Murder in the Smokies

chapter Sixteen



Cleve stared back at Sutton, unblinking, as he explained he had to leave town again. “I don’t know that you give a damn anyway,” Sutton said with a rueful smile. “But I’m glad I got to see you. I’m going to stay in touch this time, whether you like it or not. ’Cause it’s a sin and a disgrace for a man to leave his father’s well-being to the likes of Seth Hammond.”

“I heard that,” said the man whose footsteps Sutton had heard coming.

Sutton turned to look at Seth. He’d lost that frantic look he’d had earlier in the woods, and he’d changed clothes, out of his work coveralls and into a long-sleeved T-shirt and a pair of jeans. At a glance, he almost looked like the boy Sutton remembered from all those years ago, all long legs, green eyes and a feral cat grin.

“So you’re leavin’ again?” Seth asked.

“A job came up overseas. I’m one of the only people at the agency fluent in the two languages involved.”

“Well, hell. I’d just got used to seein’ your ugly face around these parts.” Seth walked closer and held out his hand.

Sutton stood and shook the other man’s hand. “I hope you were telling the truth about turning over a new leaf. Because I plan to be coming around here a lot more often.”

“I get the feelin’ it ain’t me and your old man you’ll be comin’ here to see.”

Sutton smiled but didn’t answer. He turned back to his father’s bedside and found the old man looking at him with thoughtful eyes. “You got something to say, Cleve?”

His father’s mouth slowly formed words. “Don’t...be...a stranger.” He let go of a big whoosh of breath and grinned.

“Sure, talk up a storm for the pretty boy,” Seth grumbled. But his eyes were smiling.

“I’ve got to get my stuff together so I can meet the helicopter. They should be landing in Bitterwood in about sixty minutes.” Sutton looked at his father. “I expect you out of this bed and doing therapy by the time I get back. Understand, old man?”

Cleve’s answer was profane, but he was grinning the whole time.

“Take care of him,” Sutton told Seth as the other man walked him out into the corridor.

“I’ll do my best. You be careful over there, wherever you’re going. Say hi to Dee if you see her.”

“She’s coming to do the mop-up on these murders, actually,” Sutton said, remembering what Jesse had told him. “You’ll get to see her yourself.”

He couldn’t tell if Seth was pleased by the news or not, but he didn’t have time to figure it out. He was running out of time to see Ivy before he had to leave.

But when he checked with the emergency-room admitting nurse, she told him Ivy had already left the hospital. “She left with a tall black man about fifteen minutes ago.”

Damn it! If she was with Antoine, that meant she knew he was leaving town. She probably thought he’d hightailed it out of Tennessee once again without even telling her goodbye.

He pulled out his cell phone and started to call hers when he remembered her phone was still at Bramlett Nurseries. He shoved the phone back in his pocket with a growl and jogged out to the visitor parking area. Fortunately, his gas tank was half-full, which would get him back to Bitterwood with no problem.

But would Ivy be willing to meet him halfway once he got there?

* * *

THERE WAS AN OLD, powder-blue Ford Mustang convertible parked in the driveway when Antoine pulled his car to a stop in front of Ivy’s house. He shot her an apologetic look. “I thought I should call your mother and let her know what was going on. I told her there wasn’t any need to come to the hospital until we knew if you’d be staying, but—”

Ivy shook her head. “No problem.” Right now, she thought, she could probably use a hug from her mother.

Arlene had swept the floors and dusted the shelves while she waited, and when she heard them come through the door, she came out of the kitchen with rubber gloves on. “Oh, baby, you’re home! I was driving myself crazy with worry, waiting to hear something!” She waved the gloves with a sheepish smile. “I know it’s so cliché for me to be cleaning your house for you, and I promise I’m not being all disapproving of the job you do keeping things clean—”

“It was a mess,” Ivy said with a faint smile. “And thanks.”

Arlene stripped off the wet gloves and wrung them in her hands a moment, looking for a place to put them. Antoine took them from her with a smile and carried them back into the kitchen while Arlene gave Ivy a hug.

