“Okay.” He continued to struggle against Shane’s restraint. “I wanna pet him. Can I, Daddy? Can I? Please...?”
Taking the child’s hand, he cautioned him, “All right. Just go slowly and don’t yell or you might scare him.”
“Puppies love kids. Everybody says.”
“Well, that dog isn’t a pup. He’s all grown up. And sometimes little dogs bite because they get scared. We need to ask the lady if you can pet him and do whatever she says. Understand?”
“Uh-huh.”
The five-year-old was leaning forward, dragging his reluctant father along as if he were towing a semitruck behind a tricycle. Shane saw his customer gather up her pet and stand. Although she had looked wary when Kyle had screeched, she was currently smiling.
“This must be your son,” Jamie Lynn said.
The child beamed. “I’m Kyle. I wanna play with your dog!”
“Can you play nicely and be careful you don’t hurt him? He’s getting kind of old.”
“Daddy told me.”
“Kyle thinks every small dog is a puppy,” Shane explained. “I told him that Useless was all grown up.”
She cradled her beloved fur ball as she sat again, placing the wiggly white mound on her lap. “Let him smell your hand before you try to touch him so he knows you’re friendly.”
Ulysses sniffed, then started to lick the boy all the way from his fingertips to his wrist.
Kyle broke into gales of laughter. “It tickles.”
“What did you have for lunch?” Jamie Lynn asked.
“Um, a burger and a corn dog.”
“Both? What about vegetables or fruit?”
“I hate bedj-tables. Yuck.”
Shane could tell his customer wasn’t pleased with his son’s apparently haphazard diet. He knew he didn’t need to make excuses to a stranger, yet for some reason he wanted her approval.
“We were in a hurry this morning, partly because I still had a man out sick and was handling the tow truck again, so I fed him a corn dog,” Shane said. “I assume the burger was part of his school lunch.”
“Uh-uh,” the boy said. “Memaw bought it for me when she picked me up.”
Marsha piped up. “I have a hair appointment.” She patted her short locks and began to grin at the other woman. “You don’t approve of fast food?”
“Sorry. I have a degree in early childhood development and sometimes advice just slips out. Proper nutrition is critical, especially in the formative years.”
Shane had heard enough. “Look. I’m a single parent and I’m doing the best I can, okay? He’s happy and healthy.”
“It’s actually more than that,” Jamie Lynn said.
He watched her eyes begin to glisten. She had to be one of the most changeable women he’d ever met—more unpredictable than Ozark weather.
Just as he was preparing to defend himself further, she sighed and added, “I can see that you’ve given him something else that many children lack.”
“And what would that be?”
“Love,” she told him, speaking softly. “All the vitamins in the world can’t take the place of that.”
THREE
The rush of emotions the little boy had triggered had almost destroyed Jamie Lynn’s self-control. When he’d wrapped his arms around her neck to thank her for letting him pet her dog, she’d had to fight to keep from weeping for the loving family she’d lost so long ago.
It was this town, she reasoned. That was what was bothering her. She’d not only cheated death since arriving in Serenity, she’d done it in the very place where she’d spent her childhood. Of course she’d be upset. Confused. Perhaps a tad emotionally unstable. There was nothing disturbing about that. Instead of wasting energy dwelling on what she’d lost, she should be trying to figure out who wanted to get rid of her. Given the seriousness of that, all her other worries paled.
“I guess I’ll give up and head over to the motel,” she announced to Shane after he had settled his son in his private office with crayons and a coloring book.
She glanced at her truck, still sitting on flattened tires. “I don’t imagine you’ll be able to get me back on the road today.”
“Nope.”
“How far is it to the motel?”
His noncommittal shrug gave her the notion that she may have used up her chances to hitch a ride. “I can walk. Just point me in the right direction.”
Shane sighed. “I’ll take you. But right now I have to finish this job and line up tomorrow’s schedule.” He glanced at his watch. “Give me forty-five minutes.”
“It’s okay. Really it is. I walk all the time to exercise Ulysses.”
The stern look he gave her was unexpected. “Look, lady, you spent the night in the hospital after somebody disabled your truck and tried to barbecue you. Since Harlan has no idea who’s to blame, don’t you think it would be wise to keep a low profile?”
Jamie Lynn tried to mask the shiver that shot through her by gathering up her purse. “I thought the sheriff was convinced those guys were just local boys acting reckless. That’s the impression he gave me.”
“He may be convinced, but I’m not,” Shane said quietly. “Now sit down and wait for me the way I waited for you all afternoon.”
An urge to snap to attention, salute and shout, “Yes, sir,” came over her. With effort, Jamie was able to nod and appear compliant. She hated taking orders, particularly from folks she hardly knew, and her offbeat wit was overly fond of lightening that burden with problematic humor.
This time, however, she held it in check. Shane Colton had been nothing but nice to her and the more she let him do on her behalf, the more guilt piled up on her side of the equation. He was bound to be livid by the time he learned she was R.J.’s sister.
