Page 11

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D eputy Steve handed Lulu a folder when she walked into her office, coffee cup in hand. Henry was upstairs getting started on his own job, and Kai had snuck out the back entrance just as the sun was coming up.

In a way, it was silly to worry about being the topic of gossip. The good people of Harper were going to realize she and Kai were a couple eventually. If this relationship had any legs, and Lulu hoped it did, everyone was going to know about it without her having to say a word. It was simply how small towns worked. Everyone from the butcher to the hairdresser to the mailman were going to have an opinion about Lulu and Kai together.

“What’s this?” she asked Steve as he exited her office.

“Medical examiner’s report on Dana.”

Lulu hadn’t expected it until tomorrow, but she was glad to see it today. She’d have time to look it over before Jay and Allie arrived.

Theoretically…

They didn’t have to come here. They could refuse to be interviewed. Right now, she thought the odds were about sixty-forty and not in her favor.

If they didn’t show, she’d take the opportunity to go talk to Glen Foster about that night in the sports bar.

“Did you look at it?”

“Nope, it just arrived a few minutes ago,” Steve said. “Now I’m headed to the coffee shop to pick up some donuts. Do you have a preference?”

Chase always had a box of pastries and donuts for the sheriff’s station ready for pick up every morning. Their mom had started the tradition years ago for their dad, and Chase had taken it up when he took over.

“Cinnamon roll or chocolate frosted donut. Chase knows what I like. I’m not picky.”

They didn’t need to order coffee, too. Lulu’s mom had put a fancy coffee machine in the sheriff’s station practically the first week she’d started working here, and it had been upgraded a few times. It was far superior to the old drip machine Lulu had in the apartment upstairs. She’d finish her first cup of the day and then get a good one from the machine.

Steve closed the door behind him, leaving Lulu alone with the file. She settled at her desk and flipped it open, perusing the report. It mostly confirmed what Lulu had observed at the scene.

Dana had died from blunt force trauma to the head, possibly from a thin pipe. There hadn’t been any alcohol or drugs in her system.

Lulu had to read the next line on the report twice. She read it a third time just to make sure. Now…this was a surprise. She hadn’t expected this at all.

Dana Cartwright had been eight weeks pregnant. Pregnant.

That meant there certainly was a man in her life.

A man that their little town of Harper didn’t seem to know about which was strange. She’d already admitted to herself that everyone would find out about her and Kai, probably within days if not a few weeks.

Yet somehow, Dana and her lover had kept their relationship under wraps for at least two months. That was determination in action. With her home being so remote, perhaps it hadn’t been all that difficult? Did they never go anywhere? Perhaps they’d driven out of the county to spend time together?

It was more important than ever to find out whom Dana had been seeing. Did he know about the baby? Had he been happy or upset?

An even better question was why they had to keep their relationship so quiet? Had Dana been the side chick? An unexpected pregnancy could have messed up the man’s whole life.

A knock on the door interrupted Lulu’s reverie, and Steve stuck his head in.

“Your nine o’clock appointments are here. And they brought their lawyers.”

“Put Jay Bradford and his attorney in the interview room. Offer Allie and her lawyer coffee and donuts. I’ll get to her second.”

Was Dana’s pregnancy what she’d been discussing with Jay the other night at the sports bar? Had he known about the baby? Was he the father?

There was only one way to know, and that was to ask him. She stood, ready to gather her things for the interview when Steve stuck his head in again, but this time he was wearing a worried frown.

“Sheriff Dare Turner is here to see you. I told him I wasn’t sure you had time to talk to him. He looks like he wants to kill me.”

“That’s Dare’s normal expression. Show him in. It’s all fine. Just offer everyone coffee and pastries, okay? I won’t be long.”

Sheriff Dare Turner was a mountain of a man, tall and broad-shouldered. He was still in excellent shape despite nearing retirement age, and Lulu was sure he could whip up on any criminal who might make the mistake of wandering into Dare’s town. He was known for running a tight ship, and his town adored him.

He was also known for wearing the most sour and grouchy expression on his face. As if he was truly pissed off pretty much twenty-four-seven. He wasn’t, of course, but Lulu and some of the other kids her age had said that his face had probably molded into that shape, and it was painful for him to smile.

She had seen him smile many times over the years, but it was rather a rare occurrence - when his daughters Faith and Cherish graduated high school, things like that. He would have taken a bullet for his wife and daughters without a second thought. He was absolutely crazy about his family, and his wife Rayne swore up and down that he smiled more at home.

But his grouchy demeanor could still shake even an experienced deputy like Steve. It was amusing really, since all Lulu had known from Uncle Dare was his teddy bear side.

“Lulu, looks like you’re getting all settled here,” Dare said when he walked in.

He’d almost smiled, too, which meant he was happy about her taking this job. He’d sent her a lovely text the morning her job had been announced. Several of the uncles and aunts had.

“I am. What brings you to Harper?”

“You.”

Dare Turner was also a man of few words.

“Care to elaborate?”

“I wanted to see how you were settling into the job. If you had any questions, since your dad is on vacation.”

Dare wasn’t fooling anyone.

“You’re being awfully transparent, Uncle Dare. I have a murder on my hands, and you came to see if I needed any help.”

“Do you?”

“No. Can I ask you a question? Did you call my dad?”

