Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
Evie walked past Roger’s Diner’s front windows and sighed. The usual clique of girls, Bethany, Martha, Rena, and bitchy Merilyn, had taken most of the counter stools. She didn’t have to go inside to know their chatter and laughter had reached dangerous decibel levels.
So much the pity. All day long, she’d had a hankering for one of Roger’s famous chocolate malteds, but now she had second thoughts. Maybe she should turn on her heel, go home, and finish up her father’s ledgers.
She got along with Bethany, Martha, and Rena just fine, but the ongoing rivalry between her and Merilyn went back to Evie’s first days at Oakwood Middle School, after she’d arrived from Miami, and had never improved.
According to Merilyn, Evie was the new girl in town with an odd last name, who spoke with a foreign accent.
Even though Evie was born and raised in the US and her English was perfect, it made no difference to Merilyn.
A tense undercurrent of rivalry lingered between them through high school.
“Evie!” A muffled voice and repeated knocks at the glass window came from inside.
Too late. Bethany had seen her. Her chances of escaping were gone. She replied with a bland wave and a weak smile.
“Join us.” Bethany tapped on the glass once more. “We just got here.”
Oh, hell. The gossip session was just getting started. If she wanted her malted, she’d have to endure an hour or longer of meaningless chatter. But if she didn’t, Bethany would sulk, she’d hurt Rena’s and Martha’s feelings, and who knew what ugly story Merilyn would concoct about her.
Resigned, she nodded and went in.
Martha slid down from her stool and kissed her cheek. “Hey, girl, what’s up?”
“Oh, not much. I took a break from work. I’ve had a thing all day for a malted.”
“Sit next to me.” Rena pulled her by the arm. “Merilyn was showing us her cell phone.”
“Yep, Daddy gave me a Nokia.” Merilyn waved her newest toy at everyone.
Since the death of his wife, Jonas Williams, Merilyn’s father, doted on his girl. Whatever Merilyn wanted, Merilyn got.
She wasn’t finished gushing. “This model is brand-new and the first of its kind. It has a web browser.”
“Can I see?” Eyes wide, Rena reached for it.
“No.” Merilyn dropped it into her purse. “We have juicier stuff to talk about.”
Martha giggled, rubbing her hands. “Oh, boy. I can tell this is going to be fun.”
Rena and Bethany squealed.
Evie glanced from one excited pair of eyes to the other. Merilyn’s self-satisfied mug was enough of a tell. She had a big story. Perched on her stool, she sat taller and stiffer than her usual, getting ready to spew some juicy stuff.
“Let’s talk about the new guy in town,” she half whispered.
Oh, hell. Evie knew it had to be Jimmy. The guy stood dead center in Merilyn’s crosshairs. She’d bet anything he had no idea.
“Come on, tell us,” Bethany urged.
“I watched him working at Pete’s hardware store from across the street. His back story is mysterious.” Merilyn’s secretive behavior continued. “Petey found him lost, not far from town. Apparently, he woke up in a ditch by the road.”
“Is that what happened?” Martha asked, eyes wide.
“Uh-huh.” Merilyn gave an important nod. “He had a gunshot wound on his shoulder and an ugly hit on the head. Sheriff Adams is pretty sure he’ll have amnesia for a while and says he’s lucky to be alive.”
Evie doubted the usually taciturn and private Sheriff Adams had shared such personal information. Still, a gunshot wound piqued her interest.
“After he was released, Petey took him home to recover. Our mystery guy doesn’t know who he is or where he lives, so that’s why he’s got a temporary name,” Merilyn continued.
“What do you mean, a temporary name?” The question flew from her lips.
“Come on, Evie, use your brain. I know it’s in there…somewhere,” Merilyn chided with an up-and-down glance. “Didn’t you hear me? The guy doesn’t remember his name. It’s not very complicated. Get it?”
“No memory,” Martha mumbled. “That’s terrible.”
“Couldn’t the sheriff trace his fingerprints?” Bethany, the smartest in the group, asked. “Or search missing persons reports?”
“The sheriff found nothing. His fingerprints aren’t in the system, and nobody’s looking for him, it seems,” Merilyn replied.
“Well, that’s good, ain’t it?” Rena shifted on her stool. “He ain’t a criminal.”
“That only means he’s not in any database,” Bethany put in. “He could be like a…smart corporate criminal. The kind who never gets caught.”
“Whoa, ladies. You’re letting your imaginations run wild,” Evie said. “There’s probably a simple explanation for all this.”
“Is that right?” Merilyn arched an eyebrow. “What kind of simple explanation would you suggest? Pete found our mystery guy lost, in the middle of a storm, with a bump on the head, and a bullet hole in him. To me, that sounds like foul play. Duh.”
Heat rushed to Evie’s cheeks. She didn’t want to admit Merilyn had a point.
But the urge to defend Jimmy with the sexy voice, who’d been so nice to her and who was so damned good-looking had come out of nowhere.
The guy didn’t deserve to have his problems—and they seemed pretty serious—bandied about by her gossip-loving friends.
She couldn’t imagine waking up not remembering her name, her family, or where she came from.
Just thinking about it gave her the shivers.
“Tell you one thing, I don’t really care if he’s a criminal or not.
I want him.” Merilyn fluffed her blonde hair and preened in such a way that her perfectly placed highlights gleamed under the diner lights.
Merilyn was a pretty girl, and she knew it.
Every move and gesture she made had been studied to enhance all her assets.
“You have to care. He could hurt you,” Rena said.
Merilyn laughed. “A little pain and danger could be fun.”
“That’s so not worth it,” Martha added.
“Evie’s been out of town, so she gets a pass. But the rest of you are totally blind. He’s been working at Petey’s store for almost three months. Haven’t you seen him?” Merilyn moved her China-blue eyes from face to face. “He is so worth it.”
Martha rolled her eyes. “My father goes to the hardware store. Not me.”
“You’ve missed out big-time.” Merilyn grinned. “The man is absolutely yummy. I intend to dig my hot little fingers into the best butt I’ve seen this side of Knoxville.”
“What if…he’s not…into you?” Bethany was risking her life.
Merilyn scoffed. “What’s there not to like? Check me out. I’m the catch of the county.”
“Listen, catch. Are you gonna order or ain’t ya?” The pimple-faced teen behind the counter didn’t seem happy. “My manager’s watching.”
Something dark and ugly flashed across Merilyn’s face. A big smile followed. “Why sure, sweetums. I’ll have a slice of apple pie and a Diet Coke. Wake up, ladies. Order something.”
The other three snapped into action. But Evie hesitated. Enjoying the delicious malted dancing in her brain came with too high a price. Did she want to torment her ears with an endless gossip session?
“Ugh,” Merilyn scoffed. “How long is it gonna take, babe? The kid’s waiting for your order.”
Evie glanced at her so-called friends and made her decision. She slid from the stool. “Nah. Changed my mind. Got work to do.”
As she headed for the door, Merilyn’s words reached her. “You know, girls, some people are just plain slow. It’s in their nature.”
Good luck to you, Jimmy. The town’s feline has set her sights on you.
She stepped out to the sidewalk and took a deep breath. The cold air invigorated her spirits. No chocolate malted on this planet was worth listening to the crap she’d left behind.