Bouquet of Lies Part 42

Darla laughed and pulled her back. "Not now."

"But we're spoiled, rich girls. Everyone expects us to behave bad . . . badly."

"We're good, spoiled, polite, rich girls. And now, after this, we're smart, too."

"What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger."

Darla looked at Lacey, and Lacey saw the love there. It was back. Her sister was back. That scared, lost look was gone.

"I can't believe I even thought about shooting you for one second. Or myself," Darla said.

"You had two devils whispering in your ear. Randy and the ever resourceful, Reverend Irene."

"And one angel. You."

Lacey smiled, took her sister's hands again. "I just told you what was really happening. You had the good judgment to believe me."

"Randy didn't make sense anymore. You did."

Yes, thought Lacey. What doesn't kill you, really does make you stronger. Darla isn't the same person. The change is amazing.

"Jake's going to have to get a new name for you," Lacey said.

"What do you mean?"

"No more rabbit face."

Darla scrunched her nose.

"Or, maybe he can still call you that."

Darla grinned. "I like Rabbit Face."

"Jake likes Rabbit Face. Jake loves Rabbit Face. Jake loves you."

Darla's grin faded to a thoughtful smile. "He really followed us on the motorcycle?"

"Yep. And screwed up his back sleeping outside your motel room. Put that in one of your books and read it. That's love."

"That's stupid."

"No, it's not. It's romantic."

They were both quiet, smiling at each other.

"Tomorrow I meet Mom?" Darla said.

Lacey motioned at the clock with her head. "Today you meet Mom. And Uncle D is coming over."

"Uncle D?"

"Dan's uncle. The detective. That's what I call him. He's got more 411 for us."

"I don't know if I can handle more 411."

"You can handle anything, Darla. We both can."

Darla smiled and yawned. "You think so?"

"Absolutely, undeniably, positively."

Darla's smile faded. "Because Randy will lie."

"But we'll tell the truth. We'll make sense."

"We will, won't we." It wasn't a question. It was a confirmation.

"Okay. Scoot over," Lacey said.

Darla did and they scrambled under the covers. Lacey turned out the light and they snuggled. She heard Darla yawn again as she said, "Good night."

"Love you, little sis."

"Love you, big sis."

Lacey put a hand on Darla's hand resting on her arm. It felt good to lie next to her. To be close sisters again. She heard Darla breathing rhythmically.

Softly she said, "Yes, my darling sister, we can handle anything."

Lacey sighed inwardly and thought of Dan. She'd called him twice and neither time had he answered. She'd left messages and he hadn't called back.

We can handle murderous sociopaths, but I can't seem to handle one ethical Ticket Master, Mr. Dan-the-Man.

The doorbell rang at ten in the morning.

"That can't be Uncle D already," Darla called, still in her pajamas. She sat cross-legged on the bed, a sketchpad and pencil in her hand. "You said this afternoon."

Lacey, fully dressed, poked her head in from the hall.

"Get some clothes on and I'll go answer. I have a feeling it's for you."

"What?" Darla put the pad aside and looked at Lacey.

Her sister smiled. "Just get dressed. And then come downstairs."

Lacey disappeared and Darla hurried into a pair of jeans and a white shirt. She checked herself in the mirror and smiled. That anxious, scared, watch-out feeling that had lived in the pit of her stomach all her life seemed to have disappeared. She wasn't even fighting it. It had vanished all on its own.

"Darla!" She heard Lacey yell.

"Life is good." She glanced at all the books in her bookshelf. "So are all of you, but I'm thinking real life is going to be a whole lot better."

She rushed out.

Halfway down the stairs she spotted Jake in the foyer, a big bouquet of red roses in his hands. She slowed her step. "What's going on?"

She glanced at Lacey standing to one side of the door and then looked back at Jake.

He came forward and handed the flowers to Darla. "Do you like them?" he said.

Darla put her face close to the blooms. "Aromalicious."

"That means, yes?" Jake said.

She lifted her head. "That means definitely." She giggled and crinkled her nose.

"There's the rabbit face I love." Jake laughed.

