To Love and Protect (15 page)

"The let's hope Herb's the only one," Shelley said quietly.

As Matt dropped Shelley off at Diana's house a half hour later, he kissed her and said, "I'll pick you up at seven tonight."

"I didn't know we had a date – not that I'm complaining, mind you. So what's at seven?"

"Come on, don't you know what weekend this is?"

"The weekend I get kicked out of my own house?"

He smiled and rubbed her shoulder. "Besides that."

Shelley shrugged. "I'm stumped."

"It's the worldly Fairfax Fair, that's what."

"Worldly?" Shelley laughed. "Sure, if you consider sausage-eating contests and fashions with pumpkins to be where's it's all happening. Actually, I like the Fairfax Fair. I didn't even realize it was this weekend."

"Good. So we'll have fun, and maybe I'll even get you to smile a bit." He brushed her cheek. "See? It's working already."

"Hey, did you know they have a wife and girlfriend carrying contest, too? The first guy to cross the finish line carrying his partner gets a month's worth of free beer."

Matt rolled his eyes. "Great. Just what most of the guys in this town need."

"Not that I was trying to insinuate
I'm
you're girlfriend or anything," Shelley quickly added.

Matt looked slightly taken aback. "Oh?"

"Uh...not that I can’t see that happening at some point. Maybe. You know, if that’s what you wanted, too.”

Not
too
awkward, Shelley thought to herself.  But Matt just grinned, apparently amused at her stumbling around the mere mention of a relationship – and perhaps glad that she would be bringing the subject up in the first place.

"You can put your things in here," Diana said a little later as she led Shelley to the spare bedroom. She had gone to Diana’s house the previous night with just the clothes on her back, but now she had to be realistic about the open-endedness of her stay. "But there are already two guests sharing your room. I hope you don't mind."

"Are you kidding?" Shelley nearly squealed as she cuddled Toodles and Melba simultaneously as they curled up together on the bed.

"I hope I'm not putting you out –”

"Hey, I'm the big sister, remember?" Diana pretended to chide. "That means you have to do as I say, and right now I say you have to relax and realize that I'm glad you're here." Diana leaned her head back, her dark hair bouncing on her shoulders. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to look in your mouth."

"I can see that. Why?"

"So I can determine what other two teeth I can knock out."

As both sisters shared a much-needed laugh, Diana squeezed Shelly's shoulder. "Have the police figured out how they're going to catch this guy?" she asked, her face growing serious.

Shelley explained the plan, asking for Diana's advice.

"Do it, Shelley. For God's sake, just do it. I don't see how else they're going to catch him, do you?"

She shook her head. "I suppose you're right. I'll tell Matt when I see him tonight."

For once, she thought, she had made decision he would agree with. She smiled to herself, hoping it might be an indicator of better things to come.

NINE

"Here we are," Matt said later that evening as he pulled into the expansive dirt parking lot of the Fairfax County Grounds. "Like I said, it's a happening place."

Shelley laughed, then pointed to an array of lights on the horizon. "Oh, look! I think that's the Ferris wheel."

"You didn't get out much as a kid, did you."

She playfully slapped his shoulder. "Let's go. I want to see if they've finally gotten with the times enough to allow women to carry men in that contest."

“Good luck with that one.”

The fair was in full swing by the time they reached the grounds ten minutes later. The crowds were already thick with families, couples and small hordes of teenagers, all vying for a share of carnival revelry ranging from homemade blueberry pie eating contests  to psychic readings by Clara, a very insightful cow who relayed her findings through a series of moos.

"The moos all sound the same," Matt whispered as they passed the booth.

"Not to a cow," Shelley replied in all honesty.

As they passed a ring-toss booth, Matt stopped and pulled several dollars out of his wallet.

"I'll give this a shot," he told the clerk as she handed him a set of rings.

"Go ahead," he advised Shelley. "Pick out the stuffed animal you want."

"Boy, you're rather assured of yourself, aren't you?"

"Didn't you know? I'm the Fairfax ring-toss champion for three years in a row."

"What scares me is you’re probably telling the truth.”

“See? What did I tell you?" Matt said as he tossed all four rings onto the same pole. His eyes met hers, and for a moment, all the sounds and lights and commotion of the fair disappeared. To be this happy again, to feel so connected to someone and to be so excited by his touch − it all seemed too good to be true. Shelley knew she would have to simply keep reminding herself that she deserved such happiness, that love could happen twice in a lifetime.

"This is a tough choice," she said as she surveyed the choice of stuffed animals while Matt held her close.

"Do I go with the cat or the dog?"

"How about the pig? He looks pretty cute. And that way you won't feel like you're playing favorites with your own dogs or cats.”

