18. A Wanted Man
Chapter 18
A Wanted Man
M arcus hefted another box into the trunk of his car. He’d get his buddies and some trucks involved later, but the first couple of loads could be done with his own vehicle. The upstairs evidence room had shelves ready to be filled, and he had boxes of old evidence that he needed to keep but didn’t need to access often.
Elina studied his old office. “You don’t have anything on the walls in this space. Are you going to add some artwork in Phail Jail?”
He shot her a look at the name, but she simply smiled until he grinned back. “That name is ridiculous.”
“Which makes it perfect for this town.”
Sadly, she was right. “How am I supposed to attract solid candidates with a building called Phail Jail?”
“It’ll make sure you get people with a sense of humor. No dour curmudgeons will apply.”
That had him pausing. Hell, she might be right. “Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
She pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Careful, you don’t want to be one of those dour curmudgeons.”
“Hey.”
But she laughed and sprinted back into the office for another load. Maybe he’d lock the door and show her how not curmudgeonly he was.
Except when he entered, he found Piper and Troy in the room with Elina. Piper eyed the space with glee. “Even with what you’ve taken out so far, the room looks so much bigger.”
“I should be out of here in a few days. You’ll be able to get started on your tourism center.”
She clapped and spun. “This is amazing. I know you and Troy are going to have to get used to not working side-by-side, but you’re only a short walk away.”
He’d thought about that, too. Troy was the one who’d convinced him to come to town. To be a deputy. He’d provided him a place to stay while he’d got his footing, pun totally intended. He’d rejigged his store to give Marcus a place. A home.
There was no way Marcus was going to lose that bond with him. He’d have to make a concerted effort to drop by Phail General daily. Instead of saying any of that aloud, he nodded. “It’s going to be a good change. The needs of the town have outgrown this room. But it’ll be strange for a bit.”
Troy patted his heart. “How will we survive apart?”
Marcus laughed. “I’m sure we’ll be just fine, dumbass.”
Epic grinned. “I’ll give you a hand. You mind watching the store, Piper?”
She agreed. “And I’ll start planning what I’m going to do in here. Want to help me plan, Elina?”
“I’ll finish up a few loads with Marcus, then I’m all yours.”
They finished filling up the car, and then he and Elina jumped in. Troy looked at the jammed back seat. “I’ll meet you over there. In fact, I’ll probably beat you.”
He just might. Phail Jail—the station—and Phail General were on adjacent sides of the square. Marcus had to navigate the streets and potential traffic. Troy just had to jog across the park.
“Do you have plans for a parking lot?”
“Eventually. I want to see what the budget looks like once I pay off all of this.”
She frowned. “I haven’t really thought about the costs. If you need more, I have some savings you can use.”
This woman. “I’m not taking your money, but thanks for the offer.” His voice was gruff. The things she did to him. “For now, I’ll just use the gravel driveway Edie and Jane had. Eventually, we’ll get a small lot, but for now, the new lot Piper had us put in is close enough to be helpful. Nothing in this town is too far away.”
“Your new officers might have their own vehicles. Will you need another squad car?”
He shot her a look as he pulled into the driveway. Troy lounged against the front door. “You ask good questions. I’ve been consumed with the station itself. Hadn’t thought about the cruiser situation.”
“You’ll figure it out.”
He’d have to, but he’d put that off until he hired someone and that need became a reality. One thing at a time.
After a few loads using his car, Levi and Garrett arrived with their trucks. They loaded up the desks and filing cabinets, and moved the heavy stuff.
On the last load, Elina and Piper came along to help put things in order. The two women shared looks and giggles that told him they were up to something. But anything that made Elina laugh was a good thing. He figured they’d let him in on the secret when it was time. He prepared himself to love it, no matter what it was.
Over the next hour, they arranged and rearranged the furniture in the squad room, searching for the best fit. Sean and Heath arrived with the sinks, washer and dryer that had been delivered.
Heath leaned against the half wall that separated the waiting area from the squad room. “Hard to believe all of this was squashed into one room. You’re going to need a few things to fill out the spaces, though.”
He agreed. “Tansy offered to let me check out the sawmill and the lodge at Midnight Lake. I’m hoping to find some budget-friendly items to use in here and in the rooms upstairs.” And Midnight Lake would be a fun place to take Elina. The lodge was a two-mile hike from the sawmill. A completely off-the-grid property full of amazing people and spaces.
Piper came in from where she and Elina had been organizing a few pieces of furniture in his new office. “We’ve got something to show you.”
Her voice was bright and happy, but when Marcus looked at Elina, he saw nerves bouncing in her eyes and body language. “What have you ladies been up to?”