“Did I hurt your shoulder?” she asked, pulling away quickly.

“It’s pretty numb from the local anesthetic,” Ivy assured her. “You didn’t cook or anything, did you?”

“No, actually—” Arlene made a grimace that somehow worked its way into a sunny smile. “I was looking for you when Antoine called me. I have some really great news. At least, I hope you’ll think it’s great.”

Ivy’s stomach dropped. “You’ve met someone new.”

Arlene’s smile fell. “No, honey. I know that’s what you’d expect from me—”

Antoine came out of the kitchen. “I’ve got to get back to the station, now that we’re shorthanded. Take care of yourself, Hawk. I’ll call you soon.”

Ivy caught his hand as he moved past, giving it a squeeze. “Thanks for everything.” After he let himself out the door, she turned to her mother and took her hand. “I shouldn’t have interrupted. What’s your good news?”

“Well, technically, it’s really bad news, at least for your cousin Laurie.”

Ivy tried to remember what was going on in Laurie’s life these days. She was married, had two kids, and her husband was overseas somewhere in the army— “Oh, my God, Mom—has something happened to David?”

“Oh, no no no! No, he’s fine as far as I know. It’s Laurie—she got sideswiped the other day on the highway while she was driving home from the grocery store. Broke her left leg in two places and has to have a pin put in, but she’s going to be okay. It’s just a big problem for her, with those two kids to take care of. Your aunt Ellie already watches the kids for her when she has to go to the store or the doctor, but now she’s going to have to watch after Laurie, too, and it’s just going to be too much for her. So I’m heading down to Birmingham to help her out.” Her mother finally took a breath.

“That’s great,” Ivy said, wishing she meant it as much as she wanted to. It would do her mother good to get away from Bitterwood for a while. Maybe she’d learn she liked it there in Birmingham. “You want me to keep a check on your house?”

“Actually, that’s the other good news. You know how the town’s been after me for a while to buy that property so they can expand Ridge Park up into the hills? I finally decided to say yes.” Arlene looked equal parts excited and terrified. “Since I’m going to be in Birmingham at least six weeks, helping Ellie out, this might be a good time to sell the house and maybe look for somewhere else to live.”

“Wow.” Ivy stared at her mother, wondering how long she’d been sitting on that information. “I didn’t even know you were considering it.”

Arlene took Ivy’s hands between hers. “I’ve been trying to talk to you for a few days, you know.”

Ivy gave herself a mental kick. Her mother had left her messages telling her she needed to talk to her, and all Ivy had done was ignore her. “I’m sorry. This case has just been so crazy.” And I’ve been a selfish idiot.

“I know you’ve despaired of me ever growin’ up, Baby Bird, but it’s time, don’t you think? I’m not some young thing anymore, and I’ve finally realized I’m probably never going to find my Prince Charming. So it’s time I find something else to do with my life.” She patted Ivy’s hand. “Maybe I’ll like takin’ care of Laurie and her babies. If I’m good at it, I could look at gettin’ a job at a nursing home or something. Maybe down in Birmingham so I can be near Ellie and the girls. What would you think of that?”

Ivy felt a shredding sensation in the center of her chest, but she managed a genuine smile. “I think it would be good for you,” she said. “I’d love for you to find something that makes you crazy happy, and I know you’d enjoy seeing Aunt Ellie more.”

Arlene hugged her again, tears spilling down her cheeks. She wiped them away with a laugh. “Goodness, look at me, cryin’ like a teenager who’s leavin’ home for the first time!”

“When are you going?”

“Well, I was going to leave this afternoon, but with you gettin’ hurt—”

Ivy shook her head. “You go on to Birmingham, Mama. Drive safely, okay? Don’t get pulled over.”

“You sure?” Arlene asked as Ivy walked with her to the front door. “I can stay if you want me to.”

“Laurie and those kids need you a lot more than I do.”

