A Minute on the Lips (9 page)

With her, he needed every advantage he could get. He could see the desire to bolt in her eyes. She had been half a second from turning down his request in the beauty shop. If he left her alone too long, she’d talk herself out of having dinner with him.

Mark shook his head. He ought to have it examined. She was rigid, prickly and desperate to be anywhere but here. The dating pool was pretty shallow in Tall Pines, but she wasn’t the only pretty girl in town. Why was he ready to sign on to her particular brand of frustration? It didn’t help that she was so cute when she got mad. Or that she was mad all the time. Or that he admired her strength and smarts. He wanted her cooperation, just to make his job easier, but maybe he also wanted to take her out, get to know her, shake her up. Now he had a nice reason to surprise her when she least expected it. He’d gamble and hold on to it for a little longer.

CHAPTER SIX

A
NDI
MANAGED
TO
walk briskly down the sidewalk in front of the Hair Port without looking in the window to see either Mark Taylor or the banked uproar that would no doubt erupt as the bells jingled on Mark’s exit. She made it back to the station, where Lori greeted her with a grim smile. “Sheriff, Tammy’s in your office.”

Andi nodded and skirted her desk and the crowded room behind it. When she opened the door to her office and saw Tammy’s Post-it-noted strategic plan leaning against her desk in full neon glory, she wanted to close the door quietly and tiptoe back out to the sidewalk.

Tammy’s hoot stopped Andi dead in her tracks. “Woo, girl, look at that new hairdo!” She clapped her hands and danced around Andi to get the full effect. Andi had known Tammy since first grade. She was about six inches shorter than Andi, athletically perfect with straight fine blond hair, and looked as if she’d never been in a bad mood. She had. She just never looked it.

Andi walked around her desk to collapse in her chair, which promptly let out a loud screech. In this instance, it was a comforting sound. It matched Andi’s mood perfectly.

Tammy perched on the edge of her own seat and said, “You oughta get that looked at.”

“My hair or my chair?”

Tammy laughed. “I meant the chair. The hair’s pretty fabulous. If you were wearing anything other than that uniform, I’d think you’d come from one of those makeover shows.”

Andi nodded. “Right. So, Mrs. Campaign Manager, what have you come up with?”

Tammy waved a hand dismissively at the poster she’d clearly spent some time on and said, “We’ll get to that. Let’s talk about the hair some more. I want details. And how soon can we get a new campaign photo taken?” She pulled out her phone and said, “You know what...you and I both know it’ll never look this way again. I’m going to call Peter and see if he has time to come over and shoot you right now.”

Andi nodded. Some days she felt as if she’d pay someone to shoot her...literally. Yesterday had been one of those days. Today was starting to look the same. Peter was Tammy’s husband. He worked at the bank, but his hobby was photography.

“Hey, baby, Andi’s gone and gotten herself a really nice hairdo. Can you come over and take some photos at lunchtime?”

The answer must have been yes because Tammy’s previously perfectly happy face lit up and she said, “Love you, baby.” When Tammy smiled and nodded at her, Andi did her best to smother the jealous twinge that kicked in whenever Tammy and Peter were together.

Tammy dropped her phone back in her purse and said, “He’ll be here in fifteen minutes. Now, dish.”

Andi shook her head. “Don’t you think a bit of makeup would be a good thing if I’m about to have my picture taken?”

She held out her hand. “Pass me your bag and we’ll see what we can do. And then you better talk.”

Andi pulled out the small bag she kept in a drawer for campaign emergencies. She never spent much time worrying about anything more than mascara on most days. Plain sheriffs seemed a whole lot easier to support than glamorous ones.

Tammy walked around the desk and sat on the edge of it as she dug around in the bag. She pulled out powder and blush and quickly applied those before she started working on Andi’s eyes. “I want to know everything. What brought on the bangs?”

Andi closed her eyes. “Maybe I’m getting tired of the way things are, doing the same thing day in and day out. Maybe I’m thinking about making some changes.”

Tammy hummed. “That doesn’t sound like you. What prompted this adventure?”

Andi smiled. Then she braced herself. “I think that would be Mark Taylor’s fault. Unless you count Jackie’s robbery as the real beginning, Mark is the source.”

Tammy paused and Andi blinked her eyes open. She closed them again when Tammy headed back toward her with a small brush. “We ran into each other at dinner last night and he said some things.... I finally told him what I thought about his news reporting, he apologized and offered his help with the case. Today I couldn’t figure out how to say no to his dinner invitation so I said yes, and now I think we have a
working
date on Saturday.”

