Yancy was lost in his work an hour later when a loose board shifted above and tumbled down.
A little squeak followed.
Yancy waited, then said calmly, If youre trying to kill me, youll need to toss down something bigger than a two-by-four.
Sorry, came a whisper.
No harm. Ive known you were up there for a while. Want to come down and say hello?
No answer.
I got a thermos of hot coffee I havent had time to drink. Youre welcome to it.
Youre not calling the police?
Nope. Sheriff probably has his own coffee.
Yancy thought he heard a hiccup of a laugh.
A slight woman dressed in jeans and a blue-checked flannel shirt moved down the ladder. Her long, dark braid brushed her backside as she lowered from step to step.
I didnt mean to spy on you, she said, without looking at him. The barn wasnt locked, and I just wanted to be out of the cold a few nights ago. It smells so good in here Ive found myself coming back.
Its the fresh-cut wood. I love the smell, too. He went back to work. So, you walk at night also? Its a habit of mine.
She nodded. I dont usually come this close to town, but walking seems better than trying to sleep.
I know what you mean. He handed her the thermos. Coffees strong. It was left over from where I work, but its hot. Should take off the chill.
She untwisted the lid and poured herself half a cup. I like the sounds of the night and the way I can walk without having to speak to anyone. I can just walk and be a part of the land, the trees, the air.
You dont like talking to folks?
Not much. Ive just said more to you right now than Ive said to anyone in days.
He grinned, thinking no one at the retirement home would believe this story when he told it tomorrow. A pretty woman, about his age, with hair as black as midnight, hiding in his loft. And even stranger, she said she didnt like to talk but yet she still talked to him.
He liked the idea that they shared a love for walking the shadowy roads and also for not having much to say. He was usually the one folks skipped talking to. Youre welcome here anytime. Im Yancy Grey and Im remodelingor probably more accurately, rebuildingthe old Stanley house.
I know. I can see that.
She had a soft, easy smile, but sad eyes. Old-soul eyes, he thought, like shed seen far more sadness than most. He remembered a few people in prison like that and had watched sad eyes go dead, even though the person looking out of them was still breathing.
You live around here? Yancy knew he would have remembered if hed seen her before. At first glance she looked more like a sixteen-year-old kid, but in the light, she seemed closer to her late twenties.
I have to go. She backed toward the door. I shouldnt have bothered you.
He saw panic in those beautiful winter-blue eyes. He forced himself not to react. One more question and he knew shed bolt.
No bother. He turned back to his work. It was nice to have the company, even if I did think you were a rabbit.
She whispered, more to herself than to him, How would a rabbit get up there?
He shrugged. How would a pretty lady? Come back anytime, Rabbit. No questions, I promise.
She took one more glance around the shop. I like this place. It makes me feel safe. My father had a shop like this one.
You are safe, he added, knowing without asking that her father must be dead. If hed been alive, she wouldnt be searching for a safe place. Drop by anytime. Only, bewareI might put you to work.
She ran her small hand over the wood hed just sanded. Id like that. I grew up helping build things. Some folks said my daddy was an artist, but he always said he was just a carpenter.
Without a word, he handed her the sander and went back to work. She stood on the other side of the workbench for a few minutes, then began to polish. For an hour, they simply worked across from each other. Her skill was evident, and he found himself wishing that a woman would touch him as lovingly as she touched the wood.
When he lifted the final board, she set her tools down and whispered, I have to go. Thank you for this calm evening, Yancy.
Youre welcome, Rabbit. Come back any night. He sensed what she might need to hear. I could use the help, and I promise, no questions.
She slipped through the doorway so silently he almost thought hed imagined her.
Folding up his toolbox, Yancy turned out the light. Hed enjoyed her company, even though he knew nothing about the woman, not even her name. For all he knew, she could be crazy. Maybe shed run away from prison or a husband who beat her. Or maybe she was a drifter, just waiting to steal everything she could get her hands on. If so, it wouldnt be too hard; hed never bought a lock for the barn.
But she had no car. She couldnt have come far walking and she wouldnt be able to carry off too much. She also had no wedding band, so no one was probably waiting up for her. He sensed that she was as alone as he was.
