Page 15 of Begin Again
“Slow day?” I ask, knocking on the open door that readsChiefSloan.
The older man looks up from the newspaper on his desk. “You have no idea.”
“Shouldn’t you be prepping for Halloween or something?”
Sloan laughs, folding the newspaper before he leans back in his chair. “I don’t know where you’re from, but around here—”
“Me either.” I roll my eyes, sitting in the chair across from him.
That really makes him laugh. “Well, around here, we aren’t exactly a rowdy bunch. Unless you end up at the rodeo. Then things tend to get a little riled up.”
“Noted.”
“What can I do for you, Xavier?” Sloan folds his hands over his stomach.
“Just checking to see if you’ve heard anything.”
Sloan matches my sigh. He lifts his glasses to rest on his head, rubbing his eyes.
“I know. I know you’d tell me if you had, but Sloan…you have to understand where I’m coming from.”
“I get it.” He replaces the wired rims on his nose. “I do. I want nothin’ more than to help you get the hell out of here, but when nothing is coming in, there’s nothing I can do. My hands are tied in this situation.”
“The sheriff hasn’t heard anything? I thought you said he put me up on the missing person boards.”
“He did.”
“You’re sure?”
Sloan looks at me strangely, but I think it’s a reasonable request. “Of course. Why wouldn’t he?”
“It’s beensixmonths, Danny.”
Out of everyone in this town, I feel the most comfortable with Danny Sloan. He is the first real person who didn’t look at me like I was crazy or have that pitiful look in their eye. You know the one. It’s the look you give a kicked dog before you reach your hand out, trying to comfort it. Danny and his wife are the only two people in town who have never looked at me like that—including Joseph and Charlie. And over the past four months, I’ve gotten closer to the Sloans after Danny came out to the ranch one day to invite me to dinner. His wife Doris wanted to make sure I was eating more than stew and chili because everyone knew that was about all Joseph made nowadays. Since then, dinner with the Sloans has become a thing every few weeks.
“I know.” Sloan sighs, sitting forward. “And I can’t imagine being in your shoes. Truly, Xavier, I wish there was something more I could do.”
“Can you doublecheck with the sheriff? Make sure they put it out there. Ask them to repost it, maybe? If it’s been a while, maybe a refresh will help.”
Sloan scratches the gray stubble on his face before his shoulders fall and he nods. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thank you, Danny.”
He offers one single nod but doesn’t move an inch. There’s something different about him, almost like he can’t wait for me to leave as he sits behind his desk with his hands folded neatly and a straight smile. It reminds me of the same one he wears when trying to be serious, but even that smile has more pull to it.
“We still on for dinner next week?” I ask, testing the waters.
“Of course. Doris said she’s gonna make something new…I told her not to do one of her experiments on us, but she seems to think we’ll love it.”
“So, pizza?”
“Probably.” Sloan laughs and the tension melts away from his features, easing my anxiety. “We’ll have to try it regardless. You know that.”
I cringe. “Don’t worry, I remember the chicken and sweet potato enchilada bake-thing she made.”
Despite how bad it tasted, we powered through, determined not to hurt her feelings after she worked so hard on the dish. Doris wasn’t so forgiving, though. She choked down three bites before she dropped her fork and pushed the plate away, saying she couldn’t take another. She grabbed her purse and walked out the door, returning not long after with two large pizzas.
“Please don’t remind me about that one.” He laughs and when the dust settles, he heaves a deep sigh. “Look, Xavier, if I hear anything else, I’ll let you know.”
