actually.”
“Obviously,” Hank shot back.
The sheriff was about to return the volley when he heard his name. “Mayor calls—gotta run.” He kissed his wife tenderly on the cheek and stepped away—revealing for Vicki, once again, his freakish dichotomy.
Dashel looked from the cocky man striding toward the mayor to the intelligent woman beside them.
She answered the question behind his gaping jaw with a sly grin. “It’s the sex. He’s extremely good in bed”—she turned to Vicki with a wink—“and out. That’s why I keep him around.”
The sheriff’s voice came from behind his wife. “Did you miss me?”
“Speak of the devil.” She smiled. “That was fast.”
“Like my hands.” He stepped into the group, purposely cutting Dashel off from view. “Oh, sorry. Were you two ladies talking about me again? Trying to organize a threesome or something crazy like that?”
Rose rolled her eyes. “Of course, honey—that’s all we girls ever talk about.”
He was beaming.
Rose made Vicki smile. She liked this woman. “Let’s take our seats, Dashel.” She pulled him away from his disbelief.
† † †
The sheriff seated his wife next to him up on the center-left side of the stage.
Leaning into her husband, she whispered, “What’s the scoop on these two?” Rose motioned to the agents as they attempted to take their seats. The ever-nosy Mrs. Bradshaw intercepted them, and Rose felt a twinge of pity. She could practically see the back of Bradshaw’s wide throat as the hefty woman rolled her haughty eyes, going on and on loudly, no doubt about the impact this whole ordeal has had on her personally—blah, blah, blah—as if she had actually met the victim.
Rose was suddenly surprised to see the infamous Bernadette Bradshaw silenced with what took only a few direct words from Agent Starr. Agent Dashel wore an impressed grin. Rose would have to pry that secret from Vicki—bottle it if Rose could. A sense of wicked satisfaction filled her as she watched Berdy “the Bearded” Bradshaw huff down on her expansive behind—scowling, but uncharacteristically silent. Her exasperated state was not lost on the unfortunate souls around her, who fought to hide their own private delight.
“Come on, John. What’s their story?”
“Starr is one of Doug’s best agents. Dashel’s gotta be his worst.”
She studied her husband.
“Apparently she was top of her class—magna cum laude. Slingshots her way to the top, solving case after case, and within a couple years is decorated as one of the state’s top agents. Fueled a few resentments, sure, but you’ll struggle to find anyone who says she’s not tops at what she does. She even solved her own kidnapping when she was ten.”
“That was her ?” Rose stared down at the stunning brunette in the front row. “Of course, that’s where I’ve heard the name before—she’s Victoria Starr .” Rose couldn’t believe she had forgotten. “So her father’s CEO of Starr Enterprises.”
Roscoe stroked his chin. “And just look at that tight little package—she’s coming up all aces, baby.”
“Down boy.”
“Then you have Hanky down there—”
“ Agent Dashel ,” she corrected.
“I’d use the term agent loosely, love. He’s back from a twelve-month suspension. The guy lost his shit over a case and assaulted some lawyer. People say he’s an abusive drunk who botches case after case. Apparently he used to be a hotshot, but now he’s a disgrace to the entire profession. Big-time loser who’s hardly worthy of working with a gal like Starr, let alone breathing in her same sweet air.”
“Sounds like you did a lot less digging on Agent Dashel than you did Agent Starr. Doug told you all this?”
“No, but I’ve heard enough from others to be satisfied.”
“Doug’s no dummy—why pair them up?”
“Damned if I know.”
“You’ve gotta be missing something.” She looked down at the scruffy agent. “I like him.”
“He’s an
“Obviously,” Hank shot back.
The sheriff was about to return the volley when he heard his name. “Mayor calls—gotta run.” He kissed his wife tenderly on the cheek and stepped away—revealing for Vicki, once again, his freakish dichotomy.
Dashel looked from the cocky man striding toward the mayor to the intelligent woman beside them.
She answered the question behind his gaping jaw with a sly grin. “It’s the sex. He’s extremely good in bed”—she turned to Vicki with a wink—“and out. That’s why I keep him around.”
The sheriff’s voice came from behind his wife. “Did you miss me?”
“Speak of the devil.” She smiled. “That was fast.”
“Like my hands.” He stepped into the group, purposely cutting Dashel off from view. “Oh, sorry. Were you two ladies talking about me again? Trying to organize a threesome or something crazy like that?”
Rose rolled her eyes. “Of course, honey—that’s all we girls ever talk about.”
He was beaming.
Rose made Vicki smile. She liked this woman. “Let’s take our seats, Dashel.” She pulled him away from his disbelief.
† † †
The sheriff seated his wife next to him up on the center-left side of the stage.
Leaning into her husband, she whispered, “What’s the scoop on these two?” Rose motioned to the agents as they attempted to take their seats. The ever-nosy Mrs. Bradshaw intercepted them, and Rose felt a twinge of pity. She could practically see the back of Bradshaw’s wide throat as the hefty woman rolled her haughty eyes, going on and on loudly, no doubt about the impact this whole ordeal has had on her personally—blah, blah, blah—as if she had actually met the victim.
Rose was suddenly surprised to see the infamous Bernadette Bradshaw silenced with what took only a few direct words from Agent Starr. Agent Dashel wore an impressed grin. Rose would have to pry that secret from Vicki—bottle it if Rose could. A sense of wicked satisfaction filled her as she watched Berdy “the Bearded” Bradshaw huff down on her expansive behind—scowling, but uncharacteristically silent. Her exasperated state was not lost on the unfortunate souls around her, who fought to hide their own private delight.
“Come on, John. What’s their story?”
“Starr is one of Doug’s best agents. Dashel’s gotta be his worst.”
She studied her husband.
“Apparently she was top of her class—magna cum laude. Slingshots her way to the top, solving case after case, and within a couple years is decorated as one of the state’s top agents. Fueled a few resentments, sure, but you’ll struggle to find anyone who says she’s not tops at what she does. She even solved her own kidnapping when she was ten.”
“That was her ?” Rose stared down at the stunning brunette in the front row. “Of course, that’s where I’ve heard the name before—she’s Victoria Starr .” Rose couldn’t believe she had forgotten. “So her father’s CEO of Starr Enterprises.”
Roscoe stroked his chin. “And just look at that tight little package—she’s coming up all aces, baby.”
“Down boy.”
“Then you have Hanky down there—”
“ Agent Dashel ,” she corrected.
“I’d use the term agent loosely, love. He’s back from a twelve-month suspension. The guy lost his shit over a case and assaulted some lawyer. People say he’s an abusive drunk who botches case after case. Apparently he used to be a hotshot, but now he’s a disgrace to the entire profession. Big-time loser who’s hardly worthy of working with a gal like Starr, let alone breathing in her same sweet air.”
“Sounds like you did a lot less digging on Agent Dashel than you did Agent Starr. Doug told you all this?”
“No, but I’ve heard enough from others to be satisfied.”
“Doug’s no dummy—why pair them up?”
“Damned if I know.”
“You’ve gotta be missing something.” She looked down at the scruffy agent. “I like him.”
“He’s an
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