Chapter Six #2
Hud didn’t argue. There was no point. “Is there anything in your notes we might be missing? Anything you didn’t write down?”
“White’s brother.” Rawley’s voice dropped slightly. “I never got a name, but I heard him mentioned twice. Hill and Roby both, before they lawyered up. Always just his brother, like everybody already knew who that was.”
“His name is Amos. We have an address for him in Sunburst.” Hud straightened. “You didn’t have that in the notes.”
“I know. I was still running it down when I got shot.”
Hud wrote it down. “We’ll be heading to Sunburst.”
“Hud.” Rawley’s voice was even but there was something underneath it. “Get him.”
“Working on it.”
He hung up and looked across the office at Creed, who was watching him from his desk.
Creed reached for his hat. “When do we leave?”
“Monday morning. Early.” Hud picked up his coffee. “I want to go through the rest of Rawley’s files tonight. All of them.”
He was still at his desk an hour later, files spread across the surface, when a shadow fell across the papers. He looked up.
Dave stood on the other side of the desk with his hat on and his jacket over his arm, which meant he was headed somewhere and expected the building to be empty by now.
“Go home, Hud.”
Hud glanced around the office. Every desk was clear, every light off except the one above him. He hadn’t even heard them leave. “I didn’t realize it was so late.”
“It is.” Dave waited while Hud stacked the files and pushed his chair back.
Hud stood, stretched the sitting out of his back and reached for his Stetson. “I’ll walk out with you.”
“Make it quick. I’m meeting my wife at the diner.”
Hud bit back a grin. “Yes, sir.”
They rode the elevator down and came out through the courthouse’s side entrance into the cool evening air.
The square was quiet, a few cars moving along the far side, the storefronts mostly dark.
Dave gave him a nod and crossed toward the diner with the purposeful stride of a man who knew better than to keep his wife waiting.
Hud crossed the lot to his truck. The only other vehicles left were the sheriff’s deputies’ units along the side of the building, the department running its night shift from the ground floor the same as always.
He climbed in, tossed his hat on the seat beside him and sat for a moment in the quiet. Long day. Longer one coming.
He started the engine and headed home.
****
Friday morning Blair entered the office to find Sara already behind the desk. She crossed the room and pulled her into a hug.
“I’m so glad you didn’t let Wednesday run you off.”
Sara laughed softly. “I almost didn’t come back. My husband talked me into it. Said I’d be leaving everyone in the lurch and that one bad day wasn’t reason enough to quit.” She shook her head. “Sometimes I wonder how I got so lucky.”
“Don’t let him hear you say that.”
“God, no.” Sara laughed.
Blair hung her sweater on the coatrack and smoothed her fuchsia scrubs. “Fridays are slower and we close at one, so hang in there. I’m really glad you came back.”
The morning moved quickly and before Blair knew it they were locking up. She pulled on her sweater, said her goodbyes and stepped outside into unexpected warmth. The sun was bright and the air had lost some of its bite. She smiled to herself, hoping spring had finally decided to commit.
She waved at Celine through the window of The Everyday Grind as she passed and grinned when her cousin responded with an eye roll.
She kept walking toward the diner, taking in the quiet charm of the street.
Clifton really was a wonderful little town.
She still hadn’t made it into half the locally owned shops, but that was a project for warmer days.
She reached for the diner door just as it swung open and Sheriff Sam Garrett stepped out, holding it for her.
“Hello, Blair.” That easy grin of his.
She managed a smile. The man was incredibly good looking and completely devoted to his wife.
“Hi, Sam. Good lunch?”
“Always. Enjoy yours.” He touched the brim of his Stetson and crossed the street.
Blair watched him go. Those Wranglers really had no business fitting that well.
She pushed through the door, waved at a few familiar faces and settled onto a red stool at the counter. Connie appeared in front of her, order pad ready.
“Hey there, hon. The usual?”
“Just the fried chicken salad today.”
“Coming right up.” She was already moving.
The bell above the door jingled, and Blair glanced over out of habit, then felt her stomach drop. Hud. He caught sight of her at the same moment, and she watched a brief hesitation cross his face before he crossed the diner and settled onto the stool beside her.
“Mind if I sit here?”
“Looks like you already did.”
