Bouquet of Lies Part 7

"I'll explain later. I'm gonna need a ride to get it out of impound."

"When?"

"Like now."

"Okay. Just give me ten minutes to get cleaned up and I'll come get you. Where are you?"

The biker tapped her on the shoulder. She looked at him. "Wow," he said. "Sorry about your car. Man that's cold."

"Yeah. Thanks."

It suddenly occurred to her that it might be better to have this guy take her home and then go to the impound lot. It would save time. She didn't feel like standing around on the sidewalk waiting for Jake.

"Lacey." Jake vied for her attention once again.

"Just a sec," she told him and looked at the biker. "You think you could give me a ride home for say seventy-five bucks?"

"Sure! I could use seventy-five bucks. Got my hog." He thumbed at it. "I'm Big Boy." He held out a paw.

"Lacey." They shook hands. "Jake. I'll meet you at home." She hung up and checked her wallet. She only had fifty. There was more cash at home. Putting the wallet away, she noticed Dan watching. She rested an arm on Big Boy's shoulder and gave the paradoxical cop a big smile as she wiggled her fingers at him. Then, with a sweeping motion, she indicated he should be on his way.

Dan's radio squawked. He was getting a call and would have to go. Good. She didn't want him to see her take off with Big Boy. She had no helmet, but she was going to ride the motorcycle anyway.

Eight.

DARLA SAT ON her bed, fingers stroking white stockings laid out beside her. She stared at the Alice in Wonderland costume hanging on the closet door. Pinned to the skirt was a note that said: Wear me. It was a beautiful outfit. Expensive-looking. Lacey always did go for the best.

She'd talked with the Reverend Irene daily since her blow up with her sister. Partly because she was nervous about the party, seeing her mom and all, and partly because she felt guilty about the things she had said.

The Reverend rea.s.sured her that she'd done the right thing. You need to remove Lacey from that pedestal you've got her on. Be less dependent. She isn't the concerned sis you think she is.

Darla took the dress from the hanger. It was cla.s.sic Alice. A blue dress with puffed sleeves, Peter Pan collar, and white ap.r.o.n. Lacey had even bought her a headband, the stockings, and black Mary Jane shoes.

She liked it. She would have liked a costume that hid her ident.i.ty more. That way she could stay lost in a corner and be on the lookout for her mother. But this would do.

She loved the Alice in Wonderland story. The cat that grinned. The caterpillar that smoked. The queen that roared, Off with their heads!

She giggled. And there was Alice, in the middle of it all, growing big, shrinking small, making sense out of things that didn't make sense.

Darla related. She was a person living a life that didn't make sense.

All week Lacey had ignored her. Never once, did she try to change Darla's mind about moving out together. Never once, did she drag her downstairs to talk to Jake. That was something Darla wished she would do. There were no conversations about guys or the movie Lacey'd worked on. The only reason Darla knew the movie job was over was because yesterday and today Lacey had left the house dressed like a normal person.

Darla tossed the costume over her head and zipped it up. She put on the stockings and the shoes and admired herself in the mirror. She would ask Lacey for help with her hair and makeup when . . .

No. She better not. The Reverend wouldn't like it. She could do that herself. The old children's books she and Lacey used to read, including two versions of Alice in Wonderland, were in the library. Maybe she should get them.

But then again, maybe not.

She felt her heart beat faster at the thought of going inside the library. She hated that room. It scared her. Located off the foyer, next to the sitting room, its heavy, wooden-door entrance was inside a small alcove. She found the door as intimidating as the room itself. It reminded her of the entry to a medieval castle. Behind it were unspeakable things. Why she thought this, she didn't know.

She didn't really need the books, but now that she thought about it, she knew she had to go. Not long ago, somehow the topic of the library had come up in a discussion with the Reverend Irene. The Reverend had insisted she face her fear. This was the opportune moment. Darla took a breath and closed her eyes for a moment.

She stole downstairs. With any luck she wouldn't run into Grandfather. Father was home, but he was in bed nursing a mean cold. It wouldn't matter if she ran into him anyway.

She paused at the library entrance and felt her heart hammer harder than before. At least the children's books were on the shelf nearest the exit. She could grab what she needed and run.

Pus.h.i.+ng the door open only a few inches, the scent of old leather and aged paper overwhelmed her. It wasn't an awful odor or even very strong. But she smelled it distinctly and a sense of dread shot through her. She nearly turned around and fled, but then she heard a familiar voice.

"I don't think he's started the ball rolling because he just sprang it on me."

Darla opened the door a little more and saw a young man in a business suit standing beside the big mahogany fireplace. A cell phone was pressed to his ear and in one hand he held the bra.s.s urn shaped like a book that supposedly held her mother's ashes.

She stared. His back was to her and she couldn't see his face.

"I told him I met with Martin about this territory dispute we're having and he said to forget about it. Delp could handle it. Then he said, as soon as he got a security clearance on me, I'd be managing sensitive contracts."

She recognized the voice. It was the gorgeous guy at the Huntington. Was she dreaming? Was the library playing tricks with her head? She opened the door some more and, still clinging to the door handle, stepped inside the room.

"Yeah. I'm working on that right now." He put the urn back on the mantel. "Our timing is perfect."

She couldn't trust what she was seeing. He couldn't really be here, could he? Anxiety ripped at every organ and she took a step backwards.

"Well. I'm . . ." His head turned. He spotted her and she became a statue. Immediately he smiled, his teeth so bright they were nearly blinding. "I've got to go."

He hung up.

"Will wonders never cease. I certainly didn't expect to run into the beautiful young artist from the Huntington. Although I must admit, you've been on my mind ever since."

