Illusions of Death (10 page)

Chapter 21

Logan smiled. Ninety minutes into getting signatures, and the petition was almost complete. Mayor Vick beamed at him like a proud troop master at an Eagle Scout ceremony as he signed his name. Chief Risedale told passersby what a great cop Logan was and what a better chief he’d make.

Antique store owner Anne Stockdale emerged and crossed the street. “I’d be happy to sign your petition, Logan. I know your parents are so proud.”

He handed her a pen. “Thanks, Anne. Would that mahogany dining table and chairs still be available?”

“Yes. Are you interested?”

“Mark ‘em sold if you can house them for me for a while.”

Anne smiled. “For our next chief of police? Happy to do so. I want to remain on your good side.”

“I’ll stop by Monday with my checkbook. Thanks for your signature. Be sure to vote—for me—in May,” he reminded her.

“Bring a campaign sign for my front window. The square gets lots of activity, so it’ll be seen a lot. See you later, Logan.”

“I’d like a sign for my front yard.”

Logan grinned hearing the familiar voice. “Why, Miss Galaway. Good to see you. How are integers these days?”

“Since you have plenty of practice putting signs in my yard, Logan Warner, you may place one of yours there. Just keep the
For Sale
signs out of the mix this time.”

His face reddened at the memory of his middle school prank.

“And integers are lovely these days, as are coefficients. Now let me sign your petition.”

He teased, “Sorry I don’t have a red pen. I seem to remember it’s your favorite color. I saw plenty of it on my papers.”

Miss Galaway’s sniffed and scrawled her name. “I don’t grade in red anymore. I mark papers in green felt tip now. I’d say I’m good for another ten years. Maybe more.”

Logan laughed. “I’ll bring a sign by as soon as I have some,” he promised.

“I’ll take a sign for my yard,” Bridget Marley said, stealing the pen. “How are you, Logan?”

“Good. How’s—”

“—your little one, Bridget? Heard Doc Warner went over to treat the child for chicken pox.” Casey Attaway nosed in and waited for an answer.

“Casey, you know every happening in the Springs,” Logan marveled.

The gas station attendant shrugged and took the pen from Bridge Marley, who waved goodbye. “People need gas, Logan. And everybody has something going on. The two go together, I’d say.”

He signed his name. “Looks like you’re about done. Tell your mama and daddy hi for me. Gotta get to my shift at the station.”

“Will do.” Logan caught sight of Marge Strombold exiting her car. He signaled the realtor over.

“You don’t have to sign anything, Marge, but I’m looking to buy a house.”

She brightened at the prospect of a sale. “Three or four bedrooms? One-story or two? Garage or carport?”

“I’ll know it when I see it. Remember, I’m on a public servant’s salary.”

She pulled out her iPad. “You’ll make more if you win this election. You have any time open today? Say around three-thirty?”

“Only if I can bring my dog. She’s at the vet, and that’s right after I pick her up.”

“That’s no problem. We’ll go over a few properties at my office and set appointments to see the ones you like.” Marge picked up a pen from the table. “And if you’re buying a house from me, you’ve got my vote. Especially since Seth Berger’s your opponent.”

Logan laughed. “Then I’ll be sure we’ve closed before the election. See you later.”

He glanced down and saw only one more signature left before he would officially be able to enter the race. He looked back up and saw Karlyn jogging toward him. She stopped at his table.

“Almost done,” he indicated. “Not even noon yet. Want to go grab a bite?”

“No one would seat me looking and smelling like this,” she teased as she jogged in place. “Why don’t I—”

“Hey, Logan.”

He did not want to turn in the direction of that girlish voice. Beth Marie Sizemore had done everything short of flashing him since her divorce came through from her no-good, used car dealer husband. He had no interest in dating her, and Beth Marie couldn’t understand. Or wouldn’t.

Logan reluctantly turned from Karlyn. “Hello, Beth Marie. Have you met Karlyn Campbell? She’s new to the Springs.”

