Warrior, Fatal & Flawed Read online

  Cindy’s words came fast and frantic. Apparently, even the sheriff gets riled where her little sister is concerned. CeCe and I exchanged a nervous glance. She nodded slightly. I cleared my throat. “We went to talk to Serena’s ex-boyfriend who runs a gym there.”

  Cindy’s eyes got wide and Josie’s mouth fell open. She stepped forward, poking her finger into my chest.

  “After what I told you yesterday about not getting involved? You went and questioned a suspect behind my back? And look how well that turned out for you. Mariah, you almost got yourself killed. Again. And CeCe, too.”

  “Settle down, Josie.” Cindy’s voice was firm as Josie wheeled around to face her.

  “But Sheriff- “

  “Stop. I understand how you feel, but right now we have an attempted murder on our hands, so settle down and take CeCe’s statement.”

  Josie looked wordlessly at her boss, then spun abruptly away and gestured for CeCe to join her just outside the garage. Cindy pulled out a notebook and looked at me expectantly.

  “Okay, sis. What happened in Sacramento?”

  I gave Cindy the rundown on our visit with Buddy. Her face was impassive as she wrote, even when she asked a few questions – how was the drive, where did you park, that sort of thing. Her nose wrinkled when I told her we had parked around the corner from the main parking lot. When I was done, she closed her book and looked at me hard.

  “I’m going to guess that it happened in Sacramento.”

  “Someone at Buddy’s gym did it?”

  “Or someone from here followed you there and did it.”

  My heart sank. As Josie finished up with CeCe, Cindy and Josie huddled with Garry and Adam underneath my car. Adam pointed out things I couldn’t see from my vantage point, nodding and explaining.

  When they ungrouped, Cindy and Josie walked slowly back toward me, their heads bowed together as they whispered urgently. Finally, Cindy nodded and lifted her head.

  “This is getting serious, Mariah. Can you think of anything else you haven’t told us that you’ve learned about the case?”

  I shrugged as I looked at CeCe. She shook her head.

  “We’ve told you everything we know, which frankly, isn’t much,” CeCe said quietly, her face still white. She laughed slightly. “In fact, if this murderer knew how little we know, they never would have tried to hurt us.”

  As she lifted her eyes to look at Josie, her face lit up, then crumpled as tears began to flow down her face. Her boyfriend, Paul, stepped around the Sheriff’s officers and swept CeCe into his arms, murmuring to her as he held her, listening to her sobs.

  We stepped back around them. Josie and Cindy looked at me expectantly as Adam came up behind them.

  I reiterated what CeCe had said. “I’ve told you all I know. We’ve been talking to people, but we haven’t found out anything that you didn’t already know.”

  Cindy leaned toward me, placing her hand gently on my arm. “Sis, I’m worried. You always do this. You talk to these people and you get information that you don’t recognize is important and then you end up getting hurt because of it. This time, CeCe almost got hurt, too. You’re still healing from the last time. Today, you just got super lucky.”

  “I know, I know.” My voice was a whisper. I could barely lift my head to look at her. She was right. Maybe it was time to let the Sheriff’s department do its job. Why couldn’t I trust them to do it? I hated the thought that CeCe might have been hurt through my actions. My shoulders drooped.

  “I’ll stop, sis. I don’t want anyone else getting hurt.”

  Her face didn’t relax like I thought it would. “Mariah, it might be too late. I wish I had an available officer to put on you fulltime.”

  At this, I did lift my head and scoffed at Cindy’s suggestion. “Like a bodyguard? Seriously? Cindy, I can take care of myself.”

  “Clearly.”

  She had a point. I bit my lip, not sure what the answer was.

  “Excuse me, Sheriff, ma’am? Perhaps I could help?”

  Cindy and I turned to look at Adam, standing behind her wiping his hands on a rag. “First of all, it won’t take me long to fix the steering line. I can do it tomorrow. Garry says no charge.”

  I smiled. “Thank you, Adam. I appreciate that, but I can pay my bills.”

  “Maybe I could help with the bodyguarding? I’m pretty fit and I work out a lot.” His face looked hopeful. “I’m sure my aunt would vouch for me.”

