Bad Girls Don't (2 page)

“There’s no need to handcuff her,” Owen added.

“She was speeding.”

“Then give her a ticket.”

“She has a habit of not paying tickets. Has a pile of them in her bag.”

“I’ll pay them for her.” Owen’s wrinkled face reflected his concern. “Nate, she has a small child at home.”

Nathan made no comment. He felt the pulse jerking in his neck as emotion coursed through him. Here was a woman accustomed to breaking the rules and not caring about the consequences. And she had a child.

No, he couldn’t go there. He couldn’t relive the searing pain of loss.

Slamming the door on those dark emotions, Nathan kept his focus on the present.

“How fast was she going?” Owen asked.

Nathan had to unclench his jaw to reply. “Ten miles above the speed limit.”

“I think he’s just got something against belly dancers.” Skye swayed in front of him. Her arms might be restrained behind her back, but those hips of hers were making moves that should be illegal. “That right, Mr. Lawman? Do you feel threatened by a woman’s cosmic power?”

“Not unless she’s carrying a gun.”

“I’m not into guns.”

“Glad to hear that.”

Owen interrupted them. “What do you say, Nate? Issue her a ticket. Or give her a warning. But don’t take her to jail.”

“Authority figures are always threatened by free spirits,” Skye stated.

“Only if they’re speeding and driving without the required documentation,” Nathan retorted.

She stunned him by handing him the handcuffs. Somehow she’d freed herself. She shrugged. “A little trick I learned from a friend.”

Okay, now he was
really
getting pissed. “You’ve just added resisting arrest to your charges,” he growled.

“I wasn’t resisting,” she denied. “I just politely returned your handcuffs to you.”

“That’s true,” Owen agreed.

“Trust me, when and if I start resisting, you’ll know,” Skye added with a satisfied smirk.

“That’s it. Get in the car.” Nathan slapped the handcuffs back on her and stuffed her in the backseat of the squad car.

“Call my mom,” Skye called out to Owen. “She’s at my place babysitting. Tell her what happened and ask her to gather the gang.”

“Sheriff, you’re making a mistake,” Owen said.

That wasn’t the way Nathan viewed it. He knew trouble when he saw it, and Skye was trouble with a capital
T
. She’d been stirring things up since she’d first sauntered into town a few months ago. Nothing illegal that he knew about. Until today.

She drove him nuts singing the Beatles’ “Revolution” all the way to the police station. “I picked an old protest song because I figured you wouldn’t know any of the newer ones,” she said.

Nathan ignored her potshot at his age and pulled in front of the station. He knew from her California driver’s license she was twenty-five, five-foot-five, 135 pounds. She had spiky black hair in the photo. That had changed. Her hair was red now. He suspected she was the type always making some weird statement with her appearance—purple hair, mohawks, nose rings, tongue piercings. He’d seen it all, even in a small town like Rock Creek. He’d noticed Skye had a navel ring when she’d twitched her hips at him earlier, but there were no other visible piercings or tattoos.

“Come on.” He opened the car door. “The show’s over.”

“On the contrary.” Skye smiled. “It’s just beginning.”

A crowd was gathered around the entryway to the police station, waving hastily made signs scribbled with markers and crayons.

LET THE BELLY DANCER GO!

FREE SKYE!

LET MY MOMMY GO! This small sign was carried by a little girl. Skye’s four-year-old daughter.

Nathan blocked the punch to his heart at the sight of the half-pint kid wearing a tutu with a pajama top, yellow boots, and a tiara.

Get it together,
he fiercely ordered himself.
You have a situation here. You need to stay focused on that and not your own demons.

These weren’t wacky outsiders protesting. They were locals. He knew them all. Sue Ellen Riley, known as “Our Lady of the Outlandish” when she’d lived in Serenity Falls earlier in the year. Owen Dunback. Nancy Crumpler, owner of the auto parts store a block away. Lulu Malick, goth teenager. Algee Washington, the big black guy who’d just opened a second Cosmic Comics store a few doors down from the station.

Then there was Angel Wright, in her New Age grove. Skye’s mother. She was reprimanding him with some nonsense about releasing negative energy into the atmosphere, when Sister Mary joined the crowd.

