“But, because it was hers, I thought it was mine too. I guess I also thought I wanted that.”
“So, she and Clifton came back here, after that?”
“No. I stupidly tried to live in the big city and ‘make it.’ ” He gestured air quotes. “I thought that, if I could be what she wanted, maybe she’d come back. I thought I was very much in love still. April and I had been together since we were fifteen—she was all I knew. And everything I’d ever thought I wanted for my life was wrapped up in her,and us. So, I landed up getting a law degree—”
“I’m sorry—you’re a lawyer?”
He nodded.
“But you hated it?”
He nodded again.
“Wait . . . The other day, when you arrested me, you told me there was only one lawyer in town and he was busy. Did you mean you?” I asked.
“Well, I was busy. I was busy arresting you.”
“So, you studied law, and now you’re a policeman?”
“Funny you should mention that . . .” His tone changed and he gave a little smile.
“What?”
“Let me carry on telling you the story,” he said.
“Okay.” I crossed my legs on the seat and turned to face him now.
“So . . . I pretended to be a lawyer for a few years, and I pretended to have this life, complete with a fancy apartment and a shiny car and shit like that, but, after all that, she didn’t really want me back, anyway. I also realized that big-city life wasn’t for me, either, so I came back here.”
“And became the town’s policeman?” I asked.
He smiled again. “You know this job is more of a volunteer thing?”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“I’m not really a policeman. I’m more of a police reservist. The town needed someone to man the station, and they voted me in, since I had the most law knowledge, I guess.”
“Hang on . . . You’re not a real policeman and you arrested me? Can you do that?” I asked.
He shrugged. “Honestly, I’m not sure.”
I smacked him on the arm. “Are you kidding? You arrested me and you don’t even know if you can?”
“You’re the first criminal we’ve ever had in this town,” he said. “I didn’t know what to do with you.”
“So, I’m technicallynotunder house arrest right now?” I enquired.
“I don’t know,” he said thoughtfully. “Probably not.”
“Why isn’t there a real policeman in town?” I asked.
Mike looked at me with a deadpan expression. “You know our current population is about 550 people, right? And you know the doctor here also doubles as the vet? And the baker here also doubles as the kingpin of a porn ring?”
I smiled at him. “So, you’re a lawyer doubling as a policeman.”
He shook his head. “No, I’m no longer a practicing lawyer. I gave that up. I’m actually a small-business owner with my sister, and I volunteer on the side as a policeman.”
“Okaaay,” I said, taking this all in. “But you wear a uniform and drive a police car?”
