Read Online BIG SKY SECRETS 03: End Game by Roxanne Rustand - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Roxanne Rustand
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direction. A moment later, a patrol car came into view.
Scott felt his pulse pick up a faster beat that he tried to ignore. “She really, really isn’t my business.”
The vehicle crept past Jasper, who lifted his head in casual greeting before flopping back down in the dust. Megan pulled to a stop by the barn and stepped out, her khaki uniform sharply pressed, her service belt looking too heavy, too bulky for her slender waist. Dark aviator sunglasses masked her eyes, and she wasn’t smiling.
“You back to checking out your number one suspect?” he drawled. “I’m beginning to think I’m the only one who’s convenient.”
“Thanks. My boss would be really pleased at that assessment. Convenience over accuracy—and it saves gas mileage, too.” She slipped off her glasses and studied the donkey. “Had him long?”
“Does he need an alibi?”
Her lovely mouth twitched. “That depends. Has he been in any trouble?”
“His named is Attila, if that’s any clue. And I didn’t name him that, so he probably has a rap sheet a mile long.”
“Did you bring him from Chicago?”
“He was…a spur of the moment decision. I went to a sale in February, wanting to buy a tractor. He was going for twenty-five bucks, and I was afraid he might end up in a semitrailer, headed for the glue factory.” Scott gave a rueful laugh. “Now I’ve got a donkey, no tractor and a rapidly disappearing rose garden. But I’m sure you would never make an emotional decision like mine.”
“Nope.” She cast a guilty glance over her shoulder at something moving on the front seat of the cruiser. “Never.”
He squinted against the bright morning sunshine. “Did they give you a police dog to match the K-9 logo on your car?”
“Uh…no.”
Curious, he strolled over and peered inside. A gaunt, white-muzzled golden retriever stared back at him and tentatively waved his tail. “Stray?”
“He was.” She blushed a little. “I think he’s now my new best friend. I wanted one who could also listen for intruders.”
Scott frowned and turned around. “Intruders? Did you get him because you had trouble last night?”
“Someone may have followed me. I thought it could be you, just making sure I got home, but the car took off in a hurry. I would’ve called to ask you, but Information doesn’t have you listed.”
“It wasn’t me. Jasper and I had our supper in my truck before we hit the road, so I was probably ten minutes behind you. And I went straight home because you made it clear that you didn’t want any interference.”
“Maybe it was just someone who got lost and turned around in my driveway.”
“I hope so. Do you live alone?”
She nodded. “Now I wish I’d gone after him. If I’d moved faster, maybe I could’ve pulled him over, or at least gotten close enough so I could run his license plates.”
And then maybe you’d be dead.
She was independent. She was armed. She was a sworn deputy with years of experience. But he still couldn’t set aside his uneasy feelings about her safety. “I’m glad you didn’t.”
She frowned at him, and he could feel a cool wall rising up between them. “Then I’m glad you’re not a partner of mine. You’d probably have me sitting back at the sheriff’s office, out of harm’s way.”
“That’s a great idea.”
A faint twinkle glinted in her eyes. “Then remind me to never suggest that you look for a job with the county sheriff’s department.”
“You’re safe. I can promise it will never be on my agenda.” Though the thought of being able to keep an eye on her—in a purely professional way—did have some appeal. A host of grisly images crowded into his mind from the myriad cases he’d been involved with over the years. Killers without remorse. Those who took pleasure in orchestrating a terrifying death for their victims. “Just don’t take any chances. As isolated as you are out here, you have no idea how truly evil men could be.”
She snorted.
Scott felt his pulse pick up a faster beat that he tried to ignore. “She really, really isn’t my business.”
The vehicle crept past Jasper, who lifted his head in casual greeting before flopping back down in the dust. Megan pulled to a stop by the barn and stepped out, her khaki uniform sharply pressed, her service belt looking too heavy, too bulky for her slender waist. Dark aviator sunglasses masked her eyes, and she wasn’t smiling.
“You back to checking out your number one suspect?” he drawled. “I’m beginning to think I’m the only one who’s convenient.”
“Thanks. My boss would be really pleased at that assessment. Convenience over accuracy—and it saves gas mileage, too.” She slipped off her glasses and studied the donkey. “Had him long?”
“Does he need an alibi?”
Her lovely mouth twitched. “That depends. Has he been in any trouble?”
“His named is Attila, if that’s any clue. And I didn’t name him that, so he probably has a rap sheet a mile long.”
“Did you bring him from Chicago?”
“He was…a spur of the moment decision. I went to a sale in February, wanting to buy a tractor. He was going for twenty-five bucks, and I was afraid he might end up in a semitrailer, headed for the glue factory.” Scott gave a rueful laugh. “Now I’ve got a donkey, no tractor and a rapidly disappearing rose garden. But I’m sure you would never make an emotional decision like mine.”
“Nope.” She cast a guilty glance over her shoulder at something moving on the front seat of the cruiser. “Never.”
He squinted against the bright morning sunshine. “Did they give you a police dog to match the K-9 logo on your car?”
“Uh…no.”
Curious, he strolled over and peered inside. A gaunt, white-muzzled golden retriever stared back at him and tentatively waved his tail. “Stray?”
“He was.” She blushed a little. “I think he’s now my new best friend. I wanted one who could also listen for intruders.”
Scott frowned and turned around. “Intruders? Did you get him because you had trouble last night?”
“Someone may have followed me. I thought it could be you, just making sure I got home, but the car took off in a hurry. I would’ve called to ask you, but Information doesn’t have you listed.”
“It wasn’t me. Jasper and I had our supper in my truck before we hit the road, so I was probably ten minutes behind you. And I went straight home because you made it clear that you didn’t want any interference.”
“Maybe it was just someone who got lost and turned around in my driveway.”
“I hope so. Do you live alone?”
She nodded. “Now I wish I’d gone after him. If I’d moved faster, maybe I could’ve pulled him over, or at least gotten close enough so I could run his license plates.”
And then maybe you’d be dead.
She was independent. She was armed. She was a sworn deputy with years of experience. But he still couldn’t set aside his uneasy feelings about her safety. “I’m glad you didn’t.”
She frowned at him, and he could feel a cool wall rising up between them. “Then I’m glad you’re not a partner of mine. You’d probably have me sitting back at the sheriff’s office, out of harm’s way.”
“That’s a great idea.”
A faint twinkle glinted in her eyes. “Then remind me to never suggest that you look for a job with the county sheriff’s department.”
“You’re safe. I can promise it will never be on my agenda.” Though the thought of being able to keep an eye on her—in a purely professional way—did have some appeal. A host of grisly images crowded into his mind from the myriad cases he’d been involved with over the years. Killers without remorse. Those who took pleasure in orchestrating a terrifying death for their victims. “Just don’t take any chances. As isolated as you are out here, you have no idea how truly evil men could be.”
She snorted.
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