The Coppersmith Farmhouse

by Devney Perry

  Jess left as soon as he was dressed so I didn’t get the scoop from him after all. But he knew I was anxious to hear what had happened, so he stopped by the hospital shortly after ten, bringing a triple Irish cream latte with him. Sitting together in the waiting room, he told me about the fire.

  “A house on Second Street was burned down last night. Guy that lived there lost everything except what was in his garage.”

  I gasped. “Oh my god. Is he okay?”

  “Yeah. Just totally fucked. When I say he lost everything, I mean everything. If you’ve got any extras from moving here, let me know and I’ll take stuff to him.”

  “Absolutely. I think I’ve got some kitchen extras in the attic. How did the fire start?”

  Shaking his head, he said, “Someone threw a gas can through his living room window, followed by a burning torch.”

  “What?” I whispered, my eyes bugging out. “Why would someone burn down his house? He could have gotten hurt. Or worse, killed!”

  “I don’t know. It’s completely fucked up. Talked to him for a while but he was in shock. Couldn’t hardly speak. I gotta head to the fire station after I leave here and see if Nick learned anything new. Then I’m gonna try and talk to the guy again. See if he has any enemies that would do this.”

  “Does he need somewhere to stay?” I asked.

  I wasn’t really keen on having a stranger in my house but the poor man had lost all of his possessions in one night. I could put up with a guest for a few days, especially now that I had the guest bedroom all set up.

  “He’s a stranger, Georgia,” Jess scolded.

  “I know that. But he needs help. Besides, you know everyone. You know him, right? Is he a bad guy?”

  “No. He’s not a bad guy. Nice enough. Don’t know him very well. Works as a janitor at the school. But he’s still not staying at the farmhouse.”

  “Where’s he going to stay then?” I asked.

  “He’s just got to find a place to stay while he’s waiting on insurance. I’m sure he’ll get a payout. Probably within the week. Until then, he’s staying with Everett Carlson.”

  “Everett?”

  I hadn’t seen Everett yet today but I was definitely going to track him down after Jess left.

  “Yeah. He lives next door. Was out there all night.”

  “Really?” I said. “That’s nice of Everett to take him in.”

  “Ha. I bet Maze doesn’t think so. Actually surprised you haven’t gotten the scoop from her yet. She was with him last night. Came outside wearing his shirt and sweats.”

  “You’re kidding!” I jumped up from my seat to kneel in the chair.

  “Nope.”

  “Wow. She said they’d gone out a couple of times but that he hadn’t seemed too interested in being more than friends. I guess that changed.”

  Jess checked his watch and stood up to leave. We’d just made it to the front doors and he’d given me a quick kiss good-bye when “Gigi!” sounded behind me. Jess rolled his eyes and pulled on his sunglasses, heading out, while I turned to greet a very excited Maisy.

  “So? What do you think?” he asked.

  We were exploring my new garage after work. Ryan and his crew had just finished this morning.

  “It’s, ah, big.”

  And it was. Huge. Way bigger than anything I needed.

  “I’m not quite sure why I need all of this extra space. I could fit two extra vehicles in here plus all of the boxes I have stored in the attic with room to spare.”

  He smirked at me like he knew something I didn’t.

  “It’s nice though,” I said. “I like that the outside matches the house. And the little windows all along the sides and the front were a nice touch. Makes it seems less garagey.”

  “Garagey?”

  “Garagey. You know, not pretty. Usually garages are so boxy and practical. Big white doors that don’t coordinate with the rest of a house.”

  “So you like that I had him make it ‘pretty.’ ”

  “Yes. I like that it’s pretty.” I stuck my tongue out at him.

  He could tease all he wanted. I didn’t feel one ounce of shame that the aesthetics of the garage were my favorite part.

  “I had them put in a thermal water heating system so it will stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Won’t skyrocket your heating bill. Does that rank above pretty?”

  “Nope.”

  “That bench is custom built over there for tool storage. The cart and drawers, specially brought in. Does that rank above pretty?”

