Part Three

In Part Two, Jim was paid a visit by two detectives from the NYPD. Our story picks back up in Sleepyside.

Irritated with Jim, Honey, and life in general, Trixie was grumbling under her breath when Dan returned to Spider’s office.

“So, what’re you over there muttering about?” he asked, plopping down in the chair next to her.

Trixie cast him a disparaging look as she turned her head away. “Humph. I don’t want to talk about it.”

Dan grinned. If he knew Trixie as well as he thought he did, she would voice her complaints in less than five minutes. “Fine with me,” he told her. “The less I know about yours and Honey’s squabbles, the better off I am.”

“How did you know it had something to do with Honey?” she demanded.

“It’s easy. For one thing, you’re here, and Honey isn’t. That means one of two things. One, you two are bickering about something, and she decided she needed a break. Or, she got sick of hearing you gripe about something else and left, and now you’re grumbling about her now that she’s gone.” Dan couldn’t help but chuckle at the expression of indignation that formed on Trixie’s face. “I’m right, aren’t I? So which one was it, option A or option B?”

“Option A,” she muttered.

Dan blew on his fingernails and polished them against the shirt of his policeman’s uniform. “Man, I’m good.”

“Since you’re so frickin’ good, Officer Smarty Pants, maybe you can figure out why I’m so aggravated right now with a certain Madeleine G. Wheeler,” Trixie challenged grumpily.

“Hmm…I’m guessing it has something to do with her split from Brian.”

Trixie grunted her rueful congratulations. “Lucky guess.”

“Actually, it wasn’t that hard,” he admitted. “You and Honey have been fussing about that a lot lately.”

She neither confirmed nor denied his accusation.

“Of course,” Dan continued, “it seems to me like you’re letting your brother off the hook. If you’re going to be angry with Honey, you should have the decency to get a little mad at Brian, too. After all, their breakup was mutual. I’m not sure why you’re taking it all out on Honey.”

Trixie still didn’t say a word, but her scowl said a whole lot.

“Frankly, it’s none of your business if Honey and Brian break up or get back together, so you don’t have any right to get mad about what they do or don’t do,” he went on. He paused briefly to give his next point special emphasis. “However, I think you probably already know that your anger towards Honey has nothing to do with her relationship with Brian or the lack thereof.”

Trixie regarded him curiously. “What’re you getting at?”

“In my opinion, you’re upset about Jim, but it’s easier for you to take it out on Honey than dwell on the crap with Jim,” Dan answered.

She shot him a withering glare.

Undeterred, Dan continued. “The good news is that Honey probably knows this, too, which is probably why she left you in here by yourself to grumble instead of continuing to argue with you. Am I right?”

“Not completely, Mr. Know-It-All,” she huffed. “While it’s true that I might be a little testy because of the situation with Jim, I would like to see Honey and Brian get back together. However, if it isn’t going to happen, then I hope she doesn’t go out with the first person that asks her out, especially if I decide that person’s unworthy of her.”

“And exactly who are you afraid she’s going to go out with?”

“Max Shepherd,” Trixie answered with a frown.

“Oh, I see.”

Trixie studied Dan closely to see what his reaction would be. Much to her dismay, he hid his feelings as well as a champion poker player, so she couldn’t tell if Dan approved of Max Shepherd or not. She remained quiet, hoping if he spoke first, his “tell” would be revealed. Just as she was about to give up, he finally spoke.

“Why do you think Honey’s going to go out with him?”

“Because she said she was going to get a coffee.”

“And?” Dan prompted.

“And nothing! She’s going to get a coffee! A coffee! Isn’t it obvious that she’s going to hook up with that creep?”

“Uh…okay,” Dan stammered, shaking his head in confusion. “Honey’s getting coffee; therefore, the only logical explanation is that she’s planning to make a date with Max. Sorry, Trix, but that’s a little far-fetched, even for you.”

“That shows how much you know about Honey,” Trixie hissed. “She doesn’t even like coffee!”

“But you do, so maybe she’s getting some coffee for you.”

Trixie rolled her eyes. “Yeah, that’s what she said she was doing, but if you ask me, there’s something hinky going on.”

“Maybe, but I’m pretty sure that Honey didn’t ask you,” he retorted with a grin.

“You’re missing the point!” Irritated, Trixie expelled a noisy breath, sending the curl on her forehead airborne. “I don’t like that Max dude. There’s something not right about him.”

“I can tell you exactly what it is,” he replied, his tone matter-of-fact.

“What is it?” she prompted.

After a dramatic pause, Dan gave her the answer. “He isn’t Brian.”

“You sound like Honey! In case you’re curious, no, that isn’t it. There’s something else, but I can’t put my finger on it.”

“I’m sure you’ll come up with it eventually, even if you have to fabricate a few details,” he teased.

Not biting on Dan’s bait, she asked, “What’s your opinion of him?”

Dan shrugged. “He’s okay, I guess, but he’s not really my type. I prefer someone with less body hairy and more of an hourglass shape,” he added with a wink.

“Oh, bro-ther,” Trixie muttered, exasperated by his attempt at humor. She wasn’t in the mood for joking around; after all, Honey’s future was at stake. “You know what I mean. What do you think of him as a person? You work with him every day.”

“He’s okay, I guess.”

Unsatisfied with that response, Trixie probed further. “Is he as bad as Jerrod?”

“Jerrod isn’t the villain that you make him out to be. He is a little cocky, but so are a lot of cops. Present company excluded, of course.”

