CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
“You realize, Sarah,” Anne said the following Sunday, “that may have been your first and last ride with the Wildcats.” She picked up a small plate from the Southwind buffet table and filled it with the brunch goodies she’d commissioned Emily and Marcus to make in celebration of finding the real killer, Sarah’s sleuthing, the Wheaton police department, and the Wildcats. “Here come Jacob and Harlan. Jacob must have finished extricating your shoes from his bike. I think I’ll leave the three of you alone while I go work the room. Looks like we have a good crowd of would-be voters here.”
Sarah loved how Anne used every opportunity to politic. They might still not be bosom buddies, but they understood each other better now.
As Jacob and Harlan came up to her, both giving her a thumbs-up, her face warmed.
It had been scary and awfully freeing to ride on the back of Jacob’s motorcycle, but she hadn’t known what to do with her feet. She’d finally opted to rest the heels of her shoes in the opening between the tire and the exhaust pipe. Each time Jacob turned, she pushed her heels down farther to gain a better grip on the bike. It was only when they got back to the Southwind parking lot and she tried to dismount that she realized she was stuck. Jacob eased her feet out of her shoes, happy she hadn’t burned herself. In order to avoid damaging his motorcycle, he’d spent the better part of an hour removing the pipes, pulling out the shoes, and rebuilding his bike.
Now, with an iced tea in one hand, Jacob made a show of wiping sweat from his brow with the back of the other. “Hardest work I’ve done today, but not as hard as what you did for me. Harlan and Sarah, I’m very grateful for everything you did to prove I was innocent, but, Sarah, based upon time and effort, I think we might now be even.”
“No question. Is your motorcycle okay?”
“The bike survived, but I don’t think I’ll be inviting you back for another ride anytime soon. Still, I can’t begin to tell the two of you how scared I was thinking things might never turn out the way they did.”
Harlan clapped Jacob on the shoulder. “It worked out well for everyone, even Tonya. She may eventually stand trial for what she did, but at least for now, she’s getting the medical treatment she desperately needs.”
“I only wish she’d taken advantage of a VA or nonprofit counseling program before things ended the way they did.”
“So do I. Jacob, if you’ll excuse us, I want to show Sarah something.”
“No problem.” Jacob pointed across the room to where his sister was in full campaign mode. “I think it’s time for me to have some fun being a pesky little brother.”
As Jacob wandered off, Sarah was glad to see the bounce in his step was back, as was his penchant for annoying his sister.
“Sarah, come over to the front windows with me.”
Curious, Sarah followed Harlan. Sarah knew Emily had crammed two small tables onto Southwind’s porch, filling its limited space. If the numbers worked out and profits from Southwind and the Pub continued to flow, Emily planned to have Cliff build a bar and porch off the back of the building.
What could Harlan want to show her? She peered through the window, able to see Jane’s Place. Sarah wasn’t sure how Jane was managing to keep her restaurant open, considering how much her business had fallen off once the story of her vegan substitutions got around. Based on the number of cars parked at Jane’s Place each night since the newspaper and the television stations reported on the scam, Sarah was positive Jane wasn’t filling her tables even once. Unless Jane came up with a new concept soon, Sarah wondered how long it would be before Jane’s Place closed.
Sarah cocked her head to the right and frowned. Grace was slowly walking up the walkway to Jane’s Place. Sarah glanced toward Harlan. From where he was standing, she wasn’t sure if he could see Grace. His jovial expression convinced Sarah that Grace’s march wasn’t what he wanted her to see. “Well?”
Harlan pointed outside to the table where Glenn, Vera, Carole, and the animal shelter’s Phyllis sat at a table. Buddy lay at Carole’s feet. “I’d say most everything worked out well for everyone.”
Sarah was stunned. “Buddy? And Carole?”
“That’s right. Those four have met several times at the shelter, exploring how the clinic and shelter might become part of the animal rescue system. Phyllis deliberately brought Buddy to their meetings. You know Carole’s always had a soft spot for Buddy but was afraid to take on the responsibility for a pet because of her substance abuse history. Well, whether it was what you did at the clinic or simply having more confidence in herself—because the last thing she wanted was the shot Tonya almost gave her—Carole recently asked to give Buddy a forever home, and Phyllis approved it. I think they’ll be good together.”
“I’m thrilled for both of them.”
“I am, too, but you realize you’ll have to pick a new pet to walk next Saturday.”
“That’s next week. Right now, I’m going back to the carriage house. I have a cat and dog who need a little loving.”