something
else, and after that if you still want to live here we could talk about rent.”
Lacey had initially taken offense with Shane over
the suggestion she work here, but now the idea was starting to grow on her. She
might even have time to squeeze in some freelance graphic work.
“I think we have a deal,” said Lacey.
“I’m happy to hear that. Let me give the place a good
clean and how about you move in the day after tomorrow and start work on Monday
morning?”
“I like the sound of that.”
“Okay then honey, you leave everything to me.”
Lacey headed back down the stairs behind Marie.
“And how about coming to Sunday lunch at my place?
It’s Emily’s thirteenth birthday and you’ve probably guessed she’s a people
person. She’s already taken a liking to you so it would mean a lot to her to
have you there too.”
Lacey didn’t know quite what to say. Would Shane
think she was being pushy and elbowing her way into his life maybe?
“Well, I’m waiting for an answer.”
“I’ll be there.”
“Good, ask Shane for directions or better yet, just
get him to bring you.”
****
Shane opened up his fridge door and pulled out a
beer. He pried off the cap and took two long swigs. The whole business with
John and Ted’s discovery had made him uneasy. An accident was one thing, but pre-mediated murder was something he
didn’t want to think about. He knew all three of these guys, and it made his
skin crawl thinking that they might have planned to take John out hunting for
the sole purpose of ending his life.
His shoulders had a kink in them. He needed to
relax. A warm shower would be good. Company would be even better.
Lacey.
He picked up his phone and pulled out her resume
from his jacket pocket. Good thing she’d put her cell phone number on it. He
could go to the motel to see her, but he didn’t want people talking about him
going to the room every night, and not emerging until the following morning. Not
that it was anyone’s business what their sheriff did on his off time. He took a
swig of beer and pressed the digits of her number.
“Hello, Lacey Metcalfe speaking.”
“Hello Lacey Metcalfe.”
“Hello Sheriff Malone.”
He got a kick out of the fact she already recognized
his voice.
“How was your day?” she asked.
Wow, that was great. Someone
asking him how his day had been. Guess
that’s what’s nice about having a significant other in your life. He sat
down and massaged his temples. He was sure the whole mess with John had given
him a headache.
“Not quite how I wanted it to turn out,” he said.
“Sorry to hear that. Anything I can do?”
“You want to come over and share a pizza with me?
I’ll give you a tour of my house.”
“I’d love to, but you’re going to have to give me
perfect directions because I took a ride around the outskirts of town this
afternoon and almost ended up in Canada. Okay , that’s an
exaggeration, but let’s just say that I got lost.”
“No problem. I’ll give you a bunch of landmarks to
look out for and then it’s easy.”
“Okay, I have a pen and paper.”
“Head out the motel and make a
right. Continue driving down Main Street until you get to Fourth Street and make a
left. You’ll start to head out of Timber Creek, and you’ll see a gas station on
your right and a road marked County Ten. Turn onto it and mine’s the only house
on the left hand side.”
“Got it and once I’ve changed I’ll head out.”
“Perfect. I’ll put the pizza in the oven.”
“And should I wear a dress again?”
****
Lacey glanced at the last of the directions Shane
had given her. She was at the gas station. She turned onto County Ten. It was
snowing again, so she turned on the windshield wipers and saw in the distance,
lights on in a house. As he’d pointed out that it was the only house on the
left of the road so it was easy to find. She turned into the driveway and saw
Shane’s truck in front of the garage. She
got out,
else, and after that if you still want to live here we could talk about rent.”
Lacey had initially taken offense with Shane over
the suggestion she work here, but now the idea was starting to grow on her. She
might even have time to squeeze in some freelance graphic work.
“I think we have a deal,” said Lacey.
“I’m happy to hear that. Let me give the place a good
clean and how about you move in the day after tomorrow and start work on Monday
morning?”
“I like the sound of that.”
“Okay then honey, you leave everything to me.”
Lacey headed back down the stairs behind Marie.
“And how about coming to Sunday lunch at my place?
It’s Emily’s thirteenth birthday and you’ve probably guessed she’s a people
person. She’s already taken a liking to you so it would mean a lot to her to
have you there too.”
Lacey didn’t know quite what to say. Would Shane
think she was being pushy and elbowing her way into his life maybe?
“Well, I’m waiting for an answer.”
“I’ll be there.”
“Good, ask Shane for directions or better yet, just
get him to bring you.”
****
Shane opened up his fridge door and pulled out a
beer. He pried off the cap and took two long swigs. The whole business with
John and Ted’s discovery had made him uneasy. An accident was one thing, but pre-mediated murder was something he
didn’t want to think about. He knew all three of these guys, and it made his
skin crawl thinking that they might have planned to take John out hunting for
the sole purpose of ending his life.
His shoulders had a kink in them. He needed to
relax. A warm shower would be good. Company would be even better.
Lacey.
He picked up his phone and pulled out her resume
from his jacket pocket. Good thing she’d put her cell phone number on it. He
could go to the motel to see her, but he didn’t want people talking about him
going to the room every night, and not emerging until the following morning. Not
that it was anyone’s business what their sheriff did on his off time. He took a
swig of beer and pressed the digits of her number.
“Hello, Lacey Metcalfe speaking.”
“Hello Lacey Metcalfe.”
“Hello Sheriff Malone.”
He got a kick out of the fact she already recognized
his voice.
“How was your day?” she asked.
Wow, that was great. Someone
asking him how his day had been. Guess
that’s what’s nice about having a significant other in your life. He sat
down and massaged his temples. He was sure the whole mess with John had given
him a headache.
“Not quite how I wanted it to turn out,” he said.
“Sorry to hear that. Anything I can do?”
“You want to come over and share a pizza with me?
I’ll give you a tour of my house.”
“I’d love to, but you’re going to have to give me
perfect directions because I took a ride around the outskirts of town this
afternoon and almost ended up in Canada. Okay , that’s an
exaggeration, but let’s just say that I got lost.”
“No problem. I’ll give you a bunch of landmarks to
look out for and then it’s easy.”
“Okay, I have a pen and paper.”
“Head out the motel and make a
right. Continue driving down Main Street until you get to Fourth Street and make a
left. You’ll start to head out of Timber Creek, and you’ll see a gas station on
your right and a road marked County Ten. Turn onto it and mine’s the only house
on the left hand side.”
“Got it and once I’ve changed I’ll head out.”
“Perfect. I’ll put the pizza in the oven.”
“And should I wear a dress again?”
****
Lacey glanced at the last of the directions Shane
had given her. She was at the gas station. She turned onto County Ten. It was
snowing again, so she turned on the windshield wipers and saw in the distance,
lights on in a house. As he’d pointed out that it was the only house on the
left of the road so it was easy to find. She turned into the driveway and saw
Shane’s truck in front of the garage. She
got out,
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