A Good Day for Chardonnay Page 18

  Now was her chance to find out.

  She waited until they got closer, positioned herself to be at Cruz’s mercy, then said, “Help me! He wants the eyeliner trick or he’ll kill me.”

  Ricky set his box on a nearby table and looked at them, less than impressed. Richard, with his glorious mop of spiked, black hair, followed suit, only his expression held more humor than disinterest.

  Sensing her inevitable defeat, she added, “And he’ll get blood all over your porous Italian tile.” Which, really, who put a porous tile in a coffee shop?

  Ricky gasped. “Fine. Your chai latte is on the house.”

  She rolled her eyes. “My chai latte is always on the house. He knows that. You’re not fooling him.” She pointed at the kid holding a butter knife against her throat, rather limply much to her chagrin. “He’s a criminal mastermind.”

  Ricky gave Cruz a dubious examination.

  Richard winked playfully at him. “The redhead put you up to this?”

  He lifted a shoulder.

  Ricky leaned closer to her and whispered, “Better luck next time, squirt.”

  She deflated. So close.

  She disentangled herself from her captor and stood to give them each a hug. “You just missed Mom.”

  “We have some fresh-baked pastries we’ll take over in a bit. Aren’t you supposed to be in school?”

  “We’re on a scavenger hunt!” Sybil shouted. Really loudly. She didn’t handle panic well.

  “Yeah,” Auri said, going in for the save, “for history. We’re finding different historical sites in town and taking pics of them.”

  “Nice,” Ricky said. “You should take a picture of Richard. He’s a historical site.”

  Richard glared at him. “I’m not that much older than you.”

  “Whatever helps you sleep at night, Grandpa.”

  Auri giggled, then sat down and scowled at Cruz. “We need to talk.”

  “Okay,” he said, a telltale grin lifting one corner of his mouth.

  “Your performance was underwhelming.”

  “Underwhelming?”

  “Yes. Less than whelming, if you will. I was not whelmed. You’re going to have to step it up if you want to fool those two.”

  He smiled behind his cup. “I’ll remember that.”

  “All right, good.” She took a deep breath to steady herself, then nailed Cruz with her best look of determination. “I’m ready to go all the way.”

  Cruz choked on his coffee about the same time Auri realized her double-entendre faux pas.

  “No, inside.” She patted Cruz’s back. “Inside Mrs. Fairborn’s house. Did you think I meant—?” When he gave her a hapless shrug, she asked, “Have you even met my mother? She knows about the devil’s doorbell, Cruz.”

  “The devil’s what?” he asked between coughs.

  “She will know if it’s been rung. We need a plan.”

  “Why would we ring her doorbell if we’re breaking in?”

  “No. The devil’s— Never mind.”

  Sybil sat glued to the conversation, her gaze bouncing back and forth between the two from behind her massive mug.

  “And we had a plan,” Cruz said. “You chickened out.”

  Auri sank against the seatback. “I know. I’m sorry. Did I mention that I’m pretty certain Mrs. Fairborn killed her husband, too?”

  Her two cohorts refocused on her. “No, you did not,” Sybil said.

  “He went missing around the same time and the sheriff never did a thing about it.”

  “That sweet old lady,” Sybil said in awe. “A black widow. Whodathunk?”

  “Okay. I’m ready now. For real this time. Let’s do th—” She stopped and listened. “Do you hear that?”

  Cruz and Sybil looked around.

  “That’s my mom.”

  * * *

  Sunshine texted Auri as she hurried down the alley toward Caffeine-Wah. She typed, I just needed to read your voice. I’ll probably be home late.

  When her daughter typed back, I love you, Mom, her heart almost imploded.

  She typed her usual smart-ass response, then entered the coffee shop through the back door.

  Levi’s sister, Hailey, had sent up the signal, a code word they used that meant she needed a meeting ASAP. They’d been investigating Clay Ravinder for a few months now. He was threatening to take everything away from Levi, everything his nephew had worked so hard to build, and use it as a bargaining tool to get back into the Southern Mafia. Or, at least, one syndicate of it.

