An Ex to Grind in Deadwood (Deadwood Humorous Mystery Book 5) Paperback – September 4, 2014 (21 page)

“What problems?” I tried to keep a straight face.

She snorted, shooting a look out at the kids. “Now is not the time or place. But how about telling me why a ‘Detective Hawke’ called here this afternoon looking for you.”

I hadn’t filled her in about that Neanderthal. Crudmongers, that detective was persistent. I cringed just thinking about him.

“He mentioned something about a book,” she added, her eyebrows inching up, her unspoken question shining clearly in her stare as it bounced between Doc and me.

“He’s probably referring to a book I got from Ms. Wolff’s bedroom,” I answered, clarifying it wasn’t about
the
book. “I’ll call him back later tonight.”

If it were an emergency, Cooper would have shown up at my door demanding my presence “or else.” Since it was only Detective Hawke who was calling, I was going to answer on my terms when I was darn well ready.

I turned to Doc. “Did you have a chance to read through any of that history book from Ms. Wolff’s place?”

“I skimmed it this afternoon in between clients. When I get home tonight, I plan to take a closer look.”

Fudge, that meant he wasn’t going to be staying late. I really had been looking forward to exploring more under his shirt after the kids had gone to bed, especially after the way his fingers kept stroking my neck. “I appreciate your help.”

“It’ll cost you,” he returned. His eyes were dark, foreshadowing wicked deeds.

For him, the moon.

I focused back on Aunt Zoe. “It’s not like the other book,” the one made of flesh that starred a demon who haunted my nightmares. “This is just a book on the history of Deadwood.”

“Sort of,” Doc said.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“From what I could tell after a quick skim this afternoon, it’s more like a personal account of what occurred here during the gold rush years and after.”

“Personal how?” Aunt Zoe rested her elbows on the table, leaning into the conversation.

Rubbing his jaw, Doc shrugged. “It’s as if the author knows all of the characters firsthand, telling tales from the viewpoint of the participants.”

“Are there pictures in it?” Aunt Zoe asked.

“A few. They were pretty grainy.”

Aunt Zoe’s phone started ringing.

“You want to get that?” she asked me. “It’s probably a certain detective calling for you. He mentioned calling again this evening.”

I shook my head. “Let the machine get it. I’ll call him later.” The new detective was going to have to learn that I wasn’t going to be bossed around so easily.

It rang again.

Doc stood and stretched. “I should probably head out so I can get started on that book.”

Nodding, I pushed back my chair. “I’ll walk you out.”

We passed Harvey at the archway between the dining room and kitchen.

“Where are you two headin’?”

“I’m taking off,” Doc said.

Harvey glanced at the phone on Aunt Zoe’s kitchen wall. “Is someone gonna get that?”

“No. It’s probably Hawke again. I’ll call when I’m ready.”

He let us pass.

“I’ll leave the door unlocked,” Doc called over his shoulder.

“Why are you telling Harvey that?” I asked as Doc held open the front door for me.

“He’s crashing at my place again.”

“You don’t mind?”

“There’s plenty of room for company,” he said.

I’d noticed. I’d also wished a few times for an invitation to fill his house with all of my stuff when I felt less able to take on the world alone. I did my best to squelch that wish whenever it popped up. Daydreaming about playing house with Doc would put my heart on the edge of a cliff. I preferred it to stay about ten feet back on safer ground.

Doc closed the door behind us. “Cooper mentioned at the poker game that he’s concerned about Harvey staying alone at the ranch with everything going on. That in turn concerns me, so I told Harvey I wouldn’t mind him using my couch instead of your aunt’s after he mentioned sometimes feeling like a third wheel here.”

I hadn’t realized Harvey felt that way. I hoped it wasn’t something I’d done. He might snore like a chainsaw and keep me up past my bedtime talking some nights, but I’d gotten used to him being there. Hell, I’d come to rely on his help with my kids.

Doc took my hand and led me down the porch steps. “Come on. I have something for you.”

“What?” I asked when we reached his car.

He opened the door, reached down inside, and then put something cold and cylindrical in my hand. “This.”

I held it up in the moonlight. “What is it? A flashlight?”

“And a taser.” He showed me how to turn it on.

