Page 61 of Cowboy Heat

I hand Micah my coffee cup. “Hey, take this inside for me, would you? Be careful with it. I got it after I passed my detective’s exam.”

Micah eyes the mug with interest but not before he looks at the sheriff’s truck with notable worry.

I can’t tell if it’s because of the potential news that’s headed our way or if it’s the man himself. Maybe, based on Kissy’s rigid stance, it’s a little bit of both.

The sheriff parks quick. He gets out of the truck slow. His badge is as shiny as his rims. My rental really does need a bath compared to his ride.

The sound of the front door closing behind Micah is the only thing that’s gathering around us. I make sure I meet him before he can get to Kissy.

“Morning, Sheriff.” I hold out my hand.

“Morning, you two.” The handshake is firm, harder on his side.

I’m not sure I like the sheriff all that much.

He gives Kissy a quick once-over and shakes his head like he’s just about the sorriest person for her. “I couldn’t believe what happened when I heard about last night,” he tells her. “I told Myers I couldn’t believe something like that had taken place in our little Robin’s Tree. It’s a shame. A damn shame.”

It wasn’t an offer of sympathy, and Kissy doesn’t thank him for his thoughts.

She’s got a new lilt to her words when she replies to it, though. It’s not warm, it’s not polite, but it’s not outright disrespectful of his position, either. “You must’ve been pretty tied up to not be able to make it to the scene for something so out of the ordinary. Does that mean Guidry’s been found?”

The sheriff stiffens. “No, haven’t seen him yet.” He nods to the house. “I was hoping Micah being here meant you might’ve talked to him.”

I’m angry in an instant. “She had a busy night last night, as you can imagine. Not a lot of time to track someone not even the sheriff’s department can find.”

The sheriff frowns.

I feel Kissy’s hand touch my elbow. Lightly.

“Micah heard about the attack and came to see me. Damien okayed the stay.” She motions to her face. “As you might appreciate, I didn’t feel that great about staying at my own place last night, and Mr. Montgomery here was nice enough to offer up one of the many guest bedrooms inside.”

I don’t like the way Kissy keeps having to reason out her choices to these men. Especially since it’s clear their concern lies with Guidry and not her or the boy.

Sheriff Roland nods. “Good of you to do that,” he says to me. “And to jump in when Kissy needed helping. Good of Micah too to be concerned. He’s got a well-meaning heart, that one. Maybe I could tell him that myself? Ask him a few questions about Guidry too?”

I’m half a second away from telling him there’s no way he’s going to question a minor, but Kissy cuts me off.

“No.”

It’s one word, but it’s hard.

Definitive.

Insulting to a man like Sheriff Roland, I’m sure.

Yet the sheriff only stares blankly for a moment. Then he laughs. “I guess I’m not here for Guidry anyway. I’m here to ask if you wouldn’t mind coming to the department, Kissy. We need to take an official statement about last night. Myers was supposed to do it, but he’s been called away.”

I cross my arms over my chest. “That’s mighty nice of you to drive all the way out here to ask that. In Orlando, that would’ve been a phone call from us.”

The sheriff waves off the comment with a laugh. “What can I say? Small-town niceties and all that. Plus, this one here’s grandmother is the one who pointed me to Blue Lolita. It’s on my way to the department and no trouble for me. Also said you might not have a ride, so I didn’t see the harm in offering.”

Kissy’s hand lightly trails my elbow again. The sheriff can’t see it, I don’t think. I’m sure if he did, he’d say something. Make a little joke.

I wonder why it is I don’t like him so much when Kissy answers.

“And I appreciate the offer, Sheriff. I’d like to go ahead and get this whole thing out of the way, anyway.” She turns to me. “Would you mind taking Micah home? He can tell you the way.” Her tone has changed again. It’s gone from carefree fondness with Micah to a woman set on her ways.

Still, trusting me with Micah has to be a big deal for her.