Chapter Two

“Kids, take your books and go to your rooms, so I can talk with your Aunt Jo. You can do whatever you want after you read three chapters. I’ll call you down when it’s time for lunch.”

When Kelly and Keith were out of earshot, Pepper turned on me. “What is wrong with you? You can’t just walk out like that – especially without leaving a note. He’s going to think this is permanent. He won’t come for you, Jo.”

If I thought I was going to get sympathy from my sister, I was wrong. Her accusatory tone made me defensive.

“I don’t want him to come for me, and this is permanent. I won’t compete with someone who’s younger, prettier, and has more personality in her little finger than I do in my entire body.” I ran my hands through my hair and felt as if I wanted to scream and pull it out at the same time. I looked her in the eye and said with certainty, “I fought as hard as I could to keep Alan. I will never do that again for any man. I won’t win.”

She stood firm in her disapproval. “What do you want me to tell him if he shows up here?”

“You aren’t telling him anything. Let me put my truck in your garage. He doesn’t need to know I’m here.”

She softened a little. “You know you can stay here as long as you want. You can sleep on the couch, or you can sleep in the family room in the basement.”

“I’ll stay in the basement. That way I’ll be out of your hair when you and the kids are having school, and you won’t even know I’m here. I’m going to evict Clay, so I can move back into my house. It’s a good thing I didn’t sell it.”

Pepper’s mouth fell open. “I don’t understand you. Now you’re going to make things difficult for Clay? Barbie’s only been on the force for a few weeks, and it’s all in your head that she’s after Glenn. It’s not like he’s sleeping with her.”

“You don’t know that. This morning, he gave my watch back to me. It broke when I fell out of the tree. He was obviously at her house to find it on the ground. You don’t see how he talks about her, and how they share everything. He talks to her a million times more than he talks to me. And the way she looks at him.” I rolled my eyes in disgust. “She isn’t going to stop until she has him.”

Pepper raised her voice. “Well, you’re handing him to her on a silver platter.”

“I’m not going to argue with you about this. What would you do if Buck rode with a female truck driver for a month, and you thought she was more attractive than you in every way? What if Buck came home on weekends, smiling and talking practically non-stop about their week together? And what if, when you saw her, she let you know she wanted your man? What would you do, Pepper? Tell me you wouldn’t care.”

“I’d throw a bitch fit and tell him he couldn’t ride with her any more. I’d put my foot down and tell him if he wanted to stay married to me, he’d make changes and put her out of his life. Did you do any of that? Did you give him any ultimatums?”

“We’re not married,” I yelled at her. “I’m in no position to give him ultimatums. If he finds someone he wants more than me, he’s still a free man and can move on. If I forced him to make a choice, he’d only end up resenting me.”

“You had a ring on your finger,” she countered. “Of course, you had a right to make him choose.”

“As far as I’m concerned, he made his choice. He knows I’m unhappy with the situation, and he hasn’t done anything to change it. Can I put my truck in your garage or not?”

She grumbled for a few more minutes, but we eventually switched vehicles. I dragged my suitcases downstairs.

For the next three days, I barely moved. The television became my best friend, but I wasn’t able to concentrate on anything I watched. There was a full bath in the basement, but I didn’t shower. I may have brushed my teeth once. I tortured myself with thoughts of Alan’s lying, cheating, and our eventual divorce - and the same familiar pattern brewing with Glenn. Thoughts of him and Barbie together caused my chest to tighten and ache. I didn’t know how to shake any of the thoughts or feelings as they played over and over and over in my mind.

Pepper had come down several times to let me know Glenn had called or come by, but she said she always told him she didn’t know where I was. I didn’t believe her. Knowing Pepper, she had probably discussed our situation at great length. I insisted she leave me alone. She brought food, but I refused to eat.

On day four of my becoming a member of the zombie race, I had confirmation that Pepper had told Glenn of my whereabouts. It wasn’t quite midnight when officers Patterson and Heini came barreling down the stairs.

The look in Clay’s eyes when he saw me was one of shock, and he seemed uncomfortable. Officer Heini had no problem with the situation.

“Jo Ravens, you’re under arrest for the attempted murder of Barbie Cane,” she said and instructed me to stand up. She cuffed me and proceeded to read me my rights.

Pepper wasn’t in the kitchen or the living room when Frankie led me upstairs. Kelly stood in her pajamas at the bottom of the staircase by the front door. She looked sad.

“They made me let them in,” she said softly.

I didn’t speak. I nodded and attempted a smile to let her know it was ok. Clay hung back, but Frankie pushed me, in just my t-shirt, sweats, and fuzzy orange slippers, out to the cruiser.

A tiny spark of life surfaced in my brain. I didn’t try to kill Barbie Cane, so who did? … She had an enemy.

Glenn wasn’t at the station when we arrived. I was used to going into the first interrogation room to write statements. I never expected to be there for an actual interrogation.

I waited nearly an hour before Sergeant Rorski came in.

He took one look at me and asked, “What the hell happened to you?”

I looked up at him and said, “You did. You happened to me. You’re the one who hired Barbie and partnered her with Glenn. My life has gone to shit because of you.”

He actually looked shocked by my words. “Jo, I’m going to do you a favor and not talk to you right now. What you just said is as good as a confession in my book, and you need a lawyer.” He turned and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

I muttered a few good swear words under my breath. I didn’t care if he was mad. I never left Pepper’s basement, and she would vouch for me. They didn’t have anything on me.

Frankie opened the door and stuck her head through the doorway. “Jackie Ryder called. Her husband, Matt, is on his way over. She said he’s your attorney.”

I nodded, and she closed the door. Matt was a partner in the law firm of Rose and Ryder Associates. They mainly dealt in family law, but they had handled a few criminal cases in the past. Matt would get this straightened out, and I’d be back at Pepper’s in no time.

When he walked into the room, I couldn’t help wondering how bad I looked. The same look of shock I had seen on Clay’s face registered now on Matt’s.

“Geez, Jo, what’s going on?”

“Nothing. I didn’t do anything. I’ve been in Pepper’s basement for four days.”

“Has she been holding you there against your will?”

I screwed up my face and said, “Of course not. I moved out of Glenn’s place, and until I can evict Clay from mine, I’m staying in Pepper’s basement.”

“Where were you tonight around eight o’clock?”

“Pepper’s basement.”

“Can anyone verify that?”

“Pepper.”

He looked at his notes. “According to Jackie, Pepper and the kids were at your mother’s house all day. They didn’t get home until ten o’clock this evening.”

It was Sunday. They would have gone to Mama’s for family dinner. It didn’t make sense they stayed so long.

“Jackie has to be mistaken. They would have been home no later than six.”

He double-checked his notes. “Pepper told Jackie they had dinner with the family - everyone but you and Buck, because he’s on the road. Then they played Pictionary. After a session of leftovers and pie, they stayed to discuss wedding plans with Hank and Nancy. It looks like an all-day affair to me.”

“So? I was in the basement alone. I still didn’t go anywhere.”

“Jo, you don’t have an alibi, and you basically just told Sergeant Rorski that you hate Barbie.”

“Why in the world does anyone think I tried to kill her in the first place? How did they ever come to that conclusion?”

Matt looked surprised I didn’t already know. “She ID’d you.”

I looked at him and smiled. Of course she did.