A Good Day for Chardonnay (Sunshine Vicram #2) - Darynda Jones Page 0,47
cashier said, a twenty-something named Lottie, who stood staring at Levi like he’d just saved the world from an alien invasion. Lottie was the younger sister of a classmate and had been destined for stardom. The fact that she was working at the Quick-Mart for Mr. Walden was a little depressing.
Sun didn’t respond to her. Instead, she waited for Levi to answer.
“I’ve been busy,” he said at last.
“Right.” She nodded, unconvinced. “Did you find them?”
“I found where they aren’t.”
“That’s one way of looking at it.” She glanced over her shoulder toward the parking lot. “No wonder we haven’t picked you up yet. You switched trucks.” She recognized the only other vehicle on the premises, a dark gray F-150. It belonged to Levi’s distillery, Dark River Shine, but she’d never seen him drive it.
“Don’t bother,” he said when she made a mental note of the truck. “I won’t be driving it much longer.”
“No, you won’t.” She turned back to him. “Because I’m taking you in.”
He graced her with a pitying curve to his mouth. “No can do, Sheriff. I’m still looking for the men who attacked Seabright.”
“As are we.”
“And how far have you gotten?”
“About as far as you have from the looks of it.”
After a lengthy stare-down during which she tried to assess the damage to his left eye, the hemorrhage alarmingly dark, he started around her. “I’ll be on my way.”
She blocked him with a sidestep and her palm once again landed on her duty weapon. The reflex spoke more to her years of service than to any question about how dangerous Levi Ravinder was. He was very dangerous, just not to her.
Or so she’d thought until he closed the distance between them and glared down at her. “Are you really going to try to stop me?” he asked, his voice deep and even.
“Only if you make me.” Her mind raced through the plethora of offensive moves she could use to subdue the man, the same man who stood a head above her, but the last thing she wanted to do was hurt him any further. Still, if he forced her hand, she would have no choice. “I’m taking you in, Levi. And then I’m taking you to urgent care.”
She reached for a plastic tie on her belt, hoping it wouldn’t come to that, when a loud crash reverberated from behind the counter. Sun looked over and jumped the barrier. Lottie was having a seizure, her dark head thrown back, her arms stiff, her back arched.
“Call 911!” she shouted to Levi as she cleared the immediate area of anything Lottie could hurt herself on. Then she pressed the TALK button on her mic when she realized Levi hadn’t answered her.
She rose onto her feet. Both man and truck were gone. When she looked back, Lottie was coming out of it. She scooted against the liquor case, her knees drawn, hands cradling her forehead.
Sun squelched the dubious scowl threatening to break free. “Stay put. I’ll call an ambulance.”
Lottie’s eyes widened, but she recovered quickly. “Oh, no. I just need some water. I’m much better now.”
Sun leaned closer and let the barest hint of the scowl she’d been holding back float to the surface. “Oh, I insist.”
The sheepish air that came over Lottie’s entire demeanor spoke volumes as Sun depressed the talk button on her mic. Lottie was going to urgent care and she’d have every test known to man run on her before the day was done if Sun had anything to do with it. Or she could charge her with obstruction. So many choices, so few hours in the day.
The lights were out at the Freyr house, thus Sun headed straight for her own humble abode and the magnificent shower ensconced within. No need to wake Auri.
Thirty minutes later, squeaky clean and slightly annoyed that Carver had texted her yet again, she’d settled on her sofa in a knee-length nightshirt, beige slouch socks, and an overfilled glass of chardonnay. She opened her laptop to do some research on Keith Seabright when a knock sounded at the door. She froze. Surely he wouldn’t. Surely he didn’t know where she lived.
She took a huge gulp of wine, then stood and walked to the door, fully prepared to confront Carver and inform him that their one date was also going to be their only date. Honestly, the nerve of the guy.
She did a quick scan of the room. All of her strategically placed décor that served as lethal weapons should she or Auri