His lips grazed hers. And your point is?
Impulse kicked in. Knocking reason aside, Meliana grabbed him by the front of his shirt and yanked him against her. I hate you, Johnny Grand.
Me, too, he said and, angling his mouth over hers, began to devour.
SHE WOULD HAVE GONE UP to the loft bedroom with him, and he would have taken her there in a second, but both dogs began to bark, and the headlights that swept over them preceded the blast of a horn.
Okay, you two, knock it off, Julie called out the car window. Youve got visitors, and one of them had her most recent date interrupted by a friend whose underwear got scoffed.
Johnny hated to think what hed have done at that moment had his other persona been in place. But he was Johnny Grand, making out with his wife in the front yard of their summer home. A snarl was the nastiest reaction he could manage, and only Meliana heard it.
He saw her silvery eyes twinkle as she whacked his hands away. He got me all dirty, she said to Julie, then added a softer Though I could have handled getting a lot dirtier for him.
Johnny ground his teeth. He was grateful hed worn loose-fitting pants. He swung to face the car, saw two doors open and scowled. What are you doing here, Lightfoot?
Dont sweat it. I bumped into Julie at the hospital after Mel left. We got to talking about roses, silk stockings and e-mail threats, so I tagged along.
Meliana gave Charlies cheek a peck. Are you going to feel out Johnnys computer?
Itd be a first. As it happens, Im also on the lookout for somewhere to hold a series of clinics Im having, examining the effects of a tranquil environment on the super-stressed mind.
Already been done a hundred times, Johnny said.
Charlie tapped his temple. Not my way, it hasnt. Any ideas for a group of, say, fifteen, Mel?
Theres the Blue Lake Inn or Reddings on the Lakethats a motel. Or you could rent a house. Lots of people here own large properties that they rent out in the off-season. Thatd be about now, actually.
Sounds good. Charlie nodded past her. Whys Johnny all dirty?
Julie lifted her head. I smell burned wood.
Johnny started forward. Its been a long day. Ill close up my truck. Mel can explain.
Mel can tell them what happened, Meliana agreed. She cant really explain. She pushed the dogs toward the house. Ill make coffee, Charlie, and show you the computer while Johnny cleans up.
Ill make coffee, Johnny mimicked, heading for his truck. Well have a party. Charlie can feel up Johnnys computer. Oh, hell, he swore as another set of headlights bounced along the road toward him. Why not invite everyone we know.
Zack braked and climbed out. You look as ticked as I feel. He wiped his hands on an old towel.
You look dirtier than me, Johnny countered. He slammed the hood of his truck. Is there a problem in town?
Five vehicles got rolled into Stokes Bog last night. Phil and I have been there since dawn helping to haul them out. We managed four, the fifths stuck on something. And you wonder why Id rather be a paramedic. Hows your busted pipe?
Capped. Because he didnt feel like picking them up and it wasnt supposed to rain, Johnny kicked his tools under the SUV.
Zack leaned on the top of his car door. Sounds like youve had a lousy day, too. I was hoping for a beer.
Johnny had been hoping for a whole lot more than that. Mels here. He searched his pockets for his keys. And some friends from the city.
Rain check, then. Zack raised a hand at Meliana, whod come onto the porch. How are things? he called out.
Busy, she called back.
Julie appeared behind her. Johnny saw the poke she gave Meliana, and the action eased his foul mood. You might as well come in, Zack, and save Mel the trouble of persuading you.
Hey, I dont mind being persuaded. Whos the blonde?
Julie Denton. City cop. Not married.
My motherll be pleased to hear it. Zack whipped down the towel hed draped over one grimy shoulder and tossed it into the cruiser. I figured this day had to improve at some point.
Youd think so, wouldnt you? Johnny agreed. Then groaned as the house, indeed the entire lakefront yard, went black.
THE POWER FAILURE LASTED fifteen minutes. Meliana and Charlie sat cross-legged on the sofa and by candlelight watched the other three argue about the source of the problem.
Johnny assumed it was the breaker box, the obvious choice. Zack figured the outage might involve the whole lakefront area, and Julie mentioned the word sabotage.
Fortunately, a minute after that word left Julies mouth, the lights popped on. The music Meliana had been playing resumed and the ceiling fan began to grind.
You like blackouts, dont you? Charlie asked while the mini-hubbub continued around them. I bet youre a fan of old horror movies.
I like suspense, Meliana agreed. Psychological terror as opposed to blood and gore.
Yeah, she sees guts being spilled every day, Johnny put in from the kitchen.
Hed have passed out if we hadnt tranquilized him when he was shot. Meliana spoke just loud enough for Johnny to hear.
Thats right, you operated on him, didnt you? Charlie shed his jacket as the heater kicked in again.
Melianas eyes sparkled. I was a resident, overworked and exhausted. It was 2:00 a.m. We heard a copsorry, FBI agenthad been shot. No one knew how bad it was. Id just finished stitching up a knife wound, so I was it.
I wouldnt have passed out. Johnny handed Charlie and Zack a beer, Julie a hard lemonade and Meliana the soft one shed requested. Someone had to drive the others homeapparently.
He threatened to faint like a girl. Meliana moved her glass in a triangle between Zack, Julie and Charlie. Have you all met?
Julie hit the sexy button, smiled and shook her hair. Zack and I introduced ourselves.
And I met Zack last year, Charlie said. I followed your neighbor up here one day after Christmas. Read him the riot act over doling out samples of his companys pills to anyone who stuck out his or her hand.
Tim Carrick gives sample medications to patients? Meliana swirled her lemonade while she digested that. I should be surprised, but Im not. I imagine he figures if they like what hes offering, theyll ask their doctors to prescribe it. Or is he looking to make private deals?
Hes not that stupid, Zack said. He doesnt give out samples as such. According to Tim, some thief lifted a bunch of boxes and other containers from his case one time when he was in Chicago.
A generous thief, who distributed the packets to anyone he felt needed them. Charlie shook his head. Carrick did the deed anonymously, knowing his companys name was on the label, but my guess is the order to do it came from a higher source within said company. Either that or hes an out-and-out dealer.
Did you mention any of this to the chief of staff? Meliana asked.
Charlie chuckled. Every time I see him, although lately Ive noticed he tends to dart down side corridors whenever our paths threaten to converge.
Zack perched on the arm of Julies chair. What got Charlie hot was that some poor woman wound up taking an unprescribed handful of antidepressants.
Zack perched on the arm of Julies chair. What got Charlie hot was that some poor woman wound up taking an unprescribed handful of antidepressants.
They were far stronger than anything she needed. Charlie made circles in front of his headband. She was in la-la land for three days. Her husband thought Id set the dosage, so he called me. It took ninety minutes of questioning for me to figure out that she got the pills from the sourcethat being good old Tim. I tracked Carrick to his home, couldnt find him, went to the sheriffs office. Charlie chuckled. The sheriff was having ants exterminated from the jail cells, so he told Zack to deal with it.
Sounds like Sheriff Frank. He likes to delegate, Meliana added in a stage whisper to Julie.
Hes retiring next year. Zack arched a brow in Julies direction. If youre looking to get out of the rat race, Blue Lakes going to need a new sheriff, and neither Phil nor I are in the running.
Meliana rested her head on the sofa cushions. Why not?
Because Phils too lazy, and I want out.