Runaway Bride

  * * *

  Ben cleared his desk quickly and called a towing service to get Savannah's car taken care of. All morning he kept himself busy, and didn't realize the time untill Henry, the butcher came in.

  "Morning Henry, what brings you by?" Ben asked trying to look at least a little busy for Henry's sake. He didn't need to ask. Henry always popped by, just to talk. It was like some sport to him. If there was any gossip in town, Henry knew about it, and reported it.

  "Mrs. Johnson called and asked me to bring this by so you can take it home with you. It's so she could make some pot roast tomorrow. Says you're right fond of pot roast." He answered handing Ben a package of meat, then glancing about for a chair to sit and chat.

  Ben stowed the meat in the small fridge he had installed a month ago for his staff. He enjoyed the way small town people always seemed to care about one another.

  "I'll take care of it, thanks for bringing it by." Ben nodded. "Anything else?"

  Henry scratched his head. "Saw somebody's car bein' towed wondered if you knew about it?" Henry asked narrowing dark gray eyes on Ben.

  "As a matter of fact I do. It belongs to a young lady that was stranded on the bus yesterday." Ben answered, flipping through some papers on his desk.

  "You don't say. That's one fine car." Henry stared at Ben.

  "It is?"

  "You didn't see it?"

  "No, I was on the bus too, Henry. On the opposite side from the car." He knew what kind of car Savannah drove, but he refused to rob Henry of the pleasure of telling him.

  "BMW, brand spanking new, too."

  Ben's head whipped about to look at Henry. "A BMW, you say?"

  "That's right. Who is she, the Queen of Sheba?" Henry chuckled.

  "Said her name was Savannah Kingsley. Suppose to be Lucy's niece. Ever heard of her?"

  "Nope, but she must have lots of money." Henry said rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "That Lucy ain't hurtin' for none. Lives in that big ole house all alone, ever since her husband died. I reckon she'll be tickled pink to have some company, way out there in the boondocks."

  Ben felt a cold sliver run down his back. What if she stole it? After all, her story was a little shaky.

  "Where is she?" Henry glanced around as though she might be hiding in some corner.

  "Who?"

  "The little gal that claims to be Lucy's niece?" Henry seemed impatient at learning this bit of news.

  "She's at my place." Ben answered with reluctance. He waited for Henry to react to that news, but Henry acted as though it were common place.

  "Oh, she's a friend, then?" Henry couldn't keep his curiosity to himself and Ben knew it would be all over town before sundown that he had a woman out at his place.

  "Yeah, she's a friend," he said as he decided to play into Henry's hand.

  "Well, bring her by when you get the chance, Ben." Henry seemed satisfied very quickly which was unusual for him. But Ben let it slide. Henry was harmless and there really wasn't anything to tell, Savannah Kingsley would be gone as soon as he verified her information.

  He secretly pondered whether to check the plates and run a check on the car. It seemed downright underhanded, but he was the Sheriff and if anything was amiss he should know it. After a lot of deliberating, he decided he should run the check. It would be a while before he heard back, but he put it in his computer and would check at home later.

  Pulling his keys from the drawer, he locked the small jailhouse and headed home, since his two deputies were over in Sweetwater taking tests.

  Mrs. Johnson was busy hanging the wash out back, and Little Bit greeted him the moment he got out of the Jeep. Ben bent down and played with his dog for several minutes, then threw his ball and watched as Little Bit ran to catch it. He was nearly on the porch when the dog brought it dangling from his mouth. "Good boy," he smiled and scratched him behind the ears.

  Savannah was nowhere to be found.

  That is until he heard a loud shrieking sound. Always on the alert, Ben wasted no time in following the sound. He rounded the house just in time to see Savannah flailing her arms in the air wildly.

  "Oh no...Oh my God!" she shrieked even louder, hopping about as though the devil himself were after her. The expensive camera equipment fell to the dust and she groaned. Ben couldn't begin to imagine what was going on at first, until he heard the sound of bees.

  Without hesitating, he hauled her up and into his arms and into the house. She was light as a feather, but not at all happy to be manhandled.

  "What are you doing?" she protested hotly as he set her down in the kitchen.

  "Getting you out of another scrape, it would seem," Ben replied holding her arm and examining it closely. "You've been stung."

  "I know that, why do you think I was hollering, Sheriff," she nearly yelled at him and jerked her arm free. "I'll be alright in a few minutes."

