Seeking the Sheriff (Masterson County Book 1)

by Calle J. Brookes

  It didn’t happen.

  Because Tom Rutherford just couldn’t resist being a total jerk on their way out.

  The big man, equally as large as the sheriff, stepped right into Phoebe’s path at the very last minute.

  She had nowhere to go to escape him and hit him in the chest dead on.

  And Tom took advantage of it. He locked his arms around her and wouldn’t let go. The jerk seemed to enjoy having her push away from him. He even dropped one hand down to her rear for just a half second. Damn him. He’d mostly left her and her sisters alone, but now…

  “Well, look here. It’s some of the Tyler sisters. Out from the pigs today? Where’s that brother of yours? I have some...questions for him.”

  Rutherford’s hands were tight on Phoebe’s arms. She tried to pull away, but he was a bully and an ass—and strong with it. She forced herself to stand still, knowing the man would just enjoy her squirming more. His body was already hardening against her. Disgust threatened to have her lunch returning the hard way. “Let me go, Tom.”

  “Let me go, Tom, she says. Maybe...maybe I don’t want to.” His fingers tightened. His two friends stood, trapping her sisters between them. Phoebe glanced at Pip and Perci, seeing the fear on Pip’s face. The fury on Perci’s. Rutherford lifted her slightly. “So...which one are you again? Ah…the deaf one.”

  “Let me go!” All she had to do was call out. She knew they were already drawing attention their way. She half thought she recognized two of her cousins in the far corner of the diner. Martin and Mike wouldn’t let anything happen, surely.

  And the sheriff...

  Joel was in the diner, too. She forced herself to breathe and think. All she had to do was call out, and Joel would be right there.

  A fact one of Rutherford’s buddies pointed out. “Let her go, Tom. Sheriff’s right over there. We don’t need him butting in right now.”

  Rutherford squeezed her tightly. “I don’t want to. It’s been two years since I last held such a beautiful woman.” He leaned down next to her left ear. “Can you hear me, little girl? I bet you’re a real firecracker in the sack, aren’t you? I can’t wait to find out. I can guarantee you’ll love it. I’ll make you scream so loud…”

  Perci took matters into her own hands. “Let her go, Rutherford. You’re being a big prick. Are you overcompensating for the small one in your pants again?”

  He shoved Phoebe away slightly, though he kept one hand on her. He turned on her younger sister, his arm raised back to strike.

  And that was all it took.

  No one hurt one of her siblings. No one. Phoebe reached out and bit him.

  Chapter 20

  Joel glanced up at the sound of a man yelling. The diner hushed immediately. One look at the small redheads near the doors and his heart started pounding. Phoebe. Joel was already moving.

  Nate cursed beside him. “They’ve baited the bull with that one.”

  “I think she had a good reason,” Matt said, putting his food down on the counter. “Rutherford has the smallest one by the arm, and I don’t think she asked for him to touch her.”

  The smallest one. Damn it. “Phoebe.”

  Rutherford’s soda was unceremoniously dumped over his large, blond head. Rutherford yelled the instant the soda struck him. “You bitches!”

  Phoebe jumped between the big man and her sister, physically trying to block the man’s attack.

  And it was a definite attack. Rutherford lifted his hand to strike out at the much smaller women. One of his buddies stopped him just a fraction of a second before he struck Phoebe or her sister.

  The entire diner was stunned. Joel jumped into action.

  Nate was closer; when had his brother started moving?

  Nate lifted the twin out of the way just as Joel reached Phoebe and pulled her toward safety. He nudged her toward the quieter twin, who wrapped her arms around Phoebe protectively. “Keep yourselves back.”

  Joel turned toward Rutherford. “Tom, what the hell are you doing?”

  “Damned Tyler bitches assaulted me. That deaf bitch bit me for no good reason!”

  “Liar. He had Phoebe and wouldn’t let her go first,” the fiery twin said, from somewhere behind Nate’s shoulder. Nate was keeping her back as best he could. “Look at her arms if you don’t believe me!”

  Joel did just that, fighting the instinct he had telling him to just plow his fist right into Rutherford’s face.

