“Hey.” Lars stood inside the doorway, trying to decide how to begin.
Erik waved at the end of the counter. “Come on around and sit. You want some coffee?”
“Sure,” Lars lied. He’d had two beers at the Dew Drop, and coffee was the last thing he wanted. On the other hand, it gave him something to do while he figured out a way to explain things to Erik.
Erik set a Styrofoam cup on the desk in front of him, then dropped back into his desk chair. “What brings you here?”
Lars sipped the coffee. It wasn’t half bad. “I’ve got a problem, and I thought you might be able to help me with it.”
Erik leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk in front of him. “Okay, tell me about it.”
Lars took a breath and launched into the story, wondering if it sounded as ludicrous as he was afraid it did. When he got to the part about Jess Carroll and her unwanted visitor, Erik held up his hand.
“Did she ask him to leave?”
“I’m not sure.” Lars frowned. “She told him she didn’t want to take care of his kids, and then she went inside her house. Does it make a difference?”
“If she told him to leave and he didn’t, you might be able to make a case for trespassing, or for harassment. Tell me the rest of it.”
Lars did, fairly quickly, and Erik leaned back in his chair. “You’re sure it was the same guy?”
Lars nodded. “I’m sure. There can’t be that many pudgy balding guys named Lorne with pinkie rings running around Konigsburg.”
Erik sighed, staring up at the ceiling for a few moments. “Any idea what this is all about?”
“None. It’s just…troubling.”
“Yeah. Troubling is right.”
Lars rubbed the back of his neck, trying to loosen the knots in his muscles. “Is there anything I can do? Swear out a complaint or something?”
Erik shrugged. “I don’t see anything you’ve got a legal right to complain about here. The guy apparently used a false name with at least one of you, but that’s not illegal, as long as he didn’t try to get anything from you.”
“And the questions? The way he tried to find out about us?”
“Again, not illegal unless he uses the information for some criminal purpose. Besides, neither of you told him anything, right?”
Lars nodded. “Right. The more he asked, the more both of us backed off. So there’s nothing we can do?”
Erik stared at the ceiling, thinking. “I can’t arrest him—like I say, he hasn’t done anything illegal that I can see. I can talk to him if I can locate him. Try to find out what’s going on, why he’s in town. You have any ideas on that?”
Lars shook his head. “I suppose it could be something connected to Sherice, but I don’t know what. It’s not like he can find out anything from me or Jess that would affect the custody agreement.”
“Any chance Sherice might like to grab Daisy?” Erik’s voice was surprisingly calm.
Lars felt as if he’d been kicked in the chest. He took a couple of deep breaths. “It wouldn’t get her anything. She doesn’t have legal custody and she’s not about to hide out anywhere if she wouldn’t have access to her money. And I’d make sure she ended up in court if she tried it—preferably with extensive coverage in
The
Des Moines Register
that would blow her chances to pick up a rich new husband.”
Erik nodded slowly. “All the same, you might want to warn your babysitter to keep an eye out. She sounds like a pretty sharp woman.”
“She is.” Lars took another breath, trying to calm his racing heart. “I’ll do that.”
He stood, suddenly anxious to get to Pete’s house. It made no sense to be worried, but he wanted to see Daisy anyway. “Thanks, Erik.”
“I haven’t done anything yet.” One corner of Erik’s mouth edged up a little more than the other, giving his smile a slightly off-center look. “I’ll get on it tomorrow, though.”
“Thanks anyway. I’ll talk to you again later.” Lars opened the door, then paused briefly. Erik had returned to his computer keyboard in the empty room.
For an odd moment, Las wondered if he ever got lonely there by himself.
We should do something about this—all of us.
Lars took a breath and then blew it out. They should, but they probably wouldn’t.
Then he turned and started hiking back up the street toward the rest of his family.
Chapter Seven
On Monday, Jess had the whole morning to work on Web sites while the kids played since the cabin was already clean and the next guests weren’t checking in until early afternoon. She’d had two uneventful weekend days with no sign of Lorne Haggedorn/Barrymore hanging around her front steps.
Still, she kept looking out the front window every now and then, checking to see if anyone was headed her way. Not that they would be, of course. But still.
While there was no sign of Lorne Barrymore, what she saw when she looked out the window at mid-morning was almost as unsettling. A valkyrie was striding across her meadow.