I’d seen one exactly like it yesterday. “Did you steal it from Cooper?”

“He had an extra, so I traded for it.”

Great, Cooper and I now had matching flash-tasers. We could take turns tasering each other instead of using barbed insults. “Traded what?”

“It doesn’t matter.” He closed his door quietly. “There’s something else I wanted to tell you while we’re alone.”

My silly heart was all ears suddenly. “What?”

He glanced back at the house, then said in a lowered voice, “I want to see Rex before you leave with him tomorrow afternoon.”

That wasn’t on my list of things I wanted him to say to me while we were alone. “Why?”

“Because I’m taking Layne and Addy to the Oktoberfest and I want to keep an eye out for him in case he leaves your office and decides to head to the festivities.”

“Doc, you don’t need to do that.”

“I know.”

“It’s not a good idea.” I wanted to hug him for offering, but my knees shook at what my kids might tell him when I wasn’t there.

“What are you afraid of?” he asked.

He must never have seen
The Parent Trap
. I hesitated, not sure how to explain without making my kids sound like little hell spawns, which they weren’t.

Aunt Zoe and I had put our heads together last weekend, discussing the change in the two of them since I’d told them about Doc. I fretted I was putting my needs over theirs, but she thought they were reacting out of fear, afraid of losing me to him. He was a threat. They didn’t get that I wasn’t going anywhere without them.

“I won’t let anything happen to your children,” he assured.

I squeezed his hand. “I know you won’t.”

“Good. Then I’ll pick them up here after they get home from school.”

“Okay.” I’d have a talk with the kids tonight and threaten to lock up indefinitely all they held dear if they gave Doc a single problem tomorrow. “I’ll let Aunt Zoe know.”

“What about Rex?”

“I’ll figure out something so that you can see him before we head out. Just be around your office at two.” That was the magic hour when the black hole was going to open up and the sucking sensation would begin.

“I’ll be there.” He tugged me closer, sliding his hands along both sides of my face. He tipped my mouth so it lined up with his. “Make sure you take your taser with you tomorrow, Boots.”

“You want me to zap Rex in front of the TV people?” That would make for some exciting television.

“I’d like you to zap him period.” He brushed his lips over mine, a feathery tease. “Aim low.”

I laughed quietly, teasing back with my mouth. He let me play. “Speaking of exes,” I said, coming up for air, “have you heard from Tiffany today?”

“She stopped by.”

Urchhh!
I pulled away, gaping up at him. “What? Why?” I punched him playfully on the shoulder. “And why am I just hearing about this now?”

He captured my wrist, lacing our fingers. “She wanted to talk about the account I’m still managing for her.”

“Oh.” I called bullshit on that being the only reason, but I wasn’t going to say anything and sound like a jealous girlfriend.

“And to find out how long you and I have been an item.”

Aha! The green monster woke up with a start and lit a brush fire in my throat. “She just out and out asked, did she?”

“Not in so many words.”

Damn that woman. “What did you say about us?”

What would I have said about us to Tiffany, I wonder? Probably that Doc and I were so obsessed with each other that we were going to start wearing matching clothes that showed off our identical tattoos.

He towed me back into his arms and swung me around so my butt was pressed against his car. “I told her the truth.”

“Which is what?” I asked. When Doc just stared down at me, I kept rambling. “I want to make sure Tiffany and I are on the same page when she lunges for a handful of my hair.”

“She’s not going to bother you, Violet.”

“I believe you’re mistaking her for someone sane.” I rested my thumbs on his belt. “You know she intends to win at all costs.” He was the one who’d told me how competitive she was, even in the bedroom.

“There’s nothing to win, though,” he said.

“Quit being obtuse. She lost you to me and now she wants to win you back.” When his eyes narrowed at that last bit, a fire whistle blared in my head. I panicked and added, “At least that’s what
she’s
thinking. I’m not saying that I own you or have any kind of possession of your thoughts … or stuff.”

Did that even make sense? I shut up before my foot could wiggle any further into my mouth.

“Tiffany’s motivation and actions don’t matter, Violet. My mind is made up.”

“Made up in what way?” About us? If so, inquiring minds would like to know if he’s on the same out of control mining cart that I seemed to be.

