“This is a pretty sudden shift. What did Seth say to you?”
“Nothing so much—just that Bruno is not a threat and it was only a note, not a crime.”
“Are you sure you’re not in shock?”
She took a deep breath and leaned one hip against the worktable. “Sometimes I forget about my greatest accomplishments growing up because they weren’t medals or ribbons or plaques. Do you know what one of the ESPN commenters said about me when I was fifteen? He said, ‘That little girl is one hell of a fighter. Don’t mess with her.’”
That made Troy smile. “You must regret leaving it sometimes.”
“Never. I was done with that life. I did everything I could do. You can’t imagine what it was like—I don’t even expect you to try. No,” she said, sliding her arms around his waist. “I like this life. And if I ever figure out who would try to screw it up with a scary little note, I’m going to make his life miserable.”
“When I said I wanted you to be brave, I didn’t mean that you should take any chances. I’ll watch the shop while you go get some dinner for later. I want you to call me tonight. Then I’ll come over when I’m off work.”
“I love it when you come over. But you don’t have to babysit me. You had a life before all this, a busy life. We can talk on the phone later, if you want to go home.”
“I think I’ll come over, if it’s all the same to you. At least tonight.”
“Then go home and change, bring your work clothes and laptop...you know the drill.”
“Are you faking brave? Because of what I said last night?”
“No,” she said with a laugh. “I’m faking brave because I just remembered it’s how I get control. It’s how I begin to feel brave. Now stay put—it shouldn’t take me ten minutes to walk down to Carrie’s.”
* * *
Two days later, Troy decided to stop by the deputy’s office after school before going to the flower shop. As luck would have it, Seth was there, sitting behind his desk, one foot propped casually on the desk while he talked on the phone. Another deputy, Charlie, seemed to be working at the computer on the desk behind Seth’s. When Seth saw Troy he made excuses into the phone and disconnected.
“Hey,” Seth said. “Everything all right?”
“Fine. I just thought I should tell you—that stuff I ordered came today. Grace texted me that she got it at the flower shop. Pepper spray and a Taser.”
“Really,” he said, standing up. “Mind if I look at it?”
“No, of course not. But it’s completely legal.”
“Sure. But I’d like to know what you could buy so easily and have delivered in just a couple of days. If you can, anyone can. I’d just like to know.”
Troy shrugged. “Come on, then. There’s a DVD with the package. Should be instructions and safety measures. I’ll feel a lot more comfortable knowing Grace has something handy she can use to protect herself if...well, you know. She had that scare years ago.”
“I don’t think we’re dealing with the same set of circumstances, Troy.”
“I get that, but wouldn’t you feel better, if it was Iris, knowing she had some kind of self-protection?”
Seth laughed. “Have you met Iris’s left hook?” he asked. “I’m not sure I’d arm her on top of that.”
“Grace needs a little something, if only for her confidence.”
“Yeah? Well, be careful. Don’t sneak up on her,” Seth advised. “I wouldn’t mind having a look at the DVD after you’ve seen it. If you don’t mind.”
“Not at all.” He opened the shop’s front door and yelled, “Gracie?”
“Troy! Come and see! You’re not going to believe how cool this is! It even comes with a holster!”
He walked into the workroom and the box stood open on the table. Scattered about was packing material, extra Taser cartridges, two small pepper spray cartridges, a DVD and a catalog.
“Look at this!” she said, turning to one side so he could see the Taser affixed to a leather belt that was far too large. She took a gunfighter’s stance, arms out at her sides. Then she did a fast draw, popped the Taser off the belt, pointed and...
Shot him.
She screamed and dropped the Taser while Troy felt the jolt go through him. He stiffened, trembled and down he went. His hearing was fine, even if he couldn’t move his body. In fact, his hearing was a little too good—Grace wouldn’t stop screaming.
“Troy! Troy! Troy! Oh, my God, Troy!”
All he could do was twitch on the floor.
Suddenly she stopped.
He heard her talking into her phone. “It’s Grace at the flower shop! Send the doctor and hurry! I shot Troy! I electrocuted him! He might be dead!”
As the stinging shock passed, he lay still and pain free, except for the back of his head, which had hit the floor pretty hard. And his right thigh, where the Taser prongs hit. A few more inches and he’d have been a eunuch.
Seth crouched beside Troy, grinning. “Well. That works pretty good.”
“Shut up.”
“Great idea, Troy. Get a figure skater a stun gun.”
“I said, shut up.”
“Good thing it wasn’t a Magnum.” He chuckled. “I don’t think she watched the DVD. What do you think?”
Troy groaned and struggled into a sitting position. There was a small amount of blood, very small, where one of the prongs stuck into his jeans, his flesh. He reached for it and Seth grabbed his wrist.
“Leave it, since Grace called for a doctor. Or I could take it out for you.”
Then she was there, kneeling on his other side. “Oh, my God, Troy! It just fired itself!”
“Because you had your finger on the trigger! Don’t you know you can’t put your finger on the trigger?”
“I didn’t! I mean, I didn’t think I did. Oh, Troy, I’m so sorry! Scott’s coming.”