Nevertheless, she reasoned, limited options were keeping them together. If there had been anywhere else nearby to have her truck repaired, she’d have gotten away from him immediately. Even the tire store was thirty miles south. It made no sense to have her vehicle taken there when it was already in good hands.
Shane’s hands were good, she affirmed without hesitation. Judging by all the business he had coming and going, his reputation was sterling.
A perverse part of her wished he were not quite so honest or approachable or considerate. It would be a lot easier to work against the prejudices of this town if she didn’t have to worry about hurting such an amenable man.
Remember what the people here did to you and your poor family, she reminded herself. They banded together to convict your brother—and Shane Colton is one of them.
Jamie Lynn raised her eyes to watch him working. As little as twenty-four hours ago she’d had no trouble classifying Shane as just another narrow-minded local. Somehow, in that short span of time, she had begun seeing him as almost a friend, almost a potential ally. That was ridiculous, of course.
Trembling, yet decisive, Jamie Lynn snapped the leash on Ulysses before picking him up, got to her feet, smoothed the hem of the hospital garb she’d borrowed and walked straight out the door of the waiting room.
It was time to come clean.
* * *
Shane was startled when he heard someone at his elbow say, “Excuse me?”
“I told you I had a few things to see to before we left. Be patient, okay?”
“It’s not that,” she said. “I need to talk to you. Privately.”
Something in her tone slipped through his concentration and pulled him from his work as effectively as a lasso tightening around the neck of a bucking bronco. His glance swept the work area then returned to her. “This is about as private as it gets. What’s wrong?”
“I don’t want you to think I’ve been deceiving you.”
“Don’t tell me your truck is stolen.”
“No, no. Nothing like that.” She’d tucked Ulysses under her arm and was petting him.
“Won’t this wait?”
“Not really.”
“We can talk later while I drive you home.”
He saw her shake her head and marveled at the way her dark hair caught the light and gleamed as it moved. It was evident that once this woman got a notion to do or say something, nothing could stop her. “Okay. I’m listening.”
“My name used to be Jamie Lynn Henderson instead of Nolan.”
Scowling, Shane stared at her. “Okay.”
“I don’t think you fully understand,” she said.
Shane sensed the crackle of tension in the air and noted her easing away from him, although she’d barely moved. He faced her and folded his arms across his chest. “Spell it out for me.”
“Henderson doesn’t ring a bell?”
“There’s a town near Lake Norfork by that name.”
“Think closer to home, Shane. My mother’s name is Alice. Ray is my dad. And my brother is Ray Junior.”
Sensing that he was gaping at her, he snapped his jaw closed. “You’re that Henderson?”
“Yes.”
“Hold on. I don’t remember any daughter named Jamie Lynn.”
“Probably because my family always called me Baby Sister. I was in kindergarten before I knew that wasn’t my given name.”
“Why the charade?” Anger was building. Shane fought to keep it from spilling over and halting their conversation before he could learn more.
“It wasn’t a trick,” Jamie vowed. “My great-aunt adopted me years ago and gave me her last name. That’s why I can’t figure out why I was targeted so quickly after I hit town. It must be because I called the courthouse to inquire about my family and ask for the transcripts of my brother’s trial.”
“Go on.” His arms remained crossed, his eyes narrowing.
“I was kept in the dark as a child. When I was recently told that my mother ran away to save herself after my father disappeared, right here in your precious town, I decided to come back and see what else I could find out.”
“That’s crazy talk.”
“Is it? What if my brother wasn’t driving the car that hit your dad?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. He was not only tried and convicted, he confessed.”
“Because he was threatened. So were my parents. Mom sent me to live with an aunt in New England during the trial to keep me out of danger.”
“That doesn’t prove a thing except that your mom was paranoid. Maybe your whole family was.”
As he continued to observe her, he saw her scan the parts of the garage she could see from where they stood. She was plainly nervous. Wary. Uncomfortable. Considering what she’d just admitted, he didn’t blame her.
If he’d had the option he would gladly have hauled her truck to another garage and washed his hands of her.
It didn’t dawn on him that his thoughts were so transparent until she said, “Look. I know you don’t really want to deal with my problems anymore. Try to think of me as just another nameless customer. Once we get through this, I promise I won’t bother you again.”
“Of course you will.”
“I don’t understand.”
A deep breath and heavy sigh helped settle him enough to speak his mind without letting rancor overwhelm him. “You don’t have to tell me more about why you came back. You intend to stir up trouble. It’s a given, particularly now that I’ve seen how you operate.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes. Really. Once you latch on to an idea, you haven’t got sense enough to drop it, even when it’s wrong.”
“Listen, Mr. Colton. The folks around here were so sure R.J. was guilty they did that very thing to him. He was convicted in the court of public opinion long before he ever stood before a judge.”
“Not true. He had a fair trial. I was there.”
