The Alpine Xanadu Read Online Free PDF

resort to a pratfall—being basically clumsy, I might do that without trying.
    Mitch returned just as Amanda was delivering the mail. “Not much in the log today,” he said, poking his head into my office. “Nobody’s taken a shot or tried to run down Blackwell in the last twenty-four hours, but Cal Vickers thought the brakes in Jack’s car were iffy.”
    I didn’t give a hoot about Blackwell’s brakes. “Was the sheriff in?”
    “He got there just as I was leaving,” Mitch said. “He looked grim. Given that he ignored me, I didn’t ask about his daughter.”
    My watch said it was nine-thirty, giving me time enough to visit the sheriff’s office for a firsthand report. “The deputies didn’t say anything?”
    “Nothing. You know how they close ranks, especially if it’s anything about their boss.”
    “Right.” I smiled faintly at Mitch before he returned to his desk. Milo’s attitude about the job had not changed after we became engaged. In fact, we’d agreed that neither of us could bend,even after we got married. The often adversarial but necessary conflict between law enforcement and the press remained in place.
    Five minutes later, I greeted Lori Cobb at the reception desk. My first question was a personal one for Lori. “How’s your grandma doing now that Grandpa Cobb’s been dead for almost two months?”
    Lori’s plain face drooped. “She’s dating.”
    I gaped. Mrs. Cobb was almost ninety. “Ah … who’s the lucky guy?”
    “Chester Treadwell from Gold Bar. They met at senior bingo night in Sultan. He’s not much older than my dad.”
    “My,” I said. “May-December romances are in vogue around here.”
    Lori’s eyes widened. “You mean Jack Blackwell and Tiffany Eriks? I mean, Tiffany
Rafferty
. I only heard about that last night. He escorted her at Mrs. Rafferty’s funeral. Yuck!” She sighed. “I think Chester is after Grandma’s money. Grandpa had a nice little nest egg.”
    “Well,” I began, not sure what to say, “if it’s a comfort to her, maybe it’s nice for them to … play bingo.”
    “Maybe.” Lori didn’t look convinced. “It’s good that you and Sheriff Dodge are close in age. You seem like a
normal
couple.”
    The other half of the normal couple stormed out of his office. “Got to go to the courthouse, Lori. It may take a while.” He practically knocked me out of the way coming through the swinging gate in the curving reception counter. “Later, Emma,” he muttered, and went out through the double doors.
    “Now what?” I said under my breath. “Is it about Tanya?”
    “I’ve no idea,” Lori said. “He’s not in a very good mood today.”
    “No kidding,” I said as Jack Mullins strolled out from the jail area.
    “Hey,” Jack said, his impish expression in place, “I hear your love nest’s empty lately. When do you expect the big bird to land?”
    “Shut up,” I snapped. “Do you want Dodge to deck you again?”
    Jack involuntarily rubbed his chin. “I only stepped over the line with the boss that one time. I thought I was being funny. Don’t worry, I’ve never said anything else about you two that was remotely—what did old Father Fitz call it when he was pastor at Saint Mildred’s—‘suggestive’?”
    Lori, who wasn’t Catholic, looked puzzled. “Suggestive of what?”
    “Good question,” Jack said. “It’s an old-fashioned RC word for anything to do with sex. You know—like saying ‘underpants’ or ‘bosom.’ ”
    Lori shook her head. “And I thought Grandpa and Grandma’s Baptist church was strange.”
    Dwight Gould came through the door, looking like Dwight always did—sour. “It’s only ten o’clock and I’ve already cited five people for speeding. One of ’em right on Front Street. Those other idiots out on Highway 2 don’t know how to drive in the rain, especially Californians. Why do those people come up here to cause trouble?”
    “Zip it,” Jack said cheerfully. “It’s money for