MORNINGS BECAME ROUTINE for Gary. He rolled out of bed at six and made himself breakfast. Then, he got to work. The kennels were finished and this morning, after searching online for home repair websites and videos, Gary had started on the cabin.
Russell had been correct; it would be a bigger job than Gary expected, meaning he might make Sarasota Falls home longer than he’d intended, meaning he’d have more time to mull over just how close he’d like to be with Officer Bailey.
He wasn’t sure how long he’d been working away, but Goober’s barking let Gary know something was amiss. Putting down the hammer, he wiped sweat from his brow, walked away from the supports he was reinforcing. This morning he’d uncovered all the furniture, pulled and pushed it into the yard and made two divisions: keep or discard.
Make that repair or discard.
All that before he’d decided to shore up two of the supports so part of the cabin roof didn’t fall on his head.
“What is it, girl?” Wilma was running a wide circle around the camper, either chasing an imaginary rabbit or being chased by an imaginary monster. Goober let out another woof and ran to the road.
Gary checked his watch. Nine straight up, a good hour past the time Russell usually showed up. “Okay, I get it. We can go check.” He snagged his truck keys from a table by his favorite camp chair and soon—with all three dogs—headed for Russell’s.
His first inclination when he saw Leann’s car was to pause, but the high-pitched cadence of bullets leaving a gun had him yanking the key from the ignition and leaping from the vehicle. He bounded around the house, heart pounding, wishing he had a weapon.
About the time that his brain reminded him that Russell did have a shooting range, he heard muted laughter and Russell saying, “You keep swaying to the left. Just a fraction. Your scope is not off. You are.”
“Have I always done that?”
“Not like now, I don’t believe. Maybe if you aim a bit—”
“Have you gained any weight since the last time…” The moment Gary started offering his advice, he wanted his words back.
Daggers, killer laser jets, and lightning shot from her eyes. Then, Russell whooped and jabbed, “You need to work on a better pickup line.”
Gary blushed and said, “Oops.”
“Not good enough, GI Joe,” Leann said, but at least Russell’s teasing had Leann relaxing enough to say, “No, I haven’t gained weight. I know exactly what I need to weigh in order to fit the uniform as well as chase down a runner without getting embarrassingly winded.”
“Sorry. I should have said don’t change where you aim. Your primary goal is to develop good trigger-control skills. Have you spent any time lately working on your upper-body strength?”
She shook her head.
He didn’t dare offer Leann any pointers. He knew darn well why she was here. She wanted to improve her shooting abilities in order to get the promotion to lieutenant. A part of him imagined Leann’s expression if she got the job and his heart tightened in his chest.
Gary walked up to her. “I’ll give you a twenty-minute lesson as long as you promise not to tell anyone.”
“I don’t need a lesson from you. I can shoot.”
“Ask him how many army marksmanship qualification badges he has,” Russell suggested.
“I don’t care,” Leann groused.
Russell laughed. “Expert, sharpshooter, marksman and—”
“She said she didn’t care.” Gary should have felt relieved; instead, he felt a little insulted.
“He owes you,” Russell reminded, “and his advice could make a difference.” Turning to Gary, Russell added, “Her ability to shoot is just one hiring point. You’re not interfering with Oscar’s promotion. Heck, if he were here, he’d be helping her. As a matter of fact, he has been up here helping her.”
“I have more badges,” Gary muttered.
“Good,” Leann said. “Give me some advice.”
Gary pulled a penny from the pocket of his jeans and handed it to her.
“What? You’re paying me to keep silent, not tell Oscar? Sorry, I won’t do it for any less than a fiver.”
Gary wanted to laugh. Why did this woman, the only one who’d piqued his interest in years, have to be up against his brother for a promotion? And why did he have to be in a position to help!
“Put the penny on top of the sight. Then, get the sight focused as best you can. It doesn’t matter how often you have to shoot at the target. You need to do it until you hit it and that penny doesn’t move.”
A moment later, Gary was standing close enough that he could smell cinnamon, likely Leann’s soft-looking hair. If he wasn’t careful he’d be reaching out to touch it.
He realized she could all too easily make him want to feel again, love again, maybe even stay put.
Having given his advice, he quickly left. He didn’t dare stay any longer because if this had been a shooting competition, she’d have just won the first round with a bullet where he was most vulnerable: the heart.
