Strolling Into Danger (A Seagrove Cozy Mystery Book 6) (8 page)

“Of course, and I’ll put something together for us to eat, if you don’t mind me rummaging,” Betty said.

“Rummage away, we’ll be back in fifteen minutes.” Sadie grabbed a leash from the hook and headed back downstairs. The park was dark, windy and cold.

As soon as Mr. B had finished his business and sniffed around the flower beds, Sadie headed back across the grass toward her street, but as she neared the edge of the park, she noticed a very large figure sitting on the bench facing the street. In fact, he looked as though he was watching her shop. Sadie stood for a moment, wondering what she should do when she realized she knew who this was.

“Hello,” she said.

She would have liked to have called him by his name, but she only knew him by Mr. Big and Tall, and she couldn’t call him that.

“Are you alright?”

He started and stood quickly. “Oh,” he said.

“It’s you. Yes, I’m fine.”

He looked across the street and Sadie could see he was watching Betty. She was putting a tray down on what Sadie knew was the coffee table in the living room. Then she disappeared into the kitchen and came back with a steaming pan. He sighed.

“You’d better come up before you freeze to death,” Sadie said.

He squatted and let Mr. Bradshaw sniff his hands before he petted the dog. Mr. B’s tail whipped back and forth and he put his feet on Mr. Big and Tall’s knees.

“Come on, Mr. Bradshaw,” Sadie said.

“It’s cold out here,” and she tugged the dog gently away.

“His name is Mr. Bradshaw?” The big man rose to his full height, which was at least three feet taller than Sadie.

“Yes. But I call him Mr. B for short,” Sadie said as she led him across the street to her store.

“Why Mr. Bradshaw?” He was quick and light on his feet for such a big man.

“He came with the name,” Sadie said.

“And it grows on you.” She let Mr. B off the leash and hung it next to the door.

“This way,” she said and led Mr. Big and Tall up the stairs to her apartment.

“We’ve got company,” Sadie said as she opened the door.

“I saw you come across the street,” Betty said as she appeared from the kitchen with another place setting in her hand.

“I’m prepared.” She set the dishes on the coffee table.

“Betty,” Sadie said, “this is Mr. B-.” She looked up at the man.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know your name.”

“Silvester,” he said coloring.

“Silvester Little. I know, it’s a ridiculous name. Most people call me Tiny. It’s a circus thing.”

“Silvester is a fine name,” Betty said, putting her hand out to shake his.

“I’m Betty. And if you don’t mind I’d like to call you Silvester. Tiny doesn’t suit you.”

“My brother used to call me Sil,” Tiny said. “You could call me that.”

Betty smiled. “Sil it is. Come and sit down, both of you. It’s time to eat.”

Sadie claimed the new armchair. She wasn’t used to it yet, and it wasn’t as comfortable as her previous armchair, but it wasn’t bad. And anyway, that left Betty and Sil to sit next to each other on the couch. That seemed like the best arrangement to Sadie.

“How long have you been with the circus?” Betty asked, taking a sip of her hot chocolate.

Sadie took a drink of hers and sighed with contentment. It was perfect.

“Ten years,” Sil said. “But I’m thinking about giving it up.”

“Why’s that?” Sadie asked, taking the opportunity to get in on the conversation while she could.

“It’s not the kind of life you’d want to raise a family in,” he said. “And I’m getting to the age where it seems like it might be a good idea to settle down.”

“What would you do?” Betty asked.

Sadie noticed Betty was forgetting to eat, which was very unusual.

“I’ve got a degree in criminal justice,” Sil said. “I could be a cop. It wouldn’t be that dangerous in a place like this. Not like in a city.”

“I don’t know,” Betty said. “We’ve had a rash of murders around here lately. Our statistics could be worse than a big city, per capita.”

“Sounds like you could use another cop around here,” Sil said.

“Maybe,” Betty said, “you’d have to ask Sadie’s boyfriend. He’s the chief of police here in Seagrove.

“Can you introduce me?” Sil asked. “I’d like to talk with him.”

“You’ve already met him,” Sadie said.

“He was the police officer investigating Pabelin’s death.” Sil’s face lit with recognition.

“He’s the police chief? Wow. He seems kinda young to be the chief. But that’s good. At least he knows who I am.”

“Are you really considering giving up the circus and staying in Seagrove?” Sadie asked. “It seems kind of sudden.”

“It is sudden,” Sil said. “But you’ll think I’m crazy if I tell you why.”

“Try us,” Sadie coaxed.

She took another sip of hot chocolate and settled into her chair. She was dead tired.

“I don’t know,” he threw a sidelong glance at Betty.

“It could jinx me.”

“Listen,” Betty said. “If this has something to do with me you’d better spill the beans. I don’t like surprises.”

“It was you,” Sil said.

