No Strings Part 28

Reese stood in front of Eloise's desk, turning a circle, a frown on her face as she looked around. She tapped Eloise's desk. "We don't have a jail." She held up her hands. "Why don't we have a jail, Eloise?"

"What do we need a jail for?"

"Oh, I don't know. We're the sheriff's office. Surely sometime in the last century we've needed a jail," she said sarcastically.

Eloise stared blankly at her. "You've been here eight months.

You're just now discovering we don't have a jail?"

Reese shrugged. "So if I need one, what do we do? Lock them in the supply closet?"

Eloise flicked her eyes as if bored with the conversation.

Reese arched an eyebrow, waiting. Eloise sighed.

"There are two cells in the museum. Well, only one of them locks though."

"In the museum? Our jail cells are in the museum?" Reese paused. "I didn't even know we had a museum."

0.

Eloise stared at her blankly. "They're open Memorial Day through Labor Day. The building used to be the old jail from back in the day. They left the cells up when they turned it into a museum."

"I see. And have we ever used them?"

"Not that I'm aware of."

Amazing, Reese thought. The jail cells were in a museum. A museum she didn't even know existed. She shook her head, then moved to her own office, pausing again. "Where's Googan?"

"I have no idea."

"Well, why don't you call him on the radio? Rouse him up."

"Don't you think he gets tired of you checking up on him ten, fifteen times a day?"

"I just want to make sure he's okay."

"His doctor released him."

"Doesn't hurt to check." She motioned to the radio. "Call him, would you?"

"I swear," Eloise mumbled under her breath as she picked up the radio. "Googan? Come in. The Chief's looking for you." She waited. "What's your...your ten-thirty?"

"It's ten-twenty," Reese said. "How many times have I told you? Ten-twenty."

"Where are you?" Eloise said instead, daring Reese to correct her.Reese paced behind her chair. "Call him again," she said. She hated when he didn't answer. He'd been back three weeks, and yes, she checked on him constantly.

"Googan? Come in," Eloise said again.

"Maybe something happened. Maybe I should go out and look for him," Reese said quickly.

They both looked up as the bell jingled over the door. Googan stood there, watching them.

Reese smiled. "See? I told you he was okay." She turned quickly and went into her office, embarra.s.sed. Really, she needed to let it go. Googan was fine. His limp was barely discernable.

She had to stop worrying that he was going to drive off into one 0.

of the canyons again. A freak accident, that's all.

So she sat down and tapped the mouse, scattering the screen saver. There were no reports to fill out, no budgets to go over.

No crime, no nothing. So she did what she usually did in the afternoons. She played solitaire on the computer.

She was into her second game when Eloise yelled that she had a call.

"What line?"

"The only one that's blinking," Eloise barked from the other room.

"Can we at least pretend to have some sort of professionalism here? We do have an intercom, you know," she yelled back. She picked up the phone. "Reese Daniels. How can I help you?"

"Chief Daniels, good to hear your voice again."

Reese frowned. The man's voice was familiar, but she couldn't place it.

"It's Michael Stewart," he said.

Reese smiled. "I knew I recognized your voice. How the h.e.l.l are you?"

"We're doing great. The ski season ended late after that big storm in April. And summer's in full swing. How about you?

They keeping you busy there?"

She laughed. "No, can't say they are. It's very tame here compared to Winter Park."

"No doubt. Actually, that's really the reason I'm calling. We want you to come back."

The smile left her face and she stared at the phone. Come back? "What about Richard?"

"Oh, they got a divorce. He moved to Denver and is with some law firm now." He paused. "Cheri is still here though."

"I see. And what about your current police chief?"

"Interim only. He knew that coming in. But he's a little young for the job. Needs more seasoning. He hasn't quite learned how to pamper the tourists yet. We like your experience, Reese."

She leaned back in her chair. Wow. Just like that, she had her old job back. If she wanted it. "Well, I appreciate the offer, 0.

Michael. You know I'm locked in here until November."

"Surely you can get out of that?"

"I'll have to see. I'd hate to put them in a bind," she said.

"Okay. Do what you can. We're anxious to get you back."

"Sure. I'll get back with you, Michael."

Yeah. Just like that. She spun her chair around, looking out the small back window to the street behind the sheriff's office.

She could see Doris Newman walking to her tiny wood frame house, a sack of groceries in her arms that she'd just gotten at Lou's. And she knew if she kept watching, her husband Larry would get home from his job at Thompson's Ranch at about a quarter to five. And sometimes, as a treat, Larry and Doris would walk over to Sloan's for dinner instead of Doris cooking. She knew all that just from watching them these last few months. She didn't know they had a G.o.dd.a.m.n museum in town, but she knew Doris and Larry's daily routine.

She spun back around to her desk, wondering when it happened, this connection she had with the town and its people.

No involvements, remember? One year of exile then back to the real world. These people got along fine before she got here and they'd be just fine when she left.

She rubbed her eyes. Leaving Morgan would be the hardest, of course. She'd been dreading it actually. They never discussed it, but it was always there. November was tapping on the door.

