CHAPTER 10

Charlotte dug for her phone in her purse and dialled Henry. The call was immediately sent to voicemail. 'No! No!' She left a brief message and carefully placed the phone in her bag. Don't panic. Henry simply wasn't awake yet. Later, she would try again.

She noticed that the bag contained her bridesmaid dress. No longer of much service to her. She experienced a brief pang of bad-daughter shame after the occurrence. She disregarded it and swiftly changed into white capris and a tank top with green and white stripes. The top's scooped neck was trimmed with white lace, just barely hiding her breasts. Was it too revealing?

She held a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing. She could honestly say such thought had never occurred to her before today. But she was certain that it would be frowned upon in Hicksville, USA. Like she cared. The sheriff could just blow it out of his ears if he didn't like the way she was dressed. She had nothing else because her previous clothes were destroyed.

She dried her hair with a towel, took up her bag, cleaned the bathroom and went back to the kitchen. John sat there drinking coffee with his mum and another woman. Her stomach grumbled, reminding her of her hunger.

"Would you like some coffee, hon?" Haetel queried.

"Yes, please." She set her bag on the ground and slumped onto a chair.

"Ms. Lily," the sheriff said, "this is Becky Lilliard, the town nurse. I'd like for her to take a look at you to make sure you're okay."

"Like hell. Nobody in this crazy town is touching me."

Becky's honey-colored eyes filled with alarm and she got to her feet. "I know you're upset---"

"Upset! I was brutalized, bitten by bugs, kidnapped, and fell out of a tree."

Becky gave the sheriff a quick glance. "Perhaps a visit to Temple's emergency room would be wise."

"Listen, lady, I'm going home to Austin and nowhere else. There, I'll see my own doctor." The sooner the better. She only wanted to return home and escape from these strange people.

"Are you refusing to receive medical care?" John queried.

"You got it. I guess you're not such a moron."

His body tensed and unleashed a powerful burst of angry testosterone her way.

Becky shrugged. "John, you have to handle this on your own. I'll see you later, Hae"

As the door closed before her, Charlotte asked, "Was that supposed to mean something?"

"It means... Never mind." He gulped down his coffee.

"I really don't care." She indicated the loo. "I left my dirty clothes inside. I was unsure where the trash was."

After making a cup of coffee, Haetel turned. "Trash? Hon, don't you know what a washing machine is?"

"I'm sure the clothes are ruined." She wouldn't admit to never having used a washing machine.

"Whatever." Haetel set a white cup with blue flowers in front of her.

"Thank you." She wanted to ask for a tall vanilla latte with a shot of caramel, but figured that was out of the question. She wondered whether milk was also out of the question. She hated drinking it black, but she was so hungry it might not matter.

She sensed the sheriff looking at her. He had taken off his hat, and she had seen that a dark hair had fallen across his forehead.

"Did you reach your brother?" he asked.

She held onto the hot cup. "He didn't answer. He's still asleep, for sure. I left a message, though."

"When does he get out of bed?"

Before Charlotte could reply, a little girl and a large yellow dog dashed into the room. She cried out, putting her arms around John's neck, "Daddy, Daddy! Why did you not wake me up? You always wake me."

"Morning, sunshine.". He kissed her cheek and all of his anger disappeared. I've been working all night on a case, so I'm running late."

The girl had blond hair, so she must favor her mother, wherever she was. Clearly, John cherished his daughter. She could tell by his voice and the way his big hands held her---the same way her father had held her.

"I'm hungry, and---" When the girl spotted Charlotte, she abruptly halted. "What's she doing here? I don't like her."

"This is Charlotte Lily." John told her. "And she is our guest."

I don't care. I don't want her in our house!"

Wyatt stood with the child in his arms and carried her from the room. Charlotte recognised the girl from the jail and assumed the child had a grudge against her. But for Charlotte, it was a first. She was an endearing woman. She had been, at least, prior to her arrest. Now she was sassy, angry, and just impatient. And she had to acknowledge that when she first met Alice, she had been in a bitchy mood. A mood brought on by the sheriff, her father.

"Do you want anything to eat, hon?" Haetel questioned, as if nothing had happened.

Everything else was eclipsed by her hunger. 'Oh, yes, mercy me, yes.

Food and lots of it.' Meekly, she replied, "Yes, please."

Haetel opened a cupboard. "We have cereal, Honey Bunches of Oats, Grape-Nuts, Fruit Loops, Raisin Bran, Cheerios..."

Cereal! She was offering her cereal. Didn't women who lived in the country cook hearty meals? Charlotte had been envisioning waffles or pancakes with bacon and sausage, or French toast dripping with maple syrup. But 'cereal'!

"I'll take the honey-and-oats thing," she said before the offer gets withdrawn.

"The cereal is here, and the bowls are over there." Haetel indicated a different cabinet. "Milk is in the refrigerator, and cutlery is in that drawer. Help yourself. I'm going to get dressed." She then made as graceful of an exit as her floppy slippers would allow.

Charlotte leaped to her feet and picked up the cereal and a bowl. She quickly located a spoon and some milk. She took a moment to look inside the refrigerator where she saw cheese and luncheon meats. But she would only consume what was provided to her. She intended to demand that Henry buys her the largest lunch imaginable. Maybe steak. Perhaps Chinese. Or Italian. She had never been so hungry.

In a flash, she had the cereal prepared, and she sat down to enjoy it. The dog sat on his haunches, watching her. She ignored him and took a bite.

She was starving, so the cereal tasted like a double-fudge sundae with nuts and a cherry on top. She devoured it.

The dog whined. She had no knowledge of dogs. She had never owned one because her father had allergies. Was the animal starving? Was her cereal on his mind? Could dogs eat cereal? She didn't have a clue, but he'd have to fight her for it.

She prepared a second bowl and added milk and sugar to her coffee. Again, the dog whined.

Go away.

Instead, the dog inched up close and gave her calf a nose kiss. She froze. Was he going to bite her? 'Go away! Go away!'

He persisted though, looking up at her with eager eyes. She patted his head with little hesitation and extended her hand. That seemed to do the trick. Satisfied, he lay down at her feet.

She stared at her hand and wondered if she should wash it. Her logic was obscured by hunger. She wiped it on her pants and kept eating.

There were voices coming from another area of the house. Clearly, the sheriff was speaking with his daughter. The kid didn't have to worry. This guest couldn't wait to leave and she would as soon as possible.