Tony stopped buttering his toast and frowned at Zach. “Where the hell did you find a fair?”
“The Ely high school has a carnival set up on their ball field to raise money. They’ve got all kinds of rides and carnival games. I figure she’s never seen anything like that, so it should be quite the experience for her.”
Tony snorted. “I remember the chief mentioning it last week. He’s asked a couple of off-duty men to hang around and watch out for trouble. Just keep your eye on her today.”
Zach leaned back, blowing on his hot coffee. “So, what has your investigation shown you?” Tony’s gaze darted quickly to Zach, his eyes narrowing. Zach chuckled. “Pleassse, give me a break. I would have been shocked if you hadn’t been throwing out all the stops to try and prove she’s lying.” He sipped the warm brew and studied Tony thoughtfully. “Don’t think I haven’t seen the way you look at her when you know she’s not watching.”
Tony barked out a harsh laugh. “And just how do I look at her?”
“Like she’s every Christmas present you ever wanted and never got.”
Tony shook his head and placed his empty cup in the sink. “Doesn’t matter. There’s no way I’d get caught up in a relationship with her.”
“Why the hell not?”
Tony sighed. “Because she’s clearly a nutcase that needs some serious psychological help.”
Zach raised a brow and glared at him.
Tony groaned. “Okay, let’s assume for just one moment that she’s telling the truth. What happens when she can’t fit in? When we can’t get identification papers for her? What happens if this time portal is real and it takes her away?”
Zach cocked his head to the side and studied Tony for a moment. “I think I’d find a way to go with her.”
“You’re saying she means that much to you. You’re in love with her already, after just a week.”
“I know it sounds crazy, but from the moment she came up those steps at the old saloon, I’ve felt some kind of weird pull to her. There’s no way I’ll risk losing her now.”
Tony shook his head and turned toward the door. “I hope you know what you’re doing, my friend. But I’ve got to know more before I could commit to anything.”
Zach watched him leave and thought about the woman sleeping upstairs. There’s got to be a way to make him believe she came through time. We’re all meant to be together. I just feel it!
* * * *
Zach leaned back and fidgeted in the seat with the cracked, padded cushions, his hands tight around the metal bars across his lap. He’d never been fond of heights, but he hadn’t been able to say no to Eva. At the top of the Ferris wheel, the musical roar of the carnival dimmed, letting in the sound of Eva’s excited giggles and the crinkle of paper from the rolled-up bag of popcorn she held in one small fist. Zach grinned as she kicked her feet out in the open air.
“This is so grand. We’ve nothing like this back in my time.”
“What does your family do for fun together?”
Eva gazed out over the crowd and sighed. “Sometimes we go for long rides and have picnics. When I can talk Papa Zeke into it, we go swimming in the stream out by the cabin.”
“Why does he have to be talked into it?”
She grinned. “He can’t swim, so he’s not inspired to spend much time in the water.”
“This carnival is sponsored by the high school. Do your schools do things like this to raise money?”
“Schools? We only have one, and Kat runs it.”
Zach leaned back and thought for a moment. “That’s right. Katarina Evans was a schoolteacher.”
“Not was, she is a schoolteacher. She’s Hamilton’s only teacher.”
“What grade does she teach?”
“All of them.”
He frowned. “I don’t understand. How can she teach them all?”
“We all share the same classroom. She has different books and lessons for different ages. We each progress at our own pace and graduate when we complete the eighth grade.”
“Eighth grade? The children here attend school through the twelfth grade and then sometimes go on to four years or more of college.”
“Yeah, Mama told us all about her college days. You know she’s a nurse, right?”
He nodded. “Yeah, I remember reading that in the case files.”
“Anyway, Kat sometimes has what she calls Olympic Days. She gets everybody in town involved, and the children compete in different kinds of races.” Eva laughed. “The townsfolk thought she was crazy when she started, but they soon got into the spirit of things, especially when she offered cash prizes to the winners.”
