wants to buy me a celebratory drink tonight. You’re invited too. You probably can’t come. I understand. Don’t worry about it. It’s fine. I know you’re swamped.”

I laughed. “Am I allowed in on this conversation at all?”

He winced. “I realize how busy you are. I just wanted to be sure you knew that you were invited.”

I grimaced. “You know I’d love to join you. It’s just this case…”

“It’s fine. I understand. I really do.” He fiddled with the buttons on my shirt. “Just FYI, we’re meeting at the Lemon Drop at 7:00 p.m. I’m just telling you in case a miracle happens and you solve the case at 6:59 p.m. or something.”

I smiled. “If that happens, I’ll definitely be there.”

He straightened. “I really feel like I’m dreaming. I’m so glad River didn’t get his way. That little bastard didn’t win this time. With me owning the land and my building, there isn’t anything he can do to try to control me.”

“God forbid he becomes mayor,” I teased.

He widened his eyes. “Don’t even say that. My God, he’d make regular medicine against the law. Or declare that nobody named Maxwell Thornton was allowed to live in Rainy Dale.”

I chuckled. “Well, you won over him, so don’t worry. Good triumphed over evil. Not that he’s evil, but you get the gist.”

“I feel like he’s evil,” grumbled Max. “Swooping in like that and trying to destroy my happiness and my business, that’s evil.”

“It was definitely underhanded. Maybe one day we’ll understand why River has a chip on his shoulder where you’re concerned.”

“I just want to forget he exists. I’m cutting all business and personal ties with him. He’s toxic.”

“He is lately,” I murmured.

Deputy Juan came walking up. “Sheriff, I hate to interrupt. But Wilma Grant is on the phone again complaining UFOs are circling her doghouse. She insists on speaking to you.”

I let out a tired breath. “See the exciting life I lead, Max?”

Maxwell smirked. “Go get ’em, Royce. Don’t let those UFOs steal those poor dogs and use them for alien testing. They’ve got to be stopped.”

Deputy Juan chuckled. “I shouldn’t laugh. This is the third time she’s called this month.”

I frowned. “I don’t understand why you guys can’t help her with this.”

“She asks for you, boss,” Deputy Juan said sheepishly.

I sighed. “Well, with the Raidens breathing down my neck, I guess I need every vote I can get. I’ll see you at home, Max.”

Maxwell appeared to be stifling a laugh. “Have fun chasing UFOs, Royce.”

****

I’d hoped maybe I could sneak away and surprise Maxwell at the Lemon Drop. But for some reason, we started getting a bunch of crazy calls coming in. Maybe it was a full moon or something, but whatever was happening, it made me doubt I’d be able to get away.

The one bright spot in my evening was the report that arrived in my email concerning the high heel. The lab had been able to lift one perfect print on the heel of the shoe. I was praying the print belonged to one of the people I’d already questioned, but no such luck.

Instead, the print belonged to a Geraldine Grayson. Her last known address was in Los Angeles, California. I was excited to get a name, but my excitement evaporated as I continued to read the report. Apparently, Geraldine had died ten years ago in a horrible traffic accident. She’d had no surviving blood relations. Geraldine hadn’t been married, and there were no children on record. Not counting the print on the high heel found in Janelle’s yard, there had been no activity in real life or online from Geraldine since her death. Which was to be expected.

So, how the heck is her print on a high heel in Rainy Dale, Texas?

I was definitely baffled by how a dead woman had left a print behind. The most obvious answer was that Geraldine wasn’t dead. But that was also a bizarre conclusion. If she hadn’t died ten years ago, where had she been? Why hadn’t she come forward? What was she doing in Rainy Dale? And most importantly, was she connected to Archie’s murder? Groaning, I rested my head on my desk. I was never going to solve this case tonight. It was getting more complicated by the minute. Any inquiries I made of anyone would go unanswered until tomorrow anyway. It might make more sense to leave this for now. I’d be better able to focus tomorrow with a rested mind. Plus, I really just wanted to get the hell out of my office and go see Max. He’d been beaming earlier, and I wanted to be a part of his happiness. As sad as I was that he’d move out of my home soon, I wanted to be there to support him tonight.

I straightened and glanced at the time. It was 7:15 p.m. If I left now, I’d have plenty of time to hang out with Max and Mrs. Numi. Maxwell had made it clear he wanted me there tonight. He didn’t ask me for things very often. I wanted to be there for him tonight. I wanted to prove to him that I really was happy for him. This case would wait until morning. I was allowed to have a life, right?

I stood and grabbed my jacket off the back of the chair. I told my deputies I was leaving for the night, and I left the station feeling cheerful. I breathed in the cool night air, knowing this was the right decision. There was more to life than crappy ATM footage and dead people’s fingerprints on shoes.

Life was too short, and tonight, I wanted to spend some quality time with my boyfriend.

Chapter Seventeen

Maxwell

Mrs. Numi was waiting for me at the Lemon Drop promptly at 7:00 p.m. I was impressed with the small bar the minute I walked in. Most of the bars and restaurants in Rainy Dale had western-themed décor. Not hugely surprising, but also not my taste. The Lemon Drop looked like many of the bars I’d enjoyed when I’d lived in the big city. It flaunted a lot of masculine black-and-gold decor, including modern onyx pendant lighting. The floor was a striking black-and-white art deco pattern, and for one brief moment, I felt like I wasn’t in Rainy Dale anymore.

“Maxwell, you made it,” Mrs. Numi cooed. Tonight, she seemed relaxed, whereas often she was wound as tight as a spring. I suspected she’d already downed a few martinis by the time I arrived. “You absolutely must try the espresso martini. It’s to die for.”

“Uh… sure.” I took one of the tall stools next to her at the bar.

Mrs. Numi caught the bartender’s eyes. “We’ll have another round, Sergio.”

The young Hispanic guy behind the bar gave her a wink. “You’ve got it, Mrs. Numi.”

She laughed and leaned closer to me. “I got Sergio a fabulous deal on a little house in town. It even had a hot tub, which he desperately wanted. He always takes such good care of me when I come in.”

“Oh, that’s nice.”

She studied me. “How are you feeling? Happy?”

“I’m very happy,” I admitted. “Relieved.”

“Excellent.” Her smile was gloating. “Jerry Fleming was fit to be tied. He thought for sure Reginald would accept River’s bid. Serves him right for trying to derail our offer.”

“I thought Reginald would accept River’s offer too.”

“So did I.” She elbowed me.

I grunted, rubbing my ribs. “But he didn’t. Thankfully.”

“Surprising, really. Money usually talks in situations like these. I’m proud of Reginald for not giving in to greed.” She batted her eyelashes as Sergio set two caramel-colored martinis in front of us. “Those look delicious.”

“Oh, they will be.” Sergio grinned. “I made them.”

“You’re a very talented mixologist, Sergio.” Mrs. Numi slid one of the drinks in front of me. “Beware, Dr. Thornton. These taste like candy, but they pack a punch.”

“I’ll be sure to pace myself.” I took a sip, nodding my approval as the sweet coffee flavor bathed my tongue. The glass had an orange sugar rim, which balanced the potentially bitter coffee perfectly.

“It’s good, is it not?” Mrs. Numi watched me.

I set the glass down. “Delicious.”

Sergio looked pleased. “I make a mean gingerbread martini as well.”

“Oh, yes.” Mrs. Numi nodded eagerly. “We’ll have that next.”

I wasn’t sure how many drinks I should have; then again, I didn’t have to work tomorrow. But after my brush with tequila the other night, I also didn’t want to overload my liver.

“Was Royce happy for you?” Mrs. Numi asked.

“Yes. Definitely.” Royce had been happy for me, especially today. I understood why he felt sad about me moving out. I had the same feelings. While I was excited to have my own place again, I’d miss having Royce there with me all the time. It was a weird thing to feel that way because I’d never had the desire to live with another human before.

“I wasn’t sure.” Mrs. Numi laughed. “I know that Royce is crazy about you. I figured he’d want to keep you in his home.”

My face warmed. “I love living with him.”

“Do you?” Her gaze was keen. “I wasn’t sure. He is an open book, but you’re not.”

I took another sip of my drink, if only to stall having to talk. When I set it down, I licked my lips. “It was nice living with Royce.”

“I’m glad you feel that way. I know he adored having you there.”

“I hope so.” I could already feel the alcohol buzzing through my bloodstream. Probably because martinis were almost pure alcohol and I’d barely eaten today.

“I remember when I sold Royce his house,” she murmured. “I thought at the time it was the perfect home for a bachelor. But maybe it’s time Royce spread his wings a little.”

“What does that mean?”

She shrugged. “Just that he might have outgrown that home.”

“Because of me?”

She nodded. “Yes. I don’t think Royce ever intended to stay in that house forever. He’s the sort of man who eventually wants a family.”

I frowned because she was right. I knew Royce wanted a family one day. I was scared of that though. It was a serious discussion that we needed to have. But not yet. Our relationship was still new. “Royce will be a great dad. He’s a natural.”

She smiled at me. “I think you’d be a good dad too.”

I winced. “God, I don’t know why you’d think that. Grumpy is about all I can handle.” I gulped half my drink.

She shrugged. “You don’t give yourself enough credit.”

I sighed, enjoying the warm sensation the martini gave me. “I didn’t have a good example of parenting growing up. My parents were horrible people.”

Raising her brows, she looked surprised. “Oh, really?”

“Yes. I’m the way I am because of them.” I frowned. “I mean, maybe I was also born this way though. Let’s just say they didn’t help any.”

She put her hand on my arm. “I’m sorry.”

I grimaced. “Oh, it’s fine. Maybe it’s for the best that they were demanding. It made me a good doctor. I learned to shut out unimportant stuff and just do my job.”

“Unimportant stuff?” she asked.

“Yes, you know, all the peripheral stuff like relationships and things that can drag you away from the work. I was raised thinking those things were a waste of time, so I made great strides in my career because of that.”

She hesitated. “But then you left that career behind.”

My face warmed. “True.”

“So… without all that other stuff… like relationships, what was left?”

Her question threw me. “Well… I… I… got a new focus. A new career.”

“And that made you happy?”

I nodded. “Of course. I had a new path to follow.”

She studied me without speaking for a few moments, then said quietly, “But Royce isn’t unimportant to you, right?”

I glanced at her sharply. “Not at all. I told you, he’s the reason I stay in Rainy Dale.”

She smiled. “So maybe relationships aren’t a waste of time after all?”

I sipped my drink, embarrassed by how personal the conversation had gotten but unable to stop talking. “Royce is different. Special.”

“I agree.”

“I think he’s the first person to ever love me.”

She grimaced. “I’m sure your parents loved you.”

“Most definitely not. I was more of a commodity to them. My father wanted me to be a surgeon, so I became a surgeon. Back then, I wanted his approval. That was before I realized I’d never be good enough.”

“Oh, dear.” She looked nonplussed.

I was definitely talking too much. I was way oversharing. Why was I babbling to her about such personal things? I cleared my throat. “Anyway, thank you so much for getting me my new location, Mrs. Numi.” I forced a smile. “Without you, I might be stuck at the Bandito Business Park.”

She laughed and held up her drink. “How about we toast to how amazingly surprising life can be?”

I lifted my glass and brushed hers. “It certainly is that.”

The little bell over the door jingled behind us. When I glanced over, I saw Girdy walking in with Todd. She grinned and hurried toward us.

“Girdy,” I said in a surprised voice. “I didn’t know you were going to be here.”

