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Three steps more and she also saw another unexpected addition to the group. Duke, dressed in his crisply pressed sheriff’s uniform, frowned at her from beneath his hat. His expression alone warned her that something terrible was about to happen.
“Jessica,” Chucky said, his tone oilier than ever. She wanted to go back and take another shower.
“Chucky,” she replied, civilly, surprised that her tone came out even, not at all bitter, snarky, or hag-like.
Duke took a step in her direction. But Madeline stopped him, wrapping her hand around his arm to hold him in place. “No. I have something to say first.”
This should be good, Jessica thought, wondering what seventh level of hell she’d just stepped into this morning.
“You have some nerve, holding on to Charles’s prized stamp collection, Jessica, because you’re bitter about us falling in love.”
“Excuse me?” Jessica was shocked that Chucky had shared the details with his wife. Her gaze went to Chucky first. He looked self-satisfied. That was probably bad.
She glanced at her old boss. Mr. Barrington’s expression suddenly looked like he’d just bitten into a shit sandwich and wasn’t certain what direction to spit it out.
Welcome to the club, Jessica thought…well…bitterly.
“Since you refused to be the least bit cooperative in this matter, I have taken it upon myself and filed an official report.”
“An official report of what?” Jessica asked lamely.
“Theft,” she said. Madeline had always truly been a spoiled rotten princess diva on a good day. Today, she exuded evil bitch vibes like a flop sweat off a cornered criminal.
Duke shifted from one booted foot to the other, his expression now positively grim. “Sorry to blindside you like this, Jessica, but I have a court order signed by a judge.”
She stiffened. “A court order for what?”
Chucky sneered. “To open your safe deposit box so I can retrieve my stolen stamp collection.”
Jessica, thinking on her feet, said, “I’m surprised you bothered to corner me like this. Why didn’t you go to the bank without warning me?”
Duke smiled. “They aren’t open yet.” He glanced at his watch. “However, they will be shortly.”
Jessica nodded. “What if I want a lawyer to be present?”
Madeline said, “Only someone guilty would want a lawyer present.”
“Is that so?” Jessica pushed out a long sigh. Turning to Duke, she asked, “Can you recommend a good lawyer?”
“Perhaps—”
He was cut off by her old boss. “You should acquire a lawyer, Jessica. The local prosecutor is meeting us at the bank this morning. He wanted to be a witness in this matter while the court order is being served. I believe his name is Mr. Warrick Harper.” Mr. Barrington had obviously rid himself of the shit sandwich taste in his mouth to deliver that surprising information.
Duke cleared his throat. “I can give you the name of a lawyer. Why don’t you ride on over to the bank with me?”
“She’s wily, sheriff. Don’t forget to put her in handcuffs or else she might skip out of town,” Chucky said with an evil smile, then added, “Just kidding.”
Jessica ignored Chucky’s jocularity, marched forward, walking past Duke, who promptly fell into step behind her. She operated under the assumption that the sheriff had parked his cruiser in the same place as when they’d headed out to retrieve her stolen car several weeks back.
She wished she could find a way to bring up all the crappy things that had happened since she left Chicago with regard to her things being stolen, broken into, and ruined. Alas, she didn’t have proof. And she hadn’t seen Chucky’s henchmen in weeks. Not since she’d gone to the bank after Chucky had called that first time.
Duke came alongside her as they approached his vehicle. He opened the passenger door gentleman style, holding it open for her. She paused before getting in. “Are you sure you don’t want me to slap me in handcuffs and throw me in the back seat?”
“While that might hold a certain appeal for me with other women, I don’t want to try it with you and then promptly die at the hands of your boyfriends.”
