To Bedevil A Beauty (Southern Sanctuary - Book 5) (5 page)

Once
inside her office, Berry dropped everything she was carrying on the large
mahogany desk and released a big sigh.  The room with its high ceiling,
walls lined with bookcases and portraits of former Judges, the majority of them
distant relatives, always made her want to smile.  It was a little bit too
much like a movie set, but it was all hers, and as an added bonus she had a balcony
that over looked the town square.  Opening the double doors she let the
cool morning breeze fill the room. 

If
she was very lucky and her case load was light, she might actually be able to
get caught up on her paperwork today.  She’d no sooner had that thought
than a knock sounded and her second cousin, twice removed, Marion, walked
in.
 
Her arms weighted down by three
thick files.

“Morning
Judge Malone.”  In the office, Marion was always respectful and just
generally awe inspiring in her organisational skills.  Between Marion and
her sister Maureen, the infamous family gossip, who worked as a police
dispatcher, the two had Haven Bay practically sewn up when it came to having
their fingers on the pulse of the gossip mill.

“Morning
Marion.”  Berry’s eyes widened as Marion handed over the three thick
folders instead of her usual coffee.

“We
have a full docket this morning.”  Marion absently brushed lint off her
sharp navy suit jacket.  Trim and petite, with short dark brown hair,
Marion was a pocket dynamo when it came to running the court and Berry.

“We
do?”  Berry frowned as she flipped open the top folder and groaned. 
Quickly she flipped open the next two and groaned again.  “You’re kidding
me?”

“Should
be a fun day.”  Marion’s blue eyes sparkled with amusement.  “You
probably ought to know that they are insisting upon representing themselves.”

Berry
groaned again as she unbuttoned the bolero jacket and shrugged out of it,
reaching for the black judge’s robe she kept hanging on a nearby hook.

“Is
that new?”  Marion eyed Berry’s outfit.  “It’s really cute on you.”

“Thanks. 
When are we scheduled to start?”  She glanced at her cheap watch.

“Our
star witness is on his way as we speak.”  Marion beamed, patting her short
dark hair.

“Star?” 
Berry frowned.

“The
new Chief of Police, Ramsey Hughes.” Marion fiddled with the buttons on her
shirt.

Berry
bit back another groan.  So much for her luck changing. 

“I
haven’t seen him up close yet, but from a distance he sure does fill out that
uniform of his really well.”

“Marion!” 
Berry didn’t know whether to laugh or frown.  Her cousin had two children,
only slightly younger than Berry, and a lovely husband waiting for her at home.

“There’s
no law against looking.  Maureen says he’s got that whole gruff - silent
but sexy - vibe going on.”

Berry
pulled her court robes over her head so Marion wouldn’t witness the blush
rising to her cheeks.  No wonder Marion was primping.  Seriously,
maybe she should speak to someone about her foul run of luck over the last few
years, perhaps there really was a curse on her.  With her robes on, Berry
checked to make sure her hair was pinned back tightly.  It was going to be
fine, she reassured herself, smoothing back non-existent fly away strands of
hair. They were two professionals who were just doing their jobs.  All she
had to do was get through the next few hours, once the ordeal was over, she
could concentrate all her powers on avoiding Chief Hughes for the rest of her
life.

Chapter
Four

“All
rise for the Honourable Judge Beryl Malone.  Court is now in session.”

Ramsey
watched as Beryl Malone entered the surprisingly large, surprisingly lavish
courtroom to take a seat behind the massive, dark cherry bench.  As she
banged her gavel, the sound echoed and rebounded around the room.  Except
for the three defendants, the court officer who’d introduced the Judge, a court
reporter taking notes and a tall, thin, dark skinned bailiff, the room, which
could potentially hold hundreds, was empty. 

