Page 26 of Deadly Evidence
Mia sighed. Two more days. Two more long, boring days, and then on Saturday she could get on the Greyhound and head back to New York, where she would kiss the ground the minute she arrived.
She turned toward the kitchen door and nearly ran into Anna, who stood with a hand on the door frame and a frown creasing her brow.
“Sorry. I—I didn’t see you,” Mia mumbled. She brushed past Anna and headed for her bedroom, pretending she didn’t hear Anna call her name.
Why had she ever thought this trip was a good idea?
Trying to piece together a family to love just wasn’t going to work. Her late mother would have scoffed at Mia’s desire to come out here, and for once, she would have been right.
The main street of Saguaro Springs was all of two blocks long, flanked by dusty side streets and a few dozen homes.
Most of the buildings were of adobe, battered tin or faded clapboard that must have been around since the 1800s.
If the town had ever boasted the existence of an actual spring, it probably couldn’t do so now.
Thick dust blanketed the sidewalks and the asphalt of Main, and even at the southeast end, where a cluster of fine old brick homes stood, the front yards were dry and desolate.
“Aren’t you glad you made this trip to town?” Anna asked, tipping her sunglasses down with a forefinger to glance across the front seat of the crew cab pickup at Brady. “I’m not sure what you were hoping to find, but it probably isn’t here.”
“Oh, it is.” He shifted his gaze from the Saguaro First National Bank across the street to Juan’s Cantina, down at the corner, and past that to a metal framed building belonging to Coriolos Hardware.
“Really?”
“I’d like to stop at the cantina for a cold soda and some conversation, pick up a pair of work gloves at the hardware store, and stop at the bank to cash my check. This is a chance to check out the town and be seen as your employee. Thanks for the check, by the way.”
“Any time.” She slanted an amused look in his direction. “I like paying you, because you plan to give it right back.”
“A perfect system.” Angling toward her, he dropped his arm along the top of the seat and brushed her shoulder with hisfingertips. He gave into temptation and caught a silky strand of her hair and tucked it gently behind her ear.
Her smile faded as her gaze lowered from his eyes to his mouth, then up again to meet his eyes.
But the moment was lost when a young cowboy strolled by the hood of the truck, gave it a thump, then whistled and gave them a double thumbs-up.
“The Baxter kid.” Anna straightened up behind the wheel, suddenly all business. “I’d better get going.”
“Sure...whatever you say.” Opening the door, he stepped outside, shut it, and braced his forearms on the open window. “Meet here at noon?”
“Probably. After I pick up block salt at the feed elevator, I need to sign some papers at the bank. I’ll stop in to say hello to Vicente’s sister and see if she needs anything, then pick up some groceries.”
She gave the deserted street a wry glance. “It won’t be too hard to find you if I get done early, but I do want to be back at the ranch before Lacey gets home.”
He watched her shift the truck into Drive and head toward the grain elevator on the west edge of town.
With her denim ball cap, faded plaid western shirt and jeans worn white at the knees, she might have looked like any other hardworking West Texas ranchwoman he’d seen when he’d first passed through town on his way out to her place.
But there the similarity ended.
More than once, Brady had found himself captivated by that straight blond hair caught in a simple ponytail and pulled through the back of her cap. The healthy, tanned glow of her skin. The occasional, unexpected glimmer of amusement lurking beneath that no-nonsense exterior.
And just a moment ago, he’d thought aboutkissingher. What was he thinking?
Pretending he was an old flame shouldn’t be difficult. Yet it was, because he wanted it to bereal.
But that wasn’t the sort of thing he ought to be thinking about. Not now, when he had a job to do. Nothing could interfere with his need to see justice done.Nothing.
He had only to recall Tyler’s tear-streaked face and the grief of the boy’s widowed mother to remind him of that fact.
Brady turned away and stepped into the cool interior of the tan adobe bank. Inside, a single teller leaned on her counter, inspecting her manicure.
