“Because it’s your job?” He didn’t appear to be making fun of her at all.
“Because it would be exciting to think that we have found something that is possible after death. Most humans are curious about the hereafter, if not downright afraid.”
“If you can’t control it, there’s no reason to worry about it,” Sam countered.
“That’s logic. The paranormal defies logic. Besides, I’m looking for answers, and information makes you feel things. You can’t just turn off your emotions. Life and death are emotional subjects. That’s why vampires are popular. They’re immortal.”
“I wouldn’t want to live forever.” Sam shook his head, his expression pensive. “There would be no sense of urgency. No drive. If you had an eternity to do something, where’s you’re motivation?”
“So you’re not afraid to die?” she asked boldly. They’d wandered into a pretty serious conversation for only having known each other a few hours.
“Afraid is the wrong word. I served in combat in Iraq so I’ve faced death more than once. I don’t want to die. But I’ve also seen things that are far worse.”
She wanted to ask what those things were but his features were more closed than before. She didn’t know him well enough to pry and wasn’t sure she was ready to hear the answer anyway.
“You were in the service? I have a great respect for our military.” It was a simple, non-emotional question that veered them away from more personal topics. She didn’t want him asking if she was afraid to die.
“Fifteen years for Uncle Sam. I’ve been a civilian for seven now.”
If he went in at eighteen that made him about forty. He looked younger, especially when he smiled. Tabby’s hand fluttered to cover her mouth as she yawned widely. A wave of sleepiness ran through her and her limbs felt like lead. The pills were taking effect.
“Please excuse me. It’s not the company.” Strangely, she didn’t want to sleep. She wanted to stay awake and learn more about her good looking host. She had more questions about his life. Instead she yawned again, her eyelids growing heavier.
“It’s a full stomach and the pain medication. Let me help you to your room.”
It felt too personal to have him touch her when she was this attracted to him. Her defenses were down and she needed to think straight. It would be easy to lay her head on his shoulder and fall asleep in the warmth of his strong arms.
Stop.
She was not only tired, she was delusional. She wasn’t all that attracted to him and she didn’t want to curl up in his arms. Not too much, anyway. She only wanted the comfort because she didn’t feel well and her car was currently stuck in a ditch.
“No need.” Tabby waved away his help as she struggled to her feet. The room spun and she had to grab onto the table for support. Moving quickly, he swept her up with one arm under her knees and the other around her waist. She tried to protest but he didn’t listen to a word she was saying, which seemed to be par for the course with him. He simply strode down the hall and set her on her feet next to the bed. Tink had followed them and was watching curiously from the doorway with her tail wagging. It appeared she approved of her master’s high-handed actions.
Tabby opened her mouth to give him a piece of her mind but yawned instead. She didn’t even have the energy to brush her teeth. Her lids felt like they had weights attached to them.
“Get some sleep and I’ll see you in the morning.”
Before she could reply, Sam scooped up the dog and closed the door behind him. Tabby crawled under the covers and sighed as her head hit the pillow and her body relaxed under the warm covers.
Sam was an interesting man. Relaxed one minute and take charge the next. He seemed like a good person and a hard worker. She bet her mom and dad would adore him. They’d talk his ear off about his time in the service and what it was like to be a cop in a small town.
Tomorrow would be a better, brighter day. The tow truck would get her car and Tabby could call Addie Wheeler and set up an appointment. The important thing was to get the job done and then move on to the next location. There was always someone who wanted to talk about their house being haunted or the strange lights they’d seen in the sky while out near a cornfield or pasture.
Tonight would just be one of those interesting stories she would talk about at a later date. She’d tell her family and friends about the cowboy cop who looked like a movie star, made homemade beef stew, and had a dog named Tink.
Chapter Three
“Tanner? It’s Sam.”
The morning sun was streaming in the windows and Sam was in the kitchen making breakfast. He’d heard Tabby moving around in her room a few minutes ago. Hopefully she would wake up with an appetite.
“Morning,” Tanner greeted him cheerily. “Isn’t it your day off?”
“It is.” Sam chuckled. “But I thought I should let you know something interesting about Tabitha Bartlett.”
“The woman you rescued last night?” Tanner queried. “I know a few things about her you found interesting.”
And the ball busting had now begun.
“She’s an attractive woman,” Sam replied mildly. “Anyone would have noticed.”
“You almost burned a hole clean through her the way you were looking at her. She was pretty. Maybe you can convince her to hang around for awhile.”
“That’s the reason I’m calling. Tabby’s here in Springwood on business.”
Sam looked over his shoulder to make sure she was still getting ready. He could hear water running in the bathroom.
“What kind of business?” Tanner was murmuring something to Madison in the background.
“She’s from one of those television shows that do stories on ghosts and shit like that. She said Addie sent them an email about the Heartbroken Cowboy.”
“Well, fuck. That’s not good. I don’t want a bunch of cameras and TV types overrunning my town. Not to mention how this would affect Addie. We can’t let anything happen to her.”
“That was my thinking too, boss.”
Tabby appeared from around the corner looking well-rested and even more beautiful than she had the night before.
