It's Murder at the Buy-Right

47

"The EMS or my truck?"

"You know the answer to that question, Deke," Y'all stick around here, boys," she said to the ambulance crew. "You can pump these kids stomachs after they've gorged on all that junk that's raining down on this parking lot."

"Did you empty the candy aisle?" Deke asked.

"Uh," she said, "let's just say that the candy elves are gonna have to put in a lotta overtime to fill next week's order."

"If you weren't limping," he said, "I'd break your kneecaps."

"Aw, Deke," she said.

He helped her in the car. Her ankle was throbbing. She almost bit her tongue off getting up into the cab of Deke's truck, but she didn't yelp out.

She had scared the kids enough.

He cranked the truck and slowly weaved his way out of the lot.

They drove down Main Street.

"Not much life on the sidewalks, tonight."

"Nah," he said. "Your plan to have Santa fall from the sky pretty much sucked everyone down to our end of the street."

They came up on Albion's sandwich shop.

"Looks like I spoke too soon," she said. "Things seem to be hopping in there, don't you think?"

Deke said nothing.

"Look!" she said. "Isn't that Niles out in front of Albion's? There's Burnell, too. Looks like they're arguing. Slow down, Deke. Nile's just busted Burnell in the chops!"

Deke pulled over, allowing the cruiser to pass by. Lights were flashing on the car, but there were no sirens.

"Guess someone dialed 911," he said.

"It's Monroe," Daisy Ann said. "And look, there's a second cruiser! Richmond, too. All hands are on deck, now. Everything will be alright, now."

Deke drove on.

"How's the ankle?" he asked.

"Hurts like heck."

"May be broken."

"Can't be," she said. "Had too much cushioning."

"What are you talking about?"

"Everything from the waist down was fainting and falling down around my ankles. I may have landed feet first, but there was enough fat down there to make me bounce like rubber."

"I'm glad we can laugh about it, Daisy Ann. But promise me, no more stunts like this – ever."

"Next Christmas, I think I'll go with you bone fishing."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Speaking of that, why did you come back?"

"Are you kidding me? I had to come back."

"The fish weren't biting, were they?" Daisy Ann asked.

"Promise me. No more stunts like this."

"Okay. Okay. You have my word," said Daisy Ann. "I'm done with Santa suits and parachutes!"