"I know." I pause, trying to figure out how to say what I need to say without making this worse. "Look, I talked to a friend of mine last night. Guy named Murphy who owns the grill on Main Street. He just hired someone last week, but he said if you stop by this afternoon, he'll see what he can work out. He's been thinking about taking some time off, and if you're interested, you might be able to cover some of his shifts. Flexible hours, decent pay."
"You didn't have to do that."
"I know. But I did anyway." I shrug. "Murphy's a good guy. Fair boss. And the food's excellent, so you won't go hungry."
"I..." She stops, takes a breath. "Thank you. That's, that's really kind."
"He said to stop by this afternoon if you want to talk about it. No pressure."
Jackson tugs on his mother's shirt. "Mommy, I'm hungry."
"I know, baby. We'll get breakfast in a minute."
"There's a bakery on Main Street," I say. "Opens at six. Best muffins you'll ever taste, and they always have chocolate milk for the kids."
"Why are you doing this?" she finally asks. The same question from yesterday, but with a different tone. Less defensive, more genuinely confused.
"Because you need help," I say simply. "And because I can."
"You don't know me."
"No. But I know what it's like to be new in a strange town with no one to turn to. When I first moved here, Murphy fed me half-price meals for three months until I got on my feet. Casey at the garage fixed my car for cost when I couldn't afford his regular rates. People helped me. Now I help people. That's how it works in Blackwater Falls."
She's quiet, absorbing this. Jackson has wandered closer, looking up at me with those big brown eyes.
"Do you have dinosaurs?" he asks.
"What?"
"Dinosaurs. Do you have any? Rex wants to meet other dinosaurs."
I crouch down, getting on his level. "I don't have any at home. But I bet the library has books about dinosaurs. Have you been to a library before?"
Jackson's eyes go wide. "A whole building full of books?"
"Yep. And they let you borrow them for free. Take them home, read them, bring them back when you're done."
"Mommy!" He spins around, nearly dropping Rex in his excitement. "Can we go to the library? Please?"
Claire's expression has softened, just a fraction. She's watching me with her son, and some of that wariness has faded.
"Maybe later, baby. We have a lot to do today."
"The library's over on Oak Street," I say, standing up. "Mrs. Walker runs it. She's great with kids. Has a whole section just for dinosaur books."
"You have an answer for everything, don't you?" There's no heat in Claire's words. Almost sounds like she's fighting a smile.
"Part of the job. Sheriff's supposed to know his town."
"Is checking on random motel guests at dawn also part of the job?"
Caught. I feel my neck heat up, grateful for the dim morning light that might hide the flush.
"Honestly? No. I just..." I pause, trying to figure out how to explain without sounding like a creep. "I wanted to make sure you were okay. You looked pretty overwhelmed yesterday, and I know the Harlow place was a disappointment. Figured you might need someone to point you in the right direction."
"And you just happened to have a job lead ready to go?"
"I made a phone call last night. The rest is just knowing my town." I meet her eyes. "Look, I'm not trying to intrude. If you want me to leave you alone, just say so. But if you need help, with anything, I meant what I said yesterday. You're not alone here."
