Teresa Southwick - How To Land Her Lawman

Will knew Clarice had worked with his father for over twenty years and was a valued member of the small department. Hank had always said she made him look good. When the resort was completed, the town was going to grow and law enforcement would have to keep up with it. Not his problem, he reminded himself. After the summer he was out of here. But his dad was going to have to deal with it and that would mean more stress. He would need dependable, dedicated employees.

“What do you think of Eddie?” he asked.

Clarice looked thoughtful for a moment. “He’s a good kid. Coolheaded, smart, conscientious. Your dad has an eye for talent.” She grinned. “After all, you’re here.”

“Not because of talent. It’s the training.”

“Could be both,” she said. “And your dad figured Eddie could benefit from your experience and training.”

“While I’m here.” Will didn’t want to give the false impression that he was staying for good and put a finer point on her statement.

“One day at a time.” She had a mysterious Zen expression on her face.

“Right.”

He was looking out the window and saw the door to the Photography Shop open and April walked out. She turned and locked up, then crossed the street and headed toward the sheriff’s office. It was possible she was going somewhere else, but he hoped not. The sight of her lifted his spirits just like she’d done last night when he found her on his porch with a casserole in her hands. It wasn’t fancy food but turned out to be the best dinner he’d had in a long time.

That had little to do with the cooking and everything to do with the company. Like every situation, he analyzed it and figured he’d enjoyed the evening because any lingering guilt about hurting her was gone. There were other things that kept him up at night but not her. At least not guilt about her, because he’d lost some sleep wondering if her mouth still tasted as sweet as he remembered.

April walked into the office and saw him standing by the dispatch desk. “Hi.”

“Hey.”

She looked at the older woman. “Hi, Clarice. How’s the family?”

“Everyone is doing great.”

“Are you a grandmother yet?” April asked.

“Sandy’s due after Labor Day.”

“I didn’t know you were going to be a grandmother,” Will said.

“Because you never asked.” Her tone was only marginally disapproving. “She and her husband live in California, a suburb of LA. He’s an attorney for a big law firm there. Sandy works at a preschool, at least until the baby’s born.”

“Congratulations,” he said.

“Thanks, boss. By the way, I’ll need some time off after she gives birth.”

“My father will be back then. I’m sure he already has you covered and it won’t be a problem.” Then Will remembered she had a son, too. What was that kid’s name? Oh, yeah. “How’s Mark?”

“Good. I’m surprised you remembered his name.” She hadn’t missed the slight hesitation. “He’s getting a doctorate in marine science from the University of Miami.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah. A nerd like his dad.”

Will knew her husband taught chemistry at the junior college located about twenty-five miles from Blackwater Lake. Where April had gone to school. Damned if even after all this time he didn’t still feel a twinge remembering that she hadn’t gone with him to Chicago.

Will looked at her now. “So, April, how can we help you? Are you here to report a crime?”

She laughed. “More like crime prevention.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. Would you mind if we talked in your office?” The words were for him, but April gave Clarice a shrug that was part apology, part I-know-you-understand.

“I’ve got work to do,” the dispatcher said.

“Okay. In my office, then.” He turned and headed in that direction with April behind him. When they walked in the room he asked, “Do you want me to close the door?”

“Not necessary. I just wanted a little privacy for this conversation.”

“Okay.” He indicated the two chairs in front of the desk. “Have a seat.”

“Thanks.” She sat down and the wattage on her smile was probably visible from space. Plus she was doing that weird thing with her eyes again. “I could use your help.”

“With what?”

“Crowd control. More specifically teenage make-out prevention.”

“A little more information would be really helpful.”

“Yeah. Sorry.” She laughed again, but the sound seemed more nervous than anything else. “Every year just after school gets out the high school kids get together in that open field a half mile from the high school. The seniors who ruled the school pass on the power, symbolically of course, to the juniors, who are now incoming seniors.”

“Okay. But why do you need official backup?”

“That’s the thing. It’s not official, not technically a school function, so no chaperones are required. But these are teenagers and extra surveillance is the smart way to go.”

“Why are you doing the asking?” Apparently his guilt wasn’t completely gone because there was a part of him surprised that she would request anything from him.

“I take pictures that always make their way into the yearbook. It’s an annual thing they do. Every year.” She cringed. “I already said that, didn’t I?”

“Yeah.”

“The thing is, I don’t want any of them having sex on my watch.”

“I guess not.” He couldn’t stop a small smile.

“Glad you think this is funny.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Yes, you do,” she challenged.

“Maybe a little.” He shrugged.

“Come on, Will, be serious. These kids are drowning in hormones and they’re sneaky.”

He remembered. Partly because there was something about April that made him feel like a randy teenager again. The reaction could have been because she mentioned making out and sex, but he didn’t think so. It was all her. The playful ponytail, curves that had grown curvier with time and a mouth that would drive a saint insane.

“What time is this photo shoot?”

“Tonight. Eight o’clock. I know what you’re thinking,” she said.

“I don’t think you do.”

“You’d be wrong. You’re thinking that it would be better to schedule this earlier in the evening before the sun goes down.” She shook her head and pressed those plump lips together. Then she seemed to remember something and forced a big smile, followed by some eyelash batting. “The problem is that a lot of the kids have summer jobs and aren’t available earlier. Not to mention that I have a business and later is better.”

She was wrong. That wasn’t what he’d been thinking. His thoughts ran more along the lines of finding a secluded place to get her alone in the dark. “I see.”

“I thought you would.” Her eyes took on a pleading expression. “So, can I count on you?”

Will was conflicted about what to do. He didn’t want to turn her down. This behavior of hers was surprising. First dinner last night and now a request for assistance today. She smiled a lot and did that weird thing with her eyes, which he didn’t recall, but they’d toasted to friendship last night. And today she’d voluntarily come to see him and ask for assistance.

On the flip side, it probably wasn’t a good idea to be out with her after dark, what with his mind going randy teenager on him. Still, the kids would be around and that would cool his temptation. Friends helped each other out.

“Okay. I’ll give you a hand.”

“Thanks, Will.” She smiled again, but it was the first natural one since walking into his office. And it was a stunner.

He really hoped this wasn’t a mistake.

Chapter Three

It was a beautiful night for taking pictures. April had her digital SLR camera on a tripod set up in the meadow and was snapping pictures of the outgoing senior class student-body officers passing a plastic toy torch. Someone held up a handmade sign that said “Class of 2017—we rule the school!” She stopped and scrolled through the images, then adjusted the shutter speed in order to make the shots clearer while allowing for the light from a full moon.