Out of Focus (17 page)

He walked her to the cell furthest from the front door and cut the zip-tie from her wrists before releasing her into the small space. The heavy metal-barred door clanked as it closed behind her.

“How long can you hold me here?”

He ignored her and walked through a doorway at the back that led down what appeared to be a long hallway.

“What about my call?” she yelled after him.

She sat in a chair in the corner of the cell and watched the clock tick off the minutes. After fourteen minutes and twenty seconds, the deputy returned. Kasey jumped from the chair, ran to the bars and clutched them, her hands on either side of her face. She hated to imagine how she looked. “Can I please make that call?”

The deputy picked up a cordless phone off the desk and handed it to her through the bars. “Here you go.”

“Thank you.” She nodded, then turned her back and dialed Prescott’s number. Thank goodness, she knew the number by heart. “Hi. This is Kasey Phillips. I was supposed to meet with Prescott this afternoon. Can you let him know that I have been…” she turned and eyed the deputy with disdain “…unexpectedly detained and am not going to be able to make our meeting?” She nodded, listening. “Yes. I understand. I'll get back with him to reschedule... Sorry...Yes...Goodbye.”

She ended the call and began to dial Riley.

“Ah-ah.” He shook his finger at her. “One call, Ms. Phillips.”

“But I need someone to get me out of here.”

“One call is the policy.”

She thrust the phone through the bars. “Don’t you ever bend policy?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Of course you don’t.” Figures she’d get the one no-testosterone, law-abiding rookie in the state. “How long do you plan to keep me here?”

“Until I can talk to the sheriff.”

“Have you called him? I’d love to talk to him.”

“Been trying all afternoon. No answer. It’s his day off.”

She plopped down in the chair and put her head in her hands.

The clock ticked to five o’clock. Now, technically, she could be accused of stealing that car. She was supposed to be meeting Scott right now. Deputy Dan cleared his desk.

Holy shit, is he going to leave me here all night?

“Sir. Deputy Dan.”

He looked up from the pile of paperwork he’d been shuffling around. “Yes?”

“Could you take me down to the diner next to Huckaby’s in Emporia?”

“You think we’re going to take you out to dinner? We’ll feed you, but you’ll be eating in your cell.”

“No, I mean I can clear myself if you’ll take me there. I was supposed to meet the owner of the car there at five.” She pointed to the clock. “He should be there waiting for me.”

His keys jingled on his hip as he walked to the door.

Her hopes sprang. “Are you going to check?”

“I’ll be back.”

She sat, keeping one eye on the door. A few cars passed the building at long intervals. What the hell was she going to do? Why had she wasted her call on Prescott instead of calling Riley?

I am such an idiot.

Kasey’s stomach growled. The deputy had been gone for over an hour and she was hungry. She hadn’t eaten all day.

The front door swung open. She hoped the deputy had some food in tow. But it wasn’t the deputy who walked inside. It was different man, and he didn’t give the wall of jail cells a second look. He headed over to the second desk in the room, a bigger one in the corner behind glass partitions, as if he were looking for someone.

She walked to the cell door, watching the visitor. “Scott?”

He jerked his head up.

It
was
him. “If you’re here to report your car stolen, you won’t need to do that. The deputy arrested me not long after I left you. He wouldn’t believe that you loaned me your car.”

“You’re kidding. That’s why you didn’t show. Why didn’t someone call me?” He unclipped his phone from his waistband and glanced at the screen. “Damn. I must have accidentally turned it off after I called the tow truck for you.”

“Thank goodness you’re here. I didn’t know your last name, and Deputy Dan wasn’t buying my story. Maybe he’ll believe you and let me out of here.”

“I can do better than that.” He headed toward the cell keys that hung on the wall.

“No. You can’t break me out. He has all my information.”

A wide grin spread across Scott’s face. “That’s funny. I had you pictured as an adventurous type of girl.”

“Yeah, but a law-abiding one.”

He opened the cell door.

Kasey didn’t budge. “You’re gonna get me in more trouble than I already am. With my luck, I’ll be the one they make an example of, and I’ll end up in one of those women’s prisons with Big Bertha callin’ the shots. No, thanks.”

“I wondered what happened to you when you didn’t show up for dinner. I’ve never been stood up before.” He shook his head. “Kinda hurt my feelings.”

“I’m so sorry. I’ve been here all day. I’m starved.”

“Come on, let’s get something to eat.”

“No. You just sit tight until that crazy deputy gets back so you can clear my name.”

The front door of the building opened, and Deputy Dan stepped in.

