Hinekiri (3 page)

“I guess the arrival of aliens is big news in Sloan,” she said, her violet eyes flickering with humor. She didn’t seem too upset about the idea of aliens wandering around, but then again, she appeared very capable.

Instantly the worry dropped away, replaced by another sort of edginess. Invisible frissons passed between them when their gazes met. A cheerful whistle broke the spell. Richard shook himself mentally and turned to his son. Luke looked as if he’d dressed hurriedly since the last two buttons on his uniform shirt were misbuttoned. “Good of you to join us.”

Luke didn’t seem too concerned with his appearance so Richard ignored it. He was more interested in the young woman standing behind his son.

Hinekiri pushed her mug away and stood. “I’m off to look for parts.”

“Parts for what? Maybe I could help.”

Luke’s whistle cut off mid bar. “I don’t think that’s necessary. I know exactly what Hinekiri needs.”

Richard shrugged and gestured at the newspaper sitting on the kitchen counter. “You have enough to do without running around after vehicle parts.”

“What—?” The insistent ring of the phone cut into Luke’s reply. He snatched up the receiver, giving Richard a strong, steady glare at the same time, a look that demanded an explanation. Richard held up the newspaper with the headline clearly displayed for his son to read. “I’ll be there in ten,” Luke snapped, hanging up before reaching for the paper. Richard watched his son scan the story.

Luke glanced up, his brow furrowed with irritation. “We’re going to have every nut in the neighborhood out in those wheat fields.”

Uh, newsflash! “They’re already there. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. Look lively. You’re in urgent need of damage control.”

Luke stormed off, heading for his bedroom, Richard presumed. He called after him, “The mayor’s rung. And that reporter was loitering in our garden.”

Minutes later Luke returned. Luke studied him closely and Richard manfully restrained a smirk. His son wanted to get rid of him, he thought in enlightenment. His cop instincts had never failed him before. Something else was happening here, but what? Maybe he’d embarrassed Luke by discovering his son with women in the house. Maybe he thought his father would disapprove of him sleeping with the younger one. Richard cast a surreptitious glance in the direction of Janaya. She was as different from Luke’s ex-wife as night varied from day. It was obvious in the confident stance, the direct eye contact when she noticed him watching her. This woman wouldn’t expect pampering. She originated from the same mold as Hinekiri.

“You coming back to work or are you heading off again?” Luke filled two mugs with coffee and passed one to Janaya.

“Might hang around for a bit.” Richard wandered nonchalantly around the table and pulled out the seat next to Hinekiri. “I promised to show Hinekiri some of the sights and I have a couple of meetings I put off before I went on holiday. I can attend them now that I’m back.”

Luke coughed without warning, spewing his mouthful of coffee over Hinekiri, the table and the last of Richard’s clean shirts.

Richard leapt to his feet, scrubbing at the hot liquid. It made things worse. “What the hell’s wrong with you today?”

“Sorry.” Luke grabbed a towel and offered it to Hinekiri.

Richard caught the mischievous look that flashed through her violet eyes. “I think Luke is a little shook up about the aliens in town.”

“Load of hogwash,” Richard snapped. “Probably some fool kids egging each other on to do pranks. It is almost the end of the school year.”

“Okay,” Luke said. “How about going off to investigate the crop circles before your meetings and I’ll go and sort things out at the station? I can drop off Hinekiri and Janaya on my way to work so they can search for parts.”

Richard frowned. “But what about our sightseeing?”

“Maybe later? I really need to sort out…some things first,” Hinekiri said.

Richard’s scowl intensified. What things? Judging by the silence, none of them intended to enlighten him or appease his curiosity.

“Right.” Luke placed his coffee mug on the marbled counter. “Let’s go.”

Luke and the two women left before Richard had a chance to voice his protest. The fine hairs at the back of his neck prickled uncomfortably. Something was up. Damn, he wished he knew what the hell was going on in Sloan.

Chapter Two

Richard sighed, loud enough to draw the dog’s attention and make it bark. “I guess I’ll clean up in here and head out to Ted Morrison’s wheat fields.” He stacked the dirty mugs in the dishwasher and left the house via the kitchen door. The dog followed.

“You’d better stay here,” Richard said.

“Woof.” The dog sat on its haunches and cocked its head.