* * *
“PEACHES ATE YOUR alarm clock?” Leann looked from her oldest son, Timothy, to the giant dog that was supposed to be a golden retriever but everyone—including the veterinarian—referred to as one-third golden, one-third sheepdog and one-third bear. Neither kid nor dog displayed enough guilt in her opinion.
“I left my door open last night,” Timothy admitted, “but really the dog hasn’t chewed anything in here for months.”
In here, meaning Timothy’s bedroom, was the only room where Peaches still occasionally destroyed items, mostly because Timothy was her stubborn child who brought food into his room. He also had the smelliest feet, and he played tug-of-war with Peaches using items that shouldn’t be tugged. All things Peaches loved. Looking past him, Leann studied the room that was half boy and half teenager. No, it was now one-fourth little boy and three-fourths teenager, meaning he could be more responsible.
“Did you walk Peaches last night?” Leann asked. “Or feed the hamster, the turtle…”
Now guilt became evident.
“No, because I was—”
“He got to the Royal Arena on Clash Royale on his video game,” Aaron chimed in, excitedly. “It was awesome. We were both sitting on the couch, and it took almost an hour.”
Leann closed her eyes. She’d moved back to Sarasota Falls hoping to find support, and yes, love for her boys. She was taking a chance, but luckily her friends and her ex-husband’s parents—Tamara and Barry Bailey—were more than willing to lend a hand. The only downside to Tamara and Barry was that they were quite willing to spoil Tim and Aaron exactly the way they’d spoiled their only son, Ryan. Lately the real problem was their telling the boys that their father was coming home and looking forward to seeing them. A promise Ryan had never kept in the past.
“How much is in your savings?” Leann asked Timothy.
“No, Mom, you know I’m saving for a trampoline.”
He’d been doing a good job of saving, too. She promised him that if he saved up his money and made it to just over a hundred dollars, she’d fork over the other half. He’d spent hours on the internet looking at different types and costs. Leann had spent hours convincing the Baileys that they couldn’t just buy it and give it to him.
“If I remember correctly,” Leann said, “that alarm clock cost me about seven dollars new, meaning it will take seven dollars to replace. You may pay me now.”
Tim stomped off, no doubt recalculating what he had in savings and what he’d have left. He’d put aside all his Christmas money, leaving him twenty-five short of his goal. He’d not earned a single dime in the month and a half since then but had spent some—mostly on items he could live without. She’d offered him plenty of earning opportunities, too.
“Here.” He returned and shoved a five, a one and four quarters in her hand. He turned, but before he made it to his bedroom door, she said, “Shower, no dawdling. Because you didn’t take one last night. Am I right?”
It was already after six thirty. They needed to get ready for school, have breakfast, and she had to get to work. Leann was as frustrated with herself as she was with them.
“Mom, do I have to take a shower, too?” Aaron asked, all hopeful. “I have gym class today, first thing, so I’ll just get dirty and smelly. Today’s Friday, so tomorrow’s the weekend and it’s okay if I smell.”
“Yes, you need a shower. No, it’s not okay to smell. You can go use mine so we save time.”
“I don’t like yours. I always get the floor wet.”
She gently nudged him in the direction of her bedroom. “Sometimes we have to make sacrifices. I’ll sacrifice my floor, you can sacrifice… What will you sacrifice?”
“My shower has cool Star Wars people on the walls while your shower has boring sunflowers.”
“Then, that’s your sacrifice.” She nudged a little harder and he took off.
Leann headed for the kitchen. At least once a month she managed to find the time to make ham, eggs and potatoes for the boys’ breakfast. Usually, though, it was pancakes or cereal. Today was a cereal kind of morning.
Even though Timothy got in the shower first, Aaron was out of the shower and dressed before his big brother sat down at the table. Leann fed Peaches because the boys wouldn’t have time. Poor ole mutt. He was just over seven and doing his best to pretend he wasn’t slowing down. He’d still prance after the boys when they were in the backyard but he no longer was willing to spend an hour chasing a ball, more like ten minutes. And, he was gaining weight, which is why Leann had instigated the walk-every-night rule.
