Janet Evanovich - Full Bloom

"I was just in the way," he said.

"And how come you always get your newspaper and we don't?" Theenie asked.

Doc didn't answer. "You sure you're going to be okay?" he asked Wes.

"Yeah. The bushes broke my fall."

Doc grinned. "Good. I won't have to put you down."

A sleepy-eyed Erdle suddenly appeared. "I heard someone scream. What happened to him?" He nodded toward Wes.

Theenie explained. Erdle looked up and studied the damaged wrought iron, scratching his head as though trying to decide how much work he was going to have to do to fix it. "I can't believe the stuff that goes on around here," he said. "It's just one dang thing after another. I can't take much more." He wiped his hands down his face. "I need a drink." He turned and walked away.

"What's wrong with him?" Doc asked.

"We had a terrible time while you were gone," Theenie said, wringing her hands. "I just shudder every time I think about it. You would not believe what we've been through. And poor Annie," she added.

Doc waited. "Well, what?" he asked.

Theenie gave a sorrowful sigh. "I could tell you, but you wouldn't believe me."

"Well, somebody needs to tell me," he said loudly.

"It all started the day you left," Lovelle said, beginning with his gardener finding Charles's body. She quickly filled him in on the rest.

Doc frowned at Annie. "You were arrested?"

The last thing Annie wanted was for Doc to worry about her. "It'll be okay," she said. "Max Holt hired a big shot lawyer who is confident I'll get off."

Doc's ninety-year-old face suddenly took on more creases. "Are you sure?"

"Do I look worried?" she asked lightly. "My lawyer has already told me that no jury would convict me because there is absolutely no proof." Annie hated to lie, but she didn't want Doc losing sleep over her problems.

"You let me know if you need money, you hear? Or anything else," he added.

"Let me help you up," Annie told Wes. "We need to get you inside."

He stood on his own. "Am I going to have to scale the walls and climb through the attic window or am I allowed to use the back door like everybody else?"

* * * * *

"Your Honor, this is the craziest thing I've ever heard," Nunamaker said to his brother-in-law, who'd agreed to hear Destiny's case first thing that morning. A male nurse and a social worker had driven Destiny to the courthouse, and the social worker had handed the judge a sheaf of papers and Dr. Smithers's report.

The judge glanced over the report. "Dr. Smithers seems to think your client is dangerous and delusional." He frowned. "Something about a spirit and a murder?"

Nunamaker waved it off. "The whole thing is preposterous. Dr. Smithers only saw my client once and for a very brief period. I have highly credible witnesses who are prepared to attest to the fact that Miss Moultrie is perfectly sane."

He motioned toward Max and Jamie, who were sitting in the front row in the small courtroom. They both nodded. "Furthermore, my client is not involved with any murder, nor is she under investigation." He paused and squared his shoulders. "I resent these frivolous accusations against Miss Moultrie, as well as the unorthodox measures Dr. Smithers took to have her committed. The magistrate who signed the commitment papers never even spoke to my client."

"Dead people following her around?" the judge said. He arched one brow.

Nunamaker shrugged. "Miss Moultrie has psychic abilities. It's common knowledge that those with her gifts are more perceptive to these phenomena. Miss Moultrie donates her time to helping others through a newspaper column. She writes as the Divine Love Goddess Adviser."

The judge looked at Destiny. "So that's where I recognize you from. My wife and I read your column. Your advice always seems to be right on-target."

"Thank you, Your Honor," Destiny said, speaking for the first time since she'd entered the courtroom. "I'm very proud of the work I do, for both the living and the dead."

The judge leaned forward. "I'm not going to pretend to understand everything you do, Miss Moultrie, but you seem perfectly sane to me." He turned to the social worker. "I'm going to deny Dr. Smithers's recommendation to hold Miss Moultrie for further observation." He smiled at Destiny. "You're free to go."

"Thank you, Your Honor," she said.

The judge stood, brandishing a brand-new tennis racket in one hand.

* * * * *

Annie was dressed and waiting for Danny when Wes came downstairs in his denim jacket, his camera hanging from his neck. Theenie had treated the needlelike puncture wounds and applied small, round Band-Aids to the worst of them.

"Where are you headed?" Annie asked.

"I have work to do."

"Are you sure you're up to it?"

"Hey, you're looking at one tough guy here. Want to see my muscles?"

Annie would have enjoyed reminding him she had already seen his muscles and she liked them just fine, but she knew Theenie and Lovelle were taking in every word. She tried to hold back her smile as they exchanged looks, and Annie knew he was thinking about how they'd spent the previous night.

"We all have plans for tonight," she told him, "but there are plenty of leftovers in the refrigerator."

"I'll grab something while I'm out," he said, although he didn't seem to be in a hurry to leave. He just stood there looking at her, a half smile playing on his lips.

Annie tried not to remember what those lips were capable of.

"Oh, look at the time," Theenie said. "If Danny doesn't get here soon, the two of you won't have much time to eat before the movie."

Annie knew Theenie had mentioned the fact she was going out with Danny for Wes's benefit.

Wes looked Annie over. "I'd better let you go so you can fix yourself up for your big date."

Annie glanced down at her neat slacks and best white blouse. She'd even taken special care with hair and makeup. "I am fixed up."

"Oh well, my mistake." He winked once and walked out the back door.

"Very funny," Annie mumbled under her breath.

Danny arrived shortly after. "So how about a nice, thick steak?" he said.

"You want to know what I've been dying for?" she said. "A big, fat, juicy hamburger, onion rings, and a thick strawberry milk shake."

"You mean Harry's Place? I offer you steak and you'd rather eat grease?"

"Yeah, ain't it sinful?"

They arrived at Harry's Place a few minutes later and found the parking lot packed. "Hope we can get a table," Annie said as they made their way to the entrance. Inside they found a long waiting line.

Danny looked at his wristwatch. "We're doing okay on time as long as we don't have to wait too long to get served once we get a table." He glanced around the room. "Oh, look, there's your pal. What happened to his face?"

Annie glanced in the direction Danny was looking. She froze when she spotted Wes sitting in a booth in the back, across from him a pretty blonde. They were leaning forward talking, their heads so close they almost touched. "Um, he fell," Annie managed, trying to keep her voice from wavering, but the sight of Wes with another woman almost made her ill. She resisted the urge to bolt out the front door.

"The guy certainly has good taste," Danny said, looking amused. "He must like 'em young; she barely looks old enough to vote. I'd ask to join them, but they look pretty intense."

"You know what?" Annie said. "I think I'd like to have a good steak after all."

* * * * *

It was all Annie could do to remain cheerful and attentive as they waited for their waitress, but she was determined to give it her best shot, since Danny had taken her to a nice steak house. Because all of the other tables were taken, they'd been seated at one in the bar where mostly men sat on the tall stools watching a sports program on a wide-screen TV.