Laid Out and Candle Lit by Ann Everett Page A

I’ve been in love with Rayann for a long time so I didn’t see any need to wait.”
    Rayann stuck out her hand and dangled her ring in front of Ridge.
    “That’s beautiful, Rayann. Congratulations.”
    “Thanks, Cooper. Now, take off your gun, Dwayne, and come over here,” she said, pulling him toward the dance floor. He handed his weapon to Tizzy and she put it under the counter. Bubba easily lifted Rayann into the air and twirled her around.
    Ridge held out his hand, palm up. Tizzy placed hers in his and they made their way to join Rayann and Bubba. When the music started, he took possession of her. She closed her eyes and breathed him in. He smelled like coconut and the shoe department at Dillard’s, a combination she found intoxicating. It’d been a long time since a man held her close and then there was the whole coconut-shoe thing he had going for him. In her mind, she had a little fantasy involving Piña Coladas and four-inch red stilettos. Feeling dizzy, she laid her head on his chest and he pulled her tighter against his body. The music and words of Clay Walker filled her head . For a moment, she didn’t hear Ridge speaking.
    “Tizzy? Tizzy? Margie Lou! The song is over.”
    She snapped her head back. “What did you call me?”
    He chuckled. “You heard me.”
    Lines formed in her forehead. “I’m not sure I did. Did you call me Margie Lou?”
    He smiled a lopsided grin. “Yeah. What are you gonna do about it?”
    She laid her head back down on his chest, closed her eyes and sighed deeply. “Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”
     
     
    CHAPTER FOURTEEN
     
    “ O kay, listen up everybody, and I do mean everybody . If any of you know anything about Marlene’s death, this would be a good time to tell me.” Tizzy paused and gazed out over the graveyard. No flashes, no thoughts, no voices came from anyone.
    “Okay,” she said, wringing her hands. “Y’all know the Ranger investigating her murder. Well, he thinks I may have something to do with her death,” she said. “Right now, it’s not looking too good for me.” She closed her eyes and breathed deeply in and out through her nose, waiting for a response. “I really need some help, y’all. C’mon, you tell me useless stuff all the time.”
    She hesitated and nodded. “Okay, it’s not all useless. You were right about dating the box salesman. That could have been a disaster, him being married and all. But this is one time I really need help. Point me in the right direction. Give me some idea who would do this.” She started to softly cry, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. “Please, help me. Give me something. Grandma . . . Poppa . . . Paw. . . Boone . . .”
    She stumbled backward to the bench, sat down, buried her face in her hands, and suddenly her head began to roar. She jerked her palms to her ears to stop the sound. “Okay! Okay! Not everybody at once. I can’t understand any of you when you’re all talking at the same time.”
    “Tizzy? Are you all right?”
    She snapped her head up. “Cooper! My God, you scared me.” She looked past him to his car. “I didn’t hear you drive up. How long have you been here?”
    “Long enough to see you crying your eyes out.” He moved closer to her. “Are you okay?”
    “I’m a little faint.”
    “What happened? Did you get too hot running?”
    She placed her fingertips to her temples. “No, my head started to roar, like my brain was flooded with too many thoughts at one time. That’s never happened before. I got dizzy. What are you doing here?”
    “I came to check on you. You’re usually home from your run before I leave each morning, and today you weren’t. I was worried something had happened to you. You’re pale as a ghost. Maybe I should take you to the doctor.”
    Her tone became bitter. “What? So now you’re watching me?”
    “No. Not watching you, watching out for you. Besides, you’re way too trusting, Tizzy. You seem to think nothing bad can happen to