by Lee Rose
The other bouncer came back, out of breath. He looked angry and just a little scary to Mia. He was a tall, husky man with midnight black hair. He wore a black t-shirt that said security on it. “Asshole got away.”
Mia’s heart sank. She took her last breath of air in before the chaos started.
* * * *
Sheriff Abel Ramirez pushed people out of the way. When he got a call that police assistance was needed at Kramer’s, he was expecting another fight. It happened often, unfortunately especially on Saturday nights when everyone was trying to let off some steam. They were never serious, annoying, but easily resolved with both parties cooling off in his jail cell. It wasn’t until he arrived at the scene that one of his officers, Sam, told him it was an attempted robbery. Abel had been shocked to say the least. Brook Hollow was a small enough town that they did a good job of keeping crime to a minimum. What the hell was going on around here? Just a few months ago during the summer months they had a peeping tom that caused panic among the female residents. Now a purse snatcher, too? Well damn.
“Pardon me.” He impatiently moved the crowd to the side and spotted a young woman sitting on a curb under the light of the electric pole. He was glad the city council had forced Kramer’s Bar to add light to the parking lot. She had her head down. Her shoulder length blonde curls looked tangled and messy. She was wearing a dark blue dress that was above her knees. He winced when he saw the blood dripping from her cuts and scrapes. It looked raw and painful.
“Did you call an ambulance?” he asked Sam without taking his eyes away from the woman.
The woman looked up. Her bright blue eyes focused on him and he felt something strange. A tingle in his stomach that went straight to his heart and made it speed up beating much too fast. He thought he knew all the residents of his town, but he did not recognize her.
“I don’t need one, sir. It’s just scraped from where I fell.” Her voice was soft and shaky. Her nose was red and her eyes puffy, but for some reason Abel was unable to take his eyes off of her. He was sure he just felt protective over her because she was hurt. Soon the feeling would fade, he assured himself. Woman were soft, fragile creatures that did not deserve to be attacked and hurt.
He sat next to her on the curb after telling Sam and his partner Ron to push the crowd back some.
“What’s your name, miss?”
“Mia Wilson.” She hiccupped, her voice was soft and feminine with a slight tremor in it. It made him want to wrap his arms around her and promise her he’d find the bastard who dared to make her cry. What was wrong with him? He was here as a sheriff, so he forced his mind to stay on the task at hand.
“I’m Sheriff Abel Ramirez. Want to tell me what happened here tonight?” he asked her, trying to keep his voice even so he wouldn’t scare her. She looked pale and frightened already. Her blue eyes were dark with pain. She explained how someone had come from behind her, putting a hand over her mouth. He almost smiled when she admitted to taking a bite out of that hand. The man claimed to want her purse but had run off quickly. She had not been able to see him, only hear his voice. Not much to go on.
“Reva saved me,” she added at the end and started crying some more.
Abel felt bad he made her rehash her misery. He awkwardly patted her on the back and looked at her friend Reva. She was tall, slim and blonde. She added her side of the story to Mia’s. Mario, one of the bouncers Abel knew well, told him he ran after the man but he disappeared in the woods and it was too dark to go in there alone. Mario had retired from the army and was a mean son of a bitch. Abel knew the man would have caught him if possible. Abel felt his own anger rise.
“He was wearing a long black overcoat and had short dark hair.” Mario described the man as best as he could. “Never saw his face though.”
People were finally starting to go back inside or leave for home. Abel knew by morning the story would grow out of proportion. Mia shivered and Abel knew it was fear since the night air was warm and humid. He had the illogical thought to wrap his arms around her and hold her. He shook the feeling off, forcing himself to focus on the job at hand. His libido had been dead for over two years now. What a time for it to wake up. He handed her one of his business cards, resisting the urge to put his personal cellphone number on the back. What was wrong with him? Maybe he was just tired from pulling a few doubles in the last week.
