Love Rising: Spring (Mandrake Falls Series Romance Book 4) (3 page)

From her unusually straight posture, Jeremy could see
Jocelyn was upset but he wasn’t going to be rushed. “Please.
Joce
—sit down. Relax. I’ll be right back.”

His hands shook a little as he spooned coffee into the
basket.
She’s in the living room
. He
examined his sweatshirt, remembering there was a spaghetti sauce stain on it when
he pulled it out of the laundry hamper. There it was.
A blob of
reddish-orange.
He whipped the sweatshirt off, turned it inside out and
pulled it back on.
Better.

Jeremy hopped up and down to wake up, to get the blood
flowing to his brain. He felt like he was in shock or something. Not thinking.
Snap out of it.
She’s in my apartment.
He
clutched his head and sucked in three deep breaths.

Calm down, you idiot
.

He searched the cupboard for a clean cup for her coffee. The
milk was still okay but the cream had gone off. No sugar. Did she take sugar?
Jeremy couldn’t remember.
If you love a
woman, you should know how she takes her coffee.

Was his breath okay? He held his hand to his mouth and
breathed into it.
Just as he thought—morning breath.
Would she think it weird if he left her to go brush his teeth? Yes. She would.
Any girl would. She’d think he was going to make a pass at her if he brushed
his teeth.

Better keep your
distance.

Sounds like a plan
.

Jeremy filled their mugs with fresh brewed coffee and then
looked around for something to put them on. He found a tray at the back of the
cupboard. He pondered its appearance in his apartment and then realized Miss
Shannon must have left it behind. At the last minute, he cut up the day-old
cinnamon bun he was saving for dessert and added it to the tray. Jeremy took a
breath and carried everything into the living room.

Jocelyn was huddled on the floor under the throw blanket, staring
at the cold and sooty hearth.

“Can you make a fire in this thing or is it just for show.”

“Are you cold?” he asked, surprised.

“I rode my bike here. It’s March. There’s still snow on the
ground so yeah, I’m cold.”

“You don’t have to bite my head off. It was an innocent
question.”

He set the tray on the floor beside her. “Here, drink this.
The coffee’s hot. It’ll warm you up. Yes, I can make a fire in this thing. It’s
a working fireplace,” he added proudly. “And then you can tell me what’s going
on.”

THEY BENT over the sheet of paper like a forensics team. The
paper was fine quality, unlined, pamphlet-sized. There was a straggling word or
two at the frayed edge where it had been torn.

“I know what this is,” Shelby said excitedly. “Don’t you
guys recognize it? Doesn’t anybody go to church anymore?”

“Weddings and funerals,” said Jason, “and I’m usually
working them, so no, I haven’t got a clue what it is. What is it?”

“This was torn from the back of the order of service the
church prints up each week. It’s blank but do you see that letter and the
number at the edge of the tear? That’s the reading.
John: fifteen-five
.”

“Wow.” Andrea bent closer. “Whoever stuffed this in the camera
bag did it at the wedding ceremony. No one noticed in all the excitement of
Scout going into labor.”

“Trust Scout to take the whole natural
birth thing to heart.
Not me. I’m going to have this kid in a hospital
and I want drugs.” Shelby squinted at the words that were scrawled in blue ink
over the blank white square. “Does the handwriting look familiar to you guys?
It doesn’t to me ... it’s so sloppy, it has to have been written by a young
person.”

“Or an old person trying to make it look like a young person
wrote it,” Trevor said stuffily. “We have to figure out who was in the vicinity
of the camera case to narrow down the list of suspects.”

“What do you suggest?”

“We go to the church and reenact the scene of the crime.
Then we go through our photo files to find the person who was in the right
place at the right time and had motive to mess with Jocelyn and Jeremy.”

“Or the
Gazette
,”
Jason added. “We could be the actual target. We’re making waves in this town.”

“Making waves,” Andrea snorted. “Jason Fiske, the
Gazette
’s resident conspiracy theorist.
I guess every newspaper has one.”

“Someone on this team has to ask the tough questions. God
knows you don’t,
Tarnham
.”

“Okay, team to the bat mobile!” Trevor called on his way out
the door.
“Boss, you coming?”

Shelby shook her head, reaching for the phone to return
Sawyer’s call. “I’ll wait here for the affronted parties to arrive and ream me
out or threaten to sue, whichever comes first. I’m calling the cops for back
up. You guys go. Enjoy sleuthing but don’t get carried away. Be back here for
the story meeting in one hour.”

She winced as they banged the door behind them and punched
the button on speed dial that connected the
Gazette
to the Sheriff’s Office. Seconds later, Sawyer’s voice came on the line and
she smiled as she always did when she remembered he was hers.

Between love and baby hormones, she was losing her edge.

♥

SCOUT RUTHERFORD-DEAN pored over the classified ad, her
finger pressed to her mouth. She sat cross-legged on the bed with the
Gazette
spread out before her.

