Broken Bone China by Laura Childs

Author:Laura Childs
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2019-03-04T16:00:00+00:00

19

“Detective Tidwell!” Theodosia shouted. Stunned beyond belief, she dropped to her knees and touched a hand to his broad shoulder. “What happened? What are you doing here? Why are you sprawled on the ground like that?” Earl Grey nosed forward, also looking genuinely concerned.

“Huh?” Tidwell said. He gazed up at her but his eyes were unfocused and he seemed mentally confused. “What’d you say?”

Theodosia put an arm around Tidwell’s shoulders and struggled to get him into a sitting position. “There. Is that better?”

“Better than what?” Tidwell said in a cranky, querulous tone. He blinked rapidly and stared at Theodosia as if seeing her for the first time. “Miss Browning?”

“Yes, it’s me.”

“What are you doing here?”

“A better question might be what are you doing here? Sprawled on the ground all crumpled up?”

Tidwell shook his head, still looking a little wonky. “If you must know, I was on an impromptu stakeout.” He slurred his words, saying wush for was and shtakeout for stakeout. He sounded like he’d been drinking, but Theodosia knew better. He hadn’t been drinking, he just got his bell rung.

“You were on a stakeout right here?” Theodosia asked. “At Don Kingsley’s home?”

“Yes, right here!” Tidwell shouted as if she was hard of hearing. “Or more to the point, I was taking a casual look around the yard when some lunatic snuck up behind me and struck me on the head!”

“Who was it? Did you see?”

“If I knew who the miserable degenerate was I would have radioed for a police unit and had them arrested. Better yet, I would have shot them.” Tidwell let loose a loud, shuddering wheeze. “Unfortunately, I stumbled and must have lost my balance.”

“Must have lost consciousness, too.”

“Um . . . perhaps,” Tidwell said.

“That’s not good at all. I think we’d better get you to a hospital.”

Tidwell’s hands flew up and he slashed wildly at the air. “No, absolutely not. I was only out for a minute or two.”

“Still, there could be neurological damage . . .”

“No hospital, no damage,” he barked.

“You don’t know that,” Theodosia said. Dear Lord, this man is bullheaded.

“Just let me . . . I have to catch my breath.”

“Do you think Charles Townsend was the person who hit you?”

Tidwell touched a hand to his head and groaned. “I don’t know. I don’t think so. But he’s in there alright, pussyfooting around like Hamlet’s ghost.”

“Townsend could have spotted you and hit the panic button,” Theodosia said. “He might have thought you were a prowler. Or maybe he recognized you and got scared. It’s not like you’re . . . inconspicuous.”

“Point taken,” Tidwell said as he brushed bits of dirt and leaves from his suit jacket. “Can you get that dog away from me?”

Theodosia pulled back on Earl Grey’s leash. “Come on, fella.” Then, “I don’t know if I should be so nice to you after the way you treated Angie and Harold this afternoon.”

“I was just doing my job.”

“You were browbeating my friends.”

“Oh, boo-hoo,” Tidwell said. “Just let it go, will you? And help me get to my car.

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