His expression darkened. “Is this a date?”
“No, nothing like that. I met him through a friend, and he might speak at a conference for criminology students at the college.”
“Which friend? Melissa?”
“Uh . . .” I hesitated, trying to think if Melissa had commented on any of my Facebook posts recently but nothing came to mind. She rarely used Facebook, so it didn’t seem probable. “How do you know about Melissa?”
He ran a hand through his hair and looked down. “Saw you eating dinner with her and some bald guy. I was on my way out and didn’t want to disturb you while you were talking to your friends.” His forehead wrinkled. “You didn’t notice me.”
“Oh . . . I’m sorry. If I’d seen you, I would have said hello. How did you know her name is Melissa?”
He fidgeted with something in his pocket and appeared uncomfortable. “I heard you say her name.”
“Okay. Well, if you ever see us again, feel free to come over and say hi. Don’t be a stranger.”
He smiled. “Next time I will.”
I slid into my car and backed out of the driveway. Once on the road, I glanced in my rearview mirror and sure enough, there was Barry, still watching me as I drove away. What if those phone calls were from him? An uneasy feeling washed through me, but I chided myself for assuming the worst about him. He didn’t have my phone number and even if he’d found it somehow, he wouldn’t call and just breathe on the other line, not when he could talk to me in person if he wanted.
As I drove into the training compound where I was to meet Bronson, I parked my car and pushed away thoughts of Barry and the strange phone calls. Bronson stood with Ace, talking to another officer in an outdoor area. I got out of my car and walked over, feeling a little nervous about this meeting. It was completely business-related, so I knew it meant nothing.
Even though it wasn’t a date, I couldn’t stop the butterflies that had started to twist around in my stomach like they’d been trapped in a jar and needed out . . . now. It was so stupid to respond this way—it had been quite clear Bronson wasn’t interested in a relationship. He’d said as much when he’d opened the door and found out I was “the third try.” He had warmed up to me during dinner and called me pretty but that wasn’t enough.
“Hey, Officer Murphy,” I said, approaching the men.
He turned towards me and his face broke out into a huge smile, dimples and all. “It’s Bronson.” He motioned to the man standing with him who looked to be in his early twenties. “This is Officer Hill, and he’ll be helping out with the demonstration.
Officer Hill had been watching Bronson with a curious expression on his face, almost as if he wasn’t used to seeing Bronson smile like that. He turned to me and held out a hand. “Nice to meet you. Call me Matt.”
He had a blond buzz cut and an athletic physique. His light blue eyes sparkled when he took my hand, and he didn’t let go right away—just continued to hold on after we’d finished the up and down motion of the handshake. Normally that would have annoyed me, but he had an easy way about him and seemed harmless enough. Observing his smooth manner, I’d be willing to bet he was a player and did this with all the women he came across.
Bronson stared at our joined hands and frowned. “You can let go now.”
Matt released my hand and grinned at Bronson. “You two aren’t going out or anything, are you?”
“Oh, no, not at all,” I said, nearly stumbling over my words.
“Just met the other day,” Bronson said, jaw tight.
Matt gave me an easy smile. “When Bronson asked me to help today, I almost told him no. Good thing I didn’t. He should have told me how pretty you are.” He winked and then glanced at Bronson. “What’s up with that, man?”
Bronson shrugged. “Didn’t know that was a prerequisite for assisting a friend.” He put a hand on his chin. “Hope it wasn’t an imposition. Maybe you should have brought your girlfriend, Katelyn, along. She hasn’t seen this yet.”
I didn’t miss the emphasis on girlfriend, as if he wanted to make a point.
“Oh, she and I aren’t dating anymore.” He glanced at me. “I’m a single man now.”
I stifled a giggle at the goofy grin on his face. “I’m not sure if I should give my condolences or congratulate you.”
Bronson didn’t look happy with our exchange, but it could have just been my imagination. “Ready to get started?” he asked.
