She rolled her eyes. “Never point a gun at someone in law enforcement.”
“And rule number two?”
“Don’t point a gun unless I’m prepared to shoot whoever’s on the other end. No bluffing. Do I get a lollipop now for passing my test?”
“You don’t need a pistol, Sierra. You’re already a pistol. You know that?”
She batted her eyelashes. “You say the sweetest things.”
He laughed. “You really are something.”
“So I’ve heard.”
He took his pistol out of the holster on his belt, holding it down by his side. Seeing it in his hand, knowing why he had it out, sobered her and tamped down her urge to tease him again. Having people wanting them dead was a definite mood killer.
“Stay here, Sierra. Keep that gun handy and don’t hesitate to use it if those men discover the tunnel entrance, or if you hear anyone behind you in the tunnel. I won’t be gone long. Before I come back inside, I’ll call out and let you know it’s me.”
With that, he disappeared around a curve in the rock wall.
Sierra took the gun from her ankle holster and held it down by her side the way she’d seen Beau do so many times. She sure didn’t want it to be holstered if she suddenly needed it. But she’d keep his rules in mind and be careful about pointing it unless she was positive that she needed to.
She leaned back against the rock wall and settled in for a long wait. After all, Beau had proven his estimates of times and distances were always way off. If he was back within an hour, she’d be surprised.
“I’m back, Sierra,” a familiar deep voice called from outside the entrance.
She blinked and stared at the patch of sunlight and the rocks behind it. “Beau? You’ve only been gone a few minutes.”
“Circumstances changed. Before I come in, remember rule number one?”
“We already had this conversation earlier.”
“And I know darn well your first instinct when it comes to guns. Lower your gun, Sierra, before I come inside.”
She frowned and looked down. Sure enough, she’d instinctively aimed the gun at the tunnel entrance as soon as she’d heard his voice, a split second before she’d realized it was him. She quickly shoved it into the waistband of her jeans to keep it close, just as Beau rounded the corner.
He shook his head when he saw the gun sticking out.
She was about to make a sarcastic comment but stopped when she saw that he wasn’t alone. She reached for her gun again.
Beau grabbed it before she could aim it. “Good grief, Sierra. I warned you that I was coming inside. And to remember rule number one.”
“I wasn’t going to aim it atyou.”
“What about my officer? You didn’t notice her uniform?”
“I’m noticing it now.”
The attractive woman beside him with skin and hair that was darker than Sierra’s glanced back and forth. “Uh, is there something going on here that I should be aware of? An inside joke, or what?”
“Who are you?” Sierra asked, not in the mood for unnecessary conversation.
Beau motioned toward the other woman. “This is officer Liza Fletcher. She used to work for me—”
“Still do, as far as I’m concerned,” Fletcher said. “If the mayor thinks I’m going to call anyone elseChief, especially that idiot Kevin Sumner that he wants to hire, he’s in for a hugedisappointment.” She stepped forward and held out her hand. “You must be Sierra Covington. Pleased to meet you.”
Sierra stared in surprise at the officer’s hand before shaking it. “Um, nice to meet you too. What’s going on, exactly? I thought Beau was paying for the eggs and bumming a ride off the mountain.”
Fletcher’s friendly brown eyes widened as she glanced at Beau. “Paying for eggs? Bumming a ride?”
