LITMIR.BIZ

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me over with a feather when he called looking for a vet,” Sam said. “How’d it go? Did the dog make it all right?”

      “Everything went fine, and—”

      “Did he tell you what he’s doing in Crystal Creek?” Sam asked. “Is he on a case?”

      “He’s retired from the FBI.”

      Lynn looked surprised. “Really? Somehow I imagined he wouldn’t retire until age forced him to. He wasn’t wounded or anything, was he?”

      “I don’t think so,” Allison said. “He told me he decided to do something else with his life.”

      “And why not?” Sam announced, as if that was the best idea he’d heard in ages. “He’s still a young man. He could probably make a ton of money working in the private sector doing security. Is that what he’s planning?”

      “I don’t know, Dad. All I can tell you is that whatever he’s going to do, he’ll be doing it right here in Crystal Creek.”

      “You’re joking.”

      Allison crossed three fingers over her heart then held them up. “Scout’s honor.”

      “Well, that’s just about the most exciting thing to happen around this old town in months,” Sam said.

      Sandy Russell had been leaning against the doorway to the kitchen for the last minute or so. “The FBI guy? The one that saved Allison?”

      “The very same,” Sam replied.

      “Cool,” she commented, then turned and left the room.

      “And,” Allison went on, “he bought that two-story house over on Roanoke. You know, Mom, the one Rudy Loftin and her family used to own, but his furniture and belongings won’t arrive until Monday, so he’s camping out in the empty house.”

      Lynn turned to her husband. “Maybe you should have invited him to stay here when you spoke to him earlier.”

      “Honey, I would have if I’d known, but everything happened so fast. He had the injured dog and—” Sam looked at Allison. “What was wrong with the dog, anyway?”

      “Mike Tanner had to suture a gash, but she was mostly suffering from malnutrition and dehydration.”

      Lynn sighed. “I feel terrible thinking about him over there with no heat, all by himself.”

      “He’s got a fireplace and company.” Allison grinned. “Although he wasn’t particularly thrilled about taking the dog.”

      “Don’t tell me he doesn’t like dogs,” Sam said.

      “Who doesn’t like dogs?” Hank, youngest of the Russell children, sauntered into the kitchen and grabbed an apple from the bowl of fruit on the kitchen table.

      “You should be in bed, young man,” his mother pointed out.

      “Chill, Mom. It’s Saturday. Scary Movie 3 is coming on cable and Dad said I could watch it.”

      “Oh, sorry. I forgot. Tired, I guess.”

      “Who’s the jerk that doesn’t like dogs? Must be some kinda freak.”

      “Hank,” his mother cautioned, “if you’re going to walk into the middle of a conversation, at least listen for a minute before you start asking questions.”

      “Okay, but who’s—”

      “No one,” Allison said. “I was just talking about Del Rickman taking in a stray dog, that’s all.”

      Hank shrugged and left the room.

      “I’m afraid Dr. Mike and I double-teamed Del to take the dog, at least until we can find the owner or a good home,” Allison told her parents.

      Lynn, who was filling the coffeemaker for the following morning, glanced over at her. “I’m sure you didn’t talk him into anything he didn’t really want to do. If I remember correctly, Del Rickman knew his own mind well enough not to be bulldozed by anyone.”

      “He didn’t give you any indication what he plans to do here?” Sam asked. “I mean, the man may have retired, but surely he’s got plans to do…something?”

      “No specifics, but you can ask him when he comes to dinner tomorrow night.”

      Lynn finished filling the filter basket and set the timer. “Well, I for one would be the last person to question Del Rickman about anything. He saved our daughter’s life, and as far as I’m concerned, that makes him a friend for life. You don’t give friends the third degree.”

      Sam walked over to his wife. “You’re absolutely right, darlin’. And to be honest, by the time church services let out tomorrow, the grapevine will be humming with speculation, anyway, regardless of the truth.”

      Lynn gritted her teeth. “Those tacky women and their gossip. They just love setting their tongues to wagging over any stranger that comes into town.”

      “He’s hardly a stranger,” Allison said, noting the snippy tone in her mother’s voice. Lynn might not like gossip, but she was usually a tolerant, good-natured woman inclined to live and let live. The sharp tone was another indication of the stress Allison had noticed in her over the last several days.

      Sam turned to his daughter. “Not to us, but you know how people talk. If past history is any indication, the grapevine will have you secretly engaged to Del, with you arranging some kind of clandestine meeting using your family as a ruse. Well,” he said when his wife raised an eyebrow, “that’s just about how crazy some of those old busy-bodies can get.”

      Allison smiled and kissed her father on the cheek. “You’re hopelessly straitlaced, Dad, but I love you just the way you are. There’s nothing wrong with me inviting Del to have dinner with the entire family. We owe him a lot. I owe him a lot. I’m thrilled he’s in town to stay and I don’t give a da—”

      “Allison,” Lynn cautioned.

      “…darn what the grapevine spreads.”

      “I agree,” Lynn said, “but you know a lie can do a lot of damage, and basically, people believe what they want to believe.”

      “Let them. Del Rickman is the first interesting person to hit this town in years, and I have no intention of walking on eggshells around him because some old biddy might think the worst. He’s intelligent, obviously ambitious and very good-looking.”

      Lynn and Sam exchanged glances. “Is he?” Lynn asked.

      “Oh, yeah. Most definitely. But more than looks, he’s…” Allison slowly smiled. “Intriguing. I like the way he makes eye contact when he talks to you, and the way he looked at that scruffy, hurt dog when he knew there was no way he was going to get out of the clinic without him. So if the gossips want to link us, you won’t hear me complain.” She looked at the curious expressions on her parents’ faces. “Relax, you two. I’m not going to run off to Mexico with the first intriguing man I’ve met in ages. It’s just nice to have someone new around to change the dynamic of things. I’m looking forward to getting to know our agent turned entrepreneur better, and I hope he’s wildly successful, don’t you?”

      “Of course.”

      “Sure.”

      Allison leaned over and kissed each of them on the cheek. “Good night, Mom. ’Night, Dad.”

      Sam and Lynn watch her disappear up the stairs.

      “Well, that was unexpected,” Sam said when his daughter was out of sight. “What do you think?”

      “About what?”

      “Are you kidding? About our daughter showing some real interest in a man. And one old enough to be her—”

      “Father? Hardly, Sam.”

      “Well,

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