“What kind of races did she have?”
“Oh, sometimes horse racing, sometimes running and jumping. She tried to have swimming contests, but even the ones that couldn’t swim tried to win that dollar prize, and a couple had to be pulled from the water. She went back to land contests then.” She laughed, her hand flying to cover her mouth. “She even held a pie-eating contest. Poor old Wilbur Mason was sick for three days after winning his dollar.”
The wheel shuddered to life, pulling forward and then down. As they sank toward the ground, Zach watched the childlike joy on her face and pulled in a deep, clean breath. For just a moment, everything seemed so clear, so full of potential. This was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Even though he’d only known her a few days, he couldn’t imagine ever being with anyone else. And for some strange reason, he knew that Tony was meant to be with them.
As the seat glided to a stop, a rough-looking, tattooed man reached for the handle with chipped paint and released the safety bar. “Okay, folks. Be careful getting down.”
Zach took Eva’s hand, and together they walked away so the next couple could get into the seat.
“Wanna go again?” Eva asked, bouncing on her toes.
Zach forced a smile, but as the Ferris wheel clattered above their heads, his stomach shuddered. “Maybe we should look around first and see what else they have.”
She looked around and pointed. “Okay, let’s go that way.” Hawkers were calling out for people to come and try their games.
Zach smiled and put his arm around her shoulder. “Sure thing. Maybe I can win you a stuffed bear.”
“What do you have to do to win one?”
“There’s all kinds of ways.” He pulled her closer and pointed to a row of booths. “There’s a ring toss, and a dart game to break balloons.”
“What’s a ring toss?”
With his hand at the small of her back, he propelled her over to a bright-colored booth and picked up a stack of three smooth plastic rings. “The idea is to take one of these rings and toss them over toward those bottles.”
She glanced over to where about twenty soda bottles were lined up on a shelf. “Okay, you toss them toward the bottles.”
The burly, unshaven man inside the booth smiled at Eva. “Then, if you get one of the rings to fall over and settle around one of the bottles, you can have your pick of any of my prizes.” He indicated several stuffed animals hanging from the ceiling of the booth. He glanced at Zach. “Three rings for three dollars, or six for five, young man.”
Zach laid three ones on the counter, moved in close, and lined up his shot. Taking a deep breath, he let the ring fly, groaning when it tapped the edge of one of the bottles and went sailing off toward the ground.
“Come on, Zach, you can do it!”
Again, he moved to the edge of the counter, aimed carefully, and sailed the ring toward the target. Once again, he missed the mark. This time, Eva said nothing, giving him a beautiful smile. Taking a deep breath, he tried again, his shoulders slumping when the ring bounced over the side of one of the bottles.
The man slapped three more rings down. “Three more bucks, young man.”
Zach jumped when Eva grabbed his arm. “No, that’s okay. We’ve got to go.” She dragged him further down the fairway. “I think that man was trying to trick you. I
don’t think anybody could win that game.”
He chuckled and hugged her close to his side.
“What about that, Zach?”
He looked to where she pointed and stifled a groan when he spotted the shooting gallery. He didn’t like showing off his marksmanship outside the department’s practice range.
“I’m gonna win you something.”
Zach raised his brows. “You’re gonna shoot targets and win me something?”
Screams and laughter competed with chugging machinery, balloons popping and the jingle of change as Eva nodded, the excitement making her bounce from foot to foot. “Please, can I try it?”
Grinning, Zach guided her toward the booth. This time, a pale, skinny boy greeted them. The smell of sweat mingled with cinnamon from candy apples and cotton candy. “Five bucks, five shots. You gotta get at least three targets to win.”
Zach slapped a five on the counter and held out his arm to Eva. “After you, my lady.”
Eva giggled and stepped forward to one of the guns mounted on a stand at the counter. “What do I do?”
Zach leaned close and pointed toward the back of the booth. “See those rolling targets?” A series of ducks that looked to be cut from cardboard ran on a conveyor across the platform, constantly in motion.