  I shook my head. “I’m sure she would and so would Garry. No, thank you, Adam. I really appreciate the offer, but truly, I’m fine.”

  “No, you’re not, Mariah. It might not hurt to have Adam around.” Cindy gave him the once over, no doubt noticing as I had the muscles hidden beneath his work clothes.

  “Look, I’m at the studio or somewhere else on Main Street most of the day.” My brain kicked into gear as I tried to think of other reasons not to have a bodyguard. “When I’m at home, I’ll lock my doors. I do that anyway.”

  “What if I just hang out outside your house for the next few nights?” Adam asked. “That way, the killer or whoever this is would know not to mess with you?”

  Cindy nodded. “I’d appreciate that. We’d pay you, of course.”

  Adam smiled. “Even better.”

  I knew when I was surrounded, so I surrendered. I gave Adam my address and made plans to meet him at my house later.

  Sure enough, after the sun had dipped behind the tallest trees in my yard, a tap-tap-tap came to my front door. Adam waved as I opened the door. He gestured to the chairs on the front porch.

  “How about if I just park it there?” He had already set down a thermos and a sandwich on top of a book.

  “Thank you, Adam. I still feel a little silly about this.”

  Adam brushed away my thanks. “I’m glad to help. Since I’m new in town, it makes me feel like I’m contributing. Besides, the sheriff said I should only stay until midnight. After that, patrols will swing by.”

  We said good night and I gently closed the door.

  I was awakened the next morning by the buzzing of my cell phone on the nightstand. It was Neil. I eagerly swiped right.

  “Neil?”

  “You have a bodyguard now? Why didn’t you call me if you were afraid?”

  “Hello to you, too.” Silence greeted my snarky comment, which did nothing for my mood. “I have tried to call you, but you haven’t picked up. So why would I call you now?”

  More silence.

  “Okay, fine.” Neil clicked off. I stared at the phone, then tossed it on the nightstand and flung myself back on the bed.

  Just three days ago, my life had seemed to be on the right track. Why had Lee come to town and turned everything upside down?

  Chapter 15

  I decided it was time to hunker down in the studio and keep out of trouble. CeCe had stayed home from the coffee shop to rest while Paul took care of the business. I discovered that when I stopped at the shop for a large mocha to try to clear the fog from my brain. I didn’t have the luxury of staying home, so I just tried to focus on my still-fledgling yoga business.

  I felt curled in as I sat in the chair at my desk, paying bills and planning upcoming workshops. This was my livelihood, in fact, what I loved to do. I wasn’t a deputy. Why did I keep inserting myself into other people’s problems?

  Lee called several times, but I declined his calls and refused to answer the many texts. When he showed up at the noon class, my heart sank. I hid in the office with the door closed while Stormy settled the students into the studio.

  Sitting in my desk chair, I planted both feet on the floor and gently closed my eyes. Placing my hands palms up on the tops of knees, I breathed in the ujjayi breath, attempting to plug into the energy of the universe.

  Stormy stuck her head in the office door. “Almost show time, boss.”

  I nodded, breathed in one more breath and opened my eyes, then stood up and headed into the studio.

  Lee had once
again set up his mat right in front of mine. I smiled at him briefly and glanced around the room, then sat down on my mat and began class.

  It took only a few moments for me to get back into my teaching groove. By the end of class, my spirit felt lighter.

  I greeted the mayor as she rolled up her mat. “Sue, I’m glad to see you returned so soon. I hope you’re enjoying your new yoga practice.”

  Mayor Sue pushed her hair away from her face and paused, one hand holding her rolled-up mat on the floor. “I was pleasantly surprised at how good I felt after class, so I wanted to try it again.”

  “And?” I crossed my fingers and waited for her reply.

  “And I love it. I feel relaxed and energized all at the same time.”

  Her smile was genuine, then her eyes filled with concern. “However, Mariah, I heard you had a scary experience yesterday.”

  I shrugged and waved my hand lightly. “It was scary at the time,” I admitted, “but everything turned out in the end. Your nephew and Garry took good care of me.”

