Chapter 4
CHAPTER 4
C ole Carter’s Review
Monkey peeing on you: -3462397 stars
Extremely disappointing. Disgusting, horrible and extremely yuck. Would not recommend.
So this was how a pretzel felt.
Cole hunched over his cramped desk, so close to the next cubicle his long legs bent in a sharply acute angle. He shifted for the hundredth time in a futile attempt to find a modicum of comfort, made it far worse. It was Whac-A-Mole with sore limbs, and he was losing all his quarters.
At least the rest of the office was comfortable and almost cheery. Sarah’s feminine touch was evident in the homey décor, the soft features that lightened the small space. A flowering gardenia plant was stationed near his desk, sweetening the air and reminding him of her. Everything reminded him of her.
He grunted, turned his attention back to the photographs of the arson perpetrated that morning at a small warehouse, apparently the sixth such incidence in as many weeks. Like the others, it occurred while the building was empty, in a place that wouldn’t cause major damage. Still, even if the arsonist was more mischievous prankster than hardened criminal, it was only a matter of time before it got out of control, and then someone could get hurt.
It was almost hard to believe. The postcard-perfect town of Harmony Creek, which had seen little more than speeding tickets and the occasional drunken brawl, had its very own serial arsonist. If he had his way, it wouldn’t be for long.
Of course, there was the other great town mystery: What the hell was the matter with him?
Common sense and any grasp of logic seemed to take a vacation the moment Sarah entered the room. He still couldn’t believe he’d kissed her. Then she’d kissed him back. She’d said to forget it, but he was no fool. He hadn’t been able to forget their first encounter; he certainly wouldn’t forget their last.
It would be a mistake to let anything happen between them. He’d known that ten years ago, and he knew it now. Yet his mind didn’t care, and his body cared even less, eschewing reason for inexplicable desire. Yet it was more than physical attraction. With Sarah, it had always been more.
Was a relationship truly impossible? If she’d changed, left behind her criminal past, perhaps it wasn’t so farfetched after all. Sarah Sloan was no longer Sarah Tanning, in a hundred important ways. His feelings toward her had always been complicated, and far stronger than he would ever admit.
Perhaps it was time to get to know the woman his childhood nemesis had become.
“Hey, Captain.”
Cole nodded at Donovan and Scott, as they sauntered to his desk. He’d been close to them during high school but hadn’t corresponded much while he’d been away. He missed the camaraderie, especially after…
He tightened, vanquished the past. “How’s it going?”
“Great.” Donovan leaned casually against the desk. He tipped his hat. “Feel like joining us for a beer after work?”
“Sounds good.” He could use an uncomplicated evening free of frustrating banter and witty parries. And yet why did the thought leave him unsatisfied, as if he’d miss the frustrating banter and the person who wielded it? “It’ll be like old times.”
“Good afternoon, everyone.”
And just like that, the atmosphere changed. Everyone turned as Sarah strode into the station, confident, poised and beautiful. Cole hadn’t seen her since monkeygate , as he’d dubbed the unfortunate encounter, but she seemed different somehow. She nodded to the other deputies but ignored him as she marched into her office and shut the door with a resounding click.
He wouldn’t allow her to ignore him for long.
Donovan glared at the door. “It must’ve been a shock discovering the neighborhood criminal was both the sheriff and your new boss. If I’m annoyed, you must be livid.”
A surge of protectiveness tightened Cole’s muscles, yet he forced himself to relax. Fate had given him the perfect place to start his investigation. “What do you mean?”
“Hey now.” Scott darted his gaze to the closed office door, then glanced at the two female deputies just outside of hearing distance. “This isn’t the place to discuss office politics. Besides, doesn’t Sarah deserve a break? She worked hard to get where she is.”
“Nothing can make up for her years as a juvenile delinquent,” Donovan snarled. “Every week, it was something new – another pack of cigarettes stolen from the grocer, more graffiti on a fence or someone’s lawn getting trashed. It just wasn’t fair. You get it, Cole. You complained about her more than anyone, especially since they never officially charged her with anything.”
It was true. It infuriated him every time she broke the law, and even more when she didn’t accept his help to straighten out. So why did he feel like defending her right now?