She should have been home last night; instead, she’d been at Sarasota Falls Meteor Park again refereeing her sister and brother-in-law. This time a friend had called Leann directly instead of contacting the police department. It had taken Leann almost an hour to convince them to go home and go to bed.
When she’d finally walked through her front door, all she’d wanted to do was go to sleep. She never got enough sleep, another reason why this morning was already bumpy.
She watched her boys disappear down the sidewalk walking to school, then jumped into her car and headed for work. Fifteen minutes later, she entered the station and got a cup of coffee while Oscar sat finishing up what looked to be a report.
“I thought you were leaving today,” she said.
“Just as soon as I can finish this paperwork,” Oscar said, a grin spreading across his face. He and Gary really did look alike, except Gary was a bit taller, a bit darker skin tone, and there was something else about the man that Leann couldn’t quite put her finger on. “We took Little O to my mother’s last night,” Oscar continued, “and we’re taking Peeve out to Gary. We need to be in Santa Fe by two to catch the plane. We’ll be on the boat tomorrow. After that, we’ll be cut off, limited phone access.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “Shelley and I will be alone.”
Leann took a long swallow of hot brew and waved away the brochure he wanted to show her. She’d seen it. Oscar had the photos saved on his phone and every Sarasota Falls officer had seen the cruise ship at least a dozen times. When he and Shelley got to Alaska, he had a jeep tour scheduled, a historic walk and a few other outings.
He handed over his open tickets from the graveyard shift and rubbed a hand over his chin. “About my brother,” he began.
Leann didn’t say anything, just raised an eyebrow.
“He doesn’t talk much about his last tour of duty, but I know when he came back, he wasn’t the same.”
“What do you mean?” She took another swig, thinking that she didn’t want Oscar to confide in her but also knowing that she’d listen because she had to.
Had to. Gary intrigued her.
“Most people act different when they return from duty,” Leann pointed out.
“I know my brother, and he’s more serious than I’ve ever seen him. Plus, he seems to latch onto a project and not let go.”
So far, the Gary she’d witnessed didn’t seem moody, or remote, or troubled.
“I’m impressed with what he’s doing at the cabin. He’s been there barely a week and look what he’s accomplished.”
Leann could only nod. She’d been more than impressed by the kennels when she’d driven by yesterday.
“You know that Aunt Bianca’s wanting us to find out what happened to our father. He might ask you for some help.”
“I can help.”
Oscar nodded. “Good, just don’t let him get so involved that he forgets everything else.”
Gary was often there in the back of her mind, fading in and out, trying to get her attention, making her think of him, and more. If she were in high school, she’d call him a crush. She’s wasn’t a teenager, though, she was a mom, a sensible mom, and so she kept pushing the attraction away.
Now, here was Oscar making Gary more human, someone hurting, like she had.
“This time,” Oscar said, almost to himself instead of her, “Gary’s a bit more vulnerable.”
Leann nodded.
“I know my brother,” Oscar defended. “When he came back from his last tour, he didn’t hop on his motorcycle or quad and take off. Instead, he sold the motorcycle, bought an old truck and slept on the living room couch for a week before he could stay in his bedroom alone.”
She had a picture of Gary stretched out on a mattress, staring at the ceiling, his eyes seeing events he couldn’t shut out.
“I want you to check up on him every once in a while I’m gone,” Oscar said.
“I’m not sure I’m the one who—”
Oscar rolled his eyes. “He’s adjusting to civilian life. Believe me, it’s not easy. Shelley and I will only be gone a week. Please.”
“He’s getting along gangbusters with Russell.”
“And Russell’s a great help, but Russell’s a million years old and has troubles of his own.”
“I have troubles of my own. They’re aged ten and twelve.”
“Russell’s grandson, Jace Blackgoat, spent the night in jail over in Springer. He allegedly started a fight in a bar, busted up a table. The owner’s not going to press charges if Blackgoat pays for damages.”
“I know Jace. He wouldn’t—”
Oscar raised an eyebrow. “The Chief said the same thing, but the last two years, Jace has been in and out of trouble.”
Leann frowned. She knew Russell had a soft spot for the boy.
“Since Jace is this close,” Oscar continued, “he might show up at Russell’s. We should maybe be on the lookout. I’ve already called my brother. Now I’m telling you.”
“Bailey!” The chief stuck his head in the doorway. “What are you still doing here? Manager at Little’s Grocery Store just called. They’ve got a shoplifter.”