Arlene cupped Ivy’s cheek. “I don’t reckon you’ve needed me in a long, long time, have you, Birdy?” She gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and walked down the porch steps and out to the Mustang convertible. Ivy watched from the doorway as her mother drove off, her graying hair fluttering in the wind.

She closed the door, crossed to the sofa and sat, picking up the throw pillow beside her. Breathing deeply, she smelled the lingering scent of her mother’s favorite perfume.

I need you now, Mama. More than I ever thought I would.

An ache spread inside her, as if someone had just cracked open her heart and spilled out the contents. She closed her eyes against the sting of tears and told herself he was going to be okay. Yeah, life had just flung a great, steaming pile of manure her way, but she’d gotten through worse, hadn’t she?

She’d been wanting her mother to find a new interest in life for years, after all. She certainly hadn’t been happy at her job in a long while, ever since Glen Rayburn’s promotion put him over the detective’s division. So what if she ended up losing her badge? She’d find something else to do.

And Sutton Calhoun had left her before. It had hurt like hell, but she’d lived through it, hadn’t she?

She heard the sound of a car engine pulling up outside, but she couldn’t find the energy to get up and see who it was. Maybe her mother had left something. Or Antoine had thought to go to Bramlett Nurseries to retrieve her phone for her.

Footsteps hit the porch with a thud. Not her mother, she thought. So Antoine. She stood up to answer his knock.

But instead, a key scraped in the lock.

Instinct put her immediately on edge, and she backpedaled toward the chest of drawers where she kept her Glock. She dug in the pocket of her jeans for her key ring, cursing her sluggishness.

The door opened before she found the right key. Daylight outlined her visitor, turning him into a tall, lean silhouette she’d know anywhere.

“Sutton.” A tingle of shock rippled through her body. She clutched the top of the chest of drawers, afraid she was about to tip right over.

He stood frozen in the doorway. “I didn’t think you were here. There aren’t any cars outside—”

“I thought you’d already left town.”

He shook his head. “I’ve got about an hour before I have to meet the chopper.”

“Oh. You came for your things.” She started toward the hallway. “Are they still in the guest room?”

She heard the door slam shut and a rush of footsteps behind her. As she turned, Sutton was right there, his arms snaking out to wrap around her waist and pull her close.

His mouth covered hers in a slow, deep kiss that sent her head spinning until she felt drunk with need. She clung to him, her fingers digging into his sides to keep her from falling, and she matched him kiss for kiss.

Dragging his mouth away from hers, he planted soft kisses along the curve of her cheek until his lips brushed her ear. “Tell me to stay.”

“Wait.” She tried to clear her head, but his mouth was sparking fires along her nervous system, making it hard to do anything but feel.

“Just say it, Ivy. Tell me to stay.”

She pushed against his chest, tearing herself from his grasp. Light-headed, she stumbled to the sofa and sat heavily.

Sutton sat next to her, grasping her hands between his. “I came here to tell you goodbye, but I can’t do it. Not this time. Please tell me to stay.”

She couldn’t think. She had to think, had to make a good decision, but he was sitting there, big and gorgeous and hotter than the August sun, and all she wanted was to wrap herself around him and make good and sure he never left her again.

“Antoine said—” Her voice broke. She cleared her throat and started again. “Antoine said you had to fly overseas to handle something.”

“I’ll quit my job.” He caressed her hands, his hazel eyes wild as he pinned her with his desperate gaze. “Say the words, Ivy. Just say them. Tell me to stay, and I’ll call Jesse right now.”

She shook her head. “You can’t quit.”

He stared at her a moment, his hands falling still. Then he let go of her hands. “Okay. Okay, then.”

He got up, his movements ungainly. Drunken. He staggered toward the door.

“You can’t quit because one of us is going to need a job.”

He went still, his hand covering the doorknob.

“I’m probably going to be booted from the police department.” She stood up and walked toward him. “My mother just informed me she’s selling her house and moving to Birmingham, at least for six weeks but maybe for good.”