He pressed closer, his body heating mine. “You know.”

“No, I don’t.” I raised both eyebrows. “Is it so hard for you to say?”

“That depends on what you want to hear.”

That he was gaga for me. That he thought about me night and day. That he daydreamed about spending more of his waking hours with me while I was clothed as well as naked. That he wanted to start making pancakes and bacon for me and the kids every morning and then tuck us in at night. Was that too much to ask?

I generalized it for him. “Some affirmation would be nice.”

He nestled into me, my soft parts yielding to his hardness. The car’s metal chilled me through my clothes, making me shiver and burrow deeper into his jacket. The heady scent of him changed my shivers to quivers. His mouth toured across my shoulder, up my neck, around my ear, and along my jaw until I was breathing quickly. An ache that I called “Doc-itis” throbbed throughout, making me want to wrap my limbs around him and cling.

He ended his tour with a tender, slow taste of my lips. “Is that affirmation enough?”

Nope, I wanted more. A lot more. “So you’re a show not tell type of guy?”

“You could say that.” He rubbed against me, showing me plenty.

That would have to be good enough then. “Okay, as long as you keep your ‘showing’ monogamous.”

“Every night I lie in bed and think about showing you all sorts of things.” He kissed me again, this time using his tongue to help convince me. “Only you, Boots.”

It wasn’t a declaration of love, but I’d take it. Plus he was willing to spend time with my kids. That had to count for something, especially with the way they were acting out around him.

“Good.” My fingers trailed down his front, heading south of his waistband.

He stopped me before I could reach pay dirt. “The same goes for you,” he whispered, moving my hand back to his chest. “Monogamous showing.”

“Deal.” I scraped through his shirt with my nails, making him groan.

“Violet?” Harvey called through the screen door.

Doc stepped back.

I growled. Was it too much to ask for a few more minutes alone with Doc? “Yeah?”

“You’d better get in here.” The porch light flickered on.

I shielded my eyes. “Is something wrong with the kids?”

“No, it’s your aunt.”

“What about her?”

“She’s upstairs breakin’ things from the sound of it.”

“What? Why?”

“She got a message.” Harvey glanced behind him and then stepped aside as Aunt Zoe crashed open the screen door.

“What’s wrong?” I asked as she flew down the porch steps.

“Here,” she handed me her keys. “Harvey, watch the kids.”

“On it,” he said, leaning against the porch post.

“What am I doing with these?” I asked, holding up her keys.

“Driving. I’m too pissed to be behind the wheel.”

I looked back at Doc. “I gotta go.”

He nudged me toward Aunt Zoe’s pickup, which was parked next to his. Her passenger door slammed loud enough to make Mr. Stinklestine’s Chihuahua start yammering.

I climbed in beside her, settling in behind the wheel. “Where are we going?”

“To get that stinking, no good, lousy, rotten sheep herder.”

My world was currently littered with no good lousy sheep herders, so she was going to have to be more specific or we’d be out all night.

I turned the key and shifted into reverse. “Which particular sheep herder are we talking about?”

“Reid Martin.”

Chapter Eleven

“Here I go down that wrong road again,” Aunt Zoe said as we bumped along a gravel road that kept twisting its way upward through the trees and rocks.

“What? I thought you said to take a right back there before the cattle guard.” I tapped the brakes as we jiggled around a washboard curve. I hit the high beams, but they only spotlighted the trees not the road, so I clicked back to low.

“I did. You’re fine. I’m talking about Reid.” She sighed, leaning her head against the head rest. “And Crystal Gayle.”

I shot her a frown. “The country western singer?”

“Yes, don’t you remember that song?” Aunt Zoe sang the chorus of
Wrong Road Again
.

“Now I do.” I sped up along a straight stretch, keeping my tires out of the deep grooves someone had probably made during last spring’s snowmelt.

Aunt Zoe continued to hum the tune while I focused on driving, watching for deer, coyotes, or anything else that felt like scaring the crap out of me on a dark night in the forest.

“What did Reid say in his message?” I interrupted her humming.

When we’d left Deadwood, she’d been busy giving me directions in between her long-winded rants. This was the first I’d had a chance to get much of a word in edgewise, let alone ask any questions.