The kiss was everything, and more than Haley had ever dreamed her first real kiss would be. She leaned toward him as he slowly ended their kiss and pulled away.
“Wow.” That was all she could say. “You’re good at that.”
“Listen to me,” he quietly instructed her. She was finally able to gather her senses enough to comply. “When I told you we’d figure this out, I meant it. I was making a commitment I have never made before. You have to trust me that I know what I’m doing. We’ll both be as safe as possible. I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”
“What about you? I’ll make things harder for you.” As painful as it was, Haley tried to be strong.
His hands swept back her artificial hair. “You make me alive, Haley. I have spent the last five years of my life pretending. Beau Davis didn’t even exist anymore; not really. But now I do, and for the first time in a long time, I have a real life. But I don’t want it unless you’re a part of it.”
Haley reached up and placed her hands over his before she started laughing and crying at the same time.
“What is it now, honey?” Beau questioned her.
She shook her head before hiding her face against his chest. “You gave me our first kiss while I look like this.”
His laugh rumbled through his chest. “Just think of the story we’ll have to tell our kids someday.”
Their kids . . . Beau was definitely planning a future with her. And she trusted him. If he told her they would be safe, then they would be safe. Besides, she had forgotten the most important part. She believed God wanted them together. There wasn’t anything or anybody that could stand in the way of that.
Chapter 43
“Sheriff?” Hardy stuck his head in the door of Mitch’s office. “Do you have a minute?”
Mitch looked up from his desk and frowned. “Just the man I wanted to talk to. Come on in and have a seat. Close the door behind you.”
Hardy shifted his holster a little further to the side as he sat down. It appeared he was going to have to listen to his boss before he had the chance to speak.
“What do you think you’re doing, Davis?” Mitch demanded.
“What are you talking about?” The sheriff was going to have to explain himself. Hardy wasn’t going to play twenty questions.
“I heard the rumors about you and Haley, but I ignored them. I thought you were just being friendly.” Mitch’s brows rose. “But then Tessa tells me the two of you are actually together. You’re a real couple. You’re going to have to explain yourself. I thought we had an agreement.”
Oh. That’s what this was about. “Things have changed,” Hardy calmly answered. “In fact, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about.” He decided to lay it all on the line. “Haley and I are a couple because I plan on having a future with her. Since the people in this community are her family, I need to make this my home, too. I’d like to start off with a full time job as your deputy.”
The big man looked comical with his mouth hanging open. He abruptly shut it. "What about the people who are after you? You’re putting yourself at greater risk by staying in one place, and you’re putting Haley in danger by being with her.”
“Am I really?” Haley would probably be upset with him if she knew he’d been thinking about their future instead of listening to the sermon yesterday.
“Somebody has already found me. We both know that. And if I run, things will most likely get worse around here. Didn’t you tell me that?”
Mitch nodded, uncertainty written on his face.
“Then, why don’t I stay here and help catch them? And then Beau Harding can live a quiet life with the woman he loves.”
“But what about Haley?” The sheriff gestured toward the dispatch desk, even though it wasn’t her sitting at it.
“People have already linked us together.” This had been his greatest concern. “We both know how gossip in a small town works. If anybody shows up, they’re going to think Haley’s with me whether she is or not. I can keep her safer if we’re really together.”
Mitch seemed to carefully consider Hardy’s words. “You’re sure about this?”
“I’m surer about this than anything else I’ve ever decided,” Hardy assured him. “Now, do you want another deputy or not?”
A grim smile lifted the corners of Mitch’s mouth as he opened a drawer and reached into it. Hardy barely raised his hand in time to catch the badge Mitch tossed to him. “Getty’s carry our uniforms, and they should have your size. Unless they have to order, I expect to see you in one by Monday. You’ll have to go plainclothes until then, but make sure people see that badge. Got it?”
In response, Hardy pinned it in plain sight on his shirt pocket. “I’d like to get started right away. What do you want me to do?”
