He was deep in thought as the crowd continued to inch closer. They were desperate for information and he was the prize they were after. Once the first question flew, an endless stream of horrible inquiries followed, which were none of their business and completely inappropriate.
“Was she naked?” Johnny’s disgusting question had Wade grinding his teeth together. He seemed to be using a considerable amount of self-control to keep from punching someone in the face. Without thinking, Sydney snagged a piece of his favorite pie from the rack and pushed her way through the crowd that had assembled around his table.
“Do you have any manners?” Sydney gave a hard shove through the throng of bodies and found herself stumbling in front of Wade clutching the pie in one hand and a fork in the other. The tired smile he gave when she shooed the gawkers away melted her heart. Before she thought to stop herself, she was sliding onto the bench across the table and pushing the piece of pie toward him.
“Hi.”
“Sydney.” He plunged the fork into the crust and dug into the slice.
Sydney watched his lips part to welcome the tiny piece of blackberry pie inside. His teeth were gorgeous and white and straight and… she was staring at him again like some sort of lecherous pervert. The man had been working a murder scene all day and she was thinking about curling up in his lap and kissing him. She quickly looked out the window and shook her head.
“What’s wrong?” The deep rumble of his voice made her hyper-aware of how close he was. She could feel his leg stretch out under the table and bump against her knee.
“Nothing, I’m just sorry that everyone’s forgotten how to behave like human beings.” She nervously tugged at her ponytail and twirled it behind her head into a messy bun. She enjoyed the way he watched her so intently. “So, how was your day?” The grunt of laughter he gave in response made her smile. “That good, huh?”
He took another bite of pie, avoiding the topic. “This isn’t your night to work.”
She hid a smile at his observation. So maybe he had been watching her a little. The thought sent a flutter of excitement through her stomach. She liked the idea of him watching her more than she should have. “Pete needed help when the vultures descended.”
Wade shook his head. “Murder turns normal folks into gossipmongers.”
“Want to know what the LBI has come up with?”
“LBI? What’s that?”
“Lunatic Bureau of Investigation, of course,” she said with a grin. There was such sadness behind his eyes she wanted to do what she could to make him smile.
“Let’s hear it.”
“They said she was a prostitute who was found naked at the edge of town. Old Jim told ten people her body was mutilated with a message scrawled into her skin. He had the whole table believing him, too, until his wife mentioned that was what happened on some police drama he watched last night. Then he shut up pretty quick.”
Wade sat back and continued eating his pie, listening. It was strange to be crammed into the tiny booth with him considering the circumstances, but it felt right. All around them people tried to interrupt their conversation, but he ignored them, his full attention focused on Sydney. She found it incredibly sexy.
“Johnny has a theory that it was a mafia hit, revenge for some bad blood back in Jersey. Personally, I think he just said that to piss off Pete because he burned his grilled cheese.”
He finished the pie and leaned back, casually draping his arm along the back of the seat. “Any others I should know about?”
Sydney counted off the others on her fingers. “The victim of alien abduction, werewolf attack, and the Sasquatch theories were some of my favorites.” She rolled her eyes. “Highly delusional, but entertaining nonetheless.”
A group of men barged over to their table and began peppering Wade with more questions. “Was she tied up? Any signs of a struggle? Did you do a rape kit on her?” The improper musing from the crowd continued until Sydney’s fist slammed down on the table, rattling the fork on Wade’s plate, and stunning the men around them into silence. Wade’s head swiveled in her direction but he didn’t say a word. There was no need to because, disgust and frustration getting the best of her, Sydney erupted with anger.
“Have you all lost your minds? A woman is dead. Dead. Some psycho robbed her of her life, of a future with those she loved. She has a mother and a father somewhere, a family who is probably devastated, and all you can do is play junior deputy coming up with awful scenarios that might have happened, for your own entertainment. Show a little respect, light a candle, say a prayer or two, and stop all the asinine questions!”
Her temper rarely flared but once it started, it was hard to pull back until it had run its course. There was too much history behind these feelings for her to control it in any rational way.
“Now, for the love of God, let the man eat his pie in peace!”
Silence. The entire diner had gone quiet in the midst of her tirade. The only sound to be heard was the sizzle of the deep fryer working overtime. Melissa gave her a proud fist pump from across the room. Pete pulled Cara under his shoulder and the pair beamed at her like proud parents, but every other eye in the place was incredulous. Luke studied her like she was a stranger. Johnny and his crew were mumbling things under their breath, probably questioning her mental stability, which was understandable. She’d just publicly berated the entire town.
With her shaking hands clasped together under the table, Sydney peeked through her lashes at Wade, the one person whose opinion mattered the most to her at that point. He seemed to be taking it all in stride, as if encountering a rabid woman was a daily occurrence for him. The crowd took her not-so-subtle hint and slowly returned to their tables, giving Wade his space. Unfortunately, that left her to somehow explain what happened. There was no way she could share the origins of that outburst. That would be suicidal, for sure. She closed her eyes for a moment and breathed deeply, knowing her cheeks were flushed.
