Free Wedding Bell Blues by Ellie Ferguson Page A

I
couldn't
remember the last time I'd carried one, for the simple reason that my
asthma had been all but non-existent for years. Oh, I kept one at the
house and one in my desk at school, but not on me. Foolish, I know,
especially now.
    But that's not why I shook my head. Or at least not the only
reason. She and Dad needed to understand that I wasn't going to leave.
I couldn't leave. Not yet.
    "You two go on. I'll be there shortly." Mom wanted to object.
I
could see it in her eyes, in the way her body stiffened even as Dad
reached over to lay a settling hand on her shoulder. He didn't like it
any more than she did, but he seemed to understand. At least I hoped so.
    "Dr. Jones, much as I hate to say it, Jessie needs to hang
around a
little longer," Colton said as he rejoined us. "The investigator has a
few questions for her. It shouldn't take long. Why don't you two go on
home? I'll bring her when we're done here."
    I fully expected them to argue. Then, seeing the look on my
mother's face, I almost groaned in response. She was looking from
Colton to me and back again, speculation running rampant in that
fevered brain of hers as she remembered him answering the phone when
she called this morning, and now seeing him acting as if he actually
cared about what happened to me. Crap. No good would come of this. No
good at all because it meant she'd be hearing wedding bells - mine.
    Where are those gypsies who were supposed to kidnap me years
ago?
    "But -"
    "Mama, please." I waited until she nodded once, a choppy
movement
of her head that said more than anything she could have verbalized. She
didn't want to leave and would only because she could see I was nearing
the end of my rope. Man, she must really be worried. Usually it took an
act of Congress to get her to do anything she didn't want to do.
    "Colton, you take good care of her." She pinned him with such
a
firm look he actually squirmed where he stood. Not that I could blame
him. The nuns at St. Mary's had nothing on my mother when she was in
this mood.
    "Yes, ma'am."
    What else could he say and not risk his head, and other parts
of
his anatomy? After all, not only did my mother have a temper that made
mine look mild, but she also possessed the knowledge to amputate
anything she wanted to and there was little he could do about it.
    "Jessie, you keep us informed."
    With that, she turned and started across the lawn toward
Daddy's
car. For a moment, the three of us watched her. Then Daddy bent and
lightly kissed my uninjured cheek.
    "Do let us know when you're on your way, Jess. I'll have your
mother call Maryanne and Brett so they know not to worry."
    "Thanks." I watched as he hurried after Mama before turning
to Colton. "What now?"
    "Diane Davalos, the arson investigator, will be over in a few
minutes to ask you some questions. Once she's finished, you'll need to
sign off on a couple of things. Then I can take you to your folks'."
    I nodded. Well, if this Davalos wanted to ask me some
questions, she'd better be prepared to answer some as well.
    Not long after that, probably no more than five minutes, a
tall, rangy
woman with short blonde hair and smoke-smudged features approached. She
was dressed like any other firefighter there, but I could tell she was
something more. There was something in her eyes, in the way she walked,
that reminded me of Colton and so many other cops I'd met over the
years. This was a woman on a mission and, whether I liked it or not, I
was her immediate goal.
    Fine. I didn't mind that if it got my questions answered.
    "Ms. Jones, I'm Detective Diane Davalos, FWPD." She stuck out
her
hand, seemingly unaware of the soot and other indicators of fire that
marked it. I ignored them and shook her hand, noting her grip was firm
even though she didn't try to overpower me with it.
    "Detective, what happened to my house?"
    Her right eyebrow lifted in surprise and she cocked her head
to one
side as she looked at me. So, I wasn't what she expected. Too bad. I'd
managed