He reached for his coat and wasnt surprised to find it missing from the latch.
As he started back toward his little room behind the activity hall of the Evening Shadows Retirement Community, he smiled, glad that Rabbit was warm at least. At her size, his coat would be huge, for he had to be over a foot taller than her and probably weighed double.
Maybe he should have more questions running through his head, but the only one he could think of right now was, could he call what they shared tonight a date?
Yancy swore to himself, thinking how pitiful he was to even consider the question. She was probably just lost, or maybe hiding from something, and definitely a thiefshed stolen his coat. Not dating material even for someone as desperate as he was to just do something as ordinary as holding a womans hand.
But, considering all her possible shortcomings, she was still the best time hed had with a woman in months.
CHAPTER FOUR
DEPUTY FIFTH WEATHERS rushed into the county offices on Main Street in Crossroads, Texas, as if he were still running offensive tackle for the Texas Longhorns.
Grinning, he realized it had been four years since hed graduated. He was forty pounds leaner and long past talking about his football days, but now and then he yearned to run with the crowds roaring once more.
He headed straight for the sheriffs office. All hell was about to hit and he hadnt even had breakfast.
Hed overslept, again, and that was something Sheriff Brigman thought should be a hanging offense. Plus, even though hed worked until long after midnight, the report due today still wasnt done.
Pearly, the countys receptionist and secretary, who sat just right of the main entrance, always jumped when Fifth walked past. She was a thin, little woman whod probably blow away if he sneezed, and in the two years hed been working with the sheriff, shed never smiled at him.
The first six months hed been in town shed asked weekly when he planned to leave. Lately, the question hung silently between them like last years Christmas tinsel caught on a slow-moving fan, fluttering silently as it circled.
He nodded at her.
At six feet seven inches, Deputy Weathers wasnt likely to sneak up on Pearly, but she frowned like she could see doomsday coming when his shadow blocked the sun.
There you are, she snapped. The sheriffs looking for you.
Fifth moved closer to her massive desk. If he got any nearer than five feet, it always made Pearly start to fiddle with her shawl fringe like she planned to unknit the entire thing if he came within touching distance.
You all right, Miss Pearly? he said in a tone he hoped sounded more kind than threatening.
Im fine, she snapped. You just startled me. Someone should have put a brick on your head ten years ago, Deputy Weathers.
Fifth gave up any attempt at conversation and headed toward the sheriffs office. He couldnt help it if his father had cursed him with height and his mother hadnt been able to think of a name for her fifth son, so shed just called him a number. Everyone had crazy families. His was simply supersized.
Sheriff Brigman is not in there, Pearly announced, about the time he reached the door. Hes out on the Kirkland Ranch. Said to bring the missing-persons flyers for the past month and maps of the county. Wants your help as soon as possible, so Id suggest you start backtracking all the way to your car.
Fifth thought of asking her why she hadnt let him know right away. She could have radioed the cruiser he drove, called his cell or dialed the bed-and-breakfast where hed overslept this morning. But he knew what Pearlys answer would be if he asked: she always said that shed been about to. The womans about to list would last her into the hereafter.
He turned and walked back past her desk, trying not to notice how she leaned away like hed accidentally knock her down on his way out.
A few minutes later he climbed into his cruiser, wondering why some people treated men over six-six like they were alien invaders. Men who were six-four were apparently fine, but grow a few more inches and youre out of the normal zone. It also didnt help that deputies in Texas wore boots and Stetsons. That added another three or four inches.
When hed played football in college, his height hadnt been a problem. But now anyone lower by a foot seemed to think he might just accidentally bop them on the head. Hed made it through the academy and had served two years as a deputy without accidentally killing anyone.
As he drove toward the Double K Ranch that had been in the Kirkland family over a hundred years, Fifth Weathers tried to relax. Hed been in Crossroads since Sheriff Brigman was shot and almost killed two years ago.
At first it had been just a job, a chance to step out of a big office and work with a sheriff everyone in Texas respected. But lately, it was more than that. He was starting to care about the people. Hed matured from a green rookie looking for excitement to a seasoned officer who hoped never to have to pull his weapon again.
