Blood Relations by Rett MacPherson Page B

taking.
    â€œI’ll have one of those things I can’t pronounce, with the crumbly stuff on top, blackberry tea, and … I don’t know.… Surprise me.”
    She raised her eyebrows and sat down across from me in the booth. “Feeling adventurous today,” she said. “What’s up?”
    â€œI’m on my lunch break. Saturdays are always pretty busy over at the Gaheimer House.”
    She gave me one of those looks that said, Okay, whatever. Be in denial. That soon faded and was replaced with a golden smile and then an expression of concern. “Again, what’s up?”
    â€œNothing,” I said.
    â€œHow’s the slugger?”
    â€œMeaning Rachel?” I asked, glaring at her. “She’s fine.”
    â€œAnd Half-pint?”
    â€œMary’s good, too.”
    â€œTorie,” she said. “There is something on your mind.”
    There was, but that didn’t necessarily mean that I was going to share it with her. I love Krista. She’s great. But my inner circle, the people with whom I share personal things, is pretty much limited to my mother, Rudy, and my best friend, Collette, who lives up in St. Louis.
    â€œThere’s always something on my mind, Krista.”
    â€œSo, did that Lahrs guy start his diving today?”
    â€œAs far as I know,” I said, looking out the window. I couldn’t see the river from where I was sitting, but I could imagine him down there in his scuba gear, looking all around. “I think he and Bradley Chapel have struck a bargain.”
    â€œThe guy from Channel 6?” she asked.
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œHow so?”
    â€œI think Jacob Lahrs has agreed to let Bradley film him. Jacob gets publicity, plus a documentation of his discoveries, and Bradley gets the story he wants,” I said. “At least I think that’s what’s going on, because I saw Bradley down there filming and talking with Jacob’s assistant, Mr. Ketchum.”
    â€œWell, it’ll be interesting to see what they dig up,” she said. She stood then and put one hand on her hip. “I’ll be right back with your crumbly thing and your tea.”
    No sooner had she left than Sheriff Brooke took her seat. He was in full uniform, which meant he was on duty. He put his hat on the seat next to him and clasped his hands in front of him. “Hey.”
    I was going to have to find a new sanctuary, because this one was just getting entirely too well known. I looked toward the door and wondered just how he knew I had been sitting here, since he couldn’t have seen me from the entrance. I didn’t have to ask him.
    â€œYou always sit here,” he said. “And if you’re not at the Gaheimer House or your own, this is usually where you are.”
    â€œNot true,” I said, defensive at being so predictable. “Sometimes I’m at the library. In fact, I’m always at the library. Or the courthouse, or out with the kids. I am not always here.”
    â€œOkay,” he said. “Then how’d I know that you’d be here?”
    â€œBeginner’s luck.”
    He laughed at that. The sheriff and I share a long history. Most of that long history has been filled with me despising him in different degrees. But he is a good guy, regardless of how much he irritates me, or how many times he has arrested me. And he makes my mother very happy. Sheriff Brooke is about twelve years younger than my mother, which I found really hard to deal with at first. But they’ve been married over a year now, and I have to admit that they are really meant for each other. He is a much better husband than my father ever was, and that was my opinion before Ms. Stephanie Connelly came knocking on my door.
    â€œWhat do you want?” I asked.
    â€œLunch,” he said.
    â€œAren’t you supposed to ask me if I mind if you join me?”
    â€œNow, if I did that, you’d say