by Stacy Finz
“Perhaps you won’t feel that way once you get to know them. They’re just new to you, El.”
“See that girl over there?” She pointed to a kid with red hair and freckles, who looked vaguely familiar. “She made fun of the way I talk.”
He experienced a flash of visceral anger, which surprised him. Kids were notoriously insensitive, Ellie had to learn to stand up for herself. Yet, as overreactionary as it was, he wanted to call the redhead’s parents and tell them to teach their little brat some manners.
“Kids around here probably never met anyone from Boston,” he said. “I like the way you talk, Ellie.”
She dropped her gaze to the ground. “Can we go home?”
“If that’s what you want to do.” He should’ve told her to tough it out and refuse to let some snot-nosed girl ruin her afternoon. But he’d gone soft. He supposed his dad genes were kicking in, which was an odd revelation. Until now, he hadn’t thought he had any.
“I do.” She wrapped her towel tighter around her and went over to Mrs. Jamison to collect her stuff.
Cash waved goodbye to Travis and Grady, motioning that Ellie was going with him. Grady hopped out of the pool and gave Ellie a great big hug. She pretended to be irritated when he got her wet, but she patted his back with affection.
“Want to grab a late lunch?” he asked as they made their way through the high school parking lot.
She surprised him by saying yes. “Mrs. Jamison was going to take us for ice cream later.”
“Then we’ll get some for dessert.”
He drove the short distance to the coffee shop and asked Laney to seat them in one of the booths at the back of the diner. The restaurant held so many memories of Grandpa Dalton that sometimes Cash came in just to feel his spirit, though it was everywhere on the ranch, the place Jasper loved most.
On their way to the table, Jimmy Ray waved from the kitchen. “I’ll be out in a few minutes to meet the little miss.”
Cash got a kick out of the way Ellie studied the menu so intently. “What looks good?”
“I don’t know. What do you like?”
“The steak sandwich.” The beef was local and the sandwich was what his grandfather used to get. “You want to try it?”
“Sure.”
It was only a steak sandwich, but he’d never seen her this agreeable. He decided to press his luck.
“What do you think of going riding tomorrow? I thought we could borrow two of Jace’s horses and see the ranch from the back of a saddle.” It would probably be hot as hell, but if they got an early enough start they could beat the heat. He’d missed riding, galloping across the open range at breakneck speed and watching the day come to life under a Dry Creek sky.
“Okay.”
That was twice now. Still, Cash didn’t get his hopes up that her sudden affability was a permanent thing.
Laney came to take their orders and Ellie shyly ordered her steak sandwich. A couple of the locals dropped by Cash’s table to say hello and to say a few nice words about Grandpa Dalton.
“Who’s Jasper?” Ellie asked.
“My grandfather, your great-grandfather. I’m sorry he died before the two of you got to meet. You would’ve loved the old goat.” Everyone did.
Laney brought their drinks and rearranged the table settings.
“Did Travis and Grady know him?” Ellie asked, oblivious to Laney’s eavesdropping.
“They lived with him right up until the day he died. He was a real-life cowboy who could rope and bulldog a steer and ride a horse like a champion.”
“Woo-wee, that man was something,” Laney said and put her hand on Cash’s shoulder. “The whole town mourned when he died. And your daddy looks just like him. Spitting image. When your great-granddaddy was his age, your great-grandma had to hold the other ladies off with a stick. I swear it.”
When Laney went off to the kitchen, Ellie asked, “Is that true?”
Cash’s mouth quirked. “It was before my time, but that’s the way I heard it. You can ask your grandpa about it when you meet him. He and your grandmother are planning to come soon.”
Ellie’s glance fell to the table and she grew quiet.
“You don’t want to meet them, Ellie?”
She lowered her face until it was practically dragging on her napkin. Cash decided not to push. They’d circle back around to it eventually. Their food came, and Cash took the opportunity to change the subject.
“Did you and your mom eat in restaurants a lot?” he asked as she bit into her steak sandwich.
“Not that much. My mom had to save her money.”
