Carol Shenold - Tali Cates 02 - Bloody Murder Read online

  “Miss. Are you okay? You look pale. Should you sit down?”

  I shook my head at the checkout girl, who looked at me as if I’d grown horns or something, and shoved the packages forward, straining to watch the person I’d touched. He left the store before I got a good look.

  My knees shook as we walked to the PT Cruiser I’d just bought to replace my old car. That car had never recovered from ending up in the ditch during a flash flood a couple of months earlier.

  I couldn’t figure out what I’d touched that affected me so strongly. How weird was that? Another strange part of the long day, and it wouldn’t be over for hours, since I now had to go to the Country Club for the blood drive.

  Chapter Two

  I’d organized the food and everything with Renée. The ballroom had become the blood donor center with several stations for blood draws, testing, vital signs, and actual donation. All I had to do was look like a vampire to go along with the theme “Blood with a Bite.” The tee shirt every donor would receive had a picture of a vampire on a cot donating blood, with the theme in red, dripping letters. In the reception area, our long table groaned with gourmet snacks so all the donors could build up their strength before and after giving their all, or at least a pint. We had a DJ, in case a few people wanted to dance in the dining room or sit at the tables instead of balancing food on small plates.

  My costume, a Morticia Adams long black dress with a high slit, clung all the way down, trailing sleeves, trailing skirt, deep v-cut neck. A long black wig covered my kinky auburn hair, and pale makeup turned my olive skin white. Eyeliner, red lipstick, and I was ready. The red spike heels were actually comfortable and looked sexy. The split skirt allowed me to walk and even drive in comfort.

  I slinked my way through the donor room to the food table. Renée and Cherilyn Masters—my other best friend from high school—were already there, finishing the arrangement of snacks on the trays. We’d assembled the usual suspects—tortilla rolls, chips with hot queso dip and guacamole, cheese and cracker assortments. Another table held fresh fruit, taquitos, fresh salsa, sopapillas, pita sandwiches, and on to the sweets like fruit pizza and chocolate tarts. No one would faint away after this spread. Renée had outdone herself again.

  “Very sexy,” Cherilyn said. “I like you in black and white.”

  “Well, look at you, Misses Vampiras.”

  Cherilyn wore her long blonde hair straight to her waist. Her red dress dipped to the waist in the back and plunged not quite as far in front, while Renée wore a red-and-black laced Victorian dress complete with choker. Her curly red hair framed her head and set off the exotic makeup she wore.

  Renée moved behind a smaller table full of wines with exotic Vampyre Blood labels we had specially made. “A little blood with that cheese?” She giggled, pouring the red wine in glasses. We toasted each other.

  “Now what happened at the amphitheatre?” Cherilyn asked. “No one is making sense. Mrs. Litchen, one of the librarians, talked about vampires. I told her she had the blood drive on the brain. There’s no such thing as a vampire, except at this function. That woman is so bizarre. Why do we let her around our kids? Oh yeah, she’s the only one who wants the job.”

  Renée shivered. “I heard Marcia’s body was drained of blood and there were marks on her neck.”

  “The coroner is going to have to decide how Marcia was killed. I couldn’t tell much from looking except it was awful.” It was my turn for the willies when I thought about the shriveled, mummy-like look of the body. “All I know is she is dead, one of the Queen contestants is now without a mom, and part of the blood we donate tonight will be given in memoriam of Marcia.”

  Renée looked at me. “Ewww. That’s kind of gross, isn’t it?”

  “Not any more gross than donating an organ. People do that all the time.”

  “Wouldn’t it be better to establish a fund for Kimmie?” Renée suggested. “For her education or something?”

  “That would be good too. Cherilyn, what if you put something in the paper about it?”

  “I’d better check with Don Baker first. He might consider it interfering or charity. He’s a little stiff-necked, you know. Remember when he was in the hospital after the accident, after he fell off the roof? A bunch of us got a collection together for food. He was livid. He thought we considered him a charity case.”