Trixie snorted. “Oh, of course.”

“Overall, Jerrod’s a decent guy,” Dan deduced. “I don’t have any major complaints.”

“My opinion of your sense of discernment has just plummeted,” she said with a sniff of disdain.

Dan chuckled at her open contempt. “Whether or not you want to admit it, poor Jerrod’s biggest problem was that he had to compete with Jim Frayne, and in your eyes, there was no comparison. He didn’t stand a chance, and none of your other past boyfriends did either, for that matter.”

“Okay, so maybe there’s an ounce of truth to that statement,” she acknowledged. “In my defense, Jerrod could be a real jerk, proven by the fact that he gave me a speeding ticket a week after we broke up.”

Dan tried to keep from laughing but failed. “Trixie, I hate to confuse you with the facts, but you have a lead foot. You drive to the grocery store like you’re racing in the Daytona 500. Almost all of the cops in Sleepyside either have given or will have given you a speeding ticket before they retire, and I’m including myself in those statistics.”

Trixie drew back in surprise, her eyes wide and mouth agape. “You’d seriously give me a speeding ticket?”

“You bet your freckles I would, especially if I hadn’t met my quota yet!”

“That’s not the point, although I am hurt you’d throw me under the bus just to meet your precious little quota,” she said, clasping her heart.

“Yeah, forget the fact we give out speeding tickets to save lives.”

“Oh, who cares about the speeding tickets?” Trixie blustered. “You’re purposely trying to get me off track!”

“Hey, you’re the one that brought it up, not me.”

“Forget I mentioned the speeding tickets,” she grumbled. “We’re talking about Max, not Jerrod. What does your gut say about him?”

“Trixie, I barely know the guy. He’s been here less than a month, and he hangs out a lot more with Jerrod than he does me.”

“Yet another reason to put a black mark by his name,” she muttered.

Dan chuckled. “He and Jerrod are partners, so of course they’re going to chum around just like I hang around more with Trick because he’s my partner.”

“A likely story.”

“Speaking of Trick,” Dan began, “he’s the one you should ask about Max. Those two already have a history, and it isn’t pretty.”

Her interest piqued, Trixie cocked her head. “Do tell.”

“Part of it’s because they went to rival universities, and apparently the two schools are bitter enemies,” Dan explained. “Although they weren’t enrolled at the same time, Max’s alma mater kept Trick’s out of a National Championship game.”

Trixie snorted. “That’s a dumb reason not to like someone.”

He practically hooted at her response. “Need I remind you of all the stupid reasons you’ve come up with not to like someone?”

“That’s not the point. Men are stupid when it comes to sports.”

“Huh, I know some women that are just as or even more fanatical about their team,” Dan scoffed. “I dated one chick that burned couches after her team won a big game.”

“You’ve dated some real doozies, Mangan,” Trixie teased.

“That’s beside the point,” he said with a grin. “Back to Trick and Max, that whole rivalry thing isn’t the main reason they don’t get along. Apparently, Loyola was working at the clinic when Max came in for a physical, and afterward, he asked her out on a date.”

“Ah, so Trick’s jealous.”

“No, Trick actually thought it was funny,” Dan corrected. “He got mad because of what Max said to Loyola after she turned him down. Apparently, Max isn’t accustomed to being told no, and he said some nasty stuff to her. After Trick found out, he wanted to beat the crap out of Max, but Loyola made him promise he wouldn’t.”

Deep in thought, Trixie twirled a curl around her index finger. “That’s worrisome.”

Dan only shrugged. “Eh, I’m not too concerned. Honey can take care of herself.” He assumed the wicked grin for which he was infamous. “She’s well-trained in firearms. If nothing else, she could shoot him.”

“Although I must admit that the idea of Honey shooting Max is appealing, I’ve got a better idea.” Trixie flashed him a dimpled grin before laying it on him. “Why don’t you ask her out?”

Dan held up a hand in protest. “As gorgeous as Loyola is, it wouldn’t be the right thing to do to Trick. Not to mention the fact that he’s also well-trained in firearms and can run a heckuva lot faster than I can…”

“Not Loyola, you dimwit!” Trixie sputtered. “You should ask Honey out.”

Dan’s jaw almost hit the floor. “Say what?”

“You should ask Honey out before Max has the chance!”

“Trixie, that’s the most ridiculous—”

“No, it’s brilliant,” she interrupted. “If Honey isn’t going to end up with Brian, then you would be my next choice for her.”

“Gee thanks,” he said wryly. “The only thing better than being the seventh wheel is being the consolation prize.”

“This could quite possibly be the best idea I’ve ever had!” Trixie exclaimed as if she hadn’t heard him. “You’re one of the only men I know that’s worthy of her. I give you my blessing.”

“Your blessing…?” he sputtered. “What are you doing, trying to arrange a marriage? Next, you’ll be telling me to bring you three goats and four sheep.”

Trixie shot him a saucy grin. “In lieu of all those living animals, I’ll take a year’s supply of T-bone steaks as dowry.”

Dan was less than enthusiastic. “Hey, I’ve got a novel idea. How about we do something crazy…like let Honey choose her own boyfriend?”

“And take a chance that she’ll pick Max?” she thundered. “No way!”

“Trixie, I hate to disappoint you, but I’m not asking out Honey.”

“Why not?” she demanded.

“Because I’m not!” he hedged. “Besides, what makes you think she’d say yes even if I did ask her out?”

