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I bit back a snort and patted his head. “I’ll save you some of mine for when you’re not working, Star.”
“Oh, great, so now he’s got a dealer, too. Just what I need,” Irving said with a playful eye roll. “Star. Return.” The dog gave me one last exasperated look and then trotted over to his owner and sat. “I’ll give you thirty to shower and get ready but then we’re going to breakfast. Capisce?”
“Got it,” I agreed as he rolled out the door and back to his apartment.
I closed the door and leaned against it, still wearing a smile until my gaze landed on the pile of goodies on the table. Was I ready to meet the entire town in one fell swoop? The answer was no. Not as poorly as I felt, but I couldn’t put it off any longer. I was here to do a job and part of that job was getting to know the people of Bells Pass. I wanted to hear about the kinds of services they’d like to see available within the community we’re building, and after what happened in Sarasota, I needed a community now more than ever.
I pushed off the door and headed to the shower, knowing I’d kept the town waiting long enough. My purse started to ring and an exaggerated groan fell from my lips. I doubled back and pulled the flip phone out of my purse. As low tech as it was, I didn’t need the caller ID on the front to tell me who it was. Only one person had this number.
“Hazel, so nice to hear your voice.”
“Cliff? Why are you calling me? Everything is fine and I haven’t missed my usual check-in date. It’s only been five days.”
“While that may be true, the information I have doesn’t jive with everything being fine. I’d love to hear what’s happened since you arrived in Bells Pass. How’s the hand?”
I lowered myself to a chair. “You have someone watching me?”
“No, but that doesn’t mean I’m not doing my due diligence.”
All I could do now was spin this in the best possible light.
“My hand is healing,” I answered, glancing down at the splint. “Just a little mishap.”
“Run it down for me.”
“There’s nothing to run down,” I replied, putting it in air quotes even if he couldn’t see them. “I fell at the park and the good people of Bells Pass helped me out.”
An exasperated sigh filled the line. “Hazel, you’re a terrible liar. Tell me the truth.”
“Fine,” I said with an equally long sigh of frustration. “I don’t remember what happened and that’s the truth. I remember leaving Saginaw after I talked to you and then woke up in the hospital. They found me on the grass in the park and my car in the lot.”
“Which means someone hit you, whether accidentally or on purpose.”
“Or I had a seizure or low blood sugar,” I retorted.
“Have you had either of those since?”
“No, but—”
“No buts, Hazel. We talked about this!”
“I swear that I’m not in any danger, Cliff. I’m following the rules and nothing has happened since the incident in the park. I truly believe this was an accident and unrelated to anything in Sarasota. The police are looking into it.”
“You’re following all the rules?”
“Absolutely,” I lied, because what he didn’t know wouldn’t kill him. Then again, it might kill me.
“I’m moving our check-ins to weekly in light of this.”
“Cliff—”
“Don’t push me, Hazel, or I’ll make it daily.”
“Fine,” I answered through gritted teeth, “but I don’t like being watched, so keep your goons in Florida.”
“My goons,” he said in a way she could picture his eyes rolling, “will remain out of your sight as long as you don’t miss the deadlines.”
“I can’t ask for more than that.”
