Once again, Phae did the exact opposite of what she knew she should do. “No. I don’t mind,” she said. “And thanks for this climbing gizmo. I really like it.”
Kent smiled, his straight white teeth like a flash of sunshine. “You’re welcome. I’m glad you like it. Oh, how do you feel about Mexican?”
“Mexico?”
“No, Mexican. As in food. You know, salsa, guacamole, enchiladas …”
She groaned. “Oh no.”
“Just thought I’d ask,” he said with a wink. “Goodnight, Phae. I’ll call you tomorrow.” He closed the door behind him.
Phae shook her head. She’d been so strong, and now this. Dammit. How dare he start acting like a gentleman? He was wearing her down.
She glanced at the cups on her hands and then checked her watch. It was still too early to go out. She fiddled with the straps and thought about her Uncle Carston’s big concrete silo.
She could hardly wait until midnight.
Chapter 24
IT TOOK HER LESS THAN a week to become an expert using the climbing device. She also mastered the other gifts Kent had left sitting on her back porch every evening.
Her favorites were the long-range listening device and the shiny new pair of night vision glasses. It had gotten so she could hardly wait for nightfall to head out with her new equipment.
It was difficult to focus at work, too, because she couldn’t stop daydreaming about her new toys and wondering what Kent might surprise her with next.
After another long day of waiting, she was on the verge of locking up the shop when James walked in. He glanced around at all the flowers, boxes of candy, balloons and stuffed animals.
“Still at it, is he?” James asked, seating himself in one of the hydraulic chairs.
Phae nodded, picking up a huge box of assorted chocolates and offering it to her cousin. He seemed extra large in this setting, his size magnified by his stiffly-pressed uniform, his huge, shiny black shoes and massive belt complete with gun holster and large radio. Every so often, a spurt of chatter would blare from the radio.
He waved off the box of chocolates. “No thanks, Phae.”
“Oh come on. Help me out. There’s enough candy in here to feed a small nation for a week.”
James smiled and accepted the box. He plucked out a piece of chocolate and popped it into his mouth. “Not bad,” he said when he’d finished chewing.
“He has good taste in candy, I’ll give him that much. And I just got my evening meal delivery if you want something more solid.”
“What is it today?”
“Chinese. Aunt Charmaine made it.”
He looked dubious. “Aunt Charmaine knows how to make Chinese food?”
“No. I checked it out. Looks like she cut up some fried chicken strips and waffles and stuffed it all into a couple of those white boxes you get from Chinese takeout. And there’s a couple slices of sweet potato pie in there with handwritten fortunes stuck on them.”
“Damn. In that case, yeah I’ll have some.”
Phae found the bag and set it on her workstation. “Have it all. Take it home for supper. I don’t have any room left in my refrigerator.”
James picked up the bag, opened it, took a long sniff then shut his eyes in ecstasy. “Admit it, Kent’s not so bad.”
“If you came to sing his praises, save your breath. I’ve heard it all. Trust me.”
He set the bag back on the counter. “No, that’s not why I’m here, though I admit he’s tried more than once to get me to fall into line with everyone else. I thought he’d gone as far as he could when he started that picket line a while back, but he proved me wrong.”
“Yeah, he’s a bundle of surprises.”
James picked out another piece of candy. “Kent can be impulsive sometimes, but I know he’s serious about you or I wouldn’t put up with everything he’s been pulling. Now don’t get mad at me, Phae. Wipe that look off your face or it might freeze that way.”
“Gee, thanks Grandma Jones.”
“Well, she was right about a lot of things, and that’s one of them. Anyway, he didn’t put me up to saying this, but you should know that he’s never done anything like this before, not that I know of anyway.”
Phae studied her fingernails.
James perused the chocolate box again. “He’s always had this idea that his perfect woman was out there waiting for him and that when he met her, he’d marry her and that would be that. I guess his parents’ marriage worked that way. I’ve always told him it wouldn’t be that easy, but Kent … he’s kind of stubborn.”
She snorted.
“But he means well,” James continued, “most of the time. And he’s one of the few truly honest people on this planet. That counts for a lot, with me anyway. Don’t hold out on him for too long, Phae. The poor guy is suffering.”
“You’ve sure changed your tune since the fair,” she said, nonplussed.
“Doesn’t matter. Man can change his mind if he wants. But I didn’t come here to talk about him. Is Sylvie gone already?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. I want to talk to you about Uncle Leon and Aunt Meg.”
Phae nearly winced. “What about them?”
“They’re in big trouble. Don’t tell me you haven’t heard.”
“I did. I even went and tried to talk to them about it, but they won’t listen.”
“Nancy Carter down at Family Services called me today. I guess the Slinker woman won’t let it go and Nancy says if Leon and Meg have one more blowout, they won’t be able to stop Slinker from stepping in.”
“What? I didn’t hear that.”
“She called me today.”
“Did they have another big fight?” she asked, panicked. “When?”
“Last night. It was the biggest yet. I had to go out there and try to stop it, but it didn’t do any good. Meg is still furious that Leon won’t believe she didn’t pull that trick on him at Trapper’s Tavern a while back. And you know Leon; he won’t back down. These fights used to blow over by the next morning, but this one never ends.”
“This is horrible.”
“I tried to tell them that it was most likely Captain Nice Guy who played that trick.”
“I told him that, too. And Meg.”
James took off his hat and ran the back of his hand over his brow. “They don’t listen. They’re headed for a showdown on this thing, and I don’t know how to stop it. Any suggestions?”
“Have you told them what Nancy said?”
“Yes, but they do
n’t take it seriously. Meg says that George’s wife wouldn’t let her husband be involved in something so terrible. And Leon says he’s a Jones and family services wouldn’t dare touch any of them, what with half the office being related in some way or other. He’s wrong about that, I think. Nancy says it’s serious.”
Phae had never felt so helpless. And guilty. “Do you think the social worker will follow through?”
“I do. Those Slinkers’ brothers think they have something to prove. And there’s nothing more dangerous than that.”
“Send Aunt Elfleda after Meg and Leon. She’ll set them straight.”
“This may shock you, but Aunt Elfleda refuses to get involved. She said you can’t protect fools from themselves.” He put the lid back on the candy. “My only thought left is that maybe Captain Nice Guy will come up with something. He’s always there when we need him. He may be our last chance.”
Phae wanted to cry she was so frustrated.
James stood up, handed her the box of candy and picked up the bag of faux-Chinese food. “Guess I’ll head on home. Thanks for the supper.”
“You can thank Kent, and Aunt Charmaine.”
She followed him to the door to lock up after him.
“See you, Phae. Be careful,” he said then strolled toward his patrol car.
Phae called goodbye, locked the door then headed to her apartment. She no sooner stepped inside than her cell began to vibrate in her pocket. She pulled it out. It was Kent.
A wave of relief flooded her. She would tell him about Meg and Leon, see what he thought, maybe get some suggestions or feedback on what she should do, if she should even dare to try.
Suddenly, the impossible seemed possible. Maybe she could solve this problem after all, with Kent’s help.
The thought rattled her. She was taken aback. Without realizing it, she’d come to enjoy Kent’s calls and to look forward to them. Strange.
How long had it been since she’d had someone to confide in, someone she could trust with her secrets? No one since her grandmother died.
Kent. A confidant. Who’d have thought?
She answered his call with a smile.