The words stabbed him in the gut. He could’ve helped with that. Raising a kid on a cop’s salary in Boston couldn’t have been easy, and yet Marie had made sure Ellie got horseback riding lessons, private schooling, and a nice condo in a decent part of town.
He nodded. “We have to talk about some stuff, Ellie, about why I wasn’t around. I’d like to do that this evening when we’re home.” With no prying eyes and big ears.
“Whatever,” she said and took another bite. The sandwich was so big, she needed both hands to hold it.
The door swung open and Aubrey walked in, out of breath. Her face was splotchy red, her shirt wet with sweat, and a few locks of hair had come loose from her ponytail and stuck to her face. She looked like she’d run a marathon in a hundred-degree weather. And damn if she didn’t take Cash’s breath away.
She leaned into the kitchen window. “I need to use your phone, Jimmy Ray.”
“What’s wrong with yours?” Jimmy Ray came out and untied his apron.
“It’s out of juice.” Aubrey held up her cell and pulled the ancient cordless out of its stand at the cash register. “What’s the number for Mama’s Towing?”
Jimmy Ray lifted one bushy brow. “What’s wrong with your car?”
“Heck if I know. It got me here just fine. When I left the parking lot at the Dry Creek Market, I got a few blocks away and then it started puttering out on me.”
Cash stood up. “Want me to take a look? I’m a decent mechanic.” He used to help Grandpa Dalton repair the tractor on the ranch and one summer during college had worked in an auto shop.
She jerked back, surprised. “I didn’t see you tucked in the corner like that.” She craned her neck to get a better look at their booth. “Hi, Ellie.”
“Hi.” Ellie waved.
Aubrey turned her attention back to Cash. “That would be great, but I don’t want to disturb your and Ellie’s lunch.”
“Come join us. As soon as we’re done, I’ll check it out.” He was supposed to be distancing himself from her. Yet the minute she walked in the door, he felt his Goddamn blood rush south of his belt.
“Okay, but I’ve got perishables.” Aubrey looked at Jimmy Ray.
“Oh no,” Laney said. “Do not think you can come in here with your woe-is-me-my-car-broke-down story and think you can use our refrigerator. Why don’t you go over to the sheriff’s station and ask your boyfriend if you can use his?”
“Seriously, Laney, we’re back to that?” Aubrey put her hands on her hips. “For the last time, Jace is not my boyfriend.”
Laney stuck her hand in front of Aubrey’s face. “Tell it to the judge, Aubrey McCallister.”
Aubrey rolled her eyes. “Are you actually planning to let my groceries spoil to vindicate poor Mitch, who by the way, thinks your corn bread sucks. That’s right, on more than one occasion, he complained that it was dry as dust. I quote: ‘It’s worse than the crap they serve at Reggie’s Barbecue.’”
Laney growled—at least Cash thought it sounded like a growl—and pointed at the door. “Out! Get out, girl, before I forcibly push you out.”
“Hold on.” Cash rushed over and stepped between Aubrey and Laney. “Come on, Laney, be a good neighbor.”
“Good neighbor, pfft. Over my dead body. She left a good man just to get between the sheets with your cousin.” Laney walked to the door and opened it wide. “Out!”
Jimmy Ray came up behind his wife, lifted his hand, and pressed the door closed. “Now, sugar, be reasonable.”
He turned to Cash and shook his head, as if to say he didn’t know what had gotten in to either of them.
Laney poked Jimmy Ray in the arm. “Did you hear what she said about my corn bread?” She crossed her arms over her ample chest. “Everyone loves my corn bread, including Mitch.” She jabbed her finger at Aubrey. “The girl’s a liar.”
Aubrey came out from behind Cash’s back and got in Laney’s face again. “Think what you want, but no one loves your corn bread. Not even Mercedes’s husband, Joe, who’ll eat anything on a plate. I once saw him dig an old Danish out of the garbage, that’s how discriminating he is.”
Laney made that low sound in her throat again, and this time Cash thought she might throw a punch. He tugged Aubrey’s arm, a signal to shut up.