Richard stooped to scratch the little dog behind the ears. “Good boy.”

“Woof!”

Was it his imagination or did that bark sound indignant? Seemed as if his mind was still in holiday mode. Next thing he’d be hearing the dog talking back. Richard strode to his SUV and opened the driver’s door.

“Damn, I forgot the keys.” Richard jogged back inside to grab them off the counter. When he returned he found the dog sitting in the passenger seat ready to leave. “Okay, I give up. You can come with me but you’d better behave.”

“Woof,” the dog barked as if it agreed.

Chuckling, Richard fired up his vehicle and backed away from the gnarled pohutukawa tree. “Crop circles. Whatever next?”

“Woof. Woof. Woof.”

“So, we’re in agreement. Smart dog.” He accelerated down the gravel road, sending a cloud of dust sailing in their wake. Richard wound down the window to enjoy the fresh country air as he followed the road that snaked through green countryside and stands of native trees. He slowed for a herd of steers and waited until they turned into a set of cattle yards, dogs barking at their heels.

“Woof.” The dog craned its neck as though it wanted to get a good look at the other dogs.

Richard grinned and waved to Scott, the owner of the animals as he passed and picked up speed again. They rounded a corner, drove under a huge pine tree and around another corner. Without warning, Richard slowed.

“That’s Luke’s vehicle.” He spotted Hinekiri and his mind stalled. That was one fine-looking woman. His gaze dipped fractionally, speculation rife as his eyes assessed her form. Not much body fat, but she looked healthy and more than good to him. Soft, blonde hair. Those beautiful eyes and a sexy grin. Confidence. It practically oozed from her pores.

Not exactly what he was used to, but the concept of a self-assured woman was interesting—a woman who liked to take control of her life. In that moment, he decided he’d ask her out for dinner. If she and her niece weren’t staying for long, there was not a moment to waste. He’d take her out to dinner at the Red Fox Inn. They did a fine meal there, but the atmosphere was casual and friendly. No uppity waiters with their noses stuck so far up in the air they were in danger of getting frostbite. No snobby clientele—just a good mix of locals and business people. Yep, the perfect place for a first date. Richard’s palms moistened and he removed them from the steering wheel one at a time to wipe them on his brown trousers. He sucked in a deep breath, his mind made up on the subject. Today, he’d step outside his comfort zone and ask the woman if she’d consider dinner. At worst, she could say no, and that wouldn’t kill him.

Richard wound the driver’s window down. “Is there a problem?”

“No problem,” Luke said.

Richard scowled. If everything were all right, why was his son looking as if he’d just faced the enemy. His face was pale and if Richard wasn’t mistaken, he was sweating.

The dog jumped from the passenger seat onto Richard’s lap and stuck its head out the window.

“Woof. Woof. Woof.”

Richard ran his hand over its soft white fur. “I hope you don’t mind me taking out your dog. He jumped in while I wasn’t looking and I didn’t have the heart to leave him at home.”

“Killer is a female.” Janaya stepped closer to scratch the dog behind the ears. She growled and yipped at the dog. The dog seemed to adore the attention because it swiped its pink tongue across Janaya’s face and barked.

“It’s a deal,” Janaya said.

Richard shook his head. Weird the way she barked at the dog, but if Luke liked her, that was okay. “I don’t know why you’re talking to Killer as though she can understand.”

“She’s very intelligent.” Janaya’s smile made Richard appreciate his son’s interest.

“Woof,” Killer barked.

“Well, if you’re sure you don’t need me, I’ll carry on to the wheat fields.”

“Good idea,” Luke said. “Let me know how you get on.”

Frowning, Richard drove on toward Ted Morrison’s farm. Something was fishy. He knew his son. Guilt and worry hovered in his body language.

It was bedlam at Ted Morrison’s farm. Firstly, vehicles choked the road, most of them belonging to strangers. People wandered down the middle of the road in a casual manner without due care for oncoming traffic.

Giving up the idea of pulling up outside the paddock gate, Richard parked as close as he could, pulling onto the shoulder of the gravel farm track behind a dusty sedan. The little dog jumped from the SUV when he opened the passenger door and trotted ahead of him, her head going from side to side as though she were trying to take in everything.

