Ax to Grind Read online

  I pulled up to the scene and put the Wagoneer in park. The dispute was between Daryl Young and Gilly Bates, both young men and both completely political. It wasn’t a secret which candidates they were each backing. The billboard signs told me.

  “Get him, Gilly!” Mama shouted, standing next to a Vote for Lowry sign that was as big as the Welcome to Cottonwood sign that sat on the edge of town.

  “I’ll shoot. I’m a law-abiding, gun-toting citizen.” Daryl Young, who just so happened to be Lonnie’s grandson, stood next to the sign pointing his rifle at it. He jerked his hand up in the air. “I’ve got my permit right here.”

  “You stay,” I instructed Duke. The last thing I needed was for him to get in the way and get shot. I stuck my hand out of the window and flipped the old beacon siren, something else I’d gotten from Poppa besides the love of keeping the law.

  The path of nosy neighbors parted.

  “What’s going on, fellas?” I stopped next to Mama and grabbed her megaphone right out of her jeweled fingers.

  “I’ll be. You don’t treat your mama that way,” she scolded me.

  “Sheriff, I’m sorry, but you know I ain’t for you. I’m for my pappy, and this here zealot said I was going against the church by voting for him.” Daryl was at least trying to be respectful. “Then he went and got this big billboard from her.” His pointer finger jutted toward Mama. “Who just so happened to have it delivered.”

  Huffs and puffs came out of Mama’s mouth as it opened and closed before she finally decided it was best to keep it shut.

  “Shush, Mama.” I swung a glare at her that told her to behave. “I’m sorry, Daryl. Please go on.”

  “Then I politely asked him if he wouldn’t mind moving the sign a little more toward his house so I could see down the street and wave at my neighbors walking by from my porch swing.” Daryl pointed to all the locations he was referring to. “He refused, so I called up my pappy and he had a sign delivered.”

  I glanced over at the sign. It said Committed to Making Cottonwood Safe with a big photo of old Lonnie Lemar on it. A groan escaped Mama’s lips and I gave her another you-better-be-quiet look.

  “If he thinks my wife wants to look at his puckered-up face every morning when we have coffee on our porch, he has another thing coming to him.” Gilly gestured between him and his wife with Mama nodding profusely beside them, a look of disgust on her face.

  “I can’t help it that she didn’t put her mug on her signs.” Daryl pointed to me. “Not that you ain’t pretty, Kenni. It’s all politics.”

  “Thank you, Daryl, but I’m not here to be political. I’m just here to do my job.” I looked back at Gilly’s wife. “Darlene, you got some coffee on?”

  She nodded.

  “Why don’t you go on in and grab a couple of cups for me and the guys here. Everyone else is going to go home since there’s nothing to see here,” I said to the crowd, shooing them away.

  Darlene rushed up her steps and inside her house.

  “Now, Gilly, you go on and put your gun in the house, and you do the same, Daryl,” I instructed both men, who eyed each other to see who was going to move first. “Go on now,” I encouraged them. Out of one corner of my eye I saw Finn pulling up, and out of the other eye I saw Mama trying to sneak up Gilly’s front porch steps.

  “Mama, you go on home and I’ll deal with you later.” I wagged a finger at her.

  “Kenni, you don’t go treating your mama that way in front of the whole town.” I didn’t know how she did it. She scolded me with words that sounded as sweet as a canary’s song with the prettiest smile on her face.

  “Mama, don’t make me put you in the back of that Wagoneer and haul you down to Cowboy’s Catfish where I’ll put you in that cell and leave you all night long,” I warned.

  No way did I try to disguise my words with a smile and a happy tone.

  “I birthed you.” She cocked a brow.

  “You did a mighty fine job.” Finn walked up behind us.

  “You staying for coffee?” Darlene asked Finn from the porch.

  “Yes, ma’am, I’d love a cup.” Finn took his hat off his head and mussed up his hair.

  “Mama, you’ve outdone yourself with this little fiasco. You’re going to be the reason I don’t get elected if you keep acting crazy.” I took her by the elbow to escort her to her car.