  “Right. Good thinking. But speaking of Don, the argument Marcia had with Karin this afternoon made it sound as if Marcia was cheating on him. When she fought with Karin, it sounded as if they were fighting over the same guy. I don’t get it.”

  I looked around the room to see what was going on. People had come in droves, more for snacks than anything. They all gave blood and signed the card for Marcia on the small table that also held her picture.

  Cherilyn shook her head. “Small town gossip, who knows who was cheating on whom and if any of that had to do with the murder? I suppose we’ll find out in time but I’m not sure I want to know—not how my fearless leader will feel. Laurel will want all the dirt.”

  Oh, yeah, Laurel McIntyre, editor of the local paper, President of the County Fair board—and a rival for JT’s attention. She’d be on my case for sure, as if I caused the murder to happen on the fairgrounds.

  I felt someone next to me and turned to say something to Cherilyn. Instead, I stood still, looking into the deepest golden brown eyes I’d ever seen. The face wasn’t bad either, once I tore my gaze away from his eyes and assessed the rest of the man standing next to me. He stood taller than I did with a wiry build that said strength without showing muscle. His eyes were kind but guarded. You couldn’t say that about his mouth, which looked ready to be kissed, and his shoulder-length hair screamed to have fingers run through it.

  That thought alone sent such strong waves of anticipation through me, I came close to cracking my knees on the back of the table.

  He held out his hand. “Hi. I’m Aiden.”

  “Um… I’m Tali.” I thrust a plate in his hand, my eyes never leaving his face. What is wrong with me, I thought, ripping my eyes away from his and focusing somewhere above his head. “Did you give already? Have some snacks.” He took the plate and seemed amused by my reaction.

  I was not. My God, you’d think I was some giddy, hormonal teen-ager the way I’d reacted to an attractive man.

  A crowd of people attacked the table and I lost track of him. Renée and Cherilyn both tried to catch my eye. I concentrated on putting everyone, especially the mesmerizing man, out of my mind. I focused on food and all the people building up their strength from giving blood or in anticipation of giving.

  An hour later, I took a break and went to find a soft drink. My stomach hadn’t recovered enough to drink or eat anything solid. I still saw the body if I let my mind wander unchecked.

  “Tali.”

  Oh, shit. “Laurel.”

  “I thought you were working the food table.” She looked at my soft drink as if to say, get back to work.

  “I am, was. I’m taking a short break.”

  Laurel wore the typical long black vampire dress and white makeup accented with a long shaggy wig. “Don’t wait too long. Things could get backed up. Also, we need to talk about what happened at the fairgrounds later.”

  “I’ll watch it.” What was she going to do, fire me if I look too long a break?

  Once Laurel saw I wasn’t going to respond or fight, she wandered off.

  I finished my soda and went back to the food area, ready to let the rest of the girls take breaks.

  I gasped and came to a screeching halt when Aiden suddenly and silently appeared at my side. “Hi, you startled me.”

  “I sometimes have that affect.” His eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled. “I wanted to talk to you. You are the most beautiful woman. Are you attached to someone?”

  “Not like permanently. Thank you for the compliment.”

  “It’s true. Can you come and talk to me?”

  “I have to help in t
he other room. Maybe I could find you later?” I looked up into his eyes—an interesting experience, looking up, since so many guys were shorter than I was. Trouble was, when I looked into his eyes I wanted to follow him anywhere.

  Right now.

  I shook my head and waved before I moved away toward the other girls. I looked back. He was watching me walk away, a small smile on his face.

  We had only said four or five words to each other. Yet it was as if he saw my soul when he looked at me. I wondered what he would think of my soul and the fact that I could see things others couldn’t.

  Renée and Cherilyn both stared.

  “What happened to you? You look you’ve seen a ghost or something. What’s wrong?”

  I didn’t want to tell them I was horny as hell after talking to a man for a couple of minutes. Hell, before I talked to him. I must have a strange virus. It also made me stammer and get tongue tied around the man. I hadn’t been called beautiful in a long time.