Beth Marie’s smoky eyes looked Karlyn up and down as she bobbed in place. “Nice to meet you.” She dismissed her and turned back to Logan. “I hear my ex-beau is running for Chief of Police. An even better idea than when you ran for Student Council president senior year. I remember—”

“Did you know Karlyn’s a famous writer?” Logan interrupted, not desiring a trip down memory lane. That was all Beth Marie seemed interested in whenever he saw her.

“Oh.” She looked blankly at him. “I don’t read.” She looked back at Karlyn. “What do you write, Carolyn?”

“It’s Karlyn. I write novels. And screenplays.”

“Huh. Well, that’s real nice,” she said as she wrote her name across the final blank of Logan’s petition. “Say, Logan, maybe after you’re through here—”

“I’ve got a million things to take care of, Beth Marie. The vet. Grocery store. Saturday errands.”

His former flame looked back at Karlyn, assessing her again. “I see. Well, call me sometime, Logan. I’d love to get together for a drink. Or . . . whatever.” She gave him a seductive smile.

Logan watched her sashay off.

Karlyn stopped moving and pursed her lips, trying to imitate Beth Marie’s sexy pout. “Since you’ve got so many errands to run, we should have lunch together some other time. Besides, Ms. Sizemore was doing more than sizing me up.”

He took her arm. “Give me a break, Karlyn. She was my girlfriend for about two weeks during junior year in high school. And that’s only because it took her that long to work her way around to me. Beth Marie nailed anything male back then. She’s been on the prowl the same way since her second divorce last year.”

He took a step closer. “I wasn’t that interested back then. I’m definitely not interested now. I have better things to occupy my mind.”

“Like winning an election? Training a stray dog?”

“Getting to know you.” His gaze held hers. “Why don’t you run home and jump in the shower? I’ll pick up some barbecue sandwiches for lunch, and then we can go shop for my nameless dog. She needs everything a dog could want, and I plan to give it to her.”

“Lucky girl. She’s found herself a sugar daddy.”

Logan exclaimed, “That’s it! Lucky!” He planted a hard, fast kiss on Karlyn. “You named my dog. Should’ve known a writer could come up with a great name.”

He liked the look in those shining green eyes of hers as Karlyn waved and took off running again.

“Lucky, it is.”

Logan brought the promised lunch by the Campbell house. When he learned Martha was out for the afternoon, he said, “To hell with the sandwiches.”

He snagged Karlyn around the waist. His lips nibbled along her ear and ventured to her neck.

“Why do I suddenly feel like I’m lunch?” she teased.

Logan’s reply was to sweep her off her feet and exit the kitchen. He headed for the stairs.

“You can tell me which bedroom is yours. Or we can do it in every bed in the house.” He gave her a knowing look. “I’ve heard this is one of the larger homes in the Springs.”

“I’m the last on the right, Detective. Let’s start there.”

He took his time, removing each piece of clothing from her slowly. Her milky skin gleamed in the sunlight that shone through the window. Logan marveled at her tight, firm, athletic body. He captured her runner’s calves in each hand and squeezed them, admiring their curves.

Karlyn’s emerald eyes burned with intensity as she looked at him. “Lose the clothes, Warner. Fast.”

He did the opposite, slowly stripping his shirt over his head. Taking his time to fold it neatly and place it in a chair. He continued to remove each item as if in slow motion, enjoying her burning gaze.

When nothing remained, he joined her on the bed. “I plan to kiss you everywhere, Miss Campbell. And if I miss a spot, let me know.

He didn’t.

While their first night together had been fast and furious each time they made love, this afternoon involved leisurely exploring her body. When he finally entered her, he forced himself to continue slow and steady. She whimpered. Begged him to speed up. He stayed the course, moving like molasses till she panted and moaned.

“Oh, Logan. Please. Please. I can’t take it anymore.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

So he increased his thrusts, moving faster and harder till he felt as if he flew through the air. Karlyn called his name as he came, her nails buried in his shoulders as they both rode through the pleasure storm.

Logan collapsed, nuzzling her neck, licking the sweet, slightly salty skin. He rolled and brought her with him so that she rested on top.

