Page 74 of Run to Ground
She yanked open the small refrigerator and pulled out the pan of caramel rolls. True to her word, Megan hadn’t made Jules go into the evil walk-in cooler since Vicki had trapped her in there. Relieved that she didn’t have to venture into the claustrophobic space, especially when she was at the diner alone, Jules gave Megan mental thanks and checked the next item on the list.
“Pull chairs off of tables.” Easy enough.
As she slid the chairs from their upside-down position on the tables, there was a flash of light, almost immediately followed by a crack of thunder. She jumped. Although she usually didn’t mind lightning, Jules was still getting used to Colorado’s violent, short-lived thunderstorms that brought buckets of rain and often hail. She was more used to the quieter sort of storm that lingered, sullen and muggy, all day.
A patter of raindrops on the roof turned into a steady drumming. With the front lights off, the diner was dim, and the flicker of lightning lit the interior in eerie, uneven flashes. Her hands shook a little as she reached for another chair, and she forced a laugh at her silly fears.
Athump-thump-thumpon the window made her scream. Whirling around, she saw a figure in a raincoat standing close to the plate-glass window.
The bluish cast to the security light drew strange shadows, hiding the person’s face. Jules’s heart hammered in her chest, and she took an uncertain step back, still holding the chair in front of her. A small corner of her mind told her that she must look ridiculous, like she was trying to imitate a lion tamer, but the rest of her brain was frantically trying to figure out what to do.
The figure at the window lifted a hand and waved. The enthusiastic, harmless-looking gesture killed most of Jules’s panic, and she set down the chair. Then the person tipped her head, allowing the security lights to illuminate her face, and the rest of Jules’s concern washed away. She knew this person. It was Sherry Baker, Hugh’s maybe-possibly future girlfriend.
Sherry knocked on the window again, and Jules realized that she was just standing there, staring at the woman as the rain hammered down outside. Jules hurried over to open the door.
“Oh, thank you!” Sherry gushed as she hurried inside. She placed a large bakery box on a table, wiping water from its glossy, white top. “It’s pouring out there. I didn’t think I’d find anywhere that was open. Would you mind if I stayed in here until the rain lightens up a bit?”
“Of course.” Jules closed the door and relocked the dead bolt, feeling a little uncertain. Although she didn’t think Megan would mind that she’d let Sherry inside before they opened, it still felt strange, as if Jules was doing something wrong. “What are you doing out this early?”
“Oh well…” Sherry made a rueful face. “The studio where I do crossfit, Energy?” When Sherry looked at her, Jules nodded. She was pretty sure she’d driven by the small gym on her way to Dee’s school. “I usually go there very early to work out, but I forgot they’re doing remodeling this week, so they’re closed. My battery died, and my car wouldn’t start, so I figured I’d just walk to my friend’s house—he’s just a couple of miles away. Bad idea.” Sherry gave a little laugh. “I didn’t even make it halfway before the rain started pouring down so hard I couldn’t see. That’s when I saw your car here, so I thought I’d see if I could get you to let me in.”
“Make yourself comfortable—well, as comfortable as you can get.”
“Thank you.” Instead of sitting, Sherry wandered around the space. Jules couldn’t help but notice that, even soaking wet and enveloped in a bulky rain jacket, Sherry was gorgeous. No wonder Hugh seemed interested. The woman was so stunning that Jules felt dowdy in her waitress uniform and comfortable, yet very ugly shoes.
Shoving her feelings of inferiority to the back of her mind, Jules resumed pulling chairs off the tables. “So…your friend lives close?”
“Yes. I’m not sure if you know him,” Sherry answered absently as she peered through the blinds covering the glass door, probably at the sheets of rain pouring from the sky. “Gordon Schwartz.”
The name sounded familiar, but Jules couldn’t put a face to it. “I don’t think I’ve met him yet.” Maybe it came from being a cop, but Theo seemed to know every person in town. If this Gordon was more of a boyfriend than a friend, then Jules was going to have to shelve the matchmaker-type plan she’d hatched featuring Hugh and Sherry. She stifled a laugh. After such a short time of being with Theo, she’d already become one ofthosepeople, the ones who wanted to make every person as couple-y and sickeningly happy as she was.
“Understandable. You’re new here, and Gordon likes to keep to himself.” Then, as if Sherry had read her mind, she added, “Speaking of friends, it looked like you and Theo Bosco have progressed past the buddy stage?”
Instantly, Jules’s face flamed hot, and she fumbled with the chair she was moving, dropping it the last few inches to land upright, but with an embarrassingly loud clatter. “I…um…why do you think that?”
Sherry laughed. “Please. If you could’ve seen the pair of you the other day. I don’t think Theo’s evercuddledanyone like that before in his life.”
“Um…”What do I say to that?Jules thought. It was still so new that it felt odd and awkward to talk about her and Theo. Just thinking about her and Theo was enough to fluster Jules, so discussing it was not going to go well. She decided to change the subject. “What about you and Hugh? You two seem to light up some sparks.”
She laughed again. “Me and Hugh?” Sherry asked. “No. I don’t think I could date a cop. Besides, my dad never wanted that for me.”
Pounding on the window made them both jump.
Jules peered out to see another waterlogged figure.It must be the day for rainy-day refugees, she thought with a small huff of laughter. The person turned his head, and his face was lit by the streetlight. Jules’s chuckle cut off abruptly as she jerked back a step.
“Who is it?” Sherry asked.
“Norman Rounds.” Her heartbeat had taken off at a gallop, and she started breathing quickly—too quickly. Jules reminded herself that she and Sherry were in a locked building. Help would arrive long before Norman could reach them. “I should call Theo.”
“Why?” Sherry sounded surprised. “He’s a little strange, but he’s harmless. Norman’s good friends with Gordon. I’m sure he just wants to get out of the rain. You don’t need to let him in if he worries you, though.”
“He blew up my barn!” The words came out too loud and high-pitched. She needed to stay calm. Jules exhaled a shaky breath, trying to think rationally.
“Norman blew up your barn?”
The pounding resumed, and Norman started yelling something, but the thunder and the clatter of the rain on the roof made it impossible to understand. Jules was a little grateful for that; she didn’t think she wanted to know exactly what her crazed, bomb-happy stalker was shouting.
Eyes wide, Sherry moved back, away from the door.
