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Mercy took a deep breath before opening the door of the Sinful Sheriff’s Department. Surely there had to be at least one capable person in a position of authority. Oh, God, there was the kid with the melon head. Before she could turn to leave, she saw movement and a male slice of heaven stepped forward. Hot damn! If this was how southern Louisiana grew men, she’d been living in the wrong state, that was certain. Then again, the spotted kid at the gas station and the flushed young deputy taking quick peeks at her made her realize it was probably an even wash. Meanwhile, the hot one waited expectantly, so she took a step in his direction.
“My car’s been stolen,” she stated.
He frowned and cranked his head to look out the front window. “Didn’t you just get out of that truck?”
Well, so much for competence. She stretched her lips over her teeth and tried not to snarl. “I got a ride here.”
“I see. Does your car have GPS? You can have it tracked through the security company.”
“I forgot about that!” With a mental head slap, she asked to use the office phone, and he waved her to a desk for the call. Her mouth was a thin straight line when the conversation ended with, “I see.” She turned to Carter. “The GPS is disabled, so they can’t track it.”
“Well, have a seat in my office, and I’ll fill out a report.” He led her to a small room toward the back of the building, and she sat on a hard chair and waited for him to pull up a page on his computer. Finally, he was ready. “Can I see your ID?”
She pulled out her driver’s license and handed it to him so he could fill out the form. Once the information was entered, he passed her license back and asked about her car. After getting the year, make, and model he asked when and where it was stolen.
“About an hour ago in Blacktop.”
“You mean Asphalt.”
“Right.” She sat back, relieved the report was started.
“And you didn’t think to call when it happened?” The green eyes that peered at her seemed to question her state of mind.
“I did call! Why don’t you ask Rose about it?” she replied, her voice tart and her eyes narrowed despite her best efforts. “No. First ask the spotty kid with the porn. He refused to help!”
“No kidding?” The deputy leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his head, and Mercy bristled.
“I mean the kid at the gas station selling old cakes.” Mercy, what’s wrong with you? Her eyes got big. I’ve lost my mind! Somehow she didn’t think the deputy would appreciate that remark. Think, think! She closed her eyes. “My phone is dead. That’s why I needed a ride.”
“You just said you called Rose.”
“I didn’t call Rose,” she shouted, rubbing her aching temples. “Rose just happened to be the one who answered the phone. That’s not my fault.”
The deputy’s palms hit the desk as he sat forward. “Is there someone I can call for you?”
“The police?” Mercy covered her mouth but a bubble of laughter escaped, anyway. Soon it turned into hysterical giggling, and she had to brush the tears that streamed from her eyes. At least she didn’t have to pee! Ba, ha, ha! Maybe the laughter hadn’t been a wise idea even though it felt good.
The deputy took her arm to lift her from the chair and walk her to the front office. She covered her mouth as the few last snickers forced their way out. Unfortunately, she dropped her bag and the nose of her pistol poked out the top. A quick look at Deputy LeBlanc’s narrowed eyes sent her heart plummeting. She squatted and tried to shove it into her bag, but it was too late.
“Do you have a license to carry that weapon?” He held out his hand, and Mercy reluctantly handed it to him.
She nodded. “It’s—it’s in my glove compartment. In my stolen car.” She bit her lips but was unable to prevent the next bought of hilarity that surfaced. The horrible irony of the whole thing finally caught up to her, and now it was out of her hands.
“That’s not funny,” he snapped.
“I know,” she howled, slapping the wall next to her.
“Have you been drinking?”
Her cheeks puffed out as she nodded and the hot deputy smiled at her and once again grasped her arm. She got sidetracked admiring him and found herself in a cell block. “Wait just a minute,” she bellowed, jerking her arm away. He held it tighter than she expected and when it popped free, she punched the cell bars. “Ouch,” she wheezed, shaking her hand to get the blood circulating. A firm push from the deputy put her on the wrong side of the bars.
