The Cowboy Lawman

The clock in the living room chimed the noon hour. Mia looked at the web page she’d brought up. More dead ends. She closed down her computer and walked to the fridge, to stare again at contents that did nothing for her. She hadn’t been hungry in forever.

Because of the burning question: Who had ratted them out? Who had given away information on other law enforcement officers? Who had taken the money and how had they framed Butch?

She closed the fridge and walked through the house. At the front door, she slipped her feet into flip-flops and shoved money into her pocket. If she didn’t have anything good for lunch, Vera at the Mad Cow Café would.

A patrol car eased past her house as she walked out the door. They had all the tact and finesse of boys cruising around on Friday night. Everyone knew what they were up to. And anyone watching Mia would know that the deputies cruised past her house every hour or so. But they cared. They were trying to protect her. In Tulsa they were doing the same for Butch’s wife, Tina.

If Nolan came after her, though, he’d know their routine. He’d know their cars. He’d catch her when everyone least expected it.

September air, cool and filled with the scent of drying grass and flowers, greeted her as she walked down the steps of her front porch. The fresh air pulled her back to the present and out of the dark thoughts that had plagued her all morning.

She waved at Mrs. Lucas across the street, one of the few neighbors on this end of Dawson Avenue. Avenue was a little overstated. The road led from the feed store to nowhere. There were a total of five houses, most with land. Mr. Gordon raised a few calves. Taylor Green raised sheep. Mrs. Lucas seemed to raise cats, and lots of them.

The cats could usually be found sunning themselves on her porch, and sometimes they moved across the street to Mia’s. Mia had never been fond of cats. But she did like Mrs. Lucas, so she didn’t complain. As long as the cats didn’t bother the birds Mia fed.

It was a short, five-minute walk to the Mad Cow. Mia took it easy, having learned her lesson from her jogging adventure a few days ago. Her arm had ached all night after that little escapade. She’d called her doctor and he’d lectured her about the damage she could have done. Lesson learned.

The parking lot of the Mad Cow was packed with farm trucks, cars and even a couple of tractors.

Mia walked up the sidewalk of the black-and-white-spotted building and someone opened the front door. She smiled at one of the local farmers and he pushed the door wide for her to enter.

“Mia Cooper, been a long time since you was in town. How’s that arm doing?” The farmer, Ben, toothpick in the corner of his mouth, smiled and let the door close with both of them inside.

“I’m good.” Mia glanced around the crowded diner. She regretted the impulsive decision to come here at noon. People were looking her way. A few whispered.

“Guess you’ll be around, getting better after that fall?”

She smiled and didn’t correct him on the assumption that she’d fallen. For years people thought she worked at an office in Tulsa and sometimes traveled.

“I’ll be around for a while.”

Ben pulled the toothpick from his mouth. “You ever think about doing a barrel-racing clinic? I’ve got a girl who would love to ride. Jackson even has a horse she’s interested in. Trouble is, I ain’t never been much of a hand with horses.”

Barrel-racing clinic?

“Well, I haven’t ever thought about it, Ben.”

“Well, if you do, you let me know. I can’t think of anyone better than a national champion to teach the girls around here.”

“Thanks, I’ll keep you posted.”

The toothpick went back in Ben’s mouth, as the conversation seemed to be over. Mia glanced around the crowded restaurant with the black-and-white-tile floors, old Formica-topped tables and booths with seats covered in black vinyl that always got hot and stuck to the back of a person’s legs. She loved this place. She remembered the first time she came here with the Coopers. It had been on a Sunday after church.

On that Sunday so long ago, for the first time in her life she hadn’t been hungry. That was a memory. She hadn’t been the one in charge of making sure everyone ate. She’d sat at the table between Jackson and Reese. Heather had been across from her, smiling, trying to get her to smile. She’d eaten fried chicken. Vera had given her ice cream.

She remembered being afraid that it would all end, that the state would come looking for her and drag her back to her old house. She remembered worrying that wherever Juan and Breezy were, they might not be getting fed, because she wasn’t there to care for them.

“Sis, over here.” She glanced to the back corner and spotted Jackson and Travis. And Slade McKennon.

Just like old times. But not.

