Page 6 of Seducing the Sheriff (Charming Butte #2)

Cash folded his hands on the table next to a mug half-filled with black coffee.

“Quiet. Mostly families that go back many generations, including a lot of retirees. From what I’ve heard, it was once a mining town, so about twice the size.

There was actually an incident at the abandoned mine not too long ago, so it’s been permanently sealed off. ”

“Oh no. Was anyone hurt?” I understood the allure of caves and old mine shafts, but had managed not to be too reckless over the years.

“Nothing serious. Fire Chief Meyer and Dex, a local rancher, were going in after a kid. There was a cave-in, but they made it out with only a few bumps and scrapes.”

“And the kid?”

Cash set down the mug he’d been sipping from and chuckled. “The little rascal had already gotten out on his own.”

I laughed. Something about the way he referred to the kid as a rascal struck me. I couldn’t remember hearing anyone other than my dad ever use that word.

“Well, at least everything turned out all right.” I fiddled with the spoon resting on the napkin. I glanced around the dining area, bursting at the seams with patrons. “But considering how small this town is, they sure do get a lot of business.”

“It’s close enough to Charming to get that crowd, plus the ranchers from all around here.” Cash shrugged. “Ever since I’ve been working out of Charming’s police station, the two towns seem like they’re in each other’s pockets.”

“Oh. So you don’t have a county office?”

“Not currently. There’s a small office on the other side of the county, but I’m still a newbie here, and they’ve been doing some restructuring of the departments. The police chief is retiring and…” He chuckled. “I’m sure this is all pretty boring to you. Let’s say I’m still getting settled in.”

I grunted. “I understand all about that.”

Cash held up his mug. “Let’s get you some coffee, and we can toast to being the new guys in town.”

“Coffee was the main reason I left the motel. Plus, I get antsy.” As if to prove my point, I tapped my fingers on the table before abruptly folding my hands in my lap. “I’m used to being busy.”

“Sure, I know how that is. Are you eating? I already ordered, but when the server comes with coffee, you can let her know what you want.”

“Yeah, sounds good.” I plucked the menu from the condiment stand. “I saw that the pies here are supposed to be amazing.”

Cash leaned in, his eyebrows pinched together in a serious expression, then spoke in a low voice.

“Don’t. I know it’s tempting, but let’s just say…

” He peered over his shoulder as if checking to make sure no one was listening.

“The crust is on the unique side. I never had gritty pie until the day I tried Alejandra’s special blueberry crumble. It’s not a mistake to be repeated.”

My heart sank. I’d really been looking forward to that first bite. “What if I only ate the filling?”

Cash winced. “You could. But then you’d have to explain why you didn’t eat the rest.” He squeezed my wrist, the action so quick, I wondered if the entire episode had been a hallucination. “Best plan of action if you’re intent on having a slice is to get it to go.”

“Oh, gotcha. I can use the ‘I’m too full right now’ excuse.”

Cash nodded, pointing a finger at me. “Exactly. See? You know what I’m talking about.”

I pondered the laminated two-sided menu.

The all-day breakfast selections were on one side, with the lunch and dinner selections on the other.

I noted that they closed at eight every night, seven on Sundays.

Good information to have in case I wanted to grab a quick bite after a long day at work.

Bobcat Stump was actually closer to me than downtown Charming was.

I looked up to see Cash regarding me with a fond smile. I wasn’t sure what to make of that, so I resorted to more food talk.

“Then what would you suggest?”

“Well, it depends on what you like.” He clasped his hands again.

“Sounds like you were looking for something sweet, so I’d suggest the buttermilk pancakes.

They’re extra fluffy…” He covered half his mouth and whispered, “No grit. But if you like huevos rancheros, Alejandra makes an incredible fresh salsa.”

“Sounds like great choices.” I slid the menu back in its slot. “That’s what I’ll get.”

Cash grinned. “Don’t get mad at me if you don’t like anything.”

I grinned back. “I’m sure everything will be fantastic.”

The frazzled server showed up with a pot of coffee, and after filling the other mug on the table, she took my order without writing down a thing.

I couldn’t imagine doing that. I need everything listed precisely, every detail accounted for.