“Yep. Can’t wait to see what Ace can do.”
“We’ve trained Ace in basic patrol, gun detection, and evidence search. He can find shell casings and bullet fragments, as well as illegal drugs such as narcotics, marijuana, and methamphetamines.”
“Wow. That’s an impressive list,” I said. “Do you give him rewards each time he finds something?”
He nodded. “He gets to play with a ball or a tug toy for a few minutes.”
“That’s it?”
He smiled. “Dogs are easy to please. Women? That’s another story.” He said it in a half teasing manner, but I immediately thought about the needy girlfriend Emily had mentioned. He jerked his chin towards an open field. “We’ve got a bag of drugs hidden out there. Ace will search the immediate area, and once he finds it, he’ll crouch to a low sitting position to indicate he’s found what we’re looking for.”
“Sounds good,” I said.
As we walked in the direction of the field, Matt sidled in between Bronson and me. “So, I notice you’re not wearing a ring on your left hand. Not married?”
I smiled. “Nope.”
“Boyfriend?” he asked.
“Not at the moment.”
“Care to hang out with me tonight?”
Bronson scoffed. “Moving a little fast, don’t you think, Matt?”
Matt leaned in and whispered in my ear, “Just go along with this. I’m trying to rile him up. I get the sense he likes you.” He winked.
Matt had to be wrong—Bronson wasn’t interested in me—but I grinned at him and nodded ever so slightly, indicating I’d go along with the plan. “Hmmm . . . a dinner date. I might enjoy that.”
“She’s already agreed to go out with me,” Bronson interjected.
Matt gave me a look, widening his eyes as if to say, see what I mean?
I held back a smile and glanced at Bronson. “I don’t remember agreeing to a date.”
“Thought we’d go to lunch after I speak at the conference.”
“I didn’t realize you’d agreed to that. You said you would check your schedule.”
He shrugged. “My schedule’s free.” He drew closer and spoke in a low voice. “Gives me an excuse to see you again.” He said it quietly like the statement was meant for my ears only.
Be still my beating heart. Maybe he was interested after all.
I couldn’t keep the smile from spreading across my face, despite not wanting to appear overeager. “I’d like that. Having lunch, I mean.”
“Then it’s settled.” He nodded as if he had nothing more to say on the matter.
“Okay then,” Matt said with a snicker. “Remind me not to take you as my wingman to a club. You’ll ruin all my chances.” Matt glanced at me and winked. He was enjoying this way too much.
I snuck a peek at Bronson for his reaction. For all I knew, he was player just like Matt.
“I’m not the clubbing type,” Bronson said. “I prefer to meet women from church or through friends.”
Glancing away, I smiled. Right answer.
We all stopped when we reached the field. “We’ll demonstrate an evidence search so you can see Ace in action,” Bronson said. He detached the dog leash and issued a command, watching as Ace took off running, his ears alert. Ace acted as if this was a game and he lived for moments like these.
“Watch his nose go right to the ground,” Bronson said. “He’s already started searching.”
Matt tapped me on the arm. “We give these dogs plenty of training so they know what to do when we’re called to the
scene. Ace is very reliable.”
“Of course he is,” Bronson said. “You think I’d take him into the field unprepared?”
Matt slapped Bronson on the back and glanced at me. “This guy’s one of the best. He doesn’t ever brag, but he’s a great mentor.” He socked him on the shoulder. “I want to be just like you when I grow up.”
Bronson snickered. “Whatever, man.” His eyes followed Ace as he sniffed the grass. “Watch as he thoroughly searches the area. Once he finds the item, he’ll lay on the ground to indicate he’s found the drugs.”
“After he’s given a command, he’s pretty independent,” Matt added in a more serious tone. “As long as he’s working, we don’t need to direct him. We keep an eye on him and look for changes in behavior.”
“Oh, look!” I said. “He’s sniffing in one area now.”