She walked to their booth and Jackson pointed at the seat next to Slade. He scooted and she sat down next to him. His arm brushed hers as he lifted his glass of tea. She reached past him for a menu.

He smelled good. Soap and something like a scent of the Orient tangled up in the mountains of Colorado. She didn’t linger but opened the menu and studied a list she’d seen too many times in her life.

“Ben ask you to teach his girl?” Jackson asked, pushing his glass of tea for the waitress to refill.

Travis moved his glass in the same direction. The waitress, a pretty girl with a big smile and blond hair streaked with pink, smiled at Slade. He didn’t seem to notice.

“Yes. A barrel-racing clinic? I don’t know where he got an idea like that.” Mia happened to look up from her menu and her gaze connected with her brother Travis’s. And he happened to look quickly at Jackson before taking a bite of biscuits and gravy.

Mia shook her head and refocused from the biscuits covered in sausage gravy to Jackson and his obviously guilty look.

“You did this?” She put her menu down and glared at Jackson.

He shrugged. “You might as well.”

“Really? Why is it that I might as well? I do have a job.”

“You’re not going to be working for a while. There’s a need. You’re just about the best.”

She arched her brows at him and smiled. “Just about?”

“You are the best,” he corrected. “Slade, what do you think?”

“I think I don’t have a dog in this fight and it’s a lot safer that way.”

Mia glanced his way, avoiding looking too deep into his gray eyes. She ignored yesterday’s five o’clock shadow on the smooth plane of his cheeks. He looked tired.

“Late night?” She looked back to the menu after asking the question.

“Yeah. And an early morning. My mom hasn’t been feeling too hot and she won’t go to the doctor.”

Mia smiled. “That McKennon family stubbornness.”

“I guess.”

Travis let his fork drop noisily on his plate. “I should get back to the house.”

“How’s Elizabeth.”

“Pregnant?”

“I know that.” Mia smiled up at the waitress. “Pueblo salad with ranch. Water to drink.”

“Okay.” The waitress smiled at Slade again. “You all done with that?”

He passed her his empty plate. Travis held his up and the waitress ignored him and walked off. Mia snorted a laugh and looked at Slade.

“So, is the waitress a friend of yours?” She regretted the question as soon it left her mouth. Talk about testy. She would blame it on lack of sleep.

“No, she isn’t.” Slade shook his head. “Seriously, Mia, she’s barely twenty.”

“Right. It’s none of my business.”

Jackson made a big deal of looking at his watch. “I should go.”

Travis slid out after him. “Me, too. I ordered Elizabeth a salad to go and chocolate pie. She’s been eating chocolate pie like crazy.”

“Tell her to call if she needs anything.” Mia reached her hand up and her brother enclosed it in his for a moment. “I can’t wait to hold that baby girl.”

“I’ll pass on the message and if you want to come out and visit, I’ll pick you up.”

“Thanks, Trav.” She smiled past him to Jackson. “And you, I will deal with you later.”

Jackson shrugged it off. “You’ll thank me later.”

After they were gone, she moved to the other side of the booth. Sitting next to Slade while her brothers were there was not a conversation starter. If she stayed next to Slade, the whole town would be talking and speculating.

The swinging doors that led to the kitchen opened. Vera walked out, her dark hair pulled back in a tight bun that looked severe but the smile on Vera’s face softened things up.

“Mia Cooper. Honey, I have been praying for you and thinking about you. How’d you like that peanut butter pie I made for you?”

“It was amazing, as always. Mom stayed and had a piece with me.”

Vera sat down next to Slade. “Girl, it is so good to see you back. Did you walk down here?”

“It isn’t far, Vera.”

“Well, no, it isn’t. But when you get ready to leave, you holler and I’ll bet someone will drive you home. Slade can give you a lift if he’s still here.”

“I need the exercise.” Mia avoided looking at Slade. The waitress had reappeared with a salad topped with grilled chicken, peppers, onions and mushrooms. “That looks great.”

“Well, of course it is.” Vera cleared her throat. “Do you need any help?”

Mia looked down at the salad, at the fork, at Vera. “No, I’m good.”

“Well, I’ll let you two catch up and remember to let me know if you need a ride.” Vera scooted out of the booth. “Real good to have you home, honey.”

Mia smiled and Vera left.

