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That was what his cold feet had gained him. Abby walked by him as if he was a distant stranger. Obviously she knew about the little blonde trooper. But instead of being belligerent, or snooty, or even sarcastic, she’d done something far worse. She’d reduced him to the status of an acquaintance.
And how could he blame her? He’d brought it on himself. She wouldn’t know that he’d only taken the trooper for coffee after he heard that she’d been riding around his county with Lassiter. He left his uniform with the dry cleaner and walked out into the cold air, where snowflakes were swirling around. He remembered Abby coming after him when she’d heard Anyu had been put down. She’d taken care of him. He’d mentioned his new dog to the blonde trooper, who’d laughed at him for caring about an old, used-up dog. She didn’t even like animals, she’d said, and who would be crazy enough to keep one inside the house?
Cody hadn’t said anything, but the comment had gone through him like hot steel. A woman who was that unconcerned for a wounded animal wouldn’t have much more compassion for a wounded human. He knew the commanding officer in this area’s division, they were in combat together. It might be a good idea to just give him a call. He’d noticed the little trooper’s gun was a .32 Smith and Wesson and he knew from experience that the new designated sidearm for troopers in 2021 was a SIG Sauer 9 mm. It was just a little thing, but it stuck in the back of his mind and refused to budge. After all, it never hurt to check out people. He was probably just being paranoid.
And actually, he wasn’t. The commanding officer of the area units was absolutely shocked when Cody asked about his newest patrol officer, a cute little blonde. He went on to describe how they’d met.
There was a tense pause in the conversation. “My newest patrol officer isn’t a blonde, she’s a brunette, mostly Crow with a little Lakota blood, and she’s about as cute as a cobra if you’re a lawbreaker. Like hell she’d need help with a cuff!”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CODYKICKEDOFFhis boots and padded into the kitchen to make coffee. His unexpected meeting with Abby had knocked the stuffing out of him. She obviously thought he was backing away from her, and she was acting accordingly. She hadn’t even met his eyes when they spoke.
She wasn’t a pretty woman, despite her nice figure and pretty eyes. She’d probably seen him with the little blonde trooper and realized that the competition was lovely to look at. He could have told her that it was just a casual friendship, but Abby took things to heart. He felt guilty for the way he’d treated her. He could have been honest and told her he was finding it hard to deal with Debby’s unfaithfulness, with the danger to Mr. Whatley and his sister, with the murder investigation. But he’d just absented himself from her life without a word. It must have hurt, if she couldn’t bear even to look at him now. And if Abby felt that he’d deserted them, how must Lucy feel?
He stopped in the middle of perking coffee to think about that. It made him feel guilty. Lucy was a sweet child, and she’d grown close to him. But he’d put her aside as if she had no value to him at all, just as he’d jettisoned Abby.
He just wasn’t ready to deal with all his issues. Not now, at least, when he had so much on his plate at the office. Besides, he reminded himself coldly, she’d been riding around with Lassiter!
He hated the thought of the man. Lassiter was formidable competition. What if the other man was thinking about the future, about the sort of wife Abby would make? Cody had to admit that she’d be an ideal one. She was loving and kind and supportive.
At least, she seemed to be. But he didn’t really know her. Not that well. What if she turned out to be like Debby? What if she two-timed him, the way she had with Lassiter?
Alexander hobbled in on his cast and looked up hopefully at the pastrami Cody was loading onto wheat bread with Swiss cheese. He didn’t like anything on the sandwiches so there was no mayonnaise or mustard. His new companion seemed to appreciate that.
“Hungry, old man?” he asked gently, and smiled as he paused to reach down and pat the dog’s broad head. “You can share the sandwiches with me.”
Alexander wagged his tail and laughed up at him.
Cody sighed. “It’s nice, having somebody to talk to,” he told the dog.
Alexander made a soft howl, as if he understood. Well, why not? Anyu had always seemed to understand what he told her. Huskies and malamutes were intelligent dogs.
He finished the sandwiches and went back into the living room, to sprawl on the couch with sandwiches and milk, while Alexander took up a position at his feet and worked on his starving expression. It probably wasn’t even just an expression, Cody thought guiltily. The poor dog had been in such bad shape that most people, seeing him in that condition, would have opted to put him down.
“I like hard luck cases, I guess,” Cody said, and smiled.
Alexander howled softly.
“I’LLDROPBYthe store tomorrow and get us some more,” he said, when he and the dog had finished off all the pastrami and most of the Swiss cheese.
Alexander panted hopefully.
Cody went back to work with a leaden heart. He wanted to phone Abby and explain, or try to explain, why he was standoffish.
About the time he started to lift the receiver of the base phone on the table beside the sofa, there was a call on his radio. Reluctantly, he answered it. Another wreck, this time catastrophic with multiple injuries. The roads were slick and getting slicker with sleet. No wonder there were wrecks, usually when people from low-lying areas tried to drive up here.
“On my way,” Cody said, and was glad that he’d had milk instead of the beer he usually liked on his day off.
CODYSHAREDHISintel about the imposter blonde trooper with Lassiter after he worked the wreck, speaking in whispers so the jailer, always lingering nearby, couldn’t hear.
“Blonde,” Lassiter mused.
“Yes. Wasn’t Bobby Grant’s visitor in Florida a blonde, well-traveled and pretty?”
“She was indeed.”
Cody scowled. “I was going to look something up, too, but I forgot. She was wearing a charm that looked like a closed fist with a thumb sticking through it...”
