Page 39 of Maggie’s Match

“I got a ticket,” Becca said with a sigh. “Busted taillights. They wanted to impound my car, but Maggie stepped in.”

Maggie picked up her phone and showed him the screen. Then he watched the shaky video of the sheriff stepping out of his car and walking up to the driver’s door.

“Both taillights were broken. They weren’t when we went inside the store,” Becca added. “Mom is on the phone with the store to see if they have cameras facing the parking lot.”

“We’re pretty sure he busted both of them while we were inside,” Maggie supplied.

“It’s just a ticket,” Becca said. “It could have been worse.”

“This time,” Maggie added, holding Becca’s hand in hers. “He was trying to rile us.”

“Well, he did a damn good job. His hand was on his gun the entire time he talked to me. You’ve all seen videos of what can happen when someone like me is pulled over by someone like him,” Becca said as Maggie hugged her cousin.

Bridget got off the phone and shook her head. “No cameras.”

“What about the fabric store across the way?” Becca asked.

“Calling now,” Bridget said and turned away again.

Rick was hungry, so he walked over to the pantry and pulled out a bag of chips and set it on the table. Then he grabbed a pitcher of tea and poured them each a glass.

While Bridget called every store on the block, they snacked and filled him in on what had happened.

“It’s a long shot,” Bridget said, hanging up the phone and sitting down at the table, “but the bookstore down the street has cameras facing the store. Ruby is going to look at the footage and send me anything she has.”

“What does it matter anyway?” Becca said with a sigh. “It won’t get me out of the ticket and, most importantly, it won’t stop him from doing this again. He’s the law, remember?”

“Send whatever you get over to my uncle,” Rick said. “He’s got something up his sleeve that might turn this around. I don’t know what yet, but he says he knows how to handle corrupt cops.”

Bridget nodded. “I’ll start dinner.”

“No, let me.” Rick quickly got up. “You’ve gone out of your way to help us this week. It’s time I gave back.”

Bridget smiled. “I never turn down a chance to sit out making dinner.”

Rick laughed as he grabbed the hamburger meat she’d thawed earlier and stepped outside to grill burgers for the entire household. He knew the ladies needed time to themselves.

The moment he put the meat on the grill, Bent walked around the corner and offered to help. A while later, he glanced at the grainy video the bookstore had sent Bridget. It showed the sheriff walking behind Maggie’s car, but nothing more, before he went into the store. Since the image was so far away and only showed the front of the car, it was impossible to tell if he’d broken the taillights himself. Still, he sent the file over to his uncle so he could add it to the case.

By the time everyone gathered around the large picnic table outside, everyone had pitched in to help make the meal. This was how Rick had grown up. This was what family was all about.

With Becca’s ticket long forgotten, they laughed and joked with one another until the sun dipped behind the hills in the distance.

Everyone went their different directions after dinner, and he took Maggie’s hand and suggested they take a walk.

“I like it here,” Maggie said with a sigh as they leaned against a fence and watched the horse’s graze. For a split second, he worried she’d want to stay in town. Then she added, “It’s not Fairplay, where I don’t have to fear law enforcement or anyone else in town, but I still understand the charm of the place.”

“I can’t wait to go home with you.” He brushed a strand of her blonde hair aside.

She turned away as one of the mares walked over to get some attention. She laughed when the horse nudged her and refused to let her stop petting her.

“She’s as needy as Daisy.” Maggie laughed.

He caught her when the mare nudged her a little too hard.

Maggie turned in his arms, and he knew she was going to kiss him. Knew that she needed it as much as he needed her.

This was home, no matter where they stood. As long as her body was pressed up against him and her lips fit against his, he was where he wanted to be.