  She jerked her arm away and trotted off at a show horse’s pace. I didn’t have the time or energy to keep up with her. I hated to admit it, but Mama had more energy than a two-year-old child. I stood there and watched to make sure she got into her car and drove down the road. Away from me.

  “You come on by Ben’s for some of my beans and cornbread special,” she called out the window. “Toodles!” She waved her fingers in the air before pushing the gas pedal.

  “I see everything is under control,” Finn said after I’d walked back up to the porch, where everyone seemed to be sitting and enjoying the coffee Darlene had fixed.

  “We’ll see here in a minute.” I walked up the steps and took the warm cup of coffee from Darlene.

  “If I remember, you like a couple scoops of creamer.” She smiled, knowing that she had it exactly right. “Have you a seat before you burn yourself.”

  “You do make great coffee.” I took a sip and sighed loud enough so she knew I enjoyed that first sip. “This coffee is good to warm me up on a cold day.”

  I leaned on the railing and situated my hip so I faced both men.

  “Gilly, I appreciate the support.” I looked at him and then turned to Daryl. “I appreciate your right to vote for whoever you want, but in this case,” I lifted the cup to my lips and took another sip, “both of you are going to have to take down your signs.”

  “What if I don’t?” Gilly blew up like a puffer fish, but settled down when Darlene tapped his shoulder.

  “Then you’re breaking the law and I’d have to take you to jail,” I stated simply. “Your sign is against Cottonwood’s sign regulations, which you should know, because if I remember correctly, you were a good campaign manager for my poppa. And campaign signs can only be eight feet wide and two feet high.”

  “And you have a damn billboard,” Daryl scoffed.

  “So do you!” Gilly’s chin and chest jutted out.

  “Settle down.” I took another sip to give them a minute to stew. “If you agree to take these signs down by tonight, I won’t fine either of you.”

  “How much is the fine?” Daryl asked.

  “I don’t know, but I can ask Betty Murphy right now or haul you on down to the jail.” My voice was stern.

  “Fine.” Gilly crossed his arms across his chest. “But I like my sign.”

  “Do you still have that farm on the south side of town?” I asked Gilly.

  “I sure do,” he answered with pride. “Got the best deer hunting stand out there you ever saw.”

  “Your sign can go out there,” I suggested. “The law states that there can’t be a sign that large in a city or neighborhood yard. And Daryl, you can put your sign out on your mom and dad’s property.” I wanted to make sure I could give them both options. “We’ve all been friends and neighbors for a long time, and I know better than anyone that elections are very personal. But it will come and go. Our friendships are what’s important.”

  I did the best lying through my teeth I could. It took everything in my body not to pull my own gun out and put bullet holes in Lonnie’s sign, but since I was the law, I had better abide by it.

  There was a faint grin on Finn’s lips as he stayed on the bottom step sipping his warm coffee.

  “Gilly,” Darlene was soft spoken, “I think Kenni is right. Now you go on out there and take the sign down.” She patted him on the back to encourage him.

  Gilly stood up and gave Daryl a nice long stare.

  “Go on.” Darlene n
udged him.

  He reached down for his tool bag and grabbed a wrench, then took his sweet time walking over to the billboard. Daryl set his cup on the floor next to the rocker and placed both hands on the rocker arms, pushing himself up to stand.

  “Well, I guess I can go take mine down too.” He turned to Darlene and said, “Thank you, Darlene. Your coffee was as good as ever.”

  “You are welcome.” Darlene smiled. “You know, we’ve been neighbors for a few years and have had a lot of fun. I’m glad we got this solved.”

  “Me too.” He returned her smile. “Sheriff.” He nodded.

  “Thank you, Daryl.” I held my hand out for a nice firm handshake before he too headed to his house to take down the billboard of Lonnie’s face.

  “I think my work here is done,” I said. “I’ve taken up enough of your time.”

  “Nah. I knew Gilly was going to make Daryl mad. They’d been arguing for days on why we shouldn’t be voting for you, but Gilly loves your mama and daddy so much that he won’t even think to hear of any nonsense about you not being sheriff,” Darlene said.

