Previously in Niceville: Carrie Cooper discovered her friend and local business owner, Sylvia, dead on Sylvia’s coffee shop floor. With a request for investigative help from the local police, Carrie and Mandy set out to question citizens of Niceville. After a rough night, Carrie learns some news about the local Chief of Police.
Season 1: Caramel Macchiato Murder
Episode 9: Key to My Heart
One person can only absorb so much information before it feels like too much. I was at the too much point. The homeless man… I understood his situation. Becky… she was young and stupid. I wasn’t sure if I believed her story or not. Something was very off with her. Chief Jefferson? That was an incredibly hard pill for me to swallow. Did I like him always? No. Did I want to believe he’d harm a citizen of this town? No. I poured myself a cup of coffee and went to my office while I let Clare and Mandy work out front. I almost choked on that sweet caffeine as I tried to drink it while it was too hot.
There was no way, surely no way, that Chief could be the one. But that little voice in the back of my head had to wonder at what ease he could steer people away from any evidence. I knew who I needed to talk to about all this, but at the same time, I was dreading confiding in him. I was afraid I was placing a burden on him, but a burden I would have to to place. I dialed his phone.
“Hello,” Danny answered.
“Hey…” I said.
“You holding up okay?”
“As best I can. I assume you know i’m helping out with case?”
“Yes. Not that I approve, but yes.”
I chuckled. He was a protective guy. “Well, I have a question for you.”
“Shoot.”
“I need your word you will breathe of this to no one. Not even Chief.”
“Okay. I can do that for you.” I could feel his hesitation, but he clearly trusted me.
“I found something out about the Chief that makes me nervous. He’s been trying to buy Sylvia out for awhile to have her location. Seems weird he didn’t fess that up immediately to me.”
There was nothing but silence on the end of the line. After a very long and tense moment, he replied, “Probably because he knew how bad it would look, but not telling looked worse. I trust him. There is no way he did this.”
I felt frustration well up inside of me like a hurricane on the beach. Landfall.
“Fine. Thank you.”
“Wait… I just…”
Click. I hung up on him and buried my face in my hands. I had overreacted, but my stress was billowing out of me, and he’d sounded a bit dismissive of me.
“That sounds like it went well,” Clare said from my doorway. I look up at her. She was grinning.
“Thanks, sis”
“Anytime. Ready for your date tonight?”
“I almost forgot.”
“Well, leave a little early. We have it covered here. Go get all dolled up.”
“You sure?”
“Yep.”
“Okay.”
I went and asked Mandy, and she too, had been hoping to send me packing. I headed home hoping for a bubble bath. You know, a little girl time, some primping. After this week pounding me into the ground, I needed it worse than coffee in the morning.
I headed home. I made quick work of getting inside, starting the bath, and looking in my closet for a pretty outfit for my date. I settled on a cute sundress and a jean jacket. Cute, classy, and somewhat casual. Then, I picked out some pumps and slipped into the bathroom to soak.
I turned off the bath water and undressed. I’d only been in the bath about five minutes when I heard a knock at my door.
Darn. I hurriedly climbed from the luxurious bubble bath, wrapped myself in a fluffy towel, and hurried to the door.
Yeah, I know. Answering the door in a towel is rude, but not answering the door at all is rude as well. I swung the door open and found Connor looking at me in shock.
“Uh, hi. Aren’t you early?” I said glancing at the clock. I still had thirty minutes before I expected him.
I gestured for him to enter. “Come in.”
“I’m so sorry. I saw you were home on my way by. I was worried that something might be wrong after you know…” he said, trailing off.
“Oh! No, I just got off a little early. Hired a new person. Have a seat. I’m going to go finish getting ready real quick.”
He sunk down onto the sofa. “Take your time.”
Thanking god, mentally, for already having chosen my outfit, I hurried back to my bathroom and slipped into my dress, jacket, and pumps. I quickly pulled my hair into a bun on the top of my head and swiped on some lipstick. The entire process was done in fifteen minutes.
I skidded into the living room to find Connor swiping through his phone. “Hey,” I said awkwardly.
He started laughing. “It was my fault for pounding on your door like a maniac. I’m sorry about that.”
My tension eased. “Oh! No! Really, it was sweet of you to worry about me. I always appreciate a kind gesture.”
“Thank goodness for that,” he said, a smile lighting up his gorgeous face.
Oh my god. Those lips were gorgeous, and it has definitely been awhile sense Lady Liberty has seen any freedom to get joyous, if you know what I mean.
Anyway, a nun could get turned on by this man. He has an aura that pulls you in.
“You’re staring. Do I have something in my teeth?”
“Oh god no. I’m sorry. It’s just your…” I trailed off. What was I going to say? It’s just you have a fantastic aura that makes me want to climb you like a tree. Nope. Hard pass.
“I’ve been told my aura is unique.”
I felt my mouth drop open. “You believe in that stuff?”
