Page 40 of I Want Crazy (Loco, Texas 3)

Red did as he was told, keeping quiet, but Jessie wasn’t about to let Red get shot by some Barney Fife. “Sir, he—”

“You just stay right there, ma’am, while I take care of him.”

The officer went to where Red was lying and knelt into his back as he slapped the cuffs on him. “You just stay here while I talk to the lady.”

Red still hadn’t said anything, so Jessie tried again. “Sir, there’s been a mistake. He wasn’t doing anything—”

“I got a call from the owner of this land saying he saw headlights going toward his fishing hole and then a woman’s scream. Y’all realize you were trespassing?”

Jessie hadn’t, but what mattered was getting Red out of those cuffs. “I’m sorry I alarmed anyone, sir, but I got startled by a possum and fell in the creek. We were just doing a little night fishing—”

“Oh, so you were trespassing and poaching? And you’re saying that this man wasn’t attacking you?”

Jessie shook her head. “He’s my friend.”

“Well, miss, your friend’s got you in a heap of trouble. I’m going to have to take y’all in and charge you—”

“You’re going to charge us?” By the look on his face, she got her answer and tried another approach, radiating demureness. “I understand you have to do what you think is right, but would you mind terribly if I put my pants back on? I’m afraid they’re still wet, but you wouldn’t make me walk into a police station half-naked, would you?”

The officer seemed to notice for the first time that she was in her sweatshirt and cotton underwear, cut high to show off her hips and bare legs. If she wasn’t mistaken, the officer’s cheeks turned a deep red, and she smiled. “I really am sorry to have caused all this trouble. I’m new to Loco, and my friend was just showing me around some of his favorite places. I’m sure he didn’t realize he was trespassing.

”

“There’s clear signs everywhere that say no trespassing.” His tone was gruff, but Jessie could tell by the way his gaze shifted over her legs that he found her attractive. She might be able to talk their way out of this.

“Okay, well, is there any way we can just forget this one instance? It’s just, I’m trying to finish getting ready for my bar opening next week—”

“Which bar?” the officer asked abruptly.

“The Watering Hole in Loco.”

“I know it.” Jessie realized that what she thought had been a slur in his speech was caused by the massive amount of dip he had shoved in his bottom lip.

Pulling her sweatshirt down a little, she said, “I don’t suppose you’d be willing to just let us go and maybe stop by next week for my grand opening and let me buy you a drink?”

Red groaned at the same time the officer stiffened. “Are you bribing me, ma’am?”

“No!” Jessie was tempted to pull her hair out in frustration. “I just… Please, I am begging you, can you please just let us go?”

The officer reached down and hefted Red up. “I’m gonna let y’all go with a warning, but I catch you making any other kind of mischief, I’ll haul you in so fast, your head’ll spin around. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes.” Jessie waited impatiently for him to unlock Red’s cuffs. Once he was free, Red scowled at the smaller man while he rubbed his wrists.

“Don’t you glower at me, son. You’re lucky the little lady talks so sweet, or I’d have already shoved your ass in my backseat.”

Jessie started to head back toward the creek, and the officer called out, “And where do you think you’re going?”

“To get my pants and our fishing poles.” Although by the shake of his head, she had a feeling she was going home without her jeans.

“Y’all have a minute to gather your gear and get out of here.”

The man actually pressed a button on his stopwatch.

Before she could start sprinting, Red put a hand on her arm. “Just get in the car, and I’ll gather up everything.”

Jessie didn’t argue but climbed into the passenger side and waited. Once she sat down, she reached up and felt her hair, which was embedded with leaves and twigs. As she started to pull out the debris, she felt something crawl across her face. Screaming, she started slapping her face and jumped out of the car, shaking her head and flailing. When she finally calmed down, she looked up to find the officer staring at her with his hand on the butt of his gun.

“If you’re about done having a hissy fit, why don’t you get back in the car and I’ll take you home?” Red asked.

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