Ring Around the Rosy (22 page)

“Yes.”

“Then can you tell me why you
called a phone booth on Liberty and Professor from your apartment on October
13th?”

Susan sat up straighter. “What are
you talking about? I never called a phone booth.”

“Your phone records show
otherwise.”

“There must be some mistake.” She
buried her head in her hands. God, she couldn’t think anymore.

“Your bracelet was found at the
scene of the first crime.”

“It fell out of my pocket. I
already explained this to Detective Morgan. I’m sure it’s in his report.”

Susan couldn’t help but notice
Greenwood’s handwriting. The height of his
 
’t’ was taller than normal, which showed he demanded respect and
expected others to treat him with dignity.

Darn it, she demanded respect,
too, and she didn’t feel she was getting it.

“That’s just it. It isn’t. So how
about if you explain it to me.”

Susan looked at him. His dark eyes
bore into her. She’d had enough.

She stood up. “Am I under arrest?”

Detective Greenwood pushed his
chair back, stood, and blocked her path to the door.

“Am I under arrest?” she repeated.

“Let’s just say I’m detaining
you.”

“For what reason?”

“Sit down, Ms Weston.”

“I want a lawyer.”

“You’re entitled.” Detective
Greenwood walked to the door. “Sit down. I’ll be right back.”

Susan brushed away tears she
couldn’t control. She didn’t have a good feeling about this. Something told her
she was a suspect. God, where was Dave when she needed him?

The door opened a few minutes later,
and Dave came in. Susan ran into his arms.

 
“Come on, we’re leaving.”

He didn’t need to tell her twice.
She followed him out to his car, running to keep up with his quick pace.
“Greenwood said he was detaining me.”

“I took care of it. You’re free to
go.”

Once outside, she broke down.
“They consider me a suspect, don’t they? They think I have something to do with
these horrible crimes.”

“I know. I talked to the chief. He
suspended me until further notice.”

“Why? What’s going on?”

“Tampering with evidence. Chief
said I should have booked that bracelet, no matter what I thought.”

“So what happens now?”

“It was my call, and I stand
behind it. They’ll find out soon enough. Hill sure opened up a can of worms
with that article. They think your father’s shooting was connected somehow.”

“Do you think it is?”

“Random act. Not connected at all.
I tried to tell them that. But once the Riverdale Rag connected you in their
stories, it just made the Chief more curious about all this.”

“What can we do?” Susan was
beginning to rue the day she got this assignment. How was she going to prove
she had nothing to do with those crimes? Why were they taking it out on Dave?
The whole thing had turned her into a blubbering idiot. “Oh, they think I made
a phone call to that phone booth outside my apartment.”

“What are you talking about? What
phone call?”

“My phone records show a phone
call to the phone booth. I have no idea what they’re talking about. It has to
be some mistake.”

“That doesn’t even make sense.
Even if you were involved, who would you call at a phone booth?”

* * *

Dave stayed until two in the
morning. He hadn’t told her the chief said he shouldn’t have been taken in by a
pretty skirt. The scene with the chief wasn’t pleasant. It surprised him they
didn’t throw him off the force. The chief knew him better than that. He never
let his heart rule a case, and he didn’t this time. Unfortunately, the chief
didn’t believe him.

He looked at Susan asleep in his
arms, picked her up, and carried her to her bed. She woke up when he pulled
back the covers. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He kissed her cheek, and she turned
over and fell back to sleep.

Chapter Eighteen

The next morning, sunlight filled
the room. Susan had forgotten to pull the shades again. For a moment, she
thought she was back in Florida, but all too soon reality sunk in.
 
She checked the time.

Ten o’clock, she never slept that
late. Darn it, now she’d have to hurry.

She untangled the blanket from her
legs and got up. Bella stretched lazily next to her.

While the coffee brewed, she
showered, dressed, and called Clare to let her know she was running late.

After finishing her coffee and
feeding Bella, she was on her way to meet Clare before eleven. She wished they
had called Kate and had her meet them, too. It wasn’t often all three sisters
got together for no special reason. She thought about her sisters and the fun
they used to have, but then Kate moved to Fremont after John jilted her. Poor
thing couldn’t handle all the sympathetic looks from everyone.

Kate said it was an opportunity
she had to take. Someday, she wanted to start her own quilt shop. Managing the
one in Freemont taught her a lot and allowed her to get away pretty much any
time she wanted now. Susan hated the idea that Kate still settled on managing instead
of owning. But that was Kate. When John dumped her, she lost her confidence.
How did a man do that to a woman? How did a woman allow it to happen? No one
was going to control her life, especially a man. Not even Dave.

That’s why she had to cool it with
him. Things were getting too heated. She enjoyed his company, but she was
definitely relying on him too much. She liked Dave, really she did. Heck, she
was falling in love with him. But her job came first. Always had, and she
wasn’t about to change that now. Not for anybody.

Okay, so her heart betrayed her.
She still had her head, and that said no way. Going to Florida with him made
her lose sight of that. That was a mistake. But they were back now, and she was
going to throw herself into work with a vengeance. She would enjoy Dave’s
company while he was around, but no way would she live her life for him.

Even Clare let Steve have
everything his way, and look what happened to her. Susan couldn’t take that
chance. When she decided, or if she decided to take the plunge, she’d have her
career to fall back on.

Memory of the police station
suddenly surfaced. Dave had gone to bat for her, even got suspended because of
her. She owed him something, but not her life. Right now, she didn’t want to
think about last night, about the interrogation. She just wanted to enjoy the
day with her sister.