He turned away and she was fairly certain it was to hide a grin. When he turned back his expression had settled into something more earnest.
“I’ve been waiting for you to call.”
“Phone works both ways, Anderson.”
“It does. But I left that one in your hands.”
Blair shrugged. “I’m still thinking about it.”
“Blair.” His voice was quiet and direct. “Let’s start over. I like you. I’d like to see you again and I promise I won’t make the same mistake twice.”
She held his gaze for a moment, then gave a small nod. “Alright.”
The grin that spread across his face was almost unfair. “How about coming out to my place Saturday? We could go riding.”
“I’d like that. It’s been a while though. I’ll need a gentle horse.”
“I’ve got two that’ll suit you just fine.”
“Then send me the address and a time. I’ll be there.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She studied him for a moment. “You look tired.”
“Just got back from Whitefish.”
Connie reappeared, set Blair’s salad on the counter, shot Hud a knowing wink, took his order and spun back into the lunch rush without breaking stride.
Blair did her best to focus on her salad. Though she had to wonder what it was about the Kevlar vest, the holster, the badge that got her so flustered. Maybe it was the danger that came with the job. Or maybe, if she was being honest with herself, it was just the man.
When she finished she waved Connie over for the check.
“I’ve got it,” Hud said before she could reach for her purse.
She didn’t argue. She stood, looked at him over her shoulder, smiled and walked out.
The afternoon sun was warm on her face as she crossed to her car.
****
Hud watched her pass the window and grinned before he could stop it. It was more than the apology. It was the ease of it, the way she’d let him off the hook without making him work for it. A day on horseback with Blair. He could think of worse ways to spend a Saturday.
“Well.” Connie appeared at his elbow, refilling his coffee. “Didn’t see that coming.”
“Mind your business, Connie.” He grinned.
She laughed and moved down the counter.
He ordered the burger, ate slowly and let himself enjoy the rare luxury of having nothing to regret. By the time he dropped cash on the counter and headed back to the office, the grin had settled into something quieter. Just a good feeling he didn’t feel the need to explain.
He’d told himself for years he wasn’t interested in anything long term. Had told anyone who’d listen the same thing. But somewhere between the apology and that last smile at the door, he’d started to wonder if maybe he’d been wrong about that.
He crossed the street to the courthouse, took the stairs and settled in at his desk, pulling up what they had on White and digging into the family tree. Cousins, associates, anyone they hadn’t looked at yet.
“Got him,” Creed called from across the room. “Amos White lives in Shelby, not Sunburst.”
“How far?”
“Less than half an hour.”
“Bingo.” Hud pushed back from his desk and crossed to Dave’s office. “Don’t book Sunburst. Make it Shelby. That’s where White’s brother is.”
Dave leaned back. “I’ll get it sorted. Monday if I can swing it.”
“Appreciate it.”
He passed the news to Creed on his way back.
Creed nodded. “I’ll be ready.”
Hud stood and worked the kinks out of his spine with a groan.
Felt like he’d been planted in that chair for two days straight.
He lifted his Stetson from the rack and looked around.
The office had emptied out the way it always did on Fridays, people vanishing like smoke the moment the clock gave them permission. Dave’s office was dark.
He set his hat on his head and caught the elevator down.
Deputy Jack Lawrence was pushing through the main doors just as Hud stepped off, and he smiled at the sight of him.
“Jack.” He stuck out his hand.
Jack shook it. “Hud. Working late.”
“Lost track of the time. You heading in or out?”
“In, unfortunately. Paperwork before I can call it a weekend.” Jack grinned. “But Randi and I are driving up to Kalispell tomorrow. Sam’s letting us use his cabin.”
“Good place. I’ve stayed there a few times.”
“She’s been looking forward to it all week.” Jack touched the brim of his hat. “Have a good one.”
“You too.”
Hud pushed through the main doors, jogged down the front steps and crossed the empty lot to his truck.
By the time he pulled onto the road his mind had already drifted to Blair.
He’d sent her his address that afternoon and she’d replied with a simple see you then.
Three words. He’d read them three times.
He knew better than to expect much, knew how these things tended to go. But that wasn’t what this felt like. He just wanted to sit across from her and talk. Figure out who she was.
That alone seemed like enough.