Chapter Ten
“How may we help you?”
The deputy was female and greeted Ally as she approached the long counter that separated the large area.
She had found a parking space across the street from the courthouse, which seemed to be a busy place on a Friday afternoon.
She hoped it would be easy to find the sheriff’s office and it was.
She entered through the heavy wooden door with its frosted glass with the wording across its pane and Matthew Parker denoted as the sheriff underneath the larger letters.
Stepping inside, she saw a half dozen people, all in uniform and in various stages of work.
The female deputy was obviously in charge of the incoming visitors.
“I don’t have an appointment, and don’t know if I needed one or not, but I had hoped to have a few minutes…not even five if that…of the sheriff’s time?”
“The sheriff is very busy, and an appointment is…” the woman replied but was interrupted by a taller, male deputy whom Ally recognized. He had approached with a smile on his face.
“An appointment is not necessary for Miss Jones, Deputy Lozano.”
“You’re Miss Jones,” the woman responded and her officious face became more friendly with a smile creasing it. “I’m sorry.”
“I’ll take over,” Deputy Grover said to his counterpart.
“Nice to meet you, ma’am,” the deputy said as she departed. “Welcome to Destiny’s River.”
“Thank you,” Ally responded, a bit confused as to how people knew of her before she even met them.
“I’m sorry to be just dropping in like this but I didn’t know the protocol and since I was in town and down the block, I thought I might see if I could have a word with Sheriff Parker. But I understand if he is too busy.”
“Is it something I could help you with?”
“I really need to talk to him about it. It is more of a personal thing about the accident.” She didn’t know how else to use to describe it.
“I understand. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind the interruption at all. He is just across the street but let me check in with him. Just a moment.” He stepped away a short distance and touched a button on the small mike attached to his shoulder. He responded to the reply and moved back to the counter.
“I’ll escort you to where the sheriff is.
He’s just finishing up a meeting with some of our citizens.
” He grabbed his hat off the hat rack beside the doorway and then held the door open for her.
She was surprised to find they were exiting the courthouse and heading to the crosswalk that would get them to the opposite side of the street from the building.
“I was under the impression his meeting was in the courthouse,” she ventured when they made it to the sidewalk and traffic could continue its way behind them.
“It is a late lunch meeting that then moved into another meeting for coffee, and that meeting just ended, so he’s probably looking forward to a bit of a change right about now,” the deputy explained.
They came to the door of Tillie’s, and he held it open for her to enter.
Even late in the afternoon, she was surprised there would be quite a few tables still taken in the café.
It was pleasant and the décor was pure gingham, red and blue, with white carnations surprisingly fresh on the center of the tables.
And it smelled of baked goods and juicy hamburgers, which reminded her that she had not stopped for lunch but had only had two oatmeal cookies before leaving Primrose.
The deputy nodded and spoke to several people as he led the way to a booth, around the corner and with a restricted view of the rest of the room.
Matt Parker stood at their approach. She was struck again by the man’s good looks.
Something she had really never paid much heed to in the city.
Maybe it was something about the country air?
“Thanks, Deputy,” he said and nodded to the man. “Why don’t you take a plate of those muffins Tillie just took out of the oven back to the office? The crew deserves something on a Friday afternoon. It’s already on my account.”
“I’ll do that and thanks. Nice to meet you again, Miss Jones.” He nodded to her and then left them.
Matt indicated the other side of the booth with his hand. “Please have a seat. I hope you don’t mind coming over here. Much quieter and gives me a small breather before the next item on my list.”
Ally slid into the booth and folded her hands together on the tabletop in front of her.
She was about to speak, but a waitress appeared with another glass of water for the sheriff and a small plate with four muffins on it.
She sat another small plate with a fork in front of each of them.
She smiled at Ally. “What can I get you to drink? Coffee goes well with these fresh banana nut muffins.”
“You have to try Tillie’s muffins,” Matt spoke up. “They are their own food group they’re so good.”
She didn’t want to seem ill-mannered, so she nodded and requested coffee. The woman disappeared.
