Sue rocked back on her chair, keyed the mike, and said, “Dispatch, calling all deputies.” She flashed Chloe an impish grin. “Old Sylvia Patterson is doing a striptease in front of her window again. Joe doesn’t want her arrested, but he would like her to get a boob lift before she strips for him again. Over.”
Chloe burst out laughing. “For a second, I thought you were serious.”
“You looked a little down.”
“Down isn’t the word.” Chloe uncapped the cup, breathed in, and sighed. Every evening, Sue went to the espresso stand and bought them each a latte. Today she’d evidently stopped by on her way to work. “What do I owe you?”
“The next round is on you.”
“You’ve saved my life. I didn’t get a wink of sleep last night, and I’ve been on a dead run all day. Maybe this will perk me up.”
“What on earth kept you up all night?”
Chloe was about to answer when one of her phone lights started to blink. By the time she slipped on her headphones, took the call, and radioed out, another line was blinking. Before she knew it, she was swamped.
Two hours later, she and Sue got their first lull. Chloe’s latte was stone cold, but she took a grateful sip anyway. Sue propped her feet on her desk.
“Wednesdays. Don’t you love them? I swear it’s a middle-of-the-week syndrome. People cause trouble so they won’t die of boredom.”
“Full moon.”
“That, too, I suppose.” Sue rubbed her temples. Then she kicked up, lowered her feet to the floor, and fixed Chloe with a curious look. “So why didn’t you get any sleep last night? You never got a chance to say.”
Chloe launched into the story about her son’s sick puppy. She had just described Jeremy’s emergency bicycle ride to Cinnamon Ridge when Deputy Schuck entered by the front door. Every afternoon, shortly after five, he stopped in to do paperwork. There was a back entrance, but he never used it, preferring to pass through Chloe’s work area to reach the glass cubicle behind her.
“Evening, ladies.”
Chloe broke off and pasted on a smile. Bobby Lee seemed like a nice guy, but for reasons she couldn’t pinpoint he made her uncomfortable. She guessed it was a chemical reaction of sorts—a wary, very dis interested female reacting to an interested male’s pheromones. She had no intention of complicating her life with a sticky situation at work.
He drew his sunglasses low on the bridge of his nose to look at her over the rims. He had a high-voltage grin and gorgeous baby blues lined with thick, black lashes. The effect was wasted. The only man in Chloe’s life was her son. Bobby Lee’s khaki uniform shirt, worn a half-size small to showcase his muscular chest, didn’t hold a candle to Jeremy’s freckles and curly cowlick.
“Did I hear you say Cinnamon Ridge?”
Red alert. Chloe was relieved when her phone started to blink. She went to line three, hoping Bobby Lee would start doing paperwork and forget the question. Unfortunately, while she handled the call and dispatched out to a deputy, Bobby Lee cornered Sue. By the time Chloe got off the radio, he had heard about the sick puppy and Jeremy’s mercy flight to Cinnamon Ridge.
Hooking his glasses over his shirt pocket, he turned a questioning look on Chloe. “So what did you see up there on the ridge?”
Because Jeremy had told her about his agreement with Ben Longtree to tell no one about Methuselah, and she had promised to keep the secret as well, Chloe couldn’t possibly answer that question. A deplorably bad liar, she stuck as close to the truth as possible. “Mostly Ponderosa pines. No wonder the place is called Cinnamon Ridge.”
“I know you saw trees, Chloe. I’m more interested in what else you saw.”
She drew her eyebrows together in what she hoped was a bewildered frown. “The manzanita bushes are losing their blooms, and there’s a great view of the mountains from up top. Not that I had time to appreciate it.”
“You must have seen something more than trees and bushes.”
“I saw Longtree’s house.”
Bobby Lee raked a hand through his hair, the very picture of a frustrated male. “Did you see any animals?”
“Oh, yes.”
“Now we’re getting somewhere. What kind?”
“A wolf.” Chloe didn’t have to fake a shudder. “Have you ever seen that thing? It has fangs an inch long. Yesterday at the feed store—”
The deputy cut her short. “A hybrid and perfectly legal. I’m more interested in any wild animals you saw, particularly any in cages.”