“I don’t mind giving you a ride home.” Slade leaned back and watched her. He wore a button-up shirt, short-sleeved and dark red. Obviously he wasn’t on duty. It deepened his tan. It made his gray eyes look silver.

“I know you don’t. I really do enjoy the walk. I think a half a dozen cats followed me to town.”

He smiled, teeth flashing white in his suntanned face. “I heard they discussed the cat issue at a city council meeting.”

“She loves those cats, and if the neighbors aren’t complaining, why should anyone else?”

Slade shrugged. “There are a lot of them.”

“I guess.” She took an awkward bite of salad. “This lefty business isn’t easy.”

No way would she tell him she’d spent the morning loading and unloading her weapon with her left hand. She’d considered taking it out to the ranch for target practice. Just in case.

“Do you need me to cut it up in smaller pieces?”

Her cheeks heated a little and she shook her head. “I’m good.”

* * *

Slade knew when to be quiet. People either needed the silence or they would fill it up because they needed to talk. Mia ate and ignored him. She knew how to use silence, too. As she ate, he glanced at his watch. He had to pick Caleb up at a friend’s house in an hour.

“Go.” Mia put her fork down.

“What?”

“You’ve looked at your watch three times. You’re not my keeper. They told you to drive by my house when you’re on patrol. They didn’t charge you with babysitting.”

“I’m not babysitting.” He leaned forward a little, lowering his voice. “I’m sitting with a friend while she finishes eating.”

“You’re starting rumors by sitting here.” Mia pushed the plate to the side. “Five years, Slade. You haven’t dated in five years. They’re all thinking it’s about time you did.”

“I date. And I don’t care if they talk. It’s Dawson, that’s what we do.”

“Right.” She reached and tugged at the sling that held her right arm, grimacing. “I hate this thing.”

“I know.” He reached for the cowboy hat sitting on the back of the booth. It was time to go. He looked around. The waitress hurried their way, pulling out her order pad.

“You all ready to go?” She smiled at him and Slade ignored the foot that kicked his under the table.

“We’re all ready. And I’m buying Mia’s lunch, too. She’s a great date, don’t you think?”

“It isn’t...”

He stopped Mia’s protest. “It isn’t our first date.”

The waitress turned pink and handed him the two checks. “There you go, Slade. You all need anything else?”

“No, that’s good.” He slid out of the booth and waited for Mia to join him. “I’ll give you a ride home.”

Mia stood. “You’re real funny.”

“You’re the one who said I need to start dating. Now if anyone in town is thinking it’s time, they’ll be satisfied to think that you’re the one I’m dating.” He winked and a streak of red crawled up her neck. Embarrassed or mad? He guessed he’d find out.

When they walked out the door of the Mad Cow, she slugged his arm. “That’s great. I tell you not to start rumors, so you go ahead and start the biggest one you can think of.”

Slade led her to his truck. He opened the passenger-side door and turned to face her. “I date.”

“Fine, you date.” She had that mad look on her face—one brow shot up as her eyes narrowed. “But you don’t date me. That’s not the way it works.”

“She’s been gone five years, Mia.” His heart still ached when he said it. Man, five years. Caleb was in kindergarten. Slade had a few gray hairs. He’d bought new furniture, finally.

They stood behind the open door of the truck. Mia’s eyes watered and she touched his cheek. A snowstorm at that very moment couldn’t have surprised him more. It surprised him for a lot of reasons he didn’t really want to think about.

“I still miss her,” she whispered, leaning close.

“I do, too.”

“She would have wanted you to move on.” Mia’s hand slid off his cheek. “I’m home now, so I can watch Caleb if you want to go out.”

“Thanks.” He cleared his throat and tried not to think about her offer. “We’d better go. I have to pick Caleb up in thirty minutes.”

“Sure, okay.”

She climbed in. He pulled the seat belt around her and buckled it. He knew that she held her breath as the buckle clicked. He was also aware of her breath soft on his neck, and the fresh-washed scent of her clothes.

He stepped back.

“Thank you.” She gave him a gentle smile and he closed the truck door.

They drove to her house in silence.

“If you want to go to church tomorrow, I can pick you up.” He offered as they pulled into her drive and parked.

She didn’t answer right away. He shouldn’t have offered. If people saw them showing up to church together, the rumors would definitely fly. He figured she had to be thinking the same thing.