“I’m sorry about just dropping by without an appointment. It certainly won’t take long to say what I need to say. And I hate interrupting you while you have time for a quick break. Deputy Grover said you’ve had quite a busy day so far.”
The coffee arrived and then they were alone, except for customers at the two tables across the room, who Ally hadn’t paid attention to when she arrived.
“It’s fairly typical, but we do have our Fall Fest coming up rather soon and the committees need some supervision or a neutral party…depending on who is on what committee.” He grinned along with the comment.
“It sounds like much the same thing as our committees back in the city. Our church ladies could be quite stubborn and territorial.”
“Then you know why I seek quiet refuge away from my office.” He offered the plate of muffins to her. “Please try a couple of these—they’re still warm. How about some butter with them?”
“Just one.” She slid it on her plate. “No butter.” He was clearly waiting for her pronouncement on the delicacy. She took a fork and slid a bit into her mouth. And then she decided a second fork might be worthwhile. He smiled at her.
“I thought so. You only thought a bite would do it. Take the second one.” And he moved it onto her plate. “Because if you don’t take it, then I would have to eat three so that Tillie’s feelings wouldn’t be hurt.”
“And I can see how worried you are about that happening,” she said, eyeing him with a bit of sarcasm. She took another bite.
“I’ll share a secret with you. But you must keep it to yourself. Don’t want it getting out.”
“I’m intrigued,” she whispered back in the same tone he had used.
“On Wednesday and Friday afternoons, about this time, stop in here and you’ll find some warm muffins, different flavors depending on her mood that day, but you can grab a couple of nice warm muffins and a beverage and make it through the rest of your afternoon.”
“I shall certainly remember that. Thank you for sharing. Now how about sharing something else with me?”
Matt placed his fork down and gave her his attention. “Sounds important. I take it that’s why you stopped to see me?”
“It is.” She sat up straighter in the booth, her plate empty, and gaze met gaze.
“I went to the vet’s office and had a great visit with Teddy and Doc.
He did ask that I call him that. Very nice man.
His whole staff, or the ones I met at any rate, seemed very caring also.
Then I stopped at D and J and met Dee who is quite a friendly and nice character in her own right. ”
“I’m glad that you found them all to be welcoming. We do have good people here.”
“Yes, and they told me the same thing in both places. When I asked the amount of the bill that I owed, they said nothing. They told me that someone…and neither of them would say who…but someone had paid both bills already.”
“Really?”
“Makes one speechless, doesn’t it?” She continued to watch him.
“I suppose it does. Why did you need to speak to me about that?”
“I was hoping you could use some of your police detecting experience and find out the guilty party for me? I certainly want to thank them personally.”
“Well…maybe they didn’t want these people to share that information because they don’t want anything in return?”
“Why? I know it was you. I’m a stranger here…a stranger to all of the people here. Why would you or anyone take care of those bills?”
“It’s the right thing to do. As I see it…
it’s my daughter’s fault that all the things were set in motion with her running into that road.
And you could only react. Your car was damaged.
Your dog was hurt. And you spent three days in the hospital.
My daughter learned a hard lesson about actions and consequences.
But she’s alive because of your split-second decision.
So, if I choose to pick up a few bills, it’s nothing compared to what you did.
And all you need to do is say thanks and let it go. ”
“That’s all?”
“Can I get you two anything else? Freshen up your cups?”
“I think we’re good,” Matt said to the woman who walked up to the table, with a carafe of fresh coffee in her hand. “Tillie, may I introduce Ally Jones from—”
“New York City,” she finished the sentence for him with a big smile at Ally. “News travels faster than a proverbial speeding bullet in a small town. We’re glad to have you visiting us.”
“Thank you. And those muffins were excellent.”
“I appreciate that. I’m not sure if or how often those and other pastries will be coming out of the kitchen.
Marvin, the genius behind those goodies is leaving for a couple of months.
He’s heading back to California to help his mother sell their business now that his father has died, and his mom needs to go live with her daughter.
So, I’ll be looking for someone to come in on a limited basis in case either of you come across anyone who can turn out great baked goods three days a week. ”