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She stood there with her mouth open as Hannah and Lucy stopped in the doorway, spellbound.
The silence was broken suddenly with the theme from a new action movie. Cody opened his eyes, put down his arms, his high cheekbones just faintly flushed as he glanced at his audience, and dug into his belt holder for the phone.
“Banks,” he said at once.
“Lassiter,” came the reply. “And have I got news for you!”
“Where are you?”
“Sitting in your office drinking some of the worst damned coffee I ever tasted in my life!”
“Deputy Jones,” he sighed. “I’ll take care of that when I get there. Ten minutes.” He hung up.
“I have to meet a man,” he told the women and the child.
Abby threw up her hands. “And here I thought you were getting attached to me!”
“I am getting attached to you,” he said, bending to kiss her in front of them all before he grabbed his jacket and his coat. “Stay out of the car until the snow stops. Don’t let Lucy go beyond the yard. And don’t take candy from strangers or go around kissing strange men,” he added gleefully.
Abby made a face at him and smiled with absolute delight. “Okay. And the same goes for you!” she said, adding, “and that goes especially in reference to strange men! No kissing!”
He grinned at her. “It’s Lassiter.”
“Oh, my.” She sighed loudly. “He really is handsome, isn’t he?”
Cody glared at her. “He’s off limits.”
“Not to you, apparently,” she said accusingly.
He made a face at her, grinned, and walked out the door.
Hannah and Lucy were gaping at her. She flushed. “Well, Lassiter is very attractive,” she repeated.
“So is a certain sheriff who seems very attached to you,” Hannah said with a wry smile.
“I like Sheriff Banks,” Lucy said, going to hug her aunt. “I wish he was my uncle.” She looked up at Abby. “Hint, hint?”
“You could propose to him when he comes back over,” Hannah interjected. “There must be an old ring off a Coke can that you could use for an engagement ring.” She frowned. “Your cousin Butler used to smoke cigars, in fact, I’ll bet there’s a band from a cigar around here somewhere, too!”
“I am not getting engaged,” Abby said firmly.
“Not unless you ask him, certainly,” Hannah said. She grinned. “I’ll just bet he’d say yes.”
“I’ll bet he would, too,” Lucy piped in. “You could make him some more chicken and dumplings and that apple pie he liked, and propose over the pie!”
Abby threw up her hands again and went into the kitchen to help with the dishes.
LASSITERWASSITTINGin the visitor chair in front of Cody’s desk when he walked in, with his booted feet propped just on the edge of the desk.
“I made fresh coffee,” Lassiter said, indicating the pot. “And I told your deputy what I’d do if he ever touched that coffeepot again.”
Cody burst out laughing. “I hope you make good coffee.”
“I do.” He grinned. “I have some absolutely great news.”
“Well, tell me!” Cody invited as he poured himself a cup of coffee, divested himself of hat and jacket, and sat down behind his desk.
“The police chief in Nita Whatley’s little town is on his way over to see Mr. Grant, with an arrest warrant.”