“Doesn’t she deserve a second chance?” Scott offered in a hushed whisper. “She’s clearly changed.”
“Or she’s pretending.” Donovan gave a low growl. “She had second, third, fourth and a million chances. She blew every one of them. Now she rules from her throne like a queen while the rest of us squeeze into cubicles the size of mousetraps.”
“I don’t mind my cubicle,” Scott protested. “Besides, it’s not her fault they’re small. They haven’t expanded the place since Cole’s dad was sheriff in a two-man operation. She did put in a request asking the council to expand it. She even rejected the planned upgrades to her own office to pay for it.”
“Doesn’t matter.” Donovan straightened his sleeves. “It’s still not fair. But who knows? Maybe she’ll mess up, and one of us will end up sheriff.”
Cole frowned. That was exactly what he wanted.
Wasn’t it?
They were talking about her. Sarah couldn’t hear or see them, but she knew. It was obvious from the way they glared at her, the scathing looks she received from Donovan, the pitying ones from Scott, the curious ones from Cole. Of course, they’d quieted as soon as she entered the office, but it didn’t change anything. People had been talking about her for her entire life, most of it unkind, and the signs were clear. She’d learned long ago not to let it bother her, yet for some reason it did right now. Was it because Cole was involved? She already knew he didn’t like her; why should it matter if he talked about her?
She’d purposely stayed away from him after The Kiss , a mistake akin to the time she almost used depilatory cream instead of shampoo. Its follow-up kiss was an even bigger mistake than the time she actually did use depilatory cream instead of shampoo. She’d never quite forgotten the depilatory cream incident (and its rather unfortunate consequences), but that was nothing compared to this.
She needed to eradicate both the kiss and its all-too-tempting bearer from her mind. As for the office gossip, that was going to stop right now. To be an effective sheriff, she needed to be in control, not necessarily liked, but respected. She’d prefer both, of course, but that took time, and she could wait. Cole could think all he wanted about her in private, but when he started telling other deputies she didn’t deserve her badge, he went too far. Rising from her desk, she strode to the door and opened it. “Cole, can I see you for a moment?”
He stood, his gaze holding its usual confidence and strength. If he’d been caught doing something wrong, he didn’t show it. “See you guys later.”
“Shut the door, please,” she instructed when he entered the office.
With a ghost of a grin, he did as he was told, then sat in the plain wooden chair, moving back to fit his long legs. And just like that, the room shrunk by half. Although Donovan and Scott were relatively big, they couldn’t match Cole in size. “How can I be of service, Sheriff?”
Red bordered her vision. After badmouthing her, he acted as if nothing had happened. Her resolve to remain calm dissipated. “Don’t bother pretending,” she snapped. “I saw you criticizing me. Donovan must love having the celebrated team captain leading the charge against the queen of tyranny.”
“Isn’t that a little dramatic?” Cole raised an eyebrow. “You heard us?”
She shook her head. “I didn’t need to. Donovan stares bullets at me every time I pass. He thinks he should’ve gotten the job, but he didn’t have my experience. If you think you can march in here and start some sort of mutiny–”
“Actually, I didn’t criticize you,” Cole said mildly.
Her words caught in her throat, slamming against the red light of Cole Carter. He couldn’t be serious. “Is that so?” She folded her arms across her chest. “You don’t agree with him?”
Cole sat forward. “I didn’t say that.”
The thunder returned, but he held up a hand before she could respond. “I don’t know enough about Sarah Sloan to judge her. In any case, it’s never a good idea to put down one’s boss, especially in the office. So, no, I didn’t share my concerns.”
She searched his strong features, yet they held nothing but genuine regard. Cole may challenge her, was potentially chasing her job, but he’d never been a liar.
“Don’t have anything to say?” Sudden mischief gleamed in his eyes. “You’ve done what you often accuse me of – judging before you know the facts.”
Yes, she had. And just like she deserved an apology for all those times he misjudged her, he did as well. “I may have… well, I…” She closed her mouth. She couldn’t do it.
“May have…” He circled his hand.
She tried again. “I may have…” She clamped her mouth shut. Nope, it wasn’t coming out.
