Pay the Price (Harmony Grove Book 3) by Carol Post (which ebook reader txt) 📕

She told me they’d had a fight. She wouldn’t tell me what it was about, just that she had made him really mad.”

“Do you think he would have done anything to hurt her?”

Autumn shook her head. “I can’t imagine he would. Like I said, he was crazy about her. But after that fight, she seemed really agitated. I know she wasn’t herself, because she left her phone in my car.”

“Did she ever get it back?”

“No. I didn’t discover it until I got in the next morning to head to school. It was on the passenger floorboard. I stuck it in the glove box, figuring I’d bring it to her that afternoon. Then I found out she’d killed herself.”

“You still have her phone?”

“It’s still in the glove box.”

“Do you mind if I take it?”

Autumn shook her head. “You’re welcome to it, but my car’s in the shop right now having the alternator changed. It should be done today or tomorrow.”

“When you get it back, can you let me know?” Maybe whatever someone had hoped was on her hard drive was also on her phone. “In the meantime, if you think of anything I might find interesting, please call me. I’ll give you my cell number.”

Although Autumn didn’t think Hammy would hurt Prissy, the fact remained that they’d had a big blowout the day before she died. But Hammy wasn’t at the top of her list.

Buck was.

With Prissy gone, he would never be tried for his other crimes. But if he was guilty of murder, she would do everything in her power to see justice done.

Shane made his way up the Parker driveway, walking between the red Lotus and the little green Bug. The Lotus, of course, hadn’t moved. The Bug had been gone a good bit of the day, returning for an hour at lunchtime, then disappearing and not coming back until an hour ago. Jess hadn’t told him what she had planned, just that she was going to be tied up all day.

He stepped onto the porch and rang the bell. A half minute later, it swung open and Jess greeted him with a smile. Blue jeans disappeared into boots similar to the ones he’d experienced on first meeting her, except in brown. A tan blouse with three-quarter sleeves hugged her upper body. She’d shed the jacket a day ago. Cold weather in Florida never hung around for long.

“Hey.” She backed up to let him in. She looked good. Of course, she always looked good.

He stepped inside and closed the door. “I was thinking about ordering takeout and streaming a movie. I was wondering if you wanted to join me.”

“Can I take a rain check? I was getting ready to go see someone, if he’s home.”

If he’s home. Maybe she was headed out to see a former flame. His chest tightened around the hollowness that had taken up residence there some time ago. He was used to that void where his heart once was. But the disappointment that swept through him at her words came out of nowhere.

“No problem. We can do it another time.” He tried to keep his tone upbeat but wasn’t quite successful. Another evening alone. He shook off the thought. That was how he spent all of his evenings, unless he was working. “How was your day?”

“Productive.” The smile broadened. “I landed a job. I start Monday.”

“Congratulations. You must be heading out to celebrate.”

“No celebrations tonight.”

Her somber tone laid to rest his earlier thoughts of reigniting old sparks. He ignored the sense of relief that shot through him. Whether Jess was involved with someone made no difference to him. Sure, she intrigued him. The time he was spending helping her at the house made the loneliness a little less intense. And if he said he didn’t find her attractive, he’d be lying. But men in his line of work had no business making romantic commitments. Because men in his line of work had enemies. And sometimes retaliatory bullets found the wrong target.

He sucked in a stabilizing breath. “Where are you headed?”

“I’m paying Hammy Driggers a visit. Priscilla’s boyfriend.”

“You think he might know something about why Priscilla killed herself?”

“Or was murdered.”

Great. She hadn’t let it go. “Mind if I tag along?”

“It’s just a little after four. I don’t know what time he gets home from work. He might not even be there, so it could be a wasted trip.”

“That’s all right with me. Remember, I had nothing more pressing planned than dinner and a movie.”

She picked up her purse and slipped the strap over her shoulder. “Sorry, I prefer to work alone.”

“And I prefer to know you’re not charging in making accusations that are going to get you killed.”

She brushed past him to step onto the porch. “You don’t have much confidence in me, do you?”

Once he’d exited the house, she locked the door and sauntered to her car.

He followed. “Come on, Jess. Let me go with you.” If she had an inside track to information that would help his case, he fully intended to take advantage of it. “Two heads are better than one. Besides, if there’s any danger, you’ll—” He bit off the rest of the sentence. “You’ll have protection” wouldn’t endear himself to her. “We can back each other up.”

She stood at the open driver door, her expression unreadable as usual. Finally, she tilted her head toward the passenger’s side. “Get in.”

He hurried around the front of the car and folded himself into the seat. Corralling Jess was going to be every bit as hard as he’d expected. “What can you tell me about this Hammy?”

“I don’t know about now, but ten or twelve years ago, he was trouble. Both him and his older brother. Theft, drugs, you name it. He’s the last person I would have imagined Priscilla with.”

“Maybe he’s changed in the last eight years.”

“Or Priscilla changed.”

Eight or nine miles outside of town, she pulled beneath a wrought iron arch. Letters spelling out Driggers had been worked into the intricate