“Yes, I see them.”
“You just have to shoot them and knock them down, at least three of them.” He looked over when a man walked up and paid his money. Zach leaned in close to whisper in her ear. “Watch him, honey.”
Eva’s eyebrows rose, but she turned and watched the older man carefully take aim and then shoot five times. “He got one!” she squealed when one of the ducks feel over on its side. “Okay, I know what to do now.” She leaned over, grasping the stock of the gun under her arm, cradling it against the side of her breast. Zach swallowed hard as he watched her ass move back and forth as she moved the gun around, apparently lining up her shot. Suddenly, he heard five popping noises and looked up. His mouth dropped open as five ducks fell over on their sides.
His arms came up, closing around Eva’s petite frame as she jumped up, hugging him tightly around his neck.
“I did it, Zach. I did it.”
Laughing, he hugged her back. “You sure did, little darlin’. Tell the man what you want for a prize.”
The young boy pointed toward the row with the largest prizes. “Pick which one you want, lady.” Eva looked everything over and then pointed to a large brown bear with a huge yellow bow around its neck. The kid pulled it down and handed it over then narrowed his eyes. “Only one major prize to a person.”
Zach smothered a laugh. It was obvious he wanted her to take her business to another booth.
“Come on, Zach. Let’s see what other rides this place has. Maybe we can get something to drink.”
“Yeah, a cold drink would be great. Come on.” He took her hand and led her toward the food stands. The crowds were thick, brushing against him, making him want to feel his back pocket to make sure his wallet was still intact. The cotton candy vendor also sold soft drinks, so Zach got in line with Eva following behind him. When he reached the front of the line, he ordered a large lemonade and a cotton candy. He paid for the items and picked them up. “Eva, are you ready to…” His voice drifted off, staring at the empty patch of asphalt where Eva had stood only a moment before. He spun around, searching the crowd. “Eva?” Bodies surged past. Laughing parents pushing strollers, teenagers locked at the hip, combined to block his view. “Eva?” he called out again, beginning to feel a tiny speck of fear.
His gaze flicked to the nearby ring toss, then over to the corndog stand with its impossibly long line. Everywhere he looked there were a thousand distractions. Bright balloons, hot-dog carts, juggling clowns. So many things that could catch the attention from someone as innocent as Eva. His frantic gaze caught on a flash of familiar pink, and a soft whimper escaped his lips. Beyond the press of bodies, a small, familiar form wearing a pink blouse was kneeling, wiping the tears from the face of a small child. Zach hurried over and knelt beside her.
“Zach, this is Penny. She can’t find her mama anywhere.” She brushed her hand gently over the child’s blonde curls. “Penny, my friend Zack is a park ranger, and he can help find your mama for you.”
The little girl raised watery eyes to look at Zach, her bottom lip caught between her teeth. “You can find my mommy?”
Sighing, Zach handed the food to Eva and picked up the little girl, cuddling her tight against his chest. “Absolutely, little princess. We’ll find your mommy, and that’s a promise.” He glanced at Eva. “We need to take her to the school office and let them use the intercom to call for her parents.”
Eva nodded. “Okay, lead on.”
Zach made his way through the crowd to the school with little Penny. Ten minutes later she was happily reunited with her frantic mother.
Eva slipped her arm through Zach’s. “Would you be terribly disappointed if we went home now?”
“No, of course not. Is everything all right?”
“Yes, everything’s fine. I’d just like to get out of this crowd.”
Zach nodded and tossed the remainder of the cotton candy into the trash. “Let’s go.” Pulling her close, they made their way to the parking lot.
* * * *
Laura stood beside Tony’s desk, sighing at the sight of his empty chair. She’d not been able to corner him in a couple of days. She’d run Eva Bennington through the system but didn’t get any hits on the name. That really didn’t mean much because it could be an alias. She needed something more definitive, like her fingerprints. There’s got to be a way to get the little bitch out of Tony’s life. She started when a hand grabbed her upper arm.