“Too difficult?” Cole chuckled. “Don’t worry. I won’t make you do it. But you know what they say about assuming.”
The irony sobered her in an instant. He’d made the wrong assumptions about her for her entire life. What would he say if he discovered the truth? “Isn’t that like a lion touting the benefits of vegetarianism?”
His gaze sharpened, the levity and lightheartedness vanishing in an instant. “You see me as a lion?”
She sat straighter, and he did too, as he emulated a lion to pure perfection, the king of the jungle, ruler in charge of his domain. They’d known each other for so long, sometimes she forgot how powerful he truly was. Forgot who was the predator. Who was the prey.
No. She was no longer prey to his predator. She was as powerful as he. And now it was time to prove it. “I left you the info on the arson case. Is there anything else you need?” She picked up a pencil.
“Actually, there is something else.”
She stiffened. Was he going to mention the kiss? Ask why it happened? Ask if it could happen again?
Oh, yes.
“We should be nice to each other.”
What? She blinked. “I’m sorry?”
“We should be nice to each other.” He sat forward. “We’ve thought the worst of each other our entire lives, but like it or not, we have to work together now. Maybe it’s time to change things. Perhaps we can even become…”
She held her breath.
“Friends.”
She exhaled. For a second there… no, she couldn’t think about that. Being nice to Cole Carter was impossible. They argued about everything, from her actions to his overprotectiveness to whether the sky was blue. It was what they did.
Except that wasn’t quite true. In between the arguing, which typically involved him trying to steer her on the right path, he could actually be kind of nice. He’d even stood up to her bullies a time or two, or perhaps far more than that, and he didn’t laugh during the depilatory cream incident. Sometimes, it almost seemed like they were friends…
Or more.
“All right,” she said slowly. “I can be nice if you can.” She returned his nod, relaxing as she looked down at her papers. She definitely deserved a break from his disconcerting presence.
Only he didn’t leave. “Ladies first.”
She jerked her head back up. “Ladies first?”
“After two decades of arguing, being nice might take some practice.” He shrugged. “Why don’t we try now?”
He wanted to practice being nice? It was like asking a piece of broccoli to turn into an ice cream sundae. Yet if she refused, he’d have one more thing to hold over her. “All right.” Finding a compliment for the infuriatingly perfect man shouldn’t be too difficult. Several immediately rushed to mind:
You’re hot.
Like really hot.
Should be illegal hot.
Okay, not the direction she wanted to take. Instead she offered, “You know that whole hero thing? That was kind of cool.”
A smile played at his lips. “Kind of cool?”
The grin came unannounced. “Yeah, kind of. Like, not a bad thing to do if you have a free afternoon. It definitely beats watching television.”
“I’m glad you think saving people was a useful way to spend a decade, or at least better than reruns.” Little crinkles appeared at the corner of his eyes, proving this man did laugh. “I suppose it’s my turn.” He cocked his head to the side, gave her a thorough perusal from head to toe. A minute or a thousand later, he tapped the desk. “You have cute ears.”
The laughter returned, amidst a hazy mist of nostalgic memories. She wagged her finger. “That’s the same compliment you gave me in fifth grade when your dad forced you to say something nice to me. It was the least you could do after making me sit in pretend detention for a half hour.”
“You deserved it.” He showed no regret. “But they’re still really cute.” He paused, tapped his chin in feigned pensiveness. “I also find your nose above average.”
And, darn it, she couldn’t stop another laugh.
“Actually, I can think of more serious things.” His voice deepened. “However, it’s best not to tell you how I actually feel.”
Her smile faded. What did that mean? She already knew how he felt about her. She was like an annoying kid sister you tried to protect yet couldn’t quite manage. He couldn’t possibly feel anything more.
Could he?
She heaved in air scented with his masculine spice. She needed to change the subject before she admitted a far too personal truth. “I wanted to ask you something. When you were climbing the tree–”
“You mean climbing the tree to save a monkey, who by definition, lives in a tree?” he interrupted. “Who showed me his gratitude by using me as a urinal?” He grimaced, yet unlike the original episode, didn’t threaten to put her back in pretend detention. “What about it?”
