Sweet Tea and Secrets (37 page)

“I’ve heard. It’s all over town, by the way.”

“No doubt. Secrets are hard to keep in Adams Grove. Speaking of which, this deal with Connor, are you sure it’s not just a teensy bit pleasure?”

“Stop it. I told you it’s all business. Pearl was right, though. We do make a good team, but that’s where it ends. Her skills must have been getting rusty there at the end,” Carolanne said.

“Did you see Pearl’s message from the video? She was very convincing.”

“No, besides Connor is still seeing Katherine.”

Jill hoped something more would happen between Carolanne and Connor once she moved back to town. Both being red-heads, they’d make beautiful babies together. For a moment, her thoughts drifted to little ones, thoughts that hadn’t crossed her mind in a long time.

Garrett’s truck pulled in front of the house. A brown sheriff’s car followed behind him. Scott Calvin got out and began talking to Garrett.

Jill walked over to the gate. “You break the law, Malloy?”

He waved and smiled. Scott waved, too.

Jill and Carolanne walked out to join them.

“What’s up?” Jill asked as she got within earshot.

Scott turned toward the girls. “I was just telling Garrett that Macy and Mary Claire have been very helpful thanks to that sketch you brought me, Jill.”

“My pleasure.”

Scott continued, “Turns out the gal working the register that day can place Clatterbuck buying the fruit in Spratt’s market and, as you know, Mary Claire saw Clatterbuck and Kase putting the basket together out back.”

Scott handed the photo of the woman that Jill had identified as Annie earlier, to Garrett. “You ever see this woman before?”

“No,” Garrett said after a quick glance, then did a double-take. “Wait. Yeah. That looks kind of like the breeder I bought Clyde from. Her name is Corey.”

Scott raised a brow, nodding to Jill. “That fits with what Bradley said to you about the dog, doesn’t it Jill?”

“It does,” Jill said. “Garrett, your friend Corey is also Annie. Bradley’s housekeeper,”

Garrett look surprised.

Scott took the picture from Garrett. “And there’s more. She’s got a record. Clatterbuck and her husband, a Carl Townsend, have a string of warrants out for them.”

“Who’s Townsend,” Garrett asked.

Jill shook her head. “Don’t know him.”

“Those two have apparently duped dozens of folks up and down the east coast over the past few years.”

“She was a pain, but I never thought of her as a criminal. Never knew she was married either.” Jill said. “She was a live-in. Maybe they’d split up and she hooked up with Bradley.”

“Maybe.” Scott crossed one foot over the other and explained. “That’s where it starts to get a little interesting. Your old address in Savannah that you gave me—” Scott held up a finger, pausing, “it’s owned by Townsend.”

“What?” Jill shook her head and held her hands up in front of her. “Wait a second. That was Bradley’s house.”

Carolanne stepped in closer to Jill. “What are you trying to say, Scott?”

“They are still investigating leads, but I got word from Savannah about an hour ago. They sent a car to pick up Clatterbuck, but the place has been vacated.”

“He moved?” Garrett asked.

Scott pushed his sunglasses up on his nose. “It appears they left in a hurry.”

“The police had to be at the wrong house.” Jill dropped her hands to her side. “It doesn’t make sense. There’s got to be some kind of mistake.”

Scott jumped back in. “We’re trying to get a recent picture of Townsend. I’ll bring it by as soon as we get it.”

Jill pulled her arms tight across her chest.

Garrett put his hand on Jill’s shoulder. “You okay?”

She nodded and Scott continued with the update. “These two have conned more people than you can imagine out of homes, cash, stocks, you name it. There’s a laundry list of outstanding warrants. If we can get our hands on them, they’ll be put away for a long time.”

“I can’t believe I never suspected a thing.” Jill said, feeling humiliated and deflated. She stared at the ground. “Garrett. Bradley was into some shady dealings, too. I might be in trouble.”

