Page 27 of Homicide in Water Creek

King’s lips dipped into a frown as he cupped her cheek. “I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have to avoid your own home because of him.”

“He’s there helping with Chinos, so I won’t say anything for now. Eventually, I suppose I’ll have to.”

“Are you and Jackson okay now?”

While King waited for her to answer, he grabbed her coat from the tree, helped her into it, and then put on his brown sheriff's jacket.

“We talked. He realized he'd picked the wrong person to stand beside and apologized. Not much else we can do but move forward.”

King ushered her out the door and locked it behind him. “I’m glad you and Jackson Senior are good now. I didn’t like knowing I was responsible for driving a wedge between you.”

Jacks leaned into him as they descended the stairs. “You didn’t. His actions did that. He didn’t have to agree to Keene’s terms. He did that, not you.” King shrugged. “Have you talked to Keene yet?”

He half-snorted, half-sighed in reply.

“I’ll take that as a no.”

“I haven’t had time.”

“Even if you had time, you still wouldn’t talk to him,” Jacks pointed out. “You might fool half the people in this town, but you can’t fool me, Sheriff King. I’ve known you since you were barely old enough to drive a tractor. When you don’t want to do something, you won’t do it. End of story.”

“But you don’t agree with that.”

She shoulder bumped him. “I think you should talk to him, but that’s not my call.”

He turned and kissed her temple, his lips warm against her chilled skin. “First, we need to talk, and we’re doing it tonight, whether you agree or not.”

“Do you think anyone knows we’re here?” King asked, relaxing.

Jacks was chewing her double bacon cheeseburger and glanced up, barbecue sauce running down her chin. King swiped it off with his finger and then licked it off. She smiled and wiped her face with her napkin.

“I swear that burger is bigger than you are,” King said, laughter in his voice.

Jacks took a swig of pop before answering. “Hey, I work hard and haven’t eaten since breakfast. It’s nearly midnight.”

“I like that you can hang with the big boys, darlin’. I also like your idea to hide out here rather than at The Whistle Wetter.”

She shrugged as she chewed. When she finished, she pointed to the fireplace they’d started when they arrived. “You can’t see the fireplace going through the curtains. When I want to be alone, I either hang out in here or in the barn. The barn is my turf, but Granddaddy isn’t afraid to bother me there. He usually leaves me alone when I’m here.”

“I suppose they’ll see my truck here anyway,” King mused, finishing his chicken wings and leaning back on the couch.

After finishing her pop, Jacks shrugged. “Don’t really care, do you?”

“Nope, not in the least. What do you think would have happened ten years ago if they hadn’t stuck their noses in?”

King waited for her to react. To deny. To run. To stand and pace. To do anything but what she did. She spoke.

“I can’t say, King. Granddaddy insinuated that I would have chased after you to the big city because love makes you do those things.”

“Love?” His brow lifted as he gazed at her. He’d loved this woman forever. Was she telling him the same thing?

“He meant if we’d fallen in love that summer and then you left for school.”

A puff of disappointment left his chest. “I see. What did you say to him?”

“That I may have, but it would have been short-lived.”

“Our love or your time in the city?”