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Norma Rose wrenched opened the door, mainly in reaction to his reference to time running out. Her father had hinted at that, too. Shoving the key in the ignition, she said, “I will find out who you really are and expose you for a rat.”
With a single slicing gaze before he turned toward the windshield again, he said, “And I will find out what really happened between you and Forrest.”
It took some maneuvering back and forth before she got the Cadillac turned around, but then she hit the gas. The car bounced and banged as the tires fell in between potholes.
“It takes a good driver to hit every hole in the road,” Ty said.
She’d have liked to tell him to shut up, but was too busy holding onto the wheel.
“Slow down,” he said, “before you break an axel.”
With no intention of listening to him—ever—she pressed her foot harder on the gas pedal. Ty’s hand grasped her leg. His fingers and thumb dug into the sides of her knee, making a nerve flex and shudder. With the grip of iron that she wasn’t strong enough to fight, he pulled on her leg, forcing her foot off the gas. Trying to keep the car on the road while fighting the sensations zipping up her leg, Norma Rose hit the brake with her other foot.
Before letting go, Ty growled, “Slow down or I’m driving.”
“It’s my car,” she snapped.
“I don’t give a damn whose car it is. I’m not going to be stuck out here because you’re throwing a fit.”
“A fit? I’m not throwing a fit.”
“Don’t you care what happens to your father? To your beloved resort?” he asked.
Norma Rose opened her mouth, but didn’t trust herself to speak. She did care. Why else would she be here, with him?
“The truth is, Norma Rose, that I’m not the enemy, and if you want to save Nightingale’s from being raided, by either the feds or the mob, you’ll stop acting like a spoiled brat and help me.”
Her fury rose to an entirely new level. However, used to hiding things, she held it in as she drove, slowly, down the road. By the time she turned back onto the highway her rage had melded into determination for the deepest revenge possible. Without a word, she drove directly to Charlie McLaughlin’s drugstore and parked along the street out front. She was out the driver’s side before Ty could make it around to open the door for her, and she marched forward onto the sidewalk. Her nerves zinged beneath her skin, a mixture of fire and ice, yet she planted the often-used smile upon her face as they entered the store, him holding the door for her.
“Well, Norma Rose Nightingale, imagine seeing you here.”
She couldn’t take much more. Truly she couldn’t. “Hello, Janet,” Norma Rose said to the girl behind the lunch counter, whose eyes, thickly coated with kohl and mascara, had settled on Ty. “Imagine seeing you here.”
“I work here,” Janet Smith replied, curling her red lips into a smile and batting her lashes unabashedly at Ty. “I live in the new set of apartments just right around the block.”
* * *
Hostility hung in the air so heavily between Norma Rose and the soda girl, Ty almost quivered. But then he chose, as usual, to take advantage of the opportunity. Curling a hand around Norma Rose’s elbow, he guided her onto one of the squat stools along the counter. She flinched—inwardly, he sensed more than felt it—but made no show of pulling out of his hold. Once they were both seated, he asked, “What’s your lunch special?”
“Grilled cheese and tomato soup,” the girl named Janet responded.
“How’s that sound?” Ty asked Norma Rose, purposefully ignoring the other girl’s invitation to take full notice of her rather voluptuous curves.
He imagined Norma Rose wanted to tell him exactly how she thought that sounded, but she didn’t, as he knew she wouldn’t. Instead she smiled up at him. “Fine.”
“We’ll take two specials,” he told the girl. “And two milk shakes.” Glancing toward Norma Rose, he asked, “Chocolate?”
She nodded.
“Two chocolate milk shakes.”
“I don’t recall seeing you around,” Janet said, once again giving him an open invitation with her eyes.
“I’m a friend of Norma Rose’s.” Sensing Norma Rose might soon snap, he added, “Could we get those shakes before the meal?”
The girl spun around and the drumbeat of her heels faded as she disappeared through a set of swinging doors at the end of the counter. Norma Rose said nothing while peeling off her gloves and discreetly examining her hands. They were no longer blue, and he wondered how hard she’d had to scrub them. After setting her gloves on her lap, she plucked a few napkins from the holder on the counter and slid one his way.