“Why would anyone want to keep wild animals in cages?”
Bobby Lee settled a wondering gaze on her. His expression said more clearly than words that he thought she had a room temperature IQ. “Did you see any? That’s the question.”
“I didn’t see a single cage.” That wasn’t precisely a lie. She’d seen several cages. “Lots of chipmunks everywhere. They’re so darling.”
Bobby Lee braced a hand on the edge of her desk and leaned down to look deeply into her eyes. She half expected him to say, “Is anyone home in there?” Instead he asked, “Did you by any chance see a cougar?”
“A what? My goodness!” Answering a question with a question was a strategy Jeremy used. Chloe wasn’t proud, but at least she was still taking the high road and not lying through her teeth. “Are there a lot of cougars around here?”
“We’ve got a fair number.”
“That’s spooky.”
“I’ve heard rumors that Longtree keeps one as a pet.”
“You’re not serious. A cougar? Oh, my. Does he have a death wish?”
“I’m not concerned with his motivations, only with the possibility he’s breaking the law. I need a warrant to check it out, and they aren’t easy to get. Butter-worth is a picky bastard when it comes to that.”
It sounded to Chloe as if the judge was merely observing the law. Citizens had a right to their privacy. “Mr. Longtree is a vet. If he’s providing care for wild animals, isn’t it safe to assume he’s doing them no harm?”
Wrong thing to say. A flush crept up Bobby Lee’s neck. “Any time anyone messes with wild animals, he’s doing potential harm.”
“Oh?”
“If he’s doctoring animals up on that ridge, he could be saving the genetically inferior ones and weakening the gene pool.”
He launched into an explanation about gene pools, and how the natural order culled out the weak. Chloe’s eyes had glazed over by the time he wound down. “Save the weak, and they propagate. Pretty soon, the whole damned population has that weak set of genes. Along comes a virus, and bad news.”
“I see.” Chloe folded her hands on her lap. What Bobby Lee said was true—but genetic inferiority wasn’t the issue. Unless one was speaking of the sadistic human being who was going around shooting animals. “I never really thought about it like that. I had no idea you were so knowledgeable.”
His shoulders relaxed. “Yeah, well—in this country, we’re surrounded by wilderness areas. A law enforcement official has to keep abreast of the game laws and understand the reasons for them in order to do his job effectively.”
“I see what you mean. One thing, though. Wouldn’t a vet know even more about gene pools and all that stuff than we do?”
The hard glint that entered Bobby Lee’s eyes sent a chill up Chloe’s spine.
“Ben Longtree is a fruitcake,” he bit out. “He’s on a mission to save the animals, never sparing a thought for the damage he may do.” He pressed closer until they were nearly nose to nose. “Did you see a cougar? If you did, tell me. Your position here demands that of you.”
Her duty as a mother took precedence. She wouldn’t break a promise to her son, not over a job or for any other reason. “No, I’m sorry. I didn’t see a cougar.”
Sue left the room to use the copier. Bobby Lee gazed after her, then shoved things out of the way to prop a hip on Chloe’s desk. She bit back a protest. Everything had a place, and Bobby Lee’s rump wasn’t in the lineup. She grabbed her paperweight before
it toppled off the desk. The Japanese lantern had been a gift from her dad, a memento of a day they’d spent beachcombing in Brookings, Oregon. She’d treasured it ever since.
“You know, Chloe, it wouldn’t be wise to let your boy hang around up on the ridge. If you need a loan to pay for a vet, I’ll happily front you.”
“I, um—thank you, Bobby Lee, but that wouldn’t be appropriate. We work together. What if something happened, and I couldn’t pay you back?”
“I’m sure we could work something out.”
Chloe fiddled with her notepad. “Be that as it may, it’s unwise to mix personal and professional. It’s less complicated that way.”
“And a lot less fun. Loosen up, Chloe. Live a little.”
Here went nothing. “Please, try to understand. I’m still reeling from my divorce. I’m not ready to loosen up yet. You know what I’m saying?”
