“I doubt I’ll ever get along with her, but I see what you mean. I guess it’s not really her fault for feeling superior to all us common people.” She chewed on her bottom lip, then said, “You lied for me.”
“How so?”
“You kept saying we. I didn’t contribute to the report, and in full disclosure, with everything going on, I haven’t even read it yet. You covered for me.”
“And?”
“Why?”
“Do you really think I’d throw you to that she wolf?” If so, she sure didn’t think much of him.
“Not really, but you’ve done all the work, and I’ve contributed nothing.”
“It’s not like you’ve been sitting around doing nothing.” He glanced around and seeing no one was watching them, he trailed his fingers down her arm. “Go to work, Sheriff. I’ll see you tonight.”
She smiled as she got in her car. “You’re a good man, Tristan Church.”
“For you, I can be very good.” He winked when she blushed. Maybe they’d taken one or two of those small steps forward today that he knew was the only way to insert himself into her life.
Grinning, he headed back to the mayor’s office to collect the boxes of things his town had donated to Skye as soon as they’d heard she had lost everything in the fire. He’d seen the tears she’d tried to hide. His girl didn’t know how to accept help, but she’d learn soon enough that an entire town had her back.
He was a few feet from the door of the municipal building, intending to load up her boxes, when Mason Culpepper walked out of the alcove of the jewelry store. Tristan noted the smirk in Mason’s eyes and braced for trouble.
Mason glanced down the road where Skye’s car had disappeared, then his gaze returned to Tristan. “Cozying up to the sheriff, eh? Can’t say I blame you. She’s a hot piece.”
The only thing that kept him from putting his fist through Mason’s face was giving the man what he wanted. A scene. The police chief getting in a fight over the sheriff. Still, Mason calling her a hot piece couldn’t stand. If it meant a fight that ended with the sheriff arresting him, so be it.
“If you want to keep your teeth, you’ll shut your mouth right now.” Next to him, Fuzz growled.
“Just making an observation, Chief.” Mason glanced down at Fuzz. “You really ought to keep that dog on a leash before he bites someone.” He gave Tristan a mocking salute, then walked away.
“Feel free to bite him whenever you feel like it,” Tristan told Fuzz. “Preferably in the ass.”
He didn’t want to believe Mason was responsible for setting Skye’s apartment on fire, but he was their most likely suspect, and after that little confrontation, it was obvious the ex-deputy was out to stir up trouble. But if he had his druthers, it would be Pretty Boy. Nothing would make him happier than to see the man behind bars.
After dropping Skye’s boxes off at home, he headed for the station. He went straight to Bentley’s cubicle. “Tell me you have a lead on our arsonist.”
“I might. I made the rounds this morning to all the gas stations in the area. Found a man filling one of those red gas containers the afternoon of the fire. Take a look.” Bentley brought the video up on his computer. “I’ve never seen him around here before.”
“Shit.” He’d seen the man, had even given him a warning to pass on through town.
Bentley jerked his gaze to Tristan. “You know him?”
“Not his name, no. He was at Beam Me Up the same night the sheriff’s ex showed up. I didn’t like the way he was watching Skye, so I told him he wasn’t welcome here.”
“I thought the sheriff’s name was Skylar. Does she go by Skye?”
Only to him. “No, it’s Skylar.”
Bentley gave him a funny look, which he ignored.
He tapped the screen over the man’s face. “Run him through the facial recognition software, see if he turns up. That teardrop tat under his eye probably means he’s been in prison, so I’m guessing you’ll get a hit.”
“On it. Too bad there weren’t any prints in the sheriff’s apartment we couldn’t identify.”
“Yeah, it would’ve been nice if there had been. Pull up the video of our hoodie man.” They watched that video, then the one with the man filling the container. “Same build and looks like the same height.”
“It could definitely be the same man.” Bentley frowned. “So we have a stranger who probably has a rap sheet. What does he have to do with the sheriff? Maybe someone she arrested?”