Ramsey
shifted slightly in his seat as he studied Beryl Malone.  Her hair was
once more dragged back in to a tight, uncomfortable looking, bun. High colour
staining her cheeks as her dark eyes flashed his way for a moment.  Oh
yes, there was the answer to the question that had been plaguing him all weekend.
Was Beryl Malone angry with him for the way he’d lit out of her place Friday
night?  Undoubtedly, and from the death glare she just gave him, she
wasn’t all that impressed to have him in her courtroom first thing Monday
morning. 

The
three defendants clustered together at the defence table all waved and said
hello to Berry. 

Berry
? 

He
liked that.  If nothing else, it suited the dark red colour of those wide
inviting lips of hers.  Whoa, what was he thinking?  She was angry
now, because he’d acted like an ass at her place. But how much madder would she
be when she discovered he was responsible for incarcerating her
ex-husband?  The idea of her mad at him, those dark eyes flashing his way
just made him hard, which was stupid right.  But he liked Berry Malone
angry.
 
The way her eyes sparkled and
emotions poured off of her, much preferable to the haughty beautiful ice queen
he’d made fleeting eye contact with the day of her husband’s initial
arraignment.

“Could
the witness please approach the bench?”

Wait? 
What?  He met her gaze.
 
Yep, her
Honour was frowning his way. Okay, might as well get this over with. 
Given his height, they were eye level as he came to a halt before her, only the
bench separating them.  What should he say?  Sorry might be a start. 
He opened his mouth, but she beat him to it.

“I’m
sorry about the Aunts.”  Berry whispered.

He
frowned, looked at her, before looking back at the three older ladies sitting
at the defendant’s table, smiling cheerfully their way.  “They’re your
Aunts?”

Berry
nodded reluctantly.  “Great-Aunts.”  Actually, they were in fact her
Great-Great-Aunts.  Her Great-Grandmother Tally’s older sisters and owners
of the cats from hell, but that would require an explanation that would only
confuse Chief Hughes.  The longevity of Southern Sanctuary residents was a
well-guarded secret. “They’re a little on the… eccentric side.”

“That’s
one word for them.”  He muttered. 

“Anyway,
I just wanted to warn you.  Whatever you do, don’t accept any drinks from
Aunt Adelaide, any jewellery from Aunt Daphne or any food from Aunt Margot.”

Ramsey
frowned, seriously, that’s what she wanted to warn him about?  He wasn’t
some hick, he knew enough not to take anything from defendants.  “Was that
all?”  So she didn’t want to talk about Friday night?

“That’s
everything.  Please resume your seat.”

Still
frowning, Ramsey turned and walked back to the seat he’d chosen in the first
row.
 
It was a weird warning, wasn’t
it?  Yet he’d no sooner sat down when Adelaide Dunst turned in her chair,
wearing her signature colour of all white, she gave him a sweet smile before
holding out a thermos of coffee.  “Would you like a cup Chief?  I
bought plenty.”

“No
thankyou, I’m fine.”

Beryl
let out a small sigh of relief as Ramsey Hughes declined Aunt Adelaide’s offer
of coffee.  She’d felt ridiculous warning Ramsey but what choice did she
have, her three Great-Great-Aunts were obviously up to something.  Still,
she might have sounded silly, but that was preferable to Ramsey Hughes
accepting a potion from Adelaide, a spelled gem from Aunt Daphne or an
enchanted treat from Aunt Margot.  No, if the trio wanted to each get
out of their speeding fines, then they would have to do it the old fashioned
way.  She bit back a smile, noting out the corner of her eye Aunt Daphne
slipping what looked like a key ring designed for a man back into her bag
whilst beside her, Margot tucked away a bag of freshly baked cookies. 
Well at least she’d put the kibosh on whatever magical mischief revenge the
threesome had been planning to inflict upon Chief Hughes.

Berry’s
eyes narrowed as Adelaide rose to her feet, dramatically throwing her long silk
white scarf back over one shoulder, patting her short silver hair. “I call my
first witness, Chief Ramsey Hughes.”