“Yeah. Of course. I mean, you are the woman that saved that old man, right? Or am I confusing you with a different Carrie that’s drop dead gorgeous? I assumed you, being a witch or whatever people whisper about, meant you would believe too.”
I started laughing. “Uh, yeah. I definitely believe. But hold on. How many people whisper about what happened?”
“Like a lot of people.”
“I was under the impression that it all blew over. I stopped getting women asking for me to curse their husbands within a few weeks, but I should have known that in this town people were still talking.”
He laughed. “Yeah, should have seen that one coming.”
“I was definitely staring only at your aura,” I said, smiling broadly.
“Noted,” Connor said, winking as he stood up. “You look beautiful. Do you want to head out. I thought we could try that New Mexican place on the edge of town. Does that work for you?”
“Absolutely. I’ve been dying to…” I cringed.
“Yeah, I get you,” Connor said as he held out his arm, clearly trying to make me forget about my slip of tongue.
I threaded my arm through his, and damn were his muscles large. Oh Lady Liberty. Calm down.
“Who’s Lady Liberty?” He asked.
That stopped me in my tracks. “Wait. Are you… Do you… Can you…” I stammered.
He laughed. “I’ve been able to read the minds of whoever I was touching since I was a young child. I have a few out abilities, but none of them come as naturally as mind reading. Sorry.”
“No! That’s cool. That’s fine. That’s freaking awesome,” I said.
“So… who is Lady Liberty?”
“Uh,” I said as I felt the crimson blush creeping up my cheeks. “Just some random hussy I know. Don’t really want to talk about her right now.”
He shrugged. “Of course! Let’s go.”
***** In no time flat, we were in the middle of a delicious meal. I mean, who doesn’t love authentic salsa, chips, and chimichangas straight up smothered in cheese and sour cream? Well, I certainly do.
The conversation was flowing, and so were the margaritas. He kept touching my hand, and I got ballsy enough to rub my foot on his calf at one point. We were well on the way to flirty when I got a text from Mandy.
Normally, I’d ignore a text while on a date, but with everything going on right now, the dream I had last night, and my immense paranoia, I opened it almost immediately. While I was reading it, it showed she was typing more.
Mandy: I’m on the way home. I think someone is following me. I just needed someone to know. Love you. Hope your date is going well. Don’t stress!
I felt fear in my gut. Then, the typing bubble went away.
I look up at Connor who had definitely picked up on the shift of my mood. “I’m sorry, but that’s my best friend. She sent me a concerning text. Can you excuse me long enough to make sure she’s okay?”
“Of course. I’ll be right here if you need me.” His face was smooshed up into a look that was pure concern and cuteness. Like a damn golden retriever. Aww…
I rushed out to the lobby to call Mandy, and all of a sudden I got this terrible sense of dread. As I was dialing, I already knew she wasn’t going to answer. I can’t explain these things, but sometimes I just know things. I knew without a doubt that Mandy was in life threatening trouble. I called again. Still no answer.
I did the only thing I knew to do next. I rushed inside to tell Connor I had to go.
As I came skidding up to the table, I can see he’s already paid and boxed up the remaining food. “I’m sorry, but something’s wrong. I have to go.”
“I was afraid of that. I just… knew something felt wrong. Let me take you wherever you need to go.”
He grabbed the food and ushered me out towards his car. He opened the door and helped me in. “Where to?” He asked me.
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “Mandy, my friend, text me and said she was on the way home but thought she was being followed. Now she isn’t answering her phone. I don’t know why, but I know she’s in trouble.”
“Okay, should we call the cops?” Connor asked.
“No.” I answered a little too fast. “We are working a case, and I can’t let the police know. It’s complicated. I can’t let the chief know. He’s one of my suspects right now. I know this all sounds crazy…”
“Carrie, stop,” Connor said, reaching over and taking my hand in his. “I trust you. If you say no cops, then no cops. But what do we do? We have to think fast.”
“I go to Mandy’s house and pray to God she’s there and okay. If she isn’t…” I felt my sob catch in my throat. “Then, I figure out what to do next.”
“All right,” he said. “Give me directions. I’m coming too.”
I felt happiness swell up inside me. This man was either too good to be true, or I’d been looking in all the wrong places for the men I’d dated. Who knew that I just needed to lock myself out of my house to meet the man of my dreams?
As quick as the happiness had appeared, I drained from me as he started his ignition. Mandy just had to be okay. I couldn’t live with myself if she wasn’t.
“How far?” he asked.
“I can’t draw you into the middle of all this,” I said. “It’s crazy and reckless. You barely know me. It would be wrong.” I was stammering by now, stress pouring off of me.
He sighed loudly. “Carrie, I’m not wasting time by taking you to get your car. Just give me directions. I’m coming. If you make me drop you off, you are wasting time and energy because I’m going to follow you anyway. Now, for the love of God woman, where to?”
I smiled, “Take a left at the light.”
Love your writing, Jenna!
Great stuff, Jenna! Make me a little hungry too, haha!