“Right, Chief.” Leann rinsed out her coffee cup, set it on the counter and began her day.
* * *
AFTER FILING THE report concerning the grocery store, she was back on patrol and came across Oscar and Shelley’s minivan on the side of the road. Her brother-in-law, Ray, was already there. “What’s going on?”
“Just a tire change,” Oscar said. “And we’re already an hour behind.” As if agreeing, Peeve, Oscar and Shelley’s dog, barked loudly.
“I happened to be passing by,” Ray explained.
“I’ll leave you to it. Changing a tire’s nothing for you.”
Ray grinned.
“Wait,” Oscar said, “there is something you can do to help.”
He opened the car door, wrapped Peeve’s leash around his hand, guided the dog to the cruiser and smiled hopefully at Leann. “My brother’s agreed to watch him. Would you mind driving him out to Gary’s place? You’re going out there to talk to Russell about Jace, right?”
No, she didn’t mind helping out with Peeve. The ten-year-old German shepherd was the best-behaved dog in Sarasota Falls, maybe the world. Peeve would never eat an alarm clock, ever. Unless it would somehow save the people he loved.
“I’ll take him.” Leann accepted the leash. “I definitely need to talk to Russell anyway. I just came from a grab-and-go. Little’s Grocery Store has a surveillance camera that caught a shoplifter. One of the cashiers said he looked a lot like Jace Blackgoat. I did the math. It would have taken him an hour to drive here from Springer. The shoplifting occurred almost two hours ago.”
“Russell doesn’t need to deal with this at his age.”
“No,” Leann agreed, “he doesn’t.”
“What did Jace take?”
“A bag of cookies.”
“Weird. You call me if you need anything. I’ll have phone service for the next twenty-four hours.” Oscar loaded a huge back of dog food, a dozen treats and some toys into Leann’s backseat. Then he waved goodbye as he got into his vehicle.
Peeve looked at his leash and then at Oscar’s disappearing vehicle quizzically, his expression saying, “Really? I’m going with her and not you?”
She radioed in her time and location, then took off to deliver Peeve and check on Russell.
She didn’t even make it to the outskirts of town before she spotted a young girl on the sidewalk, looking a little distressed. The girl’s thin T-shirt did nothing to ward off the weather and the jeans were faded and threadbare. Winter was the only time Leann halfway appreciated the thirty-five pounds of gear she carried.
Leann hesitated, watching, trying to decide if she could spot parents, any adult supervision. Nope. Leann knew almost everyone in Sarasota Falls as well as a lot of their relatives, and this girl didn’t seem or look familiar. She hoped she was all right. Pulling to the side of the road, Leann stepped out of her squad car and approached slowly. “Hello, are you in trouble? Do you need some help?”
The girl had straggly red hair and dark circles under her eyes.
“Honey, are you lost?”
“I am not lost.” No slur, no stutter, not a care in the world.
“Are you visiting someone in town?” Leann asked casually, not showing any emotion other than concern, although her mind quickly ran through the possibilities. “Can I call someone for you?”
“My father. I’m looking for my father.” The girl fell to her knees, giggled a bit, then quickly stood up and gripped a streetlight pole for support. Leann couldn’t tell what the matter was exactly. Didn’t matter. This was a minor who needed help.
“You have ID?”
“Why? I’m not doing anything wrong.”
“Do you have any ID?”
“Nope,” the girl replied and again slid to her knees.
Leann helped her up and escorted her to the backseat of her car. The last time she’d had a teenager back there, it had been one of the Bouder brothers who’d spray painted I LOVE YOU KATIE on the outside wall of a women’s restroom at the college. Leann wasn’t sure Katie Nesbit approved of the location or the message.
Peeve scooted over.
Leann soon parked in front of the station, escorted Peeve and the girl inside. The girl promptly sat at a table and put her head down.
“Are you hungry?” Leann asked.
No answer.
“Everything okay here?” Lucas asked.
“I’m not sure. She hasn’t been able to tell me anything and possibly has no ID either.”
“I’ll call for a child advocate,” Lucas said.
“Do that, but first we need to get this girl to the hospital and find out what’s wrong.”
