Page 29 of Killer Knows Best (Fallon Baxter FBI Mystery #4)

29

SPECIAL AGENT FALLON BAXTER

S andy Stone, the woman who gave Jack life, looks as if she’s been dragged through a meth lab and back—and didn’t fare well in the process.

She stumbles her way through my mother’s diner with her eyes wild, her clothes disheveled, and muttering to herself in such a violent manner it makes me wonder if we can add a psychosis to her laundry list of mental misgivings.

More than a few customers in the diner look her way, and judging by their worried, outright frightened expressions, she’s clearly made them uncomfortable.

“For the love of—” Jack mutters under his breath as he tenses and I note the muscles in his neck going rigid.

Sandy eventually stumbles her way over to our booth, knocking over a couple of chairs as she goes, which stops any and all conversations in the place, leaving the eighties music bleating from the speakers sound like less of an intrusion than she is.

“What in the fresh hell—” My mother looks ready to blow a gasket from behind the counter, but it’s clear she’s biting her tongue—for now .

“ Jackie ,” Sandy slurs and her voice carries through the diner. “Why didn’t you tell me you were here? Are you trying to avoid your own mama? Slide on over, son. I’m so hungry I’m going to start gnawing on the table.”

“You’re not gnawing on anything,” he tells her sternly. “Because you’re not staying.”

Sandy scoffs at the thought and in doing so sends a wave of fumes to this end of the table, causing both Nikki and me to wince.

Buddy dives under the table because he’s smart. And to be honest, I’m considering it as an option myself.

Sweat beads on Sandy’s brows despite the icy weather, most likely an effect of whatever drug she’s flying high on.

She eyes the rest of us before turning her attention back to Jack. “Look at you, all high and mighty, sitting here with your friends like you’re better than me. Well, you’re not, Jackie Boy.” Her voice hits a crescendo with those last few words and causes the windows to rattle. “You crawled out of the same putrid trash can as the rest of us and don’t you ever forget it!”

“That’s it,” my mother shouts—thankfully before Jack could react. I can tell by that wild look in his eyes, his reaction isn’t going to be amicable. But then, neither is my mother’s.

Mom storms out from behind the counter with her hands on her hips. “I don’t care whose mama she is, she’s not spending another second in my restaurant. I want her out, and I want her out now .”

Sandy glares at my mother as if she were the problem. “Good luck getting me out of this seat, honey. I’m not going anywhere.”

Jack grabs her firmly by the arm and jostles her right out of the booth. “You’ve had enough fun for one night. Let’s go.”

Sandy pulls against him, screaming and clawing at his arm like a wild animal, like a woman gone feral, and she is .

“Get your hands off me!” she screeches. “I’ll scream! I’ll cause a scene!”

“Oh honey”—Mom shouts her way—“you’re already doing a fine job of that.”

Within seconds, Jack hustles her right out the door and Nikki, Buddy, and I follow along.

Nikki and I aren’t all too thrilled about abandoning our pies, but Buddy looks darn right pissed. Riley always gives him a slice as well. And she doesn’t skimp on the ice cream.

Jack does his best to command his mother into his truck, but she screams and rants her way in a circle, making very little sense, with the exception she’s made it clear she doesn’t want to go anywhere with him at present.

They continue for a few minutes and their voices grow louder by the second.

“Should we intervene?” I ask Nikki.

“Not if we want to go home with our heads intact.”

“Good point,” I say just as Buddy runs right up to the mele and barks at Sandy as if he’s about to chew her face off.

I’ll have to give him an extra treat tonight before bed because of it.

His howls rise, and he growls and bares his teeth as he squeezes his way between Jack and his mother, ready to defend Jack at a moment’s notice.

“ Shoo ,” Sandy howls at him. “Get this mangy beast away from me, or I’ll end his filthy life tonight!”

I take a moment to gape at Jack. “So help me, Stone, she had better be talking about you.”

Jack closes his eyes as a look of defeat washes over his face.

So much for doing a postmortem on our latest shakedown. Instead, this night continues to unravel right before our eyes. And now, it’s time to clean up yet another mess .

I watch as Jack shoves his mother into the back seat of his truck and Buddy jumps in beside her.

I have a feeling that whatever comes next, it won’t be easy.

Not for any of us—Buddy included.