We all moved closer to Ace, and I rubbed my hands together. “This is so exciting. I’m witnessing my first drug search.”
Bronson glanced at me over his shoulder. “You mean your second drug search.” He winked.
“Right.” I snickered. “Forgot about the other one.”
Ace laid down in a low sitting position, indicating he’d found the drugs. Bronson gave another command and Ace nudged a spot near a layer of brush. Bronson pulled a baggie out from underneath. “And that’s how it’s done.”
“Wow, amazing,” I said with a big smile. “He’s so smart.”
Bronson gave Ace a tug toy, and they played for a few minutes.
“What happens if Ace inhales some of the drugs?”
Bronson frowned. “Inhaling powerful drugs can be deadly, so most of us keep naloxone on hand when we’re sent into drug raids or other dangerous situations.”
“What is naloxone?”
“It’s a prescription drug used to block the effects of opioids, and it can reverse an overdose if administered correctly.”
“Those poor dogs.”
“We’re very careful to not send our dogs into a situation with open drugs they might inhale. Not only do we consider them partners, they’re part of the family as well. The dogs are assigned to officers and live with them twenty-four hours a day.” Bronson ruffled Ace behind his ears. “I’ve had this guy since he was nineteen months old. The saying about a dog being man’s best friend is true. I can always count on Ace.”
After that, he gave me a tour of the facility, and we talked about the upcoming conference at the college. He promised to give a short presentation and share some of the same information he’d gone over with me.
As I drove home, excitement bubbled under my skin as I thought about the pending date with Bronson. He’d surprised me when he’d asked me out, but I needed to manage my expectations. I still wasn’t quite sure he and I were on the same page with wanting a lasting relationship.
I parked in my driveway and got out of the car. It was still light outside, and the sky was streaked with pink and gold as the sun made its way behind the brown hills surrounding my neighborhood. I pulled my keys out of my purse and locked the car, and then headed towards my front door, contemplating whether I should text Emily and tell her Bronson asked me out. She would be so excited. Then again, she might try to get overly involved.
But all thoughts of the date vanished when I glanced down at the welcome mat. Someone had removed the Psychotria elata plant from the trash and put it right in front of the door. My eyes widened and my pulse picked up. Was this some kind of sick joke? A nauseous feeling took hold of my stomach. Barry had been the only person to see me throw away the plant. But why would he do something so obvious? He had to know I would suspect him. The garbage man had already come, but it didn’t matter. I picked the plant up and threw it away a second time and then hauled my dumpster back to the side of the house.
This was getting out of hand.
6
I walked into the administrative building at the college and peeked my head into Melissa’s office. “Hey, stranger, it’s been a while since we’ve spoken.”
She smiled and gestured for me to take a seat on the other side of her desk. “Sorry, I’ve been really busy with work. I’ll be done in about ten minutes. Want to have dinner at your favorite Thai restaurant?”
My taste buds came to life at the mention of Thai food. “Sure, I’m up for that.”
“Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask, did you ever find out who sent you the plant?”
I shook my head. “No, but it had to be Walter. I know you said he denied it but it has to be him. It was way too coincidental that it came the day after we all discussed it.” I hesitated, grimacing. “Or it could be my neighbor, Barry.” I explained how he’d seen me throw the plant away, and I’d later returned home to find it on my welcome mat. “He said he saw us eating at the restaurant. I never noticed him, but it’s possible he overheard the conversation.”
She frowned. “You know, I did see a guy standing behind our booth. Your back was to him so you didn’t see him. He never really looked at us, and he seemed involved in his phone, so I didn’t think much of it, but he might have been listening.”
“What did he look like?”
“Brown hair, glasses, a little chubby around the middle.”
“That had to be Barry. But he told me himself he’d been there. He said he didn’t want to interrupt our conversation.”
“That’s weird.” She appeared to consider. “Could be Barry, but Walter keeps asking me about you. There’s a good chance it’s him.”
“What is he asking?”
