Page 13 of Refuge for Flora

“Okay. Thanks. We’d better get back out there.” She hustled out of the laundry room and she could hear him right behind her. “Well, thanks, Barrett,” she said sort of loudly.

“Oh, you’re very welcome. If you need anything else, just let me know.”

“I will, thanks.”

“Sure thing. See ya later. Bye, Mrs.Murphy,” he said as he passed the old woman.

“Bye, boy. Tell yore mama I said hello.”

“Will do.”

Flora watched the truck door close before she turned the lock on the doorknob, pushed the door until she heard itclick, and stepped to the window. From there, she could see him roll out the driveway and turn left to go back home. Maybe someday he’d invite her down.

And she’d still forgotten to ask him what he did for a living!

* * *

“We’re movingon that drug bust tomorrow night. You in?”

Why does it have to be on a Sunday night?Barrett didn’t really want to do it, but he had no choice. Participating in those types of cases was what would eventually get him promoted, or at least he hoped they would. “Yep. I’m in.”

“Okay. Here’s the plan.” Frankie outlined the arrangements they’d made, and Barrett took notes. “And we’ll need you to the east so that once the humans are subdued, you can supervise the capture and removal of the coyotes.”

“Yeah, okay. What about the dogs?”

“They’ll have to be removed too.”

“You call animal control?”

Frankie snorted. “No.”

Well, I guess I’ll have to do that too. Lazy motherfucker, he wanted to mumble, but he didn’t. “So I guess I’ll call them.”

“That would be good. And that’s nine o’clock.”

“Yep. Nine o’clock. See you then.” He couldn’t believe it. There wasn’t a damn day to himself anymore. If he wasn’t doing something for someone else, he was working his ass off for his own department or someone else’s, or…

“Hey! You home?”

“Yeah. Come on in.” Barrett dropped his phone on the sofa cushion and looked up. “What’s up?”

“Aww, just came to hang out.” Jesse walked on past and straight into the kitchen.

“You’ve got nothing better to do than hang out with me on a Saturday night?”

Jesse laughed. “What’s better than hanging out with you?”

“I dunno. Going to a bar with your friends. Meeting some new people. Playing a game of pool or asking somebody to dance.” He was sure as hell trying to persuade Jess, but it never worked.

“I prefer hanging out with you. I have every intention of doing so every time I get a chance.” Jesse popped the top on the beer he’d pulled from the refrigerator. “What’s on TVtonight?”

“I dunno. Hadn’t gotten that far. I’d actually decided I’d probably spend the evening reading,” Barrett announced.

Jesse laughed again and shook his head. “Reading? That’s pretty damn boring!”

“And sitting around with me isn’t?”

“Gah. Don’t be difficult! So what did you do today?”

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