Читать книгу The Soldier's Promise - Patricia Potter - Страница 14

CHAPTER FIVE

EVE ARRIVED AT her office early after a sleepless night. She kept second-guessing herself after authorizing Tom to run a check on Joshua Manning. She had never done such a thing before, never thought she’d let gossip influence her.

She would be furious if she went to a new town, then heard someone had started asking questions about her for no reason other than the way she looked or dressed. Or the fact she didn’t wholeheartedly welcome strangers to her door.

But then that was his right. If it was because of war experiences, he had every right to his privacy, and his wishes should be honored. Even if it wasn’t because of war, she still had no business questioning him. She had an apology to make. Even a bit of groveling. She would do just that this afternoon.

Her clerk told her that a copy of the Hannity cabin deed had arrived via fax. She would go bearing gifts: a copy of his deed and a building permit for his expanded porch.

That was the only reason she going. Absolutely the only reason.

She wondered if he knew she’d authorized a background check. She hadn’t seen Tom this morning and wondered how far he had gone with it.

She phoned him. She didn’t want surprises.

“Tom?”

“Sorry I didn’t get back to you about Manning,” he said, “but we’ve had another burglary. This time Gus’s gas station. Gus swears he locked the door last night, and it was locked this morning when he went in. But someone got inside. Someone who knows his way around locks, and that lets out most of our possibles.”

A knot lodged in Eve’s stomach. Because there was so little crime in Covenant Falls, few of the merchants, aside from the bank, took security seriously. With the exception of the motorcycle gang that had roared into town three years ago and killed her father, Covenant Falls had few problems. It was far away enough from the interstate to miss that kind of crime.

“Any ideas?” she asked.

“None, but I suspect a number of people do.”

“Joshua Manning.”

“Right on. But I don’t think so. The background check produced darn little except he’d been an army staff sergeant with an honorable discharge for medical reasons. The army wouldn’t release anything else.”

“Staff sergeant?”

“Pretty responsible job. Staff sergeants make the army work. Incompetent or dishonest guys don’t make it. Don’t even come close.”

Eve wasn’t surprised. It validated all her instincts. A dangerous man who’d lived on, and probably for, the edge. Nothing like her peace-loving husband or her father, who, despite being police chief, would go a mile out of his way to avoid trouble. Except for one time, and that one time killed him.

“Thanks. I think you should end any further searching.”

“I agree. I’ll steer Sam away from him.”

“Good.”

“But something like this burglary can escalate. The town will go into a frenzy if there’s a third. I’m going to start Fred and Mike patrolling the downtown area at night.”

“Good idea. If you need overtime I’ll find the money. Somewhere. Do what you have to do.”

“I think I’ll process the crime scene myself and see what I can find. Are you going to be here?”

“I have that budget to finish and I plan to meet Stephanie for lunch so we can talk about the fund-raiser for the community center. Then I have to leave early to pick up Nick for baseball practice, but you can reach me anytime on my cell.”

She didn’t tell him she planned to drop by the Hannity place sometime in the afternoon. She hoped Marilyn wouldn’t be home, either. Because of the trees, Marilyn couldn’t see the Hannity cabin from her house, but from the information flowing in, Eve would bet she had taken many walks down his way.

Eve worked all morning on the budget, trying to eke out funds for the community center. It was to be located in an abandoned building on Oak Street across from the city park and ball fields. The owner had died, and the heirs had moved away long ago and didn’t want to invest the money it would take to bring it to code. The city claimed the building in lieu of taxes, and volunteers had painted and repaired it. It had required a lot of work, but it was something she’d wanted for a long time: a place for club meetings, for craft groups to work, for Cub and Boy Scout meetings. A room was set aside for computer use, and another for a library. She wanted computers available for kids whose families couldn’t afford them and for adults who wanted to learn how to use one. The library area would replace the current library, a corner in her father-in-law’s drugstore.

But looming over all the other city business was finding a chief for the police department. Tom had contacted friends in the Colorado state police and some chiefs he knew around the state. The job was perfect for a retired officer. Not much happened in Covenant Falls, although the town limits included a large geographical area. The cost of living was inexpensive compared to other parts of the state. But pressure was building to name Sam Clark. She worried how long she could hold off on the appointment without presenting a reasonable alternative at a salary the city could afford.

She worked for nearly three hours, then gave up.

* * *

STEPHANIE WAS WAITING for her at Maude’s for their lunch date. Eve slid into the booth opposite her. “Hi.”

“Hi, yourself. I heard Nick practically won the game all by himself. Takes after his dad, and you, I hear.”

“I wish you would forget that,” Eve said. She had been a dedicated tomboy, a daddy’s girl, despite her mother’s attempt to “civilize” her. Her father had treated his only child more like a son than a daughter and taught her to fish, shoot and play poker. He’d taken her on volunteer work sessions when someone needed a home painted or repaired. Most of all, she’d loved playing ball with him, and she was darn good at it. She’d sued to play in Little League. Her mother nearly died of embarrassment. She lost, but it was another battle that had torn her parents apart.

“How’s the motley crew?” Stephanie asked. “Haven’t seen you in the office lately.”

“That’s a good thing,” Eve said with a grin at Stephanie’s description of her four dogs, cat and two horses. “I’m just glad you’re boarding your horse at my place or I would probably be bankrupt.”

“Since I stuck you with two of the dogs, it’s only right.”

“Nick thinks they’re all wonderful and the best dogs ever.”

“He would. He’s a great kid. Wouldn’t mind having one like him some day, but probably won’t happen now. You have to have a husband, or at least someone you think could be a good father, and I’m not too keen on going that route again.”

Eve knew Stephanie had been married twice, the first when she was young and a bit wild. The boy was killed while buying drugs. The second husband was the total opposite, a lawyer who’d liked the idea of an independent wife until he had one.