  Lived red marks covered Phoebe’s pale skinny arms. One was even bleeding. “Phoebe, honey? Are you ok?”

  “What the hell, Masterson? You’re fucking her!” Rutherford said loudly enough for the entire diner to hear. Rutherford sneered at the three women. He reached out, almost grabbing little Pip’s elbow. She cried out and twisted away, pulling Phoebe with her. “Or is it one of the other two?”

  “You’re stepping over the line real fast, Rutherford,” Joel said. If he hadn’t been wearing his badge, he would have already knocked the guy’s teeth down his throat for the marks on Phoebe’s soft skin.

  Joel risked a glance at her. Big blue eyes watched him out of that too pale face. Terrified again. Her sisters were right there next to her, his brothers between them and the threat. Joel looked around the diner. Everyone was watching, no doubt about that.

  And three strong men were standing near the back booth, dark expressions on their faces.

  Oh, hell. Martin Tyler and two of his seven brothers. One thing about the trouble-making Tylers, they protected Tyler women. Fiercely. Martin looked about ready to do some serious damage.

  Joel slipped a hand behind himself and nudged Phoebe and Pip a little closer to Matt. Just to be on the safe side. Things could go ugly real fast, and he didn’t want them too near to the fight.

  “Rutherford, I suggest you head on outside. Time to cool off.” He looked at Phoebe’s cousin, a big man with hair the same shade of auburn and eyes the same blue. Martin Tyler was ready to tear into someone. The man had one hell of a temper and an even worse right hook. Joel knew from personal experience. “Last thing you need is a brawl with the Tyler brothers right here, Tom. You know I’m not going to let anyone pound on anyone else. Keep the peace and all.”

  “You and what army, Sheriff?” Rutherford turned the full force of his anger on Joel. “Didn’t realize the sheriff’s office was in bed with the damned Tylers. Hope she’s a good fuck, Masterson. She certainly looks like she would be. All that fire...Would love to get my hands on her...Just for an hour or two. Show her what a real man rides like. Her or her three sisters. I’m not particular about which piece of Tyler trash I screw. One Tyler slut is as good a lay as the others.”

  It took everything Joel had not to shove the man’s nose back into his skull the hard way.

  Even Nate and Matt looked ready to take a swing at Rutherford for that last insult. They’d been raised better than to let someone talk to a woman that way.

  If he didn’t act fast, Tom Rutherford was going to get the pounding he no doubt deserved. Possibly from Joel’s own brothers.

  Chapter 21

  Phoebe knew Tom Rutherford meant the hate-filled look he shot at her and the twins. It was only Joel, his brothers, and three of her cousins that kept the big brute from hurting one of them. “Sheriff…Joel...we don’t want any trouble.” Not for themselves, and not for him. He didn’t need Tom Rutherford causing him trouble. Not like this. Tom was well-liked in the county. Joel was in a political position…she couldn’t get him involved in her family’s drama like this.

  “Your sister dumped soda on me!”

  “You had your hands on my sister. What was I supposed to do?” Perci was ready to jump right back in and defend. Like she always was. Joel’s brother physically stopped her.

  “Tell you what. I’m going to just pretend nothing happened today. That I didn’t see you ready to hit women more than two hundred pounds smaller than you are, Tom. Going to forget that I see where that woman is going to have bruises because of you. Everything is j
ust fine, and we’re all happy. Tyler ladies, if you’ll allow me to walk you to your car? Matt, can you grab our lunch? Nate, you can probably let that one go now.”

  Nate snorted. “Not so sure that’s a great idea. She tends to go rabid when she’s angry.”

  Phoebe had to admire the way Joel diffused the situation. He seemed good at it. And she wouldn’t lie, having him there made her feel a little less intimidated. He kept one hot hand splayed over her back and his strong body between hers and Rutherford’s. The scent of him surrounded her again.

  For a moment she just wanted to breathe him in. Stay safe right where she was for a long while.

  The man was dangerous to her sanity, that was for sure.

  Perci and the doctor walked out behind them, snapping at each other the whole way. Pip was behind, quiet as usual.

