Page 34 of Kandie Shoppe

“You messy, you know that?” Shaking my head, I make sure I don’t look at Ulysses on my way out of the doctor’s office. “Well, at least that means you got it honest.”

“Sheriff.” He nods to my nemesis.

“Mr. Love.” Ignoring their acknowledgements, I keep my stride steady as I lead Pa-Pete out to the parking lot.

“He did what?”Mama-Pete asks again, as she pours the thick mass of macaroni and cheese over into the baking dish.

“Gave me a citation even though he didn’t see me driving.” Fuming, I slap the citation on the countertop, watching her eye it.

“Leave it here. I’m going to call the sheriff as soon as I’m done frying this fish and get this handled.” I move it out of her reach just as she is about to pluck it up.

“No ma’am, I got this.” Tucking it back into my back pocket, I wave her off. “Everybody knows Davies has an issue with me.They probably are going to want to talk to you, Pa,” I tell my grandaddy who’s leaning with his arms crossed at the doorjamb of the kitchen.

“It’s probably best if she does the call, seeing as she and Ulysses have taken up again,” he says with a casualness that I certainly don’t feel.

“Uh, excuse me. I haven’t taken up with anyone. Least of all Ulysses Shelby.” I turn to my grandfather, a World War II vet who I am seriously considering jumping on at the moment.

“Then why did Mrs. Lopez say she saw him coming from your place the other morning when she went to open the flower shop?” Mama-Pete props her hand on her hip, giving me a firm look.

“That sure sounds like taking up again to me. You’re grown, and that’s your business, but a Shelby, Kandie-girl? Yeah. He’s the best out of the lot, but still he’s a Shelby.” She sighs, shaking her head.

“A fucking Shelby?” comes the menacing growl from behind me just as the back door slams closed.

Of course, Ozymandias would pick this moment to show up. He’s as tall as Ulysses and the biker president, Angel, and has twice the muscle of both of them put together. Not that anyone can blame him. Saying he’s had to fight all his life is an understatement.

“Not a Shelby and watch your mouth,” I snap, getting up from where I was sitting and going to give his mean ass a hug.

He kisses the top of my head, his dark eyes softening for the slightest moment, his light almond skin tingeing pink, giving away his mixed heritage. “Sorry.” Shoving me a little, he stalks over to the sink to wash his hands.

“So, what’s going on with you, Kandie? Why’s that white boy leaving your house fore ‘day in the morning?” Hard eyes meet mine.

“He was doing a welfare check because one of the hydrangeas had fallen off the rooftop and a bottle of wine was broken on the sidewalk.” Giving the explanation I had ready, I shrug like it’s no big deal.

“Hm... That ain’t how Mrs. Lopez made it sound. She said the hood of his truck was cold as ice. Like he’s been parked back there a long time,” Mama-Pete muses, battering the fish and dropping it in hot oil. “Oz, open those windows so my whole house don’t be smelling like fried catfish.”

“You could just turn on the overhead vent,” Pa-Pete says, and I already know what she’s going to say before she says it.

“It’s too noisy. And I don’t want to miss these lies Kandie is weaving.” Throwing me a jaunty wink she turns back to my cousin. “I mean if you gone cut-up with one at least make him handsome, big-big, and good-looking like that young-un.” She shimmies a little making Pa-Pete wolf whistle and Oz groans in mortification.

“Did you take care of that thing I needed you to do?” She asks over her shoulder after their antics calm down. I already know what they are talking about — the guys who threw the beer at me and almost made me break my neck by falling in that ditch.

“No, ma’am,” he says, looking dead at me. “Somebody beat me to it. They knew what they were doing too. Not a trace to be found. Gone just like that.” Snapping his fingers to punctuate the statement he leans his long form back in a chair, crossing one knee over the other he props his elbow on the table cupping his chin.

“Now, Kandie-girl who loves you more than us? And if it’s this Shelby Sheriff, am I going to have to lay his ass down?”

Chapter

Ten

Kandie

“Hey you might want to try that new Cooper and Thief Pinot Noir. It’s real good,” Mr. Bobby-Lee calls over from the counter, chewing on a fat cigar he probably got imported from Cuba by the Cruz Cartel. Nobody talks about it, but everyone uses them to get the things you couldn’t otherwise have in this rural of a community like my Madagascar vanilla.

“You got a sample, Mr. Bobby-Lee?’ I quirk an eyebrow grabbing a bottle heading his way.

“I sure do.” He pulls a bottle out and two plastic cups.

“Now why you need some if you already know how it taste?” I laugh up at him. He’s as round as he is tall, his salt and pepper beard neatly trimmed in a V coming to rest mid-chest. It’s the main reason why he plays Santa Claus every year throwing candy out at the kids during the Christmas parade then listening to them tell all their family business over at the Shelby-Love Arts Center.

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