"Why?" Her tone is calmer now, but she is ardent. "Why do you want me to watch my mouth? Because I'm making you uncomfortable?"
Wes rubs the bridge of his nose. "All of this is uncomfortable, Jessie." He looks pointedly at what she's wearing.
"So? You came here to find me. To my home, where I was drinking coffee and enjoying the view with Sawyer. If that makes you uncomfortable, that's not my problem. It's not my job to adjust my behavior to meet your comfort level. Especially not when I'm in my own home."
"This is Warner's place," Beau grumbles.
"Not anymore," Jessie shakes her head. "It's mine." She stares at both men, daring them to continue.
Wes rises to the occasion, staring Jessie down in equal measure. He towers over her, but her aura is such that she is his equal.
"What did you want, Wes? You came here to find me."
He reaches into his back pocket. He unfolds a brightly colored, shiny mailer. "Do you know anything about this?"
Jessie's lips press together. Wes waves the mailer in the air. I can't see what it says, but I damn sure recognize the picture.
"May I see that?" I ask, hand extended.
Wes gives it to me.
"What the…" my voice trails off. It's the alfalfa farmer in what appears to be a mug shot. The large, bold text beside him reads:This man is a registered sex offender.Below it is a website address.
Now it makes sense. Why he sold to me suddenly. Why he left town. I turn to Jessie.
"Did you do this?"
Her expression is stoic. “I felt it was my duty to make certain the people who lived near him knew of the risk he posed."
I think back to the woman across the street. Now I'm not sure if he had a crush, or was thinking of something more sinister. My stomach turns at the thought.
"What if he was simply a man who'd had a relationship with a sixteen or seventeen-year-old when he was eighteen?" Wes asks Jessie. "That happens too, you know. And if the girl had a pissed-off dad, and he pressed charges," he shrugs with one shoulder. "Boom. Registered sex offender."
Jessie gathers her hair in one hand, then lets it drop. ”Unfortunately, there isn't a way to know the details of the crime, only the address of the offender."
Wes looks at her like he can’t believe her words. “You might have ruined his life, Jessie."
She snorts. "Hardly. He'll move somewhere else and register his new address like he's supposed to. And the HCC and Wildflower will get their water again, thanks to Sawyer. Problem solved."
Wes drops the exasperation and smiles begrudgingly. "You're goddamn crazy in the best way, Calamity.” He rubs the back of his neck. “Would you mind coming to the homestead this morning? I’d like to hear some of your ideas.”
Jessie nods, furtively biting the inside corner of her lip. I think she’s trying to hide her excitement.
Wes gives me a sidelong glance. "We'll leave now. Obviously we assumed you were alone when we came barging in here."
"No problem," Jessie says flippantly, still not taking the opportunity to set the record straight about why I'm here, and I'd love to know why. I'm about to speak up, but think better of it and keep my mouth shut. She must have a reason.
Beau and Wes say an awkward goodbye and leave.
"You sent those mailers out?" I already know she did, but I have to ask again because it's not something I’d ever think to do.
"I sent one to every person who lives on his street."
"And all you did was look him up on that website?"
She nods. "I had a bad feeling about him that day we rode onto his property. Call it women's intuition."
"Incredible." I scratch at the scruff on my jaw. "Why did you let your dad and Wes think we slept together?"
