Page 29 of Mountain Man Officer

I stared down at my notes, three major questions that I would need answers to. Lindsey was the obvious source. I would be moving in with her, and we would have plenty of time to talk. My brain translated “talk” into an image of me on top of her in bed, and I brushed it aside. She had been right at the storage place to say that we couldn’t date. Any move I made on her would be interpreted as forceful because I was now her landlord, and she was my tenant. Still, logic couldn’t stop me from imagining the feel of her skin, soft beneath my hands, or the curve of her backside as she arched against me.

She might know if there had been any large purchases, whether there were ineffective staff members or any large, regular shipments. It didn’t occur to me that Lindsey herself could be wrapped up in drug selling or money laundering. If her hair salon were to blame, she was obviously an innocent bystander who stood to lose everything. I had to talk to her as soon as possible.

I logged off my computer. I didn’t think Cheryl or the chief would be so intrusive as to look at my screen after I was gone, but I didn’t want to take any chances. If I was wrong about the hair salon, it could mean bad things for their business. I needed some corroboration before bringing the lead to the chief’s desk.

While walking about five blocks to the salon, and all I could think about was Lindsey. I had stolen her cabin out from under her, and now I was about to accuse her boss of running an illegal drug and money-laundering operation. I would have to be extra delicate when asking her questions.

It was six o’clock. When I reached the salon, I could see Lindsey through the window, sweeping the floor. I tried the door, but it was locked. She looked up from her chores and smiled. She smiled at me, and for some reason, that sent a wave of guilt crashing into my stomach.

She came to the door, unlocking it to let me in.

“Hi,” I said.

“Hi,” she replied.

All the way over here, I could have been forming a plan for what I would say, but I had been too busy thinking about her and the cabin. I had signed all the papers yesterday, and the home was officially mine. That made her officially my tenant and out of bounds for any romantic affair. Still, the tiny wisps of hair that escaped her ponytail framed her face with an innocent charm that I found irresistible. Her mouth was a temptation against creamy skin, and I fought the urge to plant a kiss on those plump red lips.

“Do you need a ride home?” I asked, seizing on the first excuse that came to mind.

She shook her head, turning away from me. “I’m perfectly capable of driving myself. And it’s not your ‘home’ yet.”

“Actually, I signed the papers yesterday. The cabin’s all mine.” That came out less tactful than I had planned.

She turned back, her eyes narrowed, that familiar death stare sizzling the air between us. Her fingers choked the broom handle, and I flinched, wondering if I was going to have to dodge a missile.

“You still have a few days to yourself.” I tried to smooth over her anxiety. “I’m not moving in until the weekend.”

She retreated to the salon floor to continue sweeping. I watched her backside as the broad strokes of the broom caused her to flex and unflex. She caught me staring and stopped what she was doing. This time she seemed more disappointed than angry.

“What are you still doing here?” she asked.

“How many people work here?” I blurted out.

“Six,” she said.

That was four more than I had seen. “Does that include the owner?”

“No,” she said. “Seven including the owner.”

“I’ve only ever seen you and Ava here.”

She sighed. Clearly, I was interfering with her closing routing and causing her to run late. “Two of the girls are part-time.”

“What do the other three people do?” I asked.

“There’s the owner, a manager, and an assistant manager,” she said.

“What do they do?” I wondered.

“Why do you want to know?” she snapped.

“I’m just wondering if you are adequately supported,” I lied.

“Really?” She sneered. “It’s not enough that you’re moving into my home, now you want to stick your nose into my place of business too?”

“It’s not like that…” I said.

“Then what’s it like?” she demanded.

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