The sun shined brightly, kicking quite a punch despite the early hour. A soft breeze blew as he walked to the gate leading into the wheat field. The wind rattled the seed heads, knocking them together in a soothing melody. Better than the rap crap the Sloan youngsters played on their car stereos at full volume when they raced down the main street.

Ted Morrison manned the gate, letting visitors inside his wheat field. He lifted his right hand in a casual wave. “Richard. Thought you were on holiday?”

“Had to come back early. Luke has his hands full down at the station so I volunteered to check out the circles and give a report.”

Richard scanned the small sign by the gate.
Entrance to Crop Circles—$5.
He turned back to Ted, but the man was busy extracting money from a couple of townies. The female component of the couple wore pink high heels. How she thought she’d manage to walk through the wheat fields with those stilts on her feet puzzled him. He noticed Ted’s brows rise, almost disappearing beneath his woolen beanie. Richard grinned. Ted had worn a home-knitted beanie, no matter what the season, for as long as he could remember.

The dog wandered up and pressed its nose against the woman’s tanned calf. She let out a piercing shriek and parted company from the land before her spike heels poked into the earth again to ground her.

Richard clicked his fingers, attracting the dog’s attention. “Killer. Over here.” Thankfully, the dog obeyed and stayed close.

“Do you have gumboots?” Ted’s frown narrowed on the woman’s delicate shoes.

“Oh no,” the woman said, a shudder of distaste racking her narrow silk-clad shoulders. She jerked her heels from the dirt, before she and her husband wandered through the gate and headed in the direction Ted had indicated.

Ted cackled. “Bet you five dollars she falls flat on her face.”

“Don’t be silly. I’d lose my money.” Richard stood aside for yet another group to pay their admission fee and file through the wooden gate. Business was booming.

“Is there anywhere to buy a tea or coffee?” an elderly woman asked.

“The Sloan Women’s Division have set up a stall near the crop circles,” Ted answered. “Best scones and raspberry jam in Sloan.”

“Thank you,” the woman said, eyeing up Ted in clear speculation.

Richard winced. At least the woman hadn’t chosen him to ogle. He’d far rather have Hinekiri checking out his assets. The thought made him pause as a quite different vision danced through his head—naked bodies writhing together on a soft double bed.
His double bed
. No escaping the identity of the woman. Her blonde hair and beautiful violet eyes told the story. Unfortunately, that was all he could see, his imagination unable to fill in the dots.

“Richard? You okay? You have a weird look on your face.” Gruff concern shaded Ted’s voice.

To Richard’s consternation, heat gathered in his cheeks. “The Women’s Division has set up camp here too?” The dog let out a questioning woof.

His change of subject didn’t work, but then he hadn’t expected a reprieve. Richard had gone to school with Ted Morrison and they’d been friends ever since. “You’re either sickening for something or you’ve met a woman.” Ted studied him intently and a smirk bloomed on his weathered face. “It’s a woman.”

“I’d better go and have a closer look at these circles. I presume you’ve got someone stopping the public from walking all over them. Come on, Killer.”

“Strange name for a dog.” Ted scrutinized him until Richard wanted to fidget. “You have. It’s a woman!”

“Catch you later,” Richard mumbled, intending to beat a quick retreat.

“That will be five dollars, please.”

Richard came to an abrupt halt. “What?”

Ted held out his hand. “Five dollars admission fee. Someone damaged my wheat crop. I have to recoup my losses somehow.”

Richard traded stares and finally gave a grudging nod. He pulled a five-dollar note from his pocket and thrust it at his friend. Probably some smart-assed kids having fun at the town’s expense. All he needed to do was figure out how they’d made the circles and things around Sloan would start to return to normal. He strode the well-trodden path through the wheat field with the dog at his heels.

The buzz of excited chatter told him he was nearing the scene of the crime. Richard brushed past a yellow-and-orange floral sun umbrella and a crowd of people drinking from paper cups and eating scones. The Sloan Women’s Division was doing a brisk trade. The dog wandered off to investigate the wheat over near the Women’s Division’s table. He noted most people were walking around the first of the circles, kept behind a yellow tape by Ted’s sons and daughters.

“Keep the line moving,” one of Ted’s sons said in a carrying voice.

Fascinated and wanting to see what all the fuss was about, Richard fell into step, squeezing into a gap between a teenager and a plump elderly woman who was leaning heavily on her walking stick.