“I got a report of police brutality,” the nun said, “and someone needing my guidance.”

“That would be him,” Skye replied, pointing in Nathan’s direction.

Which made Nathan realize she’d taken off the handcuffs and put them on again, with her arms in front of her this time.

Dammit! First chance he got, he was ordering new handcuffs. These were as old as the hills, and clearly defective.

“What’s going on here, Nate?” Sister Mary demanded.

“She was speeding.”

“So you arrested her?”

“She was driving without proof of insurance or registration. And she’s got outstanding tickets in three states out west,” Nathan said.

“Which I offered to pay,” Owen added.

Sister Mary turned her eagle eye on Nathan. “In that case, what’s the problem?”

Despite being a lapsed Catholic, Nathan almost squirmed before stopping himself. “She resisted arrest.”

“She knows how to slip out of handcuffs,” Owen explained. “She wasn’t really resisting.”

“Of course she knows how to get out of handcuffs. I taught her myself,” Sister Mary declared with a touch of pride. “A little something I picked up from my civil disobedience training during the civil rights movement.”

Nathan was speechless, but not for long. “Move aside, everyone!”

Instead, they all sat down, blocking the door. Then they linked arms.

“You really should clean the sidewalks better,” Sue Ellen noted with disapproval. “The sidewalks in Serenity Falls are spotless. These are cracked, and there are dandelions in between.”

“You’ve got five seconds to move or I’ll have you all arrested.” Nathan’s voice was steely.

“The cell won’t hold us all. It’s barely large enough for one. Besides, think of the paperwork. Do you really want to put yourself through that?” Sister Mary asked him. “Wouldn’t it be simpler to just get those old tickets paid?”

“She’s got a new ticket.”

Owen raised his hand. “I’ll pay that, too.”

“Come on, Nate.” Sister Mary was using her coaxing voice now. “Owen’s arthritis is causing him pain here.”

“I’m okay,” Owen stoically maintained.

“Then
my
arthritis is causing
me
pain,” Sister Mary stated.

“I can help you with that,” Angel said, her curly brown hair bouncing. “I’ve got some special yoga moves. We’ll talk later.”

“This is not a joke, people,” Nathan growled.

“Of course it’s not,” Angel replied. “Arthritis is a serious matter.”

Nathan glared at her. “I’m talking about your daughter.”

Angel beamed proudly. “She’s gorgeous, isn’t she? A little on the rebellious side, but she has a good heart.”

“It’s that rebellious side that’s gotten her into trouble,” Nathan stated.

Skye raised an eyebrow. “I thought you said it was my speeding that got me in trouble. Being rebellious is not illegal.”

Maybe not, but Nathan knew that the sexual awareness thrumming through him as he held Skye by his side was definitely a very serious offense. He suspected this aggravating, belly-dancing female would shake, rattle, and roll his entire law-abiding world if he weren’t careful.

Good thing Nathan planned on being
extremely
careful. He’d spent a lifetime following the rules. Skye had clearly spent a lifetime breaking them.

Definitely a bad combination . . .

Nathan needed to regain control of this situation. “Sister Mary and Owen—you two come with me.”

“What about me?” Skye rattled her handcuffs.

“We’re all going inside to hash this out,” Nathan stated.

The sit-in group stood.

“Not all of you,” Nathan said hurriedly.

“But you just said . . .” Angel looked confused.

“For a lawman, he’s not very bright, is he?” Skye noted with a shake of her head. “Or very concise.”

Nathan refused to rise to the bait. “Sister Mary and Owen, come along with Ms. Wright.”

Skye blinked with fake innocence. “Do you mean me?” “Or me?” Angel asked. “Which Ms. Wright were you referring to?”

“The handcuffed one.” Nathan put his hand on Skye’s elbow to guide her forward.

“You may call her Skye,” Angel told him.

No way Nathan wanted to be on a first-name basis with this sexy bundle of trouble. Thanks, but no thanks. “The rest of you wait out here. Or better yet, go home.”

“We’re practicing our constitutional right to gather.”

“Only we’re going to gather over at the Dairy Queen across the street,” Sue Ellen said. “But don’t think that means we’re not paying attention to what’s going on over here.”

