excuses to Andrew Harper at all.
“ Oh , sure .” He ran a hand through his crew cut and rubbed the back of his neck. “Maybe I could stop by later in the week to find out what your answer is. I mean, since you don’t have a phone. And if you need help painting that fence, I could do that for you. ”
She didn’t want to deal with him a second time, especially not at her house with Tom hiding somewhere like a rainbow-colored ghost. Sarah took a deep breath.
“Andrew, I think you’re a swell guy. Really. But I’m not ready to start dating anybody yet. I don’t know what Grace told you, but I’m just not.”
“I understand.” Andrew nodded, frowning and flustered. “I didn’t mean to be pushy. I know you must still be grieving, b ut , just so’s you know, if you ever are ready to date again , I’d sure like to take you out.”
“Thank you.” Sarah managed a smile and moved around the car toward the driver’s side. “I’m sorry, Andrew. Maybe sometime.”
He rushed to open the car door for her. “That’d be great. I’m sorry I asked so soon. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“I’m not upset. It’s okay.” She slid behind the wheel and started the engine, anxious to get away.
Andrew closed the door and stepped back.
Sarah pulled away from the curb. When she looked into her rearview mirror, Andrew was still standin g there watching her drive away—another figure receding into the distance behind her. She thought she would cheerfully kill Grace May right now for creating this situation. Andrew was a sweet, friendly man and she hated bursting his hopeful expectations.
Driving home, Sarah was almost to the turn off for the farm when saw the sheriff’s cruiser approaching from the opposite direction. The red light on top flashed and the siren gave a brief whoop.
Sarah stopped in the middle of the road parallel with the other car. Heart pounding she cranked down her window.
Deputy Phil Olkowski lowered his window . “Hi there, Mrs. Cassidy. How are you doing?” The deputy removed his cap and ran a hand over his forehead. His face was red and sweating. He blew out a long breath. “It’s shaping up to be a hot one for September.”
“Yes, it is.” Sarah’s pulse raced as if she’d been caught in a crime . “What’s going on? I heard about this missing man from the carnival.”
“Yeah, some poor, benighted idiot wandered off, but to hear folk talk you’d think a murderer was on the loose.” He shook his head and put his hat back on. “Anyway, I was out to your place to see if you’d noticed anything unusual. Your farm is about the closest to where they was camped, except for Charlie Burkett’s. I hope you don’t mind but I took the liberty to poke around your barn and outbuildings. Didn’t see anything out of order though. I think you’re safe.”
“Well, thank you for checking, Phil. I feel safer knowing you’re on the job.” Sarah’s heart slowed down. “If I spot anything unusual, I’ll let you know.”
“You can call me from the Burkett’s. You know, you should get yourself a phone installed. They’ve already run a line to Burkett’s. Yours isn ’t much farther. It’s not safe for a woman living alone with no way to call for help.”
“I’ve been thinking about it. I’ll look into it.” She smiled and started to roll up her window to end to the conversation.
“If you do happen to see this retarded fellow, no matter how harmless he seems, you go get Charlie or else call me and I’ll come out. Better safe than sorry.”
“I will.” Sarah resisted the urge to gun the engine as she drove away. She turned onto her road and a half-mile later into her driveway. Climbing out of the car, she noticed a section of the picket fence around the house was scraped smooth for painting.
“Tom,” she called , and for one heart-breaking moment, she was certain he wouldn’t answer. Of course, he’d left when the deputy came around. Her brief adventure and budding
“ Oh , sure .” He ran a hand through his crew cut and rubbed the back of his neck. “Maybe I could stop by later in the week to find out what your answer is. I mean, since you don’t have a phone. And if you need help painting that fence, I could do that for you. ”
She didn’t want to deal with him a second time, especially not at her house with Tom hiding somewhere like a rainbow-colored ghost. Sarah took a deep breath.
“Andrew, I think you’re a swell guy. Really. But I’m not ready to start dating anybody yet. I don’t know what Grace told you, but I’m just not.”
“I understand.” Andrew nodded, frowning and flustered. “I didn’t mean to be pushy. I know you must still be grieving, b ut , just so’s you know, if you ever are ready to date again , I’d sure like to take you out.”
“Thank you.” Sarah managed a smile and moved around the car toward the driver’s side. “I’m sorry, Andrew. Maybe sometime.”
He rushed to open the car door for her. “That’d be great. I’m sorry I asked so soon. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“I’m not upset. It’s okay.” She slid behind the wheel and started the engine, anxious to get away.
Andrew closed the door and stepped back.
Sarah pulled away from the curb. When she looked into her rearview mirror, Andrew was still standin g there watching her drive away—another figure receding into the distance behind her. She thought she would cheerfully kill Grace May right now for creating this situation. Andrew was a sweet, friendly man and she hated bursting his hopeful expectations.
Driving home, Sarah was almost to the turn off for the farm when saw the sheriff’s cruiser approaching from the opposite direction. The red light on top flashed and the siren gave a brief whoop.
Sarah stopped in the middle of the road parallel with the other car. Heart pounding she cranked down her window.
Deputy Phil Olkowski lowered his window . “Hi there, Mrs. Cassidy. How are you doing?” The deputy removed his cap and ran a hand over his forehead. His face was red and sweating. He blew out a long breath. “It’s shaping up to be a hot one for September.”
“Yes, it is.” Sarah’s pulse raced as if she’d been caught in a crime . “What’s going on? I heard about this missing man from the carnival.”
“Yeah, some poor, benighted idiot wandered off, but to hear folk talk you’d think a murderer was on the loose.” He shook his head and put his hat back on. “Anyway, I was out to your place to see if you’d noticed anything unusual. Your farm is about the closest to where they was camped, except for Charlie Burkett’s. I hope you don’t mind but I took the liberty to poke around your barn and outbuildings. Didn’t see anything out of order though. I think you’re safe.”
“Well, thank you for checking, Phil. I feel safer knowing you’re on the job.” Sarah’s heart slowed down. “If I spot anything unusual, I’ll let you know.”
“You can call me from the Burkett’s. You know, you should get yourself a phone installed. They’ve already run a line to Burkett’s. Yours isn ’t much farther. It’s not safe for a woman living alone with no way to call for help.”
“I’ve been thinking about it. I’ll look into it.” She smiled and started to roll up her window to end to the conversation.
“If you do happen to see this retarded fellow, no matter how harmless he seems, you go get Charlie or else call me and I’ll come out. Better safe than sorry.”
“I will.” Sarah resisted the urge to gun the engine as she drove away. She turned onto her road and a half-mile later into her driveway. Climbing out of the car, she noticed a section of the picket fence around the house was scraped smooth for painting.
“Tom,” she called , and for one heart-breaking moment, she was certain he wouldn’t answer. Of course, he’d left when the deputy came around. Her brief adventure and budding
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