“I was just talking to our new friend, trying not to be impressed with her ability to humble the old man.”
Santiago arched his brow.
“I know, it’s bordering on disloyalty, but we both know that if he could’ve gotten away with it, Anderson would’ve sold me to the highest bidder a long time ago.”
From what Audrey and Aunt Lina said, it was on account of Anderson questioning Andy’s legitimacy because Andy’s mother had a string of affairs before Andy was born. A paternity test would’ve cleared things up long ago, but Anderson hadn’t wanted any evidence that confirmed his wife’s infidelities, and Andy didn’t want confirmation that would’ve given his father a reason to cut him from the will and family legacy, which if Ms. Green was right, wouldn’t amount to much of anything now.
Getting inside his cruiser he waited silently for Ms. Green to get in the back seat. Instead, she closed the passenger door and buckled her seat belt. Eventually she turned to glare at him.
“For someone in a rush to leave, you’re really being the poster boy for going nowhere fast, Sheriff.”
Santiago took off his glasses, allowing her to see the wildfire he kept tethered inside; controlled, unlike hers, which was chaotic, trying to burn down everything within her reach. He let her see that it was within him, the violence, but unlike her, hechose to keep it under wraps. Even in this moment when his fingers itched to grab her up and pin her down…
“It’s just you and me, Stillwater,” she said, leaning toward him. “You wanna go, we can go.”
He continued to stare at her, then put his glasses back on and started the engine.
“There is something wrong with you, Ms. Green,” he stated as he put the cruiser in drive and pulled off. “Folks may not see it, but I see it. Your antics have descended to a realm of fucking unhealthy and unhinged. But you can be enchanting, a novel distraction from folks’ day-to-day. And I’ll admit, you have a way about you that demands attention. But that combination…that makes you dangerous, Ms. Green, and I don’t want that danger to cause harm to people I care about.”
She remained quiet. He continued with a gentler tone.
“I’ll give you the rest of the weekend because a few folks would be sad for you to leave abruptly, but come Monday, I need you out of Lina’s bed and breakfast.”
“So, I’mnotunder arrest,” she asked as he pulled to a stop outside the sheriff’s department. “I just need to hear you say it?”
“Ms. Green, there’re a lot of things you need that take precedence over me telling you something you already know…things like therapy or anger management;theyshould be at the top of your list of needs. But yes, you’re free to go.”
She rested her head against the headrest and smiled at him.
“I just like being around you, Sheriff. Your granite-faced stoicism has a kind of calming effect on me.”
She did seem calmer, more serene.
“Bullshit,” he said, appreciating her ability to tactically turn on a dime. “What do you want?”
“I need a ride to Saige’s shop, and I don’t feel like walking in these heals. I don’t want to get my car because it’s full and I don’t want anybody stealing my shit.”
“This ain’t Oakland, Ms. Green. Nobody wants to deal with you or your shit.”
“Touché, Sheriff, but the mayor of Oakland never lunged over a table to try and choke me out. I don’t think you fully grasp the level of criminality here in Shrouded Lake; makes me feel like I can’t trust you to do your job with competence.”
That felt like a direct hit, because for the third time in as many days, none of the Archers had seen as much jail time as her.
“Anyway, how about that ride?”
“Do you want to press charges against the mayor?” he asked, heading to Saige’s shop.
“I think I’ve made him pay enough for now.”
“Ms. Green?—”
“Don’t worry, Stillwater. I promise I’ll be on my best behavior until I leave the bed and breakfast.”
Later that night, Santiago was tired and irritable, yet he found himself driving toward Aunt Lina’s instead of home once work was over. He wasn’t going inside; he just wanted to make sure the house was still standing.
Color him unsurprised when he saw Lauren walking toward the house carrying her carry-on sized purse.
The woman was always moving, always in motion, as if she was allergic to stillness. He hung back hoping she didn’t notice the headlights of his cruiser. He didn’t want a confrontation, yet the rise of his irritation told him there would be one. Ms. Green was entirely too reckless walking out here by herself. If not for the dim streetlights, the night would’ve devoured her whole.The fog was already moving toward the center of town, and she didn’t know this land well enough to fear it.