The woman had to be at least six feet tall. Jess considered herself to be a tall woman at five ten, and at one point in her life she’d been in very good shape, at least athletically. The valkyrie, on the other hand, was in the kind of shape that probably stopped all conversation when she entered a room, at least among the men. Her bright red hair was mostly held up on top of her head by a plastic banana clip, although strands had begun to come loose and float around her face. She wore blue jeans and a cambric shirt that looked butter soft. And her expression seemed to indicate she was not a woman to mess with.
Jess opened the door as she reached the front porch, and Daisy rocketed through beneath her arm. “Aunt Docia!” she shrieked. “Come meet Jack. We’re playing blocks. You can help.”
The woman caught Daisy up around her waist, half-tossing her into the air. “Hey, pumpkin! It’s good to see you.”
She turned to Jess, tucking Daisy neatly under one arm and extending her hand. “Hi. You must be Jess. I’m Docia Toleffson, Cal’s wife, Daisy’s aunt.”
Jess took her hand a little warily, wondering why Docia Toleffson had taken it upon herself to visit her niece in the middle of the morning.
Docia didn’t seem to notice, maybe because Daisy had squirmed out of her arms and was pulling her across the room as soon as she stepped inside the door. “C’mon, Aunt Docia. Come see Jack.”
Jack had crawled halfway off his blanket, trying to catch Daisy when she’d run away. Now he sat back on his haunches and grinned up at Docia Toleffson, hopelessly in love once again.
Lordy, at this rate, the kid was going to have his heart broken multiple times by the time he was ten.
Docia knelt beside him, her lips spreading in a soft grin. “Hi, Jack,” she murmured. “Aren’t you a sweetie!”
Jack giggled, reaching dimpled fingers toward her face.
“Careful,” Jess cautioned. “He loves hair and I don’t think he’s ever seen anything quite like yours before.”
Docia slowly moved her forehead close to Jack’s, pulling loose the banana clip to let her scarlet hair hang free. “You like redheads, Jack?”
“Jack likes everybody,” Daisy sang.
Jack grabbed handfuls of hair on either side of Docia’s face, chortling in delight, then pulled her closer.
Docia leaned forward, pursing her lips. “Boy, you are one strong baby!”
Jess winced. Nobody ever seemed to believe that Jack could pull hair as hard as he did. She knelt beside Docia, loosening Jack’s fingers. “C’mon, kid. You’ve had your fun. Go play blocks with Daisy now.”
Reluctantly, Jack let go, then settled back on his rear again, watching as Daisy began to pile wooden blocks in front of him.
Docia grinned at her. “Boy’s got quite a grip! Probably a major career in tug of war.” She stood, brushing her hands on her knees.
Jess took a deep breath and tried to remember how to be a hostess. She hadn’t done it for over a year. “Would you like some coffee? Or did you want to take Daisy somewhere? Mr. Toleffson didn’t mention anything about it this morning, but I could call him. I’m sure it would be all right.”
Docia shook her head. “I’d love to take Daisy with me, but I can’t. I’m due back at the bookstore in ten or fifteen minutes. I just wanted to meet you since I’ve heard so much about you.”
“Oh?” Jess stared at her, trying not to hear alarm bells. What was Lars Toleffson saying? And to whom?
“Daisy talks about you and Jack all the time,” Docia explained. “You’re her main topic of conversation these days.”
Jess wondered if she looked as much like a moron as she felt. “Daisy’s terrific. She’s great with Jack. I think he’s in love.”
Docia chuckled. “Those Toleffsons tend to do that. People are always falling in love with them. I should know.” Her smile became a little crooked. “We’re so glad Lars decided to settle up here, finally. Now Daisy’s got a whole pack of uncles and aunts to spoil her.”
Jess felt a quick pang. Jack wouldn’t ever have that. No uncles to play with him. No grandparents to fuss. Just his mother, who was doing her best to make sure the only family Jack had left never got their claws into him.
“Are you from around here, Jess?” Docia raised a questioning eyebrow.
Jess shook her head. “We’re from back east. But we haven’t lived there in a while.”
Good wishy-washy answer
.
“No family nearby?”
Jess shook her head again. “What about you?”
