“So, I heard these noises like cries. And there were lights flashing through my kitchen window. Which maybe means someone was walking around the back of the house or the forest behind with flashlights. I don’t know what they would be doing or what those noises might have come from, though.”
“Now, how about we leave the detective work to the professionals, okay?” he said.
She bit her lip so she didn’t point out that he wasn’t an actual detective. He still had more experience than her.
When he didn’t immediately move to investigate, she wondered if she’d missed something.
“Um, are you going to go look?” she asked.
“Sure. Sure. Lock up. In case those ghosts come back. I’ll go searching for them.”
Nope. It was official.
Definitely a doofus.
Twenty minutes later, he knocked on her door again. By this stage, she was tired and cold. She’d gotten dressed and had just made herself a hot chocolate. She carried the mug with her to open the door.
Then she realized she hadn’t checked who it was first. Eli wouldn’t be happy. Well, he’d never know and it wasn’t like anyone else would knock on her door at this time of night.
Deputy Doofus smiled at her while leaning against the doorway. He seemed to think he was hot stuff as he crossed his arms. “You know if you wanted to see me again you didn’t have to make something up. You could have just told me.”
“I wasn’t making anything up and I didn’t want to see you.”
His gaze narrowed. “No need to be rude.”
“There’s also no need to be condescending and dismissive. Despite the fact that you seem to think you’re amazing, I didn’t make anything up to get you here. And I would appreciate you being professional.”
Anger filled his face and for a moment fear flooded her. But he just backed off.
“Well, I’m going to leave now. Please try not to waste police time again, Ms. Bridges.”
That.
Asshole.
Horse growled at him.
“And make sure that mutt doesn’t come near me. If he bites me, I’ll have no choice but to put him down. Already had one complaint about him.”
Fear flooded her and she quickly shut and locked the door. Leaning back against it, she slid down onto her bottom and drew her legs up to her chest. Horse leaned into her.
“Who even made that first complaint?” she asked, realizing she’d forgotten about that. “Don’t worry. I won’t let him near you, Horse. In the morning, we’re going to see Jake and we’regoing to file a complaint. And if he doesn’t listen, we’ll just have to move. This place isn’t exactly turning out to be the paradise I thought it was.”
Sniffling, she threw her arms around him and hugged him tight.
Eli saton Jake’s desk while Kellan stood leaning against the wall by the door. When Jake walked in, he startled then sighed, shaking his head.
Poor guy looked tired. He should take a vacation.
Eli couldn’t imagine how much work it must take to be the sheriff of Haven. But Jake did a far better job than the sheriff who had been in office when Eli was younger. Frank had been a hunting buddy of his father.
And fucking useless when it came to protecting him and his brothers.
“How did Eleanor not see you come in?” he grumbled.
“We’re FBI agents,” Eli told him. “We can sneak in wherever we like.”
“Also, she’s getting old and blind,” Kellan said. “She should really retire.”
