Page 38 of Shelter for Sharla

The girl nodded. “Okay. Carter, who was that guy? The tall one? Dark hair? Very good looking?”

He hadn’t intended to tell the two college students, but he wasn’t going to let their question go unanswered. “That’s CruzLivingston. He’s an FBIagent from Texas.”

Lionel sat straight up in the back seat. “FBI? Really? All the way from Texas?” Carter nodded. “Wow. This must really be serious.”

“It is. Two people died. That’s pretty damn serious. The blond man talking to me this afternoon? That’s DetectiveCurry from the CallowayCounty Sheriff’s Department. His wife used to be FBI, and she worked with AgentLivingston. She called him and told him about the case, and he wanted to help.”

“That’s pretty amazing, really, if you think about it,” Chelsea said, musing aloud. “To be so far away and be interested in coming here to help us.”

“Actually, he thinks this might relate to a case they’ve worked on,” Carter said as off-handedly as possible. No way did he want to answer questions about that.

“Oh. I see. Well, anyway, he’s here, and that’s great. And Mom, hey, he’s hot! You should get to know him!”

Carter glanced over at Sharla and saw her smile. “Nah. I’m already spoken for.”

Lionel spoke up. “What are you talking about? You haven’t seen anybody in years! That last guy, what was his name? Prick?” Chelsea started to laugh, and Carter couldn’t help but join in.

Sharla cried out, “No! His name was Pratt.”

“Well, he was a prick,” Lionel insisted.

“I’d call him more of a jerk,” Chelsea said. “Or a dick.”

“What are you laughing about?” Sharla almost yelled at Carter.

“Nothing. I’m not laughing,” Carter said, then busted out in guffaws again.

“It’s not funny! But he was kinda a dick,” Sharla grumbled.

Chelsea just wouldn’t let it go. “So go after AgentLivingston! What have you got to lose?”

Carter couldn’t help himself. “Me.”

Chelsea and Lionel both gave him the side-eye, and Chelsea squeaked out, “What?”

“Me. She’d lose me.”

The girl screwed up her face. “What are you talking about?”

“You want to tell them or shall I?” Carter asked, turning to look at Sharla there, her face red from stifling laughter.

“Oh, what the hell. Carter and I have been seeing each other.”

There was silence in the car. Finally, just as Carter was thinking he’d have to saysomething, Lionel said, “I guess you could do a lot worse.”

Two seconds later, they were all laughing so hard that Carter had to pull off the street and into a parking lot. “Wow, glowing endorsement you got there from Li,” Chelsea said through her laughter.

“Yeah. Don’t be too enthusiastic, Lionel, okay? You might hurt yourself,” Carter told him, still laughing.

“Oh, I’m just messing with you. You’re a pretty good guy, for a cop,” Lionel added, and the laughter started all over again.

“This wasnothow I’d planned to do this,” Sharla said as they all quieted down.

“Yeah, but it’s how it happened, so that’s just how it is. And I want you two to know,” he said, catching Chelsea and Lionel’s gazes in the rearview mirror, “that I love and respect Sharla, and I want to get to know both of you and have a good relationship with you because you’re important to herandyou’re good people.”

Chelsea was the first to speak. “Mom, if you’re going to see somebody, I’m glad it’s Sher… Carter.”

“Yeah. I feel the same way,” Lionel threw in.

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