Wolfe followed her back into the kitchen. “What do you think you’re doing?”
She opened the refrigerator and pulled out a sack of carrots. “Juicing carrots. Why?”
“Didn’t you just hear what the doctor said? Melb is fine. She should go about life normally.”
“People drink carrot juice, Wolfe.”
“You’re acting as if you didn’t hear a thing Dr. Hoover said.”
“I’m juicing carrots. Is it a federal crime?”
“Don’t be sarcastic with me. I saw you pull the covers over Melb’s feet.”
Ainsley finally turned to him, a determined fire in her eyes. “What is with you? Why do you care so much?”
“Why do I care so much? First of all, you’re my wife. I hate seeing you like this. You’re utterly exhausted, and you never stop. You just keep going and going. And now you’ve been given the green light to stop, and you can’t.”
“You’re overreacting.”
“Take a good look around you! I don’t know how to say this, but you’ve totally lost your mind!” He paused, waiting for a possible slap to the cheek. There was no slap, but plenty of tears had begun running down her cheeks. “Oh no. Please. Please don’t cry. It’s just a temporary insanity. Easily remedied.”
“You don’t understand. This isn’t about Melb. It’s about coordinated handbags and shoes.”
“Sure it is.” he said softly, but he didn’t have a clue what she was talking about.
“I just feel incompetent, Wolfe. I feel like … like …”
“Like … what?”
“I feel like I’ve been outdone.”
“Outdone?”
“There’s this woman named Katelyn, and I swear she is the perfect woman. She looks like she stepped right out of a magazine, and I’m not talking about the co-op magazines. A real fashion magazine. She’s so pulled together. And even when she’s not pulled together, she’s pulled together. I feel so useless when I’m around her. She makes me want to crawl in a hole.” Ainsley glanced toward the living room. “I guess this has made me feel useful, important. I’m helping save a little life, and what better thing can a person do?”
Wolfe held her shoulders. “Ainsley, you are not useless. And there is no such thing as perfect. This Katelyn woman may seem pulled together on the outside, but let me assure you, everyone has weaknesses. And what I’ve found true in life is that the more perfect someone seems on the outside, the more imperfect they are on the inside. They’re putting up a front, making everyone think they’ve got it together. You are one of those rare people in life that has it all together on the outside anduve inside.”
She wept harder, and fell into his arms. “Wolfe, that is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.”
“It’s true.” He blotted her face and swept her hair out of her eyes. “You don’t need to prove anything to anybody. You’re a capable, smart woman, who is compassionate and caring to a fault.” He lowered his voice. “Ainsley, the longer you continue to treat Melb this way, the longer you’re enabling her.”
“Enabling her?”
“You’re not making her face the fact that she has a baby on the way, and she’s going to have to accept this and prepare for it.”
“So what you’re saying is that I’m not doing her any favors.” He sighed with relief. “Yes. That’s what I’m saying.” She nodded. She suddenly looked exhausted. “I’m going to bed.”
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“I just need some rest. Listen, don’t say anything to Melb, okay? There’s going to be a right time to do this, and it’s not now. But I’ve got to rest. Can you handle it this evening?”
“Sure.” He hugged and kissed her with a smile. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” she said, with the first genuine smile he’d seen on her face in days. “Thanks for speaking the truth.” He watched her walk toward the stairs.
Then, from the living room, Melb screeched, “Where’s my tea? I could die of thirst with how hot you keep this house!!”
Wolfe geared himself up for a long night.
Martin poked along the five-block stretch of street between Lois’s house and his. It was dark and cold, just like his soul. How in the world was he supposed to compete with Sheriff Parker? The man was practically a legend! Was Lois just being nice when she said she was attracted to both of them? Sure, the flowers seemed to be a hit, but Martin had sampled the chocolate, and it was nothing to snub your nose at. Two caramels and a cherry later, he himself was almost ready to marry the sheriff. Next time he would definitely have to go with the sweet stuff.