  “Tools? No. Definitely not.” I laughed.

  He took a deep breath and sighed. “So you’re saying you would have been fine with anything I decided to have them build as long as you got those fancy little windows, the wooden doors out front, the barn-style hardware and the expensive lights that match the front porch.”

  “You’re learning, Sheriff,” I said, patting his arm.

  I was glad the garage debacle was over. Jess followed me inside and I toed off my shoes.

  “Football game starts soon. We’ve got to get moving,” he said.

  “Huh? Football?” I asked. I had planned to have a nice relaxing night at the farmhouse. An unplanned trip to town wasn’t at the top of my list of Friday night fun activities.

  “Yeah. There’s a home game tonight at the high school,” he said.

  “Let’s just stay here. In case you haven’t noticed, honey, the Ellars girls are not really the sporting event type.”

  “Think of it as a social event then. We need to leave in forty-five. We’ll just get hot dogs at the game for dinner.”

  “How is a football game a social event?”

  “Whole town comes out to watch and gossip. Lots of folks have seen us around town but lots haven’t. You and Roe will be the center of attention. She’ll love it,” he said.

  “Ah . . . I thought you were trying to sell me on going. I’m not too keen on being tonight’s gossip topic. That isn’t helping your argument.”

  “I have to go. People expect the sheriff to participate in town events. Also expect the sheriff’s girls to be with him.”

  I opened my mouth but he cut me off.

  “And I’m not selling you on going. I’m telling you you’re going.”

  “Now you’re making me mad, Jess,” I said, fisting my hands on my hips. “You don’t get to order me around.”

  I was sick to death of Jess telling me what to do. It was like the garage situation all over again. Well, kind of. Sure, this was just a football game and nothing to get worked up about. It was the principle of the matter that had me angry.

  He didn’t listen. Instead, he started unbuttoning his shirt. “Get changed. Dress warm.”

  “Hold it. I don’t want to sit outside in the cold, watching a game I don’t understand. We’re not going.”

  He huffed. “Fuck, you can be difficult.”

  “I’m not being difficult!”

  Jess ignored me and tilted his head toward the stairs, bellowing, “Rowen!”

  “Yeah?” she yelled back.

  “Want to go to a football game?” he asked as her little feet pounded down the stairs.

  “Yeah!” she screeched.

  “Good. Me too. Your mom doesn’t. Guess it’s just me and you,” he said.

  I inhaled a deep breath and closed my eyes, trying to slow my racing heartbeat. I was not happy that he was ordering me around. And then using Rowen to guilt me into going? I wasn’t getting any happier here.

  “Why don’t you want to go, Mommy? I want to go with Jess,” Roe said.

  Traitor.

  I inhaled and reminded myself not to snap at her just because I was angry with Jess.

  “Well, baby girl, I’m tired. It’s been a long week and we haven’t gotten to spend much time with Jess since he’s been working so much. I thought it might be nice to stay home, just the three of us.”

  “If you come to the football game with me and Jess, then it will be the three
of us, right?” she asked.

  A smug grin spread across Jess’s face.

  “Fine,” I muttered.

  Once again, I had let Jess walk all over me and get his way.

  “Baby,” Jess said.

  I didn’t respond. My eyes stayed glued to the windshield.

  I was mad at myself for letting him push me into this. I should have stood my ground and stayed home.

  “Freckles,” Jess called again.

  My silence continued.

  When we were together, I never drove my car. He always went to the driver’s side and I let him. And since I was new to Prescott, if he drove, then he didn’t need to narrate directions. But I also knew it was part of his manly man ways. Jess drove. The end. When I didn’t answer, he pulled over to the side of the road.

  Maybe I needed to rethink letting him always be the driver.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “Nothing. I’m fine,” I lied.

  “You’re not.”

  “I am.”

  “You need to talk to me,” he said.

  “I’ll be fine,” I said, trying to sound sincere. “Let’s just get to the game. I’m hungry.”

