Linda Wisdom - Bride Of Dreams

Cooper had returned to his newspaper when Caroline came by to refill his cup. He shook his head and placed his hand over the top. “No more for me, thanks. In fact, I’ll just take the check.”

“You’re in luck, Deputy Night Hawk,” she told him. “Dr. Spencer paid for your breakfast. He said it’s your retainer.” Mild curiosity darkened her eyes.

He tamped down the curse that threatened to erupt, and swallowed the last of his coffee. “No matter how it looks, we’re not talking bribery here. The good doctor is regretting he can’t eat blueberry pancakes any longer. Delicate digestion,” he confided, reaching into his back pocket for his wallet.

Caroline shook her head. “Dr. Spencer left a tip also.”

Cooper picked up his newspaper and folded it. “Have a good morning, Caroline.”

“You too, Deputy.”

His departure was slow but steady as he left the diner. People stopped him, some voicing mild complaints. It was nothing new to him, and he listened to the usual tales of dogs barking late into the night, kids riding their skateboards over lawns and little Rocky Edwards teasing Miss Smythe’s nasty-tempered cat, Orlando. Cooper assured Miss Smythe he’d have a talk with Rocky.

With a full stomach and a feeling of contentment, Cooper walked past the town square as he headed for the police substation, located just beyond.

“Mrs. Forrester called,” Hedda told him the minute he entered the building. She waved a pink message slip decorated with a vivid purple ink. Hedda believed the more colorful the note the easier it was to remember.

Cooper closed his eyes. “She’s missing more underwear?”

“She wants to file a complaint against Mrs. Gray,” Hedda explained, slipping her reading glasses on. The brightly colored frames highlighted her face, which was expertly made up.

Cooper couldn’t remember ever seeing Hedda without makeup on. Her graying brown hair was pulled up and back in a bouncy ponytail tied with a colorful turquoise-and-pink scarf. She said if she had to wear a black uniform, then by God, she’d wear color anywhere else she could. No one dared ask her where else that color might be. A good idea, since they all knew if they asked she’d be only too happy to tell them.

Cooper always felt he needed sunglasses when facing her.

“Do I want to know why?”

Hedda smiled. “It seems Mrs. Gray told her she was tying up the local law office with nonsense when they could be doing something better suited to their talents. Mrs. Forrester insists there was a threat in there somewhere. I have no idea where that threat is, but I’m sure you’ll find it.” She beamed as she handed over the slip.

“I guess I should be grateful she’s not insisting aliens are behind the so-called thefts,” he muttered.

“Be careful, that just might be next.”

Cooper headed for the rear of the station.

After the way his day had begun, the rest of it should turn out to be a piece of cake.

Caroline liked the idea that she could walk anywhere she wanted to. Since she’d arrived in Tyler, she’d only taken her car when she wanted to explore outside of town.

She ignored her tired feet as she left the diner when her shift was over. She was grateful the Kelsey Boarding House was only two blocks away. The late afternoon sun was still warm on her face as she walked down the sidewalk.

This was what she liked best—the chance to watch the townspeople interact. She’d never thought of herself as a people watcher until she came here.

“Good afternoon, Caroline.” Ed Martin greeted her with a grimace that she knew was his way of smiling. Rumor had it the video store owner had a fear that too much smiling would cause his dentures to slip out of his mouth. He stood in the doorway to his store as if he planned on dragging in customers off the sidewalk.

“Mr. Martin.” She smiled back and stopped. “We didn’t see you today for lunch.”

“Had to unpack and set out the new releases. They arrived late today. But you’ll see me tomorrow,” he promised. “Can’t go too many days without having Marge’s meat loaf.”

“You’re not the only one.” She walked on.

When Caroline reached the walkway leading to the boardinghouse, she noticed one of the sheriff’s department vehicles cruise by. As it slowed down, she realized Cooper Night Hawk was in the driver’s seat. He nodded a silent greeting toward her before driving on. She managed a jerky nod as she turned to walk up to the house.

“It’s about time he noticed you as more than the one taking his breakfast order,” Anna Kelsey said from the porch, where she sat in a rocking chair with a bowl of snap beans in her lap. A fat ginger-colored cat lay nearby.

Caroline felt her cheeks heat. “I thought you said you didn’t believe in matchmaking.” She glanced down at the cat. “Hey, Sam. Are my feet safe today?” She kept a wary eye on the cat as she dropped into the rocking chair next to Anna. She released a sigh as she kicked off her denim flats and stretched her legs out in front of her. She still kept a close eye on the cat, which was known to attack feet when the owner least expected it. “It’s so nice to sit down for more than five seconds.”

“Busy day?” Anna asked.

“Uh-huh. I think the entire population of Tyler, with the exception of you, came in to the diner today.”

“Even Cooper Night Hawk?” she inquired in a mild voice, continuing to snap beans. Caroline studied her feet.

“Deputy Night Hawk comes in every morning for breakfast,” she replied.

“The way I hear it, he always sits at one of your booths. He never did that before.”

“Do you need my room so badly you’d throw me to any man who drives by and acknowledges me?” Caroline joked, trying to keep the conversation light. She was still feeling that strange sensation in the pit of her stomach when he looked at her. Nothing she’d want Anna to know about.

“Didn’t you know? Matchmaking is our largest source of entertainment here in Tyler. My mother would say that you ended up here for a good reason.”

“Or maybe I ended up here because I liked the looks of the town, you had a spare room and Marge needed a waitress,” she said, moving the chair back so she could prop her feet up on the railing. “I really like this.”

Anna shot Caroline a look of amusement. “Changing the subject?”

“No, just talking about something more interesting.” She waved her hand to indicate the street in front of them. “You can sit out here all day and everyone passing by is someone you know. I lived in a city that was considered small by some standards, but it was nothing like this.”

“For a city girl, you’ve settled into small town life like a fish takes to water.” She smiled. “As if you were meant to be here all along.”

“Long lost daughter returning to the fold,” Caroline sang out, holding her arms out wide. She froze. “Listen to me. I sound like someone in a soap opera. Next thing you know I’ll suffer a debilitating disease and lapse into a coma.”

“Brady will be your doctor. He’ll tell us he has no idea what caused your illness.” Anna continued the fiction. “We could have Cooper ordering Brady to do whatever he can to cure you.”

“I thought comas were an automatic death sentence for the actress,” Caroline said, going along with the script Anna was happily writing.

“Not in our show, dear. Tyler’s Own will be an Emmy-winning show,” she insisted. “That’s why we need you in a coma.”

“The coma might be a good idea, since it was strongly suggested I drop out of drama class in high school,” Caroline confessed.

“Honey, every woman has a bit of actress in her,” the older woman soothed. “That’s how we take those men and wind them around our fingers.”