“Do I get my phone call?” she yelled before collapsing on the flat bunk in a fit of giggles. At least her jail cell had a toilet, and he didn’t know what else her purse contained. The envelope of cash was sure to raise his suspicions even higher.
She lay back with her arms folded behind her head, wondering how to proceed. Rubbing shoulders with the law was not on her agenda, particularly since her detour through Louisiana was to meet with her cousin, Loyal. And he definitely wanted to avoid the law. No, he needed to avoid the law, so it was in Mercy’s best interests to fly under the radar as well. So much for that plan.
If only she hadn’t turned off at the sign pointing to Asphalt, she wouldn’t be here. Well, it’s done and there’s no changing it, Mercy! Shaking off non-productive thoughts, she focused on an inventory list to give the deputy sheriff when she got control of herself. Apparently, he didn’t have faith in her ability to regain control because he returned five minutes later with the guy who drove her to Sinful.
She rolled to her side and watched as they approached her cell. The deputy wore a scowl, and the hot guy wore a smile. “Do you know this man?” the deputy asked.
Mercy sat up, glaring. “Ask me something else!” Admitting she arrived in Sinful with a man she just met at a bar after someone stole her car? A man she knew nothing about, not even his name? Oh, no. She lifted her brows and waited for the stubborn deputy. He folded his arms, and she transferred her scowl to Blue Eyes. “I thought you said he was competent! I’d sure hate to see what you consider inept.”
“You might want to rethink that since he’s the one who can let you out of here,” he advised, and she waggled her fingers at the unhappy deputy.
Deputy LeBlanc looked at Blue Eyes and said, “Spence, I can’t believe you picked up a strange woman at a bar. Well, let me rephrase that; I can’t believe you picked up this strange woman at a bar and brought her to Sinful. What were you thinking?” Mercy turned to wait for his reply.
“She was desperate,” Spence said, and she lowered her brows in warning.
“Desperate enough to carry a loaded pistol,” the deputy added with a look of satisfaction at the surprise on Spence’s face.
He gazed accusingly at Mercy, who shrugged. “I warned you.” She pressed her face against the bars to address the deputy. “I’ve admitted my sins. Now can you please take my report? If you check with Rose, the 911 dispatcher, she will confirm my story.”
“Wait here.” Both men disappeared, and Mercy feared she would soon join the ranks of missing people. She’d bet good money if there was a sweep of Southern lockups, most of the missing would be recovered. She just prayed it happened before nothing was left other than dry bones. Or moldy bones, given the humidity. When the connecting door opened, it took all her willpower to keep from jumping up to shout, Finally! What took so long? Instead, she tried to control the anxious twitching and pretend she hadn’t been waiting in the cell for nearly an hour.
The deputy unlocked her door and waited for her to exit. Once Mercy reached the main office, she inhaled deeply and smiled at the young deputy who left her stranded. Her twitching increased, so she turned her gaze to the front window and counted to bring her blood pressure back down. It didn’t help, and she ran out the front door, leaving the deputies and Spence confused.
The air was stifling as she leaned against the building to resume counting. Speakers pounding bass that rattled building windows broke her concentration, and she scowled at the vehicle that passed with the windows down. It looked exactly like hers. She squinted through the wavy, heat distorted air. Wait; it WAS hers, wasn’t it? And the jerk driving had blown a speaker.
Mercy yelled and waved at the driver, who didn’t notice her in the rear-view mirror. Instead, he banged his palm on the side mirror in time with the music beat.
“Get back here!” She tore after her car and was nearly knocked off her feet by a group of power walking senior citizens. By the time they were past, her car was gone.
Meanwhile, inside the office Carter asked, “Did you think to look beyond those big brown eyes, Spence? Like to the crazy lurking on the other side?”
With a shameless grin Spence admitted, “I didn’t get past the rosy cheeks and dimples.”
