I thought about what Greg had told me as our chowders arrived. After taking my first spoonful, I asked, “So he took it to have better sex?”
Greg’s grin widened. “I wondered if you caught that. Sherry was all about the wild sex she and Kent were having. She let a few tidbits slip out the last time we talked.”
Sherry. It always came back to her. “Trying to make you jealous?”
He shrugged. “I guess so. I told her you used to be a gymnast.”
That made me laugh. “You didn’t.”
He held his hand up in the air. “Swear to God, I did.” Greg chuckled. “She suddenly had to be somewhere else.”
“You are so bad.” The closest thing I’d ever done that remotely resembled gymnastics was a section in ninth grade P.E. And I was pretty sure I only passed the test because the teacher knew I was trying. My mother used to call me Grace, not because it was my middle name, but because I was klutzy.
“She deserved it.” Greg dug in to his dinner. “I get tired of her dogging on you all the time. Just because you and her are night and day, doesn’t mean she’s the better choice.”
My lips curved into a smile, and I mentally blessed Greg for standing up for me. Then his words echoed in my head. “Wait, she dogs me? What, does she think she’s all that?”
He patted my hand. “I knew that would get you riled up. Sherry just doesn’t understand why anyone, especially me, would choose you instead of her.” He pulled my hand to his lips. “But she doesn’t have to understand. I love you and that’s the only important thing you need to remember.”
“You can be smooth, Mr. King.” I paused, considering telling him about Kent and his kissing partner. In the end, I decided I didn’t want to make him think about the case. That bit of information could wait. The rest of the meal we talked about our upcoming trip to Napa Valley. The weekend at the end of April would be our first getaway together as a couple. Justin and Amy had raved about the bed-and-breakfast they’d stayed at last fall, showing us the hundreds of pictures they’d taken as they explored the wine country. Topping their experience would be hard, but Greg and I were willing to give it the college try.
After dinner, he drove us over to Bakerstown Funeral Home, where the county coroner, Doc Ames, had his office so he could keep an eye on his business even while he performed the random autopsies required in our quiet area. When we pulled into the parking lot, two women stood at the front door, a harried Doc Ames standing in the middle. I could hear the shouting through the closed windows and over Toby Keith on the stereo.
Greg leaned forward as he parked the truck and turned off the engine. “What the hell?”
“Is that Sherry?” I couldn’t believe the woman was even intruding on our minidate. What would she be doing at the funeral home? Unless she was there about Kent. But who was she yelling at?
I watched Sherry poke the other woman with a long red fingernail. The woman grabbed her hand and twisted. I felt rather than saw Greg jump out of the truck. A rush of wind as Superhero King ran to save his ex-wife. That’s not fair, I chided myself. He was a police officer and this was a disturbance. Besides, Doc Ames looked terrified. I could see his mouth moving as he tried to calm the two down. He had a very soothing manner, but I guess Sherry and the other woman didn’t want to be soothed. I unbuckled my seat belt and followed Greg to the circus.
By the time I got there, Greg had Sherry with her arms trapped behind her. Doc Ames held the other woman by one arm, and they had increased the distance between the two to avoid accidental physical contact. Or well-placed kick. I couldn’t help it. I pulled out my cell and snapped a picture. Darla would love this.
“Jill, stop it.” Greg’s voice was firm.
I slipped the phone back into my pocket. “Sorry, too good to pass up.”
Sherry’s burning gaze moved from her original target to me. “If you even consider showing that to anyone, I’ll sue you.”
“I’m scared,” I muttered. I wanted to pull out my cell, snap a photo of the crazed look on the woman’s face, and post it to the Business-to-Business webpage. I could title the post, “See our newest shop owner in her customer service finest.” I pushed the demon inside me away, but I was sure it wasn’t gone.
“Jill? Do you want to wait in the truck?” Greg gave me the look, the one that asked, Why are you stooping to her level?
Sherry smirked and relaxed her body into Greg’s, just so I could see her wielding her physical prowess. I wanted to smack her and my hands weren’t being held back by either of the two men. I took a deep breath and called on my better side to stop me. I wasn’t sure it would work, but I knew I didn’t want to be banished to the truck.
“That woman has no right to be here. She wasn’t married to Kent,” the unnamed woman shrieked at Doc Ames. “This is a family matter.”