Turkey Ranch Road Rage Read Online Free PDF Page B

snapped it open. “I think I’ll use Ash Rose on my lids and Driftwood above, kind of heavy, to give a sunken look. Hollow out the cheeks with a bronze blush, and add a touch of Merlot Bisque lip liner. Yes, that should do it. Elegant, but haunted.” She grabbed the case and turned to the door. “I’ll be in the ladies room.”
    For two hours.
    I smiled and nodded, and was just lifting my feet to prop them on the desk when the inevitable occurred. Yes, the stupid phone rang. By the third ring, I figured letting it go unanswered would be worse than picking it up, so I cleared my throat and gave it my best fake TV cop voice. “Bowman County Sheriff’s Department.”
    “Who is this?”
    Uh oh. The caller might not recognize me, but I sure recognized him. Unfortunately, the voice of the man I dream about was not so dreamy at the moment. However, it didn’t seem like he had recognized me, and if we could keep it that way it would eliminate a whole bunch of explaining. I tried to lower my voice about six octaves and speak native. “Hello? Sheriff’s Department. Help you?”
    “Who—Jo, Jolene?” Dream boy’s voice ended with an incredulous tone. “Is that you?”
    So much for fooling Mr. Sheriff. “Oh, hi, Jerry, didn’t recognize you at first.” Yes, it was just as lame as it sounds.
    “What are you doing there? Where’s Leroy?” He said it with a decidedly accusatory tone, as if there’d been a takeover of the office or something equally awful. “What’s going on? Is something wrong?”
    Well, yeah, there was always something wrong around here. Relatively speaking, however, the fact that Leroy had sped away with siren wailing to get his camera, to take pictures of an inmate for a publicity stunt, was really not that out of the ordinary, probably. “Everything’s fine. Leroy just had to step out for a minute, and I told him I’d answer the phone if it rang. He should be back any second.” Or twenty minutes, but who was counting.
    “What are you doing here? I wasn’t expecting you until tomorrow.”
    Yes, apparently no one was. And, it did not escape my notice that his order of concern was first and foremost for his office. After that, his concerns regarding me were more along the lines of suspiciousness. He seemed somewhat confused and distressed—as opposed to surprised and happy—by my early arrival. It was getting to feel like everyone had planned to have a nice relaxing evening and rest up for when Jolene arrived the next day so they’d be at the top of their game to make her life a living hell. Well, too late.
    I explained, for the third time, that I had managed to fly to Dallas and rent a car. He didn’t sound as impressed as he did relieved, and again, my heart did not go pitty-pat.
    “So you’re going to take her home then,” he said, relaying exactly what was relieving him.
    Rather than get personal about things—which I darned well wanted to do in a not so pretty way—I said, “Tough situation you’ve got here, Jerry. She’s determined to stay and make a martyr of herself. Not having much luck changing her mind about it, but I’m working on it,” by serving as a witness to her photo shoot by your deputy photographer. “As soon as Leroy gets back,” and takes the jail pictures, “I’m hoping we can head on out to Kickapoo,” eventually, possibly. “It’s been a long day and I’m ready to get to bed.”
    “That would be best,” he said with a heavy sigh that ended in something that halfway sounded like a growl. “When can I see you?” His voice had dipped into that tone that sends shivers through me in ways best left to the imagination. “I’ve really missed you.”
    I hadn’t seen it coming and my reaction was instantaneous and intense. Dammit. I both love and hate the fact that he can do that to me. Forget touch, all he has to do is shift his tone of voice, utter a few choice words, give me a certain look or even just breathe on me, and I’m, well, um, let’s