She couldn’t help the smile that curved the corner of her mouth at the memory.
After he helped her out of the truck and she’d grabbed her purse, he proceeded to gas up the truck as she headed toward the convenience store. She buttoned the dark blue blouse she wore when she noticed the button had escaped its hole, and then tucked the blouse into the flowing broomstick skirt that reached her ankles. She pulled the cell phone out of her purse and glanced at the screen to see that it was still early in the morning. It was ninety minutes from Prescott to Sedona and they’d wanted to reach the arts fair by ten. She shoved the phone back into her purse.
Hoping no one would recognize her as the “Killer Kindergarten Teacher,” she ducked her head and went to the refrigerated cases that held sodas, energy drinks, and water. After she grabbed a couple of bottles of water, she went to the aisle with protein bars, jerky, and trail mix. She started to reach for a package of trail mix when a male voice jerked her out of her thoughts.
“Look who we have here,” came Floyd’s cold voice from behind her. “The bitch who killed Carl.”
Hollie froze, a sick sensation weighing down her belly as her stepbrother closed in on her. “Heard you was out on bail.”
“Why don’t we beat the shit out of her?” Dickey spoke in a low, angry tone. “We’ll take her out the back.” He gave a nod toward the clerk who looked terrified. “Our ‘friend’ won’t say a word when we do.”
She straightened and turned to face her stepbrothers as she held the water bottles to her chest. “I didn’t kill Carl.”
“Now come on. We know you done it.” Floyd’s cold eyes were focused on her. “From what we hear, the cops have all the proof they need to put you in the pen.”
Her stomach curdled but she tried not to show any weakness. “I didn’t do it. I don’t know who did.”
Dickey’s hand shot up and grabbed the strap of her purse. “Where’s the money? Where’s your stash?”
For a moment his abrupt change in subject caught her off guard and she almost lost hold of her purse. “I don’t have a stash.”
Floyd smirked as he poked something into her lower back—a gun, she realized with cold certainty. “We’ll just go out the back door where our truck is. First you’ll show us where the money is. Then we beat the shit out of you for killing our brother. Maybe even kill you.”
She tilted her chin. “I’ll scream.”
Floyd pressed the gun harder into her side. “You do and I’ll shoot you.”
She swallowed. While John was gassing up his truck, she could be forced out the back door. He’d be waiting in his cab for her to return and would never know what happened to her. Maybe he’d see it on the security tapes, but she could be dead by the time he did.
How could she get away from Dickey and Floyd?
“Come on.” Floyd nudged her with the gun. “Let’s go.”
He started to push her toward the back when everything that happened next came in a blur. John came up from behind Floyd and knocked the gun from his hand. It skittered across the convenience store’s floor. Dickey took off toward the back.
Floyd gave a shout as John took him down, his knee on Floyd’s lower back when he landed facedown on the floor. Two seconds flat and John had Floyd handcuffed, then he took a zip tie and bound Floyd’s ankles.
John surged to his feet, retrieved Floyd’s gun and put it into the waistband of his jeans, then put his hand on Hollie’s arm. “You okay?” She nodded. “Stay here and call 911,” he said before he tore out the back of the convenience store after Dickey.
She took out her phone and started to dial the number for emergency when she heard sirens. She looked at the store clerk who had a scared look on his face.
“Did you call the police?” she called out to him.
He nodded. “I think that’s them. The police station’s not far.”
Moments later, police cruisers pulled up to the store and officers charged into the store, guns drawn.
When an officer reached her, he aimed his gun at her chest and goose bumps prickled her arms. “Hands up,” he said.
Déjà vu swept over Hollie as she raised her hands and looked down the barrel of the gun. She felt lightheaded and unsteady.
Another officer crouched beside Floyd. She saw that blood was flowing from his nose that must have broken when John took him down.
“What happened?” the officer asked as he looked up at Hollie.
“My stepbrothers—they tried to kidnap me and they were going to kill me.” Her throat worked. “John stopped them.” She looked down at Floyd. “John cuffed Floyd, but Dickey escaped.”
“Who’s John?” the officer asked.
“Lieutenant John McBride.” Hands still in the air, she nodded toward the back. “He took off after Dickey.”