“My mama and daddy live in San Antonio. Pete’s wife Janie is actually from Konigsburg. The guys’ parents are in Iowa but they’re talking about moving down here since everybody else in the family already has.”
“That’s nice,” Jess murmured absently.
“You’d think so, wouldn’t you?” Docia’s eyes narrowed a little, then she grinned as she turned back to watch Daisy and Jack. “Anyway, we’ve got lots of relatives all over the place what with Toleffsons and Kents and Duprees.”
Jess suddenly made the connection. “Is your husband the veterinarian?”
Docia nodded. “He’s a partner in the clinic over on West. If you have any pets, he’s your man.”
“I don’t, but…” Jess watched Jack pick up a block, pushing it toward Daisy. “Well, I was thinking about maybe getting a puppy. I mean, we’re sort of isolated out here. But I don’t know what kind of dog to look for, what with Jack and Daisy.”
“Cal could help you. He’s always got puppies and kittens he’s trying to place so they won’t have to go to the pound in Kerrville.”
“Maybe I’ll talk to him.”
“So if you don’t have any family around here, what are you doing for Thanksgiving?” Docia glanced back at her.
“Helping out with the tourists here—I think we’ve got a full house. Isn’t that the busy season in town? I know the cabin’s booked all weekend.”
Docia nodded. “Right, the beginning of the nightmare that is the Christmas shopping season. But surely they won’t need you on Thanksgiving Day. The guests will have their own plans, right?”
Jess’s wariness rose again. “Maybe. I guess so. I hadn’t really thought about it.”
“Good.” Docia nodded decisively. “You can come have Thanksgiving with all of us. Daisy will love having Jack around and you can have some adult time.”
“Oh, but…no. I mean, it’s your family,” Jess stammered.
Docia waved a hand. “There’ll be people who aren’t family, too. A couple of them, anyway. Please. It would really be great if you came. Daisy would be so happy.”
Jess stared at Jack as he played on his blanket, trying to ignore just how much she suddenly wanted a day where she had a family too.
Having a family could be dangerous. The Morelands took advantage of families. And friends. “I don’t know…”
“Come on,” Docia wheedled. “It’ll be fun. We’ll make you an honorary Toleffson.”
Jess felt small fingers close around her hand and looked down to see Daisy’s huge brown eyes staring up at her. “Please, Mrs. Carroll. Jack’ll like it.”
Jess closed her eyes for a moment. Daisy was absolutely right. Jack probably would like it.
“Okay.” She sighed. “We’ll be there.”
Janie Dupree Toleffson glanced up as Docia walked through the front door of Kent’s Hill Country Books. “So? Did you meet her?”
“Yeah. Daisy ran out and dragged me into the house. Ms. Carroll didn’t have much choice about it.” Docia pulled off her jacket and dropped it behind the front counter.
“So?” Janie’s forehead furrowed. “What do you think? What’s she like?”
Docia shrugged. “Quiet. Good with kids. Sort of reserved, but that might have been because this perfect stranger descended on her out of the blue.”
“I should have gone with you.”
“Right.” Docia stepped out from behind the counter and pushed a cardboard paperback display slightly closer to the wall. “That’s all she’d need—the two Toleffson brides showing up on her doorstep trembling with curiosity. That wouldn’t be too disconcerting.”
“Pete’s still worried about Lars.”
“I know. So’s Cal.”
“It just seems like…” Janie waved her hand. “Shouldn’t he be over this by now? I mean Sherice is history, thank god. So shouldn’t he be able to move on to better things? It’s not like we’ve been trying to fix him up with losers or something.”
“I don’t think he wants to be fixed up.” Docia squinted as she studied the display. “Maybe he wants to find somebody on his own. Besides, Cal thinks he’s still shell-shocked. I mean, he made the mother of all bad decisions when he married Sherice. Cal says it was the only impulsive decision Lars has ever made. You know what he’s like.”
Janie nodded. “A really sweet guy, but a little…conventional. Somebody who weighs his options and goes for safe.”
“Right. Cal says he’s always been the one brother everybody counted on to be sane and responsible and sort of predictable.”
“Lord knows Pete isn’t.”
“Neither is Cal—well, not exactly.” Docia’s grin faded slightly. “So here you have this very responsible guy who makes this one really irresponsible choice for a bride and has to live with the consequences for the rest of his life. It’s going to take him a while to start trusting his own judgment again.”