  Another rush of people prevented me from having to answer questions and I replaced empty trays, arranged wineglasses, and watched for Aiden.

  Cherilyn came up next to me. I jumped. She laughed. “What’s up? Fill me in.”

  “Nothing.”

  “Don’t give me that nonsense. I can see it on your face. Something happened.”

  “Nothing happened. A guy said hello. I said hello back. Big deal.”

  “The cow-eyed look on your face says something different.”

  “I talked to him for about a minute. His name is Aiden. He wants to talk later. That’s all I know.”

  Her face brightened. “Oh, yeah. I met him. He’s hunky in a tall, pale-skinned way. I think he moved into the house next to yours.”

  My mouth flew open. “Next door to me? Aiden? Wow.” I hadn’t seen anyone around that old house, but noticed it had been painted at some point when I wasn’t looking. Life might get more interesting.

  I leaned against the wall behind me as the crowd thinned out. Most of the food was gone as were some of the donors. A few die-hards still danced to the DJ. Aiden lurked at a table across the room and grinned at me.

  After everything was cleaned up, put away, or loaded into Renée’s car, I wandered over to Aiden with a couple of glasses of wine and sat down.

  “So, I hear you moved in next door to me.”

  “Did I?” He took a sip of wine.

  “That’s what Cherilyn said.”

  He looked shocked for a second and then his expression changed to unreadable, blank. How did he do that?

  “Do you have two boys?”

  I shook my head. “Just one, a small-for-his-age ten-year-old. Why?”

  “I thought I saw another boy.”

  “You might have seen Rusty, Sean’s best friend.”

  “He’s a redhead?”

  “Has Rusty been pestering you?

  “No. I saw him around and wondered who he was.” He changed the subject. “How about going with me to the carnival?”

  “I don’t know. It’s a little late for me. I should get to bed, it’s been a long day.”

  “I’m certain it has, with the murder and all. It’s before ten, in case you have a curfew. Come, spend an hour with me. We can act like kids, ride some rides. It will be fun. I’d like to see what you were like as a little girl.”

  “You haven’t seen what I’m like as a grownup yet.”

  He laughed. “They go together. The child makes the man, or woman as the case may be.”

  “I could use a distraction. The carnival sounds good. I’ll get out of this into jeans and meet you in front in fifteen.”

  “You look fine to me.”

  “Not riding rides in a long skirt and weird makeup. I’ll be right back.”

  I grabbed the casual clothes I’d stashed in the trunk of the car and changed into my jeans in the back bathroom, slipped into a red tee that fit just right, put my hair up in a ponytail, added lipstick, and ran to the front of the building.

  I was far too excited for a woman with a son and a grown daughter. I didn’t remember the last time I felt like this. Oh yeah, when I dated the guy from jail who tried to murder us.

  Oops. Maybe my judgment wasn’t too good.

  I slowed down. I should stop and think. The last stranger I dated was a disaster. Then I saw Aiden and all thoughts of caution left my head. What entered in its place was pure lust.

  * * * *

  “My car or yours?” I threw my stuff in the back.

  “We could walk?” Aiden suggested.

  “How about if I drive? Then I can get my car home later since I’ll need it in the morning?”

  “I should drive. I’m the man. You’re a girl and all that.”

  “Did you just say that out loud and expect to stay in one piece?”

  He looked puzzled. “Yes. Why?”

  “Come on. Get in. We’ll park at the bank.”

  Aiden was at my side faster than I could see and opened the door for me.

  “How did you do that?”

  He put on an innocent expression. “Do what?”

  I shook my head and dropped the question. It was a weird night and my imagination was out of control. Must be all the vampire vibes.

  I peeked at Aiden out of the corners of my eyes. He was a little pale, vampire looking. His lips were rather rosy in comparison to his pale cheeks and dark hair, smoldering eyes. I imagined myself kissing those lips, looking into the eyes, stroking his pale skin.

