Page 43 of Call it Reckless

I looked up to see my boss poking his head out from his door.

I scowled but nodded. He put his fingers to his lips and whistled, and the rest of the crew came back, including Sammy, who wound around my feet.

“Traitor,” I muttered.

A throat cleared, and I looked up to see Sheriff Kirchner standing at my desk. “Heard Hans Zimmerman came into town to file a complaint a few days ago. Still having trouble up in the forests?”

“Yeah, I took it myself. He was out searching for one of his dogs that disappeared. He never found the dog, but he noticed some traps on his property that weren’t his. He also mentioned smelling something strange blowing in the wind. It matches the same general location of the mysterious lights.”

Matt nodded. “No one knows these mountains better than Hans. If he saw or heard something unusual, it’s probably someone up to no good. Hopefully, it’s nothing nefarious but…”

Matt eyed me. I knew we were both remembering the drug bust.

“I let the Wildlife Resources Agency know so their wardens can be on the lookout for anything suspicious in our immediate area,” I assured him.

Matt nodded. “Keep me informed. In the meantime, just keep doing what you’re doing.” He started back into his office, then turned. “I’m sorry about Mayor Bowen’s decision. I hope it doesn’t discourage you. You’ve come a long way from the reckless kid I first met. You’re one hell of an officer, Brax.” He clapped me on the shoulder and disappeared into his office, shutting his door behind him.

Sheriff Kirchner’s belief in me was the reason I’d gone into law enforcement. He’d been the police officer who’d responded to a call one night when yet another fight broke out between my parents. Both of them had been drinking and yelling. I’d kept to my room, playing a game of solitaire to focus on something other than the glass breaking and the random crashes against the wall. I should have been doing homework, but why bother when I was failing, anyway?

Matt had pulled me aside and asked if I was okay and if I needed anything. I shrugged him off, but when he came back day after day to check on me, I began to open up to him. He opened his house to me. His wife doted on me, ensuring I never left their house without a full stomach. They helped me with my homework. My grades improved. And when I met Abby, they were the ones who convinced me I was good enough for her and gave me the money to take her on our first date.

Matt and Abby were the reasons I wasn’t in jail now. There was no way I’d ever let that man down. Not like I had Abby.

* * *

I heapedanother taco shell with ground beef and cheese and took a big bite. It wasn’t the most impressive dinner, but after a long week, it would do. I’d paired it with a simple salad.

“How was school today?”

“Pretty good.” She crunched away at her taco. Then her eyes lit up. “I almost forgot. Guess what we get to do in school?”

I smiled at her enthusiasm, not really caring so long as it made her excited to learn. “What, cupcake?”

“We’re studying what makes a community. We get to do real interviews with people in our town.”

“That sounds great, sweetie. Who do you want to interview?”

“Well, at first, I wanted to interview Miss Emalee because that would be easy. Then I thought about Miss Leah at the bakery ‘cause I thought I might get to try all the samples.”

I chuckled at her honesty. “Sounds like a good idea.”

She wrinkled her nose. “But Mrs. Thompson made us draw names, and I got someone else. And now I’mreallyexcited about it.”

“Who’d you get?” God, I hoped it wasn’t one of the ranchers. I’d never hear the end of her wanting a horse.

“I got Bristol Allen! I’m super excited. She was so brave sticking up for that dog. I know Miss Pettigrew says ladies shouldn’t fight, but you always taught me to stick up for what’s right, and that’s exactly what Miss Bristol did. I think that’s more important, don’t you?”

I swallowed my frown along with my taco bite. Fortunately, Lexi didn’t notice. She was still going on with her newly acquired information.

“And she was super nice at the cotillion, and so pretty, too. Did you know she’s opening a new business? Mrs. Thompson said it’s an important interview ‘cause lots of people don’t know her very well. Did you know she worked with race cars? I didn’t know girls could do that. She can fix cars,andshe can fix hair. Don’t you think that’s cool, Daddy? Joey at school said only sissies go to etiquette classes, but now I can tell him that’s not true. And Jordan at Miss Pettigrew’s said it’s not ladylike to want to work on cars. But even she told me how pretty she thinks Miss Bristol was. You think so, too, right, Daddy?”

“Mmhmm. Yes, she is,” I answered distractedly.

My mind was racing. I had no idea what happened a week ago at the cotillion dance. One minute, Bristol was charming and funny and the next, she shut down, practically ignoring me.

I’d talked her into dancing with me a few times, but as soon as the music was over, she excused herself, claiming she was tired and was going back to her room. I couldn’t think of anything I’d done, but something had disturbed her. Since then, if I saw Bristol around town, she smiled and nodded but didn’t stop to talk to me.

I didn’t want her to take whatever she was thinking out on my daughter. Maybe she could switch her interviewee.

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