Caught by the Sheriff--A Clean Romance

by Rula Sinara

  She almost took her offer back. What if the sheriff really did want her to walk his dog, Pepper? She had intended to keep him at bay. It was bad enough that he lived just down the street from the cottage. She could end up having to talk to him more often than was safe. But at the same time, maybe it would show him that she wasn’t a threat. If Jim got to him through his police contacts, maybe Carlos would give her the benefit of the doubt, which would buy her just enough time to disappear again...or get him to listen to her instead of Jim.

  “I can have word out within the hour,” Eve said. “Jordan, could you have Chanda post a sign at the clinic when she goes into work? I could put one here. Dog sitting and walking available. Faye, do you have a cell you want to put on it?” Faye didn’t answer right away and tension must have shown on her face because Eve didn’t wait. “Come to think of it, put the Castaway Books number down,” Eve told Jordan. “Town residents will recognize it and ask me for details. You’ll have to figure out what to charge. People may not trust their pets to someone they don’t know. But don’t worry, Faye. A friend to one of us is a friend to all, so once I get word out you can help with pets, you may have more leashes offered than you can handle.”

  “Your number, then,” Jordan said. “I’ll talk to you later. About compensating you and all. First, I need to get to the vet clinic before someone else gets first dibs on the puppies.”

  “Thanks for fixing the door!” Eve called out as he rushed off.

  Faye wasn’t sure if he heard the thanks or not. Or if he cared.

  “He seemed nice.” Faye let Nim grab her index finger and helped her toddle closer to the door. “Interested.”

  “What? You have the wrong idea. Jordan is like that. He helps everyone. All the time. Trust me. It’s just his thing.”

  “He seemed determined to help you. Miss Dragonfly.” Faye fluttered her lashes at her friend. Eve swatted her arm and chuckled. But her nose did tinge pink.

  “No, really. It had nothing to do with me. In fact, he hasn’t offered help around here in a long time. Maybe he was interested in the town’s pretty newcomer.”

  “Ha. You’re hilarious. Anyway, thank you for helping me get word out about dog walking.”

  “It’s all a ploy to convince you to stick around longer. If you make commitments and money, you’ll be less likely to leave.” Eve gave her a loving smirk.

  “You’re a good friend. With that, I need to head out too. Nim will get cranky soon. It’s almost time for a snack and nap. Thanks for the reading hour.”

  “Don’t leave yet. We were about to have coffee when Jordan walked in. There’s something I want to ask you. Talk about.”

  “I know. I’m so sorry. I’ll clean up whatever I missed when I get back to your place.”

  “Faye. I haven’t been home since this morning. Clean up what?” She glanced over to where Nim had torn up the book. “Never mind. But whatever it is, it’s fine. That’s not what I want to talk about. I caught on that you didn’t want your Dog Galaxy business mentioned. You made it clear when you got here that you were lying low. But there’s more, isn’t there? What’s going on? Really?”

  Faye’s cheeks suddenly felt cold and clammy.

  “Going on? You lost me.” She secured Nim on her hip again and grimaced as she freed a lock of hair Nim was trying to pull out by the roots.

  “That.” Eve gently touched the marks on her wrist where her sleeve had hiked up. “Who did that to you? Is that why you’re here? Why you left him? Was your husband abusing you? Faye. You know you can trust me. That I can help hide you. I think that’s why you came here. To Turtleback.”

  “That’s not what you think. I got nipped by a cranky Chihuahua who—”

  “The truth, Faye. Look around here. Between my work helping abused women and children escape back in college and the number of suspense thrillers I’ve read, it’s not hard to see the clues. The hair henna. I know the smell. The story about not wanting your ex’s family to find you. The marks on your arm. The way your face went white when Carlos first came in here this morning and then again when I told you Jordan was his deputy. Was your husband a bad cop? I read a novel based on that scenario. It was made into a movie too. Every profession has its villains. You can count on me. You can trust Carlos and Jordan and others at the station here.”