“That you’re still hung up on your ex?”
“I’m just not ready yet. It’s nothing personal. Please don’t think that. I just need some time.”
He touched a finger to her cheek, and his eyes went cloudy with concern. “You know how to cure that problem?” He winked at her. “It’s high time you had a little fun occasionally. All work and no play. Take a chance on me.”
Not in this lifetime. “I’ll think about it. Some people just take longer to regroup and heal. I’m afraid I’m one of them. Right now, I only want to focus on my son and my job. The rest will come with time.”
“In the interim, can I give you a piece of advice, one friend to another?”
“Sure. I’m always open to good advice.”
“Don’t accept favors from Longtree. The man’s unstable.”
“I’ve heard that about him.”
“But you don’t buy it?”
“I didn’t say that.” She picked up a stack of papers and moved them out of his way. “To be perfectly honest, though, he seemed sane enough to me.”
The moment Chloe said that, she knew it was true. She’d entered Longtree’s house, expecting to encounter a lunatic. Instead, she’d found her son safe and sound, happily polishing off a glass of lemonade. Ben Longtree was a little odd—okay, extremely odd—but that didn’t mean he was nuts.
“Longtree killed a fellow a few years back. Have you heard that story?”
Chloe had almost forgotten. “Yes. Lucy Gant mentioned it.”
“Imagine hitting a man with enough force to kill him with one blow.”
For just an instant, in her mind’s eye, Chloe glimpsed a fist coming at her face. Her skin went cold, and she felt a little sick. Bobby Lee didn’t know what crazy was. Not really. “There must have been more to it than that.”
“There wasn’t,” he assured her. “I read the police report myself.”
“Why did you read the report? It didn’t happen here, did it?”
“I like to keep tabs on the riffraff in my county. The man’s a killer.”
“Wasn’t he found innocent?”
“High-priced attorney, rinky-dink court. Our judicial system is far from perfect. The man’s over the edge. I’ll feel better if you stay clear of him.”
She straightened her pens. “I know this may sound bad, but even if Longtree is crazy, it’s nothing to me. My son isn’t going up there again.”
“Good.”
“As for accepting favors from the man, Ben seems willing to treat the puppy free of charge. I really can’t afford to pass up a deal like that.”
“Ben? Sounds to me like you’ve gotten pretty cozy with the guy. You don’t have a thing for him, do you?”
Chloe almost laughed, but the look in Bobby Lee’s eyes dampened her amusement. “Ben Longtree is a little too eccentric for my taste. In answer to your question, no, I don’t have a thing for him.”
“I’m glad to hear it. If you’re going to let him doctor your dog, and I really wish you wouldn’t, you need to keep your distance. All that stuff I just told you about genetic tendencies? Take it to heart with him.”
“Meaning?”
“His father was a violent drunk. Like father, like son?”
Chill bumps rose at the nape of Chloe’s neck.
Bobby Lee took Sue’s return to her desk as his cue to proceed into his office. Chloe was relieved. Had she imagined that burning look in his eyes when he questioned her about Cinnamon Ridge? She didn’t think so. She had a feeling there was bad blood between him and Ben Longtree.
Not my problem, she assured herself, and she intended to keep it that way. She’d moved here to build a new life for herself and her son. Getting involved in other people’s feuds wasn’t on her agenda. After this, she would make sure Bobby Lee was nowhere around when she mentioned Ben Longtree.
At twenty of eight, Bobby Lee left to go back out on patrol. Soon Chloe was swamped. When she got a break, she ate her supper while Sue chatted on a separate line with her husband, Jerry.
After finishing her sandwich and yogurt, Chloe dug some Tylenol out of her purse and took them with the cold dregs of her latte. Then she found the slip of paper with Ben Longtree’s number on it. Benjamin Isaiah Longtree capped the heading. It was a lot of name, she thought, but he was a large man, and somehow it fit.
Stalling. Why didn’t she just dial the number? Because. The man made her nervous. She was also embarrassed. Her behavior that morning had been inexcusable.
