A Baby For The Deputy

He slowed, determining the driver to be a young woman. As he passed, she rolled down her window and waved at him. Aaron executed a swift U-turn and parked behind the trailer. A reddish-brown tail hung out over the rear gate and swished aimlessly.

Before getting out, he radioed the station, then proceeded with caution all the while making mental notes. The situation didn’t appear dangerous, but he took nothing for granted.

Nearing the driver’s door, he realized the young woman was on the phone.

“Good afternoon.” He looked her over. “Having some trouble?”

“I broke down. The engine light came on and then smoke started coming out from under the hood.”

“License and registration, please.”

“Have I done something wrong?” Her voice quavered.

“Just routine.”

Producing the required documents, she passed them through the open window, still clutching her phone. Aaron decided she must have maintained an open line as a precaution. Smart move. She wasn’t very old, maybe not even out of high school, and pretty, even with her torn jeans, faded tank top and ratty old ball cap. Add to that her disabled vehicle, and she was a potential sitting duck.

Aaron reviewed the documents, noting the eighteen-year-old’s name and home address of Flagstaff. He compared her face to the tiny picture. Something about her struck a familiar chord, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

“Be right back.” In his vehicle, he ran her name and license plate. Nothing significant came back. What had he expected?

Returning to her truck, he handed over the documents. “You’re a long ways from home.”

“I’m staying with my...with friends in Mustang Valley.”

“Are they on their way to help you?”

“Uh...no. I wasn’t able to reach them.”

“I see.” Aaron suspected she was coloring the truth and didn’t know why. “Do you have a roadside assistance service?”

“I don’t think so.”

“What about your parents?”

“My mom can’t help.”

“Because she’s in Flagstaff,” Aaron stated.

“Yeah. And at work. I’m not supposed to call her unless it’s an emergency.”

“This might qualify.”

The girl, Samantha, according to her driver’s license, shook her head. “I’m not calling. She’s busy.”

“And your friends aren’t available?”

In response, her mouth firmed to a thin line.

There was definitely more going on than she was telling him, and he didn’t trust her. Nonetheless, she’d broken no laws and was in distress. Not to mention her truck and trailer were a potential hazard and the horse would need water soon. Aaron had a duty to help her.

“Sit tight,” he said, and walked to the front of the truck where he inspected the engine. Heat wafted off in waves, and it made a soft hissing sound. The smoke she’d claimed to see was probably steam.

A moment later, she disobeyed his order and joined him, anxiously watching as if he might sabotage the engine rather than repair it.

“You have an old rag I can use?”

“In the, uh, trailer.”

“I’ll wait.”

She didn’t take long.

Aaron rolled up his sleeves and, using the rag to remove the radiator cap, inspected the water level. No surprise, the radiator was bone dry.

“You might have a leak,” he told her. “You should get this serviced right away. There’s an auto shop in town. Conroy’s. Ask your friends, they’ll tell you where he is.”

“Okay.”

Would she do it? She wouldn’t get far otherwise.

After filling her radiator with water from the five-gallon jug he carried in the back of his SUV for just this reason, he had her try to start the truck. Luck was on her side, and it turned right over, chugging like an old man having a coughing fit. She definitely needed to see Conroy.

Leaning her head out the window, she removed her ball cap. “Thanks for your help.”

Aaron slammed the hood closed and, wiping his hands on the rag, started for his vehicle. “You be careful, you hear?” He stopped and flashed her a smile.

She didn’t return it.

Reaching his SUV, he sat behind the wheel and waited for her to pull ahead. Once she had, he radioed in, giving an update and advising the other deputies to keep a lookout for her. That accomplished, he executed a second U-turn and made for the Sanford place.

Even though the girl’s name and license plate had checked out, he couldn’t stop thinking about her. She was exactly what Aaron had warned Mel to watch for: a stranger in an unfamiliar vehicle. The idea that a slip of a girl was involved with horse rustlers seemed preposterous. Appearances, however, were deceiving and something thieves might use to their advantage.

Turning onto the Sanford’s private road, he recalled the young woman removing her ball cap and nearly slammed on the brakes. That was it! The reason she’d looked familiar to him. Her physical description was almost an exact duplicate of Mel’s. Blond hair. Brown eyes. Five foot two in her boots. They even had a similar small cleft in their chins.

What were the odds of that?

Chapter Two (#ud151f536-92ed-5d70-befb-155275bc3c1c)

“Over here. Another three feet. Wait. No. Up against the wall.” Frankie Hartman barked orders in her customary bossy voice.

Mel exchanged looks with her younger sister, Ronnie. As if on cue, they both rolled their eyes and shuffled the table to the exact spot their older sister wanted. Which, it turned out, wasn’t so exact.

“Centered beneath the window.” Frankie motioned with her hands to demonstrate.

After two more shuffles with the table, Mel and Ronnie were released from their task and instructed to undertake another. There was still a lot to do before the party started at six, including all the decorating.

Mel had brought streamers, a banner, party favors, confetti and a case of champagne. Ronnie’s job had been to create a photo collage depicting their father’s life from birth to now. Frankie brought the barbecued beef, a family favorite and her specialty dish.