Page 123 of Blue-Eyed Jacks
He stepped forward and held out a hand to guide her outside.“Absolutely.Let’s see if he remembers me.”
Jackson and Zoe left.
Crystal watched their progress until they entered the house next door before turning to ask me.“Who’d he kill?”
It wasn’t like that.“No one.”
She shook her head.“Someone has to be dead.You’re here, and he’s here.”
A few people were dead.But none of them were his fault.I opted for the diplomatic response.“It’s handled.”
“I’m sure it was.But…”
The very last thing I wanted was for her to pry into Shock’s demise.So, I deflected the conversation.“Do you have a problem with Jackson?”
She shook her head slowly.“It’s just… if he’s here, who’s going to be coming after him?Or, when is he leaving you?”She stared me down and tacked on, “Again.”
I didn’t have answers for that.“Can you just be happy for me?For us?”
Her long glance out the window didn’t bode well.“He’s trouble.”
“The best kind.”
Crystal Ann’s eyes widened in surprise.“Whoareyou?”
“Kate.”
“No.The Kate I know is quiet.She’s a planner.She likes long walks, small towns, and wants nothing to do with trouble.What did you do with that woman?”
“I guess I confronted my ghosts?”
There was worry on my friend’s face.“And those ghosts?Are they truly gone?”
“As much as they can be.”There was a lot to be done before we’d be safe.Things we left behind in Skilletsville, lives affected by the sudden changes.Not just ours.
Zoe’s wasn’t the only job lost, or employer left in the lurch.“Did you replace me yet?”
“I got a bead on a couple of college students looking for income and a place to stay while they do marine study.”
Damn.Someone needed to cover the rent money she’d lose if we stayed.The winters here were brutal.Even more so when you couldn’t afford the nicer things, like propane for the water heater.I began revising the work we’d need to do, including chopping wood and heating bathwater on the stove.I’d done it before Zoe was born.With three of us, we could manage.
“There she is.That’s the Kate I know.Good to have you back.Even if it is only temporary.”
“What do you mean?”
She shook her head.“Jackson isn’t going to stay here.You know that, right?”
Deep in my heart, I did.And if he left, at what point would I go after him?
“You have loved that man since at least a week or three before we met.That ain’t going to change any time soon.I just hope that this time it works out for you.”She glanced outside.“And for Zoe.She’s got him wrapped around her little finger, doesn’t she?”
“Absolutely.”
We joined them over at John’s.Every once in a while, my neighbor’s calculating gaze would drift to me.There was a question there.One we would never tell a person who was in the position John was in.
“And Hank’s retiring,” John said, as he caught us up on the happenings since we left.
Jackson reached over and tapped my arm.“Hear that?The mayor is retiring.”
