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I have a gut feeling that James is up to something nefarious.
Pushing my chair back, I stand and make an excuse about needing to use the restroom. No one pays me any attention. They're deep in conversation about the town-wide debate over whether to replace the colored Christmas lights the town uses with those tiny, boring white lights that have become inexplicably popular.
As soon as I'm out of the kitchen, I hear James' raised voice. He doesn't sound happy.
I creep through the living room and see him through the sliding glass doors out on the back deck. He's pacing, yelling into the phone, and gesticulating wildly with his free hand.
Unfortunately, he didn't leave the door partially open, so I can't hear what he's saying. Staying out of sight, I press my ear against the glass.
"This isn't my problem." James sounds thoroughly frustrated. "No… I told you how I feel about her… Just get rid of her… Yes, I don't care how you do it…"
Something stabs me hard in the ass.
I can't help the startled shriek that erupts from me. I spin, fists raised in fighting position, to see Alice glaring at me with a fork in her hand.
"I knew it." She aims the tines of the fork at my nose. "I knew you wouldn't be able to stay out of my life."
"Did you hear what he was saying?" I gesture behind me at the deck. "He's talking about getting rid of someone, ashesomeone. What do you really know about James? You didn't know he has an ex-fiancée. Do you really know what he's capable of?"
"Are you suggesting I was asking someone to kill a woman for me?" James asks in a smooth as silk voice that even I can admit is very nice.
I turn to him. "I didn't say kill, I said get rid of. Maybe you're asking someone to drive Cherry out of town."
James rolls his eyes. "Why would I want to drive Cherry out of town? She's no threat to me, and she's certainly no threat to my relationship with your sister."
Alice moves to stand next to James, and he wraps an arm around her shoulders. I shudder at the sight.
"You told her to change her whole look," I say. "You made her feel like she dresses inappropriately. That doesn't sound like a man taking no interest in what she does in this town."
James shrugs. "If she's going to go around telling everyone we were engaged, I don't want her dressing so…" He looks down at Alice, clearly considering his words. "Evocatively. Yuletide isn't Vegas. People here don't want a lawyer who consorts with, um, loose women."
Alice steps out from under his arm and glares at him. "Are you calling her slutty? Because you know how I feel about that word."
He smiles obsequiously and bends his knees to be more on her level. "Which is exactly why I didn't use that word, but you have to admit, baby, she flashes her assets rather indiscriminately. This is a small town and many of my clients are extremely conservative. I have to worry about my reputation."
Alice chews on her lip, considering his words.
"She was at the thrift store yesterday." I plant my feet, ready for a fight. "She was looking for the most drab, boring clothes she could find, because James made her feel like she wouldn't fit in here otherwise. He made her feel bad about herself."
James ignores me, all his attention on Alice. "Remember what Mrs. Cooper said when she saw us out and I had the top three buttons on my shirt undone?"
Alice nods and I can see her caving to his persuasion. Damn lawyers.
"And remember when we ran into Mr. Moody after our end of summer run and he told me someone in my position shouldn't be running around topless for all to see my nipples?"
"Mr. Moody tried to put more clothes on the mannequins in Lily's Boutique." He also suggested my licorice strips are somehow too phallic. "He's got extreme views on modesty."
"James is a sort of representative of the community." Alice runs her hand up and down his arm, soothing him. How do I always end up the bad guy? "I can see his point."
"When you think about it," James smiles at Alice like I'm not even here, "I was helping Cherry fit in. No one in this town dresses up for anything but weddings and funerals. She looks like a tourist and I'm sure she doesn't want to draw unnecessary attention."
I groan. "You can not be buying this bullshit, Alice. Cherry has amazing style and she shouldn't have to hide it. Our town is accepting of everyone. No one complains when Barry Handle does the polar plunge and walks through town in his swim briefs."
"But Barry isn't my ex-fiancée." A bit of wheedling enters James' tone.
Alice frowns at me. "He's not wrong, Xavier. And you were the one eavesdropping on him. You owe him an apology."
"Not until he tells us who he's trying to get rid of."