There still hadn’t been a word said between them when she felt the gentle nudge of his knee under the table. At first she jumped, pulling her foot back to give him space, but when his leg brushed against her again, she realized it had been on purpose. Her eyes flew open and found him watching her intently, the green in his eyes looking more cheerful and relaxed.
The tension drained out of her body, replaced suddenly by a rush of desire she hadn’t felt since, well… ever. Again, the gentle contact with his leg sent sparks flying between the two of them. In that moment, she realized just how desperately she wanted to kiss Wade Jenkins.
“So, how was your day?” He threw her words back at her with a slow, sexy grin.
“Other than embarrassing myself yet again in front of you, and now the whole town? Perfectly boring.”
They maintained eye contact for a few silent moments as the bustle of the diner went on around them. With someone else, it might have been awkward, but with Wade, it was comfortable. And despite everything, she wanted more if it.
“Thanks for the pie,” he said, slipping his hat back onto his head, “and the company.”
“Anytime,” Sydney whispered as he disappeared through the crowd.
Once she was alone, Melissa flew to her side. “What was all that about?”
“I have no idea.” Sydney grabbed Wade’s empty plate and held it with great care. Melissa’s lips curled up into a smile.
“You two better get together before I leave or I’m killing you.”
“Melissa—”
“You’ve got it bad for him, don’t you?” It was impossible to miss the excitement in her voice. “Are you finally ready to admit you’re hot for him?”
“Not to anyone,” Sydney said with a wink as she turned away from Melissa, “except maybe myself.”
THE DAYS LEADING UP to the festival had been rather depressing in town. It seemed everyone in the county had been questioned about the murdered woman they had found the next town over. She was identified as Samantha Walker, a teacher
from Kansas, who was last seen leaving work the day before she was murdered. There was no clear motive and no real evidence to speak of in the case.
Wade had canvassed Elton to see if anyone noticed any strangers passing through town that day or in the days prior. Unfortunately, it appeared there had been nothing unusual in the tri-county area until they found Samantha’s body. With few leads, everyone was left wondering what could have happened and, more importantly, was the killer still around? But those questions weren’t likely to be answered anytime soon.
By the time the calendar flipped to the first of October, all talk in town shifted to one thing: the upcoming festival. People couldn’t wait for the celebration to begin. No one had been sleeping well knowing there could be a murderer nearby.
Everyone was glad for the distraction, including Wade.
The Fall Festival was the biggest event of the year in the tiny town of Elton, Missouri. People came from far and wide to visit. Every fruit or vegetable grown in the tri-county area was proudly displayed over the week, farmers vying for the title of largest pumpkin, apple, zucchini, squash, or gourd in the county. You name it; Elton had a contest or trophy for it.
On the last night of the festival there was a dance, followed by the grand finale, the Pie Auction, where the men from the area would bid on the pies and then, not only win a delicious dessert, but a special something from the woman who had baked it. It was a tradition that dated back a hundred and fifty years or so, to when Elton was first established. Back then, it was the way many farmers would marry off their daughters. Now, it represented an evening of fun and flirting for the single people in Elton before the nights turned cold.
The afternoon of the auction, Wade found himself walking down the main drag of the festival, taking it all in. The street was lined with tasting tents and street carts selling an endless variety of foods. People were shoulder-to-shoulder as they tried to navigate through the crowded road. Kids were running around in the grass, laughing, and people were smiling, visiting with neighbors and enjoying one another’s company. Out of the corner of his eye, a flash of blonde hair caught his attention.
“Hi, Wade.”
“Melissa,” he replied as she fell into step beside him, grinning. In her hand there was a cardboard basket with something on a stick. “Dare I ask?” He warily eyed the stick Melissa waved toward him.
“Fried Twinkie. Want a bite?”
“No.”
“Enjoying the fair?” she asked looping her arm around his.
“It’s nice to see everyone having fun. How long until you leave for your trip?” Together they weaved through the crowd side by side.
“Less than a week now.” Her eyes lit up with excitement at the prospect of her trip to Europe. Ever since they were kids, Melissa had talked about leaving Elton and seeing the world. She had been working since she was fourteen and saved every dime she could to make her dream come true. And now, she was days away from the trip of a lifetime.
“It won’t be the same here without you.”
“Aww, you gonna miss me, Wade?” She patted his cheek. “Don’t worry. I’ll be back in six short months.”
The bright lights of carnival rides and games lit up the road ahead. Children were everywhere, their parents trying to keep up as they rushed from one ride to the next. Wade caught himself scanning the crowd for Sydney or Faith. Of course, Melissa noticed.
“Looking for anyone in particular?”
“No.” Even as he said it, he knew the word rang hollow. For the last twenty minutes, he realized he’d managed to wander around every kid-friendly place at the fair, all in the hopes of seeing Sydney. He really didn’t care about the craft center or a lopsided cow made of butter, yet he wandered past every group of children, looking for Faith’s tell-tale dark curls.
How pathetic was he?
“You’re such a terrible liar,” Melissa said with a laugh. “Since you’re too macho to ask, I’ll help you out, because that’s the kinda girl I am. I think you should wander over to the petting zoo area. You might find something nice and soft to cuddle up with over there.”