Girdy put her arm around my shoulder. “Mrs. Numi called me with the good news. She knew I’d be happy to know you’d found a location, seeing as I work for you.”

Guilt nudged me because I hadn’t even thought to call Girdy. “Oops.”

Girdy smiled. “It’s no big deal. You’d have told me eventually.”

Todd slapped my back. “Congrats, Dr. Thornton. I hear you’ll be back in business before you know it.”

“One would hope so.” I smiled weakly.

“Mrs. Numi said it was a close call.” Girdy scowled. “Is it true River tried to block your purchase?”

I was surprised Mrs. Numi had shared that detail with Girdy. “Well, yes.”

Anger flashed through Girdy’s eyes. “That snake. What is wrong with that man?”

Todd sighed. “He does seem to be fixated on you, Doc.”

I shrugged. “Now that I have this new location, I won’t have to worry about him anymore. I’m going to buy out my old lease and forget I ever had to have anything to do with River Martin.”

Girdy nodded. “That’s the spirit.”

The next few minutes were spent ordering drinks for Girdy and Todd and another round for Mrs. Numi and me. I probably shouldn’t have had another, but I was in the mood to let loose.

“I’ve been to Dr. Johnson’s place before,” Girdy said.

“Really?” I asked.

Girdy said, “Yep. He was the best dentist in town.”

“The only other dentist in Rainy Dale is Happy Smile,” Mrs. Numi said brightly. “I’ll bet they’ll be thrilled to get more business.”

“Probably.” Girdy laughed and turned to me. “Are you excited about the move, Max?”

“I’m ecstatic,” I admitted. “Did you know the new place has a pool?”

“Mrs. Numi told me.”

I sighed. “I’ve missed my pool so much.”

Todd, Girdy, and Mrs. Numi all laughed.

My cheeks warmed. “I talk about my pool a lot, don’t I?”

Girdy grinned. “Sometimes I wonder which you love more: your pool or Royce.”

Without hesitation, I said, “Royce. Definitely.”

They laughed again.

The little bell on the door jingled once more. I turned my head to see who was coming into the bar, and my stomach plummeted when I recognized River and Lucas. Girdy gave a sharp intake of breath, and Mrs. Numi stiffened. River hadn’t seen me yet, but Lucas had. His face tensed, and he tried to steer River away from our direction. Unfortunately, River glanced over and saw me.

In the past, I might’ve faked a smile and pretended to be cordial. But I was so done with River that I couldn’t even fake it anymore. Despite Lucas trying to steer him away from us, River yanked his arm from Lucas’s grip and made a beeline for me.

“Hello, Maxwell, are you out celebrating?” River’s smile was sickeningly sweet, but there was a spark of resentment in his eyes.

“That’s right,” I said curtly.

He pouted. “I hope there are no hard feelings.”

Gritting my teeth, I said, “I can’t say I’m happy that you tried to steal away a property I was interested in.”

“Steal?” River gave a high-pitched laugh. “That wasn’t my intention at all. Why, I had no idea you were even interested in that location.”

“River, that’s just not true,” Mrs. Numi said.

With wide-eyed innocence, River said, “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Dr. Johnson told Lilly about our offer, and suddenly you swooped in with an even higher one.” Mrs. Numi scowled.

“Is that what you think happened?” River looked aghast.

“Of course that’s what happened,” I muttered.

River feigned dismay. “Heavens, no wonder you look so surly, Dr. Thornton. You mistakenly think I tried to interfere with your purchase.”

“It’s no mistake.” I scowled.

“I’m always looking for investment opportunities. You know that, Mrs. Numi. Why, you’re the one who pointed me toward Dr. Johnson’s property to begin with. Don’t you remember?”

“Well, I… but that was before,” sputtered Mrs. Numi. “You weren’t interested. You only wanted the lot Dr. Thornton’s original clinic was on.”

Smiling patronizingly, River cooed, “Obviously, you were mistaken. I’m interested in all valuable land opportunities. I simply moved on that other location first.”

Anger prickled me. “Do you think we’re buying this innocent act?”

Pressing a hand to his chest, River looked wounded. “I’m hurt, Maxwell. I thought we were friends. How could you accuse me of such a thing?”

A few of the bar patrons were watching our interaction, and I worried River was successfully coming off as the victim. Nobody but my small inner circle really knew the details of what had happened. From the outside, I probably did seem unfairly upset with River.

Lowering my voice, I said, “Maybe you can fool other people, but I’m onto you, River.”

One side of his mouth lifted in a smirk, but he said, “What can I do to make it up to you, Maxwell? You know I’m all about peace and harmony. Please don’t be angry with me.”

Smarmy little weasel.

A couple near us were murmuring to each other, and I could hear just enough to know they thought I was picking on poor River. Even though he was a lying scumbag, he’d skillfully fooled the people of Rainy Dale into thinking he was a saint. I, unfortunately, had done the opposite. Gut-wrenching as it was, the only way I’d ever win against River was if I played his game.

Forcing a smile, which made my face feel like it was cracking, I said brightly, “Of course I’m not angry with you, River. It’s obviously all just a misunderstanding. Let me buy you a drink to show there are no hard feelings.”

His surprise was obvious, especially to me, but he caught himself. “That’s so kind of you.” He twisted his lips. “You’re not going to put poison in it, right?”

Don’t tempt me.

My laugh was a bit too loud. “I wouldn’t dream of it. Why, what would Rainy Dale do without a… er… doctor of your caliber?”

His gaze flickered because he knew exactly what I really thought of him and his type of medicine.

Lucas tugged at his arm. “River, our table is ready.”

River gave Lucas an impatient glance but then said, “Awesome. I’m famished.”

“Maybe I can buy you a drink another time,” I said, giving him a fake smile.

“That would be lovely.” His smile was equally false.

Looking uneasy, Lucas nodded his goodbye and practically dragged River after him toward the dining area.

“What a little phony,” I hissed, making sure only my group could hear me.

Girdy’s eyes were glittering with anger. “He sure loves playing the victim.”

“If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes,” muttered Mrs. Numi. “I always thought he was such a charmer.”

“You don’t accidentally put an offer on a property.” Todd was scratching his head. “What is he playing at?”

“He wants to ruin me,” I said. “But I have no idea why.”

“Yes.” Mrs. Numi nodded. “I can see there’s definitely something brewing there.”

“Well, you won, and he didn’t.” Girdy sipped her drink, still fuming.

Todd smiled affectionately at her. “Girdy doesn’t like it when people mess with people she cares about.”

“No, I do not.” Girdy lifted her chin. “Why can’t he just focus on his own life. Why is he such a buttinsky?”

When the door jingled and Royce walked in, I had to stifle the urge to throw myself in his arms. He was a sight for sore eyes, tall and lean, smiling at me as he neared. I grabbed his hand, and he laughed.

“Am I too late to join in the fun?” he asked.

“Nope.” Girdy grinned. “We’re just getting started.”

Mrs. Numi said, “What can I get you, Sheriff?”

Royce eyed my gingerbread martini. “Hmmm, that looks interesting.”

“Do you like gingerbread?” Mrs. Numi asked.

“Does a chicken have a beak?” Royce grinned.

Mrs. Numi turned to Sergio, who had just walked up. “Can we get another gingerbread martini for Sheriff Callum?”

“You got it.” Sergio walked away to make the beverage.

I slipped my arm around Royce’s waist, and he smiled down at me. “This is a nice surprise,” I said. “I was sure you wouldn’t be able to make it.”

“Meh.” He sighed. “I decided I needed to celebrate with my boyfriend. After all, this is a big deal. You actually own a piece of Rainy Dale now, Max.”

I gulped. “I know. It’s astounding.”

Girdy craned her neck in the direction of the dining room. “You just missed the fireworks, Sheriff.”

Royce frowned. “I did?”

Nodding, Girdy said, “River and Lucas walked in just a few minutes before you.”

Royce lifted his brows. “Oh, boy.”

I grimaced. “It wasn’t very eventful. She’s exaggerating.”

“It might have been.” Mrs. Numi scowled. “Luckily, Maxwell didn’t fall into River’s trap.”

“I showed amazing restraint,” I bragged.

Royce’s lips twitched. “Did you?”

“He really did,” Todd said. “I could see the wheels turning. One minute, I thought he’d explode, and the next, he was acting conciliatory toward River. It was an amazing and terrifying transformation.”

Girdy grinned. “It really was. I was impressed, Max.”

I lifted one shoulder. “I have my moments.”

“One thing is for sure,” Mrs. Numi said, “I’ll watch my back where River is concerned. He’s a wily devil.”

“Yes.” Uneasiness rippled through me. “Now he probably thinks you’re his enemy because you dared to speak up against him.”

She grimaced. “I was just trying to clarify what had happened. His version doesn’t resemble reality.”

Girdy leaned closer. “Hey, Royce. You should investigate River.”

“What do you mean?”

“Ya know. Look into his background.” She winked. “See if he has a dark past or something.”

Royce tensed. “I can’t really do that. Not unless he breaks the law.”

“But you have all sorts of ways to look into him.” Girdy scowled and drained her wineglass. “I’d do it in a heartbeat if I was a cop.”

“It’s not ethical to use his position for personal reasons, Girdy.” Todd ruffled her hair and earned a scowl.

“Why not?” Girdy seemed a little tipsy. “River is being a jerk to Max. Why can’t Royce protect him?”

A muscle clenched in Royce’s jaw. “I could lose my job doing something like that, Girdy. I’ll just have to protect Max some other way.”

I scowled. “I’m not a blushing handmaiden. I can watch out for myself.”

“I know.” Girdy patted my arm. “I just worry about you, boss.”

I sighed. “That’s sweet of you, Girdy. I’m sure things will settle down now. River won’t have any power over me anymore. I’ll exercise the buyout clause in my lease, and River will be out of my life.”

“That’s right.” Royce nodded, taking his glass from Sergio. He sipped it and smiled. “That’s yummy.”

I smiled. “I’m so glad you showed up.”

His gaze was warm. “This right here is what’s important in life.”

I nodded, leaning closer to him. “Dr. Johnson made me promise to remember that the people in my life are more important than the hours on the job.”

Royce’s gaze settled on my mouth. “Dr. Johnson sounds like a wise man.”

I smirked. “Of course he is. He picked me over River.”

Smiling, Royce brushed my lips with his and then said, “Easy choice.”

Chapter Eighteen

Royce

When I got to the office the next morning, I discovered that during the early morning hours, the person who’d tried to use Archie’s ATM card had tried again two more times at different ATMs around town. Each time, the person was able to retain the card. The simplest thing would’ve been if I could’ve had eyes on all the ATMs in Rainy Dale. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the manpower for that.

I was surprised when later in the day, Thomas dropped by to see me. He looked uneasy as I sat him down in one of the interview rooms. “What’s going on, Thomas?” I asked.

He fidgeted in his seat. “I had a really weird experience, and I thought I should tell you about it.”

“What kind of experience?”

“Well, Janelle has decided to keep the limousine business going.”

I lifted my brows in surprise. “Really?”

“Yes. And she’s asked me to manage it.” He laughed nervously. “Which is super flattering, but I have to admit it’s a little overwhelming.”

“I seem to remember you saying you’d have wanted to buy the business if you’d had the money.”

“Yeah, I did say that. I guess I didn’t know how hard it is to run your own business.” He grimaced. “I’m not complaining, mind you. I’m excited to get experience running the business. I just wished I had Archie there to train me. He did it all so effortlessly. He made it look easy.”

“So, what brings you to me today?”