“On a cruise ship?” Dare’s lips turned up in a half-smile which was a lot from him. “No, I didn’t call Seth on his retirement cruise with your mom because you have a dead body on your hands. I just came to check on you. See if you wanted a hand or advice, but I can see you’re all over this, and that I’m unneeded.”

“Uncle Dare, you are always wanted and needed.”

“You know what I mean. You’ve got this. I know you do.”

He spoke like a man filled with confidence. In her. It was wonderful and humbling all at the same time.

“I wouldn’t mind some wisdom,” she admitted, sinking back into her chair. “Can I ask you a second question?”

Dare sat in the chair opposite, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.

“Shoot. I don’t know if I have any wisdom, but I’m happy to talk it out with you.”

“My victim…I found out this morning from the medical examiner that she was pregnant,” Lulu confessed. “I have a possible suspect waiting in the interview room. He’s her ex-husband. Should I bring it up with him when I question him? I haven’t told the family yet.”

Dare nodded as he seemed to ponder her query. Sighing, he stood and walked over to the window that overlooked a tree that in the summer was lush and green but now looked brown and dull.

“It would be ideal to tell them first, but I’m guessing your suspect isn’t going to sit still while you do that. You need to ask him about it. See his reaction. That’s important. When you’re done, hightail it to her family and let them know. But this is a material part of the case, Lulu. You have to question him about it. If you don’t, you’ll only have to talk to him a second time, and he might not cooperate again. You have to strike while the iron is hot, so to speak, and sometimes that means we piss off some people.”

“I’ve been doing that my entire life,” Lulu laughed shakily. “I should know how by now.”

“Your mom and dad were never so much pissed off as scared to death,” Dare said, giving her one of his patented scowls. “We all were. We had visions of being character witnesses at your parole hearing. But your mom kept saying that you were just going through some growing pains, figuring out your life. She was right, as usual. Presley is a woman who sees deeply into people. She’s smart like that.”

“Rayne is amazing, too.”

“My wife is the most patient woman on the planet,” Dare declared. “Anyone else would have shot me and hid the body. But that’s not the discussion for today. I’m going to let you interrogate your suspect before he changes his mind. If you need anything, you know where I am. Anytime, Lulu. Day or night. And come by for Sunday dinner one of these days. You and Chase both. You can bring your roommate, too. What’s his name? Harry?”

“Henry,” she corrected. “I’d like that.”

“And your man, as well. Everyone’s welcome.”

“What makes you think I have a man?”

Had gossip spread that fast? Dare was in a completely different town, for heaven’s sake. Had Kai put it in the newspaper or something?

Extra, extra. Read all about it. I slept with Lulu Reilly last night.

“Because you’re happy and glowing,” Dare said with a smirk. “And you have an unsolved murder in your town. The only people who would be that happy with an unsolved murder is someone in love. Or falling in love. I remember looking in the mirror when I first fell for your Aunt Rayne. I see that in you this morning. Either way, he’s invited, too.”

Dare made his way to her office door but then paused and turned back to her.

“Can I give you some advice? I’m not trying to tell you what to do, and feel free to ignore the fuck out of me because I’m no expert.”

“Sure, I wouldn’t mind some advice today, especially from you.”

“Don’t ask him about the pregnancy first thing. Lull him into a sense of security. Ask easy, gimme questions that make him feel safe. Not threatened in any way. Then when he doesn’t expect it, mention the pregnancy. That way you get the most authentic reaction from him. Because if he’s like normal people, he’s going to come in stressed as hell with an attorney. He’s going to be defensive from the get-go. Make him feel comfortable. Offer him coffee or a soft drink. Thank him for making time to meet with you. Smile and be friendly.”

“In other words, catch him off guard. Nice, Uncle Dare. Have you used this method?”

Because Dare rarely acted all sweet and nice. His usual demeanor was big ole grouch.

“No, but your dad did. I know Tanner, Reed, and Logan did, too. Probably Griffin, as well, because hell, that’s who he is. Easygoing until he has to be something else. Anyway, that’s just a suggestion. Feel free to ignore it.”

Turning on his bootheel, Dare lumbered out of her office, closing the door behind him. She picked up her notebook and pen, ready to go talk to Jay and Allie, but she took a moment to take a deep breath.

She needed to center herself, and she needed to do it right now. There was work to be done, and she was the one that needed to do it. There was no time for flights of fancy and romance. She was the goddamn sheriff in this town. She was the law. She needed to act like it because this badge could be taken from her at any moment.

Her fingers brushed the metal of the badge at her waist briefly, an image in her head of her dad’s expression when he’d given it to her. He’d been proud, and she didn’t want to do anything to let him down. Any romantic entanglements were going to have to wait their turn. She had a killer to find.

When Dare had mentioned how happy and glowing she’d looked, heat had flooded her cheeks and her stomach had done a few flip-flops. She’d never quite felt this way before about anyone. She should be thinking about doing her investigation, but here she was wondering if her entire life showed on her face.

She had to be careful. She didn’t want people to look at her and know what she was thinking and feeling. Besides, she wasn’t in love. That would be crazy. She didn’t know Kai that well. Not yet.

But she could be falling in love. She could admit that much.

Of all the spontaneous, impetuous, jump in the lake with all her clothes on thing to do. She had the distinct feeling that it just might be too late to be careful and take it slow.