At
the nod from Berry, Ramsey rose once more and walked across the courtroom floor
to take a seat at the bench a few feet away from Berry, where he was quickly
sworn in.

Adelaide
swept across the floor, her white long skirt swirling around her sandalled
feet.  “Please state your name and occupation for the record.”

“Ramsey
Christian Hughes, Chief of Police for the Southern Sanctuary district.”

“How
old are you Chief Hughes?”

Ramsey
raised an eyebrow.

Adelaide
swept out a dramatic hand.  “Goes to experience, Your Honour.”

Berry
fought hard not to roll her eyes and just nodded.

“Thirty-one.” 
Ramsey supplied.

“And
how long have you been a police officer?”

“Eleven
years.”

“Prior
to pulling me over, when was the last time you issued a speeding fine Chief
Hughes?”  Adelaide eyed him with sparkling hazel eyes.

Ramsey
frowned, that was actually a good question.  “I would say approximately
ten years ago.”  Just after he’d gotten out of the police academy, if he
recalled correctly. 

“So
you’re hardly an expert then, at handing out speeding fines?”  Adelaide
sent him a triumphant smile.

“Well…” 
Ramsey was interrupted.

“That
was a rhetorical question Chief.”  Adelaide reached over and patted his
hand.  “Now Chief, are you married?  Seeing someone?  Single?”

“Er...”

“Goes
to state of mind, Your Honour.”  Adelaide was practically bouncing up and
down she was obviously enjoying her role so much.

Berry
found herself nodding in agreement, at the same time damning her
curiosity.
 
She was burning to know the
answers to Adelaide’s questions.

“I’m
single Mrs Dunst, never been married and I’m not currently seeing
anyone.”  Ramsey shifted in his seat.

“And
would you say you are an advocate of the arts?”

Ramsey
frowned.  “I would.”

“So
is it just successful writers of erotica that you have a grudge against?”

“Wait…
what?”

“Adelaide.” 
Berry reprimanded.  “You are not seriously going to make this personal?”

“Not
I, Berry dear.  The Chief here is the one who has proven to have a
vendetta against me.”

Ramsey
shot Berry a querying scowl.

“Adelaide
and her husband, Terrance, write a series of…”

“Highly
successful series…”  Adelaide butted in.

“Sorry
yes, I meant to say they write a
highly successful
series of erotica
books under the pen name ‘Shelia Dunning’.  Adelaide often signs copies of
her books at the Reverie Valley bookstore on Market days.”  Whether the
store owner liked it or not, but Berry didn’t add that last bit of information.

Ramsey
scowled harder for a moment then relaxed back in the chair.  “I was
unaware of that fact.  The reason I pulled you over Mrs Dunst is because
you were travelling at twice the set speed limit for that stretch of road.”

“Says
you.”  Huffed Adelaide flamboyantly, flinging an arm out dramatically.

“Says
the Southern Sanctuary Police department’s radar detector, the record of which…
if I might?”  He produced a sheet of paper from the folder lying in front
of him and passed it across to Adelaide. 

Adelaide
glanced down at the paper.  “Poppycock and scandalous lies.”

“May
I?”  Berry held her hand out.

“Here.” 
Ramsey handed over another piece of paper.  “I made copies.”

“Well,
this document is beside the point.” Adelaide blithely waved away the hard facts
staring her right in the face.  The billowing right sleeve of her loose
top passing mere inches in front of Ramsey’s nose.  “Your harassment of me
once you’d pulled me over to the side of the road is what is now at
issue.  Would you please tell me my niece… I mean the court, what you said
to me once I’d handed over my driver’s license?”

“I
enquired as to how old you are.”

“A-hah!” 
Adelaide pointed a dramatic bejewelled finger at Ramsey.  “Ageist.”

Ramsey
took a moment to respond. 

Berry
suspected he was biting his tongue to keep from laughing. 