  “We are very lucky we have passionate citizens. And I appreciate your vote.” I gave a slight wave. A few words of goodbye were exchanged between Finn and Darlene.

  “I’ll get me a small yard sign.” Gilly waved us off to our cars.

  Finn and I stopped shy of the Wagoneer.

  “Did Betty call you too?” I asked, since Betty had told me he’d already been dispatched on a call. One I was glad I didn’t get because the stink from the sewage plant that sat right behind their neighborhood would’ve ruined my supper.

  “I heard it over the dispatch and came out to make sure you didn’t need backup.” He grabbed the handle of my door and opened it for me. He was quickly learning the southern gentlemanly ways of Cottonwood. “You want to grab a bite to eat?”

  “Sure. Mama said something about beans and cornbread at Ben’s.” I made the suggestion and tried not to look into his big brown eyes, a distraction I didn’t need. I got into the car, pushing Duke to the passenger side.

  Finn reached across me and patted Duke on the head. I’d have liked to blame my lightheaded feeling and the dip in my stomach on being hungry. Let me just say that Lonnie Lemar never wore good-smelling cologne. Being this close to Finn made my heart twist and turn.

  “I’ll meet you there.” Finn slammed the Wagoneer door after he finished patting Duke. He tapped his hand on the open windowsill.

  From my side mirror, I watched him get into his Charger. I pulled the siren off the top of the hood and put it back under my seat before I pulled out onto Oak Street with Finn driving closely behind me. Ben’s was located on Main Street, and we scored a couple of parking spaces along the curb.

  Ruby’s Antiques was still busy, which didn’t surprise me since she was displaying some of the antiques from the Stone estate, and she’d taken the opportunity to advertise it on a big sidewalk A-frame chalkboard.

  “She’s drumming up business.” Finn pointed across the street once we were standing out on the sidewalk in front of Ben’s.

  “She sure is,” I muttered, still wondering what was going on between Ruby and Cecily, remembering their confrontation just a little while ago. Whatever it was, it wasn’t pleasant. But it was no business of mine. Not yet anyway.

  Finn opened the door for Duke and me to step inside of Ben’s. The smell of fried cornbread made my mouth water. It went so well with Mama’s brown soup beans. Everyone loved Mama’s beans and always wanted to know what her secret was. She always said a little of this and that, but truth be told, she used about a cup of Crisco in the soup. Fattening but delicious.

  We took the seat up near the window with a view of Ruby’s. I wanted to keep an eye on the place in case Cecily showed up with something from the estate. My curiosity was on high alert.

  “To what do I owe the pleasure?” Ben Harrison greeted us with paper menus. He had his shaggy brown hair tucked up underneath his backward baseball cap. His usual hairstyle. Ben was definitely the best-looking guy in Cottonwood, and the most eligible, until Finn Vincent came to town.

  “I hear you have the best beans and cornbread around town.” Finn was learning real fast how to talk to the citizens around here. He was losing that hard exterior he seemed to have when he’d first come to Cottonwood.

  “You’ve been listening to the Lowrys, haven’t you?” Ben knew Mama had gotten to Finn. “I have to say they are pretty darn good. That’s why I won the cook-off with your mama on my team. I knew she could cook, and she was my secret weapon.”

  “Then we will have two bowls and a plate of cornbread. I’ll have a Diet Coke.” I lifted the paper menu up in the air for Ben to take.

  “Water for me.” Finn handed him his menu.

  “Speaking of the cook-off…” I couldn’t help myself. “Have you talked to Jolee?”

  “No. Why? What did she do?” He cocked a brow. “Is this concerning that permit question I had about Duke’s ceremony?”

  “What question?” I asked.

  Ben was always questioning whether or not Jolee had the right paperwork to park her food truck. I always made sure she did.

  “Nothing.” Ben shook his head. “What about her?”

  “Don’t you think it’s about time y’all put your differences aside and maybe saw things a little differently?” I wasn’t as good at the matchmaking stuff as Mama. But Ben and Jolee were two of my good friends, and they were perfect for each other.