  Neither Sun nor Hailey could let that happen. In fact, Hailey had come to Sun when she was still a detective in Santa Fe. As soon as Sun got some hard evidence on Clay’s less than aboveboard pursuits, thanks in no small part to Hailey’s ability to eavesdrop, she’d turn the case over to the feds.

  They could hardly arrest Clay for his plans to run Levi out of his own business. They had no physical evidence he was planning anything illegal. But according to Hailey, Clay was working with Sun’s predecessor, a corrupt sheriff named Redding, and they were into everything from drugs to guns. Sun had a connection with ATF that could serve her well in this instance.

  But Clay was getting restless. More volatile. More unpredictable. Sun might not be able to wait much longer. Still, she would have no case at all if not for Hailey.

  Sun and Hailey’s mutual animosity had been serving them well. No one, not even Levi, suspected they were working together, much less that they’d become good friends over the last few months. Hailey was intelligent and caring, something Sun had never suspected growing up. If she’d known what Hailey had gone through, Sun liked to think she wouldn’t have been so quick to judge her. Then again, Hailey did steal her bike.

  Sun ducked into the back of Caffeine-Wah and glanced around the storage room for her accomplice.

  “Sunshine,” Hailey said from a dark corner.

  Sun rushed to her and wrapped her arms around her. “Are you okay, hon? What’s going on?” She set her back.

  Hailey wore that worried expression. The one Sun feared. If Clay ever found out his niece was helping the local sheriff bring him down, he would kill her. Plain and simple.

  Her dark blond hair hung in tangles down her back and her red-rimmed eyes emphasized the depth of the circles underneath.

  “What happened, Hailey?”

  “Have you heard from Levi?”

  Dread knotted her stomach. “I saw him this morning, but he escaped. Did he come home Saturday night?”

  She shook her head. “He hasn’t been home in days, but I’m hoping it’s because you’re looking for him. Right?”

  “Yes, hon. We’ve been looking for him. He was hurt Saturday night at the bar, but at least we know he’s alive.”

  “I know,” she said with a nod. “Clay told me. It’s just … I’m worried Clay has done something to him.”

  Sun’s stomach spasmed painfully. “Why? Has something else happened?”

  “Not that I know of, but he’s exactly the kind of opportunist who would kill Levi and blame it on the injuries he sustained Saturday night.”

  “But you don’t know that for sure, right?”

  She sank onto a crate. “No, I don’t. But Clay met with Redding yesterday.”

  Former sheriff Redding was getting to be a serious thorn in her side. He was as corrupt as they come and was not happy when Sun won the election against him.

  “I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but I did hear something about a Mr. Southern coming to see the plant.” Her expression turned panicked. “Sun, he’s offering the distillery to a higher-up in the syndicate. I know it. If we’re going to do something, we need to do it now.”

  “Son of a bitch.” Sun turned away from her in thought. “But I don’t get it. What’s in it for Redding?”

  She shrugged. “He wants the badge back. And Clay wants him to have it. The position would give Redding the ability to smooth the way for the syndicate to come in and take over. Because of that, Clay has prom
ised to get it for him.”

  Sun bit her lip in thought. “Do you know how?”

  Hailey dropped her gaze. “I’m not certain, but they have a plan in place.”

  “Way to bury the lede, Hailey.”

  “Something about number three being their best option.”

  “Which is?”

  “I don’t know. I’m sorry, Sun. I’ve been so worried about Levi.”

  She turned back and knelt before Hailey. “No, I’m sorry. Have you texted him?”

  “Over and over. He’s … he’s probably turned off his phone. Right?”

  “Absolutely. He knows we can track him using his phone, and he was pretty dead set on finding those men who tried to kill his friend. Speaking of which, do you know Keith Seabright?”

  Hailey shook her head. “Sounds familiar, but I don’t think I’ve met him.”

  “Okay.” Sun considered not mentioning her trip to Hailey, but the woman was literally putting her life on the line for her family. She deserved the truth. “I think you should know, Hailey, I went to see your uncle Wynn.”