The officer who’d had his gun trained on her lowered it. “Keep your hands where we can see them, Ms. Simmons.”
It didn’t surprise her that the officer recognized her. Carl’s murder and her suspected involvement had been all over the news and likely every police officer knew it.
The other officer left through the back of the store, likely to give John backup. In moments, more police officers were on the scene.
She was made to sit on the floor, her back to the wall. She wondered if they wanted to cuff her and take her down to the station. What was taking John so long to return?
Finally, John came through the doorway that led to the back of the store. He spotted Hollie and went straight for her. He ignored the officers around him and took her by the hand. He brought her into his embrace and hugged her.
She gave a shuddering sob as the reality of her situation hit her with the force of a blow. Dickey and Floyd, who wanted to kill her, had almost kidnapped her. They had come so close to getting away with her.
“Thank you,” she whispered to John as he held her.
Still holding her, he leaned back. “It’s all right now.” He brushed away a tear with his thumb.
“Where’s Dickey?” she asked.
John frowned. “He got away.”
A chill rolled down her spine.
“Don’t worry.” John gripped her tightly. “We’ll get him.”
She nodded, but a part of her didn’t believe they would.
After John made sure she was all right, he gave his report to the officers and she gave her own account of all that her stepbrothers had done and said.
When all was finished and they were free to go, they walked out to John’s truck. “Still up for going to Sedona?”
She blew out her breath. “More than ever.”
* * * * *
The red rocks of Sedona gave Hollie a peaceful feeling as they drove into the town. She refused to dwell on what had happened a couple of hours ago. During the hour and a half drive from Prescott to Sedona, she’d had a chance to calm herself. She’d experienced worse, considering all that had happened leading up to the episode in the convenience store, starting with finding Carl’s body to ending up in jail.
Yes, this little trip would be just what the doctor ordered.
John reached across the console for her hand and took it into his own. He gave her fingers a reassuring squeeze that sent warmth through her body. He gave her a quick smile when he glanced at her before looking back to the road.
Holiday decorations along the way to the arts festival added sparkle to the already beautiful area. So much time had passed since she’d last enjoyed the holidays. It was past time to pick up and start celebrating once again.
After all that had happened earlier, it was close to noon by the time they reached the arts fair, two hours after their intended arrival time. They had to park a good distance from the arts festival that was packed with people. After he helped her out of his truck, he gripped her hand as she walked at his side toward the display booths ahead. Every time he touched her, something fluttered in her belly and this time was no exception. She wondered if she’d ever get used to his touches and the way he made her feel.
He gripped her hand and she looked up at him. He was about eight inches taller than her five-five, so she had to tilt her head a bit to look up at him. His brown eyes held warmth and he didn’t look as hard to her as he had before she started seeing him. She frowned to herself. If that’s what this was—a relationship.
“What’s wrong?” He studied her as they walked.
“Nothing.” She gave him a bright smile. “Just excited to be here.”
“You can’t get past these cop instincts,” John said. “You might as well get it out.”
Her cheeks grew warm and she looked away from him. “Really, it’s nothing.”
He was watching her when she glanced back at him. “I want you to know that you can talk with me about anything. Anything at all.”
She nodded. “I know.” And she did…only she was too embarrassed to tell him about her thoughts regarding their relationship, whatever that might be.
He gripped her hand as they entered the maze of booths. Smells of Christmas were in the air, scents of pinecones and cinnamon teasing her nose. The first booth they came to had items created by local Native Americans. Hollie admired the pottery, dream catchers, woven blankets, and rugs.
“Do you have any Christmas shopping you need to do?” John asked as they visited the next booth that was filled with small sculptures made from scraps of metal, nuts, and bolts.
“Leigh and I usually exchange gifts,” Hollie said. “I don’t have anyone else.”
“With a family the size of mine, we’ve gone to drawing names.” John shook his head. “The whole clan gets together. At the rate our family is growing, though, I don’t know if we can keep it up.” He pushed his western hat up with his finger and she could see his eyes better. “This year I have Kelley, Reese’s wife. Not sure what to get her.”