Trixie’s mouth dipped downward in a frown. She hadn’t considered that possibility. However, that one minute detail wasn’t going to ruin her plan. “Aw, she’ll say yes, and if she doesn’t, take off your shirt and flex your muscles or something. Do whatever it is you do that makes the ladies swoon.”

Dan rolled his eyes in exasperation. “Trixie, you’ve come up with some crazy ideas, but this is the craziest by far. Honey and I are not going to date. That’s a recipe for disaster.”

“Why would that be a disaster? She’s single…you’re single…”

“And I plan on staying that way,” he informed her. “And even if I change my mind about that, I’m not going out with Honey.”

“Why not?” Trixie repeated.

“For lots of reasons.”

“Well, what are they?” she prompted.

Dan emitted an unsteady breath. He knew if he didn’t answer her question, Trixie would bug him to death. “Well, off the top of my head, I can think of three good ones,” he replied. “First of all, I don’t think of Honey that way, just like I don’t think of you or Diana in that way.”

“In what way?”

“In a sexual way,” he answered bluntly. “The three of you are like sisters to me, and while each of you are beautiful, intelligent, desirable women, you’re like my family, and dating you would be weird.”

Refusing to take no for an answer, Trixie urged him to continue. “Okay, so what’s the second reason?”

“Two, there are some things in my past that I would rather you girls not know about, and when and if I do get serious about someone, I plan to tell her everything.”

Trixie shrugged off that reason. “Jim had a rough life, and it doesn’t matter to me.”

“Yes, Jim and I share some similar circumstances,” Dan acknowledged, “but we have some differences, too. I did some bad things, Trix— some really bad things― and I’d rather Honey, Di, and you never know about them. I wouldn’t want you to think less of me.”

Trixie reached over to clasp his hand. “Dan, we could never think less of you. You’re a different person than you were when you came to Sleepyside, and we love you. Nothing could ever change that.”

“Three,” he continued as if he hadn’t heard her, “it goes against the code.”

She arched a sandy brow and studied him with skepticism. “The code?”

“The code,” he repeated. “I’m sure you’ve heard of it.”

“Oh yeah, I’ve heard of it, but it still doesn’t explain anything,” she scoffed. “I may not be a guy, but even I know that the man code goes out the window when a gorgeous woman is involved.”

“I’m not talking about the man code; I’m talking about the Bob-White code,” Dan corrected. “Bob-Whites don’t swap mates, case closed. Even if I did have a thing for Honey,—which I don’t— Brian’s one of my best friends, and I wouldn’t do that to him, just like I wouldn’t have done it to Jim or Mart if things wouldn’t have worked out with you or Di.”

Trixie’s narrowed eyes issued a challenge. “If Honey, Di, or I had tried to seduce you, you really would’ve turned us down?”

“Yes, I would’ve,” Dan answered without skipping a beat.

“Would you have considered it?”

“Absolutely not,” he replied firmly. “Gotta obey the code.”

“Code, schmode,” Trixie muttered. “I’ve seen plenty of guys throw the code out the window when presented the chance to sleep with a hot girl. A hot rich girl, might I add.”

“Yeah, but those guys aren’t Bob-Whites.”

“Good point,” she reluctantly acknowledged. She pondered her next move carefully before launching her next attack. Dan knew he was in trouble when her lips spread in a broad grin. “But what if Brian gave you his blessing? Would you go out with her then?”

“No, Trixie,” he sighed wearily. “No, no, no.”

She responded with a loud humph. “Well, if she ends up with Max, and he treats her like crap, I’m blaming you.”

Dan looked at her hard through narrowed eyes. “Don’t you have actual problems to obsess about? I mean, isn’t your fiancé in the hospital, and isn’t some crazy chick gunning for him?”

“Those things aren’t nearly so fun to obsess about,” she admitted quietly.

Even though he knew she hated it, Dan ruffled her curls. “You’re forgetting something very important, Freckles. I can’t ask Honey out. I already made a date with that hot nurse, and I’m a one-woman man.”

“Since when?” Trixie snorted.

Leaning back and clutching his heart, Dan feigned surprise like an Oscar-winning actor. “It truly hurts me to know that you’ve bought into the hype. Do I look like the kind of guy that would play the field?”

Trixie stifled a giggle and instead assumed a scholarly expression as she appraised Sleepyside’s resident heartbreaker from head to toe. She took in his black hair, noting that it still appeared unruly in spite of the military haircut. Doing everything he could to rebel in his youth, he had favored a shaggier style when he was a teenager. Until he got a proper haircut, that is. The minute the barber clipped his raven-colored locks, Dan found a new freedom, and he never looked back. The look suited him well. His dark hair had cast a shadow on his face, causing the angularity of his features to stand out like a sore thumb. Once that shadow was gone, his finely chiseled nose, cheekbones, and jaw line were complemented rather than accentuated, and the military cut showed his features off to their full advantage.

Dan’s deep-set eyes glimmered like a matching set of polished onyxes. They twinkled with enough humor to draw in the ladies that wanted a man that could make her laugh, yet those same orbs hinted of a past dark enough to intrigue the women that longed for a dash of danger. That combination proved deadly, evidenced by the many admirers Dan had gathered through the years.

However, his most attractive feature had to be his smile. In and of itself, his mouth was ordinary enough, save for the ugly scar on his lower lip he had gotten during his days as a gang member, but when the grooves of his mouth deepened into a smile, it was…magic. A troop doing a step dance with absolute precision, a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, a catchy tune performed by hornpipes, flutes, and fiddles … Dan’s smile evoked everything Irish. As the Sirens of Greek mythology had lured unsuspecting sailors to their death, his roguish grin had captivated countless hapless females and left them helpless to his whims.