  As soon as they were clear of prying eyes, Joel stopped walking and turned to her. Pip and Perci kept walking to where Pip’s truck was parked.

  Phoebe didn’t know what to say. Rutherford had scared her. There had been a real hatred in his eyes when he’d looked at her, in his hands when he’d grabbed her. She shivered, and before she realized it, her hand tightened on his arm. “Thank you. Tom Rutherford hates all of us.”

  He brushed one hand down her bare arm. Rutherford’s blunt fingernails had dug in. She would have little half-moon marks and bruises on her upper arms for a few days.

  “Damn it. I should have arrested him.”

  “Well, I did bite him.” And she was rather proud of herself for that.

  “Still, he had no right. I should go back and—”

  “And just make the situation worse? We just try to stay out of his way when we can. Except for Perci. She hates that the old sheriff blamed Phoenix for the wreck that killed Sadie Rutherford.”

  Joel’s eyes showed his surprise. Phoebe understood. No one believed Phoenix except the Tylers. “He wasn’t at fault?”

  “Perci says he wasn’t, and she was the only other person to survive. But the old sheriff blamed our family. There’s a lot of that in this county. He seemed to have it out for my dad my whole life. I voted for you, just to not vote for him. But that was before I knew you. A lot of history in this county surrounding my family.”

  “Not with me. What are you doing in town so early? I was going to stop by later. Once I shook my brothers. They’re like fleas at times.”

  “Perci’s car needed to be fixed, and we are stocking up the pantry.” It was warm out, but she was still chilled. But he was strong and warm and...right there in front of her.

  He looked around them quickly, then wrapped his hand around her neck under her loose fall of hair. Before she even realized what he had intended to do, he covered her mouth with his own. The kiss lasted less than a quarter of a minute, but...when he pulled away she just stared up at him like an idiot.

  “I’ll still be out tonight. I need to find your brother. Ask him a few questions.”

  “I haven’t seen him in a while.” She risked a glance back toward the truck. Perci was busy arguing heatedly with the sheriff’s doctor brother, but Pip was inside the truck, watching. Phoebe had no doubt that her quieter sister had seen everything. Pip usually did.

  “I’ll find him. In the meantime, I think your sisters are waiting. There’s the third one now.”

  He touched her again, just a simple brush of his fingers down her arm. But that was all it took.

  Sheriff Joel Masterson had twisted her all inside out, and she didn’t have a clue how to deal with it.

  She watched him walk away with two of his brothers, to join the third who’d appeared next to the parking lot—where Pan’s little two-door was parked. She and the youngest Masterson brother looked deep in conversation. Phoebe considered catching a ride with Pan to avoid Pip and Perci, but her youngest sister just waved her away. She’d find out what Pan was doing with Levi Masterson later.

  The twins were in the truck waiting when Phoebe finally opened the passenger door.

  For once they were both silent. Finally, Perci spoke. It was always Perci who spoke, wasn’t it? “The sheriff kissed you. And you let him. Really kissed you.”

  “I don’t think it’s the first time he’s kissed her, either,” Pip added. “I’d bet good money on it.”

  Phoebe looked out the window at the small town and tried to pretend her cheeks weren’t red. “Shut up.”

  “He has. Maybe that’s why he’s been coming around so much. Not because of the bloody message but because of her,” Pip said.

  “Other than when he was berating her for being an idiot over not staying in the hospital that night, he was pretty damned sweet with her. Calling her honey, carrying her like he did. Watching her. And since then…well…guess we’ve been blind, Pip. Sheriff Masterson has a crush on our Phoebe.”

  “Stop it, you two. And just drive. The mechanic said to be there in an hour. We’re past that, remember?” They needed Perci’s car. “There’s nothing between the sheriff and me. And there’s not going to be. How could there be when I barely have two minutes to myself with this family, let alone time for a man like him? No, it’s not going to happen. And the sooner he realizes that, the better.”

  Pip was silent for a long moment. “Maybe. But with the right man, would it really matter? Wouldn’t he just kind of fit? Somehow just seem to always be there? Make you feel safe and loved…and not afraid?”

