“Anymore,” he added, almost under his breath.
Alder was staring at him. He was curious too, she thought. What was this man hiding from his past? What had happened to him?
“Aren't you eating?” Drake asked her.
“I nibbled on something while I was cooking,” she said. One slice of turkey on a piece of wheat bread. Mustard, no mayonnaise. 180 calories.
“Jeez, Mom, you should've had this instead. It's the best ever.” Alder swiped his napkin over his entire mouth before leaning close to his bowl and taking another large bite.
Drake watched her with those light eyes of his. It made her think he knew all her secrets, this way he had of looking at her. Avoiding his gaze further, she went to the kitchen, both her temptation and her sanctuary.
Chapter Six
AFTER LUNCH, Drake put them both into his four-door black Mercedes and drove to Ellen's. On the way, Annie breathed in the pleasant smell of new leather, willing herself to remain calm.
Ellen was in her garden when they arrived, picking peas, wearing her straw sunhat, shorts, and a tank top. Her skin was tanned from working in the garden, even though Annie insisted she wear sunscreen. Ellen took off her hat and fanned herself as they walked over to the fenced garden. “What's this now?” Ellen's eyes skirted from Drake's car to the man and back to Annie in a matter of seconds before letting herself out of the gate and into the yard.
Annie introduced them and they shook hands, Ellen's watchful eyes upon his face. What did she see, Annie wondered?
“You all want some iced tea?” asked Ellen.
“No, we can't stay,” said Annie. “Just Alder.”
“What's going on?” asked Ellen, her gaze sharp now. “Did something happen?”
Annie asked Alder to head inside.
“I've got fresh pie and lemonade in there,” Ellen called out to Alder as he walked towards the house. “Help yourself.”
“Thanks, Momo,” said Alder.
Ellen continued to look at Drake as if he were a suspect of some kind. In this way, there was no doubt that Lee and Ellen were related—both suspicious until they understood the nature of your character.
Drake indicated the car. “You want me to wait for you?”
“Sure. Thanks.”
After he was gone, she turned to Ellen. “Put your hat back on,” she said. “Sun's too bright this time of day.”
“Stop fussing over me and tell me what the heck's going on.”
“I have a bit of a situation,” said Annie.
“Oh, for Pete's sake. When you and Lee tell me something's a situation I know something's about to make me worried sick.”
“I'm afraid so.”
The police station, a small brick building next to the post office, was on a side street in the middle of town. Drake and Annie walked into the small waiting area, which consisted of a desk and several vinyl chairs but no personnel. Drifting into the reception area was the sound of someone talking, most likely on the phone, given the stops and starts in conversation. Annie, catching Drake's eye, shrugged. “How do we let him know we're here?” she asked, as if he would know.
He pointed to a small silver bell, like teachers had in grade school, at the reception desk. “Maybe ring that,” he said. “This is not giving me a lot of confidence.”
She rang the bell. The town's deputy, Fred Hughes, appeared in the doorway of his office, holding a cell phone up to his ear. “Hey, I gotta go, Mom. I'll call you later.” He clicked off and motioned for them to come inside. “Annie, everything okay?” He sat behind his desk, his receding hairline shining under the lights. Fred couldn't be older than twenty-two, Annie was fairly certain. This was his first job, she knew, because he'd told her all about it at the bar one night. He was short, slightly chubby, and had the look about him of being pink and scrubbed, like a baby pig after a bath. His hair would be completely gone by the time he turned twenty-seven, she thought. Poor guy.
“You didn't have a robbery at the restaurant or
Alder was staring at him. He was curious too, she thought. What was this man hiding from his past? What had happened to him?
“Aren't you eating?” Drake asked her.
“I nibbled on something while I was cooking,” she said. One slice of turkey on a piece of wheat bread. Mustard, no mayonnaise. 180 calories.
“Jeez, Mom, you should've had this instead. It's the best ever.” Alder swiped his napkin over his entire mouth before leaning close to his bowl and taking another large bite.
Drake watched her with those light eyes of his. It made her think he knew all her secrets, this way he had of looking at her. Avoiding his gaze further, she went to the kitchen, both her temptation and her sanctuary.
Chapter Six
AFTER LUNCH, Drake put them both into his four-door black Mercedes and drove to Ellen's. On the way, Annie breathed in the pleasant smell of new leather, willing herself to remain calm.
Ellen was in her garden when they arrived, picking peas, wearing her straw sunhat, shorts, and a tank top. Her skin was tanned from working in the garden, even though Annie insisted she wear sunscreen. Ellen took off her hat and fanned herself as they walked over to the fenced garden. “What's this now?” Ellen's eyes skirted from Drake's car to the man and back to Annie in a matter of seconds before letting herself out of the gate and into the yard.
Annie introduced them and they shook hands, Ellen's watchful eyes upon his face. What did she see, Annie wondered?
“You all want some iced tea?” asked Ellen.
“No, we can't stay,” said Annie. “Just Alder.”
“What's going on?” asked Ellen, her gaze sharp now. “Did something happen?”
Annie asked Alder to head inside.
“I've got fresh pie and lemonade in there,” Ellen called out to Alder as he walked towards the house. “Help yourself.”
“Thanks, Momo,” said Alder.
Ellen continued to look at Drake as if he were a suspect of some kind. In this way, there was no doubt that Lee and Ellen were related—both suspicious until they understood the nature of your character.
Drake indicated the car. “You want me to wait for you?”
“Sure. Thanks.”
After he was gone, she turned to Ellen. “Put your hat back on,” she said. “Sun's too bright this time of day.”
“Stop fussing over me and tell me what the heck's going on.”
“I have a bit of a situation,” said Annie.
“Oh, for Pete's sake. When you and Lee tell me something's a situation I know something's about to make me worried sick.”
“I'm afraid so.”
The police station, a small brick building next to the post office, was on a side street in the middle of town. Drake and Annie walked into the small waiting area, which consisted of a desk and several vinyl chairs but no personnel. Drifting into the reception area was the sound of someone talking, most likely on the phone, given the stops and starts in conversation. Annie, catching Drake's eye, shrugged. “How do we let him know we're here?” she asked, as if he would know.
He pointed to a small silver bell, like teachers had in grade school, at the reception desk. “Maybe ring that,” he said. “This is not giving me a lot of confidence.”
She rang the bell. The town's deputy, Fred Hughes, appeared in the doorway of his office, holding a cell phone up to his ear. “Hey, I gotta go, Mom. I'll call you later.” He clicked off and motioned for them to come inside. “Annie, everything okay?” He sat behind his desk, his receding hairline shining under the lights. Fred couldn't be older than twenty-two, Annie was fairly certain. This was his first job, she knew, because he'd told her all about it at the bar one night. He was short, slightly chubby, and had the look about him of being pink and scrubbed, like a baby pig after a bath. His hair would be completely gone by the time he turned twenty-seven, she thought. Poor guy.
“You didn't have a robbery at the restaurant or
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