Her shoulders slumped, and she looked away as if viewing the past before she said, “Sadly, I was not. My parents thought they were sparing me by keeping me in the dark. All they were really doing was giving my imagination free rein. That was a mistake. Now I have to go back and start from the beginning if I want to understand.”
“How do you propose to do that?”
“Court records, among other things. As I said, I’ve already talked to people at the county courthouse and requested other information that’s in the public domain.”
“Terrific.” He knew he was scowling and gave himself permission to continue. “My mother is just getting her life back together and you come along to ruin it.”
“This has nothing to do with your mother.”
His voice rose. “She was married to the man your brother ran down and left in the street to bleed to death. How can you say it has nothing to do with her? It has everything to do with her.”
* * *
Serenity had two main streets and two highways that intersected. Jamie Lynn knew she was currently on Third Street and that her motel was located on Highway 62. As soon as Shane’s back was turned, she slipped out the front door and headed toward courthouse square. From there, she figured she could easily get her bearings. There was no danger. Nobody would expect to see her dressed like a nurse just getting off duty.
One thing was definite. She was not going to spend one more unnecessary moment with any Colton if she could help it. This would mark a new beginning to her quest.
Ulysses trotted along beside her as if he’d strolled those roads all his life. As soon as they reached Church Street and could walk on sidewalks instead of the outside edges of narrow pavement, Jamie Lynn stopped worrying about passing traffic.
Looking down at her exuberant pet made her smile, as always. “What a good boy. I wish you could tell me how to relax the way you do,” she crooned.
He rewarded her with a wag of his tail and a glance before continuing to sniff his way along their route.
The afternoon was still warm and the air so clean and fresh she could almost feel it healing her sore throat. There was also peace and ambience to be enjoyed here; something she had neither remembered nor expected.
Traffic circling the square was heavier than she had anticipated, so she paused. Proceeding directly to the courthouse would entail extra crossings. Sensibly, she opted to take the long way around instead.
Flashes of buried memory began to surface. A few stores and even nearby homes seemed familiar, and not in a negative way. The same thing had occurred when she’d been exploring the old farmhouse, but she had not expected to experience such clear recollections anywhere else.
“I’m supposed to hate this place,” she muttered to herself, disgusted to be feeling almost comfortable.
A family was coming out of the tiny library, the excited children clasping books and dancing for joy. An older couple was entering the café on the west side of the square. The name over the restaurant door didn’t ring a bell but the building itself certainly did.
Jamie looked ahead and saw a sign for the police station. Good. If she couldn’t locate the motel once she turned the corner, she’d backtrack and ask someone in there for directions.
Cracks in the sidewalk where tree roots had lifted the paving slowed her briefly. That, and Ulysses’s insistence that he sniff every post and corner and square inch of the walkway.
Steep concrete stairs led up to the glass doors of the police building. They, too, were familiar. Perhaps it would be prudent to check here before proceeding. After all, she was already on their doorstep.
Ulysses made the first couple of high jumps, then pulled back so she’d pick him up and carry him the rest of the way. Traffic continued to pass, the drivers cautious because there were no stop signs to regulate right of way on the corners.
Jami
e got to the top landing. Tried the door. Found it locked.
With her dog still tucked under one arm, she used her opposite hand to shade her eyes and peer inside.
The building was vacant.
She put Ulysses down and began searching for an explanation. That was when she saw the crudely lettered, faded sign taped to one wall. The entire Serenity Police Department and the sheriff’s office had moved to an address out of town on Highway 9!
From her higher vantage point she assessed her surroundings. Nine North bordered that side of the square. If she hadn’t been on foot she’d have followed it then and there. However, as things stood, she supposed it would be best to keep going and locate her motel.
For the first time since abandoning Shane Colton she was starting to wish she’d let him drive her. The worst part of that notion was the realization she was behaving exactly the way he’d described. Foolish and stubborn.
Jamie Lynn murmured, “Oh, well, what’s done is done,” bending to scoop up her short-legged pet for the trip down the steep stairway.
A second before her hand touched him he yelped and jumped away.
Startled, Jamie was caught off balance. She lurched. Dropped to her knees. Sensed an unmistakable ripple of fear. Was she simply reacting to the high-strung dog?
There was no time to speculate further.
Something crashed above her. Tiny shards of safety glass from the thick doors began to rain down.
She huddled over her little dog, unsure what had happened but taking her cues from him.
Together they crouched on the cement threshold, trembling, frightened, waiting.
Nothing more fell. Someone shouted from the street, “You all right, lady?”
She raised her head slightly to call, “I think so.”
Bystanders were gathering on the sidewalk in front of the deserted building. Some were quiet. Others were talking or yelling.
A figure broke through their ranks and raced up the steps.
When Ulysses began to wiggle and wag his tail, Jamie made eye contact with the new arrival.
It was Shane Colton. And he looked mad enough to spit nails.
Small Town Justice Page 3