Sutton turned around to look at her, his eyes blazing.

“There’s nothing to keep me here. No reason for me to tell you to stay.” She closed the last few inches of distance between them, laying her hands on his chest, her pulse thundering in her ears as she saw the truth in his eyes, a truth that had lived in her heart since she was a young girl in love with the boy next door. “So take me with you.”

He cradled her face between his palms. “I can’t take you to Iraq.”

“So I’ll wait for you in Alabama.”

He kissed her forehead, the touch almost reverent. She wrapped her arms around his waist and melted against him. “I love you, Ivy Hawkins. I’ve loved you for half my life. It just took me until now to realize it.”

“I knew it fourteen years ago,” she murmured against the side of his neck. “I just never thought I’d get to tell you.”

He stroked her hair, brushing his lips to her temple. “Know what I think? I think it was no coincidence that we grew up together on Smoky Ridge. We were meant to find each other back then, and become friends when we both needed someone to trust.” He tipped her head back, making her look at him. “I remember, when Jesse told me about this case in Bitterwood, I thought, ‘What are the odds I’d be going back there after all this time?’ But now it seems so clear I was supposed to come back. To you.”

“You really believe that?” she asked, both thrilled and terrified by the idea that something out there had brought them back together.

“Don’t you?”

She did, she realized with surprise. It sounded crazy and fanciful. It sounded like something her mother would believe. But she knew it was true, deep in her soul where a part of Sutton had always remained, long after he was physically gone. A part of her had always believed he’d be back for that piece of his soul. “Yeah,” she said. “I do.”

He hugged her close, his embrace both heated and oddly gentle, a perfect melding of their platonic past and their passionate present. She kissed the side of his neck, making him groan.

“I’m going to quit my job at Cooper Security, Ivy. Everything I want in this world anymore is right here in Bitterwood.” His voice was thick with need. “I guess I’ve missed this place more than I ever wanted to admit.”

“Are you sure?”

He brushed a kiss against her forehead. “Yeah. You’re here.”

She felt her insides melt into a hot puddle. “Your dad’s still here. All that history—”

“Leavin’ this place didn’t change that history,” he murmured against her temple. “I am who I am. I come from the people I come from. All I did by running away was let the people around these parts think there’s only one kind of Calhoun. I’d like to challenge that notion.”

“I guess, if I’m honest with myself, I never really wanted to leave here. I could have gone anytime. I was using my mother as an excuse.” She’d realized that embarrassing bit of truth while watching her mother drive away. “Smoky Ridge has a way of getting into your bones.”

“It does,” he agreed, his tone serious.

“So if you quit your job, how do you plan to make a living?” She arched a look at him. “I’m a liberated woman, but that doesn’t mean I plan to support you while you sleep all day. Too damned much of that going on in these hills as it is.”

“I’ll find something to do here. I have skills, you know.”

She shot him a wicked smile. “I’m countin’ on that, Calhoun.”

He laughed and kissed her again, sending fire pouring through her veins once more. If she didn’t watch out, she’d become completely addicted to his touch.

She stepped out of his embrace but held on to his hands. “When do you have to meet the helicopter?”

He glanced at his watch, his expression alarmed. “Too damned soon. I’d better get moving. I still need to pack.”

“Why don’t I take you to meet the helicopter? You can leave your truck here until you’re back.”

“Delilah’s coming to take my place,” he told her as they went to gather the rest of his belongings. “She’ll be without wheels, so I reckon she’ll be borrowing the truck until she’s done with the mop-up of the case. But she can bring you back here.”

They walked together out to his truck. He opened the passenger door, stopping her from getting in with a kiss. “Are you really sure about this? I know it’s all happening so fast and I’m not exactly being my usual practical self about things—”

“I’m sure,” she said with a smile. “I love you, Sutton Calhoun. I’ve loved you for years. And I’m damned well going to love you the rest of my life, so you’d better just get used to it.”

“I’ll do my best,” he said with a wicked grin, and bent to kiss her again.