Page 13

Chapter 13

Ruth

Sheriff Trenton, I rolled my eyes, since he didn’t specify how he wanted to spend on the flowers with the mood I'm in, Holly is getting an enormous bouquet, on his dime. She deserves it if for nothing else than having to deal with Sheriff Grumpy-Pants on a daily basis. Plus, I have ulterior motives for making this an impressive arrangement. First, because I think he needs to pay and second, this delivery is going to be a fact finding mission and an impressive flower arrangement might help me.

"That's amazing," Mary comments as she walks by the worktable, stopping to admire the front of the arrangement. "Stunning. Where am I taking that one?"

"Thanks, but I'll deliver this one tomorrow morning myself," I tell her as I try to get a stubborn sunflower to stay in place.

"Who's getting it?" She leans against the table, her interest piqued.

"Holly at the sheriff's station."

"Oh, I see." A knowing smile spreads across her face. "Hoping to bump into a certain sheriff?"

"Nope, not at all, I'm hoping to get some information from his assistant." I look at Mary out of the corner of my eye.

"That works. So, what kind of information are you fishing for?"

"If he's dating anyone." I keep watching her for a reaction.

"What did I miss over the weekend?" Mary steps to the side so she can see my face better.

"Nothing. I just want to know if the reason he won't go out with me is because he's seeing someone." I tuck in a spray of baby's breath, focusing intently on the flowers rather than Mary's scrutiny.

"And what if you don't get the information from Holly? What if she doesn't come and get the flowers? What if the sheriff takes them?" Mary places her hands on her hips in a defiant stance.

Looking Mary right in the eyes, I tell her, "If he comes and takes the flowers, then I'm going to ask him, face to face. Fire the question at point-blank range."

"Ok, I have to admit I'm hoping he is the one who comes to get the flowers." She grins mischievously.

"Well, we'll find out tomorrow. Now, it's time to close for the night. Want to grab some food? My treat."

Mary smiled, "My mother taught me to never refuse a free meal. I'll get the lights."

Putting the flower arrangement in the cooler, I couldn't help but wonder what I would say if I ran into Tobias while on the delivery. I want information, but do I want to see him while trying to get it?

Much to Joey's protests, we're up and at the shop early. I want to make the delivery to the station as soon as the front door opens, that means seven thirty. Stopping at the counter, I grab a thank-you card and fill it out with the message the sheriff dictated.

Thank you for everything you do for us. You're the best! – The officers

"Joey, are you going with me or staying here?" I called the snoring Chihuahua in the back room. He didn't come running out, just continued snoring.

"Go ahead, we got him." Mary and my aunt startled me when they spoke. The two were standing side by side with large coffees, a bag from the bakery, and shit-eating grins.

"What are you two doing here?" I hefted the flower arrangement, so it was sitting on my hip.

My aunt's eyebrow raised. "We can't just show up with coffee for our favorite flower shop owner?"

I stood in place, looking at the two of them.

"Fine, we want the scoop on what happens." She admitted.

Mary added, "And we're willing to bribe it out of you with coffee and donuts."

Shaking my head and scoffing a laugh, "Fine, I'll be back."

Pulling up and parking outside the sheriff's station, I lifted the flowers out of the van. Thank goodness it's not a windy day. I despise delivering in the wind. Walking up to the door of the station, I struggle to open it while balancing the enormous arrangement.

A man in a suit comes from inside and holds the door.

"Here, let me get that for you." He looks like a lawyer here to see a client.

"Thank you. It's a little hard to maneuver doors while carrying these." I smile as I slide past him.

"Hi Ruth, you’re out early this morning." Carol, the receptionist at the front desk, greets me. "Those are stunning. Who's the lucky one today?"

"How are you, Carol? These are for Holly. I was curious if I could take them back to her? Keep the surprise."

"Oh sure. Let me just see if she's in her office." Carol presses something on her phone and touches her earpiece.

"Holly, Carol. I have a special delivery I'm sending back to you. Yep, bye." She looks back at me. "Go ahead, Ruth, you know how to get to her office, right?"

"I do, thank you."

Carol buzzes me in and the door opens automatically. Walking down the white sterile hallway my shoes click with each step. I go past the first hallway, turning left at the second. Holly's office is the second door on the right. Tobias's office is the first one on the right, and his door is closed. I feel a small twinge of disappointment. Focus, we have information to get.

I knock as I walk through Holly's open door.

"Hello Holly, these are for you." I set the arrangement down on the small round wooden table in the middle of her office.

"Good Lord!" Holly's eyes widened. "Ruth, that's gorgeous! You really have talent. Oh, look at all the sunflowers and smell those lilies. My favorites!"

"I'm glad you like it." I smile, pleased by her reaction.

"You’re out early, I hope I wasn’t the reason." Holly is looking around the bouquet. “Is there a card?”

Pointing to it, and watched while she opens it.

"Aww," she says, shaking her head with a smile. "That's so nice of them."

Now's my chance. I lower my voice conspiratorially. "Holly, can I ask you a personal question, woman to woman?" I wring my hands in front of me, trying to look casual and probably failing miserably. Holly looks at my hands, then up to my eyes. She matches my lowered tone.

"Sure, Ruth, if I can answer it, I will." She looks sympathetic, as if expecting a question about the break-ins or something equally serious.

Here it goes, "Is the sheriff dating anyone?" I almost whisper.

Holly's eyebrows shoot up. "Wow, of all the questions I would have bet you were going to ask me, that was not even in the top one hundred." Her voice rises with delight. "I thought you were going to ask about the break-ins."