Dan wasn’t nearly as tall as Brian, as broad-shouldered as Jim, or as robust as Mart. At six-foot, he had a rangy physique with long limbs, limbs that had been toned to muscular perfection after years of helping Mr. Maypenny on the preserve. While he didn’t appear as brawny as his three comrades, his wiry form was proof that looks could be deceiving. He could jump as high as Brian, lift as much as Jim, work as hard as Mart, and swing an axe better than them all.

After her lengthy assessment, Trixie answered his question. “Do you look like a player? Hmm… Yes, most definitely. Luckily for all the females of the world, I know that you aren’t the cad everyone thinks you are. You don’t have the stomach for it.”

His mouth twisted wryly, Dan patted his rock-hard abdomen. “And just what exactly is wrong with my stomach? It feels pretty good to me. Looks pretty good, too…or so I’ve been told.”

“Yeah, yeah,” she muttered good-naturedly. “You’re sexy, and you know it. But just you wait, Dan ‘the Man’ Mangan. Someday you’ll meet a girl that won’t melt in a puddle at your feet, and when you do, I want to have a front row seat.”

Dan shook his head and waved off her warning. “Not gonna happen. I’ve spent too many years watching you and Di turn Jim and Mart into simpering, whipped puppies. I plan to be a lifelong bachelor that chases after the cute young nurses in the old folk’s home.”

“Well, I can’t speak for Mart, but Jim is not whipped,” she said with an indignant sniff.

“Huh, yeah right,” Dan snorted. “You hold Jim’s manhood in your wee little hands, and you twist it and torque it until he does exactly what you tell him to. So, thanks, but no thanks! I’m going to stay footloose and fancy-free just like Uncle Bill and Mr. Maypenny.”

“We’ll see about that,” Trixie mumbled. “The bigger you talk, the further you’ll fall. You’re going to be in for a rude awakening someday. Mark my words: some girl’s going to bring you down, and my money’s on Honey Wheeler to do it!”

Dan wagged his finger at her. “Trixie…”

“I know, I know. You’ve already got a date with Mary, the hot nurse.” She cocked her head and studied him closely. “But what happens if Mary is immune to your charms? Will you ask Honey out then?”

“Sometimes I forget what a pain in the butt you are,” he grumbled. “Thanks for the reminder.”

She shot him a syrupy smile. “Happy to oblige. And just so you know, you haven’t answered my question yet. If you and Mary don’t make a love connection, then will you ask Honey out?”

“No.”

“Will you just consider it?”

“No!” Dan thundered, banging the palm of his hand against his forehead. “Now shut your pie hole before I set her up on a blind date with Max!”

Trixie gasped. “You wouldn’t!”

“Yes, I would!”

“He’s way too young for Honey, and you know that,” she said

“He isn’t that much younger than she is.”

“Yeah, right,” she snickered. “Max can’t be older than nineteen or twenty.”

“For your information, Ms. Private Eye, he’s twenty-one,” Dan corrected.

“How do you know? Have you seen his birth certificate?”

Dan rolled his eyes. “He went to the University of Pittsburgh right out of high school, graduated with an associative degree in criminal justice, and spent a year at the academy. So, unless he pulled a Doogie Howser and started college at age nine—which is highly unlikely considering he’s no mental powerhouse—that would make him at least twenty-one.”

“But Honey will be twenty-six on her next birthday,” Trixie pointed out.

“So?” Dan shrugged. “That’s less than a five-year age difference.”

“But men mature slower than women,” she argued. “Everyone knows that; it’s a medical fact. For every year of maturity a guy has, a girl’s got seven years on him.”

“Nice try, Trixie, but the seven-to-one ratio is dog years to human years.”

“Well, Max’s last name is Shepherd.”

“That has absolutely nothing to do with it.”

Trixie made a face at him. “You’re such a buzz kill.”

“Pardon me for insisting you use logic when attacking someone’s character.”

“I don’t care what you say.” Trixie’s chin edged upward in a show of defiance. “There’s something about him that I don’t like…Something mysterious, and I don’t mean that in a good way.”

“I’ll be sure to keep an eye on him for you,” Dan promised. “And if he ever buys a unicycle and pedals in the direction of the preserve, I’ll alert you immediately so you can catch him red-handed as he performs some dastardly deed.”

Trixie stuck out her tongue at him. “I take back what I said about wanting you to end up with Honey. You suck. She’s way out of your league.”

“Finally! Something we both can agree on!”

Trixie laughed, and for a minute, Dan thought he might be off the hook. However, after being friends for twelve years, he should’ve known better.

“Soooooo… Is ‘no’ your final answer, or would you like some time to think about it?” she asked with a cheeky grin.

“No… is... my... final… answer,” he said slowly, as if indulging a small child.

Trixie released a theatrical sigh. “Okay, but if you change your mind—”

“I’m not going to change my mind,” Dan interjected. He smiled in an effort to counteract his stern tone. “Trixie, I adore you to pieces. However, there is something that you need to hear, and what I’m getting ready to say will be said with love. Okay?”

“Okay,” she mumbled. She had a feeling that she wasn’t going to like what was coming next, so she pouted in a preemptive strike. “What do you want to tell me?”

“Butt out.”

“Butt out?” Trixie echoed. “Butt out of what?”

