Maxie (Triple X) Read online

  Frustrated with herself, she dropped the box to the ground and kicked it under the table.

  “I thought you wanted those sachets up front,” Roxie said.

  Maxie looked down and realized the bigger bows were hiding them. “Right. Sorry.”

  She straightened the mix, but when she turned, she nearly knocked over a stack of painted ceramic pots. Roxie caught them before they could topple over. “What is up with you?” she asked.

  “Nothing. I…I just haven’t had my coffee yet.”

  “God, let’s get you some. I’ll buy you a cup from the chatty girl a few booths down.”

  “No.” Maxie reached for Roxie’s arm, but missed. With the way her stomach was churning, she really didn’t need to add kerosene to the mix. “That’s all right.”

  “You need it.” Roxie grabbed her pocketbook, but her arms fell to her sides when she stepped outside the booth. “Shoot, they don’t seem to be open yet.”

  Maxie stepped outside to look. Becky was a morning person, so it was a bit surprising that she hadn’t started brewing yet. There was movement at the Java Mama booth, but both Becky and Martin seemed to be rushing around searching for things. Apparently, her stomach had lucked out. “That’s okay.”

  “Coffee does sound good.” Lexie moved a garden gnome so it stood next to one of its brothers. “Is there somewhere else we can get some?”

  “The Iguana makes good coffee to go.”

  “Do you want me to make a run?” Cam came from the back where he’d been stacking boxes. They were nearly ready to open up for business.

  “Get me a mocha latte, would you?” Roxie asked.

  “I’ll take a cappuccino,” Lexie added.

  “Maxie?” Cam said.

  “You really don’t need to go,” she protested.

  “I spent a good chunk of my early career as an errand boy. What would you like?”

  “Coffee with cream and sugar?”

  “Got it.” He was reaching into his pocket as he walked away, but stopped when he pulled out the keys. “Mind if I take the van?” He’d served as driver on the way over.

  “I’m not going to make you walk,” she teased.

  He smiled at her, and it made her feel a bit better. At least one guy wasn’t upset with her today.

  But he wasn’t her guy.

  “Is something the matter, Maxie?” Lexie rubbed her arm comfortingly. “You don’t seem to be yourself today.”

  “I have a headache,” she answered truthfully. It was about to split her head right open, but it went well with the ache in her heart and the hole in her stomach.

  She needed to talk with Zac. She had to straighten everything out, but in order to do that she had to take the initiative. Unfortunately, her chutzpah had gotten up and left. She didn’t know where or how to even start. He’d been intimidating enough when she’d spied on him in his uniform from behind potted plants. She didn’t know how she’d ever approach him now that things had gotten so convoluted…and they’d become lovers…

  Her cheeks heated, and she turned into the booth. “I think I have some aspirin.”

  She found some water to help the pills go down, but once Roxie and Lexie learned she wasn’t feeling well, they insisted that she rest in the shade. The heat hadn’t pumped up to uncomfortable levels yet, but the sun was bright. She sat on a stool they’d brought and lay her head in her hands.

  She was reverting; she could feel it with every fiber of her being. That hand that used to snatch her back from doing things had her by the throat. It had thrown her to the ground and was sitting on her. She was frozen, unable to do the things she wanted to do.

  The things she needed to do.

  “Maxie?”

  She lifted her head at the sound of yet another male voice.

  “Wrong sister.” Lexie smiled and pointed. “She’s sitting on the chair.”

  “Ah.” Martin pulled up straighter, but his cheeks flushed. “I didn’t really think you were the sheriff’s cousins, you know.”

  “Of course, you didn’t. That was just a little inside joke between us, right?”

  “Right.” He rubbed his hands in his habitual circular motion, but then seemed to remember the reason for his visit. “Have either of you seen an extra cashbox lying around?”

  Maxie glanced into the booth. Her own gray metallic box was right where she’d put it. “No. Why?”

  “Becky can’t find hers.”