  “That’s such a relief.” Sue leaned in toward me, her perfectly groomed eyebrows lifted in a question. “I heard you were working on the Serena Jacobus case.”

  I held out both hands as if I could ward off the case. “No, no, no! It was just an accident.”

  Sue looked back at me, skeptically. I tried to maintain my brave front, knowing that if she pushed too hard, I would cave. Fortunately, she backed down.

  “If you say so, Mariah. I’m just glad everyone ended up safe and sound.”

  I thanked the mayor as she slipped on her shoes and out the front double doors, then turned toward the office.

  “Mariah?”

  Lee’s voice came from the quiet corner of the lobby.

  I turned toward him. “Hi, Lee. Thanks for coming to class today.”

  “How about lunch?”

  My body felt tired and my brain was on overload. I shook my head. “I don’t think so. Not today.”

  Lee stood up and walked toward me. “Mariah, I’m running out of time. You said you would help me. I heard about what happened to you and your friend, but I really need your help.”

  I looked at him a long time. “I don’t think I should get involved anymore, Lee. I almost got CeCe killed.”

  “Please, Mariah. At least help me question the right people.” He paused, his yoga mat gripped in both hands in front of him. “Please.”

  I did have a few more questions for Bev at the diner, so I agreed with a heavy sigh. “You can buy me lunch and we can talk to Bev.”

  I waved to Stormy and stepped out into the sunshine. Lee scooted in close to me, his head down. “Are you okay? I heard someone tried to kill you yesterday.”

  I shrugged and stepped away from him. “I’m fine. Let’s just figure out who did it, okay?”

  We didn’t speak again until we were seated at a table in the diner, looking at the menu, which I already knew by heart even though I had only moved to town a year ago. I stared at the menu listings without really seeing them.

  “What’s good here?” Lee pulled a pair of reading glasses from his pocket and put them on as he looked at the menu.

  I shrugged, not interested in guiding his food choices just now. I debated between the black bean burger and a bowl of broccoli cheddar soup. When I had first moved to town, I had been happy to learn that the diner served vegetarian fare, so I knew the soup wouldn’t contain chicken broth.

  I felt Lee’s eyes on me and glanced up to meet his. “Want to talk about it?” he asked.

  I shook my head and ducked down as I fake-perused my menu again. Finally, I looked up. “I feel terrible that I almost got CeCe killed. I told Cindy I would let the Sheriff’s detectives take care of the case.”

  Worry leapt into Lee’s eyes. Before he could talk, I continued. “I also know they’re still looking at you and Neil. I don’t know how I can not help. I just don’t want anyone else getting hurt.”

  He nodded. “That’s fair. Thank you, by the way.”

  His eyes were gentle. I smiled back and reached across the table to touch his hand. “It’s going to be okay, Lee, I just know it is.”

  “Hey, Mariah! Who’s your friend?” Bev’s booming voice interrupted us as our waitress approached our table.

  I fixed Bev with a stink eye. “You know everything that goes on in this town, Beverly Logan. You know exactly who this is.”

  Bev grinned at me and chomped her gum. ‘That’s a fact, Mariah.” She nodded at Lee and turned back to me. “Whatcha having today?”

  We placed our orders. Lee went with a Southwest chicken salad. Comfort food won, so I picked the soup.

  “Hey Bev, can you stop back by for a minute after you place our order?”

  “Back in a jiffy.”

  True to her word, Bev strode quickly back and scooted into the booth next to me. She leaned back and threw her arm over the back of the booth, fixing her gaze on Lee.

  “When your girlfriend was here the other night, she just kept talking about how her boyfriend – I’m guessing that was you – dragged her to Jasper and then dumped her for his ex-wife.”

  Lee shrugged and nodded. “She wasn’t wrong.”

  “She was totally wrong,” I countered.

  Bev’s eyes bounced between Lee and me as we bickered.

  I looked back at her. “Did you see anything else or anyone else that night who might have interacted with Serena?” I pointed a finger at Lee without looking at him. “For instance, did you see him that night?”

