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“Doesn’t have to be problem to have an easy solution.”
He laughed again and clapped me on the back. “No wonder you’re my best detective—your mind is twisted, man.”
I frowned and shoved him away. “I’m you’re only detective.” The only one officially holding the title and the rank, anyway.
“Details,” he said, waving me off. “I’m heading to see Ginger. What are you doing this afternoon?”
“Going to scare the heck out of a couple teenagers selling weed behind Bo’s place after hours.” Life in Tulip was a far cry from life in Milwaukee, size aside, but trouble didn’t discriminate. The difference was that here in Tulip the kids were good, and could be run off by a stern talking-to, which made my job easy. Well, easier.
“Keep me posted,” Tyson said and turned toward the Gazette office with a smile. He was a new man since hooking up with Ginger, and a happy boss was always preferable to a grumpy one.
The afternoon was bright and shiny, and I couldn’t wait to spend the rest of my shift in the car with the warm breeze on my skin. Keeping the peace meant something different in this place, and I looked forward to patrolling the streets and showing my face.
Even if it was to a foursome of meddling women with enough sass to fill the entire state. “Afternoon, ladies. Aren’t you late for lunch at Reese’s?”
“Look at him girls, keepin’ tabs on us. Should we be flattered or worried?” Eddy arched a brow and smiled like she wanted to eat me up, which might have been flattering if she wasn’t old enough to be my grandmother.
“Neither, just stopping to say hello.”
Elizabeth Vargas stepped forward and patted my cheek. “You’re a good boy, even if you are a skirt chaser.”
“Not me, ma’am. You must have me confused with someone else.” I didn’t have a thick southern accent to lay on, but I had more than enough charm. So my Ma used to tell me.
She huffed out a laugh and shook her head. “Too much charm and too good-looking, that’s your problem.”
“Is that a problem? Sounds like a good one to have, if you ask me.”
When Helen smiled and patted me on the shoulder, I realized my mistake. They had me surrounded. “I’m glad you said that, because I have a friend who needs someone with just your expertise to show her niece a good time.”
I took a step back, right into Betty Kemp, and groaned an apology. “No, thanks. I’m not even from Texas but I hear this town is full of guys who were born and raised here.” A creepy number, in fact, considering I didn’t still know anyone I went to high school with.
“Nonsense,” Betty said, wrapping an arm around my bicep. “You’re a man of the law, so she knows she’ll be safe.”
“And handsome as sin, just in case she’s got something other than her safety on her mind,” Eddy added suggestively.
And that was more than enough for me. “Have a good day, ladies, and stay out of trouble.” I gave each of them a pointed look that I knew they would ignore, because the four of them were worse than any gang of criminals. Thankfully, their crime of choice was forcing perfectly happy to be single men to fall in love.
It was disgusting, but it wasn’t illegal.
Unless they tried to match me. Then, I’d lock them all up.Reese“Anyone ever tell you that this is, hands down, the best potato salad I’ve ever had?” Rafe sat on the counter in my kitchen with an oversized bowl filled with potato salad in his hand.
“You, like five minutes ago. I think maybe you have horseradish-induced forgetfulness.” The man was like a bloodhound, able to sniff out freshly-made food from a mile away. “I’m glad you like it, but I hope the boys in blue love it.”
“Any boy in blue in particular?” Rafe’s attempt at looking innocent was about the funniest thing I’d seen all morning.
“Nope. But the city pays its bills on time, and those are perfect customers. Finish up, I need to get going.” I had about twenty minutes to get enough food to feed a few dozen police officers over to the community center and set up before they made an appearance.
“I’m done. For now.” He jumped off the table and made a big show of wiping his mouth even though he actually didn’t need to. “Let’s go.”
“You don’t have to help me just because you ate a pound of potato salad. In fact, you might slow me down.”
Rafe crossed his arms and gave me the look. “I’m helping, so shut up about it.”
“Fine. And thank you. I guess.”
“The gratitude is astonishing!” He followed me to my beloved BBQ van, two boxes in his arms compared to my one.
It wasn’t easy for me to accept help, not even from Rafe who offered it so easily. So effortlessly. But I was learning. “You know what I mean. Thank you. That’s it, no qualifiers.”