“Do you see where this is? I’m lucky he isn’t going to pull it out of my dick! Didn’t I tell you not to open the box? You could have neutered me!”
Seth smothered a chuckle as he stood. “I guess you turned it on, right, Grace?”
“The instructions said it wouldn’t fire just because it was armed. You have to turn it on because it runs on batteries, but... Oh, never mind. I didn’t mean to, I promise.” Grace added some tears to her apology, hovering and begging for his forgiveness.
“All right, all right,” he said. “I think you’re perfectly safe from any potential attackers. Might want to work on your aim so you don’t kill the poor bastard.”
“Troy, really, I thought it would take a little pressure to make it fire! I can’t believe I shot you! Oh, God, I’m so sorry. I would never hurt you!”
The shop door crashed open and Scott Grant, breathless, ran in carrying his medical bag.
“Take it easy,” Seth said in a calm voice. “It was just a Taser. He’s fine.”
“Just a Taser?” Troy said. “It came a little close to the next generation of schoolteachers! Grace obviously has a shaky trigger finger.”
Right behind Scott was Peyton and their office manager, Devon. Behind them was Carrie, who shouldn’t be able to move that fast with her bad knees. Then crowding into the little shop was Waylan from the bar across the street and at least two of his customers and, in addition, every person who happened to be outside or even driving by when Scott Grant was seen running down the street with his medical bag.
Scott, panting, stopped in the workroom doorway to catch his breath. “Jesus, you took ten years off my life. I thought you shot him!”
“I did, but I shot him with this,” Grace said, reaching for the Taser that lay on the floor where she had dropped it.
“No!” at least four people shouted at once.
Troy grabbed her and pulled her toward him.
“Gracie, it’s still got voltage. If you accidentally pulled the trigger again, you’d give me another blast.”
“Oh, God! Troy, this isn’t going to work. I can’t be trusted with one of those things. I’m going to kill someone. I’d be better off with a road flare.”
“Ever hear of the great Chicago fire?” Seth muttered to Scott.
“Shh, I forgive you already,” Troy said. “Just don’t touch it again until we figure it out.”
Scott Grant crouched next to Troy, his open bag beside him. “Why didn’t you take these prongs out?”
“Seth told me not to.”
“We usually have to call medical for that,” Seth said. “Not that I think it’s necessary, but I figured...”
“Not complicated,” Scott said, moving one slightly so it slid right out. They were shaped like small apostrophes and pulling it straight out could make it bleed a little, but wasn’t likely to even require stitches. He then removed the second prong. “There. Feel better?”
“I’m fine,” Troy said.
“I’m not,” Grace said. “I’m not fine. I almost killed my boyfriend.”
“Nah, not even close,” Scott said, standing. “Want a Band-Aid for that, Troy?”
“Funny,” Troy said, standing. “Let’s joke around after you’ve taken your hit.”
“I don’t know how much physical damage was caused, but your mood is definitely affected,” Scott said, smiling.
That’s when Troy heard all the voices from the shop. She shot him with the Taser. Worried about that note, so he bought her a Taser. It’s just a Taser. Yeah? You ever been hit by a Taser? Damn near killed my cat with one of those! At least something interesting finally happened. Let’s have a beer on that, should we? And there was laughter all around as the shop emptied of everyone but Seth.
“Damn,” Troy said, giving his leg a shake as if to bring the feeling back into it. “That sucker packs a punch!”
“I’m going to leave now if you think you can manage the situation without further injuries,” Seth said.
“You’re going to tell Iris, aren’t you?” Grace asked.
Seth nodded. “I’m thinking of quitting early. I can’t wait to get home.”
“I’m never going to hear the end of this,” she said. “I guess everyone knows about my note.”
“They don’t all know what it said or how it was written out. Just that it upset you and we’re looking for a prankster. If gossip works like usual around here, I think you’re probably safe.” Then he smiled. “Have a nice evening.”
* * *
Seth was home by five o’clock and Iris walked in right behind him. Iris laughed so hard at Seth’s tale that she could hardly stay upright. “Oh, she’s right, she’s never going to hear the end of it. Poor Grace. How does that thing work? Let me see yours, Seth.”
“Ah, no thanks, Iris. You never touch my weapons, right? Because that wouldn’t be good. You don’t know anything about them.”
“Maybe you should train me,” she suggested, then giggled again.
“You’re doing just fine not touching.”
“Aw, come on,” she said, moving closer to him, sliding her arms around his neck.
Instead of arguing with her, he kissed her. Then he kissed her more seriously, sliding his hands over her butt and pulling her close. After a little more kissing, he said, “I have an idea...”
“Before supper on a Wednesday afternoon? Why, Deputy...”
“Are you expecting company?”
“Only your mother,” she said. “But ever since she caught you in your boxers, she calls ahead if your car is home.”
“Good. Troy said something interesting. He told Grace that a few inches to the left and she could have wiped out the next generation of schoolteachers and I thought, don’t we have work to do?”
“I wouldn’t call it work, exactly.”
“Wouldn’t it be easier to do naked?”
“Absolutely,” she agreed. “But then we have to stay in bed for a while.”