Shelley turned back to Matt. "I'm beginning to think you know me better than you realize."

"No − I know you better than
you
realize."

She smiled, and then kissed him. His mouth was sweet from the helping of pink cotton candy they had just shared. "Thank you."

"For winning you a stuffed pig?"

"That, and for just being here for me through all this stuff lately."

"Like I said this morning. I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Shelley! Shelley, is that you?"

Shelley turned around to find Marge waving to her enthusiastically over several heads between them.

"Hi, Marge," she said as Marge approached with Herb and their two sons. "How are you?"

She shoved a blue ribbon out in front of them. "First place! I won first place for my Herb bread."

Shelley looked at Marge's husband. He
seemed
to be in one piece.

"Oh...oh, no!" Marge guffawed. "Not
that
Herb! The herbs in my garden!"

"Right − of course! Well, congratulations. You must be so proud."

"I am. Especially since Herb is always telling me my bread tastes like cardboard sprinkled with sawdust."

Shelley's smile faded. Somehow Herb had a way of putting a damper on everything. And she wasn't even the one married to him. "This is Matt," Shelley said as introductions were shared all around.

"Having fun, Shelley?" Herb asked, his voice strained above the musical rides. His thinning hair was a bit more askew than usual, but other than that, he was a neat and conservative counterpart to Marge's plain and frumpy self.

But as Marge pulled Shelley aside, she realized there might still be hope. "I signed up for a driving course like you suggested," she whispered as Matt and Herb made small talk.

"Marge, that's great! You're doing the right thing, believe me."
"I hope so. Herb said that's all this town needs is another dingbat woman driver on the road."

Shelley clenched her jaw. Perhaps he should have been included as the main ingredient in Marge's bread, after all. "Luckily we both know not to listen to what Herb says, right?"

"Uh, what's that?" Herb called over with a forced smile. "I think I heard my name."

"Just talking about Marge's winning bread," Shelley fibbed.

"We're all going to go on the haunted house ride," Marge said. "Would you and your friend like to join us?"

"You know, I'd love to but we're both starving and we're on our way to find some food. But maybe we'll all run into each other later on."

"That would be nice," Herb said as he walked over to the two women. Matt, too, was soon at Shelley's side. As the Hendersons departed, Shelley and Matt waved good-bye.

"You were right," Matt said once they were out of audible range.
"Both
of them are weird."

"I feel bad for Marge, actually. She might seem a little strange, but she's been through a lot. And that husband of hers–”

"That husband of hers better watch where he stares," Matt interjected tersely.

"Huh?"

"I didn't like the way he was looking at you one bit."

"I didn't notice him looking at me at all."

"That's because you were busy talking to Marge. But believe me, guys notice these things. He lives just down the road from you, right?"

"About a mile and a half down. Why?"

"Maybe he's the guy who was watching you the other night."

Shelley couldn't help but laugh. "Herb? Are you serious? From what Marge has told me, he already gets all his thrills from X-rated chat rooms on the Internet. Besides, he wears glasses, as I'm sure you noticed. I might not have gotten a good look at that guy the other night, but I do know he wasn't wearing glasses."

Matt's jaw remained clenched. "I don't know. I still don't trust him. He just has creep written all over him.”

“That’s funny – I always thought he had geek written all over him.” She squeezed his hand.  “Come on, the rides are awaiting.”

It took several moments for Matt to visibly relax again.  “Okay − let's go on the Ferris wheel and rock the seats."

"I don't think that's legal, Officer Reardon."

"Probably not, but I'm off duty."

"And I'm afraid of heights."

Matt laughed. "Are you? Good − this will be fun!"

"Matt!"

"Just kidding. Come on. I promise I'll behave."

Holding hands, they made their way through the crowds and headed towards the rides.

"How about some pizza after?" Matt asked as they passed by the food section, the air heavy with aromas, not the least being grease.

"Sure − if you don't rock the seat. Otherwise, I won't even be able to eat a mini-pretzel." 

Matt patted her stomach. "I think I found your weak spot."

No, Shelley thought, it was her heart, but that could be her little secret. "What's that noise?" she asked as they heard a string of loud pops. "Are they having fireworks already?"

Matt stopped in his tracks like a dog on point. As they both turned in the direction of the sound, a woman in the crowd screamed, "He's got a gun!"

Shelley's knees instantly faltered, and she grabbed onto Matt's sleeve to steady herself. This isn't really happening, she told herself, but the screams of the panicked crowd told her otherwise. And then, she saw him. A young man in jeans and a tee-shirt with a blue bandanna around his head was waving a gun in one hand while clutching a hysterical young woman with his other arm.