“Respectfully
Mrs Dunst, how can you accuse me of ageism, when I still, to this day, have no
idea how old you are?”  Ramsey turned his head, looking Berry’s way. 
“For some reason it wasn’t recorded on Mrs Dunst’s license.”

Berry
shrugged.  “There was a referendum a few years ago, people of a certain…
age, voted not to have it recorded on their driver’s license.”  Mainly,
Berry thought, because no one would believe the age recorded there.
 
For starters, no way did her Great-Great-Aunt
Adelaide look anywhere near her one-hundred and fifty plus years.  “And
it’s considered impolite to ask.” 

Ramsey
blinked slowly.  “Then I apologise for asking Mrs Dunst.”  His voice
low and gruff.

Adelaide
blushed for a moment, a coquettish look sweeping across her face.  “Well
then you’re forgiven Chief Hughes.” Behind Adelaide, one of her sisters cleared
her throat.  Adelaide straightened abruptly recalling her mission. 
“But that doesn’t explain your… rudeness, regarding the photo on my ID. 
Your reaction was hardly professional, was it?  Had you been drinking?”

Now
it was Ramsey’s turn to blush.  “No Mrs Dunst, I hadn’t been
drinking.  I was just very… very surprised by the photo on your license.”

Berry
frowned at Ramsey’s uncomfortable state.  “Aunt Adelaide, may I see your
driver’s license?”  Accepting the card a minute later, Berry’s mouth
dropped open.  “Wow, that’s a very…”  She searched for the right
word.  “… artistic shot of you Aunt Adelaide.”  She could only pray
to the Goddess that she looked half as good naked at Adelaide’s age.

“Thank
you darling.”  Adelaide beamed.  “Timothy really is a genius, isn’t
he?
 
He definitely captured my best
side.”

Berry
nodded slowly, adverting her eyes to eagerly hand back over the license. 
“Black and white is a nice touch too.”  Goddess, she could only imagine
how poor Ramsey Hughes had reacted upon seeing it for the first time. 
Whilst Adelaide swept across the room to replace her license in her bag, Berry
took a moment to lean across the bench in Ramsey’s direction.  “Very… very
surprised?”  She queried in a whisper.

“I
didn’t want ‘shaking in my boots in terror’ to be entered in to the public
record.”  He whispered back.

Berry
found herself smiling at him, this close his eyes were the colour of storm
tossed seas.  Damn, she wasn’t supposed to be sharing jokes with him or
smiling.  Pull yourself together woman.  Turning her head she noted
all three of her Aunts beaming her way, just what were the old biddies up
to?  “Do you have anything further to add Aunt Adelaide?”

“Oh
no.”  Adelaide smiled at Berry triumphantly taking a seat.  “I rest
my case.”

“Then
it must be my turn to question Chief Hughes.”  Daphne, the next eldest
sister, shot to her feet, her swathes of jewel coloured fabric bright and
vibrant against the sombre dark wood of the courtroom.  Her bobbed dyed
red hair glowing like a beacon as she moved across the courtroom floor stalking
closer to the bench, the bangles and anklets she wore giving off a faint jangly
sound with every step.  “Now Chief, do you have any hobbies?”

By
the end of the morning session, Berry had a throbbing headache behind her left
eye and despite her very best intentions, thanks to her Aunts questioning, she
now knew more about Chief Ramsey Hughes than she wished.  The Aunts’
defence had currently degenerated in to a squabble amongst the three regarding
who would orate their closing argument. 

Berry
was weary, thirsty and in dire need of a bathroom break.  Exasperated,
Berry pointed Ramsey’s way and curled her finger, summoning him forward from his
seat in the first row of the gallery.  She bit back a further irritated
sigh as the man stretched and ambled across the floor, his khaki uniform doing
great things for those muscular thighs and the broadness of his shoulders.
 Just because she was now a single woman – and determined to stay that way
– didn’t mean she was unaffected by the perfectly honed physique of Hotshot
Hughes.  Damn the man and his tight glutes.