Her disheveled hair added a sexiness that he liked. He reached out and pushed it back from her contented face.

“You. Are.” She took a deep breath and let it out. “A. Mazing.” Her head fell to rest on his chest. “I don’t think I can move.”

“Good.”

Karlyn lifted her head. “That sounded like a very satisfied
good
.”

He grinned. “It was. Because you. Are. A. Mazing. Too.”

She slapped at him playfully. “Did you get all your signatures?”

“I did.”

“And what did the vet say about Lucky?”

“What time is it?” He reached for the wristwatch that he’d left on the nightstand. “Okay, pretty lady. We’ve got to go.” He rolled out of bed and pulled her to her feet. “We’ve got to shop for Lucky and go pick her up.”

“I say we grab those sandwiches and eat in the car. You certainly know how to work up a girl’s appetite.”

They dressed and picked up what Lucky would need then stopped by the vet’s to claim her. Logan couldn’t wait to show the dog all the new toys she’d scored.

Karlyn remarked how pretty her fur shone after her bath and trim. Jesse Alpine assured Logan that Lucky was in decent shape despite being rail thin. He told Logan to schedule follow-up shots with Ramona, and he would take a look at Lucky’s weight then.

“Beef her up some, but no table scraps,” he warned. “Don’t start bad habits now that are impossible to break down the road.”

Ramona seemed mollified now that Lucky had a name to go on her file. She loaded Logan up with dry and canned food while Karlyn attached the new collar and leash.

Logan drove them over to Marge Strombold’s office, explaining to Karlyn how he’d decided to buy a house.

“It’s smart to put down roots,” she observed. “You have a history here, but it’ll be important to some voters to see you’re a homeowner and a taxpayer. Besides, Lucky needs a big yard to play in, don’t you, girl?” She ruffled the dog’s coat and was rewarded with a sloppy kiss.

Inside the realtor’s office, Logan introduced the women. Marge immediately recognized Karlyn’s name.

“You’re not on my good list, Karlyn,” Marge told her. “I read after your next Matt Collins book, you’re taking a break. I need my Matt fix.”

“I’ve finished a screenplay of the first novel. Maybe seeing Matt on-screen might make you happy.”

Marge sighed. “I don’t think God’s made the man that could stand up to the Matt I’ve created in my mind,” she confided.

She sat them at a round table and called up several listings. “Look through these. My associate’s drawing up papers for a closing, and I want to check on that. I’ll be back soon.”

They clicked through several listings before he stopped.

“Huh. This is the old Kinyon place.” He studied the page. “It’s about six blocks from you. The Kinyons lived into their nineties. They died within a day of each other at the end of last year.”

“You hear about that happening all the time,” Karlyn commented. “I guess the survivor is sad thinking of a life without his spouse.”

She scrolled to the specifics. “Nice size master. Three other bedrooms. You could make one into an office.” She clicked through more photos. “The eat-in kitchen is huge. But outdated.”

“I love a big kitchen,” he said. “Every good party winds up in the kitchen. And despite eating most of my meals at the diner, I like to cook.” He frowned. “It needs new floors throughout. Definitely a paint job. I’d also want to re-landscape the front.”

She smiled. “It sounds as if your heart’s set on this Kinyon house.”

He shrugged. “Let’s keep looking.”

By the time Marge returned, Logan picked out two other possibilities. All three were in his price range, even including what he might want to do to update the Kinyon property.

“You’ve made some good choices, Logan. The last two houses both have open houses tomorrow. We can hit both if you’d like.”

“When can I see the Kinyon place?”

Marge glanced at her watch. “Tell you what. I have plans with my supper group tonight. I need to get home and throw the rest of my dish together. Since it’s unoccupied, I’ll give you the keys and let you check it out on your own. We can meet back here around one tomorrow and see the other properties together.”

She pulled a set of keys from her desk drawer. “Remember, it needs updating. That’s why their son set such a reasonable price. He’s in his seventies and doesn’t want to tackle it. He wants the property off his hands.”

Logan took the offered keys. “Thanks, Marge. Enjoy dinner. We’ll see you tomorrow at one.”