“Thank you,” he said.
She remained silent.
He grinned, inwardly. “Who is that?” He didn’t bother nodding toward where the girl had disappeared.
“Janet Smith.”
“I caught the first name,” he said. “How do you know her?”
“She lives in White Bear Lake, or did. I wasn’t aware she’d moved.”
There was more to her animosity than her just living in the same town, and assuming he knew why, he pushed. “Another one of Forrest Reynolds’s girlfriends.”
She shot him a disgusted look. “Not that I know of, but I haven’t kept track.”
“Haven’t you?”
“No, I haven’t.” Flustered, and most likely knowing he wouldn’t give up, she whispered, “If you must know, her brother was a local whiskey runner who got himself caught a few months ago because he drank more than he delivered.”
Her eyes grew wide before she lowered her lids, telling him what he already knew. That she’d said more than she’d intended, and that Janet blamed the Nightingales for her brother’s arrest.
“Interesting,” he said. “What’s his name?”
Opening her eyes, she peered past him, to where Janet was reappearing at the end of the counter. He leaned closer. “What’s his name?”
“Jeb Smith, but everyone called him Smitty,” she whispered.
The clanging and banging made by the soda girl was obviously intended to break apart what must look like a tête-à-tête. Ty glanced her way, letting her know it wasn’t appreciated, which had the effect he’d figured it would. She made more noise by turning on the electric mixer to stir their shakes.
“And he worked for your father.”
“I didn’t—”
“We’re beyond that, Norma Rose,” he hissed through a smile. “He was running Minnesota Thirteen, wasn’t he?”
She pinched her lips together and nodded.
“Thank you,” he said close to her ear. He lingered there for a few seconds, inhaling deeply, while telling himself it was for Janet’s benefit. A minute later, he knew it had worked. Norma Rose’s cheeks were rosy and Janet’s were red.
“How’s your uncle Dave?” Janet asked, plunking down two tall glasses so hard the frothy contents bubbled over the edges.
“Fine,” Norma Rose said, picking up a napkin.
“I heard he was arrested the other night,” Janet persisted. “Ossified on the street corner.”
“You heard wrong,” Norma Rose said, without any prompting from Ty. “Dave’s at the resort and doing just fine. How’s Jeb?”
The other woman spun around, but her glare could have cut through ice. A man carrying two plates holding soup bowls and sandwiches had come from the back room and was heading their way.
“Well, Norma Rose,” the man said. “Janet didn’t tell me it was you here. I talk—”
“Norma Rose is showing me the city,” Ty said, interrupting the man. “Ty Bradshaw,” he added as the man set down the plates before them.
“Charlie McLaughlin,” the man replied.
“I’m staying out at the resort,” Ty said, knowing Janet’s ears were pricked. “Since the day is quiet out there, Norma Rose and I decided to visit the city. Maybe take in a picture show.”
Again, Norma Rose played along. “Ty wanted to try one of your infamous milk shakes.”
“And see a picture show,” Ty added again with a grin that grew as Norma Rose blushed.
Charlie laughed. “Ted Williams said he saw the one playing over at the Capital Theater last night, said he’d never laughed so hard. Janet, you went with him, didn’t you?”
Janet, stunned and nervous, shook her head. “Me? With Chief Williams?” she said, attempting to cover up her secret. “Of course not.”
Ty took in all the information. A soda girl whose brother was in jail was dating the chief of police, and going to a picture show at the most expensive theater, which was owned by the Hamm’s Brewing company, a company that was supposedly out of business due to Prohibition.
Not wanting it to appear like he was prying, Ty turned to Norma Rose. “We might have to see that one.”
She almost choked on her spoonful of soup and Ty grinned, imagining the fun of sitting in a dark theater with her. Ears alert, he let the conversation flow naturally as he and Norma Rose ate. It wasn’t yet noon and the establishment was empty except for the four of them, and he learned more each time either Charlie or Janet opened their mouths.