“Jimmy Ray, let Aubrey store her cold stuff in your cooler.” It was more of a demand than a request. Cash didn’t have a lot of tolerance for drama.
Jimmy Ray gave a slight nod and Cash nudged Aubrey to go get her groceries before Laney pitched another fit.
When Cash returned to his table, Ellie’s eyes were big as saucers. “Finish your lunch,” he told her.
“Why was that lady mean to Aubrey? Is Aubrey Uncle Jace’s girlfriend?” Uncle? Ellie hadn’t even called Cash Dad yet. And hell no, Aubrey McAllister wasn’t Jace’s girlfriend.
“It’s just a misunderstanding.” Cash scooted into the booth and pointed at Ellie’s fries. “Come on, honey, eat up.”
By the time Aubrey returned with two bags of groceries, Laney was bussing their table and looking like what Grandpa Dalton would’ve called “fit to be tied.”
Aubrey swished by her and headed for the kitchen. While she was storing her perishables, he squared up with Laney at the cash register. Ellie stood by his side, and he got the impression she was intrigued by the circus. Probably not a whole lot of country crazy in Boston.
“Ready?” Aubrey came out of the kitchen, her white blouse plastered to her like a second skin.
“Let’s go.” He forced his eyes away from her chest and called back to the kitchen, “Thanks, Jimmy Ray.”
They were barely out of the restaurant when Aubrey said, “God, she’s such a bit—” and remembered they were in the company of a twelve-year-old. Sorry, she mouthed to Cash.
“Let’s take my SUV.” The market was just up the street, but Aubrey’s car might need a jump and Cash figured she’d walked enough in the heat.
They piled into his Ford and pulled into the Dry Creek Market parking lot, where Aubrey’s Volvo sat under a tree. Cash left the air-conditioner running for Ellie, popped the hood on Aubrey’s car, and told her to start the engine. The ignition turned over, but just as quickly, the car stalled.
“Is this what happened before?” Cash asked.
She shook her head. “It started right up and I was able to drive it. I got as far as Tank Farm and all of a sudden the car wouldn’t accelerate. No matter how hard I pressed the gas pedal, the car still didn’t have any power. I was afraid it was breaking down, so I came back here.”
“Try it again,” he told Aubrey.
This time the Volvo wouldn’t even start.
From what she’d described, Cash suspected the problem had something to do with fuel combustion. He twisted off the cap on her gas tank and tried to take a look inside.
“Well, do you see anything?”
“When was the last time you gassed up?” Perhaps it was bad fuel.
“A few days ago.” Aubrey moved closer to Cash and tried to peer into the gas tank.
“Maybe someone put something down there,” Ellie said.
Cash glanced over at his daughter, who’d gotten out of the truck. The girl had a suspicious nature. What did he expect when both her parents had been cops? “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
“Like sugar?” Aubrey crouched down and tried to get a better look inside the tank, which was fruitless. “Who on earth would do something like that? Mitch is out of town.”
“Look, we don’t know for sure. It could be something with your gas line. Easiest way to find out is to syphon the tank and replace the gas.”
“Should I have it towed and let a mechanic do it?”
Cash knew that between the tow and the hours it would take to diagnose the problem, Aubrey could wind up shelling out a few hundred bucks. “I’ll do it.” He gazed around the parking lot. “I can come back in the morning with tools and a can of gas. Will Stu and Marsh care if you leave the car overnight?” For as long as Cash could remember, the two brothers had owned the market.
“They won’t mind and everyone knows this is my car.”
There wasn’t much crime in Dry Creek, so Cash wasn’t worried someone would strip the ancient station wagon.
“You want to pick up your groceries and hop a ride home with us?”
“That would be great.” She wiped her brow with the back of her hand. “I don’t know how to thank you.”
He could think of a couple of ways but kept them to himself.
