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won.”

  “Freakin woman’s gotta be on speed man. No one runs like that but me.” The kid grumbled from the cot.

  “What’d he take?”

  Bay pointed to the corner of her desk and a collection of junk food. “Two sodas, five candy bars, two packs of crackers. But what got him was he tried to lift a pack of cigarettes. And the fact that I had just stopped to grab breakfast before going home.”

  Shifting to stand behind her to read her screen, he noted the name. “Trevor Williams.” He ignored the quick shiver he felt go through Bay... or so he told himself when his body tightened. Moving to stand in front of the cell, he looked more closely at the boy. “Trevor Williams. Mayor Williams’s grandson. Captain of the football team. Starting point for the basketball team. Track star.”

  Bay’s startled gaze went to the kid. He remained silent for the first time since she’d picked him up.

  Tuck gave the bars of the cell a kick to make them ring. “You were just helping yourself to what you wanted, no need to pay cuz you’re Mayor Williams’s grandson. Got caught and ran. She chased you down. Caught you, beat you down, handcuffed you and brought you in.” He gave a harsh laugh. “How many of your friends saw that one?”

  The boy remained silent and still.

  “You’re a senior this year, right? First football game coming up. College football scouts going to be sniffing around you this year. Football and basketball scouts maybe.” Tuck began to pace in front of the bars. “If I remember correctly Coach Max is hella’ strict on keeping your nose clean.” Crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back on his heels, Tuck continued, “Didn’t he toss Dylan White right off the team for just getting a squalling tires ticket? Something about his players being examples to the community”

  A low stream of curses started.

  Tuck snapped his fingers and adopted a hopeful look on his face. “Oh. But you’re Trevor Williams. You think you can get out of this because Grandpa will just give me a call and make it all go away. Right?”

  Trevor sat up and looked at Tuck, hope dancing in his eyes. “Can you?”

  Tuck’s harsh laugh echoed through the room. Without looking at Bay he asked, “Is this little snot 18 yet?”

  “Yes.”

  “Did you charge him with assaulting an officer?”

  “No.”

  “Do it. Charge him with resisting too. Charge him with everything you’ve got. No need to call his parents. Or his grandparents. He’s an adult and he’s on a twenty-four hold. He’s going to miss school today. And football practice. And, most likely, the rest of the season.” Turning sharply on his heel, he left for his office.

  He was deep into his own paperwork and fighting the demon of a dark mood when Bay brought in her report. Taking it he asked, “Did you put down your overtime?”

  “Um, yeah I will.” Bay stood with her hands in her pockets.

  “Anything else?”

  “Is everything okay?” She asked softly.

  “Everything is just peachy. Thanks for asking.” Tuck knew the sarcasm was just dripping from his words but he couldn’t seem to hold it back.

  “Look Sheriff, normally I stay out of your business, but you were a little hard on the kid in there.” Bay held herself stiffly as if she expected a rebuke.

  Shoving his hand through his hair in an uncharacteristic show of frustration, Tuck leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. Maybe if he didn’t look at her it would be better. He paused, wondering how much to say and then decided it was best to say nothing at this point. So he settled on the answer, “Yes there’s something wrong. No I’m not going to talk about it. Go home. I’ll handle the kid from here.”

  Bay didn’t budge. Tuck didn’t have to open his eyes to know she hadn’t moved. He could feel the damn woman, every inch of her. Finally she said, “You know where to find me if you do ever need someone on the outside to talk to.”

  This time he felt her move away but before she could get out of his office, he opened his eyes and even though he tried to keep his mouth shut it didn’t work. “You’re not an outsider anymore Bay. You’re one of us.”

  She turned back and gave him a small smile. “Thanks. Offer still stands.” And then she was gone.

  Tuck was eating lunch at Mamie’s when his cell phone rang. It flashed up Clarice’s picture and he quickly took the call. “Hey there.”

  “Hi. Um, I have an appointment tomorrow in Fayetteville. I know you’re working but is there any way you could go with me.” Her words came in a rush like she had to say them fast or she wouldn’t say them at all.