“I was washing the cars today, and this woman approached me.” He frowned. “She was acting kind of odd. Like super nervous. She told me she was Archie’s business partner and that she was going to take over the business.”

I perked up. “Did Archie have a business partner?”

“Not that I was aware of. I only ever interacted with Archie.”

“Had you ever seen this woman around before?”

He shook his head. “No. She wore a hoodie, and I kind of got the feeling she didn’t want me to see her face.”

That caught my attention. “What color was her hair?”

“Black.”

“Okay. Did you get her name? Did she give you any idea of who she was?” My heart rate picked up at the idea I might actually have a trail to follow.

“She wouldn’t give me her name. She just seemed to think I was going to hand over the limousine business to her.” He looked incredulous. “She seemed kind of mad when I wouldn’t just do it. I told her I was just managing things and that she’d have to discuss this with Archie’s wife, Janelle. That seemed to make her even madder.”

“Do you think you’d recognize her if you saw her again?”

He nodded. “I think so. Even though she didn’t want me to see her face, I could still kind of see her.”

“Wait here. I’ll go get the photos.” I hurried to my office, where I had the folder with some snapshots of the person trying to get into the ATM with Archie’s card. When I returned to the interview room, I showed the pictures to Thomas. “Is this the woman?”

He squinted at the grainy photos. “It kind of looked like her. It looks like the right body type. She’s not very big. Yeah, I think that might be her.”

“Did she touch anything?”

He nodded. “She touched the car. The hood of the car. She put both hands on it, and she leaned.”

My excitement was dampened by the fact that he’d said he was washing the cars. “Did you wash that car?”

“I had already washed and dried it.” He gave a sly smile. “So the only prints on that hood are hers.”

“That’s great.”

He nodded. “I just thought she was so weird, I should come by here and see if you were interested in taking the prints off the car.”

“That’s fantastic thinking, Thomas.”

He sighed. “I hope it helps.”

I stood. “I’m gonna go grab my fingerprint kit. Maybe you can show me exactly where she touched the car?”

“It’ll be my pleasure, Sheriff.”

****

Usually, it would take about three days to get a report back on fingerprints. This time, I pulled in every favor I could to get the results sooner. I was thrilled when early the next morning, the fingerprint report was waiting for me in my email.

Because of the fingerprint found on the high heel, it wasn’t a complete surprise to me when the print from the car came back as Geraldine Grayson’s. I was still mystified by how this dead woman was leaving her fingerprints everywhere.

One fingerprint from a dead person was perplexing enough, but two was ridiculous. Something sinister was going on, and Geraldine seemed to be a part of it. I decided to dig deeper into Geraldine’s background. The first time I’d looked over her file, it had been fairly superficial. I’d mostly been confused by how her fingerprint could’ve ended up in Rainy Dale. Now I needed to know everything I could about Geraldine.

The most perplexing part for me was how Geraldine’s prints were appearing around town. As I read over the coroner’s report, it became clear that a scam had taken place. Geraldine’s body had apparently been horribly burned in the car accident, making fingerprints impossible to use for identification. She’d had no dental work done during her eighteen years of life, so dental records hadn’t been useful in identifying the body. Identification had been made because the vehicle was hers, and her ID and bank card had been found at the scene. Reading over that, my suspicions grew.

I’d been right about her not being married, but apparently, she had been engaged. There wasn’t a ton of information about her fiancé though, at least not through official channels. The most I could gather was his name had been Kevin Smith. Feeling frustrated, I resorted to social media. After some digging, I found an old inactive Facebook page made by Geraldine. She’d never been hugely active on Facebook, but there were some personal posts in the months before her death. She’d posted some memes about love and how finding someone who really understood you was worth risking it all.

The photos on her Facebook page were mostly of cats and food she’d eaten. There was also a half dozen photos of her with a guy. I assumed he must have been her fiancé because when he began showing up in photos, she was suddenly wearing a ring on her left hand.

As I studied the photos of her with her fiancé, it nagged at me that there was something familiar about him. He was a nondescript-looking person with black hair and an average build. Most of the photos were couple selfies, but there was one close-up of her fiancé alone that she’d probably taken. As I stared at that photo, trying to figure out why he looked so familiar, the sprinkling of ruddy freckles across his nose suddenly clicked in my brain.

It was Archie.

My mouth fell open as I recognized the face. The black hair had thrown me at first, plus he’d been much thinner and a decade younger. But the more I scoured the photo, the more positive I was that it was indeed Archie.

I leaned back in my chair, trying to understand all the confusing facts. One thing was for sure, Archie had obviously had more false identities than we’d originally uncovered. Archie had received a big lump of money when his wife, Kimora, had drowned. Had he somehow benefited financially from Geraldine’s death too? I’d need to figure that out.

But then again, Geraldine isn’t dead.

Not if she was leaving her fingerprints behind. Had Geraldine helped kill Kimora for the insurance money? Had she been in on a scheme to swindle Janelle? But if Janelle had been the mark, why was Archie dead? And why had Geraldine gone to see Thomas? Did she not realize the police knew about Archie’s past? How could she not know we’d have found that out? Was she extremely naive or not very bright? Perhaps she was simply desperate. That was worrisome because desperate people were dangerous.

The door to my office swung open, and Deputy Sam stood there looking excited. “Boss, a security guard at the R&D Credit Union grabbed some person trying to use Archie’s ATM card,” he rasped.

“Seriously?” I stood, and my chair rolled across the floor, banging into the wall behind me. I raced out of my office and down the hallway. “Are they holding them there?”

“Yep.” He sounded breathless. “Should I come too?”

“No. Stay here.”

I slammed out through the double glass doors and ran to my car. Once inside, I started the engine and drove to the R&D Credit Union. Out front, there was a crowd gathered. There was an older man wearing a security uniform standing over a long-haired high school–aged kid. The boy was sitting on the curb, scowling.

I stopped in front of the security guard. “Hank, what happened?” I asked gruffly.

“I caught the kid trying to get money out of the ATM machine.” Hank shook his head. “When the machine took the card, he started hitting and kicking the machine.”

I studied the boy, confused about why he’d had Archie’s ATM card. All the attempts before had appeared to be from a girl. “Where did you get the card?” I asked the boy.

He gave me a dirty look. “I found it.”

“Is that right? Where?”

He sighed. “Behind the Pancake Cottage. It was just lying there on the ground.”

“And you just thought you’d use it instead of turning it in?”

He shrugged. “I thought maybe the person who’d had it didn’t want it anymore.”

“Right. And somehow that made it yours?” I shook my head. “What’s your name, son?”

“Troy.” He looked less angry now and a little more worried. “You’re not going to tell my parents, right? I didn’t get any money.”

“It’s still attempted theft,” Hank grumbled. “You knew better, kid.”

Sighing, Troy said, “I didn’t mean any harm.”

Waving his hands, Hank said, “You were hitting and kicking the ATM machine. Those things cost a bloody fortune.”

Troy held up his scraped knuckles. “I’m the only one that got hurt here. The machine is fine.”

I knew Troy wasn’t the person who’d been trying to use the card recently. If the person who’d had the card first had discarded it, that was disappointing. Apparently, they’d given up trying to get the card to work. That meant we’d lost our chance at grabbing them in the act and the connection they’d had to Archie.

I returned to Troy. “Using someone else’s ATM card without their permission is fraud, Troy. Did you know that?”

His eyes widened. “What?”

“You heard me.”

Troy’s swallow was loud enough for me to hear. “Oh, uh… but I did have permission.”

“I thought you found the card behind the Pancake Cottage?”

His face flushed. “I lied. Actually, the owner of the card gave me permission.”

“Is that right?” I narrowed my eyes. “What’s the owner of the card’s name?”

He scrunched his face as if trying to remember. “Um… it’s Arnold. No wait, Arby.”

“Arby?” I arched my brows.

“Archie!” Troy looked triumphant. “Archie is what I meant to say.”

“You’re saying this person gave you permission?”

He nodded. “That’s right.”

“When?”

“Huh?” He frowned.

“When did he give you permission?”

“This morning. I asked him, and he said sure.”

I gave him a skeptical look. “But you didn’t know the pin code. That’s why the machine took the card.”

He blinked at me. “Uh, right. Archie told me the code, but I forgot.”

Letting out a tired sigh, I said, “Troy, you’re lying.”

“No. I’m not. I swear.”

Hank scowled. “Don’t you dare swear when you’re lying. You want God to strike you dead?”

Troy ignored Hank. “My friend Archie said I could take fifty dollars. That’s all I was going to take.”

I knelt down in front of the boy. “Troy, I’m going to give you one more chance. If you lie to me again, I’ll call your parents and arrest you for fraud. If you tell me the truth, I’ll let you off with a warning.” I rumbled, “Do not lie to me, Troy.”

His face got pink, and he dropped his gaze. I could see him trying to decide what to do. I really hoped he wouldn’t lie. I didn’t want to arrest him. Finally, he cleared his throat and said, “Fine. I found it like I said before.”

I sighed. “I appreciate the truth, Troy. Stand up.”

He got quickly to his feet, and I also stood.

“Did you by any chance see the person who dropped the card?”

He shook his head. “No.”

“You sure? Not even a glimpse?”

“No. I just saw the card. There wasn’t anyone around.”

I stuffed down my disappointment. “All right. You can go, but if I ever catch you doing anything this silly again, I won’t give you another chance. You only get one with me, got it?”

“Okay. I get it.” He looked embarrassed now. “How did you know I was lying?”

I grimaced. “Because the owner of the card died several days ago.”

The color left his face, and he shuddered. “Really?”

I nodded.

“Oh, God,” he yelped, and he bolted.

I watched him go, shaking my head. I turned to Hank. “Is the bank manager in?”

He nodded. “Yeah.” He gestured to a middle-aged woman who stood nearby, looking frazzled. “Mrs. Lennard is the manager.”

She broke from the crowd. “Sheriff, I’m the manager. What can I do for you?”

“I’m gonna need the card out of the machine. It’s connected to a murder case.”

“Oh, dear.” Mrs. Lennard shuddered. “How absolutely horrible.”

The next hour was spent retrieving the ATM card and talking to people at the Pancake Cottage. I’d hoped maybe the security footage from the eatery would have captured the person who’d dropped the card, but the camera in the back of the establishment wasn’t working.

Just as I was leaving The Pancake Cottage, my cell buzzed. When I saw it was Maxwell, I smiled. Talking to him would be a welcome break from the craziness of the day. “Hello?”

“Royce?” Maxwell sounded uneasy.

“Yes. Is everything okay?”

“Um… I’m not sure what to do. Janelle called me, hysterical that she’d seen Kimora again.”

“Where?” I moved quickly toward my car.

“At her house. In her actual bedroom.”

“Seriously?”

“That’s what she said. I’m heading there now.”

“You should’ve waited for me. Why are you rushing over there?”

He sighed. “She sounded so hysterical. I didn’t dare wait.”

“I’m on my way. Don’t do anything risky. Just wait for me.” As I spoke, I backed out of my parking space. “Do you understand me?”

“Trust me, I don’t want to do anything risky. I just don’t want Janelle to fling herself out a window in hysteria.”

“Okay. See you soon.”

I drove like a bat out of hell, anxiety balling in my gut. I hated that Maxwell kept being dragged into this case because of his concern for Janelle. Somebody had murdered Archie, and I didn’t want Maxwell anywhere near that.

When I parked in front of the Raidens’ massive home, behind Maxwell’s car, it suddenly occurred to me I probably wasn’t welcome. Michael and Angela Raiden had made no bones about the fact that they resented me and my investigation. But my priority was Maxwell, so I climbed from my car and strode up to the front door.