Michael Stewart didn't want to wait until November. He wanted her now. But even though she knew they could place Googan back in charge, she just wasn't prepared to leave now. She wasn't emotionally prepared to leave, as scary as that was. Truth was, she wasn't prepared to leave Morgan.

Well, she needed to talk to her. She needed to tell her. Maybe she could feel her out and see how she took the news. If Morgan acted upset or disappointed, then maybe Reese could entertain the idea of staying in Lake City another year.

What am I thinking?

It's Winter Park. Her dream job. She'd have to be crazy to turn it down.

0.

CHAPTER FORTY.

Reese found Morgan on the back deck of the cabin, sipping a gla.s.s of wine. She smiled as she saw the two steaks already seasoned, just waiting for the charcoal to heat.

"What's the occasion?" she asked as she bent down and kissed Morgan on the lips.

"It's just so beautiful out," Morgan said. "And we don't take advantage of the picnic table nearly enough." She caught Reese's hand as she walked past and squeezed. "Did you have a good day?"

Reese laughed. "Yeah, but it'd be good to have a crime spree or something every once in a while." She picked up the bottle of wine and filled the gla.s.s Morgan had placed there for her. She topped off Morgan's as well. She realized her hand was shaking as she put the bottle back down. She was nervous. Far more nervous than she should be.

She sat beside Morgan, pulling the deck chair closer. And as 0.

natural as can be, they found their hands touching, their fingers entwined. G.o.d, she was going to miss this. But there was no sense putting if off. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves.

"Got a call today," she said as nonchalantly as possible. "From Winter Park." She felt Morgan's fingers tighten slightly against her own.

"Oh, yeah?"

"Seems the mayor and his wife got a divorce. He moved to Denver, and, well, they want me to come back."

She stared at Morgan, trying to judge her reaction. The cheerful smile Morgan flashed couldn't hide the misgiving in her eyes."How wonderful! I know you liked it there."

Reese nodded. "Yeah, I did. And I know the people there."

"Well, I think that's great." She squeezed Reese's hand. "And you know, maybe you and the mayor's wife can try it again," she teased.

Reese didn't say anything as Morgan got up. She pointed to the steaks.

"Do you mind putting those on? I want to grab a quick shower."

Reese nodded. "Sure."

She didn't know what to make of Morgan's reaction. Her cheerfulness was forced, she could tell that. But she'd thought perhaps Morgan might ask her to stay. Oh, well. Maybe she'd read too much into their relations.h.i.+p. Maybe Morgan wasn't going to be all that upset when she left after all.

Maybe she wouldn't even miss her.

Morgan barely made it into the bathroom before her heart broke completely. She leaned on the counter, taking deep breaths. It wasn't supposed to hurt this much. It wasn't like it was unexpected. But it was July. Three more months to live with the knowledge that Reese was going back to Winter Park.

She met her eyes in the mirror, letting her tears fall without 0.

even trying to stop them. Broken hearts deserved tears, at least.

But when the tears turned to sobs, she quickly shed her clothes and stepped into the shower, letting the warm water wash her tears away. She had no idea how she was going to make it through dinner. She could barely make it through a shower.

She sobbed again, leaning against the wall and wrapping her arms around herself, praying the pain would go away.

It didn't.

Going through the motions of dinner was the hardest thing she'd ever had to do. Trying to appear as though everything were perfectly normal, perfectly fine. Trying to make conversation without crying. She couldn't look at Reese. She knew if she looked into her eyes she would break down. She knew she would make a complete fool of herself and beg her to stay. So she put on a brave face, smiling to the extreme she knew, but it was the only way to keep from crying. Reese didn't comment on her behavior. In fact, Reese seemed far too quiet. Perhaps it was because Morgan was chatting away, pulling subjects out of the air, anything to avoid a lull in the conversation where they might have to actually talk about something that mattered.

Like Reese leaving.

And later, after they'd both pushed the food around on their plates, after she'd cleaned up dinner while Reese showered, she crawled into bed beside Reese, moving into her arms, relis.h.i.+ng what she knew would be their last night together. She just couldn't go on pretending any longer. No, she would end this affair. She didn't think she could survive if she didn't.

Even now, as Reese rolled them over, as she settled her weight between her thighs, Morgan felt her heart breaking a little more, felt tears sting her eyes. She pulled Reese close, letting her lips move across her skin, memorizing her taste, her smell. She squeezed her eyes shut.

I love you.

But there were no words spoken as they made love to each other. Reese's hands were strong, familiar, as they moved across her body, touching her in all the secret places that only Reese 0.

knew. Morgan felt a tear slide down her face as Reese suckled her breast, gently and tenderly loving her. Morgan arched into her, opening her legs, inviting Reese inside.

As Reese's fingers filled her, they moved together slowly, effortlessly. Morgan pulled Reese's mouth from her breast, bringing her to her lips, her tongue sliding over Reese's before sucking it inside her mouth. She heard Reese moan, felt her hips buck against her own, forcing Reese's fingers deeper inside her.