“The Finlays? You think that’s wise, considering they’re the town assholes?”
“Everyone deserves a second chance, Brady.”
“It’s my understanding they’ve had plenty of those, and the townsfolk want them out.”
Cubby faced his deputy. “I think it was the right call to make.”
Brady gave him a nod, but Cubby could see he wasn’t happy.
“I understand your doubts, but I believe they’re the men for this.”
“Of course that’s your decision to make.”
Cubby watched his deputy walk out of his office.
Tank whistled softly. “Sounds like our boy Brady is coming to love this little town.”
Cubby agreed. Brady was turning into a solid deputy, and that display told him he was also beginning to settle in and take ownership of the town. Maybe he’d take him on full-time if he wanted to stay.
At five, he left the office, collected some stuff from his house, and then drove to where Jilly Lee’s body had been found. Walking over the ground, he studied if from every angle again, as he had several times already, then when he’d seen enough he went to Katie’s.
She was swimming when he got there. The evening was hot, the sun sinking slowly in the sky, and she was on her back floating about in the water.
“Hey, you.”
“Hey you back, and if you’re not wearing the black that I’ve imagined you in all day, then that will do,” he said from the deck of the houseboat. She wore an emerald bikini with white polka dots, and it showed off vast amounts of skin and curves and had him hot in seconds.
“You look flustered, Sheriff.”
“A bit.”
“You want a swim or a soda, take your pick.” She turned on her front and paddled toward him.
“I didn’t bring my shorts so I guess I can’t come in.”
“Soda it is then.” She was laughing up at him now, her hands resting on the back of the houseboat. Her eyes were clear, shadows beneath gone. He’d heard from E.J. yesterday, and so far no word had come out that the Alessis knew it was Katie who’d fired the shot that killed their brother, so he thought that getting her out of LA as quickly as they had seemed to have kept her identity safe.
“You giving me sass, princess?” Cubby crouched and reached for her. Hauling her up his body, he kissed her long and deep.
“Y-you’re wet now.” Her lashes were spiky, lips red from his kiss.
“I’d better take a swim then.” Before she could react, he’d thrown her back in the water, where she made a loud splash and sank. She came to the surface spluttering.
“Asshole!”
“Tsk tsk.” Cubby started pulling off his clothes. “That’s no way to speak to the sheriff. I may have to punish you for that.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You’d have to catch me first.”
Cubby pulled off his boots as she disappeared under the water. He stripped off his jeans and boxers, took off his watch, and then dived in after her. Katie had always been an awesome swimmer, but then so was he. Surfacing, he saw her to his left, swimming for the floating pontoon they used to play on as kids. They reached it at the same time.
“I won,” she managed, hauling in a breath.
“How do you figure that?” He wrapped an arm around her waist and her legs wrapped around him.
“Because I did; my hand touched first.”
“I remember you always cheated.” He nibbled on her jaw. “And we let you because you were the girl.”
