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He returned his wallet to his pocket, not looking too happy about it. Digging for his truck keys, he dangled them in front of her nose. “Will you at least drive my truck back to the clinic, so I don’t have to worry about you getting back safely?”
“Only if you promise to tell me if Tractor Guy really dug up a tombstone.”
Shep sent Adriel a questioning look.
“Go ahead.” Adriel nodded. “She’s one of us now.”
His answer warmed her heart. So did the look Shep gave her as she accepted his keys. “Call me when you’re ready for me to come pick you up,” she said softly.
He shook his head. “You’ve got patients to see. I can bum a ride with the sheriff.”
She frowned at the dog cages in the back of his pickup. “What about the cages?”
Adriel jabbed a thumb at the mesh wall separating the front seat of his cruiser from the backseat. “The dogs can hitch a ride in the back.”
Shep and Adriel exchanged another look, after which Adriel drove his cruiser, lights flashing, to the edge of the parking lot.
Tractor Guy stopped hollering into his phone to glare at him.
Shep walked hand-in-hand with her to his truck. “I’ll text you the moment I know anything, partner.”
“Thanks.” She gave him a sunny smile.
He kissed her hand again, caressing her with his eyes while he did so. Then he let it go. Lowering the tailgate, he unlatched the dog cages and whistled for Rook and Bishop to hop down.
The two dogs bounded to the dusty pavement, shaking their coats and growling low in their throats. Their eyes were glued to the flashing lights on the other side of the parking lot.
She met Shep’s gaze. “Please be careful.”
“I’m always careful, darling.”
She stepped closer to him and lowered her voice. “I mean it. It’s the mafia we’re talking about here.”
“I’ve dealt with all kinds of criminals. This is nothing new, so stop worrying.”
“I always worry about you, Shep.” She spoke beneath her breath, not sure if he heard her — not sure if she even wanted him to hear her. She lost sleep sometimes over the many dangers he faced on the job.
“Please don’t.” There was a tinge of regret in his voice.
“Don’t tell me what to do, Shep.” She lifted her chin. “You’re mine to worry about anytime I want to.”
“I like the sound of that.” He drew a finger down her cheek. “Everything but the worrying part.”
She slapped his hand away, making him grin for the first time since the earth shattering first kiss they’d shared.
She felt the smolder of his gaze on her as she hopped into his truck and drove off.
Shep jogged Rook and Bishop over to the sheriff and made them heel at the edge of the parking lot. They continued to make low growling noises, which seemed to rattle Tractor Guy a bit.
“This is private property,” he snarled in a distinctly Italian accent, “so unless you’ve gotta warrant…”
He sounded like he’d stepped straight off the set of a gangster movie. Shep eyed him more closely, wondering if that was why he looked vaguely familiar. With his plump, round face and receding hairline, he could’ve easily landed a role as Al Capone. All he was missing was the fedora and cigar.
“This is federal land,” Adriel informed him mildly, “and you appear to be standing on a grave, Mr. ah…?”
“My name ain’t important.” He wiped his hands against his black cargo pants, leaving a trail of dirt. They weren’t nervous movements so much as impatient ones. He was anxious to be rid of them, and he wasn’t bothering to hide it.
Adriel gave up trying to reason with him. He produced a cell phone, tapped in a number, and held it up to his ear. “Hey, Levi. This is Adriel Montana. Got a situation here. The guy you hired to clear the lot next to the grill seems to have dug up a grave.” He paused to listen. “Yep. Mind if I put you on speaker phone?” He paused again. Then he mashed a button and lowered his phone to hold it between him and Tractor Guy.