  “Oh no.” That wasn’t good. Maxie had left most of the money she’d made yesterday in the safe she had at the flower shop. The bank had been closed by the time things had wrapped up. She’d only brought enough today to make change, but that wasn’t an insignificant amount of cash for a small business like hers. It had to be the same for Becky. “Has she checked her van?”

  “I just looked there.”

  “Have you tried calling the coffee shop? Maybe she left it behind by mistake.” Maxie knew how confusing things could get. There was so much to keep track of. Fortunately, with the crew she’d brought, nobody had taken their eyes off The Green Thumb’s cashbox.

  “I thought I saw it today, but that’s a good idea.” He pulled his phone out of his back pocket and started to dial.

  “This doesn’t sound right.” Roxie walked away to talk to Becky at the Java Mama booth and then continued down the main thoroughfare.

  Maxie glanced around the festival area. It was early, but things were stepping up. A group of kids were riding their bikes. Vendors were setting out their wares, while helpers brought in more items from their vehicles. Early shoppers moseyed on by, checking out the best spots, while a few tourists ventured along the trail to see the falls. All in all, it wasn’t a good spot to misplace cash.

  Becky hurried over. For once her expression wasn’t bright and sunny. She looked anxiously at Martin on the phone, but he was shaking his head by the time he hung up. “It’s not at the shop, either.”

  “Darn it.” The barista raked a hand through her curls, making them look like pinwheels sticking out this way and that. “Where did it go?”

  “Could you have dropped it somewhere?” Lexie asked.

  “I don’t think so. We would have heard it, especially with all the coins in there.”

  “How much did you lose?” Maxie asked.

  “Not a whole lot. It’s coffee. I don’t need a lot to make change. Still…”

  “Call Zac,” Roxie ordered as she strode back onto the scene.

  Maxie’s stomach squeezed, and she rocked her foot back onto its heel. “Why?”

  She didn’t want to blow things out of proportion. He was already angry with her, and they hadn’t even helped Martin and Becky look yet. The money box could be hidden under a bag of coffee beans for all they knew.

  “Three other vendors are missing their cashboxes too. Call him.”

  Zac’s mood went from sour to ballistic when he arrived at Falls Park and found Martin Shimwell standing with his arm around Maxie. A group of people had gathered around The Green Thumb’s booth, but all he saw was the two of them gathered close. He stepped out from his vehicle, and his grip nearly bent the doorframe. He’d been surprised when he’d seen her number show up on the caller ID, and his hopes had lifted when he’d heard her voice on the line.

  The moment had quickly passed. Not only had she been stilted when she’d spoken to him, she’d been calling about trouble at Park Art.

  He scowled at the Java Mama hut. Crappy coffee or not, Becky didn’t deserve to be robbed. She should be there, curls bouncing and smile at the ready. Instead, she looked like a puppy that had just been scolded. He didn’t like it.

  He slammed the door and started stalking over towards the group.

  “You got here fast, Sheriff.” Roxie sidled up to him as he walked across the springy grass. “Maxie’s worried that we’re making a mountain out of a molehill. She didn’t think we should call you.”

  No, she was uncomfortable because he’d asked the tough questions—questions he hadn’
t thought were tough at all.

  But that was Zac talking. He needed to be the sheriff right now. “How much is missing?”

  “A few hundred dollars, from what we can tell.” Roxie tilted her head and gave him a once-over. “You’re awfully official today.”

  “It’s an awfully official case.”

  She glanced to Maxie and back to him. “All right.”

  As Zac closed the distance to the group waiting for him, his stare was solidly on Shimwell’s arm. That arm flinched and then rose as if levitating. Zac let one eyebrow lift, and Shimwell snatched his arm away from Maxie’s shoulder before it could burst into flames.

  “Marty,” he said coolly.

  “She has a headache.”

  Zac finally looked at Maxie. She was a bit pale, but gorgeous as ever. She was wearing her Park Art T-shirt, and her legs were long and lean in a pair of blue shorts. He scowled. Last night, those legs had been locked around his waist. Now, her foot was cocked back on its heel as she faced him, and that stung. He knew what that raised foot meant.

