Janet Evanovich - Full Scoop

"It's a great disguise," Zack said.

"While we're on the topic of disguises, I should mention to you that only a couple of my key men know you're FBI. We're following the brother-in-law thing."

"That's good. Do you think you're going to have enough people?"

"We're working as fast as we can, Zack, what with all this craziness going on in town right now. I've had more domestic disputes, vandalisms, car accidents, you name it, in the last twenty-four hours than I usually have in six months. And now I've got half the force working roadblocks."

"Where do we stand as of now?" Zack asked.

"The sheriff has deputies coming in from several other counties, the highway patrol will have more cars on the road, and Clancy is providing backup. Dang, I've got to get back and deputize some people."

"I'll be brief," Zack said. "I just want to make sure we see eye to eye on how to best handle this."

"Firm things up, so to speak," Lamar added.

"As we discussed, no patrol cars on this street," he said. "I don't even want them in the neighborhood."

Lamar nodded. "I read you loud and clear, Buddyroe. I've put unmarked cars and plainclothes officers in the vicinity, but you'll be hard-pressed to find a cruiser." He pulled a lime-green tackle box from behind his seat. "There's a radio inside. Bottom line, nobody makes a move without your say-so."

Zack gave him a curious look. "Are you always this agreeable?"

"We're just two guys trying to do our jobs, right?" Lamar turned slightly in his seat. "You know, I thought about signing on with the FBI."

"Yeah?"

Lamar nodded. "I'd been on the force a good five years, and things were pretty dull around here so I entertained the idea. Sent off for information. Matter of fact, it was the same year Carl Lee committed his crimes. I put in a lot of hours on the ATM robbery. They caught him a couple of days later in Virginia, of course. After he shot and killed that agent."

Zack nodded and reached for the tackle box. "Well, I'd better get back—"

"I even took a week's vacation and drove up to Virginia so I could watch some of the trial," Lamar added.

Zack looked at him.

"I will never forget the look on the stepson's face when Stanton got off with a life sentence. I have no sympathy for cop killers, know what I mean? Not one iota." Lamar held out his hand. "Zack, it was nice meeting you."

"Same here." They shook hands once more. Zack climbed from the truck and watched Lamar drive away.

* * * * *

Maggie had finished putting away laundry, and Mel was reluctantly showing Jamie some of her latest artwork when the doorbell rang. Maggie and Zack met up in the living room.

"Check the peephole first," he said as he looked through a slit in the living room drapes.

"It's okay," Maggie said. "Just my neighbors from across the street." She opened the door. Ben and Lydia Green stood on the other side. Maggie smiled, unlocked the door, and opened it wide. "Come in," she said, stepping aside so they could enter.

"We brought goodies," Lydia announced. "My homemade chocolate chip cookies and a Coca-Cola cake," she added. "I don't dare keep them in the house on account of Ben's diabetes."

"Thank you!" Maggie said, her mouth watering at the sight of chocolate.

Mel suddenly appeared. "Uh-oh," the girl said. "I'd better eat some quick before Mom adds it to her stash." Lydia handed both containers to Mel, and she carried them into the kitchen.

"Didn't you bake that for your granddaughter?" Maggie asked, remembering the six-year-old was due to fly in from Ohio the following day.

Lydia gave a sigh of disappointment. "Emmy is sick, bless her heart. It's her tonsils again. But my daughter promised she could come at Thanksgiving so she'll be able to see her new room after all." Lydia looked at Zack. "My granddaughter loves Barbie. Maggie and Mel helped me decorate one of the guest rooms just for Emmy. Barbie stuff everywhere," she added.

Maggie noticed Ben and Lydia darting looks at Zack and his injuries. "Oh, I'm sorry," she said and made the introductions, remembering to tell them Zack was her brother-in-law. "Zack is staying for a few days," she added. She saw relief in Lydia's eyes and knew she'd heard the news about Carl Lee.

Zack and Ben shook hands. "We're the old fogies from across the street," Ben said. He regarded Maggie. "So where did you get the goat?" he asked her.

"You remember Joe Higgins who dumped all the hens on me," Maggie said, "and we spent the weekend building a chicken coop?"

"Oh, yeah. He must owe you money."

"I don't plan to keep her, of course," Maggie told him. "For one thing, I don't have a place for her. I hate keeping her tied to a tree, and I don't like sticking her in a dark garage every night. I put an ad in the newspaper. Maybe I'll hear something soon."

"Tell you what," Ben said. "If Zack is up to it, I've got a few posts we can stick in the ground and enough chicken wire to make a temporary pen. Won't take but a couple of hours since I have a post-hole-digger," he added. "I've also got an old tarp I can throw over one corner to keep her dry in case it rains."

"Oh, that's too much trouble," Maggie said.

Lydia waved off the remark. "Let him do it, hon. You know how Ben loves having projects, and it keeps him out of my hair."

Ben looked at Zack. "If you're willing and able we can get on it right away. You'll have to help me carry things over."

"Sure." Zack turned to Maggie. "Just shout if you need me."

"That's one handsome brother-in-law you've got there," Lydia said as the men hurried across the street. She smiled, but her eyes were troubled. "I'm very anxious for you and Mel after reading the newspaper this morning," she said softly. "I would think you'd have police protection. Why aren't they here?"

"I can't go into details, Lydia, but Mel and I are being looked after. The police and FBI are doing everything possible to find Carl Lee Stanton."

The woman still looked worried as she stepped outside. "If you need anything—"

"I know." Maggie took her hand and squeezed it.

A moment later, Maggie found Jamie and Mel eating cake and cookies at the kitchen table. "You started without me?" She tried to sound hurt.

"Hey, I matched all the socks for you," Jamie said. "I have to build up my strength."

Maggie pulled a plate from a kitchen cabinet and grabbed a fork. Jamie and Mel watched her cut an enormous piece of cake. She looked up. "What?"

* * * * *

"Carl Lee, are you still mad?" Cook's voice shook.

He'd barely dared to breathe during the five hours since one of the tires had blown on the car and sent them walking. He'd simply followed Carl Lee, no questions asked, through the wooded area that, to their advantage, had replaced cow pastures and would make detection by the police more difficult. Not to mention the fog that had rolled in shortly after and still hugged the road.

"Mad doesn't come close to what I'm feeling," Carl Lee finally said. "In fact, I'm about two seconds from putting a bullet between your eyes, and the longer I walk the more I think about it. Does that answer your question?"

Cook maintained a safe distance. "How was I supposed to know there wasn't a spare in the trunk?"

Carl Lee let out a mouthful of cuss words. "I'm not listening to any more of your pissy excuses, you got that?" He checked his watch, and the scowl on his face turned menacing. "I can't believe how much driving time we've lost because of your stupidity. How you managed to get an accounting degree and a job with a federal savings and loan is beyond me."

"Maybe I'm smarter than you think," Cook said. He suddenly stopped and gazed through the trees on the other side of the road. "Is that a water tower?" he asked.

"How the hell would I know? I can't see my hand in front of my face."