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Authors: Arthur Mitchell
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gotta put up with. Glad we don't need a regular detective around these parts. You've got your work cut out for you, Hank.” The Sheriff shrugs his shoulders, hungrily eying the remnants of their dinner across the room.
“That pie looks awful good! Is it on special tonight, Brax?”
He turns to the Sheriff. “Yup. Best deal in town. Well, only deal in town to be serious, but it's still a good one!”
The cops laugh. The detective called Hank does too, but his face straightens when he gets a good look at Sadie.
“Excuse me a minute, boys,” he tells the others.
The policemen are happily distracted by the arrival of their appetizers. Brax watches the man warily as he crosses the small distance to their table and stops near Sadie.
“Sorry to bother you, Miss, but you look very familiar. Haven't ever been to Mankato, have you?”
She shakes her head vigorously.
Shit! How could I look familiar to this secret agent? If he recognizes me, then I've been into something bad. Real bad.
“How about Minneapolis?” The man speaks slowly, calmly, taking a deep breath and waiting like he's taking a drag on a cigarette.
You have to imitate his style. Make it sound authentic.
“No. I'm a South Dakota girl, born and raised. Haven't been to the Twin Cities since my parents took me there on vacations years ago.”
The stranger stares blankly. He shifts in place. Sadie glances over at Brax and sees his rough hands tightening on the table's ledge.
“How about the name Eric? Does that mean anything to you?”
“Eric.” It moves across her tongue like a piece of bitter fruit. Vaguely familiar, and not in a good way. But she can't let him know that.
“No, I don't know any Erics. Is that one of your crew?” She follows the detective's gaze over to Brax.
“Don't have anybody by that name working for me.” The rancher looks the man straight in the eye.
“Listen, friend, I think you've mixed us up with somebody else. We're not being detained or anything, are we?”
“No 'us.' Just the lady here. You're probably right. Sometimes I get caught up in my own wishful thinking.” A slow smile spreads across his thin lips. “Sorry for the trouble, you two. Enjoy the rest of your evening.”
The detective retreats, but Sadie doesn't feel any relief until the check arrives a few minutes later.
Brax pays quickly and they scram out the door, catching one last icy stare from Hank as they step past.
“What was that all about? Do you know him – or does he know you?” He asks the question as soon as they're in the truck.
“No, Brax. I've never seen the man before in my life. He's got me in his head from some place, though.” Heart racing, she reaches for his hand and sighs when he closes his fingers around her. “I'm scared.”
“Don't be. I keep saying it, but I don't care what happened where you're from. I'm not gonna let anybody take you away from me. Not now. Not even the police.”
He glances in his mirror and sees the Silver Dollar Diner's flashing sign becoming a tiny speck. The evening hasn't turned out like he planned, but that doesn't mean it has to stay that way.
They exchange a few words about the incident on the way to the ranch. But he's mostly silent, fulfilling an old superstition that doesn't enjoy tempting fate by speaking grim possibilities aloud.
“Hold up. Let me come and get you,” he says, turning off the engine and unbuckling his seat belt.
A full moon casts a dim pallor over him as he gets out and walks around to her side. He opens the door and unclasps her seat belt, lifting her into his arms.
His embrace has never been so tight.
Brax holds her to his chest. She opens her eyes, staring up at him, basking in the reassuring silent lullaby of the distant moon.
“Come on, cowboy. Let's forget about all that crap. Take me inside.”
He takes a step forward, only stopping to lower his forehead to hers. Sadie whimpers.
A full body shiver runs through her. His body is spilling its familiar and
“That pie looks awful good! Is it on special tonight, Brax?”
He turns to the Sheriff. “Yup. Best deal in town. Well, only deal in town to be serious, but it's still a good one!”
The cops laugh. The detective called Hank does too, but his face straightens when he gets a good look at Sadie.
“Excuse me a minute, boys,” he tells the others.
The policemen are happily distracted by the arrival of their appetizers. Brax watches the man warily as he crosses the small distance to their table and stops near Sadie.
“Sorry to bother you, Miss, but you look very familiar. Haven't ever been to Mankato, have you?”
She shakes her head vigorously.
Shit! How could I look familiar to this secret agent? If he recognizes me, then I've been into something bad. Real bad.
“How about Minneapolis?” The man speaks slowly, calmly, taking a deep breath and waiting like he's taking a drag on a cigarette.
You have to imitate his style. Make it sound authentic.
“No. I'm a South Dakota girl, born and raised. Haven't been to the Twin Cities since my parents took me there on vacations years ago.”
The stranger stares blankly. He shifts in place. Sadie glances over at Brax and sees his rough hands tightening on the table's ledge.
“How about the name Eric? Does that mean anything to you?”
“Eric.” It moves across her tongue like a piece of bitter fruit. Vaguely familiar, and not in a good way. But she can't let him know that.
“No, I don't know any Erics. Is that one of your crew?” She follows the detective's gaze over to Brax.
“Don't have anybody by that name working for me.” The rancher looks the man straight in the eye.
“Listen, friend, I think you've mixed us up with somebody else. We're not being detained or anything, are we?”
“No 'us.' Just the lady here. You're probably right. Sometimes I get caught up in my own wishful thinking.” A slow smile spreads across his thin lips. “Sorry for the trouble, you two. Enjoy the rest of your evening.”
The detective retreats, but Sadie doesn't feel any relief until the check arrives a few minutes later.
Brax pays quickly and they scram out the door, catching one last icy stare from Hank as they step past.
“What was that all about? Do you know him – or does he know you?” He asks the question as soon as they're in the truck.
“No, Brax. I've never seen the man before in my life. He's got me in his head from some place, though.” Heart racing, she reaches for his hand and sighs when he closes his fingers around her. “I'm scared.”
“Don't be. I keep saying it, but I don't care what happened where you're from. I'm not gonna let anybody take you away from me. Not now. Not even the police.”
He glances in his mirror and sees the Silver Dollar Diner's flashing sign becoming a tiny speck. The evening hasn't turned out like he planned, but that doesn't mean it has to stay that way.
They exchange a few words about the incident on the way to the ranch. But he's mostly silent, fulfilling an old superstition that doesn't enjoy tempting fate by speaking grim possibilities aloud.
“Hold up. Let me come and get you,” he says, turning off the engine and unbuckling his seat belt.
A full moon casts a dim pallor over him as he gets out and walks around to her side. He opens the door and unclasps her seat belt, lifting her into his arms.
His embrace has never been so tight.
Brax holds her to his chest. She opens her eyes, staring up at him, basking in the reassuring silent lullaby of the distant moon.
“Come on, cowboy. Let's forget about all that crap. Take me inside.”
He takes a step forward, only stopping to lower his forehead to hers. Sadie whimpers.
A full body shiver runs through her. His body is spilling its familiar and
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