“I can do that. I’m very good at staying in bed with you. Are we making any progress on the next generation of deputies and school counselors?”
“I don’t know, Seth. We’ve only stopped using protection for a few months and Peyton said to check with her if we have no results in six months. I’m doing my best. And you are definitely doing your best.”
He kissed her again. “I love when you talk dirty.”
She laughed. “I haven’t started talking dirty yet. I just said you were doing your best...”
“I can do better,” he said, and his voice had grown husky.
A half hour later, as they lay tangled in the sheets, Iris said, “That was better.”
“That had to make a baby. That was good,” Seth said. “Maybe two babies.”
“I only want one at a time, if it’s all the same to you.”
“Are you hungry?” he asked.
“Yes, but I’m staying in bed for thirty minutes to give those little guys time to swim. Then we can get up and eat.”
“We don’t have to get up. I’ll be right back.” He found his boxers and disappeared.
Iris snuggled into the sheets, her head against the pillow. There were so many times, like now, that she couldn’t believe her life had worked out the way it had. She’d loved Seth since she was just a girl, but they’d been estranged for seventeen years while they took different journeys. Hers took her to university and a postgrad program in counseling to bring her back to Thunder Point as the high school counselor. Seth had gone from the football field to a long recovery from injuries he sustained in a terrible car accident, but in the end his choice of law enforcement brought him home. And now he was hers again. All hers.
It wasn’t very long before he was back. Iris had actually dozed a little. Seth held a tray with one plate that held two grilled cheese, bacon and tomato sandwiches, pickles, a glass of wine and a bottled beer, a bag of chips held tenderly under one arm.
“Here we go,” he said. “It’s not much, but it was fast and I bet it’s good. Scoot over,” he said. He put the tray between them and sat on the bed. He passed the wine to her hand and lifted his beer. “To us.”
Iris brought the wine to her lips and to Seth’s dismay, she sniffed. He took a big swallow of beer and when he looked at her again, tears were running down her cheeks. “Iris?”
Her nose turned a little pink. “This is all I’ve ever wished for,” she said. A small sob followed.
“Grilled cheese?” he asked.
“You. You and me, together, in love, trying to make a baby. I didn’t even hope for a baby. I thought that was impossible. Just you and me, that’s all I ever wished for. I love you so much.”
He frowned. Then he took her glass of wine from her. “Congratulations. I bet anything you’re pregnant.”
“What do you mean? You don’t know anything.”
“I do so. I listen to men talk about their wives. I don’t want to—I hate all that talk—but it happens all around me. First their wives cry, then they throw up, then they get grumpy, then they nest, then they whelp.” He put the wine on the bedside table. “Bet you anything,” he said.
“Whelp?” she asked with a sniff.
“You know,” he said, taking a big bite of grilled cheese. He chewed and swallowed. Then he grinned at her. “Bet I nailed you last week. I was outstanding.”
“You’re an arrogant know-it-all,” she said, reaching for a tissue.
“And you’re pregnant.” He pushed the tray toward her. “Have a sandwich, honey. And if you’re still hungry, I’ll make you another one.”
* * *
Scott was working late so Peyton got the kids ready for bed and settled them with their tablets and movies in their beds. Then she collected the
tablets and turned them off and kissed the kids. She cleaned up the tent the kids had made with blankets over the dining room table. She’d been in the tent with them for a little story time earlier.
She had her shower, put on soft lounging pajamas that were nice and warm. She lit a couple of candles in the darkened living room. She put wineglasses out next to a bottle chilling in an ice bucket. But she turned on the lamp beside her on the couch to read for a while before Scott finished up in Bandon. It wasn’t very late when he texted her. On my way. Need anything?
Just you, big boy.
Fifteen minutes later he came in from the garage and left his bag in the kitchen. When he took in the darkened room, the ice bucket, glasses and candles, he smiled at her. “Are you planning to seduce me?”
“Could be. Are you covered with blood and guts?”
“Nah. I washed up. Let’s get on with the seduction!”
“No one ever accused you of being shy, did they?” Peyton said. She lifted the bottle out of the ice bucket, poured and handed him a glass. “I do have something to tell you. You know how we decided that I’d go off the pill but we’d use protection for a couple of months until my body got used to the idea?”
“Uh-huh. I might’ve gotten carried away once,” he said.
“Actually, five times. At least. So, cheers,” she said, clinking his glass. “I really don’t mind when you get carried away. It’s kind of fun.”
He sipped. “Peyton, I think this wine is bad. It tastes sour.”
“It’s sparkling cider,” she said. “You did it, you brute. You knocked me up before the wedding.”
He grinned stupidly. “Peyton! That’s wonderful!” Then he was stunned silent for a moment. “Crap,” he finally said. “Your father is going to kill me. I’m a little terrified of your father, did I mention that?”
“Paco? He’s all bluster. But, I think we won’t tell him. Or Mama either, for that matter. Do you think you can keep your mouth shut around the grandmothers?”
“Oh, sure. I don’t tell them anything. They’re a pain in my ass. But it’s going to be hard not to tell some of the guys. You know—Spencer, Coop, Seth.”