  Bev fixed her eyes on Lee, then she shook a finger at him. “I did see you, didn’t I?”

  Lee shrank back in his seat as I turned to stare at him. Had he lied to me again?

  “I saw you through that window right there. It was like you were spying on her, weren’t you?”

  Bev and I both crossed our arms and settled back into the booth to stare at Lee. He played with his water glass, then finally looked toward me. “Mariah, I already told you I saw them through the window. I was looking for a place to buy beer, remember?”

  “How long were you out there?”

  “Long enough to see where Serena was, not long enough for her to see me.”

  Bev pursed her lips in disapproval, then looked toward the ceiling in thought. “You know what? She also went right over to Mayor Sue when she first came in. Seemed all friendly toward her, but Sue didn’t act like she knew her.”

  “Order up!”

  Bev was already standing before the words were finished. She strode to the window and swept up our plates, then swiftly set them before us. “Did you have any other questions, Mariah?”

  I unfolded my napkin. “Bev, could you go and talk to the Sheriff’s folks again? Maybe that would help get Neil his job back.”

  “Absolutely, my dear. Don’t you worry about it.”

  Lee’s eyes bored into me as he leaned across the table. His voice was quiet but accusing. “You’re not here to help me at all, are you? You’re just trying to get your boyfriend off.”

  I met his gaze. “I’m trying help both of you. Now shut up and eat your lunch.”

  After a few moments, Lee dropped his gaze, picking up his napkin and wiping his mouth. “For a yoga teacher, you’re kind of mean,” he mumbled.

  I shoved the spoon into my bowl of soup. “You’re not the first to notice that.”

  Chapter 16

  Lee wanted to join me back at the studio, but I wouldn’t let him. I walked slowly back, mulling over what we had learned – or, rather, not learned – at the diner. So far, everything tracked with what Lee had told me. I still felt no closer to the answer than I had days earlier.

  “Mariah!” I turned in the direction of the voice, surprised to see Mayor Sue striding quickly in my direction.

  “Mariah, I’m glad I caught you. I just had a brilliant idea for next month’s fund-raiser.”

  Every month, the town of Jasper hosted a get-together at the rec center. Often there was a movie or a dance. Local
businesses donated gifts and baskets for the silent auction. We just held one, so I wasn’t even thinking about next month.

  The mayor reached me, a big smile on her face. “How would you like to lead a yoga class as part of next month’s event? We could gear it toward health and wellness. What do you think?”

  To be honest, I was floored. Until a couple of days ago, Mayor Sue had paid little attention to my little studio. My mouth opened and closed a couple of times in complete surprise.

  “Wow, Sue, that would be amazing,” I finally stammered. “Let me see what I can come up with that would work. Thank you for thinking of me.”

  Sue smiled and looked away. “I’ve really enjoyed the classes I’ve been to. We like to support our local businesses here in Jasper, you know.”

  I did know. Even though she’d only been in classes this week, the mayor’s office had been helpful since I’d moved to Jasper.

  As Mayor Sue started to walk away, I hesitated. “Wait, Sue?”

  She turned back and I walked toward her. “Sue, I was just talking with someone and they said that Serena, the young woman who died at the river, seemed like she knew you when she saw you at the diner. Did you know her?”

  A shadow passed over Sue’s face and she frowned. “No, of course not. Didn’t she just come to town that day? How could I have known her?”

  “Someone said she stopped to talk to you.”

  Sue shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t remember. Maybe it was a case of mistaken identity. Gotta run now. Bye!”

  Sue gave a little wave as she turned back down Main Street toward City Hall, off on some other important mayoral task no doubt. I mentally crossed another lead off my list and turned my mind to the upcoming fundraiser.

  The fundraiser class would need to be designed for all ages and ability levels, maybe one that could be done in chairs and also on the floor. While some of my classes had plenty of clients, I knew I had to be on the lookout for ways to grow my business. That’s one thing they don’t always tell you about becoming a small business owner: Eventually, you won’t have to work sixteen-hour days, but you’ll always be thinking about the business. We small businesspeople run on very tight margins.