Chapter Sixteen
By the time Dax parked his truck down the street from Walt’s then drove the cruiser back to Jessie’s, he was beat—more emotionally than physically. He pushed open the front door to Jessie’s house, and the wonderful rich aromas poured out of the kitchen. Because he hadn’t eaten anything since lunch, he was starving.
Margaret’s Cadillac sat in front, yet when he peeked around the entrance into the living room, no one appeared to be home. Then Jessie’s laugh made him stop in mid stride. She and Margaret were in the kitchen. He walked over to the swinging door, and as he placed a palm on the doorjamb, he hesitated. He wanted to think about the best way to break the news of Brian’s crime.
“Thanks for dinner, Nana. I don’t think I’ve eaten that much in days.” Jessie’s voice came through the door clearly.
“Don’t thank me, thank Shirley Hoffsteder. She made the chicken casserole.”
For the next minute, the only sound was the clinking of knives and forks against china plates.
“Nana, what do you think about going to Irene’s Beauty parlor tomorrow and treating ourselves to a new hairdo? And maybe even a facial and a manicure?”
His groin tightened, not sure how much more he could handle of the new Jessie. The low cut red dress that hugged her curvy body had already tested his resolve. Add in a new hairdo and he might break.
“I’d love that, dear, but it’ll be so expensive. It’s why I haven’t had a facial in years.”
Dax smiled at the easy conversation. He missed having someone to exchange ideas with, feel comfortable around, and just plain enjoy.
“I know, but with all the stuff that’s been going on, I think you and I deserve to pamper ourselves for once.”
“You’re right.”
He bet Jessie was suggesting the spa day, not for herself, but to help take her grandmother’s mind off the recent tragedy. Not wanting to interrupt their bonding moment, he leaned his back against the wall and soaked in the moment of family love.
“Good. Tomorrow morning, Dax and I need to drive over to Hardy County to pick up something, but when I get back we’ll get beautified.”
Time to go in.
“Speaking of Dax, I want to hear all about you two,” Margaret said, her comment stopping him cold.
“Dax? What’s there to tell?” Jessie coughed, though he couldn’t tell if it was because she had to or if it was to cover up her discomfort. “He’s been… a big help to me with the investigation. Without him, I’m not sure I’d have found Sadie.”
Her testimony sounded very matter of fact, as if he was nothing more than the hired help.
“Do you think of him in the same way you thought of Clinton?”
Dax held his breath, wondering the same thing. That little person inside his head told him to stop eavesdropping. “Shut up,” he mouthed.
“Nana, you know as well as I do that Clinton was over twenty years older than me and was more of a father figure than anything. Besides, he had a big beer belly, whereas I bet Dax has abs to die for.”
Abs to die for, huh? He couldn’t help but suck in his gut. Maybe he’d have to find a way to take off his shirt and show her. “Given all those arm muscles, I bet he has a six pack. So how would you describe your relationship with Dax?”
The resulting silence nearly killed him. Come on. Say Dax is the most remarkable man I’ve ever met.
“Well, Dax is a lot smarter than Clinton, but both were fine officers.”
Praise, yes, but not what he wanted to hear.
“I know all that,” Margaret said. “I mean, tell me about the romance I’ve seen written all over both of your faces. Have you jumped his bones yet?”
Yes, the romance. Wait a sec. Romance? He’d kissed her once. Or rather, she’d kissed him, and while he’d thought of the exchange as romantic, he hadn’t been sure she had.
“Nana!”
“What? With such a fine specimen as Mr. Mitchell, I would have thought you’d be dreaming about him, wanting to touch those big, bulging muscles. I’d kill to run my fingers through his thick, soft hair, wouldn’t you? Don’t tell me you don’t find him too sexy for his jeans?”
Dax almost blew it by laughing out loud.
“Oh, Nana, you miss Grandpa, don’t you? Ever since he died, you’ve had a one-track mind on sex.”
“That’s besides the point. Dax Mitchell is one fine catch and you should think about setting a trap for him.”
“A trap? Maybe that’s how they did it in your day but not mine. I really do appreciate you caring for my well-being, but Dax won’t be staying around forever. Have you forgotten he lives in a different state?”
“What do you take me for? Don’t answer that. Besides, there’s no law that says he has to go back to Maryland.”
He wished he could stay, but he had a life in Baltimore, although the more he thought about it, the lonelier that life appeared.
“If Dax remained in Kerry, what would he do for a living? Construction is out with his bad leg.”
That was what he wanted to know.
“Why law enforcement, of course.”
“What, as my deputy?” Jessie asked. “He’d never work for me. We’d butt heads at every turn.”
Dax had to agree, though the experiment would be an interesting one.
“It wouldn’t be the first time a man worked for a woman you know.”
“Nana, Dax isn’t the type of man to deal with a woman as his boss, though the idea of telling him what to do does appeal to me. I can see it now. He’d be on his knees with me in control. Hmm. Or maybe I should just tie him up.”
“I think it’s a wonderful idea. I wish I had a man to do that to.”
Jessie laughed. Dax didn’t. Tie him up indeed. He’d tie her up was what would happen. Spread eagle, he’d lick her until she couldn’t stand it any more, then he’d—
“Well, then you could work for him,” Margaret said.
Now we’re talking.
“I’ve worked too hard to be anything but the boss.”
Aw. Even if he were in charge? He had more experience than Jessie. Dax stilled. He’d lost his ever-loving mind. He had no plans of staying in Kerry.