  “Of course I will. All you had to do was let me know when and where. Bay can cover, it’s her day off.” A tightness settled around Tuck’s chest making it hard to breathe.

  “Great. Pick me up 8 in the morning? We can have lunch in the city. Someplace nice.”

  “Sounds good, except that I won’t have to pick you up because I’ll already be there. I’ll pick up a pizza before coming over tonight. I love you.”

  “I love you, Tuck.” She ended the call but not before he heard the small gasp as she began to cry.

  His appetite gone, Tuck paid his bill and left the diner. The day passed in a blur with the only thing standing out was his call to Bay to ask her to cover for him. Tuck had decided to make it an overnight trip to give both him and Clarice a small break from home. He hadn’t even taken a single day off before and after this morning; it let her know for sure that something was definitely up. She had repeated her offer of being someone he could talk to but they both knew the chances of that happening were slim.

  That night at Clarice’s was long and quiet. Neither of them were in the mood to talk. They went to bed early and Tuck held Clarice tightly against him all night long. He listened to her breathing in the dark and worried if their nights together like this would be limited instead of the lifetime they wanted.

  The next couple of days ended up being the nightmare neither of them ever dreamed could exist. After hours of grueling tests, endless nurses with needles and cold hospital rooms, the doctor with the kindest eyes Tuck had ever seen listed the possibilities of their future. The tests would take a few days to be complete, but he wanted them to have all possible information.

  The ride home was long and silent. Clarice slept in the passenger seat while Tuck made plans. All his decisions were made by the time he pulled into Clarice’s driveway. Not waking her, he simply carried her into the house and put her bed where he joined her a short time later.

  Days passed with agonizing slowness. When the call finally came, Tuck thanked every god he could name that he was with Clarice right in that moment. The kind doctor proceeded to shatter their world, their hopes and their dreams. Of course, the best treatment would be in Little Rock. While Clarice sobbed quietly beside him, Tuck tried to absorb all the information he could. But it was as if his brain had simply shut down.

  The next morning, no matter how Tuck argued and pleaded, Clarice refused to stay home. She was going to her teaching job and that was final. When Tuck suggested she put in her resignation, he saw a side of her he had yet to see. A full blown angry Clarice was a sight to behold. He let the matter drop, just adding it to the list of things that he would take care of when the time was right.

  He headed to the office to check in. When he’d gotten back into town, Roy had told him that Bay had enjoyed her day shift and Tuck got the impression that Roy had too. That was the only comforting words he’d heard all week. Going into his office, he took care of a few things and started the ball rolling on something bigger. He didn’t question his decision, didn’t hesitate to write the letter.

  Tuck had no problems handing the letter to the Mayor. The only problem was respecting Clarice’s need for privacy and explaining the necessity at the same time. This was the one area of small town life that made things difficult. Since the last thing Tuck wanted was rumors, he had to be very careful.

  It was nearly noon before he was free again and ready for the nex
t step. Walking down the street from the office, Tuck looked up at Bay’s windows and hoped she was awake. Not letting himself think, trying not to let himself feel, he rounded the building to climb the stairs to her apartment.

  After knocking briskly on her door, he waited for her to answer. Staring at the stairs, the memory of the two of them getting that damn couch up into her apartment threatened to break through the block of ice inside him. He remembered the feel of her under his hands, warm but not soft like Clarice. Instead she was firm, muscled.

  The door opening broke him out of a near trance. “Tuck. Sheriff,” she said in surprise.

  “Tuck is fine. Can I come in? There’s something we need to discuss.”

  He could see she was rattled and nervous but quickly stood back for him to enter, making sure he didn’t brush up against her. The apartment had changed drastically since he’d been here. No longer empty, she had it tastefully decorated with obvious odds and ends that worked well together. The bright sunshine was filtered through gauzy curtains that offered privacy but still let in the light.

  She waved him to a chair and offered him a drink.