Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Jesse

T he thing about small towns is that all news is big news. Of course, Molly appeared on the scene and captured every moment of Peter's arrest. She asked questions, but I declined to comment. I haven't decided whether saying less is more with her or if I'm better off telling her the facts so she doesn't speculate.

But I know one thing for sure. I did tell Tallula that I'm interested in her—that I like her. The idea sends a shiver through me—it's scary and exciting at the same time. Yeah, my thrills are different than they used to be.

Right now, her life is messy, as she said, but I wouldn't mind a second-ish chance. Not that we had much of one, to begin with, but I wonder what would've happened if she hadn't left Hogwash.

I probably would've done something impulsive and dumb like Peter. Well, not that bad. I'm not a deranged lunatic. But I wouldn't have put it past old me to show up at her parents' place on Marais Way with a boombox. Just saying.

Getting into trouble set me on a straight path and that might not have happened if I'd fallen for a girl and made a fool of myself. The tough truth is there's no way Tallula truly would've been interested in bad boy me. She broke a couple of rules as a dare and went right back to her princess life.

But what about now? I'm afraid of the answer either way.

After filing my report of the incident at the Swan residence, I return to Pigs in a Blanket to find Tallula awake in the kitchen, fixing Moink a snack.

It's not quite like coming home after a shift, but I can almost visualize the scene now—us with our own home, the comfort of each other's company, a life together... But I'm getting ahead of myself.

"I'm in your debt," she says.

"You can pay me with beignet buns."

Her laugh soothes the rough edges that inevitably come from my line of work. I'd tell her I'll take a laugh a day too, but she might not be ready to hear that.

She has an herbal tea waiting for me on the kitchen table and we sit down.

Dipping the bag up and down, I say, "Thanks for this. I'm guessing you're wondering what happened."

She nods and then tells me everything that happened after we left her parents' house. I want nothing more than to wrap her in my arms, to comfort her. I should've insisted we drive together .

"How'd you know to pull him over?"

"I saw the car with out-of-state plates parked near your parents' property and thought it was suspicious. When you drove past, it followed you. I ran the plates. The car was registered in your name. I called in backup. I lost you guys, but Deputy Talbot picked up the trail."

Tallula presses her hand to her chest as if still processing everything. "I was so scared. I thought you were going to arrest me."

"You have a great imagination—should write scripts."

"I was involved in theater at Cameron High." Her lips twist to the side as if that's a long-ago memory, maybe even a dream.

"I have a few questions if you don't mind."

She bites her lip. "What about?"

"I want to eliminate Peter as having a connection to the Bling Ring." I'm ninety-nine percent sure I know who is involved, but I must be certain before I make a move.

She laughs as if that's preposterous. "He has all my bling—I left so much at our house, figuring I'd go back, but I don't think I can. That life was fun, but I see beneath the glitter now." Sadness and disappointment fill her eyes.

I want to reach for her hand, but she cuddles Moink.

I ask, "Is Peter dangerous?"

She chuckles darkly. "Only if an ego can be used as a weapon. Jesse, I am so embarrassed. I was supposed to drive off into the sunset and have the perfect Hollywood life. Now look at me."

"I rather like what I see. Anyway, I think that's just movie magic, Princess."

"You don't believe in happily ever afters?" Tallula looks down at her hands in her lap.

"I do now. But I don't think they're found by being anyone other than yourself."

"Any other questions?" she asks after a contemplative beat.

Tomorrow, I'll confirm my suspicions, but I don't think Peter is behind the rash of thefts of shiny things—just want to be thorough. I set aside my small spiral notebook and pen.

Taking a deep breath, I say, "Off the record, do you want to tell me what made you leave Hollywood? Why you came here?"

Her eyes widen. "You mean you don't know?"

"Not the fine details. I keep my ears open, but I don't believe rumors. I like to gather firsthand accounts. If they match up with sources, then I'll draw my own conclusions."

"You heard me say that Peter cheated. It was more than that. When I found out what happened...I didn't have the best reaction. I went nuclear."

This time, my eyes grow big.

"My whole life, I was the good girl. Then I snapped. For a full twenty-four hours, I played the bad girl. I came unhinged," Tallula's voice strains.

