RG2 - Twenty-Nine and a Half Reasons (32 page)

I was the first to admit she’d put Mike through hell. Her disapproval of Joe. Her flirting with Austin Kent. But still…

“He says it’s a break.” Her laugh was bitter. “But we both know what that means.”

“Do you think…?” I wasn’t sure how to ask without hurting her more. “Do you think there’s someone else?”

She pulled into my driveway and let the car idle. “
What
? No. Don’t be silly. It’s Mike we’re talkin’ about.”

Mike was a good-looking man and had been unhappy for at least a couple of months. An affair didn’t seem as preposterous as Violet made it out to be, but now didn’t seem like a good time to bring it up. “So what are you gonna do? Like…for a job?”

She rested her forehead on the steering wheel and groaned. “I don’t know. I didn’t go to college like you did.”

“I only went a semester and a half before Momma made me come home.”

Twisting her face, she peeked over the arm that gripped the steering wheel. “It’s more than I’ve got.”

“You’ll come up with something. What do you think you want to do?”

She sat up, her classic Violet determination etched into her face. The shadows from the fading sunlight made her look older. “I love flowers. You and I both do.”

“We can thank Daddy for that.”

Her hand lifted to her mouth and she bit her finger. “I’ve considered taking my half of Momma’s house money and using it to open my own flower business.”

“Oh.” Violet didn’t know the first thing about running a business and there was already a florist in town, even if they were snippy. “Well that might work…”

“I thought maybe you’d want to go into business with me.”

My mouth dropped open. “
Oh
.”

Her face lit up and her eyes radiated excitement. “I’ve been researching this for a bit. If we both put in money as collateral, we can get a small business loan. Did you know they give loans to women to start their own small businesses?”

“Violet, I don’t know…”

“I was thinking maybe we could open a nursery and we could figure out something to sell in the winter, like Christmas trees. Maybe have a gift shop with it.”

“Violet…”

The happiness left her eyes and she looked sadder than I’d ever seen her in my life. “Just think about it, okay? I can’t do this alone.”

“How long have you been considering all this?”

“A year.”

I froze in surprise. This had been going on longer than Momma’s murder. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

She shrugged, looking away. “Mike thought it was a silly idea and wouldn’t hear of it. I tried to tell him that the construction business could be partners with the nursery. But he told me it was flighty and frivolous, and my job was to take care of our children and the house.”

It made sense now, her desire—her
need
—to create the perfect house and the perfect children. “Violet, I’m so sorry. You are capable of doin’ whatever you put your mind to.”

Clasping my hands, she pulled me closer. “You don’t have to decide tonight but think about it, okay? You hate your job at the DMV. This could be good for both of us.”

How was I going to tell her I was moving to Little Rock? “I turned in my two-week notice yesterday.”

“You did? Why?”

“I’d had enough of Suzanne. You’re right. I hated that job.”

“So what do you plan to do?”

“I haven’t figured it out yet.” Technically, that was true.

“See?” she squealed, excited again. “It’s fate!” She pulled me into a hug. “You think about it tonight and we’ll talk more about it tomorrow after the probate meeting.”

I’d almost forgotten about the probate meeting with all the other craziness in my life. Which reminded me that I hadn’t asked Violet if I could stay at her house for the night.

Violet loosened her grip. “I have to go. When I get home, Mike and I are sortin’ out the details of his leaving.”

There was no way I could ask her now. “Do you need me to watch the kids?”

“Oh no. Mike’s mom is watching them.”

“Does she know what’s going on?”

Her face hardened. “Not yet. I’m gonna let Mike tell his parents.”

I was sure that wouldn’t go over well. “Okay. You take care of yourself and call me if you need anything.”

“Okay.”

“I love you, Violet.”

“I love you too, Rose.”

I got out of the car and watched her drive away. My whole world quaked beneath me, making me question everything.

Joe and I weren’t like Violet and Mike. But how could I be sure our relationship would work? The truth was that life didn’t come with guarantees. Every decision was a risk. I just needed to make sure the odds were on my side.

