but mercury's not in retrograde! (Alexandria Whitney Mystery)

  but,mercury’s

  not in retrograde!

  G. L. McCarthy

  Editors:

  Julie Smith

  Stephanie Oswald Elliott Night

  Nancy Dillon

  Cindy Culbert

  Copyright 2009 G. L. McCarthy All rights reserved Stephanie O

  You’re the best, and all the best people know it. I couldn’t have done all this without you. Love Always,

  Chapter 1

  On the drive home from the airport, Cyn brought Alex up to speed on her car problems. She didn’t want to worry her while she was away recuperating from her own “little ordeal,” but it had become apparent to Cyn that someone was definitely messing with her car. The first time was during the whole Richard Greenway mess and they both assumed it had been his doing. The next time was the second day Alex was in New Mexico, but Cyn had just blown it off as no big thing when they had talked on the phone. The third time, which was last Thursday, sent a chill up Cyn’s neck, as it was all too clear that this was intentional. She had really wished Alex had been there, but in the meantime had confided in Frederick about the turn of events. He had promised to keep an eye on her and “Little Blue.” So far, all the tampering had happened at Taylorwood while she was teaching and the guys at the garage had been able to correct the problems. The eerie part was that it could be someone else at the school one of the guys or one of the students. But Alex brought up the possibility of other suspects someone from town, a local maybe. Perhaps it was some guy with a crush on Cyn who wanted to come to her rescue, or maybe it was someone who just wanted her car and hoped she would put it up for sale because of all the recent mechanical problems. All Alex knew was that she had never felt all that easy about it after the first time Cyn’s car had been disabled.

  Pulling up Cyn’s little driveway, Alex just wanted to sit on the front porch and relax for a while. Cyn took her bag inside as Alex plopped down on the swing. Her stay at Jessie’s ranch had certainly gotten her mind off her stalker, Greenway, and had even helped her forget about her near death experience with Sally Jennings. But could she say it had been a relaxing two weeks? Some of it, yes, but mostly it had been an adventure with Samantha Pierce being the most unexpected and best surprise of all! At any rate, jumping into another problem right now had not been at the top of her “to do” list.

  Alex looked up as Cyn returned with a bottle of water and a Dagwood sandwich she had made just before she left for the airport.

  “Girl, you are the best. I’m hungry, but I’m not sure I’m this hungry.” Taking a deep breath, Alex dug into her sandwich. “This is so good, thank you. So, any ideas on our plan of attack?” Alex knew they had to talk about this as it was understandably weighing heavily on Cyn’s mind.

  “Not a clue. I can’t imagine why anyone would be interested in me. And it’s not one of the guys at school I hope.”

  “Okay, this is our tentative plan. We have lunch with Frederick tomorrow and pick his brain on what he thinks. Then we could go talk to the boys in the maintenance yard for their take on the whole thing. We’re getting pretty good at reading people so maybe one of them will tip their hand, or we can clear them as possible suspects.” Alex never thought she’d be thinking like this so soon.

  “Great. I knew you would come up with something. I just feel better having you around. I guess you’re my security blanket.” Cyn wasn’t afraid, but it was unnerving knowing someone was messing with her stuff.

  “Glad to be of service. Now, it’s getting to be our bedtime and we have a busy day tomorrow. I need to check my clothes for school and see if they need any touching up.” Alex walked towards the kitchen and stopped to look out Cyn’s large living room window. That creepy feeling of being watched was back. Looking out into the darkness she hoped her good luck charms, “Anna and Ramon”, had come home with her too.

  “What do you see?” Cyn walked over to where Alex was standing. “Nothing. I saw so many wild animals in New Mexico I just thought I caught a glimpse of something. It was probably my imagination.” Alex didn’t want to get Cyn worked up about someone possibly watching her house, but come daylight she was definitely going to check around the yard for footprints. The rain soaked ground was sure to tell the tale.

