Page 18 of Shadow Sabotage
“I know.”
“So, what’s next?”
I glanced at my watch. “Nothing for now. It’s almost five, and I need to check into my cabin.”
“Cabin?” There was a change to her voice, a heightened pitch of anxiety that was completely unlike her usual tone.
“Yes,” I said, giving her an odd look. “I grabbed a room at the motel last night, but it doesn’t have a desk or the room I need for a homicide investigation. So I booked a cabin rental.”
She filled her cheeks with air and then blew it out the way she had when Sheriff McGrath had announced she was my partner.
An announcement that hadn’t seemed to make her happy in the least.
“Is there a problem?” I asked, suppressing the desire to laugh. I’d never met anyone who wore their emotions on their sleeve to this extent, who didn’t even try to play the game of politics with this job.
It was oddly refreshing.
She fidgeted with her fingers. “What, um, cabin did you rent?”
I glanced at the note I’d made about it. “It’s a guest cabin at some place called Falcon Ridge Ranch.”
Her face drained of all color. But then she leaned her head back and laughed out loud. “Of course it is.”
“Why?” I frowned. “Is it a bad place to stay? It looked great online.”
“It’s the best place to stay,” she said with a funny little smile on her face. “It just also happens to be my home.”
Ahhh.So that was the reason for her panic. “Your home?”
She nodded. “Yeah. My parents own the ranch and I–I still live there.” Her tone fell as she said the last few words, like she was embarrassed to admit it.
“Well, that will make things convenient.”
“Yeah.” She looked so glum I didn’t know what to make of it.
“Deputy Hawkins, if there’s a problem with me staying there…”
“No, it’s fine,” she said, pinching the bridge of her nose and closing her eyes. “It’s great. Um, they’re doing a guest dinner tonight. Campfire chili and cornbread outside. It’s included inyour rental rate. But, of course, if you’d rather have some privacy, you can’t beat Whiskey Creek. It’s the best restaurant in town. Thebest.”
I studied her. She obviously hoped I would turn down the invitation to dinner, yet she’d still felt compelled to make it. That was interesting.
I liked interesting.
“Campfire chili sounds great,” I said, grinning. “Why would I pass down an opportunity like that? Whiskey Creek will be there tomorrow, right?”
She flattened her lips into an awkward smile. “Right. Um. See you at dinner.”
With that, she fled my office.
She wasn’t very friendly. Guarded in some ways, but didn’t bother to hide herstrongopinions. She was unprofessional and had no redeeming law enforcement experience to actually add to this investigation. She couldn’t sit still to save her life, and she’d driven me nuts while I was trying to focus.
I had no idea why I found myself grinning at the thought of eating dinner with her.
Chapter Seven
Claire
I gotinto my truck and hit the steering wheel with the palm of my hand.
