Page 35 of Deputy Brand Gets Her Man
A second later, he did, and her phone played the opening guitar riff of the Gunfighter Ballad, Melody of the Old West.
Willow was grinning, but Drew gaped at her, so she stopped grinning and asked, “What?”
“You…made him a custom ringtone. On your phone. And named him Hot Gringo.”
“And?” Willow asked, awaiting a reply that made sense while the guitar continued playing on her phone.
“Well, go on, answer it, I don’t need to hear the whole dang song.”
Willow answered the call, irritated that Drew was reading so much into things. She needn’t worry, Willow was a grown-arse woman and knew what she was doing.
“Hey,” she said toward the phone. “Drew and I are sittin’ at The Waterin’ Hole. I figured it was easier to talk than text. What’s up?”
“I’m not far away. Can I show you?”
Drew widened her eyes. “You should know you’re on speaker, there mister ‘can I show you?’” she said, dropping her voice way down low when quoting him.
“I didn’t mean…I’m almost there. Meet me in the parkin’ lot?”
“I gotta get to work pretty quick anyway,” Willow said. “See you soon.” She disconnected, then put cash on the table for the fries and the sweet teas they’d drank. Grabbing one last fry, she pushed back her chair. Drew came with her.
“You didn’t have to buy,” Drew said.
“Well, for now, I’m employed and you’re not, Nancy Drew.”
She made a face and shuddered. “I’m so glad they didn’t name me Nancy.”
“Try bein’ Deputy Willow,” she replied. “Criminals shudder at the name. But only cause they’re gigglin’.”
Drew laughed, lowering her head to hide it and failing. “Back on topic, Mom pays me and Orrin to help out, and we learn the biz while we’re at it. It’s a good deal.”
Will looked at her. “I should be payin’ you, too. But if I did, it would be official, and I can’t officially hire you, because then there’s a paper trail, and it’s not like I’m really investigatin’ him anyway?—”
“You don’t have to pay me,” she said. “For this, I mean. If I help with real cases, then, yeah. I’ll accept a fee. This here is…sister to sister, even though we’re only cousins.”
“We’re way more than cousins.” Willow slid a hand over Drew’s, then ruined the sappy moment by adding, “Nancy.”
They were outside in the parking lot. It was warm, but the days were marginally cooler as September edged in. Jeremiah’s copper colored Jeep had just rolled to a stop in a spot a few yards away, so they sauntered over there. And then he opened the driver’s door, and?—
“Oh my Lord, a puppy!” Drew squeaked as the puppy leaped out and raced toward her. She scooped the little guy right up. His long legs kept sliding down her. He was almost too much for her to hold.
“Is that the one you saved from the river?” Willow asked.
“He saved a puppy? From the river?”
Drew was gone. Charmed by the enemy and his cute companion. Willow was going to need another ally. She faced Jeremiah again. He was standing, and he handed her a sheet of paper with Frankie’s note on it.
She read it and her eyes burned. “That’s so sad.”
“I know. But what can I do?”
“Well, for starters, you have to make sure the kid sees him every weekend, at the bare minimum.”
“But—”
“What’s his name?” Drew asked.
“Beans.”