“You will not be in trouble. You’re a victim of their shenanigans, too.” Carolanne flipped her red hair over her shoulder. “Don’t you worry, Jill. I’ll take care of that.”

Scott stuffed his notebook in his shirt pocket. “The Savannah police are working with us. I’ll keep you posted. They’ll want to talk to you, Jill.”

Jill turned and headed toward the house without a word.

How could I have been so naïve? One lie after another. I gobbled them right up.

***

Garrett watched Jill leave, then turned back to Scott. “She’s really upset.”

Carolanne chewed on her cuticle. “Scott, Jill told Bradley about Annie. If they were in it together, she tipped them off. You realize that, don’t you?”

He nodded. “Yes. I know, and I’m still worried, too, because this fruit basket thing just doesn’t fit with the rest of the patterns. They’re cons, but they’ve never hurt anyone that we know of until this incident. This has the feel of a personal attack.”

“He better not come back around here if he knows what’s good for him.” Garrett’s jaw pulsed.

Scott said, “We’ve probably seen the last of him. If he knows we’re on to him, he won’t want to risk getting caught. But, that being said, if he does come back around, be careful. There’s no telling what he’s capable of doing now.”

Garrett put his arm around Carolanne and gave her a friendly hug. “We have to be careful, but let’s not worry Jill more. She’s been through too much already.”

Carolanne crossed her heart. “She won’t hear it from me. I agree.”

Scott left, and Garrett and Carolanne stood soaking in the details.

Carolanne pulled her car keys from her pocket. “I’m going to give you and Jill some time alone. Maybe I can find something online about these pearls that everyone is so hot to get their hands on.”

“Yeah, that would be good.” He hoped like hell Kase was out of the picture forever.

“Just give her some space, but not too much. You know what I mean. Call me if you need me,” Carolanne said, then turned to leave.

“I will.” Garrett stood there wondering how to give Jill space without leaving her alone. He walked to the backyard gate. Clyde ran alongside Garrett as he walked over to the swing. It hurt Garrett to see Jill looking like the stuffing had been knocked out of her. She felt betrayed, he could tell. If only he could erase the past year for her.

“Want some company?” Jill broke the silence.

“I didn’t hear you walk up.” She looked fragile. He slowed the swing and scooted to one side. “You okay?”

“I feel so stupid.” She kicked the pine straw, avoiding eye contact, and sat next to him “I can’t believe I didn’t see all this coming. Look at all the trouble I’ve caused for everyone.” She laid her head against his chest.”

“Don’t blame yourself. It’s not your fault. It sounds like they’ve conned a lot of people.”

“But why me?” She leaned back in the seat and crossed her arms across her chest. “I was gullible—an easy target.”

“You were trusting and that’s good,” he said.

“I didn’t trust you.” She scooted around sideways in the seat. The swing creaked as it rocked backwards. “I’m so sorry, Garrett.”

“Stop it. You don’t need to apologize to me. Ever.” He placed his finger against her lips. “It’s the past. Let it go.”

She kissed his finger. “How can you ever forgive me?”

“I love you, Jill. I’ve never stopped.”

“I’m very lucky.”

Garrett took her hand and opened it, then pressed a kiss in the palm of her hand. “I’m the lucky one.” They rocked as the sun slipped behind the trees. The frogs croaked and lightning bugs lit up the shrubs and trees. He pulled her closer and looked up at the heavens—just in time to see the streak of light cross the sky.

“Did you see that?” Jill pointed skyward, eyes wide.

“The shooting star?”

“Yeah. That’s lucky right?” Jill squirmed in the seat, scanning the sky for another.

“Rumor has it,” he said.

“Thank goodness. I could use a little good luck.” Jill swatted a mosquito. “The mosquitoes are starting to chow down on me.”

“Come on, let’s head in.”

Clyde ran into the kitchen and dropped to the floor with his paws around his empty water dish.

“Is someone out of water?” Jill laughed, and Garrett smiled at the warmth she exuded.