“Of Honey’s love life,” he answered as gently as possible. “You mean well, but you aren’t helping. In fact, you could be causing a lot of trouble.”

Trixie’s chin trembled. “Gee, thanks.”

Dan pulled her closer to him and applied a brotherly kiss to her forehead. However, he had gone this far, and he wasn’t about to back down now, so he plunged ahead.

“Trix, you’ve been Honey’s best friend for twelve years, and during that span of time, you’ve helped her transform into the lovely creature she was meant to be. Without you, she never would’ve been brave enough to spread her wings, but it’s time for you to step back and let her fly on her own. You influenced her career choice, where she went to college, and where she lives. To some extent, you influenced her decision to stay with Brian as long as she did.”

“For your information, I didn’t force Honey to do any of those things,” she snapped.

“I know you didn’t do it intentionally, but can you admit that it’s possible that Honey made some of the choices she did to please you?”

“Maybe,” Trixie conceded after several seconds.

“And isn’t Honey a smart, capable woman with a good head on her shoulders?”

“Yes.”

“So don’t you think it’s time you step back and let her make up her own mind for once?”

Trixie sucked in a ragged breath. “But what if she chooses the wrong guy? I mean, Honey’s smart—a lot smarter than I am— but she’s naïve. What if Max turns out to be a real jerk?”

“Then, as smart as Honey is, she’ll figure it out,” Dan chuckled. “God knows that not all the guys you dated were as perfect as that Boy Scout you ended up with, but you were smart enough to kick the duds to the curb.”

Trixie nodded slowly.

“Don’t you think Honey deserves the right to sift through the losers until she finds her own Mr. Right?” Dan asked.

“I guess,” Trixie sighed. The corners of her lips cracked with the beginnings of a reluctant smile. “After all, she needs to pay her dues like the rest of us. I kissed a frog or two before I found my Prince Charming and it’s only fair that she has to endure a little torture, too.”

“Atta girl,” he congratulated.

This time, Trixie’s smile was genuine. “Thanks for being honest with me, Dan.”

“Always,” he murmured, playfully punching her arm.

“How did you get so smart?” she queried.

“By reading lots and lots of books.” Dan flashed her a sheepish grin. “Mr. Maypenny didn’t have TV, so it wasn’t like I had anything better to do.”

Trixie giggled. “Why, Daniel Mangan! Look at you! A gentleman and a scholar. I’m so proud!”

Just as timely as she was tactful, Honey chose that moment to return. Much to Trixie’s dismay, she wasn’t alone. Max Shepherd was clipping at her heels, his hands holding a flimsy cardboard tray containing four Styrofoam cups from the coffee shop across the street. On the bright side, Honey was carrying two paper bags, and the enticing smell of cinnamon rolls wafted through the room.

“Thanks for helping me carry all these goodies,” Honey practically cooed, smiling and fluttering her golden-tipped eyelashes in a flirtatious manner.

In spite of her recent heart-to-heart chat with Dan and her subsequent agreement to butt out of Honey’s love life, Trixie couldn’t help but roll her eyes at the disgusting display. She may have consented to sit back and allow Honey to kiss a frog or two, but it didn’t make it any less painful watching her best friend preen and flirt like a lovesick schoolgirl.

“You’re very welcome,” Max returned, purposely showing off his dimples to their full advantage. “Thank you for the company. That long trip to the coffee shop can get kind of lonely.”

“Lonely? You just had to walk across the street,” Trixie pointed out in her snarkiest voice. “It takes less than five minutes. How lonely can a person get in that short span of time?”

Honey shot Trixie a quick dirty look and then smiled at Max through lowered lashes. “You’re very welcome. It was my pleasure to introduce you to the Bean House. You won’t find any better coffee in Sleepyside.”

“You don’t even like coffee, so how would you know?” Trixie muttered.

“It doesn’t take an expert to figure out that the Bean House’s coffee is better than the sludge they serve in the squad room,” Honey said in a voice as sweet as her name. The entire time she spoke, her eyelashes flapped like a hummingbird’s wings.

Unable to resist the urge, Trixie asked, “Hey, Hon, do you have something in your eye?”

“Nooooo,” Honey purred, absentmindedly handing Dan the bags of goodies.

“Good, because the way you keep blinking over and over, I thought you did,” Trixie explained ever so helpfully in a saccharine-sweet voice.

Overcome by a sudden coughing fit, Dan nearly hacked up a lung and dropped the cinnamon rolls.

Max was too busy ogling Honey to notice. Maintaining eye contact with her the entire time, he set down the beverages on Spider’s desk. “I probably should get back to work.”

“Um, yeah, probably,” Trixie agreed. “After all, the taxpayers aren’t paying you to stand here and gawk at my best friend, so you’d better go write out a ticket or something.”

Completely nonplussed by Trixie’s dig, Max allowed a smile to play languidly across his lips, further accentuating the crater-sized dimples on either side of his mouth. “It was nice to meet you, Honey Wheeler.”

“It was nice to meet you, too, Max Shepherd,” Honey chirped.

Trixie cleared her throat. “Um, those meters aren’t going to check themselves…”

Max’s voice was the perfect mix of honey and gravel— sweet enough to tickle the ears, yet husky enough to leave a girl breathless. “I guess I’ll talk to you later, then.”

“We’ll see.” While Honey’s reply was coy, the expression on her face hinted at a more definite answer.

“Tick, tock,” Trixie muttered. “I wonder how many crimes have been committed while you’ve been chatting up my brother’s ex-girlfriend.”