  “You called?” he said.

  She wove her fingers together nervously. “I don’t know if I should have, but several people are missing their cashboxes.”

  “You?”

  “Mine’s safe.”

  “There are four of us.” Becky’s frown looked unnatural on her normally happy face. “Harvey’s photographs, Yvonne’s quilt shop, an out-of-town vendor and me.”

  “When was the last time you saw your cashbox?”

  “I think I remember putting it on the shelf next to the coffeepots. Martin?”

  The man took another step away from Maxie when Zac pinned him with a look. “That’s where I saw it, but I made a few trips back to the van after that.”

  So, in other words, nobody had been paying close attention to the money.

  “I talked with Harvey,” Becky volunteered. “He set his on the ground while he hung his photographs. Yvonne thought she’d hid hers under a quilt, but it was missing when she went to get it.”

  Zac reached into his breast pocket for his notebook. “Did you see anyone suspicious roaming around?”

  “Suspicious?”

  He sighed at the confusion in the coffee girl’s voice, but it was impossible to be cross with her. To her, a stranger would only be somebody new to talk to. He turned to the rest of the group for help. “Anyone?”

  “There’ve been a lot of people around, Sheriff,” Roxie said.

  Maxie shook her head, and it made her curls bounce. Zac’s gaze zeroed in on the dark waves. He’d kept her too busy to dry her hair after they’d gotten out of the shower. The wildness made her look even more like her sister, only he didn’t want to run his fingers through Roxie’s hair or kiss her until she forgot about stupid games and lies.

  “There aren’t many out-of-towners here yet.” She shifted under his stare. “It’s early.”

  “They don’t have to be from out of town.” He’d tried to tell her that before. Small-town people were just as likely to be tempted into doing something bad. Or naughty. He cleared his throat. “Did any of you see anyone hanging around the booths?”

  Lexie shrugged. “We were busy.”

  “Where’s Cam?” he asked.

  “He went to get coffee.” She paused for a minute and then inhaled sharply. “You can’t suspect him.”

  For the first time ever, Zac saw a fire light in Lexie’s eyes, and it was fierce. He held up his hands placatingly.

  “I just thought he might have witnessed something.” There was an edge to that guy. Being observant was one of his traits.

  She relaxed, and the fire banked. “He should be back soon. You can ask.”

  Zac tapped his pen against his notebook. This wasn’t going well. Everyone was uncomfortable and incommunicative.

  Probably because he was giving new meaning to the definition of bad cop.

  He took a deep breath of fresh air. Whatever had happened between him and Maxie, the others shouldn’t have to pay. “Does anyone have any ideas? Did you see anything? Hear anything?”

  Martin coughed. Despite his good intentions, Zac glared in the man’s direction. Shimwell stepped further away from Maxie. It was a good idea. As detached as he was trying to be, Zac couldn’t ignore her. Hell, just this morning he’d woken up in bed beside her. In that moment, things had been about as damn close to perfect as they could get.

  In that moment…

  Martin worked up his nerve. “I don’t know if this has anything to do with anything, but Ewan said his popcorn sales were off yesterday.”

  “Ewan,” Zac repeated. “The seventy-year-old who walks with a cane.”

  Martin shifted uncomfortably.

  Maxie put her hand on Martin’s arm, and Zac’s jaw nearly popped right out of its socket.

  “I saw some kids riding their bikes here earlier,” she ventured. “They were weaving in and out of the booths.”

  It took a moment for her words to sink in, but once they did, Zac’s attention focused. “Did you recognize them?”

  “No, I just saw them riding away.” Her look was hesitant when it connected with his, and Zac’s knees wobbled. He determinedly locked his spine. Much as he wanted to, he wasn’t going to cuddle up to her anymore. Not until she gave him the truth he wanted to hear.

  “I know who they were.” Becky curled her hands into fists and stomped the ground. “Those little devils. Why, when I tell their parents—”

  “Hold on. We don’t know anything for sure,” he warned. “Give me their names, and I’ll talk to them. At the very least, they might have seen something.”

