Carol Ericson - Army Ranger Redemption

She retreated to her cabin and slammed the door. She’d come back to Timberline to work, and she planned to keep her head down and do just that.

She didn’t have the time or energy to sort out a brooding war vet with trouble in his eyes and sin on his lips.

* * *

“IS THIS FOR your granny, Scarlett, or have you taken up knitting, too?”

Scarlett dropped the two skeins of yarn on the counter. “Me? Knit? You’ve gotta be kidding.”

Barbara, the owner of A Stitch in Time, rang up the yarn on her register. “You’re so artistic, you could probably do it.”

“Totally different kind of art, Barbara.”

“I like those pretty landscapes you do.” Barbara pursed her lips and stuffed the yarn into a bag.

Scarlett covered her smile with her hand. Barbara didn’t have to like her modern art—enough people did.

“Thanks, Barbara.”

“You know,” Barbara said, and shook her finger at Scarlett, “you should do some local crafts, like Vanessa Love does with those Libby Love frogs. Maybe something...Native American.”

“You mean like dream catchers and tom-toms?” Scarlett raised her brows. “Ah, no. I don’t do that kind of stuff.”

Reaching for her wallet, Scarlett glanced out the window just in time to see her cousin duck into Sutter’s Restaurant. “How much do I owe you, Barbara? I just saw Jason go into Sutter’s and I’m going to try to catch him.”

“That’ll be ten dollars and fifty cents. Your cousin is always at Sutter’s.” She cleared her throat. “Not that I’m spying out my window, mind you.”

“He’s dating a waitress there.” Scarlett put a ten on the counter and dug in her purse for two quarters. “Thanks, Barbara. You’re a lifesaver for finding that purple shade for me.”

“Anything for your granny, Scarlett.”

Scarlett tucked the bag beneath her arm and charged across the street to Sutter’s. Jason had been shirking his duty in checking up on Granny when Scarlett had been out of town and she planned to read him the riot act. He couldn’t dump all the responsibility on his sister, Annie.

The lunch crowd from Evergreen Software was thinning out, and Scarlett zeroed in on Jason lounging at the bar adjacent to the dining area. She waved off the hostess. “I’m going to the bar.”

She swung around to the side of the restaurant and snuck up behind Jason, tapping him on the shoulder. She grinned as he almost fell off the bar stool.

“Wow, cuz, are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

She shook the yarn bag in his face. “It’s gonna be worse than that if you don’t start checking up on Granny more regularly.”

“She doesn’t want to see me. She’d rather see you and Annie.”

“That’s ridiculous and it doesn’t matter. She’s getting up there in age, and you need to check on her. You can’t leave that up all up to Annie. She’s busy with her new cleaning business.”

He shrugged, whipping his long hair back from his face. “Heard you found a dead body outside your place last night.”

“That’s a neat way to change the subject.” She perched on the stool next to him. “Yeah, some older guy—long, reddish-gray hair. I’d never seen him before.”

“And I thought your problems were over when that FBI agent killed Jordan Young.”

“Problems? The county sheriff’s department thinks someone dumped him on the road near my place and he made his way into the woods.” She folded her arms on the bar. “It’s not my problem.”

Chloe, Jason’s girlfriend, approached them, tucking a notepad into her apron. “Did they find out who the dead guy is yet?”

Scarlett rolled her eyes. “Does everyone know?”

“Of course.” Chloe snapped her gum. “It’s Timberline.”

Jason pinched Chloe’s hip. “I gotta go. Just popped in to say hi and, yes, I’ll check up on Granny more, Scarlett.”

“I’ll see you after work.” Chloe’s eyes widened as she stared past Jason’s shoulder. “Who is that?”

Scarlett jerked her head around just in time to meet Jim’s gaze across the dining room.

Jason growled. “He’s that racist SOB biker.”

Scarlett jabbed her cousin with her elbow. “Jim’s not like that. You’re talking about his father. What did happen to Slick Kennedy, anyway?”

“Someone killed him in Seattle a few years back...and nobody around here gave a damn.” He kicked Scarlett’s foot. “Shh. He’s coming this way.”

“Why’s he coming over here?” A slow blush spread across Chloe’s cheeks, and Jason gave his girlfriend a sharp look.

“H-he was with me last night when I found the body.”

Jason transferred his look from Chloe to her.

“I guess he has his dad’s place now. It’s down the road from mine.”

As Jason opened his mouth, Scarlett nudged the leg of his stool to shut him up.

“Are you okay? Did you get any sleep?” Jim studied her through dark-smudged eyes while running a hand through his messy hair.

“Looks like I got more than you.” She wanted to ask him if he’d injured himself falling off her porch, but he wouldn’t appreciate her concern—especially not in front of Jason and Chloe.

“I have a hard time sleeping in that place, dead body or no dead body.”

She tipped her head toward Jason. “This is my cousin, Jason Foster, and his girlfriend Chloe Rayman.”

Jim took Chloe’s hand and the girl looked ready to faint. Then he shook Jason’s hand, despite the once-over her cousin was giving him. “You know anyone interested in some old Harleys?”

Jason’s eyes lit up. “You selling?”

“I have a few bikes I’m looking to get rid of. Stop by any time if you want to have a look. I’ll give you a deal.”

“I’ll do that, man. Thanks.” Jason kissed Chloe on the side of the head. “Now I really have to get back to work.”

They said goodbye and Chloe scooted back to her abandoned tables with a flick of her hand.

“Do you mind?” Jim pushed out the stool next to her with his foot.

“Go ahead.” She grabbed a menu from behind the bar as if she’d planned to eat lunch here all along. “Was the rest of your night uneventful?”

His dark gaze drifted away from her face for a few seconds, and then he cleared his throat. “Yeah. You? Were the deputies there all night?”

“I think so. They were there when I went to bed, and a few were there this morning.”

“Any news?” He pointed to her menu. “You done with that?”

She slid it across to him. “Autopsy this morning, but I haven’t heard anything.”

The bartender dropped another menu in front of Scarlett. “Are you two ordering lunch?”

“I am. Give me a minute.” Jim ran his finger down the menu and looked at her over the top. “Burgers any good here?”

“You’re asking the wrong person. I’m a vegetarian.”

He peered down the bar. “They seem popular.”

When the bartender returned, Jim ordered a burger and fries, and she stuck to the vegetarian chili, her go-to meal at Sutter’s.

“Anything to drink?”

They both ordered water.

When the bartender placed their glasses in front of them, Scarlett followed a bead of moisture running down the outside of her glass with her fingertip. “I wanted to ask you if you were okay after...after your fall last night.”

His jaw hardened and a muscle ticked in the corner of his mouth. “The darkness, the excitement, threw me off balance. I usually don’t trip over my own feet, believe it or not. Spent enough time in physical therapy to avoid that.”

“What happened to your leg?” Taking a sip of water, she avoided his gaze. Would he lash out? Refuse to answer her?

“It broke in a few places and never healed properly.”