AllFreeNovel
Share Us
ROUTINE
He’d brought a few things with him from the Lone Star State. Some wide-brimmed cowboy hats. A small collection of belt buckles, large enough to fry eggs for breakfast in them without soiling the stove. And a six-year-old brown buckskin American Quarter Horse with a white blaze running all the way from its forehead to its sensitive nose.
Elliot’s mornings started the same way. Fresh hay in the bucket for his horse, greeted by the animal with an enthusiastic snort. Then a ride toward the base of the mountain, across fields and by the woods, saving a mile or two for a high-speed gallop. A brisk walk on the way back home, punctuated by happy snorts and foggy blows through flaring nostrils in the early morning chill.
He always left the stable doors open after putting the horse inside the fenced pasture to graze at will. Almost every morning, he rewarded the animal with a crisp apple or two. Their foreheads touched for a brief goodbye as he gently patted the horse’s neck, then scratched it with long moves, up and down, before hitting the shower.
That was his routine.
Wednesday morning was no different, not on the surface, anyway. His mind was preoccupied, escaping into the past whenever he tried to think of the future. At the center of his thoughts was his partner, Kay Sharp.
Dr. Kay Sharp, no less, as if their worlds weren’t far apart already.
She was a shrink and a darn good one. She could read his mind just by looking at him for half a second. He’d seen her with suspects and witnesses. He’d watched her chat casually with killers and rapists and hardened criminals, twisting their minds into a knot without breaking a sweat.
The woman could charge hell with a bucket of water and put it out for good.
And yet, there was something that drove him to want to shield her from all that was dark in the world as if she was a frail, fearful, and lost little girl. It made no sense whatsoever, but his mind could argue with a wooden statue over the issue of Kay Sharp, the detective, the shrink, the beautiful hazel-eyed blonde who had stolen his heart without even knowing she had.
It was at that point in his thoughts’ gallop when the past came rushing in. Nine years ago, he was an Austin, Texas, cop, his head filled with ambitions and dreams. Almost two years later, just as he’d finished building a stable for his new horse, a yearling with lots of attitude and a kind heart, he’d met his new partner. Laurie Ann Sealy was a fiery brunette and a rookie, fresh out of school. He made the mistake of falling for her, of getting romantically involved with a colleague, another cop. His partner.
His recklessness had brought consequences.
Six months later, he was leaving the state of Texas with his entire life packed in the back of his truck, and a young, impatient horse in a trailer hooked up behind the blue, rust-bit Chevy.
Whatever Kay Sharp was doing to him every time she looked at him, he wasn’t going to repeat history. He’d learned his lesson.
Or had he? He had his doubts, given that every morning, about the time he trotted back around the river bend, he needed to recite that mantra to himself only to steel his willpower.
By the time he crossed the river through cold water splashed up high by galloping hooves, he let himself think, one last time, what if? What would happen if he let it happen, if he told Kay how he felt? Then he’d remember once more what a terrible idea that could be.
Still immersed in thoughts, he drudged through the morning routine. Showered. Shaved. Got dressed in whitewashed, tight jeans and a navy-blue T-shirt. Gave it a moment’s thought but then chose the black hat, just like yesterday and the day before. Then locked the door and hopped behind the wheel of his black, unmarked Ford Interceptor wearing a lopsided grin on his face.
He loved his job. He was good at what he did and couldn’t see himself doing anything else.
And part of that job was Kay.
The first stop on his drive was Katse Coffee Shop, at the top of the hill. Two fingers touching the brim of his hat was all he needed to do to get the standing order started. He chatted with the blushing barista for a couple of minutes, savoring the heady smell of freshly roasted java until the two large coffees were brewed and Kay’s butter croissant was warmed up to crispy perfection. He paid for everything and dropped the change into the tip jar before leaving.
By the time he reached the precinct, it wasn’t even seven thirty yet, but Kay’s SUV was already parked in front of the white, single-story building. A brief frown touched his brow as he grabbed the coffee cups and the small brown bag exuding the mouthwatering aroma of warm pastries, then closed the door of his SUV with a quick nudge from his elbow.
Something was going on.
As soon as he stepped through the glass door, he saw Kay rushing toward the interview room. She seemed tense, holding a notepad and pen close to her chest in a tight, white-knuckled grip.
“Hey,” he said, raising the croissant bag in the air to draw her attention.
She turned and smiled briefly when she saw him, then hurried toward him. “Missing person case, a teenager. Wanna sit in?” She grabbed the bag and expertly exposed the croissant without touching it with her bare fingers, enough to take a bite.
“Sure. I didn’t get the message,” he replied. A speck of something white at the corner of Kay’s mouth drew his attention. He reached to wipe it off, but his fingers froze in midair before touching her skin.
Her inquisitive eyes followed his move. “What?” she asked, chewing quickly. The tension he’d noticed earlier was creasing her brow and making her voice sound cold, distant.
“You have something, um, there.” His finger drew closer, pointing, but still hovered a few inches away as if afraid to touch her skin. Swallowing an oath, he forced an innocent smile. He was behaving like an idiot.
Kay chuckled lightly as she took another bite, then gestured with both hands. One was holding the croissant, the other the pen and pad. “I won’t bite,” she said as soon as she swallowed, then drew closer to him in an unspoken invitation. “Want some?” she offered. “Make it quick. The woman’s waiting.”
He bit into the remaining pastry, leaving a good chunk for her. Then, holding his breath, he rubbed the white substance off her face with the tip of his finger. Their eyes locked for a heated moment before Kay looked away and took a step back. Whatever spark he thought he saw in her eyes as he touched her skin must’ve been in his imagination.
