Page 25 of Stormy Ride

“Sure.”

We walked down the glass hallway and he closed the door of his office. “Have a seat, Sheriff.”

“I’ll stand. What’s this about?”

“I saw you at the Inn yesterday and Olivia seemed rather upset and disoriented after you left.”

“And what does that have to do with you?”

“Olivia and I have been cultivating a relationship ever since I moved here to take over this branch of the credit union.”

“So, you’re saying you and Olivia are in a relationship and you’re telling me to butt out? Am I getting it right?”

“That’s right.”

I had a strong urge to punch the guy in the face, but I exercised restraint and used words instead. “What if I told you that Olivia and I were in a…relationship long before you set foot in Harrison County, and I’d likeyouto butt the hell out.”

He smiled. “I don’t think that’s true. You’re not…”

“Not what? Not good enough for Olivia?”

“That’s not what I was going to say.”

“But that’s what you were thinking.”

“Maybe.”

“Okeydokey. I’ll file your concerns and sort this out as soon as I get a minute.”

“Thank you, Sheriff. You seem to be a reasonable man.”

I pointed my finger at his chest. “Because you just called mereasonable, that tells me what a poor judge of character you are. I hope you’re not the guy approving the bank loans.”

Coyote Creek Inn.

After a couple of hours at the office jotting down notes to bring Molly up to date on everything I’d done in the Quade case, I headed to the Inn to get a beer and some food and discuss Miller Ravary’s relationship claim with Olivia.

She smiled when she saw me cross the lobby and go into the dining room. I had time to drink two glasses of Miller before she was free from the registration desk and had time to talk to me.

“Are you here for dinner, Travis?” She stood at the end of the table and didn’t sit down.

“Is this a bad time to talk?”

“I am completely full of reservations for dinner. Could we talk in my apartment?”

Not sure I was capable of rational conversation, I picked up my beer and followed her through the lobby and down the hall to her locked door.

I haven’t been offered a key. What does that mean?

We stepped inside and I closed the door.

“You seem upset, Travis. What’s this about? Are you having regrets about yesterday?”

I set my beer on the kitchen table and pulled Olivia into my arms. “Absolutely not.”

“Neither am I. Tell me what’s the matter.”

“I was putting a poster up at the bank and Ravary called me into his office and warned me off. He said you and he were in a relationship, and you are his private property.”

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