Two hours later, as he paced the smelly alley, he found himself greatly regretting that question. Mitch had sent him to meet Sammy Lewis, to show the kid some mug shots. So far, all Hardy had managed to do was ruin a perfectly good jacket when he pressed himself against a dumpster to avoid a curious passerby’s eyes.
Having told Crystal that Sammy had merely been at the police station on a dare, Mitch told Hardy the teenager’s involvement would only be known to the three of them. Which is why he’d arranged for this meeting to be held clandestinely. Sammy was supposed to have come out the back door of the dry cleaners, where he’d been hired not too long ago. He was twenty minutes late.
Hardy had just about made up his mind to go around to the front of the building and make sure the teenager was okay when a door opened and the boy stepped out.
His eyes immediately honed in on Hardy. “Where’s Sheriff Landon?”
“He thought you wouldn’t mind talking to me again.” Hardy walked a few steps toward the teenager. “Do you?”
Sammy shrugged. Then he took a deep breath and wrinkled his nose. “Is that you?”
The jacket was going to have to be pitched. “Yes. I had to get up close and personal with that dumpster over there.” He indicated the offensive receptacle.
The boy’s laughter surprised Hardy. “That belongs to the Chinese restaurant. With the scraps they throw away, you’ll probably stink for a month of Sundays!”
Hardy found himself once more liking this young man. "So, did you get a phone call?”
The teenager’s eyes lit up. “I’m going to start classes in January. Coach Swanson wants me to get started this year. I’ll have to keep my grades up if I want a scholarship—even a football scholarship.”
“What do your parents think about your plans?” Maybe Hardy should have spoken to them first.
Sammy’s smile dimmed just a little. “As long as they don’t have to pay for it, they don’t care what I do.”
Hardy felt the need to reassure him. “I’m sure they’ll be proud of you.”
“I doubt it.” The boy shrugged. “I’ll make sure the Walkers are proud of me, though.”
“Good.” At least Sammy had somebody he looked up to. “Has anything else happened?”
“No.” Sammy’s expression became serious immediately. “I’ve been keeping my eyes open, but I haven’t seen that man again. Maybe he left town right away.”
“Maybe,” Hardy agreed.
“So, are those the pictures I’m supposed to look at?” Sammy pointed to the binder Hardy was holding.
Hardy held it out for the teenager to take.
Sammy took the book and opened it. Hardy watched as the boy took his time examining each page. He finally closed the book and shook his head.
“I’m sorry, but I just don’t know.” He handed the book back to Hardy. “I mean, I didn’t see his face that good. There’s some of those pictures that might be him, but I can’t say for sure.”
Hardy slid a small notebook out of his shirt pocket. “Just tell me the numbers on the possible matches. We’ll check them out.”
Sammy accepted the binder with a sigh and opened it. After he thumbed through and gave Hardy six possible m
atches, he once more closed it and handed it back. “I won’t ever be able to pick him out in a lineup or anything, you know.”
“You might be surprised.” Hardy smiled encouragingly at the boy. “Sometimes you recognize people by the way they stand or walk. If we find the right man, you may remember things you didn’t realize you knew.”
“Am I in trouble if I can’t identify him?” The young man wasn’t quite able to pull off the nonchalant manner he was trying to exude.
“You haven’t done anything wrong, Sammy.” Hardy spoke firmly. “We know you’re trying to help, and we appreciate it.”
The young man warily nodded. “I have to get back inside. I have to keep this job a few more months, and Mr. Randolph will wonder why I’m not in the break room. Tell the sheriff I’ll call him if I recognize that guy anywhere.”
Hardy thanked the boy and waited until he was safely back inside the building before heading back to the squad car. Deciding it wouldn’t do to stink up the vehicle on his first official outing, he reluctantly removed his smelly jacket and tossed it in one of the nearest dumpsters. Some odors wouldn’t come out, no matter how they were cleaned.