“I saw you standing on top of that trailer and you looked like a goddess. Or maybe a warrior. And when Win ran in your direction you didn’t flinch or cower, you stood taller and stronger. You were ready to deal with him, no matter what.”

“That’s what I looked like to you?” Lucy said, skeptical.

“That’s what I saw. And I’ve never seen anyone like you. I thought to myself, that’s her. That’s the woman I want to settle down with.” Sil looked sheepish.

“I told you it was crazy. I know you don’t know me and I could be a bad seed. But the only way for you to see who I am is for me to stay here. To become part of your community. And then once I’m settled and I’ve got a job, no, not a job, a career, I’m going to ask you out on a date. Then we’ll see.” He turned to Sadie.

“I made that plan while sitting on the bench out there. It’s always best to have a plan.”

“That’s true,” Sadie said watching Betty’s face. What was she thinking?

They ate in silence for a while and Sil got up and excused himself. “I’ll be going now,” he said.

“I need to help finish breaking down the circus. Thank you for the meal.”

He shook Sadie’s hand, his hand engulfing hers. Betty got up and walked him down the stairs to the front door.

Sadie stayed where she was so she wouldn’t be tempted to spy on them, but when Betty came back up the stairs, Sadie sat up and raised her eyebrows.

“So what do you think?” she asked. “Crazy as a loon, or sweet and inspired?”

“God, I don’t know,” Betty said.

“But I can’t deny I’m flattered. And attracted. I love big men. They make me feel, I don’t know – less like a blimp and more like just the right size.”

“And if he asks you out?” Sadie raised her brows again.

“Oh, I’d go. For sure. And then everything else depends on that first date.” Betty sat down on the couch with a sigh.

“It’s been a long time since anyone made my heart pitter-patter like that.”

“I know how that feels,” Sadie said.

“All of a sudden there’s that feeling you never expected to have in your life again. It’s hard to resist.”

She thought of how she felt with Chief Zack Woodstone. It was a giddy feeling. Poor guy, he was probably up to his ears in paperwork.

“Gosh,” Betty said, interrupting Sadie’s thoughts, “all of a sudden I’m so tired. I’d better head home.”

“Shall I drive you?” Sadie asked, sitting up.

“No. I’m fine. It’s only around the block.” Betty picked up her plate and carried it into the kitchen.

“Leave it,” Sadie said. “You made dinner, I’ll clean up.”

“If you’re sure?” Betty looked at Sadie, questioning.

“Of course I’m sure. And come to think of it, it’s time to take Mr. B out for his last walk of the night. We’ll walk you home and he can walk me back.”

Betty started to protest, but Sadie was up and had her coat on before she finished her sentence. Sadie wasn’t about to let Betty walk home alone after the events of that week. No one should be out alone and worrying if a dying woman was about to come around the corner. And Mr. B would keep Sadie company on the way back.

They dropped Betty off and watched to make sure she got in safely before Sadie and Mr. Bradshaw headed back home. Sadie lingered on the sidewalk where Pabelin had run into her, thinking about the two people who had lost their lives that week, and the families they’d left behind.

Mr. B began growling low in his throat. He faced the corner and his tail vibrated like a wire in the wind. Sadie’s heart began racing and her palms got sweaty despite the cold. She was about to turn and run back to her shop when a figure came around the corner and almost ran her over. He stopped short of flattening her.

“Sadie!” Chief Woodstone said. She laughed.

“You nearly scared me to death,” she said wiping tears of mirth from her eyes.

“Thank goodness it’s you.”

“What are you doing standing on the corner where this all started?” he asked. “Are you a glutton for punishment?”

“I was just thinking about how love can go so wrong. And how damaged a person must be to kill someone because of it. And then the people left behind.” She shrugged and threaded her hand through the space between his body and his arm.

“Walk me home?” she asked.

“Certainly,” he said and they perambulated down the sidewalk to her shop.

The light was on in The Bakery again.

“Do you want to see if John’s there?” Sadie asked.

“No. I want my girl all to myself. Or my woman. I want my woman all to myself,” he said dropping a kiss on her head.

“You can call me your girl if you want,” she said.

“I know I’m a capable woman, I don’t need the word from you. Now if one of your officers called me a girl I’d have to hurt them.”

“They wouldn’t dare. They know better than to treat the future Mrs. Woodstone with anything but respect. Or will you keep Ms. Barnett? I didn’t think to ask.”

He looked down at her with interest. She loved that he didn’t mind which name she took.

“I don’t know yet,” she said. “I haven’t considered.”

She spotted the bench in the park across the street and remembered Sil sitting there looking at Betty.

“Do you remember Roman’s goon? The really big one?” she asked.

“The one you called Mr. Big and Tall?” he asked.

“Yeah. Him. Betty and I saw him tonight. He’s thinking of staying in Seagrove. Did you know he has a degree in criminal justice?”