Miss Fortune

Chapter Fourteen

The clock couldn't possibly be right.

Alex checked it again. And a third time. Nope. Still ten after one.

The day that wouldn't die.

"Do you have to be somewhere?"

She squinted at Teddy. "What?"

"You keep looking at the clock," Teddy took another book from the carton to slip onto the shelf. "Do you have somewhere to be?"

"No. Not really." Her head still ached from last night's crying jag and her eyes felt puffy and bloodshot. Her sleep had been restless, plagued with heartbreaking dreams of her parents' funeral, Frerin, Thorin telling her it'd been fun but he really just wanted to hook up with Teddy instead.

All in all, a craptastic night.

To make matters worse, things were slow that morning. Very, very slow. It was a cloudy, rainy day, which didn't help, since so much of their clientele came from the foot traffic of people strolling along the sidewalks.

Thunder rolled in distance as Teddy finished stocking the shelves and broke down the cartons, while Alex busied herself with dusting the apothecary jars behind the counter. The bell over the front door jangled, she sneezed, and Thorin said, "Bless you, Lex."

She spun around, feather duster in hand, and her smile melted at the sight of the soggy-looking detective standing at the counter. Silver droplets clung to his beard. His hair was wet, plastered to his head in dark swirls. His shirt was equally wet, stuck to him in huge patches. If his jeans were as wet as they appeared, he had to be the most uncomfortable man walking around Cranford Falls.

"What happened to you?"

"I was combing through Branson Green, talking to people, when the skies just opened up."

Teddy smiled as she returned from the back room. Her eyes glinted as they fell on Thorin and Alex couldn't ignore the pang of irritation at the predatory look on Teddy's face. "Detective Durin! What on earth happened to you?"

"I got caught in the rain." He shook his arms, sending droplets in all directions. "Would you mind if I borrowed your sister for a while?"

"Me or Teddy?" Alex asked.

"You." He turned to her and his slow smile made her knees feel funny. "I want to borrow you for a while."

"How long?" Teddy asked, her smile fading. "Gram is due home sometime today and—"

"I need her help, Teddy. I'll explain to Grandmama Prescott, if need be." He didn't wait for Teddy to reply, but turned to Alex. "Get your purse."

"Why?" Alex asked as she crouched to retrieve her wristlet from the shelf below the register.

"I'll explain on the way."

"I'll be back as soon as I can," Alex said over her shoulder, ignoring the annoyance creasing between Teddy's perfectly arched sable brows. Let Teddy be annoyed. She'd get over it.

Rain fell steadily, but since she didn't have an umbrella, Alex just sprinted to the F-150 parked across the street. Thankfully, he unlocked it before she reached it, so she was only slightly damp as she climbed up into the cab.

Thorin angled in behind the wheel, shaking his head to send raindrops in all directions. "Damn weatherman said it was going to be partly sunny, with only a chance of showers. A chance of showers. Fucking moron."

"I know. And they go to school for that, remember." She shoved her wet hair away from her face, wincing as icy water trickled along her temples. A bit of a chill sank into her, a slight shiver running along her spine. "So, what's going on? What did you need me for?"