The door opened, and thankfully, Janelle greeted me, not her parents. Maxwell stood behind her, looking worried.

Janelle called out, “Sheriff. Thank goodness you’re here. I saw her again. Kimora, she was in my bedroom, going through my jewelry.”

“Where is she now?”

“She ran out the back of the house. I know it was her! She’s wearing jeans and a hoodie, but I know it was her,” Janelle screeched.

“Stay here. I’ll look around.” I left them and hurried toward the back of the home. There was a large wraparound porch, and I ran along the base of that, keeping my eyes peeled.

At the back of the house, there was a grove of oak trees, surrounded by wide-open space on either side. In the distance, I heard the sound of a moped starting. I hurried toward the trees, but when I arrived at the back of the thicket, I didn’t see anyone. Had I imagined the sound of a motorbike? I didn’t think I had. There was a dirt road leading away from the trees, heading toward the main road, but it appeared to be empty. Feeling frustrated, I turned around and headed back to the house.

“Did you see anyone driving away?” I yelled, approaching them.

Janelle and Max were standing on the porch. Janelle leaned on the front railing, looking frail.

“No,” Janelle called out.

“Me neither,” Maxwell said.

“Damn,” I growled, raking a hand through my hair.

“Did you see her though, Sheriff?” She gritted her teeth.

“No.”

She wailed, “I swear I saw her! I promise she was in my room.”

I held out my hand in a placating motion. “Calm down. I believe you, Janelle.”

“You do?” She sounded surprised but relieved.

“Yes.”

I addressed Max, “Can we talk alone for a minute?”

He nodded and followed me down the steps. I led him to my car, and leaning against it, he said, “Do you really believe Janelle?”

“Yes. I’ve been doing a lot of digging into the person whose print we found on the high heel.”

“You’ve identified that person?”

“We did. It belonged to a woman named Geraldine Grayson. She was engaged to Archie, who was calling himself Kevin Smith back then. She supposedly died in a car wreck ten years ago.”

He squinted at me. “What in the world?”

“Yeah. It’s confusing. From what I can gather, Archie might have been involved in murder or insurance fraud. Maybe both. He benefited financially from Kimora’s accidental death. Maybe he did the same thing with Geraldine. I suspect Janelle was going to be the third victim, but of what, I’m not sure.”

“But… if Geraldine was murdered for money, how did her print end up on that shoe?”

“I don’t know if Geraldine was in on some kind of insurance scam with Archie or if he tried to kill her for the money, but she somehow survived.” I sighed. “To be honest, I have no idea what’s going on. I only know that Archie is dead, and Geraldine seems to be alive.”

Maxwell glanced back toward Janelle. “What do we do about the fact that someone was in Janelle’s bedroom? It was bad enough when this person watched from afar, but going inside the house…”

“I think this person is extremely desperate.” I sighed. “I should probably talk to Janelle’s parents. Not that they’ll want to talk to me, but they need to up their security.”

“Her parents aren’t here. They’re in Dallas at some fundraiser.”

“I see.” I frowned. “I’m not comfortable leaving Janelle here alone.”

“Me neither.”

“Let’s go figure this out.” I walked up the porch toward a very nervous-looking Janelle. “I think it would be best if you weren’t alone right now.”

She hugged herself. “Okay. I… I’ll see if Polly can come stay with me.”

“Yes. Arrange that if possible. We’ll stay here while you set that up.” I gave her a reassuring smile. “Also, do you have security? I’m curious how someone got inside your home.”

Gritting her teeth, she said, “We have an alarm, but I didn’t have it on because it’s daytime. We also have a company that drives by the perimeter of the grounds every half hour or so. Mom hates having people hovering, so she didn’t want people patrolling inside the gates.”

“I think in light of all that’s happened, maybe she needs to get over that. I’d feel better if there was a man stationed inside the gates. Driving by in a car is useless. Those companies come by like clockwork. It’s easy to time when they’ll be passing by again. You need a real person on the premises. You had a stranger rummaging through your room. That’s unsafe. Surely your parents will grasp the seriousness of the situation?”

“They probably will,” Janelle said softly. “But they’re not here right now.”

“Yeah.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “I know a guy who used to do private security. I could ask him for a favor. I think having more people around might discourage trespassers.”

Janelle said, “I could ask Kobe to come stay with me and Polly.”

“Really? Kobe?” I frowned. “You’re comfortable doing that?”

She lifted one shoulder. “I know Kobe cares about me. It might be easier having him and Polly here instead of a guy I don’t know.”’

“Makes sense.” I nodded.

“I’ll text Polly and Kobe, then.” Janelle pulled her phone from her pocket. “I’m sure they’ll come.”

Maxwell met my gaze. “Should I stay the night too?”

“No,” I answered a little too quickly, and then I gave a gruff laugh. “I think Kobe and Polly can handle things.” I didn’t want Maxwell any more involved than he already was.

Shrugging, Maxwell said, “Okay.”

Janelle said brightly, “Well, both Polly and Kobe have agreed to stay with me.” Despite her cheerful tone, she looked uneasy. “You don’t suppose that person will come back, right? They grabbed a handful of my favorite vintage necklaces before they ran. Surely they won’t return.”

“It’s not out of the question.” I frowned. “That’s why I want someone here with you.”

“Oh, God.” Janelle’s voice was strangled.

“Can you make a list of what was taken?” I asked, trying to distract her.

“I’ll try,” she said.

“I’ll put the word out to Harvey’s Pawn Shop. The person who snuck into your home might think they can unload the jewels there. Sneaking inside your home was risky. They must be in desperate need of fast cash.”

Janelle looked around uneasily. “It’s creepy they were in my actual bedroom. Maybe I should stay in a hotel.”

“Whatever makes you more comfortable, Janelle,” I said. “Or you could stay at Polly’s house instead of having her come here?”

Janelle brightened. “Yes. That’s a good idea. Why didn’t I think of that? Kobe could stay there too. Polly wouldn’t mind.”

“Even better.” I nodded. “That thief was too brazen for my liking.”

“Do you need a ride into town, Janelle?” Maxwell asked.

“Sure.” She grimaced. “I’ll need to pack some things. Is that okay?”

“Of course.” He laughed gruffly. “I’m a man of leisure at the moment.”

“I’ll just let Kobe and Polly know the change of plans.” Janelle disappeared into the house.

I met Maxwell’s gaze. “I need to get back to the station.”

“Sure. We’ll be fine.”

“Maybe text me when you have Janelle safely at Polly’s house.”

He smiled. “You don’t need to worry about me. I’m not afraid of this person.”

“I know. I just don’t know what this perp will do next. They’re erratic. Logically, after killing Archie, they should have left town. If the murderer is Geraldine, why is she still around? It would have made more sense to take off.”

“Maybe she needed money for that. Now that she got some jewelry to pawn, perhaps she will disappear.”

“Possibly.”

“Either way, you don’t need to worry about me or Janelle. We’ll be out of here in twenty minutes, I’m sure.”

I moved toward my vehicle. “I’ll be expecting a text from you,” I called out as I opened my car door.

“I’ll send you a selfie with Polly, Janelle, and Kobe.” He shook his head. “Worrywart.”

I gave a grudging smile and got in my car. As I drove down the lane, I watched Maxwell in the rearview mirror as he waited by his car for Janelle. I headed out through the iron gates, and just as I was about to pull onto the main road, a bright yellow moped went speeding past me. I slammed on the brakes so I didn’t plow into the small bike, swearing under my breath.

There was a girl on the bike wearing jeans and a black hoodie, and her dark hair flew behind her as she sped past me. I knew instantly that was the person who’d ransacked Janelle’s room. I hit the gas, and my car lurched forward. Pressing the accelerator, I fell in behind the girl. My heart was pounding as I inched closer to her moped. I wasn’t about to let her get away this time.

Glancing over her shoulder, her eyes widened. She gunned her engine, but her moped was no match for my car. I flashed my lights at her, hoping she’d pull over. I didn’t want her to crash, but the odds weren’t in her favor. Not the way she was driving. She swerved onto the other side of the deserted road, and I pulled up even with her.

I pointed toward the side of the road, praying she’d obey my request for her to park her vehicle. She didn’t. She sped up and tried to race around the front of my car. That was a mistake. When her bike made contact with my vehicle, even that little bump sent hers flying off the road into a ditch.

I slammed on my brakes, feeling sick. Once my car came to a stop, I scrambled out and raced back toward where her moped had crashed. By some miracle, she’d landed in a thick patch of switchgrass on the side of the road. She was sprawled on her face, and beside her lay her beat-up bike, engine still sputtering.

I knelt beside her, and she groaned. “Anything broken?” I asked, stomach churning.

“Go away,” she cried. “Just let me die in peace.”

From her surly response, I gathered she wasn’t dying. All her limbs were intact, and she wasn’t bleeding, so I calmed down. The switchgrass had cushioned her fall, and she looked unhurt. “I don’t think you’re going to die anytime soon.”

She slowly rolled over and stared up at the blue sky. There were a few scratches on her pale cheeks, and her dark hair was matted with strands of grass. She’d been exceptionally lucky, even if she didn’t appear to know that.

“What’s your name?” Even though I recognized her as Geraldine from her Facebook photos, I needed to hear her say her name.

She scrunched her face up, and tears streaked down the side of her face. “It’s all his fault. God damn Archie, it’s all his fault things went to shit.”

“Can you stand?”

She ignored me and kept silently crying. I let her go on for a few moments, and then I stood. When my shadow fell across her, she mumbled, “I wish I had died.”

“You don’t mean that.”

“Of course I do,” she wailed. “I have nothing to live for.”

Sighing, I held out my hand to her. “How about we go to the station and have a chat? I’ll have a doctor come check you over.”

She ignored my hand and got gingerly to her feet. “I don’t need a doctor. I’ve broken bones before. I know what it feels like.” She pushed her tangled hair out of her face. “Just arrest me and throw the key away.”

Grimacing, I said, “You’re not getting off that easy. You’ve run me ragged, and I want some damn answers.”

“Whatever,” she muttered.

“First off, what’s your name?”

She met my gaze, lifting her chin. “Surely you know the answer to that, Sheriff.”

“Humor me.”

More tears dribbled down her face, and she whispered, “Kimora Brady.”

Chapter Nineteen

Maxwell

Once I had Janelle safely tucked away at Polly’s home, I headed back toward Royce’s house. It had been a hugely stressful day, and I wanted nothing more than to take a shower and maybe have dinner with Royce later.

Mrs. Numi had the ball rolling already with the escrow company, and now I just needed to make a clean break from River. I’d called him several times, trying to set up an appointment to discuss my lease buyout. So far, I hadn’t heard back. I’d left him a very polite message the last time I’d called. Far politer than he deserved, if you asked me.

When I pulled into the driveway, I found Girdy and Todd unloading boxes into Royce’s garage. They’d been kind enough to pack up all my stuff from River’s clinic. I approached them, feeling grateful that Girdy and Todd were so willing to help me. I wasn’t sure why they were so fiercely loyal to me, but I couldn’t help being touched.

Girdy spotted me as I neared. “Hey, Maxwell, this is the last of it.” She had a smudge on one cheek, and her auburn hair was pulled up in a ponytail. “You’re officially moved out of River Runs Deep Homeopathy.”

“Thank the Lord,” I murmured.

Todd joined her, wiping his face with a handkerchief. “Believe it or not, River helped us carry some boxes out. He was actually very nice about it.”