Kasey knew she was in trouble now with the door to her cell wide open.

“Hey, Sheriff,” the deputy said.

Kasey looked at Scott in surprise. “Sheriff?”

Scott shrugged. “Would appear so, huh?”

She dropped to the chair.

He turned his attention back to his deputy. “Dan, let’s review the case back here.” Scott pushed open the door to the back of the building and Deputy Dan scrambled in behind him, apparently eager to please.

Kasey sat there, dumbfounded.

After a couple of minutes, Scott returned by himself. He headed straight for the cell and motioned for her to come out. She complied. Scott handed Kasey her purse and camera bag.

“Thanks.”

“I tore up the paperwork. I’m sorry. I was trying to help you. I sure didn’t mean for your day to turn out like this. Can I buy you dinner?”

She smiled. How many times was this guy going to rescue her today? “I
am
starved.”

He put his hand on her shoulder. “If it’s any consolation, your car’s fixed.”

She brightened. “Thanks. What do I owe you?”

Her response seemed to amuse him. “Oh, I think I'll still owe you before we’re even. Let’s grab some dinner.”

“I’m only driving if we take my car,” she said emphatically.

“How about we walk? There’s a great little place up the block.”

“Even better.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Kasey dabbed her lips with the paper napkin. “I’m going to bust. That was the best fried chicken I’ve ever had.”

Scott nodded. “Hope you saved room for dessert. Kay makes the best cobblers and seven-layer chocolate cake ever.”

“U-u-u-ugh! No way. I’ll have to take a rain check. I am beyond full.”

He leaned forward. “A rain check? That sounds promising.”

Scott was easy to be with. Small talk had turned into heart-to-heart sharing and laughter during the last hour. Of course, the biggest laugh was over her almost-arrest by his overzealous deputy, and he’d assured her that all the evidence had been destroyed.

She was glad to learn that the little four-cell jail was not the official holding area. That portion of the building was part of the National Register of Historical places. Deputy Dan had done her a favor by not putting her in the general population, which was down that hall. It was harder to forgive Deputy Dan, though.

Kasey and Scott made easy conversation. When she mentioned Nick’s accident, she was surprised to hear that he was familiar with the case.

“A lot of us helped out on that search. Even my Aunt Ida Claire. She came out of retirement to see if she could uncover anything.”

Kasey almost spit out her sweet tea. “I’m sorry. Did you say 'Aunt I declare'?”

He laughed. “Okay, well if you say it like that, it’s kind of funny. It’s Ida. Her middle name is Claire.”

The name tickled her. She started laughing and couldn’t stop.

“Well, that was easy.” He leaned forward. “I like seeing you smile. You have a nice smile.” A serious look crossed his face. “I really am sorry about what’s happened to you. I mean, about your husband and all. It was awful.”

She lowered her eyes.

Scott reached across the table and patted her arm. “So what made you move up this way by yourself? I mean, a city girl and all.”

“Chaz Huckaby called and told me about the property. My husband worked with him for a while—renovating the house as a surprise.”

“Wow. Some surprise.”

She nodded. “Yeah. They made a deal to get it done by our anniversary. Chaz didn’t know about the accident. Well, not that it was Nick anyway. He’d left some messages, but they were cryptic, and I just hadn’t had the energy to call him back until recently. At first I thought I was coming to see what I needed to do to unload the place. But when I saw it, I felt so close to Nick and Jake. I knew I wanted to live there…
needed
to live there.”

“Tell me about Jake.”

Kasey grinned. “He was three at the time of the accident, but if you asked him, it always looked like four. He had trouble getting his fingers moving in all the right directions to show his age. He’s four now.”

She pushed the dishes to the side and leaned her forearms on the table. “I know some people think I’m crazy for believing he might still be alive, but I know he is. I feel it.” She brought her hands to her heart. “In here. I just know it.” She put her hands in her lap and met his gaze. “You think I’m nuts, too.”

“No. I don’t. Mothers have a sense like that about their children.” He leaned on his forearms, mirroring her posture. “Let me tell you a story. When I was ten, I was riding a mountain bike on the hills by the old pit with some other kids. I fell and broke my leg. We weren’t supposed to be on the man-made piles, but you know—boys.”

She nodded.

“Anyway, one of the other kids ran home and called an ambulance. When the paramedics wheeled me into the emergency room, my mom was already there waiting. Turned out no one had called. She just knew. She told me that years later.”

He did understand.

“You’re kidding?”