Chapter 10
Her father wanted to have his stupid talk, but Ellie was tired. She didn’t know why, because it was only eight. Her mom used to let her stay up until nine on weeknights and ten on weekends. So far, he hadn’t given her a curfew. But one was coming; all signs pointed that way. Her father made believe he was laid-back, but Ellie could tell he was more of a hard ass than he led on. If she wanted to be fair, her mom had kind of been that way too. Maybe all parents were.
She took her time changing into a pair of sweatpants and to check out the new stripes on her wall. They were pretty but didn’t go with the fishing comforter on her bed. Aubrey said she was searching for something pink to match the paint color.
Ellie used to think she wanted to be a detective like her mom, but being a decorator didn’t seem like a bad job. She sort of liked the idea of picking out people’s stuff and not having to pay for it. And Aubrey said she got to see a lot of big houses and snoop through people’s bedrooms.
Of everyone, Ellie liked Aubrey the best. She was pretty but not stuck-up. And she’d told that lady off good at the coffee shop. Ellie still didn’t understand why the woman had been so awful to Aubrey or what Grady and Travis’s dad had to do with it. Ellie had kind of thought Aubrey was in to her father, which was…uh, can’t even.
Tomorrow, when she saw Travis and Grady, she planned to ask them about it, mostly because she was curious. Grady was probably too young to know anything. But Travis was older than her by a year and was wicked cool. When that annoying red-haired girl had made fun of the way Ellie talked, Travis had told the ginger to shut the F up.
“Hey, Ellie, what’s taking so long?”
“I’ll be right out,” she yelled back and threw herself down on the bed. Why couldn’t he just chill? It wasn’t like he even wanted a daughter, so why did he have to act all desperate?
“Everything okay in there?” He knocked on her bedroom.
She jumped off the bed and opened the door before he had an ulcer or a heart attack.
He pointed at the walls. “They look good, don’t they?”
She nodded and followed him to the kitchen, where he’d set out two bowls and a container of ice cream. Vanilla, which was so boring. Even Mary Margaret, who hated everything, liked pistachio or mint chip when she wasn’t being a vegan.
He served them both two scoops, put the ice cream in the freezer, and sat across the table from her. “Looks like you got a little sun. Should we put some lotion on your face and shoulders?”
“I can do it.” He always treated her like a mutant.
“Okay, otherwise you’ll peel.”
She took a spoonful of ice cream, and the cold gave her brain freeze. “What did you want to talk about?”
He didn’t say anything for a few minutes, and Ellie wondered if he was going to send her back to Boston. Linda would take her, even if she had two kids of her own. Or she could live with her Uncle Woody who wasn’t really her uncle but had been her mother’s partner at Boston PD. She really wanted to live with Mary Margaret and Miss O’Malley, but Ellie’s mother would’ve had a heart attack if she were still alive. She thought Mary Margaret was a bad influence and Miss O’Malley was a pothead.
Her father leaned across the table. “What did your mom tell you about me?”
Ellie ate another spoonful of ice cream and lifted her shoulders. “That you had your own life and we had ours.”
“Did she tell you who I was, my name, where I lived?”
“No, just that she met you at a police conference and that you were in the FBI.”
He stuck his spoon in his ice cream bowl but didn’t take a bite. “Did she say whether I knew about you?”
Ellie thought about it for a while. “I can’t remember.”
He nodded, then got up and put his bowl in the sink. When he returned to the table he said, “Until your mom called me a few weeks ago, I didn’t know anything about you, Ellie.”
Well, of course he didn’t. He’d never met her before. “I guess you were too busy with your job or whatever.” She looked down, picking at her nails.
He lifted her chin so they were eye to eye, and she tried very hard not to squirm, but he was being real serious and it made her nervous.
“No, not too busy,” he said and was still looking at her. “I didn’t know you existed, Ellie. I didn’t know I had a little girl.”
What? That had to be a lie. How could he not know? “I don’t believe you.”
“It’s the truth, Ellie.” She tried to look away, but he wouldn’t let her. “I wanted you to know in case you thought I deserted you. I didn’t; I just didn’t know I had you.”
It was a bunch of lies. Her mother would’ve told her.
