Page 3 of Peak Suspicion
“We will.” Ryan took the note from Caleb and ripped it in half. “That’s what I think of this message.”
“Let’s get the meeting started.” A lanky man at the front of the room addressed them. Gradually, everyone fell silent and moved to various seats around the room. Mira returned to the chair where she had left her pack.
“For those who don’t know me, I’m Danny Irwin, captain of Eagle Mountain SAR,” he said, with a nod to Mira. “We’ve got a few announcements to cover, then tonight’s training session will begin.” He turned to Sheri. “Why don’t you start by introducing our guest?”
Sheri moved to take Danny’s place and motioned for Mira to join her. “I want to welcome Mira Veronica,” she said. “Some of you probably already know she’s the new Spanish teacher at Eagle Mountain schools and she’s agreed to offer a special course in Spanish for first responders. Mira, please tell us about the course.”
Mira smiled. She was more comfortable here, in the role of instructor, than she was interacting one-on-one with strangers. “Thanks, Sheri. And thank you all for welcoming me tonight. As Sheri said, I teach Spanish to high school and middle school students. But for several years I also taught Spanish for first responders in Santa Fe, my hometown. Now that I’m in Eagle Mountain, I want to offer the same course here. It’s designed to teach you not only basic conversational Spanish, but the specialized law enforcement and medical terms you may need to interact with people you meet in the course of your job.”
A hand shot up and she nodded to a man on the right side of the room. “So the class isn’t just for search and rescue?” he asked.
“That’s correct. I hope to have students who are paramedics, fire department volunteers as well as local law enforcement.”
“Can’t let those guys get one up on us,” someone said.
“The class also qualifies as a continuing education credit,” Mira said. “If that applies to search and rescue. We’ll meet twice a week for six weeks, at the meeting room at city hall.” She named the tuition fee. “That includes all the course material.”
“We have a grant that will cover half of that fee for anyone who enrolls and completes the course,” Sheri added.
“I have some flyers with the details and my contact information if you have questions,” Mira said. “There’s also a link to the sign-up page online. Does anyone have a question they’d like to ask right now?”
Carter Ames raised his hand.
“Yes?”
“Are you single?”
Laughter rose around the room.
“Don’t mind him,” a young woman with curly dark hair said. “He flunked out of charm school.”
“And they kicked him out of obedience school,” Dalton said.
“But I’m still Mom’s favorite,” Carter said, beaming.
Mira shook her head. She had pegged Carter from the first—a flirt who counted on charm to get him through every situation. He was going to be disappointed to learn she was immune to such tactics.
“Are there any questions about the Spanish classes?” Sheri asked.
There were none, so Sheri thanked Mira for coming, and she collected her backpack and headed for the door while Dannybegan a discussion of protocols for treating suspected drug overdoses.
The sun was just sinking behind the mountains above town as she drove home. She was never going to get tired of this view. The meeting had improved her mood. She loved teaching kids, but it was good to interact with people closer to her own age. She had enjoyed teaching the course in Santa Fe. It was a great way to meet people, and a source of extra income.
She hoped some of the people she had met tonight would attend her class. Maybe the young woman who had teased Carter. There was definitely a family resemblance there, so maybe a sister? The two of them could compare notes—Mira had four older brothers. They could be as exasperating as they were lovable. And they were scattered from California to Boston. She didn’t see them all enough. Next summer she’d have to try to visit. Family was too important not to make the effort.
She parked in her assigned space and climbed the steps to her second-floor apartment. A few feet from the door, she froze. The breeze fluttered a piece of paper stuck to her door. Probably some notice about maintenance or something. She removed the tack holding the paper in place and unfolded it.
DON’T THINK YOU CAN BREAK THE LAW AND GO UNPUNISHED.David is gone but not forgotten and I know you are the one to blame.
Chapter Two
“‘Don’t think you can break the law and go unpunished.’ Hah!” Sergeant Gage Walker glared at the half sheet of notepaper in his hand, then continued reading. “‘Your dog was running loose in the town park, in flagrant violation of the leash ordinance. Don’t think because you’re the sheriff’s brother you’re above the law.’”
Gage transferred his glare to the man seated across from him—his brother, Sheriff Travis Walker. The two shared the same dark hair and eyes, though Gage was taller, with broader shoulders. “Major was not running loose. He saw Casey at the playground and was so excited he pulled the leash out of Maya’s hand. He ran straight to Casey and Maya caught up to him right away.”
“Now that you’ve confessed, I’ll have to write you a ticket.” Only the twitch at the corner of Travis’s unsmiling mouth gave away that he was teasing.
Gage laid the note on Travis’s desk. “If this is someone’s idea of a joke, I don’t appreciate it. Casey was in tears, thinking Major would have to go to dog jail or something.”
