Page 17 of Stilettos & Whiskey (Deputy Gemma Stone)

Tropical storm Keli had shut down all the airports in Hawaii.

Unable to get a flight out, Gemma and Dante headed back to their condo and to their amazement found a dead body in the bedroom.

Gemma said the police were questioning them.

We were taking bets on who would solve the murder first. Gemma and Dante or Kauai Police Department.

I won. It took them twenty-four hours to find the murderer, and they caught a flight out the next day.

Since I had contaminated all the menfolk, Mom banished us to the patio.

The outdoor misting system dropped the temperature a good twenty degrees, but the flies were still a problem.

It took three days of marinating in the cow manure goop before we passed her sniff test and were allowed to shower in the house.

Reveling in the sensation of being clean for the first time all week, I headed for the kitchen. I was starving.

Lucas stepped into the hallway. “Can we talk?”

“Sure.” Dang. He was wearing his itty-bitty swim trunks that showed off his package and all those luscious muscles.

He gestured to the living room.

I followed him in and took a seat on the couch. “What’s up?”

“Julie, I’ve had feelings for you for some time.” Lucas dropped down on one knee. “And…”

I shot to my feet. “You’re not proposing, are you?”

“What?” He jumped up. “God, no. I want to start dating you. I’m interested in a monogamous, long-term relationship with you. That means no dating that paramedic or anyone else.”

Blowing out a relieved breath, I sat back down. “Okay, but that works both ways. No more dating the Cardinal’s cheerleaders.”

“Done,” Lucas replied.

Huh? He seemed sincere and I really wanted this to work. “Can we try kissing again?”

“Hell, yeah.” Lucas sat next to me, leaned in and brushed his lips over mine. “I promise, no puking this time.”

“You break that promise and I’ll kick your ass.”

“Pucker up, sweetheart.” Lucas placed a series of slow, shivery kisses on my mouth.

I wrapped my arms around his neck. The taste of him was intoxicating. I stroked my tongue over his and the kiss turned into a greedy explosion of need.

Someone clapped.

Logan hooted.

“About friggin time,” Nate said.

Lucas raised his head and glared at them. “We’re talking here.”

“Talking?” Gemma laughed.

I smothered a groan. Damn, Lucas could really kiss, and I wanted more. A lot more.

Grandpa stared at us from the kitchen door. “Did Tess have the talk with you two?”

“Yes, I did, Pops.” Mom tossed me my purse. “I’ve scheduled us a facial, manicure and a pedicure at the Gardens. Let’s go.”

Gemma did a happy dance. “You are the best mom ever.”

“We’ll talk again later, Lucas, but I really need a girls’ day out.” I dropped a kiss on his mouth and followed them out the door.

Gemma escorted Mom to her Sonata. “I’m driving.”

Mom rolled her eyes but got into the passenger seat.

“Where’s Dad? I haven’t seen him all morning.” Call me curious.

Mom grimaced. “He’s paying Jim Bob a visit at the county jail.”

“But he still stinks,” Gemma gasped.

I nodded. “Big time. They won’t let him in.”

“He arranged it with Sheriff Maxwell.” Mom held up her cellphone. “Wanna watch?”

In unison, Gemma and I yelled, “Yes.”

Flies buzzing madly around them, Dad and Jim Bob sat at a folding table in the middle of the jail’s exercise yard. The only shade was a puny tree. Dad never asked him a single question. He just sat there and drank his coffee.

Jim Bob swatted at the flies. “This is cruel and inhumane treatment.”

Dad just smiled.

“I have nothing to say to you.”

“Didn’t ask you anything,” Dad replied.

Jim Bob puked repeatedly into a metal trash can and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “God, you stink.”

“So do you now. How badly do you want the antidote?”

An expression of sheer horror on his face, Jim Bob asked, “How long does it take for the smell to wear off?”

“Six weeks.”

The color drained from his face. “I have a little gambling problem. The Zetos brothers bought my two-million-dollar marker from the casino, and now I work for them.”

“Doing what?”

Jim Bob shrugged. “This and that.”

“And Raul Garza?”

He vomited again. “He paid me five hundred thousand dollars to help him get vengeance on his granddaughter and her new family. It was the perfect plan until Roger Evans got involved and then everything went to hell.”

Dad pushed a notepad and pencil over to the lawyer. “I want you to write everything down and I do mean everything.”

“And if I don’t?”

“We’ll sit here for as long as it takes,” Dad growled.

Jim Bob picked up the pencil.

“I love watching your father work,” Mom said, putting her phone away.

For a moment, I was a kid again, screaming for my parents, trying desperately to save them.

A sensation of peace flowed into me, replacing the pain.

After all these years, I had proven my grandfather murdered my parents and justice was finally served.

“I feel the need to celebrate. How about you guys?”

“Hell, yeah, and I know just the place,” Mom said.