“What happened up there? You were doing great, then you froze and stopped responding. You seemed–” She hesitated. “Out of sorts.”
All traces of humor vanished. “I was fine,” he replied gruffly. “I am fine.”
His denial was strong, vehement and invited no reply. She should leave it alone, forget and move on, yet something propelled her forward. Not curiosity, although there was plenty of that, but something kinder, stronger. If he needed help, she had to try. “Are you sure, because for a second–”
“I said it was nothing.” Cole’s voice stabbed the question, his countenance raw ice. “Just forget it.”
She hadn’t even told him what she’d seen. The fear. The sheer terror. Yet she bit back her response, instead gripping her desk and scooting her chair back. This meeting had definitely gone too long.
Only before she could leave, loud voices sounded from outside, including one very familiar slurring cadence. She bit back a curse. “Not again.”
“Not again?” Cole turned, just as an older man burst into the office without asking. As always.
A toxic combination of whiskey, rum and general uncleanliness filled the room, so thick it merited its own gray cloud. The man was only sixty, but looked decades older with wrinkled gray skin, yellowing teeth and stringy, scraggly hair, no two of which seemed inclined to go in the same direction. His eyes were red and bloodshot, his jeans ripped and his wife-beater shirt stained and ill-fitting.
The familiar horror swirled, the anger, the frustration, and most of all pure grief. Sarah forced it away, as she stood, hands on hips. “What are you doing here?”
His mouth turned into a sneer. “Don’t take that tone of voice with me, young lady. I don’t need a reason to visit my kid.”
Cole stood. “Mr. Tanning?” His eyes were wide with incredulous recognition, his voice a thousand shades of surprise.
Just perfect.
Alfred turned to Cole, his sneer deepening, and almost falling for the effort. Sarah prepared to jump to his aid as he teetered like a toddler, only just managing to right himself. “What’s it to you?” The older man pointed an accusing finger… at the potted plant five feet away. He shook his head and managed to point it within two feet of Cole. “Hey, I know you. You’re that kid who keeps accusing my Sarah. Why don’t you leave her alone? She’s never broken the law in her–”
“Dad, we have to get you out of here.” Sarah jumped forward before Alfred gave Cole a new reality to consider. Not that he’d believe the truth anyways.
“Wait a second, girl. Someone needs to set this boy right. Always walking around like the high and mighty. Not that I’m free of blame of course.” He sniffed. “Baby, can you ever forgive me?”
How dare he.
How dare he beg for forgiveness when he was doing exactly what had almost destroyed her in the first place? How dare he show up at her work after a day and night of carousing? How dare he ask for hope ?
Her sympathy – and hope – had run out long ago. “You get sober, then we’ll talk forgiveness.” She strode to him and reached out, but he surprised her by looping his arm across her neck, suddenly putting all his weight on her slender frame. Gravity pulled her toward the hard floor, upending her balance and the world.
She would’ve fallen if Cole hadn’t stepped in. The muscular man had no difficulty supporting the drunkard. “Let him go,” he said in a gruff voice. She did as he directed, only because the weight was so great. “Where should I bring him?” he asked.
Oh no. The two of them together, sharing memories and secrets? “If you get him outside, I can drive him home.”
Cole shook his head firmly. “You can’t support him all the way to his place. Just tell me where he lives, and I’ll take him.”
“No!” The word emerged strong and loud, filled with decades of pain and anguish. Cole looked startled, as did the entire office staff, who now provided a rapt audience for the unfolding drama. If she didn’t let Cole take her father home, he’d demand why, yet if she did, he could learn the truth. And if Cole ever found out what her childhood was truly like, it would change everything.
She hadn’t a choice. Getting Alfred home on her own was nearly impossible. Usually, she’d ask one of the other deputies for help, but she couldn’t do that after Cole had offered. “All right,” she acquiesced. “If you’re sure you don’t mind. His home is a few blocks away, right next to Mary Lou’s Bakery on Fifth, number 115. But don’t bother talking to him. He’s so drunk, nothing he says is going to make any sense.”
Cole’s gaze sharpened. Had she already said too much? Thankfully, he said nothing as he easily hoisted the man forward. “Come on, Mr. Tanning, let’s get you home.”
