“They ought to break both the bastard’s legs and then cut his balls off!” She made cutting gestures in the air not far from Deacon’s abdomen.
Deacon leaned back out of her way, sucking in his belly, and putting a protective hand over his genitals, feeling very vulnerable.
“He didn’t kill anybody, Kacy! The balls thing is maybe a little much. But the broken legs, I’m all over that idea.”
She looked at what she was doing and how he was holding himself, and laughed uproariously. “Oh, Deacon, you should see yourself! It’s too funny! Don’t worry, Mr. Sparky is safe from me. Do you think I’d deprive myself? I’m not that crazy!”
“Ev said he’d phone the police station and leave a message for Reyes. Perhaps, armed with that, they can arrest somebody, and we can get back to normal.”
“What’s normal for us?” She shut off the shower and laid a towel over the toilet seat so he could sit down to dry off.
“Good question! Normal…getting married, finding a place together, fixing up a room for the baby. We could contract out on lights and set designs, or do consultant work. It doesn’t matter what we do, as long as we’re together, Kacy.”
“Oh, Deacon, that would be marvelous! Our own spot, just the three of us.” She sighed contentedly, laying her hand over her belly. “Three of us. It’s quite a heavy concept. I’m thrilled to pieces, and terrified all at once! I never realized how much I wanted this, until it happened. You’ve given me such a wonderful gift, Deacon.”
“You gave me my life, Kacy.” He kissed her, feeling his excitement for her rising again. A glance at the clock told him he’d better get dressed and start breakfast.
“We need to call Reyes soon and make sure that Ev got that message to him. And I still want to look over those blueprints. It’s not that important anymore, but I’m curious how someone could get in and out of that place, without being seen.”
“Oh, bother blueprints,” she pouted. “I want to make wedding plans, not look over some building that’s older than my mum. My mum! I need to call her and tell her the news! All the news! What time is it?”
“It’s nearly seven.”
“Perfect!” She kissed him excitedly, rushing for a phone. “I’ll need to call Nancy too, they’ve got to come. Oh, and Pete’s mother, I mean your mother too, obviously, and let her know we’ve found you!” She threw on some shorts and a T-shirt and dashed into the bedroom to make her calls.
Deacon moved slowly to the kitchen and started a pot of coffee. Reyes probably wouldn’t be in for at least an hour, so Deacon fixed himself something to eat. He sat at the kitchen counter, watching the TV that was mounted on the refrigerator door. It was the early morning local news show.
“This sleepy little seaside town is still reeling from the accidents that have cost two business owners to lose their establishments. The Seaside theater owned by Dino Sawyer and La Petite Bakery owned by Jocelyn Fleur, have both been mysteriously damaged. Police are sure that the two incidents are connected, but will not release details.
“Though no one has been killed, several people have been injured. I asked local business owner, Obadiah O’Connor, if he and his mother will stay on, now that the other two businesses have been destroyed.”
“You betcha,” Obi said loudly as he looked at the wrong camera. Turning his head to the proper lens, he repeated himself. “No matter what, we won’t be driven from our place! Mr. Sawyer and Madame Fleur don’t intend to give up. We’re a united front, and no one can get around us!” He shook his fist at the camera. “Do you hear me? You won’t get around us!”
“Don’t say too much, kid,” Deacon cautioned.
Obi’s defiance had come across as alarmingly genuine. Either he was getting cold feet, or he was holding out for a bigger slice of the profits. Either way, he was treading on thin ice. A man as ruthless as Mr. Stevens had proved to be, would not hesitate to have him killed.
Dino walked in just as the report ended. The news flashed up the number of an emergency hotline established so people could call in with leads in the case.
“We made the news,” Deacon told him.
“Peachy,” Dino told him flatly. “You’d think someone could learn to keep his big yap shut.”
“I wish you’d seen the whole report, Dino. It was weird. The kid, Obi, was standing there spouting all this crap about us being a united front. What’s he up to?”
“He’s holding out,” Dino’s eyes glittered happily. “The slimy little roach turd wants more money! We’re united all right! Madame and I have no intention of selling, and right now that little weasel doesn’t either!” He laughed gleefully, rubbing his hands together.
“Doesn’t that seem a little stupid? He’s on TV, making this challenge to his accomplice. It sounds risky to me. You don’t screw with people where that much money is concerned.”
“What are you so worried about, Deacon?”
“I’m afraid the kid’s going to get dead, Dino. He may be a schmuck, but he doesn’t deserve to die.”
“I hadn’t thought of that. I guess he hasn’t either.”
“Obviously, or he’d be a little more discrete.” He handed Dino a coffee mug and poured steaming, black coffee into it. “I still want to see those old blueprints, Dino. You have them at the office?”
©2021 Dellani Oakes
Dellani Oakes 