Wade’s thoughts immediately went to Sydney, and cuddling wasn’t exactly what he had in mind. The images that flashed in his head when he thought of her were far more erotic, not that he’d ever share that with Melissa, or anyone else for that matter. It was hard enough admitting it to himself that the tiny blonde was under his skin. In the months that she’d been in town, she’d captured his attention like no one else had in years.
At first it was her looks that had stopped him in his tracks and her laughter. She was a breath of fresh air and lit up the diner with her smile. The longer Wade was around her, though, the more he saw the other side of Sydney. The side she tried hard to hide from the rest of the world. She was a woman with secrets and a past. There was never a mention of Faith’s father, which was odd, but even more telling were the personality quirks that Sydney tried so hard to hide from the people around her. Being overprotective of Faith, constantly looking over her shoulder when she thought no one was watching, the lack of details she offered from her past were all red flags in Wade’s mind.
Being in law enforcement, he had become an expert at reading the signs people unknowingly gave off, and from everything he’d observed over the last few months, if he had to hazard a guess, Sydney was exhibiting some of the classic traits of a woman who had suffered some sort of abuse or trauma.
Wade could have done a background check. He’d been tempted to plenty of times but stopped himself. Part of him didn’t want to invade her privacy and the other side of him simply enjoyed the distraction she offered.
Melissa cleared her throat, pulling him out of his thoughts. “You might fool other people, Wade Jenkins, but I know you like her. I’ve been watching you at the diner. Never known you to be such a pie enthusiast until Sydney came to town. You’re sweet on her. The sooner you admit it, the sooner I can set you two up on a date. Consider it a farewell gift to me before I leave town.”
“I’m perfectly capable of getting my own dates, Mel.”
“Really?” she asked as she spun to face him, her chin tipped up defiantly. “I happen to know at least three women who have asked you out and you’ve turned them all down. Your dating life is dead at the moment.”
“So?”
“So?” she sputtered, her hands reaching for his neck like she wanted to wring it. “So why would you pass up perfectly acceptable date invitations, unless you were interested in someone?” She thought about it a second, then paled. “You aren’t seeing one of your bimbos from Centerburg right now, are you?”
It was amazing that no matter how discreet he tried to be, still the gossip made its way back to town. Maybe he needed to leave the state the next time he wanted to get laid. Rather than explain himself, Wade shook his head.
“I’m not dating anyone.”
The wide smile Melissa gave him in return for that information was blinding. “Excellent. Then you should definitely go to the petting zoo.”
“Melissa,” he tried to tell her she was wrong, but the words wouldn’t come. He tucked his hands into his pockets and shook his head.
“I’m going gray waiting for you to make a move on her.”
Wade smiled. “You’re so impatient.”
“And you’re welcome.” She popped up on her toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Besides, I’m counting on you to keep an eye on her while I’m gone. Do me a favor. When you see Sydney, tell her to meet me at the dance in an hour so we have time to run home and get her pie before the auction.” Wade tried to grab her arm, but Melissa started to slip away. “Don’t forget to give her my message, Wade.” With a wave of her hand, she disappeared into the crowd but he could hear her exuberant laughter in the distance.
She had a way of getting exactly what she wanted. Wade had to give Melissa that. Before he could stop himself he’d turned around and started heading toward the petting zoo. As a zoo, it was sorely lacking. It was no more tha
n a fenced area where bunnies, goats, and other small animals ran loose for the kids to play with. As he made his way past the last of the carnival rides, he saw the familiar wooden fence and heard the excited squeals of the children as they chased after a lively bunny who was trying to escape. A blur of brown curls darted past the fence in front of him.
“Faith!” Sydney’s voice immediately captured his attention, but her daughter was too enamored by a squirming lop-eared bunny to answer. “Honey, be careful. You don’t want to hurt him.” Sydney cautiously opened the gate to the animal pen, making sure none of the critters escaped, then went inside.
Before he was spotted, Wade took the opportunity to unabashedly admire her body. There was a grace to her movements that was hypnotizing to him. A gentle sway to her hips that Wade couldn’t tear his eyes away from no matter how many times he tried. She looked beautiful in her tight fitting jeans and black sweater which accentuated her curves. There was nothing overtly sexy about the outfit but the sleek leather boots she was wearing definitely caught Wade’s attention and were sure to star in a fantasy or two in the future. He watched her brow pinch as she debated following after her daughter. When she started nibbling on her lip, all he could think about was kissing her.
Wade forced himself to look away from Sydney and found Faith laughing on the far side of the pen with the other children who had moved on from the bunnies and were now chasing the goats with handfuls of feed, trying to get their attention. Sydney skirted along the edge of the fence as she tried to keep her daughter in view. When one of the goats started eating the food from her hand, Faith’s squeals of laughter made her mother smile.
“That can’t be sanitary,” Sydney mumbled under her breath, so close to Wade that his chuckle of laughter caught her off guard. Sydney spun around, startled to find him along the fence, watching her.
“Hi,” he said, offering a smile that only grew as the color crept up her cheeks. Her long hair blew over her shoulder in the breeze as she tried to compose herself. She tucked the stray hairs behind her ear and walked a few steps closer.