Evil Eclairs by Jessica Beck

this?”
    “It’s a gift, I guess. This wasn’t my fault, Jake. I didn’t do it, and it was news to me when the chief sent for me this morning. Now, can we talk about something else and pretend this never happened?”
    “I’m not sure that I can,” he said.
    I patted the seat beside me. “You can at least try.”
    He shrugged, and then took his seat again. “I suppose this makes my next question a moot one.”
    “Who knows? I might surprise you. Go ahead and ask.”
    “Any chance you can take a few days off? I’ve got some vacation time coming, and I thought we might go to Gatlinburg together. There’s a place on a stream I heard about while I was away that sounds perfect.”
    I loved Gatlinburg, Tennessee. There was a chair lift that climbed the mountain that I could ride all day, and they had an aquarium that was one of the best I’d ever been to. I wouldn’t go near the tourist town in the summer, but when the kids were in school, it was a wonderful place to be. I’d shared my fond memories of the place with Jake once. “It’s a sweet thought, but you know I can’t get away.”
    “Suzanne, everyone deserves a vacation, even us. I could book us there in a heartbeat. All you have to do is say yes.”
    “If it were any other time I’d be tempted, but I can’t do it, Jake. I’m sorry.” I kissed him, and then added, “It’s a sweet thought, though.”
    “That’s what I figured, but I wanted to go ahead and ask anyway. Besides Lester, is there anything else going on around here?”
    I’d just about forgotten the juiciest tidbit I’d picked up lately. “Chief Martin’s getting a divorce,” I said.
    “It happens, and more times to cops than most people realize.”
    “He told my mother about it first thing. He’s had a crush on her most of his life, and it appears he’s finally doing something about it.”
    “How does she feel about that?”
    “She’s not happy about his intentions,” I said. “Just between us, I don’t think the chief has a chance.”
    Jake studied me for a moment, and then asked, “Why do you sound so happy when you say that, Suzanne?”
    “I didn’t mean to, but come on; it’s no secret that he’s not my favorite person in the world. Could you imagine him coming around here courting my mother? I’m not sure I could take that, even though I told her that she had my blessing.”
    “Does your blessing really matter, though? She needs to do what’s right for her.”
    I turned to look at him. “What do you mean?”
    “Doesn’t your mother deserve another chance at happiness? We can love more than one person in our lives.”
    That reference was to him, not my mother. Jake had lost his wife in a car accident, and his continuing devotion to her had been a major stumbling block for us at first. “I told her the exact same thing. Jake, I have no problem with her dating,” I said. “I’m just not so sure I’m crazy about the idea of her dating him.”
    I caught a glimpse of Jake, and saw that he was smiling.
    “What’s so amusing?”
    “Children aren’t allowed to choose who their parents go out with any more than parents can choose their children’s dates.”
    “I suppose you’re right,” I said. “Ultimately she’ll do whatever she wants, but I’m still not giving the chief much of a chance.”
    “Just don’t try to worsen his odds even more,” Jake said.
    “I won’t do that,” I promised halfheartedly. “As a matter of fact, I’m planning to stay out of it completely.” I started to yawn, but caught it just in time. At least I thought I had.
    Jake stood and stretched, and then said, “I just had a long drive, and it’s getting late. I’d better call it a night.”
    I glanced at my watch. “It’s only eight-thirty.”
    “And a good half hour past your bedtime at that. Don’t worry, we’ll have time to catch up more tomorrow.”
    “Sometimes my working hours are a real curse,” I said as I stood.
    “Don’t worry, it isn’t enough