Russ frowned.
Interesting response. “You don’t think that’s a good idea?”
“Oh, I do, but it’s one of the things I hate about small-town policing. You know the people you accuse of all kinds of bad things. Then when they turn out to be innocent, they often hold a grudge and you have to see them again. Frequently. They don’t let you forget it.”
She hadn’t thought of it that way. “Sounds like a tough job, but from what I hear and see, you do it well.”
His shoulders went up straighter.
“I’m one of those people, aren’t I?” she asked. “I’d actually like to forget about our high school days and our rocky start here and be friends again.”
He arched an eyebrow, his inquisitive sheriff stare fixed on her. “You can let everything go including my recent accusations?”
She nodded.
“Then so can I.” He held out his hand. “Friends again.”
“Friends again.” She took his punishing grip and didn’t wince.
He released her hand. “Unless you have anything else to add, I need to help my deputy.”
“Nothing to add.” Mia shed her gloves and exited the building.
Russ clomped behind. Outside, the air had chilled considerably, and Mia wrapped her arms around her stomach to chase away the cold. Sure the temps had dropped, but was her chill from the cold or from the sight of her blood on the parking block?
She could’ve been seriously hurt. Died even. So could Ryan. She’d been foolish to think she could stop the intruder with a camera flash, but she’d had to try.
Russ came alongside her and made a quick jerk of his head in the lodge’s direction. “Looks like Ryan’s on his way back.”
Ryan clipped along the path with a flashlight illuminating his way, Bandit leashed and tugging him along. When he got nearer, she could see the outline of Bandit’s cone as he leapt and snapped at the moving beam of light. He caught her scent and charged. She wanted to bend down and greet him, but that would send her head reeling.
He galloped straight past her, ripping his leash free from Ryan’s hand, and racing into the office. Bandit’s leash trailed behind him, leaving a path in the dust.
Russ grunted. “Guess you haven’t learned to control him, huh?”
Mia didn’t bother answering as he was right. She could’ve been working on training Bandit, if she didn’t have so many other things going on.
“I’ll get him.” Ryan went toward the office.
Before he reached the sagging porch, Bandit charged out. He paused to look up at Mia. She laughed at the crazy expression on his face surrounded by the plastic cone. His mouth was clenched around something thick, small, and brown, and she sobered.
“He has something in his mouth,” Russ said. “What is it?”
“Bandit,” Mia called. “Come here, boy. Let me see.”
So as not to scare him, she eased closer. He wagged his little tail as if he was excited to see her then shot into the darkness.
“You better hope he didn’t take anything important,” Russ said.
Mia waved off Russ. “Relax. He probably just swiped a treat from the store.”
“Like I said, you better hope so,” Russ said over his shoulder as he went to the office.
“I need to find Bandit.” Mia started up the trail.
“Not alone, you don’t.” Ryan fell into step at her side.
A car rolled down the drive, the headlights cutting through the dark.