Odds
. I’d promised Mason Deveraux that I’d spend the night somewhere else. I’d convinced myself that it was overly cautious, but knowing Skeeter’s family had had possession of the same kind of pin found at the murder scene made me reconsider. Where was I going to go? I could stay in a motel but most wouldn’t allow dogs. Maybe Muffy could stay with Heidi Joy and her boys.

With a lump in my stomach, I knocked on their front door.

Heidi Joy answered the door, the baby on her hip. “Hi, Rose! Your pie was delicious. Thank you so much!”

“Thanks for watchin’ Muffy. Was she any trouble?”

“Oh, no! None at all. She’s curled up on the bed with the boys right now while Andy reads them a bedtime story.”

I smiled hesitantly. “Heidi Joy, I have a huge favor to ask. Do you think Muffy could spend the night with you tonight? I have to go somewhere and I can’t take her with me.”

She winked. “Got a rendezvous with that hot boyfriend of yours?”

My face caught fire. “Well…”

“Of course she can stay. The boys will love it.”

“Thank you. I’ll pick her up around lunchtime if that’s okay.”

“Have fun. But not too much fun.”

I blushed again. I only wished I was going to be having fun with Joe. Tomorrow night couldn’t get here fast enough.

I headed home, figuring out what I needed to do. Pack a bag and check into a motel. Violet had all the probate paperwork—I just needed to show up at the courthouse at ten in the morning.

How was I going to tell my sister that I was leaving Henryetta? Could I really leave her alone? Before, I thought she’d have Mike, but now she needed me more than ever. And she wanted me to go into business with her. The idea of owning a nursery had filled me with more excitement than I cared to admit.

What about Joe?

I forced the tears burning my eyes to go away. I didn’t have to make a decision tonight. Joe was coming tomorrow and I’d tell him everything. He’d help me figure out the right thing to do.

Instead, I thought about the new evidence and how it wasn’t enough to change Bruce Wayne’s case. Neely Kate had said the trial would probably be over on Wednesday. While I might have more information, I’d failed Bruce Decker. I consoled myself with Joe’s suggestion that Bruce would have gone to prison for breaking and entering anyway. Anything else I found out could be used in an appeal. It wasn’t ideal, but it was the best I could do.

I unlocked the side door and turned on the kitchen light, but was greeted by darkness. I flipped the switch several times. Nothing. Déjà vu swept through me. I told myself I was being silly. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d changed the light bulb. The light was burnt out was all. Nevertheless, I hurried toward the living room, eager to get my things and get out.

I bumped into the side table in the living room and the lamp crashed to the floor. With a groan, I turned to head back to the kitchen when I saw a dark figure in the hall.

Someone was in my house.

I screamed, running for the still-open side door. The intruder was faster. He shoved me into the kitchen table and pushed the door closed.

My heart hammered against my ribs. I had to get out. Stepping backward, I threw two kitchen chairs into the center of the room. I turned and ran for the front door, the sound of screeching wood behind me. I had a good head start, but my fingers fumbled with the stiff deadbolt.

A body slammed me into the door, pushing the air from my lungs.

“I wish you’d stayed out of it.” The man growled into my ear.

My chest heaved as I fought to catch my breath. “I’m sorry! I promise I’ll stay out of it.”

“It’s too late for that.” His fingers dug into my arm and he yanked me away from the exit.

He was dressed in black and wore a hood over his head. He wasn’t much taller than me.

This was the person who killed Frank Mitchell.

Panic erupted and I instinctively tried to jerk out of his grasp.

His hold tightened and I cried out in pain. He was stronger than me, which meant I needed more than strength to get away.

“Look, I’m really sorry,” I gushed. “I don’t know anything. I don’t even know who you are. If you just leave, I won’t tell anyone.”

“It’s too late for that now.” He dragged me toward the hall and I grabbed the upholstery on the sofa, screaming. The couch scooted across the floor as he continued pulling.

His free hand hit my arms, trying to break my hold. “Let go!”

It took him several whacks before he loosened my hands. I reached around and scratched his face under the hood.

His arms dropped, freeing me. I ran for the kitchen and tripped on the chairs in the middle of the room.

“Stop!”

