AllFreeNovel
Share Us
His forehead furrowed. “Be careful.”
“I will.”
“Don’t let Harvey leave your side.”
He must have been reading my mind. I nodded. “See you tomorrow at one.” I backed out the door, holding his stare, wondering if he knew something about Jeff Wymonds that I didn’t.
The trip to Kelly’s house was filled with Harvey’s ideas on different ways he could guard me, from spending the night on Aunt Zoe’s front porch, camping in his pickup across the street every night, to sleeping with Aunt Zoe’s spinster-turned-sex-kitten neighbor, Miss Geary, while he kept an eye on me.
By the time I parked my Bronco in front of the Wymonds’ house, Harvey’s plan had grown elaborate enough to include hand signals and bird calls. I’d had to nix the idea of me wearing a wire—mainly because Harvey’s version required me being plugged into an outlet at all times.
Jeff’s front yard still looked like the parking lot of a Rednecks Anonymous meeting. His screen door had been torn from its hinges since my last visit and now lay on the grass next to the porch. The front door was open several inches, the sound of a baseball game spilling onto the lawn. With Harvey on my heels, I knocked on the door hard enough for my knuckles to sting.
Several seconds passed, my breath held, and then I heard the faint slaps of footfalls on linoleum. A frizzy-haired, platinum blonde poked her head around the door. The bags under her eyes added a decade to her face.
“Who are you?” Her eyes seemed more suspicious than wary as she glanced back and forth between Harvey and me.
I smiled big and bright. “Hi. I’m Addy’s mom. Kelly was supposed to have called for permission to spend the night at my house tonight.”
At least, I’d assumed the girls had gotten permission from one of Kelly’s parents. I peeked over the blonde’s frizz, searching for a glimpse of Jeff.
“Oh, yeah.” The blonde opened the door wide, her suspicious glint mellowing into an apologetic frown. “Sorry. You caught me off-guard.”
“I would have called first,” I lied, “but I didn’t have your number.” Calling ahead would have foiled my surprise plan.
“That’s okay.” She held out her hand. “My name is Donna.”
“Violet Parker.” Her handshake felt as firm as a watery Jello. I indicated toward Harvey. “And this is—”
“Sylvester Schwarzenegger,” Harvey finished for me.
I choked on my spit, coughing into my hand, blinking away my tears. “Sorry about that. Swallowed wrong.”
Donna smiled at Harvey. “You look really familiar. Are you related to the movie star?”
Harvey nodded. “We’re third cousins on his father’s side.”
A strangled giggle escaped from my throat before I could corral it. “Uh, Donna. You have a very nice daughter. She’s been great for Addy.”
Donna’s smile faded around the edges. “Thanks. I’m glad she’s been behaving for you. Can you give me just a moment while I grab Kelly’s bag?”
“Sure. No problem.”
Donna disappeared, leaving the door open in her wake.
I hit Harvey in the shoulder. “What are you doing?”
He grunted from the blow. “If I’m your bodyguard, I have to be undercover.”
“I thought you said everyone knows everybody else around these parts.”
“By name, yes; but I haven’t seen Donna since I grew out my beard.”
Shaking my head, I leaned in the doorway, hungry for a glimpse of Jeff and Donna Wymonds’ home. The front door opened into a small foyer, half-walls topped with skinny posts on the right and left divided it from the dining room and kitchen.
The house smelled of cigarette smoke and beer. A burst of applause came through an arched opening in the dining room.
Harvey stepped past me into the house. I grabbed his arm and pulled him back outside. “Where are you going?” I whispered.
