Page 99 of The Lady on Esplanade
We barely avoided being sideswiped by a delivery truck as she turned, and although we made a thorough three-block search for the car, it had disappeared.
—
Beau’s truck was already parked in our driveway when we pulled into the parking pad behind the apartment building.Beau and Jaxson wereboth working on the back door, which they had removed from its hinges and placed on cinder blocks.A new doorknob, still in its packaging, sat on top of a bag from Freret Hardware.
“I’ll go make sure the rings are still where I put them,” Sarah announced before she and Jolene climbed out and closed their doors, apparently forgetting that I was still in the backseat and that the creepy doll was with me.Not wanting to wait until they remembered me, I unlatched my door, then used my good leg to kick it open.I was struggling to get out of the car without my crutches, which were in the trunk, when Beau appeared.
“You look like a roach on its back,” he said as he reached for me.“Let me help you.”
“I can manage.”I kept my hands out of his reach as I maneuvered myself toward the edge of the seat.
“Come on, Nola.Let me help.You’re not even supposed to be off the couch, and I know falling out of a car isn’t part of your recovery plan, either.”
“I’d rather break my other ankle than accept anything from you.”I succeeded in putting my good foot on the ground and grabbed the doorframe to hoist myself up.
He stepped back.“Why are you so mad?”
My anger kept scrambling the words in my head, so no sentences would form.In frustration, I lifted my right hand to grab him by the collar of his shirt, just to get his attention, but I missed, sending me lurching sideways out of the car.He grabbed me before I had the chance to steady myself using my damaged ankle.
Gently, he stood me up and leaned me against the car.“Are you okay?”
I was breathing heavily from the exertion and my emotions, and all I could think was that it was a good thing for Beau that I had a broken ankle.“Am I okay?”I shouted.Jaxson, Jolene, and Sarah had all turned and were watching us.“Let’s just say that I’m a lot betterphysically than I am mentally.Because you”—I jabbed my finger in the direction of his chest but couldn’t poke him because he’d stepped back—“are a jerk who thinks I need protecting, and asked for a background check on someone I care about without even telling me.”
He looked surprised.“You weren’t supposed to know.”
On the list of all the stupid things he could have said, that was at the very top.“Yeah, well, I do.And I don’t appreciate your interference.”
“Come on, Nola.The guy’s hiding something pretty major from you.Aren’t you glad you now know he’s got a fiancée?”
It felt as if my head might spin off my shoulders.“It isn’t any of your business.Cooper would have told me.In his own time.”I wasn’t sure that was the truth, but I wanted to believe it.It also helped justify my anger with Beau.“But you had to go and interfere and mess everything up.Why can’t you just leave me alone?I don’t need your help.Ever.”
I wanted to storm into the apartment and slam the door behind me, but I couldn’t walk and the door was no longer attached to the frame.Seeing my distress, Jolene approached.“I think Nola needs to rest.It’s been a busy day.”
Beau looked like he might argue but, seeing Jolene’s expression, he remained silent.
Jaxson retrieved my crutches from the trunk.“I can help you up the stairs if you’d like me to.”
“Thank you for asking,” I said, throwing a glare at Beau.“I happily accept your offer to help.”
We headed toward the open doorway, and Jolene called back to Beau, “I still have a few things in the car from my trip that I need brought inside, if you would be so kind as to bring them up.But leave that doll in the car.I figure it’s going to show up wherever it wants, so no point in moving it.”
Jaxson and Jolene settled me on the couch.My ankle was in full-on throbbing mode, but I didn’t say anything because I knewJolene would make me take a pain pill.I kept talking, hoping to distract myself from the pain.“We weren’t expecting to see you today, Jaxson.”
“I guess I couldn’t stay away.Too many things to take care of here.”
I happened to look up as a glance was shared between him and Jolene.It wasn’t anything I’d call searing, but there was some unspoken meaning being communicated that they weren’t interested in sharing with anyone else.I tried to catch Jolene’s gaze while she tucked a blanket around me, but all I could see was her cheeks’ soft pink glow, which didn’t come from a bottle.
Sarah emerged from the back hallway.“The rings are still there.Nobody will ever guess where I hid them, so don’t tell anyone.”
Jaxson said, “The good news is that I finished up my business early enough to make it back in time to take your car to be detailed.It had a little bit of road dust on it from the long drive.”
I felt an uncomfortable pull in my chest at the reminder of the Ford Mustang I was supposed to take possession of.“Thank you, but you shouldn’t have bothered.It’s just going to be sitting in the driveway until my ankle is better.”
“Luckily, the previous owner had a car cover, and his widow has generously included it.”
Sarah’s expression grew apprehensive.“So Nola’s going to be driving a dead guy’s car?I don’t think that’s a great idea.”
I waited for Jolene to say something, but she seemed preoccupied with rearranging the magazines on my tray table.