  Faye’s brain wouldn’t stop spinning. She closed her eyes to get her bearings. Regain her equilibrium. She had to keep her facts straight and her lies straighter. She pinched the bridge of her nose with her left hand and held on to Nim with her right. No cops. Don’t trust anyone. She couldn’t get Clara’s warning out of her head. She felt like someone was ripping her in half. Her gut told her she could trust her friend, but whom was she going to be loyal to? Her sister who’d asked her to keep Mia safe and not to trust a soul? Or her friend who’d once trusted her with what she did in secret because she had needed Faye to lie for her just once, in the name of saving someone. Only now she was lying to Eve. She needed to trust someone. She couldn’t do this alone. But what if she told Eve the truth and word got out and something bad happened to Clara or Mia because of it? What if taking the risk put them in worse danger?

  She tried to say something but her throat stuck. What if the others had noticed the same clues already?

  “Not a word. Promise. This is between the two of us. Nothing about the marks or my ex.”

  Half-truth. For now, at least. Forgive me, Eve.

  “I’ll keep anything you tell me between us, but I have to be honest, Carlos is the one who came to me about the marks on your wrist. He was worried and didn’t want to scare you off by saying anything himself.”

  “Oh, no.” Faye shuffled over to the wingback chair and collapsed in it, still clinging to Nim. Thank goodness the kid wasn’t a hyper one. Her quietness was a concern, but at the moment, Faye wasn’t sure she could handle more than the ripped book and pulled hair. She covered her face, took a deep breath, then pressed her fist against her lips. Her marks were mere scratches. They weren’t anything like the bruises she’d seen on Clara. The ones her sister had always had an explanation for. Faye hated herself right now. Why had she not put the clues together sooner, like Eve had? Why hadn’t she been more insistent with her sister? But would Clara have listened? Or would she have pushed back harder, covering up for her marriage?

  Eve knelt before her and laid her hand gently on Faye’s knee.

  “Listen to me. I wouldn’t tell you that you can trust him unless I knew you could. Stay here. Consider Turtleback your safe haven. He—we—won’t let anything happen to you or Nim.”

  Faye shook her head but needed a minute to formulate her answer. She was rocking on the edge of a cliff. One misstep and she’d pull everyone down with her.

  Eve couldn’t understand. She didn’t know about Clara. Yes, she had been aware that Faye had a twin. They’d never met, since Clara wasn’t at the same college. In fact, they’d deliberately gone to different schools, wanting to separate socially for a while so that they could nurture their differences without people constantly assuming they were identical in personality and intellect too. Come to think of it, she wasn’t sure if Eve knew they were identical.

  “No. I can’t talk to him. At least not yet. He can think what he wants about my wrist, but please don’t elaborate. Just tell him I’ll be fine. If he asks. I’m not putting my personal life on display. Please keep it to yourself.”

  “But you could press charges.”

  “It has been tried. Trust me.” It wasn’t a lie. Not the way she’d phrased it. She’d tried taking Clara to the station. Look where it got her. It had fueled Jim’s anger, proving he could get away with murder.

  “Is your ex a cop?”

  “No, but close enough. Let it go. Please.”

  “But—”

  “Eve.”

  Her friend stood up, paced twice, then stopped.

&n
bsp; “Okay, fine. But promise you’ll let me know if you need something. Protection.”

  Faye got up, tugged Nim’s jacket on her and slung the cotton bag she’d borrowed from Eve for kid supplies onto her other shoulder.

  “Promise.”

  Only that was a lie. Jim had manipulated her sister. He’d manipulated authorities. No way would she let him get away with it again. He wasn’t going to put Faye in jail and take his daughter away. She’d never be able to find Clara and protect Mia from a cell. If she so much as suspected that Jim or the police were on to her, she’d run. She’d leave this town and never come back. Safe haven? Homes were supposed to be safe havens. Clara’s wasn’t. Faye no longer had hers. Hiding out here was only a temporary solution. She was beginning to believe that safe havens didn’t really exist. That the word safe was nothing more than a platitude, the same as when grown-ups told kids that everything would be okay, even if they knew it might not be.

  Faye had no idea what would happen a few hours from now or tomorrow or the next day. The only thing she knew for sure was that her days here were numbered. She feared her sister’s days might be numbered too, if Jim hadn’t done something horrible to her already.

