Janet Evanovich - Full Bloom

"What!" Annie almost fell off the bike. "But that's impossible. He wasn't even here that week."

"Well, of course he wasn't," Theenie said. "Don't you see what he's trying to do?"

Annie slumped. Finally, she climbed from the bike. "He's taking the rap so the charges against me will be dropped. What did Lamar say?"

"I didn't talk to him. Delores, the dispatcher, called me with the news. She and I used to play bingo together at the VFW once a week, until people started getting greedy and buying five and six cards at a time. I can barely keep up with one card. There's just no fairness in that if you ask me."

Annie went on before the woman could go off on a tangent. "Has Erdle actually been charged?"

"Delores said he was too drunk to answer questions. Said Lamar put him in a cell to sleep it off. After Erdle threw up in the lobby."

"Oh, Jeez. I suppose I should go get him."

"Won't do any good," Theenie said. "Delores says he's out cold. Said she'd call when he woke up. After Lamar questions him," she added. "You ask me, they ought to take him over to the hospital and throw him in the detoxification unit." Theenie began to fidget with her hands. "Oh, and Jamie called. I told her you and Wes were checking out a lead."

She looked from one to the other. "Did you find out anything?"

"Still looking into it," Wes said.

Danny Gilbert pulled into the driveway and parked his truck. "What's going on?" he asked, making his way toward them. "How come everybody looks worried?"

Annie told him what was going on.

Danny shook his head sadly. "I'm not surprised Erdle would try to protect you," he said.

"I need to call my attorney," Annie said. All three followed her into the house, where Tchaikovsky blared from the ballroom. Annie did an eye roll. "Lovelle's practicing her dance routine." She dialed Nunamaker's cell phone number and got his voice mail. After explaining the latest events, she hung up.

The music stopped and Lovelle came into the room in a hot pink leotard and skirt. "Guess you heard the news," she said to Annie, shaking her head in disgust. "I'm beginning to think Lamar earns bonus fishing days for everybody he locks up. Too bad he can't find the real killer."

Wes excused himself and went upstairs.

"This is probably bad timing," Danny said to Annie, "but I was thinking maybe you'd like to see a movie tomorrow night. Might take your mind off your problems," he added. "I'll even buy you dinner beforehand." When she didn't respond, he leaned closer. "Annie?"

"Uh? Oh, I'm sorry. I'm just worried about Erdle. I need to drive over to the police station and find out what's going on."

"I would drive you myself if I had time," Danny said, "but I'm in the middle of a job. What do you say?"

"You should go," Theenie said. "You haven't done anything fun in a long time. Maybe Lovelle and I will go out for a bite to eat." Lovelle nodded in agreement.

Annie smiled. "Sounds great, Danny," she said, although it was the last thing on her mind at the moment. But she knew Danny wouldn't give up until she agreed, and she had promised. "I should be paying your way after all the work you've done," she said. "We had a deal."

He ruffled her hair playfully. "I just told you that so you'd agree to let me take care of the floors," he said, "so I'm covering it." He checked his wristwatch. "I'd better run. How about I pick you up tomorrow around five-thirty so we'll have plenty of time to eat before the seven o'clock movie?"

"I'll be ready," Annie said as Wes cleared the stairs. His camera hung from his neck.

"I'm going out for a while," he said. "Thought I'd take a few pictures since it's such a nice day."

"What about lunch?" Annie asked.

"I'll grab a hot dog if I get hungry." He started for the back door.

"I'll follow you out," Danny said, telling the others good-bye. He waited until they'd cleared the back stairs. "You got a minute?" he asked.

Wes paused and turned. "What's up?"

Danny hesitated. "I know it's probably none of my business, but is anything going on between you and Annie?"

Wes's gaze turned cool. "Why do you ask?"

"Simple. I don't want to see her hurt. She's been through a lot."

"What makes you think I'm interested in hurting her?"

Danny frowned. "Do you always answer questions with a question?"

"I appreciate your concern for Annie, but even if we were involved, I wouldn't discuss it with you."

Danny's jaw hardened. "I've already had to clean up after one man," he said. "You have no idea how hurt Annie was when she found out Charles was cheating on her."

"Yet you didn't waste any time telling her," Wes said, and walked away.

* * * * *

Wes parked his bike and pulled out his cell phone. He dialed a number, and a woman answered from the other end.

"Hello, gorgeous. Do you miss me?"

"Yeah, like a gunshot wound to the head," she replied.

"I need you to run a check on several people."

"And I'm going to do this because?"

Wes grinned into the phone. " 'Cause you're hot for me."

"That would mean I have exceptionally bad taste in men. Give me their names."

* * * * *

Shortly after lunch, Annie walked into Lamar's office without an invitation and found him admiring a new rod and reel. She planted both hands on her hips and gave him a no-nonsense look that told him she was not in a good mood. "I've come for Erdle."

"Look what my brother sent me for my birthday," Lamar said, holding up his new toy. "Got a seventy-five-pound test line. Can you imagine pulling in a seventy-five-pound fish?"

"Nope. And I don't want to."

"Well, it would probably have to be a shark," he said thoughtfully.

Annie simply looked at him, thinking how scary it was to have someone like Lamar Tevis protecting the town. "I don't have all day, Lamar."

"Oh boy, I can tell you're still mad over that incident several days ago."

"Incident?" she said in disbelief. "You mean the one where you searched my home from top to bottom or the part where you arrested me for murder?"

"Aw, Annie, I was just doing my job. Do you think I enjoyed it?" He shrugged when she remained silent. "Hey, if you're here to yell at me I may as well tell you that Jamie Swift beat you to it. She and the mayor have already given me an earful."

"Frankie Fontana visited you?"

"Oh yeah. I'll probably lose my job before this mess is over. 'Course I'll have more time to pursue my dreams."

Dreams? Lamar? Annie blinked. "That's real special, Lamar, but why did you lock up Erdle?"

"The man could barely walk when he came in, so one of my officers suggested he lie down. He confessed to your husband's murder, but he couldn't remember the details. When he woke up he had no idea where he was or how he'd gotten there."

"So you don't consider him a suspect?"

Lamar practiced casting his rod. "I'm undecided. I know how protective he is of you. If he thought Charles Fortenberry mistreated you in any way—"

"You're barking up the wrong tree, Lamar. Again," she added. "Have you bothered to investigate the case further or are you just going to pin the murder on me and be done with it?"

"The DA was the one who insisted on bringing you in, not me. It's all about politics, Annie, but you didn't hear it from me. As for your question, the answer is yes, I am considering other possibilities."

"But I'm still the main suspect."

"Technically, yes. But you got a dang good lawyer, so I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. Which reminds me, Cal Nunamaker said he has a ton of friends who love deep-sea fishing, and that I should dock my boat over on Hilton Head because people are willing to pay whatever it costs to catch the big one, especially if it's business-related and they can write it off."

"Great. In the meantime, have you found my husband's remains? And when are you going to take down that ugly crime scene tape? I'm losing business; I've got strangers running through my yard taking video—"