He had just sat down behind the wheel when the radio crackled.
“Base to Harding.” The dispatcher named Crystal was calling him.
He leaned down and picked up the radio mike. “Harding here.”
“Sheriff Landon wants you to phone him asap. Use his personal number.” Even the dispatcher’s voice bothered Hardy now. When he’d gone out to get keys for a squad car, the svelte brunette had looked him over like a piece of candy. Then, she made very little secret of the fact that she was ready, willing, and able to entertain Shadow’s newest deputy. Hardy had finally managed to tamp down his disgust with sympathy. Crystal wasn’t really any different from the women he’d seen in Chicago. Many of them wanted a man’s attention so badly, they hadn’t cared what they gave up in order to get it.
“Ten-four.”
It must be something pretty important if Mitch didn’t want it on the radio. Of course, Hardy had to remember Crystal wasn’t to be trusted. Maybe it was information the sheriff didn’t want her to know.
“Landon here.” Mitch’s gruff voice answered.
“It’s Harding.”
“Good.” Mitch sounded relieved. “Listen, Hardy, we might have been looking at our robbery situation all wrong. Let me tell you what I’ve found out and see what conclusions you might come to.”
“Okay.” This was the way Hardy preferred police work. He had never liked preconceived notions going into an investigation. It too often resulted in tunnel vision.
“Wayne remembered where he saw your man.” He didn’t give Hardy a chance to ask any questions. “He saw him at the rest stop just across the interstate. Wayne is certain he saw him as he was driving home from work. On the same day we found the gun at the campsite.”
“So, you’re thinking what? The man in the sketch has something to do with the gun—” The totality of the situation sunk in. "It's all tied together. The man who tried to kill my dad is somehow connected with the men we’re looking for. And Baxter coming up missing when he did is a little too coincidental.” Some of the pieces of the puzzle finally slid into place. “We’re looking for one group of people who know exactly who I am. They set up the burglaries to get me to do exactly what I did—stay here. That’s why they happened when they did. And if Baxter were involved . . . Could he be one of the men we’re looking for? Could he have been partners with Roscoe Callen? Did he shoot him?”
He didn’t realize he’d been thinking aloud until he heard the sheriff’s dry chuckle. “We’re thinking alike. Now, my question to you is, what is to be gained from keeping you in town? And if they’re after you, why haven’t they done something about it? It’s not like you live in a high security area out there on the Walker farm.”
“I don’t know,” Hardy admitted. “But I have a feeling if we can figure that out, we’ll take a giant step toward knowing who we’re after.”
“Let’s hope that’s soon.” Mitch’s voice changed. “Any news from Sammy?”
Hardy glanced back at the alley. “He gave me half a dozen possible matches, but I don’t think any of them will pan out. He just didn’t get a good enough look at the guy.”
There was silence on the phone as the sheriff processed the new information. “Well, I guess we’ll have to accept whatever he can give us. I assume Sammy will let us know if he thinks of something or sees someone.”
“He said he’d call you.” And Hardy trusted the boy.
“That’s good enough for me,” the sheriff stated. Then his voice lightened. “Since this is your first real shift, and I hear you have a big date this evening, why don’t you call it a day?”
“Thanks.” He couldn’t keep the smile from automatically coming to his face. He was taking Haley on a special date. “I’ll leave the list of possible matches on your desk when I drop off the squad car.”
“That’s fine.” Mitch cleared his throat. “I should have already told you, but I’m telling you now. I’m glad you’ve decided to make Shadow your home. We could use more men like you around here.”
Hardy felt humbled. “Thank you. I just hope I don’t turn out to be more trouble than I’m worth.”
He sent a quick prayer out before he’d even realized what he was doing. It looked like his girlfriend was already starting to rub off on him. And that wasn’t a bad thing at all.
