Page 15 of Unspoken Passions

Mandy and Lisa disagreed. “They are too busy driving around, looking for the secret house where the traffickers are hiding,” Lisa asserted. “We can get more information than they can. Plus, we know the roads better than whoever is driving around.”

Ella plucked Declan from Kennedi’s arms, giving her a break. She smiled gratefully, and took a sip of her herbal tea.

“You’re forgetting that this is a small town. We know just about all of the guys that have probably frequented the victims.”

“Exactly, which means that we’ll be better able to see through their lies,” Mandy claimed.

Loretta grunted as she sat down at the table, pushing a plate of homemade cookies towards the others. “I know I’m too old to help out by wearing a red dress, but it occurs to me that the guys who have patronized the victims won’t talk to any of you ladies.” She looked around at each of them. “I think it’s awesome that you are willing to put yourselves in danger by getting some of the local bastards to talk. Any man who pays for sex, even if the woman is willing, doesn’t deserve the title of man, in my opinion. They are nothing more than snakes and slugs. Or worse.”

The ladies grunted, but Loretta wasn’t finished. “Agree, but here’s my thought. Yeah, if we all go out dressed in red, the men around town might associate the dresses with the women they’ve paid to have sex with over the past few months. But they also know each of us. And because this is a small town, if you ladies go around wearing red dresses to the bars and dance clubs around town, then the guys might be spooked. But if you hang back, and keep an eye out for possible victims, then we are perfectly placed to recognize a stranger. If a woman in red comes into a bar or restaurant, or maybe even to one of the parties, then we’ll know she isn’t local. That means the odds are pretty good that the woman is a victim.” With that, she snagged one of the cookies, popping it into her mouth and nodding for emphasis.

Ella opened her mouth to add something, maybe to agree with Loretta, but before she could speak, the door to her coffee shop opened. In trooped a group of people that Ella assumed were the FBI agents with Mick following right behind.

As soon as he saw her, he stopped, frozen as his eyes narrowed on her. Ella’s hand stopped patting Declan’s back and she held her breath, wondering if he was going to…what? She didn’t care what he did, as long as he came over and spoke to her. Just a nod, or some other sort of acknowledgement of what they’d shared last night was all she needed.

At that moment, he tilted his head towards her, then moved to the counter.

It was Ella’s policy that all law enforcement officers received free coffee. Normally, she’d also add in free food, especially if she could see that the deputies were having a bad day.

And today, she could see the lines of frustration around Mick’s eyes and her heart ached for him. What was going on? He’d left this morning with a smile on his face. She blushed just thinking about that smile and why he’d been so happy.

Immediately, one of his dark eyebrows lifted and her blush deepened. As she stared at him, his lips curled slightly and she knew that he knew what she was thinking about. Dratted man!

But she didn’t mind. Not really. Because as he headed towards the counter, he looked like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

Had he thought she’d gone out to the bars despite his warning? During the day? Ella had promised that she wouldn’t. For a moment, she bristled, irritated since she’d given him her word that she wouldn’t interfere.

Then she looked around at the table of friends. Sighing, she acknowledged that the gathering looked…suspicious. Yeah, he’d probably seen her friends gathered around a table and assumed that they were talking about going out in red dresses. And since that was basically what they were talking about, she couldn’t blame him.

“Are you and Mick…?” Kennedi whispered, reaching over to stroke Declan’s head. The little guy was fast asleep now. When had he fallen asleep on her shoulder? Ella didn’t care. She found she enjoyed the feeling of him in her arms.

Ella looked at Kennedi, then at the others around the table, swallowing hard when she realized that they were all waiting on her answer.

She looked over at Mick and, yep, he was waiting on her answer too.

What was she supposed to say? She’d spent twenty-four hours in his arms, but they hadn’t really defined their relationship yet. Plus, there was absolutely no way she could call Mick her “boy” friend. No one would ever consider Mick a boy!

As Sheriff of Newnan, Mick was a public figure, and he kept his private life very private. There were never rumors about Mick’s personal life circulating among the town gossips. And if anyone knew what the gossips were chattering about, it was Ella. They loved to come into her coffee shop and grab a fancy coffee and a scone before tearing into the most recent local scandal.

However, before she could decide on a response, Mick came over to their table. Ella held her breath, thinking that the look in his eyes was scarily similar to the look he’d given her earlier this morning.

Sure enough, he leaned down and kissed her. It was deep enough to make her head spin, but not dangerous enough to make her drop the sleeping Declan.

And then he left without a word.

In his wake, he left the entire table of women, including her two employees behind the counter, gaping in stunned silence.

And he whistled! He actually whistled as he walked out the door. She watched him slide his sunglasses on as the other law enforcement personnel gathered around him. They all stopped at the corner and Mick said something to the group. They all listened intently, nodding in agreement. After he’d given out their assignments, the group turned and, very efficiently, headed to their cars.

Mick paused to look back over his shoulder into the coffee shop, and grinned. The communal gasp at being caught staring would have been hilarious. Unfortunately, Ella was still in shock that Mick, Newnan’s very private Sheriff, had just very publicly declared their relationship.

He walked away, still whistling, towards the sheriff’s office on the next block.

When he was out of sight, everyone turned and stared at a very red-faced Ella.

“I think I need to put Declan in his stroller so that we can hash out what just happened,” Kennedi announced. The little boy was plucked away and deposited into a stroller. The baby didn’t even protest at being rudely pulled away from a warm chest.

The doors to the shop opened again, but this time, Ella didn’t look up. She was too overwhelmed by what Mick had just done. And…somehow even more in love with him. He’d just declared his intentions to the world. Good grief! She felt as if she was on fire!

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