While Matt got on his cell phone to notify the Arkansas State Police that a person of interest in the Bixby murder had been located, I went over to give Mrs. Otis a hug.
“My goodness,” she declared. “Wait till Mr. Ridley sees you. He’s been beside himself all day.”
With that music ringing in my ears, I knocked on Sam’s office door, and at his quiet “It’s open,” I peeked in, not quite knowing what to expect.
He looked up, dropped his pen, and leaped to his feet. “Honey. You’re all right!”
“ ’Course I am. What’s everybody so upset about, anyway?”
He came charging around the edge of his desk, coming to a halt a foot or so away from me. I could have reached out and touched him, but I didn’t dare. One touch and I wouldn’t have been able to stop.
“When the police tell you not to leave town without notifying them, that’s what that means. Instead, you skip off to Fayetteville, and nobody knows where the hell you are.”
“I’m sorry.”
“That’s all you’ve got to say?” He stepped in closer, so close I could see every lash fringing his eyes. “Do you realize I’ve had cops in and out of here all day?”
“That couldn’t have been good for business,” I murmured.
“Screw the business. I thought you were lying in a ditch somewhere with a bullet in your head.”
If he meant to kiss me, now was the time, and I swore he came close to grabbing me and sending me on a trip to the moon. But, like in a Grade B movie, someone knocked on his office door and the moment shattered like a piece of cracked glass.
“Come in,” he yelled.
Darn. Matt’s timing sure was off.
Wrong. Matt was out in the main reception area, pacing around, his cell locked to his ear. Sam’s visitor was none other than his fiancée, Miss Lila Lott.
A stunning Lila Lott, smiling her perfect smile, her perfect hair dark and glossy to her perfect shoulders, her perfect designer dress hugging, not too tightly, her perfectly toned curves.
“Darling!” Arms open wide, Sam rushed to embrace her. I closed my eyes, opening up only when he said, “Honey Ingersoll, this is Lila Lott.”
She held out long, tapered fingers beautifully manicured with colorless polish. In comparison, my ruby reds looked kind of shouty. Thank the Lord I hadn’t let Mitsy at the salon put little razorbacks on the pinkies like she wanted to.
After wiping my sweaty palms on my skirt, I shook her hand. It was cool to the touch. What about her feet, say, on a cold winter night? Well, that I’d never know, but I couldn’t help noticing she was everything I was not. Sleek and polished as a gem, the kind of girl life’s down and dirty had never touched. I’d lay odds she’d never been punched in the face by a thuggy boyfriend.
“May I call you Honey?” she asked.
“Why I’d surely be delighted if you would,” I answered, sweet as all get out. Then I waited. And waited. In vain. No sweet words came flying my way saying, “Do call me Lila.” It figured. In her eyes, I was only Sam’s employee, not someone she cared to have as a first-name acquaintance. I suppose I could have turned the question around and asked if I could call her Lila. But I wasn’t sure what a well-bred lady would do at such a time, so I didn’t bother. Or dare. The truth? Dare.
Basic greetings over, she wasted no time switching her attention back to Sam. I couldn’t blame her. “Darling, I was hoping you’d be free to join me for a cocktail. It has to be five o’clock somewhere.” She gave a little carefree laugh.
I wanted to kill her.
“You know I never need an excuse to be with you. But you’ve caught me at an awkward time.” He glanced up as Matt strode in. “We’re expecting the state police any minute now. Isn’t that right, Sheriff?”
Matt nodded. “Yes, but you’ve already spoken to them, Sam. So feel free to leave, if you wish. I’ll keep Honey company until the officers arrive.”
Looking doubtful, for which I wanted to leap over the furniture and kiss him everywhere, Sam grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair and shrugged into it.
Before taking Lila by the arm, he came up to me and stared into my eyes. “You have nothing to worry about, Honey. I’ll back you all the way.”
Matt spread his legs, big city lawman style. “You can count on me, too.”
“Good.” With a farewell nod, Sam escorted Lila out into the sunshine, her laughter floating in the air behind them like an odor wafting on the breeze. And it wasn’t roses.
I sank onto the chair across from Sam’s desk, aware that all the air had gone out of the room along with him.
Eyeing me carefully, Matt arched a brow.
“What?”
“You outshine her a million to one.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You’re such a lousy liar, I hope you tell the state police the truth and nothing but. Otherwise, they’ll see right through you.”
Out by Mrs. Otis’ desk, the front door clattered open.
“Here they come.”