Page 15 of Tied to Trouble

“How should I know? I’m not going to dive into it and find out. That end of the lake is deeper than a con man’s wallet.”

“How come you haven’t told the sheriff?” Aaron demanded.

“Because I just ain’t got around to it yet,” Skeeter answered impatiently. Glaring at the men, he turned and stalked off, his shotgun over his arm. Skeeter was a law unto himself, and most people thought he was plumb loco.

The brothers looked at each other and shook their heads. “It’s too late to go nosing around in the dark,” Hugh said. “Let’s get back to the house. Whoever was here is long gone now, anyway.”

“Shouldn’t we call Dorney?” Aaron asked, taking out his cell phone.

“No point in it,” Az replied. “We can’t see anything in the dark, and we don’t even know for sure that anything was taken. It’s black as pitch out here with no moon. At first light, we’ll check the pasture. Then we’ll call Evan if we find anything missing.”

His brothers agreed. As they rode back to the house, Az yawned so wide his eyes watered. Lord, he was tired. His thoughts drifted back to Mandy and the sight of her denim-covered backside wiggling and bucking over his lap. Now there was a memory to sleep with—or not, as the case might be. Some things kept you awake more than put you to sleep though, and Mandy’s cute little butt was going to be one of them.

Chapter 4

Saturday morning dawnedbright and clear, and Mandy faced her mother over the breakfast table. It was Saturday, and she would be off early today. “Will you be okay if I go to the lake for a few hours after work?” she asked. “I’d like to start working on my tan today, and I thought I’d see if Beverly wanted to go with me. Summer will be here before you know it.”

“Oh sure,” Sara replied. She waved her hand at Mandy, engrossed in the papers she was studying. “I have a lunch date with Randy myself.”

“Is he taking you out?”

Sara looked up. “Yes, to that new restaurant over in Mule Valley. I hear it’s a good one.”

“Well, have fun then,” Mandy chuckled as she got up and kissed her mother’s cheek. “I’m going to call Az and see where he is. He was supposed to pick me up this morning.”

“Your truck is in the driveway; he brought it home last night.”

“Aww—what a sweetheart,” Mandy cooed sarcastically. “Not!” She could hear her mother’s chuckle behind her as she grabbed her purse and cell phone and headed for the front door.

Mandy took great pleasure in thumbing her nose at Az’s jeep when she drove by the sheriff’s office, her anger still simmering beneath the surface. She’d checked her butt in the mirror this morning and it was still pink in a few spots. She grimaced at herself in the mirror as she wiggled to get comfortable on the covered bench seat.

“He should be horsewhipped, right, Mags?” She muttered the question to the loyal Mags, who was lounging on the seat beside her. Mags woofed in agreement, and Mandy patted her head with a chuckle.

When the bell chimed over the market door at 11:00 a.m., Mandy looked up to see Az sauntering toward her. “Oh my, look at the time. I’m off for the day.” Breezing out from behind the counter, she headed for the back of the store, completely ignoring the advancing Az. She’d just been getting ready to leave for lunch and the lake anyway, so the timing was perfect to dodge him. Leave him pining after her, she thought with a snicker.

“Hold it right there.”

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