Girdy scowled. “He was just trying to look good in front of the patients.”

Smiling, Todd nodded. “Probably. But I appreciated the help.”

“Not me,” grumbled Girdy.

I laughed. “Simmer down, Girdy.”

She gave a sheepish smile. “I’ll try.” She sighed. “Did you get Janelle situated at Polly’s house?”

“Yep. Kobe showed up as requested, as well.” I leaned against Todd’s truck. “He was sober, believe it or not.”

“I do believe it,” Girdy said. “Rumor has it he hasn’t had a drink since the wedding. I think he’s trying to clean up his act for real this time.”

“I hope so.” I frowned.

Todd shrugged. “Maybe Janelle and him can rekindle their romance.”

Girdy scowled. “I think it’s too soon for that. For goodness’ sake, her husband was just murdered.”

Todd winced. “Sorry. I just like happy endings.”

“It would be disrespectful to jump into Kobe’s arms so soon.” Girdy sighed. “At least, that’s how I see it.”

I frowned. “Well, not if Archie was scamming her. Then she’d have every right to turn to someone who truly loves her.”

“True.” Girdy nodded. “But we don’t know yet what Archie was up to.”

“Something that got him killed, I’ll wager.” Todd raised his brows.

I sniffed. “There are too many rumors going around. I’ll wait to hear the actual truth from Royce.”

Grinning, Girdy said, “Yes. Then be sure and tell me.”

“Of course.” I smirked.

Todd grabbed a box out of the back of the truck. “I guess we should finish what we started.”

I also moved to grab a box, noticing there weren’t many left. “I appreciate you two doing this for me. It would have been awkward to face River. It will be bad enough signing the paperwork for the lease buyout.”

Girdy grimaced. “Maybe you should take Royce with you. River makes me nervous lately.”

“Oh, I don’t think he’d actually do anything to me.” I frowned, setting the box I held on a stack against the wall of the garage. “He just loves needling me.”

“You never know.” Todd set the last box on top of mine. “I read a story once about a little old lady who everyone loved, but it turned out she’d murdered her whole family and buried them in her rose garden.”

“Todd,” Girdy screeched. “What kind of story is that?”

He gave a guilty laugh. “I’m just saying people aren’t always what they seem.”

Giving him a chiding glance, Girdy said, “I highly doubt River will chop Maxwell up into little pieces and bury him in the garden.”

I shuddered. “I would hope not.”

“Wouldn’t it be nice if River just disappeared?” Girdy murmured.

I smiled weakly. “I certainly wouldn’t mind if a twister carried him off to another county.”

Girdy snorted a laugh. “Or maybe a house could fall on him.”

Todd raised his brows. “You two are bloodthirsty.”

“He’s just so annoying,” grumbled Girdy.

Todd sighed. “Alas, I think River is here to stay.”

“Oh, well.” I shrugged. “It won’t matter what he does from now on. Once I’m free of him, he’ll cease to exist for me.”

“Good attitude.” Girdy nodded. “Out of sight, out of mind.”

I hesitated. “Can I buy you two dinner? You helped me so much, it’s the least I can do.”

Girdy smiled. “Well, that’s downright sociable of you, Maxwell. Unfortunately, we have bingo tonight.”

Todd groaned. “Oh, no. Can’t we skip it?”

She shook her head and linked her arm through his. “Nope. We skipped it the last two times. Mom is calling out numbers tonight, and she’ll never forgive me if we don’t show up.”

“All right.” Todd gave her a doting smile. “I need to stay on your mother’s good side.”

Once they’d gone, I went inside to a very grumpy Grumpy. Apparently he’d heard me drive up, and he wasn’t happy with how long I’d taken to come inside the house. I fed him and played with him, glancing at the clock every now and then. I kept hoping Royce would come home for dinner, but as the hour approached 7:00 p.m., my hope faded. Such was life when your boyfriend was a cop.

I ate a turkey sandwich and read a little. I was turning off all the lights, about to go to bed, when my cell rang. I hoped it was Royce but scowled when I noticed it was River’s number.

Bracing myself, I answered. “Hello?”

“Maxwell?” River’s cheerful voice came over the line. “I thought maybe I’d get your voicemail.”

“Nope. It’s me.”

He laughed. “So it is. I got your message.”

“Great. When can we meet to sign the papers?”

He gave a long-suffering sigh. “You know, Maxwell, you’re acting so standoffish with me. I mean, for goodness’ sake, all I did was try to buy some property. You’re overreacting.”

I gripped the phone. “I don’t think I am.”

“You’re getting all twisted up about nothing. I’ve told you many times I’m acquiring properties for investment reasons.”

I scowled. “The thing is, you only seem interested in properties that I’m a part of. Why is that?”

“That was sheer coincidence.”

Liar.

Royce would have been proud of me because I didn’t say that out loud. “We don’t get along. It’s obvious there’s friction.”

“Says who?”

Was he for real? “Come on, River.”

“Come on what?”

“You know I’m right. I don’t respect you, and you don’t respect me. It’s best if we just keep our distance from one another, wouldn’t you say?”

“I never said I didn’t respect you.”

I bit my tongue, and the silence stretched awkwardly.

“Oh,” he snapped. “I see.”

I sighed. “Look, it is what it is, River. Too many unpleasant things have happened between us. We’re like vinegar and water. There’s no need for us to interact, so let’s not.”

“Is this what you do, Maxwell? Just write people off and move on?”

I frowned. “I don’t know if that’s something I do very often—”

“I tried really hard with you when I first arrived, Maxwell.” His voice was harder now. “But you just wouldn’t give an inch. You were a snob from day one.”

“No I wasn’t.”

“What makes you think you’re so much better than me?”

“I never said I was better than you.” I gritted my teeth. “Why do you care? Why are you pushing this? We’re never going to be pals. Let’s just go our separate ways.”

“I’m the one who should be angry and resentful, not you. Certainly not you,” he hissed.

“River,” I snapped. “None of this matters. I’m starting a new chapter in my life, and I’d prefer you weren’t a part of it.”

“Sure, that’s your MO, right? Starting over?”

I bristled at his comment because I knew he was once more trying to bring up Lucinda Pratt’s death. “I don’t know why you insist on drudging up my painful past.”

“Maybe because you seem to forget it all so easily.”

“There was nothing easy about that situation.”

Ignoring me, he rasped, “How shallow are you?”

“My past is none of your business. It’s settled. It was settled long ago.”

“Well, if you say so, it must be true.”

“This is ridiculous. You’re like a bratty child. You apparently resent my happiness. My success. How about you focus on yourself? All I need from you is to sign some papers so we can be done with each other for good.”

The silence stretched so long, I thought perhaps he’d hung up. But then he said harshly, “I tried to give you the benefit of the doubt, but you’re everything I thought you were. You’re cold and detached. You don’t care about anyone else. You don’t care who you harm in life, so long as you land on your feet.”

“That isn’t true.”

“Bullshit,” he rasped. “You’re a negative force in this world. You’re damaging the positive energy that flows around us all.”

Oh, boy.

“Are you willing to meet with me to sign the paperwork, or shall we have our lawyers do it?” I asked brusquely.

Another long silence, and then he said in a cold voice, “Oh, by all means, let’s meet.”

“Fine. When and where? My schedule is very flexible at the moment.”

“Tomorrow evening. Come to my home. The positive aura might help us keep our serenity.”

I rolled my eyes. “What time?”

“Perhaps around 7:00? I’ll sage the house before you come to promote a positive environment.”

“I’ll see you then.” I hung up, scowling.

Our heated conversation cemented my loathing for River. He simply irked me. His voice and laugh set my teeth on edge. From the moment I’d met him, something had felt off. His supposed friendship toward me had always felt forced. He’d pretended to be my pal, but then he’d thrown Lucinda’s death in my face so flippantly. As if that poisonous dart had been waiting on the tip of his tongue all along.

But he was the past now, or he would be very soon. After tomorrow, River Martin could go skip off into the sunset for all I cared. He’d no longer exist in my world.

Chapter Twenty

Royce

When I got back to the station, Kimora continued to insist she didn’t want to see a doctor. She seemed fine, but to be on the safe side, I had one of my female officers who had some EMT training check her over for signs of injury. There were a few scrapes and bruises, but she’d been incredibly lucky. Once I was sure she was unharmed, I read her rights to her and got her some water and a bag of Doritos.

It was after 9:30 p.m. by the time she was settled enough to be questioned. I’d texted Maxwell, explaining the situation, but he hadn’t responded yet. It had been a long day, and I’d have given anything to go home and spend the evening with him. But duty called.

I brought a stack of folders with me into the interview room. There was a lot of confusing information to go over with Kimora, and retaining it all in my head was impossible. I was hoping she could clear up a lot of things for me. Like, for example, why she was telling me her name was Kimora when I knew her as Geraldine.

The fluorescent lights flickered overhead, and she sat like a statue, staring at the tabletop. She looked emotionally and physically drained. Her fingers and lips were stained from the nacho cheese Doritos, but she didn’t look like she cared. She truly appeared to be a woman with nothing to lose.

“Are you up to answering a few questions, Kimora?” I asked.

She shrugged. “I guess.”

“Okay, well, first off, you say your name is Kimora, but I have a file here with your photo that identifies you as Geraldine Grayson.” I pushed a piece of paper toward her. “Can you explain that to me, please?”

She didn’t even look at it. “Didn’t you hear? Geraldine died in a car accident.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Right. And Kimora drowned.”

She laughed, but it wasn’t a joyful sound. “Then I guess I’m nobody.”

I sighed. “You’re obviously somebody. From the look of it, you’re two somebodies.”

She didn’t respond.

“You were born Geraldine Grayson, right?”

She flicked her gaze to mine. “If you already know that, why ask?”

“Because you supposedly died, remember? I’m trying to figure out why you pretended to be dead.”

“I had my reasons,” she muttered.

“Was it for money?”

She wrinkled her brow. “Not just money.”

“What other reason?”

She avoided my gaze. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“I’m willing to try.” When she didn’t respond, I asked, “Was it for love?”

She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. “God, I was such a fool.”

I didn’t say anything, allowing her to take her time.

She swallowed hard, still keeping her gaze down. “Archie was my world, but then he ruined everything.”

“How?”

Her face hardened. “I spent over a decade loving him. Being faithful and loyal to him.” Her mouth thinned. “I let him do whatever he wanted, and how did he repay me? By falling in love with that rich bitch.”

“Do you mean Janelle Raiden?”

“Of course I mean Janelle,” she hissed, finally looking up.

“Was Janelle your next scam?”

Scowling, she said, “She was supposed to be.”

“But Archie got… emotionally involved?”

“If you can believe it,” she said bitterly.

I straightened. “Let’s get back to why you faked your death for one minute.”

“Whatever.”

“Why would you do something that drastic? If you just wanted to be with Archie, why go that far?”

“Because he said it would be easy. He said we could be together and get a huge lump of money.”

“But you had to completely give up your identity. Your life.”

She sighed. “I didn’t have much of a life to begin with. Archie was my life. He was so charismatic, and I was so young. I trusted him.”

“Didn’t you think it was an odd thing to suggest? Most people don’t fake their deaths for money.”

“Of course it was odd, but he said it was easy money. I… I wanted to please him. He was worth giving it all up for, or that’s what I thought.”

“Scamming insurance companies isn’t easy.”

“We did it though.” She lifted her chin, looking smug. “Twice.”

