“I thought catching criminals was a good thing.” I bit into my muffin.
“I saidaccusedand in custody. He can be…tough. If the person turns out to be innocent, he in no way apologizes.” She eyed her breakfast sandwich.
There’s a story there…I just don’t know what it is.Something I should research? I couldn’t be certain if I’d be going down a useless rabbit hole or ferreting out important information. “That smells good.”
She arched an eyebrow. “You know I’ll bring you one.” She gestured to my bran muffin with her chin. “Because really…”
A common refrain from her.
Alas, I wasn’t twenty-five anymore. “I had my poached eggs this morning.”
“With whole wheat toast and a dab of peanut butter.” She wrinkled her nose. After three months, we knew each other well. A few times, she’d been over to my place first thing in the morning. Or, in at least one case, last thing at night. Depended on one’s view of six a.m. after a long night. She pursed her lips. “Back to the topic at hand.”
“I didn’t know we had a topic.” I took another sip of coffee. Nectar of the gods.
“The fires.” She pulled a strip of bacon out of her sandwich.
My salivary glands kicked into high gear.
She waved it around. “Chief made excuses again?”
I nodded.Please don’t pursue this. I don’t need your help. I had enough with my investigation—I wasn’t ready to share my theories at this point. “I believe him—for what it’s worth.”
“He’s…weird.” She ate the bacon.
“I probably shouldn’t ask—”
“Just…I don’t know. He’s been around as long as I can remember.”
“That’s normal. It’s not like there’s a higher position in Mission City. I suppose he could try to move somewhere with a bigger department. I suppose that might bring a higher salary. Or he stays here because he likes his fiefdom.”
“Harrumph.” She sipped her coffee again. “I just don’t see it. But then maybe I wasn’t meant to. Being just content with that?”
“You came home to your small town after finishing your degree. You certainly could’ve gone to a major city.”
She shook her head. “Have you met my sisters? You think they wouldn’t have hounded me to death about coming home?”
“Oh, I don’t know. You’re pretty formidable yourself. I can see you holding out—despite any pressure seven other women might apply.” I sipped my coffee.
One eye closed. She did this when she concentrated really hard. “Maybe. Possibly because Autumn, Zephyra, and Rainbow wouldn’t nag.”
The college student, the veterinarian, and the ranch manager.
“That’s fair. I don’t see Kennedy nagging.” The eldest of the Dixon sisters. She founded Healing Horses Ranch, a therapy and counseling center. As a psychologist, she ran the place with adroitness.
“Well, Kennedy might not nag. She would just make pointed comments about how much I’m missed.” Spring yanked out another strip of bacon. “I really wouldn’t want to disappoint her.” She flapped the bacon around. “Although Torah would probably be understanding and Summer’s pretty self-absorbed.”
The dog trainer and another college student—twin to Autumn.
I did the math in my head. “That just leaves Sunshine.”
Spring sighed dramatically. “The nagger-in-chief. She’d never let me alone.”
“Isn’t she Colton’s ex-wife?”
“Yep. What’s your point?”
“Well…I suppose you could bring him up with her whenever the conversation got weird.” Even as I said the words, I regretted them. I had no idea what had gone on in that marriage. For all I knew, he might’ve been abusive toward Sunshine. The woman’s disposition absolutely matched her name. And she was also a clerk in the local bookstore which was, likely with her assistance, the hotbed of Mission City gossip.