Mia took the card from him. He didn’t recognize her so she must be new. They had plenty of new residents coming in during the last year as people wanted out of the bigger cities. She was not someone you could forget seeing. Her eyes were a bright blue and her face reminded him of the porcelain, fancy dolls his little sister used to play with. She had a wild halo of blonde curls surrounding her face. Her lips were full and covered in a pink shiny gloss.
“Call me if you remember something tomorrow.” He stood up, helping her up off the curb. Her hand was small and warm and he felt a tingle shoot up his arm. He let go immediately and frowned.
He looked at Ron resisting his urge to take her home himself. “You drive Mia home, and I will follow you and pick you up. Is that ok, Mia?”
She stood so close to him he could see her lashes were dark. She smelled like a spring rain. The top of her blonde head barely reached his shoulders and she was on the thin side. Her dress showed off a generous bust line that he could not help but notice. “Yes, thank you, Sheriff.”
Abel watched Ron help Mia to her car and put her in the passenger side carefully. Abel could see Ron speaking to her softly. Abel almost regretted sending Ron to drive her, but she was dangerous to his peace of mind. He knew that instinctively.
“Need to ask me any more questions, Sheriff?” Her friend Reva smiled at him, her interest in him showing clearly in her eyes. She was beautiful, but Abel felt nothing but concern for the situation. “No, ma’am. I will call you if we need something else.”
She eyed him with disappointment and shrugged, walking away. Abel got in his car, ready to follow Ron and Mia home. Why did he get the feeling his life was going to change? He wasn’t very happy about it either. He had gotten used to the dull but easy going way his life had run since he made the decision to keep drama out of his life.
Chapter Two
Abel Ramirez walked through the crowd of the busy farmer’s market of his hometown. Brook Hollow, Missouri was a small rural town nestled in the Ozark Hills. He nodded and waved to the familiar faces, but he kept moving through the crowd. October was just beginning so the morning air had a slight chill to it, but Abel didn’t mind. Soon the appearance of the sun would turn the air warm. The skies were blue and clear today. It was early Sunday morning and he wasn’t the only one out this morning. Citizens of Brook Hollow were anxious to be out and about before the winter season started. Winters here could be brutal in Missouri and kept people indoors more often than not.
Crowds of people stopped at the many stands of fresh fruits, vegetables, and other homemade items. Some people just stopped to chat with each other and enjoy the sunshine. He could easily drive the distance from his small house to the station, but sometimes he just enjoyed being out in the fresh air and among the town residents.
Abel took his job as sheriff of Brook Hollow very seriously. He refused to be one of those elected officials who spent all of his time behind a desk unaware of what was going on outside of his office walls. Having grown up here, he appreciated the quietness of his small town. It was a good place to live and raise a family. Not that there wasn’t crime. If a town had people, crime was bound to follow. He liked to think he kept things under control with the help of his fellow officers. He felt like it was necessary for the citizens to see him out and about, and not just a hidden figure who never mixed with the townsfolk, His father, Oscar Ramirez, who had once been the sheriff, instilled that idea in him. Abel had run for the office after being his father’s right-hand man and learning much from him. He wanted the people to feel comfortable with his presence, and to let them know he would do all he could
to keep this town safe. Lots of new people were moving into small towns, Brook Hollow included. It was still a close-knit community. He tried to keep an eye on the new residents, making sure they weren’t troublemakers. He enjoyed the expansion of the town as long as it didn’t change too drastically. The city council agreed and made every effort to keep the rural town from growing too fast or too big. The town was surrounded by bigger cities where one could drive and return in a few hours. It was an ideal location.
Abel spotted a familiar face and headed that way. Jack Johnson owned the local grocery store in town. Abel and Jack had gone through high school together, often competing with each other on the football field. The two had stayed friends ever since. Jack’s wife, Stacy, stayed at the store while Jack set up a stand filled with fruits and vegetables. Abel reached out his hand to Jack and shook it.
“Morning, Jack,” he greeted.