  “Whoa.” Something ran across the road and I swerved to avoid it, throwing Aiden against the door. “Sorry.” I’d better get my mind off him and onto the road.

  The clank of metal and sound of tinny carnival music announced the fair before we parked and got out of the Cruiser. Teen screams proclaimed the rides appropriately thrilling. Cotton candy, funnel cakes, food fair scents tugged at us for attention. The intense noise level reached out to pull us into the frenetic activity, become part of the chaos.

  “Let’s ride.” Aiden’s eyes took on a feverish glow as he pulled me to the faster, higher rides.

  The wilder the ride, the more dangerous, the more his excitement grew. He laughed with pure joy, as if he’d never had fun in the past.

  Before long, I saw the same intensity reflected in my eyes when I caught a glimpse of my reflection. I was a chicken, hated the speed and out-of-control feeling when strapped into metal machines flinging me around. And yet, with Aiden, no fear, the desire for more speed, higher altitudes, greater risk. I was immortal, unbreakable. The excitement wasn’t about the rides. It was about being near the man, touching him, clutching him for safety. Emotions, sensations coursed through me that would have left me a melting puddle if it weren’t for the desire to hang on to Aiden, to continue as my senses sharpened and heightened.

  Never had I felt so alive. Not ever in my life that I could remember. Was this what drove climbers to climb mountains when they could die from the effort? On the Ferris wheel, when we stopped at the top he looked into my eyes, paralyzing me with a simple glance. He touched my cheek with his hand. Desire flooded my entire body—intense, shattering desire. I could have, would have let him do anything he wanted, in public, in the air.

  “Mom! What are you doing? Come down from there. You hate heights. What are you thinking?”

  My eighteen-year-old daughter, Cass, very effectively threw ice water on our fun and desire. I came to my senses, realizing my shirt had gotten pushed up so far that skin showed. I rearranged it, aware that Cass’s yell drew attention to our seat above all. Thank God, the wheel began to move and we slowly made our way toward the ground.

  Cass had to learn that screaming at her mother in front of people wasn’t the best choice if she wanted to stay alive any longer.

  Aiden smiled faintly and patted my hand, thinking what I’d never know. I’d certainly never see him again after this. Time had spun by in a whirl of colored lights and speed. We’d hardly talked at all, and I still knew nothing about him except that he had the
power to make me do anything he wanted.

  When the wheel stopped at the bottom, Aiden hopped off and swung me up and over to deposit me next to Cass with one of his impossible movements. Her eyebrows jumped to the top of her forehead. He didn’t look strong enough to move like that, and I didn’t remember feeling giant muscles.

  “Cass. Were you yelling at me for a reason? The entire town heard.”

  She had the sense to look a little embarrassed. “Sorry. You caught me off guard. I remember the last time I tried to talk you into carnival rides, I thought you were going to puke on the merry-g0-round.”

  “Thanks so much for that memory.” I gestured toward Aiden. “This is Aiden Courtland. Aiden, my daughter, Cass, the lungs of the family.”

  Standing next to Cass was the exact opposite of the young man she used to date. This one had cropped blond hair, wore jeans, boots, and a western shirt and was built as if he could bench-press a four-wheel-drive wide-bed pickup.

  “Is this a new friend of yours?”

  Cass took his hand and tugged him forward. “Mom, this is Chase Bridges. He’s from Shamrock.”

  Chase shoved his paw of a hand at Aiden, who looked at the hand but didn’t reach for it. Both men narrowed their eyes at each other, then turned their attention back to the girls as if the other one didn’t exist. How strange was that? Aiden hadn’t been rude earlier.

  Chattering away, Cass hadn’t noticed anything out of the ordinary. My emotions had been on such a literal roller coaster all evening that forming coherent thoughts was beyond me. I still rode the spinning rides, clung to Aiden, and felt as if whirling was normal for me.

  “We could go get funnel cakes or something.” I couldn’t imagine a double date with my daughter and a new boyfriend but I had to be polite.