Jess cringed. “He has been away for some time with ministry studies. Who knows if she and Jonathan still hold sway over his decisions.”
“Ah,” she said as she lifted a finger pointedly. “Perhaps not. He said he’s chosen a different path. And he wasn’t the least bit offended by my shop.”
“Then I hope he turns out to be man enough to stand up to his family,” George added. “Because they’re not easy to handle.”
“Ginger did quite well with Her Royal Witchiness today,” Liza informed everyone. “Lydia wanted her lingerie off the street and Ginger stood up to her. That reminds me, Jack. The reverend might make a play to regulate what merchants can advertise on the sidewalks. Heads up, love.”
She gave him a playful look, which he returned with one of pure adoration that made Ginger envious. Though she was happy both Liza and Jess had solid relationships, it sparked her lonesomeness. And made her wonder if she’d ever experience the same love and respect—particularly without any turmoil.
As her thoughts returned to Ryan, Ruby arrived with a large tray and a folding stand. She expertly snapped open the stand with one hand and set the tray on it, then delivered the Pasta Bolognese to each place setting.
“‘Nother bottle of Chianti?” she asked. Much to most everyone’s relief, the alcohol restrictions in town had been lifted, with Jack’s help.
He nodded and said, “The perfect complement to one more of Mike’s mouthwatering creations.”
The rich, spicy aroma made Ginger’s stomach grumble. Ruby ambled off and everyone dug in, the conversation rapidly dying on the vine as they devoured dinner.
Ginger was still nervous about her upcoming date with Ryan, but her friends had encouraged her and so she tried to remain optimistic. Though the sideways glances she caught from Lydia out of the corner of her eye made her wonder if her wishful thinking was a wasted effort.
Was she just setting herself up for more grief and further complications in this town?
Chapter Two
Ryan delivered to Sheriff Johnson the plastic bag with what he hoped weren’t smudged fingerprints on the sack and can inside. He’d been vigilant in handling the evidence, but damn…Ginger Monroe had him all spun up.
In a million years, he’d never imagined the pint-sized blonde would mature into such a beautiful, spunky woman. She’d been pretty in school, no doubt about it. But so tiny and fragile, a big guy like himself had never considered she’d find him appealing in a romantic sense. Though, he had carried her books to class on numerous occasions when her arms were full.
He’d liked her back then, but now… She revved his engine in the most carnal way, what with her long, bouncy curls and big green eyes. Her face was delicately sculpted with high cheekbones and perfectly shaped, crimson-colored lips. And her body…
Ryan had never imagined himself with a petite woman, particularly given his six-foot-two-inch stature. Yet Ginger had a shapely figure that didn’t need sexy clothes to entice a man. As evidenced by the jerks who had accosted her.
As fury flashed through him at the danger she’d been in, he greeted the sheriff with a handshake after setting the bag on his desk.
“Welcome home, son,” Sheriff Johnson said. “I got your recommendation from the academy in Arizona. All your paperwork has arrived as well. The post-grad program you enrolled in took care of your medical and psych exams, your background check and polygraph and your drug and alcohol screenings. That cuts a lot of time out o
f the interviewing process.”
“Thanks for the opportunity to apply as a deputy, sir. From that first criminology class I took in college, I’ve had a burning desire to join the law enforcement field.”
“I’m looking forward to seeing firsthand what you have to offer.”
Ryan said, “I was very happy to finally see an opening in my hometown.”
“Miller Parks is retiring next month,” the sheriff told him. “I’ve got a few other applicants for his position, but they haven’t been to a police academy. Your credentials are impressive.”
“Thank you. I assure you I’m fully committed to this career.”
“Good to hear,” the sheriff said as he briefly clasped Ryan’s shoulder. “We’ll get to the interview tomorrow, as scheduled. In the meantime…” He eyed the paper bag. “What’d you bring me?”
Ryan had mulled over in his mind how not to implicate Ginger in what had happened this evening, but wasn’t wholly sure he could keep her out of it. Hopefully, he could treat her as more of a silent witness, and then if the sheriff’s department caught the culprits, he might be able to persuade her to press charges and get these guys off the street.
“Seems there was a scuffle in one of the downtown shops earlier. A robbery and an assault with the potential for an attempted rape.” He thought of what Ginger had said about the men wanting to take her with them and added, “Maybe even attempted kidnapping.”
The sheriff sank into his chair. “What’s this?” he asked with a furrowed brow. He was in his late forties with salt-and-pepper hair, but he’d kept himself in excellent physical condition. He’d been the sheriff as long as Ryan could remember.
“I’m not at liberty to divulge the victim’s name—at least, not until I can convince her to come forward on her own. But I was there and I have a solid description of one of the men, a partial of the other and this.” He inclined his head toward the bag. “The one I didn’t get a good look at left his beer at the scene. I think I’ve transported it appropriately. You should be able to get prints.”
Sheriff Johnson whistled under his breath. “Nice work, son. Now what exactly happened?”