Chapter 2 #2
Amy did love helping out, but she had ulterior motives.
How could she explain this to him without sounding self-serving?
Because let’s face it, she was self-serving.
Even after six years, she was still trying to ingratiate herself with the town.
Shane was descended from a long line of founding families that dated back to the nineteenth century, so his “birthright” gave him an automatic pass to stride around Fall River without people shooting him suspicious looks.
He was in. Transplants like her—especially ones whose skin color was a little darker than most—had to work their tails off, and even that might never be enough to get her completely admitted into the “circle of belonging,” as she liked to refer to the old guard.
That term was one she kept to herself, naturally.
Shane’s eyes flitted to the press. She checked her timer and started pushing the plunger down. “Almost there.”
“No rush.” He flashed her a kind smile.
Why wasn’t this man married with a couple of kids?
With his calm, patient demeanor, he’d make a terrific dad.
Plus, he was easy on the eyes. Some locals claimed to have spotted him hooking up at bars or clubs outside his jurisdiction, which made sense to Amy.
Fall River was such a hotbed of rumormongering that she couldn’t blame him for keeping his personal life close to his search-and-rescue vest. There was also talk about him with a woman from Chicago who had visited Fall River a few times.
None of this was her business, and though she tried not to listen to the gossip, it was nearly impossible when she was in the store every day.
The townsfolk—especially the women—were fascinated by what the deputy was up to and chattered about him constantly.
Amy poured out their coffees. “You never take yours with anything, do you?” When she looked up at him, his eyes were pinned tightly to her, and he immediately looked away, letting them wander to her ceiling.
“No. I used to like cream, but it’s too much trouble when I’m on the go.”
“Would you like me to add some now since you’re relaxing? I’m happy to.”
His gaze returned to hers. “No, I’m good, but thanks.”
Something unidentifiable crackled in the air. She handed him his coffee and rushed to change the atmosphere. “I’ve been wanting to ask you about something that’s been going on here.”
He blew on his coffee. “What is it?”
This is probably nothing. “Or maybe has been going on. I’m probably overreacting.”
“Tell me.” He took a sip. “Ow!”
“It’s hot.”
“Ha! Thanks for the warning.”
“You’re not going to sue me for burning your tongue are you?” she laughed, grateful the weird vibe had passed.
“No way. You’re the only one in this county who does a good job feeding my habit.” He seemed to consider his words, as if he’d said something inappropriate, and changed to a more serious tone. “So what’s going on?”
“Lately, I’ve noticed things are moved when I open in the mornings.”
“What kinds of things? Moved how?” He took another sip, closed his eyes, and let out a hum of approval.
Pride burst inside her, derailing her for an instant. “Bins of condiments, like my sugar and my syrups. Coffee beans. Boxes of napkins shifted around.”
He cocked a dark russet eyebrow. “Anything missing?”
“No, nothing I know of. Just stuff out of place. At first I thought it was me or one of my employees, but it happens even if it’s just me coming in, and I know I didn’t do it.
In fact, the other night, I took a picture when I left and one when I came in just to be sure I wasn’t hallucinating.
” She slid her phone from her back pocket, found some images, and handed him the device. “Before and after, time-stamped.”
Scrolling back and forth, he studied her screen. Then he handed her back the phone. “Who else has a key?”
“Just me.”
“Not your employees? Or Micky?”
“Definitely not the employees. Micky had one.”
Shane’s eyes locked on hers over the rim of his cup as he slurped more coffee. “Did he lose it?”
Amy squirmed inside. “Um, not exactly.”
Now the other eyebrow rose.
Oh God, she hadn’t thought this through. How much to tell him? She formulated a quick answer and opened her mouth just as the back door opened.
“Hello! Anybody home?” Hailey Hunnicutt rushed into the kitchen, her honey-blond hair spilling from beneath an ice-blue beanie that matched her eyes. Her pale cheeks were pink with cold, her smile wide, and she held two enormous clear bins in her hands.
Shane set down his coffee, took the bins from Hailey, and stacked them on the counter.
She unwound her scarf. “Thanks, Shane. What are you doing here?”
“We were having coffee,” Amy rushed to explain, sounding guilty as hell … without being guilty of a thing. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m swapping out books for the Big Event.
” Hailey owned a bookstore she ran out of the house she shared with her husband, Noah—also a town insider and the owner of Fall River’s favorite bar, the Miners Tavern.
In fact, Noah was so inside he was the engine behind the train project.
If not for his vision and determination, the Mountain Belle would be in mothballs instead of rolling into town day after tomorrow.
Hailey also stocked a few bookshelves in Amy’s coffee shop, an arrangement they’d come to when Hailey had first moved to Fall River a few years ago.
It had been so successful that Hailey had been able to launch her own store, but she still kept a small inventory at Mountain Coffee for customers to peruse.
“Want some coffee?” Amy offered.
Hailey looked between Shane and Amy. “Am I interrupting anything?”
