in the
stomach.
“Chicken!”
“Fine,” he wheezed, his breathing momentarily impaired. She packed quite a wallop. “Have it your way.” Maybe she’d take the risk seriously if he resorted to brute
force.
He moved fast, reaching for her. She moved faster. As
soon as he made contact, she took a step back, disrupting
his balance. Using his own size and weight against him,
she flipped him neatly onto the sofa.
He landed on his back, hard enough to knock the wind
out of him again. Her crow of triumph echoed in his ears.
Closing his eyes, he stayed put. This was not the way he’d
expected things to go. In fact, he’d probably made matters
worse. Now she’d be convinced she could take care of
herself.
Something touched his cheek, softly nuzzling. Dan
smiled and opened his eyes, but Liss was right where she
had been when she’d thrown him. Warily, he shifted his
gaze to the left. Lumpkin gave him another wet-nosed
nudge and followed up by licking him with a warm,
rough tongue.
Dan sat up fast, swiping at the cat slobber on his face.
“Sheesh! Talk about adding insult to injury.” All in all,
he’d rather the cat give him another bite on the ankle than
turn affectionate.
Still smiling, Liss plunked herself down in the chair
LaVerdiere had used earlier. “I feel much better now.”
“I just bet you do”
“Mad at me?”
“No. But I’m still on record that this is a lousy idea.
You aren’t Nancy Drew. Or Veronica Mars”
“How about one of Charlie’s Angels?”
He shook his head.
“Buffy the Vampire Slayer?”
He stood, as tense now as she’d been a short while ago.
“Damn it, Liss. This isn’t make-believe. There’s a real
killer out there, someone who’s a lot more dangerous than
I am. He-“
“Or she”
“-won’t want to be found and won’t be happy to hear
you’re asking questions.”
“I’ll be careful.” As he watched, her expression turned
deadly serious. “I have to do this, Dan. I can’t just sit still
and let myself be railroaded straight into jail.”
Now it was Dan’s turn to pace. If she had to do it, he’d
have to help her, if only to keep her safe. She did need
someone to watch her back. “If you’re determined to ask
questions of the neighbors, then we’ll do it together.”
“Five minutes ago you hated the idea.”
“Still do, but I suppose there’s no real reason we can’t
check out a few things on our own; make a list of everyone who was near the Emporium yesterday afternoon and
evening. What would that hurt?” Nothing, he hoped.
“Thank you” She sprang out of the chair to give him
an impulsive hug.
He didn’t let go when she tried to step back. Instead
his hands slid over the silky texture of her camisole and
came to rest on soft, well-worn denim at hip level. Eyes
locked on hers, he started to lower his head.
She jerked away, almost losing her balance as she
broke free. “Now this, Dan, this is a bad idea.”
“Sorry.”
“No, you’re not “
“I’m sorry you’re not interested.”
“I didn’t say that. I-” She stopped speaking and
shook her head. “Bad timing, okay? It’s been a long day
and I just hit the wall.” She headed for the stairs, talking
fast as she went. “I can’t handle anything more tonight.
I’m going to bed to try and get a good night’s sleep.” With
a final, dismissive, “See you in the morning,” she disappeared from view.
Smothering a yawn, Sherri Willett raked her fingers
through her hair and struggled to stay awake. In each of
the last two days she’d managed only three-and-a-half hours
of sleep. She was running on nerves and caffeine.
In the dispatch room of the Carrabassett County sheriff’s office at the county jail at two o’clock in the morning, Sherri was three hours into her eight-hour shift. The
job was mind-numbing when they weren’t busy and this
particular night in late July had been completely uneventful. With a murder
stomach.
“Chicken!”
“Fine,” he wheezed, his breathing momentarily impaired. She packed quite a wallop. “Have it your way.” Maybe she’d take the risk seriously if he resorted to brute
force.
He moved fast, reaching for her. She moved faster. As
soon as he made contact, she took a step back, disrupting
his balance. Using his own size and weight against him,
she flipped him neatly onto the sofa.
He landed on his back, hard enough to knock the wind
out of him again. Her crow of triumph echoed in his ears.
Closing his eyes, he stayed put. This was not the way he’d
expected things to go. In fact, he’d probably made matters
worse. Now she’d be convinced she could take care of
herself.
Something touched his cheek, softly nuzzling. Dan
smiled and opened his eyes, but Liss was right where she
had been when she’d thrown him. Warily, he shifted his
gaze to the left. Lumpkin gave him another wet-nosed
nudge and followed up by licking him with a warm,
rough tongue.
Dan sat up fast, swiping at the cat slobber on his face.
“Sheesh! Talk about adding insult to injury.” All in all,
he’d rather the cat give him another bite on the ankle than
turn affectionate.
Still smiling, Liss plunked herself down in the chair
LaVerdiere had used earlier. “I feel much better now.”
“I just bet you do”
“Mad at me?”
“No. But I’m still on record that this is a lousy idea.
You aren’t Nancy Drew. Or Veronica Mars”
“How about one of Charlie’s Angels?”
He shook his head.
“Buffy the Vampire Slayer?”
He stood, as tense now as she’d been a short while ago.
“Damn it, Liss. This isn’t make-believe. There’s a real
killer out there, someone who’s a lot more dangerous than
I am. He-“
“Or she”
“-won’t want to be found and won’t be happy to hear
you’re asking questions.”
“I’ll be careful.” As he watched, her expression turned
deadly serious. “I have to do this, Dan. I can’t just sit still
and let myself be railroaded straight into jail.”
Now it was Dan’s turn to pace. If she had to do it, he’d
have to help her, if only to keep her safe. She did need
someone to watch her back. “If you’re determined to ask
questions of the neighbors, then we’ll do it together.”
“Five minutes ago you hated the idea.”
“Still do, but I suppose there’s no real reason we can’t
check out a few things on our own; make a list of everyone who was near the Emporium yesterday afternoon and
evening. What would that hurt?” Nothing, he hoped.
“Thank you” She sprang out of the chair to give him
an impulsive hug.
He didn’t let go when she tried to step back. Instead
his hands slid over the silky texture of her camisole and
came to rest on soft, well-worn denim at hip level. Eyes
locked on hers, he started to lower his head.
She jerked away, almost losing her balance as she
broke free. “Now this, Dan, this is a bad idea.”
“Sorry.”
“No, you’re not “
“I’m sorry you’re not interested.”
“I didn’t say that. I-” She stopped speaking and
shook her head. “Bad timing, okay? It’s been a long day
and I just hit the wall.” She headed for the stairs, talking
fast as she went. “I can’t handle anything more tonight.
I’m going to bed to try and get a good night’s sleep.” With
a final, dismissive, “See you in the morning,” she disappeared from view.
Smothering a yawn, Sherri Willett raked her fingers
through her hair and struggled to stay awake. In each of
the last two days she’d managed only three-and-a-half hours
of sleep. She was running on nerves and caffeine.
In the dispatch room of the Carrabassett County sheriff’s office at the county jail at two o’clock in the morning, Sherri was three hours into her eight-hour shift. The
job was mind-numbing when they weren’t busy and this
particular night in late July had been completely uneventful. With a murder
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