Page 9 of Barron

Leaving her newfound friend to do her thing, Yoanni bit into a plump thigh. Scalding heat and the most perfect combination of spices filled her mouth. As she blew out, trying to cool down the morsel, a powerful flashback took her to a happier moment with the handsomest man she’d ever known and still ached for.

“You’re so impatient. Will it kill you to wait a moment?”

Deep in her chest, her heart twisted. Breathing hard, she suppressed the ill-timed memory and the unwanted sensation.

Meanwhile, Betty gingerly picked up a drumstick on both ends, took a small bite, and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she covered her mouth to speak. “You weren’t kidding. This is delicious.”

“Told you.” She grinned and returned to finish her first piece. Yoanni dropped the stripped bone to the plate and returned to theconversation. “You were about to tell me where you came from and what brought you to the station.”

“Mmm, yes.” Betty wiped her mouth. “I’m from Louisiana. Grew up in a small town. Smaller than Garden City.”

“That’s tiny. And?”

“One of my relatives dealt with some difficulties.” Betty shrugged. “Things got weird, and I decided to move away. Get as far as I could and find a new life elsewhere.”

“Weird, how?”

Betty ended eye contact to study her plate. After a moment, she answered, “Bad company. Rough crowd.”

“I see.”

“What about you? I understand you’re Cuban. How did you end up here?”

“I was born on the island. When I was two, my parents managed to escape the system with a temporary work contract to Mexico. My family spent the next year getting the paperwork for residence visas in order. Once everything was approved, we entered the US and moved to Miami. Then the company my Papá worked for moved to Savannah. My parents preferred to live on the outskirts of the big city. I’ve been here ever since.”

“But didn’t you just spend six months on leave with your parents in Miami?”

“Papi retired in 2017.” Yoanni finished stripping one wing bare, then dropped it on top of the small pile of bones. “He and Mami moved south to join the Cuban tribe. South Florida’s where most of my people have relocated to. They like it ’cause it’s ninety miles from the homeland. When he got the cancer diagnosis and went into treatment, I flew down to help Mami. Since he’s better, I’m back. You might have heard me tell Margie.”

“I did hear you. Do you have any relatives here?”

She shook her head. “Not a one. I’m basically alone.”

“What about friends?”

“Captain Weaver’s a friend.”

Betty grimaced. “Not him. He’s nice and all, but I mean friends your age. Women friends.”

A sense of nostalgia struck her, but she managed to keep it from her face.

“Emily and I were close. We met when she was a rookie cop and I was a new secretary. We hit it off right away. We did everything together. After she was promoted to junior detective, she hooked up with a handsome biker who helped her solve an important case. They fell in love and moved to another state. She’s happily married now.”

“Biker?”

“Uh-huh.” Yoanni nodded, feeling a bit uncomfortable with the topic. “The Devils’ Spawn MC. They’re based in Garden City.”

“I don’t understand.” Dropping her chicken, Betty directed her sharp, dark eyes at her. “If your family is far away and your best friend is gone, why did you come back? Aren’t you lonely?”

Yoanni swallowed. Only her pillow knew her tears and indecision. She feared loneliness most of all. The first time she opened the door of her apartment, she felt as if the walls would cave in on her. Immediately, she’d called Emily. Her friend had walked her through the initial encounter with her living quarters, the space where all her cherished memories resided, all the while asking the same question.Why did you come back, Yoanni?

She’d given Emily and the captain a brave front and a good excuse. But at her core, she was a frightened child. How could she explain the inner compulsion urging her to come back, to try with Barron one more time… She could always walk away.

Yoanni gave Betty a half smile. “I am lonely at times. But I like my place and my privacy. We’ll see. The good thing is, I don’t have a spouse or children depending on me. I can change my mind at any time.”

“I hope you’ll let me be your friend. I’m a little lonely too.”

Betty’s expression was so hopeful, Yoanni gave her best smile. “Sure I will, and we start today. So you were telling me about your reasons for moving here.”

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