“I’m sure Ms. DiRocco is the best listener,” Officer Montgomery said, glaring at me. “We’re just finishing up at the scene. I’ll stay with Alba, if you don’t mind.”
“I don’t mind at all,” I said, ignoring the implication that I should leave.
“I’m not askin’ your permission,” Officer Montgomery said, his twang sharpening. “I’m tellin’ you, ma’am. You’ve outstayed your welcome.”
His tone penetrated through Alba fog. She frowned. “ You’re being rude, Riley. Why should Cassidy leave? She’s Walker’s friend, and she’s been wonderful company.”
“She’s a reporter, Al.” Officer Montgomery said, as if he were unveiling the man behind the curtain.
Alba nodded. “I know.”
Officer Montgomery frowned. “What do you mean, you know?”
“She told me. She works for The Sun Accord in New York City. Walker brought her here to write a story on crime comparison between country and city life, and she asked if she could sit with me. And that’s what she’s done, just sit with me.”
Officer Montgomery looked back and forth between us, and whatever he saw, he obviously didn’t like. His face flushed a dark crimson in mottled patches across his cheeks. He stepped in close and tipped his voice to a whisper, but in stepping closer to me, he was closer to Alba as well. “I know your type.”
I raised my eyebrows. “My type? I’m not sure you know me well enough to know—“
“Idon’t need to know you to know where you’re from. You city hot shots think you’re better than us. You’d do anything for a story. You’re taking advantage of a woman’s grief, but I ain’t gonna let that happen.”
Anger, like hissing steam, flashed through me and heated my face. I opened my mouth to to say something I’d regret when a glint behind Officer Montgomery caught my eye. I hesitated. A glowing orb blinked a few yards into the woods, like a mirror reflecting the moonlight. I knew that glint almost better than I knew my own reflection.
I glanced around to see if anyone else had noticed the vampire watching us from the woods, and another movement caught my gaze. Walker was shaking his head at me. He had joined the conversation between Sheriff Pitston and Berry, but my argument with Officer Montgomery hadn’t been as private as I would have hoped. A few other officers were staring at us, most of their expressions disapproving and aggravated. Walker, however, looked furious.
He was shaking his head at my argument with Officer Montgomery. He hadn’t seen the vampire. No one had.
“You’ve worn out your welcome, Ms. DiRocco,” Officer Montgomery said. “I’m telling, not asking, you to leave Miss Dunbar alone.”
Alba’s mouth dropped open. “Riley! That’s completely uncalled for!”
“It’s all right, Miss Dunbar.” I patted her knee and then held out my hand for Officer Montgomery to help me stand. “He’s right. I’ve worn out my welcome.”
Montgomery hesitated a moment before taking my hand and helping me to my feet. He didn’t trust my easy acquiescence, but he wanted me gone badly enough to accept it without question.
“Before I leave, would you mind giving me a statement?”
Officer Montgomery’s face pinched. “You’ll have to speak with Sheriff Pitston about statements.”
I nodded. “I certainly will. Thank you for your help.”
He returned my nod but eyed me carefully as I walked away. I could feel the heat of his gaze as I walked toward Walker’s truck. Had he been Greta or Officer Harroway or nearly any city cop, I would have cajoled my way into squeezing more information about the case, but I didn’t have the clout or notoriety here that I had in the city. In fact, if Officer Montgomery’s treatment was any indication, I was starting from the very bottom of the totem pole, lower even than when I’d started in the city simply because I was from the city. But if I could write a book about anything, I could fill page after page about how
“I don’t mind at all,” I said, ignoring the implication that I should leave.
“I’m not askin’ your permission,” Officer Montgomery said, his twang sharpening. “I’m tellin’ you, ma’am. You’ve outstayed your welcome.”
His tone penetrated through Alba fog. She frowned. “ You’re being rude, Riley. Why should Cassidy leave? She’s Walker’s friend, and she’s been wonderful company.”
“She’s a reporter, Al.” Officer Montgomery said, as if he were unveiling the man behind the curtain.
Alba nodded. “I know.”
Officer Montgomery frowned. “What do you mean, you know?”
“She told me. She works for The Sun Accord in New York City. Walker brought her here to write a story on crime comparison between country and city life, and she asked if she could sit with me. And that’s what she’s done, just sit with me.”
Officer Montgomery looked back and forth between us, and whatever he saw, he obviously didn’t like. His face flushed a dark crimson in mottled patches across his cheeks. He stepped in close and tipped his voice to a whisper, but in stepping closer to me, he was closer to Alba as well. “I know your type.”
I raised my eyebrows. “My type? I’m not sure you know me well enough to know—“
“Idon’t need to know you to know where you’re from. You city hot shots think you’re better than us. You’d do anything for a story. You’re taking advantage of a woman’s grief, but I ain’t gonna let that happen.”
Anger, like hissing steam, flashed through me and heated my face. I opened my mouth to to say something I’d regret when a glint behind Officer Montgomery caught my eye. I hesitated. A glowing orb blinked a few yards into the woods, like a mirror reflecting the moonlight. I knew that glint almost better than I knew my own reflection.
I glanced around to see if anyone else had noticed the vampire watching us from the woods, and another movement caught my gaze. Walker was shaking his head at me. He had joined the conversation between Sheriff Pitston and Berry, but my argument with Officer Montgomery hadn’t been as private as I would have hoped. A few other officers were staring at us, most of their expressions disapproving and aggravated. Walker, however, looked furious.
He was shaking his head at my argument with Officer Montgomery. He hadn’t seen the vampire. No one had.
“You’ve worn out your welcome, Ms. DiRocco,” Officer Montgomery said. “I’m telling, not asking, you to leave Miss Dunbar alone.”
Alba’s mouth dropped open. “Riley! That’s completely uncalled for!”
“It’s all right, Miss Dunbar.” I patted her knee and then held out my hand for Officer Montgomery to help me stand. “He’s right. I’ve worn out my welcome.”
Montgomery hesitated a moment before taking my hand and helping me to my feet. He didn’t trust my easy acquiescence, but he wanted me gone badly enough to accept it without question.
“Before I leave, would you mind giving me a statement?”
Officer Montgomery’s face pinched. “You’ll have to speak with Sheriff Pitston about statements.”
I nodded. “I certainly will. Thank you for your help.”
He returned my nod but eyed me carefully as I walked away. I could feel the heat of his gaze as I walked toward Walker’s truck. Had he been Greta or Officer Harroway or nearly any city cop, I would have cajoled my way into squeezing more information about the case, but I didn’t have the clout or notoriety here that I had in the city. In fact, if Officer Montgomery’s treatment was any indication, I was starting from the very bottom of the totem pole, lower even than when I’d started in the city simply because I was from the city. But if I could write a book about anything, I could fill page after page about how
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