[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
extended cab and sat opposite the weapons.
At least Brock is having a good time. Shaking his head,
Usher laughed and clambered into the Dodge.
Chasing the Mailman | Amber Redd
144
LUCKILY, The Cannonball is closed tonight, Jess said. She
sauntered into Una s living room as Brock rushed from item to
item sniffing everything. The kids are at the sitter s again, so
they should be fine. Gloria s husband is home tonight, so he
has the guns loaded, should anything happen.
Hanna dropped a duffel bag by the coffee table and looked
around. Where s your mother, Jarreth?
He hung his coat up on a hall tree. Mom s in her room.
She seldom comes out once she s in there. Thank God she s
having a good day. She s lucid and seems more like the mother
I know.
I m sorry, darlin , said Hanna. It has to be so difficult to
watch her succumb to dementia.
Wanting to play, the Schnauzers began tormenting Brock
by nipping his ears and barking to get him to chase them.
Brock issued a disgruntled snort and looked at Usher as if to
say, Do something with these unruly kids, would you please?
With a chuckle, Usher called Brock to the laundry room
and shut him in it. He stopped to pour himself a cup of coffee
and then returned to the living room and sat in an overstuffed
chair. Sipping from the mug, he looked over at Jarreth, who
nodded, a pained expression crossing his face. Damn, I wish I
could erase the pain and worry for him. Usher took another
drink of brew to hide his feelings. It kills me to see him hurting
like this.
It s getting late, said Jarreth. He set his boots by the
front door and then stepped into the room. I ll set up your
scanner in the kitchen, and then we can turn on some nice
music and start some supper. How s that sound?
Chasing the Mailman | Amber Redd
145
Works for me, said Hanna. My scanner isn t doing any
good in an empty house and it ll alert us to any trouble in town
should that She shivered and made a face. That thing
attack anyone else God forbid. Hanna stretched and then
rubbed her belly. Besides, I m starved. All I got done was to
answer the authorities questions and deal with bawling cows
that needed to be milked. I never got a chance to even grab a
snack.
There are oranges on the kitchen table, Jarreth said.
That might hold you until our meal is done.
I already walked the dogs while you were picking up the
ladies, said Usher. I peeked in on Una, too, and she was
asleep thirty minutes ago.
Jarreth nodded. Thank you. His gaze met Usher s, and
something strong passed between them. It seemed to fluster
Jarreth and he looked away. Jess, if you don t mind, would
you make a salad while I prep the chicken to bake it?
Sure. She rose and wandered into the kitchen behind
Hanna.
He returned his attention to Usher. Hey, he said. Thank
you for taking care of Mom while I was gone.
No problem. We re friends, so it s the least I could do.
Once again, something overwhelming passed between him
and Jarreth. Certain he wasn t imagining it, Usher allowed a
tiny seed of hope to grow in his heart. Could he have feelings
for me? Is it really possible?
Jarreth cleared his throat and took a step into the hall.
You just sit and relax. You ve been hobbling around on that
bum foot with the dogs and Brock yanking you around in the
snow, so let me and the girls fix supper. He smiled warmly,
Chasing the Mailman | Amber Redd
146
holding Usher s gaze longer than necessary then suddenly
turned and vanished down the corridor.
Staring after him, Usher shook himself and blinked away
his crazy notions. Jarreth is just grateful, that s all. However, a
thought popped into his head with such force it startled him,
and he almost dropped his coffee cup. I ve never seen him even
glance in a woman s direction. He thought back to their night at
The Cannonball and sorted through the events of the day as
they d interacted with people at a gas stop and then at the
hospital. Jarreth is always polite and has a smile for everyone,
but he never once showed interest in a woman, nor did he check
out a lady s ass or even point out an attractive nurse. Am I
wrong about him?
Usher mused for several minutes, but eventually the
sound of soft pop music gained his attention. With his coffee
cup empty, he rose and made his way to the kitchen. Jess and
Hanna joked with one another as Jarreth rinsed chicken and
placed pieces of it in a zipper bag of cornmeal sprinkled with a
healthy dose of spices and herbs.
Our local radio station might be little, said Jess, but
they sure do play some great tunes.
I know, Hanna replied. I turn it on every time I m in the
barn. If I didn t know better, I d swear the cows love it too.
Jess and Jarreth laughed at that.
The scanner, perched on the windowsill, let out a shriek.
Usher jumped and his gaze zipped to Jarreth s.
A series of codes and coordinates were rattled off by a male
voice, followed by, Officer down! Officer down! Two civilians
dead. Dispatch all available cruisers and the e-squad. Contact
the county coroner s office. Over.
Chasing the Mailman | Amber Redd
147
The dispatcher replied, Car nine, what s the location of the
perp?
No perp, dispatch. It s an animal. A huge wolf, from what I
could see. It ran into the woods behind the garage.
Relay that again, car nine.
It s a fucking huge wolf!
Sending units out now. Be careful, car nine. Over.
Duly noted. Over.
The airwaves fell silent.
Good God, said Hanna. Old man Murphy lives in the
apartment behind the shop. I hope he s okay.
Jess set the head of lettuce she d been shredding on the
counter. She turned and looked at Usher, her face pale, eyes
wide with fear and shimmering with unshed tears. Murphy
was just joking with me the other day, when he fixed my car.
She blinked and two tears, one from each eye, trickled down
her cheeks. He kept teasing me that I was an alien, because
any other woman would insist her husband buy her a brand
new vehicle.
A tremble began in the soles of Usher s feet and traveled
up his legs until his entire body felt as though it was vibrating.
This can t be happening! All these people suffering, but why?
What does the werewolf want?
Usher peeled carrots for Jess to shred for the salad. Across
from them, Hanna quietly opened two cans of crescent rolls
and placed them on a baking sheet, as Jarreth slid the pan of
chicken into the oven to bake. Usher s nerves were so taut, he
feared he d snap tendons if someone spoke too suddenly or an
unexpected noise occurred. He kept glancing over at Jarreth,
who leaned against the kitchen isle staring off into space, his
face a mask of worry.
Chasing the Mailman | Amber Redd
148
I m going to go check on my mom, he announced and
pushed away from the isle. The chicken will be ready in about
an hour and fifteen.
Why is this thing attacking innocent people? Hanna
asked no one particular.
From what I read online, said Usher, there are all kinds
of theories, but nothing definite or proven. The consensus is
the lust for blood and sometimes revenge.
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]