Free Return to Me by Riley Sinclair Page B

name is Hailey." Paige felt compelled to point out the obvious. "You went to school with her for twelve years. And my name is Paige." And you used to love me.  
         "Did you visit 415 Lancaster St reet this afternoon Ms. Frey?" He doggedly rephrased his question, apparently choosing to ignore her last statement.
         "Yes I did."
         "Can you tell me the reason for the visit?" It wasn’t a question.
         "I was selling girl scout co okies." She needled him, watched his head cock to one side and wondered if he would take her bait. Was almost disappointed when he didn’t.
         "Well. Ms. Robertson alleges that you harassed her in her home during the visit in question. Maybe you shouldn’t sell your cookies in that neighborhood anymore."
         "Or what?” Lord, had that really come out of her mouth? She knew that thumbing her nose at a police officer was never a smart idea, knew that she was in a no win situation at the moment, but couldn’t seem to help egging him on. His cool attitude and aloof demeanor irritated the hell out of her and she had the perverse desire to find the chink in his armor and crack it wide open.
         "If you bother her again we will be forced to bring you in for questioning."
         "I'll be arrested."
         "Yes."
         "Paige what’s going on here?" Erik rounded the corner and planted his feet at the base of the porch, arms crossed over his chest.
         "Howdy-doody here is threatening to arrest me." She hitched her thumb in Guys general direction, taking satisfaction in the way his eyes widened, then narrowed. Bingo.
         "So let him." Erik shrugged. "I'll just bail you out. Maybe we'll even sue the Helena PD."
         "You've been warned." Guy turned on his heel.
         "Nice to see you again too." She called after his retreating form.
         "What was that about? Did he really say he would arrest you?"
         "More or less. If I harass Hailey again."
         "Why that bitch." Erik swore, leaving Paige to ponder if he was referring to Hailey or Guy.  "He's really a cop then."
         "I guess it sure looks that way." She sighed. "Can you believe it?"
         "Not really."
         "Thanks for coming out here when you did. It was starting to get ugly."
         "Yeah I thought you could use some help. What a waste."
         "Hmmm?" She queried absently.
         "That fine ass and such a foul temper. And they let him carry a gun." Erik tsked.
         "You’re incorrigible you know that?" Paige hooted with laughter. "Is the food ready yet? I'm starving." She was mildly surprised to realize it was the truth.      Despite the stress and emotional upheaval that had succeeded in battering her throughout most of the day, she was hungry. Ravenous, in fact, and the heady scent of meat roasting on charcoal reached all the way to the front yard.
         "Come on, Killer, let’s go eat, and after that we can swim."
         "Are you kidding?" She shoved him ahead of her. "It’s too cold for swimming. For crying out loud, Erik, it’s October. In Montana."
         "So? We did it in Alaska."
         "It was August when we were in Alaska and that was a hot spring, not a back yard pool."
         "Details. Besides the pool is heated." He scoffed, handing her a paper plate, which promptly slid from her fingers to land on the deck with a soft thud.
         "Oops, thin plate. And the heater barely works. If it’s even on."
         "Here tak e mine. I'll get another one." He deftly slid a second plate under the thick burger, ketchup only, the way she always ate them, and fished out a second bun for himself from the plastic bag next to the grill.
         "Mmmm. So good ; hard to believe I’m eating right now but I can’t help myself, you’re a grilling machine. The grill King." She pronounced, sinking to the cool stone of the patio and shifting her plate to her left hand in order to dip her fingers into the