“Fine, I’ll go.” He gazed at Sarah out of one bloodshot eye, and somehow her heart cracked at this man who had already pierced it so many times. He tore his gaze away, turned to the strong man who supported him. “You’d better start listening, son. I have a lot to tell you.”
Sarah’s breath hitched, yet there was no way to stop the two most infuriating men in her life from leaving together. As they staggered out of the building, she could only watch…
And hope her father didn’t reveal the truth.
“So tell me about Sarah.”
Cole wasted no time, offering the question as soon as Alfred was safely ensconced in the back of his patrol car. No telling how long the inebriated man would remain conscious, and although everything he said would be suspect due to his state, he might share something that would illuminate the mystery of his captivating boss.
“Sarah, Sarah, Sarah,” Alfred sang as he splayed across the back seat. “My poor baby Sarah.”
Cole frowned. Through the years Sarah had frustrated him, practically driven him half mad, but she’d never elicited his pity. Not that he didn’t empathize with her – he just didn’t know of any reason to pity her. Had he missed something? “Why do you say that? She had a difficult childhood.”
“Sarah was never any trouble!” Alfred shot up, bloodshot eyes flashing. “She was perfect. The most perfect, giving kid who ever lived.” He sniffed.
Cole gripped the steering wheel until his fingers stuck to the fake leather. Sarah used to be the queen of mischief, yet the man who raised her was now defending her? What didn’t he know? “It must have been stressful fighting to keep her out of trouble. I always tried to help, but she never seemed to want it.”
The words seemed to infuriate Alfred even more. He banged on the divider between the two rows. “That’s because you didn’t really want to help! I know what you want. You want to separate us, don’t you? Well, she’s mine and you can’t have her. Not ever! I’ll take her away if I have to. You’ll never see her again!”
A fierce denial raced through Cole, electrifying his senses and energizing his predator’s instincts. Like hell he wouldn’t see her again. Just the thought of her leaving instigated the fierce urge to chase.
Wait, what?
He would chase her?
YES.
“Mr. Tanning, calm down.” Cole kept his eyes on the road. “No one is taking Sarah away from you.”
“Not because they haven’t tried!” the older man thundered. “That’s what you want, isn’t it? You want her all for yourself, don’t you?”
Cole opened his mouth, but the denial wouldn’t come. Not a protest, not a rebuttal, not the simple word no. As Alfred’s nonsensical words flew into the background, a new mystery surfaced. Why couldn’t he reassure the distraught man?
Did he want Sarah for himself?
“I knew it.” Alfred suddenly appeared as deflated as a two-week-old helium balloon. “That’s how special my Sarah is. Even thinking the worst, everyone still wants her. Could you imagine if they knew the truth?”
“The truth?” Cole seized on the slip. He lifted his foot from the pedal, slowing the car and extending his time. They had just turned onto the older man’s street and would be there in moments. Was he on the verge of discovering Sarah’s secret?
He waited impatiently for a response that didn’t come. Time ticked as he rolled down the block and finally pulled to the curb in front of Alfred’s home. He shifted the car into park and turned. “What do you mean?”
Alfred gave a loud snore.
“Mr. Tanning?”
Another snore.
Frustration tightened taut muscles. He’d been so close. But no answers would come, at least not now, so he walked around the car and opened the back door. Alfred was lying on the seat, drool dripping down one side of his mouth. “Mr. Tanning, wake up.”
Alfred barely moved. Cole shook him firmly, but he was out cold. Finally, he gave up and carefully hoisted him over his shoulder. The older male was frail and light, not like the brawny man he remembered. He carried him easily to the front door, which was thankfully unlocked, and traversed the cluttered yet surprisingly clean interior. There was no way Alfred kept a neat home on his own; Sarah must either do it or hire a maid. He deposited Alfred on the couch, left a phone nearby and quietly left the home.
What had Alfred been about to reveal? What had he meant when he mumbled about Sarah being perfect, about people wanting to separate them? What secret was she hiding? A hundred possibilities rose as Cole drove back to the station. Perhaps they were simply the ramblings of a drunk man… or perhaps they represented something far more.
Whatever it was, he would discover the truth.