Since Max and Honey were too busy exchanging meaningful looks to notice, Dan took that opportunity to deliver a swift kick to Trixie’s shin.

“Ouch!” she yelped. “Why’d you do that for?”

Making sure to keep his voice down, Dan hissed, “Remember what we talked about earlier? Butt out!”

Deciding it was time to make his exit, Max put one hand on the doorknob. However, before he turned it, he reached over with his spare hand to touch Honey’s arm. It wasn’t a lengthy caress, nor was it a presumptuous attempt to cop a feel. It was respectful, sweet, gentle, and full of promise—and, in Trixie’s opinion, it was a very calculated move, as well.

Oh, he’s good, she had to admit to herself. I wonder how long it took him to perfect that move? We’re dealing with a genuine player!

Before she could come up with a smart remark, Max winked one of his beautiful blue eyes at Honey, turned on his heel with the agility of an athlete, and left.

“Oh, bro-ther!” Trixie exclaimed even before the door had clicked shut. The wistful smile on Honey’s face irritated her further. “He is one slick dude! I can’t believe you’re buying his act. He’s such a snake oil salesman!”

“Trixie, remember what we discussed,” Dan chided.

“Oh, shut up, Dan,” she hissed, slapping him on the back of the head.

“No, don’t shut up, Dan,” Honey contradicted, narrowing her eyes in a scrupulous manner. “Exactly what did you discuss while I was at the coffee shop?”

“Nothing,” Trixie answered quickly, hoping Dan wouldn’t squeal.

Much to her dismay, Dan did the exact opposite of what she had wanted.

“I suggested to Trixie that she should trust you to make your own decisions about who you will or won’t date,” he volunteered.

“Tattletale,” Trixie mumbled under her breath.

“Why, that’s an excellent suggestion, Dan,” Honey replied. “Thank you very much for your confidence in me. I only hope somebody takes your advice.”

“I was going to,” Trixie blustered. “Well, at least I was going to try, but then you walked in with Max. He was smiling so big that he showed all sixty of his teeth, and you were fluttering your eyes so fast that you almost had liftoff. It was sickening watching you two swoon over each other like…like…like…”

“Like two adults expressing mild interest in one another in a socially acceptable way?” Honey supplied dryly.

“Yeah, like that!” Trixie made a gagging sound. “It was positively disgusting! I almost barfed!”

“Well, since you’re so nauseated, I suppose I’ll have to give Dan your cinnamon roll,” Honey remarked.

“Sounds good to me!” Dan opened the bag and took a whiff. “Mm-mmm!”

Honey smiled as she handed him one of the Styrofoam cups. “And here is your coffee—black, just the way you like it.”

“You’re an angel,” Dan murmured appreciatively, digging out one of the rolls from the bag. “And you’re also right about that sludge in the squad room. The coffee from the Bean House is much better.”

“Humph, as I recall, you didn’t say anything about going across the street for coffee,” Trixie accused.

“That’s because I hadn’t planned to go across the street,” Honey explained patiently. “However, the coffee pot in the squad room was empty, and I was afraid you’d accuse me of scrogging Max in the broom closet if I returned empty-handed, so I decided to go to the Bean House.”

“You claim to have no interest in scrogging Max in the broom closet, yet you invited him to tag along,” Trixie added.

“First of all, I’m pleading the fifth in regards to whether or not I want to scrog Max in the broom closet,” Honey announced with a cheeky grin.

If looks could kill, the one Trixie shot Honey would’ve put her six feet under. Nonplussed, Honey continued.

“And for your information, no, I did not ask him to go with me,” she corrected. “He volunteered to go in case I needed help carrying anything, and since I wanted to pick up a few treats to go with the coffee, I accepted his gracious offer.”

“I hope that’s all you accepted,” Trixie sniggered.

Honey’s chin edged its way up in defiance. “For the record, Max was a perfect gentleman, and I’m glad he was there to help.”

“Me too,” Dan garbled through a bite of cinnamon roll. “It would’ve been a tragedy if you would’ve dropped these on your way back to the station.”

Trixie sniffed the air around her, inhaling deeply to take in as much of the delicious aroma as she could. She felt strongly about her case, and she wanted to prove her point beyond a shadow of a doubt, but the delectable smells distracted her. Honey was right about one thing; the Bean House had the best coffee around, and it tasted as good as it smelled. In a moment of weakness, she cast a hopeful eye on the remaining beverages. “By any chance are any of those for me?”

With a smirk, Honey selected the tallest of the containers but held it just out of Trixie’s reach. “One cocoa cappuccino with extra foam and chocolate syrup.”

In dire need of caffeine, Trixie’s mouth watered. “Um, are you going to give it to me?”

Honey’s mouth twisted as she pretended to consider Trixie’s request. “I don’t know. Are you sure you want it? Max carried it over here, and I know how disgusting you find him.”

“Did he spit in it?”

“Of course not!”

Trixie stared critically at the cup. “Can I take off the lid and look inside to make sure?”

“Well, if you’re too afraid to drink it, I’ll take this back to the squad room,” Honey said matter-of-factly. “Maybe Jerrod would like it…”

“Don’t you dare give my cappuccino to that ticket-happy douche bag!” Trixie sputtered.

The thin, rigid line that had formed on Honey’s lips wiggled with a suppressed grin. “What do you say?” she asked, holding the cup high above her head.

“Please?”

“Well, yes, you are supposed to say ‘please’, but that isn’t what I want to hear.”

With a saucy grin, Trixie supplied another word. “Now?”

