I quickly shut down the intrusive thought, ignoring how tempting it would be to have unlimited access to her.
Birdie’s eyes twinkle, holding me pinned in place. “We both know Briar would never forgive you if you kept me in here.”
I scoff. “I’m not afraid of my sister.”
Okay, maybe just a little. Behind Briar’s brilliant smile is a force of nature when it comes to protecting her friends.
“Maybe. Maybe not.” She grips the bars as she angles her face closer. “Still, I’d hate for you to have to explain to her and Charlie why I spent the night shivering and starving while you did nothing to intervene.”
Birdie knows full well my shift only started an hour ago, but she isn’t above using a little creative license to get a rise out of me—and she’s succeeding brilliantly.
I should’ve figured this could happen with Mason left alone on duty. One of his many shortcomings is his inability to cover even the basics for someone in custody. There’s not even a goddamn pillow or blanket in Birdie’s cell, and it’s a good thing Iarrived when I did, or she might’ve been in far worse shape than just uncomfortable.
My hands twitch at my sides, fists tightening as guilt settles in my chest. I would’ve come sooner if I’d known, but I was caught up delivering a calf, and complications kept me busy until well past dawn.
I only work three shifts a week as a volunteer deputy. The rest of my time goes to running Silver Saddle Ranch with Heath. Still, I should’ve kept a closer eye on Birdie with Sheriff Matterson out of town. She’s one of my sister’s best friends and as sweet as they come, yet she somehow manages to cause more trouble than anyone I’ve ever met.
“Let me guess—you spent the night at Blue Moon Tavern, and had to drag yourself out of some woman’s bed for this?” Birdie chimes in when I don’t respond right away. “You do have a knack for getting yourself into questionable positions…” My lips twitch into a crooked grin, and when she looks at me, a rosy blush spreads across her cheeks. “Uh… I just mean that you’re popular with the ladies.”
She’s so damn cute when she’s flustered.
I take a step closer to her cell. “Are you jealous, Birdie?”
“Me? Jealous? That’s absurd.” She scoffs, the flush on her cheeks deepening.
Admittedly, I had more than my fair share of flings back in high school and my early twenties. In a town this small, gossip spreads like wildfire, and my past still precedes me. Sure, there were perks, like women bringing me homemade pie to the station and constantly approaching me at the bar, but the thrill quickly faded.
These days, I prefer my nights low-key, and yes, sometimes that means keeping tabs on the one woman who doesn’t seem interested in anything more than friendship.
Birdie tips her head, rocking back on her heels. “So are you planning to bust me out of here, or am I calling this cell my home until my dad’s back? If I’m staying, you’re in charge of feeding my animals. That means stopping by three times a day—Nugget expects her midday snack of cheese and mealworms at two, and Pickles won’t touch her slop unless there are apple slices mixed in. Thin ones, not chunks. I made that mistake last month, and she flipped the trough. She held a grudge until I apologized with a peace offering of warm, molasses-soaked oats.” Birdie dramatically wipes her brow and then seems to remember something, adding quickly, “Just don’t go in the shed, okay?”
I eye her suspiciously. “Why not?”
She avoids my gaze, suddenly fascinated by the concrete floor. “No reason.”
“Any chance I’d stumble across a limping cow or a donkey with sad eyes in there?”
She lets out a nervous giggle, waving me off. “No, nothing like that. It’s just a mess. That’s where I store all the animal supplies, and I can’t organize to save my life.”
“I see,” I say, tone deliberately neutral.
Even if she weren’t the worst liar in Bluebell, the surveillance footage Mason showed me earlier leaves no doubt that my little thief was behind the county fair animal heist everyone’s been gossiping about for almost a year. Her face is obscured, but her signature pink overalls and the floral bandana tied at the top of her head might as well be a name tag—which is why that footage will never see the light of day.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I check to see that I have a text from my sister.
Briar: We’re here. You finished with your power trip yet? I’d like my friend released now.
Walker: She’ll be out soon.
When I found out Birdie was in custody, I called Briar so she and Charlie could come get her. Their loyalty runs deep, and they’d do anything for each other. On more than one occasion, Birdie has roped them into her rescue missions, and they’ve jumped in to help her, no questions asked.
I grab the key from the desk and unlock the cell, the hinges groaning as the door swings open.
“You’re free to go,” I tell Birdie.
She doesn’t move, like she’s unsure if I’m serious.
“Seriously, all of that suspense just to let me loose?”
