“Okay.”She smoothed the skirt of her new dress.“I do have my pride.”
“Of course.”
Milly tilted her head back, squared her shoulders, and with her nose only slightly pinkened, she ignored Jim and walked past him to the outdoors.
Jim followed her progress darkly.
Ben held the door for the women.
The crowd milled, growing heavier.The country band had struck up on the stage, raising the noise level close to deafening.Several people recognized Sarah, shouted her name, and she waved back.The youth wearing the Rhubarb costume ambled past in his red tennies.
Festival goers wanted her to sign their hats and booklets, others wanted selfies.She happily took pens and smiled for their cell phone cameras.
As best he could, Ben kept her and Milly moving and led them back to the roped off area where they could watch the dunk tank.He pulled up the folding chairs and got them sodas.Only a few feet away, he stood watch.
Seeing him, Chief King approached.He wore his dark blue uniform and, on his chest, his gold badge shone.“Everything’s quiet so far,” he said.“All good with your men?I see Sarah’s fine—” He froze, his gaze going to Milly.He stared, giving her the once-over.
“Hello, Chief King,” Milly said.“Thank you for your service in keeping our city safe.You make it look as easy as falling off a piece of cake.”
Sarah bit her lip and decided not to make a correction.
The chief didn’t seem to notice.“Miss Milly, do these old eyes deceive me?Is that you?”An admiring smile bloomed over his features.“Why, you’re pretty as a peach.”
She blushed.“Oh, go on.”
His smile didn’t fade.“I’m on break for thirty minutes.I’d be right pleased if you’d join me in a stroll.”With as courtly a gesture as Sarah had ever seen, the Chief offered his arm.
Rising gracefully to her feet, Milly took his arm.“I’d love it.Lead the way, kind sir.”
Proudly, the man escorted Milly away.
Sarah watched them go, pleased.“Funny, what a littlepaintcan do,” she said dryly.
Ben nodded at the couple, their heads close together as they chatted, Milly’s arm linked in his.“When Big Jim gets a gander at that, he’s gonna explode.”
“Serves him right,” she said with relish.“He was just awful to her.”Then, she sighed.“Hey, that soda has gone right through me.I need to go to the ladies’ room.”
“The one in the diner?”
“No, there’re small public restrooms on the corner.One for men, one for women.It’s closer.”
As she tossed her paper cup into the trash, Ben spoke into his throat mic, reporting their movements.With a hand on her back, he guided her along the row of adjoined brick buildings until they reached the corner of the town square.Here, the crowd thinned.The youth wearing the rhubarb costume strode past them, reaching the alcove outside the restrooms first.His boots tapping on the tile flooring, he turned left into the men’s room.
Ben escorted Sarah to the alcove, saw that she was headed into the ladies’ section, and left to station himself outside.
He didn’t like having Sarah out of his sight, but he supposed he couldn’t exactly go into the restroom with her.She would be safe in there.He glanced up and down the nearly empty side street.
A troubling notion nibbled at his consciousness.A fact he should recognize, yet it hovered just outside his reach, dancing away.He couldn’t put his finger on it.There was something amiss.
Something was wrong.