“Call Hudson and find out if he knows anything. You guys
work with Jeremy; he must have said something to you about Jocelyn.”

Ryder sat in the big armchair in the corner of their bedroom,
half-asleep, with his two infant sons in his arms. “I can’t call Hudson,” he
yawned. “He’s on his honeymoon. And he hates me for wrecking his wedding ... so
... no.”

“He doesn’t hate you. You were his best man. Would it help
if we offered to name one of the boys after him?”

“No. Aren’t you tired? The doctor said you should sleep when
the boys sleep.”

“You know me, I’m never sleepy.” Scout frowned over the
classified. “This is fascinating stuff here, Ryder. It’s a mystery. What
possessed Jeremy Marks to ask Jocelyn Tate to marry him? I saw them together at
the opening night party for
The Gift of
the Magi
at Christmas and she did not look interested to me.”

“Maybe he convinced her. Stranger things have happened in
this town.”

She looked up to see Ryder drifting off to sleep, balancing
the two babies in his arms. He hadn’t put them down from the minute they were
born. Lydia Rutherford was getting a little antsy. Scout moved to the chair, gently
lifted her sons from his arms and laid them in their bassinets and then covered
her husband with a blanket.
Poor sweet guy.
He was
exhausted. Ryder had a crazy idea that because they had twins they were
finished making babies. Scout laughed softly. She was only just getting
started.

The best is yet to be,
my love.

She pulled on her bathrobe and hustled down the stairs of
the old farmhouse to find her mother in the kitchen making breakfast. Lydia was
bound to know something about this mystery engagement notice. Lydia, unlike
Ryder, had her ear to the ground when it came to the love lives of the locals.
But her info would be sketchy at best. Lydia had missed the reception—they had
all missed the reception. What happened to shove Jocelyn into Jeremy’s arms?

It could’ve been anything, Scout mused. A person only had to
look at Scout and Ryder to know that anything was possible in Mandrake Falls.

♥

RYAN MCINTYRE drank his coffee very slowly all the while
pretending he was not bothered by the engagement notice.

He set his cup down on the table. No one in the diner seemed
to notice he was bothered. He
felt
bothered, he felt plenty bothered. He had only asked Jocelyn Tate to the
wedding because he thought she had no one to go with. Jocelyn had screwed up in
a way similar to Ryan’s screw-up last fall and people forgave him. He thought
he’d return the favor and give Jocelyn a chance to show her face in public
again. She was too young for him but she was a stunningly good-looking girl,
and not-bad company. She owned a nice little business at the Country Barn. If
she was engaged to another guy, she should have said something for God’s sake.

He was forced to admit, he would’ve kept the information to
himself too if he were in her shoes. Ryan was a more prestigious date than
Jeremy Marks. To get out from under the cloud, Jocelyn had to be seen with the
most powerful man in town. Ryan understood. He was always playing an angle too.

Only this time he wasn’t playing an angle and that’s what
galled him. This time he was being a straight-up good guy and look where it got
him. Now the women in town were going to think he was a) the Other Man in a
love triangle or b) Jocelyn needed only one date with Ryan McIntyre to run
howling into Jeremy Marks’ arms.

Both scenarios sucked and were bound to cripple his love
life. Sawyer would know how to handle this. Ever since his brother married
Shelby Porter, he’d become somewhat of an expert on women.

Ryan downed his coffee, threw a bill on the table and jogged
across the sundrenched street to the Sheriff’s Office.

♥

JASON, ANDREA and Trevor took up positions and aimed their
cameras at the same angles they’d used during the wedding. Sunlight streamed
into the church from the high arched windows. Some had stained glass in them
and some didn’t. Patches of color drifted over their faces.

Andrea set her camera case in roughly the same place it was
during the birth. She couldn’t remember the exact spot. “And Jason, grinding
your teeth isn’t helping me to remember so knock it off. I came down the
stairs, dumped the case and starting shooting. You know what Porter would’ve done
if I didn’t get the shot. She would’ve fired my ass and found someone who could
get the shot. She’s hardcore. Did you see her vault over that pew to reach
Scout?”

Trevor chuckled admiringly. “Yep, the boss is a pit bull for
a story. But back to our mystery.” He retraced the movements Andrea had made.
“You set your bag down here and then turned away and pushed through the crowd
to get the shot. Who was sitting in the pew?”

Andrea frowned. “It could’ve been someone sitting in the pew
in front or behind as well.
Anyone with easy access.
Which means they had to be nearby because with the crowd, access
wasn’t easy.
Some people were standing on the pews to see what was going
on. I know I was to get the photograph.”

“Right.
So you set the case down
and turned away. Now try to remember the faces you saw.”

“
Letitia
Murdoch. She was standing
here.” Andrea indicated the pew in front of the case. “Ryan McIntyre was here
with Jocelyn Tate.” She pointed to the seat behind and slightly right of the
case. “And though she wasn’t sitting in this spot originally, when I turned
around, Paula Dunlop was behind me trying to get close to the action. She stood
on the pew to get a better look. She’s short so that’s probably all there was
to it.”

