“Be there in five. Don’t get out of your car.”
“Not going to,” I said to dead air. There was something pretty cool about dating a cop who could come to your rescue with lights flashing and sirens blaring.Oh, Chad, you stupid fool.
I sat right where I was, and when he realized I wasn’t getting out, he headed toward me. Grabbing my purse, I fished around in it until my fingers closed around my mace. As long as he didn’t get crazy on me and break my window, I’d wait for Dylan to get here. If not, Chad was going to need an eye doctor. I’d never gotten around to filing a restraining order on him, but I’d correct that as soon as I saw Dylan.
Chad tapped on my window. “Jenn, can we just talk? I love you.” He pulled on my door handle. “Please, unlock your door and talk to me.”
I held up the mace. “I swear I’ll spray you,” I yelled.
He put his hands at the bottom of my window, his puppy-dog eyes pleading with me. “I messed up, baby. I know that. Just give me a chance to make it up to you.”
I turned my radio up so loud that my car vibrated. That was probably why I didn’t hear Dylan’s car screech to a halt next to me. All of a sudden Dylan was there, forcing Chad away with nothing but his body. All I could think was wow, Dylan hadn’t even laid a hand on Chad yet was herding him out of my sight.
“Tell him as of right now, there’s a restraining order filed against him,” I called to Dylan after I rolled down my window.
“You heard the lady,” Dylan said as he pushed Chad to the back of my car.
I looked in my rearview window, seeing that they were having a heated conversation. I really didn’t care what was being said between them. While their attention was on each other, I slipped out of my car and ran into my apartment. I had a moment of thinking I should just lock my door to men in general. But no, Dylan needed some TLC tonight. And not only that, I tossed some toiletries and some extra clothes into a tote to leave at his place.
I’d thought about it on the drive over, deciding that leaving some stuff at his place was simply a matter of convenience. It didn’t mean that when it was time to leave, I would hesitate to do so. With that clear in my mind, I stepped out of my apartment after a quick shower and change of clothes, a canvas bag in my hand.
“Oh, I thought you two would have headed home by now,” I said at seeing Dylan and Daisy waiting outside my door as if they were standing guard.
Dylan threw an arm around my shoulder. “He won’t bother you again.”
I believed him, unless Chad was stupider than I thought. Dylan and Daisy walked me to Dylan’s Mustang, one on either side of me as if both were protecting me. When I tried to head for my car, Dylan herded me toward his.
“I’ll bring you home in the morning, okay?”
I shrugged. “Sure.”
He took my tote from me. “Does this have girlie things in it?”
“You mean like things I might leave at your place?”
“Yes, Red. That’s what I mean.”
“Maybe.” Why not? I could take them back as easily as I brought them.
Suddenly his mouth was on mine. I guess that answer made him happy. He sucked my bottom lip into his mouth, and at my soft moan, he pulled away.
“Let’s go home.”
I liked the way that sounded a little too much.
He opened the door. “In the back, Daisy,” he said when the dog jumped onto the passenger seat.
The dog gave me a baleful look before scrambling between the seats. “Poor Daisy. Did I steal your place?”
“She’ll get over it.” Dylan reached back and gave the dog’s head a pat. “Looked like you were busy tonight. When I pulled in, the parking lot was packed.”
I was glad he’d brought it up since I was dying of curiosity. “Everyone wanted to either hear the gossip about Beauregard, or they wanted to be the one to tell what they’d heard. Seems you and your detective are heroes for finding him. That’s what they’re all saying, anyway.”
Dylan laughed. “Beauregard doesn’t think so. He’s head over heels in love with Granny. Wasn’t real happy about being taken away from her.”
“Did she know the bull was the missing Beauregard? It was common knowledge when he disappeared that Mr. Scroggins accused Roland of taking him. I can’t see how she didn’t hear anything about it.”
“To quote Granny when I asked that exact question, ‘I ain’t knowed nothing about it. The bull showed up one day ’n’ stayed.’ Then she crossed her arms over her chest and glared at me, saying around the corncob pipe in her mouth, ‘I’m a law-uring up now, sonny boy, so dontcha be asking me no more questions.’ So I didn’t. If she wasn’t admitting to anything, what was I going to do? Throw her in jail? The entire town probably would’ve turned on me.”