“Right away.” Lucas picked up the phone, but paused first to say, “Lydia Blackgoat, married name Whitefeather, has been in touch. She says to please call her. Her brother hasn’t been in touch recently.”
“Blackgoats aren’t scared of anyone,” the girl said.
“You know Jace?” Lucas asked.
The girl shook her head. “Nope, never heard of a Jace.”
Leann couldn’t stay; she was on patrol, but it was turning out to be an interesting day. “Call me when you find out who she is. And, if you can, find out how she’s connected to Jace Blackgoat.”
Leann finally left the outskirts of town and hit the open pavement. Soon, she and Peeve were on their way to Gary’s. Funny, she was already thinking of it as Gary’s place and of him as Russell’s number one buddy.
Leann didn’t respond to any calls, but Lucas phoned with an update on the girl. She was Trudy Gilmore and her last address was two years old.
Peeve kept his head poked out the lowered window and issued a soft bark to let her know they were close to Gary’s.
Her tires crunched on rigid grass as she parked next to Gary’s truck. Russell was asleep in a chair outside and Gary busied himself adding finishing touches on a well-constructed dog kennel. Wilma was already barking a welcome. Goober was at Gary’s heels but left to come greet her. Gary didn’t pause from his work, merely nodded at her, and continued on what looked like a door.
“Hey,” she called, after radioing in.
“Hey back at you,” he replied easily.
“Looking good.” She nodded at the structure.
“That’s what all the women say.” Gary smiled warmly, as if really enjoying his own joke.
She let Peeve out of the back. Peeve and Goober did a doggy-type welcome, and together they walked toward Gary. She waited until he stopped hammering and asked, “Has anyone besides Russell been by today?”
“No. Why?”
“We think his grandson, Jace, might be in town. He could be in trouble.”
“What kind of trouble?”
Quickly, Leann filled him in on the details of the grocery store incident and what had happened in Springer last night.
“I’ll keep an eye out,” Gary promised.
“Another thing, we found a young girl who recognized the name Blackgoat, although she’s not from around here.”
Before Gary could comment, Russell said from behind them, “Jace never comes to Sarasota Falls. And, he doesn’t take what doesn’t belong to him.”
“We’re pretty sure it’s him.” Leann studied the man who’d been more of a grandpa to her sons than her father had. She hated to worry him, but it had to be done. “One of the cashiers was pretty adamant about the identification.”
“She’s mistaken. Jace has been dealing with identity theft for the last couple of years. Every time he thinks he has it taken care of, it rears its ugly head again.” Russell took a step toward Gary’s truck, and then turned back to say, “Want to drive me home?”
Gary laid the hammer in a toolbox and asked, “Why do you want to go home?”
“It’s time.”
Leann could see Russell’s hands trembling.
“I’ll take you,” she offered.
Russell went toward the cruiser. Gary didn’t hesitate. “I’m coming, too.” He closed his toolbox, hurried to the camper, returned and then put the dogs in the kennel before locking up and slipping into his truck. To Leann’s dismay, he didn’t wait for her but started his truck, and was off before she had time to radio her time, location and intent.
Russell didn’t say a word from the backseat. She didn’t say anything either, instinctively knowing he’d not want her to debate.
The shoplifter hadn’t offered any ID obviously, instead, all they had was the recollection of the cashier.
When they got to his cabin, his front door was wide open. Russell said a word he normally wouldn’t say in front of Leann.
Leann wanted to say the same word because Gary was already out of his truck and to the side of the cabin, doing exactly what Leann should be doing.
She wanted to shout, “Get back here,” but if anyone was inside, she didn’t want to alert them to Gary’s whereabouts.
Gary inched along, his back to the cabin until he was right next to the open door. Then, he ducked down, positioned himself so he was looking into the cabin and thereby blocking any view Leann hoped to have. Leann simmered and exited the cruiser, and hurried to the cabin.
“All clear,” he shouted from inside.
Yeah, he acted a whole lot like a cop, from how he moved to how comfortable he was giving her a status report.
She peeked around the front door left ajar. Gary was exiting the kitchen and heading up the stairs to the loft. How he acted reminded her of Oscar.
It meant a whole lot more now, knowing that in all probability, if her radar was working correctly—and it usually was, albeit a few weeks late—Gary had been military police.
In a war zone. Just one more Guzman trying to outpolice her.