“He’s a little dramatic, isn’t he?” Garrett picked up the bowl and filled it up from the tap, then set it down.

Clyde lapped loudly from the bowl.

“Oh no,” Jill said. “That’s ammunition for that drool hound.”

Garrett tossed her a towel. “Quick. Better suit up.”

As if on cue, Clyde trotted across the kitchen and rubbed his chin on Jill’s pants.

“Great.” She brushed the wet spot with the towel. “Guess I’ll go ahead and jump in the shower and change into my pajamas.”

“I’ll feed him. How about I throw a couple burgers on the grill. Does that sound okay?”

“Sure. I’ll make a salad.”

“Your famous chopped salad?” Garrett said, hopeful.

“I think I have everything to make it if you start the hard-boiled eggs while you’re in the kitchen.”

“Deal. No one makes a chopped salad like yours.”

“Hey, before I forget, could you drop Clyde at the kennel in the morning? I made a grooming appointment for him and Dr. Tinker is going to take a follow-up look at his paw.”

“Sure. I have to run over to a job site anyway. The kennel’s on the way. Why don’t you come along? You’d love this house. Do you remember the old Miller Farm on Nickel Creek?”

Jill nodded. “Isn’t that where the old pumpkin farm was that we went to in elementary school?”

“That’s the one.”

“No one’s lived there in years. Who bought it?” she asked.

“Chaz sold it to some goat farmer from Virginia Beach. The guy bought it last year, but had a laundry list of remodeling he wanted done. The schedule is tight. He’s going to surprise his wife on their anniversary.”

“How romantic,” she said wistfully.

“I knew you’d say that.” He hoped to do something just as romantic for Jill someday.

“Stop teasing me. It is romantic.” She faked a pout.

“Come with me. You’ll love it.”

“Soon. Promise. But, I’ve got to remedy this car situation first. I feel like I’m trapped here without any wheels. I’m going to get Carolanne to take me car shopping.” Jill headed down the hall to shower and change.

Garrett watched her walk down the hall. From the familiar curve of her hips, to her tiny waist that he could practically encircle with his hands, just the sight of her made him want to protect her, to love her, more than ever.

Chapter Twenty

Garrett had already left to go to work when Jill woke up. She’d just poured herself a cup of coffee when she heard a knock at the door.

Jill opened the door. Elsie stood on the front porch.

“Garrett asked me to drop this truck off for you.” Elsie lobbed the keys toward Jill. “He said you needed some wheels.”

Jill caught the keys against her chest. “I do. Thanks.”

One of Garrett’s smaller work trucks was parked out front. “Come on in.”

“Can’t. I gotta’ run.”

Billy pulled in the driveway in Elsie’s car. “We’re going to sample wedding cakes this morning.”

“That sounds like fun.”

Elsie’s smile faded. “It should be, but we’re kind of fighting about it.” She looked over her shoulder toward Billy sitting in her car, then turned back to Jill and rolled her eyes. “I want almond. He wants chocolate. How can you have a chocolate wedding cake?”

“I went to a wedding last year that had the prettiest cake—white frosting with elegant flowers, but the cake was chocolate. It was to die for. That type of cake is the hottest thing going back in Savannah.”

“Really?”

“Oh yeah. All the rage.” Jill embellished the story a little, hoping she might soften Elsie’s edge. The cake was probably the only part of the whole wedding planning process Billy had an interest in.

“Well, that doesn’t sound so bad,” she said, looking impressed. “Maybe it could work.”

“I wouldn’t rule it out.” Jill winked.

Elsie skipped down the porch steps and jogged toward the car.

“Thanks for bringing the truck,” Jill said as she waved to Billy.

 
Jill tossed the keys from hand to hand, suddenly feeling as if she had wings. She straightened the house and put in a load of laundry. When she started the vacuum, Clyde took off running in the other direction. He was much bigger than the upright, but he hustled in a panic as if the machine might gobble him up. She took pity on him and let the big sissy dog outside.