Dragging his feet along the pavement, he contemplated giving up. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that Lois really was attracted to him. After all, she’d gone on more than one date with him. She just as easily could’ve said she was seeing someone else. That, at least, lit a little flame of hope in his heart.
He gazed at the night sky as he walked up the sidewalk toward his house. Maybe there was something he could do to make himself more attractive. He’d read that hair implants were becoming less and less expensive. Rumor was that old Farmer Gordon had had it done, when seemingly overnight he’d stopped wearing his John Deere cap and Alba had taken to lipstick again. He scratched his cold head and then felt in his jacket for his keys.
And of course he had to ask the all-important question, was Lois Stepaphanolopolis the right woman for him? A woman wasn’t like a spreadsheet. There were plenty of unpredictable factors that didn’t fit into the nice, tidy boxes on the screen. Like, for instance, her blood sugar issues, which they’d found out about tonight when she suddenly passed out on the couch.
Martin had not a clue what to do. The sheriff took the role of hero. He laid her on the couch and felt for pulses and other throbbing things. Martin just stood back and watched, then fetched a washrag when ordered to.
“Martin?”
“Ah!” Martin stumbled backward. Someone stood in the shadows of his porch. “Who’s there?” he wheezed.
He heard a chuckle. “Good grief, Martin. It’s just me.” The mayor stepped into the moonlight. “The boogeyman hasn’t been to Skary in at least a decade.”
Martin punched his key into the doorknob. “What are you doing here this late anyway?”
“I can’t sleep,” the mayor said, following him inside. “You didn’t answer your cell phone.”
Martin flipped on the lights and noticed it sitting on the dining room table. “What can I do for you, sir?”
The mayor sat down in Martin’s favorite chair and dropped a bag he was carrying to the floor. “Well, we’ve got a crisis.”
Of the heart, Martin lamented, but tried to concentrate on the mayor. Of course, there was always a crisis, so what was new? “What kind of crisis?”
The mayor pulled out a stack of mail. “These. I’ve been getting letters and phone calls like crazy!” He set the mail on the coffee table, then he hopped up from his chair and rubbed his hands together like he was trying to start a fire.
“About what?”
“Peoples opinions, mostly. Everyone feels strongly one way or the other. Some people think we should be open to the idea of becoming a suburb … or an X-burb, whatever in the world that is. Others think it’s going to be Armageddon. They swear it will be the end of life as we know it.”
Martin took the mail and sifted through it. “What do you think?”
He paced the floor. “As you and I both know, this town is always on the brink of bankruptcy. We could use some financial incentive, and there seems to be a couple ready and willing to make it happen. On the other hand, we will most likely lose all our small-town values. I mean, you can’t be modern and still exist in a shell, as we’ve done. We’ve managed to keep our town away from all the madness of the world. But it was only a matter of time before they found us.”
“So either cease to exist or lose who we are.”
“I’m afraid those are our only two choices,” the mayor said. “But w
e’ve got to do something. Make some sort of decision. And soon.” Martin started to hand the mail back to the mayor, but he said, “No. You keep those.”
“Why?”
“Maybe you’ll get a sense of what we should do, after you read them all.”
“But sir, this is your town. You’re the one who should make the decision.”
“You’re as capable as anyone of knowing the pulse of the town.”
The pulse of the town, perhaps. The pulse of a woman, not so much.
Martin rose and stood in front of the mayor. “Sir, I know this snake thing has everyone’s nerves stirred, but I’m worried about you. You seem pretty anxious, and you’re not sleeping. You can’t sit down for more than five minutes. There is the stress of all the new things happening in town. Maybe you should see a doctor.” It was the most diplomatic way of saying, Last time there was a crisis, you lost your mind and thought you were in the Caribbean, so you can see why I might be concerned.
“Martin, you worry too much. Now, I have to go. I need to get in my five-mile run.”
