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While some people—like Eva—might find the tight knit small town atmosphere annoying because few things stayed private, he understood the inherent value and comforting tradeoff. He viewed his neighbors as extended family and took his responsibility for their safety and peace of mind seriously.
Haleswood was home.
Six vigilant, armed men stationed around the house should have made him feel better. He wasn’t the only thing standing between her and whoever put that bounty on her head. He didn’t know them—didn’t need to. Ross wouldn’t have assigned anyone but the best to this detail. But Eva’s warning about getting chased out of the house kept blaring like a siren in his head.
He rinsed his mug and put it in the dishwasher.
Ruth kept a gun cabinet in the garage. If thisbastardo, as Eva frequently called him, continued picking off the security detail, Carson wanted more defense than the nine-millimeter at his side. The AT-4 rocket launcher Eva had mentioned sounded like a good option. Too bad he had no way to get one and wouldn’t know how to fire it if he did.
He flipped on the garage light, pleased by the sight of Ruth’s shotgun front and center in the cabinet. Testing the action, he smiled. The woman who fed nearly everyone in town at least once a day knew how to care for other things too. He made a mental note to get her a Christmas present instead of just a card this year. Finding the box of shells, he loaded the shotgun. He noticed plenty of twenty-two caliber ammunition, but no gun. Maybe she carried that one with her. If he was lucky, she kept it in her bedroom.
He looked around for anything else they might use as defense, but beyond the basics in Ruth’s tool box, the guns were about it. While a hammer could do damage at close range, he wasn’t about to take more ribbing about his paranoia. Once Matheson was rescued, he’d invite Eva out here to take a look. As a small town deputy, he hadn’t been trained on improvised explosive devices or rocket launchers. While he understood she’d done her Special Forces analyst thing well back from the action in the field, he’d bet his salary she had a much deeper knowledge of that kind of thing than he did. A smart man would probably be intimidated by that, but Carson found it all the more intriguing.
Had he really almost kissed her? Oh, yeah. And he wanted to follow through. Part of his mind was still locked on that moment in the kitchen. They had bigger things to think about right now, but when this was over he’d get that kiss.
His phone rang and he snatched it up, hoping like hell it was positive news about Matheson. “Morris.”
“I taught you the proper way to answer a phone.”
“Hi, Mom. Sorry. I thought it was business.”
“Your business associates appreciate manners too.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Is it business that has you living with that Italian girl?”
Carson rolled his eyes and leaned back against the hood of the car. This could take a while. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Your grandmother wants to know if she should set a place for your new friend for dinner on Christmas Eve.”
“That’s a week away, Mom.”
“That’s not an answer, son.”
“Eva’s not exactly my friend.”
“But everyone’s talking about how much time you spend together. And that was before you moved in with her at Ruth’s place.”
“Come on,” Carson grumbled, reminding himself he liked his small town life, despite the gossip chain. “I’m here on assignment, same as her.”
“Does she have family coming to town? A place to celebrate the holidays?”
“No, but—”
“I’ll tell your grandma she’ll join us. Everyone should have a family to be with this time of year.”
He agreed, in theory, but he wasn’t about to risk anyone’s safety by taking Eva to his grandma’s house. How to explain that to his mom without causing more worry? “Tell Grandma I may need to get two dinners to go.”
He heard his mother’s quiet gasp, but he knew better than to promise something he couldn’t deliver. “Business, Mom. Trust me, if we can be there we will be, but there’s a lot of work to get done.”
“I can talk to Sheriff Cochran.”
“Mom,” he warned. “This has nothing to do with the shift schedule. You know some things don’t go by the calendar.”
“Fine.”
His radio crackled and he dialed down the volume so she wouldn’t overhear. “Look, I have to get going. Tell Grandma thanks for the invitation.”