“You’re hopeless,” Honey muttered. Giving up, she handed the coffee to Trixie, who accepted it eagerly.

“Thank you,” Trixie replied before taking a big slurp.

Honey shuddered at the impolite noise, but refrained from commenting. “You’re welcome, I think.” She retrieved her own container from the tray and took a ladylike sip.

“Is that coffee?” Trixie paused to gasp in dramatic fashion. “If Max convinced you to try a cappuccino, then I guess he really must be a magic man.”

“It’s hot chocolate with a shot of vanilla and extra whipped cream,” Honey informed her tartly. “And if it only takes a cup of espresso to make you like him, then you must not have a very good reason to dislike him in the first place.”

Since she couldn’t supply a definitive answer, Trixie chose to drop it for the time being until she could provide one.

Their snack was interrupted by the buzzing of Honey’s cell phone.

“That had better not be Max giving you a booty call,” Trixie muttered, licking a glob of whipped cream from her lips.

Honey rolled her eyes as she poked the talk button. “Hello?” Her expression became instantly serious as she listened to the caller. “I’m here alone with Trixie and Dan. I’ll put you on speaker.” As Honey punched the correct button, she offered a hasty explanation to Trixie and Dan. “It’s Jim.”

Jim’s voice came through the speaker. “Is anyone there?”

“We’re here, Jim,” Trixie said. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, but I wanted to give you an update. I thought it would be better to call Honey’s phone because I’m sure the police will be tracing all the calls I make.”

Sensing the foreboding tone in his friend’s voice, Dan’s blood ran cold. “What’s going on, Jim? Did the Woodwards come back?”

“Was it your stalker?” Trixie inquired through a constricted throat. “Please tell me she didn’t come back!”

“The Woodwards and my stalker haven’t come back, but two detectives came by the hospital to talk to me,” Jim explained.

Honey gasped. Scolding herself for automatically thinking the worst, she attempted to put herself at ease. “I’m sure they just wanted to make sure you were safe.”

“Oh, I’m sure that was it. Helpful officers that they were, they wanted to make sure I’d be healthy enough to stand trial for Amanda’s murder,” Jim said dryly.

“Did they actually accuse you of murder?” Honey asked in disbelief.

“Well, they didn’t come right out and say it, but they made it clear that they were thinking it.”

“Surely they don’t think you killed Amanda!” Trixie exclaimed.

“That’s exactly what they think,” Jim informed her.

“But…but… but that’s ridiculous!” Honey stammered.

“Tell that to those detectives,” Jim remarked.

Honey rarely got angry, but when she did, it became obvious that she had inherited some of her father’s fire. “If they interview me, I plan to do exactly that! How dare they treat you like a criminal! You’re a victim, too.”

Dan shook his head, his features drawn with worry. As a former NYC detective, this is exactly what he had feared. “It’s standard procedure, Honey. When a woman is murdered, the cops’ always look first at her significant other. Sadly, the majority of the time, they don’t have to look anywhere else.”

“But Jim didn’t kill Amanda!” Honey argued in a shrill voice.

“I know that, you know that, and anybody that truly knows Jim knows that,” Dan said, “but until the evidence can back it up, Jim will be the NYPD’s number one suspect.”

Fearing she already knew the answer, Trixie was almost too afraid to ask the question, but she did anyway. “Did you tell them about your stalker, Jim?”

“Yes.”

Trixie breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank God. Now that they know about her, it shouldn’t take them long to figure out Jim is innocent and track down the true killer.”

“I wouldn’t count on it,” Jim cautioned.

“What do you mean by that?” Honey asked.

“I’m not sure if they believed me,” Jim explained.

“Why would you make something like that up?” Honey bellowed.

“To provide the police with another suspect,” Dan answered wearily. “Criminals do it all the time.”

“But Jim isn’t a criminal!” Honey defended. “There really is some crazy killer out there that’s obsessed with him!”

“Once again, I know that, you know that, and all of Jim’s loved ones know that, but unfortunately, the NYPD doesn’t know that,” Dan pointed out. “Until the evidence leads them to a better suspect, they’ll latch onto the one they have.”

Tears of frustration filling her hazel eyes, Honey was quick to defend her brother. “Gee, whatever happened to that innocent until proven guilty thing? I guess the police throw that out the window when they feel like it.”

Dan placed a comforting hand on top of Honey’s trembling one. “Jim is innocent, and I’m confident that as the authorities uncover evidence, he’ll be cleared as a suspect.”

“But what if he isn’t?” Nearing a breakdown, Honey’s chin quivered. Her eyes pleaded with Dan to provide her with something of comfort. “What if they don’t find anything to exonerate Jim?”

“They will, Honey,” Dan assured. “As high-profile as this case is, I’m sure the NYPD is giving it their full attention. It’s only a matter of time before they find the person that’s been threatening Jim.”

“I should’ve notified the police sooner,” Jim said, his voice thick with regret.

“Yeah, you should’ve, but as they say, hindsight is twenty-twenty,” Dan remarked. He turned his attention to Trixie. After hearing the news, he had expected her to blow up like Mount Vesuvius, but for the most part, she had remained still and quiet. Knowing her as well as he did, he knew that wasn’t a good thing. “Are you okay, Trix?”

Trixie nodded, her entire body stiff. “I’m thinking. My mind’s racing a mile a minute, going over each and every clue we’ve uncovered during our investigation, wracking my brain for anything we may have missed.”

