It was a subtle power move.
I didn’t like it.
I didn’t like her.
“I just had to use the little girl’s room. Coffee’s this way, right? By the toaster?”
I did some calculations for how long she’d been out of our sight. Two minutes. Maybe three. Long enough to do a quick look around of the bottom floor.
“Yep,” I said, switching our hold so I had her arm and could move her more easily. “Right in here.” I gave her a full-watt smile and started walking so she’d have to start moving.
“When did you meet Ryder?” she asked, pressing close to me all buddy-buddy like.
“I grew up here and he did too. So I’ve known him for a long time.”
“Oh, that’s so romantic. I don’t know why he never mentioned you!” She laughed like we were both in on just the greatest joke.
I knew what she was doing. I knew her type. Had been around this chummy-with-claws kind of person more than once in my life.
“So how long are you staying?” I asked, moving in front of her to get the coffee and then handing it to her.
“Didn’t Ryder tell you?”
I lifted my fingers to indicated that no, he hadn’t.
“Well, he does like to keep secrets, doesn’t he? I bet he never even mentioned me.”
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from telling her she could pack up her game board because I wasn’t gonna play.
“Are you looking for a hotel for the night?” I opened the fridge and pulled out cream and flavored creamer, putting them on the counter next to her.
She sipped the coffee and then frowned at the cup. “This is really good.”
“We Pacific North Westerners know good flannel, good blue jeans, and good coffee.”
She reached for the cream and poured a dollop. “I couldn’t possibly bother you and Ryder to put me up on the couch for the night.”
“No,” I said, “you couldn’t. But the Sand Garden should have a room open. Or if you’d rather a bed and breakfast we have one of those in town too.”
“I wouldn’t want to be in the way.”
“Of what? Ordinary counts on touristry. We have plenty of local shops, a couple restaurants, a brew pub, and of course the beach, which is never crowded, and 100% public access.”
She made a sound like she was impressed. Then glanced over her shoulder as if she were expecting Ryder to be standing there. “You’re the police chief here, is that right?”
“Yes.”
“I would love to do a ride along. See what small-town policing looks like these days. Maybe write up an article about how one little town in Oregon keeps the peace.”
“Article? I thought you did interior design?”
She blinked, her expression freezing before her smile was back on. “Oh, I do. I’m sure Ryder told you I did the decor for all his most prestigious clients back in the day. But since then, I’ve spent some time in California, and decided my passion is writing. Not screenplays, which is what everyone always asks me down there. You know,” she made a weird smiling grimace, “Hollywood. But I write feel-good, slice-of-life travel pieces. I like to make people happy. Totally a people pleaser, you know.”
What I knew was she was spinning a line of horse hockey.
“Well, the Sand Garden has a great view of the beach. I’m sure they’d love to be mentioned in your slice-of-life.”
“I’m not a hotel reviewer, Delaney. I’m a journalist.”