"Oh no, I know you all are working as best you can to solve those." I smoothed down my blouse. "I was, ah, just curious, if you knew if he was dating anyone." I lower my voice again, hoping no one can overhear my question. Especially not a certain silver-haired sheriff whose office is just next door.

"No, not to my knowledge, no. He's not seeing anyone, at least not that he's told me. I don't know how he could. He's always here at work." Holly answers, then leans forward. "Now, can I ask you a question?"

"Fair enough." I brace myself for whatever's coming.

"Why do you want to know?" Holly has a gleam in her eye, like a bloodhound that's caught a scent. "Do you have a thing for our sheriff?"

"No, no, nothing, umm, like that. I was just curious." My face betrays me, heating up instantly.

"That smile and the color of your face say different." Holly crosses her arms and positions her head slightly downward like a teacher questioning a student's dubious excuse. "For what it's worth, I think you two would make a stinking cute couple."

"Really? I mean, ah, I was just curious. You know. It's nothing, sorry I bothered you. Ah, thanks, I better get going now. Deliveries to make. See you later, Holly." I practically bolt from her office. Good thing I handled that with all the grace and believability of an elephant in toe shoes opening in Swan Lake on Broadway. What was I thinking?

"Thanks, Carol." I say as I make a speedy retreat out the front door.

Once outside, I keep up my momentum until I get to the van, where I finally allow myself to sit and catch my breath. After my initial embarrassment was gone I blew out a breath.

"Alright mister, I'm Sheriff Trenton, what's the real reason for your behavior?"

***

Tobias

"You went way overboard!" Holly announces as she enters my office first thing this morning. "I love them, but goodness, it's too much."

"What are we talking about?" I look up from the mound of paperwork I've ignored that is now covering my desk. "Can't you do some of this?" I put my hand out to the piles.

"Nope, that's all you. I'm trying to say thank you for the flowers. You went way overboard, thank you."

Shit, how much did going overboard cost me?

"You are worth it," I say, recovering quickly. "Thank you for all you do for us and for putting up with me."

"Speaking of you," Holly closes my office door and stands in front of my desk, her hands clasped behind her back. She reminds me of the drill sergeants in the Army.

"Ruth delivered my flowers," she says, her eyes narrowing as she watches my reaction carefully.

I set down my pen, trying to appear only mildly interested. "Ruth was here already?" I asked, looking at my watch. “That's an early delivery, which means she was at her shop early.” I can’t help the tone and attitude in my voice. That little shit went to the shop on her own in the early morning, that’s exactly what I told her not to do.

Holly cocks her head to the side, her eyes narrowing even farther. "You look a little irritated. Everything alright?" Holly crosses her arms, leaning her hip against my desk.

"Ah?" I keep my voice neutral. “Sorry, what?”

"She asked me if you were dating anyone." Holly raises her eyebrows and tilts her head to the other side.

I clear my throat. "Why would she ask you that?"

"That's what I'm wondering. What's really interesting is that when I told her that, to the best of my knowledge, you were not dating anyone, she turned seven shades of red, fumbled her words and took off out of my office like an Olympic sprinter out of the blocks. All while having an enormous smile on her face." Holly shifts her head staring at me. "Now, why do you think she would have that reaction?"

"How am I supposed to know why she would ask you that?" I meet her gaze, refusing to blink first.

"Mhm." Holly took a step back, her eyebrows furrowed. "You know, she's a lovely, smart, successful business owner, funny, who is genuinely kind. And very pretty."

"I'm aware of who Ruth is, Holly."

"Are you? You weren't just a minute ago." Holly watches me like a hawk. "She's obviously interested in you."

"That would be... inappropriate." is all I say turning my gaze back to the dreaded paperwork in hopes Holly will leave.

"Inappropriate? Why in the world would it be inappropriate? You're both single adults."

"She's too young," I mutter, shuffling papers on my desk.

Holly laughs. "Too young? Ruth? She must be at least mid-thirties. She's been running that shop for years."

"She's thirty-three."

Holly's eyes widened. "And you know this how?"

Damn it. "It came up in conversation once."

"So you've had conversations. Personal conversations. The two of you?" Holly leans forward, smelling blood in the water. "My husband is eight years older than me, and we've been happily married for twenty-two years. Nobody cares about age, Tobias."

"It's different when you're the sheriff."

"Is it? Sounds like an excuse to me." Holly softens her tone. "Tobias, I've watched you bury yourself in work for years. It wouldn't kill you to have a life outside this office."

"I have Tim and Dianna."

"That's their life, not yours." Holly straightens up. "I know something's going on between you two. I saw how you looked when I mentioned her name. I'll tell you like I told her, I think you two would be a wonderful match."

"Nothing's going on," I insist, a bit too forcefully. "Wait, you told her that?"

"Yes, I did, I think you two would make a great couple." Holly turns and heads to the door, pausing to look back. "You would be good for each other. She might even get you to relax once in a while."

Before I can respond, the radio on my shoulder crackles to life.

"Charlie Charlie - all units. Ten sixty-seven at the park near the pond. Ambulance being dispatched."

Holly freezes. "Ten sixty-seven? What's that one?"

"A dead body."

The coffee mug on my desk spills as I jump up. The hot liquid rolls across the reports on my desk, but I don't even glance at it as I rush toward the door. “This is a great start to the day.”

“Go, I got this.” Holly yells after me.

"Charlie Charlie - Alpha one enroute," I called into my radio, already racing down the hallway.