"I find that hard to believe."

"It went like this. My so-called friends saw that I was stressed. They offered to take me out. Said a night on the town would make me feel better. That looking good is the best revenge. We spent the day at the spa. Went shopping. Got all made up. Hit the town. Meanwhile, they kept giving me fruity drinks with lots of frills. Fizzy beverages that were so sweet they made my teeth ache. Remember, I've always been the good girl and never got involved in the party scene. They said it was fine. I took that to mean not to worry about the sugar and my diet plan. I wasn't thinking."

"Doesn't sound like the worst."

"Jesse, that was act one. Then we went dancing at a club. I saw one woman Peter had been with while we were supposedly married. I told her all of his dirty little secrets."

"Supposedly married?" I ask because this part is news to me.

She hides her head in her hands. "This is like a D-grade movie. How could I leave that part out?" Tallula clarifies that the marriage license documents were not filed properly. Peter knew but kept the information from her while merging all of their finances. "He used me, Jesse."

Shifting closer, I press my palm against Tallula's back and rub small circles, working my way across her shoulder to the base of her neck. She leans into my hand like my tender yet strong touch smooths all the wrinkles out of her mind, leaving nothing but the truth.

She meets my gaze, liquid filling hers. "Understandably, I was hurt. But I took it too far. Sometime during the night, the girls got me fired up. They had me slinging arrows at my ex, asking me what I was going to do about it. Like the villain in a movie, I hatched a plan...and carried it into the next day. I hardly slept as I went on a crime spree."

Had this happened ten years ago, I'd be cheering her on. "Was it really that bad?"

Tallula nods as if wishing she could minimize it. "First, I went home. In separate bags, I put Peter's shoes, his clothes, devices, and golf gear. I dumped each of them in various places around town. His shoes went in the restaurant's Dumpster where we first met. His clothes went into the creek by the beach where we first kissed. I threw his tech in the pool. I took his golf clubs and—" She holds out her arms, heels of her hands joined. "I practically feel the handcuffs around my wrists as I confess all this to an officer of the law."

I chuckle. "I'm not going to arrest you." By law, I'm not authorized.

"But it gets so much worse."

"Is there more?" I ask, inviting her to unload this baggage she's been toting around.

"I destroyed anything at our house that was his. Smash." Tallula splays her fingers, making a shattering motion.

"Did that make you feel any better?"

"No. The one-woman demolition team therapy didn't work."

I cast her what I hope is a soft look. It's not pity. I want her to know if there is anything I could do to remove the weight of her shame and pain at being betrayed, I would.

"As you may have noted, Peter thought I looked better in makeup. So, I left him a message in lipstick on the wall outside his condo—his man den where he and his buddies would play video games and probably party with other Hollywood wannabes."

"Lethal."

"Still not done. I had hundreds of signs printed that said, Lost Dog with his photo and description. We posted them all over the neighborhood and up and down Sunset Boulevard."

"Sounds like you had some accomplices."

"But I was the ring leader. Oh, and the ring. I chucked my engagement and wedding bands in a fountain while the camera filmed and yelled, ‘I wish I never met you Peter, Peter, Cheater Jerk Weasel.' It doesn't even rhyme." Her chin trembles like a sob builds inside and then a few tears drop down her cheeks.

Using my thumb, I gently wipe them away. "Tallula, I'm sorry."

She sniffles. "Don't be. I'm mourning the life I thought I wanted. But that leaves me wondering what will replace it. Languishing in Hogwash Holler?"

I tip her chin up and say, "If I weren't a police officer, I'd ask if you wanted help burying the body."

Her eyes widen. "There's no body."

"But there is us ." I'd do anything for her.

She exhales slightly as if siphoning off relief one breath at a time. "You're dead serious, aren't you?"

I smile. "You'd better believe it. Ride or die."

"Thanks for having my back." She tips her head toward her shoulder. "That massage felt good."

"You're not a one-woman team. You're not alone and you won't languish. Not if I have anything to do with it."

Our gazes meet, and I want to melt into her like butter. Breathe her sweet scent and kiss away her woes.