small towns guard their secrets, sometimes even violently.”
“It's okay Mama,” Bekki assured her as she smiled. “I can take care of myself.”
***
With Nick's words of warning ringing in her head, Bekki set off down the main street the next morning. She had two cups of coffee in her hands and positioned herself strategically in front of Pete's shop. She was determined to get some answers from him, even if it meant risking another confrontation. After what her mother had said, she was fairly certain that Pete wasn't as dangerous as he seemed. Even if he had killed Daisy, it was likely out of a moment of extreme emotion not a cold blooded act. Still she did feel a little discomfort as she anticipated the moment when he would arrive.
“Is this for me?” Nick asked as he walked up behind her and reached for the cup of coffee.
“No,” Bekki said and pulled her hand back as her eyes narrowed. “Are you following me?” she demanded.
“Are you letting me do my job?” he countered as she reluctantly surrendered the cup of coffee.
“Well, maybe if you weren't so busy following me, I wouldn't have to do it for you,” she pointed out in an aggravated tone.
“Nick, are you accepting bribes now?” Detective Williams asked as she joined them at the entrance of Pete's shop.
“No, of course not,” Nick replied and narrowed his eyes a little at Bekki. “I just needed to speak with Bekki for a moment.”
“Nick,” Detective Williams warned, “she is a suspect in a murder case, even if she is your old friend. Please be careful,” she eyed Bekki as if she was already a convicted criminal. Bekki offered a sweet smile in return.
“Kill them with kindness,” she heard her mother mutter in the back of her head, a phrase she had heard since childhood. When Detective Williams walked away to inspect the area surrounding the dry cleaner's for any evidence, Nick turned back to Bekki and picked up right where he had left off.
“I am doing my job Bekki, I am here to conduct an interview with Pete. Alone,” he added sternly.
“All right, all right, I get the hint,” Bekki pushed her dark hair back over her shoulder and glanced down the street to see if Pete was on his way. “But be sure to ask him about how long his affair was with Daisy,” she said quickly. “And whether he was holding a grudge against Teddy, for being the one that Daisy married.”
“Bekki,” Nick's voice rolled from his lips with a hint of irritation as he shook his head. “I know what questions to ask. I promise, I can actually conduct this investigation without your help.”
“Of course you can,” Bekki nodded quickly and then bit into her bottom lip. “But mention that Daisy must have truly been in love with him, and how it must have made him feel to not be able to be the one she married. Ask why he and Daisy were...”
“Rebekah!” Nick suddenly snapped. “Enough, I've got it,” he assured her. “Now get out of here before I arrest you for obstruction.”
She narrowed her eyes swiftly. “Just remember Nick, I am a black belt.”
“Are you threatening a police detective?” Nick asked as he took a step closer to her, his eyes hardening back into the professional glare he preferred.
“You want to step back,” an all too familiar voice shouted from a few feet behind Bekki. “Or I can report you for attempted intimidation of a suspect,” Trevor suggested as he stepped up beside Bekki.
“And just who are you?” Nick asked, though his tone was fairly polite.
“I'm her lawyer,” he said sternly. “And from what I understand you've made a real mess of this whole case.”
“Is that so?” Nick inquired and settled his eyes on Trevor.
“Trevor, I told you not to come,” Bekki sighed as she put her hands lightly on his chest and tried to steer him away from Nick. “Everything's fine now.”
Nick grimaced as he witnessed the intimate way Bekki touched Trevor. He backed away from the two when he noticed Pete's car
“It's okay Mama,” Bekki assured her as she smiled. “I can take care of myself.”
***
With Nick's words of warning ringing in her head, Bekki set off down the main street the next morning. She had two cups of coffee in her hands and positioned herself strategically in front of Pete's shop. She was determined to get some answers from him, even if it meant risking another confrontation. After what her mother had said, she was fairly certain that Pete wasn't as dangerous as he seemed. Even if he had killed Daisy, it was likely out of a moment of extreme emotion not a cold blooded act. Still she did feel a little discomfort as she anticipated the moment when he would arrive.
“Is this for me?” Nick asked as he walked up behind her and reached for the cup of coffee.
“No,” Bekki said and pulled her hand back as her eyes narrowed. “Are you following me?” she demanded.
“Are you letting me do my job?” he countered as she reluctantly surrendered the cup of coffee.
“Well, maybe if you weren't so busy following me, I wouldn't have to do it for you,” she pointed out in an aggravated tone.
“Nick, are you accepting bribes now?” Detective Williams asked as she joined them at the entrance of Pete's shop.
“No, of course not,” Nick replied and narrowed his eyes a little at Bekki. “I just needed to speak with Bekki for a moment.”
“Nick,” Detective Williams warned, “she is a suspect in a murder case, even if she is your old friend. Please be careful,” she eyed Bekki as if she was already a convicted criminal. Bekki offered a sweet smile in return.
“Kill them with kindness,” she heard her mother mutter in the back of her head, a phrase she had heard since childhood. When Detective Williams walked away to inspect the area surrounding the dry cleaner's for any evidence, Nick turned back to Bekki and picked up right where he had left off.
“I am doing my job Bekki, I am here to conduct an interview with Pete. Alone,” he added sternly.
“All right, all right, I get the hint,” Bekki pushed her dark hair back over her shoulder and glanced down the street to see if Pete was on his way. “But be sure to ask him about how long his affair was with Daisy,” she said quickly. “And whether he was holding a grudge against Teddy, for being the one that Daisy married.”
“Bekki,” Nick's voice rolled from his lips with a hint of irritation as he shook his head. “I know what questions to ask. I promise, I can actually conduct this investigation without your help.”
“Of course you can,” Bekki nodded quickly and then bit into her bottom lip. “But mention that Daisy must have truly been in love with him, and how it must have made him feel to not be able to be the one she married. Ask why he and Daisy were...”
“Rebekah!” Nick suddenly snapped. “Enough, I've got it,” he assured her. “Now get out of here before I arrest you for obstruction.”
She narrowed her eyes swiftly. “Just remember Nick, I am a black belt.”
“Are you threatening a police detective?” Nick asked as he took a step closer to her, his eyes hardening back into the professional glare he preferred.
“You want to step back,” an all too familiar voice shouted from a few feet behind Bekki. “Or I can report you for attempted intimidation of a suspect,” Trevor suggested as he stepped up beside Bekki.
“And just who are you?” Nick asked, though his tone was fairly polite.
“I'm her lawyer,” he said sternly. “And from what I understand you've made a real mess of this whole case.”
“Is that so?” Nick inquired and settled his eyes on Trevor.
“Trevor, I told you not to come,” Bekki sighed as she put her hands lightly on his chest and tried to steer him away from Nick. “Everything's fine now.”
Nick grimaced as he witnessed the intimate way Bekki touched Trevor. He backed away from the two when he noticed Pete's car
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