I threw a chair at him and lost my balance, falling into the counter. He grabbed a handful of my hair and jerked me backward.

“Help!” I screamed. “Somebody help me!” My hands skittered across the counter, seeking out any kind of weapon, and settled on a long cylindrical object.

My rolling pin.

Wrapping his arms around my chest, he pinned my arms to my sides and dragged me backward toward the hall.

I kicked his legs and screamed, my throat burning. The rolling pin was clutched in my fist, but I couldn’t raise my arms.

He lifted his right hand to cover my mouth. “Shut up!”

I bit hard on his finger and he cursed, shoving me down.

I rolled to my side and scrambled to get up. “
Help
!”

He reached for my arm and I swung wildly with the rolling pin, connecting with his side.

He grunted and let go, then hit me across the face.

Fuzziness filled my head, but I tried to hit him again when he whacked my arm. My weapon rolled across the hardwood floor.

“Leave me alone!” I screamed, kicking his legs.

“Rose!” A male voice shouted, followed by pounding on the front door.

The intruder fell on top of me, crushing me and covering my face with his hands, cutting off my breath. I bucked trying to throw him off while opening my mouth and biting him again.

His hand slipped and I gulped air.

“
Help me
!”

My attacker’s fist hit my cheek and my vision faded. I fought against it, knowing I needed my wits about me to get out of this.

The banging on the door grew louder. “Rose!”

The man stared at the door, then wrapped his hands around my neck and squeezed.

Glass shattered behind me, but everything was fading. Suddenly, the pressure was gone and I gasped for air.

I rolled to my side and struggled to get to my feet, too dizzy to stand. A figure approached from the front window.

Panic flooding my head, I crawled into the kitchen, my limbs slow to react.

“Rose!”

Arms wrapped around me, pulling me off the ground.

I fought against him, my screams sounding hoarse.

“Rose, it’s me. You’re safe.”

I looked up into Mason Deveraux’s shadowy face, then fainted.

Chapter Twenty-Five

I came to on my front porch. Red flashing lights slipped through my cracked eyelids. I heard Mason’s terse voice. “Are they searching out back?”

“Yeah.”

My eyes fluttered open. I was lying on the porch and something soft was under my head.

“Send someone to pick up Skeeter Malcolm
now
.” Mason paced in the yard in front of my porch, running his hand through his hair.

“We both know it’s a waste of time.” I recognized the voice, and my hazy vision confirmed it was Detective Taylor. He stood to the side, watching Mason with a guarded expression.

Mason stopped pacing and faced the detective, and although his back was to me, I knew he had an arsenal of snotty looks at his disposal. I suspected he was using one. “Just do your goddamned job for once,” Mason spat through gritted teeth.

The policeman looked like he was about to strangle the assistant district attorney.

I tried to sit up. Pain pierced my head at the movement, and I groaned.

Mason spun around and was next to me in two steps. “Don’t try to get up.” His hand pushed gently on my shoulder. He looked up, his eyes wild. “
Where’s the ambulance
?”

“I’m fine. Let me up.”

“You lost consciousness and you have an obvious head wound. You need to lie down.” Mr. Stuffypants was back.

I brushed his hand away. “No I’m fine. I pass out when I get really scared. Well, and probably from being strangled. But, really. I’m okay.”

His eyes widened and he held me down. “Someone give me a flashlight!”

“I’m not dying and I’m not bleeding.” I felt blood trickle down my cheek. “Okay, I’m not bleeding to death. I’m sure it’s just a scratch. Let me up.”

He looked doubtful but helped me sit.

I winced at the throbbing in my face.

“Rose, please—”

I swung my legs over the side of the porch and smiled, even though it pulled the sore muscles in my cheek. “See? I’m fine.”

A crowd had already begun to gather in the street. The good folk of Henryetta could count on Rose Gardner to put on a neighborhood show. Before tonight, my events had been restricted to the weekend. Apparently, I was branching out into weekday shows now. I needed to start selling tickets.

“You are far from fine. What the hell were you doing here? You promised you wouldn’t stay here. You gave me your word, Rose.”

“Calm down. I wasn’t stayin’. I was just grabbin’ some stuff to take to a motel.”