Free Anacacho, An Allie Armington Mystery by Louise Gaylord Page A

joins in the search. My thready voice
betrays me. “You better take her, she’s hungry.”
    Susie retrieves Allie, and in one quick motion,
releases her breast to her daughter, then coos, “This makes it
worth it all.”
    I see peace replace sorrow with each suckle until
the face of a Madonna looks up. “Don’t you feel like you’re missing
out not having children?”
    Her question is a heat-seeking missile. Steel bands
cut into my chest making it impossible to breathe and I lower my
head to conceal my anguish.
    “ Allie? Are you all
right?”
    “ Indigestion. I ate too many of
Adelena’s tacos for lunch. Big mistake.”
    Susie laughs. “There’s a Coke in the
refrigerator.”
    I’m out of there and in the kitchen before I give
into this sudden sadness. Tears I never shed rush forward. With a
Coke in one hand and a paper napkin to erase the evidence in the
other, I step onto the back porch in search of relief.
    After a few minutes listening to the whispering wind
and cattle lowing in the distance, I can breathe again.
    I tell myself to get a grip. It’s been seven years
since the... I shudder at the word. Abortion.
    This time I’ll make sure the pain is buried a little
deeper in my heart before I put away the past for safekeeping.

Chapter 10
    A LONE POLICE CAR IS PARKED just inside the Darden
gate beneath the shade of a large oak. The sheriff leans against
the fender, binoculars around his neck, fly-boy sunglasses shoved
into the dark curls above his forehead.
    He motions me to pull over, then saunters to my side
of the car, opens my door, and offers his hand.
    I notice the long fingers, feel their strength, and
try to keep my voice steady. “Is this official?”
    I stand facing him, keenly aware of his good looks.
Tall, taut, and lean, and those damned blue eyes that capture
mine.
    “ It wasn’t until now.” He motions
me toward his car. “Want a cold drink? I keep a cooler in the
trunk.”
    The afternoon sun glares through the thick cover of
the oaks and there’s no breeze, a far cry from Susie’s cool perch
on the hill. I nod. “Sure. Whatever.”
    After he opens a Big Red for each of us, we lean
against his fender. He keeps a respectable distance, but I still
shiver despite the heat. What is it about this man?
    We take a few welcome gulps before he begins.
“Where’d you get the car?”
    “ Paul loaned it to me.”
    “ You know it’s Reena’s.” I
nod.
    “ Paul told me Reena left in her
car.” “Yes. I wondered about that, myself.”
    “ So you just got in and pulled
away without asking any questions?”
    “ Hold on a minute here. I thought
you were the one conducting this investigation.”
    “ Cool it. You’re not under
suspicion—yet, but I’d be grateful if you let me take the car.
Could give us some clues...”
    He has no right to the car and he knows it. I’ve
committed no crime. Besides, the car isn’t even mine.
    He must see my hesitation, because he gives me a
knowing grin. “Okay, okay, I know I don’t have the authority, but
you would sure be helping me out.”
    “ Paul should make that
decision.”
    “ Yeah. I get you. If it’s all
right with you, I’ll follow you back to his spread and get his
okay.” He thinks a minute, then adds, “Mind if I roll your
fingerprints? They’re probably all over the steering wheel, but if
I have yours to compare to any others we might find, it’ll save us
some time.”
    I give him an indifferent shrug. “Fine by me, I’ve
had dirty fingers before.”
    He returns to his car, gives a few instructions over
the radio, then opens the trunk. Portable print kit in hand, he
ambles back.
    He places the kit on the fender, then moves behind
me. His signature scent, magnified by the heat, a redolent
perfume.
    His hand guides mine and we lean forward together as
he slowly rolls each of my fingers in the ink, then onto the paper.
It’s almost a ballet. The two of us bending and swaying in the warm
afternoon. Neither of us seems to breathe,