at the deputy. “Thank you.”
When she rose to her feet, the deputy did the same. “You’ll let us know if you receive another letter or a phone call or—”
“Yes, of course,” Lorie said. For all the good it will do me. This woman doesn’t believe a word I’ve said. She thinks I made the whole thing up. No doubt Mike told her to do her duty, but warned her not to take me seriously.
“Is Sheriff Birkett in his office?” Lorie asked.
“Uh…yes, I believe he is,” Deputy Ladner replied, “but…er…I’m sure he’s busy. Is there anything else I can do for you, Ms. Hammonds?”
Without replying, Lorie turned and walked away hurriedly, every step taking her closer to Mike’s closed office door. Just as she reached the half-glass door and could plainly see Mike sitting behind his desk, a cup of coffee in his hand, Deputy Ladner grasped Lorie’s arm.
She turned and glared at the other woman, who loosened her hold and then dropped her hand away.
“You can’t see the sheriff right now,” the deputy said.
Lorie glanced around the room and noted that to a person, everyone in the sheriff’s department was staring at the two of them. She smiled. “Why not? It’s obvious he isn’t busy.”
Before Deputy Ladner could do little more than clear her throat, Lorie watched while Mike put down his cup, stood up, and walked to the door.
When he opened the door, the deputy jumped back. “Sir, I told Ms. Hammonds that you were unavailable.”
“It’s all right, Lana. Ms. Hammonds doesn’t like to follow the rules. You may go now. I’ll handle this.”
Lana Ladner? The name certainly didn’t suit the plump, plain female deputy. The name was far too fancy for such an ordinary-looking woman.
When Lana walked away, Lorie flashed Mike with a lavish smile. Totally fake, of course.
“I take it that I’m what you intend to handle,” Lorie said.
Mike grabbed her arm and dragged her into his office, then closed the door behind him. “You wanted to see me. Here I am.”
“You’re really pissed about this, aren’t you?” When he cocked an eyebrow as if saying I-don’t-know-what-you-mean, she elaborated. “You don’t like my invading your territory, even with a valid complaint.”
Mike snorted.
“I know you don’t believe that I’m in any danger. You think I concocted those two death threats, don’t you?”
“One letter,” Mike corrected. “Maleah explained that you threw the first one away…if there was a first one.”
“You egotistical son of a bitch. You actually think that I’m so determined to get back into your life that I’d fake death threats.” She punched her index fingertip into his chest. “Get this straight.” She repeated the punching motion again and again as she said, “I got the message loud and clear. You don’t want me. You wish I had never come back to Dunmore. You think I’m poison. Fine. Now, listen up—I’m over you. Finally. I wouldn’t have you if you were served to me on a silver platter with a gold apple in your mouth.”
He stood there and stared at her, his blue-black eyes wide with surprise.
She lifted her finger from his chest and balled her hand into a tight fist. “Someone has sent me two letters telling me that I’m going to die. It may be somebody’s idea of a sick joke or it could be that out there somewhere there’s a crazy person who intends to kill me. So, do your job, Sheriff. I’m a tax-paying citizen of your county.”
Lorie turned and left his office, ignored the wide-eyed department personnel, and marched straight out the front door.
Chapter 4
He exited the small commuter airplane, hoisted his vinyl carryall over his shoulder, and went directly to the car rental kiosk. If anyone remembered seeing him, they would describe him as a gray-haired man with a mustache and goatee. They might add that he wore sunglasses and dressed in wrinkled khakis and a plaid shirt. And if the airline passenger list were ever checked, his real name
When she rose to her feet, the deputy did the same. “You’ll let us know if you receive another letter or a phone call or—”
“Yes, of course,” Lorie said. For all the good it will do me. This woman doesn’t believe a word I’ve said. She thinks I made the whole thing up. No doubt Mike told her to do her duty, but warned her not to take me seriously.
“Is Sheriff Birkett in his office?” Lorie asked.
“Uh…yes, I believe he is,” Deputy Ladner replied, “but…er…I’m sure he’s busy. Is there anything else I can do for you, Ms. Hammonds?”
Without replying, Lorie turned and walked away hurriedly, every step taking her closer to Mike’s closed office door. Just as she reached the half-glass door and could plainly see Mike sitting behind his desk, a cup of coffee in his hand, Deputy Ladner grasped Lorie’s arm.
She turned and glared at the other woman, who loosened her hold and then dropped her hand away.
“You can’t see the sheriff right now,” the deputy said.
Lorie glanced around the room and noted that to a person, everyone in the sheriff’s department was staring at the two of them. She smiled. “Why not? It’s obvious he isn’t busy.”
Before Deputy Ladner could do little more than clear her throat, Lorie watched while Mike put down his cup, stood up, and walked to the door.
When he opened the door, the deputy jumped back. “Sir, I told Ms. Hammonds that you were unavailable.”
“It’s all right, Lana. Ms. Hammonds doesn’t like to follow the rules. You may go now. I’ll handle this.”
Lana Ladner? The name certainly didn’t suit the plump, plain female deputy. The name was far too fancy for such an ordinary-looking woman.
When Lana walked away, Lorie flashed Mike with a lavish smile. Totally fake, of course.
“I take it that I’m what you intend to handle,” Lorie said.
Mike grabbed her arm and dragged her into his office, then closed the door behind him. “You wanted to see me. Here I am.”
“You’re really pissed about this, aren’t you?” When he cocked an eyebrow as if saying I-don’t-know-what-you-mean, she elaborated. “You don’t like my invading your territory, even with a valid complaint.”
Mike snorted.
“I know you don’t believe that I’m in any danger. You think I concocted those two death threats, don’t you?”
“One letter,” Mike corrected. “Maleah explained that you threw the first one away…if there was a first one.”
“You egotistical son of a bitch. You actually think that I’m so determined to get back into your life that I’d fake death threats.” She punched her index fingertip into his chest. “Get this straight.” She repeated the punching motion again and again as she said, “I got the message loud and clear. You don’t want me. You wish I had never come back to Dunmore. You think I’m poison. Fine. Now, listen up—I’m over you. Finally. I wouldn’t have you if you were served to me on a silver platter with a gold apple in your mouth.”
He stood there and stared at her, his blue-black eyes wide with surprise.
She lifted her finger from his chest and balled her hand into a tight fist. “Someone has sent me two letters telling me that I’m going to die. It may be somebody’s idea of a sick joke or it could be that out there somewhere there’s a crazy person who intends to kill me. So, do your job, Sheriff. I’m a tax-paying citizen of your county.”
Lorie turned and left his office, ignored the wide-eyed department personnel, and marched straight out the front door.
Chapter 4
He exited the small commuter airplane, hoisted his vinyl carryall over his shoulder, and went directly to the car rental kiosk. If anyone remembered seeing him, they would describe him as a gray-haired man with a mustache and goatee. They might add that he wore sunglasses and dressed in wrinkled khakis and a plaid shirt. And if the airline passenger list were ever checked, his real name
Similar Books