“What are you doing here?”
She turned and grinned at Tony. “In case you’ve forgotten, I work here, handsome.”
He gently pushed her back from his desk. “Maybe so, but you’ve no reason that I’m aware of to be at my desk.”
She stuck her lip out, feigning a pout, and lowered her lashes. “I was about to leave you a note.”
He pulled out his chair. “No need, since I’m here. What is it you want?”
She moved closer and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I wanted to see if you’d like to have lunch with me today. I’m buying.”
Tony rolled his chair back, easily dislodging her grip on his shoulder. “No thanks, Laura. I think it would be best for us to keep our relationship strictly on a professional level.”
She narrowed her eyes, straining to control her temper. “Do you still have houseguests?”
Tony glanced up and frowned. “Not that it’s any of your business, but yes. Zach and Eva are still staying with me. Why do you ask?”
Laura shrugged. “No reason in particular. They’ve been there over a week, haven’t they?”
“So?”
“I just don’t want anybody taking advantage of you.”
Tony barked out a laugh. “You think a state park ranger is gonna do harm to me?”
She smiled, gritting her teeth. “I wasn’t worried about Zach. How much do you know about this woman staying at your place? She isn’t local. I checked.”
“What do you mean, you checked?”
“I ran her name through the system and couldn’t come up with anything. She doesn’t have a Nevada license, so she can’t be local.”
Tony stood and glared down at her. “Where she’s from is none of your business. You don’t have to worry about me at all. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself, and my houseguests are not your concern.” He looked down when the phone on his desk rang. “Now, I’ve got to get back to work. I’m sure you’ll excuse me.” He turned his back and answered the phone.
Cursing under her breath, Laura stalked back to her desk and sat down. One way or another she had to find out more about Ms. Eva Bennington. Everybody had something in their life they’d rather nobody else knew. Maybe it’s time I paid her a friendly visit.
&n
bsp; Chapter 6
Zach watched as Eva giggled, hurrying up onto the porch, clutching the huge, stuffed brown bear like a newborn baby. “It’ll be a couple of hours before Tony gets home. What would you like to do?”
She took a deep breath and smiled. “Can we go out back and sit in the swing for a while?”
Zach smiled and held the door open. Once Tony showed her the swing on his back patio, she never wanted to be anywhere else. He could practically see the tension fall away from her shoulders as she lightly swung back and forth, the breeze ruffling her long hair.
“Okay, girl. You leave Mr. Bear in the living room, and I’ll grab us a couple of sodas and meet you out back.”
“I love that cola in a can. Mama would be in heaven being able to have one whenever she wanted.”
Zach snickered and walked into the kitchen. He glanced briefly at the answering machine to see if it flashed any messages and then grabbed two cans from the fridge. He hurried out the back door, frowning when he didn’t see Eva on the swing. He walked over and sat the cans down on the table and looked around. He spotted her out in the yard, standing near the tree line, gazing up at the top of the trees. He tried to see what held her attention, but could only see the leave-covered branches swaying in the gentle breeze. He walked out to join her, trying to be quiet so he didn’t startle her.
She looked up as he drew near. “Can you hear it?”
He stopped and stood still, listening, and then frowned. “Hear what?”
She walked over and took his hand. “Close your eyes.”
He hesitated for only a moment and then closed his eyes, letting his fingers thread with hers.
“Listen carefully. You can hear the branches groaning and the leaves rustling.” She moved closer and laid her other hand on his arm. Her voice lowered. “Can you hear the chittering of the squirrels? They’re racing back and forth between the trees. Just a minute ago, a huge rabbit came scurrying out of the brush.” She paused for a moment. “This is what it’s like where I come from. Except, it’s like this all the time. You can hear the horses neighing, but there are no car sounds, or machines that make loud noises when they cut grass. We can hear everything that’s going on in our world without distractions.”
Forever Eva [Sequel to When Kat's Away] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 8
