Spring Tide (37 page)

“What are you doing?” her mother asked with a frown.

Ida grabbed for the jar, clamping her hands on either side of it. Jackie held on and a tug of war ensued just as Rosa appeared, coming around the back of the truck. Realizing it was too late, Jackie let go of the jar and allowed it to retreat into the protective embrace of her mother.

“Is that it?” Rosa asked, seeming strangely unruffled.

Ida threw one last look of consternation at Jackie before opening the jar and tipping it toward Rosa. She reached in and took a piece, then bit it and chewed for several seconds, a look of serious concentration on her face. Jackie realized she had no idea what was going on here.

“Yes, yes,” Rosa pronounced thoughtfully. “I think you’ve got it now. The white peppercorn makes all the difference. Cumin level is just right. Nice and smoky.”

Ida broke out in a smile of satisfaction and offered the jar to Jackie, who took a strip of jerky and tasted a bite while Rosa ate some more of her sample. This wasn’t the usual flavor. Nor was it the papaya fiasco.

“What is this?” Jackie asked.

“
Tempero baiano
,” Rosa answered. “A classic Brazilian spice mix. You’ve tasted it before on our shrimp. My version anyway. This is Ida’s version.”

“Is it a go?” Ida asked hopefully.

Rosa nodded and held up a thumb, the last of her jerky in her mouth. Ida slid her jar onto one side of the shelf as Ben appeared in the window and took a piece for himself.

“It’s authentic!” pronounced Rosa. She reached out to shake Ida’s hand, sealing their apparent new business arrangement. “But, remember, Ida, if sales are flat after three months, it comes off.”

“Oh, no worries,” Ida said, with a carefree wave of her hand. She started back toward the door of the shop. “That’ll bring so many customers to your taco truck, you’ll have to buy another truck.”

Rosa opened her mouth to retort, but Ida had her back to them and was already on her way inside. Rosa turned to Jackie and shrugged in resignation.

“It’s pretty good,” Jackie said.

“It’s fantastic,” Ben interjected. “Fantastic that we found a compromise, I mean, but the jerky’s not bad either.”

“No, not bad,” Rosa conceded. “It was your friend’s idea, Jackie. What she said got me thinking about a Brazilian version, and Ida was all for it.”

Jackie finished the jerky, then returned to the shop. Her mother was out of sight in the back room.

“Any word from Stef?” Rudy asked.

Jackie shook her head.

“Sorry.” He folded his paper and took off his reading glasses. “Your mother’s started this big campaign to shower her with fame and fortune. In Stillwater style, that is. She’s been spreading the word all over town about Stef’s brave deeds. How she brought down a sturgeon poacher and caught the notorious Stillwater Bay robbers and saved our lives. She’s turned her into a living legend. A real hero.”

“I’m not surprised. Mom just loves to talk, and now she has something interesting to talk about.”

“That’s not the whole of it, though. She’s trying to create a sort of siren song to lure Stef back. She’s got the mayor convinced that Stef deserves a medal. And the key to the city.”

“She’s doing that for me?” Jackie asked, incredulous.

He nodded. “She’s even convinced Chief Schuller it’s time to retire. He’s putting in his paperwork this week and putting Hartley forward as his successor. By August, the town will be ready to hire its new cop.”

“Stef?”

“If your mother has done her job well, there won’t be a single citizen who won’t be rallying for Officer Byers to fill that vacancy. And you already know that Hartley is down with it.”

Startled, Jackie shook her head, well aware that if her mother set her mind to something, she was a force to be reckoned with. “But Stef doesn’t know anything about all this. And even if she did, I’m not sure it would do any good. I don’t think she wants to be a cop anymore.”

“Don’t be too sure. Too bad you didn’t see her in here Sunday night. That woman was born to that job like a fish is born to water.”

Jackie sighed dejectedly. “It’s nice that you and Mom are trying to help, but it’s not going to do any good. Nobody knows where she is and I haven’t heard a word from her.”

Ida came out of the back pushing a hand truck loaded with six-packs of beer. “You talking about Officer Stef?”

“Yes.” Jackie opened the door of the refrigerator case.

“We’ll find her, you’ll see,” Ida said, loading the beer on wire racks. “I’m going to ask Hartley to put out an APB. We’ll have Fish and Game officers combing every river and slough from here to San Francisco until they find her and drag her butt back here.”

“Is that so?” Jackie asked sarcastically. “And once you get her back here, are you also going to tie her up and hold a shotgun to her head until she agrees to marry me?”

“If that’s what it takes to make my little girl happy,” Ida said, dropping in the last carton of beer.

Jackie heard her father gasp. She spun around to see a tall woman silhouetted in the doorway by the bright afternoon sun.
Stef!
Her heart leapt. Deuce stood behind her, his golden coat all aglow.

“That won’t be necessary,” Stef said evenly.

“Stef!” Jackie cried, overjoyed to see her. “You came back!”

Stef stepped inside and smiled affectionately at Jackie. “Yeah. I’ve got a bone to pick with your father.” She winked at Jackie, then turned to Rudy, who looked immediately antagonistic. She held up a plastic card. “I want to complain about this fishing license you sold me.”

“What’s the matter with it? It’s legal. Did some warden tell you something was wrong with it? He’s full of baloney.” Rudy slid off his stool and came around the counter. “Let me see the ticket. I’m gonna call Fish and Game and complain.”

“No, I didn’t get a ticket,” Stef said. “It just doesn’t work.”

“What do you mean?” Rudy frowned and put his hands on his hips.

“I mean it doesn’t work. I had my pole in the water for two hours and nothing happened. Not a single bite. I’m going to starve out there.”

Rudy threw up his hands. “And you’re gonna blame me for that?”

Stef grinned at Jackie, who was beside herself with happiness.

“Dad, she’s just kidding.”

“Oh,” he said, looking uncertain.

“Is there somebody around here who knows how to fish?” Stef asked. “Maybe I could use a lesson. I might have to stick around a while until I figure it out. It might take a really long time, even. I’m a slow learner. I might have to take up permanent residence, get a job, register to vote and all that stuff until I learn how to fend for myself out there.”

“Well,” said Rudy thoughtfully, his hand on his chin, “I know a guy...”

“You dope!” Ida jeered, jerking her head toward Jackie.

Jackie ran to Stef and flung her arms around her, then kissed her for a good minute while her parents stood by, neither of them making a sound.

“Permanent residence?” Jackie asked when the kiss finally ended. “Are you serious?”

Stef nodded. “It seems like this town kinda needs me. Besides, I don’t think I’m cut out to be a river rat. But
Mudbug
might be a lot of fun on weekends. How would you like to explore the Delta with me?”

Tears welled up in Jackie’s eyes. She thought she could see something in Stef’s eyes too. Not tears, but a depth of feeling she’d never seen before, an open, questing look full of love and trust. No more barriers.

“Mom,” she said without taking her eyes off Stef, “how about getting us some sardines? I’ve gotta teach this woman how to catch a fish.”

“If anybody can, Jackie,” Ida declared, “it’s you.”

Stef nodded her agreement and held Jackie’s face tenderly in her hands. “She’s right. If anybody can teach me, it’s you.”

Stef kissed her mouth gently, then held her close, filling Jackie’s heart with hope and happiness.

It’ll be okay
, Jackie thought.
You’ll see
.
We’ll be okay…together.

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