  CHAPTER SIX

  CARLOS WAITED HIS turn at The Saltwater Sweetery. Standing there, enveloped by the aroma of freshly baked goods and Darla’s secret recipe for saltwater taffy, was a special kind of heaven. Darla had acknowledged him with a smile when he first walked in, as she helped Joel Burkitt, the town lawyer, select his wife’s favorite flavors of taffy. From what Carlos could overhear, Joel didn’t have a clue, but Darla had an uncanny ability to memorize her customers’ favorites. She guided Joel, adding his choices to a heart-shaped box embossed with the shop’s logo in sparkly white lettering. She’d told Carlos once that she chose the white sparkles because they looked like both salt and sugar, two ingredients she depended upon, as the bakery’s name suggested.

  There were two other customers ahead of him and, although he knew Darla wouldn’t hesitate to pack up his usual, hand it over and let him pay later, he’d signaled with a wave of the hand to let her know he’d wait. He was against using his position to cut in line or pass folks on the road—unless there was an emergency, of course.

  Her assistant, one of the high schoolers who worked weekends, came through the double doors from the kitchen with a tray of heart-shaped cookies, each frosted in white with either pink or red lettering spelling out words like forever, love or soul mate. He grimaced at the last one. They were gingerly placed next to rows of Darla’s famous “crab claws”—her version of bear claws with a seaside twist—frosted in red with similar inscriptions, and “sea turtle” clusters, made with melted chocolate, nuts and nougat. His stomach rumbled and he rubbed his hand against it. The guy in front of him turned his head.

  “Mine’s doing the same thing. I need one of those doughnuts like there’s no tomorrow. And a cup of her double-shot, double-cream espresso.”

  “Guess I’m not the only one here for myself and not for Valentine’s gifts,” Carlos said, sort of relieved.

  “Having to head to the gift shop for my wife is exactly why I need the sugar and caffeine first. It’ll help me think more clearly. Calm my nerves. The pressure cooker I got her for Christmas didn’t go over so well.”

  Carlos nodded without comment. Even he had more of a sense of self-preservation than that. The guy—Roger’s cousin, who had his own gas station up in Corolla—smacked the air with his hand.

  “I tell ya, she talked about nothing but having one of those for months. Said it would save her so much time. Went on and on about how if she didn’t have to spend half her day in front of the stove cooking for our five kids, her back wouldn’t hurt so much and she’d have more time to herself.”

  Carlos stretched his neck and put his hands in the pockets of his khaki uniform.

  “So, you bought her a pressure cooker instead of a massage and day at a spa.”

  The man pressed his thumb and fingers against his eyes.

  “I may need to make that a triple espresso shot. Maybe the gift shop isn’t where I should be heading,” he said.

  “My two cents? Let Darla here help you pick out a box of sweets, then head to the gift shop and then book a spa treatment. That may make up for Christmas.”

  “You’re right, Sheriff. Thanks, man. I think you might have just saved my life.”

  “All in the line of duty.” Carlos grinned at Darla as the guy went up to the counter for his turn.

  The rush of air from The Saltwater Sweetery’s door made him glance over his shoulder, but the sight of Faye with Nim in a chest carrier had him doing a double take. Her red hair was peeking out from under an off-white, crocheted beanie hat he’d seen Eve wear before. She had on a matching scarf, jeans and hiking boots. All Eve’s.

  The lift he felt in his chest when she walked in sank at the realization that she must have packed very light. People did that when they had to leave a situation fast. He wondered if Eve had spoken to her yesterday or last night.

  “Hi.” He gave a terse nod.

  “Hi,” she said, hesitating before proceeding to enter. She took her place in line behind him.

  He tried to think of what to say next. That was so unlike him. He was used to starting conversations with townsfolk. Communication was an important skill in his profession. He rocked on his heels, then took his hands out of his pockets and motioned ahead of him.

  “You’re more than welcome to go first. You have a kid with you and all,” he explained, as Nim pulled her thumb out of her mouth and grabbed Faye’s cheek.