“I see.” I frowned. “Getting back to the first scam… there was a body burned beyond recognition in the car. Whose body was that?”

She swallowed hard. “I don’t know.”

I lifted my brows. “You don’t know?”

She shook her head. “There were a lot of things Archie wouldn’t tell me. I… I just did what he said because I loved him. Trusted him. He handled everything. He was the clever one.”

“I find it hard to believe you have no idea where he got a body.”

She widened her eyes. “I swear. I don’t know who that person was. He didn’t tell me, and I didn’t ask.”

“Do you think Archie was capable of murder?”

Shaking her head, she said, “No. He could lie to your face and convince you of just about anything, but he wasn’t violent. He was just… morally fluid.”

That’s one way to put it.

I decided to move on because she truly didn’t seem to have a clue about the body. “So the insurance premium paid your fiancé, Kevin Smith, who then became Archie.”

“Yes.”

“Then what? How did you become Kimora?”

“Well, Archie had already figured that out ahead of time. Of course, I had to change my name since Geraldine was dead.” She grimaced. “He liked to search the obituaries for people we could become. I liked the name Kimora when I saw it, so I took that identity.”

“But then your Kimora persona died too.”

“Yeah. The money from the first time was running out.”

“I see.” I nodded. “But that time, Archie didn’t bother with a body?”

“No. He said it would be simpler that way.” She winced. “But the cops were super suspicious of him that time. Then the insurance company tried to stall paying because there was no body. Archie finally managed to get the money, but it spooked him.”

“Spooked him how?”

“He decided that the insurance scams were getting too tricky. He was terrified he’d get caught if we tried again. He was really scared of going to jail.”

“So where did that leave you? The money wasn’t going to last forever.”

“No,” she muttered. “Archie decided that scamming rich bitches out of their money was a safer bet than messing around with the insurance companies.”

“Yeah, I read about a few of his victims.” I studied her. “He broke their hearts.”

“Oh, well.”

I frowned. “No biggie?”

She lifted her chin. “It’s a dog-eat-dog world, Sheriff.”

“Right. So long as you’re not the dog getting eaten, it didn’t matter to you?”

“That’s right.” Her eyes flashed with resentment.

I hid my disgust as best I could. “Okay, so you swindled poor unsuspecting women out of their money, and eventually, Archie set his sights on Janelle?”

“Yes.” She perked up. “She was fucking loaded. I mean, the other women were small fry compared. With that kind of money, we could have done whatever we wanted.”

“But something went wrong.”

Her face flushed, and anger glittered in her eyes. “He actually fell for her. I… I couldn’t believe it.”

“And that changed everything?”

“Of course. He didn’t want to hurt her. He didn’t want to scam her. I told him he was crazy, but he… he said he’d decided to turn over a new leaf.” She looked incredulous. “A new fucking leaf? What did that mean for me?”

“I’m sure that enraged you.”

“Oh, yeah. We had some horrendous fights over that bitch.” Tears welled in her dark eyes. “I gave that bastard over a decade of my life. I was loyal and obedient. Even when he cheated on me, and he cheated all the time, I was faithful to him.”

“He cheated on you?”

Her laugh was harsh. “Oh, hell yes. He was always sleeping with other women. I didn’t care though because he always came back to me.”

I frowned. “Do you think he cheated on Janelle too?”

“Yes. I’m positive he did at first.” She scowled. “But then about a month ago, he decided he was actually in love with her. From that point on, I don’t think he touched anyone else. No one was good enough for him anymore. Just precious Janelle.”

“I can hear how angry you are.”

“Of course I’m angry.” She scowled. “Did he seriously think he was just going to marry her and ride off into the sunset without me? Did he actually think I would just sit back and let that happen?”

“I’m sure you were livid. After you’d put up with so much. All those other women even.”

“Right?” She nodded.

“Who were some of the women he slept with in Rainy Dale?”

She frowned. “I didn’t always know their names.”

“Was one of them Angela Raiden?”

She laughed harshly. “Yes. I couldn’t imagine why he slept with that old hag.”

“But she wasn’t the only one?”

“No. There were many others.” Anger rippled through her eyes. “Then he decided Janelle was The One. He wouldn’t even touch me. After all we’d been through together, he was saving himself for Janelle.”

“That had to hurt.”

She sniffed and wiped roughly at her eyes. “I mean, where was the fucking loyalty?”

“What was the purpose of you following Janelle around. It was you, right?”

She sighed. “Yes, that was me. Before Archie lost his mind and thought he was in love with Janelle, the original idea was to gaslight her.”

“I see.”

“We were going to make her look crazy. Then, once she was off her rocker, her gallant, loving husband would step in to handle her finances.” She cackled. “I enjoyed making that rich bitch squirm too. She was terrified.”

I winced at how cruel she sounded. “You enjoyed scaring her?”

“Of course. She deserved it.”

“Why?”

“Because she was a spoiled brat. Everything was handed to her.” Kimora scowled. “I never had anything I didn’t have to fight for.”

“I see.” I leaned back in my chair. “But then she stole Archie from you.”

Her face fell. “Yes,” she whispered.

“If Archie had decided not to scam Janelle, why were you still following her around?”

“Because I hated her.”

“I see.”

“I wanted to drive her nuts. I… I was hoping she’d kill herself. She was so terrified, I really thought maybe she would do it.” She glanced up, a perverse excitement in her eyes. “I thought about killing her though. I thought about it all the time. How hard could it be, right? Just slip a knife between her ribs, and my problems would be over.”

I gritted my teeth. “Sounds like you truly did consider it.”

“I just told you I did.”

“Yes,” I murmured. “And you were at the wedding, right?”

She curled her lip. “Oh, I was there all right. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. I wasn’t about to let Archie forget me.”

“No. I don’t imagine you would.”

Wrinkling her brow, she hissed, “He really thought I’d just accept things. He said he’d still provide for me but that we couldn’t be together anymore. Like that would be okay with me? After all the years I’d put into him?”

“I could see why that might send you over the edge.”

Her face quivered. “Oh, you have no idea. I wasn’t going to stand for it. No fucking way was he leaving me behind.”

I could feel her hatred radiating. “So you killed him instead of letting him leave you for Janelle.”

She started to nod, but then her eyes widened, and she looked up quickly. “Wait. What?”

I hesitated. “You killed Archie so Janelle couldn’t have him.”

“I didn’t kill Archie,” she screeched. “Wha… what are you talking about?”

I frowned. “Calm down, Kimora.”

“Calm down? How can I calm down?” Her eyes were wild. “I didn’t kill Archie. How can you even suggest that? I still loved him.”

“But…” I studied her, taking in how freaked-out she looked. “If not you, then who?”

“How the hell would I know?”

I watched her closely. “You have the clearest motive.”

“No.” She shook her head. “Janelle probably killed him. She no doubt found out the truth about him, and she felt betrayed.”

“She couldn’t have done it. She was never out of sight long enough to have killed him.”

“Well, it sure as hell wasn’t me.”

Feeling baffled, I watched her. While she seemed sincerely shocked by my accusation, she still appeared to be the most likely suspect to me. Few people were as dangerous as a spurned lover.

She whispered, “Sheriff, I swear I didn’t kill Archie.”

If I was to believe Kimora, and that was a huge if, then who else would have wanted Archie dead? I leaned forward. “If it wasn’t you or Janelle who killed Archie, it had to be someone else who could get close to him. Close enough to stab him.”

She shuddered. “But who?”

“Tell me more about the other women Archie was seeing. Anything you can remember might be helpful.”

She scowled. “I’m not sure I know anything. It wasn’t like he invited me along on his sexual excursions.”

“No, but I’ll bet you knew exactly the type who would catch his eye, right?”

She dropped her gaze, her mouth a grim line. “To be honest, he wasn’t that choosy. Not until perfect Janelle came along,” she hissed.

“You said he was still sleeping around, even when he was with Janelle, until about a month ago, right?”

She nodded. “Yes. He didn’t hide it. We had a very… open relationship.”

“He flaunted his conquests?”

“No. But he didn’t hide them either.”

I sighed, feeling disgusted. “Why did you stay with him?”

Her face softened. “Because he always came back to me. Even with Janelle, I… I just knew if I was steadfast, he’d tire of her and return to me. I knew he couldn’t really leave me behind. What we had was special.”

Yeah, real special.

“You said Janelle’s mother, Angela, was one of his lovers?”

“Yes.” She straightened. “Maybe she killed Archie.”

I sighed. “So far, she has an alibi.”

“Oh.” She frowned.

“Were any of the other women he’d slept with at the wedding?”

“Yes.” She squinted. “I’m pretty sure he slept with one of the servers. The blonde girl with the big boobs. I saw her flirting with Archie during dinner service, but he didn’t seem interested.” She said through gritted teeth, “I guess he only had eyes for his lovely bride.”

“Anyone else you recognized as one of Archie’s past conquests?”

She shrugged. “That mousy little bridesmaid was always drooling over him.”

I frowned. “Who?”

“The one who thinks she’s Edgar Cayce. You know, the one who thinks she’s a psychic? She used to go on and on about how they were both redheads and how beautiful their babies would be.” Kimora curled her lip. “As if Archie wanted kids. He didn’t even like kids.”

My heart began to pound. “Do you mean Polly?”

“I don’t remember her name. She was Janelle’s bestie, or she pretended to be. Archie said she was really jealous of Janelle. Bitter AF. She felt like all the guys flocked to Janelle and never noticed her.”

“She told Archie that?”

Kimora grimaced. “Yes. She was very needy. He said he never should have slept with her because it gave her hope. Archie said he tried to let her down gently, but she completely lost it when he told her he wasn’t going to see her anymore. That he only wanted to be with Janelle.”

“He told her that?”

“Yes. And she got hysterical.”

I stood, stress eating at me. I’d unwittingly sent Janelle to stay with Polly. If Polly was the killer, I’d made a horrible mistake. “I’m going to have my deputy take you to a cell. I need to go.”

“Oh.” Kimora frowned. “Okay.”

I started to leave but stopped and turned back to her. “Once Archie died, why did you stay in Rainy Dale?”

“I didn’t know what to do. I had no money. Archie handled all the money. When he died… I had nothing.”

“Is that why you went to Janelle’s house? To steal her jewelry?”

She slumped. “Partly. I was also looking for something. A ring he’d given her that was supposed to be mine. I wanted it back.”

“I see.”

“But I couldn’t find it.”

I moved to the door, feeling sorry for her but also disgusted. She was a pathetic person. She’d put all her trust in a man who’d only cared about himself. Now she had nothing. She’d go to jail all because she’d blindly followed Archie. “I’m sorry this was the path you chose, Kimora. Things are only going to get rougher from here on out.”

“You don’t understand.” She scowled. “It was all worth it. Archie loved me. He’d have come back to me. I know it. I just know it.”

Shaking my head, I left the interview room. It was imperative I got to Polly’s house ASAP. I tapped Deputy Juan to accompany me, and I prayed that Kobe was still there with the two of them. If Polly was the killer, she might try to hurt Janelle. I was pretty sure Kobe wouldn’t let that happen.

I parked in front of Polly’s small home, relieved to see Kobe’s pickup truck out front. Feeling uneasy, I walked to the front door, glancing over at Deputy Juan. “Juan, go to the back. Just in case she decides to run.”

“You got it.” He took off around the side of the little white house.

The front yard was neat but the lawn brown from the winter weather. I walked up to the porch and knocked on the door. I was tense, not knowing what I’d find inside. When the door opened, Polly stood there, looking pale.

“Sheriff,” she said softly.