Andi expected to be blinded by brilliant rays of sunshine from Tammy’s huge smile. Instead, Tammy bit her lip. She worked carefully with the mascara then leaned back. “Andi, that’s great. He’s seriously cute.”

“That wasn’t quite the reaction I expected. Aren’t you the same girl who signed me up for an internet dating service?”

Tammy sighed. “If I thought this was going to be an actual date, I’d be dancing on the desk. The fact that you can take anything and turn it into work worries me—you know that.”

“I have to prove myself. As my campaign manager, you ought to understand that. Besides, it’s dinner. Out. At night. That’s a date, right?” Andi told herself it didn’t matter what Tammy thought. But it did.

Tammy shook her head, worry clear in the tiny frown on her forehead.

A knock rattled the window in Andi’s office door and Tammy opened it to let Peter into the tiny room. “Girl, there’s more to life than work, even in Tall Pines.”

Peter raised an eyebrow as he kissed his wife but he didn’t ask. He had a lot of experience walking into the middle of their conversations.

“Hey, Peter, thanks so much for taking the time to seize this chance.” Andi picked up the single lipstick out of the bag and carefully applied it. When she looked up, Tammy and Peter were communicating with their eyes. Andi couldn’t hear a single word, but she knew she was the subject of the conversation. Again. And she heaved a quiet sigh.

Tammy worried about her. To her, the keys to happiness were a strong marriage and lots of time for her family. She just didn’t understand Andi’s need to prove herself. Why should she? She’d never been the town’s favorite subject of discussion, she ran one of the most popular businesses in town and she had a husband who’d love her until the end of time. Tammy didn’t need to prove anything to anyone.

“All right. Where do you want to do this?” Andi asked.

Tammy looked around the office and went to open the blinds for more light. “Let’s try for one shot in here then head outside to get one by the sign and maybe one or two with your car if the heat doesn’t kill us.”

Peter saluted and started giving direction. Andi did her best to follow all of his instructions, but something about having a picture taken made her more uncoordinated than normal. She lost count of how many times Peter had to say, “No, your other left.”

After roughly one thousand photos, Tammy was satisfied, and Peter was on his way back to work. They’d escaped the heat as quickly as they could. Andi and Tammy were reviewing her “strategy board” in the nice, cool office. Andi wanted to make air quotes every time Tammy mentioned the strategy board, but she would not have appreciated that. As she was Andi’s one and only full-time campaign worker, Andi needed to keep her happy.

“I’m not sure a debate’s a good idea, Tammy. Besides, how would we get people to turn out?”

Andi desperately wanted a big, tall glass of sweet tea. Her caffeine levels were running dangerously low after a morning in the beauty shop and the unplanned photo shoot. She carefully sneaked a look at her watch. Jackie’s lunch crowd would be long gone by now. Andi would have to put up with his questions, but she could also get a nice, cool drink and something for lunch. And she would happily buy Tammy’s lunch. If she’d only let Andi get the invitation out.

“Listen, I’ve got a plan. We’re going to get one of the groups from town to play in front of the courthouse to draw a crowd. Your boyfriend, Mark, can moderate and also do some advance promotion. We’ll set up podiums on the stage and spend thirty minutes talking about the issues.”

Andi still didn’t think it was a good idea. Public speaking didn’t terrify her but it didn’t please her, either. Tammy had no doubts. Finally, Andi wrapped one arm around her grumbling stomach and said, “All right. You set it up with Mark and Ray, and I’ll be there.”

Tammy clapped her hands. “I can do it. We’ll go through a little practice beforehand to be sure you’re ready.”

“Maybe,” Andi replied. She was quiet and they both laughed when her stomach rumbled loudly enough to get attention. “If I don’t eat soon, I’m going to lose my laid-back personality.”

Tammy snorted. “Right. Well, we wouldn’t want that.”

They had done enough for one day. Tammy had outlined the basics of the “media plan,” and since it consisted of yard signs, a billboard, a few postcards and several ads in the newspaper, Andi couldn’t see much to change. They’d done practically the same thing for the last election. And Tammy had everything ready to go because they were on a deadline. The new photo was an unexpected bonus that made Tammy’s eyes sparkle when she talked about it. The billboard was a new idea and Andi wasn’t sure how she’d feel seeing her name that big, but she trusted Tammy’s instincts.

“Let’s walk over to the Country Kitchen. I’ll drop the strategy board in my car on the way.” Tammy picked it up but paused in the doorway. “I guess Jackie’ll eventually let you eat in peace?”

