Page 29 of Declan
“The hell I did.”
“You know you did. I saw you—”
Johnston’s face tightened. “You’re full of it.”
Declan raised an eyebrow. “The dashcam doesn’t lie. You do, but it doesn’t.”
“Yeah, fuck you.”
“Have you been drinking?”
“No. Give me a breathalyzer if you think I was.”
Declan smirked. “It wouldn’t be the first time.”
“As I said, fuck you.”
“Fine,” Declan said. “I was going to give you a verbal warning, but since you’re being uncooperative, I’ll be right back after I call this in.”
The sedan door opened, and Johnston stepped out, folding his arms as he leaned against the side of the car. He stared at Declan with a challenge in his eyes. “You know damned well I don’t have any warrants,” he yelled.
Declan held his ground. “I don’t know anything till dispatch clears it. Get back inside your car.”
They stood locked in a standoff until Johnston exhaled and climbed back inside. Declan returned to his cruiser, eased behind the wheel, and typed the information into the computer, then called dispatch to double check.
As he sat there waiting to hear back from the dispatcher, he kept his eyes on Johnston, just wishing he’d make a move so Declan could flatten him out.
The radio crackled: “It’s clean, Deputy.”
“Thanks,” he muttered, shaking his head. He flipped open his ticket book, stepped back to Johnston’s door, and handed over the documents, then he filled out the ticket and handed the booklet to Johnston to sign.
“I’m not signing that.”
“Stop being difficult, Johnston. You know it’s just a formality. Not an admission of guilt, though we both know you should’vebeen found guilty before,” Declan snapped.
Reluctantly, Johnston scrawled his signature and passed the book back. Declan tore out the ticket and pressed it into his palm.
“Happy now, Deputy?”
“If you think I’m wrong, contest it in court. I’ll be there, with the video.”
“You’re just pissed that I got to Elise before you did,” Johnston sneered.
Declan raised his eyebrow. “Gotto Elise? What a way to put it. Tell me, how long did that last?”
“Though it’s none of your business, I plan to see her again. We just had a little disagreement. She likes me, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”
Declan snorted. “You’re delusional. Drive safely now.” He touched the brim of his hat.
Johnston slid the window up, pulled away, and the sedan’s tires whispered against the pavement as he drove off. Declan watched it disappear around the corner, tightening his jaw. There was no way Elise would go out with that prick again. Would she? He didn’t like that man and the distilled tension still buzzed through him as he climbed back into his cruiser. Tank’s whine had quietened now; the dog’s ears perked, sensing the charged air. Declan eased back onto the road, made a U-turn and headed toward the office, the late sun dipping beneath the rooftops.
****
The following Saturday, Elise chuckled warmly at the lively group of women in the dancercise class as they moved through the motions of a line dance toMan! I Feel Like a Woman, a Shania Twain song, their laughter echoing off the studio walls as they sang along. Positioned confidently at the front of theroom, she mirrored their energetic moves, a big smile lighting up her face. Each one of these women held a special place in her heart, and together they shared a camaraderie that felt like a close-knit group of friends. She remembered meeting them all during the first class, a memory that now seemed like a cherished beginning. Every Saturday morning, they gathered without fail, creating a vibrant, bustling atmosphere that was only occasionally disrupted by a rare absence. The class was consistently packed with at least twenty eager participants, and Elise relished every second of their shared joy and enthusiasm.
As she danced along with the lively group, her eyes shifted toward the doorway. There stood Declan and Sheriff Sam Garrett, their faces showing amused grins as they observed the scene.
Sam’s wife, Tessa, was among the dancers, her laughter mingling with the music. The badges pinned to the men’s khaki shirts glinted under the warm light, and their cowboy hats were perched low, shading their eyes with an air of rugged charm. A surge of excitement fluttered through her, and she felt an overwhelming urge to run to Declan and kiss him like crazy.
