FIFTEEN

  

Clicks and the sound of rubber going across carpet drew me from the half-awake, half-asleep stage I clung to for the last thirty minutes. I had planned on waiting for Steve to return, but crashed right after Bell left. I vaguely remembered Steve coming in and apologizing. I looked over at Steve’s sleeping form. The image tugged at my heart and soul. Even asleep, I could see the strain of the last twenty-hours on his face. He was almost run over, found out I was being harassed, saved me from an attacker, witnessed a murder, and was questioned by the police.

The poor guy needed a good, long rest. I kissed his shoulder that had peeked out from under the blanket. I stretched and clambered out of the bed.

The noises continued growing outside my door. It sounded like a mass exodus was taking place. I went to the door and looked through the peephole. Women, with suitcases in tow, headed for the elevators.

Quickly, I brushed my teeth then used a headband to force my hair into a style of intentional disarray. I changed my shorts for a pair of yoga pants, snagged the matching jacket, then slipped out of the room. I eased the door closed.

Ted stood in the hallway, watching women and rolling totes crowd the elevator.

I tugged the jacket on and zipped it up halfway. “Bell released Bob.”

Ted slid an undecipherable look at me. “Is that a statement or a question?”

My heart sank. “I hoped it was a fact by now.”

“Excuse me.” A woman tugging a large suitcase and juggling two small cases walked right between me and Ted.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

Ted shrugged. “I’m guessing they have more stuff to bring into the crop room, or have decided to cut their weekend short.”

“We have to stop them.”

“It might be better if they left.” Ted rested his hands on his hips. “I’ll step in if crowd control is needed.”

“We need them to stay. This retreat will go under.” I pressed my lips together. No reason to admit out here, where croppers could hear us, that there was an “and.” Especially when it was followed by “one of them could be Morgan’s murderer.”

Ted stared at me for a long moment before hooking his arm through mine. “Let’s go get breakfast.”

I sighed and allowed him to direct me toward the stairwell. I didn’t have to say “and” for Ted to hear it. He knew me too well.

“I could use some coffee.”

This is going to be one headache of a day. I need all the caffeine I can get to get through it and deal with everything on my to-do list.

Ted tugged open the door to the stairwell, bowed, and rolled his hand in the air.

I rolled my eyes and stepped inside. “Thanks.”

The door thudded close.

“So, is everything all right?” Ted slid an undecipherable look at me.

“As all right as can be with attendees fleeing like the zombie apocalypse has designated this resort as its next stop.”

“How come you snuck out of your room instead of heading to breakfast with Steve?”

I narrowed my eyes. “Did Bell or Steve say something during the questioning that I should know about?”

“What is the other reason you don’t want people leaving? Sounded like you omitted a detail or two.”

A door opened and closed. Ted and I grew silent and waited. A few moments later we heard the sound repeated.

“I’m waiting for an answer,” Ted said.

I let out a deep sigh. “Because one of them might be Morgan’s murderer or Bob’s identity thief. Or maybe the thief is also the murderer.”

Ted groaned. “Faith, don’t. Bell isn’t going to take kindly to you helping him solve this murder.”

“I know that. He’s made it very clear.” I started down the stairs.

“And yet, you’re going to poke around for the truth.”

“I don’t have a choice. I got the feeling he was dismissing what I told him about Violet.”

Ted took hold of my arm, stopping me from taking one more step down. “A fact you hadn’t mentioned when he spoke to you after Morgan was killed. I wouldn’t be surprised if Bell got the feeling you were holding something back from him.”

“I think Violet is the identity thief Bob is looking for, Morgan came here to exact revenge for the last person who she pretended to be, and then Morgan planned on framing me for his crime.”

Ted moved to stand on the step below me. He looked right into my eyes. “And where, or from whom, did you get that idea?”

“Bob.”

“Why would Morgan threaten you numerous times, thereby tipping you off to his plan?”

“Because the next person she planned on being was one of my grandmothers. I’d have the best reason for killing the woman.” I told him about finding notes about my grandmothers in Violet’s bag. “Gussie’s making a celebration of friendship album for my grandmothers. It went missing for a few hours, and later turned up in a box with our clearance items.”

“Then why was she following you beforehand? It doesn’t make sense.”

“Because the Cropportunity website showed Scrap This was a vendor. There were also pictures of my grandmothers and Steve. She started doing her homework on us before the event.” A thought slithered into my head. “Does Bell know Morgan was here because of me?”

Ted shrugged, refusing to meet my eyes.

I lowered myself onto the stair and leaned my head against the wall. “Now who’s holding back? You know something I should know.”

“I can’t say, Faith.” Ted sat beside me. “I wish I could. I hate being a secret keeper when I know it’s best for it to be out. Some information is more painful when you hold it inside than when you let it go. It’s the keeping it quiet that eats at you, not what actually happened. I wish you and others had a little more faith in the people in their lives.”

“It’s not them. It’s what others will say and think about them that worries me.”

Ted leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. “Your grandmothers and Steve can handle it. They haven’t just lived with the roses and rainbows of life. They’ve dealt with the thorns and the storms that come with it.”

“So poetic this morning.” I placed my hands behind me and braced myself as I stretched my legs out. My ankles rested on the edge of the second step down.

“It’s what happens when I spend time with my brother and his boyfriend. It reminds me some people have to fight for the basic right to love somebody. Makes me realize we shouldn’t take love for granted when it’s so easy for us to grasp and hold onto.”

I pivoted, placing my back to the wall and drew my knees to my chest. “Sometimes love is hard and should be let go.”

Something flickered in Ted’s eyes. “Sometimes a person you love, yes…but not love itself. When a person who says they love you harms you, then let it go. But don’t let love go because someone hurt you.”

I hugged my knees tighter. Was Ted going to profess his feelings for me again? My heart raced. I loved Steve. I wanted to be with Steve.

Ted stood and held his hand out to me. “Let’s get the coffee and breakfast I promised you.”

I placed my hand in his. Ted drew me to my feet. “So, do you have any idea who might have killed Morgan?”

“Leave it alone.” Ted used his arms to box me in against the wall. “Sweetheart, I know you don’t want anyone else to get hurt. You have to realize the people who love you don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“Not against everything and everyone. When I go on a case, I take back-up. I wear a bullet-resistant vest. I carry a gun. If I don’t check in, someone at the station sends out a distress call. Even though I can take care of myself, I don’t put myself in a situation where I have to prove it to stay alive.” Ted curled a strand of hair around his finger then tucked it behind my ear.

My breath hitched in my throat and my legs wavered. “I’m not putting myself in these situations.”

“They just happen?”

I nodded.

Ted ran a thumb over my lips. “When will you believe the people who love you don’t need you to continually test yourself to prove you’re good? They already know it.”

“I’m not testing myself,” I said even as Ted began caressing my bottom lip.

“Then are you testing us?”

“No.” I held Ted’s wrist, stopping the touch creating a desire in me I shouldn’t have for the man I didn’t choose. “Helping people is what I have to do. It’s part of me. Who I am. I can’t turn away when someone’s life will be altered because of someone else’s choice.”

Ted stepped away from me and crossed his arms. “If that’s who are, what you need to do with your life, then do it. But do it right.”