Page 17 of Big Daddy Sheriff

“The reason you left Little Rock,” he said. It wasn’t a question.

She opened her mouth to respond but held her words inside. How much should she tell him? Would he judge her? She hadn’t done anything wrong. But still… would he understand?

Finally, she realized she owed him the truth. He’d opened up his home to her. She was a complete stranger and he’d taken her in. He deserved to know.

“The lady I worked for ended up being… bad. Like really bad. She sells drugs. And is into lots of other shady stuff.”

“Okay,” Quinn said with a nod that was obviously meant to encourage her to keep going.

“I didn’t know when I took the job. I was just office help in the used car lot she runs. But I started noticing weird things. I saw some stuff, too. At first, I told myself it was just my imagination. Soon, though, I realized what was really going on. So, I went to the police. Then the FBI got involved. I helped them and was going to testify, but…”

“Let me guess,” Quinn said. “Prosecution didn’t go as planned.”

“Yes! They freaking dropped the charges! I found out this morning. The detective in charge of the case recommended I get out of town quickly. Before Lana could get her revenge. That’s why I came here.”

There was more she could say, but now wasn’t the time. She’d told him most of it. Of course, the piece she held back was pretty big, but perhaps she’d grow comfortable sharing it. Eventually. For now, she’d explained enough.

Quinn chewed on the information for a while. “Do they have any way of knowing where you went?”

“No,” she answered, shaking her head. “I wasn’t followed.” She laughed. “I don’t have experience like that—what do they call it in the movies—looking for tails? But some of those roads were so deserted I think I could’ve seen a mile behind me.”

Quinn laughed too. “That’s right. Welcome to Southeastern Oklahoma.” He reached out and took her hand. “You’re safe here, Alyssa. I’ll make sure of that.”

She felt much of the anxiety drain from her body as she looked into Quinn’s dark eyes. It was as if his touch transferred warmth and strength. For the first time in a long time, she didn’t feel anxious or afraid.

It felt as if everything was going to be alright.

“I’ve got an idea,” Quinn said. “If you’re up for it.”

“Sure.”

“Sounds like you’ve been under a lot of stress recently. You need to have some fun. How about I call some of the other girls and we meet up at the park? That is, if you aren’t too tired. I know it’s been a long day.”

Playing with other Littles? Alyssa tried to keep her cool, and not show how excited she was at the prospect. Inside, she was screaming,“Yes! Yes! Yes!”

But she kept her elation in check, instead saying a simple, “Sure. Sounds fun.”

Boy did it ever!

CHAPTER TEN

“You ready?” Quinn asked, after he’d finished making arrangements and driven them to the park.

“Ready!” Alyssa answered.

Her heart was beating quickly. A smile had turned her full lips upward. The anticipation was driving her crazy.

Quinn drew the moment out a little longer before punching the code in the gate’s keypad. He opened it and said, “Come on. You’ve got a Little’s paradise right here. Go have fun.”

She rushed in to find Quinn wasn’t exaggerating.

“Oh my gosh!”

It was a massive playground with the equipment sized for adults. There were multiple teeter-totters, swing sets, and slides. There was a giant climbing structure complete with a faux rock wall. The structure even had a swinging bridge that connected it to a tall tower that had a giant swirling slide.

“This is the coolest thing ever!” she cried, running to the swings first but then hurriedly making her way to the climbing structure. She inspected the swirling slide and said, “Hey, it’s even big enough for a fat girl like me to fit through.”

She was shocked at how quickly Quinn appeared at her side. “Look at me, little girl.”

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