“I’m not sure.”

“You’re not sure if you want me to pick you up or if you’re ready to go?”

“Both.” She reached for the door handle. “It isn’t easy, being this angry. I’m afraid I’ll go to church and the message will be directed at me, telling me to forgive myself, forgive God. Or, worse, forgive Nolan Jacobs.”

“That’s a whole lot of forgiving.”

She sighed and the door opened a few inches. “I’m going to find the leak.”

“I figure you probably will. But don’t get yourself hurt.”

“Little late for that.” She stepped out of the truck.

Slade followed her to the front door. She stuck her key in the lock and turned the knob. As she pushed the door open she turned to face him.

“I’m going in with you.” He reached past her and pushed the door the rest of the way open.

“Slade, Nolan Jacobs is a free man. Do you really think he’s going to show up here and ruin that for himself?”

“He might, if he thinks you have information that could put him back in jail. Or if he thinks you have that money.”

She stood in the doorway, blocking his entrance. “I’m good, Slade. You have to go.”

“Right.” He backed away from the door. “Mia, be careful.”

“I will. And you be careful, too.” She gave him an easy smile, the way she used to.

He wished they could go back in time, just for a little while, and remember what it was like to be young and think the world couldn’t hurt them.

She’d be tough, a fighter who rode hard and played hard.

He’d be the guy in love with Vicki, knowing they would be together forever.

Instead they were facing each other as if those other people were strangers, that other life a dream. And dangerous thoughts were going through his mind. The most dangerous of all—what would it be like to kiss Mia Cooper?

In all the years growing up together, they’d never kissed. Not even when they played Truth or Dare. He figured if he ever tried, she’d knock him down.

He’d been Reese’s best friend. She’d been Vicki’s best friend.

Now they were both alone. He didn’t know what that meant but he couldn’t let the thought go. Fifteen minutes later when he stopped at the house where Caleb had spent the night and he saw his son running out to greet him, the thought was still there.

He got out of the truck and met Caleb at the edge of the Martins’s drive. Mrs. Martin came out to tell him the boys had had a great time. Slade thanked her and picked up his son to put him in the backseat of his truck.

“Dad, I missed you.”

“Missed you, too, Cay.”

For some crazy reason, “missing” made him think of Mia again. He hadn’t realized until she came home that he had missed her.

Chapter Three

The doorbell chimed early Sunday morning. Not exactly sunrise, but Mia hadn’t been up long. She had a cup of tea, her computer and a shady spot on the back patio. No one would bother her on Sunday morning.

She left her tea and headed back inside through the house. Before opening the door, she peeked out. She didn’t know whether to be relieved when she saw the familiar car in the drive or run for cover.

A face peered in the window at her and she jumped back. Granny Myrna waved and then laughed.

“Open up, Sugar. I need a cup of coffee,” Granny Myrna yelled through the window and Mia nodded.

She clicked the dead bolt, turned the lock and opened the door.

“You’ve got this place locked up tighter than Fort Knox. My goodness.” Her grandmother pulled off white lacy gloves and her Sunday hat. “I ran out of coffee and since you’re the only Cooper smart enough to live in town, I thought I’d come over here and bug you for a cup.”

“You also know that I don’t drink coffee.” Mia hugged her grandmother, slipping an arm around her waist as they walked to the kitchen.

“Well, I do know you have a coffeepot and I’m willing to bet you keep some coffee in the house.”

“I do have coffee.”

“Well, then, I’ll just make a pot real quick and how about some breakfast?”

“Gran, you don’t have to cook for me. I had yogurt.”

“That isn’t enough to keep a bird alive. No wonder you’re so thin.”

“I’m fine.”

They reached the kitchen, and Mia’s grandmother had coffee going in a matter of minutes.

“I already feel better just smelling the coffee.” Granny Myrna gave her the once-over. “You’re not dressed for church.”

“No, I’m not.”

“And why is that?”

Mia glanced away from her grandmother’s piercing look, the look that always saw far more than the average person.

“Gran, I’m not ready to go. I can’t fix my hair or put on makeup. I can’t...”

“Face your pain?” Granny Myrna got right to the heart of things, the way she always did.

“I’m not sure.”