Chapter 44
“I will never go on a date on my day off again, Ozzie,” Haley informed her kissing fish. At least she thought it was Ozzie. It could have been Harriett. It didn’t matter. She had been a nervous wreck since she rolled out of bed at six-thirty that morning. She wasn’t off on Mondays very often. Maybe if she’d called Crystal, they could have traded. Although she highly doubted the part-time dispatcher would have been accommodating.
As it was, she had shampooed her hair not once, but twice that afternoon. She’d gotten it into her head that curly hair was more feminine, so she spent the better part of an hour meticulously curling her long tresses. In theory, she should have looked like a lovely woman straight off the movie screen. In reality, she looked like Clarence was her inspiration. So, out had come the shampoo again. Her hair now hung straight over her shoulders and down her back.
Then her clothes concerned her. Beau had only told her to dress for the outdoors. This time of year an evening outside might require anything from a pair of insulated coveralls to a light jacket. And what would they be doing? While she couldn’t think of anything she’d need to be dressed up for, the idea of donning her favorite jeans and sweatshirt just didn’t feel right. The end result was a mostly empty closet and her bed buried under discarded garments.
She looked in the full-length mirror on her bedroom door and scrutinized the outfit she finally ended up with. The hiking boots looked neither dressy nor sloppy, so she thought they would do. And her blue corduroy jeans fit the same criteria. She had chosen to top it off with a comfortable sweater, deciding how she felt was more important than how she looked. Now if she could only keep herself from changing her mind again.
By the time the doorbell rang, Haley had returned all of her clothing to the closet and straightened her apartment. She idly wondered if Beau realized he was dating a person with a bit of an obsessive compulsive lifestyle. That was something he probably needed to know.
“Hi.” She found herself suddenly feeling shy when she opened the door to find him standing there.
He held out a bouquet of pink roses. “These are for you.”
“Thank you.” Haley awkwardly accepted them. “Nobody has ever brought me flowers before.”
Beau seemed surprised. “Never?”
Her cheeks grew warm as she shook her head. “You’re my first.”
“Hey.” His voice was soft as he touched her chin. “This--our dating isn’t a test for either one of us. We’ve already decided we want to be together. It’s time for us
to relax and get to know each other. To enjoy ourselves.” He tilted her head so she was looking into his eyes. “Okay?”
She smiled shyly. “Okay.” What was she supposed to do now? “I think I have a vase under the sink. Do you want to come in while I put these in water?”
“Sure.” As before, Haley’s already small living room shrank when Beau walked in.
“I’ll just be a minute.” Haley was still flustered, despite what he said. She didn’t miss the amused gleam in his eyes before she turned and carried her roses into the kitchen.
Beau was standing and looking at a framed photograph when she walked back in.
“Are these your parents?” He couldn't imagine losing his mom or dad.
Haley set the vase of roses on the table and walked over to look at the picture hanging on the wall. “Yes. That’s the last family photograph we had taken. It was right after my graduation.”
His eyes met hers. “Your mother is beautiful.” He took her hand in his. “I think you have her eyes.”
“Thank you.” Haley had always been disappointed she didn’t favor Julie Johnson more. “I’m not sure where my dimples came from. Neither Mom nor Dad had them.”
“I like your dimples.” Beau’s smile warmed her heart. “But your eyes were the first thing I noticed. You have the most startling blue eyes I’ve ever seen. They’re stunning.”
Okay. Either he was going to have to stop complimenting her or she was going to look like a Christmas ornament all evening. She decided to change the subject.
“Am I dressed right?” She stepped back so he could see what she was wearing.
His eyes traveled from her face to her feet before he answered. “Perfect. Are you ready?”
A few minutes later, Haley found herself experiencing yet another new feeling. Even though she had ridden in Beau’s truck with him before, somehow it felt different now . . . more comfortable, like she belonged in it.
“Where are we going?” she asked, unable to remain patient any longer.
“You’ll see.” He smiled teasingly as he glanced at her. “We’ll be there in a few minutes.”
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