“’Fraid so. Change your mind about wanting it?”
“Not sure. Tell me the rest.” Would she be able to live there knowing it had been Luther’s love nest? Just eww!
“Luther lived there at the time, and he’d installed a lady of...well, to quote Miss Mabel, ‘loose morals,’ and she wanted the woman gone.”
“Was that true?”
“I so didn’t want any part of whatever was going on, but you don’t say no to Miss Mabel. I went upstairs and a woman with long bleach blond hair and wearing nothing but a sheer negligee came to the door. She looked me up and down and said in a sultry voice, ‘A man in a uniform with a gun on his hip is my fantasy. Are you my birthday present?’ Then she grabbed my belt and tried to pull me inside.”
Skye burst out laughing and slapped a hand over her mouth.
“It’s not funny, Sheriff.”
“Oh, it is funny—hilarious, actually, and your lips are twitching. You’re trying not to laugh. Don’t stop now. What did you do?”
“I told her she couldn’t stay. Big crocodile tears rolled down her cheeks, and she launched herself at me, wrapping herself around me like a spider monkey. That was how Luther found us.”
Skye lost it, laughing so hard that she gasped for breath and her eyes teared up. “I wish...” She waved her hand in the air as she tried to catch her breath. “I wish I could have been a fly on the wall for that. What did Luther do?”
“He fired me.”
“What? Obviously, you managed to keep your job.”
“Miss Mabel unfired me when she found out.”
“This is the funniest thing I’ve ever...” She stuttered to a stop when Mason walked in.
“Ignore him.” Tristan reached under the table and squeezed her leg. He shifted his body toward her. “Tell me, still interested in the loft?”
“I’m going to have to think about it. It might be a little too creepy living in Luther’s love nest.” Her gaze darted to Mason. “He’s coming this way.”
“Don’t give him the satisfaction of letting him get to you.”
Easy for him to say.
Mason slid into the seat across from them. “Isn’t this cozy. The police chief and the sheriff snuggled up together.” He smirked at Tristan. “Finally got in her pants, did you?” He’d raised his voice, making sure the people around them heard him. “Rumor is there’s a drug dealer after her. Seems she stole his money.”
She gasped, as did several others. Everyone was looking at them now, and she wished for the ground to open and swallow her. It was Florida all over again.
Chapter Forty-Three
“Mason, you say one more word, and you’ll regret it.” Tristan leaned toward him. “Leave. Now.”
All eyes in the place were on them, and you could hear a pin drop. Tristan knew Skye was embarrassed and humiliated by such a public scene. She’d relate this to what happened to her because of her ex. He resisted the urge to pick her up in his arms and carry her out of here. She’d never forgive him if he did that.
Katie brought their dinners, and after she set them on the table, she glared at Mason. “You get out, and don’t come back. You’re not welcome here.”
“Just having a friendly chat with my old boss and her squeeze.” Mason slid out of the booth. “See you in court, Sheriff.”
As he walked by the counter, Earl lifted a gnarled finger, pointing it at Mason. “That weren’t a nice thing to do, Mr. Mason. A man’s not supposed to be mean like that to a lady.”
“Crazy old coot,” Mason snapped as he marched out the door.
Tristan glanced at Skye. All the color was gone from her face, and his rage at Mason burned through his blood. He touched Katie’s shoulder. “Stay with her until I get back.”
He was done with standing passively by while Mason toyed with her life. They were about to come to an understanding if Mason wanted to stay in Marsville. And if they didn’t come to an understanding and Mason stayed in town anyway, it was going to be a miserable existence for the man. Tristan would make sure of it.
Mason was unlocking his car door when Tristan caught up with him. Mason crossed his arms and smirked. “I’m thinking you have something to say, Chief?”