A Good Day for Chardonnay (Sunshine Vicram #2) - Darynda Jones Page 0,67
badge back. And Clay wants him to have it. The position would give Redding the ability to smooth the way for the syndicate to come in and take over. Because of that, Clay has promised to get it for him.”
Sun bit her lip in thought. “Do you know how?”
Hailey dropped her gaze. “I’m not certain, but they have a plan in place.”
“Way to bury the lede, Hailey.”
“Something about number three being their best option.”
“Which is?”
“I don’t know. I’m sorry, Sun. I’ve been so worried about Levi.”
She turned back and knelt before Hailey. “No, I’m sorry. Have you texted him?”
“Over and over. He’s … he’s probably turned off his phone. Right?”
“Absolutely. He knows we can track him using his phone, and he was pretty dead set on finding those men who tried to kill his friend. Speaking of which, do you know Keith Seabright?”
Hailey shook her head. “Sounds familiar, but I don’t think I’ve met him.”
“Okay.” Sun considered not mentioning her trip to Hailey, but the woman was literally putting her life on the line for her family. She deserved the truth. “I think you should know, Hailey, I went to see your uncle Wynn.”
“Wynn?” she asked astonished. “He’s out?”
“No. Quincy and I went to Arizona. He wants me to look into his conviction. Says he’s innocent of the crime he’s in jail for.”
“Then he is,” she said, adamant.
“You sound certain.”
“Sun, Wynn is the most honorable person I know apart from Levi. If he’d done it, he would not try to weasel out of his sentence.”
“You need to know, he also said he killed Kubrick.”
Her blond brows slid together and she shook her head. “I think he’s lying.”
“Hailey, you just said your uncle is honorable.”
“I said honorable. I didn’t say he never lied. He would lie through his teeth, but he would do it for honorable reasons.” She studied her nails and asked, “Are you going to look into his case?”
“I told him I would look at the file, but I can’t make any promises.”
Hailey took Sun’s hands into hers. “Thank you.”
Sun squeezed. “But you need to know, he had a set of conditions. I’m trying to get him transferred to Santa Fe.”
Her face lit up like a sparkler. “He’s coming here?”
“Maybe.”
“Sun, if you can get him out, if you can prove him innocent, he’ll help. He’ll stop Clay.”
“Hopefully, he won’t have to.” Sun sat back on her heels. “So, this is really happening. Clay is going to try to kill Levi, take over the distillery, and help Redding remove me from office.”
“Yes. And from what I heard, it’ll happen soon.”
Wonderful. “Hailey, are you being very, very careful? If Clay finds out …”
“I know the risks, Sun. I knew them when I came to you.” Hailey squeezed her hands. “I have to go. Please be careful.”
“You, too, sweetheart.”
They both stood just as Sun got a text.
She checked her phone. “Uh-oh. The wife needs me back at the office ay-sap.”
“Quincy?” Hailey asked with a soft chuckle.
“Yep. Are you good?”
“I’m good.”
“You know I can put you and Jimmy in protective custody.”
Hailey shook her head. “It’s okay. I’ll be careful. And I’ll let you know what else I find.”
Sun turned to leave and came face-to-face with an irascible redhead, her eyes wide, her mouth slightly ajar. Since Auri—as well as everyone else in town—believed Sun and Hailey were mortal enemies, standing in a dark storeroom holding hands with her could look odd.
Richard and Ricky screeched to a halt behind her, their faces panicked. They didn’t know who Hailey was or why she and Sun met in secret in their storeroom, but they knew no one could find out. Absolutely no one. Sun had stressed that ad nauseum when she set up the meets.
“Auri,” Sun said, then she turned on Hailey. “And don’t let me catch you back here again, Ms. Ravinder, or I will have you arrested.”
“You’re the sheriff,” Auri said, hardly biting.
“Right. I’ll arrest you myself. Because I can.” She nodded toward Auri. “Because I’m the sheriff.”
“At least now I know where I get my acting prowess from,” Auri said. She went in for a hug. “Hey, Ms. Ravinder.”
Hailey wrapped her up. “Hey, beautiful. Your mom and I were just discussing—”
“Coffee!” Ricky said. “We just got a shipment in from Ethiopia. Best coffee ever.”
Auri’s expression turned dubious. “And you call yourself a thespian.”
That did it. Ricky stood thoroughly offended. “This coming after that Academy Award–winning performance with your boyfriend.”
Sun’s phone dinged again. “I have to go. Quincy’s lost without me.” She put her