“Hey, Polly.” I kept my voice even. “Mind if I come in?”

She let out a shaky breath. “I knew you were coming.”

“Did you?”

She nodded and stepped aside. “I could feel a dark energy hovering all day long.”

I wasn’t sure if she was referring to me as that dark energy or not, but I was hugely relieved to see Kobe and Janelle sitting on the couch, looking unharmed. They were drinking bright blue drinks in martini glasses and laughing.

Thank goodness.

“Hey, Sheriff.” Kobe smiled when he saw me. “Don’t worry, this is a virgin drink. I’m off the sauce.”

Janelle sipped her drink and then said, “It’s not bad, actually. I don’t even miss the booze.”

Polly closed the door and faced me. Her face was tense and her hands crossed in front of her. “Would you like a drink, Sheriff?”

“No, thank you, Polly.” I kept a cautious eye on her. “I’m here on business.”

She studied me, and then she said, “I see.”

“What’s this about?” Kobe asked. “Did you catch the killer?”

“Uh… I’m working on it.”

Polly turned and started to walk toward the kitchen.

“Polly,” I said forcefully. “I’d appreciate it if you’d stay in here.”

She stopped, and her shoe squeaked on the floor. With her back still to me, she said, “Why?”

“I think you know why.”

Her shoulders slumped. “Oh, God.”

Janelle set her drink down, frowning. “Is something wrong?”

Polly winced. “I hope you can remember I was mostly a good friend to you, Janelle.”

Janelle blinked in confusion. “What?”

Kobe set his drink down too, obviously picking up on the sudden tension in the room. “What’s going on, Sheriff?”

“I need Polly to come to the station with me.” I met Polly’s glittery gaze. “I have some questions for her.”

A tear streaked down Polly’s cheek. “I’m not a bad person.”

“I’m not here to judge you,” I said.

“Why would you be a bad person?” Janelle stood. “What are you talking about, Polly?”

Polly’s face flinched. “I’m afraid I’m not who you think I am, Janelle. I’m afraid Archie wasn’t either.”

Kobe got to his feet but didn’t speak.

Janelle scowled. “I wish someone would tell me what’s going on.”

I glanced to Polly. “You wanna tell her, or should I?”

“I can do it,” Polly said softly.

“Do what?” Janelle asked. “What in the heck are you talking about, Polly?”

Polly lifted her chin. “I betrayed our friendship. I… I had sex with Archie.”

Widening her eyes, Janelle squeaked. “What did you say?”

“It’s true,” Polly said. “We had sex and… and he wanted me too. He didn’t just want you; he wanted m… me too.”

“Are you crazy?” Kobe growled. “Why are you telling her that?”

Anger sparked in Polly’s eyes. “Because it’s the truth. She needs to know what kind of man Archie was.”

“I don’t believe you,” Janelle whispered. “You’re lying.”

“No.” Polly shook her head vigorously. “I’m not lying. In fact… I’m… I’m carrying his… b… baby.”

That revelation threw me, but I had to hide my shock. If that were true, that gave her a huge motive for murder.

Kobe rasped, “You’re pregnant?”

Polly nodded, her expression borderline defiant. “That’s right.”

Janelle looked on the verge of tears. “I don’t understand. Why? Why would you do that to me?”

Polly’s timid demeanor slipped, and malice rippled over her thin face. “Because you don’t always get to have everything.”

“I don’t understand,” Janelle wailed. “What is happening?”

Kobe put his arm around her shoulders, glaring at Polly. “Are you insane? Janelle has been your best friend since grammar school.”

“Why would you defend her?” Polly said in a high-pitched voice. “You… you were tossed aside just like me.”

Kobe shook his head. “No. I screwed up, and Janelle moved on. That’s different.”

Polly’s face quivered. “Maybe you don’t mind being a doormat, but I do.”

“You slept with my fiancé,” murmured Janelle. “You betrayed me.”

“You had everything,” shrieked Polly, eyes bugging. “Why couldn’t I have one goddamned thing? Huh? Why?”

I cleared my throat. “If you were so madly in love with Archie, why did you kill him?”

Janelle gasped. “What?”

Wincing, Polly kept her gaze on me. “That… that wasn’t what I wanted.”

“You mean it’s true?” Janelle said, looking horrified. “You killed Archie?”

Polly gritted her teeth. “I didn’t mean to.”

“But that’s what happened,” I said quietly.

“I wanted to be a family. Why couldn’t he understand that?”

Janelle started crying. “No, Polly. No. You killed him? You killed my Archie?”

“He wasn’t yours,” Polly yelled, her face beet red. “He loved me too.”

I narrowed my eyes. “But that’s not true, is it, Polly? Archie didn’t love you; he loved Janelle.”

“No,” she mumbled. “He loved me.”

I shook my head. “No. Did you tell Archie about the baby at the wedding?”

“Yes,” she whispered. “I… I wanted to share the good news.”

“But he rejected you, didn’t he? He rejected you and your baby.”

She started crying, her face twisted in an ugly, angry mask.

“You thought if he knew about the baby, he’d pick you,” I said quietly. “But instead, he was angry. Disgusted. He didn’t want you to ruin what he had with Janelle, right?”

Polly shook her head. “Be quiet.”

“Did he ask you to get an abortion?”

She screamed and covered her ears. “Shut up! Shut up! Archie loved me. We were going to be a family.”

Janelle sat down again, as if her legs had given out. “This can’t be happening,” she whispered.

“Where did you get the knife, Polly?” I asked.

She glanced up, her face wet with angry tears. “What?”

“The knife you used to stab Archie. Where did it come from?”

Her gaze flickered.

I narrowed my eyes. “You brought it with you, didn’t you?”

She shook her head.

“You knew Archie wasn’t going to want you and the baby. You brought the knife, intending to kill Archie.”

“No. I swear, I… I was going to kill myself. I… I told Archie if he didn’t want me and the baby, then I… I’d kill myself.”

“God, Polly,” Kobe said gruffly. “What the hell were you thinking?”

She grimaced. “I just wanted him to admit that he loved me. Why was that so hard for him?”

I sighed. “Because he didn’t love you, Polly. He never loved you. He used you.”

She moved to sit on the arm of a chair, looking white as a ghost. “I just wanted to be loved. Why can’t I be loved?”

I studied her. She was a small girl; Archie had been at least fifty pounds heavier and way taller. “How did you get his body in the trunk?”

She licked her lips. “We were behind the limousine. Archie put the lid up because he didn’t want anyone to see us talking,” she said bitterly. “When I t… told him about the baby, he looked so disgusted.” Her mouth quivered. “He looked like he hated me.”

“Sure. You were about to ruin everything for him,” I said gruffly. “He only saw you as a roadblock. A potential problem to him getting what he really wanted.”

Tears rolled down her face. “I said if I couldn’t have him, I didn’t want to live. Do you know what he said?”

My stomach clenched. “What?”

“He said it wasn’t his problem. That he wasn’t going to raise some bastard child when he could have a real family with Janelle.”

Janelle gasped and covered her face.

Obviously, murder wasn’t okay with me. But it also wasn’t hard to see how saying something that harsh to a woman who was barely hanging on to her sanity might have pushed her over the edge. “Then what happened?”

Polly mumbled, “Before I even knew what was happening, I stabbed him, and he… he just kind of fell into the trunk.” She swallowed hard.

I frowned. “Your prints weren’t on the knife, and there was no blood spatter on your dress.”

She sniffed. “I used his jacket to wipe my prints off the handle of the knife. Then… I got my sweater out of the back of the limousine. It… it wasn’t locked, thank goodness.”

“But my deputies checked everyone for blood spatter. They’d have seen blood on your dress.”

Polly grimaced. “The blood was so high up on my dress, when I lifted the sweater a little, that seemed to satisfy the deputy. He had so many people to check, I got lucky. I was sure I’d get caught, but I… I got lucky.”

I frowned, not happy to hear one of my guys had missed something so important. Granted, it had been a huge group of people to corral, but still, that was a major mistake.

“How could you, Polly?” Janelle said through her tears. “I’ve always looked out for you. You were my best friend.”

Scowling, Polly said, “I wasn’t your friend. You pitied me. You always thought you were better than me. You’d rub all the men who wanted you in my face. You flaunted your money, knowing I had nothing.”

“That’s not true,” whimpered Janelle. “I thought of you like my sister.”

Polly wouldn’t meet her friend’s gaze. “I don’t believe you.”

I’d heard all I needed to hear, so I pulled my cuffs off my belt. “Polly, you have the right to remain silent…” I read Polly her rights and then called Deputy Juan inside to take her to the car.

Janelle was clearly devastated, not only by finding out her best friend was a murderer but that she’d been betrayed by Archie and Polly on multiple levels. I was relieved she had Kobe with her because she was an emotional wreck. That wasn’t going to change anytime soon either. She’d been betrayed by the two people she trusted most in the world, and healing from that would take time.

It was a relief to finally have Archie’s murder solved, although the situation left me feeling a little sick to my stomach. After seeing all the greed, bitterness, and envy of this case play out, humanity seemed sorely lacking. I knew I had a long day ahead of me, but it comforted me to know that I’d have Max to go home to.

Epilogue

Maxwell

I got up before Royce, determined to make him a big breakfast. I wasn’t a good cook by any means, but I figured I could probably manage to scramble some eggs, fry some bacon, and make some toast.

I had just finished cooking the eggs and bacon when Royce wandered into the kitchen, looking groggy. “What’s all this?” he asked, coming to give me a good-morning kiss.

“This is me attempting to be domestic.”

He moved to the coffeepot. “You didn’t have to do this.”

“I know, but you’ve been working such long hours, I wanted to.” I scooped the eggs and bacon onto a plate and grabbed the toast from the toaster. As I buttered the crusty bread, I asked, “How’s the case going?”

Cradling his coffee cup with both hands, he leaned against the counter. “Where do I begin?”

I smiled, not sure what he meant. “Is it not going well?”

He grimaced. “The case is solved, but it’s an awful mess.”

“Oh.” I raised my brows. “But at least the case is solved.” I carried his plate to the table, and he followed. I set it down and went to grab some coffee for myself.

“Yeah.” He sat and picked up his fork.

“What makes the case so messy?”

“Nobody was who they seemed.” He sighed. “Geraldine was Kimora, and Archie was Kevin. People were cheating on each other and trying to take what the other people had. It’s just a shitshow of epic proportions.”

“God. It sounds horrid.”

“It is. It’s all connected to identity and insurance fraud. But Kimora, or Geraldine, didn’t kill Archie like I’d thought.”

“No?” I settled beside him, sipping my coffee. “I hadn’t realized you’d thought for sure she was the killer.”

“I was leaning that way. It seemed like Geraldine was the most obvious person. She knew Archie the longest. The more I looked into things, the more she seemed entangled in his schemes.”

“Okay. So how did Janelle figure into this?”

He set his fork down again, looking angry. “Archie was a rat. His initial plan was to scam Janelle. But in the meantime, he fooled around with a bunch of women.”

“Did he?”

“Yes. So much for his story to Janelle that she was his first since Kimora had died. The only time he stopped messing around was when he decided he was in love with Janelle.”

“Oh.”

He winced. “Unfortunately, the damage had already been done.”

“I see,” I said, feeling muddled.

He laughed. “You look as confused as I feel. I’ll explain all the details once my brain is rested. The main takeaway is Kimora, aka Geraldine, didn’t kill Archie.”

“Who did?”

He grimaced. “Polly.”

“Polly,” I repeated. “Janelle’s best friend?”