“I’m not going to the Dairy Queen,” Angel protested. “Sugar is poison. How about some freshly baked yellow-squash cookies instead?” She tugged a bag out of her tote and jiggled it enticingly.

“Let’s get this circus going,” Skye said, suddenly in a hurry to move inside.

Five minutes later, Nathan surveyed the threesome before him in his office. Sister Mary and Owen were a natural pairing. Both comforted and served people in their time of need. Skye was definitely the odd one out in this trio.

“I don’t think you realize the seriousness of this situation,” Nathan sternly told her.

“Serious? Global warming is serious,” Skye replied. “This is a piece of cake compared to that. In fact, you should be thanking me for saving you from Angel’s yellow-squash cookies.”

“They
are
an acquired taste,” Sister Mary agreed.

Nathan sharply rapped his knuckles on his wooden desk. “People, if we could please focus on the matter at hand here.”

“Sure. Speaking of hands, do you want these back now?” Skye handed him the handcuffs, dropping them in the middle of his U.S. Marine Corps “Semper Fi” mouse pad.

“You have a real attitude problem, you know that?” he growled.

Skye shrugged. “So I’ve been told.”

“Just tell me what paperwork I have to sign and I’ll do it,” Owen said.

Nathan hated seeing the respected business owner dragged into Skye’s mess. “Owen, are you sure you want to do that? I mean, this isn’t really your problem.”

“She’s a friend,” Owen replied.

“Uh-huh.” Nathan sounded dubious.

“Get that look off your face,” Skye ordered Nathan. “Owen is one of the good guys.”

“Who you’re taking advantage of by having him pay for your mistakes instead of taking responsibility for them yourself.”

“That was my idea,” Owen stoically maintained.

“Don’t you have anything to contribute to this conversation, Sister Mary?” Nathan asked.

The nun shook her head and fixed him with a stare. “Not really. You seem to be doing just fine judging everyone’s morals all on your own.”

“She broke the law.”

“
She’s
sitting right here,” Skye reminded him, waving her hand to get his attention. Her movement made her breasts bounce.

“I haven’t forgotten.” Impossible to do that with her sitting in front of him wearing that belly-dancing outfit. “You’re not exactly the kind of person who fades into the background.”

Skye grinned and wiggled her shoulders, making her entire body sing . . . and his entire body harden. “Why, thank you, Sheriff. That’s the first compliment you’ve given me. No doubt it will be the last.”

“It appears you two got off on the wrong foot,” Sister Mary said. “There certainly are a lot of sparks flying here.”

Nathan’s eyes shot from the vixen-woman’s bustline to the nun’s knowing face. “Sparks?”

Skye wiggled her shoulders again. Not that he looked at her again. No, he could tell what she was doing by the sound of all those tiny bells chiming as she moved.

Ask not for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for thee.
Nathan didn’t remember the author of that quote, but he could sure relate at the moment.

“Sparks,” Sister Mary repeated.

“You’re mistaken, Sister.” His voice was curt.

The sound of a little girl’s screeching voice directly outside his office caught everyone’s attention. “I gotta pee! Right now! I want my mommy with me!” the kid screamed.

Skye was on her feet and at her daughter’s side in two seconds flat.

“Skye isn’t dangerous,” Sister Mary told Nathan when he moved to go after her. “Not to the public. Maybe to your peace of mind. But don’t hold that against her, Nate.”

“You’re trying to make this personal. It’s not.”

“You haven’t let anything get personal for a long time now, have you?” Her voice was compassionate.

“Uh, I think I’ll go see about a cup of coffee if that’s okay?” Owen said.

“Drink it at your own risk,” Nathan told him with a smile. “But you’re welcome to help yourself. Do you know where it is?”

Owen nodded. “I saw it when we came in.”

Once they were alone, Sister Mary looked at Nathan with an expression that reminded him of a bomb-sniffing dog, determined and focused. “It’s just us now, Nate.”

“Yes, it is.” He perched on the corner of his desk and folded his arms across his chest as he faced her.

“So what’s this really all about?” Sister Mary demanded.

“Speeding and driving without proper documentation.”

“She gets to you, doesn’t she? She gets to most people. Skye isn’t one to sit on the sidelines of life. She’s right there in the middle of the action.”