CHAPTER 20
WOLFE WIPED THE SWEAT OFF his brow and drove carefully so as not to draw attention to himself. As Butch had explained, if you drive too fast, you’re going to get pulled over. But drive too slow and you look suspicious. Three over the speed limit, he’d instructed. Wolfe had rolled his eyes, but now he found his attention glued to the speedometer.
Butch had contacted him last night, about thirty minutes after Ainsley had gone to bed, using the phone rather than the closet. Wolfe didn’t ask, but he steeled himself for a conversation he knew he needed to have with Butch. It would be one of those conversations that starts off with the awkward line, “Don’t you think it’s time to stop fooling yourself and others with this charade?” He realized this was not going to be a popular view. Many Skary residents regarded Butch as a local war hero, but it was a shame they couldn’t see Butch for who he really was. And at Wolfe’s age, he just didn’t have the patience for it.
However, he could take care of that after they figured out what to do with the snake. Life was all about priorities, and right now, his number one priority was getting Melb back home. He had noticed that Ainsley didn’t cater to her as much this morning, but she also hadn’t had “the talk” with her by the time Wolfe left. Maybe she didn’t want Wolfe breathing down her neck about it.
Ainsley also looked more refreshed this morning. She had that youthful glow in her cheeks, and her eyes sparkled. It was a gigantic relief.
Wolfe checked his watch. Right on time.
“Whatever you do,” Butch had said, “don’t be late. Timing is critical for our operation. Gordon and Alda go out for one hour every morning to tend to their cattle. I’ve calculated the time it will take, including fear and apprehension, and one hour should be sufficient. But don’t be late! And for goodness sake, don’t be early, either.”
The perspiration had beaded and clustered on his forehead. He was running exactly on time. The farmhouse was ten minutes up the road, and he had eleven minutes to spare. He slowed down by two miles an hour, just to compensate. But not too slow. He didn’t want to appear “suspicious.”
“Don’t tell a soul,” Butch had warned. “Nobody can know about this. If they do, our cover will be blown, and you may risk having Melb and Oliver as permanent houseguests. Don’t tell Ainsley or my father or anyone you know. This has to stay between us. If Tarffeski gets wind of this, the snake’s gone and he’s pocketed a lot of money. This snake belongs to Dustin, and we’re getting it back to him and him alone.”
Wolfe had to admire Butch’s sense of justice. Wolfe would’ve just handed the snake over to the snake hunter and been on his way. Now he was on his way to breaking and entering, but at least it was for the sake of a heartbroken pet owner.
Butch’s final words had been, “And don’t bail on me, Wolfe. I need you there. I can’t do it alone. I’ll never forgive you if you don’t come help me. Plus, you’ll be driving the getaway car. I’ll find my way there by foot, but we’ll need something to haul this snake away in.”
Suddenly Wolfe’s Jeep lurched forward, made a horrible noise, lurched forward again, then lost acceleration. He pulled to the side of the country road, white steam spewing from underneath the hood. “No! No!” Wolfe scrambled out the door. He opened his hood, and a hissing sound filled the peaceful country side. “No!” He clawed at his hair and took a few steps back. “Now what?” He could attempt to run, but he would be way too late. His shirt dampened with sweat. His first instinct was to pray, but he wasn’t entirely sure what he was on his way to do was going to be blessed by the Almighty in the first place.
Nevertheless, he was going to need a miracle.
Ainsley waited for Melb to return downstairs from her bath. Her anxiety over the impending conversation had caused her to juice eight glasses of carrots, but it gave her something to do with her hands. This was not going to be an easy conversation, yet as she’d fallen asleep last night, she knew Wolfe was right. She was enabling Melb. She’d done it unintentionally, but regardless, the damage had been done. In the deepest place in her heart, she’d wanted Melb to appreciate and love this baby. She couldn’t fathom how anybody wouldn’t want a baby. Sure, Melb was a little older, but this was a gift from God!”