  “I’m good. I can wait,” she insisted, wiping her cheek and giving Nim her sunglasses to play with. That wasn’t such a good—

  The little girl snapped one of the arms off and threw it to the ground. Pretty brutal for such a quiet child.

  “No, Nim. No. Don’t do that.” Faye took the surviving parts and put them in her pocket. Carlos picked the temple off the floor to save Faye from trying to stoop down with Nim strapped to her.

  “Thanks,” she said, taking the broken part. “I should have known better.” He didn’t comment. “I forgot her toys at the cottage,” she added, sucking in her bottom lip and shifting her stance.

  A few seconds of silence passed.

  “How’s—” They both jumped in at the same time. He didn’t have anything important to say. He was just going to ask how she’d fared on her first night at Eve’s.

  “You first,” Carlos said.

  She wet her lips and placed her hand on the back of Nim’s carrier.

  “How’s Pepper?”

  “Good. She’s fine. Thanks... Are you sure you don’t want to go ahead of me?”

  “No, no. Thanks for offering but I’ll wait. I need to decide what I want first... What’s good here?”

  “Everything. I usually get the cinnamon pecan muffin. My personal favorite. But you can’t go wrong with anything. Darla, the owner, is magical when it comes to baked goods.”

  Another pause. Faye looked around the place, then inhaled deeply.

  “It smells good in here,” she said.

  “Always does. Planning anything in particular today? Sightseeing? Is Eve taking you around?”

  “Dog walking. I suppose I’ll see the town in the process.”

  “Dog walking?”

  “It wasn’t planned. Just happened. I met one of your deputies, Jordan.”

  “Good guy.”

  “Yes. He was very nice. And apparently the father of a new puppy. I offered to help out with potty breaks and training. And then, somehow, by this morning, I found myself with a list of three other dogs in need of daily walks. I’m grabbing a quick breakfast before I pick the first one up. Laddie, at the vet clinic. We already met. And one named—” she pulled a small piece of paper out from her pocket and read through the notes she’d jotted
down “—Bison.”

  “We all know Bison around here. A bulldog who thinks he’s a vacuum cleaner. Not so good in the listening department and can pull hard.”

  She didn’t look bothered.

  “The other is Casanova. Hmm. Guess that name speaks for itself.”

  “Let’s just say it’s a very good thing that Dr. Zale makes sure dogs and cats around here get spayed and neutered.”

  “Good thing dogs don’t know about Valentine’s Day,” Faye muttered as she stuffed the paper back in her pocket.

  “That one does.”

  A small laugh escaped her. Light and airy. As if for a fraction of a second, her guard came down and she could breathe. He thought about seeing if she’d help with Pepper, but snuffed out the idea. He wasn’t sure she could even handle the group she’d already taken on.

  A frown creased the smooth spot between her brows.

  “I was told by each of the owners that their dogs are safe with kids. As in not biting.”

  “True. They can be difficult—except for Laddie—but not dangerous. Unless you get dragged. Don’t hang on. Especially not with Nim on you.”

  “I know. Thanks.”

  “Hey, Darla,” Carlos said, stepping up for his turn.

  “Thanks for waiting. I have yours ready.” Darla started to ring it up.

  “Hold up. Add hers to the tab.”

  “What?” Faye said, realizing what he was doing. “You don’t have to do that. There’s no reason to.”

  “Consider it a gesture of welcome to our town and a thank-you for working some of the energy out of Casanova. Besides, it’ll make the line go faster,” he said. He figured that would keep her from arguing. Everyone had their pride and she didn’t know he knew what she was going through, but hopefully the gesture would buy him some of her trust. If she was borrowing Eve’s clothes and walking dogs during a supposed vacation, she didn’t need to spend whatever little cash she had on breakfast. It wasn’t much, but maybe it would help, if only to alleviate some pressure. His mother used to say that there was no greater gift than that of giving someone peace of mind. Maybe, if she did alright with dog walking today, he’d go ahead and see if she could add Pepper to the roster. Help her earn a few more bucks and add to the reasons she’d have for staying in Turtleback. She glanced behind her at the people who’d come into the shop shortly after her. Nervous? “Maybe Nim would like a treat or something tastier than sunglasses.”