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.She had been jealous.Damn it.Had Wade flirted back? She scowled at the boxes of butter in dairy.Of course he had.He was a man.Very likely he'd considered doing more than flirting.The bastard.How many times had he imagined Sherry naked, fantasized about getting her that way, and then.Good Christ, what was she doing? Working herself up into a mad on Wade over a dead woman? How petty, how shallow, how horrible could she be?"Faith?""What?" She snapped it out, whirled with a box of Land O Lakes in her hand and a killing glare on her face.Dwight held up a hand for peace."Whoa.Sorry.""No, I'm sorry.My mind was on something." Making the effort, she put a bright smile on her face and bent down to the toddler riding in the basket seat."And aren't you the handsomest thing? You and Daddy doing the marketing today?"Luke held up an open box of Oreos."Got cookies," he announced, and as his face was already smeared with black, he'd been enjoying them."So I see." "His mama's going to scalp me if I don't clean him up before she sees him.""Faces wash." But Faith moved strategically out of the reach of chocolate-gunked fingers."Lissy got you doing the shopping today?""She's not feeling well.Got herself in a state about what happened yesterday.She says she's afraid to set foot outside the house, and had me checking locks six times last night." And wasn't it just like Lissy Frazier to make it all about her.Faith thought, but nodded sympathetically."I guess it makes us all a little edgy.""She's a bundle of nerves right now.I'm that worried about her, Faith, seeing as she's got another month or so before the baby comes.Her mother's over there, staying with her awhile.I figure the Champ and me—" He paused to ruffle Luke's hair."We'd take ourselves off for a while.Give her some peace and quiet.""Aren't you the good daddy? Have you heard any more about where things stand?" "Carl D.'s investigating, and he isn't sharing a lot.I guess it's too soon for that.I guess they'll get the autopsy results soon.Carl D.'s a good man, don't mean to say otherwise.But this sort of thing." He trailed off, shook his head."It's not what he's used to dealing with.None of us is." "It's not the first time it's happened." He glanced back, looking blank for a minute, then his eyes clouded."I'm sorry, Faith, I wasn't thinking.This must bring back bad memories for you.""The memories are always there.I just hope they catch this one, catch him and hang him by his toes and cut off his—""Ah—" Lips twisted into a pained smile, Dwight squeezed her arm and rolled his eyes toward his son."Little ears.""Sorry," she said, as Luke decorated his dandelion puff hair with the best part of an Oreo."Honey, Lissy's going to stomp you into the ground till your ears bleed if you bring her boy home in that shape.""I oughta get points for bringing home groceries." "You get minor points for that, we're talking major here.For major, try jewelry.""Well, you'd know." Dwight scratched his head."Actually, I was thinking of hunting her up a present, take her mind off her worries.Thought I'd stop by the drugstore and find some perfume.""They haven't got anything special in there.Old-lady scents mostly.You go by Tory's place, and you'll find what you're looking for.Put a smile back on Lissy's face."Dwight took a good look at Luke, who was now happily coating the red plastic handle of the cart with black Oreo goo."You think I'm taking this bull calf in that china shop?""You got a point there." The plan that formulated in her mind pleased her very much."I'll tell you what we'll do, Dwight.You give me the money, and I'll go on in and find something that'll make you a hero.When you're done marketing, and scrape a few layers of cookie off your Luke, you just come by, and I'll run it out to you.""Really? You wouldn't mind?""I was going by anyway.Besides, what are friends for?" She held out her hand, palm up."Good thing I just went to the bank.I got cash." Delighted, he took out his wallet, counted bills into her hand.When he stopped, she simply stared balefully at him."Cough it up, Dwight.You can't be a hero for under two hundred." "Two hundred? Jesus, Faith, you'll take all but my last dollar here.""Looks like you'll have to go by the bank again." She snatched the bills out of his wallet while he winced."That'll give me more time to find just the right thing." "What about your groceries here?" he called after her."Oh." She waved dismissively."I'll come back later on." Dwight blew out & breath, put his nearly empty wallet back in his pocket."I think," he told his son,"we've just been hosed."It was perfect, Faith decided.She could go in, pick Tory's brain, and do a good deed.Then it was only a hop and skip down to Wade's office.She'd have time to decide whether to punish him for making her imagine him imagining sex with Sherry Bellows.It couldn't have worked out better.This time she took Bee out of the car, snuggling, cooing."Now, you're going to be a good girl, aren't you, so mean old Tory won't complain.You sit like a sweetheart and 1*11 give you a nice chewy bone.That's Mama's baby.""Don't you bring that dog in here again." Instantly Tory was out from behind the counter, ready to block Faith as she came in."Oh, stop being so pissy.She's going to sit right here like a doll baby, aren't you, Bee honey." She lifted one of the puppy's paws, waved it, while they both stared at Faith with equally innocent expressions."Damn it, Faith.""She's just good as gold.You watch." She dug out the bone first, as insurance, then set Bee down, pressing her rump until it hit the floor
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