“Like hell you didn’t,” Carter muttered. Mercy Hazeldine was an attractive woman- on the outside.
Then the door opened and Mercy poked her head inside. “What the hell are you waiting for! My car just drove by, you oafs!”
Carter smiled with no humor. “Was it driving itself?” He jumped back when she stomped across the room and grabbed the front of his shirt. Then her eyes popped, and she released him, patting the shirt and trying to smooth the wrinkles.
She flashed her teeth sheepishly. “I didn’t mean that.”
“Which part?” Carter asked skeptically.
Her eyes shifted to Spence. “Is he saying he doesn’t believe my car just passed this place? And he won’t do anything about it? Say, like,” her voice rose, “chase the stupid thing?”
“The ball’s in your court,” Spence grinned to Carter.
“Deputy Breaux, please look outside for Ms. Hazeldine’s car.” Carter didn’t take his eyes off Mercy, and she closed hers in frustration.
“It’s gone now,” she said through clenched teeth. Her fingers trembled, itching to take hold of that shirt again. “But I saw the driver.” Kind of. She described what she saw.
“Do you know how many drivers with dark, hairy arms and thick black watchbands there are in this town?” Carter asked.
“Three?” she retorted sarcastically. “For crying out loud, Deputy! How many can there possibly be? I’ve seen parking lots bigger than this town.”
Carter’s lip curled. “And I think we have four drivers who fit that description.”
Kyle scratched his head and said to Carter, “I don’t know about that. If Delilah Block shaved—”
“Eek!” Mercy covered her eyes in distress, then uncovered one. “Oh, he also had a big ring on his pinky finger.”
Carter rolled his eyes toward her. “You should have started with that information.”
“Is that helpful?” she asked eagerly.
“No.”
Mercy didn’t appreciate the deputy’s cheeky grin or that he seemed to find the situation funny.
“Would you like me to put out a BOLO on that car?” Kyle asked. “Uh, I’ll get right on it,” he added when three pairs of disbelieving eyes turned his way.
“Wonderful,” Mercy complained. “I spotted my car and NOW you put out the BOLO.”
Carter shot her a cold look, and she responded with one of her own as she made herself comfortable in an office chair. The men gazed at her and she explained, “It’s not like I have anything else to do. At least until someone takes my report. I’ve got all—Why, Deputy LeBlanc! You do care.” She batted her lashes playfully. Carter’s face darkened. Spence hid his grin. Deputy Breaux looked worried and then ran out the front door and Mercy wondered if he even sent out the BOLO.
“If I didn’t want you out of here with all due haste I’d toss you in a cell and close up shop,” Carter remarked as he used Kyle’s computer to continue the report he started earlier. “What was in your car?”
She gave him the list she memorized.
“Anything else?”
Yes, but I can’t tell you! Carter looked up at her slight hesitation and she shook her head, hoping he didn’t suspect her of transporting drugs. He studied her for a moment then finished the report and printed it for her signature.
“What next?” she asked, rubbing her hands together.
“Pretty much whatever you want within the limits of the law,” Carter drawled. “Oh, and your handgun stays here until I can verify your permit.”
Her jaw went slack. “You’re just kicking me out? Isn’t there a program for displaced people?”
“Yeah. The Red Cross, and they’re great when you have a disaster,” he retorted. “Call them when you have a real one.”
“I’m certain this qualifies,” she said flatly. “I don’t mean having my car stolen but having to deal with blockheads like you.”
Carter looked to Spence who’d been silent. “Can’t you put her back where you found her?”
A broad grin stretched across Spence’s face. “Well?” he asked Mercy, who flushed at Carter’s look of interest.
“Shut up,” she mumbled. Clasping the report, she smiled and offered her hand to Carter. “I’m sorry for being difficult. It’s been a trying day. Thank you for your help.” She waltzed out of the office into the steaming air outside and uselessly blew the front of her hair. It was already stuck to her sweaty forehead.