February 16 . . .
Two Days Until the Wedding
It was after midnight when her cell phone rang. Piper checked the ID and saw that it was Jack. She lowered the volume on the television.
“Hey, you,” she answered with pleasure as she pulled the covered elastic from her ponytail and shook out her hair. “I’ve been thinking about you.”
“I’ve been thinking about you, too, Pipe,” said Jack. “I hope I’m not calling too late. I had surveillance tonight.”
“Uh-uh. I’m wide awake. I was watching a Criminal Minds rerun.” She deliberately didn’t mention the throbbing gash on her calf or the trip to the doctor’s office with Brad O’Hara.
“Nice viewing right before you go to sleep, huh?”
“I’ve seen this one before,” said Piper, stretching out on the bed. “It’s my fave, the one where the deranged woman kidnaps the girls and dresses them up as dolls. Fortunately, my man Reid shows up before she really snaps.”
“Well, you know those FBI guys,” said Jack. “They always get their man. Or woman, as the case may be.”
“Not always,” Piper teased him.
“Our track record is pretty good,” said Jack. “Almost as good as yours.”
“You’re hilarious,” said Piper, “but now that we’re on the subject of law enforcement, were you able to find out anything new about what’s going on down here?”
“Yeah,” said Jack. “As far as the old lady is concerned, some yellow paint was scraped off her convertible, so they’re canvassing body shops and gas stations to see if anybody brings in a car with yellow paint and dents. But without a description of the driver, vehicle, or tags, they don’t have much to go on at this point. How’s she doing, by the way?”
“The same, at least as of a few hours ago,” said Piper. “Her amnesia hasn’t lifted.”
“That’s too bad,” said Jack. “But the news is better on the murder-case front.”
“Really? What?” Piper sat up in excitement.
“The sheriff’s department has a kid they think is good for it,” said Jack. “And get this, he’s Amish.”