  “I’m never going to understand cooking out of a Winnebago,” Ben said.

  “Not about cooking.” I hesitated. “About becoming friends.”

  “We are friends, just competitive ones,” Ben replied.

  “Man, I think she means more than friends,” Finn said.

  I was a bit shocked Finn actually knew what I was saying. I smiled.

  “Kenni Lowry, you’ve lost your marbles.” Ben glared at me before he headed back to the kitchen to put our order in.

  “How did you know what I was talking about with Ben and Jolee?” I asked Finn, fiddling with the edge of the rolled-up napkin with the silverware wrapped up in it.

  “I know you better than you think.” Lightly he drummed his fingers on the table, a slight grin tipping the edges of his lips and a gleam of deviltry twinkling in his brown eyes.

  Mama came over with a tray and said hello.

  She was good at interrupting a moment.

  “Here you go,” she said to Finn and put a big bowl of soup beans and cornbread in front of him. “And here you go.” She sat a cup of beans and half a piece of cornbread in front of me. “Enjoy.”

  She hurried off, not giving me a minute to protest.

  “Mama.” I got up and stalked after her. “Mama,” I called louder.

  We made it all the way back to the counter before she turned around.

  “What is it, honey?” she asked, resting her hip against the end of the counter. “Are you still mad about the whole Daryl and Gilly thing with the bullhorn?”

  “No.” Though I would’ve loved to get into that with her, but Ben’s diner wasn’t the place. “I asked for a bowl of beans and I’d like a full slice of cornbread.”

  “Kenni.” Mama said my name in the all-knowing mom voice. She leaned in and whispered, “You know my little secret ingredient. I can’t have you eating a whole bowl of it since you’re on a date.”

  “I’m not on a date. I’m working.” I pursed my lips and jerked away from her whispering lips. “We’re work partners and I’m hungry.”

  “You can eat when you get back to your house. But when you are here, you’ll act like a young lady and eat a little. Honey, you ain’t getting any younger, and I want grandchildren before I can’t pick them up because I’m too old.” Mama didn’t mince words. She was as serious as could be.

  “Mama, ge
t me my bowl of beans and cornbread or I’ll tell Jolee your secret ingredient.” I knew my words were like a dagger to her ears, but I had no choice but to pull out the big guns. Jolee had been begging me for years for Mama’s secret recipe.

  After all, I was hungry.

  “You wouldn’t,” Mama gasped, drawing her hand to her chest.

  “Try me,” I said through gritted teeth and stared her down until she finally gave in and scurried back to the kitchen.

  “What was all that about?” Finn asked over his half-eaten bowl of soup.

  “Nothing.” I shrugged it off and glanced to the back of the diner to make sure Mama was getting my food. “Tell me about the Graves ordeal.”

  “That Leighann Graves sure is a handful.” He swiped a knife full of butter and spread it over the cornbread.

  The butter immediately melted and seeped into the airy holes, making my mouth water. I couldn’t help but grab a piece off of his plate. He gave a slight grin and pushed it toward me.

  “What happened?” I asked and leaned back in my chair to make room for the bowl Mama had Ben bring out and set down in front of me. I mouthed “thank you” to Ben before he moved on to the next table.

  “Betty called and said Sean Graves made a trespassing call out on their farm. I headed out there and looked around to make sure everything was secure before I knocked on the door.” He took a bite of the cornbread. “They invited me in. In the family room Mrs. Graves offered me an iced tea. There was a girl, a boy, and Mr. Graves sitting in the room.”

  “Boy?” I asked, knowing Leighann was their only daughter.

  “Right.” His brows raised. “See, you would question that because you know there isn’t a boy in the family, where I don’t. And he was the one trespassing. Only he wasn’t making any big scene. He was holding the girl’s hand.”

  I leaned in on my elbows to hear better. The diner had gotten a little loud from the customer chatter.

  “The boy, Manuel Liberty, had no idea that the father had put a trespassing call on him.” He shrugged dismissively. “When the dad told them why I was there, the daughter went off the handle.”