Wrong Side of Town

Chapter 8

The morning went by quickly. Detective Jennings kept him busy with paperwork and filling him in. By that time, Zach had his badge and official ID, his documents signed and ready to file, and he'd been issued a Taser, a handgun and a baton. Just before noon, a call came in, and Jennings tossed Zach a bulletproof vest.

"Two ranchers disputing ownership of a small strip of woods has escalated into an armed standoff," the dispatcher said. "Looks like it's getting hot." She read off the names and locations.

"Time to saddle up and see what you're made of," Jennings said, and away they went.

"These two go at it about once a month," the detective sighed as they approached the scene. "Watch it though. If Wilbur's been drinking, things might get nasty. Most times, you find them calling each other names and sharing a pouch of chewing tobacco. They're good friends when they're not shooting at each other."

Sure enough, that's exactly what they found. The two old men were even passing a bottle back and forth.

Zach shook his head. "Only in Texas."

"Leave the shotguns at home next time," Jennings ordered, shaking her head. "They worry your wives. And Wilbur, don't put your deer-bait piles on Gus's land. You know better."

"Yes ma'am," they chorused, tipping their hats. This was obviously a semi-regular occurrence.

And that was the only call for a detective all morning long.

Once he'd filed the report, Zach decided to treat himself to lunch at the Dine-n-Dash. He knew the old owners had retired a few years back, but other than a fresh coat of place, the fifties-style diner looked just the same. Feeling a wave of nostalgia, Zach shrugged on his tan blazer, plopped his new chocolate brown Stetson on his head and walked the two blocks through downtown Hawthorne, stopping to talk to half a dozen locals along the way. All in all, he decided, it was good to be home.

Inside the diner, he could see that some changes had been made - mostly along the lines of sprucing the place up. New polka-dotted turquoise curtains, fresh vinyl on the booths and chairs, a little more whimsical fifties memorabilia on the walls - album covers, movie posters, even an old Schwinn bicycle suspended from the ceiling. The effect was fun and upbeat.

There were maybe half a dozen people scattered about, chatting and munching on onion rings or curly fries. The person who caught his eye, though, was a curvy brunette, tucked into a corner booth by herself, her nose buried in a paperback. There was a soda in front of her, but no plate or food debris.

Zach couldn't resist. He'd been drawn to her at the picnic, and he still felt the magnetic pull here today. Hat in his hands, he strode up and grinned at Laney Burroughs. "Mind if I join you?"

She jumped and hurriedly stuffed her book under the table. "Huh?"

A grin twitched at his lips. Poor thing was embarrassed about being spotted reading a bodice-ripper.

He gestured to the empty seat across from her. "Looks like you haven't eaten yet. I thought maybe you wouldn't mind some company."

"Oh - sure." She pushed a pair of wire-rimmed glasses up on her nose. "Zach, right?"

"Yes, ma'am, Zach Shannon. And you're Laney the librarian." She blushed so prettily, he couldn't resist the gentle teasing. Her name had stuck with him for some reason. And so had her face - cute more than elegant, but warm and pretty, with her turned up nose, pink cheeks and big brown eyes. Zach slid into the booth across from her and set his hat on the bench beside him.

"Guilty." Her slight giggle was a little breathy. Her eyes lit on the badge pinned to his chest. "And you're Deputy Shannon - or is it Senior Deputy?"

"Detective, actually. I talked my dad down from the serious nepotism. I was an MP and did some intelligence work, so this much I've earned." He wasn't sure why he wanted her to know that he was capable of making his own way, but it seemed important somehow.

The redhead who'd been talking to Laney at Miss Mamie's barbecue came out with a plate in her hand and a glass of water in the other. She set the sandwich in front of Laney and handed Zach the glass.

"Laney, everything okay?"

"Of course." Again, she looked startled, as if she couldn't imagine what her friend was talking about. "Andrea, you remember Zach Shannon, don't you? Zach, Andrea moved here from Houston about two years ago and bought the Dine-n-Dash."

Zach figured there was more to that story than met the eye. He shook her hand, noting the wary expression on her pointed, foxy face. Based on the way her eyes narrowed as she studied Zach, she was also extremely protective of her friend, which earned her points in Zach's book.

"Is the super-bacon-cheeseburger special still on the menu?" The Dine-n-Dash's jumbo burger plate had been a memory he'd carried in his mind while eating prepackaged rations and whatever else he'd been stuck with. "And a strawberry milkshake."

The redhead lifted one eyebrow but nodded. "One heart-attack special coming up." She sauntered away, her slim hips wiggling seductively.

Zach wasn't sure why he didn't watch her walk. Instead, he turned back to Laney. "So, do you enjoy being a librarian?"