Shane (8 page)

“You look very happy today,” said Ruth. “And you
might want to cover up the thingy on your neck.”

Shane put his hand right directly on the spot she
was referring to. Lacey had given him a hickey right before they’d fallen
asleep.

“Anyone I know?” she asked.

“You know
I
never kiss and
tell.”

“It’s Lacey, isn’t it?
The young
lady who was applying for the job?”

“It could be.”

“She’s very pretty.”

“Yes, she is.”

“Was it part of the job interview?”

“Ruth Nelson, you are getting more like my mother
every day. Now get back to work before I have to fire you.”

Ruth smiled. “Before I forget, Ted said he’s
performing the autopsy on John Jacobson at 10:00 a.m. and said you’re welcome
to attend.”

“Yeah, I think maybe I should do that.”

She handed him today’s mail.

“Are you seeing her again?” asked Ruth as he turned
to head to his office.

He turned back. “Who would that be?”

She smiled again. “I hope you remember you’re up for
re-election next year and having a wife on your arm, or even better, a pregnant
one by your side, will definitely boost your odds of winning.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

****

Lacey pulled her coat collar up and walked down the
end of the high street. Could you actually call it a high street? She wasn’t
sure.
 
Every store she’d been in, mostly
to be nosy and to get out of the cold wind, everyone had been super friendly. After
doing some exploring, she felt like something to warm her body, and noticed the
café on the opposite side of the street.

As she got to the parking lot, a brown 4x4 pulled up,
and she noticed Shane’s niece, Emily sitting in it next to a man who looked like
he could be Shane’s brother. He had the same high cheekbones, nose, and even
the slight wave in the hair.

Emily was just getting out as Lacey approached.

“Hi Emily,” she said hopping she remembered her.

“It’s Lacey, right?”

Lacey nodded.

“Dad, this lady knows Uncle Shane. She’s new in town
and her name’s Lacey.”

He leaned over and waved to her. “Welcome to Timber
Creek,” he said.

“Thank you.”

“Hey Emily, I’ll be back to collect you at three, so
you be ready because we’ve got groceries to buy,” he said.

“Okay, bye Daddy.”

Flynn waved and drove off, and Emily walked with
Lacey to the café door.

“I hope you’ve got something warm and maybe
something spicy to drink because I’m freezing.”

“It’s not even cold yet,” said Emily.

“Don’t tell me that,” said Lacey opening the door
for them.

Marie smiled as they entered the café. “It’s Lacey,
right?” she asked.

“Yes, and I’m in urgent need of a hot beverage,”
said Lacey clapping her hands together.

“I have just the thing,” said Marie. “Sit yourself
down and I’ll be right back. Emily, honey, you can help me with the scone
mixture if you want.”

“All right, Gran.”

Lacey took off her gloves and coat and hung them on
a stand and then slid into a booth by the fire that luckily was lit. As she
looked out of the window, snowflakes began swirling around outside.

Marie headed to the table with what looked like
something with lots of calories.

“Here you go.
Spicy
hot chocolate with a good dose of whipped cream.”

“Oh boy, if I keep coming back in here I’m going to
have to find a way to burn these extra calories.”

A specific activity did spring to mind.

“You ski?” asked Marie.

“No, never tried it.”

“There are lots of places around here that you can
learn.”

“I guess it’s something to think about.” Lacey took
her first sip, and while it wasn’t quite as wonderful as last night with Shane,
it was pretty damn close.

“So have you found a job or someplace to live?” asked
Marie.

“No, it’s on my to-do list for this afternoon. I
don’t suppose anyone wants a graphic designer or illustrator?”

“I’ll ask around for you honey, but your best bet would
probably be in Missoula.”

“And that’s what, an hour’s drive?”

Marie nodded. “And if you don’t find a place to
live, there’s an apartment above the café. The rent’s affordable and the
landlord is a sweetheart.”

“That’s great. Could you talk to them, and maybe I
can take a look at the place?”

“You just have and as soon as you finish your drink
I’ll take you up there and you can look around all you want.”

****

Shane walked through to the back of the building
that housed the county’s medical examiner’s offices and lab. Ted was halfway
through performing the autopsy on John. He stopped talking into his recorder
and looked up.

“Morning, Shane.”

“Ted,” said Shane nodding. “Found anything of
interest?”

“As a matter of fact I have.”

He beckoned him over to the table where John’s body
lay.

“Take a look here, under the fingernail of his left
index finger.”

He handed Shane a lighted magnifying glass. As Shane
leaned over to view the dead man’s hands he saw a silver of something orange.

“Is that what I think it is?” asked Shane.

“If your hunch tells you it’s from an orange jacket
used for hunting, then yes, I’d say it is.”

“Hmm, that’s interesting. Those guys told me John
hadn’t been wearing his jacket because he’d ripped it yesterday, and hence the
reason he wasn’t seen.”

“Of course, that’s not to say that they’re not
telling you the truth that he wasn’t wearing it. Maybe it was caught under his
nail from the last time that he was.”

“Can you get a photo and bag the evidence just in
case?” asked Shane.

“You have one suspicious mind, Sheriff.”

“It’s what I get paid for.”

Shane walked around to the other side of the table.
Why would two of John’s hunting buddies want to harm him? That was, if they
had. It could have gone down exactly like they’d said, but then again he wasn’t
ready to close the book on this one just yet.

