He sneered, looking her up and down. “Looks like you’ve landed yourself in clover to me. Give me the jewelry or tell me where it’s hidden and I’ll be gone from your life forever.”
She nearly let go of the door in surprise.
“The jewelry?”
“Don’t play dumb with me.” He snarled. “You know what I’m talking about. You’ve got the jewelry from the robbery.”
“Who is it, Harley Ann?” Aunt Edna called from the kitchen.
Panic flooded her system. She couldn’t let her aunt come up here where David could get to her.
David gave her a knowing smile. Like he could read her mind.
“You don’t want me to get ugly with the old lady do you? Hm?”
“You leave Aunt Edna alone. She doesn’t know anything about your damn jewelry. And neither do I.” She hissed.
“HarleyAnn!” shouted her aunt.
“It’s nobody, Aunt Edna.” She answered back.
Turning to David Green, she said. “The last time I saw that jewelry was when you and Calvin bailed out of the car and left me in the lurch.”
Slow, scuffling steps advanced along the hallway behind her. Damn. Aunt Edna.
“You get out of here and don’t ever show your face again.”
“Or what? What are you and a crippled old lady going to do to me?” He taunted. “Oh. Wait. Maybe your new boyfriend is going to beat me up?”
She sucked in a breath. He’d seen her with Jesse at some point.
“I don’t know who you are, mister.” Said Aunt Edna from behind her. “But I’ve called the law and the sheriff will be here any minute to get you sorted out.”
He reached out as if to grab her by the wrist and Aunt Edna’s cane swished past her head and landed hard on David’s arm. He cried out in surprise, and then spat at her.
“I’ll get you!” He snarled, and ran across the porch and down the steps.
“And your little dog, too!” Aunt Edna shouted at his fleeing figure.
Harley Ann grabbed her aunt in a bear hug to keep her from going out onto the porch. “Oh, God! Aunt Edna, don’t get him mad atyou.”
“Don’t take the Lord’s name in vain, dear.” She peered past Harley Ann’s shoulder. “Here’s comes Ben Carter. A day late and a dollar short.”
She turned to see the sheriff’s car pull up to the curb and Ben jump out. He ran up the steps to where they stood.
“What’s going on?” He asked, breathing heavily. “You said there was a murderer on your porch, Miss Edna.”
Harley Ann eyed her aunt, and then explained. “Not a murderer. I was coming to see you at the courthouse after breakfast to tell you what’s been going on and ask for protection. But the stalker came by in person before I could have that talk with you.”
“Stalker!” Aunt Edna and Sheriff Carter exclaimed together.
The sheriff looked behind him and, taking note of the interested citizens watching from the town square, motioned them inside.
“We best do this in private. Lots of prying eyes out here.”
“You mean to tell me,” Said Aunt Edna, “That you were right about someone spying on us?”
Ben raised his eyebrows. “You thought someone was spying on you and you didn’t report it?”
