Page 7 of Hiding Hollywood

“Ugh!” She moaned and leaned her head back. “I lost the signal again.”

“I’ll just be a moment.” He climbed out of the truck. Cars flew past as he walked down the emergency lane. If he’d been in his patrol car, he could’ve turned on the lights and made them slow down.

“Cameron.” Shannon scratched his bald head. “Seems I ran over a nail. I won’t hear the end of it since I was supposed to be home a half-hour ago. The wife will insist on buying me a damn phone now. Managed to make it the past sixty-eight years without one.”

Cameron laughed. “Let me give you a hand. I wouldn’t want Ms. Ellen to worry about you.”

“Now, I was about to get to work on it myself.”

“I insist.” Cameron winked at him. “If you want to let my mama know the next time you see her, I’d accept the brownie points.” He pulled the spare tire from the back of the car and the jack.

“You’re the apple of your mama’s eye, boy. If she’s anything like my Ellen, she probably fusses over you. All that woman does is worry. About my heart. About my weight.” He began to whistle while Cameron worked. The whistling shifted into a typical male cat-call. “Who is that little lady in your truck?”

“Her name is Addison Johnson. She’s staying with my folks for a bit.”

“Oh.” He scratched his bald head again as he looked at Addie. “You remind me of myself when I was younger.”

“How’s that?”

He grinned. “Ladies’ Man.”

“I’m definitely not that. This is strictly professional. A favor to her brother.”

“I wasn’t too upset to hear about you and Jennifer splittin’. Actually, most everyone in town had hoped you would come to your senses.”

Cameron kept his head down. Everyone in town had some opinion on Jennifer’s decision to leave Statem. And him.

“I always thought Jennifer was a looker but mean as a hornet. You could see it in her eyes. Would have made you miserable within a year. This one,” he said, waving at the truck. “She looks sweet as candy. I bet your mama loves her.”

“She probably will. Right now, she’s more concerned about getting a cell phone signal and probably posting something on social media.”

Shannon crossed his arms and looked down as Cameron cranked the jack lower until the car rested on the spare tire. “Are you sure you know how to win a sweet girl like her?”

He shook his head. “I’m not trying to win her.”

“I could give you some pointers.”

Cameron replaced the tools and bad tire into the trunk. He knew how to charm a woman if he had any interest in doing so. Jennifer had made it easy to swear off another serious relationship. Not that he’d sworn off all women. Only the beautiful, manipulative ones that lie to get their own way.

“You need to take that one out dancing. A nice meal. Tell her she looks lovely.” Shannon shifted his weight. “Works like a charm.”

No use arguing with the man. “I’ll remember that.” He closed the trunk and dusted off his hands. “That should hold you until you get back to Statem.”

He shook Shannon’s hand, but the man didn’t smile. “Don’t suppose you’ve heard there was another break-in?”

Not again. Cameron immediately pulled his phone out of his pocket. “No. Who?”

Of course. No signal.

“Sara Keller. Said someone broke into her pool house. Took the T.V. and stereo system.”

Another break in. “I gotta run. See you back in Statem, Shannon.” He jogged to the truck.

“Thanks for the help,” he heard before slamming his truck door. He’d gotten off his shift at seven this morning, but it was his town. He needed to work this case until he solved it.

“Cameron—”

Cameron held his finger up. “You’ll have another signal in a second.” He accelerated to the top of the next hill and pulled to the side, dialing Dewey’s number. “Tell me the thief had a guilty conscience and walked into the Sheriff’s office and turned himself in.”

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