Darla smiled.

"I have something else for you." He reached into a pocket. "Part of this whole mess is my fault."

"What? How do you figure?" Darla said.

"I never told you how I feel." He held out a gold, two-heart ring enhanced with rubies. "I hope I'm not being presumptuous. Lacey says I'm not." He glanced at Lacey. Then he looked in Darla's eyes and slipped the ring on her finger. "I'm giving you this as a promise. I'll be there for you. Forever. No more hiding how I feel, waiting for a better time. I want you in my life. I love you. And, if I'm lucky enough . . ." His words stuck in his throat and his eyes glistened.

Darla felt her heart tug with joy. Jake? Was she hearing what she was hearing? She felt tears in her own eyes. She'd hoped and yet she'd never dared to hope. Not fully. Not really. She'd chalked up her feelings toward Jake as baby feelings. And just when he'd returned, all grown up, Randy had appeared in her life and sidetracked her.

Hijacked.

Yes. That was a better term. She'd been an idiot, but Jake didn't care. Here he was saying he loved her.

"You love me?" Darla said.

"He loves you," Lacey said.

"I love you," Jake said.

With the bouquet of roses clutched in one hand, she threw her arms around him and kissed him with all her might.

Forty-one.

DAN WALKED INTO his bedroom with a roll of thirteen-gallon, drawstring kitchen trash bags. He looked at his watch. This shouldn't take long.

He ripped off the first bag and whipped it open. Then he entered the walk-in closet. Sally's clothes took up two-thirds of the s.p.a.ce. With a steady hand he removed blouses from the hangers one by one, folded them and placed them in the trash bag. It filled quickly and he opened a second bag. He removed skirts next and folded them neatly. Slacks, dresses, and sweaters followed. When finished, he had sixteen bags of clothes ready to give to the Veteran's a.s.sociation. He stood with hands on hips and stared at the pile of ready-to-give-away goods. Sally's wardrobe would be put to proper use. It would raise money for a great cause and people would wear the clothes again. Sally would be pleased.

This is getting to be a habit. Gathered in the dining room once again. At least no one's dead this time, Lacey thought.

Uncle D sat at the head of the table.

Any minute now, he'll be taking out his bottle of Tums.

He did and Lacey smiled.

Darla sat next to Jake, fingers entwined in his. She looked happier than Lacey had ever seen her. Henderson sat stiff and proper at the other end of the table.

Lacey wondered how she looked. Lonely? Where was Dan? What had she done so wrong? Why wouldn't he even talk to her?

A deputy appeared in the doorframe, stared at Uncle D and shook his head.

"Excuse me." Uncle D pushed his chair back and left the dining room. Everyone eyed each other and shrugged.

Lacey sighed. Henderson laced his fingers and placed his hands on the table. Darla admired the promise ring on her finger and then gave Jake a look of love. He gave her one back.

"Where's Henry?" Lacey asked.

"My dad?" Jake mooned at Darla.

"No. Your Irish Wolfhound."

"I don't have- oh." He looked at Lacey. "He found this nice little cla.s.sic just begging for restoration. He's negotiating a deal. We're going to make a project of it."

"Cool," Lacey said. "That takes time. Years, in fact."

"Sometimes."

"Very cool. You're not leaving at the end of the summer, then?"

"He's not going anywhere." Darla squeezed his hand and pulled him toward her.

Jake kissed her cheek. "I'll find a job around here. Maybe, eventually, start my own restoration business."

Henderson snapped open his briefcase and cleared his throat. He removed some pamphlets and forms, then slid them toward Lacey. "Read that over carefully. Both very good colleges. Fill out the application of your choice by Thursday."

Amused, she looked at the sell-jobs for the business departments of each school, and a wry smile came to her lips. She would have loved it if her father had taken charge of her like Henderson just did.

Or would she?

She frowned. Yes. Definitely, yes. But she would have given him a hard time. She would have resisted his every effort. And how would he have known that parenting was what she really wanted? Why had she acted that way?

She looked at the lawyer, so stern and stiff. "Henderson. Do you have kids?"

He looked startled. "I do."