“With an attitude like yours, it’s no wonder you haven’t landed a man.”
“That’s old fashioned thinking,” Jessie said.
“Fine. So if you feel that strongly about him, move to Baltimore. You could get a job with the Baltimore Sheriff’s department.”
He had no idea she felt strongly about him. His pride surged, until he realized Jessie would never leave her grandmother. If she ever did, she’d hate it in the big city. Hell, there were days when he did too.
“Na-na! Who said anything about feeling strongly about him? And you know I’d never leave you.”
Dax wasn’t sure he wanted to listen to the rest of the conversation now that Jessie’s talk wasn’t exactly ego boosting. The squeak of her chair indicated she was getting up.
“You’re a fool, Jessie Nash. Good men like Dax Mitchell don’t come prancing into town every day.” Margaret’s voice grew louder as though Jessie were heading for the door.
Before she barreled out, he pushed open the door and nearly ran into her. “Hi, ladies.” He kept his voice light, huffing a little as if he’d just come in.
“Hi,” they said in unison. Jessie’s eyes widened and Margaret just beamed.
Dax followed Jessie back to the table. He limped over and pulled out a chair.
“What’s wrong?” Jessie asked.
She was one perceptive woman. “Tired is all.” He decided it was better if Margaret didn’t hear how his afternoon had panned out.
“Dax, you must be starving.” Margaret stood and opened the refrigerator. “I’ll just warm up your plate.”
“Bless you, Margaret.” With her back to them, Dax mouthed he had something to tell Jessie.
“Nana? Dax and I need to do some sheriffing stuff. Can you bring his dinner into the living room?”
“Why of course, dear.” She turned back to Dax. “Do you want a Coke?”
“Yes, thank you.”
Jessie had changed out of her incredible dress, but the skirt and snug top had turned him on the second he saw her. As they moved into the living room, Dax had to laugh. The two of them were quite a pair. She hobbled, and he limped.
Once they were seated on the sofa, she glanced at the kitchen door then turned back to him. “So what did you learn?” she asked.
He decided to start at the beginning and break the news about Brian later. “I saw Peter Lucas and Mayor Kreplick together.”
She brightened. “And?”
“They left work around four thirty and met at The Sugar Shack.”
She snapped her fingers. “That’s right. It’s Tuesday. The Mayor meets with the City Council every Tuesday. I’m sorry I didn’t remember sooner.”
“That’s all right.” Nana came out of the kitchen carrying a large tray, and Dax jumped up. “Here, let me help.”
“Why, thank you.” She batted her eyelashes. “You are such a gentleman. Jess, Kerry doesn’t have men as nice as Dax here, do we?”
Oh, God. Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match. He didn’t need any help from Margaret.
“No, Nana, they don’t,” she said. “Now, if you could excuse us, we have work to do.”
“I’ll just head to my room then. If my loud television bothers you, let me know. Of course, I’ll probably fall asleep in a few minutes and won’t hear anything you two do.” She smiled then winked.
He swallowed his laugh. Did she really believe they wouldn’t see through her act? “Yes, ma’am.”
Jessie turned a pretty shade of pink as he sat back down next to her. He took a bite of a delicious chicken casserole and washed the food down with a much-needed Coke. “Now where was I? Oh, yeah. As I was waiting for the Mayor to finish his meeting, guess who I saw coming out of a grocery store?”
“Who?”
“Brian.”
“Well, he does have to eat.”
“I know, but I decided to follow him anyway.”
“You did what? He might have a criminal record, but he’s served his time and deserves peace.” Her defensive attitude implied she still cared for him.
He spent the next few minutes explaining his logic, and she fortunately seemed to buy it. Of course, he left out the part about wanting to make sure Brian wasn’t a threat to her once Dax left town.
“Tell me the rest,” she said.
“To be thorough, I looked in his garage and found something.”
“What?”
“He has a meth lab in there.” Dax leaned back waiting for her to blow up at him again. He would have shown her the picture he took, but it came out mostly black.
She rolled her eyes. “Brian would never be so stupid. He was recently released from jail. Besides, he never did drugs in high school.”
“You don’t believe me?”
“What I think is that you’re jealous.”
That was rich. It didn’t matter if he were. “I know what I saw. Besides, ten years is a long time. The war can turn the most innocent person to drugs.”
She bit down on her lower lip. “Did that happen to you?”
Dax bristled, until he realized her question was logical. He swallowed his anger and answered in a civil tone. “I experimented, sure. When my leg was injured, Oxycodone was the only way to get through the day, but I’m clean now.”
Her jaw tightened and her breaths came heavy. “Are you sure you saw a meth lab? Could it have been some chemistry experiment? Brian was always big into science.”
Dax explained about the urine smell, the paraphernalia in the garage, and finally how meth was made. “Yes, I’m sure. Before I worked homicide, I did vice. I know my meth.”
She dragged a hand down her face. “I don’t need this. Not now.”
He took her hand. When she didn’t pull back, he moved closer until her perfume turned his insides to mush. “At the very least, we need to bring him in for questioning.”
She leaned her head back against the sofa and closed her eyes. He wanted to kiss those delectable lips again, but he wouldn’t. The timing wasn’t right.
“Fine.” She sat up. “Do you think you, me, and Amanda can handle Brian?”
“I wouldn’t take that chance. I’d ask for help from another town if I were you.”
She blew out a breath. “Sometimes I hate this job. I guess I could call in a few favors.”