She finally worked up the courage to dial. When Longtree answered the phone, his voice was like a rasp of silk. She pictured his dark features and intense blue eyes. “Mr. Longtree? Chloe Evans.”
Long silence. Then he said, “Hi.”
She picked up her paperweight and turned the blue glass to catch the light. “You have every right to hang up on me. I know I was rude this morning.”
Another stretch of silence. Then he laughed. It was a rusty sound—as if he didn’t do it often. “I’m not in the habit of hanging up on people.”
“That’s good. I got a break at work and thought I’d call to see how Rowdy’s doing.”
“I wish I could say he’s improved.”
Her heart sank. “He isn’t going to make it, is he?”
“He’s not responding to the fluids and antibiotics. Later this evening, I’ll know more. The longer he hangs on, the better his chances.”
“However it turns out, I want to thank you. The puppy means a lot to my little boy.”
“I know.”
Coming from someone else that might have been a polite response, but Chloe had a feeling he meant it. “In the grand scheme of things, a dog isn’t all that important. But he’s become very important to us in a short time.”
She heard a tapping sound. “In the grand scheme, we’re all insignificant.”
Over the last year and a half, Chloe had come face-to-face with her own insignificance. One moment, she’d been sailing through life, everything going her way, and the next, a twist of fate had taken her to her knees. Before that, she’d been so confident, believing she was in control. Six months later, she’d been pacing a hospital corridor, bewildered, in shock, covered with Roger’s blood, and unprepared for what lay ahead.
“My son’s been through a lot. The puppy is a touch of magic in his life.”
“I only wish I could do more.”
It was easier to talk with him over the telephone. There was safety in distance. She could concentrate on his voice—and the sincerity in it. His raspy baritone soothed her in a way she couldn’t define.
“Mr. Longtree—”
“Mrs. Evans,” he said at precisely the same instant. “I just—”
“About this morning.”
They both laughed. Then silence. She supposed it was only her imagination filling in the blanks, but she sensed that he was searching for words. She found herself holding her breath.
“I, um . . .” The tapping grew louder. She pictured him striking the counter with a pencil or pen. Then it stopped. “I acted like a jerk this morning.”
Chloe grinned. He hadn’t
acted like a jerk. It had been her behavior that was deplorable. “I know Diablo scared the blazes out of you, and Methuselah, as well. I’ve heard the stories, and you don’t know me from Adam. I shouldn’t have taken such a hard line.”
“I’m the one who should apologize. You were very nice to my little boy. I was—well, running on adrenaline, I guess. I’d heard rumors, and they all came rushing back when I saw—” She broke off, acutely aware of Sue sitting across the room. “Well, your three-legged sidekick threw me.”
“He has a way of doing that.”
“I panicked, not thinking, just reacting. Your place is a long way from—”
“Help?”
“I meant to say town.”
“Same thing.”
“You’re not making this easy.”
“I hate apologies. Goes against my grain to let anyone else off too easily.”
“You’re a real friend.”
He chuckled. “Apology accepted. Now, it’s my turn. Confession time. I knew exactly what you were thinking. I, um . . . well, those looks I gave you? I did it on purpose.”
Chloe gave a startled laugh. “You frightened me deliberately?”
“You were already frightened. I got pissed off. I’m sorry about that. After a while, all the witchcraft and lunatic stories get kind of old. You know?”
Chloe imagined they would. Bobby Lee swore up and down this man was unstable and dangerous, and Lucy Gant seconded that opinion. Chloe no longer knew what to believe. “I know it can’t be an easy situation for you.”
“Most of the time, I ignore it. Today—well, I don’t know what happened.”
She ran a hand over the blotter. “I guess we both did things we regret.”
“Yeah. Can we just call it even?”
She grinned. “Well, you really stepped over the line with that last look you gave me.”
She could feel the warmth of his chuckle coming over the wire. Recalling his burnished countenance, she had to admit that she found him sexy in a dark, dangerous way. That was okay. His dangerous edge was all the motivation she needed to keep her distance.
“That last look was a good one, wasn’t it? If it’s any consolation, you got yours. When you threw the door open, the knob knocked a hole in my wall.”