“Trixie, I’m sure you’ve done everything within your power to find that stalker, but it’s in the hands of the NYPD now,” Dan told her.

She shook her head. “No, Jim’s right; they didn’t believe him. He waited too long to report it, so his claim of a stalker sounds too convenient.”

Although Dan didn’t agree out loud, his years on the force told him what she said was true.

“So what do we do?” Honey asked.

“We continue working on the case,” Trixie replied flatly.

“With the assistance of the Sleepyside police department,” Dan advised.

“Of course,” Trixie agreed before Jim had a chance to argue.

“Jim, did the police ask you anything else that we should know about?” Dan inquired.

Jim hesitated, hating to discuss the accusations made by the detectives. “They know I’m involved with someone else. I denied it, but it’s only a matter of time until they find out the truth.”

“Yet you allowed them to think that you and Amanda were still engaged?” Dan demanded angrily.

“I made a promise to the Woodwards,” Jim said weakly.

“If you’re arrested for murder, I’m sure they’ll jump to your defense,” Dan said, his voice thick with sarcasm. “Once the judge hears you lied to the authorities to keep from breaking your promise, he’ll acquit you on the spot.”

“I didn’t lie,” Jim corrected. “I may have misled them a little, but I didn’t lie.”

“It’s a good thing, because you can’t lie worth crap,” Dan muttered.

“Apparently the same can’t be said for Amanda,” Jim said. “Right before she was shot, she had a meeting with her wedding coordinator. When the detectives interviewed the event planner, she told them that during that meeting, Amanda had informed her that the wedding was off.”

“What?!” Her numbness forgotten, Trixie jerked upright in her seat.

“According to Amanda, I was cheating on her with someone else, so she was getting ready to go public with our breakup.”

Trixie’s eyes sparked with fury. “Why, that lying b―”

“I can’t believe Amanda would do something so deceptive!” Honey interrupted.

“I can,” Trixie spat. “I always knew she was a two-faced hussy. She was a shark, just like her dad, and those two were bloodthirsty for revenge. They played you like a violin, Jim. When they asked you to continue with that farce of an engagement, they knew exactly what they were doing. They weren’t worried about salvaging Amanda’s reputation; they were out to ruin yours! They planned to publicize the breakup themselves so they could put all the blame on you. What a manipulative little b―”

“It was a clever plan,” Dan interjected. “Unfortunately for Amanda, it backfired on her. Her desire for revenge likely got her killed.”

“And saved Trixie’s life,” Jim added. “If we’d announced our engagement, the stalker might have killed her instead.”

The thought was a sobering one, sobering enough to cause Trixie to cease her railing and do some pondering. While it was no secret that she hadn’t liked Amanda, Trixie hadn’t wished her serious harm. Yet at the same time, Trixie was enormously thankful that she had been spared, even if it had cost Amanda her life.

It made her feel a little guilty, too.

“Sis, I need to go,” Jim said, purposely not mentioning Trixie’s name. “The doctor just came in to talk to me.”

“Jim, hurry home so I can see you,” Trixie told him. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, Sis,” Jim responded carefully, in case the doctor was eavesdropping.

“Brian and I will be by later tonight to see you,” Honey said.

“I look forward to it,” Jim replied.

“Hang in there, buddy,” Dan encouraged.

“Okay,” Jim answered. “I’ll talk to you later.”

Honey ended the call, her eyes still welling with tears. “What a mess.”

“It sure is,” Trixie agreed solemnly.

“This feels like a nightmare,” Honey murmured. “I keep hoping I’ll wake up and find everything normal.”

Dan nodded. “I know what you mean. I’m still kind of shell-shocked. None of this seems real, especially since I was in the dark about the whole stalker thing.”

“Yeah, you were blindsided, weren’t you?” Honey’s mouth settled into a thin, rigid line as she considered the situation. “If it makes you feel better, being enlightened doesn’t make it any easier. This sucks just the same. I feel so helpless.”

“The helpless feeling is the worst.” Trixie’s voice was flat as she spoke, and her eyes were missing their usual spark. “This reminds me sweeping off the porch during the fall.”

One of Dan’s eyebrows winged up. “How so?”

“During the autumn, Moms would ask me to go out and sweep off all the leaves that fell on the porch,” Trixie explained. “It seemed like there were millions of them. I would sweep and sweep, but every time I started making progress, a huge gust of wind would come and bring them all back. No matter how hard I worked, I just couldn’t get anything done. I feel the same way about this stalker case.”

“Well girls, I know things look glum, but it ain’t over until the fat lady sings,” Dan encouraged. “I assume you brought all the evidence with you?”

Trixie nodded down at the attaché case she’d brought with her. “It’s all in there.”

“I suggest we start at square one and go through everything with a fine tooth comb,” Dan advised.

“Sounds good,” Honey said, her tone a little more upbeat. “Maybe you can find something we’ve missed.”

Without saying a word, Trixie picked up her attaché case and dumped its contents onto Spider’s desk. As the countless sheets of evidence began falling, she was reminded of the leaves she’d tried to sweep off the porch as a teenager. She hoped this task proved more successful. Hiding her concerns, she busied herself organizing the evidence as Dan and Honey chatted. However, she couldn’t quiet the unsettling fear that the next gust of wind would blow in something even worse.

This chapter was posted in honor of my Eighth Jixaversary! Wow! Maybe I’ll wrap up this storyline by my eightieth Jixaversary.

A huge thank you to Pam (Fanfrom76) for her speedy and insightful edits! You saved the day, my friend! Hugs!