“Very good thank you, ma’am.”
“Well, one can hope you learned something for your time in that city.”
Big and rawboned, the woman could in no way be called delicate. She could intimidate with just a look, and Cubby had to remind himself he was the sheriff of Howling, not her.
“I did.” he kept his word brief; usually the best policy.Don’t engage, listen then agree, and above everything, this woman may annoy the shit out of me on a weekly basis, but I will always owe her my respect.
“Those Finlay brothers have been acting up since you left, and your deputies dealt with it, but I thought you should be made aware that the townsfolk are not happy.”
“So I hear, and you can be assured I will be talking to them ASAP.”
He saw Katie over her shoulder, making her way down to the lake.
“They’re trouble, Sheriff Hawker, that’s the problem. Thieving, driving too fast, and parties; it’s happening far too regularly for our liking.”
He wasn’t sure what else he could do about them as he’d arrested them numerous times, broken up their fights, and hauled them in for harassing women. They’d never done anything that earned them a good stretch of time behind bars, more’s the pity. At least they lived out of town, up a driveway surrounded by trees, so no one had to look at them or the hovel they resided in.
“My deputies and I will see to it, ma’am.”
Her mouth formed a tight circle before she nodded her head regally and marched past him down the road.
“Remind me again why I came back to this town?” Cubby said to no one as he struck out across the road, his feet instinctively heading in the same direction Katie had taken. He told himself he was just checking on her because she’d been angry when she left his office. He saw her in the distance, walking the edge of the lake, eyes down, thoughts no doubt twisting and turning around inside that head of hers. She’d always been a thinker, someone who had to analyze everything before putting it out of her head. Funny how he knew so much about her, when it was her brother who was his friend. He’d watched her grow up though, had seen her change from a gangly, long-legged colt into a beautiful young woman.
Turning left at the last shop, he headed along the edge of the lake until he reached the Hoot. Buster was wiping a table down and saw him. Mouthing something that Cubby was sure constituted an insult, he sent two fingers his way. Pointing to the word “sheriff” on his hat earned him nothing but another rude gesture, so he carried on walking.
“No respect,” Cubby said as he reached the small shed attached to the back of the Hoot. He punched in a sequence of numbers then opened the padlock and the door. Stepping inside, he walked out seconds later with a two-man kayak and paddle. Lowering it into the water, Cubby settled himself into the rear seat. Pushing off the bank with his paddle, he caused a ripple in the calm waters as he headed in Katie’s direction. She’d covered some ground before he reached her.
“Want a ride?”
He’d startled her, because she made a small squeaking sound. In the old days she would have made a loud one, deafening him, and followed it with a few curses. Jake was right, she had changed, in many ways. This Katie was quieter, serious and contained.
“I’m okay, thanks.”
“Mind if I keep you company then?”
“You’re in a kayak; how do you plan to do that if I cut inland?”
“See, that’s why you should get in here, so I don’t have to get out, drag the kayak up, then follow you.”
“I don’t want you following me, nor do I need it.”
Cubby sighed loud enough for her to hear. “I don’t remember you being so bitchy before you left.”
“I’m not bitchy! I’m injured and my friends were fucking murdered before my eyes!”
He saw the surprise in her face; she hadn’t planned that outburst, it had just happened. Good, she needed to let some of that stuff inside her out.
“And here’s me without my violin,” Cubby said, stealing the phrase from one of his friends, but not sure which one.
She turned, and he braced himself for an attack. He wouldn’t put it past her to tip him in the lake. Her brown eyes were narrowed and shooting death rays at him.
“I can’t believe you said that.”
“I know you’re hurting, princess. I know you can’t make sense out of this but you want to, and I know you pretty much hate the world right about now, and especially me, but here’s the thing. I can offer you a few minutes of peace on the lake you love. You don’t have to talk, just sit. In fact, I’d be grateful if you did, because I got some thinking I need to do and I can’t do that with you chirping in my ear.”
“I don’t hate you, Cubby.”
“Sure you do, and let’s get real here: I’m an asshole, so it’s justified.”