Andi shrugged. “We’ve got to give it a try.”

Jackie made a beeline for Andi as soon as her right foot cleared his threshold. He dropped two menus on the table and yelled over his shoulder, “Two sweet teas, Oscar.” Then he turned his laser focus back to Andi and said, “Any news, Sheriff?” His eyes narrowed as he studied her face, as if he knew something was different but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

Andi shook her head, enjoying the swish of her now-shorter ponytail, and sighed with happiness as Oscar magically appeared and set the glasses down on the table. Before they left her office, Andi had pulled her curls back up into a ponytail as required by both the heat and her need for authority. “Not yet, Jackie, but a list of anyone who might have a personal reason to steal from you—something other than taking the cash you have on hand—could help. Also, can you tell me who else has a key to the restaurant?”

“Only people with a key are me and Mona, but I can make you a list. What’ll you have for lunch?” Jackie asked. He looked a little anxious and a little ticked off.

Andi didn’t open the menu. She didn’t need to. “Club sandwich and chips, please.”

“Make it two, Jackie,” Tammy added.

“How’s Mona doing?” Andi asked.

“As good as anybody can be with a burglar on the loose. Sure hope you’ll fix that quick.” He snatched both menus and went back into the kitchen to make up the sandwiches. Andi thought about asking again just what kind of papers were in the safe, but she figured her chances of finding out were even worse with an audience.

While they waited, Tammy said, “So...you and Mark. What’s the plan for this
working
date?” When Andi didn’t immediately launch into a heartfelt confession, she waggled both eyebrows.

Andi snorted a little of the sweet tea she was methodically draining from the glass, but she had no worries. Oscar would have it refilled before she knew it was empty.

When she caught her breath, Andi said, “There’s not much to say. He asked me out. I said yes. We’re going out on Saturday. We’ll share information on the case, try to come up with some new direction. Right now, that’s all I know.”

Tammy tilted her head and waited.

“Really, that’s it, my whole plan.” She shook her head. “And if you don’t believe me, just wait a bit. You’ll hear the tale of how he asked me out over at the Hair Port. Also, that I nearly verbally murdered Edna for comparing me to my father, but Mark saved the day.”

Tammy’s eyebrows rose and she tore her napkin into small pieces before she answered. “Wow, all that with an audience. That’s not the Sheriff Jackson I know.” The concern on her face brought on an old familiar lump in Andi’s throat. Tammy had been there through it all, and her care was enough to burn past the rage to the hurt that lingered and resurfaced anytime her father came up. “Sheriff Jackson’s usually firmly in control.” She rolled her eyes. “And she’d never let someone else come to her defense.”

Andi opened her mouth to argue because Tammy looked a little hurt as she said it, but it was the truth. She’d practiced long and hard to pretend her past no longer got to her. The idea that she’d need anyone else to protect her was silly.

“But...Mark Taylor. He’s the kind of guy you should go for. I mean, if you lived for anything other than work.” This was an old argument. Andi had explained how important serving this town flawlessly was, and it had been enough to get her on board for the first campaign. “Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone who would fight for you, even if you don’t really need it?”

“Tammy, it wasn’t a fight. It was a clever remark that...deflated the tension.” Which was better than the smoke and ash she’d have left behind. She might owe him a grudging thank-you for that. “And I said yes to his working date because I want to solve Jackie’s case quickly and I want to be reelected sheriff. Getting along better with him will help, but this isn’t a love match.”

Saying it out loud seemed to lift a heavy load off Andi’s shoulders. “You know I’m only here for a little bit, Tammy. I’ll win this election, do a very good job, and by then, Gram should be settled.” Maybe. She hoped. “I want to take advantage of Mark and his connections. That’s all. I’m not settling down here.”

Tammy sighed and looked resigned. Maybe even disappointed. “I’m just saying he’s pretty cute...has his own business. He’s a catch. Maybe you should...you know, try to catch him. Most men—a lot of men—stay, Andi. They don’t leave their wives or kids. And I think you’d be happier if you took a chance on a good one sometime.”

Andi shook her head. Tammy had never put any direct pressure on her to come home, but Andi had the feeling she’d be over the moon if Andi settled down right here with the newspaper man and a white picket fence. She watched Tammy smile determinedly and tried to ignore the pang brought on by the thought of leaving again, missing these lunches, relying on weekly phone calls to know what was happening with her best friend. Following right behind that was the burning guilt that filtered in anytime she thought about leaving her Gram or Tammy behind in Tall Pines again.