“You hear anything about these three guys? I mean
falling out maybe. Arguments overheard in the bar?” asked Shane.

“Can’t say that I have.
Well, besides John’s wife, Maggie walking out on him a couple of weeks ago.
That did seem rather odd.”

Shane pushed back his hat. Odd sometimes went hand
in hand with a crime.

****

Lacey had to admit she found the one bedroom apartment
over the café charming. From the kitchen window, you could see the mountain
range.
From the living room, a view of most of Timber Creek.
 
It already had a couch, kitchen table and
chairs so all she’d need was a bed, and it would be close to being move-in
ready.

“So what do you think?”

She jumped. She hadn’t heard Marie walking back into
the room.

“I love it. How much rent are you asking for it?”

“Well, that’s where I think we can make a deal. I’m
looking for someone to work in the café so I can cut back on hours. Maybe even
spend time in the kitchen and not out front serving. I was thinking whoever
took the job could work here and have this place rent free. It might not be
what you had in mind, but it could be a temporary fix until you found something
else, and after that if you still want to live here we could talk about rent.”

Lacey had initially taken offense with Shane over
the suggestion she work here, but now the idea was starting to grow on her. She
might even have time to squeeze in some freelance graphic work.

“I think we have a deal,” said Lacey.

“I’m happy to hear that. Let me give the place a good
clean and how about you move in the day after tomorrow and start work on Monday
morning?”

“I like the sound of that.”

“Okay then honey, you leave everything to me.”

Lacey headed back down the stairs behind Marie.

“And how about coming to Sunday lunch at my place?
It’s Emily’s thirteenth birthday and you’ve probably guessed she’s a people
person. She’s already taken a liking to you so it would mean a lot to her to
have you there too.”

Lacey didn’t know quite what to say. Would Shane
think she was being pushy and elbowing her way into his life maybe?

“Well, I’m waiting for an answer.”

“I’ll be there.”

“Good, ask Shane for directions or better yet, just
get him to bring you.”

****

Shane opened up his fridge door and pulled out a
beer. He pried off the cap and took two long swigs. The whole business with
John and Ted’s discovery had made him uneasy.
 
An accident was one thing, but pre-mediated murder was something he
didn’t want to think about. He knew all three of these guys, and it made his
skin crawl thinking that they might have planned to take John out hunting for
the sole purpose of ending his life.

His shoulders had a kink in them. He needed to
relax. A warm shower would be good. Company would be even better.

Lacey.

He picked up his phone and pulled out her resume
from his jacket pocket. Good thing she’d put her cell phone number on it. He
could go to the motel to see her, but he didn’t want people talking about him
going to the room every night, and not emerging until the following morning. Not
that it was anyone’s business what their sheriff did on his off time. He took a
swig of beer and pressed the digits of her number.

“Hello, Lacey Metcalfe speaking.”

“Hello Lacey Metcalfe.”

“Hello Sheriff Malone.”

He got a kick out of the fact she already recognized
his voice.

“How was your day?” she asked.

Wow, that was great.
Someone
asking him how his day had been.
Guess
that’s what’s nice about having a significant other in your life.
He sat
down and massaged his temples. He was sure the whole mess with John had given
him a headache.

“Not quite how I wanted it to turn out,” he said.

“Sorry to hear that. Anything I can do?”

“You want to come over and share a pizza with me?
I’ll give you a tour of my house.”

“I’d love to, but you’re going to have to give me
perfect directions because I took a ride around the outskirts of town this
afternoon and almost ended up in Canada. Okay
, that’s an
exaggeration, but let’s just say
that I got lost.”

“No problem. I’ll give you a bunch of landmarks to
look out for and then it’s easy.”

“Okay, I have a pen and paper.”

“Head out the motel and make a
right.
Continue driving down Main Street until you get to Fourth Street and make a
left. You’ll start to head out of Timber Creek, and you’ll see a gas station on
your right and a road marked County Ten. Turn onto it and mine’s the only house
on the left hand side.”

“Got it and once I’ve changed I’ll head out.”

“Perfect. I’ll put the pizza in the oven.”

“And should I wear a dress again?”

****

Lacey glanced at the last of the directions Shane
had given her. She was at the gas station. She turned onto County Ten. It was
snowing again, so she turned on the windshield wipers and saw in the distance,
lights on in a house. As he’d pointed out that it was the only house on the
left of the road so it was easy to find. She turned into the driveway and saw
Shane’s truck in front of the garage.
 
She
got out, locked the car, and headed up to the front door.
 
She was about to ring the doorbell when Shane
opened it. He had bare feet, wore jeans and a shirt that was unbuttoned. She
wanted to dive right in and kiss his chest.

“Welcome to Chateau Malone.”

She stepped inside, immediately spotting a log fire
burning in the fireplace in his living room.
 
It gave the whole place a cozy feeling. She’d
always loved snuggling up in a chair by one with a book in hand, and hot
chocolate in the other.

“Can I take your coat?”
asked
Shane.

“That would be great.” She took it off and handed it
to him.

“The pizza’s almost ready.”

“I can smell it. You make it yourself?” She followed
him through the living room into a room off to the side, and the smell of sauce
with oregano and basil, hit her nose. She took a deep breath.

“I wish. How about we go eat this by the fire?” he
said pulling it out from the oven.