She turned off highway 91 and
found the restaurant. Once inside, she settled into a booth, and ordered a
strawberry daiquiri. Not the smartest thing to order on an empty stomach, but
after yesterday, she needed something.

Darn, why did she keep thinking
about bad stuff? She was supposed to be here enjoying herself. She looked
around the restaurant.

Waterfalls, lit from behind,
splashed behind glass on the walls, palm trees stood in the corners, and fern
hung from the ceiling, creating a tropical atmosphere. It reminded her of
Florida and Dave. Drinks were served with roses, orchids, and other tropical
flowers instead of the usual orange or lemon wedges. Neat place, Susan decided.
Hopefully, the food was as good as the atmosphere and the prices. She looked at
her watch. It wasn’t like Clare to be late.

Someone familiar stood framed in
the doorway, but the light partially blocked him. A shiver of fear ran up
Susan’s spine when he turned and walked toward her.

“Greg! What are you doing here?”

Greg pulled out a chair and sat
down. “I could ask you the same question. But, actually, I’m meeting a client
for lunch. How about you?”

“Waiting for my sister.” How was
she going to get rid of him?

“Can I buy you a drink?” Greg
motioned for the waiter.

Susan raised hers. “Already taken
care of.”

“I’ll have a scotch on the rocks,”
Greg ordered. “Oh, and a yellow rose for the lady.”

Susan cringed. Why would Greg buy
her a rose? Lord, she hoped he wasn’t the stalker.

“Yellow roses symbolize
friendship,” Greg said as if he read her mind.

Clare came in and sat down before
Susan had a chance to reply.

“Clare, my neighbor, Gregory
Platt. Greg, my sister, Clare.” Susan made the quick introductions. Why didn’t
he leave? She didn’t want his friendship. She didn’t want anything from him,
especially not a rose.

Greg looked at his watch and
leaned back in his chair. “Seems I have some time before my appointment. What
are you drinking?” He looked at Clare.

Clare shrugged. “Strawberry
daiquiri, I guess.”

 
“Okay,” Greg said when the waiter appeared
with his drink and the rose for Susan. “This beautiful young lady will have a
strawberry daiquiri.”

Susan sipped her drink, ignoring
Greg and the rose. It lay on the table next to her, and she could hardly bring
herself to look at it or Greg. She didn’t want to encourage him. Besides, the
rose rattled her. Unfortunately, Clare babbled on about her job. Susan yawned.
She should have known better than to drink alcohol before she ate. If she
didn’t get some food in her stomach soon, she was going to either pass out or
get sick.

The waiter came back with Clare’s
drink. “Can I take your order now?”

“Oh dear,” Clare said. “I haven’t
even looked at the menu. Can you give us a minute?”

“Can I interest you in an
appetizer while you wait?”

“Yes.” Susan picked up the menu.
“I’ll have the Mozzarella Sticks.

“Well, ladies, enjoy your lunch.”
Greg looked at his watch and stood. “My appointment should be here any second.”
Without waiting for a response, he left.

“So who was he? Another
boyfriend?” Clare barely waited until he was out of sight before she asked. At
least she kept her voice low so he couldn’t hear.

“Why do you think every male I
know is a boyfriend?”

“For one thing, the way he looked
at you. And you have to admit, he’s kind of cute. Seems like a nice enough
guy.” Clare took a sip of her drink and laughed. “It’s time you found someone
and settled down.”

Susan shook her head. “Greg?
You’ve got to be kidding. And why is it everyone thinks I need to settle down
to be happy?” Susan knew she sounded annoyed, but darn it, she was tired of
everyone badgering her about getting married.

The waiter brought her appetizer,
and they placed their orders.

“Or is it that misery loves
company? How happy are you lately?” Okay, it was a mean thing to say, but it
was true. The problems her sister was having in her marriage didn’t set a good
example for married life.

“Every marriage goes through
problems, Susan, even Mom and Dad’s. It doesn’t mean we aren’t happy.” Clare
glared at her. “Anyway, I’m working it out.”

“Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean
anything by it. I’m just so tired of everyone trying to push me into marriage.
What about Kate? Why doesn’t anyone bug her?”

Clare rolled her eyes and laughed.
“You honestly think we don’t?”

“Well, I never hear you.” Susan
devoured the mozzarella sticks.

Darn, she was hungry. And the
alcohol was starting to take effect.

“You could have saved one of those
for me.”

“If you wanted some, you should
have ordered your own.”

“What’s wrong with you, Susan?
Acting mean-spirited doesn’t become you.”

Susan sighed. Clare was right, of
course. Mean-spirited didn’t become her. She’d never been mean in her life, not
even as a child. “I’m sorry. I think it was Greg and the rose.”

“What do you mean?”

“I told you someone has been
leaving roses on my car and in front of my apartment, didn’t I?” Of course she
had, but more than likely Clare didn’t remember. She was too wrapped up in her
own problems.

“Oh my gosh. Susan, you don’t
think Greg is stalking you, do you?”

“That’s just it. I don’t know what
to think. I don’t think he is, but why would he buy me a rose?”

“Maybe he was just being nice.”
Clare shrugged and took a sip of her drink. “Or maybe he really likes you and
is trying to get your attention.”

“Just what I need.”

“Hey, it’s not so bad, you know.
In fact, it’s kind of exciting to have someone pay attention to you.”

“You’re not talking about your
lover, are you? You told me that was over.”

“Of course it’s over. But yes, I
was talking about him. It’s nice to know someone thinks you’re attractive and
doesn’t take you for granted.”

Susan shook her head. “Exactly why
I don’t want to get married. Everything becomes hum-drum, boring.”