Dark Waters by Susan Rogers Cooper Page A

sneer.
    â€˜From a grateful lady,’ Darby answered, his grin getting bigger.
    â€˜Hum,’ Emmett said, ‘you got out yesterday and already you got a girlfriend?’
    â€˜No, this lady’s been my, um, friend, I’d guess you’d say, for about eighteen months. Started out as pen pals, then she started bringing my mama to see me. Real nice lady.’
    â€˜And she bought you the motorcycle and TV because . . .’
    â€˜Because I’m so fucking handsome,’ Darby said and laughed.
    â€˜And how can she afford to buy you such expensive gifts?’
    â€˜She’s got a real good job. She’s the principal at that Christian school in town.’
    No more discussion. Petal was moving to public school.
    On the way home the night before, Dalton had called the realtor who had the listing for the little house near downtown and made an appointment to see it on the way in to work that morning. He pulled up outside the house about ten minutes early. Dalton never, ever got any place late, or even on time. He was always early. He never wanted to keep anyone waiting. But Holly wasn’t that crazy about that habit. He’d show up at her apartment and she’d never be ready, and although that didn’t bother him a bit, as he didn’t mind waiting for her – either inside her apartment, sitting on the couch, or even outside standing on the porch – it seemed to bother her.
    But while he was waiting for the realtor, he got an itch. He wanted her to hurry up because he wanted to see this house. The outside had him all atwitter. It was what the realtor had called a pre-war bungalow. He wasn’t sure which war, but he didn’t really care. It was a wood-frame house, painted yellow with white trim, and had a big front porch. In his mind he could see a white porch swing and maybe some push toys and a tricycle or two. There were evergreen shrubs on either side of the porch and mulched flower beds just waiting for planting. The driveway was paved and led to an old-fashioned garage with one of those doors that went from right to left, rather than up and down. He thought he’d probably want to replace at least the door – get one of those electric garage door openers and make it easier for Holly, especially when she’d be carrying groceries and a child or two. Or three.
    A fancy Lexus pulled up in the driveway and Dalton got out to meet the realtor. She was an older lady, probably in her fifties, wearing glasses with great big fancy frames, and slacks, a top, a jacket, a bunch of scarves and jewelry.
    â€˜Mr Pettigrew?’ she called as he approached. ‘Or should I say Officer Pettigrew?’
    â€˜That would be Deputy, ma’am,’ Dalton said, taking her outstretched hand. ‘But please call me Dalton.’
    â€˜Well, fine, Dalton, I’m June O’Hara, and you can just call me June! Isn’t this a lovely home? Like I told you on the phone, it’s a two bedroom, one bath with an extra room, a one-car garage, or,’ and here she patted his arm, ‘a workroom! You look like a man who likes to work with his hands.’
    â€˜Yes’m, sometimes,’ Dalton said.
    â€˜Is your wife joining us?’ June asked.
    Dalton blushed. ‘No, ma’am. Not today.’
    â€˜Well,’ she said, and looked at the gun in Dalton’s holster.
    â€˜Oh,’ Dalton said. ‘Would you be more comfortable if I left my service revolver in the car?’
    June smiled. ‘That would be lovely,’ she said.
    Dalton headed back to his squad car and put the gun in the glove box, locked the box then relocked the car. He joined June on the porch and they headed inside. The front door opened into the living room, which was a good size, a fireplace on the right with bookcases on either side, with a small window at the top of each bookcase, and on the left what the lady had called ‘an extra room.’ It had glass