  “Georgia, tell me. Please.”

  I turned to look at him, shifting my whole body in the seat.

  “Jess, you’ve been working around the clock. There’s nothing wrong with me wanting to stay at home and spend some time together, you know. You didn’t even hear me out. We have to decide things together.”

  “I should have listened. But tonight will be fun. You’ll like it.”

  “It’s football,” I said, the word tasting sour.

  “Give it a try?” he asked.

  “Fine.”

  He leaned across the console for a quick kiss before driving us to town.

  We parked in a huge gravel lot, already packed full, and walked toward the stadium. Roe was in the middle, holding onto our hands as she skipped along in her suede boots.

  The football stadium was much bigger than I would have imagined for a town the size of Prescott. After passing a long concession stand, we climbed a set of stairs leading to the bleachers above us. I took in the nearly full stands and then double-checked my watch.

  The game wasn’t supposed to start until seven and it was only six-thirty. I figured we were early, but from the looks of the full crowd, I was wrong. The only empty seats left were located in the undesirable spots, up high and on the edges. Apparently, to be on time for a Prescott High football game, you had to arrive shortly after lunch.

  Jess bent to pick up Rowen, who wrapped her legs around his waist with practiced ease. Then he grabbed my hand and pulled me behind him to the middle of the bleachers. About five rows up, he stopped by a row already quite full of people.

  And of course it would be, the seats were perfect. Right in the middle. High up enough to see the whole field without the railing in your way.

  “Ah, Jess, shouldn’t we keep going up to an empty row?” I asked.

  “This is where I sit,” he said. “They’ll make room.”

  Of course he’d have a reserved spot in the best available location. My guess was that the people of Prescott would make room for him no matter where he wanted to sit.

  A lot of faces were aimed my way, giving me a thorough inspection. I was happy to spot a few I recognized and focused on them instead of the strangers staring me down. In our row was Silas Grant. Behind him and off to the side was Maisy.

  “Brick, come on in. There’s plenty of room,” a man sitting three seats in called before people started squeezing together to make an opening.

  Jess nodded and shuffled sideways down the row, still carrying Rowen, until we reached the open space next to Silas.

  “Gigi,” he said.

  “Hi, Silas.”

  “First game?” he asked.

  Jess started chuckling, so I elbowed him in the ribs.

  He let out a “humph” while I told Silas, “Yes, first game.”

  “It’s a good year to become a fan. Mustangs are a great team this year. Favored to win the state championship,” he said.

  “Which one are the Mustangs?” Roe asked.

  “Green team. That’s who we’re cheering for. Right down in front of us,” Jess said.

  “Who are the red guys?” she asked.

  “Sheridan Pioneers. We want the green team to get the football past the red team and into the end zone down there,” he said, pointing out all of the different spots on the field.

  “Oh.” Her chin fell and her eyes filled with tears.

  “What’s wrong, Roe?” I asked.

  She didn’t answer.

  “Little bit?” Jess whispered. “What is it?”

  Roe finally looked up and the tears fell onto her cheeks. “The bad guys are red and my sweater is red. Does that mean I can’t be a Mustang?”

  “Of course not, sweetie,” I said, holding back a laugh. “You can cheer for them. It doesn’t matter that you’re wearing red.”

  “It does matter! I’m not dressed right!” my mini-diva cried again.

  We were starting to draw a bit of an audience. “Do you want to wear your coat?” It was a deep purple and would blend better with the sea of green we were sitting in.

  “Okay.” She sniffled.

  “Want a hot dog, little bit?” he asked.

  “Yeah,” she said, nodding enthusiastically, all smiles again now that her wardrobe better supported the home team.

  “Georgia?” he asked.

  “Sure,” I said. “And a Coke. Juice box for Roe.”

  “Okay. Be back.”

  As soon as he vacated his seat, Maisy climbed down from behind us and took his place.

  “Hey!” she said. “I didn’t know you guys were coming tonight. Awesome!”

  “Hey, yourself!” I said while Roe jumped up to give her a big squeeze.