  “Wynn?” she asked astonished. “He’s out?”

  “No. Quincy and I went to Arizona. He wants me to look into his conviction. Says he’s innocent of the crime he’s in jail for.”

  “Then he is,” she said, adamant.

  “You sound certain.”

  “Sun, Wynn is the most honorable person I know apart from Levi. If he’d done it, he would not try to weasel out of his sentence.”

  “You need to know, he also said he killed Kubrick.”

  Her blond brows slid together and she shook her head. “I think he’s lying.”

  “Hailey, you just said your uncle is honorable.”

  “I said honorable. I didn’t say he never lied. He would lie through his teeth, but he would do it for honorable reasons.” She studied her nails and asked, “Are you going to look into his case?”

  “I told him I would look at the file, but I can’t make any promises.”

  Hailey took Sun’s hands into hers. “Thank you.”

  Sun squeezed. “But you need to know, he had a set of conditions. I’m trying to get him transferred to Santa Fe.”

  Her face lit up like a sparkler. “He’s coming here?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Sun, if you can get him out, if you can prove him innocent, he’ll help. He’ll stop Clay.”

  “Hopefully, he won’t have to.” Sun sat back on her heels. “So, this is really happening. Clay is going to try to kill Levi, take over the distillery, and help Redding remove me from office.”

  “Yes. And from what I heard, it’ll happen soon.”

  Wonderful. “Hailey, are you being very, very careful? If Clay finds out…”

  “I know the risks, Sun. I knew them when I came to you.” Hailey squeezed her hands. “I have to go. Please be careful.”

  “You, too, sweetheart.”

  They both stood just as Sun got a text.

  She checked her phone. “Uh-oh. The wife needs me back at the office ay-sap.”

  “Quincy?” Hailey asked with a soft chuckle.

  “Yep. Are you good?”

  “I’m good.”

  “You know I can put you and Jimmy in protective custody.”

  Hailey shook her head. “It’s okay. I’ll be careful. And I’ll let you know what else I find.”

  Sun turned to leave and came face-to-face with an irascible redhead, her eyes wide, her mouth slightly ajar. Since Auri—as well as everyone else in town—believed Sun and Hailey were mortal enemies, standing in a dark storeroom holding hands with her could look odd.

  Richard and Ricky screeched to a halt behind her, their faces panicked. They didn’t know who Hailey was or why she and Sun met in secret in their storeroom, but they knew no one could find out. Absolutely no one. Sun had stressed that ad nauseum when she set up the meets.

  “Auri,” Sun said, then she turned on Hailey. “And don’t let me catch you back here again, Ms. Ravinder, or I will have you arrested.”

  “You’re the sheriff,” Auri said, hardly biting.

  “Right. I’ll arrest you myself. Because I can.” She nodded toward Auri. “Because I’m the sheriff.”

  “At least now I know where I get my acting prowess from,” Auri said. She went in for a hug. “Hey, Ms. Ravinder.”

  Hailey wrapped her up. “Hey, beautiful. Your mom and I were just discussing—”

  “Coffee!” Ricky said. “We just got a shipment in from Ethiopia. Best coffee ever.”

  Auri’s expression turned dubious. “And you call yourself a thespian.”

  That did it. Ricky stood thoroughly offended. “This coming after that Academy Award–winning performance with your boyfriend.”

  Sun’s phone dinged again. “I have to go. Quincy’s lost without me.” She put her hands on her daughter’s shoulders and sobered. “You know how sometimes what I do is life or death?”

  She nodded.

  “This is one of those times, bug bite.”

  A knowing smile spread across her lovely face. She looked from Sun to Hailey then back. “Got it.”

  “Good girl. Now why aren’t you in school?”

  14

  Arrested for holding hands in public

  because they didn’t know you and made a scene?

  We can help!

  —SIGN AT DALE SAUL, ATTORNEY-AT-LAW

  Of all the crap she put on her daughter, now she had to entrust the girl with a secret certain members of society would kill for. She would talk to Auri about it later. Right now, Quincy was screaming at her. Metaphorically, as he’d used three exclamation points in his text.