  Although Maxie’s scenario made a lot more sense. He evaluated the festival setup. Kids did stupid things, and someone who was really looking to score would have waited until the end of the day when the cashboxes would be full. Bikes would make the little thieves mobile, and baskets or saddlebags would help them hide their stash.

  He bit the inside of his cheek. It was always the quiet ones who paid the most attention.

  But if she’d been paying attention, how had she not noticed something important was going on between them?

  His chest tightened when their gazes locked again. She really didn’t look as if she was feeling well.

  From out of nowhere, his ringtone started playing, and they both jumped.

  Pulling his phone out of his pocket, Zac looked at the ID. He got a prickly feeling between his shoulder blades when he saw it was the department dispatcher. He had a mobile radio on him. They resorted to calls only when they didn’t want sensitive information going out over the airwaves. There were too many police scanners listening in.

  “Excuse me. I need to take this.” He walked over to an oak tree where he could talk. “This is Ford. Go ahead.”

  As soon as the dispatcher started explaining the situation, he went on the alert. As a first responder, he never knew what would go wrong, but he had to be prepared to react. And this was much more serious than some kids taking a walk on the wild side.

  Damn, he’d known something bad could do down with that construction crew.

  His adrenaline was pumping by the time he returned to The Green Thumb’s tent. “I need to leave, but I want you to repeat everything you’ve told me to Deputy Hanson. She’ll be here shortly, and I’ll reconvene with her when I can.”

  “What’s happened?” Becky asked.

  He nodded at her. “We’ll do everything we can to get your money back.”

  He turned to go. All his instincts were flaring. He hadn’t had a situation this serious since he’d left Chicago, but after so many years on the job, his training was ingrained. Time was of the essence.

  He was halfway to his car when someone caught his arm. He spun around to find Maxie looking wide-eyed and concerned. She’d snuck up on him without him hearing, and that rubbed him wrong. She was back to ghosting around. He’d thought he’d gotten her past that.

  He glanced to where she held his arm. The way she pulled back, h
e could tell she’d done it without thinking. So there were still some impulses there, ones pointing in his direction. He supposed that was a good thing.

  “What is it? Did you remember something?”

  “No, I just…” The pain in her eyes intensified, and the lines on her forehead deepened. “I wanted to…” She looked at him helplessly before asking, “What happened?”

  He stared at her. That’s what he wanted to know.

  She gestured towards the phone he still clutched in his hand. “The call. Is something wrong?”

  He sighed and surveyed the Park Art area. Things were starting to pick up. Even with the theft of the cashboxes, the atmosphere was happy and carefree. He lowered his voice so nobody could hear. “There was an accident down at the bridge.”

  “The construction site? Was anyone injured?”

  “Yes, and the scene is still unstable. I need to go.” He stuffed the phone into his pocket and backed away from her. “Update Hanson. She can track down those kids.”

  “I will, but, Zac?”

  He stopped. The emotion in her eyes was indescribable, and it nearly took the wind out of him.

  She licked her lips, and he almost gave up on his promise not to touch her, to make her take the first step.

  “I just wanted to say I’m sorry. I really do…” Her hands fisted tightly at her sides. “Be careful.”

  Maxie watched Zac walk away from her, and her fingernails bit into her palms as he rounded his patrol car. His blond hair had been ruffled by the breeze. She’d wanted to run her fingers through it, but he’d been so cold and distant. Unapproachable.

  “Wow.” Roxie came to stand by her side. “Is he in a bad mood, or is he always that serious when he’s on a case?”

  Maxie unclenched her fists. She didn’t know. There were a lot of things she didn’t know about him, but she wanted to learn.

  “Does this have something to do with the missing cashboxes?” Lexie asked.

  “No,” she whispered. None of it had anything to do with that.

  Roxie clicked her tongue. “I wouldn’t want to get in his way right about now.”

  Neither did Maxie. The way he’d looked at her… It had sliced her open. She’d wounded him badly. Why couldn’t she have been honest this morning? If she’d just put herself out there—