Chapter 14

Cy looked up from his drawing when Brock came into his office.

“What?”

Brock sat down. “Come up with any new theories yet?”

They’d been working on solving a rash of cat burglaries.

“Not yet. You?”

“No. These guys are professionals and it’s gonna be hard to nab them.”

Cy grunted in agreement. “You wanna come home for supper? Daphne’s making a chicken. At least that’s what she said this morning.”

Brock was taken aback by his offer. “Did you just invite me to supper, or did I imagine it?”

“Yeah, I invited you. Look, you make Daphne happy, so I figure that we should maybe try to get along,” Cy said. “We’ve been doing better lately, so that’s encouraging.”

Brock smiled. “We haven’t beat the crap out of each other for a while, so I’d call that an improvement. You also haven’t been acting like a conceited ass, so that might have something to do with it.”

“Likewise. So, what about supper?”

“I’ll take you up on the offer.”

Cy said, “Good.”

Pudge jumped up on Brock’s lap and the deputy said, “Let’s go over everything again, just in case something jumps out at us.”

Cy admired Brock’s investigative skills and he was happy that the barrier between them had been tentatively breached. He also liked that they shared the same dogged determination to solve a case.

“Okay. Let’s start at the beginning,” Cy agreed.

Ellie had just put on a pot of coffee when Walt came into the office.

“Hi,” she said, smiling. “Are you here to see Toby again?”

“Aye. I’ve finally convinced Reese to release him to me. He knows nothin’ about his former associates’ whereabouts, nor did he commit any crimes. So, I’d be grateful if ye’d let him out.”

Ellie took the sheaf of papers he handed to her, surprised by his fierce attitude. She wasn’t used to seeing him like that. She looked over the papers and found everything in order.

“All right,” Ellie said. “Are you upset with me?”

He arched an eyebrow at her. “What makes ya ask?”

She fingered the papers nervously. “Well, you haven’t asked me to dinner lately.”

“Ah, I see. I’ve wanted to, but you don’t seem to enjoy my company very much,” Walt remarked. The spider shall draw the fly into his web.

Ellie’s eyes widened. “Yes, I do. It’s just that you’re ... strange. Secretive. It makes it hard to get to know you when you don’t talk about yourself.”

His gaze softened. “Curious, then? Good. I’ll pick ya up tonight. Dress for a picnic.”

“A picnic? It’s winter. Where the heck would we have a picnic?”

He took her face in his hand. “I know a very special place. You’ll see. Six-thirty?”

Ellie nodded. His touch did funny things to her. “That’ll be fine.”

“Good. Now, about young Toby.” He dropped his hand.

“Right. I’ll bring him out,” Ellie said.

When Ellie answered Walt’s knock, she was surprised to see him wearing jeans and a denim sack coat over a white wool sweater. He looked casual yet handsome.

“Hello, Ellie.”

“Hello. You look nice.”

“Thanks. So, do you. Shall we?”

Walt enjoyed the uncertainty and curiosity in Ellie’s beautiful blue eyes. He wanted to keep her guessing and just itching to know more about him. It had taken a while to wear her down and now that he had her attention, he planned to keep it.

Ellie liked that Walt assisted her into the buggy even though she was perfectly capable of getting in by herself. He didn’t treat her like a lawwoman, just a woman, which she appreciated in a suitor.

“How’s Toby?” she asked.

Walt clicked to his horse, getting them underway. “He’s confused, but glad to be out of jail. He’ll be out of sorts for a while, but I’ll help him.”

“I think it’s very nice of you to help him, but why are you?”

He smiled wryly. “Let’s just say I have a fondness for helpin’ the underdog, those who can’t help themselves.”

“I see. What are you going to do with him?”

He gave her a questioning look. “Do with him? He’ll stay with me until he can make his own way in this world. He’ll also go to school. I want him to have an education.”

Ellie shook her head. “I can’t figure you out. Being kind is one thing but taking in a boy who’s a complete stranger is another.”

Walt gave her an understanding smile. “Most people would say the same thing. It’s simple, really. He needs someone, and I have the means to help him.”

Ellie took in their surroundings as they left town. Walt didn’t live right in town, but was still close enough that he was able to have telephone service. They passed the driveway to his house.

“You missed the turn.”

“I didn’t. We’re goin’ around the front way.”

Ellie’s brow furrowed. “The front way?”

“Aye.”

“So that’s the back way?”

“It is.”

She shook her head and fell silent. Walt smiled as he regarded her pretty profile. Intense longing for her gripped him as he watched her. He tore his eyes from her before she caught him staring at her. She was gorgeous, sweet, and feisty, and he intended to make her his very soon.

The drive they turned down was much wider than the one Walt had said was the back way to his house. As they drove, Ellie saw huge creatures rise up on either side of the drive.

When she startled at seeing Pegasus looming near the road, Walt put a comforting hand on her arm.