Chase let out a bark of laughter. “Are you forgetting I’m a cop? I’m trained to detect liars.”
Don’t panic! Don’t panic!
“Of course we aren’t forgetting,” Mimi snapped.
“You know what?” Kat said. “Maybe we should table this conversation. I’m sure Alexa is tired.”
Chase’s eyes cut to me, and I did my best to look tired and not scared. I must have succeeded because he sighed. “Fine. I’ll run down and get your things so you can settle in. We can talk more tomorrow.”
“Thank you,” I whispered.
When he left, I walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge, suddenly exhausted. Kat was right, it had been an eventful day. More like an eventful week. I’d spent the last three days in the Trinity Falls county jail, and I’d have to do another seven days under house arrest. And somehow it looked like Officer Chase Cryer knew nothing about it.
“Why didn’t Lance tell him about me?” I whispered.
Mimi waved her hand. “Oh, he probably just forgot.”
I looked sharply at her. “I don’t think so. I think Lance knew if he told a cop he was going to take in a criminal, the cop would say no.”
Kat walked over and put her arms around me. “What matters is right now you have a place to stay that isn’t a jail cell.”
I leaned into her arms. She was right. The last week had been physically exhausting. When I’d found out a developer around Trinity Falls, Bernie Schuler, wanted to bulldoze a newly-discovered vernal pool to build a road and put in another urban development, I donned my trusty t-shirt and hightailed it down to Trinity Falls. For four days I camped out by the water and tried everything from pleading, to educating, to reasoning. The guy wouldn’t budge. I had just gotten hold of the Oregon Fish & Wildlife to see if they could help get notice for the protest when the developer, Bernie Schuler, surreptitiously threatened my life. In retaliation, I did something I’d never done before…I’d committed a misdemeanor crime. And now I was paying for that impromptu action.
Usually my protests landed me a citation, community service, maybe overnight in a holding cell, no big deal. I could do a night in jail standing on my head…but this time I was in a little too deep, and I didn’t know how to fight for what I believed in and still keep myself from being locked up. Thankfully I had this house arrest to fall back on. I couldn’t let this slip through my hand.
I stood up from the bed when I heard Chase coming up the stairs. “My parents are going to freak when I call them tonight and tell them I’m living in the same house as a cop.”
Chapter 3
“Alexandra Michelle Martin!”
I sat bolt upright in bed. I hadn’t heard my full name yelled out like that in more years than I could remember.
“Oh crap!” I squeaked.
Scrambling off the bed, I threw on a red “Give Yoga a Chance” t-shirt with black yoga pants. I hadn’t meant to sleep so late. IknewClifford, my parole officer, would be here by eight to put on my bracelet and go over the rules. He’d told me so before I left the jailhouse last night.
And if Officer Chase Cryer was yelling out my full name, it also meant he knew what was going on. My full name would be printed on my court documents.
I careened barefoot down the stairs and came up short when I saw not only a surly uniformed Officer Cryer, but also Clifford, Lance, and a very scary looking dog. The fifty-pound Boxer ambled over to me and nudged my shin.
“That’s Rocky,” Chase gritted out. “Contrary to how he looks, he’s very friendly.”
I laughed and dropped down to love on Rocky. I knew I was prolonging the inevitable, but I couldn’t help it. I didn’t want to stand and face Chase.
“Morning, Alexa,” Clifford said. “You’re looking good.”
Standing, I gave him a little wave. Truth was, I liked Clifford. He’d been my assigned parole officer for about five years now. Usually bouncing between counties like I did, you didn’t keep the same PO, but for me there was an exception.
“What exactly is going on here?” Chase asked. “And let’s try and make it fast. I’m already late for work.”
I swallowed hard, but before I could say anything, Lance held up his hand. “I think I need to explain.”
Chase turned his hard cop eyes on Lance, and I immediately felt awful for coming between the two friends. I was so sure Lance had secured my place here and that everything was fine, especially since the house arrest had already been okayed by Clifford.
“Alex and I are old friends from college.” Lance chuckled and waved his hand back and forth. “Sort of.”
“Doubtful,” Chase said. “You’re almost thirty-five, and if she’s twenty-five, I’d be surprised.”
