Page 86 of Sugar Coated Secrets

“I guess you should get going,” Katie chimes in. “You might be late.”

It was closer to eleven, but I couldn't be more grateful for Katie's persistence in getting Summer to leave. She probably came to gloat. She always saw me as a threat for some reason. I never understood why, and it was pointless to ask.

“You’re right; he might be waiting.” Summer gloats.

When she finally leaves, Katie turns to me. “What a bitch! If it weren’t for my job and the fact that she’s the mayor’s daughter,I would have reached over this counter and punched her in the face."

“I wouldn’t have stopped you, but you’re right. The only thing saving her right now is her father.”

“And the fact that her face was plastered in the local news next to her daddy doesn’t help. Do you think she is lying?”

I busy myself cleaning the counters. “No. They have history. I've heard that he got her pregnant before they broke up in high school, and she lost the baby. In high school, everyone pegged them to be a forever thing. Right before prom, I heard he cheated on her, which was why they broke up. I shouldn’t be surprised he reached out to her after all this time. They were together.”

She scoffs. “And you think he still holds a torch for her or something?”

I shrug in defeat. “I’m not sure what to think anymore.”

I need to let him go and accept that whatever we did meant nothing.

“You’re going to ghost him, aren’t you?” she says like she is reading my mind.

I’m not sure what I’ll do, but whatever Ford and I had going was over before it could ever begin.

I toss the rag on the counter. “We’re both different. It would never work, Katie. I know that.”

Sirens wail from outside, followed by the screeching of tires. Katie and the other small shop owners look out the storefronts.

“Damn,” she mutters, peering out the windowpane. “Where did all these cops come from? I thought Airy had four tops.”

I look out the window to see four more patrol cars fly down the street with their sirens on. I pull my phone out to see if there is a local alert, but there is nothing. “I wonder what happened.”

“Whatever it is, it must be bad,” Katie says. The screech of tires and more sirens follow.

Mr. Sheppard from the convenience store next door bursts in out of breath. “Did you hear?”

Mr. Sheppard is an old-timer. He is old and nosy, like most of the people in Airy, and the first to tell everyone when something is going on. Like if they catch someone stealing at the food mart. Or when a couple is getting divorced. No gossip is beneath him to share.

“No, Mr. Sheppard,” I reply.

“Old man Moody was attacked.” He shakes his head. The sun's glare catches his bald head. “Dead.”

“Moody?”

“You probably don’t know him. I mean, he was a crazy, sick bastard. I’m sure no one is going to miss him, but he was left for dead.” He tries to hide his shaky hand in his pocket.

All the color drains from my face. I can feel Katie’s stare, but I don’t know if I should feel relieved or scared. “How did he die?” I ask.

“He was attacked is what I heard. Someone found him on the side of the road, bludgeoned to death.”

“Shit,” Katie whispers.

After I deliver a custom-made cake, I turn right instead of left toward where Mr. Sheppard said they found Moody. I’m assuming it was the same road his house is on.

When I turn onto the road, I see caution tape and about ten police cars surrounding the area. A cop waves his hands like an air traffic controller when he sees my van, signaling for me to turn back, but I ignore him. I scan the police officers, looking for Danny. I see him leaning on the car with a grim expression while another officer tells him something.

I place the van in park and get out, ignoring the officer calling out, "Ma'am, you can't be here. This is an active crime scene.”

“Danny!” I call out, ignoring him.

---