“Happened again a few years ago. I was shot during what was supposed to be a routine traffic stop. She already knew I was injured, but not dead, when the guys at the station called her.”

“I like your mom.”

“Everyone does. So...tell me more about Jake.”

“Gosh, he’s a bundle of energy that never stops. Such a little man tromping around in cowboy boots and a hat like his daddy. He slept in those boots more than once.” She paused. “He’s just—I don’t know—fearless. He’s strong and determined—wise for such a little boy.”

“Got any pictures?” Scott asked.

“Of course I do.” She dug around in her purse for her wallet. She flipped it open and handed him the pictures.

“He looks like you.”

“Thanks.”

He handed the wallet back to her. “Think you’ll like living in the country? It’s a lot different.”

“Sure. It’s quiet. That’ll be nice.”

Scott snickered. He’d known plenty of folks who thought the country would be nice until they got here. Then all they wanted to do was turn their quiet paradise into the city. They’d complain about the very things that drew them to the wide-open spaces to begin with. Scott had first-hand knowledge of how a city girl could have trouble feeling at home in the country.

“Don’t be so quick to think you’ll fit right in. We don’t have good shopping around here, you know.”

“I’m internet savvy. The UPS man comes this way, doesn’t he?”

He nodded. “Sure. Well, maybe you’ll surprise me.”

He raised his tea glass, and she raised hers to meet his.

“Welcome to our little neck of the woods. I hope you settle in and don’t regret joining us.” He tipped his glass to hers, then took the last swig of his sweet tea. “I’m having a few people over Sunday afternoon. I’ll throw something on the grill. Nothing fancy. Will you come?”

She hesitated.

“I thought you’d like to meet a few of the locals, and I do make the best steak in town.”

“True, and making new friends is part of starting a new life.” She nodded. “Yeah. Thanks. Deputy Dan won’t be there, will he?”

“No. I’m thinking you might need some time to cool off before you see him again.”

“You got that right.”

He drew a map on a paper napkin, then turned it to face her and talked her through the directions. She pointed out the window of the diner—left and then right. “Okay. So that way, right?”

“Tell you what. I know exactly where you live. Why don’t I just pick you up at one?”

“No. That’s too much trouble. Plus you’ll be getting ready for your guests.”

He shook his head. “Nope. I insist. Not a problem. They won’t get there until around two. You can help me get ready. I could use an extra hand.”

She felt relieved because she didn’t know her way around yet, and all the roads looked the same. All trees or all crops.

“Deal.”

They shared a smile and a handshake.

“I better warn you,” she said. “I’m not too good in the kitchen.”

“Thanks for the warning.” Scott dug in his front pocket, peeled off the money to pay the bill, and put it on the table for the waitress. “Ready?”

“Yep.”

They walked back up the street to the station and around back to where both their cars were parked. Scott had made the deputy retrieve his car from the side of the road while he and Kasey went to dinner.

She told Scott goodbye and started her Porsche, relieved to hear the hum of the engine. Driving these country roads at night was a daunting new experience. There wasn’t a streetlight beyond the small town, and she’d never driven these roads in the dark before. It seemed much darker here than the surroundings of the farm in Pungo, but then when she first moved to Pungo she remembered feeling that way, too. She tightened her grip on the steering wheel.

Okay, little animals, no darting out in front of my car.

The mailbox with
PHILLIPS
in reflective lettering came into view. She let out a long sigh. She’d thought to put Rolly on the box, but since she never took Nick’s name, it seemed a little creepy to do it now. At least, that’s what Riley had said when she’d shared the idea with her.

Kasey pulled into the driveway and got out of the car. After a few steps, she realized that it was so pitch black she couldn’t see her way to her front door. This place brought a whole new meaning to the word
dark
. She made a mental note to check the timer on the garden lights and to leave the porch lights on.

Inching her way back to her car, she fumbled with the key to get it into the ignition. The headlights brightened a path to the door. She unclipped the house key from the key ring and ran to the house and unlocked the front door. She turned on the porch light, then headed back to turn off the headlights.

Something scampered in the bushes.

In an all-out sprint, she ran to retrieve her car keys and then raced back as fast as she could. She slammed the door behind her, heaving deep breaths. When had she become such a sissy? Or gotten so out of shape? She squeezed her left side to alleviate the cramp, probably from the heavy dinner she’d just consumed.

Adrenaline surged through her veins as her anxiety rose with each creak and noise from the darkness outside. She tried to shake her skittishness by flipping on the lights in every room and turning on the television.

“There. That’s more like it.”