Walter and Byron emerged from the store, panting heavily. They looked at the prone body of Charlotte. Byron clapped Walter on the back. “Good work,” he said.
Walter shook his head. “You’re the one who clocked her with the Stephen King hardcover. That took some of the wind out of her.”
“Thank heavens he’s a wordy man,” said Byron.
The two of them came over to where the others were standing. Jane gave Walter a hug, holding him close. “I’m so glad you’re all right,” she said.
“Me too,” said Walter. “For a while there I thought that lunatic was going to slit all our throats. I still don’t get it. All of that over a book?”
“It’s a good thing you came along,” Lucy said to Byron.
Before Byron could respond, Kelly hauled off and punched him in the face. Byron reeled back, holding his nose, while Kelly shook his hand in obvious pain. “That hurt!” he yelped.
“Bloody hell!” Byron said.
“Boys!” Jane said, getting between them. “You can work it out later. Right now we need to do something with Charlotte. I mean Violet.”
“That could be a problem,” Lucy said.
Jane turned to her. “Why?”
Lucy nodded toward the store. Where Charlotte had been lying there was now nothing but broken glass.
Chapter 33
She pressed her head against Charles’s chest. His heart lay beneath her cheek, every beat a reminder of his presence. She matched her breathing with his until they became one body, sharing blood and breath.
“Tell me again why we aren’t calling the police,” Walter said to Jane. They’d just returned to Jane’s house after straightening up the bookstore. It was two in the morning, and Jane was exhausted. She was sitting on the couch, her feet tucked up under her, drinking a cup of tea.
“It would only be a lot of bother,” Jane answered.
“Bother?” said Walter. “The woman was going to kill us.”
“I don’t think she would really have done it,” Jane said. “I think she was just upset.”
Walter gave her a disbelieving look. “You saw the inside of the store,” he reminded her. “You saw what she did to the window. That was a little more than just being upset. It was completely psychotic.”
“Trust me,” Jane said. “We know her name. We can easily track her down if need be. I think you and Byron scared her well enough.”
“That’s another thing,” said Walter. “Why did he come back? And what’s this about him and Kelly’s boyfriend? I’m so confused.”
As if he’d been called, Kelly came into the living room. He had a towel wrapped around his hand.
“Is the ice helping?” Jane asked him.
“A little,” he answered. “I can’t believe how much it hurts.”
“Yes, well, Byron—Brian—has a very hard head,” Jane told him.
Kelly leaned his head back and groaned. “I feel like such an idiot,” he said. “I behaved like a five-year-old who was mad because someone stole his milk money.”
“It sounds like he stole a little more than that,” said Walter. “I’d have decked him too.” He looked at Jane and grinned. “In fact, I believe I threatened to do exactly that.”
“Boys,” Jane said. “You’re all impossible.” Despite what she said, she reached out and took Walter’s hand.
“Who is that guy?” Kelly asked. “Some kind of bisexual writer kung-fu expert, or what? And how weird is it that right after you had a run-in with him he came on to Bryce?”
“Not as weird as you might think,” Jane said. “Speaking of which, how are you feeling about things with Bryce?”
Kelly waved a hand in the air. “I don’t know,” he replied. “I’ve been with the man for almost ten years. And I guess if I was willing to fight for him, I must still love him. He’s going to owe me big time, though. We’re talking a trip to Europe, or maybe a country house.” He bit his lip, then raised an eyebrow. “Besides, I have to admit, there really is something about Brian.”
“Don’t you even think about it,” Jane said quickly.
Kelly laughed. “Don’t worry. I’ll be a good boy.” He stood up. “And now it’s off to bed for me. This has been more than enough excitement for this city boy. I had no idea you country folk were so wild.”
“Wait until tomorrow,” Walter told him. “We’re planning a barn raising.”
Kelly went upstairs, leaving Jane and Walter alone. Jane still hadn’t let go of Walter’s hand. Holding it was reassuring. He was something solid to cling to, something real and warm and safe. I could sit like this forever, she thought.
“I like him,” Walter said.
“Like who?” Jane asked.
“Kelly,” said Walter. “To tell you the truth, I was sort of hoping he’d say things are over with this Bryce guy. I was going to set him up with Hank.”
“Hank?” said Jane. “You mean your electrician Hank?” She got a mental picture of Walter’s longtime friend and sometime co-worker. He was a big man, with a thick beard and hands that reminded Jane of bear paws.
Walter nodded. “Big Hank,” he confirmed.
“I had no idea,” said Jane. “Anyway, I don’t think they’d have much in common.”
“There you go, making assumptions again,” said Walter. “Isn’t that what you thought about us?”
“Not at all,” Jane said. “Well, perhaps a little,” she admitted.
“Hank might surprise you too,” Walter told her. “And look at Kelly there. He threw a pretty mean punch. I wouldn’t be surprised if pretty boy’s nose is a little bit crooked after this.”
I wouldn’t count on that, Jane thought. More likely, Byron had already healed from the encounter, as well as from the minor wounds Charlotte had inflicted. As for Charlotte, Jane really wasn’t terribly worried about her. Now that she’d revealed herself, she likely would be afraid to try anything more. Still, Jane would be on the lookout.
Walter squeezed her hand, and Jane looked at him. He had a somewhat worried expression on his face. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you,” he said. “It’s a bit difficult for me to say.”
Here it comes, Jane thought. Her heart sank. Walter had figured out that there was something not quite right about her. He was going to tell her that they couldn’t be together after all.
“Things have been moving very quickly, and I feel that—” Walter began. But before he could continue he was interrupted by Jasper, who ran into the living room. He woofed and looked meaningfully toward the kitchen.
“You already had dinner,” Jane reminded him.
Jasper woofed again.
“I think he wants to go out,” said Walter.
“Of course,” Jane said. “I’ll take him. You just hold that thought.”
She jumped up and hurried into the kitchen. She was relieved to get away from Walter. She knew what he was going to say, and she wasn’t ready for it. Just when I decided that ‘maybe things can work, she thought sadly as she opened the back door and watched Jasper run into the yard. She stepped outside and shut the door behind her.
“I suppose it was inevitable,” she said.
“What was?” Byron stepped out of the shadows, startling her.
“Why must you do things like that?” Jane asked him. “Can’t you just ring the bell like other people?”
Byron looked up at the moon, which was full and round. “First, I’m not like other people,” he said. “Second, I don’t think Walter would be very keen to see me right now.”
“I don’t think it will matter after tonight,” said Jane. “I think he’s about to end things.”