“Of course, you are. You know that you’re angry. You know that you’re hurt. You called out to God and you think he didn’t answer. That’s understandable. What isn’t understandable to me is how the strongest young woman I know could sit in this house and give up.”

“I haven’t given up.”

“No?”

“No.” Mia pushed the coffeepot because it was tilted on the heating element and about to spill out over the lid. “I’m not hiding. I’m just trying to get my head on straight.”

“I know that I can’t convince you that God was there that night, Mia, but He was. He didn’t leave you or ignore you. It just feels that way right now. You might never know why things happened the way they did. You might always feel a little angry, a little confused. But God can get you through the anger, too.”

“I love you, Gran.”

“Of course you do. I’m very easy to love. And I’m almost always right. Now don’t tell people I confessed to the ‘almost’ part. I’m just sharing that with you, and I’ll deny it if you tell anyone.”

“I won’t tell a soul.”

“Then come to church with me. You can take your anger there. It’s safe. And you might find a little peace to go with the anger.”

“You’re pushy.”

“It’s one of the perks of being eighty-five. And we have plenty of time. I’ll have coffee, you drink that nasty tea of yours and then I’ll help you get ready.”

Mia leaned to kiss her grandmother’s softly wrinkled cheek. “I am so glad you’re my grandmother.”

“Oh, honey, I’m so very glad you’re my granddaughter. And by the way, now that you’re home for a little while, maybe you can do something about Slade McKennon.”

“Why?”

“He’s far too good-looking to be eating alone at the Mad Cow. Don’t you think?”

“I’ll try to think of someone to fix him up with.” She smiled as she wiped up the counter. She knew that wasn’t what her grandmother meant, but it was all she could handle right now.

“You would want him to date someone else?”

“Gran, Slade is my friend—nothing more.” She thought about his hand on hers, and the memory took her by surprise. She and Slade had always been just friends. They’d shared a childhood, shared memories, shared grief.

The thought of anything more with Slade... She shook her head. Slade belonged to Vicki.

She led her grandmother to the patio and the two of them sat down. The sun had climbed higher and their shade wouldn’t last much longer. Mia closed her computer to keep her grandmother from seeing too much. Not that Mia had found anything. Breezy didn’t seem to exist.

What if something had happened to her sister? What if...

She picked up her cup and took a drink of the now-tepid tea. The thought that Breezy might be gone, perhaps had been gone for years without Mia knowing, continued to haunt her.

“Mia?”

She opened her eyes and smiled at her grandmother. The confession slipped out. “I’m searching for my sister.”

Granny Myrna set her coffee down with a thunk, slopping the brown liquid over the edge of the cup onto the table.

“Well, that wasn’t what I expected.”

Mia half smiled. “I know. I’ve tried over the years but now that I have plenty of time, I’m really digging.”

“But not finding her?”

“No.”

“You will. You’re the best detective I know.”

“Do you know a lot of detectives, Gran?”

“Well, not many, but you’re the best.” Her grandmother glanced at the delicate watch that had been her eightieth-birthday present from Tim and Angie Cooper. “We need to get you ready to go.”

Mia looked down at her sweats and the T-shirt she’d pulled on that morning. “This doesn’t work for you?”

“Let’s see if we can’t find a skirt to pull on with that shirt and not the sweatpants that I think you wore for gym class a dozen years ago.”

“They’re comfy.”

“They do look comfy, but no.” Granny Myrna stood and gathered up their cups. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

Mia left the house fifteen minutes later looking what her grandmother called “presentable” in a peasant skirt, flip-flops and the dark red T-shirt she’d put on that morning. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and Granny Myrna had even done a decent job with lip gloss and mascara.

When they pulled into the church parking lot, Mia felt a sense of coming home mixed with a healthy dose of nerves. She looked up at the steeple and thought about all the angry words she’d screamed the night Butch died in her arms. She thought about bargains she’d made, bargains that God had ignored.

“Time to go in.” Her grandmother pulled the keys out of the ignition. “All to Jesus, I surrender.”

Mia gathered her purse and Bible. “Even anger?”

“Even anger.”

They walked up the steps of the church, her grandmother holding the rail. Mia slowed her steps, realizing with an ache that her granny didn’t move as quickly as she used to. In the spring she’d even had a few ministrokes.