  “Oh, I’ve been feeding a few deer. That might have been what you saw. Well, I’m off to bed. You make yourself at home and I’ll see you in the morning.” She figured the time change would affect Alex for a few days, and that she probably wasn’t sleepy yet.

  Alex got ready for bed and made her comfortable on the couch. She wanted to call Sam, but because she hadn’t told Cyn yet, she needed to wait. So she thought about their last night together. Sam was such a great lover so gentle and aware of what did and didn’t work on her. So far the sex had been wonderful, but not of the oral kind. That kind of sex meant a lot to Alex. It was about making a real commitment to the other person and she saw it as the ultimate act of intimacy  giving yourself completely to the other person and the trust that went with it. They hadn’t talked about taking a blood test, but she had her physical just before school started and her blood work came back clean as a whistle, as well as her PAP. Although, one would have to have sex to be at risk, and there hadn’t been any of that for some time now. It was a subject that would definitely need to be discussed soon, as not being able to go down on Sam was something that was becoming harder every time they slept together. She decided to replay that last night in her head thinking the sheer pleasure of it should help her get to sleep.

  Rolling over to face the open room, Alex heard a noise. It seemed to be coming from outside. Raising up, she looked through the window, not worrying that anyone could see her as the house was completely dark. She saw movement, but of the four legged kind. The deer had come up to eat the food Cyn had left for them. Taking a deep breath, Alex let out a big sigh. Tomorrow was going to be a very busy day. She also needed to have a little chat with Bonnie regarding her spreading rumors around about Alex having an affair with Richard, Lucy or Cyn and another little chat with Lucy for not setting her girlfriend straight on the same subject matter. But if everyone was as afraid of Alex as Cyn had stated, that might be a conversation that wasn’t necessary. One good strong look at the both of them could be enough for them to know they’d better cease and desist or there would be hell to pay. That could work too.

  Chapter 2

  The sound of Cyn’s alarm brought Alex back from the dream world and into her own little reality, such as it was. Having mixed feelings of wanting to see her girls and not wanting to see her fellow teachers was somewhat of a pain, but she knew the first step was always the hardest. Cyn gave Alex first shot at the shower, and the hot water relieved some of her anxiety. She was in and out in a flash. Shouting through the door, Cyn asked if she wanted toast and coffee now or at school. Alex opted for now as she wanted to be sure to get it. What happened once they arrived back at Taylorwood was anybody’s guess. Toweling off her hair, the aroma of coffee lured her into the kitchen. Cyn had anticipated Alex’s request. As the coffee was brewing, the bread was ready to be toasted. Popping the bread in, Alex looked out the window to another gray day. Everything looked so green and freshly rinsed by yesterday’s storm, especially the lawn.

  Taking a bite of her toast as she continued to dry off her hair, Alex remembered her mornings with Sam and wished she was being fed breakfast right now. But Sam would be here soon enough and there was a list of things to do. First off, see her new place and measure the bedroom. She owned a queen and wondered if her new bedroom could handle it without making the room look
ed cramped. The bed in her casita had been a king and they both fit just fine with room to spread out if they wanted. Hearing the bathroom door open was Alex’s signal to get back in and finish dressing. Her hair had a natural wave to it and she was lucky she only needed to blow it dry if she was in a hurry. In this case no one would know she hadn’t dried it, as she could blame the weather.

  Walking back into the kitchen for the rest of her breakfast, Alex noticed that Cyn was just finishing up. Since Cyn was driving, Alex could drink her coffee in the car and have another piece of toast.

  “Now this is how I like to have my mornings begin  slowly, with plenty of time to stop and smell the roses, if there were any around to smell.” Alex was in as good a mood as she could be for a Monday.

  “I just love having you here to eat breakfast with. No other distractions and privacy to talk about anything.” Cyn remembered that they had talked about switching off having breakfast at each others’ places.

  “So how far exactly is my new house?” Alex figured Cyn had clocked it by now.