That is, if shooting a snake counted as a first time.
For the most part, the folks in the county were good, honest citizens who loved to tease him once they figured out he was on the shy side. The grocer offered to stack his daughters if Fifth would take both of them out. The Franklin sisters, who ran the bed-and-breakfast, were always trying to match him up with one of their relatives because they claimed the family tree could use the height. And from what hed seen, Franklins tended to grow out instead of up.
Fifth wouldnt have minded having a date. It had been a while. But even in college, when girls flocked around athletes, he hadnt gone out much. Hed always felt awkward and never knew the right thing to say.
He blamed his mother for his awkwardness around women. Youd think with a dozen pregnancies she could have popped out one girl so her sons could learn to relate.
When he turned onto Kirkland land, Fifth put his problems aside and was all business. If the sheriff was here, there must be something wrong. Staten Kirkland was a good man who ran his ranch like a small kingdom. He wouldnt be calling the law in on something minor.
Dan Brigman was on the porch talking to the rancher. All signs that Brigman had taken four bullets in an ambush were gone: the sheriff looked fit and strong; his hair had grayed to the color of steel, and his eyes always seemed to look right into the heart of folks. Fifth could think of no better goal than to model his career after this legend of a man.
About time you arrived, Dan said with a hint of a smile that told Fifth he wasnt in any serious trouble this time.
Sorry, sir. I overslept. Fifth climbed the steps and offered his hand to Kirkland.
Dan nodded once. I thought you might when I passed the office around midnight and saw the lights still on.
Youre working the kid too hard, Kirkland said as he shook Fifths hand. Come on inside, Deputy. Weve got coffee and cinnamon rolls waiting. I need to show Dan the map in my office before we start planning.
Thanks, Fifth answered politely, grateful that he didnt have to admit that right now he was far more interested in the rolls and coffee than looking at any map. Caffeine and sugar should wake him up.
Fifth followed the two men through the massive double doors of the Kirkland headquarters as they talked about the weather. The sound of their boots thumping across the hardwood floor blended with the jingle of spurs Kirkland wore.
Fifth had been at the headquarters a few times before. A New Years party. A meeting of the new city planning committee. He liked the big old home, and it was one of the few places he didnt have to watch his head. The Kirklands were tall and built their house to accommodate.
The main room was a forty-foot-long living area built with mahogany and leather. A dining area to the left had a table that would seat thirty. Kirklands huge office opened through double doors on the right, and a modern country kitchen was in the back.
The house reminded him of a remade set from the movie Giant. Pure Texas. Western, all the way.
Only it didnt seem like a house that people lived in. It was the headquarters, set up for work and meetings. Fifth had heard that the family lived in a smaller place a few hundred yards away, which made sense. Kirkland had two toddlers, and no one would want to have to chase them all over this amount of square footage.
Fifth had just begun to feel his muscles relaxing when he turned the corner off the main room and saw Kirklands wife, Quinn, sitting at the kitchen table, talking to a woman about his age.
The stranger had short, reddish-brown hair, naturally curly, and blue eyes; she was dressed in a leather jacket and tan pants with boots laced almost to her knees. For a second he thought she looked like Amelia Earhart. Then he added one more fact as she turned directly to him and glared.
One look at him and, for some reason, the woman seemed to become angry as hell.
For a second, Fifth fought the urge to step back, maybe all the way to the door. Maybe farther. He might not have a lot of experience with women, but he could see rage flashing in her icy-blues like white-hot lightning. Take cover or run seemed to be the safest options.
The anger didnt fit until he watched her slowly stand. He added one last statistic. Over six feet tall. The possibility theyd both stepped into a match-up trap occurred to him, just as it probably had to her.
Quinn just grinned, but Kirkland made the introductions. Fifth, Id like you to meet my wifes niece, Madison OGrady. Now Kirkland was grinning, obviously unaware that his kin was firing a look that might kill the only deputy for miles around. We asked her to come in this morning. Thought you two might like to get acquainted.