  Perci picked up her train of thought like they often did to one another. “Won’t it be easy? Mama always said it just felt right with Daddy.”

  “There is nothing easy about Joel Masterson. I don’t see how there ever could be.”

  Chapter 22

  His brothers were staring at him when Joel returned to the diner after he’d made certain Phoebe and her sisters drove off in their truck safely. He looked at Nate. “You are going to have to quit arguing with that girl. It’s starting to get ridiculous.”

  Nate snarled for a moment. He was the largest of the brothers and looked dog mean. Until someone got to know him and realized the tough exterior hid a heart full of compassion. It was why his brother had chosen medicine after all. Nate couldn’t stand to see someone in pain. “She’s a Tyler. That little demonstration should show it all.”

  “What it showed is that Tom Rutherford is an asshole. He left marks on Phoebe. She’ll bruise. I’m still half tempted to book him on assault charges.” The sight of the red marks on her skin burned right through him. Phoebe hadn’t done a damned thing to hurt Tom Rutherford.

  He hadn’t forgotten the bloody message on the Tylers’ back porch.

  It was entirely possible Rutherford was responsible.

  Joel lost his appetite for his burger and fries. He shoved them at his youngest brother just as Levi sat down next to him.

  “So what did I miss? What happened with Rutherford?”

  “Why were you with Pandora Tyler?” Joel shot back. Levi and the youngest sister hadn’t been anywhere near the diner when Rutherford had happened. But they had been together, hadn’t they?

  “Oh. She answered the ad for a housekeeper we placed. I hired her. She’s young but has experience and references. Best we’re going to get for what want to pay.”

  Nate cursed. “Damn it, I just can’t escape the Tylers. And now one will be in our home?”

  Joel took a swig of his soda. “Question is, why would any sane man want to escape women like that?”

  Chapter 23

  Joel pulled into the Tyler driveway at just a few minutes past five-thirty.

  It was the first time since he’d started coming out there regularly that he’d managed to catch them all at home.

  He was greeted on the front porch by the little boy with Phoebe’s face and light reddish blond hair. She’d said he was seven, hadn’t she? And she’d been taking care of him for at least two years, longer. This kid was as close to being her child as was possible without her being his actual mother, wasn’t he?

  That thought overwhelmed Joel for a momen
t. Made him see what she’d flat out said earlier. Any man getting involved with Phoebe Tyler was taking on all of the Tylers. All of them. Something the man would have to consider very, very carefully. “Hey, Parker. How are you doing tonight?”

  “Pip and Phoebe are making dinner.” The boy stared at him out of those Tyler blue eyes. “Daddy and Pan and Perci are arguing.”

  “Oh?”

  “Pan wants to go live on a horse ranch far away and clean house for a bunch of men instead of for us. I don’t want her to go. Neither do Daddy and Perci. Phoebe says Pan has to do what Pan has to do. Pip says whatever makes Pan happy. Peter says they reached a stale…gate. I’m not sure what that means. Can I see your badge?”

  “It’s stalemate. It means two sides can’t come to an agreement. Kind of like a tie in a game.” Joel took off his badge and let the kid hold it for a minute. “My brother told me he offered her the job. She’d come live at our ranch. She’d cook and clean for my brothers and me. We’re not all that far away. I’m on my way out there now.”

  “What’s wrong with staying here and helping Phoebe with my brothers and me?”

  “Nothing, I suppose.”

  “I don’t want my sisters to ever leave. My mommy did. In the car. She went to heaven that way.”

  “I know, buddy.”

  “Do you have a dog? I do. She’s a Border collie named Libby. I tried to ride her once. Phoebe said no. Said I couldn’t ride the cows or the goats, either.” He grinned, looking very much like his oldest sister. So much so that Joel was a goner. The kid was awesome. “Pip taught me to ride Air Dancer instead. He’s huge.”

  “Is he?”

  “Uh-huh. He’s Sky Dancer and Wind Dancer and Cloud Dancer’s big brother.” Parker picked up a stick and sword-fought an imaginary bad guy. “Why are you here? Are you going to take Phoebe away now? Put her in jail for kicking you?”