  “It’s exactly two miles from here and takes about five

  to six minutes depending on road conditions and time of day.

  Meaning, drive slower at night because of critter crossings.”

  Cyn never wanted to hit even the smallest of animals. “Okay, so you have suicidal raccoons too.” Alex

  wished they would be more aware.

  “Oh yeah, along with all the other wildlife in the area.

  But I love it all, don’t you?” Living out here with nature was

  why Cyn had picked this place.

  “It’s the best. But I like having someone close by. Dez

  and I were too secluded. It was great at first, but then it

  became a beautiful prison instead of a palace.” At least it

  appeared that way at the end.

  “Well, shall we hit the road? I don’t think we can

  delay the inevitable any longer.” Cyn took the last drink of her

  coffee and grabbed two umbrellas.

  “I guess so. I’ve missed your coffee and you so much;

  I’m going to grab another cup.” Alex popped in the last bite of

  her toast and drained the coffee pot of its last drop. “My coffee and I have missed you a lot too. Now let’s

  go see how much Taylorwood has missed their famous English

  teaching heroine.” Cyn knew Alex was in for a very busy day. “Ugh! I can only hope the aliens have done their part

  and wiped all memory of that Saturday from everyone’s mind. But I’m not holding my breath.” Alex rolled her eyes as she

  headed for the door.

  The rain had stopped, which would allow them to

  enter Little Blue slowly so they could knock any mud from

  their shoes. Looking around the area of the car there wasn’t

  any sign of human footprints, but Alex wanted to put a motion

  sensor up on the outdoor light. If anyone did try to mess with

  Cyn’s car at night they would be illuminated for all to see.

  They also needed to get the garage cleaned out so she could

  lock it up if they went somewhere in Alex’s truck. Little Blue

  was a classic and being disassembled for parts was another

  possibility.

  Alex looked at the scenery as they drove. Wishing

  they had a few extra minutes, Cyn would have liked to have

  taken a quick detour to drive by Alex’s new place. Cyn

  thought it was perfect just what she had imagined Alex

  living in. The house was painted the same yellow as Cyn’s and

  Alex wondered if all the houses in this area were painted

  “Sunshine Yellow” with white trim around the doors and

  windows. Even the garage and workroom had been given a

  fresh coat of paint. Alex could hardly wait to get inside and get

  busy.

  Pulling into Cyn’s parking space, Alex noticed the

  balloons and sign attached to her spot’s placard. “Welcome

  back, Ms. Whitney. We’ve missed you!” It was so sweet and

  made Alex tear up at the thoughtfulness of her students. “Wanna bet who’s behind that?” Cyn knew it was

  Alex’s number one fan.

  “My little horse crazy Megan.” Alex hoped Megan

  never heard the truth regarding her mother’s breakdown until

  she was older and away from Taylorwood.

  “Your number one fan and cheerleader. I think you’ve

  been elevated from hero to saint in her mind.” Cyn was trying

  to gently prepare her for what was to come.

  “Sainthood, wow! Last I heard everyone was afraid of

  me and now this honor. Can you take me home; I think I need to be indisposed for a while?” Wishing she was back on the ranch, Alex took a deep breath and exited Little Blue.

  Chapter 3

  Walking into the teacher’s lounge, Alex braced herself for twenty questions or more. Mrs. Greenway was talking to the rest of the teachers and when she saw Alex she stopped and rushed over to give her a big hug. Well, someone other than Megan and Cyn was thrilled to see her.

  “Welcome back, Alex. We’ve missed you these past two weeks.” That was an understatement, as Mrs. Greenway had been trying to teach Alex’s class.

  “Thank you, Mrs. Greenway. I’ve missed you all too.” Well, maybe Alex didn’t miss everyone.

  Leading her back towards the table, the crowd parted. There waiting for her, in all it’s caloric grandeur, was a sheet cake. “Welcome Back” was written in large blue icing. Alex realized the aliens had once again failed her.