“She’s a detective, but feminine.” Hollie considered it out loud. She gestured toward a leatherwork booth with belts, gun holsters, saddles, and other tooled leather items, many of them in smaller sizes for women. “How about a leather belt with a holster?”
“There’s a thought.” John gave a nod.
“Oh, and here they have puzzle boxes that can be used to hold jewelry.” She nodded toward another booth with hand carved wooden boxes, animals and toys. The scent of cedar was strong as they neared the booth. “I might get Leigh one.” Her gaze drifted toward a booth with gorgeous earrings made from glass, feathers, metal, and other materials. “Or I could get her a pair of earrings.”
“Let’s see what all’s here and we can come back later,” John said.
Hollie looked up ahead at other booths. “My thoughts, too.”
They visited booths with beautiful silver and turquoise jewelry; others with hand blown glass vases and ornaments; southwest paintings; porcelain and ceramic figurines; and numbered prints.
When they reached a booth with bronze sculptures, John smiled at the pretty petite blonde manning the booth. John put his arm around Hollie’s waist in an almost possessive manner that sent a thrill through her belly.
“Hollie, this is my cousin Clint’s wife, Ella.” He turned to Ella. “This is Hollie Simmons.” He gestured to the sculptures. “Ella is an artist and her work is displayed and sold in a Scottsdale art gallery.”
Ella smiled and held out her hand. Hollie took it as Ella said, “A pleasure to meet you, Hollie.”
“It’s great to meet you, too.” Hollie and Ella released hands and Hollie looked over the bronze sculptures in various sizes in the booth. “Is this all your work?”
“A good number of them are my smaller sculptures.” Ella pushed her braid over her shoulder. “A friend of mine is an artist who has his work in a Prescott gallery and he’s sculpted those bronzes.” She nodded toward a grouping of bronze lions, bears, coiled rattlesnakes, eagles, elk, and wolves. She gestured to bronze rodeo-themed sculptures. “Those are mine.”
Hollie went to Ella’s display. Her sculptures were reminiscent of Remington’s, only Ella’s concentrated on rodeo cowboys and cowgirls. A bull rider, barrel racer, and rodeo clown were displayed among a sculpture of a cowboy roping a steer, one busting a bronc, and another hogtying a calf.
“They’re gorgeous.” Hollie saw the price tags and looked at Ella. “I wish I could afford one.” With all the money she’d spent bailing out her brothers, she didn’t have extra cash for much.
“I’m glad you like them.” Ella’s smile was engaging. “It’s something I love to do.”
“Like I love teaching.” Hollie tried for a natural-looking smile. She didn’t want to dwell on what everyone might be thinking of her now.
Killer Kindergarten Teacher.
She shuddered inwardly.
A couple walked up to the booth and Hollie stepped back. “We’ll see you later, Ella,” John said. Ella nodded and gave a little wave before turning her attention to the couple.
“I might buy one of Ella’s small sculptures to give to Kelley.” John looked thoughtful. “I think it’s something she’d like.”
They continued on through the fair, jostled by the crowd but enjoying it nonetheless. Hollie liked the feel of her hand in John’s. It made her feel wanted and safe.
After visiting most of the booths, John left Hollie at the booth with the puzzle boxes while he bought one of Ella’s small sculptures as a gift for Kelley. He returned with it in a box along with a bag containing other items that she assumed were for his stepmother and another family member.
During the time John had been gone, Hollie had selected a medium-sized jewelry puzzle box for Leigh and used the cash she’d taken out this morning to pay for it. She returned to the booth with silver and turquoise jewelry and picked out a pair of earrings made from Bisbee Blue turquoise for Angel as a thank you for all that she’d done for Hollie. When she made sure John wasn’t close by or looking in her direction, she also bought a pocketknife inlaid with turquoise for him. The artist herself took care of Hollie and put the items in jewelry boxes. Hollie put the knife and earrings in the bag with the puzzle box.
While at the arts fair, Hollie had been able to forget about everything that had been happening to her and she’d thoroughly enjoyed her time with John.
As they walked away from the booth carrying their packages, the realities of her life tried to crash down on her, but she refused to let them.
John took her free hand in his and she gave him a smile. It felt so good walking at his side, as if everything would be okay, as if she didn’t have any worries in the world.