Jack’s black hair was short and neat just like in high school. He wore a crisp white dress shirt and tie, even though he could wear anything he wanted. Jack looked up with a smile, returning Abel’s handshake. He was straightening up the oranges into a nice neat pile while a few ladies looked at the tomatoes. Abel knew Jack bought his produce from local farmers in the area. Tables filled with homemade bread and jams were also scattered around the market stalls. He spotted one of his deputies also walking around and acknowledged him with a nod. His department wasn’t big by city standards, but he had a group of good men and women on his team.
“Is Stacy ready to dump your ass and come with me?” Abel teased, knowing his friend would not take offense. Abel liked the couple very much. Jack just shook his head and laughed. Jack met Stacy in college and fell head over heels, bringing her home to Brook Hollow. Even though Abel liked being a bachelor, he did envy Jack’s good luck. Jack and Stacy just fit together. Stacy adored her husband.
“I heard about what happened last night. Bad enough I had to listen about that damn peeping tom all summer, now we have a purse snatcher? Getting soft, Abel?”
Jack always knew any gossip traveling through the grapevine. Stacy belonged to the ladies’ book club along with his own mother, Delores, and several ladies from town. Abel often wondered if they even discussed books or just sat around and gossiped. His mom often knew things before he did. It was aggravating when he had to find out news from his own mother who gloated about it.
“Let’s have another game of football and we’ll see who is the soft one, Johnson.” Abel snorted. He pictured Mia Wilson from last night. Unfortunately, she had stayed stuck in his head most of the night and it irritated the hell out of him, making him feel cranky this morning.
“Yeah, unfortunately it’s true, Jack,” Abel replied in a low voice so others wouldn’t hear. “He got away but not for long.” He wasn’t sure how many people knew yet since it happened in the wee hours of the night.
Jack shook his head. “And here I thought Mrs. Miller threatening whoever stole her prized watermelon was the only excitement going on. Heard she bought some shells for that antique shotgun of hers and is planning on sitting on her porch all night to protect the rest of her crop. God help us all. I am sure she can’t see a thing.”
Abel groaned and rolled his eyes. Mrs. Miller was at least eighty years old. Not that Abel would ever ask her outright. She’d box his ears and wouldn’t let him being sheriff stop her. “Good Lord. All we need is for her to shoot an innocent person walking by or her own foot. I’ll go have another talk with her. She’ll probably end up lecturing me.”
“Hope you catch this asshole before a panic spreads. As soon as the gossip spreads, it will be chaos with everyone seeing shadows everywhere. You couldn’t even walk by a house and look or you’d get accused of being the peeping tom a few months ago,” Jack told him with a shake of his head. “Poor Becky must be distraught. Mia is new in town.”
“Becky from Becky’s Brew?” Abel asked, just making the connection from the last name. He had been so enchanted by Mia that his brain had not been working.
Jack nodded and explained. “Mia is Donald Wilson’s niece. She was laid off from her job and Becky invited her here to regroup for a bit. Becky is thrilled to have someone around. She told Stacy she was always fond of Mia and kept in touch with her.”
Abel just nodded and let the information soak in. He felt the disappointment that she might not stick around for long, then he pushed it away. He had made a vow to stay alone and he was keeping it. “See you around, Jack.”
As he headed to Fulton Street, the aroma of fresh coffee hit his nostrils. Becky’s Brews was a well-established business in this town. Becky and his mother were longtime friends. Normally Abel stopped in there occasionally, but lately he had been busy. He was trying to hire a few more officers to pick up some of the slack of him and his brother working too much. Abel didn’t mind the long hours, but his younger brother Lincoln, who was his right-hand man, was getting married soon and didn’t want a grueling schedule.
The red brick building sat on the corner of a busy street. It was quite popular with the younger crowd since they added Wi-Fi from what he heard. His younger sister Melanie loved to hang out there, and his future sister-in-law Jessy came for the quietness to do her online classes. She was finishing up her college degree.