“Tell you what,” Tanner said. “Let’s just take a wait and see about this. If we’re lucky it will run its natural course and fade away.”
“I’ll do that,” Sam agreed. “See you tomorrow.”
“Wait,” Tanner interrupted. “Maddie says if Ms. Bartlett isn’t feeling better today to just bring her by the office.”
“Will do. Hopefully that won’t be necessary.”
Sam hung up and turned to find Tabby sitting on the area rug with Tink in her lap. The dog was especially playful as she had already been walked and fed. She was ready for some fun and attention.
“You’re spoiling her.” Sam liked the way Tabby interacted with Tink, letting the dog lick her nose and sniffle in her ear. His houseguest didn’t seem to be a formal woman. Today she was dressed in a pair of worn blue jeans and a red sweater. Her long blonde hair was wavy and free around her face which didn’t have a smidgen of makeup on it. She didn’t need it anyway. Her complexion was clear and smooth, and Sam was struck by how young she looked.
Too young. For him at least.
“She’s just so cute.” Tabby scratched the dog behind the ears. “Did I interrupt your call? I tried to be quiet.”
“I was just checking in with Tanner and starting some breakfast. Are scrambled eggs okay?”
“Fine. Can I help at all?” Tabby stood up and washed her hands at the sink.
“I’m just finishing the bacon. If you really want to help you can start the toast.” He pointed to the loaf of bread on top of the refrigerator. “Otherwise you can just relax. The coffee’s already made.”
Sam handed her a mug and then pulled the bacon out of the oven. Tabby’s eyebrows went up in surprise. “You put bacon in the oven?”
“It’s the easiest way to make it.” Sam grinned at her expression.
“I’l
l take your word for it.” She laughed and dropped the bread into the toaster before pouring herself a cup of coffee. “Do you have to work today?”
Sam shook his head. “Today’s my day off. How are you feeling? Madison said to bring you by if you weren’t better.”
“My head doesn’t hurt at all,” she assured him. “My ankle is sore but she told me to try and stay off of it for a few days.”
Sam gave her a hard look. “So sit down. I can make breakfast.”
She waved away his stern facade and sank down into a kitchen chair. “I’m not used to relaxing. I work all the time.”
He scooped up the eggs and added the bacon and toast. Sliding the plates onto the table, he went back to the coffee pot for a warm up. “Is that your job to travel around and find ghosts? Do you want salt or pepper?”
“Not for me, thanks.” She dug into the eggs and he was glad to see she had an appetite. He hated watching women pick at their food. “My job is to scout the locations. We get hundreds of emails every day about paranormal activity including ghosts and UFOs. My sister and I travel around and visit the locations, talk to the people, and then decide if the story is compelling enough for the show.”
“Not every story makes it?” Sam sat down and dug into his breakfast.
“Less than ten percent,” she snorted. “Unfortunately most ghost stories are something like ‘so and so died here and now haunts this place by moving the peanut butter jar around’. That doesn’t make good television. Now if so and so died because a jealous lover killed him? Now we’re getting somewhere.”
“And you think the Heartbroken Cowboy might make good television?” Sam hoped like hell it didn’t.
“Is that what you call him around here?” To his chagrin, Tabby’s face lit up with a smile that just about took his damn breath away. “That’s great. I hope I can talk to Mrs. Wheeler today. Are there any other eyewitnesses that you know of? I’d like to see the location as well. It has to be as interesting as the story.”
“A few people in town have some stories,” Sam admitted grudgingly. “Madison said you were supposed to take it easy. Stay off that ankle.”
His narrowed eyes and serious gaze had absolutely no effect on his damsel. She was already bubbly and excited about the fucking ghost. Something that didn’t even exist.
“I’ll be very careful.” She nodded and pursed her lips. “I want to get some video of the cemetery to show my parents.”
“You don’t even have a car,” Sam reminded her. She couldn’t trudge through the snow all the way to Addie’s, ankle or not. It was about five degrees outside.
Her lips drooped immediately and he found that he missed her smile. “I guess I could drive you since it’s my day off,” he heard himself saying. Spending more time with Tabby was a dangerous proposition. She was only passing through.
Her smile returned bigger and brighter than before. “Are you sure? I could always call a taxi.”
He might as well just admit that he wanted to spend more time with her. He hadn’t met a woman who interested him in months, maybe longer. He’d been going through the motions romantically for a long time. “I don’t mind. I haven’t talked to Addie in awhile. We’ll need to stop in town and pick up something at the bakery for her. She has a sweet tooth.”
“I’ll give her a call and see if she’s home.” Tabby stood but Sam shook his head in exasperation.
“For the last time, stay off that ankle. I’ll give her a call after breakfast. We can stop off at Buck’s on the way and check on your car.”
Tabby looked amused at his frustration. Apparently she wasn’t used to anyone taking care of her. Or trying to. “Thank you. I’ll just finish my breakfast then.”
Sam would have growled at her sweeter-than-pie tone but he tamped down his irritation. This didn’t have anything to do with her behavior. This had everything to do with how attractive he found her. She was pretty and nice, and damn it, he hadn’t been out on a date in way too long.