“Nope.” Shane practically chugged his java. “I was just leaving.”
Disappointment sprouted and settled in Amy’s gut.
Hailey picked up her bins, refusing Shane’s help, and scurried from the kitchen into the darkened shop, leaving Shane and Amy alone again.
He held up his mug. “Where do I put this?”
“I’ve got it.” Amy took it from him.
“Does Hailey have a key?”
The question didn’t surprise her. She’d expected it since he’d slid her the side-eye.
“Well, she did, but she returned it when she stopped working for me. On the rare occasions she opens for me or needs to get to her books, I’ll loan her one, but she always returns it.
And she definitely isn’t the one doing this.
” Even if Hailey wasn’t Amy’s best friend, she simply wasn’t capable.
The girl didn’t have a sneaky bone in her body.
He shook his head. “Don’t misunderstand. I was merely trying to mentally add up the number of keys out there so we can account for them. There’s a chance one of them might have gone missing.” He paused a beat. “Can you tell me why Micky no longer has a key?”
Amy swallowed. She hadn’t been prepared for this question, though she should have seen it coming. “Well, I … uh …”
He held up his hand in a stopping motion. “That’s okay. How about you text me those pictures? And let me know if anything else wonky happens, or if stuff disappears?”
Amy nodded like a bobblehead on the dashboard of a moving car.
“One last thing. Have you thought about installing security cameras?”
“In Fall River?” she blurted.
“Crime can happen anywhere.”
“Oh, right. Never mind.” Fall River had gone through a spate of crimes in a short time, but the town had since returned to its sleepy normal.
“I can come back and help you spec some, if you like.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that was a Sheriff’s Department service.”
“It’s not. It’s a Shane O’Brien service.”
Her blush threatened to heat her face once more. “Thanks, Shane. I’d like that.” Butterflies or moths or some other winged insect tickled her insides as she walked him to the door.
Pausing, he looked at her over his shoulder with a half-smile. “Thanks for the coffee. I needed that.”
Her phone rang with a familiar tone, and she plucked it from her pocket. “Hey, Mick. How’s your day going?”
She glanced up at Shane, who stood stock-still, his eyes riveted to her.
“Oh you know,” Micky drawled. “Same old bullshit. I had to run a wreck up to GJ.”
Grand Junction? Hadn’t Shane said Durango?
Before she could ask Micky about that, he ran on.
“Yeah, I’m still dealing with these assholes at the tow yard.
They don’t know what the fuck they’re doing.
Looks like I’m going to be stuck here for a while.
” He exhaled noisily. “I won’t be home till late, thanks to these clowns. ”
“What time is ‘late’?”
Annoyance crept into his tone. “I don’t know. Nine, ten o’clock. I’m facing a three-hour drive.”
“From Grand Junction,” Amy deadpanned. Not Durango.
“Yeah, from Grand Junction. Isn’t that what I said? The roads are shit, so that’ll add at least a half hour. Plus, I’m hungry and need to grab something to eat. Don’t wait up.”
Amy’s blood pounded in her ears. She kept her voice at an even keel. “Why don’t you text me when you leave GJ so I know when to expect you?” Grand Junction was two-and-a-half hours away on most days. Durango was an hour closer.
“I’ll try to remember,” he muttered.
He hung up, and she stared blankly at her phone. In her peripheral vision, she could feel Shane’s gaze still glued to her. Had he heard Micky out and out lie to her? God, she hoped not.
Shane scanned the parking lot, which held only his personal pickup—a storm-gray GMC Sierra. Softly, he asked, “Do you need a ride home?”
God, he was sweet. She shook her head, finally gathering the gumption to meet his gaze. “No, thanks. I’ll walk.”
Shane gave the sky a dubious glance. “It’s cold, it’s getting dark, and it’s going to snow any minute now.”
Amy was about to remind him she lived only a few blocks away and had walked here to meet the delivery guy, when Hailey burst into the conversation. “Did I hear something about Amy needing a ride? I can take you, girlfriend.”
Amy mustered a smile for Shane. “Looks like I’m covered. Thank you. If you’ll excuse me.” She hurried to the bathroom before her frustrated tears could spill. Damn it! She hated letting her emotions show like that. Maybe he hadn’t noticed, but this was Shane. He didn’t miss much.
She studied her reflection in the mirror. “Get a grip,” she warned it. “Don’t let anyone see until your ducks are lined up in a neat little row.”
After splashing her face and patting it dry, she felt slightly more human. She pulled in and exhaled a bracing breath. Back in the kitchen, Hailey now leaned against the counter. “What’s going on, Aims?”
“W-why do you ask?”
Hailey’s brows furrowed with concern. “Don’t try to pull that with me. I know you. Besides, Shane muttered something about Micky being an asswipe who wasn’t good enough for you when he left. I can’t say I disagree.”
Words Amy had fought to hold back burst from her. “I’m moving out. I’m leaving Micky.”