“Where was Jeremy?” Jason asked sharply.

“You really have it in for that guy, don’t you?” Andrea
sighed. “I don’t know where he was but he should be in one of the shots we took
of the assembly before the wedding started.”

Jason nodded. “Okay. Who else was in the area?”

“That’s it. That’s all I can remember.”

“
Letitia
Murdoch. Ryan McIntyre.
Jocelyn Tate. Paula Dunlop and Jeremy Marks.” Jason ticked off the list of
suspects.

“And Andrea,” Trevor added calmly.

Jason and Andrea both stared at their fellow reporter.

“Andrea doesn’t have a motive, asshole. We’re looking for
someone with motive.”

Trevor looked grieved. “Hey, I’m just throwing it out there.
Just doing my due diligence.
The fact is, Andrea was
in the right place at the right time and she’s holding the smoking gun. Not one
of those people you listed could’ve known the ad would run by sticking it in a
reporter’s camera case. Only Andrea knew she could get it to print on time on
Sunday. Andrea is in charge of the classifieds. She has the template on her
computer. I think Andrea is our culprit.”

Andrea picked up a hymn book and threw it at Trevor.
“
Motive
, idiot!
What motive do I have for risking my job by running a bogus ad?”

Trevor ducked and then smiled complacently. “I don’t care if
you did it or not. It’s not a deal breaker as far as crimes go. And you weren’t
risking your job. Come on. Porter would never fire us because she’d have to pay
our replacements an actual living wage and we all know that’s not going to
happen. Your motive was love. You’re in love with Ryan McIntyre and you were
jealous that he asked Jocelyn to the wedding.”

This time Jason laughed; a barking scoff of laughter that
died off when Andrea burst into tears.

“You are a shit, Trevor,” she wailed. “You are a total shit.
Ryan McIntyre is at least ten years older than me and he doesn’t even know I
exist. So screw you and your shitty, warped little theories. I didn’t stick
that paper in my camera case. I found it just like I said I did. Whatever
feelings I may have for Ryan McIntyre are personal. I’d never let them
interfere with the paper and I fucking hate you for suggesting that I would!”

She spun around on one heel and marched out of the church,
slamming the door behind her.

Jason raised his hands and turned on Trevor. “What the hell
is the matter with you? What’s going on here?”

Trevor frowned and shook his head. “A lot of bad language is
flying around, that’s what’s going on. Dude, we’re in a church. Show a little
respect.”

♥

JEREMY BLEW on the embers to avoid looking directly at her.
Her hair was a mess and she had dark circles under her eyes but that didn’t
mean anything. Everyone in town would be sleep-deprived after the weekend they’d
had. Now that she was here and had his undivided attention, Jocelyn seemed
reluctant to talk.

At last, he got the fire going. He held his hands up to the
flames even though he wasn’t cold. If anything, he was getting overheated
sitting so close to her. Jeremy picked up his coffee and casually lay back,
propped on one elbow and tried not to sweat. His heart was pounding but she
didn’t seem to know he was in the room. Jocelyn stared at the fire, her hands
wrapped around her coffee.

“Help yourself to a cinnamon bun. Sorry it’s not the whole bun.
I cut it up to share.
If you’re hungry.
Are you
getting any warmer?”

She nodded.

“Where are your earmuffs?”

Jocelyn shot him an icy stare. “I’m a total joke around
here, aren’t I?
An earmuff wearing co-ed chasing after the
great Hudson Grace.
What a joke.”

“No! No, you’re not. You made one mistake and it wasn’t even
a big one. The guy is on his honeymoon; Scout Rutherford had twins during their
ceremony for crying out loud. You’re stale news,
Joce
.”
He tried to laugh but it was tough to do when her misery over Hudson Grace was
like a knife slicing into his chest.

“They took Simon to Disney World for their honeymoon. It was
her idea—Michael’s. She wanted the kid to have fun.” Jocelyn picked forlornly
at a piece of cinnamon bun. “I wouldn’t have done that. I would’ve made Hudson
get a babysitter for the kid and booked tickets to New York or Montreal for our
honeymoon. I thought he was a playboy. I had him wrong.
Completely—totally—
wrong
.”

“Yeah well,” Jeremy said without enthusiasm, “don’t beat
yourself
up about it. You followed your heart and that’s
brave.
So ... good for you.”
He raised his coffee mug
in salute.

Jocelyn twisted and gave him a searching look. The firelight
danced over her hair. “Is that why you did it? You were following your heart?”

He sat up. “What did I do? You seem to think I know what you’re
talking about or why you’re here. I don’t. What happened?”

She reached behind her to drag the newspaper over. Jocelyn
flipped the pages to the Classifieds, folded the paper in half and handed
Jeremy the section.