He pushed his plate away with a sigh. He might as well call Addie. It looked like he was going to spend his day off doing something besides laundry. It was a bad idea getting involved with her but he’d never been all that bright about women.
Sam had insisted on carrying her to his truck which was ridiculous, but she was trying not to argue with him. But she did have to admit it was nice having him help her on with her boots over the thick elastic bandage wound around her ankle. He’d also insisted on doing the dishes again so she’d disappeared into the bathroom to apply some makeup and put her hair into some semblance of order.
Pulling up in front of the repair garage, she craned her neck to find her car. She hoped the damage had been minor and it wouldn’t take long to make whatever repairs might be needed. She lifted the door handle but Sam was out of the truck in a flash and around to her side before she could exit the vehicle. She was thankful for the strong arm he offered her when she put her weight down and walked toward the office.
This chivalry thing wasn’t so bad after all.
He kept his arm around her shoulders until they were inside the building and out of the cold and snow. The town’s maintenance was top notch. The roads had been cleared by the time they’d ventured out but three foot high mounds of snow were piled high everywhere she looked.
“Hey Buck, we’re here checking on Tabitha Bartlett’s car.” Sam slapped the other man on the back. He appeared to be about Sam’s age but with a shock of red hair and a smattering of freckles on his face and hands. The man had several clipboards and he seemed to be a bit scattered as he looked through them one by one.
“Bartlett. Bartlett.” He finally looked up. “What kind of car do you drive, ma’am? I’m better with cars than names.”
“A silver-blue BMW sedan. Maryland plates,” she added helpfully. Did they get a lot of out of towners here? The inn had been full last night but it could have been travelers simply passing through and not able to drive any longer.
The man’s eyebrows shot up. “The fancy car they brought in this morning?” He shook his head, his mouth twisted. “It’s got some front end damage. Nothing serious, but some parts need to be replaced. I’ll have to get the parts from Billings though.”
“Will that take long?” Tabby asked doubtfully. “I’m supposed to be in Butte in a few days.”
Buck rubbed his chin. “It’ll take a couple of days to get the new bumper in, that’s for sure. Once we have it I can put a rush on it.”
She didn’t really have any choice and pressing further would simply be churlish. “That would be very kind of you, thank you. Do you need a deposit or anything to order the parts?”
Buck held up his hands. “Just a copy of your insurance card. We work with all the major ones. I’ll get the local adjuster in here and get this going.”
She handed over her card and filled out a short form with her name, address, and phone number in Baltimore, plus her cell phone that was always with her. “Call me there if you need to get a hold of me. Or at the hotel. I’ll be moving there today.”
Buck’s eyes flickered to Sam’s and then back to Tabby’s. The man’s face had gone a little red. “Haven’t heard the news, eh? The weight of the snow collapsed the roof on the inn. There’s water damage and more that will have to be repaired. Casey, the owner, is relocating the people that were staying there over to the hotel in Harper.”
So much for this day being better than the last.
She raised her eyes to Sam’s and it was clear he’d known all along. Finally he shrugged, not fazed by the glare she sent him. “I heard it on the scanner early this morning. I haven’t had a chance to mention it to you.”
He’d had plenty of chances but this was no place to discuss it. She opened her mouth to tell Buck she’d be at the hotel in Harper when Sam’s hand came down on the counter, his mouth close to her ear as he leaned forward. “If you need Ms. Bartlett you can contact me, Buck.”
The man nodded and scribbled something on the forms. “No probl
em. We’ll call you when it’s done.”
The phone rang and Buck picked up the receiver so there was no point in hanging around. She and Sam headed back to the truck, the cold wind whipping around them. He lifted her into the seat and then went around to the driver’s side. When he was settled, she finally spoke.
“That was a little presumptuous of you in there, telling him I’m going to stay with you.”
She wasn’t angry but she wasn’t used to decisions being taken out of her hands. He was trying to be nice and take care of her but it felt strange not to have every single solitary thing weighing on her shoulders.
“I didn’t say that.” Sam started the truck and pulled out of the parking lot. “I said he could contact you through me.”
“Oh,” she said, a trifle deflated. “Sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m usually not so touchy.”
She almost said ‘bitchy’ but figured he could substitute the adjective of his choice if he was so inclined.
“You’ve been through a lot in the last twelve hours. Maybe you should give yourself a break.”
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d done anything close to that.
“I’ll try. Seriously, I’m sorry I snapped at you.”
Sam stopped at a red light and turned to look at her. “Seriously, I didn’t take it that way. If you think you’re being difficult, let me tell you–you’re an amateur compared to my ex. She could find the gray lining in a silver cloud.”
Tabby couldn’t help but smile at his sardonic tone. “I’ve dated a few like that myself. I remember one guy who brought his own silverware when we went out to eat. He said that the restaurants never got them clean enough and they had water spots. His glass was definitely half-empty.”
“And yours is half-full.” He didn’t phrase it as a question.
The Deputies: 3 Novella Box Set Page 11