“He wanted to know if you have a boyfriend and if I thought you’d be interested in him. Normally, I wouldn’t mention what someone told me in confidence, but considering the plant . . .”
“But he doesn’t know my address, does he?”
“I never gave it to him, but the man is resourceful. He could have gotten it any number of ways.”
I let out a heavy sigh. “I’ve been receiving weird crank calls as well. This whole thing is putting me on edge.”
Melissa’s lips formed a tight line. “That’s not good.” She grimaced and straightened paperwork on her desk. “Let me finish up here, and we can continue this conversation at dinner.”
I nodded. “I can wait for you outside if you’d like.”
“Go on ahead and get us a table. I’ll leave in ten minutes and meet you there.”
We said our goodbyes, and I drove towards the restaurant feeling ill at ease. I hadn’t been threatened exactly, but something still felt off. I pulled into a parking space next to the Thai restaurant and went inside. After grabbing a table, the waitress gave me a menu, and I looked through the entrees, my mouth watering at all the options. I’d narrowed it down between the Thai chicken salad and the chili, garlic, and basil beef when I got a text.
Melissa: Don’t kill me. My boss just gave me a deadline and now I have to stay late to finish work. I can’t meet. So sorry!
I typed out a reply telling her not to worry and that we’d reschedule. Now that I was at the restaurant, I didn’t want to leave. I could just order to go, but I didn’t feel in a hurry to get home. When the waitress came to my table, I placed an order for the Thai Chicken salad and leaned back in the booth and checked Facebook.
A few minutes later, I heard a man clear his throat. Glancing up, Barry stood next to my table, a hesitant expression on his face. “Hi Allison, mind if I join you?”
I stiffened. “Oh, hi Barry. Did you come in with someone?”
“No, was driving by and saw your car in the parking lot. Thought I’d stop and say hello.”
Frowning, I gripped the table edge. “You saw my car while driving by? I don’t understand. How did you know it was my car?”
“Because this is your favorite restaurant. You come here almost every week.”
I felt the blood drain from my face, and an unsettled feeling washed over me as if someone ran their fingernail down my spine. “You’re scaring me a little, Barry. How do you know that? I’ve never mentioned this restaurant to
you before and please don’t say Facebook because I never post my whereabouts on there.”
He turned pale. “Mind if I sit down?”
“Um . . . yes, I do mind. I’d like you to answer the question.”
“I know everything about you, Allison.”
One of my hands trembled, and I slid it under my thigh to hold it steady. He hadn’t meant it the way it sounded. I couldn’t let my mind run wild with fear. Surely, he meant that he’d learned a lot about me since we’d become friends.
Uninvited, he sat down in the seat across from me. “You’re special, Allison. I knew it the first day I saw you move in. You had on a pair of white shorts and a light blue t-shirt, and you had the biggest smile on your face. I wanted some of your happiness to rub off on me. When I brought cookies as a welcome gift, it seemed like you genuinely liked me.” He glanced away. “Most women treat me like the crud on the bottom of their shoes, but you’re different.”
I sighed. “Barry, you’re a nice guy, but I don’t want to give you the wrong impression. You know we’re just friends, right?”
“I know. But we can be more if you’ll give me a chance.”
“Barry—”
“I’m not the most good-looking guy out there, but I love you and I’ll treat you like a princess.”
“You love me? You don’t even know me well.”
“I know everything about you,” he repeated. “For one, I know you wake up every day at 6:00 am.”
My brows knit together, and in response to the question he must have seen on my face, he said, “I see the light in your bedroom go on every morning.”
“You watch my house?”
He shrugged. “I know you leave for work at 7:30, and you come home at 4:45 pm unless you meet friends for dinner. I know you take a Pilates class on Tuesday nights, and you go to church every Sunday morning and Wednesday evening. I know who your friends are, and I also know you were engaged to Gregg but broke it off.” He smiled, but it lacked warmth. “You’re much more of an open book than you realize.”
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