  “How wonderful of you to get me a cake.” Trying to be grateful and not totally annoyed was the objective of the day. This was apparently just the beginning of the gratitude.

  “We just wanted your first day back to be extra special. So cut the first piece and remember that we all admire you very much.” Mrs. Greenway was doing her best to play up the story she had fabricated, about Alex’s noble and selfless act. If the truth were to get out, she shuddered to think.

  “Thank you, Mrs. Greenway, but I’m sure everyone here would have done the same thing if they were in my place.” Alex had that right. Being injected with Ketamine and losing consciousness hadn’t been her idea either.

  “Oh, maybe you’re right. But we just wanted to show you our appreciation for saving the life of one of our parents.”

  Cutting the cake, Alex wished the bell would ring as she handed out servings to all her peers and accepted their praise of her heroic act. As she handed Cyn the last piece the bell thankfully rang and teachers scattered for their classrooms. Wiping off the knife, she took a small piece and popped it in her mouth. It was very good, but Alex could taste the butter and knew that was the only piece she would have today.

  Upon entering her classroom she was welcomed with a standing ovation and a beautiful bouquet of flowers on her desk. This time the flowers had a card. “I can’t imagine this school without my favorite teacher working here. Love, Frederick.” Wanting to cry, Alex held it together as she motioned to her girls to take their seats.

  “So did you miss me?” Smiling wide Alex assumed they did.

  “YES!” Came back loudly from the entire class.

  “Well, I hope you feel the same come Friday when we will have a little test to see if you learned anything from Mrs. Greenway.” It would be a very easy test for sure.

  “We learned how much we missed you. Does that count?” Commented one of the girls.

  “That counts for ninety percent of your score.” Alex suddenly realized how much she loved her job and these bright and funny girls.

  The remainder of the period was spent trying to explain that she really didn’t remember too much after she found Sally Jennings at cliff side on Old Woman Hill. That was the truth except for the fact that Sally was trying to kill A
lex and not herself. She told the girls that Cyn or the Sheriff were good people to talk to for the specific details, especially since Alex wasn’t sure what they were. Maybe she should have had Cyn brief her this morning on the whole story. Eating lunch with Frederick and Cyn could help bring her up to speed on the details.

  Second period brought more admiration in the form of Megan Jennings, who hugged Alex immediately upon entering the classroom. Alex was beginning to feel very uncomfortable with the whole hero story line. She hated lying, but it was only to protect Megan from the stigma of having her mother convicted of attempted murder. Right now she was just institutionalized. But Alex didn’t have to explain anything to this class, as Megan took center stage to do that. Alex was amazed at how dramatic it all sounded. This kid should become an actor or at least a screenwriter, she thought. When she was finished telling the tale, Alex was speechless. Megan turned to Alex and thanked her for preventing her mother from taking her own life and said that she was now on medication for bipolar disorder and depression. Alex told Megan she was very welcome and she hoped her mother got better soon. What she didn’t mention was that she hoped Sally Jennings would stay locked up for a very long time.

  When the lunch bell finally sounded Alex wanted a drink. There was nothing like rehashing the story over and over for three periods. Alex had heard so many versions that she wasn’t sure which one was the real story. Thank Goddess none of the Richard Greenway story had migrated its way into any of these current versions. Cyn came through her door right on time, like always.

  “How ready are you for lunch?” Cyn could only imagine how the morning went.

  “I’m sooooo ready. I just wish the Tea Room was around the corner. I would love a glass of plum wine or two.” Thank goodness they could eat in peace.

  Finding Frederick in his usual spot for lunch was very comforting to Alex. In the back of the cafeteria, Frederick stood and gave Alex a big hug and a kiss on the cheek.

  “Welcome back, Alex. I’ve missed you. How are you feeling?” Frederick now looked at her as not only a good friend, but also the daughter he never had.