Lorna Barrett - Chapter & Hearse

“She’s just worried about you. We all are.”

“Thank you,” he said grudgingly.

Baker returned from his cruiser, looking annoyed. He nodded toward Russ, who was still talking to one of Bob’s neighbors. “I thought you two broke up.”

“We did, but that doesn’t mean we can’t talk to each other. Besides, why do you care? It’s not like you and I are going out.” Or ever will , she stopped herself from saying aloud. “How come you showed up instead of one of your deputies?”

“I should be asking you what business you’ve got being here.”

“I’m a citizen. Bob is a friend. I was concerned.”

“And how did you know he needed a friend right now?”

Tricia tossed her head in Russ’s direction. “Russ has a police scanner. He called to tell me. Your turn to answer my question.”

Baker frowned. “I like to take on a patrol now and then. Especially after there’s been trouble. Seems like Stoneham has had more than its fair share this last year or so.”

“Well, don’t blame me.”

“I wasn’t going to,” he snapped back.

“No, but I’ll bet Sheriff Adams would like to try.”

“She hasn’t even mentioned your name—at least not lately.”

“I suppose I should be thankful for that.”

Look at them—two adults acting like kids bickering on the playground. Did that mean they still had some feelings for each other? Hard to believe—they’d barely had time to develop feelings before the captain had called a halt to their budding friendship.

Russ walked across the dewy lawn and rejoined them. “None of the neighbors seem to have seen anything,” he told Bob, ignoring Captain Baker.

“Are you questioning my word?” Bob accused.

“Not at all—just stating what I was told.”

Bob had the grace to look embarrassed. “Sorry, Russ. It’s been one hell of a few days.”

Russ waved a hand in dismissal. “Not a problem.”

Tricia’s fists clenched, and she felt like bashing Russ. He turned to her. “You about ready to leave?”

Tricia turned to Captain Baker. “May I go?”

“I wasn’t keeping you.”

She frowned. “No, you weren’t.” She turned to Bob. “See you later, Bob.” He didn’t bother to answer.

Another Sheriff’s Department cruiser pulled up next to Baker’s, and the captain followed Russ and Tricia across the street.

Russ climbed in the truck, yanking his door shut with a bang. Judging by his expression, he was annoyed that she’d taken time to speak with Baker. That didn’t please Tricia. No way did she want him to feel proprietary toward her. Those days were gone. For good.

Tricia got in the passenger side, pulled the door shut, and grabbed her seat belt.

Russ glared at her. “Getting chummy with Captain Baker again?” he asked coldly.

“No. Not that it’s any of your business.”

He stabbed the key into the ignition, then let his hand fall to his lap. “Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound so—”

“Possessive?” Tricia offered, still ticked.

“Yes.”

Tricia let out a breath. “You’re forgiven.” This time .

“I guess old habits die hard,” he said quietly.

She forced herself to look at him. He really did look sorry, but she wanted to avoid talking about their old relationship or the possibility of starting over again. “Did you learn anything from the neighbors?”

“Like I said, no one seems to have seen a thing. Bob’s next-door neighbor was inside with the TV blaring—she didn’t hear any glass breaking. They say they heard Bob shouting, but didn’t see anyone running away.”

“What are you thinking? That Bob staged this break-in?”

“It’s a possibility. If Baker thinks he’s a suspect, it might be a way of deflecting suspicion.”

“Suspicion of what? Jim’s death?”

Russ nodded.

Tricia shook her head. “If he wanted to do that, wouldn’t he have waited until it was full dark outside?”

“If he’s still on pain meds, he might not be thinking clearly,” Russ countered.

That was a possibility. Still . . . .

The other deputy got out of his car and walked up to the nearest neighbor’s house, while Captain Baker crossed the street, heading back for Bob’s.

Russ touched Tricia’s arm, startling her. “Tricia, isn’t there any way I can make things right between us?”

Tricia exhaled a breath and looked out the passenger-side window. Captain Baker was talking to Bob once again. If she was honest, she was lonely. But she wasn’t lonely enough to settle for just anyone, and Russ was definitely a settle-for candidate.

“I’m sorry, Russ, we just weren’t meant to be together. It would be easier on both of us if you accepted that.”

Russ pursed his lips, grasped the key, and started the engine. “Be that way.”

They didn’t speak again until Russ had pulled up in front of Haven’t Got a Clue. “I’m not giving up on you, Tricia. I think you’re worth the heartache you’ve caused me.”

Tricia opened her mouth to reply, then shut it. Apparently there was nothing she could say to deter him. She unbuckled her seat belt, opened the door, and got out of the truck. “Good night, Russ.”

Without a backward glance, she entered her store and closed and locked the door. It was only then that she heard the sounds of the engine rev and tires squealing as Russ peeled off.

Tricia had finished totaling receipts for Haven’t Got a Clue, Booked for Lunch, and the Cookery hours ago, and once again the café’s receipts didn’t match the cash in the register. She’d have to bring it up to Angelica again, and hope her sister would take the news more seriously. Her conversation with Russ had left her too unsettled for sleep. She’d caused him heartache? The man was absolutely clueless.

Miss Marple watched with a distinct lack of interest as Tricia paced her living room for the hundredth time. She’d hoped to find a message from Angelica on her voice mail when she’d returned from Bob’s house, but there was none. She could have called Angelica’s cell phone, or even the hotel, she supposed, but she didn’t. Tricia’s news about Bob would only upset Angelica—and so would her news about Russ.

She made another circuit of the room. Her encounter with Russ had left her too rattled even to read, and reading had always been her escape. Another strike against the man.

There must be something she could do to occupy herself until she felt sleepy.

She wandered from the living room into the bedroom that overlooked Main Street. From this vantage point, she could see the empty shell of what had been History Repeats Itself. The construction guys had made quick work of deconstructing the building.

Poor Jim. Now all that was left for him was the memorial service Frannie had planned for Sunday. Tricia straightened. Frannie had asked for a contribution of food, and she hadn’t thought to order something when she’d spoken to Nikki at the Patisserie. Too bad Angelica was away. Maybe the two of them could’ve come up with something.

Tricia frowned at the thought. Did she really need Angelica to help her with something as simple as baking? After all, baking wasn’t rocket science. It didn’t require any real knowledge of food prep. And, as Angelica had often said, “If you can follow directions, you can cook.”

Tricia searched her bookshelves until she came up with The Nero Wolfe Cookbook . There was sure to be something in it that she could bring to Jim’s wake. She flipped through the pages until she came to the segment on breakfast foods. Ah, blueberry muffins. Everybody loved blueberry muffins. It would be perfect. Of course, she needed a few ingredients—blueberries, for one. And perhaps it might be a good idea to test the recipe first.