Was he for real? He'd been thinking about her? Her anxiety intensified.

"I could have kicked myself for not asking for your phone number. And now, here you are."

Elation mixed with her anxiety. She wanted to ask him who he was and why he was in her house, but the words remained stuck in her throat. She saw him give her dress a questioning once-over.

"It, um, ah. It's my costume." Her voice was a murmur. She cleared her throat. "It's a costume."

"Well, it's very nice. What you were wearing the other day was very nice, too."

"No, it's really a costume. My sister's having a party Sat.u.r.day night."

"Sister?" His eyes moved back and forth like he was thinking. "You mean Lacey? You're Lacey's sister?" Another look of surprise.

So he was one of Lacey's conquests. She should have known. Elation vanished like air in a p.r.i.c.ked balloon.

"Um huh. She's not home." Darla turned to leave without the books she had come for.

He chuckled and she stopped. "I know what you're thinking," he said. "I admit we went out a couple of times. But I'm not here to see her. I'm Randy. I work for your father."

He wasn't one of Lacey's boyfriends? Darla turned back around.

"I just met with Harper upstairs. Guess he wanted to make sure I had a shot at catching his cold." He smiled. Darla didn't react. "That was a joke. Feel free to smile."

Darla made a feeble attempt.

"Anyway. Your dad had some things he wanted to go over with me and I ducked in here on the way out to . . . Well, you heard me. A lot of boring business details."

Darla nodded, but not because of anything he said about her father or business. All she could focus on was the fact that he wasn't there to see Lacey.

He stopped talking and stared at her, his smile still bright. His eyes mesmerized her until she grew self-conscious of her stare. She wanted to have a nice conversation, but she couldn't say what she was thinking: You're gorgeous. I'm glad you aren't here for my sister. I'm glad you thought about me after we met. I wish I weren't so awkward with boys. Uh, men. You. I think I might pa.s.s out.

She made a move for the door.

"Always in a hurry to get away from me."

She stopped. "Huh? No. I thought we were done."

He lifted his brow and looked amused. "Done? I think we're just getting started."

Her face grew hot and she feared her knees might give way.

"You are certainly nothing like your sister."

No. She wasn't, and she didn't think that was a good thing. Suddenly any hope he might really be interested in her vanished.

The sounds of the front door opening and raucous laughter crashed her thoughts. Lacey's voice boomed: "Okay, Big Boy. You wait right here while I . . ."

She caught sight of Darla and stopped. "Hey. That costume was made for you." She came toward the library door and saw Randy. Immediately her demeanor changed. "What's going on?" She walked inside.

"Nothing," Darla quickly said. Why was she feeling guilty? Like she'd been caught doing something she shouldn't do.

A bald guy with a handlebar moustache, chains clanking from somewhere on his person, clomped into the room behind Lacey. He had to be thirty-five or forty, wore jeans and a tank top with a skull and roses design. His arms were beefy, his chest ma.s.sive. He scared the h.e.l.l out of her. Then his face broke into a friendly grin.

"Alice! I always wanted to give Alice a ride on my hog."

Darla hugged herself, shoulders hunched. She looked at her sister, but Lacey's eyes were focused on Randy.

"I take it Daddy doesn't approve," Randy said.

"What?" Lacey looked confused for a second, then said, "Ah, no! I just met Big Boy. He's doing me a favor. Well, if you pay someone, is that them doing you a favor?" Her tone said she didn't really care.

Big Boy took a couple of steps closer to Darla. "Where's the tea? I heard Alice has great tea." Light caught a silver cap on one of his front teeth. It glinted.

Darla stepped back. "Lacey. Tell him to leave me alone."

Lacey looked at her. "He won't hurt you, but . . ." She looked at Big Boy. "Leave her alone. She gets nervous."

Big Boy made a face that said, Shees.h.!.+ I'm not doing nothin'. His eyes remained focused on Darla. Darla stared back, afraid if she took her eyes off him he'd pounce.

"What are you doing here?" she heard Lacey ask Randy. "Still Daddy's golden boy?"

"If you say so."

Darla turned to look at Randy and her sister. Their eyes were locked.

Lacey grinned. "If you're not here for Daddy, you must be here for something else. Don't tell me little sister and you-"

"Would that be so bad?" Randy asked.

"I don't know. She's only seventeen."

"Almost eighteen." He c.o.c.ked his head.

"How do you know that?"

"Eighteen comes after seventeen."

"Funny. No breaking her heart."

"Lacey, we're not . . ." Darla took a step toward her sister and felt a heavy hand on her shoulder.

Big Boy put his face in hers. "Really. You wanna go for a ride?" His breath smelled of stale cigarettes. Her hands balled into fists and she crossed her arms against her chest. Then before she could call to Lacey again, someone had his hands on the big guy and was guiding him to her sister.

"I think this one is more your style." It was Jake. For a second Darla was worried Big Boy might punch Jake's lights out. He outweighed him by eighty pounds at least.

But evidently Lacey was right. Big Boy was a p.u.s.s.y cat and wasn't into hurting people. He looked dejected. "I was just being friendly. I never met Alice in the flesh."

"I've been waiting." Jake stared at Lacey.

"Okay. You're right. I just gotta get some cash for Big Boy."

"How much?"

"I'm short twenty-five."

Jake peeled twenty-five bucks from his wallet without missing a beat and shoved it into Big Boy's hand. "Your work here is done."

"Always glad to help." Big Boy glanced at Darla. "You sure? She purrs like a lion."

"She's sure," Randy piped up.

Jake glanced at the businessman, apparently noticing him for the first time.