  “Meet my family.”

  Behind us was an older couple I assumed were Maisy’s parents and two men, one on either side of her parents.

  “This is my mom, Marissa, and my dad, Brock Holt,” she said. I shook both of their hands and introduced myself.

  “These are my brothers,” Maisy continued, “Beau and Michael.”

  Maisy looked exactly like her mom except for her eyes, which were her dad’s. Brock had wide shoulders and a huge frame. Jess was a big guy but even seated, Maisy’s dad and brothers were obviously bigger.

  Michael was younger and hadn’t quite filled out his frame yet. But Beau was built. Mountainous. Everything about him was square and angular, his shoulders, jaw, hands. He was a younger version of his father except for the dark brown beard covering his jaw and the lack of a protruding beer belly.

  “Brick’s woman,” Beau said.

  “Um . . . yeah.” I liked that Jess called me his girl and not his woman. I didn’t like “woman,” it made me feel old.

  “How are you liking the hospital?” Marissa asked.

  “Oh . . . it’s been great,” I said, smiling. “I love working with Maisy.”

  “Well, we sure have heard a lot about you, Gigi,” she said. “We’re glad you two have become such fast friends.”

  “Me too.”

  We chatted a bit more about general Prescott things until I saw Jess heading back down our row. I took a quick inventory of the stash in his arms.

  Six hot dogs, two sodas, one juice box, Skittles, popcorn, peanut butter M&Ms and something green tucked under his arm.

  “Did you leave anything left at the concessions stand for the other patrons?” I asked.

  He grinned, setting the food down on the bench and then did his round of greetings to Maisy and her family.

  “You find those missing hikers?” Jess asked Beau.

  “Yep. Found them about a mile up from the trailhead,” Beau said.

  “Figure it wouldn’t take you long.” Jess chuckled, then told me, “Beau is head of Search and Rescue in Jamison County. We take the dispatch calls at the station an
d then coordinate with his team.”

  “Gotcha.” I nodded.

  “I work at the Forest Service office too. Fits well since most of our rescues are people lost in the woods,” Beau added.

  Jess and Beau chatted a bit more before we turned to eat our food. After inhaling four hot dogs, Jess pulled out the green bundle he’d stowed under the bench.

  “Here, little bit. Give this a try,” he said, unfolding a small Mustangs sweatshirt.

  “Yay!” She immediately started stripping off her coat.

  “Jess, you shouldn’t spoil her,” I whispered.

  He shrugged. “She’s gonna get one eventually. Might as well be tonight.”

  “Yeah, but I don’t want her to think that if she throws around some drama and tears she can get whatever she wants.”

  He shrugged again. Other than that, he made no acknowledgement that he’d heard me, let alone agreed with me whatsoever, meaning he was totally going to spoil her.

  Another example of him not listening to me.

  “Thank you!” Rowen told Jess before throwing herself into his chest.

  “Anything for my girls,” he said, kissing the top of her hair.

  Then he hoisted her up so he could begin the unsuccessful attempt of trying to teach the Ellars girls about football.

  “So what’s new with you and Everett?” I asked Maisy.

  The first half of the game was almost over and she had come with Rowen and me to the stadium restrooms.

  Before the night of the fire, Maisy and Everett had gone out a few times but each date had been completely platonic. She had started to think Everett was just in need of a friend and wasn’t that interested in a relationship. Then the night of the fire had happened.

  “Oh, he’s dreamy,” she swooned. “We’ve spent every night together since the fire. He’s actually kind of shy. Which is weird, right? He’s a hot doctor. Who would have thought he’d be shy? I have to practically drag stuff out of him. We’re just spending as much time together as possible. Mostly in bed, where he is definitely not shy. I was hoping we could all go out together. Like a double date.”

  I hadn’t gone out to either of the bars in Prescott but was looking for an excuse to check one out. Not that I was a big bar goer. It wasn’t for the drinking. I just wanted to see what a small-town Montana bar was like.