  “Are you okay?” he asked when she walked into the station a little worse for wear.

  “Why? Don’t I look okay? I did have a Thin Mint I found in my car that tasted sketchy.”

  He shook his head.

  “What’s so urgent?”

  “That.” He pointed to her office.

  She stepped closer. Levi was inside, pacing back and forth like a caged animal. He stopped and turned toward her, his expression angrier than normal. As much as she hated to admit it, she didn’t care if he was angry. Or why. Her heart skipped a beat with the knowledge that he was still alive.

  “He seems agitated,” she said to Quince.

  “He is,” Levi responded, waiting for her to come to him. Apparently, he wanted some alone time in her office.

  A frail voice drifted toward her. “Howdy, Sunshine.”

  Mrs. Fairborn. Sun waved at the elderly woman who’d set up shop at Quincy’s desk. “Hey, Mrs. Fairborn. How’s the confession coming?”

  “Fantastic. How do you spell bloodcurdling?”

  “I’ll help you with that, Mrs. F.,” Anita said, scooting up a chair beside her.

  Sun gave her another wave, then entered her office where she got a better view of Levi’s battered face than she had that morning. It looked worse than she’d hoped it would. Not that he wasn’t still ragingly handsome, but the deep blacks and blues around his left eye, not to mention his mouth, were troubling. Thankfully—and astoundingly—there wasn’t much swelling, but the subconjunctival hemorrhage had completely discolored the white of his left eye, leaving it a bright blood red.

  “Please tell me you had that checked out.”

  “Please tell me you found them.”

  “Can you answer my question?”

  “As soon as you answer mine.”

  “You know, you’re still under arrest.”

  “I’ve been under arrest for months. What makes today any different?”

  He was right. She’d arrested him, unofficially, four months ago when he’d first confessed to killing his uncle Kubrick. At the time, she suspected he only confessed because Hailey had beat him to the punch. She was the first of many to confess. But he knew things about the killing that Hailey hadn’t.

  “Did you find them or not?” he asked.

  “The assailants? No.” She almost
didn’t want to ask the next question, but she needed to know. “Did you?”

  He turned his back to her, clearly angry. “Are you even looking?”

  “Hey,” she said, offended. “You know we are. We’ve had some developments.”

  “Great. Because developments will help.”

  “I don’t think I like your attitude, mister.” She shoved her free hand onto her hip. “Which could only mean one thing. You’re in a massive amount of pain.” Even when she’d seen Levi at his angriest, he was rarely a straight-up asshole to her.

  He turned to face her again. Her statement seemed to steal some of his thunder. “Massive is a strong word.”

  She stepped closer. “Quincy, can you close the door?”

  “Sure, boss. Which side would you like me on?”

  “This one. I need a witness.”

  He did as ordered and waited.

  “A witness for what?” Levi asked.

  She set her coffee on her desk. “Take off your shirt.”

  The intrigued brow that formed a questioning arch did nothing to slow her pulse. “You don’t need a witness for that.”

  “I don’t. You do.” When he crossed his arms over his chest, refusing to cooperate—shocker—she said, “Look, either you let me do this or I’m arresting you and watching while Quincy strip searches you.”

  “For the love of God, Ravinder,” Quincy said, “let her check you out.”

  Most likely, any internal bleeding from the hit-and-run would’ve manifested by now. He would hardly be standing. She hoped the danger had passed since he seemed strong as ever. But better safe than sorry.

  Favoring one side of his body, he lifted his shirt over his head with a grunt. He could barely lift his left arm high enough, but he managed to get the shirt off and hold it firmly in a clenched fist. He was freshly showered and the woodsy scent of patchouli filled the room.

  Along with the scrapes and bruises she’d expected to see was a massive, platter-sized bruise along his left ribcage with petechial hemorrhaging down that side of his torso.

  Sporting her best poker face, she walked around him. His wide shoulders tapered down to a lean, muscular back that had not fared any better. It had deep gashes, probably from being dragged across the gravel, that needed to be looked after.