  Ben shook his head, and began looking at her from head to toe. "Are you allergic to insect bites, too?"

  Savannah shrugged. "I don't know, I've never been stung before."

  He nodded as though he knew another catastrophe had befallen her. "Well, I hate to be the one to tell you, but you're breaking out in welts all over your face and arms. We'd better call Dr. Peters."

  Savannah examined herself in the hall mirror and moaned aloud, "Oh no, not this ..."

  Ben nodded and went to the kitchen sink. He came back to her and applied some kind of paste to her sting, then blotted her welts.

  "Why don't you go lie down, I'll get the doctor out here to look at you."

  Savannah shook her head. "If my car is ready, I'm leaving. I'm not so sure about this town of yours Sheriff. It doesn't seem all that peaceful to me."

  "You're in no shape to drive now." He instructed as though he knew best. "Besides, I'm still checking your information out. And there's still a little matter of a license."

  Mrs. Johnson came in and saw the welts immediately. "Oh my, you should lie down, dear. You're breaking out all over."

  "But ..."

  Seeing Ben's adamant expression, she didn't argue. She let Mrs. Johnson take care of her, waiting on her like a baby.

  Ben called the doctor and went to look in on her again.

  "The doc will be right out." he informed her.

  Savannah was lying on the bed again, and when he came to sit on the side beside her, she nearly jumped up.

  "I'm terribly sorry about this, Sheriff." Savannah began then realizing what he said stopped. "Right out? Are you kidding? Your doctor makes house calls?"

  "Only to the very young and old, but if it's an emergency, Doc Peters will show up, for sure."

  "I can't believe it. House calls. No one makes house calls these days. Oh, I must look awful. I feel it. I'm so sorry, Sheriff."

  "It's Ben, remember? And it can't be helped. Are you in any pain?" His concern was genuine. He inspected her welts.

  "No, not really, I just itch like crazy." She began to scratch, and he gently reached to take her nails away from the lumps forming on her arms.

  "I'll get the calamine lotion."

  "Oh please, don't bother."

  "No bother at all, Savannah."

  He went into the hall and came back with a pink bottle and some cotton balls. He began dabbing pink blotches all over her face and arms.

  "Have you ever broken out like this before?" he asked.

  "No," she muttered miserably. "But I've never been stung before that I know of either."

  She turned away, and he knew that tears were only a few seconds away. Unable to cope with that, he pulled her chin around and stared into her eyes. "Hey, it's not all that bad. We've got a good doctor and he'll fix you up real quick."

  "What did you put on me, in the kitchen?"

  "Soda, to take the sting out of it."

  She smiled a little. "It worked."

  "Good." He smiled back and that's when their eyes met. Ben bent his head, his eyes still on hers, and their lips were mere inches away when Mrs. Johnson ca
me into the room with a cool wet washcloth for her. Ben jumped up as though he'd been caught doing something horrible.

  "This should help the welts some. Oh, I declare, looks like Ben's already found the lotion." she said and after glancing at him, she left again, as quickly as she had entered.

  Ben paced, wondering why he had this uncontrollable urge to hold her. He had to detach himself from this little gal. She wasn't as helpless as he feared, and she wasn't going to be hanging around here long. But instead he moved away and walked toward the door.

  "We'll have you fixed up in no time. I called a tow truck for your car and talked to the garage mechanic. He said he'll have to special order the part for the radiator. He doesn't get many BMWS out here."

  "How long will it take?" she shrieked as though that thought wasn't supposed to happen.

  "He said he'd get right on it, but it might take a few days to get the part, but he'd try to put a rush on it for you." Ben replied. "Why, are you in a hurry?"

  He had read her every thought. Why not, they were both keenly aware of the attraction. He had a feeling she had felt this strange electricity between them too, and she wanted no part of it from the way she acted. That was good, wasn't it? Then why did he feel just the least bit disappointed that she didn't want any part of him. He'd never experienced anything like the feelings this woman stirred and if he was wise he'd run, because she was trouble, with a capital T.

  If he knew what was good for him, he'd want her out of here too. But oddly enough, he would like for her to stay long enough to explore why. And besides, he told himself, he was investigating that car, and her identification.

  "I guess I should be thanking you, for putting up with me, but really, I hate being a bother to people."

  "No bother, just rest." he said as he rushed toward the door. He had to get out of here, put some distance between him and temptation.