Page 123 of Cougar Point

“Will you shut up for a minute?” Ronnie says. “He wants to offer you a job too. He said it was time the department had detectives he can count on.” When she says this her eyes light up. I can imagine her twenty years down the road, always a scowl on her face, just like Lucas. But that’s not Ronnie. One of my professors in college once said, “People who are happy all the time either have something to hide, or they’re insane.” Ronnie’s neither of those.

“Ronnie, I’m happy where I am. But thank Sheriff Longbow for me. When do you start?”

“You…want me to take it?”

“Well, I’m not going to beg if that’s what you mean. You won’t find a better partner than me. And Tony loves you. And what about Marley? Hayden told me he likes you and wanted to ask you out.”

She chuckles. “I’m not taking the job, Megan. I’ll be back in a week. Sorry, but you’ll just have to put up with me.” She punchesme on the arm and it’s all I can do to keep from hitting her back. I’m not a punching bag. Been there. Done that.

“One week. Then I’m coming to get you. Bringing handcuffs, an Armed Response Team, and K-9s.”

“Okay. Okay. Tell Tony thanks for extending my stay. And no donuts for him, Megan. Promise me.”

“Promise,” I say, and remember a place on the way home I can buy him some. I get on the road before she starts crying and sets off a chain reaction.

After a few miles I’ve forgotten all about her, the family, the case, the look on Ronnie’s face while she stood in the drive and waved. I tried anyway.

My phone rings and I tell Siri to answer. I hope it’s Dan saying he’s come home early but it’s not someone I want to talk to. It’s Nan, Sheriff Gray’s secretary. I want to program my car to block calls from her.

“Megan?”

“That’s who you called, isn’t it?” I’m sorry I said that out loud.No I’m not.

“I wouldn’t have called but Sheriff Gray wanted to be sure you were coming back today.”

“What’s up, Nan?”

“I’ll let him tell you.”

Then why didn’t he call? What the hell. “Put him on.”

“He just left to go to a budget meeting.”

Here we go. Round and round. “Okay. Tell him I’ll stop by the office before I go home.”

“There’s something else.”

I hate it when people do that. Spit it out. “Okay.”

“You had a mysterious visitor this morning.”

I wait. I’m not biting this time.

“Do you want to know who it was?”

I wait with my hands clenching the steering wheel imagining it’s her neck.

“He said his name was Wallace.”

My breath catches in my throat and fear runs through me. I barely hear her saying, “Megan. Megan. Are you still there?”

“Here,” I croak.

“He wouldn’t give a last name. Or maybe Wallace is his last name. He was very attractive. In a mountain man sort of way. He said to tell you he was sorry he missed you at the restaurant in Drayton Harbor.”

I can’t speak.

“Megan?”

I don’t answer. I drift across the lane and the stupid computer voice tells me and corrects my steering all at the same time.

“Do you know who that is, Megan? He said you would know him?”

I know him. He’s my stalker. He knows things about me that could put me in prison. He’s kept track of my movements and never fails to let me know that. But I don’t say any of that. “Did he say why he was here?”

“No. He just said he would catch you later. He was looking forward to it.” She pauses and I can imagine the smug look on her face. “You have an admirer, Megan. Is he single? I didn’t see a ring. Does your boyfriend know about?—”

I disconnect the call.

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