Elina shrugged. “Nothing much. And you don’t have to like it. It’s absolutely okay if you don’t.”
Oh shit. Nothing like that kind of warning to set his expectations low. What was he in for?
Behind him, Troy laughed. “Well, that sounds ominous.”
Piper shook her hand. “It’s not ominous. It’s amazing. Come and see.”
Elina didn’t look sure, so he took her hand as he walked into his new space. It took him a moment to find the surprise. Lined up along the bottom of the large picture window were seven large framed pictures.
No, not pictures.
Wanted posters. Six showcased him and his team.
Wanted. Epic. For unauthorized growth of the town of Phail.
Wanted. Falcon. For building a networking center in Phail.
Wanted. Oz. For growing plants unnatural to Phail.
Wanted. Slick. For financing Phailed operations.
Wanted. Scooby. For letting the dogs out in Phail.
Wanted. Arrow. For protecting the Phailites.
The final picture wasn’t a wanted poster. It held a cartoon of him and his team in their army gear. The caption read Phail’s Heroes.
Emotion swamped him. He looked them over in absolute silence as his team did the same from behind him.
Elina’s hand trembled in his, and he had to swallow hard to keep the tears at bay. Instead of speaking with his heart in his throat, he wrapped Elina in his arms and just breathed her in.
She clung to him, still trembling, and that helped him pull it together. “They’re amazing, Elina. You’re amazing.”
“You’re sure? It’s okay if you don’t want them here.”
He chuckled into her hair and took in another deep breath. “They’re going right here where I can see them every day. I love them.”
Her body relaxed. “I’m glad. I thought they would be fun. Piper agreed.”
He nodded and was finally able to lift his head. He framed her face and leaned down to rest his forehead on hers. “They’re more than fun. They’re incredible. Thank you.”
Then he kissed her until his team wanted their own turns to hug her and thank her. Watching these tough men with misty eyes had his own emotions swelling again.
With each hug and whispered thank you, Elina’s eyes widened and filled with tears of her own.
He hugged her again when Scooby released her. “Thank you. They’re truly perfect.”
She grinned and leaned into him as Piper stage-whispered, “Told you so.”
E lina was thrilled the men loved the posters. She’d worried that she’d overstepped, but Marcus convinced her he loved the gift. From the responses of the other men, they felt the same. It filled her up because it gave her a small way to thank these men for being such a touchpoint for safety.
They hung the posters on the wall behind Marcus’s desk, with the team in the middle and the others grouped on either side.
Marcus grinned as he studied the posters. “Do you think you can make up another one without a face?”
Elina frowned at him. “Sure, but why?”
“Remember you said the other day that we didn’t want dour curmudgeons to apply for the job? If you make up a Wanted poster for new officers, I bet we keep the curmudgeons from wasting our time.”
“I love that idea.” And maybe she could use Phil Fox or Fancy Firefly somehow. Ideas for the individual businesses had been flitting through her head, but she and Piper hadn’t figured out how best to use the mascots there.
They’d finalized a series of Phail Fun Facts and Did You Know? cards to use on the trails. Each of them showcased one of the mascots explaining the facts or asking questions. Piper planned to change them out monthly, so they’d need a lot of cards. Sean, Aisling, and a few other townspeople were building a series of markers for the trails. They were all posts topped with a space for the cards under glass on top. The markers would have the same basic dimensions, but each post would be unique. The creators were adding their own flair to their posts. It was going to be a perfect setup for a unique town, and she loved being part of it.
She pulled out her tablet and jotted down her ideas. Usually, she remembered them, but she wouldn’t take chances, especially on something Marcus requested. The Deputy Wanted posters would be fun.
Marcus looked up from his phone. “Tansy says we’re free to look for furniture on the property. How do you feel about a hike and an overnight stay?”
She’d heard so much about Midnight Lake and the group out there. “I’d love that.”
An hour later, they pulled into a lot and parked behind a sawmill. Marcus plugged his car into one of the slots. “Tansy has pulled the entire property off the grid. Even the electric car chargers run off the solar panels.”
Elina was glad she’d already met Tansy. If she’d only known about her through what she accomplished, Elina would be intimidated. But Tansy wasn’t intimidating. The quiet woman was warm and friendly, always looking for a way to help.
“Let’s see if anyone is in the sawmill. I know they have stacks of extra items in there. Like her, Tansy’s ancestors were all about reusing. They kept almost everything.”
The sawmill was a huge barn with large extended wings off the back. “This is so much bigger than I imagined, and I have a good imagination. With the leaves changing, it’s a gorgeous picture. I hope they’re using that in their marketing.”
Marcus grinned. “No idea. This whole place is amazing. Wait until you see the inside. Graham had his mechanic shop up front. Aisling uses the back for her woodworking.”