“Yes.”

I widened my eyes. “Polly killed Archie? Sweet little Polly?”

“She wasn’t so sweet. Apparently.” He took a few bites of egg and ate a piece of bacon. Once he’d swallowed, he said, “Archie got her pregnant.”

I’d been taking a sip, and I started coughing.

He watched me with a worried expression. “You okay?”

Nodding, I patted my chest. “Yes,” I whispered. Once the coughing had subsided, I asked, “Archie knocked up Polly?”

“Yep.” He took more bites of his breakfast.

“Oh, dear,” I murmured. “I thought she was Janelle’s bestie?”

“With friends like that…”

“Why did she kill Archie?”

He sighed. “She killed him because he didn’t want her or the baby. I mean, that’s the short version, but you get the drift.”

I shivered. “I’m sorry to say I do. Good Lord. It sounds like a soap opera.”

“Yes. A deadly one.” He pushed his empty plate away, frowning. “All that bitterness and hidden resentment, it makes me sick.”

“Definitely. But it sounds like Archie created that mess by playing around with people’s hearts.” I frowned. “Why was Kimora stalking Janelle?”

“At first, it was to rattle Janelle. The original plan was to gaslight her. Then Archie, as her new husband, could be in control of all her wealth. But he ended up falling in love with her.”

I frowned. “But the stalking continued after Archie’s death.”

“Yes. Once Archie was murdered, Kimora was dead broke and had no idea what to do next. Unbeknownst to Kimora, Archie had changed his ATM code, so she couldn’t get any money out of Janelle’s account. When that didn’t pan out, she just tried stealing Janelle’s jewelry. She was lost without Archie running things. I get the feeling she didn’t sneeze unless Archie told her to.”

“I must say, hearing all of that makes my problems seem very small.” I shook my head.

“I agree.” Royce smiled. “I’m glad I found you, Max. There are a lot of weirdos out there in the world.”

“Ain’t that the truth?” I sighed. “Speaking of weirdos, I’m meeting River tonight to sign papers for my lease buyout.”

He took hold of my hand. “Good. I know you’ll be glad to have that behind you.”

I weaved my fingers through his, enjoying the firm warmth of his skin on mine. “Will you be home at a halfway decent hour tonight?”

“I certainly hope so. I need to spend some quality time with you.” He raised my hand to his lips.

I grinned. “How gallant.”

“That’s me, gallant through and through.”

“Well, I’m meeting River at 7:00 p.m. at his house. If I’m not home by 9:00 p.m., dig up his garden. I’ll be there waiting.”

A line formed between his light brows. “I can’t imagine he’d get violent over some land.”

“No. I don’t think he would either. I’m just kidding.”

“Lucas will probably be there too. He shadows River.”

I nodded. “Most likely. Lucas is the voice of reason. I don’t think he’d let River murder me.”

“Definitely not.” Royce frowned. “Call me when you’re done with River, okay? I’ll pick something up for dinner.”

“Will do.”

Royce stood. “And now, I must shower and get to work.”

I smirked. “Yep. Someone has to protect the dogs of Rainy Dale from little green men.”

He groaned and left the room.

****

River lived in a one-story home in a quiet neighborhood. I parked on the street and got out of the car, feeling anxious. Things were definitely cantankerous between us lately. It seemed neither one of us was willing to pretend any longer.

I rang the bell, glancing around the neat porch. There were potted plants and wind chimes hanging from the veranda. The door opened, and River stood there in jeans and a black collared shirt.

“Maxwell, you’re right on time.” His smile was brittle as he stepped to the side. “Come in, please.”

I entered his home, noticing the pungent scent of sandalwood. There was a stick of incense burning on a table in the living room, the thin white smoke curling like string into the air. I was surprised that Lucas wasn’t waiting inside. It seemed it would just be River and me tonight.

The inside of his home was sleek. Contemporary. The decor reminded me of his clinic with lots of chrome, glass, and a mostly monochromatic color scheme. His couches were low to the ground and burnt orange. On the glass dining room table, there was a stack of legal-looking documents. I moved toward the table, just wanting to get this over with. River joined me, but then he moved toward an arched doorway.

“Sit and look over the paperwork. I made us some tea. You like tea, right?” He arched one brow.

I didn’t want to sit and have tea with him. I just wanted to sign the papers and get the hell out of his space. But since this would probably be the last time I had to be alone with him, I decided I could be magnanimous. “Sure. I like tea.”

“Excellent. I have wine, but maybe drinking together is a bad idea.” He laughed gaily and disappeared into the kitchen.

I rolled my eyes and went back to examining the documents. It was pretty straightforward; the lease had a set amount that I was required to pay to break my lease early. Fortunately, there was no termination fee. Not that I wouldn’t have paid it. I’d gladly have paid any fees to get out of my lease with River.

River returned, and he set two mint-green bone china cups with saucers on the table. “I just love the little golf theme of these cups. And I hate golf.”

“They’re… cute.” I examined the delicate cup.

“I like collecting little pieces of the past.” He studied me. “What about you, Maxwell? Do you like immersing yourself in the past?”

“No.”

His mouth thinned. “No. Of course not.” He cleared his throat. “I hope you like jasmine green tea? Green tea is a little bitter but good for the body.”

“You didn’t have to make me tea.”

“I know. Just being a good host.”

“Uh, thank you.” I lifted the cup, blowing on the steaming beverage.

He sipped his tea, watching me over the edge of the delicate cup. He looked smug. I wasn’t sure why he would be. Maybe it was an act. Just his way of compensating for me rejecting him and his lease.

I tasted the tea, noticing he hadn’t exaggerated how bitter it was. I grimaced slightly but didn’t want to look like a wimp. So I took a few more generous sips and then set the cup down with a clatter.

“Do you like it?” River asked.

Trying to be diplomatic, I said, “I like jasmine tea.”

He snorted. “You should have been a politician.”

I pointed to the contract. “It looks right to me. The terms are what I remember.”

“Excellent.” He picked up a pen next to the document. But instead of signing, he hesitated. “That was nasty business about Janelle and her bestie, wasn’t it?”

I frowned. “Uh… yes… it was quite shocking. I’m surprised you’ve already heard about all of that.”

He smiled. “Oh, you know how this town is. You could drop a cotton ball and it would be all over town by morning.”

“True.”

“Still, it certainly was a sordid little web of lies. I’d be destroyed if Lucas ever turned on me like Polly did Janelle.” He sighed. “Lucas and I, we go way back.”

“That’s… nice.” Why did he think I cared?

Sign the paper. Sign the paper.

He set the pen down, and I gritted my teeth. To distract myself from my annoyance, I drank some more tea. Maybe if my cup was empty, he’d get the hint that I was in a hurry.

“I respect how Sheriff Callum stood up to the Raidens.” He laughed. “My goodness, they were livid at him for simply questioning them like mere mortals.”

“They were out of line.” I felt a little warm, so I loosened my collar slightly. It was probably the warm beverage. “Royce is excellent at his job. He won’t be bullied.”

“No. I like that about him too.”

“Yes.”

“There are so many things to admire about Royce.” River’s eyes flickered. “He’s a real man’s man. It’s sexy.”

“Right.” I didn’t really want to discuss how sexy my boyfriend was with River.

Could we please move this along?

“Rainy Dale is lucky to have Royce,” he added.

“I agree.”

He sighed. “A man like Royce doesn’t come along every day.”

I cleared my throat. “Speaking of Royce, I’d like to go home to him soon. Maybe we should sign these papers.”

River threw his head back and laughed. Once he’d stopped, he shook his head. “Oh, Maxwell, you really are a tactless son of a bitch.”

“I’m not trying to be tactless.” I was a little annoyed that my heart rate felt elevated. Was it the stress of being around River or the caffeine in the tea? Maybe both? “But the papers are the reason I’m here. This isn’t a social call.”

“Not with that attitude.”

I sighed. “River, come on.”

“Come on, what? I’m just complimenting Royce. You should be glad. He’ll need all the friends he can get during the next few months.”

I scowled. “What does that mean?”

River watched me like a cat. “Well, just that he ticked off some very rich, powerful people when he clashed with the Raidens. They hold a grudge like nobody’s business.”

I blew out a shaky breath because my blood sugar felt off. “I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure. The Raidens are pushing for a recall. A special election.”

“Are you serious?”

“Absolutely. The Raidens are doing their best to get Mayor Granger and the town council on their side.” He smiled. “Royce better watch his step.”

“Of course he will… watch… his step. He was just… doing his… job.” I scowled down at the documents. My vision was slightly blurry. Had we signed the papers yet? I couldn’t seem to remember. I picked up a pen, and it looked like it was bending oddly. I stared at it, blinking. “That’s weird.”

“What’s weird?” River’s tone was innocent.

“The pen is rubbery.”

“Is it? How odd.”

Sweat broke out on my face, but my mouth felt bone-dry. To rectify that, I took another sip of tea. My head was throbbing slightly, and my stomach felt queasy.

“Technically, you should have given me ninety days’ notice,” River said.

I frowned. “For what?”

He smiled. “To terminate the lease. You’re supposed to have asked ninety days in advance. In writing.”

“Oh.”

“But I’m willing to move forward regardless.”

“Good. I don’t see the point in prolonging this.”

River smiled. “No. You can’t wait to run away, can you?”

“I don’t consider it running,” I said gruffly, still staring at my rubber pen. “I… I consider it being smart. Proactive. I suspect you and I would be destined for bad things if we kept interacting.”

His mouth thinned. “There’s that haughty attitude again.”

“Well, I don’t like you, so I can’t help saying rude things.” I frowned because I knew I shouldn’t have said that out loud. I blew out a shaky breath. “It’s really hot in here.”

“Is it?” He didn’t move, and he didn’t sound very sympathetic. “I’m sure it’s the hot tea that has you overheated.”

“Maybe.” I stared at my cup, a bad feeling settling over me. Something wasn’t right. I felt hot, nauseous, and muddled. The only thing I’d ingested since lunch was the tea River had given me. He wouldn’t have tampered with it, would he? No. That would be insane. He wouldn’t go that far. I flicked my uneasy gaze to his.

His eyes were dark and cold, and his mouth had a slight smirk. He picked up the pen and signed the paper, all the while watching me. “Now it’s your turn, Maxwell.”

I swallowed hard. “My turn?”

“Yes. Go ahead. Sign the papers.”

“Okay.” I tried to lift my arm, but it just flopped uselessly. My lips felt numb, and sweat beaded on my forehead. I glanced at the tea and then up at River. His smirk widened, and it suddenly sank in what was happening.

He did drug me.

The certainty of that hit me as I held his gloating gaze. I tried to stand, but my legs wouldn’t work. “You l… lil… weasel,” I slurred. “What d… did you do?”

He rested his chin on his hand. “I need answers, Maxwell, but every time I try to have an open and honest dialogue with you, you run away.”

I squinted at him. “What?” I tried standing again but almost fell out of the chair. “God dam… bed… it.” I panted, rubbing my eyes roughly. “Why?”

“We’re going to spend a little quality time together, Maxwell,” he snapped. “I’m finally going to get to the bottom it.”

Trying to see him through bleary eyes, I mumbled, “Bottom of what?”

He leaned toward me and hissed, “Why you thought you could kill my sister and get away with it.”

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Copyright (c) May 2022 by S.C. Wynne

Kiss, Marry, Kill

Book Six Dr. Thornton Murder Mysteries

All rights reserved

Edited by Sandra Depukat (One Love Editing)

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This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.