He passed by the big picture window and spotted a few people engrossed in their laptops or smartphones. Abel was still a dinosaur when it came to modern technology. He preferred speaking to a person face-to-face or at least over a phone. Typing words in a small window did not sit well with him.
He spotted Becky behind the counter and decided to pop in for a minute. Abel opened the heavy glass door and entered. No one looked up from their laptops. He shook his head with amusement. He just didn’t get the fascination with technology. The smell of coffee mixed with baked goods reminded him he had skipped breakfast this morning because he woke up late, pushing the snooze button one too many times.
The walls were painted a warm terra cotta color. The big picture window let in the natural sunlight. Colorful paintings of coffee cups hung on the wall. He headed for the long oak counter and slipped on to a black leather stool. He loved the coffee smell in the air.
Becky Wilson was wiping the counter with a white, wet rag. She looked up when he sat down and greeted him with a friendly smile. “Good morning, Abel. Coffee?”
He nodded. He had been in here a few times, but mostly he liked to drink his coffee at home. He liked his privacy. She set a plain white cup of black coffee in front of him. He added cream and one sugar from the small container in front of him. He knew they sold all kinds of fancy coffees from what his sister told him, but he liked plain old fashioned coffee. Why mess with a good thing, was his opinion.
“How is your niece doing?” he asked, trying to sound casual without too much interest. Becky didn’t need to know he had thought of Mia all night long and not about the case. It threw him off balance and he didn’t like the feeling. He had made a vow to himself to never again fall for a pretty face. It had almost ruined his life once before and he still had nightmares about it.
Becky sighed sadly. “She is shook up, of course. She lived in New York all of her life and never got mugged. Shame it had to happen here. And after I told her Brook Hollow was as safe as can be.”
Abel agreed, sipping on the hot liquid. He felt disappointed Mia wasn’t here, then he told himself it was better that way. He did not need the distraction of mooning over Becky’s niece. Women were nothing but trouble.
“Any word of who it was?” Becky looked worried. Her blonde hair was mixed with silver but she still looked young. Abel knew she was the same age as his mother. Her husband had left Missouri long ago and Becky divorced him. She never talked about him much and Abel remembered he was a quiet man who kept to himself, and Becky was a social butterfly. An odd combination and probably why it hadn’t worked out.
“No, but we will figure it out, Becky. He ran into the woods so it is possible he came over from the next town. He knows a l
ot of women might walk alone to their cars making them easy targets,” he said with determination. This was not going to go on in his town.
“I gave her some mace your mother gave me. Hope it’s still good,” Becky informed him with a mama bear attitude. “Here I am inviting her to come stay with me for a spell, and she gets mugged.”
“I am sure mama will pass it out among her famous book club, and of course to Melanie and Lily.” Abel shook his head. “She orders that stuff by the case. Never thought I’d see the day anyone would need it. I’ll never hear the end of it now.”
Becky chuckled and agreed. “She’ll probably order you some for your officers.”
“So Mia is from New York. Is that where Donald was from?” He was just being curious he assured himself. He should know the people living in his town. It made sense to him.
Becky shook her head. “I met him in Saint Louis where he was working when we were in college. His family is spread here and there. I always liked Mia and kept in touch with her.”
“Good morning, Abel,” a female voice from behind him interrupted their conversation. “I heard what happened at Kramer’s last night. Horrifying.”
Abel turned around to see Jane Lopez. She was holding a to-go cup in her hand. He sighed, knowing he shouldn’t be surprised word got around already despite it barely being eight in the morning.
“Who was it? I heard someone say it was a vagrant. They hang out at that old abandoned barn on Highway Fifty. I have reported several times. They try to panhandle,” she continued not looking fearful. Her long black hair was in a neat twist on top of her head and her navy blue suit and skirt looked perfect. She worked at city hall with the mayor as an assistant. Abel knew her well. She hung around with his mother but he suspected it was just Jane’s way of trying to get her claws in him. No thanks.