Janie snorted. “It’s not like he’s going to choose another Sherice. He’s smarter than that.”
“You know that and I know that. But I’m not sure Lars knows that. Or anyway that he believes it.”
“So he’s going to become a monk?” Janie shook her head. “That’s not going to help him or Daisy.”
Docia started to move another display, then stopped. She always rearranged things when she was anxious, and she usually ended up having to put everything back later.
“So getting back to Jessamyn Carroll. Is she pretty?” Janie leaned against the counter. “I’ve never seen her close up.”
“She’s nice looking. Not a knock-out, but after Sherice, knock-outs probably don’t do much for him. Blonde, green eyes, good figure.” She paused, chewing her lip as she studied the display again. “How’s the traffic been this morning?”
“Slow. About usual for this early in the week. How are the dog biscuits coming?” Janie widened her eyes, trying to look innocent.
Docia groaned. “Don’t even mention dog biscuits to me. Cal and I have baked up about twenty dozen of the things over the past two nights. If they don’t sell, we’ll be feeding them to Pep and Olive for the next five years.”
“How do you want to wrap them?”
Docia gave her a slow grin. “That’s your department, toots. Cal and I baked, you and Pete can wrap. I’ve got some red and green cellophane and twist ties. And stickers.”
“Stickers?” Janie rolled her eyes. “I haven’t played with stickers since I was ten.”
“Welcome to middle school. We’ve only got a couple of weeks until the festival.”
Janie grimaced, then stood to check out a tourist in a turquoise sweat suit with appliquéd autumn leaves.
Docia watched the tourist’s considerable rear end as she exited the store. “Jess Carroll also has the cutest baby in the world. Bar none. Jack. Daisy’s absolutely besotted, and she should be.”
She looked down at Janie, almost defiantly.
Janie met her gaze. “It’ll happen, Docia. It’s just biology.”
“Yeah.” Docia blew out a breath. “Unfortunately, I never was much good at science.”
“Honey, don’t worry.” Janie grinned. “You both have the right equipment.”
Docia felt her cheeks heating up. “Janie, for heaven’s sake, we’ve got customers.”
“Yep.” Janie’s grin was unrepentant. “So you think Jess Carroll might be interested in Lars?”
“Who knows?” Docia pushed the display to the left again, only half-thinking about it. “I did ask her to Thanksgiving, though.”
“Did you? Cool! Wonder if Lars will be happy about it.”
Docia shrugged. “My guess is he won’t be
un
happy.” She nudged the display again.
Janie stepped around the counter and removed Docia’s hands from the cardboard. “You’ve moved that thing three times now. It looks just fine where it is.”
“Does it?” Docia narrowed her eyes. “Maybe. I need to reorganize the storeroom anyway.”
She turned toward the back of the shop, hearing Janie’s faint sigh as she left.
For the second time in less than a week, Lars managed to have a beer with his brothers at the Dew Drop. Daisy had demanded to be taken to see Docia and Janie, and her aunts had swooped her away to what they called the “children’s book nook”.
Now Lars sat at the same booth where they always sat, taking an occasional sip of his beer and watching the ebb and flow of Konigsburg males, all still trying to adjust to the presence of Ingstrom’s barmaids.
Terrell Biedermeier hunched on his barstool, holding his beer protectively against his chest. Lars had the feeling he was trying very hard not to glance at Ruby’s tattooed shoulder immediately to his left. On Ruby’s other side, Ken Ferguson had a terrific view of her cleavage reflected in the mirror above the bar. Lars figured it was only a matter of time before Ruby flattened him. He just hoped she did it during one of his own infrequent visits to the bar. The entertainment value alone would be worth the price of a couple of beers.
Wonder dropped onto the booth beside Pete, frowning in Cal’s general direction. “So? Any luck with Docia?”
Cal shook his head. “You’re on your own with this one, Wonder. The women all think you got yourself into this hole with that lame-brained proposal, and you need to dig yourself out. Docia said she’s not going to talk to Allie about it until Allie brings it up herself. And if that happens, I wouldn’t count on her being on your side.”
Wonder rested his chin on his hands, the corners of his mouth drooping. “Terrific. All I ask is for somebody to run a little interference, and this is the thanks I get.”