A small door on the side of the barn opened, and the pair exited the sawmill, along with two dogs. Graham waved them over. “Hi. Tansy let us know what you’re looking for. Aisling’s got some treasures back here.”
The gorgeous redhead laughed. “They are. As long as you’re not looking for sleek and modern. Everything in the sawmill is handmade. Some of the pieces are well over a hundred years old. A lot of them are made from the wood that was milled right here.”
Huh. Elina hadn’t really thought about what a sawmill entailed. “How did the mill work?”
Graham laughed. “Now you’ve done it. Aisling will talk about the mill for hours.”
Elina grinned. “Sounds like fun.”
And it was. Where the wings extended to the sides of the barn, a huge saw blade hung from the ceiling. Aisling explained how the mill worked and showed them several of the projects she was working on.
Graham beamed with pride. “Aisling is upgrading the lodge, and she also takes commissions for restored and handmade furniture.” He pulled out his phone to show them pictures of her work.
“You’re incredibly talented, Aisling. I think I recognize that desk from my room at the B&B.”
Cheeks pink, Aisling smiled. “Carl and Jim love to include both recreations and original pieces in their rooms. Now, let’s have a look through the piles to see what we can find for you to use for now. You can always upgrade later.”
The vast building had enough room for Aisling’s work area and Graham’s mechanic shop, as well as piles and piles of pieces from the past. Windows and doors. Stacks of wood. Workbenches. Tables and chairs. And several desks.
They found a table and a half-dozen chairs for the break room, along with a couple of desks and a few picture frames Elina couldn’t wait to fill.
Marcus hoisted his pack again. “Even Tansy’s hotbox probably doesn’t keep forever. Let’s get going before we all starve to death.”
The dogs, Willow and Spike, were named after characters in another television show Elina needed to add to her watch list. She wished they’d brought Finn to romp with these two. They led the way to a trail that walked through the heart of the woods. The trees burned with reds, oranges, and golds, along with vibrant greens. Marcus smiled at the sight around them. “Believe it or not, the colors will be even better in another week. Not all the trees change at the same time.”
“It’s magical. Hard to believe it’s going to be even brighter. There aren’t many maple trees out west, so I’ve never seen such gorgeous variety.”
When the trail opened up to show a huge lodge in front of a large lake, she was sure she looked like one of her cartoons. Her mouth had to have dropped open. “It’s stunning. And huge.” Was everything here larger than her expectations?
The deck that looked over the lake held several tables, including one large enough for about twenty people. When the group sat around it for lunch, they filled nearly every spot.
It reminded her of the communal meals she’d enjoyed in several of the countries where she’d lived. Marcus nudged her shoulder. “What good thoughts are you thinking?”
She smiled. “I was remembering meals like this in Suraih and other places. That sense of community isn’t everywhere, but it’s certainly here.”
“Do I sense a comic or two emerging from this trek?”
He knew her so well. “You do. This is an inspiring group.”
Josie placed a jug of water on the table. “Coming from you, that’s a huge compliment. I love your work as Paxi.”
Elina’s skin flushed. This was Josie Ellis. Painter. Sketch artist extraordinaire. Sculptor. “I’m a huge fan of yours as well. The dancing statue you created in Sacramento is one of the best things I’ve ever seen, and I’ve only seen it online. You’re so talented. She breathes life and hope.”
Josie’s smile held a sad vibe. “Thank you. She’s one of my favorites.”
“I used her as inspiration for a couple of my comics.”
Josie’s face lit up. “Seriously? Wait. The ones with the swans? I loved them but I never made the connection until now. Thank you. And thank you for spreading peace and love with your art.”
Elina blinked back tears at the kind words from a woman she admired so much.
Love and laughter filled the room as the conversation bounced from the burgeoning tourist groups to the progress on Marcus’s station to an arson case Bella was investigating.
They were cleaning up when Marcus’s phone beeped with an alert at the same moment as Tansy’s. They shared a look, and Elina’s heart thumped hard. Marcus’s face darkened, and she took his hand. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
Marcus showed her his phone. “Tansy’s drone has spotted a car on the road near the woods where we’ve found the cigarette butt and other evidence.”
Tansy nodded. “It’s a black SUV. Graham, can you tell the kind from an aerial view?”
He checked her phone and nodded. “That’s a Nissan Rogue. Two years old. Is there anyone in it? Can you fly the drone lower to get a license plate?”
Marcus stood. “I’ve texted Troy. He’s going to check it out, but I need to leave.”
Elina stood with him. “I’m coming with you.”
At least half the room rose as well. Sam nodded. “Let’s go.”