BooksBarbecue
Back Confess to Me
Chapters (87)
  1. Cover
  2. Also by Sharon Doering
  3. Title Page
  4. Dedication
  5. Prologue
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. 48
  54. 49
  55. 50
  56. 51
  57. 52
  58. 53
  59. 54
  60. 55
  61. 56
  62. 57
  63. 58
  64. 59
  65. 60
  66. 61
  67. 62
  68. 63
  69. 64
  70. 65
  71. 66
  72. 67
  73. 68
  74. 69
  75. 70
  76. 71
  77. 72
  78. 73
  79. 74
  80. 75
  81. 76
  82. 77
  83. 78
  84. 79
  85. Author’s Note
  86. Acknowledgements
  87. About the Author

He glanced at the shears in my hand and smiled. He had a smile that a mother would interpret as sweet, but it was smug and superior. He stopped, dug his hands into his pockets, and rolled forward on his toes. “I’m guessing the husband isn’t home, huh?” He’s messing with you.

“Where’s Desiree?”

He smiled and rubbed the back of his neck. “She’s something, isn’t she?” He laughed. “You’ve been in town a few weeks, and she’s already put a spell on you too.”

The wistful look in his eyes, it pretty much answered my question of why he would dare cheat with his brother’s girlfriend.

“Where does she work now?” I said.

“Aldi’s.”

He took another step toward me.

“Does your brother know?” I said.

He laughed, then his smile flattened to a menacing line. “What? You’re gonna tell my brother? You’re threatening me? You have any idea what kind of guy my brother is?”

From the neighbor’s lawn came a boisterous, “Hey there!”

Tracy Summers. Scrappy camo getup. His hand raised in a wave, the other hand holding a brown paper bag. In a few steps he was on my lawn. “Everything hunky-dory here, Chicago?”

“I’m not sure,” I said.

“Hey, Brandon,” Tracy said. “You might want to tell your big brother to check on our friendly neighborhood menagerie. We got five cougars now, I think. Someone ought to do an inspection, make sure we’re all safe, don’t you think?”

“’Course,” he said to Tracy, his eyes on me. “Be seeing you, Chicago.” He nodded slowly, his eyes squinted, and walked to his car.

Tracy and I silently watched the Infiniti drive away.

“You’ve been here barely two weeks; how do you know him?” Tracy said.

“He cut me off on the road.”

“And you gave him your address?”

“I don’t know how he knows my address. Who is he?”

“Corrupt contractor among other shady business ventures. His folks are from money. His mom’s father built the hospital in Yellow Valley. He shouldn’t be trouble, but he’s got a Ho-Chunk thing.”

“Ho-Chunk?” I’d heard that word before, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.

“Ho-Chunk’s a casino. Brandon gambles, gets himself into tight spots. Always seems to squirm out in one piece.” He held up the bag. “I brought this for you.”

My hands full, my palm sticky with sap, I took the bag awkwardly. “I don’t know what’s in here, but I’m sure glad you brought it over.” I didn’t want to think about what could have transpired between Desiree’s side boyfriend and me had Tracy not brought over his brown sack.

“It’s deer jerky.”

My mouth must have dropped open because he laughed hard and slapped his thigh. “Don’t knock it till you try it. Stay safe, Heather Bishop.”

37

37