Valerie Hansen - Small Town Justice

“He was.” Puzzled, Shane ventured a smile. “He got another call and asked me to stand in for him. I’m a volunteer. Hope that’s okay.”

“Oh.” She got to her feet, shouldered her purse and reached for a small plastic bag.

“Let me get that for you.”

“I can handle it. It’s just laundry.” Although her words sounded brusque, she did add, “Thanks.”

“So that’s why you’re dressed in scrubs.”

“Yes.”

Shane lost his chance to hold the lobby door for her because it was automated, so he hurried to his pickup to open the passenger side.

As soon as she was settled, he smiled again. “I thought we’d stop at the vet and get Useless before I took you to your motel.”

Her eyes narrowed. “What did you call him?”

“Useless. That’s his name, isn’t it?” He chuckled briefly. “I must say, it fits.”

“His name is Ulysses,” Jamie Lynn told him flatly.

That sounded so funny in contrast to what he’d been told, he laughed again. “If you say so, ma’am.”

“I certainly do.”

“Okeydokey. Do you need help with your seat belt?”

“No, I can manage.” She turned aside to cough, and Shane was sorry to hear the raspy breathing that accompanied it.

“How are you feeling?”

“A lot better than I sound. Thanks for asking. I’m supposed to follow up with my family doctor in a few days.”

“Will you be leaving, then?”

“No. If I don’t stop wheezing soon I’ll find a local practitioner.” She sighed audibly, triggering another bout of coughing.

“We’re not short on doctors around here,” Shane told her. “Pharmacies, either. Didn’t they prescribe anything for you?”

“Just over-the-counter syrups. I’ll be fine once I get Ulysses back and you’ve repaired my tires.”

“They’ll all need to be replaced,” Shane stated flatly. “Did you look at what was done to them?”

“I saw a man stabbing them with a knife. I was too far away to tell how badly they were damaged.”

“Let’s just say they wouldn’t even make a good planter in a hillbilly’s front yard.”

“That bad, huh?”

“Actually, worse.” Shane could tell she was worried. “I’ve got a buddy in the tire business. Want me to ask him if he has a new or used set that will fit your truck?”

“As long as you two don’t try to sell me oceanfront property in Arizona or something like that.”

Shane held up a hand as if taking an oath. “No tricks. I promise. This is a small town. Our reputations are very important.” He began to grin. “Besides, we all trust each other around here.”

“Is that why you left this pickup running in front of the hospital? If you tried that most places it wouldn’t be there when you came out.”

“Serenity isn’t most places.”

To his surprise, his passenger averted her face and muttered, “You can say that again.”

* * *

Jamie Lynn’s reunion with her dog was tearful yet joyful. When neither the veterinarian nor the groomer who had washed him would accept payment she was astonished.

“Told you so,” Shane said on their way out.

She buried her face in Ulysses’s soft, clean fur. “I don’t get it. Those people don’t know me. Why should they waive their normal fees?”

“Maybe because I explained the situation when I left Useless with them.”

“You’re determined to call him that, aren’t you?”

Looking at his profile, she could see half of a wide grin. “Yup. I like to see steam shoot out of your ears.”

“Fine. Suit yourself. I don’t imagine you and I will have much reason to talk again after you’ve fixed my truck, anyway.”

“Oh, I don’t know.” He shrugged. “It’s a pretty small town. If you hang around, we’re bound to run into each other.”

What Jamie wanted to say was, Not if I can help it, but she kept that thought to herself. It seemed impossible that a man as astute as Shane Colton had not yet put together enough clues to guess her former identity. Or had he? she wondered. It was remotely possible that he’d figured out her lineage and was toying with her. Was he the kind of man who would be purposely devious?

She honestly didn’t think so, not that she considered herself the best judge of truthfulness. After all, Aunt Tessie had lied to her for years about what had become of her parents and she’d believed every word.

Clutching Ulysses, she murmured endearments and let him lick her under the chin. He was clearly so glad they were reunited he could hardly sit still. Jamie Lynn sympathized. She was feeling such a strong sense of unrest she wanted to fling open the door and escape from the moving vehicle. The mere thought of such drastic action was unnerving. What was wrong with her? Shane, the hospital staff, the sheriff, the vet—everybody in Serenity had been so nice.

Yeah, if you didn’t count the men who had said they were going to get rid of her, one way or another.

“Speaking of small towns, what’s the latest on the two guys who set the fire?” she asked.

“Their truck was a dead end. It had been stolen that morning.” He glanced across at her. “What were you doing wandering around out there in the first place?”

“Like I told the sheriff, I was exploring and thought the abandoned house looked interesting.”

“Uh-huh.”

“You don’t sound convinced.” And neither had Harlan Allgood when he’d questioned her, but at least he hadn’t pressed for details that might have revealed her past before she was ready to do so.

“I might buy that if nothing bad had happened to you while you were poking around.”

“Guess I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.” The whole truth would become obvious to everyone soon enough and she didn’t want to distract him while he was driving. Besides, she felt safer in Shane’s company and wanted to stay on his good side, not that that made much sense.

“That would do it,” Jamie muttered, realizing belatedly that she had actually voiced her conclusion.

One quick peek told her he had heard. Before he could start asking more questions, she said, “In case I didn’t tell you yesterday, thanks for saving my neck.”

“I got the idea you were grateful,” he replied.

A flush of color on his cheeks reminded her of the way she’d thrown herself into his arms after hearing that her little dog was safe and well.

“That hug was for saving Ulysses,” Jamie insisted, once again burying her face in the small dog’s silky fur.

“If you say so.”

“I do. He’s family.” The moment those words were out, she realized she’d opened another can of worms.

“What about the people in your life?” Shane asked.

“I—uh—I was raised by my great-aunt.”

“Your parents...?”

“Are gone,” she said, using the familiar expression to tell the truth while giving the impression both were deceased. For all she knew they might be.

“I’m sorry.”

Jamie Lynn nodded. “Me, too. So, how far is it to my truck? And how long will it take you to fix it?”

“I thought you’d want to go back to the motel. You know, kick back and rest. Maybe grab some lunch.”

“I ate at the hospital and I’ve done nothing but rest since yesterday. What I need is wheels.”

“Fine. We’ll swing by the garage I own so you can see the tire damage for yourself. Believe me, I’m not exaggerating. Nobody could repair those cuts.”

“Do you accept credit cards?”

“Sure. We may be rural but we aren’t primitive.”

Jamie couldn’t help smiling. “Oh? You could have fooled me.” They were passing the antebellum courthouse and modest businesses around the old square. “This place looks like it belongs in history books.”