Behind her, Melb galloped down the stairs. She had a cornflower blue towel wrapped around her head and smelled like she’d bathed in lotion. “Oh, that felt good!” she said, joining Ainsley in the kitchen. She stopped and stared at the carrot glasses.
“Those aren’t all for you.”
She patted her heart. “Thank goodness. I was hoping for a Pop-Tart.”
“I have your favorite pastry dish in the oven.”
“That’s what I smelled!” She grabbed Ainsley and hugged her. “You’re the best! Is it the one with cream cheese?”
“Yes. And blueberries.” It was a devious tactic, but Ainsley hoped it would help ease the pain of what she was about to say.
Melb sat down on a barstool. “I’ve been secretly wishing for it.”
Ainsley smiled and handed her a cup of decaf. “Melb, we need to talk.”
Melb looked up as she was about to sip. “Talk?”
“Yeah. I’ve got to confess some things.”
“Isn’t the reverend available?”
“Not sins. Well, not really sins. I’ve just been … been a little misguided, I guess you could say.”
“That sounds sad. Can I have more cream?” She handed the coffee back to Ainsley.
Ainsley added more cream and handed it back to her.
“And an ice cube. I don’t want to scorch my mouth.”
Ainsley took the cup and plopped an ice cube in it.
“You were saying?” Melb asked, blowing on the coffee.
“It kind of concerns how I’ve been treating you.”
“Oh, let’s not hash over that, Ainsley,” Melb said. “Sure you’ve been a little moody lately, and have said some things that coming out of your mouth have been nothing less than shocking, but we’re friends. And friends forgive one another. I mean, did I complain once when you forgot to feed me dessert after dinner? No. I simply dropped a few subtle hints, and that was it. If you ask me, I think you’ve been under too much stress lately. Maybe it’s because Wolfe doesn’t seem to know what work is anymore. I mean, if he’s not going to write, shouldn’t he be doing chores around the house or something? I’ll leave that between you two, but it’s just been a simple observation I’ve made while recovering from the unfortunate incident at the grocery store.” She sipped her coffee. “Okay, a little too sweet, but thanks for trying.”
Ainsley crossed her arms and lowered her tone. “I meant how I’ve been coddling you.”
“Coddling me?”
“I’ve been catering to your every need.”
“Well, if I’m not mistaken, that’s what you do for a living. Cater.”
“What I’m saying is that I haven’t helped you deal with any of th
is. I’ve been trying to protect you, I guess, from anything going wrong, or you feeling any more badly than you do about this baby. I guess I thought if I made your life comfortable and easy, you might decide that having a baby wasn’t so bad after all.”
Melb didn’t look happy. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that it’s time you took back your life, Melb. Get off the couch, start living again! You have a lot to do in the coming months. And I’ll help you along the way. We can think of a color and theme for your baby’s room. Go shopping for clothes. It can be fun!”
“Fun. Ainsley, by definition, middle-aged means that you’re incapable of bending down to pick up anything that is drooling. Especially twenty times a day.”
“You’re a strong woman. I know you can do this. You have a tiny baby depending on you. You have a husband who needs assurance that you’re going to be there for him, too.”
Melb’s eyes teared up. “I don’t even know where to begin.”
Ainsley tried not to let it distract her. “Begin by getting dressed every day, by planning for this baby. Pick out a boy name and a girl name. Make appointments at the hospital once a month, or at least have Dr. Hoover come over. Start deciding what you want to do with the baby’s room. You will have plenty to keep you busy.”
Melb was staring at the tile floor, but her eyes were sparkling with that determination Ainsley had seen when she was trying to lose all that weight before her wedding. Ainsley even noticed her hands had moved over her belly. “It’s real, isn’t it?” Melb whispered.
“Yeah! It’s real!”
Melb smiled a little. “It’s real. I’m going to have a baby. Oliver and I are going to have a baby!”
Ainsley embraced her. “What more joy could there be?”
“That pastry.”
Ainsley laughed with Melb and went to get the pastry out of the oven.
“You know what else, Ainsley?”
“What?”