But as a customer, I wasn’t too worried about whether she got my order right.

I wasn’t all that fussy and would eat whatever someone put in front of me.

Clearly, she was up to her eyeballs in chaos and didn’t need any extra complaining.

However, with how busy it was, that meant there would probably be plenty of time for chatting. I barely knew what to talk about with someone I knew, let alone someone I’d just met.

“So…” I brushed an errant hank of hair back from my forehead. “Any updates on the body?” I winced, then lowered my voice. “Are you keeping things on the down low? We can talk about something else.”

Cash shook his head. “We’re not advertising it, but the remains are decades old.

As a matter of fact, whatever evidence might be in your house would likely be in that closet area, if anything at all.

” He took a drink of his fresh coffee. “I’m sure you’ll be cleared to go back this afternoon, but I’ll double-check when I get to the office and let you know. ”

“Thanks. I’d appreciate that.” I snorted. “I’m sure you can tell how much work there is ahead of me to whip that place into shape.”

“It’s a wonderful property, though,” mused Cash. “The spiral, wrought-iron staircase caught my eye when I first arrived. Unusual, but a nice touch. The home has a lot of personality.”

I chuckled. “That’s one way to put it. But I love the vibe of the place, the landscape, the history.

” I wrapped my palms around my mug. “As a matter of fact, I was going to head into town on Monday, see if there’s a record of the original blueprints, along with any additions or renovations done over the years. There’s clearly been quite a few.”

Cash furrowed his brow. “What year was it built?”

“1899. When I first inquired about the property, the agent told me that it was initially a line shack, meant to house the cowboys when they ran the cattle. Then over the years, each new owner added their own architectural touches.

I sighed. “I wish I knew more. I actually gleaned new details about the place from a local when I went to the hardware store yesterday. Not sure what happened to the previous owners, but it’s been left unoccupied for many years. I guess they abandoned it, or there weren’t any heirs.”

My gut clenched as my future life flashed before my eyes. For whatever reason, I felt more alone in my new forever home than I ever had when I was living a rootless existence. Cash seemed lost in thought, so I was hopeful he hadn’t noticed my sudden melancholy.

“Hmm, yes.” Cash rubbed his chin. “I remember Rosie was saying—she’s worked at the station for a long time—something about the previous owners. She said the place has been vacant for years, and not many people knew them well. I guess they were pretty much hermits.”

“Yeah, that’s basically what I was told yesterday.” My jaw went slack. “Do you think they had something to do with…” I glanced around, then leaned in the way Cash had earlier. “What I found last night?”

“It’s certainly possible. But it all depends on how old the corpse is.

Obviously, if that person was deceased before the previous owners moved there, then they would be innocent.

” Cash drained his cup. “Identifying the remains will be a good start. That is, if it’s even possible after so much time has passed. ”

I arched my eyebrows. “This is wild. An honest-to-goodness whodunnit.” I shook my head, chuckling. “Not what I was expecting when I bought the place.”

Cash let out a light laugh. “Yeah, I bet. I hope it doesn’t bother you.”

I pondered. “No, not really. If it were a more recent event, I think I’d be more creeped out. I feel bad admitting this, but I love a good mystery, like solving puzzles. Love history.” I smiled. “This has a little bit of each of those things.”

Cash nodded slowly. “That it does. I don’t know how much help I can be, but I’ll ask around about the property records. You might need to go to the Hall of Records in Santa Maria, the seat of the county.”

“Oh yeah. Good point.”

It’s not like I had oodles of time on my hands to wander around Mustang county trying to solve a decades-old murder. On the other hand, it would be practical to find out as much about the property as I could.

“If you’d like,” said Cash. “Drop by the office on Monday, and I’ll let you know what I find out.

” He cleared his throat, his eyes averting before meeting my gaze again.

“If there’s anything important I think you need to know before then, I can give you a call.

I gave you my card, but I never got your number. ”

This was it. The moment when I decided whether to take the leap, to make a new friend instead of living like the hermits who’d once owned my home. I didn’t need to carry on their lonely legacy.

“Sure. I’ll text it to you,” I said, swallowing hard and taking a deep breath before adding the next part. “Call anytime.”