Ten minutes later night was falling when he finally freed himself and made his way to his SUV. He was about to be late for supper with Patrick at Davey’s BBQ, a casual spot on the edge of town with outdoor seating.
He scowled down at the dog. “You’re a big flirt. And I don’t think you had to pee at all.”
Dog glanced up at him, grinning, that tongue lolling from the side of his mouth.
It had been exactly two weeks since he’d found the animal, and so far no takers. He’d stopped to see Patrick yesterday at his office, and the man had exhausted all of his options. But he had suggested dinner. It might be nice to have a friend while he was in town. It was easy to trust someone like Patrick, who’d also experienced his share of bullying back in the day. He seemed to have risen above all that.
Gray opened the door and let Dog inside. Even he could admit he was tired of calling him that. It was starting to feel like an insult. But he’d never dreamed the animal would be in his care for two weeks. Recently Shelby had begun calling him Shadow because he followed Gray everywhere he went.
He started the SUV, pulled from the slot, and merged onto Main Street. “All right, Shadow, let’s head to supper.”
The dog let out a bark as if approving of his new name.
“Yeah, don’t get excited—this is still temporary.” But even a stray dog deserved a real name.
Cars belonging to Friday night diners and barhoppers filled the streetparking spots. Farther ahead a crowd gathered on the manicured town green in camp chairs and blankets facing a giant movie screen. He remembered Movies on the Green. During their senior year he and Shelby had watched some chick flick that had her all cuddly on the ride back to her house.
He shook the thought away as he stopped for pedestrians. Then the crosswalk cleared and he moved on, passing the last streetlight in town before heading into the residential area beyond it.
It had been a long two weeks, implementing changes, rearranging shelving. The shop was more attractive already—even Shelby had admitted it—and their new inventory was selling well. Even better, Shelby seemed to have lit up since his apology.
It was difficult to maintain a distance when they worked so closely together. When they were laboring toward the same goal. He wanted so badly to see their efforts pay off. He hoped the advice he’d given her would turn things around. The biggest test would come on Black Friday and following when—
A chirp sounded behind him. He glanced in the rearview mirror. The red and blue flash of police lights turned his stomach to lead. He wasn’t speeding. He eased off the gas and moved to the side, hoping the cruiser would go around.
No such luck.
Gray pulled into the emergency lane and brought his SUV to a stop. He lowered his window and withdrew his license and registration—already on top of the pile from his recent ticket. Which he’d already paid.
A moment later Mason Remington—surprise, surprise—appeared at his window. Still had that same stony expression and perpetual frown. “License and registration.”
He handed them over. “Mind telling me what this is about?”
Mason seemed in no hurry to reply. He took his time looking over Gray’s ID even though he’d seen it only two weeks ago. “Wait here.”
As if he had a choice. Remington was bound and determined to punish him for existing. No, not for existing, but for having the nerve to show his face in Grandville. What was his problem—him and all the others?
Okay, so his dad had killed Mason’s uncle, but it was unintentional and he was serving his time. Of course some believed his dad had committed first-degree murder and that he should be serving a sentence twice the length he’d been given.
But none of that was Gray’s fault.
It had started as an argument between Troy Remington and Dad at Dirty Harry’s over a stupid game of pool. According to spectators, the disagreement escalated into a fistfight at which point both men had been tossed.
Only his drunk dad served as a living witness to what had happened on the porch of the establishment. He claimed Troy came after him once again and he punched the guy, who then fell and hit his head on the railing—a fatal blow. An accident, according to his dad.
But matters were complicated by the men’s history, which included a woman who’d recently dumped his dad for Troy. Her testimony put Dad’s motives in question. But the jury decided Dad was guilty of only second-degree murder.
And the townspeople seemed to take great pleasure in taking it out on Gray. The stolen-test scandal his senior year hadn’t helped matters much either.
He pulled in a deep breath, held it to the count of five, and let it go. He wished everyone could just put the past behind them. But it wouldn’t be that easy. He’d have to lay low through the end of the year. Of course, that was what he’d been attempting tonight, and look where that got him.
Well, he hadn’t done anything illegal. Remington just delighted in giving him a hard time.
The sounds of tread on gravel alerted Gray to the officer’s return. He shone a flashlight into Gray’s face. “Where are you coming from tonight?”
He faced the windshield to avoid the blinding light. “Work.”
“Oh, you work here now, do you?”