“Think about adoption?” Eve ventured.

“Not with my schedule. I never know when I’m going to be away all night with a sick cow or pregnant mare.”

Mary came to take their order, although they usually got the same thing. Their guilty pleasure, they both agreed, and to be enjoyed once a week.

“Let me guess,” Mary said. “Two patty melts with fries, and iced tea, one sweet, one without sugar.”

“Got it.” Eve beamed up at her. She would have a salad tonight and make Nick a hot dog. He ran all his calories off.

“I heard you went out to the Hannity place,” Stephanie said.

“Marilyn again, I suppose,” Eve replied with a deep sigh.

“Yep. I think she sits at that window all day long, just praying for more gossip fodder.”

Stephanie nodded. “Mr. Manning came to my office day before yesterday to discuss his dog.”

“And—” Eve held her breath “—was the dog as starved as Marilyn charged?”

“No,” Stephanie said. “I can’t talk about it. Mr. Manning requested that I don’t, and I won’t. I can say, though, that he is a responsible owner and, hopefully, that will end the talk.”

That shut down that subject. Eve had heard harsh words come from Stephanie when talking about owners who did not take care of their animals properly, and her defense of Joshua Manning told her a great deal.

She couldn’t help but pry a bit more. “What did you think of him?”

Stephanie shrugged. “It’s clear he’s carrying a lot of weight on those shoulders. Don’t know what, and it’s none of my business, but I like him. He doesn’t bullshit.” She peered at Eve. “Rumor is that you went by his place.”

“I did. I took him a land survey he’d requested.”

“Do you usually do that?”

“I wish people would stop asking me that,” Eve said.

“Ah,” Stephanie said. “Same question you asked me, then. What did you think of him?”

“Prickly. Defensive. Secretive. Rude.”

Stephanie’s face creased into a smile. “And you liked him! I’ll be hornswoggled.”

“I didn’t say that,” Eve protested.

“Yeah, you did,” Stephanie said with a big grin. “Not exactly with words but...”

Eve’s face flushed.

“Okay,” Stephanie said. “I’ll drop it. But one small warning. He is attractive in a rather rebellious way, but he’s a loner. I’ve seen them before. I know the type. My first husband was one of them.”

Eve started to say something, then stopped. Why was she even carrying on this conversation? She’d had her love. It was as love should be: warm and caring and gentle.

And safe.

She wanted to tamp down the last word. But she knew there was some truth in it. Her mother and father had been passionately in love in the beginning, but they were entirely different. He loved the outdoors; her mother didn’t. She was an Easterner who hated guns; guns were part of her father’s life. He liked animals and wanted his daughter to have one; her mother believed dogs belonged outside. She’d watched her mother change through the years into a bitter woman and when Eve’s father was killed in the line of duty, it had confirmed all her mother’s fears and dislikes. The day after his funeral, she’d left Covenant Falls, never to return.

Passion, Eve had learned, was not enough for any relationship. Eve hadn’t wanted to go through that, or turn into the person her mother was. She was grateful that Russ chose to be a high school coach rather than go into law enforcement or soldiering or some other dangerous profession. The irony was that he had died before her father. She shrugged. “He’s definitely not my type, and I’m most definitely not his.”

“Just how do you know that, my friend?”

“I just know it,” she said. “This whole conversation is ridiculous. My life is just as I like it right now. I have Nick. I have a great job. Well, most of the time. I like my independence. I don’t need any problems, particularly a large, walking, talking one like Joshua Manning.”

“I think thou doth protest too much.”

Maybe she did. She didn’t even know why he held such a fascination for her. She decided to change the subject, wipe that man right out of her mind, to put a new slant on an old song. “How’s Sherry doing?”

Stephanie’s eyes lit up. “Great. She’s one of the best rescue dogs I’ve had. Head of the class at field training in Denver. Stryker, on the other hand, did not do so well. He has the nose for it but not the discipline.”

“I hear you’re doing an obedience training session at the fund-raiser week from Saturday. And donating your training services to the highest bidder. You think anyone in town will admit they have unruly dogs?”

“Why not? You do.”

“What can I say? They had sorry puppyhoods.”

“True. You’re also a soft touch for anything with four legs and a tail. Which brings up a request I want to make. I need a volunteer for the obedience session. One of your tribe of little miscreants would be good. Nick can be my stooge,” she said with a grin.

“I don’t think he would care much for that description. Which specific miscreant are you considering?”

“I’ll let Nick choose, although Miss Marple would be the biggest challenge.”

“I can almost guarantee it will be Fancy. He wants everyone to see her for the gentle soul she is.”

Stephanie grinned. “He would pick the plainest one.”

“Well, Braveheart is certainly not ready to confront a crowd, and Captain Hook can’t keep still for a second. Miss Marple wouldn’t stay still long enough, either. Besides, Nick thinks Fancy is misunderstood because of her looks. He’ll want to prove to everyone that she’s charming.”

“He really should be a vet,” Stephanie replied.

“I wish. He’s fixated on detective shows. He wants to be a cop like his grandfather and catch the guys who killed him. I’m trying to steer him toward a different path. Doctor. Lawyer. Rodeo clown. Anything but a cop. Or a soldier.”

Stephanie shuddered. “Not a lawyer. Please.” She glanced at her watch. “I’m late. I have some inoculations to do at the Morgan ranch.”

“I’ll see you Saturday, then, if not before,” Eve said.

Then she was off. Eve paid the bill and left a hefty tip.

She was having second thoughts about another visit to the Hannity cabin. Steph had seen too much. More than she had. She needed to keep a distance. And yet she felt like a magnet drawn toward a lodestone.

Which made no sense. No sense at all.